Several days had passed since the tea party and the entire city of Conland was raving about how amazing it was. The biggest talk was about the new budding friendship between Resena Blackwell and Denise Schowder. Multiple articles were posted through various news outlets showing pictures of the event, many broadcasting Resena as well as the women around her table.
"She certainly has become a popular little thing, hasn't she?" Reba sat at the restaurant table mind racing, completely annoyed. Two nights prior, Larna came over to her house. She'd decided it was time for Reba to make it up to her about regarding the tea party. "I don't understand why she wants me to pay for what Jenna and Clare did. I only tried to help her." Reba's mind continued to ponder as Mrs. Barksdale, one of the Tea Garden's committee leaders continued on.
"Well have they figured out where the girl has been yet? I didn't want to ask her at the tea party." Another committee member asked.
"Oh, that's a great question I don…" But before Mrs. Barksdale could finish, Reba chimed in.
"She's Larna's niece." GASP! Both ladies at the table looked in shock. Resena Blackwell was the niece of Larna Lanster!
"Well now wait a minute Reba! Who exactly is Larna related too? Dr. or Mrs. Blackwell?"
"She's Larna's niece. Larna is the sister of Lucena Blackwell. Larna's maiden is Westmore."
The women could hardly believe their ears! Many people in the country of Lenoria knew of the Westmores as they had been some of the continent's finest of nobles, however, because they lived in the neighboring country of Glendora, many people in Lenoria did not know much about them personally. After Larna married Delvoy, she'd made sure to leave behind her past including her family out of fear the same rumors and gossip would follow her as well as the favor of her sister. She was more than pleased when she learned Lucena and Marlow moved to the capital instead of Lenoria.
"Well, my word, I never knew Larna had a niece. Well, where on Earth has she been all this time?" The committee member asked with shock still in her tone.
"Yes, this doesn't make any sense. We've all known Larna for years, never has she ever mentioned anything about having a sister, let alone a niece. What exactly has been going on?" Mrs. Barksdale sat silently waiting for Reba to answer.
Two nights before…
"Larna! I didn't know you were visiting, why didn't you call me?" Reba stood with a slightly frightened smile as Larna walked through her door. Why had she shown up at this hour unannounced.
Walking into the foyer, Larna turned with a haunting smile on her face. "Aren't you going to invite me into your grand room?"
"Y-Yes, right this way." As the two women made their way to the grand room, Reba began to feel uneased. Clearly Larna needed something from her, but the answer was what. As they made their way to the sitting area, Reba called on of her maids.
"Please bring out some tea for me and Mrs. Lanster." As her maid made her way to the kitchen, Larna began to speak.
"I see you took my advice about your carpet and drape them for this room. It looks lovely."
"Oh, yes! Thank you! It was a great idea indeed! Everyone has loved it."
"You see Reba? You see how I always look out for you? How I would never abandon you. How I would never leave you out to dry while everyone else gangs up on you!"
Larna was now seething, all the anger she'd felt from the tea party came flooding in. The looks of Clare and Jenna as they passed judgment. Reba could feel her fear rising as Larna spoke. Had she come here to punish her in some way?
"L-Larna, I'm so sorry. I swear, it was never my intention to abandon you! I had no idea Clare and Jenna would do that, you have to know this! I would do anything to make things right! Our friendship means everything to me!"
Larna's lips curled into a sinister smile. Those were the magic words she'd been waiting for. Larna would use Reba to do her bidding, and she knew Reba would be all too pleased to do it. Placing her hand onto Reba's, Larna began to speak.
"I'm so glad to hear that Reba. Our friendship is the one thing I can truly count on. I'm going to need your help Reba. At this rate, that little runt will end up ruining me and my family with her lies and I simply cannot have that."
That night, Larna told Reba of her plans to bring down Resena. As Reba listened, she'd realized one very horrible fact about her best friend, Clare and Jenna were right; but what could she do? Larna needed her and she didn't want to abandon her, so instead, she sat and listened as Larna explained her plans.
Placing her teacup down the table, Reba looked up at Mrs. Barksdale who eyes were wide open. Now was the time to implement the first part of Larna's plan.
"You must understand, Larna had not seen her sister since the death of their parents. So, when she died, Resena was practically a stranger, though she'd always wished she could have known her niece prior."
"I don't understand, why had she gone so long without seeing her sister?"
"Well, I guess there is no easy way to put this, but Larna was not very favored by her parents. In fact, even after they died, they made sure to leave the bulk of the fortune to Lucena and her husband. Though the doctor did not need the money, but I guess that was luxury of marrying the Westmore's favorite daughter."
Mrs. Barksdale and the other committee member sat in shock! How could parents treat their own daughter that way.
"Oh, my goodness! Is that why Larna never spoke about her family? That is so sad!" The committee member exclaimed as she drank more tea.
"This is truly unbecoming; how could parents do that to their own daughter."
"Larna may have been the oldest, but they golden child was always Lucena. Still, above it all, Larna loved her sister very much and when she died, she vowed to take care of her niece."
"So then why haven't we ever heard of Resena?" Mrs. Barksdale did not want to distrust Reba, but something about her story simply did not add up, but Reba was prepared, she knew this question would come up as Larna predicted.
"Unfortunately, Lucena raised Resena to think she was above Larna and many of the people in Lenoria. Because she and her parents were from the capital, they fancied themselves to be almost as high as the imperial family themselves. Although she wanted her niece to mix with society, Resena simply did not want to be part of it."
"Well! How rude! I mean we may not be as high as the capital, but we are all of high society!"
"So why is she making her debut now? Is it because she's engaged to Duke Spencer?"
Suddenly, Reba took a deep swallow, it was now time for the next part of her big reveal.
"Oh, I suppose so. Afterall, she was engaged to Eric Steelwater before she began her affair with Julius Spencer, perhaps he wanted to make sure no one would find out."
The entire table grew silent. The women could not hardly believe their ears, Lady Resena seemed to be nothing more than a high-minded tramp, that seduced one man to get to the next. Larna's plan was going the exact way she'd hope for thanks to Reba. As the women gossip Reba could not help but feel guilty. For no one, not even Larna, was aware Reba knew the truth. In fact, she'd always known the truth because her husband's uncle was none other than Paul Clansky.