Chapter 64
To lift Lilien’s gloomy mood, Christian had even stooped to eavesdropping behind a bookshelf.
“So, what were they saying?”
“They were saying Ashburn’s writing was always all over the place, but people forgave it because it was at least entertaining. But apparently, this time Ashburn went too far.”
“All over the place?”
“Well, I don’t really know myself, but supposedly, since Ashburn is a man, his writing is terrible at depicting women’s psychology—”
“Wait! What did you say? Ashburn’s a man?”
“Yeah.”
“That can’t be! I was sure from the style it was a woman writing…”
Shocked, Lilien clapped her hands to her face.
“Lilien, you can’t always judge a writer’s gender by their prose. It’s not an absolute thing. What matters is the content. Ashburn always writes from a male perspective. And as someone who’s studied psychiatry in depth, I can tell you—”
Seeing Lilien suddenly lively for the first time in ages, Christian deliberately stretched out his explanation just to watch her reaction.
“Tell me more!”
“How about we talk it over with a madeleine at that café?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
Her cheeks flushed, Lilien looked so eager she was practically snorting with excitement as she led Christian out of the bookstore. Her steps felt lighter as she headed for the café Christian had picked out earlier.
But before they reached it, Christian spotted Cairn standing in front of a red brick building across the street, deep in conversation with a tall, strikingly beautiful woman.
Apparently Lilien saw them too—she froze in place, her hand holding the parasol trembling ever so slightly.
“Lili, your hat’s crooked.”
Christian gently turned her so her back was to Cairn and untied the ribbon beneath her chin, tying it carefully.
“Thank you.”
Just then, Christian locked eyes with Cairn over Lilien’s head.
“Christian?”
Lilien, picking up on something odd in Christian’s face, called out softly.
“Almost done. The bow was a little messy, so let me redo it.”
“Okay.”
Lilien obediently lowered her eyes, waiting patiently for Christian to finish. Her pale lashes trembled, and after a moment’s silence, she spoke.
“Christian, I think I finally understand why Cairn hasn’t come to see me.”
Her tone was quiet, as if resignation had quickly replaced disappointment.
“What do you mean, Lili?”
Christian glanced across the street—by then, Cairn and the woman were gone.
“Cairn doesn’t need me anymore.”
“All set. Let’s go.”
As if afraid to look back, Lilien simply gazed up at Christian.
“There’s no one there anymore.”
“Really? Promise?”
“I promise.”
Only then did Lilien seem to relax, letting Christian lead her away by the hand.
“Chris, let’s go back to the house. I’ve walked so much, my legs are tired.”
Christian had hoped her spirits might improve, but they seemed to be right back where they started.
“What are you talking about? The café’s just across the street.”
“Still…”
“They’ve got lemon madeleines now, and they’re supposed to be amazing. If your legs hurt that much, do you want me to give you a piggyback ride?”
“Chris, I’m an adult now. I can walk on my own, thank you very much.”
Christian felt a strong dislike for Cairn at that moment. He’d seen this coming a long time ago.
Men’s affections were as thin and fleeting as muslin. They took their duties as lords or priests seriously, but when it came to romance, loyalty was nowhere to be found. They could so easily turn away from a woman they once claimed to love.
Love itself seemed shallow and pointless—when your heart fluttered, you called it something sacred, but after a while, it faded. It had an expiration date. Maybe that was why people who married for practical reasons seemed wiser.
With the Count’s family in dire straits, it must have been easy for Cairn to turn his back on Lilien.
“Christian, I really am all right. I was going to leave anyway.”
He thought it was a shame, though, that someone as kind and lovely as Lilien had to go through this. In a way, maybe it was for the best that things had turned out this way.
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