Salvation Equation - Chapter 33. Eric’s Invitation

​​A week has passed since then.

 

Madeleine was cleaning up the dining table. The servants’ dining room in the basement was quiet, with no one but her.

 

Suddenly, she felt someone’s presence.

 

Madeleine shifted her gaze from the sparkling dishes and raised her head. Eric Nottingham was leaning against the door. His white shirtsleeves were rolled up to his arms. After being discharged from the army, he looked very healthy and lively with a slight tan due to playing tennis.

 

​​He showed his unique mischievous smile.

 

“……?”

 

Madeleine pointed her finger at herself.

 

‘Me? What can I do for you…..?’

 

“Madeline, I haven’t seen you these days.”

 

“I’ve been busy with work.”

 

“Is it because of that picture? Don’t worry. I’ve firmly warned them so they won’t do any absurd things again.”

 

“….. I see.”

 

When Madeleine’s tone became somber, Eric became urgent.

 

“I totally taught them a lesson you know?”

 

“……”

 

Madeleine’s face was still dark.

 

Eric clicked his tongue. He whispered to her.

 

“Did you know?”

 

When Madeleine raised her head, Eric smiled brightly.

 

“My relatives will have a gathering in the family’s villa soon.”

 

“Ah…. Is that so?”

 

Madeline nodded.

 

Nottingham’s relatives.

 

They were people she had never seen in her previous life. It wasn’t her job to greet them anyway. The Nottingham relatives had always been ghosts to her. They didn’t exist to her.

 

When Madeleine showed curiosity for the first time, Eric began a long speech.

 

“There aren’t that many relatives. Originally, my family was an indirect line… This story is complicated to tell. You only need to know that there’s a messy history about wealth and titles, and that our side won.”

 

Thanks to that, half of the relatives were estranged. Eric winked with one eye.

 

Madeleine suddenly wondered why the young man in front of her would bring this up to her.

 

“Relatives across the Atlantic Ocean and businessmen from the companies we invest in often gather at the villa for a luncheon. Though, it was put on hold because of the war.”

 

“I see.”

 

It was a custom that she had heard for the first time. She lived as Madeleine “Nottingham” for six years, but she never knew about this extended gathering. Of course, it was also her first time hearing about the villa.

 

“The war is over, and we have a lot to discuss so… People will come to the villa soon. I’m sure there are some things they want to confirm.”

 

“What are they going to confirm?”

 

“Uh, Madeline. That’s…..”

 

There was no one around, but he whispered close to Madeleine.

 

“It’s something like ‘putting tea in milk or putting milk in tea’. It’s nothing much.”

 

“…….”

 

As she let out a lifeless laugh as if appalled, Eric awkwardly laughed.

 

“Anyway! There’s a reason why I came to see you.”

 

“…….”

 

Madeleine’s blue eyes sparkled with doubt again.

 

He really needed to get down to business now. Eric frowned slightly at her look, cleared his throat and whispered.

 

“Would you like to go to the villa together?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“My family and friends will gather to meet at the villa after a long time, so I wanted to ask if Madeline would like to go.”

 

Eric, who uttered those words, looked very happy. Madeleine, on the contrary, felt her heart sink.

 

“But I have work to do at the hospital.”

 

“That’s why I asked Mrs. Oates. I heard you’ve never taken a leave? Let’s take this opportunity to take a week to rest.”

 

“Still…..”

 

“Miss Madeleine Loenfield. You never know, if you go this time. A good opportunity might appear. For example, the hospital might be discussed.”

 

Madeleine’s round eyes became more round at the mention of the hospital. Eric shrugged his shoulders as he liked that Madeleine, who was usually calm, showed curiosity.

 

Madeline whispered.

 

“Then, do those people also decide matters about the hospital?”

 

“Decide, you say. We prefer to say ‘mutual agreement’.”

 

“Ah. I’m sorry. Then, can we change their minds? Eric. I know you can’t keep the hospital in the Nottingham mansion forever.  But we need more time.”

 

“…….”

 

“I know it’s shameless. I’m sorry. It’s not my business what to do in this place.”

 

Madeleine bowed her head. Her voice gradually faded away.

 

What a pitiful woman. It seemed that Madeleine Loenfield cared about the hospital a lot.

 

She was desperate. To protect what? Even veterans of the war keep revisiting the wounds they want to quickly forget and leave…

 

But he couldn’t tell her what he was thinking.

 

“I feel the same way as Miss Madeleine. All the more reason why I’m asking you to go to this gathering. If they listen to Madeleine’s words, they might all change their minds.”

