"Eli, why are you acting like this? Please?"
He was a man who was even shy about holding her hand. Even when she begged him to kiss her, he said it was against etiquette and promised to do it often once they got married... Flustered by his sudden change, Elizabeth could only stammer repeatedly.
"Elizabeth, give birth to a son."
"...Yes?"
"I don't need a daughter, so make sure you have a son."
Eli’s gaze was nothing but cold as he lifted her dress while gripping her ankle. Only then, realizing that she hadn’t even properly kissed him yet, Elizabeth reached out her arms and pleaded.
"I love you, Eli. Please kiss me."
It felt as though kissing him would drive away the ominous energy that had befallen her.
"My love, Elizabeth, a kiss doesn't matter."
He pressed his body against hers and whispered secretly. Tears flowed endlessly down the cheeks of the poor bride who had received no one's blessing.
***
It had been nearly fifty days since Shioana returned to Regbell. They said Count Noah, who had gone to the capital, had fallen ill with an infectious disease and was hovering between life and death.
"Miss, Miss?"
Just before stepping out of the carriage, Martha, who had been watching Shioana remain silent the entire time, called out to her.
"I will ask you now when no one is around. What on earth is bothering you?"
"...Ah."
During the past month and a half spent at Count Noah's estate, Shioana had not smiled even once. She wore a constantly anxious expression and only paced back and forth. She sighed so much that it was enough to make Martha's heart burn with anxiety just watching her.
It was a stretch to view this as the excitement of a bride-to-be half a year away from marriage.
'Besides, Madam Veil is also quite unsettling.'
Martha was able to hear quite a lot from the servants of the Count of Noah's household. There was not a single story that would benefit the young lady, and even the claim that there was no nurse to look after Madame Veil was a lie.
'I cannot pass on everything I heard.'
Martha, for her part, felt a heavy heart and was troubled. The servants' stories might be true, or they might not be.
However, having served the Evgenia family for so long, she knew well that no one knew the family's affairs inside and out as well as the servants did.
"...Martha."
Shioana stopped peering beyond the carriage window and tightly grasped Martha's hand.
"You see, I don't want to marry Count Noah."
"...Oh my goodness."
"I already told Brother Eli, and actually, I was going to tell Count Noah as well."
However, she couldn't say such things to someone who was just recovering from an illness. Martha sighed as she looked at the small, thin hand gripping hers.
'I never thought this would happen. What am I to do with all of this?'
The young lady had never once mentioned Count Noah. Instead, she asked over and over again every day about the red-eyed slave in the barn. Martha swallowed hard, feeling her heart sink.
"Young lady, it's not true, is it?"
"Martha, you will be on my side, won't you?"
Unable to hide her feelings any longer, Shioana finally shed tears.
The time spent apart from Etienne had only strengthened her love. She loved watching Etienne's face flush because of her. Although he usually appeared so expressionless, a red sunset cast over his pale face before they kissed.
"Good heavens! My Lady."
Although the Lady hadn't mentioned a specific name yet, Martha knew instinctively.
'I knew all along that those red eyes would cause such a mess.'
It has been said since ancient times in the Caspian Empire that red eyes bring all kinds of disasters.
'I naturally assumed our young lady would marry a noble gentleman…'
She never thought the story she told as a joke about a noble lady running away with her employee would become reality.
Martha, who had been staring blankly, suddenly snapped back to reality. She was the only one who could protect this innocent young lady, who had no idea how dangerous the world was.
"Miss, that is absolutely unacceptable. The late Madam will not be able to close her eyes in peace."
The image of the Viscountess dying of puerperal fever was vivid in her mind. The Madam, hovering between life and death with a high fever, regained consciousness for just a brief moment.
‘Martha, my child...'
Because she didn't even have the strength to hold the little baby, Martha crossed her arms and placed Shioana into the mistress's embrace. Watching the small red fingers wiggle, the mistress shed tears.
'Martha, I know it is shameless of me, but please take care of Shioana.'
