Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 45
It took a considerable amount of time to calm the surging emotions and collect the tears that had dared to emerge.
Rogéros quietly waited for a composed smile to bloom again on Richelle’s face. Then, he asked,
“Not bad, right? To occasionally let out one’s true feelings like this?”
“…Yes.”
Richelle looked down at her hands. The grip had been so tight that a faint redness was visible.
Lifting her head, she saw Rogéros’ beautiful face filled with kindness. Richelle smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons. It was a genuine smile, not the polite mask she usually wore.
“It really helped me a lot.”
Rogéros’ eyes curved as well. The warmth in his gaze seemed to look upon something dear, perhaps even discovering a fervently wished-for joy.
Before she could ponder the reason, Rogéros suddenly stood up.
“As much as I’d like to enjoy more leisure time with you, Miss Howard, unfortunately, teatime is about to end. It would be best to return now.”
The face Rogéros turned to Richelle was filled with the usual affection he showed as he extended his hand, offering to escort her. Richelle, pushing away the creeping tide of thoughts, took his hand.
“I always seem to be on the receiving end of your help, Mr. Rogéros. I’m always sorry and thankful.”
“Assisting you is one of the few pleasures in my life, Miss Howard.”
He winked playfully. Richelle laughed softly, then gazed thoughtfully at his profile.
Excessive kindness could be burdensome. Always hesitant in the face of unexplained niceness, she had been unable to open her heart easily to new acquaintances.
It was a chronic condition developed after being deceived by a distant relative, Thomas Trollope, who took everything from the Howards and left them with debts. She told herself it was caution learned from being deceived once, but deep down, she knew it wasn’t just that.
It was fear. Fear that the kindness and goodwill of others would later return as a blade. Fear of new connections causing harm.
She had preemptively avoided and fled from them. How many good relationships had she missed out on because of this?
Rogéros said that avoiding conflict and minimizing one’s own harm was a human instinct. Running away was not cowardly or pathetic. Those words were indeed a great comfort to Richelle.
Yet, the guilt over her attitude and disposition remained. The deeply rooted self-loathing still gnawed at Richelle’s heart.
But now,
‘I know what I need to do.’
Reflecting and self-examining was an effort to become a better person.
It’s time to move beyond reflection and take steps forward.
Richelle drew her shoulders back. She wasn’t exactly sure which direction to head yet, but she had decided on what her first step forward would be.
And with that, she gently squeezed the hand of Rogéros, who turned to look at her.
“Miss Howard?”
“Please call me Richelle, Rogéros.”
His eyes widened in surprise. A breeze of early spring brushed past their cheeks, carrying the heavy scent of roses, which felt unusually warm. Richelle’s heart skipped joyously.
“Ah…”
Rogéros covered his mouth with his hand. Turning away as his shoulders slightly trembled, he couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into loud laughter. It was a genuinely joyful and delighted laugh.
“Really, I’m so, so happy. Thank you, Richelle.”
“Don’t laugh like that.”
“Oh, come on. I wasn’t teasing you.”
Rogéros carefully caught Richelle’s hand as she tried to move ahead. His lips gently touched her fingers before parting.
Looking at her with an indescribably happy face, gazing lovingly into her eyes as green as new leaves.
“Let’s go together, Richelle.”
And just as Rogéros Walter said so, that was what they did.
***
Upon returning to the mansion, Madam Howard was not in the drawing room but standing in the central hall near the entrance. She was examining a golden statue of a baby angel when she turned to look at her daughter.
“I’m leaving now.”
Richelle was taken aback. She had firmly believed her mother would insist on staying a few more days at Bertrand. Madam Howard passed by her daughter, who was looking up at her with wide eyes.
