Yu Hyemin

Miss Peddleton
 Copyright © 2025 by Yu Hyemin

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 Contents

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132
Chapter 133
Chapter 134
Chapter 135
Chapter 136
Chapter 137
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141
Chapter 142
Chapter 143
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Epilogue 3
Epilogue 4
Side Story 1
Side Story 2
Side Story 3
Side Story 4
Side Story 5
Side Story 6
Side Story 7
Side Story 8
Side Story 9
Side Story 10
Side Story 11
Side Story 12
Side Story 13
Side Story 14
Side Story 15
Side Story 16
Side Story 17
Side Story 18
Side Story 19
Side Story 20
Side Story 21
Side Story 22
Side Story 23
Side Story 24
Side Story 25
Side Story 26
Side Story 27
Side Story 28
Side Story 29
Side Story 30
Side Story 31
Side Story 32
Side Story 33
Side Story 34
Side Story 35
Side Story 36
Side Story 37
Side Story 38
Side Story 39
Side Story 40
Side Story 41
Side Story 42
Side Story 43
Side Story 44
Side Story 45
Side Story 46
Side Story 47
Side Story 48
Side Story 49
Side Story 50
Side Story 51
Side Story 52
Side Story 53
Side Story 54
Side Story 55
Side Story 56
Side Story 57
Side Story 58
Side Story 59
Side Story 60
Side Story 61
Side Story 62
Side Story 63
Side Story 64
Side Story 65
Side Story 66
Side Story 67
Side Story 68
Side Story 69
Side Story 70
Side Story 71
Side Story 72
Side Story 73
Side Story 74
Side Story 75
 Prologue

Twenty-nine-year-old spinster Laura Pendleton is known to be a

talented matchmaker in London society. When she’s asked to find
a wife for the eligible bachelor Ian Dalton, she believes it will be
an easy task―until she meets the gorgeous yet blunt and aloof
Mr. Dalton in person.
Although Miss Pendleton introduces him to several
beautiful young ladies, the cynical Mr. Dalton appears to have
eyes only for his matchmaker. But Miss Pendleton has no
interest in marriage, especially not to such a wealthy
nobleman, due to her shameful past. Instead, Miss Pendleton
makes arrangements to become a governess and thereby
escape her abusive uncle on her own. But Mr. Dalton is
nothing if not persistent. When Miss Pendleton faces
unexpected troubles, he offers her the governess position for
his young nephews in order to get closer to her.
Mr. Dalton’s love, bordering obsession, for Miss Pendleton
means that he won’t give up until he can convince her to
become his―despite all that is at stake.
 Chapter 1

Part 1. London
It was the wedding day of Miss Elizabeth Dayer and Mr.
Edward Morton.
Since the engagement, their marriage had been the subject
of much speculation. Elizabeth was the only daughter of
Viscount Dayer, a very active member of Parliament, and
Edward was the eldest son of Admiral Morton, who had spent
the last thirty years at sea, fighting valiantly in dozens of
naval battles. The union of these two prestigious families was
one of the most highly anticipated, even in the small circle of
London society.
Even London’s aristocrats, who loved to gossip about
other people and were just as eager to badmouth them, found
little fault with this particular couple. All they could talk
about was the designer of Elizabeth’s wedding gown and the
wood used to build the furniture for the mansion Mr. Morton
had prepared for his new bride.
On the day of the wedding, a steady stream of people on
fancy two-wheeled carriages and fine horses arrived at the
church.
 The guest list was impressive—a real who’s who of
renowned aristocrats, politicians, and soldiers. Once all the
distinguished guests were seated, Reverend Lloyds, who was
to officiate the wedding, stood at the pulpit in his white robes.
The room fell utterly silent, nary a whisper to be heard.
Reverend Lloyds scanned the room, and after speaking a
few words as convention dictated about how God was
watching over today’s union, he invited the groom to enter.
The groom, Edward Morton, appeared at the entrance and
marched down the aisle with the orderly controlled gait of a
soldier. He was a capable young man who had followed in his
father’s footsteps by joining the navy and had been deployed
to all sorts of far-flung places, where he had led several
successful naval campaigns, rising to the rank of captain at
the age of twenty-nine.
However, it was not his military prowess or his family’s
influence that had made him famous in London, but his
demeanor. He always had a stony, terse expression on his
face, and his attitude was perennially cold and taciturn.
Such a demeanor was only appropriate when commanding
a fleet, yet he maintained the same at all manner of social
events—walking through Hyde Park on his way to church,
being introduced to a lady at a ball, receiving an invite to a
dinner hosted by a duke. Because of his attitude, many people
who cared about Edward had to go to great lengths to
convince others that he was not behaving in such a way out of
malice.
 Even on his wedding day, Edward wore his usual
expression—a firmly closed mouth and blue eyes wholly
devoid of emotion. There wasn’t even a hint of nervousness,
let alone joy. Astonished by his attitude, the guests all
thought, What an insufferable man!
Soon all eyes, which had been focused on the groom,
turned to the entrance of the church. There stood Miss
Elizabeth Dayer, dressed in a pure white gown and a sheer
shawl draped around her shoulders. She was on the arm of
Viscount Dayer, who stood by her side, holding a bouquet in
one hand. The bouquet was made up of the freshest and most
beautiful blooms out of the thousands of flowers that
decorated the church, but it could not hold a candle to the
beauty of its owner, Miss Dayer.
Miss Dayer had attracted countless admirers since her
debut in London high society two years ago, but today, she
was different from her usual self, not merely due to the
beauty that radiated from her dazzling features, blonde hair,
and lovely olive green eyes. Her face was radiating with joy—
love had made her blossom like a rose.
As she walked down the aisle, mesmerized stares followed
her every step of the way. At that moment, the much-talked-
about French wedding gown and the Italian wedding veil that
the Viscount had specially ordered were completely forgotten.
All that mattered was the way she walked, the look on her
face, the smile on her face.
 The guests followed her every move with bated breath
until she stood in front of the altar, next to the man who
would soon be her husband. The viscount handed his precious
daughter to him and stepped away.
Two people now stood at the altar. One was smiling
brilliantly, but the other’s face still appeared as though it
were encased in ice.
Everyone was filled with pity. Edward Morton has been
blessed with such a beautiful wife, yet he did not seem the
least bit happy about it. Many men of marriageable age
became bitter at the
The reverend gave a short, straightforward sermon on the
importance of fidelity and chastity between wife and
husband. As a parish priest in London, he knew full well what
little patience the guests sitting in front of him had for long
sermons.
Soon after, the couple exchanged rings, and Reverend
Lloyds gave them permission to seal their vows with a kiss.
Edward slowly lowered his head and lightly pressed his lips to
Elizabeth’s.
Just as an applause was about to break out, there was a low
intake of breath from those seated closest to the altar. They
quickly looked to their neighbors to confirm what they had
seen and saw the same look of surprise on their faces.
Edward’s lips had barely left Elizabeth’s when a single tear
fell from his eye. My goodness! He quickly wiped it away with a
hand, but the act clued in even the guests sitting at a distance
who hadn’t actually seen his tear to the fact that he had cried.
Those who had actually witnessed the tear roll down his
face gave the newlyweds a thunderous round of applause as
they walked down the aisle, delighted at the idea of being able
to boast that they had actually seen Edward Morton’s tears,
which would undoubtedly be a hot topic at the tea parties for
some time.
After the ceremony, the guests moved to the reception hall
near the church. The reception was exceptionally lavish and
surely would not disappoint any of the guests. Atop the many
tables in the hall were silverware and plates imported from
India, a buffet laden high with delicious fare cooked by chefs
who had been brought—no, escorted—from France, and a
wine fountain. And last but not least, an orchestra skilled
enough to rival any opera company. It was the result of
Viscount Dayer, who lived an unusually frugal life for a man
of his station, spending practically every single pound he had
accumulated over the years.
As the guests dined at their respective tables, Elizabeth
and Edward, who had respectively changed into a reception
dress and a bright-colored suit, made their way around the
room, thanking each and every one of the influential guests
who had attended their wedding.
Between the members of Viscount Dayer’s party and
Admiral Morton’s military colleagues, there were dozens of
tables for them to visit. Elizabeth, however, did not show any
signs of fatigue, the hem of her lilac gown fluttering as she
greeted everyone with a smile. The guests couldn’t help but
be in a good mood at seeing the bride, who had been the
center of attention at the wedding, smile at them so prettily.
Unlike the rest of the guests, however, the naval generals
—Admiral Morton’s friends —were coarse, gregarious, and
had partaken of too much wine. They were drunk beyond
reason and would not let the bride and groom leave their table
for more than twenty minutes.
Elizabeth, who had been listening to the generals’ drunken
ramblings with an amiable expression on her face, clutched
her husband’s arm with a vice-like grip that was almost
strong enough to be a pinch. Edward tilted his head slightly
toward Elizabeth, just enough to be discreet.
A smile still pasted on her face, she whispered in his ear,
“Darling, if we don’t get away from this table right now, I’m
going to throw those respectable gentlemen into the wine
fountain.”
Edward gave a small nod. He then casually mentioned to
the generals the location of the smoking room in the building
and the box of expensive cigars sitting in the inner drawer of
the table. Of course, the finest brandy and sherry would also
be available in the room.
The men quickly made their way to the smoking room,
abandoning their wives, and the ladies, whose faces had
turned crimson from their husbands’ drunken antics, soon let
the young couple go.
 Elizabeth slumped into an empty seat away from the
guests, her face pale beyond comparison to what it was like
during the ceremony.
Edward headed straight to the buffet table and returned
with a slice of cake and a cup of coffee. He passed the coffee to
Elizabeth, then used a fork to scoop up a piece of cake and
place it in her mouth. She meekly accepted the bites of cake
until the entire slice was gone from the plate.
Those who saw the scene from afar doubted their eyes. My
word, Edward Morton is playing mother hen to his wife!
Once Elizabeth had cleared the plate, Edward knelt down
in front of her, one knee propped up, and began to stroke her
swollen calves through the hem of her skirt. She blushed and
looked around, then grabbed his hand.
“Stop. I’m all right.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
He released her leg and clasped her hand, which was
resting on her knee. “You can relax now. I think we’ve pretty
much greeted everyone we needed to.”
“Good. I’m so tired. Even more so than I was after dancing
quadrilles until dawn.”
Edward fiddled with Elizabeth’s left hand, on which she
wore her wedding ring, then smiled faintly. “At this rate, I
fear you may end up falling into my arms again.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “What on earth do you mean?”
 “Don’t you remember? The day we first met, on the steps
of the ball hosted by Mrs. Jensen. You tripped and fell into my
arms.
Elizabeth let out a quiet exclamation, then laughed.
“Rather than fall, I’d say I bumped into you. Hard.”
“Indeed, very hard. So hard that your nose began to bleed
and my white shirt became soaked with blood. I feared you
might faint and was going to call a doctor, but you just
plugged your nose with cotton balls and kept on dancing.”
Elizabeth giggled. “How could I just walk away when my
favorite song was playing? Besides, my gown was the color of
the leaves in autumn, so no one could even really tell I’d bled.
By the way, why did you leave so quickly that day? I was so
sure that you were going to ask me to dance.”
“Because I couldn’t stay in that shirt. If anyone saw me,
they would’ve thought I’d been shot, and I also thought you’d
feel embarrassed when you spotted me. Although, of course,
you weren’t embarrassed in the least.”
Elizabeth smirked as though it were obvious that she
wouldn’t be. When Edward saw that smile on her face, he
couldn’t help but smile along with her. Anyone who was
familiar with Edward knew just how hard it was to coax a
smile out of him. But Elizabeth was one of the few people who
could always make him smile.
“Don’t think I wasn’t embarrassed at all, though. The next
time I saw you, you looked at me so coldly, I felt discouraged.
In fact, I thought you were angry with me.
 “Is that why you left so quickly that day?”
“I couldn’t even manage to keep the food down. You were
looking at me icily with those blue eyes of yours, as if you
were saying, ‘You foolhardy woman. Can you really eat at a
time like this?”’
“Well, I look at my mother and grandmother that way,
too.”
“And if you’re ever granted an audience with Her Majesty
the Queen, will you be looking at her like that?”
“T”
I suppose so.
“Then please don’t make eye contact with Her Majesty.
Because if she keeps looking at you, she won’t manage to live
long.”
Chuckling, Edward stroked Elizabeth’s chin with his
fingertips. “I think it’s nothing short of a miracle that you
accepted my hand in marriage after what’s happened.”
“Me too. If someone had told me three months ago that I
would be Mrs. Morton someday, I wouldn’t have believed it,
even if it were Laura telling me so— Oh!” Elizabeth suddenly
jumped to her feet as though she had just remembered
something important. “Laura! I haven’t seen Laura all day!
My goodness, how could I have forgotten about her?! ”
Edward stood along with her and asked, “Do you mean
Miss Pendleton?”
“Yes! Edward, darling, you must find Laura at once! If I
don’t see her today, I won’t be able to until after our
honeymoon!”
 Chapter 2

