Memoirs 153 - Perplexing observations (Patreon)

Livvi watched as Edita Delmon approached her and Scarlett. The older woman stopped in front of them, scrutinizing them both for a moment before focusing on Scarlett.

“Lady Harford.” She spoke in a sharp tone. “A word.”

Scarlett simply appeared to study the new arrival. “A word, you say?”

“Lady Delmon—” Livvi began, but the woman cut her off before she could finish.

“Miss Knottley, if you could excuse us, I need to speak with the Baroness.”

Livvi hesitated, glancing at her friend. Thoughts about Scarlett’s earlier response to her question were still swirling in her mind, but Edita Delmon emitted an unapproachable aura that didn’t allow for objection. If she didn’t go, it could escalate whatever this was even further. But she also wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to leave the two of them alone right now, either.

“There is no need to worry, Livvi,” Scarlett said. “You can go.”

Livvi looked back and forth between Scarlett and Lady Delmon for a brief while, finally nodding her head and walking away. As she followed one of the paths leading away from the part of the garden they were in, moving past other groups of nobles in the process, she took note of the ones who seemed to be paying attention to what was happening behind her.

After covering some distance, she glanced back as well, seeing that Lady Delmon’s expression had turned sourer due to whatever conversation they were having. Scarlett, meanwhile, maintained the same impassive expression as usual. Livvi wasn’t sure what had transpired between the two of them, but seeing this, she didn’t feel comfortable leaving them like that.

She halted, surveying the garden and the nobles gathered here and there along the bank of the lake. Eventually, her gaze fell upon her father’s stocky figure. The bald-headed man had relocated from where she had left him before, but he was still engaged in conversation with people she was familiar with, while her brother seemed to have gone somewhere else. That was good. She knew they wouldn’t mind if she borrowed her father for a moment.

Livvi approached them, and her father briefly turned away from the group to acknowledge her. “Are you done with the Hartford girl already?” he asked.

“We did not get much chance to talk,” she replied, glancing at her father’s companions. “Would it be alright if I stole my father’s attention for a short while?”

None of them objected as she brought him away, though the man himself held a deep frown. “What is this about, Livvi?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I simply felt it would be best to intervene before things escalate.”

She had heard of Scarlett’s behavior during the Elysian Proclamation and witnessed it when confronting Count Soames the previous day. It was clear that her friend wasn’t afraid to offend even those with much more influence than her, and while Livvi believed Scarlett knew what she was doing, it was all too easy to make mistakes within the realm of high society.

Her father’s frown only deepened when he saw where she was bringing him, transforming into a scowl when he noticed Lady Delmon standing opposite Scarlett.

“I suggest you reconsider your words just now, Scarlett.” The woman’s annoyed voice reached them as they approached.

“What is there to reconsider?” Scarlett asked. “I believe I have already made my stance clear on the subject. It is up to you how you choose to respond to that.”

“My husband and I have overlooked many things; however, your inflated ego is proving too much. Do not think that you can do whatever you want simply because you have gained a few new allies.”

“I can assure you that I would have thought the same, even without considering any recent acquaintances I might have made.”

Livvi froze, a sense of foreboding running down her spine as she listened to her friend’s words. What was Scarlett thinking? She was quickly losing confidence in her belief that Scarlett knew what she was doing.

Lady Delmon fixed Scarlett with a piercing gaze. “You have truly gone too far this time.”

Livvi’s father cleared his throat loudly as the two of them arrived. “Edita, I see you have taken up the habit of berating the younger generations in your older years. Be careful not to pop a vein.”

The woman turned towards them, irritation evident in her eyes as they briefly rested on Livvi before shifting to the Count. “This does not concern you, Lord Knottley.”

“And thank Ittar for that. I’d be the one liable to pop a vein if it did.” The man glanced at Scarlett. “But my daughter had something she wanted to say to me, so I don’t think I will leave until she has.”

Lady Delmon’s attention returned to Livvi, who met her gaze and remained silent for now. Eventually, the woman let out an annoyed huff and looked back at Scarlett. “Consider exactly what it is you are doing, Baroness. I believe you are well acquainted with my son’s character, so don’t hope for more than you can get.” With that, she turned around and started walking away, not sending one look back at them.

Livvi heard her father grumble about being forced into something so pointless, so in her heart she promised to thank him with some spiced plum cake later. Mother’s old recipe always turned his mood around.

She looked at Scarlett. “I’m sorry if I ended up getting in the way, but it didn’t seem like that conversation was going anywhere good.”

Her friend shook her head. “In truth, I appreciate your aid. It was far from a fruitful conversation.”

Livvi studied her for a moment. “What were the two of you talking about?”

“Not much of note. In simple words, she attempted to convince me to end my betrothal with Sir Leon.”

Her eyes widened. “She wants you to call off the betrothal?”

Scarlett tilted her head slightly. “Is that truly such a surprise?”

“It’s about time,” Livvi’s father said in a gruff tone.

“Father!” She stared at him, but he just shrugged as he scratched at his beard.

