Chapter 6 – Chester (Part 7)

There are manners and etiquette that apply to everyone, regardless of status or class. The etiquette of invitation and hospitality was one of them. In Trissen, when a guest from afar visited a home, the host provided the utmost convenience. If the household was affluent, they assigned a dedicated attendant and ordered the cook to prepare the guest’s favorite dishes. In modest homes, it was natural to treat friends or relatives with utmost care while they stayed.

The typical duration of a visit was over a month. If the host was wealthy or had a very close relationship, it was common to stay for an entire season, but even the shortest visit was expected to last a week. A week was the minimum period that allowed both the host and the guest to avoid rudeness.

Evelyn was on the third day of her week-long visit.

Contrary to her concerns, her time in Chester was mostly peaceful. The host was so busy that he was almost never seen. Jared’s words, apologizing in advance for being neglectful of his guests, were not exaggerated. During her three days here, the only times she saw him were at the first day’s dinner and the second day’s breakfast.

After visiting the Artist Village yesterday, Evelyn stayed at the mansion. Unlike the host, who had no time to show his face, the guests had nothing to do. They spent time in their rooms or the drawing room and sat down for meals in the dining room when the time came. They appreciated the art pieces housed in the mansion and took walks around the grounds. The two of them mostly stayed in the large drawing room on the second floor.

It was unexpectedly tranquil, to the point where she almost forgot whose house it was.

Evelyn sat by the sunny window reading or writing. Occasionally, when she heard the sound of carriage wheels, she glanced outside. People came and went incessantly, but she never encountered them. The mansion had four drawing rooms and several dining rooms and tearooms, so the men who came to see the Duke weren’t even aware of the guests’ presence.

So this was the first time they had made eye contact, even from a distance.

The man, who looked to be in his forties, was mingling with a group of about ten people, and when he met the lady’s eyes, he slightly inclined his head in a gesture of courtesy. Evelyn responded with a barely perceptible nod. He was standing near the mansion’s entrance, and she was in the garden, so there was a fair distance between them.

“It seems the luncheon just ended.”

Bryant, standing beside her, said. Evelyn, watching the procession of carriages clattering in, replied.

“It seems so.”

Then she turned her head and resumed walking in the direction they had been heading.

The path paved with white gravel was wide enough for the two of them to walk side by side. A rich fragrance rose from the roses blooming everywhere. It was a particularly sweet and intense variety. Even a short walk seemed enough to let the scent of roses seep into their bodies.

“How much of the manuscript have you read?”

“Almost all of it. I think I’ll finish it by tomorrow.”

“You’re a fast reader.”

“The writing is interesting.”

Evelyn smiled as she answered. Bryant had given her a manuscript of a novel yesterday when they returned from the Artist Village and were having tea in the drawing room. He was considering its publication and asked for her opinion. The bundle of pages, typed and bound as a galley proof, was quite thick.

“Then I can hear your overall thoughts tomorrow.”

“I’m not sure if my impressions will be helpful.”

“A second opinion is always helpful.”

“I’m curious what second opinion you received on my manuscript.”

“You don’t need to be curious. I showed it to no one.”

Bryant replied as he stopped walking. Evelyn stopped as well and looked at him. Naturally, their eyes met.

“I didn’t consider publishing that manuscript at all, so I didn’t need a second opinion.”

He smiled as he spoke.

The afternoon’s yellowish sunlight touched his hair. His dark blonde hair, when lit, appeared bright gold at the edges and almost dark brown inside. It varied depending on the light, just like his eyes. Evelyn looked at those eyes, pale gray like marble.

Bryant found the bright light bothersome. Whenever he went outside, he would squint slightly, as if the sun was just too much. From that expression, Evelyn unexpectedly recalled an entirely different scene. The expression he made when they indulged in each other. The look in his eyes when he gazed at her bare body. The sensual face he had when reaching the peak.

For a moment, her mind went blank. As if entranced, she could only stare at the man’s face. Nothing else registered in her vision. Not the lush greenery surrounding them. Not the roses in full bloom. Not even a sense of where they were at that moment.

Evelyn stood there for a while, until the man who willingly received her gaze finally spoke.

“I want to do it here.”

Bryant said. Only then did Evelyn snap back to reality and blink once. She looked at him with questioning eyes. 

What do you want to do here?

“The thing I like.”

The man answered without hesitation, a smile spreading across his lips.

“I think we can do it without getting caught.”

