Tea party with the Count (8)
Vincent frowned when I suddenly moved away.
- What's happened?
- …
- Hey.
I didn't answer, and Vincent reached for my hand. This has already become his habit. After losing his sight, touch became his only way to navigate. Even now, his hand circled in the air, trying to find something to touch.
"Obviously he can't see me."
Finally I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Everything is fine".
I shook my head to come to my senses. Then she carefully waved her hand in front of his eyes. His empty eyes didn't even blink.
“Thinking about this, I can't rely on the way he looks,” I thought to myself.
- Why did you suddenly become silent?
“I was just checking to see if my face was turned correctly.” I think everything is fine now and it will be better to keep your head in this position.
I returned to the opposite sofa and sat down on it. My heart was pounding. I turned my head, feeling Ethan's gaze on me. When I asked him what was the matter, he just grinned.
“It’s not easy being you Vincent, is it?”
- Why are you talking about this? Am I doing everything right now?
- Everything is fine. Just stop fumbling around with your hands like you are doing now, otherwise it will look weird.
- Mmm...
I looked at Vincent's hands. This was also one of his “blind” habits. He lowered his hands and began to feel the table, and when he found a tea cup, he picked it up. It seemed that he really trained so that even in this position he would not feel awkward.
– You should smile more, and your posture shows tension. Need to relax.
- How?
– Just sit in your usual position.
He was silent for a moment, as if pondering the meaning of the words “habitual position.” Ethan then decided to suggest that he cross his legs. Vincent hesitated, but still followed the advice. When Ethan said that his stiffness was still noticeable, he leaned against the back of the sofa. Only then did the pose begin to look more relaxed.
- Okay, Vincent. Why don't you talk to your maid now?
- What?
- What?
Vincent raised his head. I glanced at Ethan.
– You could use some practice in communication.
Ethan patted me on the shoulder and looked at Vincent.
- Now, Vincent. Pretend she's Violet and start a conversation with her.
- What are we talking about?
- About anything. Let's talk about the weather.
Ethan sat down next to me. Vincent frowned at his unexpected proposal. I looked at them both, puzzled.
- Or let's start with you, madam? Now you will be the mistress.
- What?
– Relax, imagine that you are Violet, and start a dialogue with Vincent.
“And what should I say?”
Ethan kept saying, “Imagine you are Violet.”
“How should I behave?”
“What kind of person is Violet?”
My mouth twitched as I imagined her sugar-white face.
“What happened to you that you couldn’t meet me?”
“Violet wouldn’t say that.”
It's all too complicated. The meaning of his reproach was clear. I cleared my throat in embarrassment.
- Vincent.
- It's awkward.
- Vi-Vincent.
- Don't stutter.
- Vincent...
- What? Come on.
Vincent's face scrunched up as I tried to imitate his sweet, honey-sweet voice. He looked like he heard something he shouldn't have heard.
- Wha... What's wrong?
- It sounds disgusting. Don't do that again.
He looked really annoyed and threw his glass. I frowned and looked at the glass. It could have crashed, but fortunately this did not happen.
I put the glass back and sat back down.
– Please try to imagine that this is Violet.
“This is all so strange, I don’t know how to imagine it.”
- This is weird?
- Strange.
He shouldn't have been so cold about it.
– Still, think about it. You need practice to remain natural when you meet Violet. Couple this with time spent reading a book together.
-...
“Come on, come on,” I shamelessly persuaded Vincent, and, sighing, he moved his lips.
- Long time no see.
He spoke calmly, and I did not make him wait for an answer.
- Yes, indeed, Vincent.
“I would prefer you to speak a little more harshly.” I feel like I'm going to be sick of your pronunciation.
“Seriously, why didn’t you meet me?” Do you have any idea how worried I was? What happened to you during this time? A?
I immediately adjusted my voice to sound harsh and cleared my throat again. The way he muttered, “This is Violet, this is Violet,” was like self-hypnosis. While I was cursing myself for my poor acting skills, Ethan clutched his stomach and almost choked, trying to hold back his laughter. His smile was more like a grin.
- Sorry. You know, I was a little out of my mind. All sorts of strange things have happened to me lately, and that's why... I was angry, and I didn't want you to see me in that state. I was afraid that you might think badly of me, and I was worried that I might put you in danger. In fact, I was going to meet with you after I solved the problems that arose and became stronger.
“Then why didn’t you answer my letter?” If you were concerned about my safety, you could have at least written a response.
