Miss Pendleton turned her head towards him.

“Thank you, Mr. Price. I know it would have been much easier for you to speak directly to my uncle. You could have easily pressured me through him. You’ve reduced my suffering.”

Mr. Price bowed his head deeply at Miss Pendleton’s gentle voice.

“Miss Pendleton, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Even though Joan berated me late into last night, still… Really, you never, not even once, had any feelings about marrying me?”

His voice was almost tearful. Miss Pendleton steeled her weakening heart.

“Yes, Mr. Price. I’m sorry, but it’s true. I’ve never thought of you as more than my uncle’s close friend.”

A distant shadow fell over his face at Miss Pendleton’s words.

“It seems I’ve made an unimaginable fool of myself to Miss Pendleton all this time.”

Miss Pendleton was about to say something but then closed her mouth.

“Miss Pendleton, I’m utterly ashamed. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. I thought all along that you had feelings for me but were refusing out of propriety. I never imagined it was because you sincerely didn’t want me. How ugly my actions must have seemed all this time…!”

“Mr. Price, don’t blame yourself. Everything happened due to a misunderstanding, it’s just a small incident. Forget it. I’ve already forgotten it all.”

“No. I won’t be able to forget. I’ve never been so rude to a lady in my life. I wasn’t like this even when I courted Eleanor. I waited three years as she asked to win her. But I couldn’t do that with you, Miss Pendleton. I thought there was no reason to wait. I thought your heart was already decided, so there was no need to waste time.”

“Mr. Price…”

“No, Miss Pendleton, please listen to the end, as I won’t trouble you again after today. Give me time to explain myself. Otherwise, I won’t be able to live with the shame.”

Miss Pendleton calmly closed her mouth. Mr. Price gripped the terrace railing and bowed his head.

“I was thoroughly deceived. By your uncle Gerald Pendleton. Gerald Pendleton threw out bait to raise investment funds for my eldest son’s business. When I came to England, I realized for certain. Gerald’s eldest son was a useless idiot and a weak fool. Just like Charles Pendleton. He had already ruined several businesses, terribly shrinking the family’s circumstances, and was setting out on another venture. A business that was completely flawed from the basics. Yet I was going to invest in it.”

Mr. Price pounded the railing with his fist as he spoke.

“I lost my senses at the thought of winning you. To fall for such a trick after living over 50 years. But I was desperate. Even more so after seeing you. In fact, I was worried Gerald wouldn’t give you to me, so I did everything he asked.”

Mr. Price raised his head and looked at Miss Pendleton. Tears welled up in his cow-like large eyes.

“Miss Pendleton, at first I just wanted someone to warm the seat beside me. I thought it would be even better if it were a beautiful maiden from my homeland. But after meeting you, I truly loved you. Most of my actions were sincere. And what pains me most now is not that I can’t have you, but that I’ve made you suffer.”

Miss Pendleton just quietly looked at Mr. Price. She felt sincerity in every word he spoke. She believed that he had truly loved her, and still loves her. It was a pity. For she could never accept those feelings.

“Forgive Uncle Gerald. And forgive me too, who can only reject your feelings. I hope you won’t be pained by this for long. For I will only feel gratitude for your courtship.”

Mr. Price looked at Miss Pendleton for a moment. Her sensitive expression and gentle gaze filled his eyes. Lingering attachment began to mix with his brimming sadness.

“Miss Pendleton, I’ll leave for America tomorrow. And I’ll never return to England. I’m an American man. Though born in England, I’m suited to America to the bone. So before that, one last time, just once more, I’ll ask.”

He turned from the railing he was holding. And faced her.

“Miss Pendleton, forgetting everything until now, won’t you board the ship with me?”

“Mr. Price. That’s an impossible request.”

“I’m asking you to come as my friend, not my wife. I won’t demand anything. Just, be my conversation partner for one hour each day. On that condition, I’ll give you everything I have. I, I… simply can’t leave you under the protection of a scoundrel like Gerald!”

“Thank you for your concern. But I won’t always be under Uncle Gerald’s protection. I plan to become independent, if only to protect myself. So please, help me to send you off with only gratitude.”

