CHAPTER 16
A large crow soared through the gloomy sky. Today’s hunters have lost interest in things that fly. They had a better prey before them.
“On the day Miss Aveline visited the shop, were you in the carriage with her? I’d like to know if the tie she was wearing belongs to Your Grace.”
Theo’s eyes burned with an undying fire, but Edwin’s blue eyes remained calm—so calm it made one believe that perhaps the contents of the letter Vivianne had sent might indeed be true. But the smile spreading across Edwin’s face, the slight lift of his lips in amusement, told him the truth of that day.
“Then whose else would it be? It’s mine.”
His unusually clear voice brought an inexplicable discomfort as if everything had been taken away without ever having been given, a painful sense of having lost it all without ever having been deprived.
“I still remember Miss Aveline’s appearance that day. More precisely, I can’t forget it. That day… did you lay a hand on her?”
“Theo Evans.”
At the quiet, calm address, Theo’s fierce, glaring eyes narrowed slightly.
“I wonder why you, as Miss Aveline’s dear friend, did not hear of what happened in the carriage that day. I wonder, too, why Vivianne did not tell you of it?”
The duke’s tone was mocking, yet his manner remained slow and composed throughout. The undeniable truth pricked Theo’s heart. Sitting on a tree stump with an air of arrogance, the duke perched on a large stone that reached up to his shin. Even his breath was swallowed by the shadows of the forest.
“Is it so hard to say that I strangled someone?”
The faint trace of laughter in his voice froze Theo’s world. He questioned over and over what he had just heard from Edwin.
Strangled whom? Who, exactly, was strangling whom?
At that moment, an image of Vivianne flashed through his mind, piercing his heart. He had no idea what kind of wounds might lie behind the duke’s tie.
It was after seeing the duke’s flawless smile that Theo’s reason became paralyzed—that smile, without a hint of guilt, despite having grabbed the throat of a noblewoman so carelessly. The reason he now held the rifle in both hands lay solely with the Duke of Baytness.
“I am going to kill you today.”
He, determined, pointed the rifle at Edwin.
“I’m going to kill you.”
The situation was at a breaking point. A mere tailor from a small town had pointed a gun at a Duke of Neway, threatening his life, his eyes filled with reckless fury. This was treason—a crime punishable by hanging—but Theo, whose reason had snapped, wasn’t thinking about the consequences.
If he was to die, he wouldn’t die alone. Theo didn’t plan to go down by himself. He poured all his resolve into the gun he aimed at the duke.
“Do you really think you can do it?” Edwin sneered calmly, showing no fear even with a weapon pointed at him.
Shouldn’t he realize that such a stance would only provoke his opponent’s determination? Theo, holding the weapon, thought so.
“So, you had a reason for buying this manor. I knew full well that Your Grace was no different from the other filthy men. But I have no intention of letting Miss Aveline become a toy for your filthy lust.”
“Filthy… lust?”
To Theo, the only reason Edwin had bought the manor at such a high price and had even gone so far as to strangle Vivianne was clear. He believed a man’s lust could taint anything he held dear, even his honor, even his reputation.
“Filthy lust, you say.”
Edwin repeated the words slowly, almost savoring them as if relishing the turmoil Theo had stirred up.
Well… is that so? Had I ever truly desired Vivianne Aveline?
Edwin’s gaze deepened, wondering if he’d ever looked at her ugly, unattractive appearance and thought, I should make her mine.
When his distant thoughts returned, he grew tired of Theo’s incessant glaring, of the rifle pointed at him. After all, was there any real reason to involve Theo Evans in this hunt?
What did I truly hope to gain by dragging Theo Evans into the hunting grounds? If his very existence is an annoyance, I could simply kill him.
Realizing the futility and trouble of it all, a wry laugh slipped out.
“I have a duty to protect Miss Aveline, so I will take her away from here…”
“Duty?”
Edwin’s lips curled mockingly as if it were funny.