Edward turned to scan the reception hall. Finding Miss

Pendleton in the crowd of women and girls was no easy task,
especially for a sailor like Edward who was unfamiliar with
ladies’ fancy dress. But he had to find her for the sake of his
now anxious wife.
He tried to recall Miss Pendleton’s features in his mind.
Her strawberry blonde hair was always neatly secured in a
snood. Her skin was as fair as his wife’s, and she dressed
simply and modestly. She always wore a pearl pendant
necklace around her neck. And she could typically be found in
one of the corners of a room, either talking to a friend or
quietly observing other people.
He kept his eyes peeled for any inconspicuous spots in the
reception hall, and Miss Pendleton soon came into view. Her
hair was neatly tucked into a snood, as usual, and she wore a
plain, unadorned silk gown. She seemed to be engaged in a
serious conversation with another young lady who was
dressed similarly.
Edward, with Elizabeth on his arm, soon approached their
table. When the two ladies noticed them approaching, they
stopped talking and rose to their feet. The ladies curtsied to
the couple, and some formal greetings and pleasantries were
exchanged.
However, the woman at Miss Pendleton’s side quickly
excused herself to fetch some food and headed towards the
buffet table, giving the couple a few moments alone with her.
Elizabeth, throwing all decorum aside, pulled Miss Pendleton
into a tight hug. “Why did you not come to my waiting room,
Laura? You promised you would help check the state of my
gown!”
Miss Pendleton gently stroked Elizabeth’s hair. “I am
sorry, darling. Grandmother’s dizzy spell worsened and I had
to stay with her all morning.”
Elizabeth released Miss Pendleton from the hug and
looked at her with concern. “Is she very ill?”
“No, it is nothing serious. She simply needs to rest. She got
rather upset when the doctor told her so, complaining that
this had to happen on your wedding day of all days.”
“Oh, no. Shall I stop by to see her before Edward and I
leave today?”
“No, there is no need. She will be even more upset about
throwing you off your schedule, and all that ire shall be
directed at her poor doctor.”
“Well then, I suppose I shall have to hold off on visiting
her, for Dr. Webster’s sake. Please give her my regards. And
tell her I will write as soon as I get to Italy. Oh, I should bring
back a present for Grandmother, too. What do you think I
should get her, Laura?”
 “She will want what she always does—the latest sheet
music and novels from Italy.”
“All right. And what about you?”
“Stories about your trip to Italy, and a small hairpin.”
Elizabeth shook her head as though she had known what
Miss Pendleton was going to say. “No, no, there is something
else you need. A shawl white as snow. The fanciest and most
expensive shawl in all of Italy.”
Miss Pendleton let out a giggle. “So I did not even need to
give you an answer—you already knew what gift you were
going to give me.
“Of course.”
Miss Pendleton gazed at Elizabeth warmly with her deep
gray eyes. “No need to add to your burden. You must have
many others to buy presents for.”
“Nonsense. I can forget other people’s presents, but I
cannot forget yours. Had it not been for you, Edward and I
would not even be going on a honeymoon. Isn’t that so,
Edward?” asked Elizabeth, turning her head towards him as
though seeking his approval.
Edward nodded, making an expression of agreement as
emphatic as his usually impassive face would allow. “You are
right, Beth. If anyone deserves a present from us, it is Miss
Pendleton.”
“See, Laura? Even my husband agrees.”
Miss Pendleton laughed awkwardly. “In that case, Beth, a
small hairpin will be sufficient.”
 “No. The shawl you are wearing is yellowish in hue and
does not suit your complexion at all. And if you keep refusing,
I shall bribe your servant to sew the shawl directly onto your
favorite green tartan gown.”
Miss Pendleton burst out laughing. A healthy glow
appeared on her usually pale cheeks. She looked at Elizabeth
affectionately and placed a kiss on her smooth, even
forehead. “All right, Beth. I shall gladly accept it.”
Elizabeth returned the kiss, hugged Miss Pendleton’s
waist, and buried her face in the nape of her neck for a
moment.
Elizabeth felt at ease, as though she were sitting with her
head on the lap of her mother, who had died when she was a
child.
Soon stepping out of Laura’s arms to stand at her
husband’s side, Mrs. Morton told Miss Pendleton excitedly of
her future plans—from her immediate plans, like where in
Italy she and her husband would spend their honeymoon, to
her long-term life plans of how many children they planned
to have and how they would raise them.
Miss Pendleton listened attentively, her gray eyes as
focused as ever, and spoke kind words of encouragement.
More than ten minutes passed, and the couple, conscious of
the impropriety of lingering at the same table for too long,
bade Miss Pendleton farewell with a hug and handshake each,
then departed.
 Miss Pendleton gazed for a long time at the backs of the
Mortons as they walked away, arm in arm. She felt pride
blossom in her heart, just as she had earlier upon seeing
Elizabeth walk down the aisle on Viscount Dayer’s arm.
She had first met Beth twelve years ago when she, fresh
out of boarding school, accompanied her grandmother on a
visit to Viscount Dayer’s house. Beth was only seven years old.
Although they had never met before, Beth immediately took
Laura to her playroom, introduced her to all her dolls, and
served her some sugar tea that she had made herself.
From that day on, Beth and Miss Pendleton were fast
friends. Rather, they were more like close sisters than friends.
To think that little girl had grown up, found herself a
wonderful man, and taken his last name! She was deeply
moved—yet strangely a little sad, too.
Feeling tears about to well up in her eyes, she shook her
head to clear it and sat down, taking a few sips of the coffee
she had set aside. It had cooled down and lost its aroma. Just
then Miss Jane Hyde, the lady who had excused herself
earlier, returned to the table with a hot cup of coffee and a
plate with a slice of cake.
Miss Pendleton noticed an unidentifiable stain on Miss
Hyde’s skirt that hadn’t been there earlier, and she realized at
once that Miss Hyde had once again eaten something and
spilled it on herself, but she said nothing.
Miss Hyde replaced Miss Pendleton’s cup of cold coffee
with a hot one and placed the slice of cake between the two of
them. On her face was the same distraught expression she’d
worn while speaking to Miss Pendleton earlier.
Miss Pendleton sighed under her breath and resumed their
interrupted conversation. “So, I take it that Mr. Fairfax is
going to propose to you sometime this week?”
“Yes,” Miss Hyde said with a nod, pressing a hand to her
forehead. “He will likely come over the day after tomorrow.
He will get down on one knee in my parlor, take my hand, and
ask me plainly to marry him —he is not one to talk in circles.
How troublesome. To think he loved me! Who could have
imagined such a thing?”
Miss Pendleton did not bother telling her that it was
imagined by everyone in London who knew the two of them.
“Yes, I can understand how shocking this must be for you,
Miss Hyde. After all, while a marriage proposal is something
that is thought out and prepared in advance by the giver, it is
something that happens out of the blue for the receiver, much
like an unforeseen accident. At least Mr. Fairfax wrote you a
letter and gave you some warning. However, Miss Hyde, it
seems to me that surprise alone is not the cause of your
distress. May I ask what the matter is?”
Miss Hyde bit her lip and looked at Miss Pendleton. “I-I do
not know what to do.”
“You do not?”
Miss Hyde picked up her fork and stuck it into the slice of
cake. “Mr. Fairfax is a wonderful man. He listens attentively
to whatever I say, he shows interest in everything I do, and he
never frowns at me, even when I make the occasional silly
mistake. The other day, when I fell off my horse and showed
up with my riding habit all covered in mud, he was not at all
perturbed and treated me like a duchess.”
“Yes, he is a very nice man. But?”
“But…” Miss Hyde’s light brown eyes were flitting about
as if they were searching for words. In the end, however, she
said nothing, merely bit her lip and made a mess of the cake
with her fork.
Miss Pendleton could not help but be puzzled by Miss
Hyde’s attitude. Mr. Fairfax was an excellent suitor. The
second son of a renowned family of perfumers, a self-made
businessman who had found great success in trade, tall and
handsome, with land and even a country manor of his own.
There was only one possibility for an unmarried young
lady in London to be in such distress over being courted by a
man of Mr. Fairfax’s standing—if she already had a man
whom she had promised her hand to, and the new suitor was
in possession of a better fortune than the previous one. In
such cases, women were torn between the desire to remain
faithful to their fiance and the temptation to switch to a new,
more desirable man. Some women were so deeply troubled by
this dilemma that they ended up wasting away.
But Miss Pendleton was certain that such a dilemma was
not what was troubling Miss Hyde. It was not a question of
her morality. The truth was that Miss Hyde had no interest in
love—her only interests were cricket, horseback riding, and
thick, heavy-bound books. Miss Pendleton, who had known
her for more than a decade, could even testify before God that
the objects of Miss Hyde’s passion had always remained the
same.
Miss Pendleton sipped her coffee in silence, waiting for
Miss Hyde to say something. Miss Hyde, however, was
preoccupied with crushing the cake with her fork and shaping
it into one hideous lump. There was clearly a thought running
through her head that Miss Pendleton couldn’t quite put her
finger on. She was struggling to reveal a feeling that not even
she understood, but something that she found impossible to
ignore. This was a rare sight for Miss Hyde, who had a vast
vocabulary and was adept at coming up with something to say
on the fly.
Miss Hyde soon stuck her fork into the lump of cake like a
flag in the ground and muttered, “Miss Pendleton… Mr.
Fairfax will be very sad if I were to refuse his proposal, won’t
he?”
Miss Pendleton almost dropped the cup in her hand. “So I
take it you intend to refuse?”
 Chapter 3

Miss Hyde let out a melancholy laugh. “Silly, isn’t it?”

Miss Pendleton shook her head.
“No, it is silly. If Mother and Father knew what I was
thinking right now, they would faint in shock. I told you
earlier, didn’t I, that Mother saw my letter? As always, she
cannot help herself from checking over everything I read and
write.” Miss Hyde grimaced as though she were holding a
wedge of sour lemon in her mouth—the same look she wore
whenever the topic of her mother came up in conversation.
“She is already working with Rosemary on setting a date for
the wedding. If I tell her I plan to refuse Mr. Fairfax’s
proposal, she will collapse on the spot. And once she has
recovered from her fainting spell, she will clutch my arm and
say, ‘Twenty-five is the oldest age at which you can be sold
off without being labeled a spinster. If you end up becoming a
spinster and a burden to your brother and sister, I will find no
rest, even in the afterlife. There is nothing in this house worth
passing on to you, and our remaining savings must be used
for Alex’s university tuition fees and Emily’s wedding. So get
your head on straight and stop acting foolish.’”
 “Miss Hyde, is your antipathy towards your mother the
reason you intend to refuse Mr. Fairfax’s proposal?”
“No. I keep thinking that I might as well get married and
be done with it. But there is another part of me screaming no,
that cannot be the reason behind making such a momentous
decision,” Miss Hyde said with a shake of her head. Staring
fixedly at Miss Pendleton, she continued, “What do you think
about all this, Miss Pendleton? Do you think I am making a
decision I will live to regret?”
Miss Pendleton could see why Miss Hyde had chosen to
confide in her. She wanted advice about her possible future as
a spinster from another spinster whom she was closely
acquainted with.
Miss Pendleton swirled her teacup for a moment, deep in
thought, then began to speak. “Let me begin by saying that I
have known you for a long time, Miss Hyde. And as a friend of
your sister’s, I have a responsibility to give you honest advice.
So I will trust you not to think less of me, even if I am
disparaging myself in the process. You’d do best to avoid
living as a spinster in England.”
Miss Pendleton saw Miss Hyde’s lips twitch a few times
before they shut. Undoubtedly she wanted to ask, “Didyou find
it difficult to live as a spinster, Miss Pendleton?”But Miss Hyde
ultimately refrained from asking that question, for which
Miss Pendleton was quite grateful. Had she asked, Miss
Pendleton would have been compelled to answer her in as
much detail as possible, even as the question left a bitter taste
in her mouth.
“Living as an unmarried woman is difficult, both socially
and financially. As it is your future that is at stake, Miss Hyde,
let us consider the matter carefully. Now, the first thing I
would like to tell you is that while Mr. Fairfax is a good man,
that has nothing to do with the question of whether or not
you should accept his proposal,” Laura said in a gentle but
firm voice. “It would be deceitful of you to accept his proposal
solely in order to avoid hurting his feelings, so let us set Mr.
Fairfax’s feelings aside for a moment. Do not think about
your parents, either. Focus on your own feelings, Miss Hyde.
How would it feel to marry Mr. Fairfax? To live with him in
the same home?”
Miss Hyde stared at the pool of black liquid in her coffee
cup for a moment. “I would be completely free. Mr. Fairfax
has mentioned three times in his letters that he would never
force me to do anything once we were married. And of course,
we could ride together or have lively conversations from time
to time. Mr. Fairfax is always a good listener. I would be
gaining a great friend.”
“Very well, Miss Hyde. I am in complete agreement with
you so far. Mr. Fairfax would never break a promise he has
made. He will respect you for the rest of your life and be a very
good friend to you. It will be a decently happy marriage. Now
for my last question, Miss Hyde. You do know what happens
between married couples, don’t you?”
 Miss Hyde stared blankly at her.
Miss Pendleton quickly glanced around, then leaned in
closer to Miss Hyde and whispered, “Not what happens
during the day, but what happens at night.”
Miss Hyde’s face immediately paled. Miss Pendleton
calmly observed the change in her expression, realizing by
the look on Miss Hyde’s face that the question was now
settled in her mind forever. Indeed, what she was really
feeling was an unconscious aversion to the intimate act that
took place between a husband and wife—something that
women who accept the proposal of a man they could never
love desperately try to forget about until their honeymoon.
Miss Pendleton, for better or for worse, had forced Miss Hyde
to face the matter before the proposal.
“How do you do, Miss Hyde?”
The greeting startled Miss Pendleton and Miss Hyde.
Sitting close together and whispering to themselves, they had
not noticed Mr. Fairfax walking up to their table. They jumped
to their feet like a pair of springs. Luckily, Mr. Fairfax was
wearing his usual kind, good-natured smile, seeming not to
have heard what the two ladies had been discussing about
him.
Miss Pendleton quickly masked the surprise on her face
and curtsied, wearing the charming smile she had crafted
over the twelve years she had spent socializing in London.
Miss Hyde, on the other hand, was not yet practiced in the
ways of society and only just managed to hide the look of
discomfort from her face. She stood with difficulty, clinging
to Miss Pendleton, with an uncharacteristic stagger and
sweating profusely.
Mr. Fairfax looked at Miss Hyde worriedly. “Are you
unwell, Miss Hyde?”
“N-no, I’m fine.”
“Really? But you look pale.”
I-I think I ate something that didn’t agree

with me…”
“Oh no! Would you like me to accompany you to your
carriage?”
“No, that’s all right!” shrieked Miss Hyde in spite of
herself. As if to offer an excuse for her histrionics, she then
mumbled, “I think I simply need to sit with Miss Pendleton
for a while, since she gives excellent hand massages…”
“I see. If you do need my help, let me know. Or if you need
a doctor.”
“I will be fine, really…”
Still concerned, Mr. Fairfax was unable to take his eyes off
Miss Hyde. Soon realizing, however, that it was not polite to
stare at an unmarried lady for too long, he turned his gaze to
Miss Pendleton. “You are looking lovely as always, Miss
Pendleton.”
“Thank you. You are too kind.”
“I heard you recently lent Janet a copy of Dumas’ novel in
the original French. My sister has become quite the scholar
these days and spends at least two hours a day studying the
French language. I would be grateful if you could come by
sometime and help Janet improve her conversational skills.”
“Certainly. I will pay you a visit soon. It is always a
pleasure to have tea with the lovely Miss Janet.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled warmly, pleased about the compliment
Miss Pendleton paid his sister. “Oh, and there is one more
favor I would like to ask of you.”
“Of course. What is it that you need?”
Mr. Fairfax’s face turned serious as he spoke. “You
remember that I have a relative by marriage, do you not? A
young man around my age?”
“Oh, yes. His name was Ian…”
“Ian Dalton. Ian Dalton of Whitefield.”
“Yes, I remember. A young gentleman with many nieces
and nephews, if I recall correctly.”
Miss Pendleton was familiar with the name Ian Dalton, for
it was a name brought up occasionally in conversation with
Mr. Fairfax or his sister. The owner of a large estate in
Yorkshire called Whitefield. A resourceful man who had more
than quadrupled his father’s fortune in a few short years.
And, according to Miss Janet Fairfax, blessed with remarkably
good looks. She had even her own brother, who himself was
quite a dashing man, paled in comparison—in fact, he was
even more attractive than Mr. Edward Morton! Miss
Pendleton, who had never seen a more handsome man than
Mr. Morton in her entire life, could not even begin to fathom
what Mr. Dalton might look like.
“That’s right. We grew up together, and attended Eton
together as well, although we ended up going our separate
ways for university, him to Cambridge and me to Oxford. He
plans to come to London for a visit in a month or so, and he
wrote to ask if I would mind if he stayed in my guest room in
lieu of a hotel. I was in the middle of writing him back to say
that I would be more than happy to have him stay with me.”
He continued calmly, “Ian’s letter, however, was soon
followed by a letter from my sister-in-law and Ian’s sister,
Mrs. Robert Fairfax. Her letter said she hoped her brother Ian
could meet many friends during his stay in London… that is to
say, many young ladies.”
Miss Pendleton realized what he was trying to ask.
Mr. Fairfax continued, “But I don’t know many young
ladies, as I spend most of my time smoking at the
gentlemen’s club. And so, Miss Pendleton, I was hoping you
could introduce my cousin Ian to some of your friends.”
“That will not be difficult, but… is that something Mr.
Dalton would welcome?”
Mr. Fairfax shrugged. “To be frank, this is only upon his
sister’s insistence. At thirty, he is of prime marriageable age
for a man, but he holes himself up in his estate and hasn’t the
slightest inclination to go out and look for a wife.”
Miss Pendleton nodded. There was no need for a
gentleman of thirty to rush into marriage, after all. Moreover,
Ian Dalton was a landed gentry and a man of immense wealth.
For a well-to-do man like him, even the age of forty would
not be too old to find a match. While Miss Pendleton had no ill
will towards either Mr. Fairfax or Mr. Dalton, she was
unwilling to allow a gentleman who wasn’t even interested in
marriage to judge her friends with an indifferent eye. “I am
doubtful of whether he really needs to come all the way to
London for that—there must be plenty of fine young ladies
around his estate. Besides, London society would surely
welcome him with open arms without my having to make the
effort, if that is what Mr. Dalton wants,” said Miss Pendleton,
conveying her refusal in as roundabout a manner as she
could.
Mr. Fairfax, however, did not back down. “I understand
that you do not necessarily want to introduce your friends to a
man who has no intention of getting married. You care deeply
about your friends, after all. But you could at least consider
becoming friends with Ian Dalton yourself, could you not?”
He continued in an impassioned voice, “He truly is a good
fellow. I do not mean that simply in terms of his means, but
that he is a thoughtful, considerate man who values his
family greatly. He can be a bit eccentric… but I can vouch that
that is a minor flaw when compared to his many merits.”
Miss Pendleton let out a genuine laugh. He truly is a good-
hearted man, to ask so eagerly for a favor on behalf of someone
who is little more than a friend and a cousin by marriage.
 Miss Pendleton thought for a moment, then nodded. “Of
course, I would be delighted to have him as a friend. Once Mr.
Ian Dalton comes to visit, please feel free to introduce us.”
 Chapter 4

At Miss Pendleton’s words, a delighted smile appeared on Mr.

Fairfax’s face. He took her hand and vigorously shook it, all
the while thanking her profusely. Then he asked Miss Hyde
once again if she needed any assistance.
Miss Hyde committed the social faux pas of shaking her
head without even sparing Mr. Fairfax a glance. Mr. Fairfax,
however, was unperturbed by her rudeness, and bade her a
fond farewell, telling her he would stop by the day after
tomorrow to return the Mary Shelley novel he had borrowed
from her the other day.
Miss Pendleton could not help but feel sorry for Mr.
Fairfax, whose face—which she had always thought rather
handsome —positively glowed with affection and
anticipation.
After Mr. Fairfax left the table, Miss Hyde sat back down,
her face ashen. Miss Pendleton sat down beside her to take
her hand, which was now ice-cold, and warm it with her own.
The discomfited expression on Miss Hyde’s face from earlier
was now gone, replaced with a look of abject guilt. Miss
Pendleton realized Miss Hyde had completely made her mind
up after their conversation earlier. The day after tomorrow,
she would be refusing Mr. Fairfax’s proposal.

