Chapter 29
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 29
Trisha’s advice had been spot on.
It was a stroke of luck that she remembered singing at her great-uncle Viscount Ainborough’s estate three years ago.
With that, the first hurdle had been safely cleared. Judging by the way Lady Vanderbilt’s expression had brightened—matching the warmth she’d shown Trisha—the impression was a positive one.
Of course, simply entering the party without incident didn't mean the job was done. On the contrary, this was only the beginning. One only had to look around; the faces of those who recognized her were already twisted with shock.
“Harriet Listerwell? Is that really her?”
“I was wondering who that was, but it really is Harriet! I didn't recognize her without that skin condition.”
“Good heavens... Was that girl always so beautiful?”
“Forget that, look who she arrived with. Countess Fellon is acting as her chaperone!”
The whispers began in scattered corners, jumping from one person to the next until every gaze in the room swept over Harriet.
Lustrous, wavy chestnut hair, soft, glistening lips, neatly manicured nails, and a healthy, radiant complexion.
The woman everyone had once mocked as ‘ugly’ was gone. In her place stood a woman who could easily be hailed as the new flower of high society.
A man who hadn't yet realized she was Harriet Listerwell even approached her for a dance.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lady. My name is Adam Hofner. I know it’s forward to approach someone who has only just arrived, but I didn't want another man to steal the opportunity. Might I have the honor of being your first partner of the evening?”
It was the first time she had been asked to dance since she was fifteen, back when she had rotated through partners at her Debutante Banquet alongside Bella.
But she felt neither happy nor moved.
Wasn't this man one of Bella’s sycophants?
This was the same man who, while praising Bella and lecturing anyone who would listen on how a woman required flawless skin to be a true beauty, had always looked at Harriet with utter contempt. Back then, her face and body had been covered in hives.
“Who would dance with a woman like that? It’s revolting. What if her disease is contagious?”
Yes, those were his words.
And now, that very man was asking her to dance, his face flushed with interest. Since the supposedly ‘contagious’ hives were no longer visible, he didn't even recognize the person standing before him.
Harriet glanced down at his outstretched hand, then looked him in the eye.
“What if my condition is contagious? Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“It’s me, Harriet Listerwell. You used to be so terrified of even touching me.”
“Uh...? Harriet... Listerwell...?”
Harriet flashed a sweet, sharp smile at his flustered expression and simply turned away.
She didn't have an ounce of regret for the man, but for the woman who secretly harbored feelings for him, it must have been a scene that shattered her pride.
Sure enough, one of the young ladies who always clung to Bella rushed over, a sneer fixed on her face.
“W-well, it has been a long time, Miss Harriet. It feels like a year since I last saw you. What have you been doing with yourself all this time?”
Everyone knew she had been banished to a convent. Asking what she’d been doing was a blatant attempt to humiliate her.
Harriet smiled brightly.
“For the past year, I have been at Saint Clarissa Convent, reflecting on my past actions and living purely according to God’s word. I was a bit nervous coming back to Genoa after so long, so thank you for speaking to me first. But your name was...?”
Harriet, whom they expected to be mortified, answered with such poise that the young lady was caught off guard. Moreover, the fact that she knew Harriet’s name while Harriet didn't know hers felt like a subtle, stinging defeat.
“It’s Viviana Delus. We’ve met several times. You truly don't remember me? I’m hurt.”
“I apologize. We may have met, but I was never formally introduced to you.”
At that, Viviana was left speechless. Since they had never been formally introduced, it was only natural for Harriet not to know her name. Viviana herself only knew what Bella had told her about Harriet.
As Viviana stammered, another girl beside her launched a more overt attack.
“Do you have any idea how much Bella suffered because you disgraced your family name?”
For a moment, Harriet felt a flare of white-hot anger. It wasn't her who had disgraced the family; it was Bella. The incident with the Kailas Duke’s Brooch was absolutely not her doing.
