III · ISABELLE

Isabelle Baudelaire's point of view

➵➵➵

THE MOMENT I WENT TO MY DAD's office and told him that I had finally decided to accept his deal, he jumped from his seat with a side-to-side shameless smile that would have gotten on my nerves if it wasn't so funny. Knowing him like I do, he probably wanted to speak with me before, but as much as he's naturally a serene person, he's full of pride, so he didn't let himself come to me first. Mom used to complain all the time about his prideful nature, saying that it was annoying, but she also used to tell me how that was one of my dad's charms to her, which I always found to be quite amusing.

They were quite the bickering type of couple, so that's not surprising.

"Sorry for kind of blackmailing you," he bit his bottom lip.

"Kind of?" I mocked and he sulked. "I hope you will keep your promise to not intervene in my writing after I get married, dad!" That's the reason I accepted this deal.

He nodded, "You know me, I never break deals or promises, especially not with my daughter," he came closer and put a streak of my hair behind my ear, kindly. "I'm sorry, I overreacted. It's just..."

"I know, dad. I know," I hugged him and he hugged me back tightly. When it comes to things that remind him of my mom, he just loses his cool. It's comprehensible. "Now, the problem will be finding the right man," sigh.

"Someone who is of noble origins and won't have any problem with you writing," he stated, and I chuckled anxiously.

Sigh. "Gods... That sounds kind of impossible."

He petted my hair, "Don't worry, we'll find someone."

"I... I wish mom was here. She would definitely find someone that fits me easily. And someone I wouldn't entirely hate or be bored with," dad looked down at me, pressing his lips together.

"Your mom is with us, in our hearts," but it's still not enough. "But don't worry, we'll be going to Desmoulins in a week to spend the winter season there."

I arched my eyebrows, confused, "Do you have something planned, dad?"

Smirking, he nodded, sitting back on his chair behind his table of dark wood, and I sat in front of him, waiting for an explanation. "You were a child at that time, but do you remember your mother's best friend?" Mom's best friend?

"The retired diamond Duchess Genevieve Delacroix?" She's one of the most powerful people in the Kingdom, after my dad. Everybody knows her. And although I do not remember seeing her, I do remember that she was my mom's dearest friend from childhood. "There's no way I would be able to forget who she is. Why?" His question didn't say much.

He opened a book on the side of his table and took a fancy letter from it, then handed it to me. My eyes went directly to end of it, and I saw the crest of House Delacroix on it, a beautiful winter owl with lotus flowers in its eyes. It's one of the most beautiful crests out of all the noble houses in my opinion. I still prefer ours, though. After all, it's a lion with roses in its eyes.

Yes, all the crests are animals with flowers in their eyes. Don't ask me. I don't know why is that.

My eyes traveled to the beginning of the letter, and I recognized the beautiful curvy handwriting from the letters mom used to frequently receive from her friend. It was undeniably the retired Duchess' handwriting there.

|||||

Dear Florentin Baudelaire,

It's been a while since I last sent letters to know how are you and your family doing, but I lost the hope of ever receiving an answer from you. So, I'm glad that you finally sent a word to me.

Regarding your invitation to meet in Desmoulins, I accept it. You can count with my and my son's presence there. I've been dying to meet you and my dear best friend's children again. I don't think they remember me, once I last saw them when dear Isabelle was still little.

Oh, and yes. I think my son would be open to giving Adrien some tips and advices on being a Duke, from a young man to another. It might be more beneficial to them than just hearing it from old people like us.

And whatever is it that you want my help with, you can also count on me for it. I'll gladly help you and my godchildren out.

We'll meet again, brother-in-law.

Kindly,

Genevieve Delacroix.

|||||

Oh. I don't really know what to think of this. I looked up to my dad and saw the excited gleam on his marine blue eyes, eyes that are just like mine. Waiting anxiously for me to say something, "This is, hm... great, dad. I bet mom would be overjoyed to see that you contacted her best friend after all of those years." He kept waiting for more and I gulped, "Hm, I didn't know she was our godmother!" It's true, I had no idea. If mom ever told us about that, I totally forgot.

"Well, yes. She's you and your siblings' godmother. Your mom and I are her son's godparents as well," and he's just telling me this now?

I giggled. "Shouldn't you... hm, have told us about that?"

