Chapter 1.8

“Hmm. Bestie is busy preparing for her wedding, so she’s out. Helen…”

What did Helen say again?

When Wendy mentioned wanting to go to the Crystal Palace Christmas market, Helen had said she hated crowded places because they made her dizzy. No matter how realistic she was, Helen had no dreams or romance.

“Oh, right. Come to think of it…”

The Dowager Duchess, who hadn’t yet gone down to the southeastern estate, was hosting a Christmas dinner at the Devon Ducal Household, inviting several close families and retainers. Wendy recalled Jayden complaining about having to work late for days because Lucas was busy with preparations and had dumped his duties on him.

“Since it’s a Christmas dinner, wouldn’t there be things to buy?”

I wish that were the case.

Since the Earl Rosewood’s Household was also invited, it seemed natural to suggest going together under the guise of preparation. Given how busy Lucas was, to the point of passing off duties to Jayden, there wouldn’t be any reason to feel bad if she were rejected.

“Now I have to find reasons to meet and excuses not to feel bad if I’m turned down.”

In the past, she would have asked without hesitation. But now, fearing rejection, she found herself searching for plausible excuses to avoid getting hurt, which made her feel somewhat sad.

“Ha, I think too much. Nothing changes by thinking about it, so I should just try. If it doesn’t work out, it can’t be helped. There’s no need to make it difficult. How hard can it be to ask someone to go to the Christmas market together?”

Muttering words of self-encouragement, Wendy opened the drawer and took out a piece of stationery.

“I should write it without any emotions.”

That way, it wouldn’t seem burdensome or make him want to avoid it.

Wendy picked up her pen, organizing her thoughts about what to write.

Come to think of it, it had been a while since she wrote to Lucas. She used to send him letters often. Back then, she had so much to share and so much she wanted to know, she would write down all sorts of stories without much order. Still, the thought that Lucas would read and reply made writing enjoyable.

However, she never received a reply.

Though it was disappointing, Jayden hated writing letters, and her brother-in-law, Count Enjet, often let Karen signed replies for him, so she assumed men were like that.

Instead, Lucas always sent large flower baskets or bouquets with a short card saying he received her letters well. They were made with seasonal flowers carefully grown by the Duke’s gardener, and except for one time, Wendy loved them.

The one time was when she received a basket mixed with lilies, unfortunately, Wendy was allergic to lilies.

Still, she didn’t want to keep Lucas’s flower basket far away, so she placed it where she could endure it. As a result, she suffered from sneezing, runny nose, and coughing for a while, and during that time, she informed Lucas through a letter about her lily allergy.

She was very careful, fearing he might feel sorry.

Fortunately, Lucas never sent lilies again.

“I hope we can meet.”

Even if just for a moment, please.

Despite deciding not to expect anything, Wendy sealed the letter with anticipation.

A few days later, Wendy received a gift from Lucas.

Since it was winter and most of the garden flowers had faded, it was a rattan basket filled with late-blooming small chrysanthemums and fruits. As always, there was no long reply, just a card saying he received her letter well and that they should meet later.

“Yes! It worked.”

Wendy pressed the card to her face and beamed with joy.

Indeed, Christmas never betrayed Wendy.

***

On the day of her meeting with Lucas, at 1:30 PM.

The original meeting time was 2 PM, but Wendy, too excited to sit still, couldn’t wait patiently. So, she arrived at the Crystal Palace early and waited for Lucas.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

Today was chilly, perhaps because the weather was overcast. Still, wanting to look good for meeting Lucas after a long time, Wendy wore a dark navy velvet dress and a thin, white coat that made her look slender.

There was a saying, “You’ll freeze to death trying to look good,” and it fit her perfectly.

“But the Crystal Palace will be warm inside.”

The world has indeed improved.

Until last year, she followed her mother and the head maid to the Christmas market held in the square, shivering in the cold.

Wendy looked up at the sky. Though overcast, it didn’t seem like it would snow. They said this winter was warmer than last year, and it seemed true.

“I wish he’d come quickly.”

Despite stamping her feet in the cold, a smile never left Wendy’s face.

6 PM.

As the sun began to set, the weather grew even colder.

Wendy was still standing at the entrance of the Crystal Palace. The Christmas market was open until late at night, but Wendy, who came alone, couldn’t stay until then. Her parents thought she was with friends, so she needed to return before dinner to avoid worrying them.

