Garden of May - Chapter 59
Chapter 59
It was a sweltering afternoon following a brief downpour. Vanessa, flipping through a magazine with the window half-open, sighed listlessly. Her gaze, unfocused and lost in thought, contrasted with the automatic turning of pages, which finally slowed to a stop.
She felt unusually heavy today. Perhaps it was the increasingly hot and humid weather? Even sitting still, her energy seemed to drain away. Her hands trembled slightly, a cold sweat clinging to her skin.
Clutching her aching abdomen, she rested her flushed cheek against the cool surface of the desk. Her tilted vision took in the familiar surroundings of her room, along with the lingering scent of River Ross’s cologne—a testament to his recent presence.
‘Already fading, though.’
The breeze drifting through the open window quickly dispersed the fragrance. Hesitantly, Vanessa opened the cologne bottle and inhaled, the scent strangely easing her nausea.
“Vanessa.” Lost in a sudden, deep sleep, Vanessa was slow to register the reality of his voice. River Ross’s shadow fell over her like a dark canopy. She blinked sleepily, lifting her eyes to meet his with a look she hoped conveyed welcome.
“River. When did you get here?”
Backlit by the light streaming through the open door, River Ross’s face was obscured. Yet, the warmth of his skin, sun-kissed by the summer rays, the fresh scent of the garden clinging to him, and the casual way he leaned against her desk were enough to confirm his identity.
“About thirty minutes ago. I was in the garden.”
“The garden?”
“A new variety of rose arrived. You seemed busy, so I helped out.”
“A new variety?” Intrigued, Vanessa shifted her cheek slightly against the desk. At her languid movement, River Ross’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
“Go see for yourself if you’re curious. But Vanessa…”
“Yes?”
“Why are you so exhausted in the middle of the day?”
“Um, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the heat. I’m just a little tired.”
“You look like you’ve been up all night.”
“Not really.”
River Ross’s fingers brushed against her forehead and cheek, as if taking her temperature. The coolness of his touch against her heated skin brought a measure of relief—from the oppressive heat, the sluggishness in her limbs, and the unsettling mood that had lingered since her encounter with Count Roden.
As she exhaled languidly and sat up, River Ross deftly lifted the magazine from beneath her face.
“…The circus?”
“Oh, this.” Vanessa stifled a yawn and pointed to the advertisement she had been looking at. Beside an illustration of conjoined twins, a woman with a snake coiled around her neck, and a monkey leaping through a flaming ring, bold lettering proclaimed: ‘The First 47-City Tour.’
“The Sitaliri Circus is coming. The first performance is tonight.”
Sitaliri. Theodore’s lips curved into a faint smile at the ludicrous name. It sounded vaguely Eastern, likely a fabricated moniker for a troupe of charlatans, capitalizing on the recent surge of interest in the New Continent within Ingram.
Boasting of a 47-city tour and calling themselves the “first,” their presence in a backwater town like Somerset spoke volumes. It was undoubtedly a cheap spectacle riddled with trickery, too amateurish for the discerning audiences of the capital. His interest immediately waned, and he folded the magazine, placing it back on the desk.
“River, let’s go see it together.”
His hand paused momentarily before he tilted his head, feigning ignorance.
“This?”
“Doesn’t it sound fun?” Her grey eyes, now bright and alert, held a playful glint. Her face, pale with fatigue, was alight with anticipation. Vanessa stretched, extending her long limbs.
“My uncle seems to be in a good mood today. With any luck, I might be able to go out.”
“You said you weren’t feeling well.”
“Which is why I need to get out. Besides, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a circus.”
‘Been a while.’
Each casual mention of a shared memory they couldn’t possibly have had was a prickle of discomfort, quickly fading. Theodore gazed at the long, golden strands of hair clinging to her delicate neck. He reached out, as if to brush away the heat that clung to her.
