Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 162
The party at the Odridge Viscountcy was both a protest and a declaration. It was an implicit message that no matter how much they were slighted, they would not cancel the debt owed by Viscountess Lope.
‘A very emotional statement.’
By holding a party on the same day as the Duke’s, the feud between House Odridge and House Lope could escalate into a full-blown conflict with the ducal household. As they looked at the empty hall of their own house, they would feel their defeat even more acutely.
‘Ah, this was like hitting a rock with an egg.’
Their political influence in the capital would plummet much further than before. It was a foolish decision, but for Cecilia, who saw them now at odds with the Pierce Duchy, they were not bad chess pieces.
Therefore, she planned to visit the Odridge Viscountcy after midnight. She intended to do so after meeting one more person she was waiting for.
‘Nigel Rosencrantz.’
She had sent him a letter in advance. He must have known she would be in the capital this spring and that she would be attending her debutante ball. With Guinevere and Ulysses at the Rosencrantz estate, she expected that he would grit his teeth and not show up.
However, she thought he might come to a ball where he could blend into the crowd. If he had taken the second bait she had thrown through Casey Heens, she believed he wouldn’t be able to resist attending.
So far, her expectations had not been met. He had not made an appearance at the duchy’s ball, even though it was already past midnight.
‘Why not? Could it be that Casey Heens hasn’t met him at all during this time?’
From her reaction back then, Cecilia had thought that Casey would make time to meet him and discuss her.
‘He’s not the kind of person who would stay quiet after hearing such things…’
Cecilia imagined Nigel coming to strangle her. The Nigel she knew seemed like the type who would do such a thing even in the middle of the ballroom.
For him to remain so quiet, this was truly unexpected.
‘Do I have to go to him myself…?’
No, she didn’t want to go that far. It would be terrible to appear desperate and beg him to reconsider her proposition.
‘If he plans to ignore it after hearing that… I’ll just have to leave.’
If Nigel didn’t show up before she left the ducal residence, she would have no choice but to exclude him from today’s plan. Her goals took precedence above all else.
* * *
Christian, who had returned with a new drink, quickly noticed that the lady he had been waiting for had disappeared from the hall.
He looked around the waiting chairs, but Cecilia was nowhere to be found.
‘What’s this? Did she leave?’
No, she wouldn’t have left without saying anything after telling him she would wait. He assumed she was teasing him by dancing with another man to make him anxious.
If she had disappeared, she would have been in a guest room. Perhaps she had secretly left him a message and was waiting with a sulky expression.
‘Dancing with other men and now playing hide-and-seek? She must not want to appear too easy.’
Christian downed the drink in one gulp and called for a servant who was moving around like a messenger.
“There must be a note left for me, right?”
“Pardon? What note, sir?”
The servant tilted his head in confusion.
‘Not this guy?’
The servants who usually delivered messages was dressed differently from the ones serving drinks. Christian naturally assumed the message would have been left with him.
‘A country bumpkin bastard might not know the party’s rules. How clumsy.’
He ordered the servant to check with the other staff one by one and then sat down with a bored expression.
As he leaned his chin on his hand with a sullen look, Caroline approached him.
“Um, Chris…”
“Hm?”
His eyebrows twitched at the familiar nickname ‘Chris’. What’s this girl’s deal?
He suddenly remembered what he had said earlier.
‘Oh, I told her to call me comfortably.’
He regretted saying that unnecessary thing but smiled out of habit.
“Oh, Caroline. How’s the party?”
“Well…”
Caroline gave an awkward smile.
“There are a lot of people, and the music is nice…”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
He replied, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to continue the conversation. Nor did he seem inclined to ask her for a dance.
Caroline looked at him with a gloomy expression, but Christian was only focused on the servant moving around quickly, following his orders.
At that moment, a commotion erupted near the entrance.
Both Christian and Caroline turned their eyes toward the front door.
Amid the bustling crowd, a head of red hair stood out.
The doorman shouted in surprise.
“To enter, you must be in proper formal attire, sir!”
The red-haired intruder, Nigel Rosencrantz, glared at him with murderous eyes.
“Sorry, but I’ve been holding back for a really long time.”
With a menacing smile, he grabbed the doorman by the shoulder.
“I’d appreciate it if you let me in before I throw you out.”
