“Ah, what about Father?”

During dinner time, Joseph, who was stirring the soup with a spoon, asked. In that moment, Jane’s hand faltered.

“Father is busy.”

“Ah, I finished all the homework Father gave me. I, I need to sh, show him. Wh, when can I m, m, meet him?”

Joseph stammered more severely than before.

Children were quick to notice.

Joseph sensed that the atmosphere in Somnium House was not the same as before and became anxious.

Cain, who used to study with Jane, was coming late without a word, and Jane, who always had a sunny smile, lost her laughter.

Norbert and Mary also frequently sighed, and some time ago, he heard Letty, Nas, and Haley gathering and talking with serious expressions.

〈His Grace is really too much. What if Madam gets tired of this and leaves?〉

〈Nas, why are you saying such extreme things? He’ll just make a fuss for a while. Right, Haley?〉

〈I don’t think this will end with just a fight.〉

At Haley’s serious tone and her gloomy expression, Joseph was suddenly frightened.

For some reason, there seemed to be a problem between Cain and Jane, and because of that problem, it seemed like Jane might leave Somnium House.

‘Am I… going to be abandoned again?’

Once a frightening thought came to mind, it wasn’t easy to shake off. Then his body reacted.

Joseph stammered much more severely than before.

“Homework… Father gave you homework?”

Jane smiled. It was a benevolent smile, but with a heavy shadow cast on her face that couldn’t be seen before.

“Can you show it to me?”

“N, no, I’ll show it to Father.”

Actually, it didn’t matter if he showed it to Jane. But Joseph had something to say to Cain.

No matter what happened, he was going to ask him not to fight with Mother.

Just the thought of saying those words made him so afraid that the soup wouldn’t go down his throat, but Joseph really wanted to say it.

He had already decided what to say.

I’ll do better.

I’ll study hard, eat well, and listen to what Father says.

I’ll definitely get first place on the academy exam.

I’ll only buy a few toys, play less, and not run in the hallways.

I’ll do everything Father tells me to do, so please don’t fight with Mother.

Joseph repeated what he would say when he met Cain. He had a hard time remembering it midway. Naturally, his face crumpled.

Seeing that, Jane’s heart was not at ease.

She didn’t want to create a situation where Joseph had to mind the adults, but it ended up like this.

“All right, Joseph. I’ll tell Father to come home early.”

“Re, really? Let’s e, eat together! W, with M, Mother, the th, three of us!”

Joseph’s face noticeably brightened. Just the thought of eating with Cain made the soup he just ate get stuck in his chest, but for now, Jane nodded.

Jane called out to Norbert who was standing next to her.

“Norbert, contact Cain. Tell him to sleep at home today. And also tell him to have dinner with us tomorrow.”

Jane thought Cain would agree to this much if he had any conscience.

No matter how much he liked women, being away from home for a week was too much.

Cain’s reply arrived only after she finished her meal roughly and read a book with Joseph.

As soon as she arrived in the bedroom, Jane unfolded Cain’s letter.

Her expression turned cold in an instant.

“He can’t come?”

The telegram Cain sent was very simple.

I have no intention of going home for a while.

With that short message, Jane’s patience snapped.

She could no longer tolerate his prodigality. Jane took her outerwear.

“I need to go to the gentleman’s club right now.”

* * *

“You’ve worked hard.”

As she entered the basement of the gentleman’s club, Nathan approached. He took Cain’s tired jacket and gloves and arranged them to one side.

“The matter you went for… didn’t go well.”

Nathan guessed by looking at Cain’s expression. The eyes that shone before leaving were now completely extinguished.

Cain went and sat on the sofa, not the chair in front of the desk. He put his arms on his knees and repeatedly rubbed his face.

As he had worried before leaving, the man the raven had picked up disappeared around the time Cain arrived there.

In a word, it was a wild goose chase.

With this, Cain wasted two days.

What if he kept dragging on like this and ended up never being able to meet Jane?

That thought choked Cain. Cain hurriedly untied his cravat and threw it away.

Then he huffed out breaths. Just from that one action, he was so out of breath that his body had reached its limit.

But sleep wouldn’t come. No, he couldn’t sleep.

At times like this, he had to forcibly cut off his consciousness.

Cain, who was rubbing his face with his dry hands, held out his hand to Nathan.

“Whiskey, bring the strongest one.”

* * *

As Jane entered the gentleman’s club, Vincent came running out in a fluster.

“Du, Duchess?”

Jane curtly nodded.

“Wh, what brings you here?”

“I came to find my husband.”

“A, are you referring to His Grace?”

His tongue kept getting tangled. Vincent wanted to bite his own tongue.

“Yes. Where is His Grace the Duke of Hastings?”

He had to say he wasn’t here, but the sharp gaze of Norbert standing behind her was fierce.

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll find him myself.”

As Vincent hesitated on what to do, Jane pushed him and went inside.

