TBKU 07

Chapter : 7

“Your Grace, it has gotten quite late.”

At Liam’s worried, scolding voice, Lennon raised his head and glanced at the clock.

The hands of the large mahogany clock mounted on the wall were already pointing to midnight.

His indifferent gaze soon turned toward the elderly butler.

“Yes, it is rather late for an old butler to keep going. You should go now.”

“Your Grace.”

Seeing his young master turn his attention back to the documents instead of preparing for bed, Liam couldn’t hide his troubled expression.

Several years ago, the image of the former Duke, sitting in the very same place and absorbed in his work, overlapped with Lennon’s face.

How could he resemble him so much?

Not only in appearance, but even in his actions.

That was why Liam was even more worried about him.

He was afraid that, just like the former Duke who had collapsed from overwork, he might lose his master once again.

Perhaps sensing the subtle emotion in the butler’s voice, Lennon raised his head again.

As expected, the old man’s face was filled with concern.

Lennon chuckled and pressed his fingers against his tired eyes.

“At this rate, I might end up having to attend the butler’s funeral first.”

“Your Grace seems tired as well. Please go to bed now.”

At Liam’s firm words, Lennon shook his head slightly as if thinking, There he goes again.

His loyal servant never backed down when it came to his master’s health.

Lennon was well aware of the reason behind it, so he humored the old man’s concern.

“I’m going because I’m afraid the butler will collapse in my study.”

Gathering the documents scattered across his desk and pushing them to one side, Lennon stood up.

Only then did a relieved expression appear on Liam’s stiff face.

“By the way, did she say anything?”

As Lennon strode away with long steps and neared the bedroom, he suddenly spoke.

Despite the question leaving much unsaid, the experienced butler immediately understood and answered.

“Yes. She seems to understand.”

“That’s a relief.”

Although he called it a relief, his tone implied that it was only natural.

“And make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut so that no unnecessary rumors come out.”

“Yes.”

Liam had already spent the entire day keeping the servants from gossiping about this unprecedented situation.

Whenever people gathered, conversations about the new guest and the marriage inevitably surfaced.

Had the Duke really gotten married? Did they need to prepare a separate wedding ceremony? Would the guest staying in the guest room become the Duchess?

Above all, the Duchess’s room was still empty, so was it really appropriate to treat her as the mistress of the house?

Questions poured out everywhere Liam went until he finally had no choice but to threaten the servants into silence.

But now that he had more time to think on his own, even he found it difficult to shake off the same questions.

“Now, really, go.”

“……Sleep well, Your Grace.”

He had worked at the ducal residence for decades.

It was difficult to completely understand the unpredictable nature of aristocrats, so the best thing to do was simply follow their instructions without thinking too deeply about them.

However, even the easygoing Liam couldn’t help but tilt his head in confusion at Lennon’s incomprehensible actions this time.

Click.

The butler closed the door after leaving behind a strangely unsatisfying farewell and walked away.

As he walked down the corridor, Lennon casually tossed aside the cravat he had loosened and began undoing the buttons of his shirt one by one.

Normally, his mind would have been busy organizing the things he needed to do the next day, but tonight was different.

His calm gaze turned toward a door on one side of the bedroom.

It was the door leading to the room shared by the Duke and Duchess.

‘Do we really need to share a room?’

The corners of Lennon’s tightly closed lips curved crookedly upward.

His mother, who spent less than half the year at the ducal residence, came to mind.

It had been that way since Lennon was very young.

His mother could only be seen at the ducal residence during important occasions such as the social season or royal banquets.

Young Lennon had simply thought that his mother was a very busy person.

It was only after he had grown a little older that he learned she had been busy meeting many men.

Lennon’s thoughts turned to Sheyla, who had been with him in the study earlier that day.

‘It suits you.’

Because he knew how to make an impression, he had shown her a gentle side.

Wearing a picture-perfect smile and saying pleasant things was not difficult for someone as experienced in high society as Lennon.

But she was different.

The noticeably reddened face, flustered eyes, and slightly parted lips floated vividly before Lennon’s eyes.

It was an expression different from those worn by the women who presumptuously stepped forward in front of him.

He liked that about her, yet at the same time, he didn’t.

That innocent expression would change someday, just like theirs.

The shirt Lennon had tossed aside fell to the floor.

Pushing thoughts of Sheyla aside, Lennon headed toward the bathroom, where warm water had already been prepared.

One by one, the things he needed to do after waking up the next morning began piling up in his mind.

“Have you heard the news?”

“What news?”

“They say Lennon got married!”

“……What? Surely you mean the Higgins Duke we all know?”

“Yes! That Lennon Higgins, the Duke!”

An excited voice was directed toward the young ladies seated around the table.

Kelsie’s cheeks flushed bright red as she delivered the news.

How long had it been since she had heard such shocking news that made her itch to tell everyone?

The others, who had been rendered speechless by the unbelievable story, finally understood why Kelsie had held a tea party so early.

There was no way a gossip lover like her would hear such astonishing news and simply let it pass.

“Are you sure?”

One young lady set down her teacup with a doubtful expression.

Was it really possible that the Duke of a kingdom, especially its only Duke, had gotten married without anyone knowing?

At the doubtful tone, Kelsie raised her chin.

“Of course! I, Kelsie Duff, can swear on the honor of House Duff that it’s true.”

The other young ladies, excluding the one who had expressed her doubts, nodded in agreement.

They knew that the stories Kelsie had told them in the past had been accurate every single time.

“Then who did he marry?”

“That is the biggest problem with this whole situation.”

A sigh escaped Kelsie’s lips.

