6 The revelation.

In the dining room

After the formal introduction and Waltz, everyone proceeded towards the dining room. The dining room was akin to the whole castle. The beautiful ancient paintings were hanging on the walls and the dim light of candles were creating an attractive scenery.

Magnificent sculptures of ancient Gods were carved over the ceiling around a beautiful chandelier. The sculptures were painted beautifully along with a golden lining around them. The floor assembled with white marble and dark blue carpet with a Turkish pattern was spread only under the dining table.

A huge table, approximately for hundred people was placed in the centre with fifty chairs at both sides. The pale white tablecloth and the golden candlesticks, along with the silver cutlery were a perfect match for the theme.

The table was filled with various varieties of delicious delicacies while several vases filled with different types of flowers were placed in the dining room. A fireplace hearth was also ignited to provide some comfort to guests.

The host welcomed the guest and lead their way to the dining room and everyone settle down on their respective seats for the last meal of the day. The aroma of food mixed with the scent of the flowers created a homely environment.

However, two individuals sitting opposites to each other lost in their thoughts. Beth was still mulling over Leo's words and Leo was slipping into his guilt slowly, the way he used a hard tone with Beth. He, himself didn't appreciate it.

Still, the round of stealing glances never stopped between them. Both burned with jealousy whenever their partners tried to get intimate with them or initiate a conversation. However, somehow they swallow their food and bid good night to each other and the remaining guests to rest in their rooms.

The night was an eternity long for Beth, the soft bed in her room inviting her for a nap, however, her head was too occupied with some thoughts. She was pacing back and forth in her room to get to a decision as to whether to converse with her mother or not.

Finally, her heart win over her head and she found herself knocking on her mother's chamber. Her mother hastily open the room's door, her features twisted with confusion when she witness Beth at her door holding a night lamp in her hand.

" Pardon! Mother, can we talk..? I need some answers" she requested.

Her mother caught the hassle in her voice and nodded to approve her request. This dreadful day finally had come and Beth deserve to know.

Lady Ackford knew this, she could not stop them, however creating a little distance would not harm anyone..right!?

" Study..." she suggested in a monotone.

With one word, the mother-daughter duo headed toward the primary floor where the study room was situated. In a heartbeat, her mother shut the door tightly as they step inside. She turned around to face Beth.

Beth flinched a little when she studied her mother's stoic face and cold eyes. Her mother loved her most in the world, but at this moment, she looked frigid and distant. Beth could not recognise, whether the person in front of her was her mother or not.

The castle was Lady Ackford's maiden home and she knew its every secret as the back of her hand.

Without exchanging a single word, her mother dragged her feet towards the book self and pull out the fourth book of the second row. She opened the book and fished out a key from its back.

Then, she sauntered to the opposite self and pull out some books, revealing a small vault behind them fixed inside the wall. She opened the vault and fished out a bundle of letters from it.

By clamping her hand around the bundle, she was standing right in front of Beth maintaining only an arm's distance.

Beth's face got ashen when she recognized the wax stamp on the letters. Her eyes widened with shock as she couldn't believe the event unfolding before her eyes.

" Before, you accused me of anything, my dear! You should remember that you are my only daughter and I love you so much...

Hughes clan is cursed! And I don't want you to live unhappily all her life.

They are cursed to have only one heir in the family and other than that death would loom over the second child. Leoandro's brother's death confirmed this.

Moreover, after Lord Hughes's death, the family lost their influence over the town. There is a pile of unpaid debt on Viscount Hughes's desk and it is the talk of the town.

I want you to have many children and live a comfortable life with every possession you ever desire for. And Leo is incapable to accomplish both.

Please! Beth tries to understand A Mother" she explained.

With three steps, she closed the distance between them and put the bundle of letters over Beth's palm.

Beth's eyes were glistening with tears but she could not find her heart to accuse her mother further. She was glued to the spot as her world was spinning around her at the revelation.

" He arrived in the countryside in search of you, last year. However, I send him back and returned the proposal of your engagement.

He didn't accept the invitation for you Beth, it's for Lindsay...perhaps he changed his thoughts about you.

Out there a lot of respective men with the title of an Earl or Duke are ready to accept your hand for marriage. It is your life, please don't be blind over the man, who didn't even want you." her mother added.

She didn't ashamed a tad, of what she did with her daughter. She still justified her action under the name of love...However this was not love, but only for some selfish reasons.

If she really loves her, she would know her heart, she would understand how much she loved Leo and she would never hurt her this way. Beth understands that her mother only thought about the prestige of the family without paying any heed to her emotions.

" He still loves me, Mother and I will prove it to you. I could feel that in his soul through his eyes...they are still longing for me..just as the innocent child whom I met once and promise to never leave his side.

And for you, I assure you, we will live a happy life..filled with prosperity and a lot of offspring." Beth proclaimed.

Her mother was ready to leave the study when Beth's voice halt her action. She finally discovered her voice, she never took a turn against her mother, nonetheless at the moment she was feeling the necessity to protect her heart.

Her tone was filled with confidence and determination such as if she was challenging her mother to prove her wrong.

" I...I hope so." her mother uttered softly.

She left the place immediately after and let Beth catch up with the event, she missed for a long time.

Beth plucked the silver letter opener from the escritoire from the corner. She grabbed the first letter from the bundle. Leo wrote to her after leaving The Eithanburg, she sliced the wax seal and open the letter to read the content.

It was approximately eight years old. The messy handwriting of a child melted her heart as she read further, she felt more culpable.

{she was not there when I need her the most, I was alone in the dark.

SHE BROKE HER PROMISE. }

His words were echoing in her head as a broken record.