Garden of May — Chapter 0

TO THE DEAR DUKE OF BATTENBERG, MY GRANDSON THEODORE.

SINCE YOU HAVEN'T SENT A SINGLE REPLY TO MY LETTERS,

THIS OLD WOMAN'S HEART HAS BEEN SCORCHED TO ASHES.

I HEARD YOU'RE RETURNING TO BATTENBERG FOR SUMMER VACATION SOON.

BOTH THE ROYAL FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING YOUR LEAVE.

AS SOON AS YOU RETURN, REGARDING THE MARRIAGE PROPOSALS FROM THE PALACE...

OH, BOY...

IT SEEMS MY GRANDMOTHER

STILL HASN'T GIVEN UP HOPE.

THEODORE LIAM BATTENBERG

IS THAT ANOTHER LETTER ABOUT A MARRIAGE PROSPECT?

IT'S AN ANNUAL TRADITION I HAVE TO BRACE FOR EVERY VACATION.

MARRIAGE,

ENGAGEMENT,

OR AT THE VERY LEAST, NAGGING ME TO DATE SOMEONE. I'M ALREADY SICK OF IT.

COME TO THINK OF IT, CAPTAIN,

YOU DON'T SEEM TO DATE AT ALL.

EVEN THE ADMIRALTY GETS FLOODED WITH LOVE LETTERS FOR YOU EVERY DAY.

YOU COULD EASILY DATE OR EVEN MARRY RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANTED TO.

SO WHY...

DON'T YOU THINK IT'S ALL JUST TERRIBLE AND HOLLOW?

PARDON?

I'M TALKING ABOUT LOVE.

ENOUGH WITH THE NONSENSE.

TELL ME YOUR SUMMER PLANS INSTEAD,

RIVER ROSS.

OH, AS FOR ME...

I'M GOING TO GLOUCESTER CASTLE IN THE SOUTH.

MY UNCLE IS THE GARDENER FOR THE SOMERSET FAMILY THERE.

HE SAID THEY NEED EXTRA HANDS, SO I'M GOING TO HELP OUT.

YOU'RE GOING TO WORK DURING YOUR HARD-EARNED VACATION?

I'D RATHER BE USEFUL THAN JUST LOUNGE AROUND.

THE AIR AT GLOUCESTER CASTLE IS WONDERFUL,

AND THERE'S A RIVER NEARBY THAT'S GREAT FOR SWIMMING.

ALSO...

YOU REALLY HAVE NO PASSION FOR LIFE, DO YOU?

WHAT?

WHAT IS THAT...?

DON'T YOU AGREE?

YOU'LL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE THIS WAY.

BUT YOU KNOW...

JUST ONCE, I WISH YOU WOULD...

STOP CALCULATING EVERYTHING IN YOUR HEAD,

AND FOLLOW THIS INSTEAD.

YOUR HEART.

YOUR IMPULSES,

AND YOUR DESIRES.

I PROMISE YOU...

SOMETHING WONDERFUL WILL SURELY HAPPEN.

YOU SAID YOUR RELATIVE IS IN THE SOUTH?

YES...?

I'VE CHANGED MY MIND.

ON THAT WHOLESOME SUMMER VACATION OF YOURS...

I THINK I'LL JOIN YOU.

SHE'S QUIET ENOUGH, AND HER FACE IS LOVELY.

TO THINK EARL SOMERSET RAISED HIS NIECE SO WELL!

SHE'S EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED.

I'M VERY SATISFIED.

VANESSA SIREN SOMERSET

THEN, SHALL WE PROCEED AS PLANNED?

HMM...

FIRST, BEFORE THE WEDDING...

I'D LIKE PROOF THAT THE BRIDE IS PURE.

DOUBT TOWARD MY NIECE...

IS AN INSULT TO ME, BARON.

HOWEVER, NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF A SINNER I AM,

EARL SOMERSET WOULDN'TWANT A DAMAGED PRODUCT EITHER.

AS LONG AS HER PURITY IS GUARANTEED,

YOU CAN ASK ANYTHING OF ME.

WHETHER SHE'S EXPERIENCED WITH MEN OR NOT...

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN TELL INSTANTLY.

EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM NOW ON.

THE TITLE OF THE LATE EARL SOMERSET...

HAS PASSED TO YOUR UNCLE, MR. WYATT.

THEREFORE, MISS VANESSA, YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS TO THE ESTATE OR THE FAMILY NAME.

FURTHERMORE, FROM THIS POINT ON, MR. WYATT...

WILL HOLD ALL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS REGARDING YOU.

EVERYTHING FROM WHAT YOU EAT AND WEAR TO WHAT YOU USE.

AND WHEN YOU COME OF AGE...

EVEN YOUR MARRIAGE.

SHUDDER...

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK, MISS VANESSA

UGH.

SIGH...

TO BE SOLD OFF THE MOMENT I COME OF AGE...

I SUPPOSE "COMMODITY" IS THE RIGHT WORD FOR IT.

A DAMAGED PRODUCT...

......?

CIGARETTE SMOKE?

IS SOMEONE IN THE GARDEN...?