♡ TL: Khadija SK
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Exactly two hours after Lady Easton’s commotion, a luxurious carriage bearing the seal of the ducal Bernier family came to a halt in front of the house.
The carriage, drawn by four horses, exuded opulence at first glance, with its pristine white exterior free of any speck of dust and its stunning engravings in threads of red and gold.
The four horses appeared robust and well-fed, each one clearly costing a fortune.
They had said he was wealthy, and here was the carriage he rode in, emanating the scent of riches.
“That carriage is incredible! It looks fast, too. Sister, if this works out, you have to take me for a ride!”
Andre, the heir of the Viscount Easton family, tugged at Charlotte’s dangling sleeves.
Charlotte, standing beside Andre at the window while stealing glances outside, frowned.
“I-I…”
Charlotte cast a fleeting glance at Hazel.
Feeling her intense gaze, Hazel lifted her eyes from the book she was reading.
“Don’t mind me.”
It seemed Charlotte’s insistence a few days ago that Theodore was meant for Hazel still weighed on her mind.
Perhaps she felt as though she were taking something from Hazel. But Hazel genuinely hadn’t given it any thought.
Oh! She did have one thought:
Please, let this be a short visit, Duke.
Hazel longed to read her book, preferably in peace and quiet.
As she fervently wished for this, Theodore’s arrival brought her a sliver of joy.
If he spent time with Charlotte, she wouldn’t have to attend Emily’s tea party.
While they spend time together, I’ll read my book.
A gentle spring breeze teased her heart, which had been cold until that moment.
Feeling uplifted, the corners of Hazel’s perpetually closed mouth lifted into a faint smile.
“He’s coming, he’s coming!”
Andre tensed with excitement, then grabbed Charlotte’s hand, and they sat on the sofa.
The two looked as if they had never peered outside in their lives, sitting politely while sipping tea with elegance.
Andre crossed one leg over the other with feigned arrogance, tilting his chin upward. He was trying to appear mature, but he only looked adorable.
“I’ll receive the guest.”
When heavy footsteps approached the drawing room, Andre leapt from the sofa.
“Why you?”
Charlotte tilted her head in surprise, prompting Andre to puff out his chest with pride.
“On behalf of Father. I’m the only man in the house right now.”
Andre, who had always seemed the youngest in the family, had changed since their father, Viscount Easton, left for the countryside due to work.
He refused sweets, endured bitter tea without complaint, and tried not to purse his lips when scolded by his tutor.
Hazel wondered why, only to discover that this ten-year-old child was mimicking adults.
On nights of thunder and lightning, Andre would crawl into Charlotte’s or Hazel’s bed, trembling with fear.
“If he acts rudely, I’ll punish him. I’ll protect my sisters.”
Hazel didn’t know where Andre had learned such things—perhaps there was a secret agreement between him and their father before his departure—but the child seemed earnest and determined.
“Ha, you’ll protect us, not the other way around? You still have ten years to grow up, little one.”
Charlotte burst into laughter. Andre’s face darkened instantly.
Lady Easton, who had been quietly observing the scene, sighed.
“Sister! Are you mocking me?”
His sharp reaction to the slightest provocation proved Charlotte’s assessment wasn’t far off.
Hazel patted Andre’s shoulder as he looked on the verge of tears.
“We’re counting on you.”
Despite the eldest daughter’s reassurances, Andre didn’t soften his glare toward Charlotte. Hazel had no choice but to entrust the task to him.
“Andre, the guest has arrived. Didn’t you say you’d receive him? Are you going to greet him with such an angry face? What if he thinks he’s unwelcome? The Easton family doesn’t make its visitors feel awkward.”
Andre took a deep breath to calm himself, following Hazel’s advice. As the child began to settle, a knock sounded at the door, as if it had been waiting for that moment.
“Duke Theodore Caron Bernier has arrived.”
Charlotte adjusted her dress, and Hazel lifted her book.
Lady Easton jabbed Hazel’s thigh sharply. Reluctantly, Hazel set the book aside and stood.
During this time, Theodore and Andre exchanged brief greetings.
“Welcome to the Viscount Easton family. As my father is absent, I shall introduce the family on his behalf. I am Andre Langbelle Easton.”
Contrary to concerns, Andre delivered the greeting with reasonable decorum. He even extended his hand at the end to request a handshake.
Hazel sighed inwardly.
As part of etiquette, the person of higher status was supposed to initiate the handshake.
Andre couldn’t possibly be unaware of this; perhaps he erred out of nervousness.
What if this caused an issue with the duke?
If he took offense and said something to Andre or Lady Easton, things could become troublesome.
Hazel frowned at that moment.
“I’m delighted to meet you, Mr. Easton. I’m grateful for your acceptance of my sudden visit and your warm welcome. I am Theodore Caron Bernier.”
