“It seems that Her Majesty wants to actively respond from the royal family.”
“That’s why I’m saying this. Theodora has been obsessed with the former Duke’s affairs since a long time ago. It’s just an old woman’s delusion, so there’s no need to take it seriously.”
“…”
Aaron remained silent with a complex expression.
“Why? If you have something to say, say it.”
“…No, not really.”
“Then go.”
“Yes?”
At the Emperor’s words, Aaron unknowingly widened his eyes.
“If you have nothing to say, leave. Why? Is there something strange?”
He thought he was called to talk about Eleanor. So he thought the previous words were just to break the ice.
Aaron, who was confused, hurriedly bowed his head without wanting to make a fuss.
“…No. Then I’ll leave.”
Aaron soon left the room.
The Emperor, who was left alone, looked at the closed door with thin eyes and chuckled.
“That naive guy. I can see right through him.”
He gestured to call the chief servant. And he whispered a few words in a low voice into his ear.
****
The Duke’s mansion gate was crowded with reporters from early morning.
When the carriage carrying Daryl approached the gate, the reporters rushed in.
“Have you seen the newspaper? Please say a word about the current situation!”
“Is it true that the letter was written by the former Duke himself? Why have you been hiding the truth until now?”
“How do you plan to respond, Duke?”
Daryl showed no reaction to the voices coming from outside, with a stiff expression.
“What are you doing? Make way!”
Philip raised the blind of the carriage window and shouted. Then the guards who were blocking the reporters began to shout to back off. But since there was such a difference in numbers, the reporters did not back off easily.
Eventually, one of the guards finally drew his sword. The rest of the soldiers also drew their swords, and finally, the reporters began to step back slowly.
“Are you suppressing the press with force now? The citizens of the capital have the right to know the truth!”
Even amidst all this, there was a reporter shouting like that. Philip knocked on the coachman’s seat window.
“Hurry up and go!”
The carriage finally passed through the gate and entered the Duke’s mansion grounds.
As soon as Daryl arrived at the mansion and got off the carriage, Herbert hurried over.
“Master.”
Ignoring Herbert’s distraught expression, Daryl entered the mansion. And he went straight to the office.
The inside of the office seemed unchanged at first glance from before he left. Daryl went behind the desk and checked the safe.
Daryl’s face faintly distorted. The safe was left open.
He took out all the documents inside and checked them, but the result was as expected. The letter from his father was nowhere to be found.
Daryl slowly rose and looked back at Herbert.
“Gather all the servants in the mansion and interrogate them in turn. Have them describe in detail what they did at night from the 26th to the 29th, by time period. If there are any inconsistencies in their stories, single them out and interrogate them again. Thoroughly check if there was anyone who showed suspicious behavior or signs during that time, or showed noticeable agitation after the news broke, or left their post during duty.”
“Yes, yes. I understand, Master.”
Herbert nodded with a pale complexion.
“Philip. Tell the captain of the guard to investigate the soldiers who were on night guard duty for three days in the same way.”
“Yes, Duke.”
“Contact Earl Saunders to arrange a visit, and send a message to His Highness the Crown Prince requesting an urgent audience. The time of the audience will be after noon. And hurry to find out where Anthony is.”
“Yes, understood.”
Daryl left the office and got into the waiting carriage. Herbert and Philip bowed their heads in silence to see him off. He didn’t announce his destination, but everyone knew where he was heading.
****
In front of the Townsend residence in Loud, there were as many reporters as at the Duke’s residence. Thanks to Daryl sending the Duke’s soldiers in advance, they couldn’t approach the mansion.
Thanks to this, Daryl was able to enter the mansion without any particular interference this time. In fact, the number of guards guarding the Duke’s gate was relatively small because all available troops were sent here.
“Duke Griffith.”
The butler, Harold, who came out to meet him, quickly bowed his head.
“Where is Miss Townsend?”
“She’s in her room. But…”
Ignoring Harold’s words, Daryl passed by him and went up the stairs to Eleanor’s room.
Daryl stood in front of the closed door for a moment.
He thought he was fully prepared. He had planned to confess to Eleanor even if it wasn’t for this. He had been thinking about what to say to her all night, and even in the carriage back to the capital.
Yet, thinking that Eleanor was beyond this door, he felt his courage to meet her fade.
What would she look like now? What had she been thinking for the past two days?
Daryl clenched his teeth. And he forced his hand, which wouldn’t listen, to knock on the door.
“…Eleanor. It’s me.”
There was no answer from inside the room.
“I know you must be very surprised. You probably hate me so much you don’t even want to see my face. I understand. But give me a chance to explain. Just for a moment. Please.”
Still, there was no answer.
“…I’m sorry. I’m coming in.”
Daryl turned the doorknob. The door was not locked.
Eleanor was sitting in a chair, turning her head to the side. Even when Daryl entered, she did not look at him.
For a moment, he felt his heart sink. The memory of that summer four years ago overlapped with her like a phantom.
It was the anniversary of Eleanor’s mother’s death. That day, Daryl did not keep his promise with Eleanor, and he crossed an irreversible line.
Daryl approached Eleanor with a devastated expression.
“…I’m really sorry. All…I don’t even know how to apologize.”
“…”
Eleanor’s eyes trembled slightly. She closed her eyes tightly. Her long eyelashes trembled.
“So it’s all true.”
“…….”
“So it’s true that the former Duke left such a letter to you, and that you’ve known all the facts for a long time. And yet you’ve been hiding it from me. It’s all true…”
“…….”
Eleanor’s voice was weak and thin. At her voice, he felt his heart sinking. Daryl clenched his teeth.
“When did you find out?”
“…I received the letter on the day we divorced. My father had entrusted it to Earl Saunders during his lifetime.”
“How did that letter get into the Daily Post?”
“It was stolen from the safe while I was away from the Duke’s residence. It seems like someone who knew the situation planned it. I’m currently investigating the background.”
“…….”
“I will make sure that you do not suffer any harm. I will immediately disband the crowd outside, and no one will be able to harass you. I swear.”
At his words, Eleanor laughed briefly. It was a laugh that sounded utterly fleeting and desolate.
“That’s reassuring.”
“…”
Daryl spoke with difficulty, with a painful expression on his face.
“I know this can’t be an excuse, but I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. Whether to reveal this fact… I was afraid that it would torment you again, who had just regained a happy life, so I couldn’t say it.”
“Really? Weren’t you just afraid of the Duke’s honor being tarnished?”
“That’s not it. Absolutely not. I can swear on anything.”
Daryl said urgently. But Eleanor’s expression was empty, as if completely empty.
“Why? Why did you decide to tell me now, after four years have passed?”
“That is…”
Daryl hesitated for a moment.
“…That’s because you accepted my feelings. I knew I could never be with you while hiding this, so I decided to confess.”
In fact, whatever decision Eleanor made after knowing the truth, he was prepared to accept it humbly.
“What do you mean? Why do you think I accepted your feelings?”
“…?”
At Eleanor’s words, Daryl looked at her questioningly, as if asking what she meant.
“Why do you think I accepted your feelings?”
He is so weird. SO if she didnt accept his feelings he would have kept it hidden and the world would have still speculated her mother being an immoral woman. This is so unfair for Eleanor. Daryl remained selfish until the end