Chapter 84 - A Favorable Opinion

The thing that Howard was most worried about came to pass when it was time for him to begin his journey to the Royal Academy.

When the butler had informed them that the carriage had arrived to pick him up, the family moved to the entrance of their house.

The fresh early morning breeze made Yvonne smile as she stepped outside the door.

'I feel like I am back on the runway with all eyes on me.' She rolled her eyes when she recalled how the servants were gaping at her in these clothes.

The young maids could not get enough of her cute appearance and kept coming back to take a glimpse at her until Butler Limo reprimanded them for being rude.

The boots that she was wearing had proper grip and they fit her feet perfectly, so much so that Yvonne was astonished that her mother had accomplished this feat in such a short amount of time.

This was the first time that she had been truly happy ever since she had moved into this new body.

'Now that I think about it��� My expectations with life have fallen too low, haven't they?' She shook her head and clicked her tongue.

'A simple pair of clothing and shoes can make my day now.' She sighed and then looked up at the dirt road.

When they had reached the road that led to their entrance, there she saw two dark red carriages parked outside.

She shot a disgusted look at her brother who was baffled when he saw her glaring at him as though he was a disgusting being that was beneath her.

'Does he have to bring along so much stuff that requires two carriages?' She denounced his shameful and worldly ways.

When in actuality, her wardrobe from her previous world could fill twenty such carriages and they would still need more space for her shoes and accessories.

While the brother and sister pair were glaring at each other, the door of the carriage at the front was pushed open.

Yvonne turned towards the sound of footsteps coming their way and this was when she noticed a head full of red hair rushing in her direction at full speed.

All she could make out was a flash and then the person was standing before her eyes.

"My my, Vonny! You look exceptionally beautiful and cute today!" The big ball of flaming red hair spoke to her excitedly.

'Hold on there, Bucko!' Yvonne took a step back when she saw him get too close to her.

Seeing her subconsciously move and hide behind the person who was next to her, her brother, the newcomer pouted.

He glared at Howard who was staring back at him with a victorious gloating smirk.

'She is my sister no matter what!' He sneered at his best friend who was trying to get too close to his little sister.

When Yvonne noticed that she had shielded herself from the oncoming person, she felt that she had been rude and hastily stepped out from behind Howard's back.

"Greetings, Master Taylor." She gave him a formal salutation but it ended with her being awkward.

Usually, the girls would hold the edge of their skirt and then curtsy to the person before them but now she did not have a skirt to hold onto.

Taylor Tanner saw her dilemma and waved his hand at her, indicating that she did not have to bother with the tradition any longer.

Yvonne did not shy away from giving him a grateful smile when she saw his considerate gesture.

The smile attached to that face and those clothes she wore today only made her look like a soft toy that deserved to be pampered and loved in Taylor's eyes.

His narcissistic tendencies which could rival Yvonne's and which extended to other creatures of aesthetically pleasing characteristics were once again bubbling up in his heart.

'Oh, I would kill to have such a cute little sister!' He raved and then glared at Howard with jealousy and hatred for not deserving of what he was blessed with.

While Taylor was gazing intently at Yvonne's cute appearance in those new clothes that he had never seen any girl wearing, the door of the second carriage was pushed open from the inside.

Taylor was the only one who did not bother turning around since he knew who it might be.

"Taylor, we will be late if we…" Topher's rude words came to halt when he met St. Claire's family staring straight at his face.

Topher Tanner, Duke Tanner's elder son elegantly disembarked from the carriage and walked in their direction.

He greeted the Earl and Countess St. Claire before turning towards Howard and then finally at the little girl whose body had been covered by Taylor until now.

'What a petty little child!' Topher snorted at his younger brother who had done that on purpose.

"I see that Miss Yvonne has worn something new and unique today." He commented without letting his real opinions and thoughts appear on his face.

'Why is she wearing clothes that boys wear for horse riding and other such physical activities?' He wondered yet the gentle smile on his face did not fade.

Ever since the first time they had met, Yvonne had a favorable opinion of this boy who was the heir of a ducal family.

'He thinks there is something wrong but he did not say a word about it. Looks like he has been trained by a veteran.' She surmised and gave him a nod as she smiled.

Topher's curiosity about this little girl increased when he saw the same diplomatic smile she had returned to him.

However, her eyes darted towards a certain direction when she felt someone's gaze on her.

Her amethyst eyes came in contact with another pair of eyes which made her flinch for a split second.

Noticing her line of sight, the Tanner boys turned towards the second carriage, and another person, to be precise, a boy of Topher's age alighted soon after.

Yvonne's eyes were fixed on the person who was taking his own sweet time to come to the place where they stood.

She instantly remembered what his name was and narrowed her eyes as she recalled the few times she had met him.

"Damien" She muttered to herself.

Sadly, she was not aware that her brother's and father's eyes and ears had been attached to her and hence they heard her murmur.

'Who is this and why does Vonna not call him with any honorifics? Are they so close that she has omitted the use of any title?' Rutherford glared at the young boy with brown hair and eyes who had just appeared before them.

'I cannot do anything to help him if he makes this brat cry again!' Howard washed his hands off this matter.

He still felt flustered when he thought back to how Yvonne had cried when she was in Damien's arms.

'I need to keep him away from the devil incarnate so that my first day at the Academy is not ruined.' He decided and just as he was about to urge them to leave, he heard his father speaking.

Rutherford had felt a strange animosity when he saw his daughter staring at this boy whom he had never seen before at any social gatherings.

"My Lord, this is Duke Tanner's distant relative who stays at the Academy since his land is far away from the capital." Raylene was kind enough to fill her husband in about the details that he was not aware of.

Yvonne turned her head and glanced at her parents for a second before looking away.

'She called him 'My Lord' rather than that awful nickname she always uses for him.' She discovered and was impressed with her mother's ways.

She knew when to call her husband, 'Ruthy' lovingly and when to call him, 'My Lord' respectfully.

While Yvonne was evaluating her mother's appropriate behavior in public, the newcomer, Damien was scrutinizing the outfit she had worn today.

There was a smirk on his face and his brows were raised in amusement when he saw the cute appearance she had today.

"Is this to learn something which needs physical activity?" He questioned while pointing his finger at her body from top to bottom.

Topher rolled his eyes and felt like smacking the back of his best friend's head for he didn't know how to keep his sharp tongue and uncouth ways under control.

Yvonne in response scowled at him and brandished her fierce look which only made her gain the resemblance of a miffed hamster.

He was not even bothered that a girl had worn a guy's item of clothing, all he wanted to know was why she had done so.

"My Vonny here wants to train to learn how to defend herself." Raylene, the happy helper, once again spoke up to answer the question.

Damien nodded his head as he glanced at her from top to bottom and then halted at her belly for a second longer before he looked up at her face.

"She certainly needs to train." He remarked offhandedly but Yvonne understood exactly what he meant.

'How dare he call me fat!' She glowered at him but never had the chance to give him a piece of her mind.

The reason for this was that a third carriage, this time a black one with a large emblem of a red scorpion on its side halted at a distance away from them.