Wednesday.
When the day came to go to the vineyard with Victor, Scarlett waited for him.
She was not unaware that incidents like this usually cancel appointments, but according to what she heard from Evan Light, the investigation was over, and Andrei confirmed that he had nothing to do with the Royal Police.
So, she came up with the farm pretext because she had a lot to say.
While she was drinking tea in the drawing room, Victor appeared after a while.
Scarlett got up and said:
“We agreed to go to the vineyard.
Did you forget?”
“I thought the agreement was cancelled.”
Victor motioned to Wilkins, the servant, to bring him a cup of tea.
Scarlett's hand trembled with anger at his calmness: "I have nothing to do with the police.
I didn't know Andrei was a policeman.
Don't you know everything now?"
“Yes, that's true”
“Then why don't you apologise?”
Victor looked at her face for a moment, his eyes holding a complex expression.
He hasn't decided yet what to say to her.
You were right, and I was wrong.
The traitor was not you, but me.
Everything I suffered was because of your involvement in my life, and you made it worse by not trusting me.
But he couldn't find a way to say it without Scarlett making him decide never to see him again.
After thinking, he said: “Okay, I have confirmed that you have nothing to do with the Royal Police.
I apologize.”
“I...”
I remembered his question: Did you even love me?
I felt a burning sensation.
She didn't want to think about that anymore.
She said, “Okay, I received your apology, I can leave.”
“You came for the vines, right?
As long as you come, let's go.
If we set off now, we can take the night train and arrive in the morning.”
Victor extended his hand, but Scarlett ignored him and got up.
She noticed his blue tie pin, so he looked at it for a moment.
Victor approached and said: “I remembered you saying that sending something blue reassures me.
This is an expression of my regret.”
She felt strange that he remembered her words, so her anger subsided a little.
Victor asked with a noble smile: “Did you style your hair yourf?”
“Why?”
“Very good”
Scarlett frowned, touching her hair.
He seems to feel guilty for not trusting her, he says unusual things.
Victor motioned for a servant to take her bag, but she grabbed the handle with both hands and held back: “It’s okay, there are important things inside.”
“What?
Do you have a fortune to share with me?”
“No, nothing”
Should I have given him something?
I looked at him worriedly, and he laughed and said, “Don’t frown like that.
I’m joking.”
“Okay...”
“Ladies first”
Victor held the door, and Scarlett stepped forward with her bag.
At night, they arrived at the station half an hour before the last train.
The station attendant shouted: “Last train!
Last train!”
Victor looked at Scarlett, who was holding her thick shawl with both hands, the tension not disappearing from his face.
Scarlett hid her white hand and said, “I used to not wear gloves.
They are difficult to work with.”
“Ah”
Victor answered indifferently, took off his gloves, and held them out to her.
Scarlett thought she saw a ring on his left hand, but the darkness prevented a clear view, so she paid no attention to it.
She took the gloves and put them on.
It was very large, but warm with the warmth of his hand.
“Your body is cold, but your hands are warm,” she mumbled.
Victor looked at her.
When he was left without gloves, the servants rushed to open the bag and take out a box of gloves.
Victor took another pair and put them on.
They had ten servants with them: three maids for Scarlett, six servants, and Plate, who always served Victor.
Scarlett, accustomed to the freedom of being alone, felt uncomfortable from this crowd.
The number was exaggerated, but kings accompany larger numbers even on simple movements, especially the king's immediate relatives, and even those outside the tenth line of succession.
Victor muttered annoyed: “Ten people and not a single extra glove.”
“I'm a guest.
Who cares about a guest's gloves?
Don't be angry.”
While they were talking, the last train arrived.
The station employee turned on the lamps in each carriage, so the windows sparkled in the darkness.
“The night train is magical,” Scarlett murmured.
The bell rings to signal boarding: “Get on!”
People started arriving.
A servant with a gas lamp opened the door, and Scarlett went in first.
The carriage was warm thanks to the steam from the engine, especially after the bitter cold outside.
Scarlett took off her gloves and shawl.
A servant took the shawl, the maids covered her with a blanket and then left.
In the carriage, they faced each other, and there was a small heater warming their feet.
After a while, the train moved, and snow began to fall outside the window.
The train slowed until it left the capital.
When the lights of the alleys and houses disappeared, Scarlett realized that they had reached the plains.
She began to feel warm, and after her usual bedtime had passed, she began to fall asleep.
Victor knocked on the door and said, “Make the bed.”
“Okay, sir”
The maids opened the door and began to arrange the long chair as a bed.
Scarlett hesitated and said, “Then go to another carriage.”
“I'll sleep too”
“How do you sleep in a place like this?”
Victor frowned rarely: “The sailor even sleeps on a net.”
“Oh, right”
Scarlett nodded belatedly.
I often forget that Victor, a very urban man, spent half his twenties on ships.
The Air Force headquarters was spacious, but here, everything is close.
Half of her does not want to sleep in a car with her ex-husband, and the other half believes that there is no safer partner.
He is strong, noble, and free of charge.
She fell asleep, so she lay down on the prepared bed and covered herf.
Victor dimmed the gas lamp, and a faint light seeped from the corridor.
Scarlett tried to sleep, but she was eavesdropping on what Victor was doing.
She heard him lie down, opened her eyes, then closed them in astonishment.
Victor was lying down, his head towards her, looking at her.
“Look the other way”
“This is how I relax”
Scarlett tried to turn around, and said with annoyance: “I'm resting like this.
I lay down first, so look to the other side.”
She immediately regretted it, as her words seemed childish.
She covered her head with the blanket and tried to sleep, then finally fell asleep.
I woke up hours later.
She looked at her watch: four in the morning, six hours had passed.
I was stunned.
Victor, who said he slept anywhere, did not sleep.
He was reading a book under the light of a controlled gas lamp.
Scarlett looked at his perfect face, which she loved, for a moment.
The train stopped at the station.
Victor undid the lock and got up, extending his hand to her.
I took his hand and got up.
Despite the late hour, there were many passengers leaving the train.
Cars were waiting in front of the station.
A maid ran over and whistled to summon a carriage.
Victor and Scarlett got in, and Plate closed the door and sat next to the driver.
Despite reaching the south, the dawn was cold, with rain pouring down.
Scarlett trembled, so Victor took off his coat and covered her with it.
“When you get chrome, l it and buy a coat.”
“No, I have plans for him.”
“For what?”
“I will donate it to Salantir University of Applied Sciences”
She patted her bag: “I made a plan here.”
“Okay”
Victor nodded.
After a while, the cart arrived at the farm.
The hut was ready to receive its owners.
The wooden interior was warm.
Victor extended his hand, and Scarlett gave him his coat, passing it to a servant.
Scarlett wrapped herf in a blanket and sat on a rug in front of the fireplace.
She tried to warm her body, but the drowsiness returned, and suddenly she felt herf being lifted.
She opened her eyes in surprise.
“Keep sleeping,” Victor said.
He carried her to the bedroom, put her on the bed, and covered her.
The room was warm thanks to the fireplace, and the luxurious bedding made it feel melting.