The moment when the stars fell over the count's estate (6)
It's funny. Come to think of it, I was so carried away by the dance that I fell into the water. But Vincent and I are adults and didn’t even notice how we approached the fountain. If someone saw us, they would think: “What kind of idiots?”
I threw my head back and laughed. I was soaking wet, but my mind was surprisingly clear. Maybe the fountain sobered me up. I thought about it and laughed again. I didn't know if we were laughing at ourselves or at the situation, but we were having so much fun at that moment.
Neither Vincent nor I could stop smiling for a long time.
I woke up cold, my teeth chattering, and the icy water from the fountain still flowing down my back. If we remain in this state, we will definitely get sick by morning.
I helped Vincent up. His whole body was wet, just like mine. I began squeezing the hem of my nightgown and my hair, trying to get rid of excess moisture.
After squeezing out some of the water, I brushed aside my bangs, which continued to stick to my face. At this moment Vincent turned to me again. I look at him when he suddenly put one hand on his chest and put the other behind his back. Then, drawing his foot back, he bowed.
For a moment I was surprised by his behavior, but soon I realized what he was doing. I grinned, lifted the hem of my shirt slightly with both hands, and bowed.
This is how we thanked our dance partners.
– Well then. It turned out to be easy to dance, right?
Vincent raised his head slightly.
- Not so difficult.
I also raised my face.
We laughed again.
We both came out of the fountain soaking wet. We were shivering from the cold wind and couldn't stay outside any longer, so we huddled together and hurried back to the mansion.
As soon as we entered Vincent's room, I took out a towel and dried him off, then handed him some fresh pajamas. While Vincent changed his clothes, I dried myself with a towel.
Having dressed, he went to bed. His face looked more relaxed.
– Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?
- No need. Leave.
– You can’t hold back and cry. Such an opportunity is unlikely to arise again.
- Do you want me to escort you out myself?
In the end, character cannot be changed.
“May you have a good dream this time.”
- And you too.
He closed his eyes. I pulled the sheet up to his neck and slipped out of the room, then quietly slipped into my own. I didn't want to wake Violet.
But in the space dimly lit by a lamp, someone was sitting. I almost screamed in surprise. I froze in place and squinted. The image became clearer, and the figure took on its features.
- Violet?
-Where have you been?
Darkness hid her face. I closed the door behind me and walked towards her, putting the lamp on the nightstand. In the dim light of the lamp her face looked gloomy.
– I went out for a walk.
- AND?
Violet looked me up and down. Following her gaze, I realized that my face was still wet. I shrugged and dried my face with a towel. After muttering something about tripping and falling into the water, I turned around to change my clothes.
– Paula.
- Yes?
-Were you walking alone?
I hesitated for a moment, but was about to say no.
– Or with someone together?
-...
– Did you go with Vincent?
Her voice was even, and when I turned around, I saw a calm face in the light of the fireplace. It was no longer the same face that smiled happily just a few hours ago. It was cold. I've never seen her like this before.
“Why is she asking this?” I asked. But she didn’t say it out loud because her mood was different from usual. For some reason I got nervous. While I hesitated, Violet laughed quietly. Her laugh was also different from usual.
- It's clear.
-...
- Paula, I...
Then she fell silent and looked at me strangely. Our gazes met, and I saw a mixture of emotions flashing in her calm eyes. For some reason, the atmosphere in the air gave me goosebumps.
She looks like she's angry. Or is it just me?
- Violet?
-...No, nothing. Get changed and go to bed.
Violet lay back on the bed. The abrupt end to the conversation made me feel a little awkward. I turned away and watched her curl up, then changed my wet clothes. I put my shirt aside, turned off the lamp and lay down next to Violet.
She lay with her back to me, and I looked up at the dark ceiling. There was silence in the room. We said nothing, as if the recent conversation was just a fleeting dream.
It was an uncomfortable silence.
– Paula. – she called.
- Yes.
I answered quickly.
- You know...
- Yes?
- I think I'm an ugly person.
I looked back at her, perplexed. Violet still lay with her back to me, like a stone wall.
-Very ugly.
– Why do you think so?
– I just don’t know.
- No, that's not true. “You are beautiful,” I said firmly.