***

After seeing off Mr. and Mrs. Morton, who were leaving for
Italy immediately after the wedding, Miss Pendleton wearily
climbed into her carriage.
The carriage started slowly. Miss Pendleton leaned her
head against the window and stared outside absentmindedly.
As her carriage made its way out of the tranquil park
surrounding the reception hall, the busy evening streets of
London unfolded before her. Laborers in flat caps heading
every which way as they puffed away on their pipes, middle-
aged women in worn, shabby cloaks hurrying home, little
boys eagerly peering into the gunmaker’s shop, and young
workmen with ladders in tow to light the gas lamps. There
were street vendors with fruits and vegetables piled so high
that they looked like they could collapse and roll away at any
moment, and young girls approaching well-dressed
passersby to sell flowers. London, as always, was noisy and
bustling.
The scenery gradually changed as the carriage neared its
destination. Street vendors gave way to millinery and lace
shops with beautiful window displays. The passersby were
now gentlemen in silk hats and ladies in bustle dresses. The
only people who seemed to be in a hurry were young maids
rushing to their employers’ manors with urgent errands.
They had at last entered Grosvenor Street, Mayfair’s
wealthiest residential neighborhood.
Miss Pendleton, who had been leaning against the seat of
the carriage, straightened her back and fixed her hair. The
carriage soon came to a stop, and the coachman quickly
dismounted and opened the carriage door for her. Miss
Pendleton took the coachman’s hand and lightly stepped out
of the carriage. After bidding the coachman a good evening,
she headed into her house straightaway.
While it was a familiar sight to Miss Pendleton, others
often found themselves quite astonished by the Pendleton
family townhouse. Most visitors immediately froze upon
entering the doorway and seeing the massive Impressionist
painting hanging right by it. They then proceeded to be
overwhelmed by the colorful and provocative oil paintings
that lined the walls of the hallway leading to the parlor, rich
red tapestries imported from China, and porcelain vases with
serpents painted on them.
But none of this was new to Miss Pendleton, who had lived
here for over a decade. She did not pay attention to any of
them but instead strode straight up the stairs to the second
floor, knocking softly on the door to the middle of the three
rooms.
“Is that you, Laura?”
“Yes, it’s me. I’m coming in.” Miss Pendleton opened the
door and entered. With the curtains drawn, the roaring
fireplace was the sole source of light in the darkened room.
Seated by the fire, Lady Abigail Pendleton had her cat
Annie on her lap and was using the light of the fireplace and a
small gas lamp to read a stack of papers.
Miss Pendleton approached Abigail and sat down on the
small stool beside her. “How are you feeling, Grandmother?”
Abigail rubbed her tired eyes and replied lightly, “Much
better than earlier, though this infernal manuscript may
render me infirm again.”
“Oh. That’s Mr. Naise’s manuscript, isn’t it? I heard he
rewrote it five times, is it really that terrible?”
“I don’t know why he isn’t taking my advice not to repeat
the same adjective more than three times in a single
paragraph. Nor do I understand why keeps reiterating every
five pages that the main character had trouble with his
kidneys as a child. The necklace these two are tracking must
be hiding in his kidneys or something. It’s enough to even
make my healthy kidneys throb with pain.” Abigail tossed the
sheaf of paper onto the nightstand and turned to Miss
Pendleton, an inquisitive gleam in her eye. “So, my dear, how
was Elizabeth and Edward’s wedding today? Describe it for
me from beginning to end.”
Miss Pendleton began to recount all the lovely details of
the wedding, which she had committed to memory scene by
scene for this very moment—how beautifully the chapel was
decorated, how the guests behaved, what the bride and groom
wore, how loud their voices were as they said their vows, how
large the reception hall was, and what dishes were served at
the buffet.
And the loveliest and most heartwarming detail of all was
the tear in Edward Morton’s eye right after he kissed his
bride. Doubtless, it was the highlight of the wedding event
and something that would surely be talked about for years to
come.
Abigail was as surprised to hear of it as the guests had been
to witness it at the ceremony but shortly burst out laughing.
She was enjoying Miss Pendleton’s retelling so much, in fact,
that she seemed to have briefly forgotten about the gout that
always plagued her and the irritation she’d been feeling
earlier from having to read a third-rate novel. “I knew it.
Didn’t I tell you I could see that Edward Morton fellow had a
soft heart underneath that tough exterior? But I did not
expect him to shed a tear. It’s a pity I couldn’t be there to see
it for myself. I will have to tease him about it mercilessly once
he returns from his honeymoon.”
“Oh, Grandmother.” Miss Pendleton laughed. “Beth
promised to bring back some sheet music and books from
Italy for
J?
you.
“Is that so? I can hardly wait. And what did she say she was
going to get you?”
“A snow-white lace shawl.”
 “Excellent. The one you have now is over ten years old. I
have been meaning to buy you one for a while. Beth has a
good eye.”
“She’s always been a clever girl.”
“Yes, and that is how she managed to marry a man like
Edward. Most girls would have been too frightened to even
say a word in his presence. Actually, Beth was also like that at
first. Do you remember the first dinner we held at our house?
That young man sat stiff as a board and glared at Beth so
coldly that the girl, who usually has such a robust appetite,
complained of a headache and ran away after only a few bites
of salad.” Abigail clicked her tongue in disapproval.
“Regardless of how unaccustomed he might have been to
socializing, what kind of gentleman treats a lady that way?
But then he goes and marries her a few months later. How
wondrous. I doubt that marriage would have happened if you
hadn’t made all that effort to bring them together.”
While Miss Pendleton made no reply, her face flushed
slightly.
“You first struck up a conversation with Edward, who was
forlornly drinking in a corner of the room after Beth ran off.
After talking to him for nearly two hours, you realized what a
decent fellow he was… and that he cared for Beth deeply.
From then on, you often invited both Beth and Edward to tea,
and the three of you often went for walks in Hyde Park. Not
long after, Beth fell for Edward, and you gave her much
encouragement when she was tormented by the thought that
he couldn’t possibly reciprocate her feelings. It is ultimately
thanks to you that today’s masterpiece of a wedding took
place. Goodness, girl, why are you shaking your head?”
Miss Pendleton gave an embarrassed smile and clasped
her grandmother’s hand. “It is just hard to hear such
undeserved praise, Grandmother. Beth and Edward
themselves were the ones responsible for fulfilling their
union, and I had very little to do with it. Please do not say
such things in front of anyone else.”
“Why would I need to? All of London knows what you
accomplished. You matched the eldest son of the Morton
family with Viscount Dayer’s only daughter. How many happy
couples have you matched by now? Your friend Rosemary and
Judge Maclean, Baron Lowe’s daughter Olive and the eldest
son of Viscount Raven, and—’’
“Grandmother, stop!” Miss Pendleton turned bright red
and shook her grandmother’s hand frantically.
Abigail let out a hearty laugh, having fun teasing her shy
granddaughter as usual. “You blush so adorably whenever
someone compliments you, it makes me want to tease you
even more. Today’s marriage must be the tenth you’ve
successfully arranged to date. My word, Laura, you are the
best matchmaker in all of London. My capable granddaughter
Laura Pendleton!”
Miss Pendleton did not reply but merely bowed her now
beet-red face. Abigail chuckled and stroked Miss Pendleton’s
beautiful strawberry blonde hair, which was pulled up snugly
in a snood. She then gently wrapped a hand around her
granddaughter’s chin and lifted it up.
In the light of the roaring fire, Miss Pendleton’s face was
revealed. Flushed cheeks and sparkling dark gray eyes. Even,
delicate features and porcelain skin. Abigail studied her dear
granddaughter’s countenance for a moment. Within the
pulchritude, in that slim visage, she could find glimpses of
her daughter—Dolores Pendleton, her beautiful, intelligent
child, who had been taken from her far too soon.
Abigail’s pleasant smile quickly turned bitter as she
stroked her granddaughter’s face. “Laura, answer my
question honestly.”
Miss Pendleton curiously stared at Abigail’s face.
“At twenty-nine, you are still as beautiful as ever. It
almost seems as though the ravages of time have spared you.
And ten years ago, you were even more beautiful than you are
now. You are and have always been a wise, kindhearted girl. In
fact, I have never met a young lady who was as exceptional as
you, both inside and out. So why must you expend all your
efforts for the sake of other people? Why won’t you yourself
look for love?”
 Chapter 5

Miss Pendleton’s gaze wavered.

“I know there were limits to what I could give you, and
that you still feel weighed down by the mistakes your parents
made. In spite of all that, you’ve had many opportunities to
meet a good man who would love and cherish you, yet you’ve
diligently avoided any romantic entanglements for over a
decade. Why is that? Has your heart lost the ability to love?”
Miss Pendleton took Abigail’s hand in her own and gently
pulled it away from her face. She then turned her head to look
into the fire in an attempt to hide her expression from her
grandmother. She was always like this. Miss Pendleton
masked everything about herself whenever this subject came
up—her expressions, her thoughts, her feelings.
Miss Pendleton remained silent for a moment, then said in
a clear, impassive voice, “Never have I thought what you
provided for me was in any way lacking. On the contrary,
you’ve been more than generous with me, especially when
none of it even belonged to me in the first place. I have always
been grateful to you. Always.”
“You never resented me? Not even once?”
Miss Pendleton turned to face Abigail.
 “Why on earth would I ever resent you?”
“For giving you the Pendleton name.”
“What about you, Grandmother? Haven’t you ever
regretted giving me the Pendleton name?”
Abigail gazed at Miss Pendleton for a moment before
closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Never.”
“It is the same for me. I’ve never resented you,
Grandmother. I’ve been content and satisfied with everything
you’ve given me, and I’ve lived a happy life. I still do. So let us
stop dwelling on this subject, Grandmother. You need your
rest.”
Before Abigail could say anything in reply, Miss Pendleton
rose from her stool and called for the servants downstairs to
get her grandmother ready for bed.
The servants soon arrived and, with Miss Pendleton
assisting, helped Abigail to her bed, then cleared the fireplace
and left. Miss Pendleton remained at her grandmother’s side
to give her her medicine for the night.
Abigail took it in silence, watching Miss Pendleton’s face
carefully. She wore a subdued expression that failed to mask
her melancholy. Abigail could plainly see which memories
were swirling around in her granddaughter’s head, and
tonight, she couldn’t help but blurt out the question she had
refrained from asking previously. “Is it because of him? The
man who forsook you?”
Miss Pendleton paused and turned to look at her
grandmother. Abigail was watching her with a calm
expression.
“I will not ask you this again after tonight, so please
answer my question. Is it true what people were whispering
about you? Have you given up on love because of the man who
deceived and abandoned you?”
Miss Pendleton silently gathered up the papers her
grandmother’s medicine had been wrapped in and the glass
of water. Contrary to earlier, her expression was impassive. It
was impossible to tell what she was thinking. In lieu of an
answer, she leaned down to kiss Abigail on the forehead and
whispered, “Good night, Grandmother.” She then left the
room, the skirts of her dress quietly rustling.
That night, Miss Pendleton changed into her nightclothes,
combed her hair, and knelt at the foot of her bed as usual. She
then prayed with all her heart.
Please grace Mr. and Mrs. Morton, who were united in
marriage today, with a lifetime of harmony and joy. Please
bestow upon both Miss Hyde and Mr. Fairfax, who must be
tossing and turning in bed in restlessness, the happiest of futures.
Please bless Grandmother with good health and take away her
worries.
 And lastly, please grant peace to the man who spurned me
twelve years ago.

***

It was a week after Mr. and Mrs. Morton’s wedding that Miss
Pendleton learned of Miss Hyde’s refusal to marry. Mrs.
Alexander Maclean, nee Rosemary Hyde- Miss Hyde’s
older sister and Miss Pendleton’s classmate in boarding
school —had written to her to relay the news of her family
turmoil.
Upon the visit of the young gentleman who could soon be
her future son-in-law, Mrs. Hyde immediately dolled her
daughter up and dragged her into the parlor. Soon she and
Mr. Fairfax found themselves alone in the parlor—and a mere
five minutes later, Mr. Fairfax left the Hyde manor. That was
how quickly the two had gone through the process of
proposal, rejection, persuasion, and a second, insistent
rejection.
Its aftermath, however, was long and terrifying. When
Mrs. Hyde learned that Jane had refused Mr. Fairfax’s
proposal, she fell into a dead faint on the spot. John called a
doctor to see her, and whenever Mrs. Hyde wasn’t
unconscious, she was apparently screaming her head off at
her daughter.
At the end of the letter, there was a short note saying that
her sister, the person responsible for the catastrophe, had
shut herself up in her room and would not come out.
Rosemary added that she herself was too busy caring for her
mother to attend to Jane, and entreated Miss Pendleton to
visit the Hyde manor whenever she could to comfort the girl.
Miss Pendleton immediately baked a basket of Miss Hyde’s
favorite raspberry cookies and headed to the Hyde manor. As
she stepped through the front door, the gloomy air hit her
like a wave. It was an atmosphere of disquiet that
characteristically permeated a home when its hostess was in a
foul mood.
Miss Pendleton handed the basket of cookies to a servant
and let herself be guided to the parlor. Mrs. Maclean shortly
entered the parlor, a tired look on her face. When she saw
Miss Pendleton, however, her glum expression turned into a
broad smile and she drew her friend into a tight embrace. “It
has been so long since I’ve seen you last, Laura! I hope you
are well.”
“Yes, thank you. It has been too long indeed—I have not
seen you since Mary- Jane’s christening. And how does your
husband fare?”
“He is fine, as always. Entirely too healthy and energetic
for his own good, if anything.”
The two sat down to tea. Mrs. Maclean, who had married
Judge Maclean six years ago thanks to Miss Pendleton’s
matchmaking, had gained a moderate amount of weight and
now had the stature and dignified bearing of a lady of the
house. Whenever she met Miss Pendleton, however, she
reverted to the young girl who was banned from dinner for
scribbling in her French grammar book and snuck in snacks
to eat in bed.
Mrs. Maclean sighed as she loudly munched on the
raspberry cookies that had been brought out, just as she had
in her girlhood. “Mother is intolerable. If the girl doesn’t
want to marry, it can’t be helped! Yet she seems determined
to make Jane suffer for her decision.”
“Well, it’s understandable that Mrs. Hyde is quite upset
about what happened.
Frankly, Mr. Fairfax is a very good man and any woman
would be lucky to call him her husband.”
“Yes, I know. But it isn’t as though Mother is the one
marrying him. She involves herself too much in Jane’s life—
and she is only like this with her, too. Jane is already twenty-
five years old, yet Mother still reads her diary, letters, and
everything else she writes. She even tells Jane how to wear her
hair and which ornaments to put on her dress,” Mrs. Maclean
complained fervently. “I know Jane can be a bit of a tomboy,
but she hasn’t ever acted in a foolish, vulgar manner or
gotten herself into trouble! She is smart and witty, which is
precisely the reason a man of Mr. Fairfax’s caliber asked her
to marry him. Mother is the only person who thinks so poorly
of Jane.”
Miss Pendleton looked at her friend and smiled slightly.
Mrs. Maclean, as always, thought her dear little sister Jane
could do no wrong—although Miss Hyde, of course, was a
remarkable young lady in her own right. “You’re right. Miss
Hyde is indeed a very clever young lady.”
“I used to worry that with the way she carried on, she
would never be able to marry, but nowadays I think she will
be more than capable of supporting herself, even if she is on
her own. The world is changing, bit by bit. While it isn’t easy,
even women can make a living for themselves these days. She
can do it. She just hasn’t had the necessary support to grow
and flourish.”
Mrs. Maclean took a sip of her tea and continued, “If our
family hadn’t lost the manor in Haworth, Jane wouldn’t have
had to leave school in such a hurry. She could have kept
studying, perhaps even become a teacher. She could have
taught literature—her grades were excellent, and her writing
skills were exceptional.” She sighed heavily. “If only I could
borrow a small sum from my husband! Then I would pay for
her to continue her education. But I cannot even tell you how
much John borrowed from him, saying he needed the funds to
start his business. He is yet to even repay the interest. The
very thought makes me flush with shame in front of my
husband.”
Miss Pendleton skipped over the uncomfortable subject of
money, choosing to respond with an agreement of how Mrs.
Maclean viewed her sister. “I do think it would be difficult for
Miss Hyde to find happiness as a married woman. The
security and comfort that marriage provides might feel
stifling for her, even if she were married to the kindest and
most wonderful man in the world.”
“That is precisely what I mean. Marriage is only for those
who are suitable for it. Married life is exceedingly difficult.
Every time my children fall ill, it breaks my heart, and
whenever I end up quarreling with my husband, I feel so… I do
love him dearly, but sometimes I wonder why I was so
desperate to get married when I was younger. I do not want to
put Jane through all that. I am certain she will not be able to
bear it.” Mrs. Maclean continued for some time to lament
Jane’s plight, the unjustness of her mother’s treatment of
her, and the less-than- fortunate circumstances that
surrounded her dear sister.
As Miss Pendleton listened, she found herself wishing that
her friend Rosemary had not married so soon. As far as she
knew, Mrs. Maclean was the only member of the Hyde family
who cared about Miss Jane Hyde so deeply. Mrs. Maclean,
however, would have to leave as soon as her mother’s health
improved, for her home was not here, but with Judge
Maclean.
Their conversation was soon interrupted by Mrs. Hyde,
who was calling for Mrs. Maclean. The two ladies stepped out
of the parlor and climbed the stairs of the manor. Mrs.
Maclean was planning to to her mother, who was in her
bedroom on the second floor, while Miss Pendleton was to
pay Mrs. Hyde a visit before going upstairs to Miss Hyde’s
room on the fifth floor.
 They arrived at Mrs. Hyde’s bedroom, which was located
in the inner area of the second floor. Mrs. Maclean knocked
on the door a few times, then entered. Miss Pendleton stood
in the doorway and waited, smoothing her hair down in order
to make herself more presentable to Mrs. Hyde.
Inside, she could hear Mrs. Maclean announcing Miss
Pendleton’s arrival. She then heard Mrs. Hyde retort in a
hoarse voice, “Tell her to go home. I am sick of looking at
spinsters.”
“Whatever do you mean, Mother?”
“Your blasted friend has ruined Jane’s marriage! She is
going to make that girl into a spinster just like herself!”
“What did Laura do? Why would she be to blame for Jane
not wanting to marry?”
“I saw the two of them whispering together at the
Mortons’ wedding, as thick as thieves. They have been
spending quite a bit of time together as of late, and I thought
she would help Jane find a good match. Never could I have
imagined that she would do the exact opposite!”
“Laura did nothing wrong! It was Jane who chose to refuse
Mr. Fairfax’s proposal. Besides, Jane doesn’t need a husband.
Look at Laura, who is unmarried yet lives a rich, fulfilling
life.”
“Sure, she can hold her head up high even though she’s a
spinster—her grandmother is the great Mrs. Pendleton! Does
that girl plan to feed and clothe my daughter once I die and
she is left penniless? I should never have allowed Jane to
socialize with her.”
“Yet you were so happy and grateful to Laura for finding
me a wonderful husband. Do you realize just how shallow and
superficial you sound, Mother?”
“You would have done fine on your own, even without
Miss Pendleton’s help. Jane, on the other hand—you could
drop her along the side of the road and not see a single man
take an interest in her. How dare that Miss Pendleton spoil
her one chance at a good match? Does she plan to snag
another well-to-do gentleman for Jane? We should never
have associated with a girl of inferior class like her in the first
place!”
 Chapter 6

