The Prince’s Taste - Chapter 7.4

She brought Ella to the Emers’ Marquisate and handed her off to her personal maid. The other maids looked puzzled, but Judy Esther simply instructed them to take Ella to the bath. A wash had to come first.

Then she headed to her mother’s sitting room. The Marchioness of Emers, seated gracefully with a cup of tea in hand, looked up and offered a warm smile.

“It’s been a while, my dear girl.”

“What…..?”

Judy Esther sat across from her, offering a sheepish smile. A runaway daughter, returning home—and yet her mother greeted her with nothing but kindness. She couldn’t bring herself to lift her gaze.

“I’m sorry, Mum.”

“Are you really?”

“I’ve been reflecting a lot.”

Whether or not she believed her, Judy Esther spoke sincerely. Her mother raised her teacup and took a delicate sip.

“Would you like some tea?”

She nodded, and a maid stepped in to place a cup in front of her, filling it with fragrant warmth.

“That dress is lovely. A gift from His Highness, I presume?”

“Yes.”

“You look radiant in it.”

The Marchioness gently set her cup down on the table. Judy Esther stared at the steam rising from her tea, slipping into quiet thought. In this strange world she’d lived in for fifteen years, what had kept her from feeling unhappy was one thing—her family.

A father and mother famously affectionate despite their noble rank. An older brother, Daniel, the golden boy of the kingdom’s civil service, who only had eyes for his little sister. He’d been called a genius since childhood, rising to power in his early twenties, turning down scores of debutantes all the while. His affection for her was absolute. He was the polar opposite of the real-life siblings she knew before her possession. It would have been a perfect life if it weren’t for the villainess setup she’d been saddled with.

“Who’s the girl you brought home with you?”

“Someone who might change my fate.”

“Fate isn’t something others can change for you, dear. It’s something you make yourself.”

This is why she can’t give up on this family. Judy Esther recalled the indemnity decree she had brought with her.

“Mum, you trust me, right?”

“I trust you.”

“I’ll protect you and Dad. I promise.

Even if I lose love, I won’t spiral. It’ll hurt, but nothing hurts more than losing family.”

“My daughter sounds so grown up all of a sudden, but I’m not falling for it. A runaway daughter—what can’t she say to win us over?”

“That’s my mum. Was Dad really mad?”

“It was bound to happen sooner or later. No matter who you brought home, would anyone ever measure up in your father’s eyes?”

“What about you, Mum?”

“As long as you love him, I have no reason to oppose it. I trust you.”

She would protect them, no matter what the cost. Even if it made her bleed. Even if her heart got torn to shreds for love.

“Mum, I love you.”

“Still not falling for it. You know it’s been a whole week since you came home? No matter how much you like His Highness, you should’ve thought about how worried your parents would be.”

“It’s just my rebellious phase.”

Judy Esther waved it off with a sheepish look, hoping for some leniency. She couldn’t tell them the truth about her situation, but she couldn’t lie either. For now, she’d just have to accept her parents’ disappointment and make it up to them with extra devotion afterward.

If things worked out with Richard, she could spin it into a happy ending somehow. But if at tonight’s banquet, Richard fell for Ella and pretended not to know her—how would her parents feel? And if her father decided not to let Richard off easily, what then?

“Dad isn’t in his study.”

“Maybe it’s for the best, if you want to enjoy the banquet tonight.”

“That’s true.”

“Daughter, why did you stir up such trouble if you were just going to worry about it so much?”

At her mother’s words, Judy Esther let out a long sigh and stared at the ceiling. It seemed their paths had diverged since she left the palace.

The Marchioness said she had to prepare herself and returned to her room. Since Judy was already dressed, she wandered into the marquisate garden to soak in some sun. The maids fretted that she’d ruin her carefully styled look, but she didn’t care. A little dishevelment was fine—as long as her heart remained unscathed.

“What’s Ella doing right now?”

Judy Esther turned to the maid following her.

She was told Ella had just finished her bath in a tub perfumed with high-grade oils. After her hair had been adorned and her makeup done, she was now choosing a dress. Because Ella’s frame was so petite, one of the dresses Judy had worn a few years ago fit her perfectly. Fortunately, it was an elegant piece whose design had stood the test of time. Even if she had ended up in something outdated, it wouldn’t have dulled her beauty. Still, today, Judy had made up her mind—if she was going to play the fairy godmother, she would do it properly.