I’d barely made it back to my room after Duke Alaric's summons when I found the note slipped under my door—Maryann’s elegant handwriting demanding an urgent meeting
“Sister, we need to speak. The embroidery room. 11 o’clock. Please.”
The “please” was underlined twice, which was how I knew Maryann was either dying or about to commit murder.
Possibly both.
I found her pacing the embroidery room like a caged animal in a pale yellow morning gown that was—horror of horrors—wrinkled. Several strands of pink hair had escaped her usually immaculate ringlets and were now flying around her face like tiny distress signals.
She whirled on me the second I closed the door.
“Yesterday was uncalled for.”
I blinked. “Good morning to you too, dear sister.”
“You humiliated Alistair!”
“Well, he didn’t end up clinging to the carriage, did he?” I examined my nails, proud of my restraint. “I feel I showed remarkable personal growth.”
“Only because I begged James!” Her voice climbed higher. “You totally meant it. I knew it—you’re still as evil as you were in my previous life!”
{SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉
Achievement Unlocked: “Cartoonishly Evil”
You now have NO LIMITS on how evil you can be in people’s imagination!
Current Balance: fifteen thousand two hundred and sixty pounds}
I mentally added “change system voice to literally anything else” to my to-do list.
“Well, this has been delightful,” I said, turning toward the door. “Same time next week?”
“W-What? You’re leaving? Wait!”
My hand was already on the doorknob.
“You need to STAY AWAY FROM THEODORE ASHFORD!”
Not this again.
I paused. Turned slowly.
“I’m sorry, who?”
Maryann’s face flushed scarlet. “Theodore Ashford!”
“Doesn’t ring a bell.”
“CAPTAIN THEODORE ASHFORD!”
“Ohhh.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “You mean Captain Ashford. I was confused—a peasant like you using a future Duke’s given name so casually. I thought perhaps you were referring to the stable boy.”
Maryann stamped her foot like a child.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
Plus three hundred Hatred Points
“Don’t!” She held up a shaking hand, then took several deep breaths like she was trying not to commit sistercide. “Those petty insults won’t work on me anymore. You know I’m reborn. And I don’t know why you keep sabotaging yourself after knowing your fate, but Theodore Ashford is dangerous!”
I yawned. “Well, I happen not to care if he’s dangerous. I just like being evil, you know. It’s my whole thing.”
“You don’t GET IT!” Her voice cracked. “You died early in my past life, so you might not know—the Ashford family is as powerful as the Crown. Possibly more powerful!”
“Fascinating. Truly.” I turned back to the door. “I’ll be sure to curtsy extra low at dinner.”
“Beatrice, STOP BEING SUCH A KNUCKLEHEAD AND LISTEN TO ME!”
I froze.
Slowly—very slowly—I turned around.
“Did… did Saint Maryann just call me a knucklehead?”
There was a flash of genuine fear in her eyes before she tilted her chin up defiantly. “I won’t apologize. You wouldn’t stop otherwise.”
I cackled, taking two steps toward her. She immediately backed up three.
“You really aren’t scared of me anymore, are you?”
“When you live your life again,” she said, still backing away, “you see that your wicked bullies are just human too.”
“How very philosophical.” I crossed my arms. “So what is it? Finally ready to team up?”
“No!”
“Then what?”
Maryann hesitated, her whole body tensing. She breathed in deeply, then sighed like she was about to confess to murder.
“He’s very smart. He was the one who figured out everything back then.”
I leaned forward, actually interested now. “Everything? What’s everything?”
“I don’t know if you’re pretending.” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You’ve lived this life before. You know.”
Right. She still thought I was reborn. Probably better to keep it that way—trying to explain transmigration and web novels to a Victorian lady seemed like a recipe for disaster.
“Yeah, yeah, I forgot,” I lied. “Refresh my memory.”
She hesitated, clearly debating whether to trust me.
“After you tried to attack me with a bee’s nest during James garden party,” she finally said, her voice dropping, “Theodore Ashford was the one who found out. He exposed you. And that was the reason James ended the engagement.”
I stared at her.
“I’m sorry, I tried to attack you with a what?”
“A bee’s nest.”
“A bee’s nest?”
“Yes.”
“An entire bee’s nest?”
“Yes!”
“How does one even—did I just carry it? In a box? A basket? Did I have a bee guy?” My mind was spiraling. “Did nobody stop me? Not one person said, ‘Lady Beatrice, perhaps the anger bees are excessive’?”
Maryann’s expression went ice-cold. “You don’t need to act like you don’t remember.”
“I’m not acting, I’m genuinely baffled by the logistics!”
“So stay away from Theodore Ashford,” she continued, ignoring my existential bee crisis. “You can still refuse the dinner invitation. Don’t acknowledge it. Just—”
“Can’t. Father says I have to go. But if you tell me more about Theodore, maybe I could—”
“I knew it.” Her voice turned bitter. “You’re still trying to use me.”
“What? No! I’m trying to not die!”
“You’re still the same selfish Beatrice.” She was already turning toward the side door.
“Maryann, wait—”
But she was gone, pink hair flying behind her as she fled to the gardens.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
Plus three hundred Hatred Points Maryann: Trust Broken
Current Balance: fifteen thousand eight hundred and sixty pounds
Yay! You’re already past fifteen thousand hatred points! 🎊
“Oh, fantastic,” I muttered to the empty room. “So helpful. Thank you, System. Really contributing to my survival here.”
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
You’re welcome! (◕‿◕)
I was definitely going to find a way to punch a sentient notification system.
“Lady Beatrice.”
I jumped, spinning around to find Rose in the doorway, appearing as always like a ninja in a maid’s uniform.
“Mr. Pemberton has been waiting for twenty minutes.”
“Who’s—oh. The dress fitting.” For the dinner where I’d apparently be facing a man who’d previously exposed all my villainous schemes. “Perfect. Because what I needed while processing potential death-by-exposure was to be repeatedly stabbed with pins.”
Rose’s expression didn’t change. “He’s brought three options for your approval.”
“Of course he has. Let me guess—they’re all in villain colors?”
“Deep burgundy, midnight blue, and black.”
“Naturally.” I sighed. “Fine. Let’s go get stabbed.”