Garden of May - Chapter 94
*T/N: I mistakenly uploaded C95 & 96 as C93 & 94 but it’s fixed now. Apologies!
“Can I keep it?”
“If you want.”
Carefully, she placed the drawing between the pages of her manuscript. She would ask Mary to find her a small frame for it. She wanted to keep it forever. Looking at it, she felt a surge of courage, a feeling that would sustain her even in her weakest moments.
Because the woman in the drawing possessed sharp claws, teeth that could tear through anything, a fierce spirit that could navigate the wildest waves, and a tail that could carry her anywhere in the vast ocean….
A thought struck Vanessa, and she looked up.
“Oh, and River, I’ll be away from the estate for a week, starting tomorrow. The Essex family invited me on a hunting trip.”
“Essex?”
“Yes. The invitation was actually for Lord Roden, but he invited me. I’ve been using my debutante status as an excuse to decline until now…. But I’m getting married in the fall, so he said I should gain some experience. He says he loves hunting.”
Theodore poured himself a whiskey as he listened to Vanessa. He noted that it was indeed nearing hunting season. The peak of summer had passed, and the heat was beginning to wane. And Lord Roden, a man who craved stimulation, would find nothing more to his liking than a bloody hunt. Yet the fool had used his age as an excuse to avoid military service….
News of Lord Roden’s annual “hunt” often reached even Theodore’s indifferent ears. A week of liquor, women, gambling, and all manner of vulgar revelry. He would maintain some semblance of decorum, having invited his fiancée, but it wouldn’t be a genteel affair of horseback chatter and carefully aimed shots. Knowing all this, Theodore feigned ignorance.
“Have you ever hunted before?”
“No. I’ve never even held a gun.”
“Here, hold this.”
He pointed to a long, black umbrella leaning against the door. Vanessa’s eyes lit up with anticipation at the prospect of learning something new. She jumped up and grabbed the umbrella, mimicking a shooting stance she’d seen somewhere, aiming it playfully at River.
“Like this?”
River watched her silently for a moment, then strode towards her. Standing behind her, he took her slender hands in his, adjusting the position of each finger.
“A real gun will be heavier than this. Widen your stance, straighten your back. Pretend the handle is the stock. It needs to be tucked tighter against your shoulder. If you don’t have a proper stance, the recoil will either send the barrel flying upwards or dislocate your shoulder.”
“Against my shoulder, like this?”
“A little higher. The servants will load the gun for you, so just focus on aiming. You’ll look through the sight here.”
He pointed to the top of the umbrella. Vanessa squinted one eye, focusing on the spot he indicated.
“So the target should be in the center of the sight?”
“It varies. If the target is stationary, fire a shot and adjust your aim based on where it lands.”
“What if it’s moving?”
“You have to anticipate its movement.”
“That sounds difficult.”
“Hold it steady. Keep the barrel about a hand’s breadth from your cheek.”
He placed his hand between the umbrella and her cheek. His broad chest pressed against her back, his large hands firm beneath her arms. She shifted, following his instructions, until she had more or less the correct posture.
“Now, breathe in. Keep your eye on the target.”
Bang. With the sound of a nonexistent shot, his grip tightened on her arms. The umbrella jerked, mimicking the recoil of a fired weapon. For a moment, she could almost smell the smoke, hear the echo of the shot, though neither existed.
“After you fire, lower the barrel and pull back the bolt to eject the spent cartridge.”
She fumbled, trying to recreate the stance he had shown her.
“People aim guns instead of using their teeth and claws, Vanessa.”
Confused, she looked up at him.
“It’s an equalizer. Even the weakest person can kill with a gun.”
He paused.
“Once you get used to it, you might mistake a person for an animal.”
- 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
