Bab 41: The courage to love someone else.
As the dinner party came to an end, "Thank you for everything, I had wonderful time." Safa said.
"I'm so delighted to hear that!" Penelope replied smiling.
"Thank you for inviting me too!" Wolfgang spoke-up, "You're absolutely welcome, we enjoyed your company today, isn't that right Fabian?" Colin said.
"Yes, of course." Fabian replied, he was feeling a bit sad that the party came to an end, "I'll go prepare the carriage my Lady." Wolfgang said then hurried outside and left Safa to wait for him.
Seeing that the manservant was now away for a short while, Colin nudged Fabian, "Go, offer to help her get outside!" He whispered.
Reluctant, "Wolfgang will come back for her." Fabian whispered back.
"You idiot! This is your chance to say something to her just the two of you!"
"I have nothing to say!"
Safa couldn't hear what they were whispering about, but she had a feeling that it was about her, so she whispered to Penelope.
"Penelope dear?"
"Yes Safa?"
"Do you mind telling your husband to give me and Fabian a moment alone?" Safa asked.
"Yes! Absolutely I'll tell him." Penelope replied then turned to her husband, "Colin come with me for a second, Safa wishes to speak with Fabian for a moment."
Fabian was surprised to hear that, he immediately started panicking, "Don't go!" He whispered to Colin.
But Colin was quick to betray him again, "Oh, yes! Penelope and I will give you some privacy so take your time, and thank you again for accepting our invitation, Safa." Colin said.
"It was my pleasure." Safa replied then watched the Bridgerton couple leave the room.
Once alone with Fabian, Safa's lighthearted expression faded quickly, "Fabian."
"Yes?"
"About your marriage situation..." Safa said, the queen's advice was replaying in her mind.
But before she could finish her words, "Oh right! I forgot to mention something, there has been a...development." Fabian replied.
"A development?"
"It turns out I was wrong about the kind of woman I am allowed in the will."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"My future wife, she does not have to be a lady of the Ton, just a wealthy and respectable woman." Fabian said blushing.
Safa's eyes widened, "Have you confirmed it?"
"Yes...you seem rather... surprised?" Fabian asked.
"I...well...umm..."
Fabian was astonished, so far he has never seen Safa once fumble over her words, but for some reason she was nervous, "My apologies but before I cut you off, what were you going to tell me?" He asked.
"Are you really adamant about finding a love match?" She questioned.
"Yes...I rather become poor than marry a woman I do not love."
"But...what if the woman you love, did not love you back?"
"Then I guess I will wait, until either she does, or I lose attraction...to be honest I know it inconvenient to seek a love match especially in my case.
But I was put in this situation against my will, it is within my right to try and find the light in this dark situation." Fabian replied.
"So I take it, you will not give-up on finding love?"
"Yes?...why are you asking this?"
Sighing, "I may know of a woman who might suits your taste.
However she is in a situation that I cannot explain to you without her consent, so I suggest you two meet first then if she is interested as well, you should have a discussion together...maybe at the party I am to host next week." Safa replied.
Confused, "Safa What are you talking about?!" Fabian asked.
"My friend Clara." Safa replied.
Now Fabian was even more confused, "Clara seems to love traveling, she never did travel but she is highly interested, she is a gentle and open minded girl, I am sure you would enjoy her company, And she is quite beautiful although a bit younger." Safa explained.
"Uh..." Before Fabian could even come up with a reply.
Wolfgang came back, "What took you so long!" Safa asked, "Sorry my lady, I lost myself in a conversation, the staff here are really friendly." Wolfgang replied smiling sheepishly.
"Whatever you say...anyhow, think of what I told you Fabian, if you truly do not share most of society's opinions, I expect you to at least consider my friend." Safa said confusing Wolfgang who had no idea what she was talking about.
"Goodbye, Fabian." Safa spoke for the last time before Wolfgang began wheeling her away.
Fabian watched her leave with a heavy heart, "What happened Fai! What did you talk about?" An excited Colin came in as soon as he noticed Safa was gone.
With a deep frown, "Do you believe that lady Danbury may be able to change Safa's mind about marriage?" Fabian asked.
Fabian's sudden question drew a big smile on Colin's face, "Does that mean you finally wish to pursue Safa?!"
"Yes, I wish to give her a chance."
Smiling, "Then We shall seek lady Danbury's help First thing in the morning!" Colin replied.
...Sometime later...
"Clara!"
Safa was taken by surprise, the moment she entered her home, Clara greeted her by throwing herself in Safa's embrace.
Wolfgang was also surprised to see Clara, he glanced over to see Margret standing nearby with a smile on her face, "I'm sorry I didn't see you...all week." Clara mumbled but loud enough to be heard.
"Oh darling I know you were in pain." Safa hugged her close, "No need to explain yourself."
As Clara began sobbing into her chest, Safa motioned with her hand for Wolfgang and Margret to give them some privacy.
So the two servants walked away together Until they made it to the kitchen.
Once there, "Thank you, Margret." Wolfgang said.
"I did nothing worth thanking me for." She replied.
"But You must've said something to Clara."
"I only said the truth this time... how ironic..."