She withdrew her gaze from the ladies waiting for an answer and took a sip of tea.

This was truly her favorite moment.

Sharing a story that only she knew, especially one capable of causing such an enormous stir, was a pleasure in life she could never pass up.

After drawing out the suspense for quite some time, Kelsie slowly opened her mouth.

Everyone’s attention focused on her.

“Does anyone here know about the Viscountcy of Livrook?”

“I wonder?”

At the unfamiliar name, the young ladies exchanged puzzled looks.

“Was there such a family in Roches?”

“Are they nobles from another kingdom?”

A meaningful smile appeared at the corners of Kelsie’s lips.

She had reacted the same way when she first heard the name Livrook.

It was a good thing she had gone to the temple yesterday.

Kelsie had accompanied her mother to the temple, and by chance, she overheard a conversation between priests behind the building.

Perhaps it had been divine providence.

The fact that the High Priest’s sermon had been unbearably boring, that she had slipped away without her mother’s knowledge because of it,

and that, by chance, some loose-lipped priests had been discussing the Duke’s affairs.

Perhaps all of it had happened so that she could personally spread this unprecedented news throughout the world.

“They are indeed nobles from Roches, but apparently they’re such an insignificant family that not a single one of us has ever heard of them. I heard their finances have declined so badly that they’re on the verge of ruin.”

“How could the daughter of such a family possibly…… with the Duke…….”

“Ha…… Even I can’t believe it as I’m saying it, but…….”

The young ladies launched into heated discussions after hearing such an unbelievable story.

Without even caring that their tea was growing cold, they continued talking endlessly about the incredibly lucky young lady of the Viscount’s family, who had somehow managed to win the Duke.

After the tea party at House Duff ended, the news spread throughout the capital that the Duke of Higgins had fallen in love at first sight with a young lady and married her in passionate love.

As the rumor passed from mouth to mouth, it grew more exaggerated.

“They say His Grace has gone mad.”

“No, apparently she has something on him.”

“What are you talking about? I heard the girl’s family couldn’t repay the money they borrowed from His Grace, so they sold their daughter to him instead.”

People’s reactions were just as varied as the rumors.

Some shed tears, regretting the Duke’s marriage.

Those who had secretly held feelings for the Duke were even worse.

On the other hand, some dismissed it as a baseless rumor and refused to believe it.

Others aimlessly loitered outside the ducal residence, and whenever someone from the ducal family came out, they rushed over and questioned them about the Duke’s marriage.

The nobles who couldn’t contain their curiosity had enough dignity to send their servants instead.

But even they failed to obtain a satisfying answer.

Thus, the nobles of the capital began preparing banquets one after another.

Grand banquets where the Duke and Duchess might appear together.

“How did a rumor like this spread so much in just one day?”

“Exactly! It’s driving me crazy.”

“I don’t want to run errands outside for a while. They’ll bombard me with pointless questions. What am I supposed to say in response?”

After finishing their evening duties, the servants returning to their quarters each complained about the ordeals they had endured.

Kate could only offer an awkward smile as she looked at her friends’ sullen faces.

If we’re talking about being uncomfortable, I’m probably the worst off.

Before returning to Sheyla’s room that morning, after she had fled the night before as though running away, Kate had been extremely troubled.

She had clearly said that she was getting married, yet she hadn’t spent her wedding night with the Duke and was still staying in the guest room.

Kate had even confided her worries to the head maid, but there was no particular solution.

“Just continue taking good care of her as you always have.”

The head maid had casually patted Kate on the shoulder before pushing her toward the room.

With no other choice, Kate forced a smile as though nothing had happened and stayed by Sheyla’s side.

Sheyla was the same.

She had woken early in the morning before the maid could even wake her and spent the day as though nothing was wrong.

Of course, because she had no idea what rumors were spreading outside the ducal residence, she could smile more naturally than Kate.

At the end of the day, Sheyla quietly recalled the dream she had the night before.

Someone had given her a bright yellow flower in full bloom.

“Who was it…….”

She didn’t know who it had been, but receiving a gift hadn’t felt unpleasant.

Sheyla’s gaze naturally turned toward the window across from her.

It was the place where she had carefully placed the flowers she had received in her dream in a vase.

The sight of warm sunlight falling over the petals glistening with moisture was still vivid.

For some reason, Lennon suddenly came to mind.

The look in his eyes when she had encountered him in the study.

His voice when he had looked at her hair ornament and said that it suited her.

Even the warmth she had felt when he had been close to her.

“Could it have been a gift from the Duke?”

A small expectation took root within her, pushing its way through her endlessly heavy heart.

If it hadn’t been for the clothes and jewelry filling her wardrobe, she wouldn’t even have thought of him.

It was shameless, but she had already received so many things. Surely it wasn’t too much to wish for a few more flowers.

Of course, the flowers might not have been given by Lennon.

But she couldn’t think of anyone else who might have given her a gift.

The possibility, however small, eased the miserable feelings she had experienced the night before.

Sheyla planted a flower resembling the color of her hair in a tiny corner of her heart.

Maybe I’ll take a walk tomorrow.

The thought that she might be able to see Lennon, even if only briefly like last time, made her heart flutter.

Her heart trembled merely at the thought of Lennon, as if she had no pride at all, and even Sheyla herself thought it was rather foolish.

Sheyla desperately defended herself.

It’s because of the uncertain future.

Because I don’t know what will happen from now on.

The reason my heart is beating so fast isn’t because I’m excited. It must be because I’m anxious.

Sheyla clenched her small fist tightly.

‘Maybe I’ll know if I meet the Duke face-to-face.’