Chapter 2 – Kingston (Part 8)

Following the man across the street, she kept her eyes fixed on the car. It looked similar to any carriage, so it might resemble a luxury carriage if horses were attached. Except it had two doors, and unlike a carriage, all seats faced forward. 

So where should I sit? 

The unfamiliar arrangement piqued Evelyn’s curiosity.

“Please get in.”  

Bryant opened the back door to show her where to sit. Then, with a very natural gesture, he extended his hand. Evelyn hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and getting into the car. A large man’s hand. It was warm and dry.  

After the woman sat at the edge of the seat, Bryant followed her in. She sat as far to the left as possible, but the two-seater was narrow. She was so close to the man sitting next to her that their bodies almost touched. If it had been a carriage, she would have sat in the opposite seat. Evelyn found the internal structure of the car, which she hadn’t known before, quite inconvenient.  

Bryant settled in and closed the door with a click. The narrow interior of the car was now completely isolated from the outside. The man’s build, sitting to her right, felt oppressively large. With each breath, the scent of his cologne invaded her senses. She even faintly detected a personal scent she hadn’t noticed when they first met. Evelyn’s mouth felt dry for no reason, so she slightly pursed her lips to moisten them.  

“Thank you for accepting my proposal.”  

He started the conversation right away. The posture of sitting so close together didn’t seem to bother him at all. 

Am I the only one uncomfortable? 

She asked herself as she turned her head toward the man, trying to appear unaffected. She was startled by how close his face was. The fact that their arms were touching felt relatively insignificant.  

“Her Majesty will be very pleased.”  

“I’m honored.”

“When would you like to go? Let me know a convenient date, and I’ll adjust to it.”  

Evelyn looked a bit puzzled. 

Adjust? To what?

But the man continued speaking as if nothing was amiss.  

“Please spare me some time before we depart.”

“…….”  

“We need to get to know each other a bit.”

His words became increasingly incomprehensible. Evelyn furrowed her brows slightly to indicate her confusion.  

“When you say ‘we,’ do you mean you and me, Mr. Clifton?”  

“Are you joking, by any chance?”

“…….”  

“From my perspective, it’s very clear that we’re the only ones who fall into the category of ‘we’ here.”

Bryant said this calmly and laughed. Evelyn thought this man must be joking. 

Why do we need to get to know each other? 

She wanted to ask impulsively, but a lady must maintain decorum.  

“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t joking.”

“I apologize if I was rude.”

“If I understood correctly, you said you and I need to get to know each other. Specifically, what necessity are you referring to?”  

“For mutual convenience, of course.”  

“…….”  

“To make a long journey more manageable, it’s good to know a bit about your companion.”  

Companion? Surely not. 

Evelyn furrowed her brows a bit more.  

“Mr. Clifton, are you coming with me?”

“Yes.”  

“All the way to the Empire?”

“Anywhere.”

What is he talking about?

Evelyn involuntarily let out a small, incredulous laugh.  

“No, Mr. Clifton. There’s no need for you to go through such trouble. I can manage perfectly fine on my own.”  

“You cannot, Miss Dale.”  

Bryant replied. His tone was polite yet firm. As the woman was at a loss for words, he quickly added an explanation.  

“You cannot meet Her Majesty alone. It’s a breach of etiquette not to have someone introduce you on a first meeting.”  

That was true. In noble society, it was customary to have someone who knew both parties perform the introduction, even if only formally. But she thought an audience would be different. Do the Emperor and Empress also receive introductions for those they meet? 

Evelyn wondered.  

“Moreover, Miss Dale, you are a very important author to our publishing house. It wouldn’t make sense not to ensure your utmost convenience and safety. Especially sending a lady alone. It’s unthinkable.”  

“…….”  

“If it’s burdensome because I’m the president, there’s no need for that. I’m the most available person at the company and the best person to guide you to the Imperial Palace. So please don’t feel uncomfortable at all.”  

But I am uncomfortable. Very, very uncomfortable.

Evelyn shouted inwardly. Regardless, Bryant continued speaking with a serious face.  

“From the moment you leave here, you’ll be moving with me. I’ll arrange your stay in Issen, and I’ll accompany you when you have an audience with Her Majesty. You’ll need to have me with you for all your schedules in Trissen. Until you safely finish your visit to your homeland and return here.”

He was eloquent. Not a single word was mispronounced during that long speech. Evelyn was sure he had practiced beforehand.  

“So, since we’ll be on this long journey together, wouldn’t it be good for us to know a little about each other?”

Bryant concluded smoothly and closed his mouth as if passing the turn. Evelyn was at a loss for words, only meeting the man’s gaze. She needed to refuse but couldn’t think of a valid reason. A reason she couldn’t travel with him. She needed an objective and logical reason. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t find a way out.  

It was a predicament.  

An awkward silence lingered for a moment. Evelyn was no longer looking at the man. The stillness inside the car gradually and heavily accumulated.

His words aren’t wrong. The Imperial Palace is an unfamiliar and burdensome place, so having a companion would certainly make things easier. If that companion were anyone else, if it weren’t this man, Evelyn would have accepted it gratefully. If it weren’t this man.

