Cinderella Did Not Leave Her Shoe - Chapter 13-15
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Chapter 13-15

Thin

She is too thin.

Her body in my arms was as fairy

light as before. I didn’t have to bother with more than one arm, and she fit

comfortably leaving loads of room.

The Viscount didn’t eat much, so

surely Lady Fredericka did not eat much more as well. (Zuben: that’s what you

think)

I’m afraid I will break her, so I

could not hold her closer.

I was surprised that the Viscount,

who had said he would come round to play when he had time, really appeared at the

training grounds. But the surprise at his appearance was over taken by the

sight of Lady Fredericka in his wake. She was wearing a simple green dress that

suited her well. Her soft golden hair was s.h.i.+ning in the sun, and swaying

fluffily. She was beautiful in her natural glow; she didn’t need any extra

accessories.

The sight of her beauty left me

speechless, my heart became full, and then I seemed to have said something

stupid and hurt her. She said something and gave a lonesome smile. That smile

filled my heart. While I was wondering how to speak to her, Lady Fredericka’s

expression fell and she ran off.

‘Excuse me,’ I said to the viscount

and went after Fredericka. While it is not good for her to run like that... her

running figure looked lovely (Zuben: Beyond smitten, dude). As I called out to

her, she tripped. I immediately caught her.

‘Are you alright?’ I asked.

‘Well…yes.’ She replied.

‘Thank you for saving me.’ She said.

Her ears, neck and face were gently stained with vermilion. This was what Zuzie

had been talking about, how adorable!

I had missed her, I thought, as I

took her to the command tent. But I was conscious of the silence between us,

and I was sorry that we were meeting in a place like this. It was break time,

the soldiers were resting, or entertaining visitors and rebuilding broken

practice tools.

‘Fredericka, what were you doing?’

her father asked when we returned to the tent.

There, the Viscount was sitting

comfortably, getting served tea by Nicolo, my adjutant. The Viscount looked

like it was only natural for him to be there, and Nicolo, who was my adjutant,

was acting as his servant. (Zuben: Dude, there has been a Castley take-over and

you didn’t notice)

‘You can put me down now,’ she said

quietly pus.h.i.+ng against my chest, but I did not feel like she was being totally

resistant to me. But I did not want to let her go, I want to hold her and

cuddle her to me. (Zuben: Kyuu!)

‘I’m sorry father; I didn’t want to

be in the way of your discussion. So I decided to walk around.’

I remembered her gradually

retreating backside. Did you remember you were going to fall? You had your

hands on your cheeks and tripped.

Did you know, Lady Fredericka, that

when you fell the slender nape of your neck was exposed? (Zuben: And I want to chomp down on it)

Why did you put your golden hair in

so high? That tempting nape would be revealed just by the wind blowing! It was

a hairstyle that could not be managed in a crisis! (Zuben: What does that

mean?) As I thought of more suitable hairstyles for Fredericka, the Viscount

gave me grin implying I should put his daughter down.

The Viscount did not stop grinning.

Nicolo was behaving more distant that usual, (Zuben: The Viscount is poaching

your aide) I did not mind. Lady Fredericka had a basket in her hands. Could it

be that inside it were Lady Fredericka’s handmade sandwiches? (Zuben: General,

don’t expire from joy)

The Viscount said it was a reward

for working hard. Lady Fredericka’s eyes widened at her father’s words. They

had come to deliver it, and did not intend on bothering every one. Though break

time was nearly up, I will have it after we were done.

‘Thank you for the food.’ I said.

The Viscount and Lady Fredericka

made to leave,

‘Do your best,’ Lady Fredericka

said in parting. As she lowered her head and walked away, her hair dancing

softly. My chest tightened so much I thought I was going to be dizzy. (Zuben:

Enough to faint?)

I will do my best for you,

Fredericka!

I feel like I have reached the

point of no return. My instincts told me this euphoria would be hard to

replace.

‘Father,’ I called as we made our

way back to town. I had a lot to ask, but for now I wanted to know, ‘How is it

that you are friendly with General Brennan?’

Instead of answering, he gave an

indignant sputter and looked at me as though I had been bad, ‘Frederica, you…’

he began to say, but he sighed and muttered to himself, ‘something is wrong

somewhere.’

He s.h.i.+fted in his seat, adjusted

his clothes and crossed his legs.

‘I just became friends with General

Brennan.’ He said finally with a smile. It was a suspicious smile. I didn’t

want to be on the bad side of my father when he had that smile on. I pouted and

turned away,

‘I would like to be on friendly

terms with the general too.’

I feel deeply beholden to the

General, I wonder if it was due to his integrity. I also feel comfortable when

I am near him. What do you do day to day? What do you think about? What do you

like and dislike? I want to know everything about him. I am being greedy. I was

afraid of approaching him, just in case he began to find me annoying.

