Maylily - Chapter 76

The sherbet Hugh ordered for Maylily came in a transparent crystal cup with a rim curved like flower petals.

“Wow….”

After tasting it and letting out a small exclamation, Maylily’s eyes widened. As if she’d discovered something fascinating, she peered into the cup, and the light blue of her sparkling eyes harmonized with the light lavender dress she wore.

The dress Hugh gave her as a birthday present was meant for early summer, but in the South’s early summer, it felt a little thick. Even so, Maylily’s clear face stayed fresh without a single bead of sweat.

Did she not notice the men around them stealing glances at her?

Maylily licked her full lips and focused on eating the sherbet. She didn’t eat a lot, but whatever she ate, she ate it with such enjoyment.

Hugh leaned back against the chair and watched her quietly. Fullness rose in him, and at the same time, hunger did too. A faint chuckle slipped out at the pointless thought.

Hugh, who belatedly poured a little milk into the tea served for him, lifted his teacup and slowly swept his gaze around. At that cold, fierce look, the eyes that had been clinging to Maylily turned away one by one.

Before Hugh even finished half his tea, Maylily set her spoon down and stared into the empty cup with a face heavy with regret.

“One more?”

At the casual offer, Maylily chewed her lip with a look of serious conflict, then finally nodded shyly.

“…Yes.”

She refused other things easily enough, yet she couldn’t resist the temptation of sherbet. It was a little funny, and very lovable. Hugh smiled again, almost involuntarily.

“What brought you to Lurollei?”

After placing the additional order, the Count of Everscourt looked at Maylily with eyes that curved softly at the ends. Uncomfortable meeting that steady gaze, Maylily deliberately shifted her eyes to the scores beside her.

“To buy these scores.”

“Scores? Didn’t you say you’d come next week?”

“Yes, but I thought I should start practicing sooner. If I’m going to perform my roles perfectly.”

The Count lowered the teacup he’d tilted to his lips and glanced at the chair beside her.

“You have more than the number of productions you’re appearing in.”

“Oh, that’s…. I wanted to practice other productions too….”

To be honest, the list of roles Maylily was assigned included almost none of what she wanted. But she couldn’t complain about a position she got without even auditioning.

Maylily decided to practice not only the roles she was given but also the roles she wanted, all perfectly. Then, if by some chance someone couldn’t go on stage, she might get the opportunity to step into that spot instead.

She planned to do her best to leave even the smallest possibility open.

“It’s good to work hard, but don’t push yourself. Your stamina’s pretty weak.”

“No, my stamina’s good. Last time I got sick was because you were too….”

What am I saying…. Startled by the words that slipped out, Maylily clapped both hands over her mouth.

“I was too what?”

With a mischievous smile, the Count tilted his head slightly and pressed her for the rest. What saved Maylily, her face red all the way to her neck, was the employee who arrived carrying the sherbet on a tray.

“Here’s the sherbet you ordered.”

Maylily fumbled and grabbed her spoon. “I, I should eat quickly before it melts. Thank you for the food.”

Even before she put the spoon in her mouth, the sweet scent of peach reached her nose. Thanks to the hot weather, the coldness that melted softly on her tongue felt even more fantastic. Maylily forgot her earlier flustered embarrassment and ate the sherbet deliciously.

When she’d emptied about half the cup, she suddenly felt someone’s gaze and lifted her eyes. The Count, wearing a faint smile, had his arms folded and was watching Maylily as if observing her. Feeling it was improper, Maylily lowered her eyes again and, fidgeting with the handle of her spoon, said quietly,

“Because you’re looking at me like that… I can’t eat.”

“Because I want to eat it too.”

At the unexpected answer, her eyes widened a little as she looked back and forth between the Count’s face and the cup.

“Would you like a bite? I didn’t touch the spoon on this side.”

As Maylily asked and carefully held the cup out, the Count, still with his arms folded, gave a small smile.

“Later.”

