Chapter 19
It was a warm, sunny morning.
Rachel sat with Graham at a small breakfast table in the breakfast room, enjoying a cozy meal together.
Graham was in a very good mood.
“Mom, you said you’d stay with me all day today, right?”
“Of course. Today, Mom and Graham have a secret mission.”
“Just the two of us? Wow, that’s exciting!”
The child’s cheeks turned red. His plump baby cheeks puffed up adorably.
Seeing Graham so happy made Rachel happy too. After checking whether any servants were listening, she leaned in and whispered.
“We’re going on a trip soon. Today, we need to pack the things we’ll need for traveling.”
“A trip? When?”
“For now, let’s pack first, and once Dad comes back, we’ll leave. How does that sound?”
“Eww. Do we really have to wait for Dad? Can’t we just go today, just us?”
“There’s something I need to give your dad. Just wait a little, okay?”
“Tch. Mom, you’re too nice. You don’t even need to give Dad a present.”
Rachel smiled brightly at Graham’s words.
Theodore would probably think differently. What Rachel planned to hand over was divorce paperwork—along with a mountain of alimony he’d have to pay.
“Let’s pack lots of things Graham likes, and lots of things Mom likes too. We’ll leave behind everything we don’t like and only take what we like!”
“Really? Then I’ll leave Dad behind!”
“Leave Dad behind? Hahaha!”
Rachel laughed loudly, shaking with laughter, and Graham glanced at her cautiously.
“Is… is that not okay?”
“Not okay? Of course it’s okay! If that’s what Graham wants, we can leave him behind.”
“Yay!”
Graham put down his fork, leaned over, and hugged Rachel tightly around the waist.
“I’m really happy. I don’t like Dad. I only like Mom. Dad hurts Mom, and sometimes he even takes Mom away from me, so I really hated him. But now that Mom is leaving Dad behind, I’m so happy!”
Rachel smiled warmly and stroked Graham’s golden hair.
Even in this little child’s eyes, Rachel’s suffering had been obvious. Her heart ached.
Graham giggled, clearly enjoying his mother’s touch.
“I’ll protect you, Mom.”
Suddenly, Sian came to mind.
“Graham has both things needed to learn the sword: talent, and the desire to protect someone.”
With just one meeting, Sian had seen straight through Graham—something even his father, Theodore, hadn’t noticed. He was an impressive man.
“Graham, if you want, would you like to learn swordsmanship?”
“A sword? Swordsmanship?”
Graham, who had been clinging to Rachel’s waist, looked up and blinked.
“Yes. Do you remember the Grand Duke we met before? He’s very skilled with the sword. If you want, he said he’d teach you.”
“The Grand Duke…”
Graham rolled his eyes thoughtfully, as if recalling the Dukedom of Dicarsignac.
After hesitating and frowning slightly, Graham looked back at Rachel.
“I want to learn.”
“You don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to.”
“No, I really like it. I’ve wanted to learn swordsmanship for a long time.”
“But Graham, you don’t look very excited.”
“No, it’s just…”
He paused, thinking carefully before continuing.
“He’s strange.”
“Strange how?”
“I don’t know.”
Unable to find the right words, Graham lowered his head.
“He’s not as good as Mom, but not as bad as Dad either. When he’s with Mom, I feel kind of angry… but he doesn’t seem like a bad person. I think I might like him someday, but I don’t yet.”
Rachel smiled and patted his back.
“That’s okay. It’s normal not to know. Think about it slowly, and when you figure out why the Grand Duke feels strange, tell Mom later. Okay?”
“Okay! Thank you, Mom.”
After watching Graham closely, Rachel casually asked,
“What about Lady Dolorasa? You played together briefly when we visited the mansion last time.”
“Ah… that kid.”
“That kid?”
Dolorasa was three years older than him and of higher status, so calling her “that kid” would have been dangerous if anyone heard—but fortunately, no one was nearby.
Graham spoke seriously.
“She’s pitiful. She doesn’t have a mom. I like my mom the most in the world, and I can’t live without you, but I don’t know how she lives without a mom.”
“I see.”
Rachel nodded.
Pity and sympathy were emotions that could easily lead into love. Just like in the original story, it seemed only a matter of time before the two grew close.
Feeling proud and touched that her son was already beginning to understand love, Rachel smiled.
“Anyway! I’ll train hard with the sword and become a cool knight!”
