Chapter 2.3

While Natalie dampened her rose-scented handkerchief, Mr. Wharton wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the hall.  

Wherever the two passed, people’s gazes followed. The sight of a distressed man and a sorrowful, crying woman stirred the imaginations of the onlookers.  

On the path leading to the garden, the curious stares lingered, filled with both questions and assumptions.  

What could he possibly have said to make her cry so bitterly?  

Surely, the proud Edgar Wharton must have rejected the woman’s earnest feelings.  

However, no one could have guessed that the reason for her tears was, “because she didn’t like Edgar Wharton.”  

Even in summer, the night air was chilly enough to make bare shoulders shiver. Edgar noticed the slight trembling of the shoulders he had wrapped his arm around and took off his jacket.  

When he draped the jacket over her shoulders, the young lady, who had buried her face in her handkerchief, lifted her head. From the tip of her nose to her cheeks and the corners of her eyes, her face was pinker than her dress.  

“Thank you… You must be cold too, Mr. Wharton…”  

Natalie clutched her handkerchief tightly and looked at Edgar’s attire with tear-filled eyes. Edgar followed her gaze down to his own torso.  

He was wearing a shirt and a vest—at least two layers—while the one with bare shoulders was worrying about him. Seeing Natalie’s face, with teardrops still clinging to her lashes, Edgar couldn’t suppress a spreading smile.  

“Have you finished crying?”  

Instead of waiting for an answer, Edgar spoke while looking at her peach-colored cheeks, still marked by tear tracks.  

“If you still need to cry more, let’s take a short walk.”  

When Natalie blinked, the last tear clinging to her lashes rolled down her cheek. Edgar wiped it away with his fingertip and began walking ahead. Natalie clutched the large jacket draped over her shoulders and followed him.  

As they moved deeper into the shadowed garden, the sounds of people’s chatter faded, leaving a moment of stillness.  

The garden, now shrouded in darkness, made it hard to see one’s footing. The overgrown bushes concealed what lay beneath them.  

Edgar heard the small sound of footsteps following him. The rustling of leaves was interrupted by pauses, as the hesitant steps stopped, approached, and then stopped again.  

Walking slower than usual to match Natalie’s pace, Edgar eventually came to a halt. When he turned around, he saw the young lady hunched over, staring at the dark ground. Her cautious movements made taking even a single step seem like a monumental challenge.  

Edgar approached Natalie with long strides and extended his hand. But Natalie, unable to see the hand offered in the darkness, only lowered her head further.  

Edgar took hold of Natalie’s unresponsive hand, but she startled as if she had encountered a snake in the bushes and jerked her hand away.  

“……”  

“……”  

A silence fell between the one who had offered his hand and the one who had rejected it.  

Edgar looked into her wide, green eyes and recalled the confession he had just heard.  

“I don’t like you, Mr. Wharton!”  

Her actions confirmed her words. It was only natural that she wouldn’t want to hold the hand of a man she didn’t like, even for a second.  

Edgar, rejected, slid his hand—left hanging in the air—into his trouser pocket.  

Meanwhile, as Natalie’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she gradually made out the figure of the man standing before her. She realized, belatedly, that it wasn’t a snake or a shadowy stranger that had touched her, but Mr. Wharton himself.  

She had thought he was far away… 

When had he come so close? Was it because his long legs allowed him to walk so quickly?  

Embarrassed by the unintended rejection of Mr. Wharton’s hand, Natalie averted her gaze.  

In the awkward silence, Natalie waited for Mr. Wharton to turn away. However, instead of turning, he stood facing her and spoke.  

“I’m sorry for misunderstanding.”  

Natalie tried to respond with ‘It’s alright.’ 

“For kissing you.”  

“……”  

But hearing his follow-up, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.  

Still, there was nothing to be done; what had already happened couldn’t be undone. Besides, Mr. Wharton had saved her from dancing with the husband from her nightmares, so…  

“It’s alright.”  

“Do you like Leonard Salinger?”  

The question rendered her carefully composed answer meaningless. Natalie’s lips parted slightly in surprise.  

“…No.”  

Her flustered expression was at odds with her reply.  

“Really?”  

“……”  

“Mr. Salinger is gentlemanly, has a charming smile, and seems like someone anyone would fall in love with, isn’t he?”  

Mr. Wharton’s deliberate words made Natalie feel as though her secret had been exposed. Avoiding his gaze, she hurriedly walked past him, as if fleeing from his questioning.  

Edgar easily caught up to Natalie, who was now walking more confidently through the dark garden.  

“My engagement was broken off because of a letter.”  

The casual remark succeeded in stopping Natalie in her tracks. She turned to look back at him.  

“Because of a letter?”  