The quarrel continued inside for some time. Miss Pendleton

stood quietly in the doorway, listening. Mrs. Maclean soon
came out of the room, fuming, and her gaze lowered in shame
when she saw her friend in front of the door. “Laura… I’m
sorry, but I think it’d be best for you not to see her today.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “I’m quite all right, Rosemary.
Don’t you worry.”
Mrs. Maclean looked at her friend’s face, saw that she was
not particularly upset, and hung her head, feeling even worse.
Of course, Miss Pendleton would be lying if she said she
wasn’t offended at all. But she was well aware of how she
appeared in the eyes of others since she reached the age of
twenty-five. An unclaimed old maid —a mother’s greatest
fear. Ever since giving up on marriage, she considered it
unavoidable that people might regard her this way.
She patted an embarrassed Mrs. Maclean on the shoulder
as a means of telling her not to mind what her mother had
said and hurried up the stairs.
Miss Pendleton knocked on the door of Miss Hyde’s room
located on the fifth floor. There was no sound coming from
inside the room, and she wondered if Miss Hyde was sleeping
or perhaps holding her breath, thinking it was a member of
her family looking for her and hoping that they would give up
and leave. Miss Pendleton put her face close to the door and
said softly, “Miss Hyde. It’s me, Laura Pendleton. Are you
asleep?”
Soon she could hear movement in the room, followed by
the splashing of water and the rustle of clothing. Shortly
after, the sound of slippers approached the door, and with a
click, it opened.
Miss Pendleton was rendered speechless at the sight. Miss
Hyde’s face, which was already on the slim side, was now
looking unspeakably wan and gaunt. Mrs. Maclean had
mentioned her sister had been sending back all her food the
past few days—it was clear she hadn’t eaten in a while.
Miss Hyde led Miss Pendleton into her room, guided her to
sit on the rocking chair, and sank down on the bed.
Miss Pendleton had to work very hard to control her
expression as she entered the room, as it was difficult to hide
her shock.
London townhouses tended to be much smaller and
simpler, as they were only occupied by nobles, who lived in
their estates the rest of the year, during the social season.
They often lacked a study or hall, and the number of rooms,
including the parlor, the master bedroom, guest room, and
nursery, was less than half of what one might see in an estate
country house. As such, in a large family, unmarried ladies
had to share rooms, and if they got a room to themselves,
they were usually relatively small and cramped quarters.
But Miss Jane Hyde’s room was particularly atrocious.
With only a bed, a small dresser, and a chair, the room was
already filled to the brim. All of her books were piled in one
corner as she had apparently been unable to fit them all on
the bookshelves. The most tragic sight of all was the reams of
paper and ink bottles on the windowsill. She was using the
windowsill, which was barely the height of a chair, as her
desk.
Miss Hyde, realizing that Miss Pendleton was eyeing the
pile of papers, walked over to the windowsill and knelt on the
cushion she had placed underneath it. She closed the inkwell
and gathered up the scattered papers, turning them over. “If I
write in the living room, Mother always tries to read it.”
Miss Pendleton looked at the back of Miss Hyde’s kneeling
form and realized that it was the position in which Miss Hyde
usually wrote. It was truly heartbreaking to witness. “I came
by for a visit because I heard you weren’t eating. Your sister is
very worried about you.”
“Oh.”
“No matter how distraught you might feel, you shouldn’t
risk your health by starving yourself. I brought you your
favorite raspberry cookies. Please try some.”
Miss Hyde said nothing. Miss Pendleton had a servant
bring up a plate of cookies. Sitting on her bed, Miss Hyde
stared at the cookies on the plate, then looked out the window
without touching them.
“Are you perhaps feeling guilty about Mr. Fairfax? If so,
don’t worry. When I stopped by to visit Miss Janet Fairfax the
other day, I asked after him and she told me he had gone
hunting on his brother’s estate. He, at least, wasn’t depriving
herself of food and drink.”
Miss Hyde, still avoiding Miss Pendleton’s gaze, continued
to stare out the window. She seemed lost in thought as she
looked out the window at the streets of London, an aura of
melancholy radiating from the side of her face. Yet her face
showed no hint of tears shed or heartbreak. What was Miss
Hyde feeling in her heart?
Miss Pendleton rose from her seat and sat down beside
Miss Hyde, and took one of her firm, long hands, hands that
were accustomed to holding reins and pens. Miss Hyde did
not remove her hand from Miss Pendleton’s grasp, but she
did not confess what was on her mind, either.
After a moment, Miss Pendleton spoke. “Are you
regretting your decision?”
Miss Hyde stayed silent for a beat, then shook her head. “It
was the best decision for both Mr. Fairfax and me.”
“Do you truly feel that way?”
Miss Hyde looked at Miss Pendleton and nodded. “Yes.”
Miss Pendleton smiled faintly. “That’s fine, then.”
Staring at Miss Pendleton’s face, Miss Hyde opened her
mouth as if to speak, but her lips quivered for a moment and
closed again. Instead, tears formed in the corners of her eyes.
She hung her head. Tears fell from her eyes and soaked the
back of Miss Pendleton’s gloved hand. Miss Pendleton said
nothing and simply held Miss Hyde’s hand tightly.
When Miss Pendleton’s suede gloves grew damp, Miss
Hyde looked up, her face now tear-streaked. Miss Pendleton
wiped Miss Hyde’s face with her other hand.
“Miss Pendleton,” Miss Hyde said in a hoarse voice. “Do
you have a vision of your future?”
Miss Pendleton thought about what Miss Hyde meant for a
moment, then nodded.
“Do you have an inheritance?”
“There is no inheritance for me to claim. That was the
condition of my being recognized as a Pendleton.”
“Neither do I. There will be no legacy coming to me.
Miss Pendleton wiped Miss Hyde’s face and studied her
features. Miss Hyde’s face was a jumble of emotions, such as
anxiety and remorse —negative emotions that could make a
person shrink to nothing.
“You aren’t eating because you fear the future?”
Miss Hyde did not reply.
“People can always make a living somehow.”
“I don’t want to live that way.”
Miss Hyde shook her head.
“This family has been sinking ever since my father died.
No one in the family will admit it, but it is evident by the way
my brother John goes about his business. And if we lose this
house as well, we will have to move to a house in the country,
and since I am unmarried, I will have to live with Mother for
the rest of my life.” Miss Hyde shuddered violently. “I would
rather starve to death now.”
“There must be another way, Miss Hyde.”
“What way? I lost my last chance at twenty-five. A
governess? With less than a year of schooling, not having
learned either French or art properly? Or a maid? I am prone
to losing things all the timelike my hat, as soon as it is off my
head! I shall be fired and chased out in less than a week. I will
either live with Mother and die of frustration, or run away
and become a vagabond. It would be better for me to die safely
at home now.”
Miss Pendleton stared at Miss Hyde, feeling a sense of deja
vu. Ah, the age of twenty-five was indeed a remarkable one
for a woman—she herself had had the same worries as Miss
Hyde at twenty-five. As an unmarried woman, effectively
having missed her last chance at marriage and with no
prospect of an inheritance, she felt threatened.
That she would be lonely for the rest of her life was not an
issue. What scared her most was poverty and the ignobility
that always accompanied it. Every night, she feared that the
circumstances that currently protected her would be gone the
next morning, and she would be reduced to nothing
compared to what she was now. That fear had haunted her.
Much time had passed before she found herself able to sleep
properly again.
 Miss Pendleton smiled at the mournful- looking Miss
Hyde. “You can be anything you wish, Miss Hyde.”
“What can I be?”
“Well, a nomad, perhaps. Or a fortune teller. A witch.”
“What?”
“An apothecary, a bullfighter, or a fairy.”
Miss Hyde gave Miss Pendleton a look of incredulity at her
sudden bout of silliness. “Miss Pendleton, you are teasing—”
“Or… a typist.”
Miss Hyde fell silent.
“I once bought myself a typewriter with the intention of
being a typist, before I realized I would be better off as a
governess. Typewriters cost a pretty penny, and I had to use
up a substantial proportion of my savings. It is still in my
study, but I haven’t used it in a while. I can hardly afford to
give it away, but I will lend it to you.”
Miss Hyde blinked.
“Come to my house and practice typing for two hours a
day, from six to eight in the evening. In three months, Miss
Hyde, you shall be the best typist in London, and able to work
in any office that needs paperwork. Then you will be able to
live with other girls your own age in a boarding house instead
of with your mother. How does that sound?”
Miss Pendleton picked up a cookie from the tray and held
it out to Miss Hyde. Miss Hyde looked at the cookie for a
moment, then took it and gobbled it up, and began to eat the
rest of the cookies on the tray.
 Miss Pendleton looked at Miss Hyde and thought to
herself, Twenty-five is a cruel age for an unmarried woman—
but for a young woman with a way to make a living, it is the age
at which a whole new life can begin.

***

A month later, Mr. Fairfax—having recovered from the pain

of heartbreak by shooting dozens of partridges on his
brother’s hunting grounds—returned to London,
accompanied by Ian Dalton, an in-law, and a close friend.
 Chapter 7

News of Ian Dalton of Whitefield’s arrival in London spread

like wildfire. Heir to a large estate that had been in his family
for hundreds of years, owner of vast forests and enormous
mines—a young landowner in possession of such lofty titles
at the tender age of thirty, yet still unmarried.
The parents of daughters could not help but focus their
attention on his appearance in London. Moreover, thanks to
Miss Janet Fairfax—the biggest gossip of London high society
—rumors of his exceptionally good looks had traveled among
the ladies of London, and Ian Dalton’s stock in the city had,
unbeknownst to him, soared.
However, he never showed his face at the social gatherings
that most of London’s upper crust attended. Invitations to
formal dinners were refused with politely worded letters that
had obviously been written by someone else, and he did not
even bother to show his face at smaller events such as balls
and concerts.
Such behavior by a young man from an ordinary family
would have been enough to brand him as a boor and cause
him to be quickly forgotten by society, but he was not
forgotten for a moment—the London social scene would
never forget a young man from a wealthy and prestigious
family. Rather, his nonchalance only added to his mystique
and piqued the curiosity of many.
The Fairfax siblings were among those whose stock rose in
tandem with Ian Dalton’s self-imposed confinement. Miss
Janet Fairfax in particular received an unprecedented number
of invitations to tea parties for the sole reason that she
resided in the same house as the one Ian Dalton was staying
at.
She squealed with happiness as she was surrounded by the
curious attention of ladies who wondered what Ian Dalton
was up to and when he would finally make his appearance in
London society. At seventeen, she was at an age to find the
attention of other ladies just as exhilarating as the attention
of gentlemen.
However, Miss Fairfax was unable to provide them with
the answers they wanted. She did not know what plans Ian
Dalton had for socializing either, for all Ian Dalton did at the
Fairfax home was shrug in response to his cousin-in-law’s
bashful questions about what he was thinking of doing in the
city and flip through their books.
Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Morton returned from their
honeymoon. Their first stop was the home of Mrs. Morton’s
godmother, Countess Abigail Pendleton, followed by a series
of visits to their neighbors. The sight of the happy newlyweds
and the gifts they bore briefly turned the topic of
conversation at tea parties to the Mortons.
 But soon Miss Janet Fairfax, who had been counting the
shrinking invitations and biting her nails anxiously, was
given a second chance to once again become the center of
attention—for she learned that Ian Dalton would be
attending the ball Mr. and Mrs. Morton was hosting next
week, their very first.
Once the news broke, the homes of unmarried ladies were
whipped up into a frenzy. Unmarried sisters fought over who
would get to wear the best dress they had at home to the ball,
young ladies on the plumper side began fasting, and ladies of
peak marriageable age begged and pleaded with their parents
to be fitted for new ball gowns.
Their parents were not immune to the commotion either.
Fathers drank whiskey to lower their blood pressure after
seeing the bills from the dressmaker, and mothers even
suffered the indignity of writing letters to their wealthier
friends, asking to borrow jewelry for their daughters to wear.
In the midst of all this chaos, only Miss Pendleton
remained as calm as the eye of the storm. Fortunately, her
time in the marriage market had long passed and she no
longer needed to join the competitive fray. Word hadn’t yet
gotten out that Miss Pendleton would be the one responsible
for introducing suitable ladies to Mr. Dalton, so no one had
bothered her unduly.
On the eve of the ball, Miss Pendleton quietly sent letters
to several ladies of marriageable age she knew, asking them
to attend Mr. and Mrs. Morton’s ball— with subtle allusions,
in keeping with the indirect mode of communication that
London ladies were accustomed to.
And so the evening of the ball came. At the stroke of the
bell at seven o’clock, Miss Pendleton sat at her dressing table,
having her hair done by her maid. Her reflection in the
mirror, in a shoulder-baring ball gown, felt quite foreign to
her.
It had been a long time since she had last attended a ball,
especially one of this magnitude. She fidgeted with her hands,
which were in long evening gloves that reached beyond the
elbow.
Her maid Anne asked as she worked on her hair, “There
must be a lot of people attending tonight’s ball, miss.”
“Of course. Mr. and Mrs. Morton’s first ball, after all.”
“And is that Mr. Ian Dalton coming as well?”
“Yes, Mr. Fairfax promised that he would bring Mr. Dalton
along.”
Anne glanced down at Miss Pendleton’s strawberry blonde
hair, which was pulled into a long braid. The long skein of
hair glistened in the light of the fire. Growing up with seven
sisters, Anne had long grown accustomed to the sight of
women’s hair, but she had never seen hair as lovely as Miss
Pendleton’s in her life. Miss Pendleton’s hair was beautiful—
so beautiful that she thought it a shame that others did not
get to see it, and that her mistress always kept it in a snood.
Anne placed her hands on Miss Pendleton’s shoulders.
“Given that, why don’t you wear your hair a little differently
today?”
“Why?”
“I heard from the maids next door that this Mr. Dalton
gentleman is very handsome and rich.”
“Yes, that is what I hear. If he were a man of good
character, he would be perfect. But why do you want me to
wear my hair differently, Anne?”
“Because it would be nice for you to look even prettier
than you do now. Who knows? You may be the one he takes a
fancy to in the crowd of young ladies.”
Miss Pendleton burst out laughing. “Nonsense! He could
marry any young lady he pleases. Come now, Anne, and put
my snood on. The carriage will be waiting outside.”
With a pout, Anne twisted Miss Pendleton’s hair into a bun
and secured it with a mauve snood that matched the color of
her dress. As usual, Miss Pendleton’s head tilted back slightly,
unable to resist the weight of her abundant locks. Miss
Pendleton straightened her head, and Anne placed a pearl
pendant around her neck.
The two of them looked in the mirror. Anne could see Miss
Pendleton’s face, every single strand of hair on her head
visible in the lamplight. Anne gazed into her lady’s graceful,
beautiful face, then mumbled, “Miss, I have been serving you
for nearly ten years, have I not?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“You look exactly the same as you were then.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “That is lovely to hear.”
 “I mean it. You look as though you haven’t aged a day. No
matter how modestly you dress, you look like a queen.”
“Goodness! I am afraid someone might hear you, Anne.
Her Majesty the Queen is still alive and well.” This was typical
of Miss Pendleton—she always changed the topic with a light
joke whenever someone complimented her on her beauty.
“But miss, my sister says that a woman must forget about
her circumstances and trust her own charms when she meets
a man, and she will be able to marry any man.
“Is that how you met your fiance?”
“Of course! How could a simple maid like me get engaged
to a lawyer otherwise?”
“Hmm. If I were one of your seven sisters, I think I would
have changed my last name already.”
Anne hmphed and took the lace shawl, a recent gift from
Mr. and Mrs. Morton, and draped it around Miss Pendleton’s
shoulders.
Miss Pendleton rose from her seat, checked her reflection
one last time in the full-length mirror, and nodded in
satisfaction. “Thank you, Anne. If I end up receiving a
proposal from the prince of a neighboring kingdom, it will all
be thanks you.
At Miss Pendleton’s silly comment, Anne retorted sulkily,
“Not in the least. All I did was polish a diamond in the rough.”
 Miss Pendleton, chuckling, left the room.

