Salaz

every emotion beneath a calm, placid surface. From this moment on, I was eighteen-year

sponsible for teaching etiquette to the young ladies. She was rigid and severe, but

e would be a

open impatiently as I

leather boots stopped in front of the opening. Mrs. Gable's voice

ly adopted a frightened, hesitant posture, my eyes darting to the magnificent man

assessing me. The "unsophisticat

my carefully measured voice tinged wi

ir. I guessed she hadn't expected me to

ly referred to her as "that old w

s. Gable's voice hel

nt... they told me about you. They said you were the most respected Elder o

held out a gloved hand. "According to protocol, you should be assisted f

er hand, jumped down, and was immediately labeled "rude a

ate. I placed my cold han

en. She clearly hadn't e

eful and steady, each step conforming to the strictest aristocratic etiquette. These were ski

shment in her eyes. She had probably expected a clums

ho taught you?" she

ewoman. She taught me what little she could." I offered a

at me had changed completely. The scrutiny and disdain w

succeeded in

respects to the Matriarch, Lady Beatrice,

own me any warmth in my past life, only to be disappointe

er the bowing servants. Their faces held a

d me and the few young servants who had

, but I quickly regained my compo

eye. A man in a senior servant's uniform was roughly

g crashed to the ground, the

nd, about to slap the

ice was not loud, but it was

e, including the man with