Garden of May

Chapter 50

“Do you even realize what you’ve refused? And this… this backwater… as compensation? Preposterous.”

“If it’s such a great honor, you can have it.”

“If it were me receiving the marriage proposal, our dear Lady Marlborough would have gift-wrapped it and tossed it at the princess’s door.”

“And you would have accepted it gladly.”

“Of course. It’s a tremendous honor. She’s a princess, after all. And she’s not bad looking.”

His gesture, mimicking a woman’s figure while discussing her face, was telling. Theodore, making no effort to hide his disdain, stared at Edgar.

“If you had a hidden love child, as the rumors suggest, I could at least understand. Do you really intend to keep running away every time you come ashore? Until the royal family withdraws the proposal out of sheer embarrassment?”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. It’s not a bad plan.”

“The King would have you killed.”

“All surface glitter. The marriage offers me nothing.”

“So, you’re really doing this without even a hidden lover?”

“Must I listen to more of this nonsense?”

Theodore pressed his fingers to his temples, his voice cold. Undeterred, Edgar narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Theodore. Finally, he leaned back against the seat, a smirk playing on his lips.

“It’s just so strange.”

He tilted his pomaded head.

“You seem… different, Your Grace, since I last saw you.”

“Enough with the pointless chatter. Hand over the documents. Before I write to my uncle detailing your… amorous pursuits.”

“What could it be?”

“Edgar.”

As if finally understanding, Edgar raised his hands in surrender and pulled a thick checkbook and some documents from his bag. Theodore carefully reviewed the papers, signing each one before handing them back to Edgar.

The tedious weeks of dealing with real estate, railways, and ships were finally coming to a close. At least until his leave ended, things should run smoothly.

Edgar, unusually serious, scanned the signed documents before carefully placing them back in his bag. It was a surprising display of diligence, given his usual flippancy. Perhaps the frivolous act was a deliberate ploy to lower people’s guard….

“I’ll have these finalized and delivered to the Marquess of Winchester within the week. But you still won’t tell me where you’re staying?”

“No. It’ll only lead to trouble.”

He tapped the partition separating them from the driver, and the carriage started rolling again. It was a relic, inferior to a motorcar in every way except its inconspicuousness.

“It’s impressive that you’ve managed to remain invisible in this small corner of the South. The reporters are frantic to get a picture of you. Where could you possibly be hiding…?”

“And if I told you? You’d bring a press corps with you next time?”

“Would I really betray you?”

“It’s written all over your face.”

Edgar chuckled, a villainous sound. His eyes, however, remained unamused. Sometimes, it felt as though his frivolous prodding was a deliberate attempt to find a weakness. A hyena sniffing for vulnerabilities, unaware that his efforts were futile.

The slow-moving carriage stopped again, this time in front of the train station. Beside the gleaming Marlborough motorcar stood a woman. The elegant line of her white, graceful neck, visible beneath her upswept hair, reminded him of Vanessa.

“Want to meet her?”

His thoughts had lingered on Vanessa for just a moment.

“…What?”

“Lady Hailey Morton, of the Morton Marquessate. I know how deep your distrust of humanity runs, but I thought Lady Hailey might change your mind. She’s a fine woman.”