An employee of the house came to tell Brianna, who was sitting on one of the benches in the labyrinth, that her fiancé was waiting for them to have lunch together. Brianna stared at her for a few seconds, and it was only at that moment that she realized that she didn't know the name of any of the staff. She didn't want her children to have the same upbringing that her grandparents had given her. She didn't want them to feel superior to anyone. She wanted them to value people, to take care of their home and their things. After all, everyone who worked in the house ended up becoming a member of the family. How many secrets was that woman in front of her, who must have been the same age as her, hiding in order to protect her family?
"I'll be there in a minute." Brianna decided to reply, to free the young woman. She would start a new life somewhere else and would know the names of everyone who helped her. She couldn't do that there. Even if she had time, her grandfather wouldn't approve.
Brianna got up and walked back to the house, deep in thought. Why was it that there were things that people only found out about when it was too late to fix them? The distance between the house staff and their bosses was a thing of the past. It shouldn't have been part of the family tradition, but her grandfather was very snobbish, and he wanted his family to be like that too. But she wouldn't be like that. Not anymore.
When her grandfather was working, or receiving his friends, who couldn't be heard by other people, her grandmother would run into the kitchen, and stay there, as if it were the best place in the house. You've also found her chatting with the staff. You could bet she knew everyone's name. And it was her example that Brianna decided she would follow. Except for the time she hid her uncles from her grandfather. Brianna wanted to have a big family. Perhaps she would even stay with Dester and have the family she dreamed of. But only if he promised not to let her grandfather take her firstborn son. She made a point of always having her children close to her.
She smiled debauchedly as she entered the front door. Dester was called and came running, like a dog after a bone. That attitude alone was enough to make her despise him in her heart. Could she live a lie all her life? Could she pretend? She was sure that Dester must have been expecting a modest young woman with no opinion of her own, helpless and totally lacking in boldness. But he was in for a big surprise. Perhaps he would even give up on the wedding after she told him everything she wanted.
Brianna entered the dining room and everyone was waiting for her. She greeted everyone politely, then sat down and concentrated on her food. She couldn't get interested in what they were talking about. Her grandmother gave her worried looks all the time. Brianna felt like asking her about her uncles, but she couldn't do that. She was a cowardly woman, and if she knew that she knew her secret, she would be tense and afraid all the time that someone else would find out and she would be unmasked sooner or later.
Lunch came to an end, and Grandpa invited everyone to the office, where they could have a coffee while they talked.
Everyone went there. Brianna's grandfather didn't stop talking for a minute, which made everyone uncomfortable with his old and repeated stories.
Dester looked at Brianna and whispered in her ear:
"Shall we go into the garden, so we can talk more freely?"
Brianna nodded, eager to get out of there. Grandpa gave his permission and they went out into the garden.
"I think Dad overstepped the mark today. I apologize. He's not always like that." Brianna said, as they walked.
"Dad? Why do you call him that? He's your grandfather, not your father."
"He raised me, so..."
"And I don't think you've had many meetings with him." Dester said with a thoughtful smile.
Brianna suddenly stopped, her eyes wide with surprise.
"No! Does he do that with everyone?"
"Yes. I think it's the way he found so that no one could concentrate on his conversation and then blackmail us by saying that we weren't paying attention to what he was saying. He must talk about what matters in between sentences. It's almost impossible to keep up."
"It's a good tactic. I hadn't been through it yet. And really, I can't tell you anything he said in there." Brianna said, starting to walk again, lighter now. He really was nice.
"Yes. Your grandfather is very clever."
"Is that how he sold me to you? Between a sentence hidden in unimportant fallacies?"
The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Brianna sat down on the first bench she could find, waiting for an answer from Dester, who sat down next to her.
"Is that how you see our agreement?"
"Was I supposed to see it differently?"
"Yes. I didn't buy you. No money in the world would be enough to pay to have you as a wife. You are a jewel whose value is far above any treasure in the world. But I admit that we made a deal."
"May I ask what that deal was?"
He took a deep breath. He hadn't thought he would face an inquisition from the Bruma. He wasn't prepared for that. He'd thought he'd be talking to a shy, gentle and modest young woman. But he was enjoying his deception now.
"Your grandfather wants our first child to be given to him to raise."
"And that didn't bother you?"
"It bothered me a lot. But you didn't pay any attention to me, it felt like I was invisible... So I accepted so that I could be close to you."
"I can't accept you as my husband if I'm still thinking about fulfilling this agreement. I can't have my son raised away from me. And as for not noticing you, it wasn't on purpose. A lot of Dad's friends come here, and he doesn't like us mixing. So I've learned to ignore all the men he calls into his office."