“…….”

“I noticed earlier that all the gardeners have left. I’ve already checked the blind spots.”

“…….”

“Come on. You just have to decide.”

He urged her, raising his eyebrows slightly. It seemed it wasn’t entirely a joke, but she had to take it as one. Evelyn responded with a slightly awkward smile.

“It seems that’s possible in the Kingdom of Ritten.”

“I don’t think it’s a matter of the country.”

“Then what do you think it is a matter of?”

“It’s a matter of individual will and wit.”

“Isn’t it the environment that gives birth to that will and wit?”

The woman asked back as she started walking again. Bryant matched her pace. Encouraged by the return of the conversation to a normal direction, Evelyn quickly continued.

“If you, Mr. Clifton, had grown up in the Trissen Empire, you wouldn’t have even thought of such a thing. You absolutely wouldn’t have. As you know, this country is very strict. Even walking too closely with your fiancé can be frowned upon here.”

Fiancé. The word she carelessly uttered lodged in her chest like a shard. 

Why did I have to say that? 

She regretted it inwardly as she waited for the man’s response. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to think much of it. He simply replied after a brief pause,

“Why are people here so conservative?”

“…Maybe it’s because you’re too progressive, Mr. Clifton.”

“I get more excited when you call me that.”

What are you talking about? 

Startled, she turned her head again. When their eyes met, the man smiled softly. Evelyn let out a chuckle and brushed it off as a joke, even though it didn’t seem entirely like one.

And when she awkwardly turned her face forward again,

“Do you still think about the man you were engaged to?”

She couldn’t help but stiffen.

She was at a loss for words. Suddenly aware of her breathing, her heart tightened. Fortunately, Bryant didn’t wait long. It seemed he wasn’t expecting an answer.

“I understand. Anyone would recall memories when visiting a place from their past or seeing something that triggers memories. Since you’ve returned to your hometown after a long time, it’s even more so for you. It’s not strange.”

He spoke with a tone that showed no hesitation. It sounded utterly detached, as if he were speaking about someone else. Of course, it was a long time ago. Evelyn told herself not to overreact.

“What kind of person was he?”

She didn’t want to answer. But if she said she didn’t want to talk about it, it might seem like she still had feelings. Evelyn recalled how he had casually responded when she asked about his past lover. She should do the same. Speak as if recounting a memory long hardened and devoid of sentiment. So she racked her brain and came up with the best she could,

“……He was a good person.”

Such an awkward response.

“I see.”

That was Bryant’s only reaction. He didn’t offer any comments or press further about the man. Evelyn continued walking, feigning composure. She was on edge, worried her posture and expression might become awkward. She berated herself inwardly for not being more bold. But when the next question came after a brief pause,

“So, how long will you keep thinking about him?”

She had no choice but to turn her head and look at him.

Evelyn Dale wasn’t good at lying. But what should she do when she couldn’t tell the truth? She couldn’t say she didn’t want to think about it either, that she wouldn’t have thought about it if he weren’t at this residence.

As she wrestled with her thoughts, she looked at the man. Bryant’s eyes were unreadable. She couldn’t discern his intentions for asking, or the purpose of bringing up this topic. His gray eyes offered no clues. They merely squinted slightly, as if bothered by the foreign sun.

“You said you like me.”

Another unexpected remark. Evelyn truly couldn’t understand his intention.

“Then you should only think of me.”

She just looked at his face with her mouth closed. He, too, was looking directly at her. Evelyn finally saw a faint smile on his face.

Bryant, who had paused for a moment, started walking again. Realizing she had been standing still, Evelyn quickly followed. Her heart belatedly pounded. 

So that’s what he meant. There was no other intention. 

A sense of relief made her steps feel a little lighter.

“It’s a pity you’re from a conservative and strict country. I really wanted to do it here.”

Bryant’s tone was leisurely, as if joking. But there was no hint of laughter mixed in. So Evelyn couldn’t decide whether to scoff at his words or just listen awkwardly.

“This garden is quite well-kept.”

He said, slightly lifting his chin. Each step they took made a crunching sound on the gravel. The afternoon rose garden was beautiful and peaceful. There was no one else but the two of them. The garden was filled with carefully tended roses. Only the lushly blooming yellow roses.

Evelyn walked through that garden side by side with the man. The fragrance was particularly sweet and intense. After finishing the walk and returning to her room, she was sure the scent of roses would have seeped into her entire body.