“Who gave you that duty? Did the Avelines ask you to do it? Don’t fool yourself, Evans. You have no such duty. Your duty is to run the tailor shop, make clothes for customers, and earn your keep. I plan to pay my share, too. Miss Aveline’s dress was quite beautiful.”
“There’s no need to pay for the dress.”
“I don’t have any ill feelings toward you. But if there’s a reason that makes me want to raise a gun…”
Edwin slowly stood up, but the movement of his rifle was so swift it was impossible to follow.
“… it’s because you’re annoying.”
The scent of blood heightened the tension in the air, permeating the forest’s murky atmosphere.
“As of today, I will be taking Miss Aveline with me.”
“And did she say she’d go with you?”
“I will make her agree.”
“Well. Can you really manage something so simple?”
“When it comes to Miss Aveline, I have no hesitation.”
Click. Theo, unafraid, loaded his rifle.
“Think I’d be any different?”
The sound of Edwin loading his own rifle echoed through the forest. They had reached a point where it would not have been surprising if either had pulled the trigger.
This forest was hell, a place where anyone could die with the determination to kill.
“Ahh! Your Grace!”
Charlotte’s scream echoed through the forest, and the heat of the moment seemed to dissipate as if doused in cold water.
Both men’s gazes shifted to the source. Charlotte, pale as death, was rushing toward them, with another woman behind her. It was none other than Vivianne Aveline in a strangely beautiful, light-green dress.
Vivianne’s gray eyes moved from Edwin, who had his gun aimed at Theo, and finally met Theo’s gaze. Her face was stark white, but she shouted without hesitation.
“Theo!”
Vivianne changed direction, heading straight toward Theo. Theo’s focus broke, and he lowered his rifle, ready to embrace the charging Vivianne.
“My lady!”
Her small feet pounded against the ground as she ran into Theo Evans’s arms.
What a foolish woman, running into the arms of a man she could neither trust nor rely on.
The sound of her tiny feet hitting the ground as she ran, buried in an ill-fitting, voluminous dress, was loud.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
That’s when the gun pointed at Theo shifted to Vivianne.
Vivianne… Aveline… Aveline… Vivianne.
Vivianne Aveline’s name rolled like a dice. And where the dice stopped, her name was engraved.
Now it was time to finish today’s hunt. One should not be distracted by trivialities in war. This was a lesson Theo Evans, who had never experienced war, needed to learn.
Bang!
A gunshot shook the forest, sending Vivianne’s body into the air. Her gesture to save a precious friend was noble and beautiful. It was a moment when a deep friendship, difficult to behold without tears, shone brightly. Vivianne, who valued her life less than her friend’s, willingly threw herself into danger.
What a foolish and naive woman. Unable to protect her own body, what was she trying to save?
Vivianne collapsed into Theo’s arms, while Charlotte, who had been running toward Edwin, fell to the ground, covering her ears.
The servants who had come running after them and the Zimmermann cousins also crouched low, startled by the gunshot.
A faint smoke rose from Edwin’s gun barrel. Beyond the smoke, a man and a woman embraced each other.
“My lady! Are you okay?”
Theo, distraught, looked at Vivianne in his arms.
When Vivianne’s stiff eyelids fluttered open, he felt a moment of relief.
“… I’m okay.”
“Really? But you just got shot…”
Vivianne, struggling to sit up, examined her body with a bewildered expression. Then she noticed the light-green skirt that had been pierced by Edwin’s bullet. Realizing the situation, she immediately glared at Edwin. He, smiling sheepishly, called over a servant and handed over his rifle.
“I’ll take my leave now. I hope the guests enjoy the rest of the hunt. Seeing blood has left me quite exhausted.”
Edwin calmly turned to face Vivianne, who was glaring at him. He liked the fierce anger in her eyes.
How much would she come to regret today’s events, placing all the blame on him while being held by someone she couldn’t trust? The thought that her feelings for him would soon turn into regrets made this moment enjoyable.
