CHAPTER 27
Vivianne was happy to see Mr. Jefferson. When his face lit up with a smile, she patted her chest in relief. Afterward, her walk to see Edwin felt lighter. Reflecting on the time they had spent together yesterday, her hand instinctively moved to her chest. The memory of his fingertips tracing a path over her skin came alive once more.
She wondered what the Duke wanted from her.
In his icy blue eyes, as cold as winter, Vivianne had felt a warm, intense heat. She was neither naive nor unlearned enough to misunderstand what that meant. While there had been differences in the gazes of the countless men who had come to the manor before the auction, the meaning of their looks was not so different from his.
But that couldn’t be true. There was no way he could have such thoughts about her.
The heat that had flickered in his cold eyes was certainly a misunderstanding or perhaps an illusion. Just as he had treated her body like a chunk of meat, yesterday’s encounter must have been similarly devoid of meaning.
In that unfamiliar atmosphere, it was clearly her mistake to misinterpret it.
For now, all she needed to do was thank Edwin for retracting the dismissal. It was enough to let that misunderstanding or illusion be buried in the depths of her memory. It would fade easily, forgotten as nothing more than a momentary misinterpretation.
Vivianne shook her head, her cheeks flushing red. At that moment, Sophie appeared with a glass of chilled lemonade, the ice cubes floating within. Vivianne’s gaze naturally turned to the dewy glass.
Rodinia’s brief spring was drawing to a close and the refreshing drink was a welcome relief from the early heat. After a quick sip, Vivianne’s eyes darted to the two men clashing swords.
She watched their match in silence, waiting for Edwin. By the time the ice in her glass had melted and the lemonade was almost gone, their duel had concluded. As she raised the empty glass to her lips for the final drop, the sparring ended.
Before finishing her drink, Vivianne stared intently at Edwin, her expression flushed. If he had forgotten her again, she was ready to rush over and express her gratitude immediately.
Fortunately, Edwin removed his mask, dismissed Roarke, and gestured toward the pergola.
He hasn’t forgotten me.
For some reason, that simple fact filled Vivianne with joy, and she smiled brightly as she stood up. She descended the stairs and hurried toward him, who was standing in the shade of the quince tree.
He was wiping sweat from his face. The handkerchief in his hand looked so familiar that her eyes narrowed. Soon, she realized it wasn’t a handkerchief at all but her scarf. The sight immediately brought Charlotte to mind.
The scarf he had claimed to have discarded—yet had instructed Charlotte to embroider and bring to him.
Though Vivianne saw the very scarf that had aroused Charlotte’s suspicions in his grasp, she didn’t show much reaction.
“… I heard from Sophie. Thank you so much, Your Grace,” she said sincerely.
Her voice was warm as she clasped her hands politely.
“Yes, you should be grateful.”
With a faint smile, he tossed the mask in his hand toward her. Vivianne’s eyes widened in surprise, and before she could think, she instinctively reached out and caught it.
The clear sunlight filtering through the leaves illuminated Vivianne’s gray eyes. The streaks of light along her eyelids swayed with the breeze, and her gaze sparkled, reflecting the shifting colors.
Edwin motioned with his head, a satisfied smile on his face. In a daze, Vivianne followed him, still clutching the mask. Her confused eyes fixed on his broad shoulders as she trailed behind.
She thought that what had moved the Duke’s heart was probably her firm resolve to take Jefferson’s punishment in his stead. She didn’t know what kind of punishment he might give her, but she was prepared to accept it, no matter what it was.
On the way to his room, they passed several servants, which made her feel self-conscious. She knew that following him while holding his mask was not exactly dignified, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.
She scolded herself for feeling ashamed over something so trivial. Her ears burned red, but she resolutely lifted her head. She had to overcome this and move forward.
Having decided to abandon the version of herself that had obediently waited at home, delicately embroidering in anticipation of her parents’ return, Vivianne decided to adopt an attitude in line with that decision she made.
As she struggled with her mixed emotions, she arrived at his room. Unsure of what to do, she stood hesitantly in the doorway. Edwin, in the middle of having his clothes removed by a servant, turned to look at her.
“Put it over there.”
“… Oh, yes.”
Following his gesture, she placed the mask on the cabinet that reached up to her waist. Meanwhile, the buttons of his fencing jacket were being quickly undone.
They hadn’t even begun to address the matter at hand, yet the first thing he did was undress?
Vivianne glanced around awkwardly, trying to avoid his gaze.
“Are you planning to let the people outside see me undressing?”
Only after one side of the jacket had been unbuttoned to his waist did he dismiss the servant. When the servant left and closed the door behind him, the noise from outside faded away, leaving a heavy silence.
With her eyes downcast, Vivianne nervously fidgeted with her skirt. The stinging sensation in her throat was a result of the oppressive silence that had settled in.
