“If you keep doing this, I really don’t know what I’ll do. I haven’t done anything wrong, but being treated like this makes me feel bad!”
Anthony growled, his face close to Eleanor’s. Eleanor swallowed her breath. For a moment, goosebumps rose on her neck, and it felt like all the blood in her body was draining to her feet.
“Let go of my hand, please.”
“I refuse. I won’t let go until you apologize.”
“……”
Her breath was getting shorter and it was getting harder to speak. Her head was spinning and her vision was starting to blur. It was a symptom she had experienced several times and was now familiar with.
‘…No, not now…’
Eleanor tried her best to keep her consciousness. But regardless of her will, it was getting harder and harder to get away from Anthony, let alone keep her eyes open and stand upright.
Then, with a clatter, the door to the rest area opened.
“Madam!”
Seeing Anthony holding Eleanor’s wrist, Emily screamed. Anthony was taken aback, his eyes wide open. He hadn’t thought that the maid would be nearby.
“No, wait. It’s a misunderstanding. It’s not like that…”
It was a rash act out of a sudden rush of heat to his head, but thinking about it afterwards, he realized it was a big deal. Eleanor’s reaction, and his current posture. To the maid’s eyes, it must have looked like Anthony was attacking the Duchess.
Anthony had always hoped that Eleanor would willingly come to him, not that he would force himself on her. There’s a huge difference between a promiscuous person and a rapist. The latter not only risks social ruin, but also the risk of being arrested.
“…Lord Jericho.”
Then Eleanor spoke in a low voice. She seemed to be struggling to breathe, let alone speak.
“If you let go of my hand and step back right now, I won’t tell anyone else about what happened here.”
“……”
“But promise me. Don’t approach me like this again. Not just within this mansion, but even after I leave Chatsworth House. You must never come to find me personally, or speak to me if we happen to meet elsewhere.”
Despite her pale face devoid of any color, her eyes were clearly strong. Anthony was overwhelmed and unconsciously shrank his shoulders.
“Lord Jericho. Did you hear what I said?”
“…Ah, yes.”
“Then let go of my hand and leave here. Right now.”
“……”
Anthony hesitated, looking back and forth between Eleanor and Emily, then let go of Elinor’s wrist. He took a few steps back and turned to leave the library.
As soon as Anthony disappeared, Eleanor dropped her head as if collapsing. Emily rushed over to support Eleanor.
“Madam! Are you okay? Madam!”
Eleanor weakly rested her head on Emily’s shoulder. Emily’s eyes were already teary.
“Emily. If I… lose consciousness, don’t call anyone.”
Eleanor spoke, panting.
“What? What do you mean, Madam!”
“Just… in a moment…I’ll regain consciousness soon… understand? Promise me. Never, don’t call anyone…” Eleanor dropped her head before she could finish her sentence.
****
When she opened her eyes again, Eleanor was lying on a bed. It was the bedroom of the Hibiscus Room.
‘…I told her not to call anyone.’
Eleanor sighed quietly. But she couldn’t blame Emily. She was only fourteen years old. It was impossible for her to stay calm when her master collapsed in front of her. Besides, she did it out of concern for Eleanor’s health.
“Madam? Are you awake?”
Emily, who had been sitting by the bed, jumped up.
“Yes. Emily.”
“Are you okay? Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“I’m fine. I’m not feeling anything now. You know my symptoms well.”
Emily’s eyebrows, which had been raised, relaxed as if relieved. At the same time, tears welled up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Madam. I shouldn’t have left your side, because of me… because of me, this happened to you…”
“What are you talking about, Emily? It’s not your fault. I was the one who told you to go to the rest area.”
“But still, if I had been more alert…”
“Shh. Calm down. It’s okay. I’m okay now, so don’t cry. Emily.”
Eleanor gently stroked Emily’s hand.
“…Ah, this is not the time…Wait a moment, Madam. I’ll bring the doctor.”
