Chapter 62: Is This a Date?
Early the next morning, Arthur got up and spent a good amount of time grooming himself. Then, he set out on foot to pick up Mary.
In high spirits, Arthur greeted every passerby he encountered, even stopping to pet a stray dog, calling it a "good boy" as he gave it a friendly scratch behind the ears.
This cheerful mood lasted until Arthur arrived at Chadwick Farm. There, his good mood was slightly dampened.
When he knocked on the door of Mary's rented house, he was greeted by Mrs. Chadwick—the same woman who had once pointed a gun at him. Fortunately, this time, she wasn't armed. It seemed Mary had already explained the situation to her.
"Mrs. Linton!" Mrs. Chadwick called out coldly after giving Arthur a polite but distant nod. She then turned back into the house, leaving the door slightly ajar. While waiting, Mrs. Chadwick not only blocked the doorway but also gave Arthur a suspicious look. She deliberately raised her voice, calling for "Mrs. Linton" several times.
Arthur chose to ignore all of this. He refused to let this woman ruin his good mood.
Finally, Mary appeared, carrying a small travel bag. Arthur greeted her with a smile that he thought was charming but came off as slightly awkward. He quickly took the bag from her and, in a somewhat flustered tone, complimented her.
"That dress… it looks very nice on you, Mary."
Though Arthur meant it as a genuine compliment, anyone else might have found it clumsy. But not Mary.
"Oh, Arthur, you don't have to force yourself to say things like that," Mary said, covering her mouth as she laughed. She knew Arthur was being sincere.
Arthur hurried to explain, "No, I'm not forcing myself. I really mean it… the dress suits you."
Mary twirled lightly, the fabric of her dress swaying gracefully. She looked at Arthur, who was momentarily stunned, and smiled.
"Well, now I'm sure you're genuinely complimenting me… and my dress. Shall we go?"
The two walked side by side, though Arthur's longer strides quickly put him ahead. Mary naturally looped her arm through his, and they continued down the road toward Valentine together.
Arthur had thought things through before coming. He considered that Mary might not be comfortable riding a horse, so he had decided to walk. Initially he had hired a carriage, but for some reason, it hadn't arrived on time. Arthur assumed it was simply delayed.
Originally, Arthur had planned to tell Mary about the carriage and suggest they wait at the farm gate. But the moment Mary took his arm, he changed his mind. Maybe walking wasn't such a bad idea after all.
While Arthur and Mary walked, he couldn't help remembering what he wrote in his journal last night after returning home. "I feel like the luckiest man in the world, but also like a complete fool. That woman has me utterly bewitched. I know there's no other woman who could twist me around her finger the way she does. I once thought I'd never let her make me look like a fool again, but somehow, I think I still will."
"So, how have you been, Arthur?" Mary asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Alright, I suppose. Same as always," Arthur replied after a moment's thought. He wasn't sure what Mary wanted to hear.
Mary wasn't satisfied with his vague answer. She pressed further, "What I mean is, in all these years, haven't you met anyone… better than me?"
The directness of the question caught Arthur off guard. A few names flashed through his mind, but before he could respond, Mary chuckled softly.
"Never mind. I think I already know the answer."
Arthur panicked. He hadn't even answered yet—what answer could she possibly have? He quickly explained, "It's not what you think. I've met a few good women, but… I could never forget what I felt for you."
Mary leaned in closer, her face inches from Arthur's. She looked into his eyes and said, "Oh? That's exactly what I thought. Arthur, you should see your face right now."
Arthur could see his own flustered expression reflected in Mary's eyes. Fortunately, a shout from nearby saved him from his embarrassment.
"Mr. Morgan! I'm so sorry I'm late. I had a bit of a stomach issue this morning. I'm glad I caught up with you here—I wouldn't know how to apologize otherwise," the carriage driver said, sounding genuinely remorseful. He quickly pulled the carriage to the side, hopped down, and took the luggage from Arthur, loading it onto the carriage.
Arthur's expression turned slightly odd, but he helped Mary into the carriage, extending his hand like a gentleman.
"After you, my lady."
"Aren't you coming up?" Mary asked, holding Arthur's hand as she stepped into the carriage.
Arthur smiled. "I'll be driving the carriage for the lovely lady."
He walked to the front of the carriage, took the reins from the confused driver, and handed him a generous amount of money. After giving the man a pat on the back, Arthur left him standing by the roadside and drove the carriage toward Valentine.
Mary leaned out of the carriage window and asked, "Arthur, why did you leave the driver back there?"
Arthur chuckled. "That man wasn't the real driver. Don't worry—I gave him what he deserved."
At first, Arthur hadn't noticed anything unusual. But the driver had called him "Mr. Morgan," which was wrong. Arthur distinctly remembered giving the name "Arthur Callahan" when he hired the carriage. Moreover, the man didn't match the description of the driver he had hired.
Though Arthur didn't know who was behind this, he had patted the man's waist and confirmed he wasn't armed. So, Arthur simply left him by the roadside.
For now, the most important thing was to get Mary safely to the hotel. Any other questions would have to wait.
***
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