A visit

Mia walked into the living room feeling completely betrayed by Lily.

"I do not believe that!" Mia said, huffing in anger.

“Dear sister, you look stunning in that dress!” Lily said, smiling and her eyes shining. “I bet you got a lot of compliments.”

"Don't even try to divert the subject, young lady!" Mia said, hands on her hips, very annoyed. "You tricked me, Lily!"

"Me?" Lily said, putting her hand to her chest, with a face of genuine confusion. However, she wasn't really confused.

Mia let out a derisive laugh.

“You said something horrible had happened to your hair! And that you couldn't leave the house!"

“But it did happen.” Lily said, innocently. “You can ask Edwina. She saw the state of my hair.”

Mia closed her eyes, took a deep breath at least three times before looking at Lily, her lips pressed together into a thin line. She knew Edwina, Lily’s maid, would say just whatever Lily asked her to. 

"What's the matter with your hair, Lily dear?"

Lily broke into a huge smile.

“It didn't want to stay in the place at all. So I applied a little more cream than I should have and it got a little… hard. There would be no time to wash and tend to it, combing nicely in time for us to go together. Such a pity.”

Mia walked over to Lily with a very serious face.

“Your hair is dry, Lily. Dry!" Mia sighed. “If you had washed your hair, it would still  be wet by now. I didn't take more than two hours off! It would at least be damp!”

“I didn't wet all my hair. Just right here…” She touched the back of her hair. There was a thin wetter strand.

“No one would have notived this. You did it on purpose!"

“I did.” Lily confessed and Mia looked at her in disbelief.

“And you say it like that, with the utmost naturalness?”

“Would you prefer me to lie?” Lily asked and seeing Mia's ugly expression, she raised her hands in surrender. “I didn't want to see those gentlemen. They are very annoying, always asking to dance…”

“Lily, the Grand Duke brought the invite personally for a reason. To see you. He invited us, but he wanted you. I was just a complement."

“Oh, really?” Lily asked and then leaned back on the couch. "Well, he saw me when he brought the invitation."

“You understood what I meant!”

"Yes, I understood. And I don't want it. I already told you he's too old for me.” Lily waved her hand in front of her face in dismissal. “He looks so much better by your side than mine. Not to mention I noticed his eyes on you, sister.”

Mia shook her head. Her sister was reading things incorrectly. He was not looking at Mia with romantic eyes, rather, with malice because he was the Devil and she, Mia Chapman, owed him.

“Lily, you're wrong. He asked for you and I must say he was a little annoyed that I showed up alone.”

Lily frowned.

“Did he complain rudely?” she asked calmly and Mia realized that maybe she had made a mistake. She couldn't influence Lily in any way or she would be in trouble with the Devil.

"No. He just looked dissatisfied. He was very gentlemanly with me. He even danced with me one time.”

"Oh, I see.." Lily said, getting more relaxed on the couch. "I think you should go to sleep."

"Huh?" Mia asked and looked at Lily, raising her eyebrow. "What about you?"

“I'm thinking, Mia. I can't get to do it properly in the confines of my room. That's why I came here.”

“I’ll keep you company, then.” Mia said, ready to sit on the couch in front of Lilly. 

"No!" Mia looked at Lily, surprised by her sister's response. “I mean… you don't have to. You went to the ball, you must be tired.”

Mia realized that Lily wanted to be alone, and she thought she could allow it, despite Lily having behaved badly earlier.

“Alright… I'll go upstairs then. Don't stay up too late!”

“Of course, of course. Thank you sister!" Lily stood up and kissed Mia on the cheek. "I love you so much."

Mia smiled. She always got emotional when Lily said that so sweetly.

“I love you too, Lily. Goodnight." She kissed Lily's forehead and went upstairs to her room.

After combing her hair, Mia got up from the dressing table and went to bed. She had taken a bath before bed, despite many saying it was bad for the possibility of catching a cold. She loved to sleep clean.

Mia did not take long to fall asleep, however, she had some strange dreams with green and blue eyes, and woke up during the night with the impression that someone was in the room with her.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she thought she saw a figure at the back of the room, where the light from the window didn't reach. She turned on the lamp, but there was no one there.

