Dean gave a nod after hearing this, âAlright, Ellinor. You can go have a look by yourself, and whenever you get tired, just come back.â
Ellinor obediently responded, âSureâ
Then, a servant helped Dean into the car parked nearby and took him back to take his medicine.
After watching Dean leave, Ellinorâs gaze turned back to the sea of flowers in front of her.
She was so stunned by the beauty of the unique flowers that she didnât have time to ask Dean what they were She walked up to the flower bed alone, bent over, and took a sniff. There was indeed a nice and sweet scent, but it was mixed with a strange sour smell.
How could such beautiful flowers have such a smell?
As she was pondering, a tall, middleâaged man suddenly appeared from the flower bed, giving her a scare.
The middleâaged man was standing in the flower bed, his hands covered in mud.
Instinctively, Ellinor took a step back, looking at him in surprise.
The man just smiled at her, âSorry to startle you, I was just fertilizing the flowers.â
After saying that, he walked out of the flower bed, went over to a faucet not far away, and bent down to wash his hands, âAre you todayâs guest?*
Ellinor nodded, âYes, Mr. Howard. Nice to meet you, sorry to intrude.â
McNeil Howard, having washed his hands, turned around to look at her with a somewhat surprised expression, âYou know who I am?â
He was now wearing a gardenerâs uniform and hadnât introduced himself; how could this young girl know his identity?
Ellinor explained, âI saw you once at the Bagley familyâs home during old Mr. Bagleyâs birthday. It wasnât too long ago, so I remember.â
McNeil looked at her with his deepâset eyes, âI remember you too.â
âReally?â Ellinor was somewhat surprised.
She had only briefly met him that day, and he hadnât been as observant as she had been, how could he remember her?
McNeil laughed, answering her question, âBecause you look very much like my daughter, so I remember.â
He said she looked like his daughter?
This made Ellinor a little nervous, but she quickly calmed down. The daughter he was talking about must be Patricia.
She and Patricia share the same father, so it wasnât strange that they looked alike.
McNeil sat down on a bench nearby, unscrewed a water bottle that he had placed there earlier, and took a sip while giving Ellinor a onceâover, âSo youâre the one who saved my fatherâs life? Iâve heard about you.â
Ellinor replied, âIâm not a savior; I just lent a hand. Iâm here today because Grandpa Dean invited me so warmly that I was afraid heâd be disappointed if I refusedâ
McNeil nodded. âYouâre very modest and sensible.â
Ellinor didnât want to talk much with the man who had betrayed her mother, so she turned her head and asked, âMr. Howard, what are these flowers?â
McNeil looked at the sea of flowers, his voice becoming softer with the breeze, and responded, âCockscomb.â