Emily wiped her tears with the back of her hand and got up from her seat. As Emily was leaving the bedroom, Eleanor hurriedly called her.
“Emily.”
“Yes?”
“Did you… tell anyone about what happened earlier?”
At Eleanor’s question, Emily stood still for a moment with her mouth tightly closed, then shook her head vigorously.
“…I didn’t say anything. I just said that you suddenly fell ill…”
“I see.”
Eleanor let out a small sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Emily. You did well.”
“…..”
Emily looked at Eleanor with a sad expression, then said, “…I’ll bring the doctor.” and left the bedroom.
****
“How is my wife?”
Daryl asked Hardy, the family doctor of the Duke’s house, who had just come out of the Hibiscus Room. Daryl’s eyes were red and his voice was terribly hoarse. Hardy stared at him for a moment, then took off his glasses.
“She’s fine now. It seems to be the usual seizure.”
“What? Didn’t you say that if she avoids crowded places and shocking events, she’ll be fine! Today, she was just reading a book in the library alone. So why did she have a seizure?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Is that the best you can do? I’m not paying you to hear that!”
“…….”
Hardy recalled the moment he was examining the Duchess. Her seizures were always due to psychological panic. This time, too, there must have been something that disturbed her mentally. The Duchess said nothing had happened, but looking at the expression of the maid standing next to her, it was clear that there was something difficult to talk about.
“Even if you don’t face any particular incident right now, a seizure can occur just by recalling and reflecting on past experiences. Because emotional wounds often do not heal, no matter how much time passes.”
“……”
At that, Daryl’s face contorted as if in pain.
“Are you okay, Duke?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“You don’t look very well. According to the butler, you have been habitually drinking excessively recently. Are you getting enough sleep as needed?”
“…Why are you asking that all of a sudden? I didn’t call you to examine me.”
“I am not only the Duchess’s doctor but also yours.”
“There’s no need to worry. There’s no problem.”
“Duke.”
“I said there’s no need to worry. Instead, cure my wife!”
“……”
Hardy swallowed a quiet sigh.
“Unfortunately, there is no other treatment than what I told you before. She can only keep her mind at ease and maintain a stable mood as much as possible. I told the Duchess this again. In the end, it depends on the efforts of the person and those around them.”
“…What did my wife say?”
“She accepted it much more calmly than you. She said she would definitely get better before winter.”
“…”
Daryl’s expression hardened. The meaning of her words was clear. There was less than a month and a half left until the end of their contract marriage. It meant that she would get better once she left Chatsworth House, left Daryl’s side.
His tightly clenched fist was faintly trembling.
****
“Master. I have something to tell you.”
After Hardy left, Herbert approached Daryl, who was sitting alone in his office.
“…I’m not in the mood to hear nagging right now.”
At Daryl’s words, Herbert held back the urge to ask, ‘When were you ever in the mood?’
“That’s not it. It might be related to why the Madam fainted today.”
At that, Daryl’s expression changed. He gave Herbert a sharp look.
“Speak.”
“Actually, a few hours ago, Master Anthony visited. I didn’t mention it separately, but he often came to visit when you were away. And every time, he asked to see the Madam.”
“…What?”
A fierce anger surged in Daryl’s eyes in an instant. Herbert hurriedly continued his words.
“He didn’t actually meet her many times. Recently, he has been visiting less frequently… I have often refused him at my discretion, saying that the Madam was not feeling well. I told him the same thing today. But since the Madam happened to be in the library at that time, there is a possibility that Master Anthony knew that…”
At that moment, Daryl abruptly stood up from his seat. The chair pushed back and hit the bookshelf behind him with a loud noise. Herbert was startled and stepped back.
“Call the Madam’s maid.”
“…Master. I will call her separately and ask first. And then I will tell you immediately…”
“I told you to call her.”
Daryl’s low voice was filled with anger, so intense that it was surprising he hadn’t exploded yet.
