Garden of May — Chapter 33

RUN AWAY WITH HIM. IMMEDIATELY.

BEFORE HIS LORDSHIP FINDS OUT.

BUT

IF I RAN,

EVERYONE CONNECTED TO ME WOULD BE HURT.

MARY,

I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE HOW CRUEL MY UNCLE CAN BE.

BESIDES, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT,

MY UNCLE WILL NEVER KNOW WHOSE CHILD THIS IS.

AND GIVEN THE SCANDAL WITH THE DUKE,

SOMEONE LIKE MY UNCLE WOULDN’T DARE TRY TO GET RID OF THE BABY.

SO IF I REALLY AM PREGNANT,

I THINK THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING.

THE GOSSIPS WILL ALL ASSUME THE CHILD IS OF THE DUKE’S BLOODLINE,

AND THE BIGGER THE SCANDAL GETS,

THE LESS MY UNCLE WILL BE ABLE TO TOUCH ME.

DON’T TELL ME...

YOU’RE NOT THINKING OF RAISING THE CHILD ALONE, ARE YOU?

FOR NOW.

MY LADY!

FIRST, I NEED TO GET AN EXAMINATION

FROM SOMEONE WHO CAN BE DISCREET.

WE COULD BE MISTAKEN, AFTER ALL.

AND MARY.

IF THERE’S SOMETHING YOU FEEL

SORRY TO ME ABOUT...

SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN WEIGHING ON YOUR CONSCIENCE...

AND IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME TO MAKE UP FOR IT —

SOMETHING THAT WON’T PUT YOU IN DANGER, OF COURSE —

COULD YOU HELP ME FIND MY UNCLE’S WEAKNESS?

MY LADY...

HAVE YOU KNOWN ALL ALONG?

I KNOW YOU MUST HAVE HAD THE HARDEST TIME.

AND THAT YOU HAD NO CHOICE, FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR FAMILY...

SO FOOLISH.

A COMPLETE IDIOT.

WHAT A LUCKY GIRL.

HOPELESSLY NAIVE.

I KNOW

WHERE HIS LORDSHIP KEEPS THE KEY TO THE DRAWER IN HIS STUDY.

KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU, MY LADY.

FROM NOW ON... I’LL FIND MY OWN WAY TO SURVIVE, TOO.

DEAR RIVER ROSS,

I'M SENDING THIS LETTER TO THE HOTEL WHERE YOU SAID YOU'D BE STAYING.

I HOPE THIS NEWS DOESN'T BURDEN YOU TOO MUCH.

I BELIEVE I MIGHT BE PREGNANT.

THERE IS SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO THIS,

SO I HOPE YOU'LL RETURN PROMPTLY ON THE DAY YOU PROMISED.

YOURS,

VANESSA.

Vanessa.

HAA...

PREGNANT...

IT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH TO HOPE FOR A FUTURE TOGETHER,

BUT HE'S NOT THE TYPE OF MAN WHO WOULD PRETEND THE CHILD DOESN'T EXIST.

HE'D AT LEAST BE WILLING TO VISIT AND SPEND TIME WITH THE CHILD...

A FOOLISH HOPE SPRINGS UP WITHIN ME.

WHEN YOU HEAR THIS NEWS...

HOW WILL OUR RELATIONSHIP CHANGE?

A SPRING WEDDING NEXT YEAR WOULD BE IDEAL.

WE CAN EXCHANGE THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THROUGH OUR BUTLERS.

I HAVE A VENUE IN MIND.

I'M SURE YOU'LL FIND IT TO YOUR LIKING AS WELL, YOUR GRACE.

AND,

I HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK OF YOU.

WHAT IF THE ARTICLES WERE TO SAY WE'RE MARRYING FOR LOVE,

NOT FOR POLITICAL REASONS?

THE THOUGHT OF THE GOSSIPS CHATTERING ABOUT HOW WE GOT TOGETHER

FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT IS A BIT...

AS YOU WISH.

THEN...

WHEN ARE YOU THINKING OF MAKING THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT?

THE SOONER, THE BETTER, RIGHT?

YOU'LL STAY WITH ME, WON'T YOU?

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LOVE...

SO PLEASE...

EVEN AFTER SUMMER IS OVER...

SUMMER...

?

RIGHT.

LET’S DO IT TOWARD THE END OF SUMMER.