The silence that followed Marien's departure lefthe noblewomen sat like statues.It was a social catastrophe of the highest order, a daughter of a Duke screaming like a commoner and assaulting her own hostess.
But they knew that to linger on the ugliness was to invite the discomfort into their own lives. One by one, they turned their gazes away from the mess and toward the woman at the head of the table.
Verona sat perfectly still. Her head was slightly bowed. She looked small, fragile, and utterly heartbroken, the perfect image of a sister betrayed.
"Truly," Duchess Solene began, her voice cutting through the tension like a hot blade through butter. She reached out and firmly patted Verona's hand. "We must apologize to you, Lady Verona. To have such a lovely afternoon marred by... such a lack of restraint. We had heard rumors that Lady Marien was high-strung, but this? It is quite clear that the South has much to learn from the North regarding composure."
