If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

“Really? Don’t push yourself too hard and listen to me. The wedding is next week. This is the time when you should prioritize taking care of your body.”

 

“Yes, I know. I’ll do well, so don’t worry.”

 

Eleanor smiled at Marianne. Marianne looked skeptical, but eventually sighed and got up from her seat.

 

From what she’d heard at the dinner, Marianne was indeed a competent teacher. She not only managed and progressed all the things needed for the wedding, but also proficiently taught etiquette and manners needed for social debut, as well as dance lessons.

 

The ‘night technique’ that Marianne mentioned on the first day was eventually removed from the curriculum because Eleanor strongly opposed it. Marianne had a disgruntled face saying, ‘You’ll definitely regret it later…’, but she didn’t insist any further.

 

At first, Eleanor suspected that Marianne had other hidden intentions, but now those feelings were almost gone. She was the only person in this Duke’s house who treated Eleanor kindly.

 

Marianne stood on the floor, cleared her throat, and reached out to Eleanor. She had a habit of making a stern face when she played the male role. Eleanor smiled and took Marianne’s hand.

 

They were in the middle of a dance lesson. Suddenly, a butler came into the hall.

 

“A guest has arrived.”

 

At the butler’s words, Eleanor reflexively looked back at Marianne and asked with wide eyes.

 

“A guest? …For me?”

 

****

 

Daryl, who had gone out early in the morning, briefly visited the mansion in the afternoon.

 

“Welcome back, Lord.”

 

Daryl passed by the greeting servants and headed straight to the office. Herbert hurriedly followed and spoke.

 

“Lord, Lord.”

 

“I don’t need a meal.”

 

“It’s not that, there’s a guest.”

 

“A guest?”

 

Daryl frowned and looked at Philip. Philip shook his head. It meant there was no schedule for guests.

 

“You accepted a guest without an appointment?”

 

“Well, the guest came to see Townsend, not you…”

 

At that, Daryl’s footsteps stopped.

 

“…Who is it?”

 

****

 

Eleanor was facing a man and a woman, with a table with three teacups between them.

 

They were a rather thin man who seemed to be in his mid-thirties and a woman who looked four or five years younger. Neither of them looked particularly luxurious, although they couldn’t be described as shabby.

 

“So, you’re my cousin.”

 

“Yes. Your mother’s father…..your maternal grandfather, that is, was my grandfather. You probably never met them because they both passed away before you were born…”

 

Robert Townsend, who introduced himself, awkwardly smiled and continued his explanation.

 

“This is your aunt, Annabel.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Eleanor. Looking at you, your eyebrows are just like your grandfather’s. It’s amazing how blood relations work, isn’t it.”

 

Annabel smiled with her eyes crinkled at the corners. She seemed to have a lot of wrinkles around her eyes for her age, probably because of that.

 

“Here, just in case…”

 

Robert handed out a rectangular envelope. When she checked it, it was an invitation to her and Daryl’s wedding. Eleanor had never seen it before, but considering the overall make and the Griffith’s crest on it, it seemed unlikely to be fake.

 

“I thought you invited us, but I guess not.”

 

“I’m sorry. My mother never mentioned anything about relatives on her side…”

 

At Eleanor’s words, Robert hastily waved his hand.

 

“No, it’s okay. Don’t say that. We were a bit disappointed. It’s quite a distance and we’re busy trying to make a living every day. We’re sorry we couldn’t attend your mother’s funeral. It may sound like an excuse, but we heard the news too late…”

 

“No, it’s okay. Thank you for your concern.”

 

Robert and Annabel kept looking at Eleanor’s face. When Eleanor showed a faint smile, they finally seemed a little relieved.

 

To be precise, Eleanor was not completely unaware of the existence of relatives on her mother’s side. Although her mother had avoided mentioning it, she had heard the servants gossiping when she was young.

