Chapter 82: fiance privelege

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: fiance privelege

Vivienne remained where she was.

Watching.

Foundation work.

Of course.

That explained why they were together.

Anthony had already said he intended to become personally involved with Lady Sinclair’s project.

There was nothing unusual about the two of them discussing it.

Nothing at all.

Even so...

A small voice quietly whispered inside her heart.

Again?

Really?

Vivienne watched the two of them walking comfortably together.

Lady Sinclair looked perfectly at ease beside Anthony.

Of course she did.

She had practically grown up with him.

Ashford Estate.

Summers.

Winters.

Family holidays.

She probably knew exactly when he usually left the dormitory every Friday morning.

"...Oh."

"So that’s your strategy."

For one absurd moment...

Vivienne almost wanted to applaud.

She had spent all this time blaming the novel.

Blaming fate.

Blaming the mysterious power of the female lead.

And all along...

Lady Sinclair had simply been making sure she happened to be where Anthony was.

...

The female lead was a great deal craftier than advertised.

Honestly.

She almost felt cheated.

Then another thought quietly surfaced.

...Excuse me.

You do know he’s engaged, don’t you?

To me, no less.

Really.

The audacity.

A tiny part of her wanted to walk straight over.

Another tiny part reminded her—

...You arrived half an hour early.

"...That’s different."

She answered herself immediately.

"I have perfectly respectable fiancée privileges."

...

Did she?

...

Well.

Close enough.

Her gaze drifted back toward Anthony.

He was still listening to whatever Lady Sinclair was saying.

Vivienne hesitated.

Perhaps I should just wait...

The thought lasted all of two seconds.

Then another answered it.

Why?

Why should I wait?

I’m the fiancée here.

That settled it.

With all the dignity she could possibly gather...

Vivienne walked straight toward them.

One step.

Then another.

Lady Sinclair noticed her first.

Their eyes met across the pathway.

Neither looked away.

Good.

At least they understood each other now.

No more pretending everything was simply coincidence.

By the time Anthony sensed someone approaching...

Vivienne was already standing before them.

--

Anthony was still speaking when he turned.

...Lady Beaumont.

She had already crossed the remaining distance between them.

Without really thinking...

Vivienne reached out and lightly caught the sleeve of his blazer.

Not enough to pull him.

Only enough to draw his attention.

"Anthony."

Anthony’s gaze instinctively dropped to the hand resting against his sleeve.

...

Again.

For the briefest instant...

An old memory surfaced.

The Ashford gardens.

A much younger Lady Beaumont hurrying after him.

Always catching his sleeve.

Or his arm.

Whenever she wanted his attention.

She had been rather persistent.

...

At least she no longer grabbed his entire arm.

The thought came and went.

He looked back at her.

"Good morning, Lady Beaumont."

Only then did Vivienne realize she was still holding him.

"...Ah."

She released his sleeve at once.

A faint warmth touched her cheeks.

"...Good morning, Anthony."

Almost unconsciously...

She stepped to his side.

Now the two of them stood facing Lady Sinclair together.

Vivienne smiled.

Perfectly composed.

Perfectly courteous.

"Good morning, Lady Sinclair."

Evelyn met her gaze without hesitation.

Her own smile was every bit as graceful.

"Good morning, Lady Beaumont."

Silence settled over the three of them.

Only for a heartbeat.

Neither young woman looked away.

Neither allowed the slightest crack to appear in her smile.

No one listening would have heard anything unusual.

And yet...

Both understood.

Vivienne’s place beside Anthony said everything she had no intention of saying aloud.

I’m here.

And I’m his fiancée.

Anthony, entirely unaware of the silent exchange unfolding before him, spoke as though nothing unusual had happened.

"Lady Beaumont."

"There are a few arrangements regarding Monday that we should settle."

Vivienne’s heart lifted.

Of course.

The Founders’ Ball.

She had known there would still be details to discuss.

That wasn’t what made her happy.

What made her happy was something much simpler.

The moment she had walked over...

Anthony hadn’t hesitated.

He hadn’t looked annoyed.

He hadn’t said he was busy.

Instead...

He had simply turned his full attention to her.

Somehow...

That alone was enough.

Her eyes drifted toward Lady Sinclair.

Just for an instant.

One elegant eyebrow rose ever so slightly.

Barely enough to notice.

But unmistakable to the woman standing opposite her.

Evelyn saw it.

Of course she did.

For one fleeting heartbeat...

