WHM | Chapter 61

~Chapter 61~

Eileen’s mind was in turmoil. It was as simple as that.

This was because, at that very moment, she was being transported in a carriage, completely against her will.

“Lady Ribbonshire,” Eileen said, looking calmly at the elderly woman sitting across from her.

“I thought you were only planning on saying your goodbyes, but this is quite unexpected.”

She tried to maintain as much composure as possible, but her voice trembled slightly. Of course, this was an utterly bewildering situation.

While fear was minimal, the confusion was overwhelming. It didn’t seem like Lady Ribbonshire was going to harm her. But still, to be caught up like this out of nowhere…

“Could this be my fault?” Eileen thought.

She had been so preoccupied with the worry that something might have happened to Cedric that she was caught off guard.

So, when Lady Ribbonshire mentioned that she wanted to say a final farewell before leaving, Eileen thought nothing of it.

And when she said she wanted to talk in the carriage, Eileen agreed without suspicion. Normally, she would expect such talks to happen outside, but considering the woman’s age and possible discomfort, it made sense to remain seated in the carriage.

Eileen also felt a little guilty for making Lady Ribbonshire decide not to head directly back to her estate. The older woman had come all the way to meet her, after all, and it would’ve been rude to refuse.

Because of that line of reasoning, Eileen hadn’t realized she had been trapped in the carriage.

To be precise, before she could even think to stop it, the carriage door had been shut and it set off immediately. Now, Lady Ribbonshire had remained silent for nearly an hour.

The woman was sitting up straight, holding her cane tightly, but it didn’t seem like she was asleep.

Eileen couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Could you explain what’s going on?” she finally asked.

There was no answer. So, Eileen added, “I’m currently debating whether I should jump out of this moving carriage.”

Of course, she didn’t really plan on doing that, but she feared if she remained quiet, she would spend the whole day without any explanation.

“You must have a reason for abducting me like this,” Eileen said, her voice tinged with frustration.

This made her realize why her grandmother had never mentioned anything about Lady Ribbonshire. There must have been a reason, something her grandmother had purposefully avoided discussing.

Why had she never once mentioned her best friend, Lady Ribbonshire, despite their close relationship?

Had something happened between them that caused a rift? Perhaps it had something to do with where she was supposed to live in the future.

“Eileen, we desperately need your help,” Lady Ribbonshire finally spoke, breaking the silence.

Eileen blinked in surprise. “My help? How?”

Lady Ribbonshire looked at her carefully before speaking, “Originally… originally, His Majesty the former emperor had planned for you to marry Zeon before you were involved with the Lowell heir.”

Eileen frowned, “I never heard of such a thing.”

“But you knew that when we were children, our families talked about it occasionally,” Lady Ribbonshire continued, speaking as if this was no surprise.

Eileen had heard such things before, but it never seemed real at the time.

Still, Lady Ribbonshire’s words didn’t surprise her as much as she would have expected. Given the families’ positions, it made sense.

“But my grandmother didn’t approve of it,” Eileen muttered, remembering her grandmother’s refusal to entertain the idea.

“Yes, well, the marriage was supposed to happen earlier,” Lady Ribbonshire continued.

Eileen paused, trying to connect the dots. How did her ‘help’ connect to Zeon’s marriage?

“But I’m already engaged,” Eileen replied firmly. “That’s not something I can undo.”

“No, you can. If you simply claim that the engagement was made under false pretenses, it could be annulled,” Lady Ribbonshire said hurriedly, grabbing Eileen’s hand.

“We never officially made an engagement,” Eileen objected, but Lady Ribbonshire seemed desperate.

“I have a letter,” Lady Ribbonshire said. “A letter written by your grandmother, saying that she wanted you to marry Zeon.”

Eileen now understood why her grandmother had kept quiet about Lady Ribbonshire. Something bad had happened, and her grandmother probably didn’t want her involved with them.

“Do you expect me to ask His Majesty to nullify my engagement with the Lowell heir?” Eileen asked in disbelief.

“Yes. That is the only way to save our house,” Lady Ribbonshire replied.

Eileen sighed deeply, recalling the drought in the Ribbonshire estate and its financial troubles. “This is just an excuse, Lady Ribbonshire.”

“No, it will not be an excuse if you change your mind,” Lady Ribbonshire responded, pressing her hands together. “Zeon is in a poor situation. Don’t you feel sorry for him?”

Eileen had no doubt that Zeon’s situation was precarious. But this was not the way to handle it.

“How bad is the situation in the Ribbonshire family?” Eileen asked bluntly.

Lady Ribbonshire was too proud to admit it, but Eileen could see the subtle signs. The worn-out dress and the light coming through the window revealed much.

“Not so much debt as you might think,” Lady Ribbonshire answered softly.

“But you’re using a rare herb to treat Zeon?” Eileen pressed.

“Yes, but that’s part of the problem,” Lady Ribbonshire sighed. “It’s an expensive herb for his treatment.”

“Then I need to understand the full picture if you want me to help,” Eileen said.

She knew that if she cooperated, she might be able to escape the situation, even if the whole thing didn’t seem well-planned.

Before she could push further, the carriage suddenly stopped. She heard voices outside.

Lady Ribbonshire raised her voice, “What’s going on?”

“Madam, there’s a problem. We need to stop,” someone said.

The carriage door opened. Eileen had a feeling she knew who had caused the stop. Only a few people could stop a carriage like this.

Was Cedric tracking her down, or was he leaving her to her fate? If it were his usual self, he would have ignored the situation. But now that she was caught, she couldn’t help but wonder.

Was it possible that he actually cared for her?

Just then, she saw a familiar figure.

“Cedric…?” she began, but her voice trailed off as she saw the man helping her down from the carriage.

This man was not Cedric. His body was sturdier, his face different—his eyes were clear and sharp. It was someone else, someone familiar but unexpected.

“Lord Chester Lowell, I presume?” Eileen asked, her tone measured.

A stiff smile crossed his face. “It seems you know me well.”

“I do,” Eileen replied, her tone matching his seriousness.

He studied her closely, his eyes intense.

“I never expected to meet you like this, Lady Cashier,” he said, his voice neutral but firm.

Eileen didn’t know why, but something about this meeting unsettled her deeply.