 

“…But if I attend, won’t it trouble your family meeting?”

 

“Everyone will probably bring their friends. Madeline is a friend of our household too.”

 

It was not until Eric assured her again and again that Madeleine nodded.

 

“Then… If I won’t trouble anyone by going…. I’ll go.”

 

“Good thinking. Although Cornwall’s beach cannot hold a tennis court, it’s beautiful. Let’s play tennis together.”

 

* * *

 

It felt awkward that she had to leave the hospital for a while. Perhaps, as Mrs. Oates said Madeline had become addicted to her work. Looking at the swollen and wounded palms, all kinds of thoughts rushed in.

 

‘Is it right for me to attend as Eric’s friend?’

 

Internally, she was looking forward to the family meeting. She wanted to check the villa with her eyes and see people who she didn’t even know existed. Although, she didn’t know how to persuade them about the hospital.

 

‘The relatives of Nottingham….’

 

They were people whom Ian rarely showed in her past life. The people who controlled the economy of the UK and the world.

 

Actually, she was disappointed. She wondered why he didn’t introduce such distinguished relatives to her.

 

‘Perhaps he was ashamed of me.’

 

She used to think it was because he was embarrassed about his young and immature wife so he didn’t even put her near his people. Anyway, her curiosity would soon be solved.

 

She thought she could take this opportunity to find out what kind of people they were. She didn’t expect much about the fate of the hospital.

 

‘It would be nice if I could convince even one person.’

 

Still, let’s not overdo it. Let’s not expect anything to change because of me.

 

Madeline pulled the blanket up to her chin and closed her drowsy eyelids. It was time to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Mrs. Oates, who took note of her vacation, said nothing. She said that Madeline could take a rest because she had worked nonstop.

 

There was one thing that bothered her since she started packing for her vacation. Eric’s invitation was one thing, but she was somehow embarrassed to face Ian.

 

It was unclear when he overheard her conversation with her father.

 

‘What if he had been listening from the beginning?’

 

The mere thought of it gave her chills. Madeleine shook her head and drove out miscellaneous thoughts.

 

별장에서 입을 옷을 정하기 위해 옷장부터 열었다. 최신 카탈로그의 기준에 따르면 참담했다. 전쟁 전에 샀던 얼마 안 되는 옷들은 전부 유행을 한참 넘긴 구닥다리였다. 그나마 가지고 있는 입을 만한 옷들은 전부 작업복이었다. 19년도식 신식 드레스는 없었다.

She opened the closet first to decide what clothes to wear at the villa. By the standards of the latest catalog, it was disastrous. The few clothes she bought before the war were all very out of fashion. All the decent clothes she had were work clothes. There were 19th fashion dresses.

 

‘In the end, I have to buy new clothes.’

 

It may not be bad. Having a little bit of luxury with the salary she had earned over the years. Spending is not a sin, right?

 

Madeleine planned shopping downtown. She thought she’d buy a dress, a hat, and a shawl.

 

* * *

 

It was rare to meet Ian since that awkward encounter. Madeleine did not go out looking for Ian first.

 

She felt ashamed to do that, and she thought that if she explained it in front of the man, the misunderstanding would only grow.

 

However, Ian came to Madeleine first.

 

He suddenly came to Madeleine like a charging force. It was when she was about to change clothes after her shift at the ward. The man caught Madeleine as she was climbing the servants’ stairs. He called for her precisely.

 

“Madeline.”

 

At his call, Madeleine turned her head and looked back.

 

Unlike his usual pale face, it was clear that the man’s face was quite flushed even under the dim light.

 

Madeline wondered.

 

Did he drink? But Ian wasn’t someone who would drink and visit her.

 

When Madeleine was hesitating, Ian began to speak straightforwardly.

 

“Why did you comply with that request?”

 

“What?”

 

Madeleine was stunned. Ian spoke again before she could answer anything. An impatient voice  criticized Madeleine like a scene from an opera.

 

“Don’t you think too little of our family?”

 

“Uh, Ian…. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

“Didn’t you say you’d go to the villa? Eric was so happy.”

 

Ah. He was talking about her accepting Eric’s request. Madeleine’s eyes sank coldly.

 

“I wouldn’t have bothered to attend if it was only for the Nottinghams. Just… Eric asked me to attend as a friend, so I accepted.”

 

“Reject it now.”

 

Madeleine recoiled slightly at the stern imperative.

 

“I’m telling you to say no right away.”

 

She was bewildered. The man was pushing himself to stop her, even though she was just attending his relatives’ reunion.

 

*****