Chapter 21: An Unexpected Guest and an Unexpected Invitation
After returning from the hospital, the two of them sat quietly on the garden bench. Liri busied herself with counting money, while the nun tried not to let her see the dire situation they were in.
Just then, the clatter of a noisy carriage came from in front of the convent, and someone pushed open the thin, lattice-like door and entered.
“Timothy?”
Startled, Liri jumped up so abruptly that Purbol tumbled over. She quickly picked up the cat, whose tail was puffed up like a brush in protest, calmed him down, and rushed outside.
“Timothy!”
Timothy looked at Liri with slightly surprised eyes. The two exchanged awkward greetings, like children caught trying to deceive someone.
“My goodness, Timmy? Timothy Rutland?”
Sister Bolina tried to find traces of the young Timmy in the tall, handsome young man before her. She was astonished to realize that the little boy who used to cling to Liri had grown so much.
“It’s been a while, Sister,” Timothy said, offering a sheepish smile.
“Liri, what’s going on? You’ll catch a cold.”
Seeing Liri in her thin clothes without a shawl, Timothy frowned.
“Timothy, what brings you here?”
“I feel a little hurt that the first thing you ask is why I came,” he said, clutching his chest dramatically as if wounded.
Liri couldn’t help but smile at his exaggerated gesture. Timothy seemed relieved at her reaction, letting out a small sigh.
“That kind of smile suits an old friend,” he said.
Now a young adult rather than the boy she remembered, he draped his arms over the shoulders of both Liri and the nun and quickened his pace. Meanwhile, the big-headed cat tried to wedge itself in between them with a soft “meow.”
“Sister, Liri, let’s go inside first. I’ll explain everything once we’re seated,” Timothy said.
The three of them sat across from each other at a worn table in a corner of the kitchen.
“Timmy, you’ve grown so much. It feels like just yesterday Lady Rutland was lamenting how you always ran after Liri!”
“My backside still stings from when Sister hit me,” Timothy joked.
“You two together feel just like old times, don’t you, Liri?”
Liri nodded happily. Timothy coming all the way to East Longfell—could something have happened in Londinium?
Timothy held out a small cloth pouch containing glasses.
“Liri was often worried. Fortunately, my uncle brought these lenses from abroad. What do you think?”
“Oh my, Timmy, thank you so much.”
The nun gently clasped Timothy’s hand.
“You may have heard, but the cookie incident really was a huge scandal.”
“Timothy, Sister was worried,” Liri said, shooting him a sharp look. Timothy raised his hands in surrender.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s all over now. I happened to be nearby for work, and what a coincidence this is,” he said.
The nun nodded.
“I was worried about a young girl traveling alone by train. It’s a relief you came along.”
“Oh really, Timmy. It’s not that you didn’t want to return to your parents’ home, right?”
Feigning innocence, Timothy cleared his throat and picked up a muffin in front of him.
“Ah, this is really delicious. Did you make this, Liri? It’s amazing.”
While the three talked, the once gray sky began to sprinkle snow.
Before returning to Londinium with Liri, Timothy tackled all the chores at the convent. He repaired the creaky chicken coop and played with the lonely, bored children.
“Liri, what are you looking at?”
The nun approached Liri, who was staring out the window. Liri turned to face her.
Timothy was in a snowball fight with the children, rolling on the ground while they pelted him from every direction.
“Ah! I give up, I give up!”
“Let’s turn him into a snowman!”
“Please, spare me! Or else… I’ll eat you all!”
“Run! It’s a snow monster! Ahhhhh!”
The sound of laughter echoed even within the stone walls. Noticing Liri watching from the window, Timothy waved energetically.
“You too, come out!”
Liri waved back shyly, smiling.
“The snow should ease before you head back. It’s comforting having you here, Timothy,” the nun said, looking steadily at Liri. Timothy exuded the presence of a young man, and Liri had shed the last traces of her girlhood.
