The General's Wife Wants to Leave

Chapter 288: Careful to play with

"And you see, Joanna has no problem with that because she knows that it is a matter of fact."Joanna, as seen by Aunt Camille, indeed looked indifferent, as her smiling face was still on for the two ladies to see. "I will keep that in mind, Aunt Camille. Thank you for bringing that matter to my attention," Joanna uttered. "But about the humble background of my husband, I believe I should not worry about that. If I worry about that, then should I worry about you and Grandma Lily?" Joanna questioned, her eyes not missing to capture a hint of a surprised expression on Aunt Camille’s demeanor, who had her mouth agape before she pursed it tightly. But Joanna did not stop there, as she said,

"Therefore, I have never seen my husband as a lowly person." Joanna emphasized the word ’lowly’ and finished the words that wanted to be said by Aunt Camille but was cut off by Valerie. "Because it was how Mother always saw you and Grandma Lily... treating you both with unconditional respect, without any slight of discrimination." Joanna smiled faintly. "And that’s how she taught us, her children."

Not long after, as she broke her gaze away from the rude lady that was sitting across from her seat, Joanna started to prepare tea for her and her daughter, not bothering to see any expression shown by the eldest lady among them.

In fact, Joanna inhaled deeply about discrimination. She would tolerate it if the ones who voiced such unpleasant remarks were those who originally belonged to upper-class society, as it was impossible to brush away their haughty nature. But when the one who talked about that matter was Aunt Camille, whose parents were actually commoners, Joanna felt it was hilarious.

What made her unable to discern was that a commoner talked about a commoner with disgust as if she was born noble to begin with. Yet the fact was that, if Aunt Camille’s mother, named Lily, did not settle into a second marriage with her grandfather, and Aunt Camille did not marry a baron as a second wife, she would probably be unable to enjoy the luxury and grand life of nobility.

Nonetheless, it was an irony for ones to forget their original background after their lives were sprinkled with wealth and prosperity. And she felt more displeased when the person who was poked by Aunt Camille was none other than Canillas, who did nothing to poke her in the first place.

Let alone poking Aunt Camille. Joanna believed that Canillas did not even have the slightest thought about her mother’s stepsister in his mind. But why did she once again degrade Canillas?

She was silent when she heard that first insult when they suddenly appeared in her family’s dining room because her mind was completely occupied. But she was glad because her father, unquestionably, stood up for him.

Yet her father seemed to rebuke Aunt Camille for nothing. Joanna thought that after her father reprimanded Aunt Camille about her misbehavior toward Canillas, she had regretted it and changed her attitude after delivering an apology to both her father and Canillas. But it turned out she thought too simply. Joanna thought to herself.

Nonetheless, her mind was broadened from this case. When she was a child, she thought that all the people that she called family, regardless of where they originally came from, were kind people. But now, being able to meet the long-no-see ones again, Joanna learned that people could be too arrogant in the place where they were supposed not to be arrogant.

"It felt like yesterday we played a house together, Ann." As if wanting to change the dull atmosphere that hovered in the gazebo, Valerie spoke of the irrelevant topic. And Joanna, who understood the blue-eyed lady’s intention, smiled in response while removing the pot from the stove as the water finally boiled.

Three days had passed since Joanna spent most of her time in her bedroom due to her period. Within those days as well, she was restless, racking her brain for what she had to do to find the answer for something that she needed to verify.

And her brain worked even harder when she got a report of with whom her brother had spent most of her time during her absence. Even though Canillas had told her that Phillip had no time to focus on anything but his study, she could not help but be restless hearing such a report that came from both Bianca and Lucy, whom she had assigned to watch the guests’ every action.

When her body felt lighter and the cramp subsided, she decided to invite Valerie and Aunt Camille for a small tea party in her Alenna Garden. After all, they were guests, and she had to perform as a good host, particularly for them, who had used her as a reason to stay here in her home until now.

The sound of water gurgling was heard when Joanna poured the hot water from the pot into a teapot, in which a small amount of yellowish dried flower petals had been added.

"It used to be a little cup that was filled with cold water since none of us were allowed to play with fire and hot stuff." Valerie’s voice was heard not long later, following a dull clinking sound of a cup hitting a saucer that was stacked by Joanna.

"We were too little back then," Joanna responded, returning the gentle smile on Valerie’s face as she added a teaspoon of honey into the empty cup. "Though we are now an adult, we surely have to be careful when dealing with fire or any hot stuff. Otherwise, we can get burned," she spoke more while adding the same amount of honey into another empty cup.

Lifting her head to look at Valerie, she said, "Fire is indeed dangerous to play with, Val." With her smile and her eyes on Valerie, which brought a hidden message of warning that she doubted to be perceived by Valerie, Joanna then lowered her head, as she still had not finished making the tea for the guests. She indeed had to be careful to not get burned when handling any objects that were now present around her.

Joanna then carefully poured the yellowish tea that had been simmered in the teapot into each cup. After placing the teapot back on the table, the next thing she did was stir the tea to get it mixed with the honey.

"Please enjoy the tea. I hope it suits your taste," Joanna said after placing the cup of tea in front of the mother and daughter who had caused her mind to be restless since their sudden appearance in her home.

"How kind you are to serve the tea by yourself, Ann. I am so glad to know you have grown into such a mature lady and can do such a difficult thing yourself." Aunt Camille remarked kindly, as if she had not done something that irked Joanna, and she did not get irked by what Joanna said to her before her daughter interjected.

"It just feels like yesterday you played with Valerie, chasing each other here and there. And now, you are elegantly sitting there, hosting us for a tea party." Aunt Camille chuckled, covering her mouth with her handkerchief as she talked more.