~Chapter 11~
It was a public carriage that wealthy commoners used, one that didn’t have any fancy family crests.
Since Riden had already exchanged letters with them, the servants didn’t stop the unfamiliar carriage and let it through the gates.
Riden, looking down from her room, pressed her lips together and asked herself quietly. Then she looked up at the sky.
The sky was clear.
“Can’t it just rain? I don’t want to go.”
The carriage was going to take her to the new family she didn’t want to be part of.
“Please… at least one cloud.”
But the sky was too blue and sunny. Riden felt her dry eyes sting. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“Miss, it’s time to go. The carriage is here,” said Corell, entering with some servants. They picked up Riden’s bags and left. They were carrying the heavy bags as if it was nothing.
Riden watched quietly and looked out the window.
“Maybe a lightning strike would be nice?” she thought.
The debutante ball was in about a month and a half. According to what she’d heard, she’d only stay with the Duchess for about two weeks.
“Just bear it for two weeks,” she thought. “I lived for three years in an almost-marriage with my ex-mother-in-law. What’s two weeks?”
She tried to smile, but only felt a twitch at the corner of her mouth.
“Miss? You must be nervous.”
Corell came closer, worried, and gently held Riden’s cold hand.
“Don’t worry, Miss. They’ll like you very much.”
“Like me?” Riden wondered bitterly. What good was that? But she knew what Corell meant, so she nodded bravely.
“Two weeks. No, maybe less, if Glenn finds a lawyer quickly. Once a lawyer goes over the contract, I can cancel the marriage. If not… well, I’ll think about it then.”
As she came down to the entrance, a few servants and Glenn were there to send her off. Riden glared at the “carriage to hell” and waved for Glenn to come closer.
She whispered to him. “Glenn, I have an urgent request. Will you listen?”
Glenn gave her a deep, serious look. “What is it, Miss?”
“Please… find a lawyer quickly. Let me know as soon as you do.”
Glenn didn’t understand why she was so desperate. The lawyers he’d asked to review the contract said yes at first, then suddenly refused, as if someone had threatened them to stay away from the McCurry family.
He spoke with a firm voice. “I understand, Miss. I’ll do my best and find one for you, no matter what.”
“Thank you.”
As Glenn left, Riden stepped into the carriage with the help of a servant. Suddenly, from the seat inside the carriage, a bouquet of flowers appeared.
A bunch of daisies, with bright yellow centers and tiny white petals.
The carriage bumped and shook as it went down the road. Riden looked out the window. The bright blue sky was dotted with soft, feather-like clouds. The sound of papers turning came from the man sitting across from her.
It was quiet except for that sound. At least that was a relief. At least he was doing something, so she didn’t have to talk.
About 30 minutes ago, when Riden stepped into the carriage, she was handed this bouquet. Surprised, she had looked past it and seen a man smiling.
“Marick Kenwolf,” he said.
He was the older brother of Ethan, her fiancé. His light blond hair floated like a silk curtain over sharp brown eyes behind glasses.
Riden came to her senses and quickly introduced herself.
“Riden McCurry.”
“Ha-ha, have a seat, or you might fall.” He offered a gloved hand, and she stepped in, a bit flustered. As soon as the door shut, she spoke quietly.
“Thank you for the bouquet. I should have stepped down to greet you properly.”
“If you had, the McCurry servants would’ve noticed, and the secret wouldn’t stay a secret.”
Riden lowered her gaze. “Yes, you’re right.”
He smiled. “Why are you surprised to see me? You must have thought you were going alone.”
“Why are you here?”
“My mother said the vacation house might be a mess. So she went ahead two days ago to fix it. She didn’t want you to arrive alone, so she asked me to accompany you.”
Riden sighed. So that was why the Duchess left early—to make sure the future daughter-in-law would have a well-prepared lesson for those two weeks.
“Ah… I understand,” Riden said quietly.
They exchanged a few more words, then fell into silence. Riden glanced at him from under the brim of her bonnet. In the book she remembered from her past life, Marick wasn’t very present. He was always too busy with work. Not very interested in the main characters.
Riden felt awkward. If only she had been with Corell. At least the ride wouldn’t have felt like this.
Then, Marick suddenly put down the papers he was reading and closed his tired eyes, turning his head slowly from side to side. Riden glanced at him, then quickly looked away when she felt him glance back.
“Darn, he caught me looking,” she thought.
Marick broke the silence. “Are you… staring at the flowers because you hate them?”
“What? No, I like them,” Riden said quickly.
“I’m glad. You looked worried when I gave them to you. Daisies aren’t expensive flowers. The fancy shops that nobles visit don’t even carry them. But I like daisies.” He smiled softly as he spoke.
Riden waved her hand quickly. “Not at all. These daisies are lovely.”
Marick nodded. “I’m happy to hear that. I’d like to learn more about you. What you like, what you don’t like. We’ll be family soon, after all.”
That felt strange to Riden. In her past life, her ex-brother-in-law had only asked her to introduce pretty young women to him. He had no interest in her.
Riden pulled down the brim of her bonnet and replied quietly, “Yes, alright… Count Kenwolf.”
Marick smiled. “I’m glad I came. It may take some time for us to get closer, but that’s okay.”
Then he started looking at his papers again. Riden noticed one paper with the title “Notice of Legal Action for Breach of Contract.”
Marick noticed her glance and smiled. “I should have introduced myself better. I am the lawyer for the Kenwolf ducal family.”
Riden tilted her head. “A lawyer?”
He spoke quietly. “I am the lead lawyer, but mostly I have others do the work. I only review things when needed.”
Although he said that, he held a thick stack of papers. Riden gave an awkward smile.
“So if you ever have a legal issue, feel free to ask for my help,” he added.
“Ha-ha, alright.”
What she really wanted to ask was, how much would it cost to cancel this marriage? But she just smiled quietly.
Marick came closer and asked, “Are you sure you have no legal problems?”
“None at the moment.”
“Then that’s good. It’s best to have no legal troubles. But if you ever need help… just call me, alright?”
“Alright. Thank you. That’s very reassuring.”
Riden wiped her sweaty palm quietly on the seat. Marick felt like a lawyer—or even a prosecutor. Very sharp and very focused.
“Why hasn’t Glenn found a lawyer yet?” she wondered.
