A Promise Of Romance (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 22🌻

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The next morning, Mew drove them to Dorsett.

Once they were past the London city limits, the scenery changed into peaceful countryside.

Three-quarters of England is farmland. Despite also being an island nation.

The car rode over country byways lined with houses. They drove for about three hours.

"Here we are," Mew said to Gulf, who was seated on the passenger side. The car had stopped in front of a magnificent iron gate. Mew honked the car's horn and a man appeared from a little stone house beside the gate and opened it for them. "That's my gatekeeper and his shed."

Gulf couldn't believe what Mew was telling him. What the man called the gatekeepers's shed was more impressive than the house his family owned.

The road continued a long way from the gate, lined on both sides with trees. There was no sign of the manor yet. The car passed through several more gates, covered a sprawlingvm meadow, and crossed a stone bridge. They had easily gone three kilometers when suddenly, the trees cleared away and a magnificent building deserving of the name 'manor' appeared before them.

Gulf gasped. The grandeur of the apartment in London had not prepared him for rhis.

The car pulled up the driveway in front of the entrance. As they got out of the car, the doors opened. An old man in an impeccable black suit appeared and bowed before Mew. "Welcome home, sir."

"I expect nothing happened in my absence?" Mew asked by way of greeting.

"Miss Yaya came to see you, sir," the old man whispered in his ear.

Mew's handsome face clouded over. "Yaya?"

"Three days ago. You were gone, so she left again. And who is this young lady?" The butler turned his gaze to Gulf.

"Miss Kana. My fiancee. Kana, this is Sidney Padget. He's my very capable butler. He manages this state," Mew said with a roguish smile.

"Welcome, miss." The butler's face was expressionless, in stark contrast to his warm welcome.

"Thank you." Gulf smiled despite the fear he felt.

"Prepare the best room in the house for her," Mew ordered.

"Certainly, sir," the butler said, bowing his head again.

"Wow," Gulf exclaimed, amazed, when he stepped inside the hall.

A marble checkerboard floor spread out before him, below a beautifully painted high ceiling, which led to a stairway covered in red carpeting. Numerous paintings decorated the walls, and statues were arranged around the room. And on either side of the hall stood several dozen servants, who had lined up to greet Mew on his return.

Gulf had never seen such a splendid house before in his entire life.

"Please follow me," the butler requested.

Gulf climbed the stairs after the old man. He noticed that there was even a tasteful design to the handrail. It seemed wrong to touch it without gloves on.

Passing through a gallery in which one wall was made entirely of windows, Gulf was led to a room.

"Dinner is at 6:30. Please make yourself comfortable here until then," the butler say and then withdrew.

Gulf carefully inspected his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was the canopied bed. It looked like a king's bed from a fairy tale. He was also impressed by the fireplace, taller than he was, that actually had a fire burning in it. A large Persian rug was spread out on the floor, and on the wall hung tapestries by Gobelins that looked like they belonged on a museum.

He found a second door and peeked inside it. It was the bathroom, but it was big enough for someone to live in.

Everything was outrageously grand and luxurious.

A clock showed that it was three in the afternoon. There was a lot of time left before dinner.

It looked like Mew wasn't going to come see him, so Gulf burrowed into canopied bed, just to see what it felt like. He felt like he had become a king. He savored it, knowing he would never be able to experience this again in his life.

His life before all this seemed unreal, wandering aimlessly and pressed for money.

'He's a god of good fortune.'

Mew's face floated up in his mind. He remembered that the life he was leading now was due to Brenda's death, and he was seized by a miserable feeling.

He let the memories wash over him for a bit, but because of the long drive, he was soon fast asleep.

TBC