As soon as the lady’s prayer ended, Mr. Bailey served a thick meat pie to each of his three beloved women.

“Thank you, Father.”

Eloise briefly greeted and picked up the steaming hot pie with her fingertips, taking a big bite.

As the savory and sweet taste spread throughout her mouth, a pleasant smile naturally formed.

“Mmm! It’s delicious.”

“There’s plenty, so eat slowly. Would you like more?”

“You should use a fork and knife, Eloise.”

The contrasting reactions of the couple made Eloise laugh once again.

Beside her, Sarah continued her quiet meal with a gentle smile, in a manner befitting a lady’s etiquette book.

It was the usual peaceful lunch at the Bailey household.

Having quickly finished a slice of pie, Eloise watched her father’s hand taking away her empty plate and opened her mouth.

“Oh, I heard the Earl of Huntington’s grandson has returned.”

“Who told you that?”

Mrs. Bailey asked with an indifferent look, holding her water glass with an elegant hand gesture. Her attitude was as if inquiring about the affairs of an unknown stranger.

Eloise lowered her gaze to the pie in front of her again and answered nonchalantly.

“Archie did. I ran into him by chance yesterday.”

Perhaps due to the sweet birdsong outside the window, the mother-daughter conversation sounded particularly monotonous.

“He said he’d bring surprising news.”

“Is that so? Was he selected as a scholarship student again? Though that’s hardly surprising.”

Mrs. Bailey said that and then ate her soup as if it didn’t matter either way.

“…Could it be that he’s going abroad again? He is an outstanding talent after all.”

When Sarah, who had been silent all along, chimed in, Mr. Bailey, who was munching on his pie, made an unexpected comment.

“Is there going to be a war or something?”

“What?”

Eloise frowned her delicate wheat-colored eyebrows as if hearing something utterly absurd.

“Why suddenly talk about war?”

“He’s a cadet at the military academy, isn’t he? He’d be up to date with such news. I mean Ansel.”

“Oh, darling! Please swallow what’s in your mouth before speaking.”

Mr. Bailey noisily grabbed his displeased wife’s hand and kissed the back of her white hand repeatedly.

Thinking that had quelled the urgent matter, he raised his head again.

“I hear the atmosphere around Berth has been quite ominous lately. If war breaks out there, we as allies will inevitably be affected.”

“Why are you talking about such unpleasant things during a meal?”

The wife meticulously wiped her hand, which she had pulled away from her husband, with a napkin. A scathing scolding followed.

“Stop meeting those strange people, will you! It’s those folks who try to persuade you to invest in munitions factories, right? It’s obvious without even looking. Not listening to your wife and getting caught up in all sorts of nonsense.”

“Darling, you know. I just want to make you happy again…”

“I’d rather be happy with you staying at home. How much more do you need to lose before you’re satisfied? I can’t take the anxiety anymore…!”

“Would you like more juice, madam?”

Mrs. Hurst, who had just come out of the kitchen, offered a glass bottle with a sour smell, smiling kindly.

Realizing that she had raised her voice during the meal, Mrs. Bailey gently extended her glass and cleared her throat.

“…Ahem, thank you.”

A brief silence followed. As always, the task of lightening the somewhat awkward atmosphere fell to Mr. Bailey and his second daughter.

“Ah! By the way, it’s such a nice day. Wouldn’t it be good to go out for some fresh air together?”

“That sounds great, Father. But where to?”

“We don’t have much time, so somewhere not too far. How about Longfield? It’s been a while since we imposed on Fairmont House…”

“What? Do you have no shame?”

“Uh…”

It seemed he had unintentionally provoked his wife’s temper again. Somehow, every topic he brought up was met with scolding.

Embarrassed, Mr. Bailey spoke in an affectionate voice, as if trying to soothe an angry cat.

“Why are you so angry, dear? We have some connection with the old Earl of Longfield, don’t we? Come on, have some more juice.”

“What connection? Are you referring to when the children were young and unknowingly embarrassed themselves playing with his grandson?”

“Embarrassment? Dear, Earl Huntington is a good old man. He received our children several times without showing any displeasure. I have a feeling he misses the bustling life of the capital. So if we visit…”

“Oh, please don’t make assumptions. Even if we don’t have much, can’t we live with some dignity, at least mentally?”

