Garden of May — Chapter 1

TO MY DEAREST GRANDSON, THEODORE, DUKE OF BATTENBERG.

YOUR CONTINUED FAILURE TO REPLY TO MY LETTERS

HAS ALL BUT TURNED THIS OLD WOMAN'S HEART TO ASH.

I HEAR YOU WILL SOON BE ON SUMMER LEAVE AND RETURNING TO BATTENBERG. IS THAT SO?

TICKETS

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EAGERLY BOTH THE ROYAL FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN AWAITING YOUR RETURN.

UPON YOUR ARRIVAL, YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL SENT BY THE ROYAL FAMILY—

WONDERFUL...

I SEE GRANDMOTHER

STILL HASN'T GIVEN UP.

THEODORE LIAM BATTENBERG

IS THAT ANOTHER LETTER ABOUT A PROSPECTIVE MARRIAGE?

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

MARRIAGE,

BETROTHAL,

OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, NAGGING ME TO START COURTING SOMEONE.

I'M ALREADY SICK OF IT...

COME TO THINK OF IT, CAPTAIN,

I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU COURT ANYONE.

DON'T YOU GET LOVE LETTERS SENT TO THE ADMIRALTY ALMOST DAILY?

IT SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD GET MARRIED RIGHT AWAY, NEVER MIND A COURTSHIP.

SO WHY...?

IT'S ALL RATHER DREADFUL AND FUTILE, ISN'T IT?

HUH?

LOVE, I MEAN.

ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE.

TELL ME YOUR SUMMER VACATION PLANS,

RIVER ROSS.

OH, I’M—

I’M GOING TO GLOUCESTER MANOR IN THE SOUTH.

MY UNCLE IS THE GARDENER FOR THE SOMERSET FAMILY.

HE SAID THEY'RE SHORT-STAFFED, SO I WAS PLANNING ON GOING TO HELP OUT.

YOU'RE GOING TO WORK ON YOUR VACATION?

WELL, I'D RATHER HELP OUT THAN SPEND THE WHOLE TIME LAZING AROUND.

BESIDES, THE AIR AT GLOUCESTER MANOR IS NICE,

THERE'S A RIVER NEARBY THAT'S GREAT FOR SWIMMING,

AND—

YOU DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY PASSION FOR LIFE.

...WHAT?

WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO—

AM I WRONG?

YOU'LL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE THIS WAY.

BUT YOU KNOW,

JUST ONCE, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU...

STOP TRYING TO WORK EVERYTHING OUT IN YOUR HEAD

AND FOLLOW THIS INSTEAD.

TAP

YOUR HEART.

IMPULSES,

DESIRES... THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

I PROMISE YOU, DO THAT,

AND SOMETHING TRULY WONDERFUL WILL HAPPEN.

YOU SAID YOU HAVE RELATIVES IN THE SOUTH?

UH, YES...?

CHANGE OF PLANS.

I THINK I'LL JOIN YOU

ON THAT WHOLESOME SUMMER VACATION OF YOURS.

HAHAHAHA!

SHE'S DEMURE ENOUGH, AND HER FACE IS QUITE LOVELY.

TO THINK THE EARL OF SOMERSET RAISED HIS NIECE SO ADMIRABLY!

SHE'S EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED.

I'M QUITE SATISFIED.

VANESSA SERIN SOMERSET

SO, SHALL WE PROCEED AS PLANNED?

HMM...

BUT BEFORE THE WEDDING...

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PROOF OF THE BRIDE'S PURITY.

ANY DOUBT CAST UPON MY NIECE

IS AN INSULT TO ME, BARON.

NOW, NOW. EVEN IF I AM REMARRYING,

DAMAGED GOODS WOULD BE RATHER UNSIGHTLY, WOULDN’T THEY?

IF HER PURITY IS GUARANTEED, LORD SOMERSET,

YOU MAY ASK ANYTHING OF ME.

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO’S EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD

AT TELLING WHETHER OR NOT A WOMAN IS EXPERIENCED WITH MEN...

FROM NOW ON, EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT.

THE TITLE OF THE LATE EARL OF SOMERSET

HAS PASSED TO YOUR UNCLE, MR. WYATT.

THEREFORE, LADY VANESSA, YOU CAN NO LONGER CLAIM ANY RIGHTS TO THE ESTATE OR THE FAMILY NAME.

FURTHERMORE, FROM NOW ON,

MR. WYATT WILL HOLD ALL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES CONCERNING YOU.

EVERYTHING, DOWN TO WHAT YOU EAT, WHAT YOU WEAR, AND WHAT YOU SPEND.

AND WHEN YOU COME OF AGE,

EVEN YOUR MARRIAGE.

I DO HOPE...

THAT FORTUNE FAVORS YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME.

URGH...

HAA...

USING ME FOR A MARRIAGE DEAL THE MOMENT I COME OF AGE...

I SUPPOSE “GOODS” IS THE PERFECT WORD FOR IT.

DAMAGED GOODS...

...?

CIGARETTE SMOKE?

IS SOMEONE IN THE GARDEN...?