One of the wealthiest and most beautiful mansions in Upper Lane. The most splendid and exotic varieties of rose bushes surrounded the brick walls. Though it was winter and the roses weren't in full bloom, the snow-covered garden was sufficiently picturesque.
A steam carriage crossing the garden stopped in front of the entrance. The door opened, and Esperanza, wearing a hat with soft fur, stepped out of the carriage.
Cordelia Mabelwood smiled brightly and spread her arms.
"To be in Nine Holder and not send
a single letter, you're truly indifferent beyond words!"
Despite the burst of complaint, the hands embracing Esperanza were warm. Esperanza also smiled and hugged Cordelia back.
"It's been a long ti."
"Yes! So long! So I have lots to say. Co, let's go in. You need to see a welco face too. Ellen! Where's Jack?"
A passing maid hesitated for a mont before answering.
"He's in class."
"Then bring him to my reception room when he's done."
"Class?"
"I told you I got him a tutor. The child is cleverer than I thought. I'm even thinking of sending him to school if he wants. Though he gets too embarrassed to know what to do when I say such things to his face."
While pulling Esperanza's arm and leading her to her private reception room, Cordelia chattered about how hard Jack had been studying. She even told the story of how he had studied all night trying to keep up with subjects he couldn't follow and collapsed with a nosebleed. When she ntioned that Baron Mabelwood, who had initially been inwardly displeased with Jack, had been quietly looking after him since Jack collapsed, she burst into giggles as if everyone should hear.
"Cordelia! That's far too frivolous for a lady's laughter."
"Grandmother!"
Baron Mabelwood, with the sa stern face as Mrs. Wellesley from Mabelwood, slowly approached with a maid's support.
"Miss Hunter, I'm late with my greetings."
When Esperanza bent her knees, Baron Mabelwood held her hand to stop her.
"I cannot receive greetings from a benefactor. If you need help, say so anyti. I'll help to the maximum extent possible."
She thought taking care of Jack was already sufficient repaynt, but Baron Mabelwood was firm. Cordelia gave her a look from the side, so she had no choice but to agree. The baron nodded with satisfaction and stepped aside so the two could catch up.
"Grandmother is stubborn as you can see. It's usually better to just go along with her."
Cordelia, who winked, guided Esperanza to her charmingly decorated reception room.
Unlike the orthodox reception room of Avondale mansion, Cordelia's personal reception room was refreshingly decorated in bright sky blue and green.
"How did you co so secretly? If Lord Avondale had co to Nine Holder, there's no way rumors wouldn't spread. How sensitive social circle people are to news!"
"Cider didn't co."
"He didn't co? Then you ca alone?"
"It turned out that way sohow."
Cordelia, who had been staring at the shadows around Esperanza's eyes, clapped her hands. I get it!
"You fought!"
Was it written on her face? Everyone was like ghosts.
"...Sothing like that."
Cordelia, who raised her nose triumphantly, muttered that it was definitely that count's fault. Actually, it was exactly the opposite.
"I think Lord Avondale likes Esperanza more."
Cordelia wrinkled her nose and put on a deliberately mischievous voice. Esperanza hesitated for a mont, then smiled briefly.
"That's not necessarily true."
"It is. Hmph, you should have seen how that an count only changed his attitude toward you. I noticed from when we were at Mabelwood."
Esperanza looked back on the events at Mabelwood that already felt distant. She had never asked when it started. It was embarrassing, and for them who were always facing an end, the beginning wasn't such an important matter.
Should she have asked?
A bitter smile seeped out. As the atmosphere sank, Cordelia, realizing that the situation wasn't just cute bickering between lovers who had just started, quickly changed the subject.
"I've been busy lately. Goodness, the season hasn't even started yet but there are already officers, bankers... They want to see my face before the season starts, but what do I do when I dislike their faces from the start?"
Cordelia, who bit into a cookie on the table with her teeth, grumbled as she recited the personal details of the gentlen she had t so far.
There were famous businessn, wealthy bankers, officers with dals hanging all over them... However, most were sons of noble families of high standing. Anyway, since there was value in the na Cordelia Mabelwood, the people she t were extraordinary.
"I want soone a bit sincere. Soone who would help Mabelwood would be good, and soone who would be faithful to
would be even better."
"Cordelia, aren't you a bit young to marry?"
Twenty-two might be considered a suitable age for marriage, but eighteen was considered young even in social circles. So how hasty was it that Duke Dunbarton had quickly bound seventeen-year-old Cordelia with an engagent?
