As the carriage entered the gravel path, the vehicle jolted roughly.

Even amidst the shaking, Bianca, who had her chin resting on the window sill, showed no signs of being shaken from her thoughts.

Since Bianca had been in this state for quite some time now, the maid sitting beside her remained silent instead of pestering her to play cards.

‘Really, young lady. Why are you suddenly meeting with ladies you’re not even close to?’

The root of this situation was the viscount’s daughter, who had been feeling suffocated, visiting her peers whom she rarely met unless there was a social event.

More precisely, the trigger was Bianca venting her pent-up feelings to those who had inquired about her marriage preparations with Ansel out of courtesy.

‘It’s strange. Wasn’t him starting his officer duties part of the marriage preparations?’

‘I heard he settled his life at the barracks and prepared a separate residence, so I naturally thought that would be the newlywed home…’

‘Could he be hesitating? I don’t know the exact circumstances, but there was also that broken engagement commotion not long ago.’

Even as the busy speculations were exchanged, Bianca only gave a bitter smile.

In fact, she didn’t even know where Ansel was staying.

There were plenty of ways to find out, like sending someone or tailing him on his way home, but the reason she didn’t resort to such methods was because she was too noble.

The ladies genuinely felt sorry that Ansel, who had finally gained freedom after completing his military academy course, was tied to the military office all day long.

It was also a loss for high society.

Even if it was common to not exchange a single word with him, not being able to even catch a glimpse of his handsome face was a completely different story.

Although no one dared to voice it out loud, thinking that only a lady of Viscount Talbot’s status would be a suitable match for him, it was fair to say that there was virtually no unmarried lady in the capital who did not admire the heir of Viscount Monmouth.

Ansel Blaine was truly the pride of Wellington.

‘Aside from his noble status, I don’t know how he manages to work all day at such a passionate age. It must be difficult without soothing his fatigue every night…’

When someone brought that up, everyone nodded in agreement while blushing behind their fans.

After all, there was only one way for a passionate man in his mid-twenties to relieve the fatigue of his body and mind.

Naturally, the conversation flowed in a direction suggesting that he too would soon reach his limit and propose to Viscount Talbot’s daughter before long.

‘Um, by the way…’

However, at that moment, the youngest lady among them, with pure curiosity on her face, threw a sudden question.

It was the very question that had been tormenting Bianca, refusing to leave her mind even after several days had passed.

‘Didn’t you say Sir Ansel brought a cat into his house? Are you sure it’s really a cat?’

At the time, it was quickly glossed over as nonsense, but the more she thought about it, the more she wondered.

Perhaps the ladies who had hurriedly scolded the young lady, saying it would be better for her to have a more productive curiosity at the mere age of seventeen, actually felt the same way.

Bianca only realized that now.

As the Viscount of Monmouth’s residence drew near, the maid softly spoke up.

“Young lady, it seems the viscount is out today as well. The carriage is not in sight.”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter.”

In any case, the person Bianca had come to meet was the viscountess, and she was the only one who could help her.

If the viscount was still angry with his son, all the more so.

Of course, the viscountess was equally unfavorable towards Ansel, but Bianca was certain she would help her, or rather, her marriage.

As the carriage stopped, the door opened. Bianca rose to her feet as if she had been waiting.

“Wait here. It won’t take long.”

“Yes, young lady. Take care.”

After getting off the carriage with the coachman’s escort, Viscount Talbot’s daughter quickly tidied her clothes and hat.

Then, with light steps, she crossed the soft grass of the viscount’s garden.

Bianca’s footsteps were headed not to the main entrance but to the annex located on the left side of the mansion.

It was a place where the viscountess often stayed when the viscount was away, and it was already a familiar place to Bianca, who was on intimate terms with her.

However, as she approached the annex, Bianca witnessed a strange sight.

Suddenly, the annex door opened, and a woman wearing a bonnet quietly walked out.

Her appearance was utterly suspicious, with the white ruffled bonnet pulled down as much as possible and a shawl draped over it.

Even with such attire, it was perhaps inevitable that the woman, who had her head deeply bowed and couldn’t see properly in front of her, bumped shoulders with Bianca.

Although it was a situation where scolding would not be unusual, Bianca grabbed her out of an inexplicable feeling.

The woman, whose wrist was grabbed, was startled and flustered.

“I, I apologize. The viscountess is inside. Then…”

Bianca tilted her head as she watched the woman quickly moving away for a moment.

Seeing that the servants were clearly watching, it seemed she was not a thief.

Having reached that conclusion, Bianca soon turned towards the door, and the servant standing at the doorway guided her through the corridor to the viscountess’s tea room.

