Chapter 379: Chapter 144: The Old Butler
The coffee and tea were brought up, but the previously mentioned Viscount had not come out.
After waiting for over half an hour, Housekeeper Dennis reappeared with a face full of guilt, explaining that the Viscount had caught a cold the night before, and the doctor advised him not to see guests for a short while.
"What do you mean?" Su Ziceng had a good impression of the kind-looking elderly butler, so even though she was left waiting on the side, she wasn’t much angered.
"You were referred by Master Rang, with whom Count has a very good personal relationship. Therefore, he instructed us to inform you that he will personally receive you," Housekeeper Dennis recounted the matter of Count currently being at a ski resort located at the Alpine foothills. Before departing, Count had instructed the Viscount to entertain the guests, but due to the cold weather these past few days, the Viscount caught a chill and needed to recuperate. In a few days, when the Viscount’s condition was somewhat more stable, he would take them to the ski resort.
"Is it the ski resort located at Shanyin?" This was the second time Housekeeper Dennis heard the male guest called "Lan" speak. Dennis noticed his accent, which was quite different from the French the female guest spoke, with its particular cadence. This male guest spoke with a pure Parisian accent.
Was he also a local Frenchman? Housekeeper Dennis felt that he shouldn’t pry into the personal privacy of the guests, so although he was very curious, he did not ask, and instead replied, "Yes, most of the nobility’s ski resorts are located in the Shanyin area, where the sunshine doesn’t hit directly, therefore the quality of the snow is better."
Pello didn’t speak, but exchanged a glance with Su Ziceng. Su Ziceng understood his look; it was in that lightless Shanyin area that Olson despicably took everything that originally belonged to Pello.
"Tonight, we will have to trouble the two of you to stay in the villa, about the rooms, if the two of you don’t have any special preferences, is it possible to arrange them in..." Housekeeper Dennis intended to place the two guests in the main villa, as after all, these guests were the master’s guests.
"Could we request to stay in the villa to the left?" The male guest called "Lan" seemed to suddenly take the initiative, and the female guest surnamed "Su" also nodded in agreement.
Su Ziceng knew, the requests Pello made always had their reasons.
"I’m sorry," Housekeeper Dennis tried to keep his tone even, hoping to make it sound as normal as possible, "that place is the late young master’s home and is not open to the public."
Dennis kept reminding himself to control his emotions, although he didn’t mention the name "Pello," the young master, his voice still changed.
"The one who should be apologizing is us, please feel free to make the arrangements," Pello’s emotions also changed, and Su Ziceng, worried that Pello couldn’t hold back from revealing his identity, quickly stepped forward and warmly took his hand.
As their hands clasped together, Pello turned his head and saw a pair of eyes full of concern.
He squeezed Su Ziceng’s hand firmly, three times, silently telling her "I’m fine."
Even without the master’s generous hospitality, under the heartfelt care of Housekeeper Dennis, the two did not feel slighted in the least.
After the meal, he even took them on a tour around the manor. During this time, Housekeeper Dennis paid particular attention to the expressions and behavior of the male guest called "Lan," but could not discern anything unusual.
In the midst, there was a small interlude. Considering the two guests were lovers, Dennis originally arranged only one room for them at the beginning. It wasn’t until after dinner that the female guest shyly suggested that she needed an additional room.
"Could these two not be lovers?" Housekeeper Dennis couldn’t help but doubt, yet he diligently attended to his duties as a housekeeper, refraining from asking further questions.
As the sunset enveloped Olson Manor, Housekeeper Dennis heard the female guest uttering exclamations of admiration, filling him with heartfelt pride. After all, he maintained the estate with even more care than Count Olson himself, preserving every scene and item within the manor.
When he looked back, the scene behind him deeply moved Olson. The woman’s face, tinted red by the evening breeze, stood on the slope, pointing at the sunset about to dip behind the villa’s spire.
Her arms waved, her stance somewhat unsteady, prompting the male guest to instinctively extend his hand to form a protective barrier of arms beside her. The female guest, completely oblivious to the male guest’s guardianship, continued to voice her delight.
The golden light bathed them both, making them appear from afar like two angelic statues, sacred and not to be defiled by mere gazes.
They are lovers. Housekeeper Dennis dismissed his previous doubts. Watching this young and lively pair of lovers, Dennis felt his age more than ever.
After nightfall, Pello waited until the light in Su Ziceng’s room dimmed before he left his room.
He was still clad in the same clothes as during the day, a light gray coat, now slightly altered. He turned the light gray coat inside out, wearing the black woolen side on the outside. This attire would become part of the night once he left the well-lit villa.
After leaving the main villa, he lingered for a moment at the villa on the right, then glanced at the corners of the estate where security lights roved.
In the eerily quiet night, Pello could hear men’s cursing and the clinking sound of bottles hitting the ground, each noise shattering the old manor’s tranquility.
After listening for a while longer, the man’s voice was replaced by the sound of drunken singing. Only then did Pello confidently head towards the villa on the left.
Most of the manor was asleep by now, aside from Olson and his son, no one else would venture towards the villa on the left.
This villa on the left looked newer than those on the right and in the center. Pello remembered that it was renovated by his own designs the year before Ye Taina had left Mussen, hence the villa bore certain Eastern characteristics, its spire replaced by a round dome.
The door was unlocked, possibly for the convenience of the daily cleaning staff. Entering, Pello saw a row of automatic wall lights.
The light was feeble, barely bright enough to see objects within a meter. A staircase somewhat similar to the one in the main villa, as well as furnishings nearly identical to those from years past.
Pello wondered if Olson kept the layout unchanged due to guilt or fear. He did not know whether the toys he played with as a child were still there. Inside the villa, it was empty and echoing; Pello could hear his footsteps resonating and spreading out.
Pello walked past the staircase, wanting to visit his childhood room. After checking the room, he wanted to see another place — the workshop of Ye Taina and Mussen. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (). Your support is my greatest motivation.)