Garden of May - Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Gardener Ross’s voice startled Vanessa back to reality. A pile of pruned peach branches lay at her feet. Her shears were halfway through another victim. Gardener Ross sighed, gently taking the shears from her hand as he looked at the mangled tree.
“It’s already this late. Why don’t you have lunch and rest?”
It was a polite dismissal. Given the damage she’d caused, Vanessa dejectedly nodded.
“Let me just clean this up. You go ahead and eat.”
Gardener Ross sighed again, watching Vanessa as she squatted down and began gathering the branches. It was the first time the usually quiet, observant young lady had caused such a mishap.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ross. I saw the ledger.”
A few days ago. Lady Vanessa’s face was pale with shame and guilt as she confessed.
“I know. You needed money for your back surgery, right? I’m sorry I couldn’t help you sooner.”
“No, my lady. Even if I was desperate, I shouldn’t have…”
“It’s also my responsibility as your employer for not noticing your situation. So, at least you don’t have to apologize to me.”
She was such a gentle and kind young lady. It must be that man who was the cause of her strange behavior. The nobleman, too high-ranking to even greet casually, who was staying in the abandoned shed in the rose garden for the summer.
Even now, Vanessa kept glancing at River, confirming that Gardener Ross’s suspicion wasn’t misplaced.
Gardener Ross sighed deeply and waved to the men across the garden.
“Hey!”
Two men carrying fertilizer bags turned simultaneously. Vanessa shot Gardener Ross a horrified look, but he ignored her silent reprimand and awkwardly gestured to his nephew.
“Um, the young lady wants to tend to the rose bushes first. River… would you mind helping her…?”
Vanessa pulled her hat down, hiding her flushed face. Was her intention that obvious, even to the gardener?
River Ross’s eyes narrowed slightly. A low hum, as if in contemplation, vibrated in the air. It was quite a distance, but Vanessa thought she heard it. A soft sound, like the whirring of a hummingbird’s wings in summer.
“Alright, then.”
He readily agreed and turned towards the rose garden. Taken aback by the sudden turn of events, Vanessa abruptly stood up, then quickly picked up her hat, which had fallen to the dirt.
Suddenly, she became acutely aware of her loosely flowing hair, the dirt on her skirt, and the slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.
“My lady.”
Gardener Ross nodded, urging her to follow. Vanessa clutched her hat and crossed the path with a determined stride. She hesitated briefly at the rusty iron gate, then quickened her pace as she stepped through.
Weeds had grown thick in the rose garden. The poplars and rose bushes were overgrown and neglected. The ‘guests’ only saw the central garden, so the secluded areas were apparently overlooked.
River Ross was already waiting for her in front of the shed. Vanessa took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. As she approached him with firm, deliberate steps, he abruptly placed something in her hands. A watering can and a pair of gardening shears.
“…What’s this?”
“What you need to tend to the rose bushes. The gardener has prepared the solution for the diseased branches. It’s over there. Focus on pruning the roses with black spots on their leaves.”
Completely flustered, Vanessa stared blankly at the tools in her hands, the neglected garden, and then at River’s face. He was completely serious. He wasn’t joking; he really intended to start working on the rose bushes.
“Here, let’s start here.”
He was remarkably good at ordering people around. As if she were the one who had been hired. A gust of wind, as unsettled as her own feelings, rustled the leaves.
His wide-brimmed gardening hat tilted back, revealing his handsome face, warmed by the summer sun. A slow, playful smile spread across his lips.
“Why, Vanessa? Were you expecting something else?”
