Outside the Thornston estate, the driver held the door for Shelby as she stepped out of the car. She was unsure how long they had travelled before they entered her new home. The sun was just setting in a beautiful display across the skies. But Shelby was in no mood to appreciate nature’s beauty.
She had made sure to dry her tears so that she looked a bit presentable and not pitiful in any way.
She tried not to look around too much, but the simple but lavish surroundings were nothing like she had ever seen. Shelby had her fair share of rich environments growing up, but never anything like what she was seeing. The Thornston house was not a storey building but a large traditional house spreading as far as her eyes could see.
Her mouth dropped slightly open as she surveyed around her.
’Shelby! This is not the time to think of this!’ She reprimanded herself.
"This way, Miss Monroe."
"Thank you," she whispered and started forward.
She followed the driver, who handed her to another maid in a place she assumed was the living room. The new person took her bag and guided her along different entrances that she was sure she would never remember.
They passed a long line of men and women dressed in black and white and then stopped by the door directly opposite that.
She couldn’t help but look back at them as the young woman accompanying her knocked on the door in front of which they stood.
’Why are they all here? And what are they doing?’ She thought as she glanced at them a few more times.
"Miss?" the door opened, and she was guided inside.
"Mrs Thornston, here she is..."
"Mrs Thornston?" Shelby thought as she made the connection. ’Is that Ian and Brad Thornston’s mother?’
"Nice to meet you, ma’am," she walked forward, wringing her hands and praying that her nervousness did not show.
Geneva Thornston was an intimidating-looking woman. The only hallmark of her age was the slight wrinkles on the corner of her eyes and the deep-set, knowledgeable eyes that the world of her experiences. She was slightly plump, but that only highlighted her imposing nature.
Shelby waited and waited but heard nothing from Geneva, but she patiently kept her head bowed. It started feeling awkward after a while.
’Why isn’t she saying anything!’
She wondered and itched to raise her head, but she knew she did not have to unless told to do so. She further humbled her stance and studied her feet. Finally, Shelby couldn’t take the wait anymore.
Shelby raised her head and looked at the older woman seated. What she saw nearly made her stumble back.
"Bring her in!" Geneva said and then asked Katie, "Which room did you allocate her?"
"This one," she replied, pointing to the door right opposite Ian’s.
"Good choice. Let’s wait for her in there."
Katie nodded and hurried to open the door for them. A couple of maids and one male servant followed them into the room. Geneva sat on a small couch to wait as the three others set about completing a few last-minute touches to the room: straightening furniture, final dusting and whatnot. It was a rather short wait as she had barely settled when a knock sounded on the door.
She watched as the girl walked in. Worn-out pale dress, but presentable, blond hair let loose around her shoulders. The girl presented herself as simple as could be. Initially, Geneva was a bit angry as she had expected a better-presented outfit at least.
’She should at least present herself like her status. She is from an affluent family, but why is she dressed like a pauper?’ she thought in disgust. But the more Geneva looked at her, the more profound the girl became. Prior to this meeting, Geneva had only seen Shelby’s picture in the bride catalogue and had never met her in person.
Even though it was a late reaction, Geneva’s mouth dropped open, which she closed immediately before anyone saw, but her eyes betrayed her, widening, almost trembling in shock. She prided herself on being so beautiful and had seen the best of the best in her circles, but Geneva held no candle to the young woman in front of her! Not even in her younger days!
It was so much of an exaggerated movement that went unnoticed by all, but the workers of the Thornston household had been trained to see no evil, hear no evil, nor speak no evil.
’She is devilishly beautiful with her innocent looks!’ Geneva mused as a slight jealousy manifested in her, surprising even herself.
Of course, her reaction was not unnatural because all the other people in the room averted their gazes!
This was the sight that greeted Shelby when she raised her head. An almost star-struck eye of her mother-in-law staring at her!
Geneva cleared her throat to cover the awkwardness and stood up. She walked slowly around Shelby, ’inspecting’ her.
"The looks are good. I like that! It’s even better than the pictures in that catalogue..." She stated, to no one in particular.
’That should be good enough to drive that wench from Ian’s memory,’ she thought as a slight surge of hope coursed through her veins, making her smile.
She completed her circle and stood in front of Shelby. She lifted Shelby’s chin with the tip of her index finger.
"A good smile should brighten you up more, but that is not important at the moment," Leaving Shelby’s side, Geneva retook her seat.
"Good looks and artistic genes for my future grandchild." She nodded, quite satisfied.
Shelby could not understand anything that Geneva had said, as if she was speaking in a cryptic language of a sort. But her next words almost made her stumble back in shock yet once again,
On Geneva’s signal, the male in the room left, closing the door behind her.
"What?!" Shelby shouted involuntarily.
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