Chapter 20 – Beach Chair

Sasha Vinoche’s gift was left unattended for quite some time. Robert returned to his apartment in Laurent and placed the painting in a room used as a storage space. With frequent business trips keeping him away from the apartment, he naturally forgot about it.

Before summer ended, he put Hawthorn Mansion up for sale. He had no intention of visiting Manolie again anyway.

<Someone interested showed up faster than expected. Since you said to sell it quickly regardless of price, should I just finish it on my end?>

When Raoul, who handled Robert’s personal affairs, asked this, his employer told him to go ahead. After all, Robert wasn’t idle enough to worry about every little rural real estate issue. The transaction proceeded smoothly, but was canceled just before completion.

The day before Raoul went down to Manolie to finalize the transfer of ownership, the Duke summoned him and asked what the new owner planned to do with the land.

“They said they’d tear down the garden and build a distillery.”

Something about Raoul’s words displeased the Duke, and the pen spinning in his hand came to a stop.

“Cancel the deal, Raoul.”

A moment later, the Duke ordered so.

“You won’t sell it? Then what should I do with the mansion?”

“Just leave it until a new buyer appears. In the meantime, send someone to manage it.”

Thus, the country villa in a remote rural village became the most humble and peculiar building among the Duke of Guienne’s properties, keeping its place at the end of his asset list. Raoul had to find a new caretaker for this odd villa instead of a new owner.

* * *

Winter in Laurent was cold and splendid. The Duchess of Guienne of Lorthez Castle was summoned by the Queen to visit the royal palace in Laurent. For Adelaide, Queen Anaïs was her late husband’s aunt and her own maternal aunt-in-law.

“The royal family wishes for you and Princess Deborah to hold your engagement ceremony as soon as possible.”

Her son, whom she hadn’t seen in two years, resembled Adelaide’s younger self more than her late husband. Riding in a car driven by Robert’s knight toward Hotel d’Ecran, Adelaide spoke.

“Deborah is a good girl. She’s young, but she knows exactly what heritage we must protect. Just as your aunt said.”

“Is that so? If Her Highness wants, you could take the initiative, Mother.”

Robert responded indifferently, as if it was someone else’s business. Adelaide admonished him in a dissatisfied tone.

“It’s your engagement, Robert.”

“And your daughter-in-law, Mother.”

“But before that, she’ll be your wife. Even if you’re not eager, take time to meet her. You’re both flawless, so you’ll get used to each other quickly, just like your father and I did.”

Her son looked back at her, as if questioning when such things became important, but soon nodded obediently and gazed out the window again. Adelaide followed his gaze to the lights sparkling at the carousel in Etienne Forest.

“I’d like a short walk.”

Adelaide had Robert’s knight stop the car. Her son got out immediately and opened the door for her. Adelaide descended, escorted perfectly by her son, like a scene from a painting.

Entering the promenade, Adelaide gazed over the forest with a gentle smile. Children, intrigued by the appearance of a noble lady, occasionally blocked her path and peeked at her. Adelaide smiled kindly, but Robert knew it was no different from how people treat geese or ducks at the zoo.

“I don’t know what Her Highness is thinking. Lighting up the forest so late and letting people make noise.”

Robert almost said that since the forest was no longer royal property but belonged to Laurent’s citizens, Queen Anaïs had no right to restrict access. But his mother wouldn’t understand anyway.

She was the daughter of the honorable Merlan-Paradis family and the Duchess of Guienne. A woman protected all her life in a greenhouse, perfectly separated from all poverty and danger. His mother was so refined she couldn’t live alone, and ignorant of the changes of the times. A relic of the old era. Like Lorthez, whose faded beauty was still lovely. Like that name, which must remain forever untarnished.

Robert didn’t blame her. The world was changing too fast, and sometimes a deep-rooted tree was needed to anchor oneself against violent change.

“Sometimes I worry you’re too cold. Visit the museum once in a while, and try romance. Princess Deborah is best, but if you don’t like her, your romance doesn’t have to be with her. Deborah is broad-minded; if you choose a humble woman, she’ll overlook it.”

Adelaide whispered softly, resting her hand on her son’s arm.

“Now that I think about it, sending you to Merlan right after you were born was my mistake. I didn’t need to raise you so strictly.”

She regretted it for years. If Robert had grown up at Lorthez, would he have been a bit kinder? If her son had a child, she planned to try differently next time. She couldn’t be a good mother, but maybe she could be a good grandmother.

At the end of their short walk, Laurent’s most admired building appeared. Adelaide elegantly criticized her son’s creation.

“You seem determined to amass all the world’s wealth. Maintaining assets for dignity is important, but even more important is not forgetting the old values we must protect.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Her son replied lightly and returned to his apartment by car. Left alone, Adelaide listened to the fountain’s water and examined the chandelier. The overly decorative exterior was a bit overwhelming, but the antique interior was not bad.

She noticed that among the guests, there were sometimes non-nobles—bourgeois businessmen or artists praised only for their wealth—and frowned. This was her son’s decision, so she’d have to accept it eventually.

Adelaide entered, escorted by the manager who ran out to greet her. Into a world a bit vulgar, but still beautiful and splendid.

* * *

Returning to his apartment after a long time, Robert took off his coat and loosened his tie. Engagement. It was not bad. It would be more efficient to just marry right away, but since the partner was royal, skipping all the formalities would be difficult.

His eyelids grew heavy with fatigue. Robert went straight to the bathroom, washed, and came out. Princess Deborah. What did she look like? Platinum-blonde Deborah resembled his mother. Fragile, but noble—she’d suit the Duchess of Guienne better than anyone.

Suddenly, Robert thought of the girl he believed he’d never see again. Comparing Sasha Vinoche and Deborah was absurd. A Manolie girl and the Queen’s granddaughter could never be placed on the same level.

Benoît Vinoche’s words were right. Sasha would live her life in a place that no longer touched Robert’s. That ordinary, even trivial life. Their lives would never intersect again. Nothing was wrong. Everything had simply returned to its place.

“Are you sleeping?”

“Speak.”

Raoul cautiously addressed Robert, who was reclining in his chair with eyes closed.

“Yesterday, the cleaning girl spilled soapy water and stained the curtains. What should I do?”

Raoul regretted speaking up. The Duke, who had gone straight to the palace after the board meeting, looked tired. There was no need to report such trivial matters.

“Which room?”

“The room next to the bedroom where you keep things. Should I replace them?”

He expected Robert to say “do as you like,” but unexpectedly, the Duke paused in thought and stood up.

“No. I’ll check myself.”

Opening the door next to the bedroom, Robert went straight to the painting Sasha Vinoche had given him. The canvas, wrapped in brown paper and string, was just as it had been when he first received it.

What did you paint for me?

Wondering, Robert pulled the string at once. The painting suddenly appeared under Laurent’s lights.

It was the Manolie seashore. A parasol was planted, and a familiar beach chair was unfolded. And a black-haired man sat with his back turned. The sound of waves surged in and out. That echoing sound, which lingered in his ears, grew louder and eventually engulfed the man standing alone in the winter apartment in Laurent.