“Why haven’t you taken a wife, Lord Dalton? You don’t seem to pursue a particularly dissolute life.”

“Like Dickson?”

“If you must bring up that story again.”

She could feel the coachman gradually slowing down. Since nothing particular had happened during the ride, the carriage would have reached near its destination by now. Richard, who had been laughing silently, raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly as he looked her way.

“I didn’t know you had things you were curious about regarding me.”

“Think about how I’ve become entangled and tormented along with you.”

“Well, good. It seems we both have things left to discuss.”

Richard just smiled as he looked at Olivia’s puzzled face. When an unexpected scene unfolded outside the door of the stopped carriage, Olivia’s gaze turned to his face once more.

“Do you like flowers? This place doesn’t have a splendid greenhouse like Viscount Wickham’s, but there’s a reasonably well-maintained garden.”

“Pardon?”

“Come to think of it, I know nothing about what kind of gentleman you want, Miss Jennings. How can we make progress like this?”

“So?”

“If you have more things you’re curious about regarding me, I’ll answer those as well while we’re at it.”

“So you’re now……”

It was Dalton House, perfect enough that there was no need to ask further. The situation, which seemed to be flowing according to the marchioness’s will contrary to his confident assertion just moments ago, made Olivia strangely uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Richard had gotten out of the carriage and was looking up at her.

“Since we’d have to worry about people’s gazes outside, I had no choice but to make this selection. I thought this would be better than visiting your house.”

Richard Dalton was saying that everything was consideration for her. Of course, she could try to believe those words. It might have been a little easier to believe that way if it hadn’t involved setting foot in a space that was perfectly his domain.

“If you don’t want to, I can have this carriage head to your residence again. Do you wish for that?”

“……Just briefly.”

A promise with a light smile came back from the owner of the hand she grasped.

“I won’t ask for more.”

***

The flower that most brightened the Dalton family garden in May was the iris. That flower, which was also the protagonist of the garden that the previous count and countess had carefully cultivated, was also the name of Richard Dalton’s younger sister, though it was now unclear whether their love for the flower came first, or whether they had lovingly cultivated it because it was a flower with the same name as their daughter.

Now the sister with the flower’s name managed this garden, saying the reason was that she felt concerned that their deceased parents might return to see the flowers that bloomed anew each year.

Olivia felt she could understand Iris Dalton, whom she didn’t even know well. Olivia also understood that sometimes such beliefs enabled those left behind to endure.

Richard, who had set up a tea table in the middle of that garden that was both modest and splendid, sat facing Olivia with tea and biscuits between them. Thanks to the cloudy sky, the pouring sunlight wasn’t harsh, making it perfect for enjoying tea.

“Well, may I ask now?”

Richard, who had placed his elbows on the table, asked as he brought his clasped hands near his chin. The flower scent carried on the blowing wind mixed with the tea’s fragrance and brushed past Olivia’s nose. Olivia unconsciously untied her bonnet strings and revealed her bare head.

She wanted to let down her pinned-up hair completely and feel the wind pass through, but she couldn’t do so because of the man watching her with deep eyes. To keep her promise of staying only briefly, she had to collect herself first. Olivia, who had moistened her mouth with the tea water placed before her, nodded.

“Please do.”

“What kind of man do you usually desire?”

“Well…… I’ve never thought about it specifically……”

“Still, there must be something. If the question is too vague, shall we start with appearance?”

Olivia avoided Richard’s direct gaze downward and put on a thoughtful expression. She thought it wouldn’t be such a difficult task, but it wasn’t. Speaking about her ideal type while looking into Richard Dalton’s eyes strangely required courage.

She used to boldly ask her sisters even about their wedding nights, but she couldn’t understand why she felt so embarrassed just describing the appearance of the man she had dreamed of. When she thought about it, Richard Dalton had already seen her in even worse states than this. Finding herself shy in strange places, Olivia, who doesn’t know where to look, cleared her throat once.

“Hmm. I don’t particularly want anything special. Just someone who isn’t too unpleasant to look at would be fine.”