"That's true, but to find a good person, you have to be diligent about eting people. I understand grandmother's words. Esperanza, not everyone falls in love with soone who happens to be close by like you."
For this eting, Esperanza had to traverse worlds and ti. So it couldn't simply be dismissed as re coincidence. Esperanza, who emptied her teacup while chewing over stories she couldn't tell Cordelia, asked.
"Is there anyone you find appealing?"
"Not at all! They're all so enthusiastic about bragging about themselves. Really, they must think I'll applaud them for being great if they list their advantages. People who are truly that great, you can tell without them saying so."
It was clearly a face wanting agreent, but Esperanza only smiled ambiguously. When it ca to 'bragging,' Cider Claiborne couldn't be left out either. Though it was far too little compared to what he had achieved, the frequency wasn't insignificant. Even that Cordelia would be fed up if it were Cider Claiborne.
"Anyway, I'm really glad you ca. If I say I'm going out to play with you, grandmother can't push
into etings with idle officers and such. After all, you're Mabelwood's benefactor."
"Um, about that. I'll be leaving soon."
"What? Where to? You're not going to Paolun just because Lord Avondale was an to you, are you?"
Cordelia urgently grabbed Esperanza's hand.
"Where would such a thing be! If you're going to do that, rather co out of Avondale mansion and co to our house. I'll empty the room next to mine for you. Yes?"
"It's not that! I'm not going to Paolun. Actually, I'm going to Dunbarton."
She hadn't intended to ntion the destination. Sure enough, Cordelia, who opened her eyes wide, repeated "Dunbarton." Through collaboration with Alastair Renfrew, she had probably shaken off so of the bad feelings from the broken engagent, but it would still be an unwelco na for Cordelia.
"Where in Dunbarton?"
Cordelia spoke in a slightly lowered voice. Fortunately, she didn't seem to be in a bad mood.
"I don't know. There are several candidate places..."
"You don't even know where you're going? Am I hearing this correctly?"
Esperanza, who let out a sigh, put down her teacup.
"Cider is in Dunbarton. Sothing about mine problems."
"Political talk. I heard about it from grandmother."
She didn't know what Baron Mabelwood's political stance was, but at least Cordelia seed to understand the situation properly. Cordelia smiled brightly.
"Are you going to et Lord Avondale?"
"For now, yes. Though I don't know exactly where he is."
"Can't you contact him before going?"
After making the hasty question, Cordelia slightly shrank her shoulders and made an awkward smile. She realized that if he would take her contact, he wouldn't have hidden his destination in the first place.
"We fought. I was in the wrong."
He probably didn't leave because of that wrong. If so, he would have left long ago. Perhaps Esperanza's wrong was a level of pain he could accept. Until the secrets poured out at an unexpected mont and cornered him.
Whatever the exact reason he decided to leave, it was undeniable that the tears that wet Esperanza's shoulder that night had been the trigger.
"Anyway. Now isn't the ti to avoid it. I might have to look around quite a bit, but I'm thinking of searching for him."
If the only threat to Cider Claiborne was dungeons, she just needed to defend against dungeons. But Daria, who would be paying attention to Dunbarton now, might discover Cider early. That would be troubleso.
"So I won't be able to help. I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about, Esperanza. I'm going with you."
"What?"
"I think I can be helpful."
Cordelia, who got up from her seat, took out letter paper from a drawer and quickly wrote a line.
"I'll send it by telegram."
The content was as follows:
Cordelia, who had been thinking, wrote in a date two days later. Once she picked up the pen again, even a long-winded postscript was added. Though the cost would be considerable, she showed no sign of being concerned about the number of characters. But was there a reason to write such a long telegram to send suddenly to soone she hadn't been in contact with?
"This should be plenty of ti, right?"
"You've been in contact with Lord Sterling?"
"Setting aside personal feelings, he's excellent as a connection and not bad as a person either. We exchange letters occasionally."
For that, the intimacy seed considerable. Cordelia waved the paper around and then called a maid to send the telegram. Esperanza was left dumbfounded. Cordelia stuck out her tongue and said.
"Now there's no way you're not taking ."
"I'm going to do dangerous work."
"I thought so. You just don't take
to the dangerous work, right? I'll kill ti sightseeing while avoiding grandmother. You can find Lord Avondale using Lord Sterling's information network. Can you think of anyone more suitable than the Duke of Dunbarton's only son for finding soone in Dunbarton?"
Esperanza, who had only been thinking of finding an information broker at best, had no choice but to close her mouth. Cordelia spoke with a triumphant face as if to show off.
"See? I'm helpful."
She couldn't deny it.
Reviews
All reviews (0)