Theodore bowed with evident pleasure to shake Andre’s hand, smiling broadly as he grasped Andre’s small hand.
“Ah, uh…”
Andre froze belatedly as he realized his mistake, hesitating in his movements.
Theodore waited, holding Andre’s small hand firmly, until the child completed the greeting.
The bow must have been strenuous, but he didn’t seem to mind.
The sight of the tall man shaking hands with Andre, who barely reached his thigh, stirred mixed feelings among those watching.
Lady Easton felt deeply embarrassed, Charlotte was mortified for Andre, while Hazel’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
As for Andre, his face looked utterly delighted.
“Welcome.”
Andre concluded his role with some difficulty.
Hazel smiled unconsciously, noticing the flush on Andre’s soft cheeks.
At that moment, her eyes met Theodore’s as she felt his focused gaze on her from a distance.
She quickly hid her smile and offered a slight nod as a greeting.
“Mr. Easton, I hope you’ll introduce me to your family.”
Theodore smoothly steered the conversation to avoid any awkwardness.
“Yes, I’ll begin by introducing our mother.”
Andre played the role of Viscount Easton with surprising skill. After the introductions, everyone sat and continued conversing naturally.
“Have you traveled far?”
“Yes. After graduating from the academy and completing my military service, I toured the continent for about two years.”
Lady Easton was usually the one asking Theodore questions, and he answered earnestly.
Charlotte and Andre showed keen interest in him.
Hazel listened to the conversation in silence.
‘It seems Andre has completely fallen for him. It was supposed to be Charlotte who fell in love with him. But if he becomes part of the family, that’s fine.’
Hazel was convinced that Theodore would undoubtedly be Charlotte’s husband.
Seeing him blend so effortlessly with the Easton family made her naturally envision him as a brother-in-law.
‘Not bad,’ Hazel concluded her impression succinctly, then quietly reached for her book.
The introductions were over, and no one would pay her further attention. Theodore’s focus must surely be on Charlotte.
A man coming to court doesn’t seek the family’s attention but private time with the woman he desires.
Hazel wanted to leave the drawing room for her own room immediately but feared Charlotte might reproach her, so she stayed in her place.
She needed something to say if Charlotte later asked, “What did you think of him?”
Instead, Hazel opened her book without hesitation.
Lady Easton pinched her thigh discreetly, but she pretended not to notice. She was far too eager to discover what happened on the next page.
The female lead had discovered that the man courting her was also approaching her sister. So she grabbed him by the collar and…
‘The events are so thrilling!’
Hazel’s hand quickened as she turned the pages.
The events were gripping, causing the sounds of conversation to fade from her ears instantly.
‘She slapped him!’
Hazel immersed herself in the book swiftly, thanks to the female lead’s bold actions.
No disruptive noises lingered around, making it easier to focus on her reading.
She didn’t notice that Theodore’s eyes occasionally drifted toward her during the conversation.
When Lady Easton pinched her for the third time, her patience exhausted, Hazel finally closed the book. She had finished the thrilling scene.
Reluctantly lifting her head, her eyes met Theodore’s directly.
“But what brings you to our home?”
Lady Easton asked Theodore.
Theodore set down the teacup he was holding and straightened his posture.
Charlotte and Andre held their breaths.
Lady Easton feigned indifference, but her grip on Hazel’s thigh tightened from sheer nervousness.
While everyone else was tense for their own reasons, Hazel alone remained calm.
In a situation where the finest suitor on the continent might propose, Hazel could remain composed because she was, well, Hazel.
The outcast of high society, the haughty raven…
And thus, she could view the situation through the eyes of a neutral third party.
‘Charlotte said she didn’t want him at all, but she seems somewhat expectant. Andre is taken with the duke, too. As for Mother, there’s no need to even mention her.’
Hazel glanced at her family, brimming with anticipation, then shifted her gaze to Theodore.
She wondered about the man who had captured her family’s hearts in mere minutes of meeting them.
“The reason for my visit today is…”
Theodore opened his mouth.
“To ask for Miss Easton’s hand.”
“Oh my~!”
Lady Easton feigned surprise despite her prior knowledge.
Anyone could have guessed his purpose from his dapper appearance, like a peacock in mating season, and the bouquet of flowers he brought.
Of course, no one expected Theodore to jump straight to a proposal without preamble about a serious courtship.
But for those who knew that serious courtship was merely a bridge to engagement—or rather, to marriage as the ultimate goal—his direct and frank offer was a pleasant surprise.
“You must be quite shocked, aren’t you? Honestly, I didn’t intend to rush things until I arrived here.”
The man paused between his words, considerate of the surprise that struck those present.
Each time, his eyes met Hazel’s.
At first, Hazel thought she might have imagined it, but now he was openly looking at her.
It was a gaze strong enough to make an ordinary person feel intimidated or shrink back, but Hazel remained confident and steady.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
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