"Mia.. you're too stressed!" She told herself and went back to lie down, covering herself and closing her eyes.

Outside the room, Radna was hiding behind a tree. After Mia left the party, he felt that he was out of patience for those people and decided to go after Mia. Maybe he could find out if Mia was lying to him about Lily.

He overheard their conversation, and when Lily commented on his looks at Mia, he couldn't help but smirk. Yes, Mia was gorgeous and he wouldn't deny the attraction he felt. The attraction he would feel for any beautiful woman, though. Nothing especial.

Radna didn't want to marry Mia because she wasn't the kind of person he would want to spend years of his life with. A boring woman full of rules. Besides, she had a contract with him. One of the few rules he himself had: never get involved directly with one of the clients.

He walked away, thinking how perfectly Mia's nightgown fit her perfectly molded body.

The next day, Mia woke up tired, and by the time she got to the breakfast room, Lily was already there.

"You woke up early." Mia commented.

“It didn't take me long to go upstairs and go to sleep. I went shortly after you.” Lily said, smiling.

Mia just shook her head and sat down to eat. They hadn't even finished eating when Mr. Gordon appeared, announcing that the Marquis de Graiko was there to visit.

“The Marquis?” Lily asked. He had never spoken to Lily or approached her. Therefore, she smiled in Mia's direction. “Did you happen to make contact with the Marquis last night, sister?”

Mia felt her cheeks flush.

“He probably talked to me so he could get to you. Like all the others." Mia said quickly.

“Oh yes, it sure must be that.” Lily replied mockingly.

The two went to the living room and the Marquis was there, looking at one of the vases of flowers. As soon as the butler announced the two girls, he smiled and looked directly at Mia.

“Miss Chapman! Good Morning!" He said and bowed. Then he looked at Lily, and politely greeted her.

“Oh, sit down, Marquis, please.” Mia said and he did, sitting on the couch opposite Mia and Lily sat. “To what do we owe such honor?” Mia asked, but before he could answer, Mr. Gordon reentered the room.

“My ladies, Grand Duke Teivel is here to visit.”

Mia and Lily took a deep breath. The Marquis frowned. He didn't want to be interrupted.

“Please, allow his entrance, Mr. Gordon. Thank you.” Mia said, smiling awkwardly.

A minute later, Radna appeared in the room. He was exuberant in a navy blue doublet with gold accents.

“Good morning, Misses Chapman and… Marquis de Graiko.” He bowed.

It was possible to perceive his discomfort with the presence of Ewald.

“Grand Duke!” Ewald said, standing up and bowing. “But what a pleasant surprise! Now that we're even numbers, I'd like to suggest a stroll through the park. What do you think?"

“Oh, I would love to!” Lily spoke, standing up. “Do you agree, Mia?”

Mia didn't want to go, not least because she could already see the two men fighting over Lily. But her sister really wanted to go, she could see.

"Of course, yes." She stood up and Radna approached her. He was the man with the most important title and therefore he should accompany his future sister-in-law, even if he had gone there for Lily - or so he had told himself.

However, Ewald rushed ahead of him and offered Mia his arm. At that moment, Radna felt very uncomfortable. But not because he had a more important title, but because the man offered to accompany Mia. He remembered Ewald's eyes on her the night before and he didn't like it at all.

'I'm just being a gentleman and taking care of Mia like a brother-in-law would,' he told himself, however, as soon as Mia wrapped his arm around Ewald's, he wanted to snatch her away from the man.

Lily, on the other hand, made a face of displeasure. Then, she smiled.

“Marquis! I believe that the one who should accompany my sister is the Grand Duke. He has the highest ranking…” She commented sweetly and Mia looked at her, frowning. Lily offered an angelic smile.

Radna looked at Lily, satisfied.

"Very well remembered, Miss Chapman." He spoke and approached Mia and Ewald. “If I may, Marquis…”

Reluctantly, the Marquis bowed, but not before kissing Mia's hand and smiling at her. Only then did he pull away and offer Lily his arm.

The four headed towards the carriage.