the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Reception Venue II

The second appointment was easier.

Not because they liked it more.

Simply because they had already learned what they were looking for.

The estate was one of the capital’s older noble residences, and both Marian and Cassian had attended functions there before.

The ballroom was magnificent.

The gardens were extensive.

The dining rooms were large enough to accommodate their expected number of guests.

Everything was perfectly suitable.

And yet, after walking through the rooms for nearly an hour, Marian found herself unconvinced.

"It feels more like a state banquet," she said as they returned to the carriage.

Cassian nodded.

"That’s what I thought."

Marian smiled.

"Then we agree."

"We usually do."

She laughed.

The third appointment never happened.

Their secretary received the confirmation shortly after they left the second estate.

The property had already been reserved for another function on the first Saturday of October.

Marian stared at the letter.

"So that’s that."

Cassian nodded.

"One less decision."

"That’s one way to look at it."

She folded the letter.

"At least we didn’t waste the journey."

"We’re learning."

"About what?"

"What we don’t want."

Marian considered that.

"That’s actually true."

The fourth estate proved more promising.

It was one of the grander properties in the capital, known particularly for its gardens.

Marian liked them immediately.

She walked the central paths with Cassian, stopping several times to examine the terraces and the broad lawn behind the house.

"I could imagine photographs here."

"So could I."

"And the gardens would be lovely in October."

"They would."

The problem was the ballroom.

It wasn’t too small.

But with the number of guests they expected, it would require careful arrangement.

Marian stood near the doorway and studied the room.

"If we put the tables here, we’d lose some of the dancing space."

Cassian nodded.

"And if we move them toward the windows, the receiving line becomes awkward."

"Exactly."

They both looked at the room again.

Nothing was wrong with it.

It simply wasn’t effortless.

When they returned to the carriage, Marian opened her notebook.

"Good gardens."

"Less good ballroom."

She wrote it down.

Then closed the notebook.

"Three possibilities."

Cassian nodded.

"Actually, two."

Marian looked at him.

"Two?"

"The first."

She smiled.

"Still your favorite?"

"At the moment."

"And mine."

They settled into the carriage.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

Then Cassian frowned slightly.

"Wait."

Marian turned toward him.

"What?"

He seemed to be thinking.

"There’s another place."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Another estate?"

"No."

He looked out the carriage window.

"Something else."

"What sort of something else?"

"I don’t know if it will suit us."

Marian smiled.

"Then why mention it?"

"Because it may."

He turned back toward her.

"I have a business associate who’s been working on a property in the western quarter."

"A property?"

"A new events establishment."

Marian blinked.

"Events?"

"Yes."

She looked curious.

"What kind?"

"Private functions. Receptions. Banquets. Corporate gatherings."

He paused.

"Large ones."

Marian considered that.

"Is it finished?"

"It opened recently."

"Have you seen it?"

"No."

"Then how do you know about it?"

"The owner."

Cassian leaned back.

"We have several projects together. He mentioned the property to me some months ago."

Marian smiled.

"And you forgot?"

"I didn’t forget."

"You never mentioned it."

"Because I didn’t think about it as a wedding venue."

She laughed.

"Until now."

"Until now."

The carriage slowed as they approached an intersection.

Cassian looked thoughtful.

"I received a message this morning."

"From him?"

"Yes."

Marian tilted her head.

"He knows we’re looking?"

"Apparently."

"How?"

Cassian’s mouth curved.

"The capital has never been particularly good at keeping secrets."

Marian laughed.

"Especially when the people involved are a duke and the daughter of another duke."

"Exactly."

"What did he say?"

"That if we were still looking, he would be honored to show us the property."

Marian looked at him.

"Today?"

"He can arrange it."

She glanced at the clock.

There was still plenty of daylight.

"Is it nearby?"

"Not far."

Marian smiled.

"Then why are we sitting here?"

Cassian laughed.

"You’re interested."

"Of course I am."

She looked down at her notebook.

"We’ve already lost one venue."

"And the other two haven’t convinced us."

"Then we have nothing to lose."

Cassian knocked lightly on the carriage partition.

The driver slowed.

"Change of plans," he said. "We’re going west."

The property was unlike any of the places they had visited that day.

There was no ancient family crest above the entrance.

No generations of portraits lining the walls.

No aristocratic history attached to the building.

It was new.

Entirely new.

The structure itself was impressive without being old-fashioned.

Clean lines.

Tall windows.

Broad terraces.

A covered carriage entrance.

The grounds were still young, with newly planted trees and carefully designed gardens that had not yet had years to mature.

A man in his forties was waiting at the entrance.

He immediately stepped forward when the carriage arrived.

"Your Grace."

He bowed.

Then turned toward Marian.

"My Lady."

His smile broadened.

"I am delighted you came."

Cassian shook his hand.

"You’ve been busy."

"Very."

The businessman looked toward the building with obvious pride.

"We opened only a few weeks ago."

Marian looked around.

"It is impressive."

"I hope so."

He laughed.

"We’ve invested a great deal into it."

