Chapter 237: Revelations I
By the time the four girls reached the dining hall, the irritation of the afternoon had begun to wear off.
Not entirely.
But enough that Vivienne could eat without wanting to glare at anyone.
The dining hall was already crowded.
Students filled the long tables beneath the vaulted ceiling, their conversations blending into the familiar hum that accompanied every evening meal at St. Albion. Some were discussing assignments. Others were already talking about the midterm examinations announced that morning.
And, as expected, the Sports Fest remained impossible to escape.
A group at the neighboring table was enthusiastically debating the polo teams.
Someone farther away was insisting that the swimming events would draw the largest crowd.
Amelia glanced toward them as the four collected their meals.
"It’s been one day since the announcement and people are already arguing about which event is going to be the most exciting."
Claire smiled.
"It’s St. Albion."
"That explains nothing."
"It explains everything."
Eleanor quietly laughed.
They found a table near the windows and settled into their usual seats.
For several minutes, the conversation remained pleasantly ordinary.
They compared the reading Professor Vale had assigned.
Complained about the amount of work waiting for them before the midterms.
Discussed which subjects they were most worried about.
Mathematics was mentioned more than once.
Biology was not far behind.
Vivienne listened while eating, occasionally contributing when the conversation turned toward Economics.
That subject, at least, didn’t frighten her.
Everything else was another matter.
"I’m going to make a study schedule tonight," Claire announced.
Amelia looked at her.
"You say that every time."
"This time I mean it."
"You said that yesterday."
"I meant it yesterday too."
Eleanor smiled.
"I think the problem is that none of us has enough hours in the day."
Vivienne sighed.
"That is becoming increasingly obvious."
She took another bite.
Then Claire suddenly looked up.
"So."
Vivienne immediately narrowed her eyes.
"No."
Claire laughed.
"I haven’t even asked anything."
"I know that look."
Amelia smiled.
"I think we all have the same question."
Vivienne sighed.
"About what?"
Claire rested her chin against her hand.
"You and Evelyn."
Vivienne’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth.
"Oh."
Eleanor looked at her.
"You two clearly dislike each other."
Vivienne slowly lowered her fork.
"That obvious?"
"Very."
Amelia nodded.
"Especially today."
Vivienne leaned back slightly.
She glanced between the three of them.
They were genuinely curious.
And, she realized, they had probably been wondering for some time.
After all, they had watched her and Evelyn exchange increasingly sharp remarks throughout the day.
They had seen the tension.
They had simply never been given the reason for it.
Vivienne exhaled.
"Well..."
She folded her hands loosely in front of her.
"It didn’t start today."
Claire’s expression immediately sharpened.
"Since when?"
Vivienne thought about it.
"A few weeks ago."
Amelia blinked.
"A few weeks?"
"Mhm."
Vivienne took another sip of water.
"Actually..."
She paused.
"It started at the Founder’s Ball."
The three girls stared at her.
"The Founder’s Ball?"
Vivienne nodded.
"You remember when I disappeared for a while during the Ball?"
Amelia nodded.
"You said you were looking for Anthony."
"I was."
Vivienne lowered her glass.
"I found him."
Claire waited.
"On the balcony."
"With Evelyn?"
Vivienne nodded.
The table went silent.
"What?"
Amelia’s eyes widened.
"Evelyn was with Anthony?"
"They were dancing."
Claire nearly dropped her fork.
"Dancing?"
"Yes."
"Alone?"
"On the balcony."
Eleanor stared at Vivienne.
"Why were they dancing together?"
Vivienne shrugged lightly.
"I don’t know exactly how it started. They’d apparently been talking, and then they ended up dancing."
She paused.
"She’s a ward of House Ashford. They’ve known each other for years."
That softened the surprise slightly.
Amelia frowned.
"Wait. I thought Evelyn was only close to the Ashfords because they took her in."
"They are practically family."
Vivienne nodded.
"She’s lived under their protection for years. So Anthony has known her since she was young."
Claire’s expression remained skeptical.
"Still... dancing alone on a balcony?"
Vivienne’s mouth twisted.
"That wasn’t even the part that bothered me most."
"What was?"
Vivienne looked down at her plate.
"Evelyn is in love with Anthony."
Silence.
Amelia blinked.
"She’s what?"
"In love with him."
"For how long?"
"Years."
Claire stared at her.
"How do you know that?"
Vivienne froze.
For half a second, the answer came automatically.
Because I read it in the novel.
She caught herself.
"I mean..."
She searched for another explanation.
Then gave them a look as though the answer should have been obvious.
"Isn’t it obvious?"
Claire frowned.
"Not to me."
Vivienne leaned forward slightly.
"Think about it."
She began counting off the evidence.
"The way she looks at him."
"How she always seems to notice where he is."
"The way she becomes noticeably quieter whenever he’s around."
"The way she always finds reasons to be around him."
"That’s not exactly how someone behaves around a man they consider merely an older family friend."
Claire’s expression became increasingly fascinated.
"So she’s been in love with him all this time?"
Vivienne nodded.
"Apparently."
"And you knew?"
"I figured it out."
That was technically true.
Just not for the reason they thought.
Claire looked troubled.
"But Anthony was engaged."
"Exactly."
Amelia frowned.
"I understand having feelings you can’t control."
"So do I," Eleanor said quietly.
"Feelings aren’t something you can simply turn off."
Vivienne nodded.
"I’m not blaming her for loving him."
She paused.
"That’s not really something she can help."
Claire relaxed slightly.
"But..."
Vivienne already knew what she was going to say.
"Her behavior is another matter."
Claire nodded.
"That’s what I’m thinking."
Amelia looked down at her plate.
"I mean, if she loved him while he was engaged, that’s already complicated."
"Very."
"And she knew you were his fiancée."
"Yes."
Eleanor frowned.
"Then why was she dancing with him?"
Vivienne gave a small shrug.
"She probably told herself it was innocent."
Claire snorted.
"On a balcony?"
Vivienne laughed despite herself.
"That’s what I thought."
Amelia smiled.
"Was Anthony doing anything?"
"No."
Vivienne shook her head.
"I didn’t see anything improper from Anthony’s side."
Claire sighed.
"We don’t know what he was thinking."
Vivienne shrugged.
"Maybe. But that’s how it looked."
Claire nodded then asked, "so... that’s it?"
Vivienne shook her head.
"That’s only half of it."
Amelia grinned.
"I knew there would be more."
Vivienne laughed softly.
"You’re finding this entertaining?"
Claire didn’t even bother pretending otherwise.
"Very."
Amelia nodded.
"Extremely."
Eleanor, who had been quietly listening, allowed herself a small smile.
"It is considerably more interesting than Mathematics."
Vivienne stared at them.
"You’re terrible friends."
"We’re supportive friends," Claire corrected.
"Supportive of what?"
"Your gossip."
Vivienne laughed despite herself.
--
Tbc