The whole resident in Harvard castle already well prepared to welcome the arrival of Earl Stamfort since his convoy entering castle town. Since it's still a couple of hours before lunch, I already give suggestion to my father to let them have rest for a while and refreshing their body before invited for lunch before. Then at night we will gala dinner and the banquet for formal reception will be held in the lunchtime tomorrow. Since their arrival already confirmed, we anxiously watching the castle gate, waiting for the convoy entering our castle.
We don't have to wait for long, from the front gate, Earl Stamfort's convoy start to enter our castle peripherals. Start with escort guards riding their horses in front of the convoy, followed by Earl Stamfort's guard horsemen trotting in front of a grand and magnificent carriage. It's a luxurious horse carriage with Stamfort family's insignia on the body of the carriage, a sign of high-rank nobility in the Erathia Kingdom. Our castle servants that already prepared handle the guard's horse and take them to the stable after the guards get down from their horses. They take protection stance in the left and right of the carriage doors.
The carriage door opened and a middle-aged man around forty-fifty years old come out from the carriage. His face shows a kind looks with a smile on his lips. Nobility aura can be seen from his body, although he not wearing an extraordinary dress. My father, me and all Harvard castle resident who welcoming Earl Stamfort bow to him as respect.
"Welcome to my humble castle, Your Excellency Earl Stamfort"
My father greet Earl Stamfort as he should be as one of his subordinates
"Thank you and please at ease. This is not my official visit, so you don't have to do too many courtesies"
After Earl Stamfort replies our greetings, we raise our back and return to our body position. Earl Stamfort walk approaching my father while stretching his hand
"It's been a while, John. You look healthy"
"Thank you, Sir. My family here is welcome your visit to our castle, this is my wife Amelia, my son Henry, and my daughters beside her"
My stepmother comes forward with my sisters and bows again and greets Earl Stamfort politely
"Just call me, Edward, I'm not on an official visit. I'm just a father who accompanies my daughter who wants to see her fiancé condition. Is that your son Henry? He looks just fine and healthy"
Earl Stamfort is pointing at my direction which steps back to give my stepmother space to give salute for Earl Stamfort
"Yes, sir, I'm Henry. A week ago I'm still recovering from the injury because fall the horseback, but now I'm already recovering"
"Ha! Glad to hear that, your fiancé is very worried when she heard that news, Henry. Also, you can call me, uncle Edward"
"Yes, I'm sorry to make your daughter worry, uncle Edward, I will be more careful in the future"
"Good. John, I also bring my son with me on this trip, I hope I can cheer him by making this trip with his sister along"
When Earl Stamfort finish say that, from the carriage step down a young man. When he stands up after step down from the carriage, I heard many grasped sound from females in Harvard Castle who participate in welcoming Earl Stamfort. I look at that young man….Gosh, maybe in Japan he already called Ikemen (handsome boy) his blonde hair and big blue eyes, high nose, athletic body shape, smooth and fair skins, noble aura, equipped with uniform that looks like army uniform from high rank officers…no wonder many females here stunned with his appearance. But he somehow looks cold, there's no smile on his face, and not pay much attention to the surrounding.
"Ah, here's my son Anthony. He currently on vacation from his duty in the royal army so I bring him too"
I whisper at Clara who stands behind me
"Clara, that Earl Stamfort's son, is he really famous?"
"I heard from the rumors carried by the traveling merchant, he is the hottest bachelor in the capital, Henry, many nobles who have unmarried daughter want to make him as their son in law. In his twenty he already became a commander in the royal army but his luck is not good, last year, his fiancé Lady Elena get killed on the assassination attempt on Sir Anthony. He escapes from that assassination attempt but his fiancé not. That's really a pity because a couple of months later before the incident, they should have married. Now he's already 22 years old and still unmarried"
"I see. That's really unfortunate. By the way, between me and him, who's more handsome?"
"Mmm…Sir Anthony is handsome, but looks cold and aloof, like releasing sign, 'don't close near me'. Henry, you also handsome but looks energetic and warm, who will attract people to gather around you"
"Hmm…Thanks, Clara, that's really encouraging"
After greeting my father and Harvard castle's people, Sir Anthony stand beside his father, Earl Stamfort, like taking guarding position. He's a commander in the royal army for sure, he must have some skill too. The saber that nicely hangs in his waist, of course, not just put there for decoration.
But what makes me had interest in him is the information that he still a single guy. I wonder if I could match up to my sister Eliza with him. If my sister can marry someone like him, that would be good. I can see him as a man with loyalty and a great sense of love. I bet he still mourning after the death of his fiancé, so his father brings him in this trip to make him consoled. I secretly take a glance at my sister, but it seems she's not like other females in our castle when seeing Anthony, her expression still indifferent like not interested with that handsome man in front of her. Ugh, it seems matching her with Anthony will be a hard task for me.