Chapter 2.6

Edgar quickly noticed his pupil’s early surrender. Taking her hand, he placed it against his cheek.  

“Natalie, you know how to smile beautifully. A bright and lovely smile.”  

Natalie, whose hand rested still against Edgar’s cheek, moved her fingertips to touch her lips. After confirming the shape of her smile, she earnestly followed his instructions, lifting the corners of her mouth.  

However, her eyes didn’t smile, and the stiff expression on her lips was far from a natural smile. She looked like an inexperienced actor desperately trying to smile in a situation where laughter was impossible.  

Her wavering gaze seemed to ask, 

“Is this right?”  

Edgar believed that what one needed to face their fears wasn’t cold evaluation but unfounded courage. Instead of focusing on Natalie’s rigid smile, he looked into her still-bright green eyes.  

“Perfect. It’s wonderfully beautiful.”  

Smiling like a kind teacher who only gave compliments, Edgar took Natalie’s hand and led her into the crowd.  

“There’s nothing to worry about. If you want to know what Mr. Salinger likes, you can simply ask him. Light conversation is the starting point of any successful romance. It’s nothing. It’s simple.”  

Natalie thought Mr. Wharton’s gentle voice helped calm her nerves.  

However, the moment Mr. Wharton let go of her hand, her anxiety returned. She wanted to reach out and grab him again, but her clenched hand was a step too late.  

Mr. Wharton, having released her, gestured toward the direction she needed to go. Natalie took a deep breath and resolutely stepped forward.  

But when she finally stood in front of Mr. Salinger, the simple greeting Mr. Wharton had taught her wouldn’t come out as planned.  

“Good….”  

Fearing her voice would tremble, she swallowed her words.  

“Good afternoon.”  

She barely managed to complete the greeting. Mr. Salinger responded with a polite smile. Rising from his seat, he pulled out a chair for her with the manners of a gentleman. Natalie, however, stood stiffly, like a block of wood.  

“Th-thank you. Thank you.”  

It felt as though she had been cursed to repeat every word twice.  

“So, the person Edgar wanted to introduce me to was you, Miss Maron.”  

As Mr. Salinger returned to his seat, he spoke. Natalie fumbled through her mental dictionary, searching for a response.  

“Yes, that’s me.”  

Her answer made Mr. Salinger smile, and though Natalie didn’t know why, she smiled along with him.  

“He described you as remarkably witty and thoughtful.”  

This time, she couldn’t respond with, “Yes, that’s me.” She couldn’t exactly say, “Yes, I am remarkably witty,” to such an exaggerated compliment.  

“That’s kind of him to say.”  

“Edgar warned me not to look at you in the eye too often.”  

Mr. Salinger, despite the warning, met Natalie’s gaze.  

“He said that if I looked into eyes as fresh as olives more than twice, I’d surely fall in love.”  

Fresh olives… 

Natalie frowned slightly at the unpoetic metaphor. Then, meeting Mr. Salinger’s gaze, she forced a smile.  

“But if I had known he was talking about you….”  

Natalie worried that the next words might be, “I wouldn’t have believed him,” or, “I wouldn’t have wasted my time sitting here in this tea room.”  

As she nervously gripped the handle of her teacup, Mr. Salinger continued.  

“I would have told him I already knew.”  

The smile accompanying those words was truly charming. Natalie’s cheeks lifted with a smile she couldn’t suppress.

***

Edgar Wharton was observing the two from a few tables away. Although he couldn’t hear their conversation clearly, it was enough to read their expressions. Even as he ordered cream tea, Edgar’s gaze remained fixed on Natalie.  

Natalie’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Leonard, and her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink. The person receiving that gaze, however, remained calm without the slightest blush. But that was typical of the ever-composed Leonard, so there was no need to worry.  

Everything was going smoothly.  

Until Natalie began fidgeting anxiously and looking around for someone.  

Her expression resembled that of a child left alone by the water, desperately searching for their parents but failing. After scanning the tea room, she looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment.  

It seems there’s a problem.  

Edgar raised his hand where Natalie could see it. Her gaze immediately darted toward him.  

After saying a few words to Leonard, Natalie rose from her seat.  

Edgar watched her approach while noticing Leonard’s gaze following her. To avoid being recognized, Edgar propped his chin on his hand, shielding his face.  

Pretending to study the menu, Edgar saw Natalie’s neat shoes appear beneath the table.  

“How have you been?”  

A strange greeting reached his ears. Without lifting his eyes from the list of teas on the menu, Edgar replied.  