“When Mr. Evans leaves, make sure he’s given payment for Miss Aveline’s dress. It’s only fair, as he’s provided such an entertaining hunt.”
After leaving instructions for the servant, Edwin mounted his horse and, with one last glance at Theo and Vivianne, rode away.
As soon as he was out of sight, the tension drained from the air. Vivianne, who had been trying to stand, lost her strength and collapsed.
“Are you really okay, my lady? Are you hurt anywhere?” Theo asked with concern.
“What the hell were you doing?!”
Before Vivianne could answer, Charlotte’s furious outburst filled the forest. Her face was flushed with anger, her shoulders trembling with suppressed rage.
“How dare you point a gun at the duke?”
“The duke shot at my lady! If it hadn’t been for this mere dress, it could have been her body he pierced!”
As their argument escalated, Vivianne grabbed Theo by the sleeve.
Vivianne also wanted to get angry, but her anger was not directed at Charlotte.
“Do you not realize what you’ve done? At the duke’s estate, as a guest of Miss Aveline, you aimed a gun at the duke during the hunt. Do you not understand what that means? It’s treason—treason!”
Theo, shoved back by her words, clenched his teeth in silence. Charlotte’s disdainful gaze passed over Theo and fell upon Vivianne.
“Because of that, only Miss Aveline is in a difficult position. Miss Aveline, you will be the one to handle today’s situation. Let’s wrap things up and go. And hurry and get that man out of the manor, just in case he tries to harm the duke again.”
With a fierce glare, Charlotte turned away. Just as they faded from view, tears threatened to spill from Vivianne’s eyes. Her aching heart couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was responding to.
“My lady.”
Only when Theo spoke did Vivianne shift her blank gaze to him. The concern in his innocent eyes only made Vivianne’s heart ache even more.
“Are you… Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt at all.”
Her sigh of relief trembled as she spoke. Vivianne lowered her head as if about to collapse. When Theo gently grabbed her shoulder to support her, she waved her hand, signaling that she was okay.
“… How in the world did you do that?”
Behind Edwin’s apparent tolerance, there was a bait. It was the same then as it is now. He lured her in with sweet words, only to strangle her.
To keep a promise made 14 years ago and to seek revenge, if pulling Theo into the hunt was similar, then Edwin had accurately pinpointed her weaknesses.
“Did the duke hurt you? Is he threatening to kill you?”
“My lady…”
“Theo. Don’t come here anymore. Don’t meet the duke. I can’t… I really can’t… lose you too…”
“My lady.”
How can I lose more of the ones I love here?
I left my beloved hometown. My beloved father disappeared in the place that signaled a new beginning. My beloved mother, who left to take care of things, has been out of contact. She was the only love remaining in my life. Does Edwin know how much it affects me to lose a friend like this?
“Leave here. Stay at my house. I cannot let you stay here any longer.”
If I follow Theo and escape from Edwin’s shadow, Edwin Baytness would bring a shame worse than death to my family. He would report both my mother and me to the authorities, branding our entire family as fraudsters. In doing so, the Eveline family would be completely annihilated.
Edwin Baytness had more than enough reasons to do so.
So I can’t run away. I can’t break free from the duke’s side. I can’t bury a family that has already reached the brink of destruction in any more shame.
Tears welled up in Vivianne’s eyes and wet the dirt floor. Theo gently pulled his sleeve and wiped the tears running down her pale cheek.
“If I let you stay here, I may get beaten by Lord Aveline. So, my lady, come with me…”
“I’m sorry.”
That was all Vivianne could say, unable to follow Theo.
“The dress you made for me… is ruined.”
I’m sorry you had to go through things you didn’t have to because of me.
“I’m really sorry, Theo.”
With her true feelings half-suppressed, Vivianne clung to Theo’s collar and burst into a tangled cry of complicated emotions.
The pit of her heart deepened immeasurably, while the shadows of the forest loomed quickly and crudely.