“Looks like Timothy likes you,” the nun remarked suddenly.
Liri laughed at the unexpected comment. Even if she tried to deny it, she knew it was true.
“That wouldn’t suit us,” she replied calmly.
“You still want to become a nun, then?”
She was bright and intelligent. It would be a waste for her to remain a maid in Londinium, let alone spend her life in a rural convent.
Whenever she became engrossed in a book with curious, sparkling eyes, ignoring everything around her, it was clear she wasn’t cut out to be a nun.
“Why do you think she came here? From the moment she stepped over the convent threshold, I knew she wouldn’t become a nun. Pretending not to know while tugging at her heart is a sin,” the nun continued.
“Please don’t say that. I don’t want to lose Timothy. He’s a good friend,” Liri said.
“The road not taken is always frightening. But as you know, Timothy is a good boy. He would even worship your shadow.”
Timothy now had children in his arms, spinning them around. Despite the harsh, snowy weather, he wore only a thin shirt, his cheeks flushed red.
Pressing his hands against the window, Timothy knocked.
“Come outside,” the nun said, alternating her gaze between Timothy and Liri. It felt like a suggestion to accept his feelings.
Liri smiled briefly at Timothy instead of stepping out, then picked up the yarn the nun had prepared.
“Remember the play we did, Sister?” Liri asked.
The nun nodded.
“Zizi couldn’t remember a single line and cried in front of the audience.”
“It was incredible. She cried so bitterly that everyone threw flowers and coins onto the stage. I was playing a tree, trying to collect the coins…”
“Then Thomas suddenly rushed onto the stage!” Liri chuckled, enjoying the memory. But thinking of the past made her feel aged somehow.
“Sister, I’ll make enough money so we can do plays again and make the children happy. I know everything, so you don’t need to hide it from me,” Liri said.
The nun frowned.
“Lord Belmore has caused us trouble, but here we are together, aren’t we?”
By now, the snow had stopped, and the world outside the window was pure white. All sins and impurities seemed covered, hidden from view.
When Liri didn’t come out, Timothy stepped inside, carrying a cold wind with him.
“What were you doing?”
“Can’t you see? I was praying,” Liri replied with a haughty tone.
Timothy knelt respectfully, adopting a solemn expression.
“What was today’s prayer about, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Liri said.
Timothy repeated her words faithfully.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” he echoed.
He gazed at Liri with a tender smile. Liri erased her smile and quietly looked away.
Why can’t we remain children forever?
She couldn’t bear Timothy’s gaze.
The next day, the two departed for Londinium. Timothy let Liri leave first and then had a long talk with the nun.
Meanwhile, Liri repeatedly checked and read her mother’s letter, almost memorizing it, then carefully placed it in a corner of the book she had brought along. Hesitating for a moment, she also tucked the note in her pocket.
She would work hard and find her mother. Instead of struggling just to survive, she would learn to navigate her way.
By the time Timothy finished his conversation with the nun, he came outside.
“What were you talking about so long?”
“They asked me to take good care of old Liri,” Timothy said.
Liri pretended not to hear, avoiding his gaze.
“So in the end, you didn’t accomplish the thing you needed to find out in East Longfell? I see you’re doing quite well these days.”
“Well, while I’m doing well, I might as well share with you. Want to come to my house for Christmas? My parents are curious about you,” Timothy offered.
Liri smoothed her skirt, buying herself a moment to think. She knew well that Lady Rutland would not welcome her warmly.
“Timothy, Christmas is for spending with family,” she said.
She remembered the time she spent in the storage room—the stale, dusty air and the distant view of the Belmore Hotel.
Even if Timothy took her along, she would not be welcomed. Lady Rutland would likely disapprove even more. She had neither the skill nor courage to embellish or confess the time spent in the storage room to Timothy.
“You could just become my family,” Liri said.
Whether Timothy understood her thoughts or not—probably not—he casually replied while eating the muffin he had brought from the convent.
