TMRDWMP CH 18
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Chapter 18
• ────── ✦ ────── •
A Snake
The mansion was in a state of absolute frenzy upon her return. As Monica stepped through the entrance, she was amazed by the sheer volume of decorations and lanterns filling the garden. She had known the Mollets were wealthy, but the scale of this display was beyond anything she had imagined.
“Oh, Miss Monica!”
Hans the gardener greeted her with a look of relief. He had taken her packages and stacked them safely behind his work area.
“Everyone was so busy that we couldn't bring it up to your room for you.”
“Not at all. I am grateful you looked after it.”
“And... about the other day. I’m truly sorry.”
Monica gave an awkward smile. Hans had been waiting for a chance to apologise ever since Maria had scolded him harshly on the day Monica was injured.
“I’m the one who tripped. There’s no need to apologise.”
“But I was waiting that day, so why—”
“My, these boxes are heavy!”
Monica quickly hoisted the packages he had stacked. Hans clearly wanted to keep talking, his cheeks would flush whenever he saw her. But Monica had no desire to engage, she didn't want to give him any hope.
Monica staggered.
“Oh dear.”
“Goodness, let me carry those for you!”
Why is it surprisingly heavy just for four outfits?
Louis had carried them so effortlessly that she had let her guard down. Even Hans stumbled slightly as he took them from her.
“What on earth is in here…”
“I’ll carry it, it’s fine!”
“No, I’ll take them up for you.”
They quarrelled back and forth, but she couldn't win against Hans once he rolled up his sleeves in determination. Monica followed him, carrying only the small box containing the grey linen dress.
Still, she barely managed to stop him from entering her room. Hans looked deeply disappointed, but he did not insist when Monica shook her head.
“I heard you’re attending the banquet tomorrow because of the young master?”
“Yes, that's right. Why do you ask?”
Hans set the boxes down and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“Well, the servants are planning to have a drink together once the banquet is over.”
“I see.”
“If you’d like to join us, Miss Monica—”
“I’m sorry. I can’t be sure when the young master might need me, so that would be difficult.”
A servant's work doesn't end just because a party does. It meant they wouldn't be drinking until the early hours of the morning, and Monica had no interest in spending that time with colleagues she barely knew. If Maria or the other maids invited her, she might have considered it. But with this man's intentions so obvious, who would say yes?
Hans hesitated, then left after telling her to think about it. Monica sighed and finally opened her door. The day felt unnaturally long.
As she moved the boxes into the room, something caught her eye. Two dresses were lying on her bed. Madame Orang must have brought them over when Riella's outing happened earlier than expected. Monica picked them up. Even if they were last year's fashion, they were breathtakingly beautiful in her eyes, one pristine white dress and another in a modest sky blue.
Both were perfect for a young woman, Monica hesitated and set the dresses aside. She opened the boxes Louis had given her instead. The clothes Louis had chosen were neatly folded. At a glance, they were no less impressive than Riella’s dresses.
“What a flirt.”
Even as she muttered, a faint smile tugged at her lips. Although she had been overwhelmed and tried to refuse when he bought them, the thought that these were meant only for her made her feel quite good.
“It’s a bit much to accept from someone I’ll never see again, though.”
Monica tied back her hair, it had come loose during her outing. She thought back on Louis.
Louis seemed so open about himself, yet he hadn't actually shared where he lived or what he did. He had treated her kindly and even gifted her four dresses because of the trouble with Garcia, but the line he drew was clear.
I ended up telling him everything about myself.
She didn't regret it. Louis was an incredibly easy person to talk to. But the way he drew a boundary while calling her my love felt somewhat cold. Furthermore…
Who was he hiding from?
The moment a group of noble ladies stepped out of the boutique, Louis had stepped into the building’s shadow to hide. The way he forgot she was there and stared in their direction looked very suspicious.
• ───────── ☽༓☾ ───────── •
“Are you sure he isn't a conman?”
Meckel asked with indifference. Monica frowned.
“A conman?”
“There are a lot of strange people in La Spezia these days.”