“The Delmons wouldn’t want to maintain their ties to her after what she’s done,” he said.

“He is not wrong,” Scarlett said.

Livvi gave her a worried look.

“There is no need to feel sorry for me,” Scarlett added. “I will admit that I am not particularly interested in the betrothal or what it has to bring either. And neither is Sir Leon, judging from my talks with him.”

“You’re…not?”

Livvi had never spoken much with Leon Delmon, and by the time she first heard about their betrothal, her relationship with Scarlett had already become somewhat distant. She didn’t actually know if they were close or not. From what she had heard of Sir Leon’s personality, however, it didn’t surprise her to hear he wasn’t interested in the engagement. But she had expected Scarlett, at least, to fight tooth and nail to keep it.

Even Livvi’s father raised an eyebrow at Scarlett’s admission.

Scarlett waved her hands dismissively. “My circumstances have changed. I no longer have much to gain from involving myself with the Delmons, so there is no meaning in continuing to do so.”

Livvi cringed at how matter-of-factly Scarlett talked about her own marriage. She knew her friend viewed things pragmatically, always assessing what she gained from relationships, but it saddened her to see Scarlett discussing something that could determine the happiness of the rest of her life so casually.

“You said that Edita wanted to convince you to end the betrothal?” Livvi’s father suddenly asked. His eyes narrowed. “I had been wondering why it wasn’t over yet, but seems like there was more to it.”

Scarlett met his gaze for a moment. “There is no point in denying it. Yes, there was more to our arrangement than that, though the specifics are not something I will share. I am sure that you can understand.”

The man grunted and looked back at Livvi. “Was there something else you wanted to talk about?”

She shook her head. “No. Thank you, father.”

His expression softened a little just before he turned away. “Then I’m going.” With that, he left the two of them alone.

Livvi glanced back at Scarlett. The woman seemed to expect her to say something, but she was still unsure about what topic to bring up. Her thoughts kept returning to her doubts from before.

Not too far away from them, she spotted a few familiar faces standing at the center of a small flower garden. She pointed them out to Scarlett. “Isn’t that Lady Withersworth and her family? Should we go over and greet them?”

Scarlett seemed to examine her for a moment, then nodded. “Very well.”

They started walking over to Lady Withersworth, who was standing together with her husband and daughter. Livvi noticed that the woman’s son and grandson, whom she had met the night before, were missing. Hopefully they were okay.

When Lady Withersworth noticed them, a smile appeared on her face. She warmly greeted them on their approach, and Livvi took a bit of relief in this opportunity to not have to steer the conversation with Scarlett for a while.

Lady Withersworth expressed her happiness at seeing that both Scarlett and Livvi seemed well even after the previous night’s happenings, though she did point out that Livvi seemed tired and emphasized the importance of getting enough rest. She also took the opportunity to thank Scarlett once again for the help she and Evelyne had apparently provided in keeping them safe from the Tribe of Sin during the attack.

Time passed as Livvi and Scarlett engaged in casual conversation with Lady and Lord Withersworth. Eventually, the pair’s daughter excused herself to meet with some colleagues, and the couple left not long after because of some commitment they had made with associates. Before leaving, Lady Withersworth made sure Scarlett promised to keep in contact and reach out if she ever needed help. Livvi couldn’t fully understand why the woman was so intent on supporting Scarlett, but she was glad that her friend had such a reliable connection.

After their departure, Livvi had expected she would have to come up with something to talk about now that she was left alone with Scarlett again. But to her surprise, even more people started approaching her friend from out of nowhere. Most of them wanted to express their gratitude for the events of the previous night.

Livvi began to wonder just how many people her friend had helped during the attack. At least a dozen or so individuals must have gone up to them over the course of the following half-hour, some appearing uncomfortable but still offering their thanks. Scarlett responded coolly and seemed mostly indifferent, but at least she wasn’t telling them all to go away.

Eventually, Livvi and Scarlett found themselves in a slightly more secluded area of the venue, a garden overlooking the lake near the edges of the larger garden area. The number of people approaching them had dwindled, and Livvi felt like she had finally managed to regain control of her thoughts and could keep some proper conversation with her friend.

They ended up talking about some of Scarlett’s recent explorations of various ruins, a topic that surprised Livvi as she realized the depth of Scarlett’s experience in such endeavors. After a while, however, she noticed her friend’s gaze shifting in another direction. Following Scarlett’s line of sight, she saw a woman that was surrounded by a group of people. She felt like she recognized the person, but she couldn’t quite place from where at this distance.

“Is that someone you know?” she asked Scarlett, her curiosity piqued.

“…I suppose one could say that, yes,” Scarlett replied.

Just then, the person in question looked in their direction. She was dressed in classic formal knight attire and had dark hair that was pulled into a braid, turning to the people around her and seemed to say something before she started walking towards Livvi and Scarlett.

Livvi was a bit taken aback when she finally recognized who it was. Dame Iyana Webb.

Was Scarlett even familiar with a member of the Royal Guard?

