people were watching me, and yes, Thelma was still walking at a slight distance behind me, but it was still a tiny hint of freedom. Walking on my own and watching the white and black swans swim in the lake made me feel slightly better. It reminded me of my mother, who loved swans. Hence my name. I wished she were here. To see all of this, at least. I knew I shouldn’t, but I brought out my phone. I wanted her to see what I saw at this moment, at least. But I did not hold up the phone. I tucked it against my purse.
I could hear Wolfgang’s tour information repeating in my head. The Victory Garden, created in 1917 after the first world war, comprises 861 different species of flowers. It is also home to two different species of swans, among three different pounds—
“I always love seeing these ducks swim next to swans.”
I turned to the voice of the woman with mismatched eyes—one hazel, the other pure blue. She was dressed in blue, too, though it was tight, with a slight slit up the side of the thigh.
“And you are?”
“Sabina Franziska, former Countess of Gormsey.” She curtsied with a smile on her face.
“Hello. Former you said?”
“Yes, divorced.” She snickered and leaned over. “It was very scandalous. My husband left me for another man.”
“I’m...that must have been hard.” What was I supposed to say to that?
She flicked her fingers nails. “Not really. I already knew when I married him. I was in it for the money and the title.”
My eyes widened.
“Oh, do not look at me like that. It was a mutual deal. He got a cover, a wife of good standing, and got what he wanted. It was a marriage of convenience. You should know how those things work correct?”
“I beg your pardon?” I asked.
She just kept pretending as if we were friends and smiled as she spoke. “You and Gale. Don’t worry. I already know.”
“Sadly, I do not think I know what you are talking about.” I tried my best to keep my face calm.
“Do not panic. I am not one of the vultures looking for you to fail.” She giggled, flicking her nails again. “In fact, I am actively in your corner. There is nothing I want more than for Gale to marry you.”
Each time she said Gale instead of Galahad, a small part of me wanted to yank her eyeballs out and stuff them into her mouth.
“I was always worried about us if he were forced to marry some noble lady. Before you, they thought of Lady Maeve Cudmore over there.” She pointed to the short, sort of plump girl with braces and acne that her makeup failed to cover. “Very rich, one of the richest in the country, but very weird. She is an entomologist too. Her whole mansion is filled with dead bugs, even her bedroom from the rumors. Gale told me once, his family visited their summer home, and she was smashing beetles into some paste to use on her skin. It gave him shivers. He declared he’d never marry her even if the country were on fire. He can be dramatic, can’t he? Especially when I already know he will do whatever his family asks anyway. That is why I was so worried she would be the one. Because to be so weird for so long means she does not care what others would say about her. And with her family being so powerful here, I was sure whenever Gale came to see me, she would make a huge deal out of it.”
Now, after her little speech, I understood. “You are one of Gale’s exes too.”
“Oh, so you have met the Lady of Belway?” She giggled, shaking her head. “Yes, Giselle is in his past too. Not his favorite, though, mostly because of her damsel in distress act. If there is anything Gale loves, it is a woman with a heartbreaking story. He loves being the knight in shining armor. Do not mind Giselle. She will get used to you and then ignore you.”
I bit my tongue for a moment. “Is there a reason why you are talking to me right now?”
“I told you, because I am in your corner, your friend—”
“You are not a friend.” I shook my head, slowly looking out at the swans. “Let us skip forward. I guess you are here to tell me that you are not giving up on Gale? And that I should just