the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: reception venue I

Marian had taken the matter seriously.

Perhaps a little too seriously.

By breakfast, she had already reviewed the five estates they had discussed the previous evening.

By the time Cassian arrived, the necessary letters had been sent.

Her secretary had contacted each household.

The appointments had been confirmed.

The schedules had been arranged.

Everything was in order.

Marian was rather pleased with herself.

She had spent years being trained for court life.

She knew how these things worked.

She knew that important households did not simply arrive at an estate and ask to be shown around.

Everything required notice.

Everything required coordination.

And she had handled it.

Cassian arrived shortly afterward.

He looked perfectly composed.

Marian didn’t think much of it.

They exchanged their greetings, climbed into the carriage, and began the first appointment of the day.

It was only when they arrived that Marian realized something was wrong.

The carriage stopped before the first estate.

A steward was already waiting at the entrance.

He approached as Cassian stepped down.

"My Lord Duke."

He bowed deeply.

"Welcome. We have been expecting Your Grace."

Marian blinked.

She was still inside the carriage.

Your Grace?

She looked at Cassian.

He appeared completely unsurprised.

"Thank you," he said.

The steward straightened.

"We have prepared the ballroom, gardens, and adjoining rooms for your inspection."

Marian finally stepped down.

The steward’s eyes widened.

"My Lady Valmont."

He bowed again.

"Forgive me. I did not realize—"

His gaze moved between them.

"You are here together."

Marian smiled politely.

"Yes."

The steward looked faintly embarrassed.

"Of course. I had been informed that His Grace would be arriving this morning."

Marian turned toward Cassian.

"His Grace?"

Cassian’s expression remained innocent.

"Yes?"

"Why were they expecting you?"

He paused.

"My secretary arranged the appointment."

Marian stared at him.

"Your secretary?"

"Yes."

She looked at him for another moment.

Then slowly smiled.

"I see."

Cassian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"What?"

"I thought I was the one who arranged everything."

He looked genuinely surprised.

"You did?"

"I did."

A pause.

Then Cassian laughed.

"Apparently we both did."

Marian folded her arms.

"I was going to impress you."

"You did."

"You didn’t even know."

"I didn’t."

"And you went and arranged everything yourself."

"So did you."

She tried to look offended.

It was difficult.

The steward stood quietly beside them, wisely pretending that this exchange was entirely ordinary.

Marian finally laughed.

"Well."

She glanced toward the estate.

"At least we won’t have any scheduling problems."

Cassian offered her his arm.

"Apparently not."

She took it.

"Come on, Your Grace."

He smiled.

"After you, Lady Valmont."

Together, they followed the steward inside.

Neither of them mentioned that they had both spent the morning independently doing exactly the same thing.

There was something strangely satisfying about it.

They were already beginning to behave like a married couple.

Neither trusted the other to forget something important.

And neither of them was willing to leave anything to chance.

--

The steward led them through the main entrance.

Marian had visited the estate before.

Several times, in fact.

She remembered the grand staircase.

The marble floors.

The long gallery lined with portraits.

None of it was unfamiliar.

And yet, as she walked through the entrance beside Cassian, she found herself looking at everything differently.

The steward opened the doors to the ballroom.

Marian stepped inside.

She stopped for a moment.

Not because the room was particularly surprising.

It wasn’t.

She had seen larger ballrooms.

More elaborate ones too.

But she had never entered this particular room while thinking about where she would stand in a wedding dress.

Her eyes moved slowly across the space.

The main entrance was at the far end.

The windows opened toward the gardens.

The musicians could be placed along the eastern wall.

The tables could be arranged around the perimeter.

She began mentally rearranging the room without even realizing it.

Cassian noticed.

"What are you thinking?"

She looked at him.

"Where the guests would sit."

He glanced around.

"Along the sides?"

"Perhaps."

She walked a few steps farther.

"The tables shouldn’t block the windows."

"Agreed."

"And the orchestra could go there."

She pointed.

"That would leave the center open."

