Chapter 17: Dinner and Diversions

Viscount Ian Bute's London residence was situated in Chelsea, also known as the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, within Greater London. Among London's three traditional wealthy enclaves, Chelsea was particularly favored by some aristocrats, boasting a large number of historic Victorian-era buildings and prestigious British mansions, including the famous royal residence, Kensington Palace. Naturally, property prices here were exceedingly high, no less expensive than Kensington, where Arthur currently resided.

"Welcome, Lord Arthur."

"It's an honor to receive your invitation, Mr. Bute."

After shaking hands with Viscount Ian Bute, a fair, flawless hand reached out to Lord Arthur. He took the delicate hand and lightly kissed it. "Madam, your beauty could make the starry sky lose its luster."

"Your compliments are as refreshing as a spring breeze, Your Lordship…" Ian's wife, Christina, beamed. Her beautiful eyes settled on Lord Arthur's handsome face, and then she pulled a girl with equally exquisite looks beside her. "This is my cousin, Bonnie. She's your schoolmate."

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Bonnie…" Arthur observed the Viscountess's cousin, admitting her excellent figure: blonde hair, blue eyes, tall, and strikingly attractive. He complimented her,

"Your figure truly rivals those supermodels, and you seem somewhat familiar. I feel like I've seen you somewhere…"

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Lordship. Actually, I used to be a print model, and now I work as a host at Sky TV, which might be why I seem familiar to you."

Ian's residence, with its modern interior decoration and layout, was a slight deviation from typical aristocratic aesthetics. Furthermore, the dinner had clearly been meticulously prepared, showing the considerable thought he'd put into this invitation. During the meal, Viscount Bute avoided mentioning the land near King's Cross Station. The conversation flowed easily, covering relaxed and casual topics. These included the recently concluded "Queen's Golden Jubilee," the most popular topic in England at the moment, as well as the World Cup and Michael Jackson's upcoming visit to London in a week.

Bonnie, two years Arthur's senior, had also graduated from University College London, making her his senior. However, their differing majors meant that, in Arthur's previous memories, he had never actually seen her at school. This connection provided them with plenty of common ground, leading to discussions about interesting school anecdotes.

In terms of appearance, Bonnie and the Viscountess, Christina, shared some similarities, but comparatively, Christina appeared more voluptuous and exuded a mature aura, while Bonnie projected a youthful and very enthusiastic vibe.

As for their attire, Viscountess Christina wore a long, rather formal evening gown, while her cousin Bonnie wore a suit skirt similar to professional attire, with a more designed shirt underneath, which made the overall look less formal and added a touch of charm. Especially Bonnie's long legs, encased in grey stockings, peeking out from under her skirt, were straight and slender, greatly attracting Arthur's gaze. Of course, on the surface, he maintained his composure, merely subtly glancing without lingering.

At the dining table, Bonnie was seated beside Lord Arthur, while Ian and his wife sat opposite them. Therefore, while Ian and Christina across the table might not have noticed Lord Arthur's slightly bold gaze, Bonnie, seated beside him, was unexpectedly perceptive.

Just as Arthur was discussing the England team's prospects in the FIFA World Cup with Ian, Bonnie subtly shifted, moving her chair back a bit—this allowed more of her legs to be visible beyond the tablecloth.

"The first match was a draw against Sweden, and with Argentina also in the group, and Nigeria not weak either, it seems our group of death is truly not optimistic. I really hope the lads can create a miracle." Participating in the World Cup discussion, as she spoke, Bonnie's upper body remained seated upright as usual, but she subtly crossed one leg over the other. This action made her long legs even more noticeable, a sight visible only to Arthur sitting next to her.

Hidden by the tablecloth and the table, Viscount and Viscountess Bute, across from them, had no way of knowing her movements under the table. Therefore, Arthur's gaze was immediately drawn to Bonnie's long legs. As he looked over, he also noticed her gaze, looked up, and met Bonnie's eyes, only to see her quickly wink at him. This woman was definitely doing it on purpose!

Of course, these were just a small interlude tonight, a playful "prank" from Bonnie. This even made Arthur wonder if his former self's reputation as a "playboy" had already spread so widely.

After dinner, Ian invited Lord Arthur into his study for tea. Arthur knew the main event of the evening was about to begin.

"Lord Arthur, you should remember that when we last met, I mentioned an intention to cooperate with your father."

"Is it the gas tank land near King's Cross Station?"

"Yes, the location is quite good. The only obstacle is those huge abandoned storage tanks…" Ian picked up a cigar and offered it to Arthur. "You can try this; it's a good one from Cuba."

Arthur was no stranger to cigars, both in his past life and in his current body. So, after taking it, he skillfully picked up the cigar cutter, clipped the cap, patiently toasted it, and finally took a light puff, savoring the mellow aroma.

At the same time, Ian spoke, "Originally, I hoped to cooperate with you in developing that piece of land, but now I know that you might have some minor financial difficulties. Therefore, I can offer another option, which is for us to purchase the land and develop it independently. This way, Arthur, you will be able to recover a sum of money to solve your current difficulties."

"That seems like a good suggestion…" Arthur leaned back against the sofa, looking at Ian, and asked with interest, "What price can Your Lordship offer for that land?"

"We commissioned a professional agency to appraise the land, and we have finalized the acquisition price…" Meeting Arthur's gaze, Ian slowly stated,

"£8 million, cash, payable immediately after the contract is signed."