While two women bound by a wish began their journey to the Khanna Estate, two other women bound by their allegiances reunited.

Though reunited makes it sound dramatic. Cotton was only gone for a few weeks and in that time, Blanche wouldn’t be able to tell you everything that happened in those few weeks if she didn’t have her journals. But she did remember her friend was coming back and it thrilled her.

The only other person she could actually relate to as even though Chauncey was around the same age as them, he was an absolute word-that-rhymes-with-runt. If he hadn’t proven that his goals aligned with the other members of the Aristocracy, the old heads wouldn’t have made time for him.

But he’s only ever appeased them, never Blanche nor Cotton, the two people he would no doubt be sharing the aristocracy with whenever it’s time for the older members to retire.

Blanche specifically has the book dedicated to him marked with little annoyed scribbles. Some being so intense that anyone who could stumble on it would either think she wanted him dead or has already killed him. And Blanche never felt that extremely about anyone she disliked.

The darkness of the inside of the car that had lured Blanche into her own mind was broken through by the illumination of the grey daylight.

‘I wonder if it’s gonna rain today.’ Blanche thought.

The daylight was partially obscured by Cotton entering the car with a smirk on her face.

“To what to I owe the pleasure of being picked up by you?” Cotton’s voice was sweet. Before and after, it always was. Like being comforted by honey.

“I knew you were coming home today. So I asked your mother if I could go get you.”

“I’m surprised, she’s usually always ready to hear about whatever gossip I picked up.”

“Yeah, well…” Blanche giggled. “I imagine she’s a little busy handling what happened at your sister’s engagement party.”

Cotton looked to her friend with confusion. “I actually missed something?”

“Well, besides your sister’s engagement party? Yes. She called it off.”

“…………my mother?”

“No, silly, your sister. I never knew she could be a Moll but there she was…standing in front of everyone and dropping Solomon like a sack of fish. I’d say the look on his face was worth it, especially when his dad starting scolding him.”

Blanche’s voice was a little different. She had a higher pitch but was soft enough to avoid sounding like a mosquito in someone’s ear, whether that was intentional or not is unknown, but it made it unnerving to hear a seemingly sweet voice bask in malicious intent.

Cotton sighed. “I feel like you’re making this up, Blanche.”

“Would I lie about gossip?”

“……I suppose not. She seemed to be taken to the engagement fine before. I wonder what changed?”

“You gotta hand to her. I wouldn’t have been able to last as long as she did.”

“That’s not the point. I’m glad she grew a spine but now of all times?”

Blanche shrugged. “My mom is unfortunately rubbing off on you. I’m sure this means a different opportunity will arise.”

“There’s no counting on that. Can your driver take us to my home? My mother will either be in a sorry state or through the moon.”

“Sorry state? It’s not like your mother fancied Solomon either.”

“No, but how was your mother’s reaction?”

“She was amused and then once the poppy wore off and Old Man Cunningham called, it was a different tune. I think your mother’s been avoiding her calls.”

“She’s probably been waiting to get to the bottom of it all.”

“Or she’s still trying to find your sister.”

“She’s missing as well?”

“It hasn’t even been a day, I’d hardly call that missing. But I think she just went to spend the night at Lady Faye’s.”

Cotton could feel every aspect of her good mood fade away. She thought she could take this trip without issue but now she’s come back with the knowledge of so much damage control needing to be done.

What changed with Elvira?

She may not have liked Solomon since their youth but she took to her duty as being his fiancé with grace and now…that’s not the case?

Perhaps Solomon did something that was too drastic?

Maybe his parents?

Something that had to draw an extreme reaction from her?

She’s not like this.

Cotton knew that.