Chapter 59
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59
“Hmm?”
Her gentle question sounded sweet even to his own ears. This woman seemed entirely unfamiliar with the concept of someone begging her to accept a gift. Sometimes, looking at Vanessa, he felt as if he were looking at someone who had stepped right out of a stuffy, century-old world.
That was probably why she often felt like a fairy from a storybook—an innocent girl who knew nothing of the world. To think there was a woman who still followed the rules of high society she had learned in school so literally.
“…Alright. But only this once. I won't accept anything this extravagant ever again.”
As if confirming his suspicions, Vanessa firmly drew the line. Extravagant. He wondered if a single outfit from a countryside boutique was really worth such a fuss, but for a century-old fairy, perhaps it was.
So naive, to believe the world still ran on the schedule she'd so carefully planned.
“Then is it fine as long as it’s not extravagant?”
“If it’s flowers you grew yourself, a letter, or a novel you’ve finished reading… Things like that are perfectly fine.”
That was the answer she came up with after agonizing over it. Even then, it was a humble list that carefully excluded anything that might cost money. Theodore smiled. He took her hand, ribbon and all, and gently pulled it loose.
“So as long as it’s not burdensome, it’s fine. In that case, the person giving the gift can decide that standard, right?”
Vanessa’s lips, which had been about to reflexively agree, froze. As if she’d caught the hidden motive in his words, her eyes widened like a startled rabbit’s. Wary of any other traps he might have laid, she answered cautiously.
“That… no. Of course not.”
She'll faint if I hand her the Demures diamond necklace. Reaching a swift conclusion, he let go of her hand. With the ribbon completely undone, he knew her psychological resistance would be lower from here on out.
Just as he calculated, her expression softened slightly as she untangled the loosened ribbon. A look of faint wonder touched her beautiful eyes the moment she peeled back the wrapping paper and opened the box.
“Oh, my.”
He had already seen the clothes when ordering and collecting them, so he wasn't curious about the contents of the box. His attention was entirely on Vanessa.
He watched the surprise slowly spread across her pale face, the trembling of her clear, light-gray eyes, and the inevitable mixture of joy and embarrassment playing on her awkwardly curved lips. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached into the box and carefully lifted out a pale blue dress and a matching lady’s hat.
She seemed to recognize that, if nothing else, it was an elegant and formal outfit suitable for a grand occasion.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“Do you like it?”
“Of course… Thank you so much. When on earth did you prepare this?”
Well. Originally, his intentions had been a bit colder. He had planned to send her an invitation to the autumn ball hosted by the royal family, under the name of ‘Battenberg.’ He’d intended to reveal his identity after their contract ended.
His plan had been to gift her a wonderful day, bestow a fitting reward, and make it clear that their relationship was neatly concluded. It was so that when they crossed paths again in their respective positions, she wouldn't be caught off guard. So they wouldn't misunderstand each other or create an awkward situation.
When he first ordered this dress, his feelings had been that detached.
“You don’t need to try it on now. It will fit perfectly.”
Instead of answering her question, he opened a deep blue velvet box. Vanessa, who had been visibly anxious ever since that box was placed on the table, now looked deathly pale.
“It will go well with the dress. If you feel burdened by it, consider it a loan.”
The woman’s eyes trembled pitifully as she glanced inside the box. Featuring a large, delicately teardrop-cut blue diamond surrounded by a chain densely encrusted with smaller diamonds, the necklace was one of Demures’ signature pieces.
Ever since this necklace was featured in newspaper advertisements, cheap imitations had become wildly popular. Ironically, it had recently become one of the most distinctive yet common-looking pieces of jewelry. This naive young lady probably wouldn't dream it was the genuine article.
“River. This is…”
And yet, she looked so troubled even without knowing.
“I want you to be the most beautiful person wherever you stand. No matter where that is.”
“But still, this is… too extravagant.”
“You said you wanted to draw the attention of other men. To protect my honor.”
The woman’s flushed cheeks paled slightly, then flushed red once more.
