The three of them then returned to the subject of Queen Isabella and the throne, a matter whose developnts had been rather unexpected. Jenkins had known the queen would have a plan, but he never imagined he would unravel it so easily.
While it was a testant to his own remarkable initiative, the sudden uncertainty of what cards his opponent still held left Jenkins feeling sowhat unsettled.
Miss Windsor, however, believed that Queen Isabella had no more tricks up her sleeve. Although she had recently sensed that she did not know the old woman as well as she had thought, Miss Windsor was confident she would not be mistaken this ti.
Since they were on the topic, Miss Windsor casually yet deliberately brought up the origins and events of the previous day. She once again assured Jenkins that she was now wholeheartedly dedicated to helping him beco king and would never go back on her oath.
Jenkins believed her.
Today was his birthday, a fact that it seed the entire world was aware of, so both Miss Windsor and Sigrid had long since prepared gifts. Neither had anticipated running into him at Queen Isabella's, so they did not have the presents with them.
Miss Windsor then tentatively inquired how many people would be attending the birthday banquet at Jenkins's ho that evening. Jenkins, of course, understood the aning behind her question and gave a frank answer.
"Oh, I see."
Miss Windsor clearly understood, and her expression dimd slightly. But since she had asked similar questions before, she was not surprised by his response.
Her reply was quite composed, with little emotional fluctuation. This was precisely the kind of woman Jenkins admired most—one who did not easily reveal her joy or anger, who possessed her own independent thoughts, ambitions, and drive.
The question plunged the room into a sudden silence. An awkward atmosphere settled over them, and Jenkins inwardly cursed his poor choice of topic, feeling a pang of guilt for refusing the lady's goodwill. Of course, he did not regret his decision. If he had actually invited Miss Windsor, to say nothing of what the ladies at ho might think, he himself would have felt that he was no longer being true to himself.
After a mont of silence, it was again Miss Windsor who found a new topic. With a hint of sorrow, she apologized to Sigrid, suggesting that the misfortune the nun had nearly suffered was sohow her fault. The ever-understanding Sigrid assured her it was fine, saying she would not lay bla on soone who was unaware.
To ease the tension, Jenkins brought up another subject. Feigning a casual air, he ntioned the choice Queen Isabella had presented just before the two won had entered the study. Sigrid, uninterested, offered no comnt beyond advising Jenkins to be clear about the path he intended to walk.
Miss Windsor, on the other hand, opened her mouth to speak, but the words remained unspoken for at least a dozen seconds before she found the right way to express herself.
"On that matter, you should really discuss it with Princess Stuart or Miss Miller. As an involved party, it wouldn't be appropriate for to comnt on such a sensitive issue."
She brushed a strand of hair from her temple, tucking it behind her ear. It was a gesture Alexia often made, one that Jenkins found incredibly alluring.
"ow?"
The cat, its eyes narrowed to slits, flicked its tail.
"I trust you completely, of that there is no doubt."
As long as they steered clear of matters of the heart, Jenkins was confident he could handle anything.
"It is precisely because of that trust that I cannot offer any opinion on this."
She emphasized her point again, her tone earnest.
"I am not the sort of person who fails to distinguish between what is important and what is not. My reluctance to give you my opinion is not because you declined to invite , but truly because I should not be weighing in on this. It is a very serious matter... Of course, I don't particularly mind that you didn't invite ."
As Miss Windsor delivered the last part of her sentence, she deliberately turned her face away slightly.
Jenkins felt a great deal of admiration for her ability to speak her mind so openly, and Sigrid, beside him, cast a surprised glance at Miss Windsor.
At the sa ti, however, the situation made Jenkins uncomfortable. It was obvious that her deliberate turn of the head was ant to convey that she did, in fact, care a great deal. Jenkins understood such subtleties now.
And so, the three of them continued their conversation at the club until five in the afternoon. The sumr days were long, and even at this hour, there was no sign of the sun setting. But Jenkins had to leave. He needed to go pick up Dolores and Alexia, and also make arrangents with the Church to help prepare for the birthday banquet at his ho.
When he expressed his desire to depart, the two ladies did not try to stop him. They politely saw him to the ground floor, watching as he and his cat disappeared down the street.
"Are you terribly disappointed?"
After seeing Jenkins off, the two won turned and went back to their room. Though Sigrid and Miss Windsor had not been well acquainted before, this shared experience had forged a bond of friendship between them.
The question ca from Miss Windsor, directed at Sigrid.
"Disappointed? You were the one who wanted an invitation, not . Besides..."
A smile touched the blonde girl's lips, and she shook her head serenely.
"Why would I be disappointed? It proves he isn't a playboy, but a man of great principle... I'm not you, so why should I feel any regret? I am rely his cousin. But you... you clearly want to be more than just a follower of his. I should be the one asking the question. Miss Windsor, are you disappointed?"
"Please, just call Jessica... Disappointed..."
Miss Windsor did not deny her feelings for Jenkins, nor would she ever.
"He is certainly better than I imagined. Definitely not a playboy."
She nodded thoughtfully as she spoke.
"So, what did you get for Jenkins?"
This ti, it was Sigrid who asked, and she continued before Jessica could reply.
"I got him a most interesting leaf. I think he'll like it."
"I chose a fountain pen. To be honest, Jenkins is a strange man. If you look into his life closely, you'll find he desires almost nothing. He's a very peculiar person. I couldn't think of a better gift."
"Desires almost nothing?"
The conversation shifted to the topic of gifts, as if their earlier exchange had never taken place.
Sigrid repeated Miss Windsor's assessnt of Jenkins as they walked from the stair landing toward the third floor. Their steps were slow; with nothing planned for the rest of the evening, they were in no hurry to end their conversation.
Reviews
All reviews (0)