Chapter 116 - Aftermath tea party
Scarlett sat in the Withersworths’ parlor room, sipping out of a cup of tea that had been provided for her. Leon sat beside her, and opposite them were Lady and Lord Withersworth. The older couple was observing them with some interest.
“I heard that you and your group returned looking quite ragged early in the morning, Baroness,” Lady Withersworth said as she took a sip from her own cup of tea. “I also heard that this fool of a husband of mine tried to meet with you immediately after, to hear how things went. You will have to excuse his rudeness. He doesn’t quite know when to take others into consideration. Nonetheless, I hope you have had the time to get a proper rest since then.”
“That we have.” Scarlett gave a slight nod. “I am thankful for the accommodation you have showed me and my party in offering us to stay here for the time being as well.”
“It’s the least we could do. My husband might have forgotten what hospitality means—” A grumbling expression appeared on Lord Withersworth’s face. “—but that does not mean that I have.”
“Hmph. I was simply surprised,” the man muttered from beside his wife. “I was not expecting them to return so early, if at all.”
“Oh, I am aware, dear.” Lady Withersworth smirked at her husband. “It was quite amusing, seeing you run around the mansion like a headless chicken after our talks with the Baroness yesterday. Though I will admit to some disappointment that it took you so long to register what you had agreed to.”
He sent her an annoyed glare in return. “If you realized it back then you should have warned me, woman. Dagnabbit all! What would we have done if a noblewoman and the vice-captain of the Imperial Solar Knights went missing after visiting our estate? It would have been chaos if news got out! Ittar knows the commotion that Edita Delmon would have caused if she had heard about it as well…”
“But they did return, didn’t they?” His wife nudged his arm. “So stop with your fretting. It is because you always worry yourself like this that your hair is thinning.”
The man’s expression went stiff for a moment of a second, but he soon harrumphed as he tidied the collar of his suit.
“As you can see.” Scarlett gestured to herself and Leon in an attempt to get the conversation back on track. “We are all in good health.”
“I can see that, yes. Although I am still dubious whether I believe it.” Lord Withersworth eyed her. “…Are you certain that everything has been dealt with? This is a curse that has been plaguing my family for generations, so you will have to excuse my skepticism about it being resolved within twenty-four hours of our original discussion.”
“I am certain, yes. If you find it difficult to trust in my words, you can feel free to once more descend into this mansion’s cellar and ascertain the truth for yourself.”