Capítulo 39: Sometimes, some people deserve a second chance.
"Safa?!...I mean Lady Vega!"
"Worry not Fabian dear, you may address me as just Safa, I remember that I gave you permission to do so before, or have I not?"
Blushing, "Ah, yes...You did, it is just...well, I am a little surprise, I did not think you would be attending this dinner." Fabian said.
"Me neither, I was not informed that you would be a guest, it is rather a pleasant surprise." Safa replied smiling.
"I...was wondering when I get the pleasure to see you again."
"My apologies, I had a wild week, I was actually planning to come visit you soon enough to see how you are doing."
"As you can see, I am doing well..."
"I can see from the way you are taking care of your looks."
Confused, "What do you mean?" Fabian asked.
"The ribbon, it suits you.
I do not know if I mentioned this before but I really like your hair." Safa replied.
Fabian's face was as red as his ribbon, "Oh you did actually! But Thank you...it was...Gertie...I mean Gertrude's idea! She it suggested I should tie my hair...she said it would look good on me."
"It does." Safa simply said.
Fabian was cursing Colin inside his head, it was an obvious set-up from Colin to convince him to give his feelings for Safa a chance.
It has been almost a week since he discovered that his friend has lied to him about meeting Landy Danbury, and it took Colin three days worth of apologizing before Fabian decided to forgive him.
Then out of nowhere, Colin announced that he wishes to invite Fabian over on Saturday for dinner where he can finally introduce him to Penelope, his beloved wife.
Colin did say that Penelope has invited a friend of hers, but What Colin has failed to mention was that the friend was None other than Safa.
Safa was in a similar predicament, when she received the invitation from Mrs Bridgerton, Penelope mentioned the possibility of another guest, but not exactly who.
She wondered whether Penelope and Colin has set this up deliberately, and for what reason.
Anyhow, Fabian whom came alone despite begging Gertrude to come with him, but she refused, was now greeting Safa who came alongside Wolfgang who could barely contain himself, he was so happy to finally get to meet Penelope, he was smiling like a mad man.
Colin on the other hand wasn't happy that Wolfgang was there, he wanted it to be just him and his wife with Safa and Fabian but he knew he couldn't invite Safa without her most loyal man.
And Colin who had no idea how big of a fan Wolfgang was of Penelope, was starting to show signs of jealousy over his wife as the handsome Wolfgang kept smiling at Penelope whenever they exchanged looks.
As everyone settled in the drawing room of Penelope and Colin's home, expect for Wolfgang who remained standing behind Safa's chair, "Safa, I see that Your friend Clara, did not make it?" Penelope questioned Safa.
"Clara wants me to apologize on her behalf, she is currently dealing with a bit of a personal situation, and could not come along." Safa replied.
"Is she alright?" Penelope asked.
"Unfortunately, she is the furthest thing from alright but hopefully things will get better." Safa said.
Suddenly, "Why is he still standing behind you?" Colin asked pointing at Wolfgang.
Confused, "Wolfgang what are you doing, sit already!" Safa said, "Uh, can I? Really?" He said feeling embarrassed.
"Of course, please sit with us! You are also our guest!" Penelope said with smile.
Excited, Wolfgang sat across from Penelope and kept staring at her while Colin eyed him strangely.
Fabian held as best as he could from laughing at Colin's obvious jealousy, and Safa noticed what was happening and decided to interfere before things escalate, "Before you think poor Wolfgang is falling in love with your vibrant beautiful wife, Colin dear.
I have to tell you that Wolfgang is a huge admirer of Lady whistledown's work, which is why he is being all jolly and joyful."
"Oh! You read my column?" Penelope asked, "Yes! I think what you do is amazing! It is absolutely wonderful to finally meet you!" Wolfgang replied smiling so big it made Fabian finally laugh.
Safa glanced at Fabian as he laughed, "Why are you laughing?"
"Forgive me, it is just that when I first met him, Wolfgang seemed as serious as serious gets, not to mention he physically looks like a serious man.
I never expected him to smile this way." Fabian replied.
Flustered, "Was I smiling like an idiot? Of course I was... I'm so embarrassing, ugh." Wolfgang said covering his face.
Smiling, "No, you are fine, it is nice to see a different side in people sometimes, especially men.
I like how refreshing you are, most men would not admit they admire a woman's work." Penelope replied.
"Indeed, good thing Wolfgang is not most men, I am quite lucky to have him by my side." Safa said earning a thankful smile from Wolfgang.
"So you two are just friends? Forgive my boldness, it is just rather unusual for a man and a woman to be this close without people thinking that something is going on, not that I'm judging you or anything." Colin asked.
"Ah, yes! Wolfgang is like a brother to me" Safa replied.
Colin at this point was side-eyeing Fabian to make him join the conversation more, so Blushing, "Safa can I ask you a question?" Fabian said.
"Sure?"
"Do you have a hobby or something you enjoy doing in your spare time?"
"I used to play the Lute, however I took quite the break from music but I did find myself playing again for the first time in long while to entertain Clara." Safa replied smiling, "She's an excellent musician by the way." Wolfgang added sheepishly.
