TBKU 08

Chapter : 8

Despite the courage Sheila had barely managed to summon, she had spent several days confined to her room.

It was partly by her own choice and partly because of circumstances beyond her control.

Whenever she made up her mind to go outside, Lennon had already left the estate, and on the days when Lennon was in his study, for some reason, she could not bring herself to take a step toward him.

Not once did their three daily meals overlap.

The longer the days went by without seeing Lennon, the more her courage to face him gradually diminished.

“Isn’t it hot?”

“I’m fine.”

Sheila was sitting by the bedside reading a book. She gave Kate a brief answer before lowering her head again.

It was a very important moment in the novel—the male protagonist was confessing his feelings to the female protagonist.

A hot breeze blew in through the wide-open window.

Summer had arrived unusually early, and the windows of the ducal residence were always left wide open.

Summer was an uncomfortable season for Sheila.

Almost every night, there was a soirée or ball being held in the bustling areas of the capital or in parks on the outskirts.

The Viscount sent Sheila to every social event she could possibly attend.

His innocent daughter, who did not know how to manipulate situations to her advantage, could not disobey her frightening father.

But being forced to meet men with whom she could barely even have a proper conversation was truly unbearable.

She had attended those events one after another under her father’s relentless pressure, but the reason she had failed to find a marriage partner even after several years was because she had desperately avoided their gazes.

‘It’s such a relief that I don’t have to go to places like that anymore.’

At least thanks to Lennon, she no longer had to wander around soirées during the social season like someone obsessed with pleasure.

Regardless of how he treated her.

Sheila habitually turned a page, but after reading the same passage several times, she closed the book.

The moment she thought of Lennon, the words no longer registered.

Kate gathered the curtains that had been swaying back and forth in the breeze and tied them neatly. When she turned around and saw Sheila, she quickly came over.

“Have you already finished reading?”

“I’ll read it later.”

Sheila placed the book on the bedside table and got up, stretching her stiff body.

Kate’s eyes moved rapidly.

Even though several days had passed, Sheila was still dressed in comfortable indoor clothes, and it bothered her.

‘She’s still so young, but she looks like my grandmother.’

A thought that would have been considered irreverent if anyone knew about it kept circling around in Kate’s mind.

She even felt sorry for Sheila, who was living alone in the guest room.

Although she had supposedly married the Duke, that was only true in name. In reality, she was no different from a guest temporarily staying at the ducal residence.

‘If she had any friends, she would have gone to see them by now, or they would have come to visit her. But neither has happened.’

If she had a friend who lived somewhere difficult to reach, at least a letter should have arrived.

But there had been nothing.

Sheila had not even sent word outside about her circumstances at the ducal residence.

What concerned Kate even more was that, despite all of this, Sheila did not seem particularly lonely or depressed.

As though she had always experienced things like this.

As though she were accustomed to being alone.

“Hmm, I think the heat will ease up soon. How about going for a walk?”

“…I don’t know.”

“There are flowering trees in the rear garden that you can only see here at the Duke’s estate. They’re so beautiful. I heard they bloomed early this year, too. You can’t see them from this room, so come outside with me and take a look, okay?”

Kate clasped both hands together and looked up at Sheila.

She was probably around the age when a young noblewoman would make her debut in society.

Looking into Kate’s clear, innocent face, Sheila thought for a moment before gathering her hesitant courage.

“All right. Let’s go.”

“Wow…”

Kate had certainly not exaggerated.

Sheila wandered around almost dazedly among pink flowering trees she was seeing for the first time in her life.

Tiny flowers covered every branch of the trees.

“They’re really beautiful, aren’t they? They’re called crape myrtles. My lady—ah, I mean, the Duke’s mother. I heard that the former Duchess brought them from some kingdom in the east.”

“That’s why they don’t even have them in the royal palace.”

Covering her mouth and whispering, Kate looked rather proud of herself.

Sheila let out a small laugh at the way Kate looked both worried that someone might overhear her and proud at the same time.

“It must be a very precious tree. And it really is as pretty as you said.”

“I’m glad you came out to see it, right?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

In response to Kate’s adorable little boast, Sheila grabbed the hem of her skirt and playfully gave her a little bow.

She could hardly remember the last time she had spent such a carefree and pleasant time.

“I should come out more often before it gets even hotter.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Kate nodded enthusiastically, and a strange look of relief appeared on her face.

Feeling slightly embarrassed that she had spent too much time cooped up in her room, Sheila quickly walked a few steps ahead and examined the flowers of a crape myrtle.

Her cheeks had turned red, as though stained with flower color.

How much time had passed?

“Are you hungry?”

At Kate’s question, Sheila realized that the shadow hanging from her feet had grown long.

As she slowly turned around, reluctant to leave, an impulsive question slipped from her lips.

“Could we have dinner here, perhaps?”

I’m going to be alone tonight anyway.

Rather than sitting in the spacious dining hall and feeling bitter as she looked at the empty seat across from her, she thought it might be better to spread out a place here, sit down, and eat comfortably.

“Here?”

“Yes. Let’s pretend we’re having a picnic.”

“Uh…”

“I haven’t been outside in so long. I want to stay a little longer.”

Seeing Sheila speak so clearly, as though she had already made up her mind, Kate had no choice but to nod and hurriedly head toward the mansion.

“I’ll get everything ready and come right back. Please wait a little!”

Sheila waved at the maid as she turned around and called out loudly.

Then she immersed herself in the grove of flowering trees, which never grew tiresome no matter how many times she looked at them.

I should come out again tomorrow.

It would be nice to take a short walk after breakfast.