“Did something happen?”

There was no way Lucas wouldn’t show up without contacting her until this late.

If something urgent had happened preventing him from keeping the appointment, he would have sent a servant, but the lack of any message made her fear something might have happened.

“I should have gone to the Duke’s residence instead.”

Regretting it belatedly, Wendy looked around one last time.

Then, in the distance, she saw a familiar man getting out of a large black carriage. The man, with neatly combed platinum blond hair and wearing a black coat, held the hand of a woman with short brown hair who followed him out.

“……”

Wendy blankly watched the two walk toward the entrance of the Crystal Palace. Her breath quickened in surprise, and white puffs of air escaped from her half-open lips.

“Wendy?”

Lucas spotted Wendy standing at the entrance and approached, surprised.

There was no reason for Wendy to be here alone at this hour. The Earl and Countess of Rosewood or Jayden wouldn’t allow it.

So he looked around Wendy, but none of the familiar faces from the Earl Rosewood’s Household were in sight.

“What brings you here? You’re not alone, are you?”

“……”

Not knowing how to answer, Wendy kept her lips tightly shut. Lucas asked again with a worried expression, but no words came from Wendy’s small lips, blue with cold.

The woman with short hair who had walked over alone clung to Lucas’s arm.

“Lucas, who is she?”

“Oh, this is Wendy Rosewood. Jayden’s younger sister.”

“Ah, hello. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Melinda Person.”

Melinda smiled brightly and extended her hand to Wendy.

As Wendy awkwardly hesitated and extended her hand, Melinda grabbed it with a wide smile.

“Hello, Miss Melinda. I’m Wendy Rosewood.”

“Oh my, your hands are cold. Have you been outside long?”

Melinda warmly rubbed Wendy’s red, frozen hands.

Her kindness somehow made Wendy feel worse. Though she wanted to pull her hand away immediately, Melinda’s hand was so warm that Wendy, feeling upset, wanted to hold on and cry.

“Wendy, you’re not really alone, are you?”

“No. I came with a friend.”

When Lucas asked worriedly, Wendy quickly shook her head and blurted out a lie. Though she was not good at lying, she hoped it would sound natural just this once.

She had never been so desperate to hide her feelings.

“My friend left first. I was about to leave too, but I felt it would be a shame. It’s hard to get tickets here.”

“Oh my, was it that good?”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

When Melinda asked with eyes full of expectation, Wendy awkwardly smiled and nodded.

She spoke fluently about the various types of decorations she had never seen before and the different colors of tree leaves and trunks that made it fun to look at, though she hadn’t seen them. These were things she had picked up from people who had finished their tour and were leaving the entrance of the Crystal Palace.

“See, Lucas, I told you it’s worth coming.”

“It’s just Christmas decorations, after all.”

“Goodness, you have no romance.”

Melinda glanced at Lucas and then turned to smile at Wendy.

“Then would you like to come in with us? Let’s have something warm to drink. Punch or mulled wine would be nice.”

“No, it’s almost dinner time, so I should go.”

“Oh my, really? What a shame.”

“Your parents must be worried. Wendy, should I have the Duke’s carriage take you home?”

“It’s okay. I have my own carriage.”

Wendy politely declined and carefully withdrew her hand from Melinda’s grasp.

“Besides, you should go inside quickly. Now that the sun has set, the lights must be on, and it will look even prettier.”

“Wow, the capital is indeed different.”

Melinda peeked inside the Crystal Palace with eyes full of anticipation. As Wendy said, inside, merchants were hanging small candles on the Christmas tree and lighting them one by one.

“It’s true. Let’s go in, Lucas.”

“Alright. Then, Wendy, go home quickly because it’s cold. You’ll catch a cold.”

“Yes.”

“It’s cold, so at least wear this.”

Lucas took off his gloves and offered them.

However, Wendy shook her head.

“It’s alright.”

“Put them on. Your hands and feet get cold quickly.”

“Yes, wear them. Earlier, your hands were so cold.”

Still hesitating, Wendy allowed Lucas to put the gloves on her hands. The black leather gloves were too big for Wendy’s hands, leaving them loose and unfilled.

“Then we’ll go.”

“See you again, Miss Wendy.”

“Yes. Enjoy the sights.”

Wendy smiled brightly as she sent them inside.

Beside the excitedly chatting Melinda, Lucas walked with his hands half in his coat pockets, walking straight.