“Of course, I… I intend to do that, but…”
“Men are simple creatures. They desire what looks expensive.”
Especially the fools who don’t understand what a Demures diamond signifies. Keeping those words to himself, Theodore’s lips curved into a charming smile. This was, in a way, a brand. A mark showing she was a woman associated with Battenberg.
Poor Vanessa would not achieve her goal easily while wearing this necklace. Unless, of course, potential suitors lost their nerve and avoided her altogether… A secret rendezvous, of all things. On a ship, where someone could be killed and simply tossed into the ocean. How utterly fearless of her.
With an anxious and restless expression, Vanessa looked from the box to him, her eyes pleading.
“I can do well even without something like this.”
“It will be easier if you have it.”
He took off Vanessa’s glasses, cupped her pale cheeks, and tilted her face up. Her gray eyes, clouded with complex thoughts, met his and trembled slightly. If she had too many thoughts, he could simply erase them. He captured her small lips, swallowing her impending refusal. He parted her startled, twitching lips and tangled his tongue with hers in a soothing caress.
Sweet, soft, and gentle. Every time their breaths mingled, an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and relief washed over him. The feeling of finally having returned pierced him to the core. All because this one woman was in his arms. Because he could feel this warmth once again.
As he lifted Vanessa, her legs wrapped around his waist with familiar ease. They tumbled onto the bed together, their kiss deepening. Pressed so tightly against each other that not even a breath could pass between them, they felt every inch of each other’s skin.
“Mmh…”
As his hand slipped beneath her loose chemise and cupped her breast, a faint, fragile whimper escaped her. Every time he pinched and rolled her flushed nipple firmly between his fingers, he felt Vanessa’s small body shudder.
Her body was so damn responsive. Before long, pale sunlight scattered across her naked form. She panted, exposed and vulnerable, the corners of her eyes flushed red.
Theodore bit her lower lip hard enough to sting, giving her a moment to breathe before lifting his head. Grasping her smooth thighs and parting them, a crooked smirk played on his lips. His cold eyes held a warmth he himself was unaware of.
“You really are prettiest when you’re completely naked.”
* * *
Ever since River Ross returned, only good things had happened. She didn't want to believe that her luck depended on someone else, but it was the truth.
On the afternoon she recovered her pendant, she received word from the police that Blair’s gift had also been found. Soon after, the postman delivered a pair of pristine, flawless cufflinks. A new sponsor appeared at the hospital where Mary’s younger brother was admitted, and the entire Southern Region buzzed with a long-awaited vitality in anticipation of the horse racing business Battenberg was investing in. Some who had left for the capital even returned, driven by the vague hope that a new railway might be built.
Her uncle rarely returned to the castle due to his new business ventures, which granted her that much more freedom.
“I’m so nervous.”
Dressed in her blue dress, Vanessa clutched her fan tightly and stood close to Rosalyn. The ship’s departure ceremony had been magnificent enough to leave her speechless, and now it was over. The ball that would last until midnight was just beginning.
Blair had escorted them only as far as the entrance before disappearing into the crowd with Sissy. Staring anxiously in the direction they had gone, Vanessa bit her lip out of habit, forgetting that she shouldn't. How could she possibly find someone she had never met in a crowd so thick you could lose a familiar face in the blink of an eye?
She had only ever seen Viscount B. Dawson’s face in a photograph. And even then, it was a tiny picture printed in the corner of a newspaper that was easily over ten years old.
Interpreting her helpless expression in her own way, Rosalyn smiled and pulled her by the arm.
“There’s no need to be so nervous. You haven’t even had a proper debut, so they’ll understand if you’re a bit clumsy. Men actually tend to like that sort of thing.”
“What should I do now?”
“When men approach you, just smile and accept. You should dance and make conversation.”
“Accept them…?”
“And if a man who likes you appears, even better. But before you start anything, you must look at his family first.”
Whispering softly while covering her mouth with her fan, Rosalyn suddenly tilted her chin up slightly. A man was walking straight toward them. The party had truly begun.