Chapter 2406 - 318: I’m Right Here (Part 3)

But she didn’t want to open her eyes, afraid that once she did, everything would disappear.

After a long time, or perhaps just a moment, the warmth left.

She opened her eyes. He stood in front of her, looking at her with a gaze so calm it was comforting.

"Let’s go back," he said. "It’s getting windy."

Flora nodded, turned around, and walked alongside him towards the main house of the estate.

After a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

He also stopped, turning his head to look at her.

Flora stood there, head bowed, looking at the hem of her skirt, which was stained with grass clippings and dirt, along with a few yellowed leaves.

"Arthur," she softly called his name.

"Mm."

She was silent for a moment, then looked up at him. "Did you really come?"

Arthur looked at her, at those eyes that still carried traces of tears, yet began to shine.

"I did."

She smiled.

The smile was gentle, light, still touched by traces of tears.

Arthur looked at her smile, said nothing, and simply turned around, held her hand, and continued walking forward.

The wind was still blowing, the leaves still drifting down.

But those things no longer mattered.

In the distance, in the room on the second floor, Selina and Adelaide couldn’t help but scream out.

"They’re holding hands!"

"He even helped her fix her hair! He even took her books! He..."

However, the screams only lasted a few seconds.

Their second sister, Sofia, stormed into the room, covering Selina’s mouth with one hand and dragging Adelaide’s collar with the other, forcibly pulling the two sisters from the window into the inner room.

Selina’s hands were still waving in the air, desperately pointing outside the window.

Adelaide kicked her feet on the ground a couple of times, losing her favorite round-toed shoe, which rolled under the bed.

"Mmm mmm mmm..." Selina’s voice squeezed out from between Sofia’s fingers.

"Shut up!" Sofia whispered a warning to her two sisters. "Do you want everyone in the manor to hear?"

The door swayed slightly behind them, left ajar.

No one noticed the maid carrying a tea tray who happened to pass by in the hallway outside.

The maid stopped in her tracks.

She turned her head, glanced at that ajar door, and then at the French window at the end of the hallway leading to the garden.

Through that window, one could see the path in the garden.

But she saw nothing, as those two figures had already gone far.

She lowered her head, looking at the tea tray in her hands.

On the tray were three fine bone china teacups, the tea inside still steaming.

This was to be delivered to the parlor, where the Old Marchioness was waiting.

She continued forward, took two steps, then suddenly stopped.

For some reason, she shook her head and inexplicably smiled.

"Mary!"

A voice from the end of the hallway startled the young maid, almost making her drop the tray.

She hurriedly turned her head.

The older housekeeper stood at the end of the hallway, hands on her hips, her brows furrowed so tightly they could squash a fly.

"Mary! What are you standing there grinning about? The tea’s getting cold!"

The young maid’s face flushed instantly. "I... I’ll go right away..."

"Hurry up!" The housekeeper marched over, footsteps thudding. "We have important guests today. The Old Lady is waiting in the parlor for tea! If you delay important matters, you’ll be in trouble later!"

The maid shrunk her neck, and with the tray in her hands, she trotted away, disappearing down the end of the hallway.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded, the hallway returned to silence.

The housekeeper stood where she was, hands on hips, her expression as stern as ever.

She looked around.

After ensuring no one was around, she took two steps forward to the French window leading to the garden.

The window was closed, with a thin layer of mist on the glass.

She raised her hand, hesitated for a moment, but finally pushed the window open.

Cold wind rushed in, ruffling her hair, but she didn’t bother to fix it, just leaned out, peering towards the garden.

The path was empty.

No one.

Only a few yellowed leaves were being spun around on the ground by the wind.

She squinted, looking into the distance, the shadow of the main building seemed to sway for a moment, then disappeared again.

She was about to take a closer look when a voice suddenly came from below.

"Stop looking, they’re gone."

The housekeeper was startled. She looked down to see the old gardener standing by the shrubs, holding pruning shears, looking up at her.

The housekeeper’s face flushed slightly, and she coughed. "I was just checking if the window wasn’t properly closed."

The old gardener chuckled. "Checking the window, and you have to stick your head out so far? Your voice was so loud when you were scolding Mary just now, I could hear it in the garden. You reprimanded her, then immediately opened the window to look outside. Anna, that’s not quite right."

The housekeeper glared at him. "So what? Did I say something wrong?"

The old gardener wasn’t offended, just lowered his head and continued trimming the branches.

The housekeeper could only put on a stern face and ask, "How long have they been gone?"

The old gardener didn’t look up, cheerfully replied, "A while. They walked side by side, very slowly. The young lady was holding his sleeve, and he didn’t pull away."

The housekeeper looked at him, her lips moved as if wanting to say something, but she couldn’t find the words.

After a long pause, she finally called out, "Ryan!"

The old gardener raised his head, "What is it now?"

The housekeeper stood there, hesitating. "For dinner... the kitchen said they wanted to add some dishes. What do you think we should add?"

Hearing this, the old gardener put down his shears, one hand on his hip, looking at this old girl who had been in the manor for thirty years, always concerned about rules but not about people.

The housekeeper’s face burned under his gaze. "I’m asking you a question!"

The old gardener laughed heartily, though his smile was lined with wrinkles, it still seemed youthful. "Anything is fine. As long as it’s you adding it, we all love to eat."

The housekeeper froze for a moment, looking at the old man with shears below, she snorted and slammed the window shut.

"Old widower, never right!"