***

Upon arrival, Miss Pendleton exchanged greetings with Mr.

and Mrs. Morton, who were standing at the entrance to greet
their guests, before entering the ballroom. A lively quadrille
was playing, to which attendants were dancing
enthusiastically. Miss Pendleton stood at one side of the room
and watched the dancers.
Ladies in beautiful dresses, their hair adorned with
beautiful, fresh May flowers and waists cinched with corsets,
and gentlemen in black tuxedos were performing the dance
steps together on the shiny marble floor.
Miss Pendleton scanned the room. There were men and
women dancing, as well as those waiting for the next dance to
start. There appeared to be about two hundred in attendance,
which was an unusually high number, considering the social
season was just beginning. The air in the room already felt
hot and stuffy, so Miss Pendleton moved to stand beside the
terrace and watched the dancefloor.
At that moment, the song ended and people began to walk
off the dancefloor. One such person was Mr. Fairfax, who
spotted Miss Pendleton and—after escorting his dance
partner safely back to her companions—walked up to her.
“Miss Pendleton!”
 Miss Pendleton smiled and held out her hand. He kissed
the back of her hand.
“I see the London social scene is off to a busy start this
year.”
“Indeed it is. Did Miss Janet Fairfax not come with you?”
“She is with her friends, right over there Wait a minute.
Don’t tell me she is accepting a dance request from that
scoundrel George Orson!”
“Is Mr. Orson’s character truly so bad?”
“Did you not know this, Miss Pendleton?”
“His reputation among the ladies isn’t too poor. He is
well-mannered and a good dancer.”
“That is a mask he dons before the ladies. He is truly awful
at gentlemen’s clubs. He is the only one who cheats at cards
every time, even when there are no stakes.”
“Still, one dance will do no harm.”
“Hmm, I suppose you are right. And Janet is a sensible
girl.” Even as he said those words, Mr. Fairfax was unable to
take his worried gaze off his sister. Miss Pendleton looked at
him and let out a tiny laugh.
It was the first time she was seeing Mr. Fairfax since Miss
Hyde had refused his proposal. Fortunately, he was his usual
self. He had lost some weight, but his complexion did not look
too poor, so one could simply chalk it up to a particularly
vigorous bout of hunting. He seemed to have mostly
recovered from the rejection.
 Mr. Fairfax clicked his tongue as he watched his sister walk
out onto the dancefloor with Mr. Orson, then turned to Miss
Pendleton. “Well, I will let them dance for one song, I
suppose. Now, Miss Pendleton, did you promise to dance to
this song with anyone?”
“Oh, no. I just arrived.”
Mr. Fairfax held out his hand. “Will you dance with me,
then?”
Miss Pendleton smiled and took his hand unhesitatingly.
They walked out onto the dancefloor, and the graceful melody
of the cotillion soon began to play. Men and women, standing
a wide distance apart, held hands and spun to the beat of the
music. Mr. Fairfax, who had a good sense of rhythm, and Miss
Pendleton, who had more than her fair share of practice
dancing at balls, moved across the dancefloor expertly.
Mr. Fairfax, taking Miss Pendleton by the waist and
leading her through the steps, said, “I see Miss Hyde is not
here today.”
Miss Pendleton evaded his gaze. “She said she was… ill.”
“Miss Hyde? Ill?”
“Yes. She has a cold.”
Mr. Fairfax looked at Miss Pendleton in disbelief. It was a
rather preposterous excuse, considering Miss Hyde was
normally as healthy as a horse.
 Chapter 8

“If Miss Hyde is by any chance avoiding events like this one
because she feels uncomfortable or guilty towards me, could
you please let her know that she shouldn’t? It would pain me
more to see Miss Hyde suffer as a consequence of rejecting
my proposal.”
“Miss Hyde isn’t avoiding you, Mr.
Fairfax. She is just very busy these days.”
“Really? With what?”
Miss Pendleton informed him that Miss Hyde had been
coming to her house every day lately, enthusiastically
working on honing her typing skills. Miss Hyde was
practicing typing out her favorite novels and history books
every day. Her typing speed was still barely above a snail’s
pace, but the spirited manner in which she was tackling the
task was encouraging. Miss Pendleton remained firmly
convinced that in three months, Miss Hyde would become the
best typist in London.
“I would expect nothing less from Miss Hyde,” said Mr.
Fairfax. “If she is looking for a job, I would be happy to send
letters of recommendation to a few offices I know of.”
Miss Pendleton was surprised by Mr.
 Fairfax’s reply—to think he would go as far as to help find
work for a young lady who had rejected his suit in favor of
becoming a typist! “Are you not hurt by this? You must have
been sorely disappointed by her refusal.”
“It would be a gross falsehood to say I wasn’t, but it is all
in the past now. As Miss Hyde has not chosen me, it is only
right that I let her go. In spite of what happened, I do not wish
for us to become strangers.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I have so much to learn from Miss Hyde. She is far
more cultured and erudite than I, a university graduate, and it
amazes me every time I converse with her that a self-taught
woman could be so enlightened. Perhaps I was wrong to be
greedy and attempt to entrap someone as special as her into
becoming my wife in the first place.”
“Miss Hyde thinks very highly of you, Mr. Fairfax. If she
really is avoiding you, there is not the slightest hint of
hostility towards you in the action. It would be impossible for
any woman with good sense to hate a gentleman like
yourself.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled bitterly. “Her favorable view towards
me, however, did not move her heart in the least. To be
honest, I knew Miss Hyde felt nothing more than friendship
for me. However, I had the impure expectation that
circumstances would coerce Miss Hyde into choosing me.
“You needn’t blame yourself for that, Mr. Fairfax. Many
marriages in London take place for such a reason.”
 Mr. Fairfax did not say anything in reply. Miss Pendleton
observed his face closely and could see clearly in his
expression that his conscience was troubled. The guilt of
knowing that the woman he loved was in less than fortunate
circumstances and trying to take advantage of it to gratify his
own desires was tormenting him. Miss Pendleton’s sympathy
for him increased upon the realization that his heart was even
more tender and conscientious than she had believed.
But his dour mood did not last long. Miss Pendleton was
not the sort of person to allow those around her to remain in a
state of melancholy. She affectionately asked many questions
about the country estate Mr. Fairfax had stayed at and all the
hunting he had done, not to mention praising Miss Janet and
commenting on how she was growing more and more
beautiful by the way. Mr. Fairfax, a cheerful person by
disposition, was soon smiling again.
Once the dance ended, the two exchanged a final bow and
went to the refreshments table to quench their thirst. Miss
Pendleton turned to Mr. Fairfax, who was relieved to see his
sister reject Mr. Orson’s request for a second dance. “So, Mr.
Fairfax, where is Mr. Dalton now?”
“Oh, Ian? He won’t be arriving until a little later. He said
he had somewhere to stop by first, or some such thing.”
“He must be a busy man.”
“Perhaps. He has been writing letters and going out
occasionally, meeting up with friends from his university.”
“Ah, so that is the purpose of his trip to London?”
 “Quite so.”
“I see. So finding a wife isn’t his objective.”
Mr. Fairfax nodded, nervously eyeing Miss Pendleton.
“Frankly, no.”
“I do hope one of my friends is able to capture the heart of
a gentleman who apparently has no interest in love.”
“Ah, Miss Pendleton, that is not quite correct. It would be
misleading to say that Ian is not interested in love.”
Miss Pendleton looked at Mr. Fairfax oddly.
“Sure, he has no interest in high society. And it is also true
that the very idea of approaching a lady and asking her to
dance or attending a formal dinner as a lady’s companion is
abhorrent—or rather, he is not practiced at such things.
However, he is definitely serious about love. If I thought he
was better off remaining a bachelor, I would have let him do
as he pleased, regardless of his sister’s requests.”
“He is serious about love, you say? Curiouser and
curiouser. If that is true, why will he not seek it himself?”
“Well… I suppose it is because he believes in fate.”
Miss Pendleton looked at Mr. Fairfax in surprise, but he
was not looking at her, and as soon as he saw a certain
gentleman enter the hall, he quickly excused himself and
hurried towards him.
 Miss Pendleton stared after him. A gentleman… who
believes in fate?

***

Mr. Fairfax pushed through the crowd and finally reached the
ballroom entrance, where a dark-haired man stood. A young
gentleman of considerable height and upright posture, with
an irritatingly handsome face—it was Ian Dalton, his cousin-
in-law and childhood friend. “Why did you not arrive sooner?
I was on tenterhooks, worried that you wouldn’t come.
“I had someone to see,” Mr. Dalton replied curtly and
scanned the room. Furrowing his brow, he muttered, “How
desperate you were to drag me to all this mayhem. Don’t you
have anything better to do?”
“Come now! You traveled all the way to London. You might
as well enjoy yourself while you are here. The social scene of
London is the crown jewel of English high society.”
Mr. Dalton frowned and tugged uncomfortably at the stiff
linen tie around his neck. “I am sorry to say this to you, as
you are plainly enamored with London, but I don’t
particularly care for the place.”
“Why not?”
“I have no expectations that London society will be any
different from Yorkshire society. Everyone is undoubtedly
either vain or foolish.”
 “No. Why do you think everyone flocks to London during
the social season? The people here are much more
sophisticated, and the ladies are all cultured and comely. Who
knows? You may find your soulmate here.”
“Hmm. It feels as though my sister is in front of me,
wearing a tailcoat.”
“Haha, I suppose I am acting in her stead.”
“To badger me into finding a bride?”
Mr. Fairfax smirked.
Mr. Dalton shook his head. “Goodness. I am only thirty
years old! I don’t understand why everyone is so desperate to
see me married.”
“Why else? It is because of your character, Mr. Dalton. If
we left you alone, I have no doubt that you would spend the
rest of your life on your estate, painting away, until you are an
old man.”
“I will handle my own affairs, so please do stop pestering
me.”
“I am sorry, but I can’t do that. Now, let us so.
“Where to?”
“There is a lady I would like to introduce you to.”
Mr. Dalton waved his hand furiously in refusal. “Please
don’t try to play matchmaker. I have enough headaches
already.”
“No, that isn’t why I wish to introduce you to her. That
would hardly do. I simply wish to introduce her as a friend of
mine.”
 “A friend? There is a lady you’ve struck up a friendship
with?”
“Yes, the most sensible, genteel lady in all of London. And
intelligent, too.”
“Intelligent? Perhaps you mean cultured instead?”
“What is the difference between the two?”
He lifted his handsome chin and said imperiously, “There
are plenty of cultured ladies in the world, but not a single one
of them possesses a modicum of intellect.”
Mr. Fairfax was quite surprised at the finality with which
his friend spoke. “You judge the ladies too harshly.”
“While perhaps true, it can’t be helped,” replied Mr.
Fairfax. “I have seen many ladies who can dance well, speak
French well, or play the piano well, but I have yet to meet a
single one with wit.”
“How particular you are. It will be impossible to find a lady
who meets your high standards.”
“I am not asking for much—I simply want someone who
can form a proper response to what I say. I’ve searched the
world for such a woman, but there is not a single one in
sight.”
“That is because you are always saying things that people
find difficult to answer to. And in my opinion, you haven’t
seen that much of the world either. At this rate, you won’t
ever be able to meet someone to share your life with!”
“I suppose one will appear at the right time.”
 Mr. Fairfax, at that moment, dearly sympathized with his
friend’s sister. “All right, all right. I won’t force you to dance
or strike up a conversation with the ladies, but let me at least
introduce you to my friend for the night. You are at liberty to
judge her intellect and wit as you please.”
“All my griping wasn’t for naught, it seems. Fine, I will
only greet her for today, as you’ve said, so do not complain to
me about this later.”
Without another word, Mr. Fairfax grabbed his friend’s
arm and began to drag him away.
Meanwhile, Miss Pendleton had been watching the two
converse from a distance. As soon as she saw Mr. Fairfax
approach her with the gentleman at his side, she quickly
checked where each of her friends, who were scattered
throughout the ballroom, was located.
All of them—conscious of Ian Dalton, who had been
standing in the doorway for a while now—were declining
invitation after invitation to dance, nervously eyeing Miss
Pendleton. It was an unspoken rule in high society that
strangers were not to speak to each other without an
introduction, so they had no way of being introduced to Ian
Dalton other than through Miss Pendleton.
Miss Pendleton saw how much her friends had preened
and primped themselves for the occasion, and she even felt
somewhat responsible for the disappointment they would feel
if they were unable to make the acquaintance of this
handsome newcomer on the London social scene.
 At that moment, Mr. Fairfax and his friend Mr. Dalton
reached Miss Pendleton. “Miss Pendleton, this is my cousin-
in-law and friend, Ian Dalton of Whitefield. Ian, this is Miss
Laura Pendleton, granddaughter of Countess Abigail
Pendleton, of Grosvenor Street, Mayfair.”
Mr. Dalton bowed and Miss Pendleton curtsied in greeting.
Mr. Dalton then raised his head to look at Miss Pendleton, and
she got a good look at his face for the very first time at last.
Miss Janet Fairfax had certainly not exaggerated in her
description of Ian Dalton. He was the most handsome young
gentleman Miss Pendleton had ever seen. No, she decided,
handsome wasn’t sufficient to describe his looks—he was
beautiful, a work of art. His dark hair and eyes left quite an
impression, and while his straight nose and jawline were
masculine, the delicate contours of his face gave him an air of
refined dignity. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and suitably
muscled, giving his body a lithe yet powerful appearance.
Miss Pendleton thought calmly. He could have any lady get
on his carriage and take her back to his estate—if he is able to
find one he takes a liking to, that is.
 Chapter 9