I know my reputation is in tatters

right now. There were rumours of me being a bad woman who didn't know her place, a

nouveau riche chit with ideas above her station. But the thought that the

general might think of me as someone like that makes my heart hurt. But even if that

wasn’t the case, the way he carried me earlier, it was like he was carrying a

child.

It couldn’t be helped, from the

General’s point of view, I am a child.

It seems that the General is not

yet married. It’s not like he couldn’t get married, but he must be to busy too.

If he tried, it wouldn’t be hard; he was such a nice person.  He could have his pick of beautiful women,

and then he will marry and then I will be forgotten.

Be forgotten…

I feel queasy. (Zuben: Well you

were working yourself up into a lather, dear)

‘You want to talk to the General?

Do you think he wants to talk to you?’ Father asked smiling his mean smile,

resting his chin on his hand while his elbow rested on the window frame of the

carriage.

‘What about you father, what do you

have to talk about with General Brennan?’

‘I can provide…useful information to

the general.’ (Zuben: Bad father! LOL)

I had nothing to reply to that. Of

course, Father would use “information” as a commodity. (Zuben: You should ask

what information, Fredericka) Fresh and correct information is the most

important commodity. (Zuben: It certainly is) However, it is unclear what kind

of information Father would have that the general would want to buy. (Zuben:

Stop over thinking it)

If you want to sell father

information, you’re going to have good value. It is a matter of supply and

demand, and interpersonal communication. As for me? I’m not good at it, but I

have been told Mother was very good at the art.

I should study more.

Between the General and I, we do not

have the opportunity to develop it.  

‘Well I also have goods. I love the

General, only I can offer that. There!’

But when I turn, Father isn’t

laughing.

What do you love about General

Brennan who is not even interested in you? His look seemed to be saying.

‘Well, maybe.’ He said instead.

My face got hot as a blush stole

over me. Maybe – maybe not? Well loving the general is impossible for my

father, but not for me.

Oh, what should I do? I’m happy. I

tried to keep down the smile that wanted to steal my face, but father suddenly

said,

‘It’s not good. Father does not

approve. There is a large difference in age! And also physique!’

Hmm? Why was he shouting?

‘Is the difference in age and

physique related to making sandwiches? Or maybe the amount of mayonnaise to

use?’

Hm? (Zuben: What are you talking

about?)

Well, the General must eat a lot,

so it would be hard to make that many. But I already gave him a basket full? I

decide to make sandwiches for General Brennan. Father? Father who?

‘I’m happy that General Brennan

likes what I made. Even if it isn’t sold, I will still do it.’ I will also make

it for father. Because I am happy father likes the sandwiches, too.

The first time I made it, he had

been angry.

Father collapsed on the back rest

in a slovenly manner and smiled. I mimicked him and smiled back.

‘Well, it’s true that the general likes your

sandwiches.’

He told me that he had shared the

sandwiches with General Brennan when they had lunch together.

‘Fredericka, do you want

something?’ he asked with an expression that said he wanted to spoil me. He

also looked a bit tired.

‘Oh, then I would like to go to

“Kalome”’ I reply excitedly

He nodded and got the attention of

the coachman to tell him of the impromptu stop.

‘Let me think a bit,’ he said and

then closed his eyes.

It was silent in the carriage.

(Zuben: Don’t ask me what the t.i.tle

means. It’s what the play they go to see is called)

Volker…

I return home exhausted from the

day’s activities. Zuzie handed me a slip of paper. I looked at him in askance,

‘It is a flyer for a play that has

become popular with the Ladies of Society.’

I read the flyer; the font was

pretty, there was a woman dancing under an arch in the moonlight. The actors

and the theatre were perfect.

‘Very good, get tickets for this.’

Xavier bowed, just as he was about

to turn to go, he stopped and asked, ‘Would you like me to buy box seats?’

‘…Yes. Just us.’

In a box seat, there would be a

chance for an ambiguous atmosphere. Even though is seems a misunderstanding

will work…what?

In case of things needing to be

proper, we can sit in the seats in front. If there are no objections, we could

sit on the couch set a bit back from the balcony, the stage can be seen well

but we would be out of view of other people.

I looked at Xavier, who had a

slight smile on his face, as though he knew what I was thinking. I coughed and

turned away, and there was a small laugh. I turned back to protest but my

capable butler was now where to be seen.

(Zuben: What would a j.a.panese

Western Historical be without its capable butlers? h.e.l.l what would any

historical?)

Although it bothered me, I was

responsible for Xavier’s behaviour. When I was younger, I was never able to

commit to matchmaker meetings. I was just a young soldier, and so I used to

refuse, stating I was busy. Before I noticed it, I was still unmarried at this

age. (Zuben: y’all marry too young anyhoo)

It seems that my unmarried state is

giving my family a headache. My parents want to embrace their grand children. (Zuben:

So do my parents)

There were still families who

wanted their daughters to marry me. And there were the one night stands with

ladies that wanted to play with fire…no wait, that’s not what is important

right now. (Zuben: Aww, we want to hear of your s.e.xy past)

Right now, what is important is the

possibility of becoming an item with Lady Fredericka. Even if Viscount Castley

would not like it.