“Don’t you know that’s a more difficult request? I’d like it to be a bit more specific, like when you describe male protagonists in the stories you write.”

“I’m telling you it doesn’t matter.”

“How much taller than you would be good? When she was young, Iris—that is, my sister—used to draw only blond men whenever she drew pictures. Do you also prefer splendid blond hair, Miss Jennings? Or how about dark brown hair? I think you made such a man the protagonist in a book you wrote before. Oh, would you prefer a large mouth? You seemed to prefer broad and large shoulders and chest…… Am I right?”

“Everything’s fine. Since it’s fine, please just…… just handle it yourself.”

Olivia, who had responded in an urgent voice, gulped down the cold tea. Richard was looking her way with a wind-like laugh. He, who had arranged his lips that still held traces of laughter, lowered the hand that had been placed near his chin and straightened his posture.

The way he pulled his chair closer looked quite serious, so Olivia carefully leaned against the backrest and adjusted the distance.

“There’s nothing more irresponsible than saying ‘handle it yourself.’ If you don’t like it later, wouldn’t I be held responsible for that?”

“For their height, they just need to be taller than me, and for hair color, it doesn’t matter. Splendid blond? That wouldn’t be bad. I’d like the mouth not to be too small. It makes a person look petty. Shoulders and chest are…… well, as you know. If possible, someone dependable who gives a sense of security when you lean on them would be good, right?”

“Of course.”

He smiled with the corners of his mouth raised. She felt somewhat like she had been drawn in, but at the same time it was also refreshing. No one had ever been genuinely curious about what kind of man she wanted.

It would have been nice if they had shown some interest in such things as much as they persistently asked about when she would marry. If they had, she might have eagerly looked for the man she wanted without being told. If they had made her look at ‘people’ rather than ‘marriage.’

“Oh, if possible, I’d like him to like dogs too.”

“Dogs? You mean puppies?”

“Yes.”

Hmm. I see. Dogs. He nodded as if he would remember, then threw out the next question.

“Do you perhaps have opinions about a man’s wealth as well?”

“Wealth?”

“That men with annual incomes below 80,000 pounds aren’t even worth considering?”

“I’m not looking for a man to marry, so wealth doesn’t seem important in this matter.”

“Would it be different if you were looking for a man to marry?”

“Generally, yes. A woman’s life after marriage is mostly subordinated to her husband. Looking at that issue alone, it’s quite understandable to say nothing is more important than a man’s wealth. Though I’ve never thought about specific amounts. But I…… as long as it’s someone I like, it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t have inherited wealth or anything. I’m not particularly extravagant, and I don’t have any great desires besides writing.”

“I see.”

“If I had to choose, I care more about the body than money……”

“Like broad shoulders and chest?”

Olivia, who pretended not to notice the complete joy that had risen on his face, bit and released her lower lip. She felt she had talked too much unnecessarily, but it was too late to take it back, so she decided to be a bit brazen.

If it had been something she had been hiding from the beginning, it might be different, but with Richard Dalton, she had essentially laid everything bare from the start, so this sudden shyness would be the unseemly thing. Olivia, who had changed her mindset, lifted her chin slightly.

“Anyway, I’m not a seventeen-year-old girl living in fantasies. I know well about my circumstances and position, and I don’t wish for things I can’t reach. In other words, I don’t dream of things like ‘annual income of 80,000 pounds.'”

“I’m not sure if I can assert that valuing the body over wealth isn’t a fantasy—but I think I understand what you mean.”

“To be precise, it’s not ‘body’ but ‘bed.'”

“Even if it’s bed, it’s the same. So do you think once would be enough? But that won’t be as simple a matter as you think. When you consider it, there’s no problem as complex as that. A man’s and woman’s first time are different, and that act is something where the pleasure you can feel becomes greater and more varied as time passes and experience accumulates.”

Richard Dalton, who had removed his brother’s mask and left only a man’s face in its place, was eloquent without changing his complexion or expression even once. Without getting angry or hesitating, just as nonchalantly as if he were talking about how the evening course had been while enjoying dessert.