The New Debutante.

[three months earlier]

"You need to smile more, Penny! It is your own debutante." hearing the chiding voice of her aunt, Penny lowered her head and bit her lips. 

If it had been only her debutante, she would have been happy. But she knew her uncle and aunt would use this chance to marry her. So that they could gain all her property. Their greed had no end. 

Walking with her arm through her, her aunt led her inside the party hall. As she descended the stairs dressed in a fiery red gown that matched her hair, she looked too bold for the world.

They craned their neck to watch her with widened eyes. Her makeup, her dress style, and the long slit that let them see a good part of her bare neck and cleavage was too bold for their world.

This was the first time Penny was attending these parties because now she was seventeen. Ready for her debutante to the social world. A new arrival in the marriage market. 

As they reached the guests, they adapted to her looks and hid their disdain under the bright pretentious smiles. 

"Congratulations, Lady Ravenswood on your debutante. You are more beautiful than the rumors say." a man dressed in a fine robe that belonged to higher nobles leaned and took her hand in his for a kiss. 

Her aunt smiled approvingly.

"Thank you, lord Cloverines. I am relieved that you could attend the party despite your busy schedule." Cloverines! As in count Cloverines! That man was infamous for having many lovers.

Even those who had been separated from society for a long time and never given formal education could hear rumors through maids. Now she wanted to wipe her hands and leave him alone.

But her aunt did not have similar thoughts. She kept pleasing the lord with all the flattery she could think of.

Penny was growing uneasy. As the man kept staring at her like she was a piece of meat. She tried to show her disinterest by looking everywhere but him but he did not seem to mind it.

"What do you think, Penny?" the woman nudged her and Penny blinked. She had missed most of their conversation, so she did not know what happened. But she could feel his eyes on her. 

"My lord, you remind me of my father., though I have a fading memory of him. I am sure he would look just like you at this age. I hope you bless me for my future." Penny bowed slightly waiting for the man to whisper a prayer for her. 

"....." silence fell in the whole room. Though Penny could not see she was sure her aunt's face was darker than the bottom of a pan. The man was young enough to marry but she had directly called him an old man!

The man was humiliated. He glared at her before turning to leave. They heard a few chuckles but Penny was ignorant until the end and blinked her naive eyes as if she did not understand what happened!

Her aunt glared at him too before dragging him to another man.

"Baron Mintell, I am glad that you could come." many young and handsome men gawked at her with glint in their eyes. They wanted to be introduced too.

But her aunt made sure she would only meet the man she chose. From an old aged man, to one with many lovers. Her aunt made sure that her potential suitors would never suit her. 

"Penny, you need to smile more and be more polite. If you failed to impress anyone today. You would be ignored for a long time. You do want to make some friends right?" she patted her hands and finally took her to a group of young girls around her age.

"Good luck, my niece." she stood up to finally leave her alone. 

The girls were dressed modestly. They looked at Penny as if she was a different species. 

She was a woman who caught every male's attention as soon as she walked into a room. With her unblemished porcelain skin, compelling green eyes, and long, wavy, red hair that resembled the sunset, she stood out from the rest of the crowd. People would stare at her and that made the girls jealous. But they could not accept it. So they looked at her clothes and jewels disapprovingly. 

"Congratulations to your debutante, my lady." the girls smiled and nodded. Two of them curtsied and Penny nodded back at them.

"Where did you buy this dress from, my lady? It seems very different from the latest trends." Penny felt her throat getting dry. She had expected stares, but she had never believed there would be direct confrontation.

She held her dress tightly when the woman blinked innocently at her as if she was only curious about the design of Penny's dress.

"Oh dear! You should be more thoughtful Anabella! It is hard to grow up without getting proper guidance." all the girls chuckled and laughed together at that.

Penny felt her chest burn. This group was chosen specifically for her by her aunt. She wanted to see Penny losing it! Showing her temper to the crowd so that she could be labelled as rude, ill mannered and not deserving of society.

Even though Penny knew it was all a plan, she was willingly falling for it. She could feel the heat rising to her skin.

"I think I have learned much better than others." she softly gripped the corner of her sleeves and traced her fingers on the embroidered flowers. "Because I do not need to mock others to feel my importance." she stared straight into the eyes of the girl.

The girl looked taken aback and then humiliated. Have they thought she would only speak with her fists!? They were wrong this time.

Penny knew how important her debutante was! She would not have one if her majesty had not requested it! She was sure she would not get another chance to attend the social events this easily. 

She needed to make friends, find allies who would help her in escaping the prison her uncle and aunt had made for her after the death of her parents.

And it could not be the group chosen by her aunt. As if she could already see her aunt's scorn in these girls. She wanted to get away and find someone better. 

"Excuse me, I need to use the powder room."