Tea party with the Count (5)
– Isabella, how are things going with Vincent these days? Ethan didn't tell me anything, although when I saw him he looked good.
- He's much better.
- Oh, thank God. I'm so glad.
Violet breathed a sigh of relief. I looked at her, perplexed. They told me that she doesn't know Vincent's condition?
As if he had read my thoughts, Ethan explained in a low voice.
“Violet knows that Vincent is recovering from a serious injury. She knows that the attacks happened several times and that he is struggling with the consequences.
– What is your relationship with him, Christopher?
– We are friends and have known each other since childhood.
So that's why they're here together. I nodded and looked at the bright face of the girl who desperately wanted something.
– Can I see Vincent's face?
- Sorry, Miss Violet.
- Oh...
Her bright face dimmed with disappointment.
– When can I see Vincent properly?
“My lord is only doing this because he is worried about you, Violet.” He doesn't want to show his fiancee how he suffers and hurt her feelings. Please understand it.
- I know, I know, but...
The melancholy voice broke off. Her hands clenched in her lap, her face contorted as if she were about to cry. Concern for her fiancé was written on it.
- Still, still...
Then suddenly her gaze fell on me.
– Paula, I beg you!
She jumped to her feet and grabbed both of my hands. As she approached, I felt uneasy. I closed my eyes.
“Please tell Vincent that I want to meet him, that I really, really want to see him, that I don’t care what he looks like, that I don’t mind seeing his face.”
-What?
Confused, I looked first in one direction, then in the other. Behind me, Isabella was quietly drinking her tea, and next to her, Ethan was biting into a cookie. I looked at them and back at Violet. And then it dawned on me. I realized that these two impassive faces were not going to help me.
The violet eyes in front of me flashed, and I hesitated, not knowing what to do, but finally nodded reluctantly.
***
- Mister.
The sound of the door opening did not excite him. I approached loudly, but he still did not answer. The round figure lying against the wall was silent. Looking at him, a strange feeling arose.
- Master. Are you sleeping?
-...
“Violet asked me to tell you these words, and I will repeat them as I heard them: I want to meet you, I really, really want to see you, I don’t care what you look like, and I don’t mind seeing your face.” These are the words.
He still didn't answer, and I remembered the look on his face when he found out that his bride had arrived. While I was hesitating, Ethan suddenly entered the room.
- Hello, Vincent.
At that moment, the pillow flew up and hit Ethan in the face. Vincent sat up straight and stared at the door.
- Get out.
Ethan grumbled, picking up his pillow.
- Don't be mad at me. I couldn't help it.
“You said you wouldn’t come back if I answered the letter.”
“I thought so, but then Violet suddenly insisted on coming here.” I tried to dissuade her, but nothing worked. You know how she is - as soon as she wants something, she gets it. That's why I told you to start answering letters.
Ethan grumbled and Vincent picked up the cup on the nightstand this time. Seeing this, Ethan fell silent and quickly hid behind me. I looked back at him with sympathy.
“Maid, you were so beautiful at that moment.” I was so impressed that I just stood there and watched you run away, holding Vincent's hand. "Run, sir!" Wow. It was so cool.
- Don't say that.
I didn't need to explain how rude what I had just done was. In addition, a simple maid ran away holding her master's hand. I hid my embarrassed face behind my bangs.
“That was very nice, maid.”
“I asked you not to say that.”
– Don’t be shy, I almost fell in love.
- Stop it.
Vincent put his cup down and stared at Ethan. He fell silent. As the conversations died down, a dark tension hung in the room. Vincent ran his hand over his face. He took a deep breath and looked unhappy.
I noticed his condition and finished the sentence.
“Violet said she’ll be waiting for you in the garden.”
“Well, like I said... send her back.”
- She won't leave. It seems that Violet has already decided everything.
- On the way out.
Vincent threw up his hands, not wanting to hear anything more, and leaned back on the bed. I looked at him and pushed Ethan in the back. Now no one could console him. Ethan reluctantly left the room with a sad expression on his face.
I sighed as soon as the door closed behind us. Ethan seemed lost in thought for a moment, and as I watched him, I remembered some of my conversations with Vincent, but now the immediate task came first.
– What are you going to do about this situation?
