Chapter 1739: Chapter 1739
The birthday banquet began promptly at eight in the evening. The room's decor was completely new; the servants Salsi II had summoned had not only replaced most of the furnishings but had even changed the style of the gas lamps. It was, in effect, a simple renovation of the living room, foyer, and dining area.
The Church had taken charge of the meal, wanting to ensure Jenkins wouldn't be poisoned on his birthday. The family's ordinary square table, which could seat six, had been swapped out for a much larger one. A fine tablecloth was draped over it, and the silver cutlery, set for a lavish feast, gleamed in the candlelight.
Golden candelabras held candles etched with exquisite patterns, their flames mingling perfectly with the glow of the gas lamps. For the occasion, the living room sofa and other furniture had been temporarily stored away, leaving the long dining table as the room's centerpiece. Jenkins stood to one side, holding Chocolate in his arms, observing the transformation of his home.
“Quite a change, isn't it?”
Hathaway tapped his shoulder from behind. The moment Jenkins turned, the red-haired woman rose onto her toes and kissed him. The twisted posture was incredibly awkward, and Jenkins couldn't maintain it for more than a few seconds.
Gasping for air, he broke away from the red-haired young woman, only to find Hathaway watching him with a smile.
“For someone who’s managed to attract so many women, your kissing technique is still quite lacking.”
“It’s not something I practice often.”
He replied, his face flushing. Hathaway, elegant in her gown, drew closer again, pressing Chocolate between their bodies. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered softly in Jenkins's ear:
Seeing his ears turn a shade redder, she gave him a heart-stopping smile and added in a hushed tone:
“You could practice with Briny, too. Kissing her feels truly...”
Jenkins recoiled, and the cat pressed against his chest could feel his heart hammering. He had already been teased by the silver dragon maiden that morning, and now to be toyed with by Hathaway... he felt he was reaching his limit.
“Oh my, so the flirtatious Mr. Author can get flustered after all.”
Hathaway chuckled, covering her mouth with her long, lace-gloved hand, and turned toward the nearby corridor.
“Dinner is about to start. I was just going to call them down. Where are you off to?”
“To reapply my lipstick, of course.”
Hathaway replied over her shoulder, her tone making it sound as if Jenkins had asked what one plus one equaled.
“But won't you have to wipe it off as soon as we start eating?”
He asked, but the look on the red-haired woman's face told him it was yet another stupid question.
This was, in fact, the first formal meeting between Hathaway, Briny, Alexia, and Dolores. The young women had likely never imagined such a day in their lives, and frankly, neither had Jenkins. But no matter what, once the house was fully prepared and the staff from the Church and Salsi II had departed, Jenkins had to gather them all. It was time for dinner.
He hadn't particularly wanted to wear formal attire, but with all the ladies in evening gowns, he couldn't dress too casually. So there he stood at the foot of the stairs, holding his cat in one arm, waiting. The first to descend was Alexia. She held the hem of her dress as she walked down, giving Jenkins a playful wink.
“Tonight should be interesting, don't you think?”
“I was rather hoping for something a little more uneventful.”
He replied, just as the sound of more high heels reached him. Following closely behind Alexia was Dolores. The princess carried herself with natural grace and elegance, though she appeared somewhat tense.
Julia followed right behind, having given Dolores's hair a final touch. She was dressed as a maid tonight, but not in her usual, rather plain work attire. Instead, her outfit was styled to resemble an evening gown.
Pay a fashion designer enough, and they could probably produce iridescent black, let alone a design that elegantly blended a formal gown with a maid's uniform.
The trio quickly moved past Jenkins toward the dining table. Only then did he hear Briny's footsteps. She came down the stairs with her head lowered, smoothing a crease in the bodice of her gown.
“Where did Hathie go?”
She murmured the question to Jenkins. Just as he was about to reply, Hathaway reemerged from the side corridor leading to the ground-floor washroom. Briny reached out with a handkerchief to dab the faint lipstick mark from Jenkins's lips, casting a mock-reproachful look at Hathaway. The three of them then proceeded into the living room—though the foot of the stairs was technically part of it, as Jenkins's house was two buildings joined together, resulting in an unusually spacious living area.
Outside, darkness had fallen. The curtains were drawn to prevent the gray fog from spoiling the atmosphere. The new glass shades of the gas lamps were polished to a gleam, casting a soft, almost dreamy light. In this glow, Jenkins saw the young women waiting for him to take his seat.