Jane, who was moving as if she would search the warehouse of the gentleman’s club, stopped after barely taking three steps.

“Hey, I told you not to touch that.”

“What will you bet this time? You lost all your money, right? If you lose this time… your walking stick! Bet that.”

“The night is deep, shall we move somewhere else? Nightingale?”

“Liquor! Where has the liquor I ordered gone? Are they making it before bringing it?”

People messily mixed together here and there, those who were so drunk they couldn’t even remember who they were, laughing, breaking, throwing, biting each other, licking… It was a mess like no other.

This is a gentleman’s club? Cain frequents a place like this?

“His Grace is not here. I will guide you.”

Vincent stood in front of Jane as if to block her view. Jane slowly raised her eyes.

In those transparent and clear eyes that didn’t fit the gentleman’s club, Vincent felt guilty.

It was like showing a crude picture book for adults to a young child.

“Please follow me.”

Before Jane’s clear eyes could take in the filth, Vincent guided her.

“You’re saying His Grace is in a place like this?”

Jane, who had been silently following Vincent, opened her mouth only after standing in front of the stairs leading underground.

The stairs leading underground were common stone steps, and it was very dark as the lights weren’t properly lit.

“What’s below this?”

“An o, office?”

Even as he answered, Vincent was sheepish. Even to him, the path they were walking was more suited for an underground prison than an office.

Jane looked at Vincent with a suspicious gaze.

From his black curly hair, well-maintained body, to the suit that fit him perfectly, he had a style sensitive to trends befitting someone who ran a gentleman’s club, but his way of speaking was friendly.

‘What is his relationship with Cain?’

Readily providing him a place to stay in the basement of the gentleman’s club, briefly being surprised by her appearance but then skillfully responding, it wasn’t like a gentleman’s club owner.

‘Is there something else?’

Like this, everything related to Cain was shrouded in a veil. Even Cain, whom she sometimes shared a bed with, only looked hazy as if wrapped in fog. That fact sometimes made Jane feel lonely.

“Here it is.”

While she was briefly thinking of other things, they had quickly descended the many stairs.

“Please wait a moment.”

Is there a woman inside?

Vincent let out an awkward laugh, then left Jane standing in front of the door and slipped inside.

Although she didn’t want to be interested in what was happening inside, Jane’s ears perked up contrary to her heart.

“…wake up…Your Grace.”

“…who?”

The conversation taking place inside could be heard very faintly.

‘They soundproofed it properly.’

The basement of the gentleman’s club, a soundproofed office.

Jane rubbed her forearms at the atmosphere that seemed like something secret would happen.

“This won’t do, Madam. I will knock.”

It was the moment the impatient Norbert was about to knock on the door. Vincent, who came out by opening the door very slightly like when he went in, scratched near his eyebrows.

“Please come in for now.”

As Norbert moved at the awaited answer, Vincent blocked his chest with a large hand.

Norbert immediately frowned. Vincent raised the corners of his lips awkwardly and looked at Jane.

“Only the Duchess may enter.”

Jane’s eyes narrowed.

“He’s not coming out but telling me to come in?”

“Yes.”

Not only did he make her come to the gentleman’s club, but he was also making her set foot in a place like a prison.

Is he looking down on her because she’s a contract wife?

Or does he think she’ll be scared and run away with her tail tucked if he tells her to come in?

She didn’t like either option. Jane took a deep breath.

“Move aside.”

Vincent promptly came out, and Jane entered through the open door. The room was empty. The bewildered Jane turned her head.

“Where on earth is Cain…”

Before she could finish asking, the door closed.

“…Jane?”

And a faint voice was heard. Jane looked around to find the source of the sound.

“Cain? Are you here?”

Does he want to play hide-and-seek?

She was about to get annoyed. A hand suddenly popped up over the back of the sofa.

A hand one size longer and thicker than Jane’s, and the Hastings family ring worn on the index finger.

Jane immediately headed to the sofa. She soon found Cain lying crumpled on the sofa.

“Cain? What are you doing?”

“Jane… Jane? Jane…”

With his eyes closed, he called for Jane over and over again.

His condition was strange, so Jane brought her face close. The smell of strong alcohol pricked her nose. Only then did she notice the whiskey bottles on the table and rolling on the floor.

“Did you drink all of this?”

Just seeing his condition was enough of an answer. Cain was heavily drunk.

Conversation was impossible in this state. Jane grabbed Cain’s arm. Jane grunted as she tried to make him sit up. But even lifting one of Cain’s arms was too much for her.

“Try to get up. Let’s go home. Cain, get a hold of yourself.”

Beads of sweat formed on Jane’s forehead. Jane, who judged that it was impossible alone, was about to get up to call someone.

At that moment, Cain’s hand that had been hanging down moved. Soon, his hot hand grabbed Jane’s wrist.

And a voice hotter than his hand flowed through his teeth.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Jane. I’m sorry…”