Something tightened quietly inside her chest.

Then it was gone.

Her smile never changed.

"I won’t keep the two of you."

She inclined her head with flawless courtesy.

"I’ll see you at practice, Lord Ashford."

Anthony nodded once.

"Lady Sinclair."

Without another word, Evelyn continued toward the Polo Club.

As she walked away...

She allowed herself one brief glance over her shoulder.

Anthony was already speaking with Lady Beaumont.

She looked ahead again.

--

Evelyn’s footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

For a brief moment...

Only the two of them remained.

Only then did Vivienne realize...

She was still standing beside Anthony.

When she had walked over earlier...

She hadn’t really thought about it.

She had simply caught his sleeve.

Stepped naturally to his side.

And faced Lady Sinclair together with him.

Now...

There was no Lady Sinclair.

No silent rivalry to distract her.

Just...

Anthony.

Vivienne slowly turned her head.

...

Oh.

He was close.

Much closer than they had ever stood before.

Close enough that she only had to lift her eyes to meet his.

Close enough to notice the morning sunlight catching in his golden hair.

Close enough that...

Vivienne.

Stop staring.

Immediately.

...

She couldn’t.

Not for another second, anyway.

Honestly.

He really was unfairly handsome.

How was anyone supposed to look away?

She had always known Anthony was good-looking.

But seeing him this close...

It somehow felt entirely different.

...

This might actually be hazardous to her health.

Anthony happened to glance toward her.

Their eyes met.

For a brief moment...

Neither of them spoke.

...

There it was again.

That look.

He couldn’t quite explain it.

Only that whenever Lady Beaumont looked at him like that...

He found himself feeling strangely awkward.

Almost unconsciously...

He took half a step back.

Not enough to seem abrupt.

Simply enough to leave a more appropriate distance between them.

Vivienne blinked.

...

Ah.

Right.

They had been standing rather close.

A faint warmth quietly spread across her cheeks.

Well...

That was a little embarrassing.

Anthony, apparently deciding that the simplest way forward was simply to begin speaking, broke the silence.

"How did your preliminary examinations go?"

Vivienne blinked again.

He...

Asked first.

A smile found its way onto her face before she could stop it.

"They went fairly well, I think."

"At least..."

"I hope they did."

Anthony nodded once.

"I’m glad."

It was only a simple reply.

Polite.

Brief.

Very Anthony.

And yet...

For some reason...

It was enough to make her smile just a little more.

Honestly.

The standards by which Anthony Ashford manages to make me happy have become alarmingly low.

Anthony continued before the silence could settle again.

"There are still a few arrangements regarding Monday."

"The Founders’ Ball."

"I thought it would be better if we settled them now rather than on the day itself."

Vivienne nodded immediately.

"That sounds like a good idea."

"I was actually hoping we’d have a chance to talk about it."

Anthony gave a small nod.

"The Ball begins at seven."

"I’ll come to Rosemont Hall a few minutes beforehand."

"We’ll enter together."

Vivienne’s eyes brightened almost instantly.

"...You’ll come to Rosemont Hall?"

"Yes."

"It would be inappropriate for us to arrive separately."

She tried very hard not to smile too brightly.

He had already thought about it.

She had been wondering all morning how to bring it up.

Instead...

Anthony had simply decided it himself.

He’s coming to pick me up.

...

Because we’re engaged.

She knew that.

Of course she knew that.

Still...

Her heart seemed determined to celebrate anyway.

"I’ll be ready," she said, perhaps a little too quickly.

The words escaped before she had the chance to reconsider them.

...

Oh dear.

That had sounded rather eager.

Anthony, fortunately, appeared not to notice.

"If anything changes," he said evenly, "send me a message."

"I’ll do the same."

Vivienne nodded.

"All right."

A small silence followed.

This one...

Far more comfortable than the last.

Anthony glanced toward the polo grounds.

"I should go."

"Practice will be starting soon."

Vivienne smiled.

"So will ours."

She hesitated for just a heartbeat before saying,

"...Then I’ll see you later."

Anthony inclined his head.

"Later."

With that...

He turned toward the Polo Club.

Vivienne remained where she was, watching him walk away until he disappeared beyond the stables.

Only then did she let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

...

He was going to walk to Rosemont Hall.

And the two of them would enter the Founders’ Ball together.

It wasn’t much.

Just a simple arrangement.

But somehow...

Monday evening suddenly felt much closer than it had a few minutes ago.