Ernest held Florence’s hand tighter.
He lowered his head and whispered into her ear in a deep voice, “Why? Can’t bear to have someone else in your brother’s heart?”
There was a slight tinge of jealousy in his voice.
Florence froze, thinking that there were indeed no women around Stanford. To him, the only two women in his heart were Florence and his mother.
But this was her brother. Why would Ernest be jealous too?
Florence looked at Ernest suspiciously and smiled pleasantly, “Mr. Hawkins, how come I didn’t know before that you get jealous so easily.”
She hadn’t called him by Mr. Hawkins since this visit when he took on Clarence’s identity.
Ernest was touched instantly hearing this familiar name.
He pulled Florence a little closer to himself, and the two youngsters were almost pressed together.
His voice was low and charming, “There’s still a lot that you don’t know about me. I’ll give you the chance to discover it slowly.”
Florence was moved by his tantalizing and ambiguous words.
Her heart was beating with joy, feeling his breath and temperature.
She had no other wish but to be with Ernest for the rest of her life, never to be separated again.
After getting back to the Fraser family, the family sat down to have dinner together.
Victoria and Alexander casually asked how they spent their afternoon time. And the meal was very harmonious.
After dinner, Ernest wanted to go to Victoria’s study to talk to her alone about the local customs of City N, which he had promised her this morning.
Florence had a guilty conscience, and she secretly pulled Ernest, worried about him going alone.
Ernest patted Florence’s hand and whispered in her ear, “I’ll be back very soon. Just go back and wash your hands properly.”
Florence was dumbfounded. What was the point of asking her to clean her hands?
She looked down at her hands in confusion. They were clean and not dirty.
Ernest sneered as he let go of Florence’s hand.
“Get ready and wait for me.”
After saying that, he dashingly walked in the direction of the study.
Florence stood still, linking everything that he had said, then she understood precisely what he meant.
In the morning, she had been forced to promise him to use her hand for him!
It had been a long day, and he was still thinking about this. He even wanted her to wash her hands and get ready for him.
This was simply…
So humiliating!
Florence glared at Ernest’s back with shame and vexation. Since he was still in the mood of thinking about such filthy things, surely he could efficiently deal with her mother.
She was not going to worry about him again for nothing.
Florence turned around and walked back to her room, gritting her teeth in exasperation, with her face blushing.
…
Victoria’s exclusive study was tastefully furnished. She looked elegant sitting in a noble position. She vaguely seemed powerful even if she was getting on in years.
She elegantly reached out her hand, “Please sit down.”
Ernest nodded and took a seat on the sofa opposite Victoria.
Victoria asked, “Would you like to have a drink? Coffee or wine?”
“Coffee would be fine. Thanks.”
Ernest sat upright with a gentlemanly yet unassuming smile on his face.
Victoria couldn’t find any mistake in him ostensibly and ritually.
After secretly sizing up Ernest for several seconds, Victoria leaned back on the sofa in a graceful posture.
And she seemed domineering.
“Mr. Jenkins, you should have known my purpose for calling you here, right?”
After a simple test, she got straight to the point sharply.
Ernest’s expression changed slightly yet not showing any sign of weakness.
“Yes, I know.”
He answered forthrightly, “Because of Florence.”
“Mr. Jenkins is a wise man. And it’s good to speak plainly.”
Victoria nodded, and she was even more incisive, “As for Flory’s attitude towards Mr. Jenkins in the past two days, you must have known her feelings towards you, right?”
Ernest nodded, “Ms. Fraser likes me.”
A definite answer.
Although Florence hadn’t confessed her feelings yet, it felt so natural for such narcissistic words to come out of his mouth.
Even Victoria didn’t feel any annoyance about it but felt justified instead.
Clarence was so frank that he caught Victoria off guard.
However, she didn’t show a hint of surprise, and she still maintained an elegant smile, “And what about you?”
She asked lightly, followed by a sharp sight at him, not allowing any lies.
In front of Victoria like this would be panic for telling lies, as if it would be seen through.
Ernest met Victoria’s gaze straight on, and he looked calm.
He pursed his lips and said, “I do have a good feeling about Florence.”
Victoria frowned, “Just a good feeling?”
There was a big difference between having a good feeling and a liking.
Liking someone meant that he had attached to the person, whereas having a good feeling was more of a wait-and-see situation that could back off at any moment.
Victoria was obviously not satisfied with this answer.
However, Ernest was unfazed and spoke calmly, “I had a good impression of Florence. After spending two days together, she had made my heart flutter. But I don’t know her well enough yet, and I’m not sure if we’re suitable for each other or not. I’m rather strict about relationships. And if I like her, I’m bound to marry her.”
If it was not suitable, he would just leave.
The implication of this statement seemed ruthless, but Victoria nodded appreciatively instead.
He could still be so sensible even in his feelings. Clarence’s mind was even better than she had thought.
And for a man with such an attitude, he would be a very responsible husband in the future.
Victoria added, “Can I ask, since Mr. Jenkins’s intention for a relationship is to get married, have you ever been in love before?”
Ernest seemed to look gloomy as if it had triggered some of his sad past.
“I once had a girlfriend when I was in college. She was sort of my first love, and so far, my only girlfriend. It’s just that later, we separated for some reason.”
Victoria had meticulously investigated Clarence and knew about this college girlfriend of his. And the reason for their separation was because they realized that their temperament was incompatible after they had left college and been into society.
As for Clarence, it was sort of a sad past of love.
“You won’t start a relationship easily now, because of her?”
“Because of her, but not just her.”
Ernest looked frankly at Victoria, and his voice was always calming, “If you like someone, you are qualified to promise her a lifetime of happiness only when you get married. If just loving once and break up, it will only leave harm behind. As to Florence, I don’t want to hurt her.”