“Hello, Mr. Dalton. I have heard much about you, from both
Mr. and Miss Fairfax.”
Mr. Dalton quirked up one corner of his mouth and asked,
“Is that so? And what have Miss Janet and William been
saying about me?”
“That you are a good uncle to your nieces and nephews,
and a good brother to your sister.”
“Well, they are whom you should ask to determine
whether I truly am a good uncle or not. It is one thing for
adults to call me a good uncle, but the children might feel
differently. And the same goes for my sister. In fact, I can tell
you with no small confidence that I am not being a very good
brother to her.”
“Oh! Why do you say so?”
“No doubt you have already heard how much of my
sister’s efforts it took to get me here. If I were truly a good
brother, should I not listen to and obey the commands of my
sister—who not only is nearly old enough to be my mother
but is suffering from a postpartum ailment less than a year
after giving birth to a child so late in life?”
 At Mr. Dalton’s somewhat testy reply, Miss Pendleton
glanced at Mr. Fairfax, who smiled awkwardly and gave her
an apologetic look. She, however, did not find the
gentleman’s attitude particularly distasteful. For one, her
friendship with Mr. Fairfax made her refrain from criticizing
Mr. Dalton, and there was also something amusing about Mr.
Dalton’s demeanor that set him apart from other gentlemen.
Most wealthy and well-mannered gentlemen were steeped
in conceit or superficiality—there was something different
about the way those men acted and spoke, and the look in
their eyes. They reeked of indolence and vulgarity, Miss
Pendleton, like a bloodhound, was an expert at detecting such
stench. But she could not sense anything so crass in Mr.
Dalton, even as he stood in front of her. He was proper and
dignified. It was clear, however, that he had quite the temper-
much like Mr. Edward Morton, the man who had wed
Elizabeth not long ago.
Could this man be a similar type of gentleman to Mr. Morton?
Miss Pendleton was willing to exercise some patience and
find out more about this young gentleman. But first, I must do
something about this prickly attitude of his.
“But Mr. Dalton, you did ultimately end up attending this
ball. In London, where your sister’s influence on you is
minimal, you could easily have ignored everything and
enjoyed your freedom to your heart’s content.”
“My sister is not one to be trifled with. With a single letter,
she was able to establish an agent in London to carry out her
will in her stead. William here is her devoted, loyal servant.”
“Come on, man! You think it’s funny to make me into a
fool in the presence of a lady, do you, Ian?”
“Mr. Fairfax, I don’t think you are a fool. However, I do
think that Mr. Dalton is a man who is quite shy about
receiving compliments.”
Mr. Dalton quirked his eyebrow. “Shy about receiving
compliments, am I? Is that how you see it?”
“Yes. You come across as someone who would rather seem
like a rude man than become the subject of praise. And I think
it is very admirable.”
“What exactly makes me admirable? I have never had
anyone in society say that about me. Quite the contrary.”
Miss Pendleton laughed merrily. “What you just said is an
excellent example of the answer being hidden in the question.
You are emphasizing your own ill repute by bringing up
something that I never even asked. It comes from either
modesty or shyness, and either way, I think it is a great virtue
for a gentleman to possess.”
“I think it is bad form to disguise oneself and deceive
others, whether out of modesty or shyness. I am neither
deceiving Miss Pendleton nor donning any disguises, so
please stop thinking of me as a liar.”
“In that case, will you first stop speaking so poorly of
yourself and ruining your own reputation on purpose?”
“I am simply speaking the truth—that I am not a good
uncle to my nieces and nephews, and that I am a brother who
gives my sister a hard time.”
“In other words, that means you are taking the children’s
thoughts into consideration instead of making unfounded
assumptions about how they might see you, and that you
came to this ball in that fancy tailcoat because you did not
wish to cause your sister distress.”
“That’s not…” Mr. Dalton tried to come up with a rebuttal,
but he couldn’t think of anything to say.
Miss Pendleton struck a final blow in her usual calm, polite
manner. “The world generally considers a man who
remembers that his sister is suffering from a postpartum
ailment as a good, devoted younger brother. Mr. Dalton.”
Mr. Dalton fell silent. Mr. Fairfax, who had been quietly
watching their witty banter, cheered when he saw that Dalton
was at a loss for words. She won. Miss Pendleton won! He has
always shocked and embarrassed other people with his words for
sport—he must be feeling bewildered now that he has finally
been bested by another! I am truly glad I introduced him to Miss
Pendleton.
Mr. Fairfax was correct. Mr. Dalton, who had been
planning to act as his usual acerbic self, make the other
person uncomfortable, then slip out of the irritating social
event unhindered, was stunned by the unexpected
counterattack.
Dumbfounded, he stared at the lady in front of him, who
was dressed modestly and bore a kind smile on her face. Kind
eyes with deep gray irises, beautiful, clear features. A delicate
neck and shoulders. She looked innocent and fragile—
precisely why he had lowered his guard and was caught
unawares.
A tiny bit of his stubbornness and curiosity were triggered
by the lady in front of him. While he did not realize it, the
thought of rushing home had been wiped clean from his head.
“Fine. Let me stop disparaging myself for modesty, shyness,
or whatever other reason it may be. I understand, Miss
Pendleton, that you are to be my friend during my stay in
London. Is that correct?”
“Yes, I would be happy to—if that is what Mr. Dalton
wishes.”
“Then what is the pleasure I will derive by befriending
you, my dear Miss Pendleton? I am curious to know in what
manner you will be a friend to me.”
“I will give you everything I have. I will offer you a place by
a warm fire, even if you were to drop by for a visit
unannounced. I will engage you in conversation over a good
cup of tea. If you wish to extend your acquaintance, I will
introduce you to my wonderful friends. If you wish to wander
about London, I will show you the best promenades and
shops. And even if you go far away, I will always write to you
and make you feel that there is someone out there in the wide
world who remembers you.” Miss Pendleton smiled sweetly
and continued, “These are the things that I give to my
friends, and they are all that I have. While it may not be much,
I am willing to give that to you. If you promise me that you
will always treat me with sincerity, that is.”
In response to Miss Pendleton’s words, Mr. Dalton spoke
in a gentler voice, a far cry from the sardonic tone he had
employed earlier. “You also speak in a way that I am unsure of
whether to call modesty or shyness, Miss Pendleton, for what
you have just described are some of the greatest, most
wonderful things one can hope to get out of a friendship.”
“What I possess is ordinary and insignificant. I am not in a
position to give much in terms of material wealth to my
friends, so I give them as much of what I have as I can.”
“It is true that what you give, Miss Pendleton, does not
have a price tag. But that is because it is impossible to assign a
price to something so priceless.”
Miss Pendleton’s cheeks flushed a little, but she quickly
hid all traces of her embarrassment. Mr. Dalton’s keen eye,
however, caught the hint of rouge, and he could not help but
find endearing the embarrassment of the clever young lady
standing before him.
He quickly tugged the slowly rising corners of his mouth
back down, and said solemnly, “Miss Pendleton, I feel that I
ought not to lose the privilege of your friendship, for it would
be a greater loss than losing anything else that’s rare and
precious. And as you wish, I shall always treat you with
sincerity. I swear it on my honor as a gentleman.”
Mr. Dalton held out his hand to Miss Pendleton. Miss
Pendleton lightly placed her hand atop his. He bent his head
and kissed the back of her hand politely, then raised his head
a little and looked into her
eyes.
“I look forward to your friendship, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton smiled as she locked eyes with him, his
pupils gleaming with a mysterious light. “And I look forward
to yours, Mr. Dalton. Now then, to start off our friendship, let
me introduce you to a few other ladies I also call friends. Oh,
perfect timing—this song is nearing its end. Come dance with
your new friends.”
Mr. Dalton shook his head. “I appreciate the offer, Miss
Pendleton, but I must refuse. I cannot dance.”
Miss Pendleton thought Mr. Dalton was simply being
humble and replied, “Don’t worry, Mr. Dalton. My friends are
generous enough not to judge a gentleman, even if he misses
a beat on occasion.
“That isn’t why. I truly cannot dance. I have never been
formally taught.”
Miss Pendleton was shocked into speechlessness. If he
couldn’t dance, she would have to postpone his introduction
to a later evening. At a ball where the ladies overwhelmingly
outnumbered the gentlemen, it would be incredibly rude for a
gentleman to merely greet a lady and not ask her to dance.
Mr. Fairfax, who was still next to them and heard Ian’s
words, interjected in disbelief. “But there were dance classes
at Eton! What were you doing then?”
 “Do you really think I would attend such a silly class? I
would much rather spend my time practicing Latin.”
“For God’s sake! You truly are a terror. Whatever shall we
do with you?”
Miss Pendleton said nothing, but she did somewhat agree
with Mr. Fairfax. What shall I do with a gentleman in such
fortunate, ideal circumstances who also possesses an amusing
personality, yetis singularly unskilled in the ways of high society?
As Miss Pendleton fell into deep thought, Mr. Fairfax
snapped his fingers and said, “Then why don’t you learn on
the spot? The waltz is not very difficult. All you have to do is
turn in time to the beat.”
“Don’t speak nonsense, William. Do you truly want to see
me crush the ladies’ feet into dust?”
“I know quite a few ladies who would be willing to
experience that pain for the chance of dancing with you.”
“Whoever those ladies are, they had better not take the
risk. If their feet are stepped on by someone of my size, they
will swell up terribly and the ladies will need to sleep with
their dancing shoes on tonight.”
Miss Pendleton, who had been listening to the two men
bicker, turned to Mr. Fairfax and asked, “Mr. Fairfax, is Mr.
Dalton naturally talented at athletics?”
“Yes, he can replicate the movements of most sports with
just a single demonstration.”
“Very well, then. Come join me, Mr.
Dalton.”
 Mr. Dalton’s face turned serious. “Miss Pendleton, what I
said earlier may have sounded like a joke, but I truly cannot
dance. I am certain I shall step on your feet at least three
times.”
“It’s quite all right. I suppose I shall sleep with my shoes
on tonight. Come on, the dance is about to start.”
Miss Pendleton took his hand and led him away. Mr.
Dalton followed Miss Pendleton out onto the dancefloor,
bewildered but also a little intrigued.
Miss Pendleton took his hand and raised it to shoulder
height, then had him wrap his other hand around her waist.
She placed her other hand on Mr. Dalton’s shoulder. She
looked straight up at him and whispered in his ear, “I will
lead this dance. You can watch my feet and follow along
slowly.”
Ian nodded slightly. Soon, a romantic waltz began to fill
the ballroom. Miss Pendleton began to perform the steps
expertly, counting out the beats in a quiet voice that only the
two of them could hear, while Mr. Dalton looked down and
copied her footwork.
Miss Pendleton wondered at first if he would really be able
to learn the waltz before the song was over, but as it turned
out, her fears were unfounded. He floundered a bit at first, but
within a minute, Mr. Dalton began to mimic the steps quite
well.
Miss Pendleton was inwardly surprised but noticed that
his shoulders were still tense and said with a smile, “It is all
right to step on my feet, Mr. Dalton, so please relax. You
won’t be able to hear the music if you’re that nervous.”
“Do not suggest something so horrid, even as a joke. Your
feet, which I can see peeking out from the hem of your dress
from time to time, are so tiny that I fear they’ll shatter if I
were to step on them just once.”
“I promise you that they won’t shatter. Now, lift your head
and look at me. Try dancing with me, eye to eye. You can do
it.”
 Chapter 10

Ian raised his head, locked his eyes with Miss Pendleton’s
gray ones, and began to move. He could now glide across the
dancefloor with relative ease. Mr. Dalton’s expression
gradually relaxed.
“Mr. Dalton, you have excellent coordination. Apart from
being a little tense, your dancing is very smooth and natural.
Why were you so adamantly opposed to dancing lessons at
Eton?”
“I was absolutely squeamish at the idea of having to wrap
my arms around and lock eyes with the same barbaric boys
who were pitting their strength against each other during
cricket and rowing practice.”
Miss Pendleton giggled. “I suppose that’s fair. A
gentleman who can’t dance in society, however, encounters
certain difficulties.”
“And so people began to see me as the rude gentleman
who ignored the ladies at balls.”
“You must have felt wronged by such an impression.
He shook his head. “Frankly, I agree with their opinion. I
can neither carry on a pleasant conversation with the ladies
nor dance. No matter how you look at it, I am far from what
people would consider a proper gentleman.”
“It sounds like what you consider to be essential qualities
in a gentleman are somewhat different from mine. I believe
dancing or conversational skills can always be learned.”
“Then what qualities do you believe make one a
gentleman, Miss Pendleton?”
“Respect towards the ladies—or rather, respect towards
all others, including the ladies. If one possesses that, nothing
else matters.”
“How unfortunate. I do not qualify as a gentleman in that
respect either. While I respect other people, I do not have
good manners, especially in high society. I shut myself off
from the world because I find its rules vexing and
cumbersome. The evening air as I sit alone on the terrace of
my manor is much sweeter to me than any wine I drink at a
crowded dinner party. But I suppose you wouldn’t
understand, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “Over the years I spent in London
society, I have attended countless dinner parties and balls. At
some events, I danced all night—at others, I would simply be
a wallflower and watch others dance. I would be lying if I said
there wasn’t a single moment during all those years when I
wished I could take in the evening air alone. Sometimes I even
wished I could pull off my gloves and run out into the streets
of London.”
 Mr. Dalton’s eyebrows rose slightly at her surprising
candor.
Miss Pendleton continued, “But you see, for a lady,
participating in high society is as necessary as it is for a man
to learn to walk and a fish to learn to swim—it can in no
circumstances be avoided, nor should it. That is the difference
between a lady and a gentleman, I suppose.”
“In that case, it seems ladies are caught in a most
unfortunate situation.”
Miss Pendleton laughed softly. “Even so, Mr. Dalton,
please do not pity us ladies. We have our own lives and our
own happiness, which we are quietly and gracefully building,
thread by thread, like a fine lace. I hope a lady who is able to
share such happiness with you appears one day.”
“I do not know whether the happiness experienced by one
sex is something that can be shared with the other. The men
around me, once married, become engrossed in work and
hunting and are always out and about, while their wives
remain home to raise the children and take care of the
housework. That is the way life has been since the beginning
of time. In that way, men and women are fundamentally
different.”
“I too know many couples like that. But I think that if a
husband and wife are truly in harmony, even as they each
focus on work and home life respectively, they will spend as
much together as possible—not because they are making a
conscious effort to, but because they are naturally drawn to
each other’s side. After all, being soulmates is about that
unrelenting attraction to and pull towards each other.”
Mr. Dalton lowered his eyes for a moment, lost in thought.
“Soulmates… Do you believe such a thing exists, Miss
Pendleton?”
“I do.”
“A notion that can neither be seen nor touched?”
“I believe in them as much as I believe in God.”
Mr. Dalton smirked. “You have a rather romantic idea of
marriage.”
Miss Pendleton shrugged. “I suppose that is why I lead a
life that is quite distant from marriage.”
Mr. Dalton wasn’t one to care about politeness, but he
chose not to laugh at this joke. “I can see why William
introduced you to me. You confirm what I have always
thought, yet was skeptical of.”
“Do you share my view, Mr. Dalton?”
Mr. Dalton stood still and looked into Miss Pendleton’s
gray eyes.
“Yes.” He then added in a low voice, as if he were speaking
to himself, “I believe it so strongly that I do not think there is
any point in marrying if it is not with someone like that.”
Miss Pendleton’s expression warmed further as she looked
at the man with whom she was dancing. Having found
someone who shared her opinion, especially in terms of
something she believed in with absolute conviction, she felt
very close to him, even though it had been less than an hour
since they had first greeted each other. He felt like an old
friend.
Meanwhile, his dark eyes, which had been locked with
Miss Pendleton’s the entire time, began to take on a different
glow. A gleam reminiscent of a blue flame. Something heated
that began to burn quietly.
Miss Pendleton gazed into his eyes and wondered what
new emotion had taken hold of him. Had her words just now
sparked in him a desire to find love, or was she simply in
profound agreement with her opinion? Either way, it was
enough to instill in her a very favorable opinion of Mr. Dalton,
for at the very least he was a young man who took a lady’s
words seriously.
Seeing that pleased Miss Pendleton even more than the
fact that he was handsome and well-to-do. For a gentleman
who trivialized the thoughts and opinions of a lady was not
one fit to have as a friend, or to introduce to her friends.
The music ended. The two of them bowed politely to each
other, and Mr. Dalton, taking Miss Pendleton’s hand, guided
her to their spot from earlier. Mr. Fairfax, who had watched
them dance, applauded them upon their return and thanked
Miss Pendleton for helping his inadequate friend. He then
rebuked Mr. Dalton for wearying Miss Pendleton.
Mr. Dalton, however, was staring intently in one particular
direction, not hearing a word his friend was speaking—at
Miss Pendleton, who was oblivious to the esteemed
gentleman’s eyes on her as she tried to locate her friends.
 Miss Pendleton then introduced Mr. Dalton to her friends,
one by one. Miss Kate Leitz and Eva Leitz, the two daughters
of Viscount Leitz. Twenty and twenty-one years of age,
respectively, they were amiable young ladies who excelled at
the piano and embroidery. Then Miss Catherine Hayton, the
second daughter of Judge Hayton. She was twenty-two years
old, skilled at the harp and French, and was adorable when
she smiled.
But the most beautiful of them all was Miss Dora Lance,
twenty years of age, the only daughter of Baronet Lance. She
was proficient in multiple musical instruments, embroidery,
and fine arts in general, and her intellect was unparalleled
among her peers. These days she was widely considered the
next crown jewel of London society, succeeding Miss
Elizabeth Dayer, who now went by the name Mrs. Morton.
Mr. Dalton greeted the ladies courteously as they were
each introduced to him, and answered their questions, no
matter how trivial, dutifully. Miss Pendleton, watching from
the sidelines, realized that he had lost the caustic facade he
had worn when he first met her. She assumed that Mr. Dalton
had made up his mind, based on their conversation during the
dance, to act on his love—and was genuinely pleased to see it.
As the conversation continued, the ladies around him
gradually realized how eager Miss Dora Lance was to compete
with them. To have to compete with the crown jewel of
society, Miss Lance! Moreover, at her side was Lady Lance, a
woman known for her overeager and obnoxious personality,
and she was clearly determined to invite Mr. Dalton over to
dinner. The other ladies soon forfeited the game and either
went to dance with other gentlemen or retreated to the
lounge with grim looks on their faces.
When Miss Pendleton saw that Mr. Dalton had accepted
Lady Lance’s invitation, she whispered to Mr. Fairfax, who
stood beside her, “Well then, I had better be heading home
now.”
“Already?”
“As I have introduced Mr. Dalton to a lady with whom he
can enjoy tonight’s ball, my job is now complete.”
“Why don’t you enjoy the ball yourself for a while longer?
Another waltz is about to begin.”
“What I would like more than dancing another waltz is to
kiss Grandmother goodnight. As it is nearly ten o’clock, I
think I should be able to get her settled into bed for the
evening if I leave now.”
“Oh, then let me get a carriage ready for
5»
you.
“No need, I told the coachman that I would be returning
home around this time. He will already be waiting for me out
front.”
Mr. Fairfax nodded. “Thank you for today, Miss Pendleton.
Please have a safe journey home.”
“It was a pleasure, Mr. Fairfax. You and Mr. Dalton should
call on us sometime. I think Grandmother would enjoy
striking up a friendship with Mr. Dalton quite a bit.”
“Haha, quite right. Then have a lovely evening.” Mr.
Fairfax kissed the back of her hand in farewell.
Miss Pendleton covered her shoulders with the shawl she
had draped over her arm and descended the stairs at a brisk
pace. As she stepped out the door, the chilly night air cooled
Miss Pendleton’s body, which had been boiling in the heat of
the ballroom. She climbed into the Pendleton carriage that
waited for her outside, the beautiful melody of a waltz playing
behind her.
Did Mr. Dalton ask Miss Lance to dance? He must have. How
could he remain still when a lady that beautiful was taking such
an ardent interest in him? Miss Pendleton thought. Sitting in
the carriage, she imagined them dancing. They would look
wonderful together. In fact, if they were to marry, they would be
an even more handsome couple than Mr. and Mrs. Morton. Well, I
suppose it is entirely too premature at present to consider such
things.
As Miss Pendleton was lost in thought, the coachman sat
down, took the reins, and urged the horse into a trot. With a
heavy thunk, the carriage began to move.
At that moment, Miss Pendleton’s thoughts were
interrupted by a man’s shout. “Miss Pendleton!”
Startled, Miss Pendleton had the coach brought to a stop.
Mr. Dalton had walked up to the carriage window. His
breathing was ragged and his hair a little disheveled. Miss
Pendleton’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, “My goodness,
Mr. Dalton! What is the matter?”
“I could not let you leave without saying goodbye. You
have been so kind to me today, yet you are leaving as though
we are strangers,” he said in a somber voice.
Miss Pendleton, who had not meant to offend or upset him
in the least, was aghast. “I sincerely apologize if it came
across that way. I simply thought it unnecessary to say
goodbye, as I expect to see you again very soon.
“Very soon?”
Miss Pendleton explained with a smile, “I told Mr. Fairfax
that I would be delighted if you two would call on me
sometime. We often host tea parties or small concerts for
young ladies and gentlemen at my home. They are casual
affairs, and I am sure you will enjoy yourself too, Mr. Dalton.”
Mr. Dalton did not reply. As he was standing his back to the
light, Miss Pendleton could not see his face very well, but she
could sense that he was disinclined to come to such events.
She added quickly, “I do not mean to put any pressure on
you to attend. If you are busy—”
“Do you host these gatherings, Miss Pendleton?”
 Chapter 11

Miss Pendleton shook her head.

