Chapter 2 – Kingston (Part 2)

Higgins led him to a quiet residential area in uptown. The car stopped in front of a four-story townhouse made of red brick. Bryant dissuaded the editor from getting out with him and instructed the driver to take him back to the publishing house. Initially, he intended to go in together, but he changed his mind on the way. If two men visited at once, it might make the woman uncomfortable. That wasn’t what Bryant wanted.

“It’s a bigger house than I expected.”

“It’s a boarding house.”

“A boarding house?”

Bryant asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. It was unexpected, but he said nothing and got out of the car. Although the rain had stopped, the weather was still cloudy and chilly. It was even a bit colder than in the morning.

When he rang the doorbell at the entrance, a woman who appeared to be in her early sixties answered. Upon hearing his situation, she readily let him in. A gentleman exuding refinement like Bryant was welcome anywhere. Especially among women, regardless of age, everyone was favorable towards him.

The interior of the building was quiet. The hallway, stairs, and living spaces were completely separated by walls. It was structured similarly to a school dormitory or an apartment.

“This is the room.”

The woman who led him to the third floor knocked on the door. She knocked twice in succession, but there was no response. It seemed no one was home.

“Oh dear. She must have gone to the café.”

“The café?”

“In this weather, there’s nowhere else she would go. This young lady rarely goes out. She seems to spend all her time here reading and writing. But has she published a book? She never tells me anything.”

The woman complained affectionately. Bryant responded with a slight smile.

“It’s almost lunchtime, so she might return soon. Would you like to wait inside?”

“Would that be alright?”

“The door should be open. It’s the day for collecting the laundry.”

The woman turned the doorknob. The unlocked door opened easily. A scent of herbs wafted from inside. Lavender. A hint of peppermint.

“You can wait in this sitting room. It seems better to wait for a moment than to leave. Since you’re from the publishing company, wouldn’t the young lady want that too?”

The woman’s suggestion was quite assertive. Whether it was out of kindness towards him or a desire to help the young lady was unknown, but that was not his concern. Therefore, Bryant didn’t hesitate long and said,

“Let’s do that. Thank you.”

He stepped into the woman’s space.

The sound of the woman’s footsteps walking away down the stairs faded. Bryant stood near the entrance and removed his leather gloves. He glanced at the desk and chair by the window. Besides that, the only place to sit was an armchair in front of the fireplace. The woman had called it a “sitting room,” but to him, it looked more like a workspace.

It was an astonishingly perfectly organized workspace.

“Hmm.”

Bryant approached the desk with a short murmur of admiration. He wasn’t interested in the type of wood since a good desk doesn’t necessarily produce good writing. What caught his eye was the immaculate organization. Notebooks stacked by size and neatly arranged note papers. Pens lying perfectly horizontal and evenly sharpened pencils. He chuckled when he saw the nearly empty ink bottle that looked brand new. 

How could someone use up an entire bottle of ink without spilling a single drop? She must be quite an extraordinary woman.

There were other clues scattered about that helped him understand the woman’s character. Bryant carefully examined the arrangement of books on the bookshelf and the way the blanket was folded to fit the armchair. As he observed, his initial vague curiosity gradually transformed into a peculiar pleasure.

The feeling of peering into someone else’s private life was akin to reading a novel. It was as if he was a reader, slowly exploring the woman’s mind. While observing the room, he even felt a slight sense of familiarity with the woman. Familiarity, with a woman he hadn’t even met yet.

At that moment, footsteps were heard outside the door. The light steps of a woman. When Bryant turned his head from the window, sure enough, the door swung open, and a woman appeared. A pale face. It was clear she wasn’t wearing a friendly expression.

“What are you doing here?”

The woman spoke in Ritten. Though she intended to sound sharp, it didn’t come across that way due to her foreign accent. However, she was angry, and that was unfavorable for Bryant. He needed to soften her up a bit.

“I am well aware that this is an intrusion, but as you can see, I haven’t touched anything. The only places my body has come into contact with are the floor and the carpet. I’d appreciate it if you could acknowledge that.”