But the strangest person I’ve seen is you, Doctor.
It was the day of the banquet. Martinel had been excited since morning and had already changed his clothes twice. While running around in his new shoes, he had tripped and caught a large splinter in his hand. Monica removed it with tweezers and disinfected the area, but she had called Dr Meckel just to be safe.
Dr Meckel arrived impeccably dressed. His face haggard as ever, he mentioned he would also be attending today’s banquet. Monica was apologetic for bothering him, but Martinel was shamelessly blunt.
“I bet Dr Meckel didn't even want to go to the banquet.”
He was right. Meckel looked over Martinel’s hand with a hum.
“That’s true, banquets are merely a nuisance.”
“Then why were you dressed up?”
“I have to. If you want to open a private practice, you need good sponsors. You usually rely on families you’ve served as physician for years, but that’s difficult in La Spezia.”
With so many new immigrants, there hadn't been enough time for doctors to build long-term relationships.
“The Mollet family supports me, of course, but my sister says I can’t rely on them forever, so she’s practically forcing me to attend…”
Whoever Dr Meckel’s sister was, she sounded quite formidable. Regardless, Meckel inspected the wound thoroughly before sending the boy off to change clothes again. Monica sat across from him.
“Doctor, what do you think of a very handsome man who hides the moment he saw noble ladies passing by?”
“This is a port city, isn't it? More people have gathered here than in the capital because of the war. There are all sorts of riffraff. Plenty of scoundrels try to charm anxious young ladies and make a profit. If he’s not a swindler, then perhaps…”
Meckel tilted his head before continuing.
“A gold-digger? No. Since he's a man, shall we say a snake?”
“A snake...”
Monica nearly collapsed.
“But he said he was a medical student.”
She meant he seemed like a flirt, but not quite that sort. It cost a great deal to attend medical school, and Louis had bought her four rather expensive dresses. Yet Meckel unexpectedly hit the nail on the head.
“If he said he was a student, it means he isn't one now, doesn't it? If he were a doctor, he would have said so.”
“Oh, that’s true...”
“There are plenty of people who drop out because they run out of money.”
“I see.”
“Not me, though.”
Monica knitted her brows. Meckel chuckled and flicked at an ant passing by their bench with his fingernail.
“I was on a full scholarship.”
“Oh... I see.”
“You don't seem impressed, but for your information, I received the top scholarship at the Beryl Academy for six consecutive semesters.”
“Right, of course.”
As Monica gave her half-hearted reply, she paused.
“Six semesters?”
“Damn, you caught that.”
Caught what?
Meckel clutched his chest dramatically.
“Phew, I suppose I have to tell you. There was this one playboy who managed to snatch my top scholarship for exactly one semester. But the following semester—”
“Doctor!”
Phew, my lord. You are my saviour right now.
Martinel appeared, Monica sighed inwardly in relief.
“How do I look? Do I look like a brave sailor?”
Martinel spun around in a very handsome navy suit. The collar at the back of his neck formed a square sailor-style flap, just like the uniforms worn by sailors. But while that collar looked solemn on a sailor, it looked incredibly cute on Martinel. Monica’s eyes widened in admiration.
“My goodness. You look very dependable.”
If she called him cute, there was no telling how the young master’s feelings might be hurt. Martinel smiled brightly and took hold of Monica’s skirt.
“You look beautiful too, Miss Monica! Is that a new dress?”
Monica looked down at herself. An ivory walking dress with fine green stripes woven neatly by machine. It would be more than suitable for tonight’s banquet. After all, she was not the star of the evening. Monica smiled back at him.
“It was a gift.”
“From the snake?”
Meckel interjected casually. Martinel’s eyes went wide.
“A snake...?”
Monica grabbed Martinel’s wrist and stood up.
“Shall we go, Young Master? Miss Violet will be here soon!”
She shot Meckel a fierce glare, and in return gave her a sly grin as he saw them off. It was only then that Monica realised Meckel had likely pushed them out so he could hide in Martinel's room until the banquet was in full swing.
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