The Mafia Bride

41.

After breakfast, Emily grabbed me to go walking with her. I couldn't refuse because she literally dragged me. She said that Cotswolds was a classic English countryside and I'd be a fool to miss a place with such scenic beauty. I hate to admit but she was right. God, this place was so pretty with greenery and lime coloured cottages surrounded by lush greenery. The afternoon sun lighting the street brightly. Okay, I was so wrong to refuse Emily. This place is magical. I grabbed a scarf from Emily's neck and placed it around my head.

"I feel like I'm a maiden frolicking in an English countryside waiting for my knight."

Emily giggled and said, "Little did our protagonist know that the brave Sir Leo was fending off his enemies in the far land of Russia."

I scrunched up my nose. Well, I hated to be reminded of him. He called me an idiot, a rude idiot, How could I forgive him?

"I'm angry at him." I said.

"Okay then forget about him, let's have a girl's day out, no boys rule. It'll help you take your mind off him." She said.

Well, she had a point. We walked down the street and ended up right in front of a quaint bookstore. It was so cute, we just had to go there. Before we knew, Emily and I dug through the dusty shelves and found hardbound books. I used to read a lot but lately work kept me so busy, I seldom had time to read.

I was skimming though a hardbound green book with frail pages and watercolour painting of flowers—it was some kind of botany book. Emily walked up to me.

"Our client is Princess Anna, the Swedish royalty and Duke William Hastings the Fourth. They're an unconventional couple so they want a quirky wedding yet they're royalty and can't skip the protocol. I'm confused." Emily said.

"Hmm." I walked deeper into the maize off bookshelves. "What do you know of our client's personality?"

"Anna is the youngest member of royalty, a spoilt brat but a philanthropist at heart. In Sweden, people love her. She challenges conventions and is a sort off a feminist icon, she's supported organisations and even visited dangerous conflict prone areas to encourage female education." Emily said.

She picked up an old book and flipped its pages tenderly.

"And what about Duke William Hastings the Fourth? Apart from the fact that he's fourth of his name."

"Well, he's known for his environmentalism. He has broken royal protocols because he felt that they weren't animal and environmental friendly. He has way too many pets. And, he founded a wildlife conservation program, which I think is pretty cool."

"A strong feminist who educates girls across the world and a nature lover who breaks rules to support environment, they sound like a cool couple. Almost too cool to be royalty. They aren't stuffy."

Emily and I walked deeper inside the maze of bookshelves. From outside, I did not think this shop would be so damn huge.

"They want an unconventional wedding." Emily said. "They've rejected all my ideas." She sighed and slouched her shoulders. "It was a bummer."

I comforted her by placing a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, we'll come up with something, I promise."

I saw a book on the shelf with a maroon hardbound leather cover with golden words. I took it out from its place. I knew this was the book I wanted to buy. Emily smiled appreciatively as she noticed my pick.

"Pride and Prejudice is befitting our surrounding." She said.

We spent a little more time hanging around the bookstore, clicking pictures and going through old books before we left.

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