Garden of May - Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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“It’s been a while, Lady Vanessa.”
Vanessa caught her breath as the man’s face came into view the moment the drawing-room door opened. Count Roden. Her fiancé, chosen by her uncle. A man notorious for his scandalous affairs, the rumors of his illegitimate children scattered throughout the capital bordering on fact. And their last encounter, at the engagement ceremony…that had been utterly dreadful.
“Count Roden.” Composing herself, Vanessa curtsied. A wrinkled smile spread across the older man’s sallow face.
“You don’t seem pleased to see me, Lady Vanessa.”
“I was merely surprised, as I hadn’t received notice of your arrival. Nor have I been informed of the reason for this urgent visit.”
“Do have a seat.”
“Where is my uncle?”
“He stepped out briefly after receiving a call. Sit down, Vanessa, unless you intend to remain standing.” His tone sharpened with her slightest hesitation. Biting her lip, Vanessa sat where he indicated. The butler, Harold, who had been standing silently, placed a teacup and teapot before them.
“This tea is imported directly from Santra. I enjoy its aroma daily, and I asked Harold to prepare it, anticipating just such an occasion.”
“Do you often take tea?”
“I’m rather fond of it. These days, it’s fashionable to drink it chilled with ice and lemon, but I prefer it with cream.”
He liberally added cream and several spoonfuls of sugar to the steaming tea before placing the cup and saucer in front of Vanessa.
“Here, drink.”
She cautiously lifted the cup and took a sip.
“Well?”
“It’s…acceptable.” The heavily sweetened, creamy tea wasn’t to her taste, though the quality of the leaves themselves was good. Then again, anything would be an improvement over the tea at River Ross’s cabin. That man’s tea had been military-grade, brewed strong enough to keep him awake, practically medicinal and undrinkable to a normal person. The first time she’d tried it, it had been shockingly awful.
‘How ironic.’ Yet, she would gladly drink that dreadful tea a hundred times over than spend another moment with Count Roden. Vanessa slowly placed the teacup back on its saucer.
“When shall we dispense with the formalities?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We are to be married this autumn. We can’t continue to address each other as strangers.”
His question, ironically, reminded Vanessa of her predicament. If theirs were a normal engagement, such a question wouldn’t be necessary. They would naturally progress to using each other’s given names, gradually bridging the distance between them. If only she weren’t being sold off like this.
“Perhaps…after the ceremony.”
“Indeed. Addressing each other informally before the wedding would be rather…frivolous.” Count Roden flashed a yellowed smile, seemingly pleased with her response. Vanessa swallowed down the rising nausea, biting her lip.
There were countless unhappy marriages in the world. She wasn’t the first woman to be sold to an older man. Perhaps, as Rosaline had suggested, enduring this was the most sensible course of action. But she simply couldn’t.
“When you’re old enough to marry, I’ll give you this necklace.”
The memory remained vivid, even now. A young girl, brimming with curiosity about her parents’ first meeting, held close in a warm embrace, as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.
“Are you happy you married Papa?”
“There’s nothing much to say about it. But yes, I’m incredibly happy.”
“I don’t want to get married. Boys are stupid. They just tease me all the time.”
“You just need to find a kind one. And for that, you need to develop a good eye for character.”
“What if I can’t find one? What if there aren’t any good ones?”
The soft touch of noses brushing, the shared laughter.
“Then you can stay here with me forever.”
Back then, she had been a cherished daughter. The Vanessa she was obligated to protect, even at the cost of her family’s honor, was the Vanessa of that day. Not the woman she was now.
The click of the teacup against the saucer startled her back to the present. Count Roden pulled out his pocket watch and frowned.
“Your uncle is taking quite a while.”
Vanessa flushed. Regardless of her discomfort, it was rude to drift off in thought while in someone’s company.
