Garden of May — Chapter 13

GET UP, VANESSA.

YOU NEED TO EAT SOMETHING.

ALL THAT SCREAMING MUST HAVE WORN YOU OUT.

DON'T TEASE ME...

ATE IT ALL IN THE END. DELICIOUS.

LEAVING ALREADY?

YES. MARY WILL BE LOOKING FOR ME ONCE THE SUN'S UP.

I'LL... COME AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.

NOT TOMORROW.

WH-WHAT?

I'M GOING TO BE AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS.

OH...

I SEE.

?!

WH—

WHAT ARE YOU...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

JUST SIT TIGHT,

AND I’LL BRING YOU BACK A PRESENT.

HE ACTED

LIKE WE WERE LOVERS.

IT’S ALREADY BEEN A WEEK SINCE I’VE SEEN HIM...

UGH, GET A GRIP, VANESSA!

MY LADY?

WHAT'S WRONG?

OH, IT'S NOTHING.

WHAT IS IT, MARY?

OH...

WELL...

IT'S BEEN A WHILE, LADY VANESSA.

WE HAVEN'T MET SINCE WE SET OUR WEDDING DATE, I BELIEVE.

IT SEEMS MY FIANCÉE

IS NOT VERY HAPPY TO SEE ME.

NO, IT'S NOT THAT.

I WAS JUST A LITTLE SURPRISED.

I WASN'T INFORMED YOU'D BE VISITING...

AND MY UNCLE HAPPENS TO BE AWAY AS WELL.

AH,

I'M ALREADY AWARE OF THAT.

IN ANY CASE, IT HARDLY MATTERS, AS YOU WERE THE PURPOSE OF MY VISIT TODAY.

ME...?

I HAD ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO TAKE THINGS SLOWLY,

BUT IT APPEARS WE’RE OUT OF TIME.

I’M A BUSY MAN, YOU SEE.

I BELIEVE INTRODUCTIONS ARE IN ORDER.

THIS IS MADAM LUTHER.

SHE'S A RENOWNED EXPERT IN THESE MATTERS.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “THESE MATTERS”?

DID LORD SOMERSET NOT TELL YOU?

I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION IT HAD ALL BEEN ARRANGED.

MY UNCLE DIDN’T SAY A WORD...

THIS IS A NECESSARY PROCEDURE FOR MARRIAGES BETWEEN PEOPLE OF OUR STANDING.

FOR THE TRUST BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND

FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE FAMILY HEIR.

IT'S BEST TO BE CERTAIN ABOUT THESE THINGS.

AFTER ALL, WOULD IT NOT BE A GRAVE DISAPPOINTMENT

IF AN EXPENSIVE PRODUCT ONE PURCHASED TURNED OUT TO BE DEFECTIVE?

YOU MEAN...

YOU NEED PROOF OF MY VIRGINITY.

YOUR HISTORY AT THAT BOARDING SCHOOL HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME, YOU SEE.

THE EARL TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY,

BUT WOMEN ARE SO LIBERAL THESE DAYS, AREN’T THEY?

IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS, THEN CALL OFF THE ENGAGEMENT.

I'm Glad We Understand Each Other!

MY UNCLE WILL RESPECT YOUR DECISION.

AS FOR WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, I’LL SPEAK TO MY UNCLE—

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE—

VANESSA SERIN SOMERSET.

SHUT UP, SIT DOWN,

AND SPREAD YOUR GODDAMN LEGS.