54 - Chapter 54
“Uh……”
I had to answer since I was asked a question, but only a foolish sound came out.
The main reason was that I was surprised by his gentlemanly attitude, which I had never seen even in Cambon, unlike his disheveled appearance.
It's not that the gentlemen of Cambon aren't polite. But there wouldn't be a man who would kneel down and pick up my crutches like this.
What on earth should I say in this situation?
When I was young, I received basic education from a tutor with Julia, but since this was the first time someone had bowed down to me like this, Abigail didn't know how to respond.
More than anything, what surprised Abigail was the man's gaze.
In Feltham and Cambon, even the most decent gentlemen couldn't help but have a look of pity flash across their faces the moment they saw her.
Because everyone treated Abigail as someone who 'deserved to be pitied'.
For them, pitying Abigail was an attitude that cultured people should have.
But Abigail, who was treated as deficient from the beginning whenever she faced someone, couldn't be thankful for their pity.
But the man in front of me now didn't show any pity. He just seemed sorry for surprising me.
She, who had always received pitying glances, knew that fact even better.
"Ah, my hands are dirty, so I dirtied your crutches. I'm sorry."
He seemed to think that Abigail was hesitating because of the dirt marks.
Belatedly regaining her senses, Abigail shook her head, grabbed the crutches he handed her, and stood up.
"No, it's not that. I'm Abigail Ogilvy. I live here in Feltham. You said you were going to Blissbury, right? I'm sorry, but may I ask what brings you to Blissbury?"
Today is the Banquet. But there's no way they would invite such a stranger to the Banquet. If they were going to, the story would have already come out.
Abigail was worried about Blissbury, but she was also worried that these visitors would be frowned upon by the guests there because they chose the wrong day to visit.
Then Richard, who was behind him, opened his mouth.
"Ah, we are Ryan…… Sergeant Thornton's army comrades. We were on our way to Dorset for a summer vacation, and we remembered that he was staying near here, so we were on our way to find him. But we took the wrong road and ended up in a Swamp in the forest."
Philip glared at Richard, who was laughing and talking.
The plan of the two to stick to Blissbury was simple.
It's the Banquet. That day is the day when people from families with some reputation in the two villages are invited.
<Let's be visitors on that day. The Bible says that strangers who arrive on the day of the Banquet must be welcomed and given hospitality. If it's a day when noble people gather, they will follow the teachings of the Bible even more.>
Richard planned it, thinking that Ryan would tell them to get out if they visited when no one was around, but he wouldn't be able to do that when there were many eyes watching.
In fact, it was such a simple task that it was embarrassing to even call it a plan.
So it was good that they were going to visit Blissbury out of the blue today.
<I heard that there used to be a manager living in Feltham? They say it's a village that's not worth seeing, but anyway, it's a village nearby, so I think we can go around that way. We can enjoy the rural scenery on the way.>
Philip agreed to that much.
Compared to Newham, Cambon was a rural area, but it was still a city with people coming and going and shops.
In other words, it was a bit different from the rural scenery the two were thinking of.
Besides, in the meantime, more and more people started greeting them and talking to them at the cafe they frequented.
From the moment they said they were soldiers on vacation, people's eyes lit up. Philip realized immediately. That they would once again become merchandise in the marriage market here.
So he wanted to get out of Cambon as soon as possible.
Philip thought he was the only one who felt that way. So he thought Richard would enjoy it, but unlike what he thought, Richard was in more of a hurry.
<That's strange. Isn't that good for you?>
<What nonsense are you talking about? People are serious about marriage in this countryside! They don't approach you with the same mindset as the young ladies in the capital, who just want to play around once because you're pretty!>
<……So that's why you've been dating so promiscuously?>
<Promiscuously! I'd say freely!>
Anyway, the two hurriedly left Cambon in the morning.
Because they left too early, they decided to go to Blissbury after looking around as Richard said.
Because if they arrived too early, Ryan would kick them out as is before the guests arrived.
At first, it was good. The beautiful natural scenery. The birds flying around. Kind people who greeted even strangers with a smile.
The problem was when Richard took the wrong path in the forest and entered the Swamp.