“My fiancée found a love letter addressed to me. I didn’t even know who had sent it, but Miss Windsor didn’t believe me. She tore the letter to shreds in front of me and flew into a rage, saying she never wanted to see my face again.”  

Edgar added a slight embellishment for the sake of the listener’s enjoyment. Natalie, listening intently to Mr. Wharton’s calm narration, looked more serious than the person involved in the story.  

“My goodness…”  

“My great-aunt has been eagerly awaiting my engagement. Even today, the first thing she asked me about was the engagement…”  

Sometimes, silence conveyed more than words. Natalie’s expression grew even more solemn.  

The thought of being misunderstood by someone you love, and being separated because of it, was heartbreaking even to imagine.  

Though Natalie hadn’t written the letter in question, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy. She wondered if any of the letters she had written so far might have caused such a sorrowful outcome.  

Edgar, watching Natalie become engrossed in his story, said,  

“Marriage is such a complicated matter. Everyone runs toward it as if it’s the finish line of a race. And then, from all sides, they’re whipped into running faster, told that if they don’t, they’ll disappoint their parents and be left behind.”  

Following Mr. Wharton’s calm voice, Natalie recalled her own experiences. The worried glances her father gave her during meals, and Mrs. Mars, who worried over her father’s concerns.  

“You’re right. That’s exactly how it is.”  

Natalie nodded in agreement, finding it remarkable that Mr. Wharton shared the same concerns as she did.  

With his charming smile and ability to mingle effortlessly with others, Mr. Wharton had always seemed so different from her. The discovery of this shared concern felt both surprising and comforting.  

In the darkness of the night, their faces obscured, a faint thread of connection formed between their souls. This gave Natalie the courage to speak.  

“Finding someone to spend your life with is naturally difficult. It’s not just about finding someone who catches your eye, but someone who can face life’s challenges with you. If you’re lucky enough to meet someone with a similar soul, then maybe…”  

Natalie almost said “love,” but quickly closed her lips.  

Glancing at Mr. Wharton, who had forbidden the word, she searched for a substitute.  

“…you can give them your heart.”  

Edgar, recognizing the “love” she had swallowed behind her tightly closed lips, smiled.  

“Were you worried I might kiss you just now?”  

“I thought you didn’t like that word.”  

“But Natalie, you do like it.”  

Both of them fell silent, and the garden returned to its stillness.  

By now, Natalie’s eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness, and she could see her surroundings clearly. She could make out the flowers and tall trees surrounding them, as well as the stars adorning the sky.  

And standing beneath it all, Mr. Wharton.  

The soft moonlight added an even more romantic atmosphere to the garden. Flower buds, untouched by shadows, glowed white in the darkness.  

It was a scene straight out of a romance novel. A setting where protagonists, having escaped the crowd, seemed ready to bloom their love under the moonlight.  

Edgar’s blue eyes, like water, gazed quietly at Natalie. His lips, spreading into a faint smile, seemed ready to utter unforgettable lines.  

“Do you like Leonard?”  

The conversation returned to its starting point.  

“I’ll help you.”  

There was no gaze as if conveying blossomed love. Edgar’s blue eyes only held the sharpness of someone who had found a way to solve a problem.  

“We both have problems, don’t we? Marriage, that is. Natalie, you’re on the verge of marrying an old man, and I’m about to get kicked out of my house. So, why don’t we find a way to help each other?”  

Edgar’s proposal carried the confidence of a businessman and the practiced smile of a socialite.  

“I’ll get you the chance to marry the gentlemanly Mr. Salinger. In return, you’ll give me a chance to clear up my misunderstanding.”  

“How?”  

“No matter how much the accused claims their innocence, it’s only natural not to trust them. That’s why witnesses are called to the stand in court. So, Natalie, you’ll be my witness.”  

When Natalie, like a cautious investor, didn’t immediately respond, Edgar took a step closer.  

“In the court of society, you’ll argue that I am innocent and has been unfairly misunderstood.”  

“To your fiancée?”  

“To anyone. Anyone who can spread the word.”  

“……”  

Natalie felt as though Edgar’s gaze wasn’t serious but rather sparkled like that of a child who had discovered an amusing prank.  

“Leonard Salinger would certainly make a good husband. No wrinkles, strong knees.”  

The words reminded Natalie of the nightmare of a husband she had envisioned. If it meant not having to hold that hand, she would grasp anyone else’s.  

As Natalie began to waver under the skilled words of the businessman, Edgar didn’t miss his timing and flashed a trustworthy smile.  

“We’ll surely become good friends.”  

It was a smile that felt solid and reassuring, like that of a dependable friend. Edgar extended his hand to Natalie as if asking her to sign a contract.  

This time, Natalie, like Eve unable to resist temptation, took his hand.  

It was the moment when the most mismatched friendship in society was born.