However, losing her temper here would be the same as losing the fight.
Harriet lowered her gaze and tilted her head slightly, looking the picture of contrition.
“I am truly reflecting on my past. My uncle has also revoked his guardianship, so I am certain there haven't been any difficulties caused by me since then.”
Her expression showed no real remorse despite her words. Just as they were about to snap back, Harriet added:
“And Bella seems to be doing quite well, doesn't she? With the eldest son of Count Cheslow’s family, I believe...”
At that, Bella’s friends instantly glanced around nervously.
Bella becoming lovers with James, Daphne’s fiancé, had been a shock even to them. The ‘angelic’ Bella they knew would never have accepted the advances of a man who was already spoken for.
But they remained fiercely loyal to her.
“Lady Laurel and Sir Cheslow’s relationship was already over!”
“That’s right! Sir Cheslow was so devotedly persistent that Bella had no choice but to accept him!”
At their frantic defense, Harriet merely shrugged with an expression of feigned confusion.
“Did I say otherwise? I was simply saying she seemed to have found a fine lover.”
Only then did they realize they had blurted out a defense for something unasked. Their faces turned beet red. They looked exactly like people with a guilty conscience.
Harriet offered a vague, knowing smile to those who had yet to become Bella’s ‘true’ friends.
“Bella doesn't seem to be here today, but please give her my regards. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Harriet gave a cheerful farewell and left them behind.
The women were left in a state beyond mere bewilderment; they were shaken by Harriet’s completely transformed demeanor. In the past, she could only stammer denials and couldn't offer a proper excuse. Now, even while acknowledging her past, she somehow seemed to have come out on top.
“She’s completely changed. We have to tell Bella about this.”
“Huh? Oh, yes... we should.”
The two women could only grip their folding fans tightly and turn away.
However, Viviana found it difficult to shake her curiosity. She couldn't stop wondering how Harriet, whose skin used to be worse than her own, had managed to achieve such a flawless complexion. After all, one of the reasons she couldn't approach Adam Hofner was the stubborn acne that refused to heal no matter what she tried.
* * *
Having finished her minor skirmish with Bella’s circle, Harriet was introduced to the heavyweights of high society by Trisha.
These weren't the youngsters who followed Bella, but the true power players who moved the Empire’s capital.
“It might be hard to remember everyone at once, but try your best,” Trisha whispered. “There is a world of difference between remembering a name when you meet them again and drawing a blank.”
“Besides, those people already know my face and name.”
“That’s true. Well, when you put it that way, you’re quite the celebrity in high society yourself!”
Harriet gave an awkward laugh, thinking Trisha was teasing her. But Trisha’s eyes were sparkling with genuine insight.
“Even if it’s for the wrong reasons, everyone knows who you are. In a way, that notoriety is a great asset.”
That was a perspective Harriet hadn't considered.
“You’re right. Everyone does know me.”
If so, couldn't she use that reputation to her advantage? No concrete plan came to mind yet, but it felt like a tool she could eventually wield.
In any case, the goal for tonight was to greet as many people as possible and leave them with the impression that ‘Harriet Listerwell is surprisingly sensible.’
Although Trisha was her chaperone, she had far more acquaintances than Harriet and couldn't stay glued to her side for the entire evening.
Harriet sent Trisha off to join her friends and approached the drinks table, acutely aware of the gazes following her. Sangria and punch were laid out, perfect for a summer night. The Vanderbilt family’s immense wealth was evident even in the unsparing use of expensive ice.
I should try to strike up a conversation with someone who seems reasonably decent.
The subject of the conversation didn't matter. As long as she could prove that Harriet Listerwell was capable of rational, elegant discourse, it would be a victory.
She sipped the sangria—its potency mellowed by sparkling water—and scanned the room for a partner. She needed someone who wouldn't stiffen and flee the moment ‘Harriet Listerwell’ spoke to them.
Then, someone suitable caught her eye.