"By the way I haven't gotten the chance to see James today, how was he when you left him earlier?" Wolfgang asked.
He was immediately confused when Margret eyed him with a poker face without any response.
"Umm, are you alright Margret?"
"..."
"Umm, Margret?"
"..."
"Are you having a stroke?! Why aren't you responding?"
Suddenly, "Are you really in love with James?" Margret asked.
Wolfgang's face lit up in red, "WHAT IS THIS QUESTION?!" He shouted.
"You used to ignore that idiot and now somehow you're worried about him...Not to mention I saw you kiss him last week."
"MARGRET?!"
"Don't worry, I can keep a secret...besides you won't be the first male lover a Teaton ever had." Margret said casually.
"What are you talking about?!" Wolfgang asked.
"I've been with that family for three generations now, nothing is impossible with them.
James's grandfather married his wife to please his family, but he was in love with another lord for the rest of his life and slept with every man that resembled that Lord he loved.
And James's father also married his wife for personal gain, but he was known to sleep with anyone pretty enough, be it a man or a woman, he preferred women but he did have male lovers." Margret was spilling more than just the tea, "Why are you telling me all of this? And how come you're fine with it?" Wolfgang asked.
"As you can see I never married, it was for a reason...I loved a woman once, I didn't have the courage to tell her, so i moved away to the Teaton household and I never saw her again, I never got to know if she loved me or not.
I have no idea even is she's still alive." Margret said smiling sadly.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Wolfgang replied.
"It was long ago, I am glad that You and James don't seem to be heading the same way I did.
Despite that James has never Slept with a man before, I realized early on that James had feelings for you, but unfortunately due to his lack of experience and perhaps because he is as emotionally unintelligent as his father, James never realized his feelings for you were of love...or so I thought.
After lady Vega rejected James, I began noticing how he stopped chasing after women, how he spends more time in the Vega manor and how he was starting to panic more about protecting Clara.
I realized once I heard James admit his love for you, that his recent odd behavior was because he finally understood that there's someone else occupying his heart other than Clara, and that person deserves his attention now." Margret said.
Embarrassed, "I see...So you don't hate James after all." Wolfgang replied.
"Hate is a strong word, besides out of all the men I served in his family, James is the best amongst them.
Which shows you how low the standards are in the Teaton household." Margret joked making Wolfgang laugh.
Sighing, "I'm an old woman now, I don't know how I made it so far, but I doubt I have much time left so It's best to be honest.
I was Clara's age when I began working for that family, and James's father was 9 at the time I believe.
I watched all those men live a lie, hiding parts of who they are, just like I did...That's not a good way to live, I wish I wasn't so good at pretending to be something I'm not." Marget said.
"Does James know about his father and grandfather?" Wolfgang asked.
"No..."
"Seriously why are you telling me?"
"I just didn't have a reason to talk about this until now, besides James dislikes me as much as I dislike him, we don't have conversations very often."
"I see...so it would be alright with you if I tell him what you said?"
"Be my guest..." Margret replied smiling, "And Wolfgang?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for loving that unfortunate man, you have no idea how jealous I am..."
Smiling, "Come here." Wolfgang said engulfing the old lady in a hug, "Thank you for talking care of James so far, You've done your best Margret."
"You must be an angel Wolfgang."
"I'm not, but I like it better when the people close to me are feeling happy and appreciated...which gives me an idea."
As they broke their hug, "What idea?" Margret asked.
"Can I trust you to do me this favor?" Wolfgang replied.
...The Next day...
"Denver!" Clara hugged the dog she hadn't seen for a week, Denver was excited to see her enter the drawing room, the little fella ran to her feet, jumping and barking so she would pick him up.
"I may be losing my title as his favorite human." Wolfgang said smiling.
"Oh I missed you Mwah Mwah Mwah!" Clara kissed the dog.
"It is good to have you back Clara." Safa said, "I'm sorry for worrying you..." Clara replied.
"If anyone would understand, it would be us...what you went through is not easy." Wolfgang said.
"I know but you didn't deserve to be shunned away just because I was angry at James."
"Speaking of James... he should be here." Wolfgang announced nervously.
"What do you mean?! Did I not say he is not to be allowed in here?! Was I not clear?" Safa nearly shouted.
"Well to be fair he isn't 'in here', so I didn't go against your wishes.
James should be waiting for you outside." Wolfgang replied.
"I don't want to see him!" Clara declared, "Really? Because Margret didn't say so, she said that you said you missed all of us including James." Wolfgang replied with a slight smirk.
Clara gasped, "Ugh Margret! that traitorous old lady!"
Sighing, "Goodness...so what now?" Safa asked.
"Please, Clara! For my sake! Come with me outside, I'll make sure James keeps his distance from you." Wolfgang pleaded so Clara took a deep breath and sighed.
"Fine...but only for few minutes." She replied making Wolfgang smile in Victory.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: First people who started to travel for enjoyment only were, I’m sure you won’t be surprised, old Romans. Wealthy Romans would often go to their summer villas. And it was purely for leisure.
They could, of course, start doing that because they invented something quite crucial for travelling – roads. Well developed network of roads was the reason they could travel safely and quickly.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
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