Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 116
Bernarda never showed any disarray or vulnerability unlike others.
She always lurked outside all events and only made her move at the most critical moment.
‘Even if it was a matter of her son’s life or death, she wouldn’t show her anger outwardly. She would wait until the very end to exact suitable revenge.’
Cecilia observed her revenge. She believed it was a natural thing for her current self.
But on the other hand, it was chilling.
Like Cecilia herself, Bernarda too had never been mentioned in the sachet incident.
Despite being the person who truly blinded Guinevere.
Until Cecilia left home, she was always like this.
Quietly enjoying the rights of a countess by Adam’s side, she only acted when things seemed to go against her.
Once she saw an opportunity, she clamped down like a crocodile that had caught its prey and never let go.
‘She’s not to be underestimated.’
This time too, she was the first to notice Cecilia and approached her.
This kindness clearly had a purpose.
“Your fiancĂ© is waiting for you over there.”
A marriage with Logan would be a great help to House Lasphillaâs finances. And of course, House Lasphilla would soon belong to her son.
‘But I wonât let that happen.’
Cecilia smiled lightly in response.
“The music is too fast, Mother.”
It’s a well-known fact, even to the weeds in the garden, that Cecilia can’t dance.
“Then I should ask them to play something slower.”
Bernarda went to the musicians and whispered something to them. She glanced at me intermittently and mouthed,
‘Is this better?’
Cecilia reluctantly nodded.
Bernarda didn’t stop there and approached Logan.
“What a waste to spend such a fine day just talking. A party should be enjoyed with drinks and songs.”
Adam quickly caught Bernarda’s hint and let Logan go.
“I see. I’ve held the young man up for too long.”
“That’s alright.”
Logan said as he swapped his glass at a servant’s table.
“I’m not much for singing, so I’ll enjoy the drinks.”
“Oh, what are you saying? The music is so lively! A party should be enjoyed with music!”
Bernarda boldly omitted ‘drinks’ from her previous statement.
“Itâs embarrassing to say, but I’m not good at dancing. My long military service hasn’t made me very close to music either.”
“That’s okay. Dancing is about having fun, not about being good at it.”
“I’m sorry, but…”
“Don’t you see? Our Cecilia hasn’t been able to leave her chair because she hasn’t danced the first dance yet.”
At a casual party where formalities weren’t heavily emphasized, the partner for the first dance wasn’t that important. However, Bernarda deliberately brought up social etiquette.
‘She’s trying to set me up with that woman no matter what.’
Logan inwardly scoffed at them, yet he was puzzled by his own lack of will to disrupt this play.
‘What am I even doing here?’
Because there was a party scheduled? He wasn’t one to care about such things. If it had been his usual self, he would have left in his carriage long ago.
“…”
Logan silently swirled his glass. The transparent champagne inside shimmered yellow.
‘I don’t like the color.’
He wasn’t a fan of champagne. If he had to choose…
Logan’s gaze shifted. He looked at the woman sitting alone on an empty chair and thought,
‘Red wine would be better.’
Then, he moved towards her. As he approached, she looked at him with surprised eyes.
He was a bit delighted by her unexpected reaction. He wanted to draw out a bit more of her unseen facets.
‘Is this… a desire to conquer?’
Just as when facing an enemy at sea, he might be viewing the indifferent her as a conquest.
‘Once I’ve completely conquered her… would my interest wane?’
He pondered deeply as he extended a gloved hand toward Cecilia.
“May I have this dance?”
“Ah, I…”
Cecilia hesitated.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to dance with Logan.
‘I’m just much too terrible at it…’
She wasn’t ready yet. She simply didn’t feel confident enough to dance properly.
‘Why is he making offers I haven’t even considered before? It’s irritating…’
Perhaps yesterday’s conversation had been the problem.
As Cecilia showed her discomfort, Caroline, who had just returned from dancing, interjected,
“Cecilia doesn’t like dancing. She’d be more comfortable sitting in her chair.”