I was serious. I have never seen such beautiful people as her. Many have beautiful faces, but few have beautiful hearts. She was beautiful in both face and heart.
Violet laughed quietly at my words. But the laughter was somehow weak.
– Paula is a very good person.
“It’s thanks to you, Violet.”
- To me?
- Yes. You were so kind to me, looking into my eyes and treating me as an equal, like other aristocrats. You were really very kind. I was able to try on a beautiful dress, attend a ball and dance. I experienced so much fun and happiness just because of you. And... I really liked that you said that you like me, although I am a nonentity. I mean, I've never heard that before. So for me you are a wonderful and good person.
-...
“And I don’t just mean the face.” You have a beautiful soul too.
I emphasized that I wasn't just talking about appearance, in case my words weren't clear enough. But she didn't answer. Is she really angry? As the silence dragged on, my guess turned into a certainty. I moved towards her, unable to understand why she was upset.
- Violet?
-...Yes.
-Are you upset?
- No, I’m not upset.
-Are you angry then?
- No. I'm not angry.
Finally she turned to me. Doubt and sadness met in our gazes. Sadness? Why is she looking at me with such sad eyes?
She narrowed her eyes slightly. I still felt sadness coming from her.
- Sorry, I feel guilty before you.
- Oh, dear. I'm not angry at you.
- Then what for?
“I think I just woke up and felt upset, that’s all.”
She lifted the corner of her mouth. Her smile was still weak.
– Paula. Can I ask you a favor?
- Certainly. I'll do anything.
- Don't fall in love with Vincent.
I opened my eyes in surprise. What is this... My breath caught. I looked at Violet, my head was in chaos.
With a smile on her face, Violet continued.
- Don't fall in love with him. If you understand that you love, then it’s better to run and live far, far away. I want Paula to be truly happy. Yes, you should be happy.
-...
- Not with Vincent.
She said this in a calm tone, but I felt threatened. A kind of warning, urging me not to come between her and Vincent anymore.
- You can't.
I pursed my lips. I have to say something... I have to tell her that this is a misunderstanding... But words were not easy. I couldn't squeeze out a sound.
Violet smiled sadly. Then she closed her eyes. I was still silent. I knew I had to, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.
After a few moments, I finally opened my mouth, hearing a steady sigh.
- Fine.
-...
Her breathing remained even.
I watched Violet sleep for a while and then closed my eyes. Memories of us dancing happily together under a sparkling chandelier, facing each other, faded into darkness. With her golden hair flowing in the shooting stars and her sweet face looking up at me, it all disappeared. Her joyful laughter no longer sounded in my ears.
I tried my best to rid myself of the feelings rising in my chest. I curled up into a ball.
The night was strangely lonely and cold, although I was not alone.
* * *
“You just need to stay like this,” Alicia said, brushing back her wavy hair. She bowed her head and looked at me, as if pitying her pathetic opponent.
"Don't do anything."
An open grin intensified this rotten feeling.
“This is what you have to do, sis.”
I didn't even argue because I knew it better than anyone else. There was nothing I could do. I had no strength, no abilities, no money. And even those things that I held in my hands slipped away like sand, leaving me with nothing.
I have nothing.
But I've never been greedy. It was more important to stay alive. To live another day, to live as long as possible, that's all I want.
So it is not difficult to obey Violet. In fact, the question of whether to obey or not did not even arise.
- Maid.
Ethan called out to me as I stared blankly at the sky.
-Where is Vincent? “He wasn’t in the room,” he asked.
– He went for a walk in the forest with Violet.
Violet came to Vincent's room early in the morning to invite him for a walk. She asked me to join them, but I refused. I didn't want to get between them, and I didn't want to walk.
– When will they return?
- Don't know.
- Well then. It would be nice if they walked around a little more.
- Why?
- There is a reason.
At this moment, there was a loud noise outside. Ethan and I looked out the window and saw five people walking towards us.
They were three men, a woman and a butler. The butler walked forward, saying something to the others, and although his manner was polite, it seemed urgent, as if he was trying to stop them. However, the others did not want to stop. Moreover, they only accelerated.
- That's it!..
Ethan clicked his tongue. I looked at them. Something was wrong in this atmosphere.