The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady. - Chapter 8

The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady.

Chapter 8: The Withered Tree Lady and the Necklace

Julia was taken aback and froze, unable to utter a word.

At that moment, Madame, who was standing nearby, let out an intentionally forced cough, “Ahem,” and Romand, finally coming to his senses, released his grip on her.

“I apologize. Your overwhelming loveliness…”

“Baron Hanamiya, I understand your feelings, but please be cautious from now on. Even if you are engaged, it’s easy to be dismissed if you incur the wrath of the Count.”

“Thank you for your advice. I will be more careful.”

Baron Hanamiya, is that a nickname for the Baron? They seem quite close. It’s almost like a parent-child or aunt-nephew relationship, Julia found it amusing.

And she thought to herself,

“I highly doubt my father would become angry with me or even consider breaking off the engagement at this point. The Baron is, after all, a vital business partner to my father.”

She had yet to fully comprehend just how crucial her role was in her father’s life, as well as in the eyes of the Baron.

As they exited the shop, the two of them gracefully entered the carriage, accompanied by the waiting escorts.

Robert, too, squinted his eyes and showered Julia with compliments on her dress, remarking how stunning she looked in it.

Then, he continued with a playful tone:

“With that dress, the golden necklace would be a perfect match. The next time you wear it, do me a favor and adorn yourself with the necklace.”

“Do you think so too? I had the same thought,” Romand chimed in, his face beaming with delight.

Perplexed, Julia struggled to fully comprehend the meaning behind their conversation, her expression frozen in confusion.

Sensing her hesitation, Robert grew suspicious and inquired:

“Is something troubling you? You seem lost in thought.”

“Lady Julia, could it be that you haven’t received the necklace I personally delivered to you?”

“The necklace? No, I’m not aware of it. Um, when exactly was this supposed to have happened?”

“It was on Wednesday. I had some prior engagements in the afternoon, so I visited the Earl’s residence early in the morning.

However, since Lady Julia had not yet returned, I entrusted the exquisite golden necklace to the butler along with a bouquet of flowers.”

Julia’s hands instinctively covered her mouth as her eyes widened in disbelief. Not again, she sighed inwardly.

The inhabitants of the Woodcliff family, being affluent and having access to endless possessions, never missed an opportunity to snatch away anything of value from Julia, who possessed so little.

Indeed, whenever my father returned home, the gifts that were given to me would quickly be confiscated once he was gone.

No matter how well I hid them, the entire household would be mobilized to search every nook and cranny of the mansion.

I cannot count how many times I was scolded for causing trouble. Their desperation was abnormal.

Julia believed it was out of jealousy. Jealousy because she was the only one who resembled her father.

And she was the only one who received kind glances from her father.

Hence, Julia never expected that her gifts would be taken away by anyone other than her father.

She came to understand that those people were simply greedy.

“I deeply apologize. On that day, I returned late from the morning market, and unfortunately, I wasn’t at home.

The butler must have been preoccupied and unintentionally overlooked it.

I deeply regret not being able to express my gratitude, and I am truly sorry for my rudeness. Please accept my sincere apology.”

Julia bowed with utmost sincerity as she offered her apology, while Romand and Robert exchanged perplexed glances.

“It has been four days since the necklace was supposed to be delivered. It’s highly unlikely that the butler forgot to give it to you.

If such an incompetent butler exists, they would typically be dismissed.”

Robert’s tone turned cold as he spoke.

Romand, crossing his arms, took a moment to contemplate before speaking up.

“Is it a common occurrence for such things to happen? Your possessions being stolen or taken away…”

Recognizing the futility of any further pretense, Julia simply nodded in agreement.

“I come from a humble background, but even I can’t help but find the Woodcliff family disgraceful. They seem to lack basic common sense and exhibit a complete absence of refinement.

They may put up a façade of social grace, but it’s only superficial.”

“What about the Earl?”

“Within my own family dynamics, my father’s presence is scarce. Furthermore, it appears that he has not resided in our ancestral mansion since relocating to the academy’s dormitory. Instead, my uncle assumed occupancy until his marriage. Currently, it is my aunt and uncle’s family members who hold positions within our household, following the departure of my father and grandfather. It seems evident that my father does not maintain a close relationship with them. ”

In essence, Miss Julia had been in a state of isolation within the Earl’s residence for nearly two years.

What were you doing, Earl? Please, provide her with at least competent maidservants, not just guards!

Romand’s heart screamed in silence, but Robert found himself doing the same.

“Baron, I cannot tolerate having even the gifts from my father taken away, let alone those received from you. I will surely reclaim them,” Julia declared with determination.

Julia, as if having made up her mind, spoke these words. She couldn’t bear the thought of those individuals snatching away the gifts carefully chosen by the Baron for her. The mere idea of another woman wearing the Baron’s necklace around her neck filled her with an inexplicable anger.

However, Romand spoke in the following manner.

“No, let us leave that necklace matter aside.

I will present you with a different accessory as a replacement, so please do not concern yourself any further.”

“I will not let it end like that.”

Upon hearing Julia speak with such determination for the first time, Romand’s eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly adopted a mischievous gaze and replied as follows.

“I certainly have no intention of letting things end like this.”

“But in order to punish them, we will need evidence, you see.”

“That’s why, for now, we need to let them swim in their own schemes.”

“That necklace is quite unique, you see…”

“Well, leaving that aside, I believe the Earl has likely already taken action.”

“My father, you say?”

“Yes.”

“When I informed him of the actual situation you’re facing through a letter, he was truly surprised.”

“And he was infuriated, to say the least.”

Upon hearing Romand’s words, Julia tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

Her father was angry about her situation?

Had her father not been aware of her circumstances all this time, despite having taken her in?

It was true that he was always away in other countries, and he had only returned to the estate three times in the past two years, barely having any substantial conversations during his visits…

“The Earl has a remarkable ability to express his thoughts smoothly through writing, but he struggles when it comes to actual conversations. It seems he has a tendency to provide insufficient explanations or leave out important details.”

“He has sent you numerous letters and received responses, which made him feel reassured.”

“The Earl relied on the correspondence as a means of communication, and it seems he grew quite at ease with the situation, thinking that everything was being properly addressed.”

Upon hearing Romand’s explanation, Julia’s expression softened, and she began to understand her father’s perspective a bit better.

“Letters? I have never received a single letter from my father, and of course, I have never sent a reply. After all, I didn’t know where my father was.”

Julia’s eyes widened in surprise. “Father sent me letters? To me? He hadn’t forgotten about me?”

She had been harboring a deep resentment, wondering why he had taken her in if he was going to neglect her like this.

“Perhaps the butler and other members of the household were opening the letters without my knowledge and sending vague responses on their own accord.”

“That’s awful…”

While Julia had long since given up on her father, during the early days after being taken in, she had eagerly awaited letters from him with bated breath. However, those within the mansion had heartlessly deprived her of that connection.

Unable to discover her father’s true intentions and forced to abandon her feelings towards him, Julia was overwhelmed with sadness.