Chapter 58
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58
The rumor started with the local real estate agent. According to the information the man—whose family had brokered land in the area for generations—had let slip for a small price, their new neighbor was a young, wealthy, and remarkably handsome man.
At first, the maids were skeptical. Why would such a perfect man buy a house in this remote corner of the countryside? But then they looked at River Ross and nodded in understanding. If a man like him could live in someone else’s warehouse, what was so strange about another buying an abandoned mansion?
Once the rumor was accepted as fact, the maids grew even more excited. They joked about whether the Count might try to introduce their young lady to the new household, and how they would volunteer to go in Mary’s place just to get a look at him.
“The maids were saying a gentleman is moving into the abandoned mansion,” Vanessa said.
“Really?”
“There’s an old mansion on the way to Rear Coast. You can see it from here on a clear day. Rumor has it the buyer is a young naval officer.”
Giving her a brief glance, River finished unfastening his cufflinks with an air of indifference. Vanessa rested her chin on her hand and continued.
“It used to be a villa for the old Lennox family, but it’s been neglected for so long that it will cost a fortune just to repair.”
While the view from the property was undoubtedly magnificent, the mansion had been abandoned ever since the previous owner's death and had fallen into ruin. It had been a headache for the family, who saw no way to dispose of it, but now some gentleman had purchased it for a hefty sum.
The story went that Former Admiral Lennox, the only family member who had opposed the sale, finally gave his permission after learning the buyer's identity. Of course, it was all just hearsay.
“The maids say all kinds of precious materials from the South are being brought to the mansion. They think he might be someone of very high status.”
“Ah, that.”
“River, do you know something about it? Did you see anything on your way here?”
“A few times.”
He didn’t seem particularly interested in the topic. Then again, such gossip was only of interest to the Southerners who had spent their entire lives in this land. Since River Ross was an outsider who would soon be leaving, it was only natural that he didn’t care. Besides, even if they were both in the Navy, how could he possibly know the personal affairs of every officer?
As the conversation fell flat, she awkwardly toyed with the rose petals in a nearby vase. Just then, he placed a small box on the table.
“I almost forgot.”
It was a small jewelry box. Vanessa looked up at River Ross in surprise, then down at the box on the table. Covered in luxurious red velvet, it looked expensive at a glance.
Handkerchiefs, perfume, parasols, and gloves. Jewelry was not on the list of ‘appropriate’ gifts a woman could accept from a man. While Vanessa hesitated, unsure of what to do, River loosened the top button of his collar and turned back to her. His gaze silently asked why she was just staring at it. After a moment of inner conflict, she carefully opened the box. Whether she intended to reject it or not, it was only polite to see the gift first.
“Oh… my goodness.”
The moment she opened the lid, a brilliant green gem caught the sunlight, dazzling her. Staring inside in disbelief, Vanessa lifted the pendant with trembling hands.
It was the peridot pendant she had lost at the night market. The very piece of jewelry she had stretched her budget to buy as a coming-of-age gift, its stone a perfect match for the color of Rosalyn and Blair’s eyes. She had worried that even if found, it might have been too damaged to give as a gift, but it was completely intact, without a single scratch.
“I received word from an officer on my way here that they’d found it,” he said. “Though they seem to still be looking for the cufflinks.”
“I had no idea. The box was different, so at first, I didn’t think it was the one I bought.”
Vanessa let out a deep sigh of relief and smiled brightly. How long had it been since she had smiled so freely, without a worry in the world? It felt like a lifetime ago.
“Thank you so, so much. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten it back in time. I’ve been so busy this week that I haven’t had a chance to stop by Shelbron Robe.”
More than anything, she was glad she could give Rosalyn a proper gift. That thoughtful girl would have cherished even a pair of gloves with crude embroidery, but a coming-of-age was a special milestone. People believed that one’s destiny was shaped by the first gift received upon adulthood, and Vanessa desperately hoped Rosalyn’s future would be brighter and more beautiful than anyone else’s.
“Did you go to the dress shop just for this?”
“They said an item I ordered was ready, so I went to pick it up.”
“The clothes you said you ordered last time.”
He took out a large box, wrapped in paper and tied with a ribbon, and placed it on the table. Vanessa looked back and forth between him and the box, her eyes widening in realization.
“Surely… this isn’t for me?”
“Open it.”
Reaching for the ribbon, Vanessa hesitated, then carefully pushed the box away. Since he was the one who had first violated the etiquette of gift-giving, this minor discourtesy on her part was hardly a fault.
“I… I can’t accept this.”
“Even if you intend to reject it, you should at least open it.”
“It’s wrapped in paper from Shelbron Robe. I think I know what it is without opening it. It’s a dress, isn’t it?”
He was right, of course. What to wear to the upcoming shipboard party was a pressing issue. Her current wardrobe consisted of dresses so simple they could be donated to a convent, or gowns with tightly laced corsets designed solely to draw the attention of dinner guests. She had been planning to borrow a long shawl from Rosalyn to wear over one of them.
In her situation, a new dress was exactly what she needed, but the gifts a woman could accept from a man without shame were strictly limited. They had to be small, not burdensome to either party, and without compromising her dignity. The etiquette books were clear: a woman only received anything more under two circumstances—as a token of affection from a fiancé, or as payment to a mistress.
Vanessa quietly looked up at him. River Ross wouldn’t have chosen such a gift to insult her. Perhaps their perspectives were simply different. Or perhaps, as Blair often said, she was still trapped in too rigid a world, one where it wasn’t common for married couples in high society to keep separate lovers.
But even if the whole world believed she sold her body for a pittance, River was the one person who knew she didn’t. She refused to let him treat her that way. They were equals, and she would not feel ashamed of herself.
Vanessa met his gaze with clear, steady eyes. “I think it’s best to return this.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You’ll know once you try it on. It’s a dress tailored specifically to your measurements.”
“…How did you know my measurements?”
“How do you think I knew?”
Her eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly. It was exasperating how shamelessly he volleyed the question back, refusing to yield an inch. Before she could counter, River took hold of one end of the long ribbon.
“You said you were grateful to me for finding the pendant.”
“That’s…”
“If you’re truly grateful, you won’t reject this. You’ll accept it.”
“How is that even logical?”
When Vanessa let out a dry laugh, the corner of his mouth curved into a faint smile. She had absolutely no confidence in persuading him. Hadn’t their arguments always ended with her being the one to back down? The only thing that had changed was his attitude. Before, he had acted as if her fastidiousness was fussy and incomprehensible. But now…
He was pushing his agenda more resolutely than ever. It was as if he were trying to break not just her resistance to a dress, but the very convictions behind it. Yet he hid the blade of his intent behind a perfectly polite, aristocratic demeanor.
“Vanessa.”
Leaning forward, he took her hand. Forcing the end of the ribbon into her palm, River pressed a brief kiss to the back of her knuckles. The gesture was polite, filled with deep reverence—or at least, an emotion that closely resembled it.
“I want to see you in this dress.”
She wanted to pull away, but his downward gaze was impossibly sweet. Her cheeks burned hot.
He was cunning. He didn’t often deploy his charms so overtly, but when necessary, he was a man who would use any means without hesitation. He had done this knowing full well how weak she was to his voice—and to his face.