It was a gentlemanly refusal. Only then did the awareness hit her that she’d acted far too familiarly. Even if she’d grown comfortable around the Count, still.

Offering him what she was eating.

“If I was rude, I’m sorry. I just… the sherbet’s so good….”

Maylily hurriedly pulled the cup back. Her cheeks, heated by the sunlight, burned, and she ducked her head. With that gaze still pressing at her forehead, she gave up on eating the sherbet any further.

In the hot silence, while the sherbet melted, the Count leisurely put on his gloves and stood. Toward Maylily, who looked up in confusion, he held out his hand.

“Let’s go. I have somewhere to take you.”

When they reached the end of the street lined with luxury shops, a seashore embracing white sand spread out before them. On a promenade a short distance away, Maylily, still holding the afternoon’s heat, slowly looked over the sea and tilted her head.

“This sea looks different from the one last time.”

If the sea in Prowden felt intense enough to swallow you, the sea here was calm, like it would hold you.

“That one’s a cliff coast, and this is a sandy beach. Places like this have relatively lower, gentler waves, so they’re more suitable for sea bathing. As you can see.”

Along the shallow shoreline, covered wagons were lined up at regular intervals. The Count explained that they were mobile changing rooms for the bathers. Between them, you could glimpse small figures of people floating in the sea.

Since it was embarrassing to show themselves in swimsuits, it seemed they moved the changing rooms out to the shallow water and entered the sea from there.

On the sand, people sat beneath parasols or tents to avoid the sunlight. Off to one side, away from the center, rows of covered wagons waited for customers.

After taking in that peaceful, interesting scene to her heart’s content, Maylily followed the Count and started walking again. When they left the tearoom, the Count had entrusted her belongings to an attendant, so her hands felt light.

As they kept walking along the promenade lined with tall sea pines, the number of people gradually thinned. By the time they reached the end of the path, a tall, ornate building stood on a quiet beach with not a single person in sight. The name ‘Skaard’ set at the top was clearly visible even from far away.

“Is that the newly opened hotel?”

Nodding as he looked down at Maylily, the Count’s eyes seemed to say, You know that too.

“But why is there not a single person around there?”

“It’s a beach owned by the hotel that only hotel guests can use. Right now it’s empty because it hasn’t opened yet.”

For Maylily, who’d never even considered the idea of owning a beach, it was a shocking statement. Her wide eyes swept around, then stopped on the Count’s face.

“You’re an even more incredible rich man than I thought.”

“So do I look a little different now?”

Maylily studied Hugh’s face closely as if weighing whether that was really true, then lowered her lashes primly.

“Not really.”

It was a cheeky answer far from what he expected, but for some reason, it made him laugh. Following Hugh, who let out a soft snort of laughter, Maylily lifted the corners of her lips a little too.

Soon, the two of them left the promenade and walked along the sandy beach. Each time her feet sank deep into the soft sand, Maylily tightened her grip on Hugh’s arm, and Hugh slowed his pace for her.

In the middle of the wide stretch of sand, a tent enclosed on three sides was set up facing the sea. It was something Hugh had instructed David to arrange while he headed to the tearoom after receiving the report that Maylily was in Lurollei.

On the green rug spread inside, two folding chairs with backs that reclined were set up. On the small table between them were a bottle of lemonade in an ice bucket and cups.

“It’s so… wonderful.”

Pouring out her admiration as she looked around inside, Maylily sat down in the chair, following Hugh. Not far away, emerald-colored waves rolled in slowly, swept over the sand, then retreated again and again.

Hugh, who had been watching the side of her face as she looked amazed as if facing the mystery of nature, took off his gloves and slowly opened his mouth.

“Maylily.”

“Yes, Count.”

The eyes that turned toward him sparkled with vitality for once.

It wasn’t something he wanted to say to that face, but that was exactly why now was the right time. If he wanted Maylily to accept it even a little more easily.

Hugh let out a shallow sigh and continued.