Garden of May

Chapter 11

A delicate blush bloomed on Mary’s pale face. “Oh. Mr. Ross’s nephew?”

“That man… is Mr. Ross’s nephew?”

“Yes. His name is River Ross.”

Vanessa stared at Mary, her eyes wide. Mr. Ross, even in the most flattering light, was far from handsome, and his hair was more brown than black. Besides, her memory of River Ross’s appearance… Vanessa cut off the thought.

‘Who would know now, anyway? No one in this castle remembers those days.’

“He’s serving as an Officer in the Navy. I heard he recently fought in the Battle of Potsdam and received extended leave for his service.”

Mary, chattering about him, seemed strangely excited. Her flushed cheeks were as fresh as someone newly in love, but as she was about to continue, her expression became starkly subdued, as if she had become aware of a bleak reality.

“Anyway, he’s not the sort of person you’d expect to find in a place like this.”

At first, Vanessa thought Mary might be mistaken. But then, two other maids gave her the exact same answer. River Ross. Gardener Hugh Ross’s nephew, and an honorable officer in the Ingram Navy.

Apparently unattached, twenty-three years old, a tall, strong physique, the kindness and diligence to volunteer in Gloucester to help his ailing uncle during his summer leave, and, above all, that face.

Vanessa, her expression serious, chewed on the end of her pen. Written down, the conditions seemed even more unbelievable.

“Vanessa, what are you thinking so hard about?” Rosaline, an ice pack on her forehead, shuffled over. How much had she drunk last night? Her hungover face was unusually pale.

Rosaline propped her chin on Vanessa’s head and picked up the paper on the desk. “Is this the protagonist of your new novel? A Navy man?”

“Something like that.” Vanessa replied, blinking her gray eyes calmly.

“Something like that?”

“If you want to get rid of something you don’t want to sell, you just have to make sure no one wants to buy it.”

“What?”

“What if it develops a flaw so significant that no one would dare purchase it?”

It was a veiled expression, conscious of any eavesdropping ears, but the meaning was clear. Rosaline stared at Vanessa in disbelief, then shook her head and flopped back onto the couch.

“A minor flaw won’t deter your uncle. He might be comfortable within Gloucester, but the moment he steps outside the castle, he’s practically plastered with watchful eyes.”

“That’s why it seems perfect.”

At the ominously cryptic reply, Rosaline sat up again. Vanessa’s fair face usually appeared gentle, but her slightly upturned eyes, like a kitten’s, often gave a different impression.

Timid yet bold, generally docile, but once her mind was made up, she rarely wavered. Just like Vanessa herself.

“What wicked scheme are you concocting?”

Vanessa smiled faintly at the bewildered Rosaline. She felt a pang of guilt for hiding her plans from her closest friend, but she had no intention of involving Rosaline in this.

The scandal had to belong solely to Vanessa Cyrene Somerset. In that sense, River Ross was perfect. If things came to light, he could return to the Navy or volunteer for overseas deployment, and as a commoner, he had no reputation to protect.

His status as a gardener’s nephew was also ideal for ruining his reputation. Besides, he had risen to the rank of Officer in a Navy teeming with aristocrats, despite being a commoner. That in itself was proof of his competence.

‘His physical attributes are quite impressive, too.’

Vanessa, having assessed him with the casual detachment one might apply to livestock, put down her pen and smiled. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became that he was an apostle sent by God to save her. For the first time, Vanessa decided to believe in fate.

***

For several days, Vanessa observed River Ross from a discreet distance. There was no need for anything more. She could see him working in the garden simply by sitting by the drawing-room window.

She noticed that River Ross seemed as unfamiliar with gardening as she was. However, he adapted to new tasks faster than anyone else. He now looked like he’d spent his entire life pruning dead trees, digging soil, and thinning bushes, yet he never lost his military precision and composure.

“Vanessa. You’re supposed to be watching me.” Vanessa, who had been unconsciously searching for River Ross among the assembled workers, snapped back to attention.

Blair, standing on the opposite tennis court, was watching her with an amused smile. “If you don’t focus, you’ll lose again.”

Vanessa sighed and gripped her tennis racket, taking her stance. She couldn’t understand what had gotten into these twins, who rarely woke up in the morning.