“Dame Iyana,” Scarlett greeted as the woman approached them, drawing the attention of those who had been surrounding the knight earlier.

“Lady Hartford,” the woman replied in an impassive tone before looking to Livvi.

“This is Livvi Knottley,” Scarlett said. “She is an old friend of mine.”

Dame Iyana arched a brow. “Count Knottley’s daughter?”

Livvi nodded. “Yes.”

Scarlett’s gaze shifted to the group the knight had left behind. “Could it be that you used us as an excuse to extricate yourself from more of those ‘incessant solicitors’?” she asked.

The woman looked back only briefly. “Yes, and it worked surprisingly well.”

“I imagine most of them recognized who I am,” Scarlett remarked. “You might come to regret using that strategy later.”

Dame Iyana locked eyes with Scarlett. “I do not mind.”

Livvi observed the exchange for a moment. “Are the two of you well acquainted?” she asked. They had only exchanged a few words, but it already felt like there was an understanding between them that she couldn’t quite follow. She wasn’t quite sure what to feel about it.

“We only spoke for the first time last night,” Scarlett answered, surprising Livvi.

The woman looked at Dame Iyana. “Now that you have distanced yourself from those people, there is no need to linger with us any longer than necessary, if you do not wish to.”

The knight surveyed their surroundings. “Here is as good as any other place for now.”

Scarlett glanced over at Livvi. “…If you say so. Unless Miss Livvi has any objection, I will not chase you away.”

Livvi paused, contemplating for a moment, and then smiled. “You are welcome to stay with us.”

She didn’t feel she had much reason—or the right—to refuse. Besides, even though it was a bit perplexing, she was also somewhat curious about the dynamic between Scarlett and Dame Iyana. Especially if they had only recently gotten to know each other, as they claimed.

The knight nodded slowly, her expression remaining unexpressive. Quite fitting to her moniker, Livvi felt.

Scarlett scrutinized the woman. “Seeing that you are here, I presume things went well for you after our parting yesterday?”

“It depends on how you define the word.”

“You appear to have all your limbs still intact, at the very least.”

“I did not face any opponents that were anywhere near skilled enough for that,” Dame Iyana said.

“I suppose the Tribe of Sin saved their more formidable members for the battle that took place in the ballroom, then.”

“That is what I heard afterward.” The knight crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Their aim was to keep me occupied.”

Scarlett once again seemed to look in the direction of the people who had been surrounding the woman before. The group itself had dispersed by now. “You ensured the safety of a large number of guests, so I would not consider it a complete waste of time.”

“My father has spoken highly of your skill on several occasions,” Livvi chimed in. “I am sure your presence proved a great aid to us all.”

Dame Iyana looked at her for a few seconds. “…It’s good to hear that Count Knottley has a good impression of me. He is well known among the knights in Dawnlight Palace.”

“He is?” Livvi was unaware of that. “My father often told me he can’t compare to Captain Crowder of the Solar Knights. Or any of the Royal Guard, for that matter.”

The knight cocked her head to the side briefly, as if considering it. “He is mostly known for being the only one besides His Majesty who can silence the Captain. I have witnessed their sparring matches as well, and the Count is a skilled knight in his own right.”

Livvi gave the woman a puzzled look. She had only met the captain of the Royal Guard on a few occasions, when he had visited her father in Freybrook, but she had never noticed anything particular about him that needed ‘silencing’.

“From what you have said about the First Sword, it seems you face quite the difficulties in your role as a Royal Guard,” Scarlett said.

Dame Iyana nodded seriously. “I intend to have him removed from his position eventually.”

Livvi blinked, her eyes widening. What was she hearing?

“Was that another ‘joke’?” Scarlett asked.

“No.”

“I see.” Scarlett seemed unfazed by that answer.

Livvi stared at the two of them. Was it okay to openly discuss such matters? She wasn’t even aware of any tensions within the Royal Guard. Wasn’t this cause for concern?

“That old man has always talked about starting a woodworking shop,” Dame Iyana continued. “I am thinking that would suit him well.”

Livvi frowned. The Royal Guard captain was slightly younger than her father, if she remembered correctly. There had been previous captains who had held the position even into their sixties, so she didn’t see why the man couldn’t hold it for a decade or two longer.

“You appear to have a close relationship with him,” Scarlett said.

Livvi turned her attention to her friend, puzzled by her interpretation of the situation—

“He raised me after my family died,” the knight explained.

Livvi paused. It seemed like she had been the one to misunderstand the situation. She studied Dame Iyana and Scarlett for a moment. The trio continued their conversation for a while, with Scarlett delving into more topics related to her recent adventures that surprised Livvi while Dame Iyana shared some of her experiences as a Royal Guard.

Livvi almost found herself forgetting those thoughts that had taken up her mind earlier, but now and then she would sneak a glance at Scarlett, wondering.

She didn’t know where things would go from here in the future. She didn’t want to pry too much, but she also hoped that there wouldn’t have to be a repeat of the past, where she barely spoke with her friend for years. For now, though, she would let her curiosity and concern be. And then she would have to see where things went from there.