Chapter 168. The Princess of Whereto
Seated in the car, Margaret peered out of the window as the ever-changing landscape blitzed past her. After three years, the youthful naivety that once graced her face was gone and replaced by an ethereal beauty that further accentuated her charm.
But presently, her alluring visage held a hint of fatigue.
The last two months at sea had been exhausting. All she wanted to do was to get home as quickly as possible, enjoy a warm bath, and replenish her beauty sleep.
As the scenery whizzed by her, she finally caught sight of the steel gates of the Governor's Mansion. Finally, she was home.
"My dear, how was your tour of the islands? Was everything smooth?" Kalytha approached Margaret with a radiant smile on her visage.
"It went relatively well. I'm just tired from the long voyage. Mother, I'd like to take a bath."
"Of course. The bathwater is already prepared and awaiting you."
With her hair coiled up into a bun atop her head, Margaret sank into the ivory porcelain bathtub. Enjoying the embrace of the warm water, she closed her eyes and allowed her wearied mind to unwind.
"Darling, Martin sent numerous telegrams while you were away. I've placed them in your room; you may want to read them when you have the time," Kalytha's voice sounded.
Margaret's beautiful arched eyebrows instantly furrowed. "Mother, please let me enjoy my rest. Perhaps we can save this talk for tomorrow?"
"Darling, there's no need to choose further. Among all your suitors, I can feel that Martin is the best candidate for you. He's the eldest son of the Governor of Ebony Mist Island and is also quite handsome. Also, I can see that he truly likes you."
"Yeah, yeah..." Margaret gave a cursory response; her mind was clearly elsewhere.
Kalytha shook her head in resignation and turned around to exit the bathroom.
"It's not necessary, but if you married him, that would certainly be a great assistance to your father's current predicament."
With a soft click, the door was closed. Margaret was then left alone in the spacious, steam-filled bathroom.
She opened her eyes as she stared at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A complex expression appeared on her delicate countenance.
Three years ago, she had been elated when she heard that Mr. Charles had become the governor of an island.
The news kept her awake the whole night. After all, this meant that her father would no longer object to them being together.
However, just as she started to fantasize about their rosy future ahead, she received devastating news: The Governor of Hope Island had perished. He had fallen from a great height and plunged into the waters. His body disappeared into the depths and was never found.
His crew offered hefty rewards for news of their lost captain, everyone knew that those who had fallen into the depths of the ocean had never managed to return. The waves would take them away and present them to the divinities.
She remembered crying for a long, long time then. She also sank into a depression for an extended period of time. But as time moved on, so had she.
She was turning twenty this year. According to normal circumstances, marrying a man she didn't despise seemed like the most sensible choice, but whenever she tried to convince herself to settle down for someone else, a strange feeling would gnaw at her soul.
"Mr. Charles, what do I have to do to forget you?" Margaret muttered to herself. Yes, Charles had indeed saved her back then. But they hadn't spent much time together, and he didn't seem that keen to even talk to her. Why couldn't she forget him?
Margaret unknowingly drifted off to sleep while thinking of many different thoughts. However, the thoughts didn’t abandon her, even in her dream.
When Margaret finally roused from her slumber, she found herself in her plush bed.
"Miss, you fell asleep in the bathtub last night," said Gina, her head attendant.
She had been waiting on Margaret since early morning.
"Thank you, Gina. I must've been really exhausted," Margaret said as she arched her back to stretch before getting up.
"Good morning, Father," Margaret greeted with a smile as she entered the dining room. Her pot-bellied father, Daniel, was seated at the breakfast table with a sullen expression. He was holding a fork in one hand and a document in the other. His hands trembled as he scanned the document.
Margaret's greetings appeared to fall on deaf ears as Daniel slammed the piece of parchment paper onto the table.
"That brat Swann has crossed the line! I'm still alive and kicking! Does he really think he owns the Northern Seas?!" Daniel roared. He then stood up in a fury and stormed out of the room.
"Brother, what's gotten into Father?" Margaret asked.
Over the years, Daniel had adopted a new appearance, and now his mustache quivered slightly. He simply gave Margaret a glance and shrugged before digging into his bacon once more.
Margaret saw that and decided not to press on further as she sank into her seat.
Breakfast was as usual—bacon, eggs, and beans—but Margaret finished them all.
Rubbing her bloated belly, Margaret hesitated on what to do next. According to her initial plan, she had intended to just relax for a couple of days upon returning to Whereto.
However, she still hadn't thought about what she should do to relax.
After pondering for several moments, she stood up and turned to her head attendant. "Gina, let's go out to play."
Very soon, Margaret changed into a flowing dress and boarded the car. The vehicle swiftly drove out of the Governor's Mansion.
"Where would you like to go, Miss?" asked the burly driver.
"I've no idea. Anywhere will do. Let's just drive around."
The Isle of Whereto was vast; even if one were to drive a car, it would take a long time to travel around. Margaret continuously peered out of the windows. She felt like the island had changed again during her absence.
And before she knew it, morning had turned into noon.
"Stop the car!"
Hearing the urgency in Margaret's voice, the driver stomped on the emergency brake.
Margaret then rushed out of the halted car and sprinted to a cotton candy stall.
"Mister, I'd like a pink one, please!" she exclaimed.
The machine whirred and came to life. Soon, a pink cotton candy was handed over to Margaret.
Margaret strolled ahead while savoring the cotton candy.
Everything edible she came across would pique her interest.
As the cotton candy rapidly diminished in size, the view of the chaotic harbor district that was previously obscured by her treat soon entered Margaret's sight.
Stuffing the last bit of cotton candy into her mouth, Margaret pointed at the harbor district. "Let's go check it out."
A hint of apprehension mixed with hesitancy crossed Gina's face. "Miss, isn't that area a little dangerous? Perhaps we should go somewhere else."
"It's fine. Brother's men are with us," Margaret reassured Gina and gestured toward the burly driver, who had been following them. She then grabbed Gina's hand and pulled her toward the harbor area.
With her stunning beauty and her exquisite, white flowing dress, Margaret stood out like a dazzling spotlight on the crowded streets.
Sensing the lingering gazes from all around her, she swiftly made a detour into a second-hand clothing shop around the corner.
People subconsciously trailed after her and gathered at the shop's entrance.
The driver didn't follow Margaret into the shop but stood guard right outside.
Soon enough, a beggar shuffled forward with a bowl in his hands.
"Make sure those trash know their place. They’re doomed if even a single hair on the young miss is harmed."
"Understood," the beggar replied and scurried off.
Inside the second-hand clothing shop, Margaret quickly changed out of her white dress into an ensemble of older clothes. She exited the shop and saw Gina waiting for her while wearing similar clothes.
Margaret took a moment to take in Gina’s appearance before covering her mouth to stifle her laughter.
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