Lily stood by the door as she watched, expectantly, little Rosa's reaction. Little Rosa had no idea what was about to hit her. There was immediately a loud sharp scream. Little Rosa was on the ground, rolling and crying.
Bianca had heard the scream and she rushed out to her daughter. She didn't even notice Lily was standing by the doorway. The moment Bianca got to where little Rosa was, she stood still on one spot. As if stuck. She couldn't ask what had happened. Noah also came out.
"What's going on here?" he pretended as if shocked as well. Bianca said nothing. She just gazed at the ground. Frozen. Little Rosa was still rolling and crying.
Grandfather also came out and some few maids stood at a distance watching and whispering.
"Bianca!" grandfather called out, "why have you decided to disturb my siesta today? I thought we've had enough drama for one day?"
Bianca soon unfroze and pointed at something.
"What's that?" grandfather drew closer to have a good look. As he got close, he too couldn't help expressing his shock.
"Who did this?" grandfather roared. Even the birds on the treetops fled in fright.
"Strange things have been happening ever since that girl came into this house yesterday," Noah blurted and drew closer to see what the fuss was all about. All these was just a show created by him and his mother.
Lily also came close.
"Ow poor little Rosa," Lily lamented and tried consoling the weeping girl. But Rosa refused to be consoled. She drew away from Lily as fast as a finger that came very close to a fire. She rather ran to her mother's side and hugged her tightly. She was still as weepy as her mother was still in shock.
"And these species cost a pretty sum of money," cried out Noah, "she must have taken them to sell. How wicked!"
Just then Ariana came out. She heard the scream as well but had to ask the maids what it was all about. She didn't want to jump into something that didn't really concern her. But as soon as she learnt that it was in fact her favorite of the Calhouns, she had to come see what this was all about.
"There she is," Noah turned everyone's attention towards her direction. Ariana felt her throat go dry. Why was everyone staring at her? She saw Lily there, and she knew this had something to do with her.
"Young lady, where you at the garden today?" grandfather frowned.
"Yes I was," Ariana seemed unsure if her reply was implicating or vindicating.
"We were here together with Aunt Aria," little Rosa managed to say tearfully.
"After that, did you come back to the garden again?" grandfather inquired more.
Ariana wondered why she was being interrogated this hard. What had happened? She could remember coming back to the garden after making some pancakes for little Rosa. The ring that Calhoun had given her on the night at the Eagle park had fallen off her hand unknowingly. Ariana had actually gone back to the garden to search for it. She found it gladly. She didn't know what she would have done if she had lost it. How would she begin to explain its disapperance to Calhoun?
"Miss Brown, I asked you again. Did you come back to the garden again after you had left with Rosa?" grandfather seemed to be losing his patience. You could tell it from his voice.
"Yes, I did."
Everyone was now astonished. Even Bianca who had the slightest compassion for Ariana was beginning to reconsider her judgements. But why would Ariana do such a terrible thing?
"I told you!" Noah grinned evily. "I told you she did it!"
"No!" little Rosa screamed and went to hug Ariana. "Aunt Aria will never do such a thing. She's not that kind of person." Little Rosa's tears were now diverted to sympathy for her new best friend.
"Rosa!" Bianca's eyes became fiery, "leave that lady alone and go into the house."
Little was surprised by the tone her mother was using on her. She had never used that tone on little Rosa before. Not even on the silly maids.
"I said NOW!" Bianca roared. Little Rosa ran back into the house in tears.
Everyone seemed to have surrounded Ariana. Like a pack of wolves ready to pounce on a gazelle. Ariana was frightened. She didn't even know what she was accused of. She had no idea what everyone was talking about.
"Excuse me sir," someone spoke up in the middle of the heated moment. It was the butler. "If I may?"
"Yes, go on..." grandfather permitted him as his brow flexed in anger.
"I beg to say that, Miss Brown wasn't the only one who had come into the garden today. I mean, after the young Miss Rosa had gone in. But in fact, after Miss Brown had gone in, I saw someone, a male figure, who came into the garden as well."
Everyone was now again surprised by this revelation.
"Are you sure of what you're saying?" grandfather asked the butler.
"As sure as morning coming after the night, sir," the butler said affirmatively.
Mr. Lawson Senior never had a reason to doubt the butler. The man had served the Lawsons for more than two decades now. The Lawsons had taken him almost like one of them. They paid for the tuition and welfare of his seven kids and never for once was he disrespectful or ungrateful.
Though he was still a hired worker in the mansion, his opinion was highly regarded. He had no reason to say what he had said if he wasn't sure. He knew better than to put his job on the line for a total stranger.
"She must have paid him to cover up her evil," Lily said from behind grandfather. She herself didn't know what to do, but she couldn't let the butler ruin her plans for her. Everything was going perfect and Ariana was about to be pronounced guilty and sent packing.
"And you say you couldn't see the face of the person who came into the garden after Ariana?" grandmother questioned the butler. She had come in unnoticed.