Not all Swamps are deep. The place Richard went into by mistake was one of those places, so if you stood properly, it was a Swamp about the depth of an adult's thigh.
The problem was that even that depth could be threatening enough to the horses.
Because they had to be careful not to hurt the horses' legs and bring them out, Richard, of course, and Philip and his horse were all messed up.
It was only natural that a lot of time had passed in the meantime.
They thought they couldn't stay like this, so they ran straight to the village that was visible in the distance. That place was Feltham.
Philip briefly explained to Abigail what they had gone through.
"Anyway, that's why we have to go to Blissbury, but we were trying to properly ask which way is right."
"Blissbury is straight down the east road over there. There are no forks in the road, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. It usually takes about an hour……."
After hesitating for a moment, Abigail said to the two.
"If you're okay with it, why don't you wash up at our house and go?"
As it passed 8 o'clock, Blissbury became noisy.
Unlike last year, Eloise was going crazy because of the guests who came early.
The wine prepared in the Reception room and lobby was quickly emptied, and Mr. Palmer was also busy ordering the servants to bring new wine from the cellar.
If it had been just adults, they would have been able to manage somehow.
"Mrs. Parker gave this to me!"
"Mom! I didn't get that! Waaaaah!"
If it were a Banquet in the capital, children would not have been able to attend. But here, such Banquets are one of the few huge events of the year, so one or two people brought their children, and now everyone has started bringing their children as a matter of course.
Everyone must have wanted to show their children Blissbury, which is difficult to roam around freely except at this time.
But there was something else that exhausted Eloise even more than that.
'You look busy.'
Eloise glanced at Ryan, who was surrounded by people.
He got along well with the workers who came to the mansion, but she wondered if he would be okay with a place like today, but he was entertaining the guests much more naturally than Eloise thought.
'Who would think that person is the manager who came to Blissbury for the first time this year.'
Looking at him like this, it's like he's been living in Blissbury since he was born.
"Eloise."
Then friends from Cambon called her. Most of them were about the same age as Eloise, and they were also the friends who brought their children today.
"Why? Is there anything you need?"
"No, it's not that."
They took Eloise to a secluded place.
When they came to a place where they could avoid the gaze of the guests to some extent, they immediately asked Eloise as if they couldn't stand it.
"Who's sitting across from Sergeant Thornton?"
"It's Lily, right?"
"No, I said it would be Patricia. Mrs. Greenwood has been taking her around all the time these days."
"But there's also Julia."
They were arguing with each other about which young lady would sit there, so it seemed that they had quite a lot of opinions about it even before they came.
"You called me just because of that?"
"Just! How important is this!"
One of her friends scolded Eloise as if to say what are you talking about.
"Didn't you hear what Sergeant Thornton said earlier?"
"……What did he say?"
She was too busy entertaining people to have time to listen to his conversation.
"Mrs. Greenwood said, 'How about getting married and settling down here?' and he replied that it was a very attractive offer. So when the Mrs. tentatively asked if there was a young lady he had in mind, he seemed to hesitate for a moment and then said yes!"
Then they stomped their feet and didn't know what to do, as if they were watching someone's confession from the side.
"So there's a commotion about who's sitting across from him right now. When you were arranging the seats, Sergeant Thornton must have given his opinion!"
"I arranged the seats……."
Of course. How could she entrust that delicate task to someone who came to Blissbury this year? If she did, there would definitely be a few people who would not be able to eat properly while glaring at the person next to them or across from them.
"But you checked, right!"
That's right. Anyway, he was the host. So after the seating arrangement was finished, she showed him the seating chart.
"That's true, but……."
"Then the woman across from him is the person he likes, so he didn't say anything. So who is it? Who?"
Eloise looked at her watch. Anyway, everyone would be moving to the Banquet hall in about ten minutes.
So there was no need to worry about telling them now.
"First of all, Julia and Patricia……."
"See! I was right!"
"Wait, it's two people! Which of the two is it?"
The friends looked at Eloise again. They asked, their eyes sparkling.
"Eloise, who do you think Sergeant Thornton likes more?"
