New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 149: CHARLOTTE’S TEA PARTY

Chapter 149: CHARLOTTE’S TEA PARTY

Charlotte was worried. Charlotte was anxious. But Charlotte was also... determined.

She had invited her friends to her mansion for a tea party and was waiting outside for them when the appointed time neared.

Yes, friends. After spending some time with them these past few months, she was convinced that they were true friends. But that was not the reason for her current feelings. She had something important to share with them.

She waited for the Madams of the Amberale Grand Ducal family, the Anton, Eldridge and Kiran noble families to arrive when the stipulated time on the invitation approached.

She suppressed the urge to tap her feet on the ground as her manners tutor would disapprove of that. She sighed quietly, another habit her tutor would frown upon.

The Imperial Princess had arranged a new tutor for her. Charlotte couldn’t believe that after so many years, she would be assigned another tutor.

It turned out that like the Imperial Princess had said, her previous tutor had been doing a bad job.

Her thoughts moved back to the present. Her friends would arrive any moment soon.

Her gaze subconsciously flitted to the little boy standing next to her and looking straight forward, but she retracted it the next moment.

She straightened up when she heard the familiar sound of horse hooves from an approaching carriage. Not long after, the guards opened the gates and a carriage drove through the gates, stopping in front of the mansion. Someone stepped out of the carriage and the carriage rode away to park, directed by a footman standing nearby.

Charlotte smiled at the first to arrive; Marchioness Avery Eldridge.

"Lady Avery," she greeted warmly, and Avery Eldridge reciprocated with a smile.

"Lady Charlotte."

"Greetings, Marchioness Eldridge." Wade greeted with a bow. It was proper etiquette to go out and greet a guest, especially if the guest had equal or higher social standing. Marchioness Eldridge’s case was the former.

"How do you do, Wade?" Marchioness Avery asked.

"His Majesty is as kind as ever to his subjects," Wade replied smoothly, echoing what his etiquette tutor had taught him. It was the standard reply for nobility when asked how they were doing.

Before Marchioness Avery could say anything else, the sound of carriages approaching was heard once again.

Another carriage stopped in front of the mansion with two others behind it. Grand Duchess Catherine, Marchioness Clarisse Kiran and Duchess Alistair Anton alighted from their respective carriages.

"Greetings Lady Catherine, Lady Alistair, Lady Clarisse," Charlotte greeted warmly, using their first names to signify their closeness. Calling someone by the first name was seen as informal and showed closeness.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness, Duchess Anton, and Marchioness Kiran," Wade bowed respectfully.

His eyes scanned for Aristia in the carriage her mother had come from, but she was not among the arriving guests. He shifted in disappointment and returned his eyes to their guests.

The three madams reciprocated the greetings. The women proceeded to the greenhouse behind the garden at the back of the mansion where the tea party was set to be held, led by Charlotte, while Wade returned inside the mansion.

After the women had taken their seats, servants came in and served them refreshments. After the servants left, the women resumed their conversation.

"Leave."

The ladies turned to Catherine in confusion.

Catherine was staring at a maid standing behind Charlotte. The only servant remaining. It seemed she was a personal maid.

The maid looked startled, "Pardon, Your Royal Highness?"

Charlotte was perplexed at her sudden demand, and confused as to how her personal maid had offended the Grand Duchess, but Catherine’s expression gave nothing away.

Nonetheless, she nodded to the maid, who promptly bowed and quickly left the greenhouse, leaving only the noblewomen behind.

Alistair spoke, taking everyone’s attention from the incident, "I hope you’re not feeling so down anymore," she said, lifting her cup of tea halfway.

She was asking about Charlotte’s well being. They all knew that she was very sad because of her husband’s infidelity and illegitimate son.

"That..." Charlotte carefully placed her cup of tea on the table. Without waiting for any exchange of pleasntries, she dropped the words that had been weighing down on her mind for a long time. "I have decided to seek a divorce from my husband, the Marquis."

Clang!

Marchioness Avery, who was in the process of stirring her tea with a small smile on her face, was so startled by Charlotte’s announcement that the spoon slipped from her hand, clattering loudly against the saucer, and the smile on her face froze.

