Chapter 125 - New sights and introductions
Scarlett sat opposite Evelyne in the younger woman’s carriage as they traveled from Count Knottley’s estate, on their way back to the Hartford mansion for the night.
“…That went better than I thought it would,” Evelyne said after a while.
Scarlett looked away from the window and to the woman, considering her for a moment before giving a small nod. She then turned her attention back outside. “I suppose you are correct.”
It wasn’t as bad as she’d feared, at least. Although, if you asked her, the dinner had been somewhat awkward. Livvi had been the one that kept most of the conversation going. On more than one occasion, Scarlett had been unsure of what the proper response should be, and often, she had just leaned back on polite formalities in lack of anything better to say. Though she suspected it hadn’t always sounded as polite as intended.
Despite that, Livvi had kept a smile going almost the whole evening, and Scarlett had to admit that the diminutive woman’s cheerfulness helped to diminish some of the discomfort surrounding the whole situation. Perhaps that feeling was another remnant left behind by the original Scarlett, in some way. She’d noticed something similar the previous times she had interacted with Livvi. It was a bit like how things were with Garside.
She continued to vacantly observe the dark streets that passed by outside the window as they made their way into Freybrook’s northern district, her thoughts focused on the evening’s proceedings.
Eventually, she remembered something and turned back to Evelyne. “I had been meaning to inquire with you about how the matter of arranging passage to Faybarrow has gone. Did the merchant you were acquainted with agree to the arrangement?”
Evelyne looked up from a thin stack of documents in her hands. “Oh, right. Yes, I spoke with him this morning. The next time he was slated to visit Faybarrow was tomorrow evening, and he was supposed to return three days after that. He agreed to give the spot to you if you needed it, though we’ll have to compensate him for his losses.”
“That will not pose an issue. We are likely to gain far more from this venture than he could make in such a short period anyhow.”
The younger woman seemed to consider her for a few seconds. “You’re really expecting to find another set of Zuverian ruins, then?”
Scarlett nodded. “I am, yes. I trust that you have been in talks with the relevant members of Elystead Tower and the other mage organizations that might have an interest in buying what we recover this time?”
“Some of them, yes. Although I think the person I talked to from the Elystead Tower was the only one who truly believed me when I said we’d be making another discovery this soon. But they’re also the only ones that know we’re working together with one of their members on this, so…”