Chapter 16
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16
The few lines of the sketch seemed to radiate a tangible warmth. A rounded forehead, a dainty bridge of the nose, and plump lips. For some reason, it felt strangely familiar. She felt that if she just covered the vaguely sketched eyes, she might recognize the face… Just as she was about to carefully reach out, River Ross placed his hand over hers, stilling the sketchbook.
"It's getting late, Vanessa."
"Hmm?"
"I believe I heard the servants gossiping about a banquet this evening."
At his words, Vanessa finally checked the clock. Just as he said, there were only thirty minutes left until the ‘guest’ was scheduled to arrive. How could she have forgotten?
"Oh, heavens."
Vanessa leaped to her feet, stamping them in panic as her hands flew to her disheveled hair and clothes. As she scrambled to leave, he called her to a halt.
"Wait a moment."
He deftly smoothed the creases from her crumpled dress and untangled her hair. He had let her be until now, finding her natural state charming, but sending her back to the castle like this would surely start rumors. To anyone’s eyes, she looked as if she had just returned from a secret tryst.
He skillfully gathered Vanessa’s messy hair and braided it. Handling long hair was surprisingly similar to splicing ship ropes. Although this required far less strength and a much more delicate touch, he managed to make it look presentable.
Finally, he tied the ribbon, which Vanessa had left dangling all day, into a pretty bow.
"How did you do that?"
Her hands flew to her newly neatened hair in surprise. He simply shrugged and opened the warehouse door. The cool, still-chilly early summer breeze brushed against her damp neck.
At the doorway, he elegantly lifted Vanessa’s small hand. A blush crept up her cheeks despite herself. He was a man who could play the perfect gentleman when he chose, yet there was something undeniably roguish about him—perhaps it was the way he looked at her.
Those blue eyes, deep as the abyss, looked as if they could pull her in and swallow her whole. The curve of his lips, which had just grazed her fingertips, was a seductive red.
"I'll tell you the next time we meet."
* * *
"Oh, heavens, my lady!"
Mary let out a shrill gasp when she spotted Vanessa sneaking in through the back door. Relief washed over the young maid's pale face, but it was fleeting. Her expression quickly hardened into a stern scowl as she practically flew down the stairs.
"Where on earth have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was!" she cried, grabbing Vanessa’s shoulders in a frantic grip. "The guest will be here any minute, not a single servant has seen you since lunch, and Mr. Ross claimed he thought you returned to the castle ages ago!"
"I'm sorry."
"This is no laughing matter, my lady. Are you trying to be the death of me?"
At her sharp, scolding tone, a pair of passing servants peeked in. Only then did Mary realize she had lost her composure, and she took a deep breath. It was understandable. While Mr. Wyatt was usually an indifferent, even lazy master, on the days a ‘guest’ visited, he would not tolerate the slightest mistake and would fly into a fiery rage at his staff.
Yet Vanessa, the most important person of all, had vanished right before the banquet. For Mary, whose duty was to keep the closest eye on the young lady, nothing could have been more terrifying.
Vanessa offered an apologetic, sheepish look. "I really am sorry, Mary. I mean it. I fell asleep while reading a book."
"You fell asleep? Where?"
"Um, in… the garden."
Her heart hammered at the excuse she'd cobbled together on the spot. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either. Mary's eyes narrowed to slits, scanning her from head to toe as if searching for signs of mischief in her crumpled clothes, messy hair, and flushed cheeks.
Though Vanessa tried to appear nonchalant, Mary’s sharp, probing gaze made her anxious. River Ross had tidied her up a bit, but she hadn't been able to check a mirror herself, leaving her deeply uneasy. Finally, Mary snatched Vanessa by the wrist and pulled her along.
"Don't just stand there like a statue, my lady, move! It's a mercy we decided on your dress beforehand… Otherwise, you would have been hopelessly late."
"And Uncle? Is he still in the drawing room with Count Roden?"
"Yes. Fortunately, a fine aperitif just arrived, so he has no idea you’re still in this state. Thank goodness."
Vanessa was dragged into her adjoining bathroom. The bathwater had already gone cold, but her dress, fan, jewelry, and shoes were all laid out exactly as planned.
As Vanessa sat quietly before the vanity, Mary untied the ribbon from her hair. The braided golden locks unraveled, cascading down like a wavy waterfall.
"There's no time for a bath. Besides, you don't look particularly dirty," Mary declared flatly.
With that, she began to vigorously wipe Vanessa’s face, neck, and arms with a cold, damp cloth. Vanessa shuddered at the icy touch against her already chilly skin.
"It would have been warm if you had returned on time," Mary remarked coldly, her hands moving even faster and rougher, showing no mercy. Once Vanessa's skin was flushed like a newborn's, Mary lightly applied cream and powder. With a touch of color on her lips and cheeks, a rosy, healthy glow instantly returned to her face.
Vanessa gazed at her reflection with quiet curiosity, fascinated by how different the result was from her own haphazard attempts at makeup. Surely even River Ross wouldn't be able to tease her if he saw her like this.
"I'm throwing this out. It's stained with grass and completely ruined."
Mary held the white ribbon River Ross had tied for her between her thumb and forefinger, dangling it in the air. It was dotted with light green and brown stains, though Vanessa had no idea when they had gotten there.
Ordinarily, she would have discarded it without a second thought. While her finances were far from abundant, she was not so destitute that she couldn't afford a new ribbon. And yet…
"No, Mary."
Staring quietly at the ribbon, Vanessa shook her head, a soft smile gracing her lips without her even realizing it.
"Leave it."
* * *
The promise they had made—a casual "see you again" spoken like a routine farewell as she parted from River Ross—went unfulfilled for a long time. If blame were to be assigned, it lay entirely with Vanessa. Her fragile health had failed her once again.
She had felt a chill creeping in on the evening of the banquet, and by dawn, a fever had taken hold. She cursed her weak constitution, which always chained her to her bed for a week whenever she fell ill. If there was a silver lining, it was that she wouldn't have to face Count Roman for the foreseeable future. This was thanks to her uncle, who turned away all visitors to prevent word of her poor health from leaking out.
"I've just finished writing a letter declining the boating excursion on the Dunster River," Rosalyn announced, flinging herself onto the sofa beside the bed without so much as a knock. Judging by the newspapers and invitations clutched in her hands, the weekly postman had just made his rounds.
Indeed, the Winchester twins were highly sought-after guests in Southern High Society. Not only were they high-ranking nobles from the capital capable of flattering any host's vanity, but they also possessed striking looks, a cool yet polite demeanor, and an easygoing charm.
Their circumstances were worlds apart from Vanessa's, who, lacking a dowry, had been reduced to nothing more than Somerset's pretty burden. Vanessa closed her book and leaned back against her pillows.
"Don't worry about me, you should go. I know you were looking forward to the boating trip."
"And leave you here sick? Absolutely not."
Rosalyn snorted, casually tearing open a few invitations. Even though she was hardly the type to nurse anyone back to health, she had faithfully adhered to her bizarre principle for several days: one simply does not go out to enjoy oneself while leaving a sick friend behind.