章 3: The spinster's business partner.
Clara the anxious fair-skinned maid hurried her steps to reach the study room before a certain Lady Vega does, "I'm sorry to bother you Lord Teaton, you have a visitor...Lady Vega is here." She said immediately upon her arrival.
"Do not apologize, Clara...I am not a misfortune befallen your employer, if anything my fortune is the one keeping him afloat." Safa said while throwing a glance at the Nervous brunette maid.
"Safa!" James's eyes widen at the sight of his female business partner walking into his office, "James! You are surprisingly unaccompanied." Safa replied with a mischievous grin, "No woman today?" She added.
"Clara please go prepare some refreshments." James said standing-up, "No need to, I will be leaving soon enough, I just came here to quickly say something, that is why Wolfgang is not standing behind me, I left him by the carriage." Safa replied glaring at the young Lord.
"Clara leave us alone, and close the door on your way." James ordered his maid who nodded and did as told instantly.
Once alone, James approached Safa.
Safa was just of average normal height compared to most women, so when the above average Lord Teaton stood in front of her, barely three steps away from her.
She seemed quite small compared to him, but even so, the tall ginger man with green eyes was so intimidated by her, as a womanizer, that's an insult to his 'charms', the fact that this woman doesn't fall for them.
"Must you glare so viciously Safa dear, a beautiful woman like you should..." Before James could finish his words,
"I will stab you with my walking stick should you say that I should smile more!" Safa replied, her glares intensified.
With his hands defensively raised in front of him, "Alright alright, no need to get blood on your gown, I apologize." James said, "I forgot you're a spinster by choice, so Unlike other girls, you don't really need to pretend to be the perfect woman." He added, although he didn't mean to or maybe he deep down did, his words felt insulting to Safa.
"I am a perfect woman! And if you think calling me a spinster would hurt me, then I have news for you! You are an unmarried 30 years old man with a reputation of sleeping around! So do not attack me when your own image is questionable.
At least I am a woman of honor, the only thing I sleep with is the best pillow money could buy, the same money I am paying you to help me with my project." Safa replied.
"Safa, Must you always mention that you pay me money! I thought we were friends, friends don't treat each other this way."
"James, If you want me to treat you like a friend then treat me like one, stop making fun of my lifestyle and for God sake, do not treat me like one of the ladies you try to charm! Do not even consider me as a woman if that makes things easier on you!"
"But Sugar you are a woman! Do you want me to treat you like a man? Shall I call you 'Mate' and take you drinking at a pub?!" James asked sarcastically, "I want to be treated as an equal to you, an equally smart and strong-minded individual, without letting the fact that me being a woman cloud your judgement.
You have seen what I am capable of, so Do not pamper me unnecessarily, or call me sweet names like sugar! Those things you say to a Girl you want to marry!" Safa replied.
"Well marrying you doesn't sound like a bad option to be honest." James said making Safa raise an eyebrow at him, "What did you say?" She asked.
Sensing that he said something wrong once again, "Don't mind my gibberish, enough pointless chitchat! Tell me, what urgent business brought you here? Also why are you much more upset than usual today, you were already angry when you waltzed in here?" James asked.
"I wanted to tell you that I need your help to prepare the perfect package to give the queen a sample of my skin cream.
As for the reason why I am upset, it is because I was at the palace with the queen when I met lady Danbury today..." Safa replied.
"Oh! That woman, I saw her couple of times, I heard she is quite a character!" James said smiling politely, "Yes...she is, I was actually trying to avoid the woman." Safa replied.
"May I ask why?"
"It is a ridiculous reason."
"I doubt it, you are The strong lady Vega, surely you had a compelling reason to avoid the strong Lady Danbury."
"You know that I am living away from society out of my own volition, that includes my decision of remaining unmarried...well I heard lady Danbury has a knack for matchmaking...I was afraid she would pick interest in me and find me a husband." Safa said, her face twisted into a mixture of Anger and embarrassment as she watched James do his best to stop himself from laughing.
"You! ARE YOU MOCKING ME!" Safa shouted and James just bursted out laughing, he laughed so hard that he dropped to his knees clutching his side.
"HAHAHAAHAHA!"
Her face now fully flushed, Safa contemplated in her mind whether she should beat the man laughing at her feet with her walking stick or stab him instead.
"You imbecile of a man!...how dare you laugh at me!" She roared angrily before she decided to walk out of the office.
Seeing his female business partner walk away, James while still laughing got back on his knees, he tried to catch his breaths while he followed her to try and stop her from leaving.
"Hah! Wait...Safa dear...Oh good Hahaha! Safa wait a moment... Hahaha! Please!"
"Go to hell James, you probably will, you womanizer."
"No seriously...wait...how are you even faster than me...with a cane!" James said as he did his best to steady his breathing so that he could stop laughing.
Sighing, Safa stopped walking.
"Thank you...now listen to me, I have an idea, you can consider it a business one..." James said.
