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Helen felt unsettled. The decision not to invite Sophie was meant to show her who was truly in charge, a reminder not to get above herself. Yet, the fact that Sophie was Rafael’s future wife was a reality Helen could not change. She didn’t want her future daughter-in-law being talked about in such a manner.
Eleanor’s words, however, left her at a loss. Though Eleanor spoke with apparent sincerity, Helen had no way of disproving the latter’s claims. In the end, could only sulk quietly while sipping her tea. “Oh dear, everyone’s arrived so early?”
A voice broke the tension. The crowd turned to see the prime minister’s wife, Natalie, entering with her maid. She was wrapped in thick layers of clothing, and was carrying a hot water bottle. Her slow steps were accompanied by a warm smile.
“Greetings, Lady Helen,” Natalie said as she approached.
Helen recognized Natalie, and responded with a smile. “No need for formality, Mrs. Murray. Why have arrived so late?”
Natalie smiled and replied, “I had to stop by Northwatch Estate. Oh, it was so crowded there that I couldn’t get in, so I came by to visit you.”
Helen was taken aback. “Northwatch Estate? Why was it so crowded? Are they hosting a tea party too?” “A bunch of stinking men!” Natalie said, giving a nod of respect to Eleanor before taking a seat.
“A bunch of stinking men?” Jessica’s voice rose in surprise. “Sophie invited men to her gathering? Why would you go there, Mrs. Murray?”
“Of course it’s because my husband also went there!” Natalie laughed and shook her head, as if helpless about the situation. “I told him I didn’t want to go, but he insisted. He said he wanted me to gain some new insights.”
“Oh? What kind of insights did you gain? Perhaps you could enlighten us, Mrs. Murray,” Jessica asked.
“What insights? I barely saw anything! So many men were crowding up the room-half the officials have already left, and the rest are probably still on the way! Forget it. I was terrified of how crowded it was, and left as fast as I could,” Natalie replied with a smile, dabbing her nose with a handkerchief.
“Men were crowding up the room? What is she planning?” Jessica’s voice rose again as she glanced at Helen.
Eleanor and Jessica’s expressions turned incredibly sour.
Eleanor had always prided herself on her refined taste. She had almost acquired Kyle’s orchid painting, only for it to be torn to shreds. She was ridiculed for it, and since then, she harbored a grudge against Kyle.
After all, her love for the arts was just a pretense. She didn’t genuinely appreciate the painting or the painter.
Serena awkwardly found a comer to sit in, not daring to speak further. Deep down, she felt indignant.
Why should Sophie have such a famous guild senior?
Eleanor and Jessica were now silent. Their earlier comments about Sophie seemed like a complete joke. Even the king and the prime minister had personally gone to visit-how grand must that event be? And here they were, hiding and mocking Sophie.
It was petty, and showed a severe lack of class.
Thinking back to Eleanor and Jessica’s slanderous remarks, Serena realized how she had chimed in as well and had acted like a petty person.
Heather’s expression was particularly noteworthy, shifting from awkwardness to forced laughter, to a growing sense of unease.
Helen was also unhappy. She hadn’t enjoyed the earlier gossip about Sophie, and now, she was even more displeased after the spotlight had been stolen by the latter. Helen had prepared several outfits and accessories to change into throughout the day, but now, she had lost all interest.
Many of the other guests were also becoming restless, eager to visit Northwatch Estate. Even without an invitation, their husbands were there. Surely, they wouldn’t be turned away if they joined in on the excitement, right?
Noticing the silence in the room, Natalie suddenly exclaimed, “Oh dear, how forgetful of me! I nearly forgot something important.”
Everyone turned to look at her as she slapped her forehead in realization.
“When I left Northwatch Estate, Lady Devin knew I was coming here and asked me to bring a painting of the snowy mountains for Lady Helen to admire. This piece is a masterpiece by Mr. Spencer. Before anyone could get a good look, Lady Devin mentioned she would put it away to present it to Lady Helen.”
Natalie turned to her maid with a hint of annoyance. “You know how forgetful I am. Why didn’t you remind me? I almost forgot something so important! If Lady Devin finds out and blames me, I’ll be too embarrassed to see her.”
The moment everyone heard that it was one of Kyle’s masterpieces, all eyes turned eagerly toward the painting. The maid presented it to Gillian, who then passed it to Helen.
Helen cradled the scroll in her hands, her emotions in turmoil. When she noticed the envious gazes from everyone around her, she lifted her chin, pride swelling within her like a peacock displaying its feathers. Knowing that everyone wanted to see the painting, she said to Gillian, “Unroll it and let the ladles admire
Mr. Spencer’s masterpiece.”
At her command, the servants set up a table and carefully unrolled the painting.
Everyone hurried forward, eager to get a closer look. They wished they could burn the image of the snowy mountains into their memories so they could later describe its brilliance to others.
It was, without a doubt, a work worthy of Kyle’s reputation.
The painting depicted towering, steep mountains, their tall trees barren and withered. Most of the mountain range was blanketed in snow, with only a few dips revealing patches of brown rock. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the highest peaks. In the midst of this golden light, the snow shimmered, and within the snow, the gold seemed to merge.
A single beam of sunlight shone upon a tall ancient tree, and it was truly a masterpiece.
All of this was vividly brought to life on paper, as if one could actually see the scene right before them-it was truly magical.
Even someone who didn’t understand art would hold their breath when looking at it. It felt as if they were standing on that snowy mountain, wrapped in the warmth of that golden sunlight.
A painting of snowy mountains that could evoke a sense of warmth-it was no ordinary winter scene. It was clearly a depiction of the sunlight on Golden Mountain.
Indeed, upon closer inspection of the inscription, the title of the painting was “Golden Mountain at Sunrise.”
“A true masterpiece that will be cherished for generations!” Margaret murmured, her eyes still filled with awe. “Lady Devin is so thoughtful, gifting such an extraordinary work to Lady Helen. It truly shows how much she values Her Ladyship.”
Margaret’s words left Helen feeling both proud and a bit guilty.
Helen had deliberately not invited Sophie today to give the latter a hard time, but Sophie didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead, she even sent a masterpiece from her guild senior as a gift. This made Helen realize that Sophie not only knew how to conduct herself, but was also generous and magnanimous.
In comparison, Helen now felt she had been petty and narrow-minded.
Noticing the envy and jealousy in the eyes of the other concubines, Helen’s opinion of Sophie improved- if only just a little. She wasn’t willing to give her too much credit, after all.
Eleanor and her daughter walked over to take a look at the painting. While they were indeed impressed, since the painting wasn’t theirs, they felt the need to belittle it.
Eleanor disregarded her status and past displays of good manners, and said, “Kyle is known for his orchid paintings. If she truly wanted to give you something, it should have been an orchid painting. Sending a snowy mountain painting is just perfunctory.”
If anyone else had said this, it might have sparked some discontent.
But not with Helen. She responded, “I never liked orchids.”
Eleanor felt like she had punched a pillow, and was left staring at Helen in frustration.
What did this foolish woman know? The orchid paintings were the true masterpiece.
Just as they finished admiring the snowy mountain painting, Luke rushed in with a message.
“Your Grace, Lady Devin had someone send over several paintings. Since you were hosting guests. today, she wanted to offer them for your and the ladies appreciation. If you find any you like, you’re welcome to keep them.”