VII “ …you would do anything to obtain it!”

That night, after Fred left her room, Velvet sat in front of the mirror, looking at her beautiful face:
-I am beautiful indeed, people…mm, they love me! And why wouldn’t they?? They don’t know what my heart is made of. Marriage… Yes, that is the perfect plan. Marry him and in that way, get to John, the person that I really want.
She struggled all the night to find out the perfect lines for the character she was going to interpret: beauty she had; elegance and glamour too; now she only needs a kind heart, kind but malicious enough to become a countess or a duchess or whatever she might become. Even if just a merchant’s wife, it was still better than a Circus dancer. And after that, she’ll figure out a way of getting rid of her husband and become somebody else’s wife, perhaps even John’s. She didn’t care how many people she would have to disappoint for getting what she wants! Disappoint or destroy!!
The next morning a carriage was waiting in front of the circus. Fred was already ready, ready to make everything possible not to let his daughter make something she may regret later. Finally, Velvet appeared too. She was wearing a green silk dress, her father managed to buy a few years ago and which looked unexplainably gorgeous on her!!
On the road to the count’s house, which was more a palace than a house, they didn’t speak at all. Fred was looking at Velvet with trembling eyes and Velvet, was rehearsing in her mind the text she had ready. They finally arrived. When Fred saw the house, he was amazed, it was the biggest house he had seen and he did see a lot of houses back when he was rich, a lot of expensive houses. But Velvet, did not do anything, not a single gesture. She felt the coachman was watching her constantly. And he was. You see, the employees of the house did not feel right about this marriage either.
Tom was sitting in his garden, reading a book and drinking his morning tea as in custom, when the butler announced that Miss Juliette and her father arrived.
-Juliette, Juliette, what a beautiful name she has. Though Velvet was not bad either, said the count.
-I am sorry to contradict you sir, but…Velvet, countess of Iggelin, doesn’t sound too…poetic!
Tom smiled, he knew his butler was more than he appeared to. At his 75 years he looked and felt 20 years younger.
-Good morning and welcome to my house. House that I hope to share soon with you, said Tom while entering the room where Velvet and Fred were waiting.
For a moment Fred thought he should argue with Tom, but then again that wouldn’t have been a gentleman’s behavior.
- I saw what a beautiful house you have and about sharing it, I can only accept if my father agrees.
Fred looked stunned. “If her father agrees”. But that line was said only to give the impression of a kind heart!!
-Well, sir do you accept?? Asked the count.
Fred looked at Velvet, she had a look that made him smile. She seemed innocent and she looked so beautiful.
- If that is what my daughter desires…and he looked again at her.
- It is, replied the “innocent” lady.
And though he knew nothing good could possible come out of it, he agreed to give the count his daughter’s hand in marriage.