Garden of May - Chapter 52
Chapter 52
But with the change came troublesome and precarious developments. Water had begun leaking from the warehouse ceiling a week ago, and two days prior, a few loose boards had fallen, creating a hole. River Ross had ordered the necessary supplies for repairs through a merchant, and Mr. Ross had gladly shown his nephew how to cut and join planks, how to hammer nails.
From a distance, it was quite an amusing sight. The occasional slips into formal speech, the awkward fumbling of his hands, the hesitant glances…and whenever he felt someone watching, the inevitable excuse that it had been so long since they’d last seen each other, since childhood. Sometimes, it seemed Mr. Ross was closer to the young soldier staying at his house than to his own nephew.
Although all of Gloucester was abuzz with wedding preparations, Vanessa had been enjoying a stretch of leisurely days. This was thanks to the complete disregard for the bride’s wishes in the planning process. Given her lack of enthusiasm for the marriage, she considered it a blessing.
It was a rare day when the sun shone brightly into the afternoon. Rosaline and Blair were visiting a distant cousin and wouldn’t return until late that night, and Vanessa had finished her writing ahead of schedule. As soon as she realized she had some free time, she quickly rose.
“My lady.” Just as she gathered a few belongings, Mary opened the door. Vanessa startled, like a child caught in the act of mischief, and Mary, in turn, seemed surprised by her reaction.
“Why are you so startled?”
“It’s nothing. What is it?”
“Dinner will be a little late. The new kitchen maid apparently mistook sugar for salt.”
Mary crossed the room and smoothed Vanessa’s disheveled hair. Vanessa watched her maid in the mirror: her forehead and neck damp with perspiration, her impassive expression, the practiced movements of her fingers braiding her hair.
They seemed to have become accustomed to each other, a habit neither of them welcomed.
“Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll just read and go to bed early.”
“You’ll skip dinner, my lady?”
“It’ll just be a few vegetables and some soup anyway.”
“Everyone eats like this before their wedding.”
Vanessa chuckled at the absurd statement. To have to endure hunger for the sake of an unwanted marriage… Wouldn’t it be better to gain weight instead? Lord Roden might be so horrified he’d run away…
Mary loosely braided her hair and draped it over her shoulder, tying it with a ribbon. Vanessa looked at her reflection in the mirror and adjusted the ribbon. Her cheeks, flushed with summer heat, were comically red. She stopped her maid as she turned to leave.
“That kitchen maid… her name is Lily, isn’t it? Don’t scold her too harshly.”
Mary gave her a brief, searching look before withdrawing. “Then rest well, my lady.”
As soon as Mary’s footsteps faded, Vanessa sprang to her feet. She lowered the lamp’s wick, leaving just enough oil for a few hours. Despite her haste, it was already past four in the afternoon. After carefully locking her door, she hurried down the stairs.
The scent of damp earth, heavy from last night’s rain, hung in the air as she entered the back courtyard. Carefully navigating the muddy ground, she pushed open the old iron gate. Only after stepping onto the garden lawn could she finally catch her breath.
“River!” Vanessa called out, looking around. The man, usually found in the same spot, was nowhere to be seen. She hurried to the warehouse, grasped the handle, and peered inside.
“River Ross? Are you in there?”
The interior was dim. Although the windows and curtains were open, the light was insufficient, and it would take a moment for her eyes to adjust. A muffled sound came from within the warehouse. It seemed the ceiling repairs, ongoing for several days, were not yet finished.
In her haste, Vanessa didn’t see the table directly in front of her and collided with it hard. River Ross caught her slender wrist as she cried out in pain, pulling her upright.
“When did you get here?”
“Just… now.”
“Follow me. And be careful not to bump into anything else.”
Various items were stacked high on either side of the narrow passage, presumably furniture and belongings moved to avoid water damage. The interior, as she followed him further in, grew even darker.
“I can’t see a thing.”
River Ross chuckled softly in the darkness at Vanessa’s complaint.