Sheila felt happy at the thought that she now had something to do besides read books.

The summers in Roches were long, so she would be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of this rear garden for quite some time.

The long day finally came to an end, and darkness descended.

Sheila had refused Kate’s suggestion that they go inside several times before finally getting up from her leisurely position.

It was not as though she would never be able to come back, yet now that it was time to return to her room, she felt strangely reluctant.

She entered the ducal residence while occasionally responding to Kate, who had been chattering beside her the entire time.

Then she suddenly encountered someone she had not expected and stopped in her tracks.

“Ah! I found you! So you were here.”

“…Hello, Sir Donovan.”

Donovan approached her with a delighted expression, wiping the sweat running down his face.

Sheila wondered if he had been searching the entire estate for her and felt awkward.

Besides, this was the first time she had seen him since the wedding in the study.

Her toes kept curling inward from embarrassment.

“You have to attend a banquet with the Duke tonight. Let’s see… There are about two hours left. Get ready quickly and come down to the lobby.”

“Are you serious?”

Before the bewildered Sheila could even open her mouth, Kate stepped forward.

Sheila was not the only one surprised by the sudden announcement. Kate was equally shocked.

They should have been told the day before, but he was informing them only two hours before they had to leave?

Overwhelmed by the absurdity of it, an unusually shrill voice burst out of Kate.

“What?”

“No, I mean, how are we supposed to get ready in just two hours?”

“…Isn’t two hours enough?”

Donovan looked at Sheila with an expression that suggested he genuinely did not understand what the problem was.

Compared to the wide-eyed maid rushing at him, the calm Sheila was much easier to deal with.

“His Grace can get ready in an hour…”

“That’s because he’s the Duke! Even if we hurry as much as possible, it takes us more than an hour just to do our makeup!”

“I’m afraid that is something you will have to take care of yourselves.”

Donovan continued speaking to Sheila without even looking at the insolent maid who had interrupted him.

At his subtly colder tone, Kate covered her mouth with an expression that said she had realized her mistake.

I should have kept that thought to myself.

But no matter how she looked at it, two hours was far too little time to prepare for a banquet.

“I’ll get ready as quickly as I can. Kate, let’s go.”

Noticing Donovan’s mood, Sheila took the young maid’s hand and pulled her along.

There was no point arguing with him, after all.

She looked at the hesitating Kate, firmly pressed her lips together, and shook her head slightly.

Understanding what she meant, Kate pouted and began walking.

“Then I’ll see you later.”

A relieved and gentler voice followed them from behind.

Sheila turned her head toward him and gave a slight nod, while Kate walked ahead with a disgruntled expression.

“If I’d known this would happen, we should have come inside earlier! The aide should really tell us about these things in advance if there’s a schedule. Even if we’re just changing clothes, it takes so much time. We have to wash, do our makeup, fix our hair… Oh dear, we won’t even have time to call people to help us!”

On the way back to the room, Kate continued pouring out one complaint after another, even though she was out of breath.

“Do I really have to go with him?”

Sheila spoke worriedly, breathing a little heavily.

Lennon had gone out several times during that period, but he had never once taken her with him.

So she wondered if there was really any need for her to go this time either.

Despite her concern, Kate’s expression as she answered firmly almost looked determined.

“Of course you have to go! It’s been so long since you’ve gone out, so talk to the Duke a lot while you’re there.”

The sound of carriage wheels rolling over the ground.

The coachman’s occasional shouts.

The lively bustle of a square crowded with people.

Even amid all that noise, the inside of the carriage remained strangely silent, and Sheila was busy wiping the beads of sweat gathered on her forehead.

It was not particularly hot compared to midday, but she was sweating nervously because she was riding alone in the carriage with Lennon.

Even her palm, tightly gripping the handkerchief, kept growing damp from nervousness.

‘I didn’t say a single word…’

She had secretly looked forward to the outing because of Kate’s encouragement.

After all, she did not often get the opportunity to be in the same space as him.

But Lennon, who had already been sitting in the carriage when Sheila arrived, did not say a single word until she got in and sat beside him.

He merely glanced at her.

His gray eyes, when they met hers, were unmistakably filled with annoyance.

Feeling intimidated for no reason, Sheila closed her mouth as well and stared out the window.

What kind of banquet was it?

Where were they going?

How long would it take to arrive?

There were so many things she wanted to know, but she held herself back, afraid that asking unnecessary questions would make Lennon uncomfortable.

Just as she used to watch her perpetually displeased father’s mood.

‘I think we’re here.’

The large carriage of House Higgins passed the long line of other carriages and entered the front gates of an estate.

Sheila instantly grew tense, and her back straightened on its own.

She was really about to enter high society together with this man.

‘How should I introduce myself? Can I say… Sheila Higgins?’

While she was worrying, the carriage traveled along the road running through the garden and arrived in front of the mansion.

Gas lamps installed throughout the grounds pushed back the deepening darkness.

Soon, the carriage door swung wide open.

A servant of the count’s household greeted them with a slight bow.

“Welcome to the Count Duff estate.”

“Ah.”

House Duff.

It was a familiar name.

The young lady of House Duff, who had made her debut in high society the previous year, had become the most famous debutante of that season.

Exceptionally sociable, she had become a source of information for the capital’s aristocratic society the moment she entered it.

Most of the rumors that had stirred up the capital, Castleknock, originated from her, and because they were quite credible, she had even earned people’s trust.

‘Even I know that name, despite having no connection to her.’

Sheila had just stepped out of the carriage and was about to walk toward the mansion.

“Madam.”

At the familiar yet unfamiliar voice that stopped her, Sheila’s heart suddenly sank.