"For dancing."

"Exactly."

Cassian nodded.

He looked around again.

"I think you’re right."

The steward smiled discreetly.

Marian continued walking.

She reached the center of the room.

Then turned toward the entrance.

"If I enter from there..."

Cassian followed her gaze.

"...everyone would see you immediately."

She looked back at him.

"That’s what I’m thinking."

A small smile touched his mouth.

"Then I like that."

Marian smiled too.

She had never thought about this room that way.

Before today, it had simply been another grand ballroom in the capital.

Now she could almost hear the music.

Almost see the guests turning toward the doors.

Almost feel the weight of the dress she would be wearing.

The thought made her stomach flutter.

She looked away before Cassian could notice.

He noticed anyway.

He always did.

The steward continued explaining the practical arrangements.

"The adjoining dining room can be used for the formal supper."

Marian followed him through.

She inspected the doors.

The passageways.

The placement of the kitchens.

The service corridors.

The private rooms.

This part of the planning was familiar.

This was logistics.

Numbers.

Movement.

Efficiency.

But even those details felt different now.

She wasn’t organizing a royal reception.

She wasn’t planning something for the Emperor.

She was deciding how her own wedding would function.

Cassian stopped beside her.

"What do you think?"

Marian considered it.

"It works."

"Only works?"

She smiled.

"You’ve become very demanding."

"I want an honest answer."

"It works very well."

He waited.

She laughed.

"And I like it."

"Better."

Marian shook her head.

They continued toward the terrace.

The gardens stretched beyond it.

The steward explained that the grounds could be used for photographs, an outdoor portion of the reception, or simply as a place for guests to walk.

Marian stepped outside.

The summer garden was already in full bloom.

October would look different.

The leaves would change.

The air would be cooler.

The flowers would not be the same.

She tried to picture it.

Perhaps autumn roses.

White flowers along the walkway.

Lanterns beneath the trees.

She glanced at Cassian.

"What flowers would you choose?"

He looked mildly surprised.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"I’d choose whatever you like."

Marian smiled.

"That’s not an answer."

"It is."

"No, it isn’t."

Cassian considered the garden.

Then looked back at her.

"I’d want flowers everywhere."

"Everywhere?"

"Yes."

She laughed.

"That’s excessive."

"I don’t think so."

"You don’t need to fill every available space."

"I know."

He smiled.

"But I want the flowers to be the first thing you see when you arrive."

Marian’s expression softened.

She looked away.

"You’re very indulgent."

"Only when it comes to you."

She shook her head, smiling.

They walked farther into the garden.

There was a small stone pavilion at the end of the main path.

Marian stopped.

"What about here?"

Cassian followed her gaze.

"For photographs?"

"Perhaps."

He looked around.

The pavilion overlooked the gardens.

Behind it, the trees formed a natural frame.

"It would work."

Marian nodded.

She wrote something in her notebook.

Cassian glanced at the page.

"You’re taking notes again."

"Of course."

"You’ve written almost an entire page."

"We’ve been here for an hour."

"Exactly."

She looked at him.

"Are you complaining?"

"Never."

They continued walking.

At the far end of the grounds, they found a covered walkway connecting the gardens to the main house.

Marian immediately noticed it.

"This is useful."

"In case of rain."

"Exactly."

Cassian nodded.

Neither of them wanted weather to determine whether their guests could enjoy the gardens.

They returned inside.

By the time the inspection was finished, Marian had several pages of notes.

She stood near the entrance while the steward summarized the arrangements.

Cassian looked at her notebook.

"Well?"

Marian looked around the estate one last time.

"It’s a possibility."

Cassian nodded.

"Strong one?"

"Yes."

She paused.

"But I want to see the others."

"Of course."

She smiled.

"Then we don’t decide today."

"Not yet."

They thanked the steward and returned toward the carriage.

Marian glanced back once before stepping inside.

It was strange.

The estate had always been beautiful.

She had simply never had a reason to imagine herself here.

Now she had one.

And that changed everything.

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