Deceived, Yet Drawn to You - Chapter 15

Only after dropping a pointed piece of advice against Blair’s ear did Edmund finally step back and put some distance between them. With eyes quietly settled, he alternated his gaze between her two eyes, then gestured toward the door with a look that seemed to urge her to lead the way.

“Let’s go.”

Blair bit her lip and hurried her steps, clutching the hem of her skirt. She had to make every effort not to look back at the man standing behind her.

3. The Snare

After returning from the clubhouse, Blair never once took out Edmund’s sketch again, the one she used to look at every day. She didn’t pick up her pencil to trace the lines of his face, nor did she study it like an observer whenever he came to mind.

On the contrary, her thoughts were filled with the man, but she pushed them away deliberately, trying not to cross the line. She didn’t want to acknowledge the feelings that had begun crossing that line from that night on.

I must never meet Edmund again. Even if I do, I can’t ever be alone with him.

Having made that resolve, Blair lowered her gaze with a sigh. She was at a dress shop in Fitzrovia once again today for the wedding dress she would wear, having just finished the fitting.

“We’ve taken your measurements, so I’ll be on my way now.”

“My goodness, miss. You’ve been saying that over and over for a while now. You need to try on the sample dresses.”

“I did try one on.”

“No bride to be tries on just one sample dress! Just because it’s a ceremony dress doesn’t mean they’re all the same white. There’s white with a bluish tint, warm white, and so on….”

Blair let the designer’s words wash over her and gazed calmly beyond the display window. The day she went to have her ring size measured came back to her. Wasn’t it the same then? She’d thought it would be over quickly, but there had been endless explanations about shape, luster, and more.

Mrs. Norris, who’d accompanied her, was no help at all. Instead of assisting Blair, she even chimed in and agreed with the designer’s opinions.

Blair managed to reach a compromise only after trying on three or four more dresses of different designs. Though the schedule had started in the morning, by the time she changed back into the clothes she’d arrived in, it was midday, with the sun beating down quite hot.

As Blair gathered her parasol and was about to leave the dress shop, she stopped. What caught her eye was a blue leaflet placed on the reception table. Noticing this, the designer spoke up knowingly.

“Oh, that? A customer left it behind. There’s a limited-time exhibition at the museum near the clock tower, apparently.”

“I see.”

Blair studied the bluish leaflet for a moment. A river steeped in light, waves just before midnight, dawn mist, ripples at twilight. Every phrase describing the exhibition by the artist Augier appealed to her.

She soon said her goodbyes to the designer and left the shop. Once inside the car, she headed toward her next destination.

A place that was quiet, where no one would speak to her and leave her alone, not overly crowded, yet where she could admire refined works of art. It was exactly to Blair’s taste.

***

Just as she’d heard, the museum wasn’t far from the clock tower square.

It was a two-story museum that felt nearly twice the height of an ordinary building, with marble columns supporting the space between floors and multiple arched decorations that gave it a deeply old-fashioned air. The jade colored gabled roof shimmering in the light and the statue of a goddess captivated her so much that it took her quite some time before she even made her way inside.

Blair climbed the stairs and stepped alone into the spacious museum. It was an extremely quiet space. She thought that was only natural given the nature of the facility, but before long, the velvet rope blocking the exhibition hall made her realize she’d been mistaken.

“I’m sorry, my lady. Augier’s ‘River Steeped in Light’ exhibition is scheduled to begin next week.”

“Then I can’t view it today?”

“Yes.”

Blair stood there blankly after hearing the unexpected news from the attendant. A wasted trip. Who was to blame? It was her own fault for not reading the leaflet carefully.

What should I do now? Mrs. Norris, who’d accompanied her, had excused herself to enjoy tea at a nearby salon, and Hamilton, the driver, had already left, saying he’d return at the appointed time. It was time she’d meant to enjoy on her own for once.

Since there was no point calling them back, she was debating whether to look around the museum’s other exhibits.

“She’s my guest. Let her in.”

A low command came from behind her. Incredibly, it was a familiar voice.

“Understood, young master!”

The attendant guarding the exhibition hall stepped aside without the slightest objection. He even removed the rope blocking the entrance, attentive to a fault.

Footsteps drew closer. Not wanting to show her surprise, Blair waited a beat before turning to look at the owner of the voice.

Edmund came into view, as impeccably composed as ever. The dark teal jacket and vest, and his calm expression that showed no surprise at this sudden encounter, were all unmistakably him.

“You came to see Augier’s exhibition, Lady Twyford?”

“…Yes. That’s right, Lord Libert.”

“Perfect timing. I’ll guide you.”

“No, I….”

Edmund stepped closer and extended his arm, gesturing toward the exhibition hall.

“Shall we?”

Blair hesitated, then in the end, instead of replying, lightly gathered her skirt and stepped forward. The sound of her shoes echoed across the marble floor of the wide space.

‘Hah….’

At this point, it couldn’t be a coincidence. One of the two of them had to be following the other. And if that wasn’t it, then perhaps they really were… fate.

Embarrassed by the way her thoughts branched off on their own, Blair cleared her throat softly. Maybe she’d been scorched by the unusually hot spring sunlight, because her face felt a little warm. She hoped the man walking behind her didn’t notice.

Then she realized she hadn’t thanked him again. Even if the awkward feelings from the clubhouse still lingered, this was the greatest rudeness Blair had committed toward another person in her life. Wasn’t he the one who’d even let her into a restricted exhibition?

Only then did Blair offer her thanks in a belatedly polite voice.

“…I’m terribly late in saying this. Thank you. I keep imposing on you.”

Edmund let out a quiet laugh. It seemed he’d seen straight through the sincerity she’d awkwardly wrapped up.

“You’re acknowledging me. I’m touched.”

“Of course I know you, Lord Libert.”

“I thought you’d find it uncomfortable.”

“…Ah.”

“You’re spending private time with another man even though you have a fiancé.”

When he pointed it out in that unhurried voice, even Blair’s earlobes flushed red.

“I, well, that is….”

“Lady Twyford, you wouldn’t happen to be following me around, would you?”

Unable to hold back, Blair finally looked up at Edmund. The man, so much taller that she had to tilt her chin up just to meet his eyes, was twisting his mouth into a smile.

“That’s what I’d like to say to you.”

“Otherwise, it’s hard to explain these repeated encounters. I don’t know what you saw that drew you here, but this exhibition is sponsored by the art foundation where I serve as a director.”

Blair shook her head from side to side in disbelief. So it wasn’t just the exhibition dates she’d missed when she looked at the leaflet?

“They say the advertisements even put my name before the painter’s, and yet you didn’t notice. It’s quite astonishing.”

“That’s impossible….”

“Which leaves me no choice but to conclude that the one doing the following is you, Lady Twyford.”

“It’s a coincidence. I went to have a dress fitting and saw a leaflet advertising the exhibition, and I just….”

“Just?”

“It seemed like it would suit my taste.”

After she offered an excuse that sounded flimsy even to her own ears, a brief silence followed. Before long, Edmund nodded as if he understood.

“Since you’re already here, please enjoy the exhibition at your leisure. I’ll guide you.”

“You yourself, Lord Libert?”

“Of course. At this point, it seems our connection runs rather deep.”