Chapter 24 – The Belmore Household
Even after receiving his congratulations, Cecile didn’t move. Christopher, speaking with refined courtesy, conveyed his suggestion for her to leave in a roundabout way.
“You’re late. I assume you’ll also be attending the exhibition? I’ll make sure to meet you there and greet you properly.”
Cecile ignored his implication and continued speaking. She disliked being treated like a servant, someone who only delivered a message and was sent away. Especially in front of his secretary.
“I’m not ready to take the train yet. I’ve been feeling unwell recently, too.”
“Where are you feeling unwell?”
“The Prime Minister’s residence is old and drafty. I’m worried since I’ll have to stay there again.”
After finishing her words, Cecile took out a handkerchief and coughed lightly. Even watching her clumsy performance, he didn’t change his expression.
“Your father was concerned as well. He even considered sending you to the countryside for recuperation, but that’s quite far by carriage, isn’t it?”
Cecile Hobart certainly had a mischievous streak. She never spoke directly about what she wanted.
“How about staying at my city residence for the winter? It’s vacant, but with a little preparation, it should be fine.”
Cecile rejected the offer outright.
“I’m not engaged yet. If rumors spread that I’m staying at Lord Belmore’s house, it would be troublesome.”
“That was thoughtless of me. How about staying at a hotel, then?”
Christopher intended to accommodate Cecile’s objections as much as possible. For him, it was a harmless way to subtly indicate his closeness with the recently appointed Prime Minister.
“At a hotel?”
“Yes. Stay in the penthouse. You can have tea with your friends in the tea room, too.”
Cecile pretended to think it over carefully, taking a moment.
“Since you’ll be making your debut in society this spring, it would also be convenient to hold occasional parties at the hotel. I’ll arrange everything as you wish.”
Christopher added one more word.
“If the Prime Minister permits.”
Cecile, who had been waiting for plans to get engaged in spring and married in summer, felt disappointed.
Of course, a proper lady couldn’t simply agree on the spot. She nodded in response to his words.
“If my father allows it, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“You needn’t worry about that. The blizzard is getting worse, so it’s best to return now, Miss Cecile.”
Cecile.
Hearing her full name instead of “Miss Hobart” carried more weight than the kindness of offering the hotel. The change in address gave her hope beyond mere excitement.
Christopher nodded lightly and gestured to Rufus. Rufus, who had been waiting for their conversation to end, bowed politely and opened the door, just as he had when they entered.
Cecile turned to leave, but with a troubled expression, she looked back at him.
“What should I do? I left my coat in the carriage. It’s quite cold—do you have a shawl I could use?”
It was obvious she didn’t expect him to have a woman’s shawl. Her eyes were already glancing at the coat hanging on the wall.
“Rufus, give the lady the coat.”
Rufus silently took the coat from the wall and draped it over Cecile’s shoulders.
“Thank you, Lord Belmore.”
Cecile nodded slightly in acknowledgment and stepped outside.
She didn’t say a word to Rufus, who followed to see her off, and her proud expression remained until she climbed into the carriage.
Her mind was elsewhere. She checked the coat pockets with her hands, estimating what was inside. Being a gentleman, he certainly wouldn’t have put anything in them.
Cecile focused on removing the small diamond bracelet on her wrist with one hand and dropping it deep into the inner pocket of the coat.
“You may go now.”
Cecile arrived at the carriage just in time, smiling pleasantly as she tossed the coat over.
“Rufus will assist you a lot while you stay at the hotel.”
“Is there anything I could help you with, Miss?”
“That remains to be seen.”
Seeing Rufus’s reluctant expression, Cecile made a mental note that she would deal with him first once she married Lord Belmore.
Both Lord Belmore and Rufus Ollivander had their creepy sides. While Lord Belmore’s thoughts were unreadable, Rufus was the brazen type who openly observed people.
With these thoughts, Cecile closed the carriage door. Things were about to get busy.
Now that her father had regained power, Cecile needed to manage the women around Belmore one by one.
It wasn’t that he was a womanizer. But if any woman showed interest in him, Cecile wanted to make sure the right person was by his side.
Ah, I should check the Evans family daughter too. Another woman in that role, not me. The old fools are out of their minds.
While Cecile had hesitated over the cookie incident, the ladies’ association had swiftly replaced the leading lady. She needed to show those old women who the true leading lady of society would be.
The Evans family daughter would inevitably be under Cecile’s control anyway.
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“Lily! Did you wait long?”
Timothy waved cheerfully as he ran toward Lily. She smiled slightly and rose from a chair in the hall.
“Let’s go.”
Outside, the stopped snow had begun falling again. The streets were empty.
“It smells like snow!”
Laughing, Lily ran ahead, with Timothy hurrying after her.
“Be careful not to slip.”
“Timothy, it’s a happy Christmas.”
Lily spun around and pretended to scoop up snow with both hands as she spoke.
The falling snow muffled all sounds, creating a serene quiet. Amid the snowfall, Timothy felt as if an angel had descended to Earth.
If not for the small footprints in the snow, he might have believed Lily had wings.
“Have a wonderful Christmas too, Lily.”
Timothy walked down the stairs and slipped his gloves onto Lily’s hands.
“Your hands must be cold.”
At his gentle touch, Lily quietly looked at the leather gloves. The scent of leather reached her nose, momentarily transporting her thoughts elsewhere.
‘Is he working here after leaving the convent?’
He still wore gloves today, using them to gently touch his co-actor’s face…
Unaware of what Lily was thinking, Timothy smiled at the slender hands in the gloves.
He vowed to have Christmas dinner with Lily at the Rutland house. Her devout parents wouldn’t neglect her on Christmas.
It would be a gift for Lily, who had to spend Christmas alone for the first time.
“Lily.”
At Timothy’s low call, Lily looked up. She ran her hands over the smooth leather of the gloves.
“Let’s go home. You shouldn’t spend Christmas alone at your lodging.”
Lily shook her head.
“I don’t want to, Timothy.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a family day. I’m not your family. There’s no need to disrupt that time because of me.”
Lily always stepped back, but he intended to step forward.
“Your parents would like to see you too.”
He didn’t realize that words alone couldn’t persuade her. Like most righteous men, Timothy was unaware of the subtle cruelty in someone else’s reasoning.
“You don’t need to worry about me. Your aunt and uncle are waiting for you.”
“In that case, I won’t go either.”
Timothy stayed put, like a dog refusing to go inside after a walk. Lily had no choice but to yield.
Sometimes, it was better to have the person you long for arrive with an unexpected companion than to spend Christmas waiting for someone who wouldn’t show.
While they squabbled, a four-wheeled carriage stopped. The young lady leaving Rotunda Hall, escorted by a man, brushed past them.
The man with glasses glanced back at Lily as he passed, and Timothy noticed.
After the carriage left, Timothy approached the man returning with a coat. The man smiled kindly and spoke to Timothy first.
“I thought I recognized you. My apologies.”
He naturally extended his hand. Although dressed elegantly, his manner revealed he was not a noble.
“I’m Rufus Ollivander. And your name?”
“Timothy Rutland.”
Their hands briefly met and released, exchanging customary Christmas greetings.
Timothy sneaked a glance at the man’s retreating back, then returned his gaze to Lily.
“He’s a strange man.”
“Why? He was polite and courteous. He might have genuinely mistaken you for someone he knew.”
“He didn’t ask about you. He couldn’t have mistaken me.”
Lily looked at Timothy with concern. Timothy relaxed his tense expression and quickened his pace.
