If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

Eleanor was lost in thought, with the letters she had received from Wilson spread out before her.

 

After rereading all the previous letters, parts that had not felt discordant before seemed different now. For example, there were sentences that seemed to be written with the awareness that Eleanor very much disliked being a bother to others, and almost every letter contained persistent concerns about Eleanor’s health.

 

At first, she just thought it was Wilson’s gentlemanly and considerate nature.

 

But upon looking again, the overall tone of the letters was excessively cautious and careful.

 

It felt as if they were written to a capricious superior, fearful of offending her at any moment.

 

Eleanor had never considered herself to be a difficult person, and she couldn’t guess why Wilson would have that impression of her.

 

However, if Daryl was the one who wrote these letters, then it all made sense.

 

“…But still…”

 

Despite this, Eleanor couldn’t bring herself to believe that Daryl was the author of these letters. The sentences written in the letters were all too affectionate and filled with deep admiration. They were words she had never heard once during the time she lived with Daryl.

 

She couldn’t believe that he was the kind of person who could say such things to her, or to anyone for that matter.

 

Certainly, Daryl had shown an inexplicable obsession with Eleanor around the time of their divorce. He had begged her not to leave on the day of their divorce, and after it was revealed that Eleanor was Marcus Miller, he continued to worry about her and did things without being asked.

 

But until now, she had never properly thought about the reason for his behavior.

 

To be precise, she didn’t want to think about it.

 

Daryl’s very existence was a wound and a painful memory for Eleanor.

 

There was no one else in the world who disliked Eleanor as much as he did, who treated her so harshly.

 

It would have been better if he had been consistently like that from the beginning to the end.

 

There was a time when she thought that Daryl might have changed. His unexpectedly tender behavior had shaken her heart.

 

But it was all a misunderstanding.

 

The pain she felt after opening her heart once was too tormenting and painful. She never wanted to experience that agony again.

 

Eleanor bit her lip quietly.

 

Perhaps it was all an unfounded suspicion.

 

Just as she had initially thought, Lewis Wilson had no connection to Daryl, and the necklace might have been a gift chosen by chance.

 

But once doubt had taken root in her mind, it was not easily shaken off.

 

She felt that she could no longer exchange letters with Wilson with the same cheerful heart as before.

 

After much contemplation, Eleanor made up her mind.

 

****

 

Sam Henson was enduring the boredom while hiding his body in the bushes.

 

He was the person hired by Daryl to keep an eye on Eleanor.

 

His role was to watch over Eleanor’s house for any suspicious individuals approaching, or to ensure she was not in danger when she went out.

 

There were three other watchers like Sam, to avoid raising Eleanor’s suspicions.

 

He had a shotgun slung over his shoulder. It served as a disguise as a hunter and, in case of emergency, as a means to protect Eleanor from danger.

 

‘But in such a peaceful countryside, what kind of danger would there be to stop with a gun…’

 

Sam was a problem-solver with a certain reputation in this field. He had accepted the job because the pay was so good, but it was the most boring job he had ever had in his life.

 

Now that daybreak had come, it would soon be time to change shifts. Sam was just waiting for that moment. Then he heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance.

 

Looking through his binoculars, he saw a carriage approaching Eleanor’s mansion.

 

Sam narrowed his eyes and straightened up.

 

The carriage stopped in front of the mansion and waited for a while. Soon, Eleanor came out of the mansion.

 

She got into the carriage with a young maid, and the carriage departed immediately.

 

‘What? Where is she going?’

 

It was the first time Eleanor had taken a carriage since Sam had taken on this job. It was clear she was going somewhere far, not just around the area.

 

If he delayed even a little, he might lose them. After checking the direction the carriage was heading, Sam hurriedly started running to find a horse.

 

***

 

Daryl was in the room when Michael rushed in hurriedly.

 

“Master. A telegram has arrived. It seems you need to see it right away.”

 

“Give it here.”

 

Daryl snatched the paper from Michael.

 

[E.T. boarded the train to the capital from Plymouth. Accompanied.

S.H.]

