Chapter 69: friday morning III

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: friday morning III

Several yards away...

Damian Ashford rounded the familiar stone pathway leading toward the Polo Club.

His riding helmet rested comfortably beneath one arm.

As always...

His timing was impeccable.

Practice would begin in only a few minutes.

Then...

Someone caught his eye.

A young woman stood quietly beside the pathway.

Golden hair shimmered beneath the gentle morning sun.

The breeze toyed softly with the ribbon tied behind it.

She wasn’t speaking.

She wasn’t moving.

She simply stood there.

Smiling.

Damian slowed almost without realizing it.

"...Lady Beaumont?"

For a brief moment...

He simply watched her.

Her cheeks were faintly pink.

Her eyes sparkled.

The smile lingering on her lips was so open...

So unguarded...

That it transformed her entire face.

She looked...

Happy.

Truly happy.

Without meaning to...

The corners of Damian’s own lips lifted.

The sight was strangely infectious.

He found himself wanting to walk over.

To ask what had happened.

To greet her.

To see if she would smile at him the same way.

He had no particular reason.

The impulse simply came naturally.

His gaze followed hers.

Only then...

Did he notice Anthony standing before her.

Ah.

So that was it.

His younger cousin was speaking with her.

Though Damian couldn’t hear their conversation, he could guess well enough.

The Founders’ Ball.

The gown.

Something along those lines.

His steps slowed again.

He was close enough to walk over.

Close enough that, on any other day, he probably would have.

Instead...

He remained where he was.

Watching quietly.

Anthony said something.

Lady Beaumont laughed softly.

Her eyes never left Anthony.

For the first time...

Something inside Damian felt ever so slightly out of place.

Not enough for him to name it.

Not enough for him to question it.

Just...

Enough to make him stay where he was.

He folded one arm loosely across his chest as he waited.

"...Probably better that way."

The thought came easily enough.

They had been discussing the Founders’ Ball.

There had been no reason to interrupt.

Besides...

Lady Beaumont embarrassed easily enough without his help.

The explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.

Damian accepted it without another thought.

Only after Anthony inclined his head, took his leave, and walked back toward the Polo Club did Damian begin walking again.

He took one step.

Then another.

Before stopping once more.

Lady Beaumont hadn’t moved.

She remained exactly where she was.

Watching Anthony’s retreating figure until it disappeared into the growing morning crowd.

Even then...

She didn’t seem in any hurry to leave.

The smile lingering on her face was still there.

Soft.

Quiet.

Almost impossibly content.

Damian found himself smiling again.

"...She’s really that happy."

The thought came and went as naturally as breathing.

He watched her for another few silent moments.

For some reason...

He didn’t want to interrupt.

Not yet.

She looked as though she were quietly savoring something.

It felt oddly wrong to disturb it.

So he waited.

Only after the smile on her face softened into something gentler...

Only after she finally seemed ready to turn back toward the equestrian grounds...

Did Damian start walking again.

The familiar grin slowly returned to his face.

Well...

He had already been unusually considerate for one morning.

That was enough.

Lady Beaumont had enjoyed her quiet moment.

Now...

It was his turn to tease her.

--

Damian closed the remaining distance between them.

"Good morning."

Vivienne started ever so slightly.

Almost as though she had only just remembered that the rest of the world still existed.

She turned.

"Oh!"

"Damian."

A smile immediately appeared again.

Different from the one she had worn only moments ago.

Brighter.

More familiar.

Damian smiled back.

"Someone seems to be in an exceptionally good mood this morning."

Vivienne blinked.

"...Do I?"

"You do."

She immediately touched her own cheek.

"...It’s that obvious?"

"A little."

Her face flushed.

"I see..."

Damian chuckled.

"So..."

"Did the gown survive the discussion?"

Vivienne looked up.

"...You know about that?"

"I was the one who gave you Anthony’s number."

"I assumed that was the reason you called."

She laughed softly.

"Right."

"I completely forgot."

"So?"

His smile became just a little more mischievous.

"What was the verdict?"

Vivienne couldn’t quite suppress the smile returning to her lips.

"I chose emerald."

"Anthony said it would coordinate well."

"...Emerald."

Damian repeated the color almost absentmindedly.

Then nodded once.

"I think that’ll suit you."

Vivienne’s cheeks warmed again.

"...Thank you."

Damian tilted his head.

"Though..."

"I’m beginning to suspect the color isn’t the reason you’re smiling."

Vivienne froze.

"W-What?"

He laughed.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You practically did!"

"I merely made an observation."

"Damian..."

She covered her face for a moment.

"Please don’t tease me."

"I’ll certainly try."

The corners of his mouth betrayed him immediately.

Vivienne sighed dramatically.

"You’re impossible."

"I’ve been told."

A sharp whistle echoed across the polo grounds.

Almost at the same time, another answered from the neighboring equestrian field.

The two of them instinctively looked toward their respective clubs.

Practice was beginning.

Damian sighed.

"...Looks like I’ve already used up all my punctuality for today."

Vivienne laughed.

A light, genuine laugh.

The same one he had heard only moments ago.

"It’s good to see you smiling again."

She looked at him in surprise.

For a brief second...

The teasing disappeared from his expression.

"...Thank you."

The words came out quietly.

Damian cleared his throat almost at once.

"Though if you’re smiling because Anthony approved your gown..."

"...I reserve the right to tease you about it next time."

Vivienne groaned.

"I knew there was a catch."

"There usually is."

Another whistle sounded.

Definitely time to go.

Damian lifted a hand.

"Have a good practice, Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne had already turned before suddenly stopping.

She looked back over her shoulder.

A teasing smile found its way onto her face.

"Why are you back to ’Lady Beaumont’ again?"

"Just call me Vivienne, okay?"

She didn’t wait for an answer.

She simply waved.

"Bye, Damian!"

Then she hurried toward the equestrian grounds.

Damian remained where he was.

"...Vivienne."

The name escaped him almost absentmindedly.

He watched her disappear among the members of the Equestrian Club.

Then gave the smallest shake of his head.

"...See you around, Vivienne."

She was already too far away to hear him.

With an easy smile returning to his face, Damian turned toward the polo grounds.

Meanwhile, somewhere deep in the back of his mind...

One small detail remained.

Emerald.

Without realizing it...

He remembered the color.

--

Tbc