Bryant smiled, spreading his hands as if surrendering. The woman looked at him with a slightly surprised expression. What came out of the man’s mouth was perfect Trissen. Speaking fluently in the other’s native language always wins favor. As expected, the woman seemed slightly less tense.

“…You said you’re from the publishing company.”

“That’s right.”

Haah. The woman let out a small sigh. She hesitated at the entrance for a moment, then, as if making a decision, walked inside. By carefully closing the door, she indicated her willingness to have a conversation.

Bryant finally began to observe the woman with ease. Though he didn’t show it, he was surprised. More than the meticulous organization of the room, the woman herself was astonishing. Aside from being quite beautiful, she was very young. 

Twenty-five? At most, she might be twenty-six. 

She was about ten years younger than he had expected.

The woman was wearing a plain wool coat. The dress visible beneath it wasn’t made of luxurious fabric either. Yet everything was clean and fresh. Considering the January weather in Kingston, her meticulousness was quite impressive.

As he thought this, he met her gaze. Intelligent-looking brown eyes. Brown hair that fell past her shoulders to her back. Bryant thought her hair color resembled chocolate.

“I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Bryant Clifton.”

While he bowed his head in greeting, the woman stood upright. She stood at a distance, merely looking at him. 

Did she think I’d harm her if she came closer? 

Bryant found it somewhat absurd.

After a brief silence, during which she seemed to assess him, the woman began to speak. Her voice was thin but calm.

“I assume you know my name, so I’ll skip the introduction. I don’t think entering an unoccupied room without permission is something a gentleman like you should do, Mr. Clifton. I’ll protest to Mrs. Turner again, but thanks to you, I’ve decided to move out of this boarding house soon.”

Bryant looked at her steadily. Whether she moved out or not wasn’t his concern. So he easily grasped her intention. She’s trying to maintain her stance. To prevent him from visiting or pestering her about this matter again. Winning a psychological battle is crucial when trying to persuade someone.

Therefore, he couldn’t simply comply with her intentions.

“If you’re blaming the landlady, I ask for your understanding. The only fault she committed was showing kindness to me. She wasn’t heartless enough to leave a poor man waiting endlessly outside in this cold weather.”

“…You’re putting me in a difficult position.”

“That wasn’t my intention, but if you feel that way, it’s my fault. I apologize.”

The woman seemed visibly flustered. She realized he was not as easy to deal with as before. It was inevitable. Paul Higgins was a capable editor, but he wasn’t skilled in verbal sparring. As he thought this, Bryant smiled kindly. The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly. Bryant found those eyes quite charming.

“Did you come again because of that matter?”

“Regrettably, yes.”

“I can’t understand it. Suddenly proposing a celebration like this, and even after I refused, you keep coming back. I hope you understand how confused I am about how to take this.”

Bryant listened silently. As he listened to her, he looked for an opening. To break a solid armor, you must aim for the seams. To break through stubbornness, you must target the weak points.

“I clearly told Mr. Higgins. I don’t want to go abroad, and I don’t want a publication celebration. So please, I beg you, don’t bother me about this matter again.”

Her tone shifted slightly, sounding more like a plea. Listening to this, Bryant thought. In previous visits, delicate conversation would have been difficult. She was a foreigner unfamiliar with Ritten, and Higgins couldn’t speak Trissen perfectly. Foreigner. Foreign.

Foreign country.

“Isn’t Trissen your homeland, not a foreign country?”

He asked, gazing into her eyes. Her brown eyes flickered slightly. Bryant narrowed his eyes. It seemed he had found a crack.

“Miss Evelyn Dale.”

Bryant Clifton was not someone who pried into others’ affairs. He especially avoided asking personal questions that might cause discomfort. He was fundamentally uninterested in other people’s lives. Beyond matters of etiquette, he simply wasn’t curious about others’ private affairs.

But this time, it was different.

“Do you not wish to return to your homeland?”

“……”

“May I know the reason?”

The woman, who seemed troubled, finally dropped her gaze. As he looked at her smooth, pale forehead, he too felt a bit at a loss. But he had to persuade her, no matter what. Life brings such unexpected tasks. Bryant sighed inwardly.