Astonished, "The Lute! How rare! I have listened to a man play that instrument on one of my travels.
I wish I can listen to you play at the moment." Fabian replied.
"If you wish you could come with Gertrude to visit me whenever you can, And then I could play a little for you." Safa suggested.
"That sounds like a wonderful plan! Actually We should Host a party and invite all of your friends, right Safa?" Wolfgang said.
"Well as long as we only invite our friends, no outsiders, then Yes we should Host a party." Safa replied.
Wolfgang was so happy to hear her words, "Finally after so long!" He said.
Giggling, "I take it that you do not host as many events as most people of your status does?" Penelope asked.
"I never hosted an event myself, it was always my father who would be hosting, but he only did it on few occasions and more often than not, they were family events.
You see, my family were mostly all lonely traveling men, they had the means so almost all of them would start traveling during their adulthood years and explore the world until they find love somewhere, get married and settle in Their wive's lands eventually.
Although I lived my first few years of life in Spain which is my father's motherland, he eventually moved the whole family To england because my mother was an Englishwoman.
This was her crowd not his, and even though he would live here for years after my mother passed away, my father had only made a few handful friends of similar status, most of his friends and acquaintances were of humble background.
Not the kind that would enjoy lavish parties and ballroom dances." Safa explained.
"Since your family rarely ever hosted, and you were keeping a distance from society, I suppose that means you never attended a Ball before?" Colin asked.
"No, although my brother Bernardino did attend few I believe, out of all my family members he was the one considerd as a social butterfly." Safa replied.
"Bernardino?" Fabian questioned, for some reason the name was now tugging on his mind.
"That is a Spanish name, I know it is unusual around here to hear a none English name." Safa said, "It is just that...something about that name, is familiar to me." Fabian replied.
"You traveled a lot, perhaps you met a couple of men with the same name." Wolfgang said, "Speaking of traveling, Clara is actually very interested in traveling by sea." Safa mentioned out of nowhere, it made Wolfgang look at her with confusion.
"Your friend Clara?" Fabian questioned.
"Yes, you are the only one here who has yet to meet her, perhaps you will get the chance to do so when you visit, She is quite the lively girl, although a little more anxious than the average person, she warms up to people very fast." Safa replied with a smile.
Suddenly, A maid came into the room and announced that dinner was ready.
"Please come with me, I cannot wait for you to taste today's meal, it is to die for! we actually had the same menu last week, we enjoyed it so much that we thought of inviting you to dinner." Penelope said earning a chuckle from everyone.
...Meanwhile...
"Margret, what are you doing...here?" Clara asked as she made her way into the kitchen only to find the elderly maid preparing dinner for them.
"While you were in your room all day, Lady Vega has requested that I would come over to take care of you while she is attending a dinner party." Margret said smiling, "And before you ask, James knew I was coming here, he didn't mind it." She added.
"I wasn't going to ask about him, I couldn't care less." Clara replied.
"Forgive me for not believing you, you are too kind to mean the words you say." Margret said.
Frowning, "I should let you know that you're not off the hook either?! You lied to me too." Clara replied.
Sighing, "I know, I know..." Margret mumbled.
"I'm going to the library to read, please don't bother me." Clara said and started to walk away but as she did, "I'm sorry for everything I did." Margret spoke-up.
"Sorry doesn't change anything."
"I know...but unfortunately I can't go back in time and change what I've done, and neither can James."
"I thought you hated James."
"I do, but I don't hate him to the point where I would deny the fact he was a victim in all of this as well."
Offended, "What do you mean a victim?! I'm the one who found out she's the illegitimate child?! Not him?!" Clara asked.
"Perhaps, but James much like you didn't enjoy his childhood.
His parents were cold to each other and neglectful towards James, it was a miracle they had him.
His mother was a horrid woman, beautiful in the face, ugly in the heart, she would punish him for the slightest of inconvenience.
Your father was much kinder to James but what point would his kindness serve when he was away from home most of the time, often with a woman other than his wife, only when god struck the man with sickness, that he started to behave more responsibly.
Although I highly doubt that threatening to cut your only son out of the Will if he told his sister that she's his sister, is responsible behavior.
But what I'm trying to say, is the poor boy grew-up not knowing what a normal family is like."Margret said.
"Well neither did!" Clara replied.
"Which is why I hope you understand how difficult it has been for him, you are an innocent victim In all of this Clara.
But even if he isn't innocent anymore, James was also a victim.
Clara darling, You are each other's only family now."
"That doesn't mean James deserves a second chance."
"Perhaps not, but you do deserve a second chance at having a family."
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QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: Dinner should not be a light meal, but at the same time, it shouldn’t be too heavy.
The guidelines to follow are: snacks should be lighter than breakfast and dinner should be lighter than lunch. In this way your teatime snacks are the lightest meal of the day, whereas dinner is a full meal that satisfies you without making you feel stuffed.
Eating a good dinner will stop the snacking after bedtime, help you sleep better and prevent morning headaches.
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