 

[When the Master and the Madam passed away in an accident, those so-called relatives came to the funeral and caused a ruckus… They were cursing at your mother, saying things that couldn’t be said, like how she was the only one who survived, that’s why one shouldn’t bring in a woman with bad luck, and how she killed her parents too… It was really terrible. And all of that was just a scheme to take the inheritance, you know? If it weren’t for the Duke of Griffith, who knows what would have happened. Especially since you were in your mother’s womb at the time, it’s a miracle that you were born safely…]

 

“Are you okay, dear? You look very tired. It seems like preparing for the wedding is hard.”

 

At Annabel’s words, Eleanor lifted her gaze, which had been slightly downcast.

 

“No, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

 

“How can you speak so elegantly? And your face is so pretty, it’s no wonder the young Duke fell head over heels for you.”

 

Annabel smiled brightly. Eleanor smiled faintly.

 

‘These people had nothing to do with what happened then. It was before I was born, and they must have been barely ten years old.’

 

‘Even though I knew it in my head, my heart still feels uneasy.’

 

‘In fact, these people had never been around before. There was the incident at the funeral a long time ago, and it was a time when my mother and I were struggling with the scandal with the Duke’s family, so I honestly couldn’t blame them. But the fact that they had always turned their backs on me when times were tough, and that they had come to me as soon as they heard the news of my marriage to Daryl, didn’t look good at all.’

 

Still, Eleanor tried her best not to show such feelings.

 

“Thank you for coming like this. It must not have been easy for you to travel a long distance.”

 

“What are you talking about? Of course, we had to come when the young Duke invited us. And it wouldn’t be right if there were no blood relatives on the most important day of your life. It would look bad to others too.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again.

 

“But there’s still some time until the wedding… I’m not sure if there’s a place for you two to stay in the meantime. I’ll talk to the Duke, but…”

 

“Oh, no, don’t say that. We never thought of that. There’s bound to be a place to stay somewhere. We’ll take care of it, so don’t worry.”

 

“But still…”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Then Annabel poked Robert’s side. A strange look passed between the two.

 

“Um, Eleanor.”

 

“Yes, cousin.”

 

“Don’t be so formal. We’re not that much older than you. Just call me uncle comfortably.”

 

Robert laughed awkwardly and coughed.

 

“This is not easy for me to say, but… our situation is a bit… difficult right now.”

 

“…”

 

“Even if you scold us for being shameless, I have nothing to say, but it’s just that…I mean…“

 

“Can you help us?”

 

When Robert kept stuttering and couldn’t get his words out, Annabel abruptly cut in. Robert’s eyes widened.

 

“No, honey.”

 

“Honestly, we’re barely making ends meet this month. We spent all our money on coming up here. You’re the only one we can rely on. Please. Think about your cousins who are starving at home, please…”

 

Tears welled up in Annabel’s eyes in an instant. She tightly held Eleanor’s hand with both of hers.

 

“…Cousin.”

 

“Please, Eleanor. Right? It’s not a difficult thing for you. It’s a request made for the sake of living…”

 

Eleanor looked at Annabel with a troubled expression, then noticed that her gaze was slightly off.

 

Annabel was looking at Eleanor’s pearl necklace.

 

It was one of the items she had bought through Marianne. Marianne was dissatisfied because Eleanor was too frugal, but by Eleanor’s standards, the expenditure far exceeded her limit.

 

“If you tell the young Duke, he’ll buy you as many as you want. Even if one or two are missing, it won’t be noticeable…”

 

Annabel, realizing that Eleanor had caught on to her intentions, began to speak outright. Robert was coughing awkwardly, looking elsewhere.

 

Eleanor was silent for a moment, looking down. She was a bit surprised, but not shocked. It was within the range of what she had anticipated.

 

Perhaps from the moment these strangers suddenly came and introduced themselves as her cousins, she had already guessed this situation. Eleanor was not naive enough to believe that they had come to meet her purely out of familial affection. To be so naive at this age, it was a privilege only for young children who were raised by their parents and grew up in a sturdy and warm greenhouse.