"I think your brothers remember it. I never really thought about it after your mom passed away," makes sense. "Anyways, it's good. She'll be able to help us fining the right man."

What? "Dad! Her Grace can't know about the fact that I'm a writer, don't forget it's a secret only the three of you know of. Which means, she can't know that I enjoy writing or she might put the pieces together!"

He slapped his forehead, "Oh, dear Gods. Can't we, I don't know, tell her?" I glared at him and he understood it. "Alright, but she'll at least tell us the best single men out there, and from them we can choose the right one."

Sigh. "Alright, you've already invited her. It would be rude not to accept her help now. Just, don't ever tell her about it, okay? I heard she's a very rightful woman, which means she won't be fine with a Lady like me, writing." She might even be disappointed with mom for having a daughter like me, and I do not want that. "Promise me!"

"Fine. I promise!"

The door opened and my brothers came in, falling on the ground, making me chuckle. "Gods above. You know how rude is it to eavesdrop others' conversation?"

Mathis glared at me from head to toe when he got on his feet, "Look who's talking!" He mocked.

"In our defense," Adrien began, always acting as the devil's advocate between us, "we were worried that you could fight again, like last time." I also was, not going to lie.

Dad made a sign for them to sit with us and they did it right away, "Your sister and I have a deal," as if the two gossipers hadn't heard us talking about that. "I'll allow her to write without interruptions if she gets married, and only after she get married!"

Adrien turned to me, biting his bottom lip. "But it won't be for love, will it?" He's like our mother, always talking about love and things like that, while me and Mathis are colder when it comes to that. Although Mathis is beginning to be more like him when it comes to love, which is really annoying.

"No!" I exclaimed unbothered. "But I'll do it. I refuse to abandon my books like that. Especially when I'm almost done with the damn series," I sulked, and Mathis smiled at me, probably finding my expression amusing. "My readers must be losing their minds because of it."

"You have no idea," Mathis exclaimed and I glared at him. "What? It's true. It's the talk of the Kingdom. When I was in the brothel, even the whores were complaining about that. Some even pondered the possibility of you being dead!"

Dad seemed bewildered by it. "You should stop going to the brothel in broad light, Mathis Delannoy Baudelaire!" Ah, here we go again. "Do you know what people talk about you?"

"Mm-hm. They call me a player, and lots of Ladies ripped my names out of their prospect husbands' list," he seemed amused by it. "While Adrien went all up to their top 3."

Our brother rolled his eyes. "Stop provoking dad, asshole," he slapped Mathis' shoulder. "And it's not like that bothers you, once you do not wish to get married yet."

"Not yet," he turned to dad, with a softer smile on this time, no mockery, "but I still plan on getting married." Then the asshole side-looked me, "She's the only anti-romantic between us!"

"Shut up, dumbass! I don't need a man on my life. I'm enough to myself. I'll only get married because it's the only way for me to keep writing," I glared at dad who chuckled. "All because you blackmailed me... your own daughter!"

"Let me off the hook, okay?" He asked making a lost poppy face and I sighed annoyed.

"Only because you will let me choose!"

Adrien and Mathis seemed surprised by that. I guess they didn't hear all the conversation after all. "You will?"

"What? Choose for myself? Yes," then I side-looked our dad again. "It's the least he could do after blackmailing me so shamelessly, hm," then I handed the retired Duchess' letter to them. "We'll have guests on our capital manor apparently!"

"Is the Duke's half sister also going?" Mathis exclaimed, and I glared at him from head to toe.

"Why would she? Dumbass, have you forgotten that she isn't the Duchess' daughter?" I mocked.

Our older brother agreed with me on this, "Lady Marie-Claire Carpentier is the Duke's half-sister by his dad's side, Mat. If she's going to the capital as well, it'll be with her parents. Marquis Olivier and Marchioness Rosalie Carpentier!"

"Only put your eyes on her if you have marriage in mind, Mathis Delannoy Baudelaire. That girl is an honorable noble Lady. She deserves a proper relationship. And you, as a Marquis, has to think of your position and reputation as well. Do not taint hers because of a simple and momentarily desire, as her father did to your mother's best friend!" Dad's tone was serious and even I got a little startled by it.

Serene and calm people are always the scariest when they are angry or serious about something.