She, who had been muttering to herself, turned to her mother with a forced bright expression.

“How’s your health these days?”

“Were you really curious about that?”

“Of course. I always think about you, Mother. You know that, don’t you?”

“Then why haven’t you come to see me once since you left here? As if you were waiting to escape from me. I thought you had forgotten about me.”

Her mother was still as cold as the north wind. Jacqueline’s eyes took on a gloomy look.

“Mother…”

Her aunt lightly grasped her hand and then let go. As if to say, you should understand.

Nodding, Jacqueline forced another smile. She whispered gently.

“Are you taking your medicine well?”

“Medicine?”

Madam Somerset’s voice immediately sharpened. She glared at her daughter with irritated eyes.

“Medicine? If someone hears that, they’ll think I’m mentally ill! I’m fine! I don’t need to take any medicine!”

Jacqueline noticed her mistake at her mother’s reaction, jumping like a dog whose tail had been stepped on.

She considered taking tranquilizers to be shameful. She thought if others found out about it, they would laugh at her.

Her aunt, whose eyes met hers, shook her head again. It seemed to mean that was not a good topic, or perhaps that she hadn’t been taking the medicine for a long time.

Jacqueline, looking at her mother’s face with dark circles under her eyes, asked casually.

“I sent a letter once a week, didn’t you receive them?”

“To think you believed you fulfilled your duty with just one letter. You must have been very at ease. This place isn’t a thousand miles away from the capital, couldn’t you find time to show your face even once? It’s not that you didn’t have time, but that you didn’t have the heart.”

Swallowing the words ‘It may not be a thousand miles, but it’s close to a hundred,’ Jacqueline tried to soothe her. At times like this, it felt like the roles of mother and daughter were reversed. Just like how she and Benjamin had switched roles of teacher and student.

“I can’t go out freely without Lord Preston’s permission. You know what kind of job a governess is.”

“What a fine excuse. Do you know with what feelings I endure these nightmare-like days? Are you leaving me too? If so, I have no reason to live anymore, Jackie.”

Madam Somerset said in a trembling voice. At those words that sounded like a threat, Jacqueline gently embraced her shoulders.

“Why would I leave you, Mother? I’m working hard to try and get a small room in the capital. Then I’ll be able to come and get you.”

“Let go of me!”

Madam Somerset pushed Jacqueline’s shoulders away forcefully. Then she glared at her with cold eyes. Suddenly pushed away, Jacqueline stared at her mother with wide eyes.

Madam Somerset’s voice turned irritable.

“A small room? Don’t you know what kind of rumors would spread in high society if we did that? You’re trying to bring me shame! You might as well tell me to die like this!”

“Mom…”

Finally, a sigh like a grumble escaped Jacqueline’s lips. Her aunt shook her head with a resigned face.

Jacqueline looked down at her emaciated mother.

She still hadn’t given up hope of returning to high society. She dreamed of a glorious return as the Countess of Somerset.

That’s why she hated the current reality so much. It was as unbearable as a nightmare.

Jacqueline stepped back and answered indifferently.

“We’re no longer the glorious Somerset family of the past. Mother, you need to accept reality. We have no mansion, no servants, no money, nothing. We can’t go back to our old life.”

“No, we can.”

Madam Somerset retorted with a voice full of conviction. Jacqueline, who had been sighing, faintly furrowed her brow. It was because she saw her mother’s eyes sparkle.

Suddenly, she remembered that her mother had even sent a false letter to call her here.

Why?

Why did Mom lie about being critically ill to call me here?

Belatedly, the fundamental question arose. Jacqueline’s eyes settled calmly as she looked at her.

“What’s going on?”

“…”

“The reason you called me all the way here. Tell me honestly.”

Madam Somerset looked at her daughter with cold eyes. She elegantly raised her chin. For the first time, her pale lips drew a faint smile.

“There’s someone who wants to meet you, Jackie. Someone who will restore our former glory.”

For a moment, an ominous feeling ran down her spine. Jacqueline unknowingly furrowed her brow and stepped back.

Madam Somerset’s smile deepened a little more.

***

As the sun set, the full moon peeked out in the eastern sky. It was time for the party.

Windsor, stepping out of the carriage, buttoned up his jacket one by one. Roman, standing beside him, whispered with a stiffer expression than usual.

“I know you don’t like parties, Marquis, but please do something about that expression. Unless you’re planning to fight with Baron Hines who invited you.”

Instead of answering, Windsor took a step forward. Then he took out his pocket watch to check the time.

“She must have arrived by now.”

“Pardon? Who? Are you expecting someone?”

Roman chimed in as he followed behind him. But Windsor said nothing. Only the arrival time of the train heading to Southfield flashed through his mind.

“I’ll wait in the carriage. Do well in there!”

