If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

After returning to the Duke’s residence, Herbert looked anxious, as if he wanted to ask what had happened. He couldn’t help but poke at Daryl a few times, but Daryl brushed it off, saying nothing had happened.

 

Even after a few days, the face Eleanor had shown in the carriage on the way back wouldn’t leave his mind. The look in her eyes as she thanked him, and the lonely expression she had when he suggested they go out again, alternately made Daryl excited and tormented.

 

‘…Why did she say once was enough?’

 

It wasn’t because she disliked going out that day. She said she enjoyed it, and Daryl wanted to believe that too. After much thought, the only reason he could think of was ‘she doesn’t like crowded places’. Then, it would be over if he just emptied the exhibition hall like last time.

 

‘Well, she might not want to cause trouble considering her personality.’

 

Thinking about it, the reason she couldn’t refuse Scofield’s dinner invitation might be because of that. There was no fool. Did she forget that her husband was Duke Griffith? No one would consider being kind to him as a debt, and even if there was, there were plenty of other ways to repay it.

 

But it was also unseemly to force her to go out when she said she didn’t want to. Daryl frowned and drank alone in his office.

 

Then, at some point, a brilliant idea popped into his head. Daryl called Philip and said,

 

“Connect me to the art market. As big a hand as possible, not Galahad.”

 

****

 

After that, Daryl bought paintings as they came. He didn’t discriminate against any work by a famous artist, and if necessary, he paid extra to get it.

 

“I heard you’re buying a lot of paintings these days. Are you thinking of jumping into the art business?”

 

Aaron, whom he met at a party one day, asked.

 

“No, not yet. I’m just collecting them as a hobby.”

 

“I heard your wife is quite an art lover. Is that why?”

 

So the word had already spread. He was momentarily dumbfounded, but on second thought, it wasn’t surprising. Scofield must have been blabbing to everyone. Considering his boastful nature, it wasn’t unreasonable.

 

“No way. I just wanted to secure a personal gallery.”

 

At his blunt words, Aaron gave a puzzled smile.

 

“Then I can’t help but lend a hand. If there’s a work you’re particularly interested in, let me know. I’ll give it to you as much as I can. Oh, do you collect works by Marcus Miller? If it’s Miller, no one has a collection like mine.”

 

Daryl paused for a moment. He hadn’t yet confirmed how Eleanor felt about Marcus Miller. So he needed to leave some room for doubt.

 

“Thank you. If I need it, I’ll ask you next time.”

 

“Sure. Just say the word.”

 

After about two weeks, he was able to secure a considerable number of paintings. Daryl emptied a building outside the mansion that was used as a warehouse and completely renovated it from one to ten. He had pride, so he couldn’t make an exhibition hall worse than Scofield’s.

 

The result was quite satisfying to Daryl. It was worth spending the money. The appearance of the exhibition hall, and the quantity and quality of the collections on display, were better than Scofield’s, if not worse.

 

But Daryl had no intention of opening this exhibition hall to the public.

 

****

 

“Did you call me?”

 

At Daryl’s call, Eleanor found his office. Daryl, who was sitting at his desk working, stood up when he saw Eleanor.

 

“Yes. Come with me for a moment.”

 

“Huh? Where to?”

 

“You’ll know when you get there.”

 

At his words, she felt more anxious than curious. She wanted to ask, but Eleanor held back and followed Daryl.

 

The place they arrived at following Daryl was a warehouse outside the mansion. To be precise, it was a building that had been used as a warehouse until recently, and she had seen workers coming and going, presumably for construction.

 

The exterior, which used to be very simple, had been transformed into a respectable building like the annex where the banquet hall was located. The entire exterior of the building had been changed to marble, and there were even statues of angels facing each other on either side of the entrance.

 

“Has the construction finished?”

 

“…Did you know?”

 

“Yes. I didn’t know what it was for, though.” At her words, Daryl seemed somewhat relieved.

 

“Go in and see.”

 

“…”

 

Suppressing a strange sense of unease, Eleanor did as she was told and stepped into the building. After passing through the door and stepping inside, she involuntarily widened her eyes.