He led them inside.

The first thing Marian noticed was the size.

The main reception hall was enormous.

Not like an old ballroom.

There were no heavy chandeliers or dark wood panels.

Instead, the room had been designed around light.

Tall windows covered one entire wall.

The ceiling rose several stories above them.

At the far end, broad doors opened toward the terrace.

Marian slowly looked around.

"This is new."

"Completely."

The businessman smiled.

"Nothing here has hosted an event yet."

Marian turned toward him.

"Nothing?"

"Not one."

She looked at Cassian.

He was looking around too.

The owner continued explaining.

"We wanted to create something the capital didn’t already have."

He gestured around them.

"A large private venue without the restrictions of an old estate."

That caught Cassian’s attention.

"What sort of restrictions?"

"Space."

The businessman began ticking them off.

"Service access. Kitchen capacity. Guest circulation. Weather protection. Parking. Carriage arrangements."

Marian smiled.

He had just listed nearly everything they had discussed during the previous inspections.

The owner continued.

"The entire building was designed around large functions."

He opened another set of doors.

Behind them was a second hall.

"This can be used as a dining room."

Another door.

"The kitchens."

They were enormous.

Marian stopped.

Cassian looked at her.

She didn’t need to say anything.

They had both seen enough kitchens that day to recognize an efficient one.

The businessman led them toward the rear of the building.

There was another set of doors.

Beyond them lay a covered terrace.

It overlooked the gardens.

The gardens were still young, but the layout was beautiful.

There were paths.

Lawns.

Flower beds.

A fountain at the center.

Marian stepped outside.

October would change the appearance considerably.

The young trees would have begun turning.

The air would be cooler.

The garden would look established enough to feel finished without being overcrowded.

She turned slowly.

"We could use the terrace."

"Yes."

Cassian looked toward the main hall.

"And still keep the reception indoors."

"Exactly."

The businessman smiled.

"That’s one of the reasons we designed it this way."

Marian looked back at the building.

She could already see it.

Not because the property had history.

It had none.

That was precisely what made it interesting.

They would be creating the history themselves.

She turned toward Cassian.

"What do you think?"

He didn’t answer immediately.

He was looking at the hall.

Then the terrace.

Then the gardens.

Finally, he looked at her.

"I think this may be better than everything we’ve seen."

Marian smiled.

"I was thinking the same."

The businessman looked delighted.

"Would you like to see the upper gallery?"

"Of course."

They followed him upstairs.

The gallery overlooked the main hall.

From there, Marian could see the entire reception space.

The scale was exactly right.

Large enough for everyone.

But because of the way the room had been designed, it did not feel empty.

Cassian stood beside her.

"This would solve the guest flow."

Marian nodded.

"And the weather."

"And the dining arrangements."

"And the dancing."

She smiled.

"Everything."

There was a pause.

Then Marian looked at the businessman.

"You said no one has held an event here yet."

"That’s right."

"Not even a private dinner?"

"Nothing."

Marian looked at Cassian again.

His expression had changed.

A small smile appeared.

"What?"

She asked.

"Nothing."

"You’re thinking something."

"I am."

"Tell me."

He looked toward the hall below.

"If we choose this place, we’ll be the first."

Marian’s smile grew.

"Our wedding would be the first wedding held here."

"Yes."

She looked around again.

There was something strangely appealing about that.

No memories belonged to anyone else.

No one could say that the ballroom had once hosted someone else’s wedding.

No old family tradition dictated how the room should look.

They could make it theirs.

Marian looked at Cassian.

"I like that."

"So do I."

She smiled.

"Very much."

They remained upstairs for another few minutes.

Neither of them discussed the other venues.

Neither compared prices.

Neither needed to.

They had both already made the comparison in their heads.

The first estate was beautiful.

The second was impressive.

The fourth had wonderful gardens.

But this—

this had been built for exactly what they needed.

And it was new.

Untouched.

Waiting.

Marian finally opened her notebook.

She looked at the list.

Then at the businessman.

Then at Cassian.

"I think we found it."

Cassian smiled.

"I think we did."

She wrote the name of the property beneath the others.

Then drew a line beneath it.

For the first time that day, she did not add a list of disadvantages.

There was nothing she needed to explain away.

She simply wrote:

First wedding.

Then closed the notebook.

Cassian looked down at it.

"That’s your final answer?"

Marian smiled.

"Yes."

He held out his hand.

She took it.

"Then mine is too."

The businessman looked between them.

"Does that mean—"

"Yes," Cassian said.

Marian laughed.

"Don’t look so surprised."

"I was beginning to think you might inspect every building in the capital."

"We nearly did."

Cassian squeezed her hand.

"But we didn’t."

No one had planned for this place to be their first choice.

It had not even been on their original list.

It had simply appeared because someone happened to mention it at the right moment.

And somehow, that made the decision feel even better.

They had not chosen it because tradition demanded it.

They had chosen it because they both looked around and could imagine their wedding there.

Their wedding.

Their own beginning.

And now they had somewhere to put it.

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