For the next three days, Ernest had to remain soaked in the hot spring. For the most optimal effect to take place, he must not leave the pond for too long.
As so, he was in the pond for most of the time. Florence even brought his meals to him and let him eat right there.
While it was possible to have someone else send in the meals, but the treasure vault wasn’t open to others yet, so it wasn’t appropriate to let servants enter. Secondly, Ernest didn’t want Florence to stay with him 24/7 in this enclosed and stuffy space, so it was a good reason for her to get some fresh air.
Ernest asked Florence to fetch his food as a way for her to stay active.
At noon of the third day, Florence went to pick up his lunch as usual, but on her way back, she noted something was different in the environment.
In the garden, all along the pavements, there were noticeably more workers, tending to the lawns and greenery.
Various locations were planted with flowers in bloom; the entire place immediately looked much livelier and more vibrant.
Florence wondered, was this to celebrate the opening of the vault, or Ernest’s recovery?
What confused her the most was, as she neared the entrance of the Turner family’s mansion, a huge crowd of servants headed in, carrying wedding accessories.
Many areas even had wedding decor.
There was many new furniture that brimmed with a wedding connotation.
Just who was getting married?
“Oh, Flory, you’re finally here. Come, come, we prepped your meal already.”
Phoebe stood at the entrance of the restaurant and cheerfully beckoned Florence.
Florence stopped glancing around and headed to Phoebe, “Thanks, and sorry for the hassle.”
“Come on now, don’t be a stranger. We’re best buds.”
Phoebe held Florence’s hand and led her into the restaurant. Then she glanced up and down Florence in a mischievous manner.
The sly smile on her face sent a shiver down Florence’s back.
What was going on?
Florence cautiously looked around the restaurant. Her lunchbox was placed neatly on the table, and the entire place was clean. Other than the fact that were no customers, nothing odd stood out.
Florence paused for a while before she finally asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Phoebe still held onto Florence, then chuckled as she said,
“Oh, it’s nothing, Flory, I just wanted to interview you. How does it feel to soon become a bride?”
“Bride?”
Florence had a stumped expression on her face, “What do you mean? What’s this about becoming a bride?”
Florence was in the vault all day, and there was no cellphone signal. When she came out, she headed to the restaurant directly and didn’t contact Stanford at all.
So as the bride-to-be, she was completely clueless to the entire ordeal.
Phoebe helped to clear things up for her, “Your parents and Mr. Turner already agreed to let you and Ernest get married. Look, all those decorations outside are for your wedding celebration.”
Florence was at a complete loss for words. So all the decor she saw along the way was for her wedding?
And she was the one getting married?
This…
Everything came so sudden; she felt her head spinning and buzzing, and couldn’t think of a thing to say for a while.
“What, are you overjoyed beyond words, or don’t want to get married?”
Phoebe teased her, “I heard from Mr. Fraser that, if you don’t want to get married so soon, they can postpone it indefinitely.”
“No need to postpone at all.”
Florence suddenly blurted it out.
The second Florence said this, Phoebe stared at her with a sly smile, making Florence’s face blush completely.
Phoebe laughed out loud, “Oh, can’t wait to get married already, eh?!”
Florence turned even redder; her heart was like a rabbit hopping and dashing around in an uncontrollable manner.
She had been with Ernest for so long. She originally thought that it would take at least three years, after Ernest had fully recovered, before her family would agree to let her get married. But to think that her parents would agree to let her and Ernest get married right away.
Florence had always dreamt of wearing a wedding gown in front of Ernest. She was beyond ecstatic and couldn’t bear to wait a second longer.
With approval from the parents, she believed that neither side of the family would ever come between her and Ernest again, and that she could finally live happily ever after with him.
Florence could barely contain her joy, and she didn’t heed Phoebe’s teasing anymore, “Did my brother set a date yet?”
“They haven’t picked a date yet; they were waiting for you to come out before they set the date. If you’re in a hurry, why not have it the day after tomorrow? I looked at the horoscopes, that day is a lucky day to get married.”
The day after tomorrow? No way could it possibly be that soon.
Florence gave Phoebe a slight nudge, “Stop teasing me.”
“Teasing you? I’m serious, I looked at the horoscope. As your best friend, I know you’re just dying to hurry up and get married.”
Phoebe scrunched her eyebrows together and squinted at Florence.
Her words made Florence’s heart race and face turn red even more.
Amidst her flustered state, Florence suddenly had a thought, and smiled as she asked Phoebe,
“You and my brother have been dating for quite a while now. How about we all get married together, at the same time?”
Phoebe suddenly stopped joking and became the one at a loss for words.
Her face also turned bright red, and she huffed and puffed a few times, then said in a distressed tone, “I’d love to get married with him, but your brother isn’t ready for that yet. There’s no way we’d make it in time to get married together.”
Looking at Phoebe’s distraught expression, Florence couldn’t help but to snicker.
Aside from all her teasing, it turned out that Phoebe herself was more than anxious to hurry up and get married.
And she didn’t feel ashamed about it at all.
Florence’s counterattack failed. Disappointed, she picked up the lunchbox and headed out.
She didn’t want to chat with Phoebe any longer. This woman felt no embarrassment at all.
“Hey, Flory, wait up, what’s the hurry? Let’s talk more about your wedding.”
Florence stepped up the pace.
Phoebe joked and laughed heartily, “Are you that anxious to go back and discuss on the wedding date with Ernest? Will it be tomorrow or the day after?”
Florence turned at the corner and disappeared immediately.
She carried the lunchbox and hurriedly fled from the restaurant. She could still hear Phoebe laughing behind her, and didn’t even dare take a glance at the busy servants all around.
If they heard the conversation just now, they would think she was desperate to put on the wedding dress.
How did she make friends with Phoebe Jenkins?
After a while, Florence was quite a distance away from the restaurant. Other than feelings of embarrassment, she was incredibly thrilled and delighted.
Since all parents have agreed, was she finally going to get married with Ernest now?
If he heard about this, what would he think and how would he react?