Chapter 18

"What happened to this relic in my first life?"

She didn't remember what happened to her, but maybe it's because Gaspar sold her with the mansion.

Continuing to reflect on the key, Juliet remembered one case.

"When I was a child, I remember I was scolded for playing with him without my father's knowledge."

Little Juliet thought there should be a door somewhere in the mansion that this key could open.

So she approached every room with this key, trying to find the right door.

The reason why she thought so was very simple.

Since this key was 300 years old, and the Montagu mansion, which was presented to them by the first emperor, was also 300 years old, she thought there was a connection between them.

However, no matter how many times she walked around the mansion, she could not find a door that could be opened with this key.

When Juliet told this story to her father, he laughed and said:

- Maybe it wasn't made to open the door.

- And then what does he open, if not the door?

What is this key made for?

- I'm sorry, but even I don't know what he should open.

Count Montagu smiled softly and spoke again.

- Now it's yours. I'm sure you'll find a use for it.

*****

But since the summer ball was supposed to take place the next day, both Juliet and her father completely forgot about the key.

And all because of the "Adorable Blue Bell."

This was the official name of the summer ball, although more often it was called simply a "bell party", it was considered a festive day and stood on a par with such major events as, for example, the New Year's ball held in winter and the spring ball of debutants.

But, compared to the New Year's ball, which was necessarily attended by the imperial family, the ball of "bells" held in the summer was less official.

All men and women who reached the age of majority could attend it. Also during this celebration, all guests had to give a small bouquet of bells to one of the guests, then as a result, the person who received the most bouquets became the favorite of this ball and he was solemnly presented with a wreath of bells, after which he could make a wish, and the guests had to fulfill it.

Thanks to this unique rule, this ball was very popular among young single men and women.

And it is for this reason that the servants did not move away from Juliet all day.

- You have to get, at all costs, this wreath of bells, miss!

- ..... I'll try.

- That's not enough, miss!

Young maids who styled Juliet's hair tried to ignite the spirit of rivalry in her.

- Everything is ready!

The maids skillfully decorated Juliet's long brown hair with white flowers and small pearls.

As Juliet told Fatima earlier, she put on her mother's dress for the ball.

The elegant dress, made of light blue and smoky silk, seemed airy and was ideal for cool summer weather, favorably emphasizing Juliet's thin waist.

Juliet really liked this dress.

Her mother, Countess Montagu, who seemed at first upset by her daughter's decision to refuse to buy a new dress, was very proud looking at her child in this beautiful dress.

And Juliet's father even said a few words with a wide smile on his lips as soon as he saw his daughter.

"You look like a beautiful summer fairy."

The count's crew arrived at the imperial palace just before the start of the ball.

When Juliet got out of the carriage, she felt the cool night air on her skin, which seemed very pleasant to her after the daytime heat.

Since the dress code for this ball was relatively free, there were a lot of luxuriously dressed people around in bizarre costumes.

In addition, there were quite a few guests who wore masks like on a masquerade ball.

But most of all, Juliet liked the soft lighting installed throughout the banquet hall and vases, both small and large, with blue bells.

Entering the banquet hall, Juliet immediately found a bright pink dress there.

- Fatima!

- Huh? ... Juliet?

Fatima seemed very surprised when she saw Juliet and began to examine her from head to toe.

Juliet, meanwhile, thought that she had not come to the ball in vain, because she liked it more than she thought.

And for some reason it seemed to her that the evening would go smoothly.

- Today we have a very important guest, whom we would like to introduce to you!

This was until the man, who was the personal servant of the Empress, came forward with an arrogant look.

Knock-knuk-knuk.

He drew the attention of all those present to himself, knocking on a glass with a silver spoon, and then introduced an important guest who was just entering the banquet hall.

- Duke Carlisle!

Bach!

The next moment, a glass of champagne in Juliet's hand fell to the floor and shattered...

*****

- Oh...

- Are you all right, Juliet?

- Are you okay? Didn't you get hurt?

Soon the frightened servants ran up and began to hastily remove the fragments of glass.

- I'm very sorry. He slipped out of my hand.

Juliet bowed her head guiltyly and apologized.

She lacked the courage to raise her head again.

A moment ago, the moment he had just entered the banquet hall, Lennox Carlisle's eyes met. Although it was only for a moment.

Black hair and blood red eyes.

The young duke from the north looked exactly as she remembered.

"No, did he look... a little younger?"

Juliet couldn't bring herself to raise her head again.

However, this moment was enough for her to recognize him. She could never forget the face of the man who killed her.

Juliet hurriedly began to sneak into the farthest corner of the hall through the dancing guests to avoid meeting him.

Meanwhile, the Duke, who attracted the attention of the guests, did not take his eyes off the servant of the Empress.

- Your Serene Highness, let me explain to you the rules of this ball...

It was very regrettable to watch the servant, who, on the orders of the Empress, explained the rules to Lennox trembling with his whole body.

- This bouquet...

After the servant gave him a long explanation, he put a small bouquet in his hand.

- And what should I do about it?

Duke Carlisle, who did not seem to listen to the servant at all, asked a question with a bored look.

Meanwhile, Juliet, watching him from afar, calmed down a little.

- ..... Apparently, I reacted too sharply.

Despite the fact that the indifferent red eyes, which did not contain a single emotion, only stopped at her for a moment, Juliet, remembering this, immediately felt an irresistible desire to run out of the hall.

"But it can't be."

According to her memoirs, the Duke of Carlisle always appeared in the capital only at a New Year's banquet.

For this reason, Juliet avoided attending the New Year's ball under various pretexts so as not to face it.

But why? Why has this changed?

What action did she take to cause a butterfly effect?

- Are you all right, Juliet? You look very pale.

- It's all right. I need to go out for a minute... sorry.

Juliet apologized to her fiancé, who had just approached her, and hurriedly went outside.

She did not even come up with a convincing excuse, feeling that if she stayed there further, she would faint because of dizzying excitement.

But as soon as Juliet went outside, a familiar carriage came to her sight.

- Dad?

- Juliet...

It was her family's carriage with the symbol of Count Montagu on the door.

Her parents and a servant from their mansion stood in front of her.

- What's going on, Dad? Are we leaving?

- Juliet, please stay here.

- Miss, a thief sneaked into the house! - Said the servant almost crying in an excited voice, but he instantly shut up when he saw the angry look of Count Montagu, to whom he gave him.

Hearing Juliet's words, I thought it was a great reason to leave the ball.

- I contacted the capital's guards, so they will be here soon. You have nothing to worry about...

- I'll go with you.

Any excuse to get out of this place was good.

Count Montagu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, but before he could do it, Juliet had already jumped into the carriage.

Bright stars, which until recently shimmered in the sky, were no longer visible. The night sky hanging over it was covered with dark clouds, which did not bode well.

In the end, when Juliet's father and mother also got into the carriage, they drove away from the imperial palace.

After a while, they entered a narrow road passing through the forest on the outskirts of the capital.

- Was anyone hurt? - Lillian, Countess Montagu, asked very gently.

- I can't say. As soon as we get to the mansion, we'll take care of the wounded...

It happened at that very moment.

Rumble!

The horse laughed loudly and stood on end.

Juliet, who didn't understand what had happened, tried to look out the window.

Flash!

But the next second there was a strong push, and Juliet lost her balance, after which she felt severe pain like a blow to the head.

And then her eyes darkened...