"What are you talking about?" Safa asked.
"Listen, I respect your choice of not wanting to get married...most men do not see how valuable a woman like you is.
They only want a woman beautiful and healthy enough To birth their children, they don't care for a smart and an ambitious young woman like you ..but I'm not like them...I myself I'm not the kind of man to marry, because I just don't see a point of it, and perhaps it is because one woman is not enough for me...
However, I am willing to make a sacrifice that would benefit us both, should you also choose to make that sacrifice with me...this will protect you from worrying over Lady Danbury and entire England, and we can both together save face in this judgmental society." James said.
...Meanwhile...
"She is taking too long, I should see why my Lady has yet to leave your Lord's place." Wolfgang said to Clara who was outside with him.
The young maid went to have a friendly talk with Wolfgang by the carriage, although her actual goal was to know what brought lady Vega to Lord Teaton's estate when she has already visited the previous day.
However Wolfgang wasn't interested in filling the woman's curiosity, and did his best to derail her from the subject, but when Lady Vega or Safa failed to return as quickly as she said she would.
Her loyal manservant felt worried and decided to go inside to find his lady.
Followed by Clara who was still nonsensically chatting as she trailed behind him, Wolfgang spotted what he believed to be his Employer, so he hurried his steps only for him and Clara to be greeted by a sight neither expected.
On one knee, Lord James Teaton was kneeling in front of lady Safa Vega as he said, "Will you marry me, Safa?"
While Clara gasped in utter disbelief, Wolfgang felt his heart sink.
Upon hearing the loud gasp that Lord Teaton's maid let out, Safa turned around to be met with Wolfgang's devastated expression.
When their eyes met, Wolfgang lowered his gaze and without a warning, he bolted outside the house.
Seeing her best friend run away with tears in his eyes, Safa ignored the kneeling lord who was still waiting for a response and did her best to try and quickly follow Wolfgang outside, but she couldn't run not when she relies on a stick to walk.
Dumbfounded by what happened, James rose from the ground, he watched Safa for few seconds as she walked away as fast as she could, "Safa?! Where are you going?" He asked.
Still within her earshot, Safa heard James and turned around to face him briefly, "Lord Teaton...as of today, You and I shall no longer work together.
Goodbye." Safa replied before she continued walking away.
"WHAT?!" James was shocked, he tried to approach Safa again but Clara his maid stopped him with her hand.
Annoyed, "What are you doing?!" James asked, "My Lord if only you were an emotionally intelligent man as you are a business man, you would understand that Lady Vega needs her space now." Clara said.
Confused, "What do you mean?" He asked, "As a woman myself, I believe you just insulted Lady Vega with your proposal." Clara replied.
...Meanwhile...
Hiding inside the carriage, Wolfgang was having a full on breakdown, he could barely catch his breaths as he cried.
He felt ashamed that he was crying so intensely, so when Safa climbed into the carriage, he immediately started to wipe his teary face.
"Wolfie..." Safa gently said as she saw the State of her friend, he let out a soft chuckle to try and seem like he was okay, "Hah... I'm such a hypocrite! I said I wouldn't let my emotions get the best of me! It must be an embarrassing sight to see such a big man like myself cry over forbidden love." Wolfgang replied.
"Forbidden my arse...society is just behind on so many things.
It should not matter whom you love, yet all they care about is making more babies...Do not fear, cry all you want while I am here, I am your friend so feel no shame to be vulnerable in front of me." Safa said.
Hearing his friend's gentle words made the poor man give-up immediately, he bursted once again, this time Safa has offered him her arms as a refuge.
So without questioning, Wolfgang threw himself in her embrace, crying his eyes out while Safa patted him.
"It is time to go now! Move the carriage!" Safa shouted loud enough for the driver outside to hear.
And with Wolfgang in her arms sobbing, the carriage began its journey back home.
... Meanwhile...
Now alone inside his home, Lord James Teaton was worriedly looking from the window onto the street below, Lady Vega's carriage was still there outside.
But just when he thought he should ignore Clara's advice and head outside to see Lady Vega, the carriage started moving and before he could blink again, it was already moved a good distance.
Just then Clara came in with tray in her hands, "My Lord I brought you some tea and biscuits." She said putting the tray down.
"Clara...why do you think my proposal insulted Lady Vega?" James asked.
"I'm not entirely sure...I know neither of you fancy one another..." Clara said, "The proposal was another business idea, I thought she would like it!" James replied.
"Maybe she would have...had Wolfgang fancied someone else." Clara said nervously.
"Wolfgang fancies Safa?" James asked.
Hesitant, "Umm my Lord...have you ever heard of the...well, Molly Clubs?" Clara asked her own question.
クリエイターの想い 
QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: Molly’ was a slur used for effeminate, homosexual men in the 18th century and the term was adopted to describe the clubs, taverns, inns, or coffee houses where they met up in secret to be themselves.
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