As always, Meryl Blaine had a thick cigar between her lips.

Leaning against the sofa with her head tilted far back, the bluish veins on the viscountess’s snow-white neck were visible.

Meryl, who belatedly noticed Bianca alternately looking at the smoke dispersing in the air and the red envelope on the tea table without being told to sit down, straightened her posture.

“You’re here. Have a seat.”

“Thank you, madam. Are you feeling alright?”

Bianca, who asked that, sat across from the viscountess.

Meryl’s lower abdomen had not yet swelled significantly, but it appeared much more prominent compared to the last time due to her naturally slender figure.

However, her gaze was drawn to the exceptionally pale face.

“These days, I can’t eat anything without vomiting.”

The viscountess exhaled the remaining smoke as she spoke.

It seemed her words were not an exaggeration, as the servant brought only a single portion of refreshments.

“But you should still eat well.”

“Of course. That’s my job.”

Meryl recited in a voice tinged with dissatisfaction. Bianca knew what was disturbing her peace of mind.

In the first place, it was thanks to Bianca’s innate sense that she had become this close to the viscountess.

“It seems the viscount has been frequently away from the mansion lately. Is it because of the Bert issue?”

“That’s right. I just don’t understand why they gather at the council every day to put their heads together over something that hasn’t even happened yet. Do men find that fun?”

“…”

It was a hot topic in Wellington’s upper society that Bert, Wellington’s long-standing ally, was currently in a situation on the brink of war.

Naturally, that story was busily circulated at Viscount Talbot’s residence, regardless of the mouths of the master and servants, and each time, Bianca thought of Ansel.

‘As an officer in the military office, especially in the intelligence department, he must be having a hard time day by day.’

As her thoughts reached that point, Bianca felt she should quickly get to the point without wasting time.

So now was the only time to satisfy her trivial curiosity before getting to the main topic.

“Viscountess, on my way here, I saw a woman hurriedly leaving the annex.”

“Ah, I thought you might have arrived right after I sent her off.”

“Who is she? I don’t think I’ve even met her before, but it was really strange how she was hiding her face.”

“It’s nothing. She’s a child running errands for me, so you don’t need to worry about it, Bianca.”

“I see.”

Since it seemed she didn’t want to go into detail, Bianca obediently held the teacup.

After all, the viscountess’s private life was of no interest to her.

Taking a sip of the steaming tea, Bianca finally brought up the main topic.

“Speaking of the viscount, I wonder if he still has no intention of calling his eldest son back?”

“Ansel?”

The viscountess’s thin eyebrows twitched slightly. Bianca continued in a rather pitiful voice.

“Yes. Since he’s working at a military institution, I thought he would be able to sufficiently assist his father… I’m concerned about the viscount being away from your side for a long time due to his busy schedule.”

“He says he can’t even stand the sight of him, so what can I do?”

“Is that still the case?”

Bianca felt her vision darkening. It was all well and good to devise an audacious plan to push through the marriage with the power of the viscount’s family, but for it to be realized, Ansel first needed to return to the family.

What Viscount Talbot wanted as a son-in-law for his only daughter was solely the heir to a powerful family.

Not a prodigal son who had been miserably cast out.

‘I can’t go against Father…’

In the end, it was back to square one. Bianca realized once again that persuading Ansel Blaine was the quickest and most certain method.

However, the methods used so far would not work this time.

Now, the only way was to confront him directly. And also find out what on earth he was hiding in that house…

“…Madam, do you happen to know where your son is living?”

Meryl inhaled the cigar so hard that her cheeks sank.

She seemed to be still bothered by the word “son.” Even so, the sapphire ring on her long finger was emitting a brilliant light.

The answer that came back with the thick smoke was indifferent.

“How could I not know that? Of course I do.”

“Could you possibly tell me the address?”

At that, the viscountess narrowed her brows as if puzzled.

“You have more than enough ability to find out for yourself. No, before that, aren’t you two old friends?”

“He got a house without informing me. Truthfully, I was a bit hurt by that.”

“…”

“The reason I didn’t find out myself was because I didn’t want him to hate me. But if I say I heard it from you, I don’t think he’ll hate me…”

Meryl, frowning with one eyebrow raised at the incoherent complaints unusual for the viscount’s daughter, burst into laughter.

Her lips, as red as paint, parting wide was quite a rare occurrence in the utterly boring daily life of a pregnant woman.

“I sometimes think you have peculiar aspects.”

The viscountess, who muttered softly, gestured to the servant to bring a pen and paper.