Garden of May - Chapter 135
A pale hand slipped out from beneath the blankets and fumbled lazily across the bedside table.
Still heavy with sleep, her fingers drifted aimlessly over scattered objects before she finally poked her head out from under the covers as though she could no longer breathe properly beneath them.
The cabin looked no different from before she had fallen asleep.
The room was still wrapped in deep darkness, and beyond the half-open curtains, the stars of dawn glittered faintly in the sky.
Somewhere far away, music still drifted through the air. Apparently, the ball on deck was still continuing. Which meant sunrise had not yet come…
‘Wait.’
Her drowsy eyelids suddenly flew open. A cold shiver swept through the haze clouding her mind, forcing her fully awake.
‘What time is it?’
Vanessa shot upright, her face turning deathly pale.
How long had she been asleep?
Her memories cut off so abruptly midway through the night that she couldn’t even begin to estimate how much time had passed.
Last night… The last thing she remembered clearly was making love until she couldn’t even move a finger anymore. Afterward, she had lain there exhausted and trembling while he wiped her down with a damp cloth.
Which meant she had vanished completely for hours. On a ship where there were only so many places she could possibly go. Without even informing Mary.
‘Oh God.’
Clutching the bedsheet tightly around herself, Vanessa hurried barefoot off the bed.
In her panic, she almost rushed straight into the bathroom before abruptly regaining her senses and scrambling back toward the bedroom instead.
The shoes and clothes discarded the previous night had been neatly folded atop the side table. There was no way she had done something this thoughtful half-asleep.
River Ross must have arranged them for her.
She quickly grabbed for her chemise first and something slipped free and fluttered onto the floor.
‘Paper?’
She bent to pick it up.
Knock knock. The sharp, cheerful sound of someone knocking against the cabin door made Vanessa jump violently.
“Who is it?”
She yanked the sheet defensively higher against her chest.
“Cabin service, miss. If you would open the door, we’ll prepare your meal inside.”
Vanessa’s panic only deepened.
“M-Meal?”
Normally, meals were quietly prepared in the sitting room attached to the suite—or in the dining hall itself—without question.
But in a room like this, where the bed was visible directly from the doorway no matter how spacious the suite itself might be…
Vanessa quickly glanced at herself in the mirror atop the vanity.
Even if she threw on a thick robe immediately, there was no way she could hide every trace of what had happened last night.
There were no eternal secrets in the world.
If she opened that door, it would become a scandal.
And since this cabin had originally been assigned to River Ross, it would only be a matter of time before his name became attached to it too.
But she also couldn’t realistically leave the servant standing outside until she finished fully dressing.
Which meant there was only one option.
“No.”
Vanessa sharpened her tone deliberately, mimicking the fussiness of an aristocratic lady.
“I dislike the smell of food lingering in the cabin. It’s troublesome, I know, but could you prepare it again in the restaurant instead?”
“Of course, miss. Shall we arrange that for you?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“We’ll have everything ready again within thirty minutes.”
The sound of the steward pushing the trolley slowly faded away.
Only then did Vanessa finally exhale in relief. Hurriedly, she finished wiping herself down with the now-cold cloth. Underclothes first, then the chemise, then the corset.
She was becoming increasingly accustomed to dressing herself alone. It had never been an intentional habit, but she thought it was probably a good thing.
Someday, she wanted to live without maids entirely. She wanted her own writing room in the storage house beside the rose garden and to manage everything herself.
Like Lady Rowen. And… like River Ross.
Though right now, finding Rosalyn and apologizing to Mary for making her worry all night, came first.
Vanessa quickly finger-combed her tangled hair into a loose knot before pressing the hat containing the copied will firmly onto her head.
Once her stockings and shoes were on as well, there was nothing visibly improper about her appearance at all.
Strangely enough, it felt almost absurd to look so perfectly proper. Especially while the pale skin hidden beneath her clothes was covered in marks left by a man’s mouth.
After giving herself one final inspection in the mirror, Vanessa opened the cabin door and stepped outside.
The corridor, brightly lit by oil lamps, was now bustling with people. Some seemed to be returning to their cabins to change out of formal evening wear before sunrise, while others appeared intent on stealing a short nap.
Vanessa moved against the flow of passengers, heading toward the deck. Even at this hour, quite a few people still lingered at the party above.
Some sipped champagne leisurely. Others swayed together in slow waltzes, leaning against one another. Most, however, had settled into calmer conversations—chatting lightly about politics and diplomacy beneath the fading excitement of the night.
“I heard there have been troubling reports coming in from the border regions near Erman since last month.”
“Ah, I heard that too. Apparently they’re hiring every mercenary they can find.”
“At this rate, do you think there might really be a war? Honestly… I have a feeling something’s going to happen soon.”
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 152 - Jun 16, 2026
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 151 - Jun 16, 2026
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 150 - Jun 16, 2026