“I'm sorry, my lady, I had no idea it would happen like this.”
Ethan made a face that said he was truly sorry. I gave him an incredulous look.
– What do you think we should do now?
– First, let's try to calm Violet down. She may be a stubborn girl, but at heart she is soft and simple. If we calm her down, she will come back. After all, that's what she's been doing all this time.
– What if she refuses?
“Well, then... I’ll have to think about it.”
So there was nothing to do.
Ethan and I went to the garden together. Violet sat bent over a bed of purple flowers, stroking the buds with her long, soft fingers.
- Violet.
She looked from the flowers to us. Her face instantly brightened, and her eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. There was no need to ask who she was looking for.
-Where is Vincent?
- He refused to meet with you.
- …It's clear.
She became sad. Then she looked at me, I shook my head.
“I told him about this several times, but he told me to tell you to come back.”
- Yes, I thought so... Everything is fine, thank you for telling me.
Her disappointment was visible, but Violet tried not to show it. On the contrary, she smiled tenderly at me. Violet was so sweet.
She looked again at the flower bed with purple flowers. I looked at her.
“Ethan, if you don’t mind, could you help me?” I want to collect a bouquet. I think it would be nice to put it in Vincent's room.
How angelic of her to offer to make a bouquet of flowers for someone who never answers her letters, visits her, or dates her.
While I was admiring her, she picked a flower. Her hands were full of colorful flowers. Ethan said, “Got it,” and rolled up his sleeves and squatted down next to Violet. Then he followed her example and began to pick flowers with excessive enthusiasm. I frowned and then joined the gathering.
“You shouldn’t tear them down like that.”
- A?
“You have to pick the ends like this if you want to keep the stems as long as possible.” This way they can then be carefully trimmed with scissors.
I deftly cut off a violet flower, showing Ethan how it's done. They look at me.
“These flowers are good,” I say, “but they will distract attention with their large buds.” It will be more beautiful if you put small flowers like this one next to them.
I picked some baby's breath and placed them around the violet flowers. I handed the bouquet to Violet and her eyes lit up.
“Oh my God, you’re doing so well.” This is wonderful!
- Wow, you flatter me very much.
Violet looked at the bouquet in surprise while Ethan clapped his hands next to her. I never thought that I would be praised for a bouquet of flowers.
In the small village where I lived, events were held from time to time. They were rare, but each time quite large-scale. Therefore, during this time, people took to the streets to sell food and goods.
Of course, making and selling bouquets was a lucrative business, so florists often hired women as part-time workers. It was a good job, and I was one of those who took it.
The money we earned from Uncle Mark's bakery was barely enough to cover our living expenses. It was because of Alicia and her father, who lived large. Alicia loved to go out and have fun with the money she earned, but my father gave up farming early and became addicted to gambling and drinking.
As a result, I had to do household chores and earn money myself, so a part-time job was simply necessary. So it was very easy for me to make things like bouquets. Но даже в этом всегда была конкуренция. The price you pay depends on how much more colorful and high quality you make it. Luckily, my bouquets were quite popular.
To my embarrassment, Violet took the bouquet and began to examine it carefully.
- He is beautiful, really very beautiful!
I shrank under the admiring gaze.
– How do you manage to make them so well?
- You flatter me.
- No! Paula seems to have good hands, I envy her.
Violet pouted again, burying her face in the flowers. I opened my eyes.
– Actually, I'm not very good at needlework. I learned to make things since childhood, but I was bad at it, and my mentor abandoned me.
- I know. “You’re bad at this,” Ethan said without looking up.
In an instant, Violet, whose eyes sparkled, hit him in the side, so quickly that I didn’t even have time to understand what happened. I stared at Ethan as he groaned, clutching his side.
“I’m not a good enough bride for Vincent.” That's why he probably doesn't date me. He can't trust me.
I tore my gaze away from Ethan and looked at her. Her thoughtful face turned gloomy. I didn't know what to say to console her, but suddenly I heard a muffled sound. The next moment, the purple bouquet in her hand was brutally crushed.
What did I just see? I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't imagining it, but the bouquet was still ruined.
- Bastard.
I perked up my ears, wondering if I had heard it. Hm. Lately I have found it difficult to serve my master.