“I’m looking forward to it! Wow, Graham as a knight will be amazing!”
“Hehe! Take that! I’ll defeat all the bad guys and protect Mom!”
Rachel hugged the excited, red-cheeked Graham tightly.
Theodore had been confined to the narrow townhouse the entire time.
Berengela, already on edge, kept a sharp eye on him to make sure he didn’t escape.
For someone like Berengela, who cared deeply about public opinion, the gossip and cramped townhouse life were unbearable. She snapped at her son and drank to pass the time.
Two weeks had already passed. He had never gone this long without seeing Jane.
Differences in status, forbidden love, disapproving parents—and now being imprisoned and unable to meet at all. Goddess Enisis, why were you giving him such trials?
As Theodore fell into despair, Berengela’s scolding poured down on him.
“After causing such disgrace, you still plan to see that woman again? Even shaming the family has its limits! As long as I live, the Count will never meet that girl again!”
Though he feared his mother, Theodore was starting to feel irritated too.
“Don’t call her ‘that woman.’ Jane is my lover!”
“Silence, Count! Your wife is Rachel Eloisa. To become the Countess of Eloisa, one must at least be a daughter of the Fram family!”
“You only ever care about honor, dignity, and reputation! Do you even know what love is?”
“Do I need to know such nonsense?”
“She’s the woman your son loves! Please accept her!”
“Do you even know what that wretched thing has been doing? Rumors are spreading that she came to the Eloisa mansion!”
“Jane came to the mansion? Really?”
“Yes. That lowly girl dared to step into the historic count’s estate and even raised her voice at the Countess, demanding to know where you were. The rumors are everywhere—it’s chaos!”
His heart pounded wildly.
‘Jane came all the way to the mansion alone to find me! How touching. I thought she was just a child, but she wasn’t afraid of rumors and was that brave.’
He half-listened to Berengela’s scolding, lost in thought.
‘Ah, Jane! I need to go see her. Mother says I’ll be arrested for insulting the Crown Prince the moment I step outside, but that’s impossible, right? Lots of people do that kind of thing on banquet terraces!’
Theodore still didn’t understand what the real problem was.
He wandered restlessly around the townhouse living room, smaller than the bedroom at the Eloisa mansion, biting his nails.
‘That damn Grand Duke Sian—why did that lunatic do something like that? Ripping the terrace curtain? What if it hadn’t been me but a marquis or duke?’
He never once considered that Sian might have known everything.
‘Whatever. I’ll focus on meeting Jane. To end this mess, I need courage. Only courage can bring separated lovers back to a happy ending.’
He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror—blond hair, blue eyes, like a fairy-tale prince—and felt encouraged.
‘Alright. I’ll sleep early tonight, and once Mother falls asleep, I’ll sneak out and go see Jane.’
Curling under the blanket, he imagined how he’d whisper sweet words to Jane, how he’d comfort her if she was upset.
“Count, it’s dinner time!”
Berengela shouted irritably, but Theodore ignored her.
There was a maid attending them in the townhouse, but she couldn’t speak or read, so informing him of meals fell to Berengela.
“Count!”
Her sharp shout rang out again, but he still ignored it.
Thinking of lovely Jane, he forced himself to sleep.
Late at night, Theodore woke and first checked whether Berengela was asleep. Fortunately, she was passed out from drinking.
He hurried out of the townhouse and went straight to Jane’s house.
Jane’s house was brightly lit, as if it had been waiting for him. His heart raced.
He urgently rang the doorbell and knocked.
“Jane, Jane! It’s me, Theodore! Open the door!”
He heard hurried movement inside, and even the sound of something falling.
She must be so happy.
What expression would Jane have? Would she run out smiling and cling to him?
Would she tear up and say, “Why did you come so late? I missed you”?
Maybe she’d kiss him deeply the moment the door opened.
Then he’d say,
“Haha, were you lonely, Jane? It’s been so long—I have so much to tell you.”
He’d pat her back, lead her inside, close the door gently, and kiss her again. Then, like always, they’d spend a passionate time together.
He couldn’t stay long before Berengela woke up, but it would be enough to enjoy their reunion.
A grin spread across Theodore’s face.
Soon, the front door opened. But what greeted him was neither affection, nor complaints, nor a kiss.
“Jane—!”
Splash!
A bucket of water was thrown straight at Theodore.
“You trash!”
Slap!
A sharp slap landed on his already soaked cheek.