Why is that? Because he makes her uncomfortable. Evelyn found Bryant Clifton extremely uncomfortable. From the moment she received his business card, her nerves were on edge. Being with him now, her whole body felt uneasy, and her chest tightened. Going back further, it had been that way since their first meeting, from the moment their eyes first met. From then on, he made her very uncomfortable.

And why is that?

“Do you like concerts?”  

Bryant broke the silence with a soft voice and then paused for a moment. 

Now, turn your head back to look at me. 

He waited silently as if demanding it. Evelyn had no choice but to do as he wished.  

Their gazes intertwined again. The streetlight that came through the car window illuminated one of his eyes. The man’s face, holding both light and darkness, looked different from how it did in the day. A face with deep shadows. One eye brightly revealed. In those blue-gray eyes, Evelyn saw something unsettling. Something sharp like light on the edge of a blade. Something that triggered instinctive wariness.  

Something uncomfortably captivating.  

“I’ve received an invitation for the season premiere of the Royal Orchestra, and I need to bring a partner. I’d be delighted if you could accompany me to Queen’s Hall.”  

The man smiled as he made the proposal in a calm tone. His eyes softened, and his impression changed. The unsettling thing was gone, leaving only a courteous gentleman. Evelyn couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination or the man’s skillful performance.  

“If you refuse, Miss Dale, I thought I’d ask Mr. Higgins instead.”

He urged for an answer jokingly and smiled again. Then he relaxed his posture slightly, resting one arm on the window sill. His chest fully open toward the woman. His body wrapped in layers of shirt, tie, vest, and jacket. The warmth emanating from that body touched Evelyn’s cheek. Or was that also an illusion?  

“Thank you for the offer, but… why are you asking me? You could bring your wife.”  

Only after responding did she realize it was a transparently obvious statement. Unsurprisingly, the man smiled as if amused. Evelyn felt her face heat up. Luckily, it was dark around them.  

“That would certainly be an advantage of marriage. But it’s not attractive enough to give up single life.”  

“Isn’t being able to find a female partner whenever you want an advantage of single life?”  

“That’s why I’m enjoying that advantage now.”  

The conversation quickly crossed a line. Evelyn closed her mouth, chastising herself for her recklessness. 

Why on earth did I say such a thing? 

She couldn’t understand herself.  

She wasn’t unaware of the openness and liberality of Kingston people. She knew a man with such looks, manners, and wealth wouldn’t live like a monk. She wasn’t naive or dull enough not to sense the implications he was making toward her.  

So, Evelyn Dale, what exactly do you want?  

“Visiting Queen’s Hall could help you get accustomed to the atmosphere of the Imperial Palace before your audience. After all, both the court and the Royal Concert Hall are places where similar types of people gather.”  

Bryant was quick-witted. He soon noticed the woman’s discomfort and changed his attitude. He straightened his posture and removed the playful air from his lips.  

“I also want to mention that it would be a quite advantageous experience for your writing. It would help when depicting scenes of concert halls or orchestras.”  

“…….”  

“To give you one more reason to accept, there will be a casual reception after the performance. I assure you, you won’t be disappointed to see what scene unfolds when Kingston’s famous people gather.”  

Evelyn felt increasingly cornered. The man, armed with logic, seemed to extend like a giant net without any gaps. Polite persuasion is sometimes harder to resist than an outright demand. Evelyn felt something inside her, which she had tightly locked away, suddenly release.  

“That would… certainly be helpful.”  

She replied, lifting her eyes that had been cast down. Her gaze met the man’s who was looking at her. Bryant nodded slightly and smiled. A face that discreetly hid satisfaction.  

“It’s next Friday night at 8 o’clock. I’ll come to pick you up at 6:30.”  

“That early?”  

“The performance will be long, so it’s better to have dinner first.”  

“Oh. …Yes.”  

“Our seats are on the first floor.”  

The first floor of the Royal Concert Hall is traditionally reserved for VIPs. It’s a place where nobles, local notables, artists, and wealthy businessmen gather. It meant it wasn’t a place to attend in just any attire.  

“I’m not sure if I can do well enough not to embarrass you, Mr. Clifton.”  

“I believe you’ll do just fine.”  

“I’ve never been to such a splendid place.”  

“It’s just a concert hall.”  

“That’s kind of you to say, but I don’t know much about the etiquette of the Imperial Family or the nobility. You might be familiar with it as a businessman, but someone like me has no opportunity to experience such places.”  

“That’s certainly understandable. I understand.”  

“Thank you for understanding.”  

“Then please make use of me.”  

Bryant said with a cheerful demeanor.  

“If you need help preparing, I’d be happy to assist.”  

“Would you really?”  

Evelyn responded readily, looking at the man. She alternated looking at his eyes, each immersed in light and darkness. Two eyes of different brightness were gazing at her. The distance was close enough to see even the eyelashes clearly.  

“It would be my pleasure.”  

Bryant replied softly. And again, a slight smile. This time, Evelyn could see the satisfaction not fully hidden in that smile.