“Officially, my grandmother does.”
“So you wouldn’t be in attendance very often, then?”
I would. Due to my grandmother’s poor

health, I am responsible for organizing and overseeing those

gatherings. I couldn’t miss them even if I wished to.”
“I see,” Mr. Dalton mumbled quietly, then spoke in a
much clearer voice. “I shall call on you as soon as I can. How
is tomorrow?”
Miss Pendleton paused for a moment, surprised by Mr.
Dalton’s unexpected assertiveness, before shaking her head.
“Ah, Grandmother’s doctor is coming to examine her
tomorrow. But I think the day after tomorrow shall be
doable.”
“All right. I will see you the day after tomorrow.”
Miss Pendleton nodded and held out her hand. “Then I
shall look forward to our next meeting.”
Mr. Dalton took her hand and looked down at it for a
moment, then slowly bent his head and kissed the back of her
hand. “Please have a safe journey home. Miss Pendleton,” he
bade in a resonant voice, her hand still in his. He released her
hand a few beats later than he should have.
Miss Pendleton was puzzled by his behavior but chalked it
up to his unfamiliarity with social etiquette and smiled faintly
at him before starting the carriage.
She turned her gaze away from him entirely as soon as the
carriage began to move, assuming that he would return to the
ball once she departed. She was therefore unaware that Mr.
Dalton, who she had left behind, stood there and watched her
carriage until it was entirely out of sight.
That night, before she went to sleep, Miss Pendleton knelt
by her bed as usual. She thanked God for the opportunity to
meet and become friends with Mr. Dalton and prayed that he
would find a good woman in London and soon enjoy domestic
bliss.
As always, her prayers were completely sincere. However,
little did she know the precise manner in which that
particular prayer would be answered.
-KA-A-
Thanks to Lady Lance’s persistent efforts, Mr. Dalton
found himself the following evening seated across from Miss
Dora Lance in the formal dining room of the Lance family
townhouse.
The Lance family’s formal dinners had long been famous
in London. On its surface, this was due to the sumptuous
menu and the benefit of enjoying the lovely smiles of his
beautiful daughter, Miss Dora Lance. But in truth, there was a
bigger reason that word of these dinners had spread all across
the city—Baronet Lance was notoriously selective about his
guests.
He was unusually attached to his title and family name. As
such, to be given the privilege to dine with those who bore the
surname Lance, once had to hold the title of baronet or
higher, and if lacking a title, had to at least come from a
sufficiently prestigious family.
And so, even before the appetizers were served, Mr. Lance
began asking Mr. Dalton question after question, prying into
the details of his estate and the history of the Dalton family,
oblivious to the fact that he was committing a serious
violation of the etiquette he valued so highly.
His persistence led to the discovery that Whitefield had
originally been named Bailon Abbey and that it had been in
the Dalton family since the Reformation in the 16th century.
Only then was Baronet Lance reassured that his wife had not
invited an unworthy guest to dinner. Feeling a fond sense of
kinship with the younger man as—in his view—they were
both patriarchs of established families and thus equals, he
proceeded to tell Mr. Dalton the story of his great-
grandfather, who had first attained the rank of a baronet.
Miss Lance flushed with shame as her father continued
bragging about his family. It had been less than two hundred
years since the Lance family had received a title, which had
not been earned through any great merit in the first place, but
mere political circumstance. Yet for her father to boast about
it to the head of the Dalton family, who had been the largest
landowners in Yorkshire for nearly four hundred years—not
only was it embarrassing, it was downright rude.
Mr. Dalton, however, quietly listened to his ramblings and
behaved with perfect politeness towards both Dora and Lady
Lance. So when, at the end of the meal, he respectfully
declined Mr. Lance’s offer of a cigar and hurried home, none
of them realized that he had quickly sought to make his
escape, put off by the excess of fatty food and Mr. Lance’s
arrogance.
After Mr. Lance had gone to his study- delighted to have
met a young man for once who was perfectly to his liking—
Lady Lance, excited at the thought of boasting to other ladies
her age that she had had Ian Dalton over for dinner, took
Dora’s hand as she was about to go up to her room and led her
into the drawing room instead. She had her beautiful
daughter sit down next to her, stroking her hand, and
carefully began to speak. “Mr. Dalton is very handsome, isn’t
he, darling?”
Dora replied enthusiastically, “Yes, Mamma. I’ve never
seen a man as handsome as him in all of London!”
I think so as well. With his looks and

fortune, there must be ladies lining up around the block to

claim him for their own, yet to think he is still unmarried—
this is a gift from God! Indeed, no matter how many expenses
we have to pay, we must never skip our tithe. Now, Dora, let
us see if we can get him to ask for your hand in marriage
before this social season is over.
Miss Lance, who had not thought that far ahead, gave her
mother a wide-eyed stare. “But I have only seen Mr. Dalton
twice. Besides, he doesn’t have a title, does he? Papa won’t
like that.”
“None of those esteemed noblemen have funds to spare
these days. With the recession, money is slowly drying up. It
is difficult to find an eligible bachelor in London these days
who hasn’t mortgaged his land or rented out his manor. Do
you recall the eldest son of Marquess Bardon— the one who
used to dance with you quite often? You said he was a fine
dancer and a perfect gentleman. Well, did you know that his
country estate was auctioned off? How terribly he must have
managed his money to end up losing the land that was in his
family for generations!” Lady Lance clicked her tongue in
disapproval. “Mr. Dalton, by comparison, is doing splendidly.
Whitefield itself is a prime estate with an accompanying
manor, and its woods are ideal for hunting. Moreover, as soon
as his father died, leaving everything to Mr. Dalton, he sold or
got rid of whatever assets he deemed unnecessary and
invested the capital into lucrative mines, railroad bonds,
stocks, and buildings—anything that could basically make
him money. That is how a family survives—by having a
sensible patriarch. The Daltons are the one family in England
that will never go broke.”
 Miss Lance asked, somewhat dazed, “But Mamma, Mr.
Dalton did not bring up any of what you just said at dinner
today.
Where on earth did you find all that out?”
Without a trace of shame, Lady Lance answered, “Your
aunt, who is married and living in Yorkshire, asked all her
neighbors about him. As there are many ladies of
marriageable age there as well, whenever they get together,
they talk about Ian Dalton.”
Miss Lance sighed and gazed at her mother’s face. While
her father idolized titles, her mother worshiped at the altar of
something far more practical—money. Thinking once again
that she was truly fortunate not to take after either of her
parents, Miss Lance spoke of her lofty ideals. “Mamma, I like
that Mr. Dalton is charming and gentlemanly. I won’t
consider anything other than that. While I understand that
practical aspects such as money and land are not to be
disregarded, I will not marry a man whom I am not genuinely
attracted to.”
Lady Lance, who had been forced to scrimp and save all
her life thanks to an incompetent and wasteful husband,
found her daughter’s naivete as pitiful as it was endearing,
“so when do you think you will feel this genuine attraction to
Mr. Dalton?”
“As I said, I have only seen Mr. Dalton twice! ”
“Two times or twenty, it will not change the fact that he is
handsome, rich, and unmarried. Oh, it might change one
thing. Some other young lady might become Mrs. Dalton
while you wait for this so- called genuine attraction. And
mark my words, that lady will be the daughter of an earl,
marquess, or duke, with a dowry that is three or four times
what we can afford. With so few eligible bachelors available,
Mr. Dalton could easily pick a girl who is wealthier or higher
in status in London to marry. There is a flood of daughters of
marriageable age available, while it is only the handful of
eldest sons who inherit the family fortune.”
As Lady Lance spoke, Miss Lance’s cheeks increasingly
puffed up in indignation. Noticing this, Lady Lance cursed
inwardly. She had forgotten that her way of thinking —seeing
the world in terms of pounds and pence—did not work at all
with her daughter.
She immediately changed tack to something that would
work better on Dora —playing on her vanity. “Goodness,
Dora, don’t make a face like that. It makes your face look
scrunched up. A pretty girl like you should always be smiling.
Smile like you did at the ball yesterday. That smile enchanted
Mr. Dalton.”
“Oh, Mamma. Surely you exaggerate! What fascination. He
was simply being polite.”
“Not in the least, darling! I could not count how many
times his eyes sparkled as he looked at you. At first, he was
mesmerized by your angelic face, and whenever you briefly
turned your gaze elsewhere, he glanced over all of your
charming features—your pretty hair, your pale and gently
sloping shoulders, your small, dainty hands. Realizing then
that there was not a single thing about you that was not
beautiful, he could hardly take his eyes off you.”
Miss Lance’s expression softened as she listened to her
mother’s words. But her judgment had not yet been
completely clouded by vanity. “But how could a man so
enamored of me not have asked me to waltz? After Miss
Pendleton went home, he immediately bade us a good night
and left. And I even turned down the other gentlemen’s
requests to dance all night, waiting for him to ask.”
“My goodness, did you not see how Mr. Dalton danced
with Miss Pendleton?”
“Oh! That’s true, he wasn’t very good at waltzing. I do not
like gentlemen who cannot dance…”
“You heard how his mother died when he was young and
he was raised by a much older sister. Poor Mr. Dalton—he is
likely unaccustomed to being around young ladies and unable
to relax unless the lady in question is a dowdy spinster like
Miss Pendleton.”
“Mamma, I thought you said we weren’t supposed to call
Miss Pendleton a spinster.”
“Only in front of other people. Between the two of us, it’s
fine.”
Miss Lance found it odd that her mother, who always
treated her like a little child, would act as though she were
one of her peers whenever they were gossiping.
 For the next half hour, Lady Lance spoke honeyed words in
her daughter’s ear, making Miss Lance lose all sense of
reason and stirring up her emotions. She claimed Mr. Dalton
was clearly smitten with her, that she had already captivated
his heart, that by giving him a few chances to approach her,
she would be Mrs. Dalton before summer even came, and so
on.
It was a spell that would have befuddled even the most
determined and clearheaded person, and to a young lady
whose vanity had deeply taken root as a result of the
flattering attentions she had been enjoying in high society, a
lethal enticement.
 Chapter 12

Miss Lance argued against her mother’s claims again and

again, but she was also quite taken with the idea that Mr.
Dalton had fallen for her.
Finally free from her Mamma’s clutches, Miss Lance went
upstairs to her room, changed into her nightclothes with the
help of a maid, and sat at her dressing table to have her hair
combed. A large mirror hung in front of the table, in which
Miss Lance could see her reflection- luscious light brown
locks, clear sky-blue eyes, and clear, adorable features in a
bright, rosy face. Even though she saw herself on a daily
basis, she always felt as though she was looking at herself for
the very first time, and within her would bloom a sweet,
cloying vanity—a vanity that she could not curb, even with
the good sense and judgment she had previously endeavored
to maintain.
Miss Lance stood gazing into the mirror for some time
before her thoughts turned to Ian Dalton, who had visited her
home today. Does he feel such affection forme, as Mamma said?
Truly? On what basis?
She reflected on her encounters with Mr.
 Dalton over the past two days. She remembered making
eye contact with him at least three times, and each time, she
recalled that he was smiling at her.
That was true. However, memories are often wont to
become skewed and colored by one’s current mood. Miss
Lance ended up misremembering the kindness he had shown
her out of courtesy as the elation of a man who had fallen in
love at first sight —the very look she had seen on most
gentlemen whom she had met in high society since her debut.
She felt her cheeks flush. Ian Dalton—to think that
wonderful man had become another one of her admirers! Her
body nearly twisted with joy.
After dismissing her maid, Miss Lance sat at her dressing
table for a long while, thinking deeply about Ian Dalton as a
potential husband. All her admirers to date had been fairly
distinguished men- the eldest son of a politician, the eldest
son of an earl, and so on. But as her mother had said, England
was in an economic recession, and not even the nobility were
immune from the threat of bankruptcy.
The eldest sons of the family had turned their attentions
abroad in search of women with large dowries in order to
keep their families afloat, and the younger sons, cast out into
the world without a single from their families, were desperate
to make a better life for themselves by ensnaring women who
would be accompanied by large dowries.
Considering the reality of the matter made Mr. Dalton’s
value seem much higher. Yes, he was landed gentry, but with
the aggrandizement of titles so commonplace in this day and
age, the head of a family with over four hundred years of
history was worth more than a hundred dukes. Besides, he
was the eldest son, the sole heir to all of his father’s wealth,
and he had considerable holdings beyond the estate and
manor he had inherited.
Miss Lance thought about the place called Whitefield,
which she had heard Mr. Dalton speak of. She imagined being
married to him until her candle had burned out. He will
certainly be a gentle, affectionate husband, for a man as
handsome as he must be as unflawed in character. She named
each of their children, all of whom resembled both her and
her husband-to-be evenly. By the time she went to bed, she
was excited about the prospect of tying the knot with him
within the year.

***

After that day, Miss and Lady Lance kept a keen eye on Mr.
Dalton’s activities—which balls he attended, which houses he
dined at. For more than a month after Ian Dalton’s first
appearance in London society, the only social gatherings he
attended were tea parties at Lady Abigail Pendleton’s house
and occasional dinners with Miss Pendleton’s friends. He
seemed to have no interest in operas, concerts, or visiting the
shops.
Miss Lance was disappointed, for she had dreamed of
running into Mr. Dalton by chance in such places, but the
more seasoned Lady Lance saw his behavior as a positive sign.
While Miss Pendleton might be a dowdy spinster, she was still
one of London’s finest matchmakers, having made ten
successful matches between suitable gentlemen and ladies
over the past few years. Ian Dalton’s closeness to her could
easily be interpreted as an attempt to be introduced to the
ladies of London through Miss Pendleton and find a bride
among them.
However, had Miss Pendleton heard Lady Lance’s
reasoning, she would have responded with an expression of
incredulity, for as far as Miss Pendleton could discern, Mr.
Dalton had absolutely no interest in finding a bride.
After their first meeting at the Mortons’ ball, he became a
regular at the Pendletons’ tea parties and dinners. Miss
Pendleton introduced him to her friends, and Mr. Dalton
spent time mingling and socializing with them. However, he
never once showed himself to be attracted to any of the ladies
gathered there—he merely made a few polite replies to their
jokes before going to stand by Miss Pendleton’s side as she
played the piano, listening intently to her music. Once she
was finished, he would then request a particular song for her
to play next, or ask to speak with her.
 For two weeks he hovered at her side thusly in the
Pendletons’ home. Miss Pendleton had by then come to the
conclusion that he was more interested in making friendships
than in finding love. Miss Pendleton, personally speaking,
could not help but be pleased to have someone who required
her friendship.
The weather in London was fickle. It would be sunny all
morning, then heavy dark clouds would suddenly roll in and
pour rain until the ground was wet and muddy. On such days,
the scheduled tea party would naturally be canceled.
People would not come at all, and even if they did, they
would leave to head home early. On such days, Lady Abigail’s
health would also often take a turn for the worse, and she
would retire to her room early, leaving Miss Pendleton to
either go to the study to read a book or study. Mr. Dalton,
however, always showed up for tea without fail.
On such occasions, Miss Pendleton would apologize for
not having another friend available to keep him company, but
Mr. Dalton did not mind the absence of other guests. Miss
Pendleton would take him to the fire and sit him down,
provide him with hot tea and light refreshments, and they
would talk for hours until tea was over.
At first, she brought up his time in London, but she quickly
realized that Mr. Dalton held very little interest in that
particular subject, and so she asked him other questions—
about his estate, Whitefield, and his life there. Miss Pendleton
was initially worried that she had rushed into asking after his
private affairs, but she soon realized she had selected the
right topic for conversation after all. He told her about his life
in Yorkshire in a much more frank, easygoing manner than
she had expected.
His estate, Whitefield, was a sprawling land surrounded by
fertile woods and fields, meticulously maintained by his
predecessors and handed down to him in all of its splendor.
His home, Whitefield Hall, sat on a gently sloping hill in the
center of the estate. Looking out through its windows, one
could see a forest of white birch trees, befitting the name of
Whitefield, and fields upon fields with farmers hard at work.
Mr. Dalton’s voice as he described his home was
unpretentious, warm, and full of love—love for his estate,
Whitefield. Miss Pendleton was captivated by the affection he
showed and ended up asking him a series of questions about
it.
Recognizing that Miss Pendleton was genuinely listening
to and enjoying his story, he continued speaking with a gentle
smile. He told the story of the independent and tenant
farmers who farmed on his estate. Their names, the
circumstances of their farms, their families, what they did
with their time, how they made a living, and how they raised
and educated their children.
Miss Pendleton was amazed to hear this. Mr. Dalton had
over thirty farms on his estate, and he knew all of their
goings-on firsthand, which meant he was managing them
himself instead of hiring land agents to do the work. The
majority of nobles in England did not have the foggiest idea
how many farms were on their estates, and for them, tending
to their estates was trivial and insignificant in comparison to
hunting with their peers on the hunting grounds or enjoying
themselves at a hot springs lodge. But Mr. Dalton not only
tended to my estates himself, he seemed to be quite close to
the farmers—friends, rather than simply partners in
business.
Miss Pendleton felt her heart warm as she listened to his
stories. There were probably very few landowners in England
who cared as deeply about their estate as Mr. Dalton. She then
offered him more tea and told him she wished she could have
the opportunity to see Whitefield in person. “Such a beautiful
piece of land would be a breath of fresh air for someone like
me, who has grown tired of and become jaded by life in the
city.”
“London is a modern, sophisticated city. It is flashy, lively,
and brimming with all sorts of goods. That being said, I
cannot in good conscience say where you reside, Miss
Pendleton, is superior to the lands I left behind. If you knew
anything about Whitefield’s woods, you would never say such
a thing, even in jest. While I don’t want to sound like a snob
who is unable to stop boasting about what he owns, I cannot
help it.”
“That’s quite all right, you don’t need to. Talking about
forests and trees is as pleasurable as reading a wonderful
literary essay to a city girl like me, who has to live among so
many other people at all times. So please, do go on until I
know enough to close my eyes and be able to picture it as
clearly as you are in your mind, Mr. Dalton, even if I never get
to see Whitefield myself.”
Mr. Dalton’s expression softened at Miss Pendleton’s
words. “I could not possibly. My vocabulary is too limited to
do justice to its sheer beauty. I will show you in another way,
however. A small picture to adorn your parlor.”
“Oh, that would be a most welcome gift. I suppose you
have someone in your employ with a talent for drawing?”
“Well, I suppose you could say that, if you consider my
own limbs as in my employ.”
Miss Pendleton was surprised. “You draw, Mr. Dalton?”
“I learned a little when I was younger.”
Miss Pendleton was intrigued, for education in fine arts
was rarely provided to male children. But Mr. Dalton changed
the subject without elaborating further. “It is a pity that I left
behind the sketchbook I always carry with me, otherwise I
would have been able to show you Whitefield, as well as
introduce you to my troublemaking niece and nephews.”
“Oh, are they your sister’s children?”
“That’s right.”
Children. The subject was as refreshing to her as
Whitefield’s forests and valleys. Miss Pendleton began to ask
a few questions about his niece and nephews, and before
long, the diligent landowner had transformed into an
affectionate uncle. He had first become an uncle before the
age of eight when his sister, fifteen years his senior, gave
birth to her son. His eldest nephew was named Henry Fairfax.
Naturally, when he was born, all Mr. Dalton could do was
watch the little swaddled infant, for the adults would not
permit him to hold Henry. Afterward, Mr. Dalton learned to
ride so that he could visit Dunville Park, where his sister
lived, frequently.
“Looking down at Henry in his cradle was much more fun
than playing cards with William,” Mr. Dalton said. “And once
he grew a bit older, he constantly followed us around—he
also wanted to partake in whatever we did, whether it be
riding, fishing, or running.”
 Chapter 13