For a fleeting moment, an intense, heart-pounding sense of unreality made him nervous. He felt his expression freeze, and he had no idea what to do with his hands.
“Is this really my life? Am I really this lucky?”
The question echoed from a corner of his heart. Jenkins looked from one woman's face to the next; five of them, all with a touch of makeup, all looking at him. In the dreamy light, it was all so wonderful, so unbelievable. The new evening gowns, the gleaming silver, the beautiful women, the adorable cat...
He affirmed this in his heart, then took the initiative, pulling out the lone chair at the head of the long table.
“Please, everyone, sit. What are you all standing for?”
The young author said with a smile, taking his own seat first in a display of feigned composure.
To his left, two chairs were pulled out for Hathaway and Briny. To his right, Alexia and Dolores sat down. Jenkins had invited Julia to join them, but she adamantly refused to sit, even at Dolores's request.
She simply stood quietly to the side, near Dolores, her expression serene. Get full chapters from novel{f}ire.net
A soft, hazy, warm yellow light illuminated their faces as they sat. The women subtly appraised one another, a current of nervousness running beneath their polite smiles.
They exchanged quiet greetings, using first names instead of surnames, but the air was still thick with formality. Wanting to ease the tension, Jenkins asked softly:
“Should I make some proper introductions?”
“Of course. I think that would be very appropriate.”
Alexia replied first. Hathaway winked at him.
“Then please, go ahead.”
The princess, too nervous to speak, didn't know what to say. Briny gave her a reassuring smile, then turned to Jenkins.
“Even though we'll all be... family from now on, it's still our first time meeting, so it's bound to be a little stiff. Jenkins, you should introduce everyone. Maybe share some amusing stories about your time together, to help us all get acquainted.”
It was an excellent suggestion. He placed his cat on the red cushion of a high stool he had set beside his chair, then began his introductions, starting to his left and moving clockwise around the table.
“This red-haired young lady is Miss Hathaway Hersha. We met a little earlier last autumn.”
As he spoke, Hathaway smiled and nodded toward Alexia and Dolores. Alexia returned the gesture with easy grace, and Dolores followed her tutor's lead.
In truth, Hathaway's heart was a tangle of emotions. It was her first time seeing these two women anywhere other than the pages of a newspaper, and just as she'd expected, Jenkins had impeccable taste.
The shorter of the two was serene and graceful; just by sitting there in silence, she projected an aura of deep learning, warmth, and consideration. As for the princess beside her with the platinum coronet, Hathaway found her particularly striking. She couldn't imagine what trickery Jenkins had employed to ensnare the princess of a neighboring kingdom, but she was pleased to see the girl lacked any hint of arrogance.
Her thoughts drifted to how she and Jenkins had met, to the love between them, to the life that lay ahead. And while she wasn't completely satisfied with how things had turned out, seeing everyone tonight made her think that perhaps, this result wasn't so bad.
Lost in thought, Hathaway sighed over the course of her life and her love. Her mind had drifted so far that she failed to register what Jenkins was about to say next.
“...and around the corner, Hathaway suddenly rushed out and kissed me.”
Jenkins finished his brief introduction of Hathaway and, taking Briny's advice, moved on to an amusing story. Speaking of how they met, he naturally brought up that unexpected kiss. It had happened last autumn; to evade a Church patrol, Hathaway had pulled him aside on a street corner and kissed him, forcing him to play the part of her lover. In hindsight, that was really the beginning of their relationship. It was quite amusing.
“...It really was quite funny back then.”
He concluded with a sigh of fond remembrance, a bashful smile spreading across his face at the memory.
“So, was Hathaway the first woman to kiss you?”
Briny piped up at once, having never heard this story before. Dolores and Alexia both turned to him as well, their curiosity piqued.
Jenkins immediately searched his memory.
That was his answer. The blonde girl—Briny—blinked her lovely eyes at him a couple of times. Alexia covered her mouth with her handkerchief to hide a small laugh, while Dolores shot a curious glance at Hathaway.
Jenkins felt the atmosphere had grown a little strange, but also far more relaxed. The women seemed more at ease, their comfortable demeanor proving that his approach had been the right one.
A moment later, however, he felt a sharp kick to his shin under the table. He glanced innocently at Hathaway, who offered him a very sweet smile.