Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 202
Since her arrival in the capital city of Mannheim, Cecilia had lived with Guinevere. Although they had spent holidays together in the Lasphilla estate, they had never been confined to such close quarters before.
Watching Guinevere up close, not as Adam’s stepsister but as Madam Guinevere of the Rosencrantz family, brought forth a flood of emotions.
Her capriciousness reminded Cecilia of her mother. Both had volcanic tempers that erupted unpredictably, and the magma of their emotions was just as dark and red.
But their expressions of these moods were different.
While Lilith would break things in her room and shout at her maids, Guinevere wielded her words like a knife, carefully ensuring her dignity remained intact as she cut her opponents down.
Their actions diverged because of their different social standings—Lilith’s anger could only target a few, while Guinevere had no such limitations.
Cecilia’s lips, pressed tightly together, ached from being clenched so long. She sipped her tea, as if applying a balm to the wound. She felt it bitterly, just like the under-roasted tea leaves.
Guinevere also seemed dissatisfied with the tea, setting her cup down.
“How is it that, even without a war, we can’t manage to get proper tea leaves? What a disgrace.”
That morning’s tea came from leaves that were only grown on the western islands. The leaves, which only flourished in areas with abundant sunlight, were dried and steeped in tea, with flowers added to enhance the fragrance. The sweet vanilla scent from the leaves combined with the floral aroma made this tea wildly popular across many regions.
Unfortunately, the western islands were the only place that produced it. With demand far outstripping supply, attempts were made to plant the seeds inland, but the overcast skies of the Caswick Kingdom proved unfavorable for such a sensitive plant.
However, the tea shortage would soon be resolved. A company had secretly developed a way to modify the plant’s cultivation, overcoming Caswick’s brutal rains. Soon, the company would be able to mass produce tea.
Diana had already discreetly tipped off their existing clients. When everyone was competing for stakes in the western tea trade, she had advised them to invest in this company. The company hadn’t even gone public yet, so early investors stood to make generous dividends from modest investments.
‘It won’t last forever, though.’
Cecilia looked at the white flower floating in the bitter tea.
Meanwhile, Guinevere’s complaints continued like a barrage.
Finally, exhausted by her own tirade, she leaned back in her chair and gave an order.
“Go change your clothes and return to the drawing room.”
Guinevere wasn’t interested enough in Cecilia’s activities to ask about her plans. In other words, she wasn’t actively trying to sabotage her marriage prospects.
“If I keep looking at that noisy mess, I’ll get a headache. Go meet with a few of them and get it over with.”
Cecilia bowed politely and rose from her seat. As she walked toward the door, she overheard Guinevere muttering behind her.
“Poor Lilith. Her timid daughter gets marriage proposals and bouquets just because she comes from a noble family, but she herself rolled around only to end up as a mere mistress…”
There was likely no malice in the words, just a way for Guinevere to release her inexplicable anger.
Cecilia quietly smiled as she turned the doorknob.
Suddenly, she felt like she understood what life must have been like for the Rosencrantz brothers. Guinevere must have spoken to her children just as harshly in the past.
What had young Ulysses thought as he listened to his mother’s constant criticisms?
How had Nigel felt when he was used as a tool to berate Ulysses?
Their childhoods must have been just as unbearable as her own. They had probably spent countless moments rethinking what was right and wrong, trying to figure out how to survive under the constant weight of such misguided lectures.
As she stepped into the hallway, she noticed Ulysses standing by the large window. He was staring out at the spectacle in the garden created by the crowd of men, his expression unreadable. He turned his head when he saw her.
“Are you getting ready?”
Cecilia nodded.
If she turned them all away, it would only fuel gossip. It was more polite to invite a few into the drawing room, accept their bouquets, and be done with it.
Ulysses must have known this as well.
But he didn’t seem pleased with her response.
“If you don’t like it, just say so. Or leave through the back door.”
“Why do you think I’d dislike it?”
“You don’t have any interest in men.”
“…?”
Did she really come across that way?
When Cecilia tilted her head in confusion, Ulysses stepped closer, looking down at her from his considerable height.
“If it’s too much to escape on your own, I’ll help you.”
“You?”
Cecilia chuckled softly.
“If you help me run away, rumors will spread that we’re the second couple to come out of the Pierce estate.”
His blue eyes met hers, without a trace of amusement.
A brief silence followed. A breeze blew through the crack in the window, causing Cecilia’s hair to flutter. Through the gentle swaying of her hair came his low, soft voice.
“That’s fine.”
He answered, as serious as always.
“I’ve told you before. I wouldn’t mind.”
As usual, there wasn’t the slightest hint of a joke in his tone.
