Love Lightning Old Virgin
XLIV Chapter

However, when Caroline introduces Cherry to him that night, Grand Madam Dior is as surprised as her husband, having a very friendly conversation with the girl, and, then told Caroline that it was hard to trust a sweet child and that such courtesy could be the guardianship of a man with a reputation like Constantine. He was somewhat confused by the presence of Archard at dinner, and more confused by the familiar remarks he made to Caroline, her home, and her servants. The young man behaved as if he was a favored nephew of a boy, or, at least, a boy who had known Caroline for a lifetime and had very little success in this house, and quite often dinner there. He wondered if the young man might be related to Cherrys and as Caroline recounted the identity of Archard, Grand Mistress Dior was initially dubious, then completely dumbfounded by the impossibility of the situation that made her suddenly laugh.

“Oh, I haven't felt really comforted since Mrs Barrak's hat was blown off by the wind with her wig!” Grand Madam Dior was stifled by her own laughter. “Endly, surely, they will marry each other!”

“May not! They will live a household life full of bickering!”

“I don't know that. You said they were at odds on everything, but it didn't seem to me like that, by listening to them at dinner. I guess they have a lot in common. Just wait a year or two, when they are both wiser, and see if I am right! They are still a couple of kids who like to bicker, but when they're a little bit older, they'll stop doing it, like I'm not talking to my sisters anymore, whereas when we were all still in school, we used to bicker non-stop.”

“I can't imagine you bickering with anyone.” Caroline smiled. “About Cherry and Archard, Oliver's family no longer wants the marriage, and will if they can be trusted oppose it out loud. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Constantine was against him either because he didn't like Oliver.”

“Oh, it's over!” said Big Lady Dior, laughing.

“Confliction is a thing lacking in this saying!” Caroline could not stop thinking that Mr. Constantine's opposition might seem cruel, impossible to resist, but she kept this thought to herself.

A few hours later, Miss Dior was destined to be faced with a dilemma. Cherry, who appeared in her bedroom on her way home from Laura Place, to thank her for sending the train to take her home, and to tell him how much he enjoyed his first visit to Sydney Garden, with his shady little forest, his caves, his labyrinth, and his waterfalls, said with beaming eyes and cheeks, “Dan, and, Mr Damitri said during the summer they put up light decorations and held special entertainment at night, as well as breakfast events for the public! Oh, Honored Miss Dior, would you be willing to take me to an entertainment event at night? Please tell me you're willing!”

“Yes, of course I am willing if you want it,” replied Miss Dior. “Did Mr Damitri tell you about this light show and light show last night?”

“Oh, no! This afternoon, when I told him I was going to explore the Garden with Stonehenge. We passed her, Lisa and I, no more than two minutes after we left the house. He said he came to visit you, but he felt obliged to turn around, to accompany me to Laura Place. Isn't he very kind, Madam? He's also very funny! He made me laugh at the ridiculous things he said! I really think he's a fun guy, don't you think?”

Miss Dior took an entire minute to respond to this question, filling her silence by pretending her attention was focused on the brooch pin on her corsage. In fact, he didn't know what to say. On the one hand, he feels obligated to warn Cherry of the ruse of a charming but poor man who is eyeing a rich wife: on the other hand, he also does not want to destroy Cherry's innocence, or worse yet not wanting to arouse in the child a rebellious soul that might, very easily, cause him to defy the authority of those older than him, and encourage Damitri's efforts to make a friendship.

Miss Dior compromised. She said, with a friendly little laugh, “Damitri's playful behavior and her good sense of humor are her forte. Please, honey, you can't increase his arrogance by adding yourself to his list of victims! He was a fun-loving fellow who could not be expected anymore, and could not see a beautiful woman without making a friendship with her! For a long time I could not count the number of stupid girls left behind to suffer from it.”

His words made Cherry's brows furrow. The girl said hesitantly, “Maybe she found that she did not really love any of them, Madam?”

“Or none of them are as rich as he thought!” As soon as these sharp words were uttered, Miss Dior immediately regretted it. Cherry's eyes lit up furiously, and she said fiercely,

Cherry ran out of the room, leaving Miss Dior who could only blame herself sadly for having been driven to say what she had decided not to say. He could only hope that no evil talk would tell Mr. Constantine his guardianship was accompanied to the city by a man he knew as a notorious wealth hunter.

Apparently, that's an empty hope. On the next morning, Caroline went with Big Lady Dior and Cherry to the Pump Room. Mrs Stinchcombe, who was seeking treatment for her remaric disease by drinking a glass of famous water every morning, was there, with her two daughters. Caroline immediately directed Grand Madam Dior to him, and was satisfied to see the two women instantly engage in a familiar conversation. He left the two of them while he traversed the room to retrieve a glass of water from the pump, and was walking back with a glass of water to the side of the Great Lady Dior when she saw Mr. Constantine walking towards her. Miss Dior prepared herself, but the first words that the man spoke were not very alarming.

“Nice to see you, Miss Dior!” said cheerfully.

“Should I be sad for you? Do you also suffer greatly from rheumatic diseases?”

“No, really, I'm not sick.” Miss Dior replied softly. “This is for my sister-in-law, not for me. What made you come here this morning, Mister?”

“Hope of finding you here, of course. There's something I want to tell you.”

Ms. Dior's heart melted, but she said calmly enough, “Well, you can do it, but first I have to give this horrible drink to my sister-in-law. Anyway, I want to introduce you to him.” Two more steps led him to the side of Grand Madam Dior, and he handed the glass to his sister-in-law, saying,

“This is the drink, baby! I believe this should be drunk in warm conditions, so dare yourself and spend it with”

Just soon! The Great Mistress Dior looked at the poison drink hesitantly, but obediently drank it, not once in a moment, but sipping carefully. He then finished it, and declared the drink was not as bad as he had been expecting because of Caroline's story.

“Thus, I assume you mean to say this drink is not as bad as people tell me about Harrogate water! You must allow me to introduce Mr. Carleron to you, he's uncle Cherry.”

Mr. Constantine, who had exchanged brief greetings with Mrs Stinchcombe, bowed, and said he was pleased to be able to make the acquaintance of the Great Lady Dior. The man sounded indifferent instead of excited, and Big Madam Dior, who answered the bow rather coldly, was, inclined to suspect his dearest Arthur had mistakenly assumed Caroline was facing danger for succumbing to the dazzling deception of this female performer. It seemed that to Grand Madame Dior, Mr. Constantine had absolutely no deceit that dazzled the man not even handsome! With Caroline's past suitors in mind, all of whom were endowed with handsome faces and excellent manners, Grand Lady Dior began to suspect Caroline had been making her brother a laughing stock, as Caroline does too often.

Grand Madame Dior could see nothing in Mr. Constantine that could attract any woman as critical and too picky as Caroline, and consequently become friendly to the man, by rescuing her over her charming niece, and telling her how much she loves Cherry.