Edwin looked particularly imposing in his fencing uniform. Moreover, his refined appearance seemed to imply that he also possessed a gentleman’s demeanor. Yet this was the same man who had strangled someone, fired a gun, and roughly handled a lady’s body—all while maintaining that polished facade. Now, freed from the armor of his title, he seemed capable of anything.
“Then… what should I do now?”
Sweeping back his sweat-drenched hair, he smiled faintly. A refreshing smile appeared—a smile she had thought she’d misread before. The sight of him, looking like a pure and bright young man, now made her sense of a growing threat.
“Are you willing to obediently do whatever I say?”
“… Didn’t you call me here to punish me?”
She had thought that what had moved his heart was her willingness to accept punishment. But the uneasy feeling of being diverted from the main point made her anxious.
Edwin turned toward Vivianne. The way one side of his fencing jacket slipped down, revealing the inner lining, made her feel relieved that, at least this time, he wasn’t wearing his robe.
“I thought I made it clear yesterday. There’s no punishment for you, Miss Aveline.”
“Then why the dismissal…”
“Was Jefferson’s dismissal what you truly wanted?”
“No! Absolutely not. That’s not—”
“Then what’s the problem?”
It was a question that made Vivianne feel as though something inside her was wilting. Stunned, she parted her lips slightly but said nothing. Edwin glanced at the closed door, silently telling her to leave.
Still hesitant, Vivianne couldn’t bring herself to turn around. She fidgeted with the fabric of her skirt, wavering. Edwin smirked and undid the remaining button of his fencing jacket. When he casually shrugged it off, Vivianne was so startled that she quickly lowered her gaze.
“Th-thank you… for forgiving me.”
Edwin hung his jacket over the back of a chair and stared at Vivianne. Behind her obedience, he saw Jefferson. That was the reason he had decided to end this tedious prank.
It might have been amusing, crying, begging for mercy, clutching at his trousers in desperation. But saving someone for the sake of it no longer held any meaning for him.
“All right, I’ve heard enough. You can go.”
Even as Edwin reached for his belt, Vivianne remained frozen, unwilling to move. He had expected that she would happily leave if told to, but for some reason, Vivianne was being stubborn.
“U-um… one more thing…”
It was hard for her to get the words out. The sight of Vivianne nervously wriggling her hands together piqued his interest. He stopped undressing and focused all his attention on her. His anticipation grew as he wondered what words she would use to make his day more entertaining.
“I know it must sound absurd for me to say this… but there’s something we promised each other, and I want to keep my promise.”
“So?”
“As you know, I’ve been eating more than usual at every meal. Sophie has even told me that I’ve gained weight, but… your hands…”
Before Vivianne could finish, Edwin suddenly burst into laughter.
Did he not realize how embarrassing that laugh was?
It reminded her of the awkward moment they’d faced the day they argued about Theo—his laughter had made the situation even more uncomfortable.
“Anyway, I’m doing my best. The only issue is the debt. It’s the interest on the money my mother borrowed.”
“Get to the point.”
Vivianne had been hesitating so much that Edwin, who had been listening, interrupted her. He still had a smile on his face. Vivianne took a deep breath, wet her dry lips, and then, as if yelling, forced herself to speak.
“Would you consider hiring me as a servant at the manor?”
Her eager voice trembled. Standing close to the door, Vivianne feared that her unusually loud words might be heard outside. She thought it was a rather bold suggestion, but Edwin showed no sign of surprise, discomfort, or agitation. His calm, unflappable demeanor was both surprising and great.
“I want to earn money fairly by working. If you find the idea uncomfortable… could you perhaps write me a recommendation letter so I can work elsewhere?”
Vivianne’s once-confident voice gradually softened. His lack of reaction only deepened her embarrassment.
“I even tried selling embroidery to pay off the debt, but it’s nowhere near enough. I’m no longer of noble status, so I don’t think there’s any work I can’t do. If I’m lacking, I’ll learn to do the tasks tirelessly.”
Unable to bear the heavy silence, Vivianne added more to her plea. A faint smile played on Edwin’s lips, but it didn’t reassure her.
“A recommendation letter?”
His clear, steady voice resonated through the air.
“You don’t have to go far.”
“Then…”
“Come to think of it, we weren’t entirely wrong back then, were we?” He continued. “Your words—about how after something bad happens, only good things will follow. And my words—how for someone who only has good things, only bad things will come next.”
When he evoked the events of fourteen years ago, Vivianne shrank inwardly. The shadow of guilt pushed her back into the roaring waves of her memories.
“You’ve thought this through well, Miss Aveline. That kind of courage, I must commend. Truly.”
He sounded genuinely impressed, even though such sentiment didn’t seem to suit him. Vivianne slowly raised her head and looked straight at Edwin, who was leaning against the window.
“And… Miss Aveline…”
His enigmatic, sunny smile glimmered under the sunlight. At that moment, he seemed just like the boy he used to be—innocent and unburdened as if he had never lost anything.
“That day wasn’t cold… It was hot.”