 

Inside the building, an unimaginable landscape unfolded. It was a larger exhibition hall than what she had seen at Scofield’s mansion a while ago. It was filled with various works of art.

 

The entire space was open, with walls set up here and there to divide sections. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that categories had been divided based on the artist and style.

 

“Do you like it?”

 

“…..”

 

Eleanor couldn’t say anything due to her confused feelings. Do I like it? What does that mean? Does this need to please me?

 

“Why, don’t you like it?”

 

Daryl asked, narrowing his eyes.

 

“…Huh? No…”

 

Eleanor blinked a few times and shook her head.

 

“No. I think it’s wonderful.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“…..”

 

“Aren’t you going to look around?”

 

When Eleanor just stood awkwardly in place, Daryl asked again. She still didn’t understand, but she moved her feet reluctantly.

 

Unlike when she had looked around Scofield’s exhibition hall, Daryl was quite proactive today. He led the way, even ahead of Eleanor, and even provided explanations for the works, unasked.

 

“This is Ingram’s work from ’89. He started painting it in the capital and finished it at his villa in the south. There’s a theory that the color arrangement, which seems to be a mix of blue and gray centered on the sky, is because of that.”

 

“This is a painting by Eden Rollie, a young artist who is not yet thirty, and is said to have inherited the style of the mystery of a hundred years ago. Some people disparage it as a level of forgery, but what do you think?”

 

“This painting was quite difficult to get. The old owner was quite stubborn and didn’t want to let go. I don’t know if he’s planning to take it to his grave with only a few days left to live. Of course, there’s no business in front of money.”

 

“……”

 

Eleanor looked at Daryl without a word. Whether he was aware of it or not, he was quite passionate, even with a slight smile on his lips. It was the first time she had seen Daryl show any emotion other than irritation or anger, which was quite surprising in itself.

 

‘Why on earth…’

 

She couldn’t understand at all. Why did Daryl suddenly create an art exhibition? And on such a massive scale. Just looking around, she couldn’t even estimate how much money he had spent.

 

‘…No way.’

 

Could it be that Daryl made this place for her?

 

Since it was right after seeing Scofield’s exhibition, she couldn’t help but think so. Moreover, Eleanor had declared that she would not go to any more exhibitions. If Daryl thought of making an exhibition hall inside the mansion because of that, it was too coincidental.

 

Of course, it could have been Eleanor’s delusion. He might have been jealous of his collection, or he might have made it as part of his plan to start an art business.

 

‘No… Yes. That’s right. There’s no doubt about it. There’s no way Daryl would have done such a tremendous thing just for me.’

 

When she thought about it, it was definitely like that. She felt her face getting hot at the thought that she had almost fallen for such a ridiculous delusion.

 

Feeling embarrassed, she hurriedly moved her feet, and then Eleanor spotted a painting.

 

“Isn’t this the work we saw at Scofield’s exhibition?”

 

“Yes, it is. I bought it from him. It seemed like you liked it the most.”

 

It was a work that Eleanor had mentioned as her favorite while talking about the exhibition with Scofield that day. A portrait of a woman holding a baby by an artist named Barry Hoff. The title was “Mother and Child”.

 

“……”

 

She kept thinking it wasn’t, she tried to believe it wasn’t. Why does he keep making it more confusing?

 

Eleanor cast her shaking gaze downward. She couldn’t understand Daryl at all. If he was going to do this, why did he treat her so coldly until now? Why did he torment her with such terrible words?

 

[You are my enemy. From the moment you popped out of your mother’s belly, you have been nothing but a stumbling block to me. It’s all your fault. If it weren’t for you, none of this farce would have happened in the first place. Do you understand?]

 

Daryl’s voice came back to life in her ears as if it were ringing right now. Her chest tightened as if she was choking, and she felt dizzy. Eleanor unknowingly bowed her head and staggered.

 

“Eleanor.”

 

With a voice that seemed flustered, she felt a firm arm supporting her.