In Pursuit of the Perfect Duchess
1098 Words
He was not successful.
And Ronan swore that Reginald would never go near it. “Tell me, Oliver, is that fuzzy quail still upset about the emerald mine?"
Oliver also smiled. “It is said that when he realized he had to pay a higher price, he locked himself in his room and did not come out for a week. He can't stand the truth: you are simply the richest aristocrat in England, and he is the second.
“Now I have my eye on Gloucester's countless natural produce plantations,” says Ronan, still smiling. “They say money doesn't grow on trees, but that saying doesn't apply to these forests. If I knew Reginald, he would explore similar orchards."
"Likely." Oliver said, "Moreover, he still hates the fact that Marygold is more interested in you than him; he's become a seething and coldly jealous person."
Ronan was sitting in a recessed chair by the window. Looking up at the molded ceiling, he remembered the image of Marygold. “I toyed with the idea of marrying her,” he allowed himself to admit. “But she… There's something around her. There was something... By trying to carefully put it away, she was manipulating nature."
“The usurpation of nature? She is a woman, and you are a man with wealth and looks; should she not show her claws to gain your favor when every woman wants you? Are you cruel? She's fascinated by your title and legacy. I also want your title and fortune. Why don't you put me aside?"
Ronan took a moment to answer. Not because he didn't know what to say, but because it was difficult for him to put his feelings into words. "Oliver, you may be jealous of my title and fortune, but I believe that if I lost both tomorrow, you would think the same of me."
Oliver made a gesture. “That's true, but so to speak, because I know somehow you'll win another title and another fortune.”
Unable to help himself, Ronan burst out laughing.
“What do I hear?” Oliver asked and put his hand in his ear. “Am I really hearing Ironheart's unusually cheerful sounds? shame I can't bottle it up; I could make a fortune by making it available to a large number of people who do not accept its existence."
"It's really funny. You know, I heard the ruler is in dire need of a clown. Maybe you should apply for this position." Ronan said.
“And ignore my commitment to help you find a duchess?” Please consider reviewing Marygold."
Ronan rolled his eyes. “I'll think about it for a while, but..."
“And think of Eliza Thornton, too. She is calm and resigned. I've never seen her do anything strange. It's also a simple thing. Even though her father is rich enough and is willing to give her anything, her outfit was very simple, and she hardly wore any gems. In short, this shows that she has little interest in material possessions. Isn't that what you want, Ronan?"
“She cares about superstitious trash. Last year, at Lord Montford's birthday, I saw her looking out the window with such a strong expression on her face that I was sure she was seeing something unpleasant. She told me she just wished on the stars."
Oliver approached Ronan's chair. "Come on, Ronan, there's nothing you can't miss; it's almost like wishing on the stars. When we were kids, I showed you how to do it, and we did it a little bit. We collected four-leaf clovers, stuffed coins into our shoes, and searched the end of the rainbow to discover the vase.
Ronan Sighed “It's a story about childhood, and none of the wishes I ever wished for came true. And if memory serves, I recently stopped accepting such nonsense."
Oliver rubbed his beard on his chin. “Actually, I haven't really gotten over my belief in wishing on the stars. Like last night, I waited for the first star to appear in the sky and wished for a mountain of gold."
Ronan looked at his cousin. "I didn't do this."
Oliver raised the glass of wine to his mouth, looked at the last drop of strong drink falling to his lips, and licked it away. "I did it."
“And do you accept that such dreams come true just because you made a wish on a burning ball of gas?"
The sadness for Ronan at that moment overwhelmed Oliver to the point that he had to restrain himself from hugging his cousin. “What I accept is when we stop accepting out of desire."
"Go on. I know your speech by heart, Oliver."
“You may know my speeches by heart, but you obviously don't know your heart."
Ronan wanted to continue, but he couldn't hold back a yawn. He was so tired; between business and finding a wife, there was no time in between for him to rest.
“Are you bored, cousin? Yes, I can certainly understand why. I've been to Evermore often enough to memorize your repetitive schedule. You wake up at seven and take a shower at seven fifteen. You get dressed at exactly 8 a.m. and have breakfast at 8:30 a.m. At exactly nine o'clock, I was at the office and-"
"Oliver -"
“On Monday night, your chef knows that the most important dish is a leg of lamb with clams. On Tuesday, your dinner will, of course, include filet mignon, served after you've prepared the partridge soup. Wednesday is lobster night, Thursday...
“In God's name, Oliver, is it inappropriate to eat certain foods on certain nights? I really enjoyed dinner, and I don't understand why."
“And you want a companion in your weekly meal plan, Ronan. You interviewed the women I mentioned because they all wanted, had, or had something that you considered unusual. In a word, your duchess must be boring."
Ronan got angry. “I don't think this is boring.”
“You need a woman as indifferent to the taste of life as you,” Oliver continued without thinking. “Who somehow doesn't care about your dry schedule but keeps up with the ho-hum rhythm of the Ironheart family? And she will value your title or wealth less. On the contrary, it will spend every waking minute with you and your child without the need for any other interface. Cover-"
“Damn it, Oliver."
“I know why you want such a woman, Ronan.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
- Writer
