Chapter 178: The First Meeting
Her father and mother often said she was very much like her uncle, Uncle Quintus, in both spirit and personality.
They even said it was a pity she had not been born a man.
Camilla herself did not think she was that rebellious.
She simply hated the idea of sitting still and waiting.
She ordered the carriage to be prepared and took three guards of the household along with her chamberlain.
Together, they set out at once toward Lord Dominic’s new home.
Naturally, before leaving the estate, she spent two full hours choosing her outfit and carefully dressing herself.
After that, she spent another hour making sure there was no flaw anywhere in her appearance.
Her clothing was perfectly chosen for early spring: a light green dress like fresh grass, with pale pink lace worked into the design.
The colors brought out the brightness of her red hair, the hair she had inherited just like her Uncle Quintus.
Her hair was partly tied up, while the rest was arranged in soft waves flowing down her back.
On her head she wore a wide felt hat, mostly white but touched with faint pink around the edges.
Among the noble families, it was said to be unseemly for young ladies of high birth to show their faces openly in public.
That was why, whenever she went out, a large hat or lace was always required.
Camilla’s heart pounded with both the joy of finally being able to see Lord Dominic and the nervous tension of facing the beautiful boy who was bewitching him.
Her chest felt so tight she pressed her hand against it, afraid her heart might break apart.
The carriage stopped, not among the grand streets where noble estates lined the avenues, but farther out, in the district where common citizens lived.
It was a quiet little street, even beyond the busy plaza where people gathered.
The area seemed to have been part of some new district plan. The freshly built houses stood neatly in rows, and here and there empty lots still waited to be filled.
Lord Dominic’s residence was one of a group of three houses joined together in the shape of the letter C.
It was so small, so neat and charming, that it looked almost like a dollhouse.
Camilla thought at once that such a tiny home did not suit Lord Dominic at all.
No matter how she looked at it, it was the home of commoners.
There was not even a flowerbed in front.
From the small street, just three shallow steps led directly up to the front door.
To think that Lord Dominic was forced to live in such a place! And all of this, Camilla believed, was entirely the fault of that hateful beautiful boy.
As her chamberlain lifted the door knocker, Camilla squeezed her fan tightly in her hands.
No matter how dazzling or graceful that boy might be and no matter if his beauty was delicate and fleeting like the glow of the moon, Camilla swore she would never lose to him.
The time for her confrontation had come!
Her breath caught as the door opened.
However, instead of the boy, it was an elderly butler that was calm and refined in manner, who appeared to greet them.
Of course, Camilla thought, this was Lord Dominic after all.
Even if the house was small, he still kept proper staff to manage it.
"My lady," her loyal chamberlain said softly, turning toward her with a troubled expression.
"Lord Dominic is said to be away at the moment. He is expected to return shortly. What shall we do? At present, only his companion is inside. Would you like to wait within, or shall we come back another time?"
"It may be an inconvenience, but I would like to wait inside," Camilla said.
Could this be the will of heaven?
Her fighting spirit swelled all at once.
It might have been rude, but she had no intention of letting this chance slip by.
She would uncover the truth of her rival’s identity with her own eyes.
Guided by the butler, Camilla and her group entered the house.
She went in together with one of her guards and her chamberlain, while the other two guards were left outside to keep watch.
Beyond the small entrance hall, they immediately came into the living room.
At first, Camilla thought it must be only a waiting chamber, but she was told that this was indeed the living room where guests were received and where the residents relaxed.
That surprised her.
Camilla did not sit at the table but instead chose the sofa spread with a carpet underneath.
Behind her, the chamberlain and guard stood quietly at attention.
The room was furnished with little, free of extra ornaments, it’s plain to the point of being stark.
Yet the table, chairs, and sofa matched one another well and gave a sense of unity.
In its strictness and neatness, perhaps this was a room that truly reflected Lord Dominic himself.
Then, the door at the back of the room opened and a boy entered.
He wore simple trousers and a shirt with a thick tunic over them.
At the sight of him, Camilla’s chest throbbed with tense anticipation.
This boy had to be the very one—that beautiful boy.
"Welcome. I heard you are Lord Dominic’s guest?" the boy said politely, he bowing his head deeply before taking the seat across from her.
"My name is Camilla," she replied firmly. "Daughter of Marquis Londonderry."
"My name is Shiao Yi," the boy answered.
After exchanging their greetings, Camilla stared intently at the boy who had called himself Shiao Yi.
Inside, she was bewildered.
Yes, his black hair and black eyes were rare and mysterious—that much she could admit.
But still! What was so fragile or fleeting about him, like the light of the moon?
Where was the gentle, delicate beauty—like a flower so graceful it could capture a man’s heart with only a smile?