But no one seemed to have noticed the noise she had caused.

Silence fell over the greenhouse as the women processed Charlotte’s words.

’Divorce’ echoed in their mind. They exchanged glances filled with surprise and slight concern, then stared at Charlotte with shock in their eyes, not expecting to hear such a thing.

Catherine was the first to respond. "A divorce?" She finally broke the silence.

She had a thoughtful look on her face like she was thinking deeply about something.

"Yes," Charlotte sighed, meeting each of their gazes in turn. She had decided after a lot of thinking. "I do not wish to remain in this marriage," she admitted quietly, her eyes showing emotions that were a mix of resolve and vulnerability. She lowered her eyes.

A second of silence passed.

"But you cannot get a divorce unless your husband agrees," Clarisse Kiran pointed out. They all knew that. Charlotte’s talk about getting a divorce was absurd, but they had to remind her of this detail.

"Of course," Charlotte nodded, doing her best to keep her tone steady and her expression plain. "That is why I intend to seek an audience with the king."

The king’s word was final, regardless of her husband’s stance. If the king granted his approval and sealed it, she would be granted a divorce.

Normally, the king couldn’t force or get a couple to divorce just like that. But Charlotte had solid grounds; her husband had been unfaithful, and there was concrete evidence in the form of his illegitimate son.

The boy’s age showed that the deed had been done while the couple were still married.

Charlotte didn’t think her husband would disagree with getting a divorce— he didn’t love her anyway— but she was taking necessary measures just to be safe.

"That means you aren’t jesting." Marchioness Avery muttered. She couldn’t be. No one would joke with divorce.

Catherine spoke next, and her voice was serious as she used Charlotte’s first name. "Charlotte, are you certain about this? This is not a decision to be made lightly."

If Aristia was here, she would have been surprised at the seriousness in her mother’s eyes.

"I am certain," Charlotte replied.

The ladies did not want to pry, but they understood why Charlotte had chosen to take that decision.

And like they thought, Charlotte confirmed their suspicions.

"I cannot continue to live in a marriage where I don’t feel needed." She lowered her eyes and shook her head, hiding the melancholic emotions bubbling inside.

It was not easy for her to choose to do this. She had considered after a long time.

Divorce was not a joking matter and in Amberale, it was rare to see women divorced. It was especially so for noblewomen because a divorced noble lady would mean a stained reputation.

It was also usually the man who asked for divorce, not the other way round. To be divorced meant humiliation for the woman. It meant the woman had a problem and the husband didn’t want her anymore.

They would be used as a topic of mockery and gossip. Their family would also scorn them as they would be seen to have brought shame upon them.

That was why most of them chose not to divorce even when they had been wronged. They chose to endure.

The ladies glanced at each other. This decision was not at all easy. They weren’t even sure they would be able to make that decision if they were the ones.

"I have thought long and hard about this." Charlotte sighed, "For the sake of my own happiness and well-being... I believe it’s necessary."

"You understand the implications of seeking a divorce, especially in our circles. It will undoubtedly cause a stir." Marchioness Clarisse Kiran’s brows were furrowed.

"I am aware. But I do not have such worries. I am only a noble lady because of my marriage. If I am divorced, I will return to my family. I will not be able to remain in nobility." She sighed softly.

A divorced woman returned to her maiden family. She would bear her maiden name and not her husband’s, since she was no longer married to her husband.

Charlotte was from a merchant family, so she would return to her family when she got the divorce.

She cleared her throat. It wasn’t like she would miss the nobility. They had brought nothing but pain to her, and put her through a lot, her husband included.

However...

Her gaze swept up to look at the women around her. She would miss these women that she had become comfortable with, even though their friendship had bloomed late.

The women picked up their teacups silently. They had no idea what to say. Should they discourage her, or should they support her? Would it be better if they just kept quiet, neither supporting her or disapproving?

The tea party ended in a somber mood. The women all returned to their homes.

Sigh.

Charlotte sighed for the umpteenth time that day. She turned around and headed inside the mansion after sending off her guests.

While heading back to her room, her thoughts couldn’t help but stray back to when she first met her husband.

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