infodatos Chapter 52 How could it be her?!
Chapter 52 How could it be her?!
The afternoon sun bathed Laurel Leaf Street in a soft golden glow.
The streets are lined with neat rows of houses with a classic feel. The exterior walls are mostly made of light-colored stone or painted with elegant stucco. Black cast iron railings and well-maintained small gardens are standard features of these houses.
The air was filled with the scent of trimmed grass and faint floral fragrance, a stark contrast to the smell of the embankment street, which was a mixture of sea breeze, coal smoke, and the atmosphere of daily life.
It was very quiet here; you could hardly hear the hustle and bustle of the city. The only sounds were the crisp clatter of horses' hooves on the smooth road and the soft rolling of wheels.
"We're almost there," Sylvia whispered.
The carriage eventually came to a slow stop in front of a four-story terraced house with a dark green gate and gleaming brass door knockers.
The driver nimbly jumped off his seat, opened the doors for the passengers, and lowered the foot pedals.
The Hayes family got out of the car one by one and stood on the clean sidewalk.
Green paid the fare and gave the driver an extra tip, telling him to wait nearby later.
Because they were unsure how long afternoon tea would last, but obviously couldn't expect the Winstons to send them back in a carriage.
Aunt Sylvia took a deep breath, straightened her dress, stepped onto the slightly worn white marble steps, and reached out to pull the brass door knocker.
"Ding-dong!"
A crisp bell rang from behind the door.
While waiting, Aunt Sylvia gently shook hands with Emily and Sula, while Green calmly gazed at the dark green door.
The door opened.
A middle-aged man dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing a white bow tie, and with his hair neatly combed appeared at the door.
He stood ramrod straight, his face serious, and quickly glanced at the four people outside the door.
His gaze lingered briefly on Uncle Victor's slightly worn dark brown suit and the rented carriage, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Good afternoon, sirs and ladies. Are you Mr. Hayes and his family?" the butler asked with a smile.
"Yes, good afternoon," Aunt Sylvia replied quickly. "We are here at the invitation of Mrs. Hannah Winston."
"Madam is waiting for you in the sunroom." The butler stepped aside slightly to make way for the doorway. "Please come in."
He made a standard "please" gesture.
The Hayes family entered the foyer one by one.
Underfoot is a black and white checkerboard marble floor, smooth as a mirror.
The foyer is very tall, with light beige walls and several landscape oil paintings in dark frames.
The air was filled with a faint scent, a blend of furniture wax, flowers, and old wood.
"Please follow me." The butler closed the door and led the group ahead.
"Wow..." Sula couldn't help but let out a small exclamation, her eyes wide open as she curiously looked at everything.
Emily paused slightly in her steps.
Her gaze swept over the decorative details—luxury. Was this the "true respectability" her mother spoke of, the other world behind the arguments her father made in the newspapers?
Aunt Sylvia keenly noticed the two's reactions.
She immediately coughed lightly, gave Sula a stern look, and then glanced at Emily with a more subtle but equally warning look.
She straightened her back even more, raised her chin slightly, and tried to maintain a proper posture that suggested she was not a frequent visitor but was not completely intimidated.
She couldn't let the Winstons think the Hayes were uncultured bumpkins, even if they were genuinely impressed.
The butler seemed oblivious to the reactions of the guests behind him, or perhaps he was simply used to the various reactions of first-time visitors.
He maintained his pace until he finally stopped in front of a half-open door with diamond-shaped glass inlaid in the upper half.
From inside the door came the faint, pleasant sound of porcelain clinking, followed by clearer, soft laughter and the rustling of clothes.
We've arrived at the sunroom.
The butler knocked gently on the door and then pushed it open smoothly.
Brighter, warmer air, even carrying the unique freshness of plants, poured out.
"Madam, Mrs. Hayes and her family have arrived," the butler announced respectfully, raising his voice slightly.
The laughter and conversation inside the door paused slightly.
"Ah, please let them in." A gentle, pleasant, and warm female voice rang out.
The butler stepped aside and gestured for the four of them to come in.
The sunroom is brighter than the foyer, with almost an entire wall made of huge glass windows facing the meticulously maintained little garden.
The afternoon sun poured in, bathing the room in warmth.
In addition to the smell of furniture wax and wood, the air is filled with the rich aroma of tea, the sweet scent of baked goods, and the faint fragrance of plants from the garden.
The room was furnished comfortably and elegantly.
The light-colored rattan furniture was covered with cushions and pillows embroidered with delicate patterns. On a low, round coffee table, there was a complete set of silver tea set and several layers of porcelain plates piled with various exquisite pastries.
There were three ladies in the room.
Two of them were sitting on a rattan sofa, conversing elegantly.
Lady Hannah wore a well-tailored deep purple dress, her hair was styled in a smooth bun at the back of her head, and she had a dignified expression. She held a teacup with a gold rim in her hand and was listening attentively with her head slightly tilted to the side.
Another person stood with their back to the door in front of the huge glass window.
She leaned slightly forward, seemingly intently admiring the few blooming tulips of unusual color in the garden outside the window.
The sunlight outlined her slender figure from behind. She wore a light yellow dress, her golden hair loosely tied up at the nape of her neck, with a few stray strands falling down, making her look gentle and serene.
Mrs. Hannah put down her teacup, a warm smile spreading across her face, and stood up to greet her: "Sylvia, my dear, you've finally arrived! Was your journey smooth?"
"Very well, Hannah, thank you for the invitation." Sylvia quickly stepped forward and gave Mrs. Hannah a cheek kiss, her voice filled with affection and gratitude.
Mrs. Hannah's gaze fell on Green, her smile deepening. "Green, isn't he? He's quite the handsome young man. Emily, you've grown even more beautiful. Oh, and this is Sura? The lovely little angel."
She greeted them warmly, then turned to the pale yellow figure behind her: "Isabella, dear, the guests have arrived."
The figure by the window paused slightly, then slowly turned around.
Sunlight streamed in from behind her, highlighting her elegant silhouette. When she turned completely around, her face came into clear view of Green—
Time seemed to stand still.
Green's polite smile froze instantly, and his pupils contracted slightly involuntarily.
He saw those deep eyes that he could never mistake, now wide open in utter astonishment, clearly reflecting the shock of "How could it be you?!"
Holy crap... Lillian?!
Although her hair color, attire, and demeanor had all transformed into the demure and elegant lady 'Isabella,' Green was 200% certain that this was the mysterious and cunning Lillian de la Nott who could turn into a black cat, force him into a deal, and even witness his family drama!
Isabella, or rather Lillian, controlled her shock perfectly, replacing it almost instantly with a flawless, shy smile.
But Green caught that fleeting look of astonishment; he himself must have been looking like he'd seen a ghost.
"W-how come you two know each other?" Mrs. Hannah asked, noticing something was off between the two.
"No, no!" they both said in unison.
Green immediately realized he had overreacted and forced a slightly awkward smile:
"I apologize, Mrs. Winston. It's just... Miss Isabella is a little different from what I imagined, and I was momentarily flustered."
He subtly hinted at "stunning," which is the most fitting explanation for the current context.
Lillian reacted faster.
The shyness on her face deepened, and she lowered her head slightly, her voice soft and tinged with a hint of panic: "Aunt... please don't tease us. It's inevitable to be a little nervous when we meet for the first time."