Pretending not to have heard Roman’s encouragement, Windsor entered the mansion. A servant guided him to the reception room.

“Oh, Marquis Preston!”

Baron Hines, the host of the party, greeted Windsor with a pleased expression. The nobles who had arrived earlier looked surprised at his appearance.

“Isn’t that Lord Preston?”

“Him attending a party, did the sun rise in the west today?”

Ignoring the men’s whispers, Windsor shook hands lightly with Baron Hines. He greeted indifferently.

“Congratulations on Thunderbolt’s victory, Lord Hines.”

“Thank you. Hahaha, at this rate, I should aim for the season champion title! Come this way. Were you interested in horse racing, Lord Preston? I know a few good horses, I can introduce them if you’d like. They have excellent bloodlines.”

Hines seemed to be in quite a good mood. His face was flushed red, as if he had already had a few drinks. It seemed that those who arrived earlier had offered toasts.

Anyway, Windsor wasn’t very interested in the party. He had no intention of dancing with young ladies or getting drunk.

He attended only because Baron Hines was known to have many connections in the legal world. By maintaining a close relationship with him, he might be able to get a recommendation for a good lawyer.

Will an hour be enough?

Windsor engaged in light conversation with those seated nearby, estimating the time that would not be impolite.

There was no need to lead the conversation. As Jacqueline had taught him, it was enough to just nod occasionally.

―Don’t sit there like a sack of borrowed barley, offer compliments from time to time. No one dislikes being praised. They’re all dying to boast, so scratch their itches appropriately.

Recalling her nagging, Windsor casually said to Viscount Jeffman seated next to him.

“I heard that Viscount Jeffman’s merchant ships have recently recorded unprecedented sales. Congratulations.”

At Windsor’s praise, Jeffman looked blank as if he had heard something unexpected, then immediately put on a moved expression. And he began to pour out the story he had been holding back.

“Hahaha. You flatter me. It was just good luck. Actually, I imported some new items this time, and they turned out to be more popular than expected…”

As Jeffman was immersed in his boasting, a servant who entered by opening the door announced loudly.

“The party is starting. Please move to the hall.”

The gentlemen who had been smoking put down their cigarettes and stood up one by one. Those who came with partners moved to the tea room to take the hands of the ladies.

Windsor walked alone down the long corridor. Nevertheless, he was a man with a strong presence wherever and whenever.

Glances poured in from all directions. They mostly seemed surprised that he had attended the party.

Arriving at the hall, Windsor took a position in a suitably secluded spot. Baron Hines thanked the guests, and as his speech ended, music began to play.

Everyone seemed to have been waiting for this, skillfully asking for dances and haughtily granting permission. Windsor watched the people moving around like loaches, holding a glass of champagne.

He was bored. He couldn’t understand what fun there was in chasing after parties.

Rather, he was more curious about whether Jacqueline had arrived safely. Had her mother’s condition improved, the one who was said to be critically ill?

Perhaps even there, Jacqueline was enduring difficult moments with her chin set firmly. She might be persistently enduring while ignoring the tears welling up in her eyes.

“She’ll need a handkerchief.”

Windsor suddenly recalled the gift in his drawer. Why hadn’t he given it to her, he felt belated regret.

The moment he saw her smiling at Evan Knox, his stomach churned. Unlike his usual rational nature, his emotions became intense.

It was the same when he saw her holding back tears and enduring. An unidentifiable emotion struck his throat.

What could be the identity of that strange impulse?

Windsor gazed at the dancing nobles with indifferent eyes, lost in deep thought. Despite never being an emotional person, she occasionally made Windsor emotional.

Whether it was a good emotion or a bad one.

As Windsor’s thoughts were deepening, just then.

“Hello, Lord Preston.”

A cheerful greeting flew from right beside him.

As he slowly turned his head, a beautiful woman with reddish-brown hair tied up was smiling at him.

An indifferent voice escaped from between Windsor’s teeth.

“Excuse me, but do we know each other, young lady?”

At those words, the corners of the woman’s mouth stiffened slightly. But the next moment, she wore an even deeper smile.

“I’m Elizabeth Greenwood. The daughter of Count Greenwood.”

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Greenwood.”

At those words, Elizabeth furrowed her brow slightly once again. Her well-shaped eyebrows curved like earthworms.

“Actually, it’s not exactly the first time. I attended Benjamin’s birthday party recently. I saw Lord Preston there. Although we didn’t get to exchange greetings.”

“Is that so. Thank you for attending. I’ll pass on your greetings on behalf of Benjamin.”

At Windsor’s polite manner, Elizabeth widened her eyes slightly as if surprised. She had heard rumors that he was ignorant of etiquette, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

This is why rumors can’t be trusted.