“No, dear, I’m not a noble, so things like dignity…”

“Your children will be getting married soon! Our Sarah is right around the corner. Really, you don’t even worry about becoming a laughingstock to the other family?”

At that point, Eloise, who had been busily using her fork, gently put down her utensils. Sarah was also wiping her mouth.

Naturally, the sisters’ eyes met.

“Sister, want to go for a walk?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

The Bailey sisters quietly rose to avoid disturbing the couple’s intimate time.

Walking endlessly through the light green fields, breathing in the clear scent of roses carried by the breeze, they found themselves quite far from home.

Sarah and Eloise were lost in their own thoughts.

Unusually for sisters, neither had opened their mouth during the long walk. Sarah was the first to realize this strange fact.

“The breeze is so fragrant today, isn’t it?”

Despite it being just a casual remark, Eloise hesitated to answer.

What came back was not an answer, but a question.

“Say, do you believe it, sister?”

“Believe what, Eloise?”

“The fact that we’re no longer girls.”

At that moment, a cool breeze blew.

Sarah quietly caught her breath, waiting for the wind to stop. Then, gently grasping her sister’s hand, she asked back.

“Really? I still think you’re like a young girl. Why did you suddenly think of that?”

“Well, we’ve started talking about marriage so casually.”

“Elsie, are you afraid of marriage?”

“…Sometimes you’re more like a mother than a sister.”

Sarah smiled at those words, then took another long breath before answering in a low voice.

“Elsie. Marriage is more important than anything. Especially for our family… But if you feel burdened to marry someone you don’t want because of the family, you don’t have to. I’ll take care of everything. Understood?”

“…”

Eloise didn’t have the courage to face Sarah’s expression as she said those words.

She couldn’t even begin to fathom the feelings behind those words from someone born just two years before her. Her chest felt tightly constricted.

“Sister, I didn’t mean to talk about such serious things… I was just thinking about the irrevocable childhood. When we were young, whether boy or girl, none of that mattered…”

“You’re still getting along well with Archibald, aren’t you?”

“Not really. Everything’s different from when we were young. I could remain friends with Archie because he’s not a nobleman.”

…And because I have no feelings for him.

While lost in such thoughts, Sarah stopped in front of some nameless wildflowers at her feet.

Naturally letting go of her sister’s hand, Eloise could only blankly watch the slender figure gently sitting down on the ground.

“Do you miss it?”

“Every day has become boring. It’s just a repetition of playing the piano, embroidering, writing in diaries, and going to church. I can’t even imagine running through the woods or swimming in the lake anymore. The only time I feel like I haven’t changed from when I was a girl is when I’m feeding the ducks.”

“…”

“I miss our childhood, Sally.”

“Yes, you must miss it a lot. Enough to still dream about it.”

Strangely, that voice sounded distant. Eloise couldn’t hold back anymore and asked.

“Don’t you miss it? He was special to you too, wasn’t he? You and he…”

“Eloise.”

It was at that moment that Sarah rose.

Her hands, which seemed to have been caressing the flower petals for a while, were empty, not even stained with grass.

“I don’t miss the past. The present is more precious to me. This everyday life, living quietly with Father, Mother, and you. Do you understand?”

“…”

Her voice was as faint as the color of the wildflowers at her feet. Had she been childish? Without even considering the burden her sister carried.

“Sister, I didn’t mean to…”

Just then, it suddenly became dark overhead. As Eloise gently looked up at the sky, the shadow of clouds silently gathering cast over her face.

When she suddenly realized the wind had become damp, Sarah took hold of her sister’s cold hand.

“Let’s head back, Elsie. It looks like it might rain.”

Her voice was as kind as ever.

“Yes, sister.”

At last, the two began to walk side by side.

The sky started to darken quickly, but the sisters continued their unfinished conversation as they walked.

There was no need to worry about getting their clothes a little wet.

Soon they would reach the warm home where their loved ones were waiting.

On the way home, Eloise thought to herself.

Sister is right. I should cherish the present, not the past.

Sadly, because we don’t have much time left to remain solely as the two daughters of the Bailey family.

We’ve grown up to the point where it wouldn’t be strange if sister became someone’s bride tomorrow.