'Please don't say such things. You need to recover your health so you can see the young lady get married. You will live long enough to hold a grandchild in your arms, Madam.'
The Viscountess gave a faint smile at Martha's words, as she held back her tears.
'I feel so bad for Eli.'
Until her last breath, the mistress repeated nothing but apologies to her remaining family, as if she had no regard for her own life, which was destined to end at such a young age.
Martha, her face turning red at the memory, shook her head vigorously.
"I promised the mistress that I would take good care of the young lady. So, absolutely not."
Tears welled up in both of their eyes as the carriage gradually slowed down. Martha glanced outside, wiped away her tears with her sleeve, and held out a handkerchief. As Shioana wiped away the traces of tears, Martha spoke calmly.
"If the young master finds out, everyone will be killed. So please do not show any sign of it."
***
As the carriage carrying Shioana disappeared into the distance, the smile on Pierre Noah's face vanished without a trace. He was quite a capable hunter who had never missed a target once he set his sights on it.
She's quite a picky girl.
He tried every trick in the book to keep Shioana here until autumn, but he failed. He put his aunt, who wasn't even sick, in bed and even lied that he couldn't find a caregiver.
He had even returned from the capital after quite a long time. In fact, he expected that by now, Shioana, who had become accustomed to the luxurious life of the Count Noah family, would say she did not want to leave first.
"Pierre, what on earth is so great about her?"
Madame Veil, who had been acting as if she were on the verge of death in front of Shioana, appeared before him wearing heavy makeup and a glamorous dress.
In fact, Marilyn did not like Count Noah's plan. She had absolutely no intention of going so far as to pretend to be sick just to fool such a country bumpkin.
However, as the saying goes, 'parents can't win against their children,' and when Count Noah earnestly pleaded with her, she could not bring herself to refuse the request.
"Yes, giving them the benefit of the doubt, she did seem pretty decent."
Even though she met many young ladies while frequenting salons, it was rare to find a lady willing to accept sudden nursing care. Moreover, despite having the opportunity to indulge in luxury, Shioana did not do so at all. At first, she thought she was doing it to make a good impression, but she actually had no interest in dresses or jewelry.
"But Pierre, that isn't enough to become the mistress of the Noah household."
Marilyn gave her nephew sincere advice.
Pierre, who was brilliant from a young age, had such a keen business sense that he was able to build up the Noah family to great heights. It was even said that one could not take a single step in Highbell without stepping on the Noah family's land. She had been causing so much anxiety because he showed no intention of marrying despite his age, yet to think he would pick up such a low-quality item like that...
"Auntie, I'll say it one more time: I am the head of the household."
Pierre roughly swept his disheveled platinum blonde hair back and gave a cold look to his aunt, who was about to nag him further.
"You must have felt stifled all this time, so go out and spend some money. I won't see you off any further. Get ready for the hunt!"
With his back to Marilyn, Pierre shouted loudly.
It felt like she would only be able to breathe if she fired her heart out right now.
"There must be something seriously written in Pierre's eyes."
Deep worry clouded Marilyn's face as she watched Pierre Noah disappear, leading his servants away.
***
Shioana, having returned to Regbell, was locked in the annex as soon as she arrived. As she was dragged along by Joseph's hand and thrown onto the annex floor, Eli, standing at the door, tilted his head to the side.
“Why did you come back?”
She was so dumbfounded that it didn't quite feel real even after it happened.
"... Yes?"
"You're getting married soon anyway, so why did you have to crawl in here?"
"Madame Veil has recovered, and Count Noah has returned."
"I'm telling you. Count Noah is there, so why are you here? What on earth are you thinking with that small head of yours? Did you hook up with some scoundrel who came to the ball? Be honest."
Shioana's heart shrank at the thought that she had been caught harboring feelings for someone. If Eli found out that it was Etienne, it would be a disaster.
"...That’s not it."
"It doesn't really matter if I don't tell you. You're going to do as I say anyway."
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