Wildflowers | S.Jy

| 11 |

Mrs. Lee seemed overjoyed when I had knocked at their door at lunch time. Her smile wider than the pies she baked. Probably not, but it would be enough of an exaggeration to make anyone understand how happy she looked upon seeing me.

"I am absolutely delighted you wanted to join me miss Millie," mrs. Lee commented as she walked with me to her kitchen, picking up the tray with tea and pie on it.

I smiled widely at the sight of the apple pie, already able to taste the savoury and delightful pie in my mouth. She continued out into the living room overlooking the forrest, but where the sun still could shine in.

"I simply couldn't reject the invitation, you already know me so well mrs. Lee," I reminded her gently as she placed down the tray and gestured for me to sit in the armchair beside hers, "your apple pies must be the best ones in the country."

"You flatter me too much miss Millie," she let out a small laugh as she politely poured up tea for me, "now... to the exciting part. I understand that my nephew has taken a liking to you."

"Oh, I wouldn't say for sure," I shook my head immediately as I took it upon myself to put two sugar cubes in my tea, stirring it lightly.

"Nonsense. Did he not escort you home from the ball in town?" she questioned and I nodded quietly as I took a sip from my tea, "and did he not then invite himself over to tea, if you agreed to it?"

"He did," I confirmed, "and he was more than welcome."

"You must understand something about my nephew," she declared and set down her tea, "using her spoon to get a small piece of her pie piece, "his parents... my sister and her husband, are very traditional. I will not be the one to kill the love, but I will warn you. With your financial status I fear they will not approve of a connection."

"I see. Your sister's husband is a banker, no?" I questioned and she nodded.

"I'm afraid he is of the impression that a comfortable financial situation is the core need for a good marriage," mrs. Lee confirmed, "but... I am positive that I can convince my sister that what my nephew needs is a marriage for love and not for a good financial status, you see... my nephew can be very emotional and expressive."

"I see," I nodded quietly.

"My sister raised him with a lot of love, the first boy born in the family in a whole century. He only knows love and should marry for that reason as well," mrs. Lee continued.

"I really don't want to be rude, mrs. Lee. But is this the reason you invited me?" I let out a small laugh of disbelief as I put down my tea cup.

"Of course not dear," she chuckled and waved it off with a flick of a wrist, "I just sense a connection between our families on the way, and I want to prepare you properly as I know my nephew won't do so. I want you to know I am on your side in this. Now, tell me. What do you think of my nephew?"

"Well, he is very kindhearted," I remarked and she immediately nodded as I cut a small piece of pie for myself, "he seems very gentle and focused on making everyone comfortable in his presence."

"He is, isn't he?" mrs. Lee questioned and I nodded in agreement, "unfortunately he's been an easy target for desperate girls at his university, all wishing a gentle husband as well as a rich one. I know you're not there for his money of course, with the conditions you've lived in."

"I am convinced your nephew shall find a suitable wife one day," I assured mrs. Lee, hoping my reply was final enough for her to change the subject.

It wasn't because I didn't want to her mrs. Lee's take on the situation between Jake and I. It was simply because I wasn't interested in his familial stautus in the current, nor was I intrigued by his background. Mostly I was afraid that mrs. Lee was unconsiously planting small hopes and ideas in my head. I feared her comments would end making me see anything in her nephew's actions, which I could overanalyze to mean anything I wanted it to. Yet I just needed to ask.

"If I may ask mrs. Lee," I spoke up after having taken a good sip of my tea.

"Of course," she immediately nodded, "I'll answer you anything I can regarding my nephew," she chuckled and I let out a small awkward and polite laugh in return.

"I happened to overhear your nephew talking with my grandfather the other day he visited for tea," I declared and mrs. Lee nodded as she gave me a small hum, "and from what I heard it seemed that your nephew wishes to court me in the future. Is that anything you've heard of? I don't wish to get my hopes too high for the future."

"I can assure you he has not mentioned anything about courting to me," she assured with a wide smile, "but it sounds absolutely wonderful. He has not been talking about courting, but he is very fond of you it seems. He would not stop talking about the tea during our dinner yesterday. I think you can get your hopes just as high as you wish."

I smiled quietly to myself as mrs. Lee seemed to find my amusing. A small laugh escaping her as I quietly took a bite of the pie while smiling down towards the delicious sweet. Which immediately felt like an explosion of taste in my mouth.

"Auntie, you don't happen to know where I left my-" Jake's voice came from the kitchen before the door opened to the room we were sitting in. He immediately paused where he stood before finally sending me a wide smile, "oh, hello miss Kirk."

He was wearing his usual black pants and his white shirt. However, today it was accompanied with a simply black day vest, hugging slimly against the white shirt. On anyone else it would've looked funny that the shirt bagged like that under the day vest, but on him specifically I didn't mind it. There was something charming over how it looked on him, elegant even.

"Good day mr. Sim," I smiled in return with a small nod.

"What did you need dear?" mrs. Lee questioned and Jake ripped his eyes away from me to his aunt.

"I seem to have lost my riding pouch," Jake excused, "I intended to bring some lunch with me on my ride this noon. But the lack of my pouch seems problematic."

"I'm sure you can borrow your uncle's. He's in his upstairs office," my aunt excused and Jake nodded, sending me a small smile in return before he quietly left the room and closed the door behind him, "I am very convinced that my nephew intends to court you very soon."

"Ah mrs. Lee," I let out a small embarrassed laugh as she looked towards me with a knowing warm smile.

"He could barely tear his eyes away from you miss Millie," she reminded softly, "I see a wonderful summer for you in the future."

I smiled quietly before just nodding in agreement. Something in me was telling me mrs. Lee probably was right about her assumption. At the very least I hoped it. My hopes were only enforced when I, on my way out, was stopped by Jake who had requested for me to go on a walk with him the day after tomorrow, which I had accepted with delight. Almost missing a heartbeat before I had agreed.