Lady Fredericka was seventeen,

eighteen years younger than me. But this did not make any difference to me. And

there was no mistake she would still be skittish after her engagement

abandonment. There was no way a beautiful girl with her future ahead of her

would fall into the arms of a crude soldier like me.

Yet…

The thought of her doesn’t leave my

mind.

I can’t forget the feeling I had when

I first saw her. I had thought she was a fairy, but she didn’t vanish from my

arms. The feeling of her in my arms would not disappear. At our next meeting, I

was totally captured by her sweet and caring manner, and her innocent smile.

And the other day, after I ate her

sandwiches for lunch though they were not at the level of a proper cook like

the Viscount said, I realised not just my heart but my stomach had been

captured.

I sent the basket back with a

letter of thanks, flowers and chocolate from a popular sweet shop in the

castle, according to Xavier. A courtesy letter returned with homemade cakes and

tarts. I had to write a letter of appreciation, so I ate all the cakes myself.

It seemed that she had refrained from making them too sweet, so that someone

like me who didn’t like sweets could eat them. Xavier had been amazed. My chest

became hot at such kind attention.

I finally decided to ask her to the

theatre like I had promised.

Checking that it was recess for the

House of Lords, I went to find Viscount Castley. I found him relaxing in the garden;

he sat up when he saw me. Checking there was no one else about, I took out the

flyer.

‘h.e.l.lo General, are you also on a

break?’ the Viscount asked. He looked sleepy. I smiled and said,

‘I wanted to invite Lady Fredericka

to the theatre. Is this alright?’

The Viscount Castley who has become

a friend, told me a lot about Lady Fredericka. The food she likes, what she did

from day to day, her childhood mishaps. I couldn’t help but smile thinking of

listening to the adorable episodes. It would be unreasonable to invite

Fredericka without her father’s knowledge. It would be like betrayal.

But Fredericka’s position is very

shaky. Though she was no longer engaged to the heir to Duke Cajes, for her to

appear in society with a much older man who is not her fiancé; would fuel

another spate of rumours about her.

If her father did not agree, I

would ask him again another time.

The Viscount rubbed his jaw while

looking at me. This was his habit when he was thinking. (Zuben: Or pretending

to think)

‘Well, we just need to do something

eye catching. Let’s meet in the cafeteria for lunch. Tell Nicolo not to bother

reserving a table for us. It would be better to have people around. I have

something to say. Do you agree?’

Agree? Why would I not agree?

Without waiting for my reply, the

Viscount rose to leave. Before he returned to the halls he asked, ‘Which play?

Have you bought tickets?’

‘Yes, I bought tickets for the

night after tomorrow. The play is “Night of the Moonlight Gra.s.s”’

The play seemed to be a love story

and the moonlight gra.s.s s.h.i.+ning in the dark between the lovers (Zuben: Or

something of the like. Sounds like a snoozer)

The Viscount nodded and quickly

returned to the chambers.

I remained there a while, taking deep

breaths, relieved that the Viscount did not refuse me outright. I returned to

my office.

‘Oh I’m in trouble.’ The Viscount

said with his head in his hands. There was a cup of tea beside him. We had just

finished our lunch. The cafeteria was filled with other people.

‘What has happened, or is there

some difficult agenda in the House?’

‘No, I had promised my daughter I

would take her to a play, but I forgot about it and now I have an important

business meeting for the same evening,’

What was he talking about? Had he

promised to take Fredericka to the play as well?

‘Which play?’ I asked.

‘That popular one, Night of the

Moonlight Gra.s.s. I’ve bought the tickets. My daughter really wants to go. What

to do?’

Is this a small show for the

benefit of the others? (Zuben: Smart man)

‘That’s unfortunate, isn’t it?’ I

replied, ‘What about your wife?’

‘My wife is going with me to my

meeting. I feel bad; my daughter’s reputation is in a bad way, she will have to

go to the play alone.’ The Viscount said with a shrug.

He didn’t openly glare, but I could

feel it burning in the edges of his eyes, (Zuben: Not so smart man)

‘I guess.’

I swallowed anger as I drink my

black tea.

‘Oh General, can I ask you a

favour?’ (Zuben: Sorry daddy, you have an idiot pair on your hands)

It came!

I wonder how I should agree to

this.

‘I will not fail Lady Fredericka’s reputation;

I will take good care of her. ‘

I bowed to the Viscount.

Does this mean the odds are good?

Hope you all are having good times!

If not; the dark tunnel may be long, but there is light at the end of it. Keep well.