If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

In fact, it was something Eleanor could not have even imagined in the past. She no longer tried to receive anything from Daryl.

 

That’s why he had no choice but to do it secretly so Eleanor wouldn’t find out. If caught, he had no other choice but to deny it until the end.

 

After divorcing Eleanor, everything he had done for her up to now was like that.

 

But it changed after he borrowed the name of Lewis Wilson.

 

Even when he sent her art supplies as a gift a while ago, she accepted them. Of course, she said that gifts would be troublesome in the future and she would only accept his feelings, but it might be a different story if it was a birthday gift.

 

Daryl, who had been pondering for a while, suddenly rang the handbell.

 

“Did you call for me, Master?”

 

Soon, Michael entered. He was the new butler hired to manage the mansion in Wembury. He was about half the age of Herbert.

 

“I have something to ask you, Michael.”

 

“Yes, Master. Please tell me.”

 

“What do you think about an older man giving a necklace to a young woman?”

 

“…”

 

Michael blinked in confusion.

 

“Well, that is…perhaps…”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

Daryl nodded readily. Naturally, Michael knew all the circumstances. That’s why he guessed why Daryl asked such a question.

 

Michael seemed hesitant and deep in thought.

 

“Can I answer honestly? Would it be inappropriate?”

 

There was a hint of earnestness in Daryl’s eyes.

 

In fact, that was why Michael hesitated to answer. It was hard to say ‘yes’ when Daryl asked with such an expression.

 

Michael carefully opened his mouth after thinking hard to find the right answer.

 

“I’m not sure…But maybe the gift itself isn’t what’s important.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“For example, if you give a gift and say something that could be misunderstood… or make an inappropriate proposal… wouldn’t that be the problem? Generally speaking, that’s what I mean.”

 

“So just giving the gift would be okay?”

 

“…Yes. That’s what I think.”

 

Michael finished speaking and quietly observed Daryl’s reaction. His expression had brightened, and he seemed more at ease.

 

“I understand. Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome, Master.”

 

Michael bowed his head.

 

****

 

“Miss, there’s a letter for you from Mr. Wilson’s residence.”

 

At Peggy’s voice, Eleanor closed the book she was reading and got up briskly, then rushed over to Peggy.

 

“Oh, you should have stayed put; I would have brought it to you.”

 

Eleanor gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

 

In Peggy’s hand, besides the letter, there was also a small box.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“I’m not sure. It came with the letter.”

 

Eleanor tilted her head curiously and took the letter and box to her desk.

 

Upon unwrapping it, a red velvet cover was revealed.

 

‘This is…’

 

By its size and design, it looked exactly like a jewelry box.

 

With a feeling of disbelief, Eleanor opened the box.

 

Inside was a necklace.

 

It was an exquisitely crafted piece with aquamarine and small diamonds, obviously an expensive item.

 

“Oh my, what in the world?”

 

Peggy exclaimed in surprise from beside her.

 

“What is this? Did this also come from Mr. Wilson?”

 

“..…”

 

Eleanor was silent, with a slight frown on her brow.

 

“Why suddenly this? Oh, is it a birthday gift? Next week is your birthday, isn’t it? But does Mr. Wilson knows your birthday?”

 

Eleanor clearly remembered that in a previous exchange of letters, Wilson had asked when her birthday was, and she had answered. At that time, she had hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should write ‘You don’t need to bother with a gift.’ But since he hadn’t specifically said he would give one, she didn’t want to seem presumptuous and let it go.

 

Eleanor opened the letter with a paper knife.

 

[Miss Townsend,

 

Have you already opened the enclosed gift? I hope it didn’t startle you too much. Although Miss Townsend had previously asked not to send any more gifts, I couldn’t just ignore your birthday.

 

Actually, my eldest daughter recently gave birth. My visit to the capital was also to see my newly born granddaughter.

 

While choosing a gift for my daughter who had gone through labor, I visited a jeweler and saw this necklace. The aquamarine reminded me so much of Miss Townsend’s eyes that I kept being drawn to it. I was already considering what to get for Miss Townsend’s birthday. I hesitated a bit, but in the end, I made the purchase.

 

It’s not as expensive as it looks. Please think of it as an old man’s folly and kindly accept it this time.

 

Lewis Wilson.]

 

“What did he say? Is it really a birthday gift?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Eleanor, holding the letter, was silent for a moment, then turned to Peggy.

 

“Peggy. Can you rewrap this gift?”

 

“…Are you going to send it back?”

 

Eleanor nodded. Peggy seemed to have something she wanted to say but held back and silently took the gift from Eleanor.

 

Eleanor felt troubled.

 

It wasn’t just because she received a burdensome gift. The aquamarine necklace had brought back old memories she had forgotten. It was a dark memory that she had pushed to the deepest part of her heart and locked away.

 

That memory also revived the initial doubts Eleanor had.

 

‘…Why did Mr. Wilson chose such a gift?’

 

It wasn’t just a matter of the gift being expensive or not. A man giving a woman a jewelry gift could be seen as inappropriate in itself.

 

Up to now, Wilson had been extremely careful and showed a cautious attitude. Even in the letters to Eleanor, he carefully chose each word to ensure his kindness was not misunderstood.

 

It was hard to believe that such a person would suddenly choose this kind of gift.

 

‘The excuse that he thought of it while buying a gift for his daughter’ might seem plausible at first glance, but it was definitely different from Wilson’s usual behavior.’

 

Wilson said he chose the aquamarine because it resembled Eleanor’s eyes.

 

However, Eleanor had only met Wilson once, and it was for a brief time. Even Eleanor herself could not remember what color Wilson’s eyes were.

 

Of course, there are individual differences in observation and memory. But it was strange for Wilson to say such a thing based on that brief encounter.

 

To think that the aquamarine resembled Eleanor’s eye color, one would have to have spent much more time with her.

 

Yes, like Daryl, for instance.

 

Eleanor suddenly rose from her chair and went to her desk, where she opened a drawer and took out the letters she had received from Wilson.

 

She began to read each letter from the first one again.

 

****

 

“The gift has been returned?”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

Michael seemed restless, as if the fault was his own.

 

“…And the letter? Was there no other message?”

 

Michael extended an envelope that came with the gift. Daryl hastily opened the envelope and read the letter inside.

 

[To Mr. Wilson,

 

I have received the gift you sent. I am very grateful for your thoughts, Mr. Wilson, but I feel it is not a gift I should accept, so I have had to return it. I apologize.

 

I will contact you again later.

 

1. L. Townsend.]

 

It was shorter and more business-like than any correspondence before. Daryl felt a cold sweat run down his back.

 

He rushed to the desk, pulled out some writing paper, and began to write a rambling excuse with trembling hands. It was only belatedly that he realized he would have to wait at least a few more days to receive a response to this letter.

 

Daryl put down his pen as if dropping it and covered his face with his hands.

 

Had he made a mistake?

 

Should he not have sent that gift?

 

If this incident caused Eleanor to distance herself from him, and if it meant that the letters they had been exchanging would no longer come…

 

Just the thought of it made him feel as if the world was closing in on him.

 

He felt nauseous, and a sharp pain spread through his chest, a symptom he had not felt in a while.

 

Daryl swallowed a groan and clutched at his chest.

 

“…No, it’s okay. It’ll be alright. It was just the gift that was too much. Just apologize politely and promise not to send any more. That should do it.”

 

With hands still trembling, Daryl picked up the pen again and began to write another letter. That day, he crumpled more paper than ever before.