- I didn't think about that, sorry.
– I was worried about you. But you didn’t answer the letters, didn’t show me your face, even when I came to you myself. I started to worry that I might become indifferent to you.
- This is impossible.
The conversation suddenly continued. I asked questions that Violet might have asked, and he answered them right away. I can't tell if he thought about his answers or if they came naturally, but the conversation went smoothly.
- I'm sorry I made you think that way. It's not that I don't like you, don't get me wrong.
– Are you okay now?
- Yes, I'm much better, and like I said, I'm still recovering, so I'm in the recovery stage, so you have no reason to worry.
That's it. The conversation went well, he looked straight ahead and did not move throughout the entire conversation, as I taught him. There was nothing strange about the fact that we looked into each other's eyes.
I went over in my head again all the things that Violet could have said to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything, and then I realized that I had missed the most important thing.
I cleared my throat again, holding the words on my tongue as I tried to get them out. Mmmmm.
- Um... I...
- I... I...
- You...
“I... I-I...” I repeated over and over again, because I couldn’t muster the courage to say the words out loud.
Vincent bowed his head. I licked my dry lips several times. Continuing to hesitate, I closed my eyes and said the “most important thing” that I wanted to say.
– I missed you!
-...
I couldn’t open my eyes for a long time after I finally managed to say this. It seemed unbearable to look at Vincent at that moment. I rubbed my cheeks, feeling my face heat up, and when I finally opened my eyes, I was met with Vincent's blank gaze. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, and then stretched.
- Is it true?
His voice was gentle. It wasn't cracked or hoarse, and there was no anger in it. There was a sense of relaxation in him, with a mixture of mischief. His eyes dropped slightly, then rose again. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, forming a beautiful smile.
He smiled.
His eyes sparkled with tenderness.
- Thank you.
His voice was sweet and caring. His smile was unfamiliar to me, but it was impossible to look away from it. This smile could be compared to the one I saw when I drank tea with him in the garden. No, now his face radiated more affection and tenderness than then.
I shouldn't see this face. It is not addressed to me. I bowed my head as low as possible because I couldn't continue looking at him.
- I'm really fine, so...
He said something, but I didn't hear it. I clenched my fists and held my breath. My heart was pounding because I saw something unfamiliar. It was as if I had learned a secret that I shouldn't have known existed.
Here, here, here.
Strange. It's so strange.
- Madam... Madam!..
- Yes!
I grabbed my chest and jerked my head up. Ethan looked at me with wide eyes.
- Why are you so surprised? I think this will be enough.
- Oh, yes, yes. I think yes.
I said this quietly and got up from the sofa. It’s good that at such moments my bangs saved me. Otherwise, my flushed face would have been visible.
– Keep the conversation as short as possible. If you drag it out, she'll think it's weird. End the conversation by citing your fatigue. Violet will never end a conversation first.
- I'll take it into account.
- So, we figured out the posture, I think, and the conversation too, and this is important. Now get up.
Vincent grabbed the arms of the sofa and slowly rose to his feet.
- Now you can go out.
- How?
- I will pave the way for you.
Ethan rearranged the furniture so that it would be easy for him to walk through. He moved the couches on either side of the table to widen the passage, particularly the one to Vincent's right, leaving a wider passage between them and the table. Then, looking around the room, Ethan gestured towards me.
- Come on, maid. You'll have to show Vincent how to get out of here.
- I?
- Together with him.
Ethan grinned. I walked up to Vincent, trying not to get distracted. Vincent stood motionless. As if the face I had just seen was an illusion. But his image still hovered in my head. I shook my head with all my might, trying to drive away the thoughts that were visiting me.
“Sir, take my hand and let me lead you.”
I hesitated, not wanting to take his hand. Why is this happening, because just a moment ago everything was fine. I stretched my fingers again and again and then lightly touched his fingertips.
- Now, come here.
- What's wrong with you?
- What? - I asked, and his eyebrow quirked. Then, he grabbed my hand tightly.
- Hold it tight. If I fall, you will need to catch me.
- Me, me?
- And what?
- No, no, no, I really have to do this.
“Here, hold on tight,” he said as I tried to free myself from his grip, but he held my hand tightly. Panic erupted inside me at how tight his grip was, as if he was trying to stop me from breaking free. He convinced me to get him out as quickly as possible, continuing not to notice what was happening.
In the end, I had to lead him that way.
– You need to remember this road well.
- I'll remember.
I don’t know why, but my heart continued to beat convulsively.