 

Plymouth was the largest city in the vicinity, and it was a half-day’s journey by carriage.

 

S.H. was clearly the initials of Sam Henson. He had been watching Eleanor’s mansion from last night until morning, and then disappeared somewhere without waiting for his shift change. This was reported by another watcher this morning.

 

“Miss Townsend seems to have left the mansion. She hasn’t returned since dawn.”

 

“What? Where did she go?”

 

“I don’t know. However, judging by the calm atmosphere of the servants, it seems it was a planned outing.”

 

Although he was frustrated, he couldn’t just ask Eleanor’s servants where she had gone. Doing so would make it difficult to avoid suspicion.

 

The fact that Sam had disappeared meant he was surely following Eleanor. Sam was an expert in this field. Daryl had no choice but to trust him.

 

There was still no report of Eleanor returning to the mansion the next day. Daryl was anxiously waiting for any contact from Sam.

 

“..The capital, why all of a sudden?”

 

There was no mention in the letters of Eleanor planning to visit the capital. In the monotonous days of Wembury, such an event would surely have been mentioned.

 

Especially since he knew that Wilson was currently staying in the capital.

 

He felt uneasy. He couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but his mind was far from calm. Was it because of the gift Daryl had sent a few days ago that was returned?

 

With anxious steps, Daryl paced the room and eventually kicked open the door.

 

“Call for a carriage. I need to go to the capital.”

 

****

 

The capital, which she hadn’t visited in a long time, was still bustling with numerous people.

 

The noisy sounds and busy atmosphere made her feel slightly dizzy. Seeing how she already missed Wembury, she realized she had become quite the local.

 

Since she had left Wembury yesterday morning, it had taken a full day to get to the capital. She arrived in Plymouth by carriage in the evening, had dinner, and immediately boarded the night train.

 

“Madam, where will you be going?”

 

Emily asked Eleanor.

 

“Let’s go to the Loud estate first. I want to take a bath and change my clothes.”

 

After about two more hours, they arrived at Loud.

 

“Madam, what brings you here without notice?”

 

The butler, Harold, was glad to see Eleanor but also seemed surprised. Eleanor had entrusted Harold with the management of the Loud estate when she moved to Wembury.

 

“I had some sudden business. For now, I’ll stay the night, and I might stay for a few more days. I’d like to take a bath; could you prepare it for me?”

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

Harold bowed and quickly instructed the maids to prepare the bath.

 

After bathing and changing her clothes, Eleanor immediately called for a carriage and left the estate again.

 

Her destination was none other than the Duke of Griffith’s residence, Chatsworth House.

 

****

 

“…I never thought I’d come back here.”

 

Looking at the grand entrance of the Duke’s residence, which boasted a majestic presence like a castle, Eleanor was overwhelmed with emotions. She had thought that when she left this place that day, she would never pass through these gates again.

 

The decision to come to the Duke’s residence today was not an easy one. It required a great deal of courage, at least for Eleanor.

 

“Today will truly be the last time.”

 

Eleanor promised herself as if to make sure she heard it.

 

Not having contacted in advance, she thought she might be turned away at the door in the worst case. But as soon as she revealed her name, she was granted entry.

 

Eventually, she arrived in front of the mansion, passing through the wide avenue and garden.

 

The first person she saw when the carriage door opened was Herbert, the butler of the Duke’s residence.

 

“Welcome, Miss Townsend.”

 

He extended his hand to Eleanor with a polite gesture.

 

“…Herbert.”

 

Eleanor inadvertently said his name, then hesitated for a moment.

 

“No, Mr. Stevens.”

 

“Just call me Herbert.”

 

Herbert spoke with a somewhat nostalgic expression on his face. Eleanor felt uneasy seeing that he had aged more than she remembered in just a few years.

 

Eleanor took Herbert’s hand and stepped out of the carriage. Then, she involuntarily widened her eyes.

 

There were more people than she expected waiting to greet her.

 

At the forefront was Layla. She approached Eleanor hastily, with a look of disarray.

 

“…Eleanor.”