- Yes. It was my mistake. I apologize, Your Grace.
Although his face clearly showed the impudent thoughts swirling in his head, the assistant bowed sincerely, pretending that everything was fine. Deciding to be generous, Ilex finally put down his pen and rose from his seat.
- Prepare the carriage.
Ilex calmly straightened his tie and gave the order.
- I'll be down soon.
- Should I bring some perfume?
The assistant, unable to get rid of the habit of being a servant, asked in an impatient voice.
- I also bought a bottle of the scent you lingered on the longest when the perfumer came last week. It's kept in the perfume cabinet, so if you say so, I'll bring it right away...
- Kevin.
Ilex quietly warned the assistant, who was clearly too excited.
- Enough.
- Yes. My apologies.
Thinking quickly, the assistant bowed again and quietly left the room.
Ilex stood in front of the mirror for a little longer, then slowly opened the drawer, took out the bottle of perfume stored there and sprayed just enough so that the smell was not too strong.
Why put this scent in perfume and spray it?
Remembering the assistant’s previous words, Ilex chuckled quietly.
Soon he will meet a woman who has a real scent.
Savoring the memory of the unique aroma of Tilia that he was about to smell, Ilex licked his lips and put the bottle back in place. Taking one last look in the mirror, he left the house with confident, long strides.
***
- We have arrived.
The journey from Essentine to the Davenports' main residence did not take long.
Ilex, who found this short journey too long, looked at his house with a somewhat tense expression on his face. The sun bathed the top of the stately mansion in an almost overly bright light.
He had seen this place thousands, even tens of thousands of times, but today it seemed strangely unfamiliar to him. Perhaps because someone too important now lived here.
Feeling that his nerves were on edge, Ilex headed into the living room.
Walking down the long corridor, densely lined with the decorations that the former Duke had displayed to show off his wealth, Ilex repeated the oath he had repeated countless times in the carriage.
Be indifferent. She's probably already guessed that you're interested in her, so it's okay to acknowledge it a little, but try not to be too greedy. To reduce her vigilance at any cost.
Whenever in the past three years, reality seemed unbearably terrible, Ilex pondered and pondered again and again with the heart of an ascetic.
About how to safely penetrate Tilia's heart. About how to look like a person with whom you can calmly communicate.
At one point he dared to hope, but since she never contacted him, it became clear that she still looked at him the same way she looked at other men.
The easiest way to weaken Tilia's defenses is to act like Judy Wells.
Like many overly intelligent people, Tilia preferred open, honest and sincere people.
But precisely for this reason - for the reason why she liked such people - Ilex could not choose this path.
Be honest about your feelings? This is a surefire way to get stabbed.
He could guarantee it. If Tilia ever found out how he really felt, she would recoil in horror and run away.
Even if there was a tiny chance that she would become attached to him, this prediction would still come true. Given her seemingly straightforward views on intimacy, this was an area that she should never have opened up about.
…Perhaps he could hint at it, little by little.
Stuffing the dirty thought back into his belt, Ilex looked forward to the living room door, which was now only a few steps away from him.
The simplest and easiest option was excluded. So he chose the next most effective one.
He will use the same strategy that has already brought success once.
Although the unique situation of escaping from the family played a role, one day Ilex managed to stay close to Tilia.
If he regains his old behavior, it shouldn't be too difficult. Tilia Ambrose, no matter what anyone said, built high walls in relation to those around her, especially men. The best way to reduce them is to show: “I am indifferent to you and do not pose a danger.”
Yes. Slowing his pace, Ilex reasserted himself in his resolve.
On the contrary, the situation has improved. Obstacles were carefully removed, and the number of available resources only increased.
First of all, he has changed. He felt it himself. He has grown up. He was no longer an immature boy drowning in his own emotions.
And therefore...
“...You know what, Ilex Davenport? Tilia Ambrose despises you."
The words that Cecilia Clayton once spoke will never come true.
Finally, stopping in front of the door, Ilex calmed his ragged breathing, put his hand on the handle, turned it without hesitation and boldly stepped inside.
Bathed in the afternoon sun, Tilia Ambrose sat on the red velvet sofa in the living room.
Her hands, neatly folded in her lap, contrasted with her slightly turned head. Ilex quickly noticed that she was looking at the portrait on the wall.
It was a family picture that he had forgotten existed until that moment.
An ordinary portrait of parents, behind whom stood their plump children - Tilia looked at him as if at some kind of bewitching creature. So intently that she didn’t even notice his appearance.
And Ilex, in turn, simply stood and serenely watched her concentrated profile.
Tilia Ambrose didn't do anything. She didn't meet his gaze, didn't make a sound.
She simply existed. Like countless decorations filling the hallway. Like the portrait she was looking at now.
And yet, with her mere existence, this woman suppressed him.
The moment he truly realized that she was back, Ilex felt the last three years of his life crumble like a sand castle under the onslaught of a wave.
All the vows he had taken on the way here, the mask he wore so diligently - none of it mattered. Tilia, just sitting there, turned him into a seven-year-old boy who stepped on spiders and killed them.
Everything went back to the beginning.
Like a man powerless before the greatness of nature. Like all civilizations that inevitably disappear under the pressure of time.
He lost all those three years and became nothing more than a boy who fell in love for the first time.
- Oh...
Tilia quickly realized that someone had entered the room. Belatedly sensing someone's presence, she turned her head and met his gaze, who was still standing, silently holding the doorknob.
Ilex noticed how amazement flashed in those bright green eyes, as if all the freshness of the world reigned in them. Then surprise gave way to confusion.
- If you're already here, you could say something.
Only after she spoke with a slightly awkward expression on her face did Ilex manage to pull himself together.
Hastily collecting the pieces of the mask and putting them back on his face, he entered the room. At this moment, the maid, apparently waiting outside, hurried into the room, put down a tray of tea and pastries, and left.
Between them, sitting at the table, a faint, bitter smell of tea hung in the air.
But Ilex did not feel the aroma of the carefully selected mixture at all. All his feelings were focused solely on Tilia.
Only her majestic presence filled the large living room like a force of nature.
At that moment, as if she wanted to run away, Tilia carefully tucked her legs inward.
Only then did Ilex realize that she was uncomfortable with this silence, that his presence was unsettling her.
Promises he had forgotten as soon as he entered emerged with startling clarity.
- …So.
Calming his voice, he spoke in a tone that did not betray any of his true feelings.
- Why did you come here?
The question, asked coldly, was accompanied by a sideways glance thrown at her. Even he found it unpleasant, but she didn't seem embarrassed.
- I came because I have something to say.
Looking him straight in the eyes, she said this with a calm expression on her face.
-...And what do you want to say?
If you're going to congratulate me again, forget it. Ilex, quietly muttering to herself, gazed at her hands, calmly lying on her knees.
- I went to visit my father in the hospital.
Tilia looked slightly nervous, bringing up a topic he had expected.
- I found out that the Davenport family pays the hospital bills.
After that, she fell silent for a moment, and then, as he expected, she spoke out loud.
- You don't have to pay for it. I'll give you your money back.
Her facial expression, her tone - everything was exactly as expected. There was no reason to be disappointed.
Still, Ilex felt his shoulders losing strength.