Miss Pendleton politely cut off his proposal. Mr. Price’s shoulders slumped.

He bowed his head respectfully to her, feeling there was no hope.

“Please forgive my rudeness until now, Miss Pendleton. I wish you happiness always.”

With that, Mr. Price left.

She was left alone on the terrace. Miss Pendleton looked at the empty space Mr. Price had left and thought.

‘Now, it’s all over.’

It was completely over. Mr. Price. And her life as a Pendleton.

When he leaves for America tomorrow, uncle will know that she completely rejected the proposal. She couldn’t even imagine how uncle would react, but one thing was certain. Her life as an earl’s daughter was now perfectly over as of today.

Mr. Price’s words about the Pendleton family’s circumstances shrinking. Hearing those words, all of uncle’s actions fit together perfectly.

Going all the way to America to find a fiancée for the second son. Trying to offer his niece to Mr. Price to get investment. Being mindful of Miss Jensen. It was all because of the Pendleton family’s financial situation.

Mr. Price will probably be thoroughly angry about this and cancel his investment decision. The Pendleton family’s finances will worsen, and then uncle will blame her for all of it.

Miss Pendleton recalled uncle’s appearance when he stomped on her hand yesterday.

“Ugh…”

She clenched and unclenched her hand that ached with the memory. The swelling had gone down completely, but the stinging pain continued throughout the day. Looking at her right hand, she thought that worse things than what happened to this hand might be waiting.

Thinking that made her afraid as if her stomach would twist. Uncle’s anger, shouting, violence. All of it was trauma she couldn’t overcome.

Nevertheless, she didn’t regret rejecting Mr. Price’s proposal. Accepting his proposal was never on her list of choices to begin with.

Tap-

The sound of footsteps reached Miss Pendleton’s ears as she was lost in thought. It was the heavy sound of a gentleman’s shoes. She looked towards the sound without much thought. And froze stiffly in place.

Next to that thick curtain stood Mr. Dalton.

Miss Pendleton’s heart beat rapidly. How long had he been standing there? Could he have heard her conversation with Mr. Price?

“So you were here. I found you.”

“Wh-What brings you…”

Mr. Dalton approached her with a bright, disinterested expression.

“I thought I’d get a lesson before asking another lady to dance later. It would be terrible if I stepped on the foot of the lady I have in mind while dancing.”

Mr. Dalton stood in front of Miss Pendleton and looked at her face in a friendly manner.

“Please help me, Miss Pendleton.”

Mr. Dalton’s expression was full of playfulness. There was no hesitation in his tone at all. Miss Pendleton thought he certainly hadn’t heard the incident with Mr. Price just now.

She felt relieved. As the tension disappeared, she was quite glad for Mr. Dalton’s presence. Seeing him after being immersed in unpleasant emotions cleared her mind.

She smiled gently.

“The terrace happens to have plenty of room. And no one’s here. But the music…”

Just then, waltz music began to play from the hall. Miss Pendleton smiled.

“Alright. Give me your hand.”

Mr. Dalton held out his hand to her. She placed one hand on top of his and rested the other on his shoulder. Mr. Dalton wrapped his arm around Miss Pendleton’s slender waist.

The music filling the ballroom echoed out to the terrace. The two slowly moved their feet to the music. Miss Pendleton paid attention to Mr. Dalton’s steps.

“You haven’t forgotten anything, Mr. Dalton.”

“I haven’t progressed either.”

“If you progress more than this, ladies will misunderstand. They’ll think you’re a flirt who likes dancing.”

Mr. Dalton laughed softly. But his eyes weren’t laughing. They were fixed on Miss Pendleton’s face.

“Tell me, Miss Pendleton. That I’m not following the music at all. That if a lady dances with me, any fondness she had for me will all disappear. That my sense of rhythm is terrible, and if I want to dance with a lady other than you, I should first become a student and learn only dancing from you for several days.”

Miss Pendleton shook her head at Mr. Dalton’s playful words.

“It’s the opposite. I don’t know which lady you have in mind, but she’ll fall for you even more while dancing with you.”

Miss Lance came to Miss Pendleton’s mind.

‘Perhaps she’s already fallen so deeply in love that she can’t fall for you any more than this.’