"Of course not, milord." Count Gerald acted quick, he knows Lord Ian dislike repeating his words and never want to be on the bad side of the Lord. Beside him, Countess Grace and Lady Monica was quick to pull their skirt and made a bow as if to apologize.

They know far better than anyone that offending Ian the Lord of Warine would only warranted death and by the seem of it, the woman beside Ian was treasured much more than they thought she was. If by mistake they offended the woman, they fear their necks would come in contact with his cold sword, they thought.

Elise felt uncomfortable with the Countess and Lady Monica as she had seen how much they dislike common people by the time in the thread shop, she lifted her head to see how Lady Monica had glared at her despite bowing down with her eyes on the ground. With the switch change of action in Count Family, Elise lifted her chin to Ian and felt her heart moved that he had protected her against their claims.

Countess Grace brought her lips to cover the awkward air with a smile, "I apologize milord. I mistook the lady as a poor woman who came without invitation. As you know lowly laborer dressed the same way as your companion, please don't blame us for taking it wrong." said the woman while bowing to the Lord, pushing the blame to Elise for dressing herself in a rug to his eyes.

"You don't need to concern on her dress. Some times the clothes make a person but this girl is beautiful enough that she doesn't need any expensive dresses to make her beautiful." Ian replied, not holding any of his words. "The more a lady is dressed up, they would soon loses all their charm and be nothing less than a mum doll which I dislike, right Lady Monica?" Ian didn't miss his chance to bring up the daughter of the countess. Although it was brief, Ian who had only focus his attention on Elise even as the girl daintily followed him from behind, he heard how her heartbeat made a quick hitch, as if Elise knows the Lady. And perhaps their meeting wasn't a good one.

Monica looked at him and mustered her best smile, agreeing despite her objection she held in her tongue, "I agree, milord." But she didn't stop glaring at Elise.

Some of the people who had been swarming around the place keeping their ears wide open and eyes on the floor began to sought a look at the girl the Lord had praised wondering how she would look. They all placed their attention to the lady behind the Lord. Truthfully her dress looked very dirty and dull, there were grim and dirt staying in the end of the simple-looking dress which made it look even more unsightly.

It wasn't often someone could still maintain themselves to look beautiful in the dirty dress but Elise had pulled off the dress. Her skin was pale in color, and eyes which was blue contrasted well with her burning red hair. She may not be the most beautiful woman in the room but it was arguable as if the lady was dressed the way the other guests had, she would be the undoubtedly number one in term of beauty.

Elise pursed her lips so she wouldn't let a smile on her lips in the situation she was when Master Ian had praised her beauty. Her lashes fluttered down with the happiness bursting in her heart and her feet had taken a step closer to Ian.

"You should stop staring at her, Lady Monica." came Ian's voice which had Lady Monica froze at the floor she stood at. "She wouldn't get any more beautiful than she already is if you stare at her. Or perhaps, you are envious?"

Her? Envious? Lady Monica clenched her hand, pulling her skirt as she did so. How could she ever be envious of the stupid girl who couldn't even hold a candle against her? Lady Monica felt mortified to be remarked as envious by the Lord in front of all the guests inside. All of it was because of the red-headed girl who stood beside Ian!

Monica's hand which was holding her skirt loosened, letting the crease skirt to smoothened down, "I am not, milord. I was surprise by her."

"I can't blame you." Ian hummed, his smile was rested on his lips and the affect was clear to Lady Monica who could only find perfection from Ian's face blushed when their eyes meet even when she was still burning with anger and jealousy. Elise who had stared at Lady Monica shifted her gaze away from the lady to Master Ian, seeing how he also looked at her and his red lips widened.

"Of course, your words are correct, milord." said Count Gerald feeling that perhaps his wife has hit the Lord's nerve.

"Was there ever once where my words are wrong?" he deadpanned for Count Gerald to feel as if he was on the edge of a cliff.

"Of course not, milord. I will not be holding back any of your precious time by talking here, please enjoy." Count Gerald excused himself before followed by his wife and children. When Lady Monica passed by Elise right side, the woman clicked her tongue loud enough for Elise to hear with her glare staying at the top of her head.

Lady Monica clenched her hand, her teeth gritted with her anger boiling in her face. "That's not a suitable face for a lady to have, Monica." she shot her eyes up, looking to her elder brother Elijah the one who had commented of her face.

"Isn't it why I'm here in the corner?" she retorted with a frown. "Which part does that woman look beautiful at? She is ugly as much as her dress. How could the lord call her beautiful?!" she stomped her feet and crossed her arm, her eyes still glaring at Elise who stood beside Lord Ian.

"Sister, jealousy is an ugly thing. You should get better in handling your emotions, like what mother had told you." commented Elijah, his blue eyes subtly moved from Monica to Elise and hummed.

"Can you expect me to stay calm when the Lord had said all that?!" She didn't hide her jealousy, she had liked the Lord since the first time she had met him. Regardless of the rumor about the Lord which mostly sounded bad, she didn't cared and still love him without a wavering heart. Lord Ian was a man who stood above others, if one path was straight it will bent for him and there would be no one who dared to cross the Lord's path. And yet a girl suddenly showed up to enchant the Lord.

"The girl is beautiful like her blue eyes and red hair." trailed Elijah, and without looking he could feel how his sister glared at him as if there was no tomorrow. "But her face is fairly average except for her body. You know how the Lord is, he expect something that could interest him and his preference to a woman was the same. No ones know when he would lose his interest. Why are you fretting?"

Monica looked at his brother as if it was the first time Elijah had spoke of something smart. Seeing the change of her expression, Elijah patted her shoulder with a wide smile, saying, "Don't be on edge and learn when the right time is. That girl too she doesn't have a long time with the Lord." and Elijah left Monica who had become calmer with the words he said.

"You seem happy." Ian commented his grin was wide while taking the drink from the male servant and tilted his glass to look at her expression. Elise blinked at him, had she smiled too widely?

"Did by calling you beautiful makes you that happy?" she heard him asking again, taking her off from her guard as she didn't expected he would asked a bold question.

Her lips pursed where her eyes admired his handsome face under the light. It wasn't often for Elise to see Ian under the light and when she did, she found the few features that she hadn't been able to look well with the scarce lighting in White Mansion. His cheekbones were high and the red eyes was glowing like amber which could even defeated the light from the candles which was hung up on the crystal chandeliers. Whenever Elise saw his eyes, she felt as if she had been thrown off her balance, her head feels dizzy from the loudness of her heartbeat.

"Yes." she murmured her words, red color creeping from her cheeks all over her neck. She bite the inner of her lips, her heart unable to calm down after the reply she gave to him