Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Beth?” Amelia’s voice made Eliza stopped dusting the library books, especially because the two of them hadn’t talked in days. Even after Eliza had made multiple attempts at reconciliation, Amelia had given her the cold shoulder, which made Eliza eventually stop.

“Yes?” Eliza noticed how Amelia did not meet her gaze, a guilty expression on her face.

That worried Eliza. It was clear that something was wrong.

“The countess is calling you into the parlour.”

Eliza could sense that her aunt would not be calling her for nothing, and Amelia’s guilty expression was enough to tell her that something was surely amiss.

Without asking Amelia anything further, Eliza quickly made her way to the parlour, wanting to know what was wrong.

She walked inside after knocking, her gaze immediately falling on the heap of things placed in the middle of the room. She tried to conceal the shock on her face as she realized those were all gifts her fairy godmother had sent her.

This is not good.

“Why have you been stealing from us, Beth?” Victoria’s sudden question shocked her, and she stared at her cousin dumbly, unable to believe her ears.

Stealing?!

Victoria opened her fist to show Eliza a ring, but Eliza had never even seen the ring before. Everyone in the house, including the Russels, knew perfectly well that Eliza was certainly not one to steal. Everything was falling to pieces.

“I have done no such thing.”

“All of these things and this ring was found in your room, Beth,” Aunty Beatrice finally spoke. “They belong to Victoria. What were they doing in your room?”

“I have never seen that ring before.” Eliza quickly shook her head. “As for everything else, they are gifts that an anonymous person gave me. I even have the notes that came attached to these gifts. I can show them to you if you do not believe me.”

“No notes were found in your room when these gifts were brought out,” Victoria said, “and you can lie all you want, but we know everything else you have been up to as well. We just never expected you to steal!”

Eliza groaned inwardly, immediately understanding how Amelia must have told them about the gifts.

She must have removed the notes as well so Eliza wouldn’t be able to prove anything, which only made things even more difficult for Eliza. How was she supposed to escape this labyrinth? She had no idea.

Only if she knew who her fairy godmother was could she have proved her innocence, but as of now, Eliza had nothing to prove her innocence, and her cousin and aunt would certainly refuse to believe a single word she said.

“I have not been stealing!” Eliza was frustrated. “And what other things? I have done nothing.”

“You have been carrying on like a loose woman with two men and have been seen in indecent situations with both of them by various people. Do not try to lie to us, Beth. You are never to set foot out of this house ever again, or else people might just believe that we are running a whorehouse here!” Her aunt’s words felt like a slap on her face, making Eliza realize that she had been watched.

Although, even if she had been watched, she had never once been involved in any indecent activity with either of the two men.

“I have never done anything that might make me seem like a loose woman! George is simply a friend, and every servant in the house is aware of our friendship!”

“And what about the masked man from the masquerade?” Victoria asked. “Count Fife saw the two of you together as well, as did Amelia. You cannot continue lying and betraying us in this manner.”

“I promise,” Eliza was on the verge of tears, but she was not going to cry. “I have definitely not been stealing or doing anything that might harm my reputation! You must believe me.”

“I do not want to hear another word from you,” her aunt said, almost shouting. “You are to dedicate your days to planning the summer masquerade and must feel lucky that I am not calling the constable to send you to serve a sentence for stealing from the family. You are not to leave the house unless escorted, and I do not wish to hear a word from you. Is that understood?”

Eliza was horrified.

Although she knew she could moan and shout and try to prove her innocence however much she wanted, it would result in nothing. Her aunt had taken it upon herself to ruin Eliza’s life, and she would go to any lengths to do so.

Without another word, Eliza nodded and stepped out of the parlour, her eyes falling on Amelia, who was still standing there. Amelia began to turn around to leave the moment Eliza appeared, but Eliza quickly called out to her.

“Amelia, stop!”

“What?” She still couldn’t meet Eliza’s gaze.

“Why did you betray me in this manner?”

“I only did what a good servant must do for their masters.”

Eliza scoffed at the explanation, leaving immediately before Amelia could say something even more absurd. It was not just about losing the gifts that belonged to her or about not being able to meet George and the masked stranger anymore.

It did upset her to some extent, but what she was truly worried about was how everyone would keep a closer eye on her, making her life more difficult.

The mending and embroidery work she had been doing on the side to make money for escaping from this house was extremely important to her. Not being able to step out simply meant she would not be able to earn that money, and she could not ask Lara to do all the work herself, especially with Lara’s failing eyes. That meant they would be set back, her planned escape falling to pieces.

Eliza felt as if her heart was breaking, but she had no choice except to endure it.

Lately, she had been thinking about her feelings for the two men in her life and knew her feelings for George were much deeper than her feelings for the masked man.

It pained her that she would not be able to see him again and wouldn’t even be able to tell him what had been happening. What would he even think of her absence?

Eliza was worried about too many things, and she had no idea how she was ever going to escape.