“If you’re asking how I’ve been in your absence, I’ve been fine.”  

Hearing his response, Natalie pulled out a chair on her own and sat down without waiting for him to offer it.  

“I told him I was going to greet a relative.”  

Edgar understood what she meant. She had lied to Leonard.  

“So, I’m your relative now.”  

“A relative who’s unwell.”  

“Impressive.”  

Turning his back to Leonard, Edgar faced Natalie.  

“Lies are most effective when they’re moderately specific.”  

Natalie, who had been silently staring at him, buried her face in her hands. With a small sigh, she revealed the weight of her worries.  

“Is something wrong?”  

“It’s a serious problem.”  

Her response was filled with pessimism.  

“Mr. Salinger would undoubtedly make a good husband. I’m certain of it.”  

“Is that the problem?”  

“I’m also certain that I’m not a good match for him.”  

“Did Leonard say that?”  

“He didn’t have to. If he saw how foolishly I behaved, you must have noticed it too, Mr. Wharton.”  

Edgar set down the menu. Leaning closer to Natalie, he spoke.  

“To an unwell relative, everything seemed to be going well. There was no problem at all.”  

Natalie lowered her hands from her face, revealing her sorrowful eyes.  

“Mr. Salinger dislikes ‘The Mysteries of Udolpho’.”  

Edgar had heard of the title before. He hadn’t read it himself, but it was a popular novel at the time.  

What surprised him wasn’t Leonard’s dislike for the book but the fact that Leonard read novels at all. Imagining the gentlemanly Mr. Salinger staying up all night engrossed in a thrilling book brought a smile to Edgar’s face.  

“That’s unexpected.”  

“I had no idea. I thought anyone who could read would naturally like that book. It’s such a captivating story. So, when Mr. Salinger mentioned he’d read it, I got really excited.”  

The repeated use of “really” suggested she had been quite thrilled. Edgar had long noticed that this was one of Miss Maron’s favorite expressions.  

“I got too excited. I revisited passages from the book, pointed out its brilliance, and showered it with praise before I realized….”  

As she reflected on the situation, Natalie’s expression darkened once more.  

“That Mr. Salinger wasn’t interested at all.”  

Edgar could easily imagine it.  

Natalie, enthusiastically chattering about love with the same passion she had once shown him, and Leonard, responding in his usual calm and brief manner.  

“I see what the problem is.”  

Edgar spoke with the seriousness of a doctor diagnosing a patient.  

Natalie fiddled with the tips of her gloved fingers as she continued.  

“It’s a very serious problem. How boring must it be to listen to someone ramble on without any shared interests? He wouldn’t even want to imagine a future with such a person.”  

Natalie’s gaze seemed to ask, ‘Don’t you agree?’ And if Edgar were to answer ‘Yes,’ she looked ready to storm out.  

“There are many couples in the world who live happily despite having different tastes.”  

Edgar’s response was meant to prevent her from running off.  

“But I think the real issue lies elsewhere.”  

“The real… issue?”  

“The problem is that you are too busy worrying about what to say to someone you like, Miss Maron.”  

Judging by Natalie’s bewildered expression, she clearly didn’t understand his point.  

Edgar shifted the foot of his crossed leg toward Natalie. His shoe lightly brushed against her ankle. Startled, Natalie quickly tucked both feet under her chair.  

“Body language is quiet yet effective.”  

Natalie, lost in thought, stared into the air. After seemingly reaching a conclusion, she looked back at Edgar.  

“Are you suggesting I kick Mr. Salinger’s ankle?”  

Edgar laughed at her earnest question.  

“There’s no need to be that bold.”  

He noticed the faint sheen of her silk gloves and extended his hand toward her. His fingertips lightly brushed the back of her hand.  

“A mere touch is enough.”  

His fingers slid delicately between hers, causing Natalie to instinctively curl her fingers like leaves responding to a touch.  

Edgar smiled at Natalie, whose eyes had widened in surprise.  

“Do you think you can do it?”  

Natalie, with the look of a student recalling a lesson, watched as Edgar’s hand moved away.  

“I’ll try.”  

It was a model student’s reply. Clenching her hands tightly, Natalie rose from her seat as if preparing for a battle.  

Before she could leave the table, Edgar grabbed her hand.  

“Invite him to a play. I’ll get the tickets for you.”  

It was the least he could do for his friend and pupil.  

“Thank you.”  

“Don’t mention it.”  

Edgar gave her a warm smile. Natalie took a deep breath and walked away from his side.