“If he was born when you were eight years old, Mr. Dalton, he
must be twenty-two now.
“Yes. He is currently studying at King’s College of
Cambridge, where I graduated. I meet with him once or twice
a year to go horseback riding and fishing.
Unfortunately, he isn’t half as cute as he was when he was
younger.”
“And what of your other nephews?”
“The second is a nice, Olivia Fairfax. She is thirteen years
old.”
“My goodness, a niece. She must be adorable.”
“More so than Henry, but it is an awkward way to describe
a young lady.”
“At thirteen years of age, she is still a girl.”
“Being tall for her age, she looks like a girl of fifteen. She is
also very precocious. She will not forgive anyone who does
not treat her like a proper lady, even her own uncle.”
“The young lady must be dying to make her debut in
society.”
“You are correct, Miss Pendleton. She is counting down
the days until she turns sixteen. But Olivia is a sensible child,
so I am not too worried about her debut. The real problem
children are the two younger boys—Daniel, ten years old, and
George, eight. They will fight each other viciously over one
pony, devolving into fisticuffs until their jaws are cracked. Yet
a mere few minutes later, they will be giggling and plotting
what kind of trouble they can get into together next. A
massive headache, both of them.”
Miss Pendleton burst out laughing in spite of herself. “But
that is what boys that age do, isn’t it?”
“That is an insult to me, who also was once a boy of their
age, Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes, Mr. Dalton, I am sure you were perfectly well-
behaved in your childhood, but that is likely because you were
an unusually mature boy even at their age. I do not think your
nephews seem to be particularly lacking in that respect.”
“Indeed, if you were to ever meet them in person, you
would certainly not judge them as harshly as I did, given your
understanding and sympathetic nature. I, however, shall
maintain my cool-headed, objective attitude toward them.
Ashamedly, my disposition is the polar opposite of yours,
Miss Pendleton.
Moreover, if I were to spoil them too, they would have no
one around to teach them manners.
Miss Pendleton could discern from his words that Mr. and
Mrs. Fairfax, the master and mistress of Dunville Park,
tended to spoil and coddle their children. “Actually, Mr.
Dalton, I am most curious about your youngest nephew, the
one who was only born a year ago. He must be incredibly
adorable.”
“Oh, him. Well, yes, I suppose he is, in the way that all
infants are cute at his age.”
His gruff retort made Miss Pendleton break out into
another peal of laughter. “Mr. Dalton, you sound as though
you don’t particularly like your youngest nephew.”
“He is a precious, darling child, the Fairfax family’s littlest
treasure. However, I cannot help but feel a tiny smidgen of
resentment when I think of the injury he has inflicted on his
mother’s body.”
“Your sister’s health must have seriously worsened after
giving birth.”
“She is getting better, as she is fairly carefree and
easygoing by nature. However, she still complains of cold
when she isn’t sitting by a fire and gets the shivers no matter
how warm the weather is. I am hoping he will be my last
nephew, as I do not think my sister could survive another
birth.”
Miss Pendleton could sense a mixture of worry and
displeasure in Mr. Dalton’s voice and expression as he spoke,
out of genuine brotherly concern for his sister. She was
impressed by his demeanor—a fondness one would naturally
come to feel for a gentleman who was clearly devoted to his
family. Miss Pendleton gazed affectionately at the shadow
darkening his handsome face. “Before you leave London, I
would like to give you a present for your youngest nephew. It
should cheer up your infirm sister as well.”
“I would not wish to trouble you, Miss Pendleton. There is
nothing they need at Dunville Park—they want for nothing.”
“It is not something rare and extravagant that I wish to
give him, but a gift from the heart. Besides, it will hardly be
any trouble. I am thinking of gifting him a little picture book,
and I will merely put a little signature on the front. You will
accept such a gift, won’t you?” Miss Pendleton asked.
Mr. Dalton stared into Miss Pendleton’s gray eyes for a
long moment, then smiled faintly and nodded.
“Wonderful. Oh, come to think of it, you did not tell me
what your youngest nephew was called. I must know it so that
I can write the name of the recipient of the gift. What is his
name?”
Mr. Dalton paused at the question for a moment, then at
last said, “It’s… Ian Fairfax.”
Miss Pendleton’s eyes widened. “Ian, you say?
“Yes,” Mr. Dalton answered curtly, trying to hide his
embarrassment.
Miss Pendleton stifled a laugh that threatened to escape
her and replied, “Well, I had better start looking for a present
little Ian will like.”
A-A-A-
The weather was often unpleasant, and there were many
days when the two would sit alone by the fire, facing each
other, and talking. They talked and talked and talked, and as
Miss Pendleton increasingly learned more of Mr. Dalton’s
character, she was not at all disappointed—on the contrary,
her admiration of him grew day by day.
Mr. Dalton had a fascinating way of speaking—he was
forthright and spoke plainly in a grumbling tone about what
he liked and disliked. As he was not the sort of man to let love
blind him to someone’s shortcomings, the objects of his
affection were not immune to his criticism. But his love for
them was strong and tender, its recipients limited to his
estate, its farmers, and his own relatives. Given the fact that
he did not have a narrow view of the world, the scope of his
affection was truly small.
Miss Pendleton thought his character was an ideal fit for
marriage. He did not needlessly scatter his affections out into
the world but poured it into those at his side. Was that not a
trait that any good husband should have?
She did not plan to disclose her thoughts to him, however.
It was unfortunate that he had chosen to pursue a friendship
with a hopeless spinster like herself instead of focusing on
finding a wife who could bring him much happiness, but it
was ultimately none of her business. She could only hope in
her heart that Mr. Dalton would meet the perfect woman for
him once he decided he wanted to find love for himself.
One day, Miss Pendleton was sitting in the parlor and
arranging a vase of flowers when she heard the door open.
The butler announced the arrival of a visitor—it was Mr.
Dalton. She set down the daffodils and the scissors in her
hand and rose to her feet. She curtsied in greeting as he
entered the parlor. He took off his hat and bowed politely.
He looked at the flowers on the table and smiled. “I see you
have been spending time with the flowers.”
“Yes. My friends for the day are a dozen roses and
daffodils. Shall I introduce them to you?”
“I am always happy to meet your friends, Miss Pendleton,
but it seems those ladies are not yet quite ready for guests.
Why don’t we leave the introductions for another time? Will
you go on a walk with me today? It is a very beautiful day.”
“Very well, Mr. Dalton. Just a moment.” Miss Pendleton
instructed her servant to put the flowers in water and went
upstairs to her room with her maid, Anne. She then checked
her hair and selected a coat and pair of gloves.
Anne buttoned up Miss Pendleton’s green spring coat.
“That gentleman comes by so often.”
“That is because this is the best place for him to socialize
quietly with others,” Miss Pendleton replied nonchalantly.
Anne gazed at her for a moment before fetching an elegant
hat with a veil from a drawer. “Try this on today, miss.”
“Hmm, this is too fancy. It isn’t as though I’m going to a
picnic.”
“But this hat flatters your neckline most.”
“If I pair this hat with my everyday clothes, people will
focus on the hat, not my neckline. Can you bring me the hat
with the purple ribbon?”
 Anne quietly placed the hat back into the drawer, and took
out the one Miss Pendleton had picked out—the plainest,
most practical hat she owned.
Miss Pendleton took it from Anne and put it on. As Anne
tied the ribbon under her chin, she said, “Still, miss, surely
the gentleman can meet people and socialize at places other
than this house. There must be some other reason for his
frequent visits.”
Pulling on her calfskin gloves, Miss Pendleton replied
inattentively, “Is that so?”
“I believe there are two possible reasons.”
“Which are?”
“One possibility is that our cook is so talented that he
wants to scout her to work at his own manor.”
“Hmm, I suppose there is some merit in that. Mr. Germain
is very good with poultry, and his desserts are heavenly.”
“The other possibility is that he is in love with someone
whom he can only meet at this house!”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “I wonder. It isn’t a
completely farfetched theory, but…”
“No, I’m quite certain that is the case. And I even know
who the object of his affections is.”
“Really? Who do you think it is, Anne?”
“Who else, miss? It’s you, of course!”
Miss Pendleton, whose gaze had been focused on her
gloves, raised her head and looked at Anne. She could see her
maid’s eyes sparkle with hope. Miss Pendleton laughed—she
understood now Anne suggested she put on such a fancy hat.
“I applaud your sense of imagination, but I would wager your
theory regarding Mr. Germain is far more likely. That makes
more sense than any other possibility.”
“My goodness, why?”
“Because Mr. Dalton has never shown me a hint of
affection greater than the exultations he gave to Mr.
Germain’s cold meats and pound cakes. Anne, do you know of
a single gentleman who can be in the presence of the woman
he loves for more than two weeks and not cast her a single
passionate glance?”
“Oh, that’s-”
“What a silly girl you are! That is nonsense, Anne. You
pretend to be an expert in the matters of the heart, yet you
know nothing,” Miss Pendleton teased Anne good-naturedly
as she checked over her appearance.
“But miss—”
“Anyway, after hearing your theory, I believe I should Mr.
Germain’s salary. Losing Mr. Germain would mean
Grandmother would lose one of her main joys of life, and I’ve
also become addicted to his pudding. Well, thank you for
telling me. I shall discuss the matter of his salary with Mr.
Germain later, of course.” With that, Miss Pendleton left the
room.
As she gathered up the lace shawl Miss Pendleton had left
behind, Anne muttered the words she wasn’t able to speak
earlier. “That is because you couldn’t see how Mr. Dalton
looks at you whenever you look away from him. You are the
silly one, miss. You know how to help other people in love,
but you are rubbish at it yourself.”
 Chapter 14

As soon as Miss Pendleton came down the stairs, they set out
for a walk. The generally dreary London weather had given
way to the first glimmer of sunshine in a long while, and the
streets were filled with gentlemen in black silk hats and well-
dressed ladies—mothers pushing strollers, pairs of girls
walking while holding hands, and lovers promenading arm in
arm.
Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton walked side by side, about a
handspan of space between them—an appropriate distance
for two friends. Not a word was said, but there was a relaxed
air of familiarity between them.
“Mr. Dalton, are you enjoying your life in London?”
I am enjoying it much more than I

expected.”
I am glad to hear that. As your London

friend, Mr. Dalton, I would have been quite concerned had

you told me you found life here dull.”
“No need to worry about my enjoyment of the city, Miss
Pendleton—you already have enough to worry about. Thanks
to you, I am already experiencing nearly everything London
has to offer, such as dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Morton.”
A few days earlier, Miss Pendleton had taken Mr. Dalton to
a dinner she had been invited to by Mr. and Mrs. Morton, and
the pair had visited the couple’s new manor.
“They are a lovely pair, Mr. and Mrs.
Morton,” she said.
“And they are so well-suited for each other. I got the
feeling that they make up for each other’s shortcomings.”
“Oh my! You think so too, Mr. Dalton?”
“Yes. Mr. Morton gave the impression of being a reclusive
person by nature, nearly to the point of appearing cold and
aloof. But Mrs. Morton has a way of drawing him into
conversation and encouraging him naturally to talk. Thanks
to her, I had the rare and valuable experience of hearing about
a naval battle, something I have never taken part in, from
someone who has actually lived through it. On the other hand,
I observed that Mr. Morton subtly stopped his wife from
drinking too much.”
Miss Pendleton laughed. “By swapping the wine glass with
the water glass, you mean?”
There was a hint of amusement in Mr. Dalton’s voice. “On
at least four occasions, Mrs. Morton wondered out loud why
the water glass was in that particular spot on the table.”
“It must have been because she was so deeply engrossed in
our conversation. She possessed exceptional powers of
concentration, even as a child,” Miss Pendleton said in
defense of Elizabeth, afraid that Mr. Dalton may perceive her
dear old friend as foolish, but she could not help but burst out
into laughter. The two laughed out loud, devoid of any malice.
“They make for a lovely couple. Truly.”
“They do.”
“You must be proud, Miss Pendleton, for matching up two
people who are so perfect for each other.”
Miss Pendleton looked at him in surprise. “What do you
mean?”
“Mr. Morton told me in the smoking room that if it
weren’t for you, Miss Pendleton, he would never have been
able to marry Mrs. Morton.”
Miss Pendleton blushed. “No, Mr. Morton was
exaggerating. The two of them simply met often at the tea
parties hosted at my home.”
“I do not believe so. I could see that Mr. Morton is not one
to obfuscate objective truths with hyperbole. More
importantly, whenever Mr. Morton looked at you, Miss
Pendleton, there was a look of trust and friendship in his eyes
—a look that could not be directed to anyone who wasn’t his
benefactor, the person who helped him win over the wife he
loves so dearly.”
Rendered speechless by Mr. Dalton’s words, Miss
Pendleton blushed.
Mr. Dalton stared at her in silence. Miss Pendleton always
behaved in this manner, unable to handle the slightest
compliment. Perhaps it was due to her shyness.
 Most gentlemen would have changed the subject and saved
her from embarrassment. Mr. Dalton, however, did not
consider himself the consummate gentleman, and he had no
intention of becoming one, either. As such, he frankly said
what was on his mind, regardless of whether it may cause
Miss Pendleton further distress. “Through Mr. Morton, I
heard that you, my dear Miss Pendleton, dedicate your efforts
to helping your friends live blissful wedded lives. That is an
admirable endeavor. You are doing something far more
commendable than a politician or a soldier in terms of
making the world a better place.”
I do not know why you are

complimenting me so effusively. All I have done is step away

and give two people room to talk alone when the mood seems
to call for it. To compare such passive matchmaking methods
to the work of soldiers and politicians!”
“Soldiers and politicians go out into the world with a
mandate to do good, but at times become obsessed with their
objectives and ultimately destroy the world. However, Miss
Pendleton, you observe the world with prudence that such
men often neglect, and having a healthy outlook on marriage,
you ensure your friends are matched up with those most
suited for them.” His dark eyes stared into Miss Pendleton’s
—a direct, ungentlemanly gaze. “I remain of the opinion that
wise, thoughtful matchmaking is truly a good thing for the
world. There are men and women in the world who are
horribly incompatible, and every day, dozens of them are
united in marriage before God, and then are bound to each
other and live the rest of their lives in misery. Such
preposterousness is so prevalent that people do not even see
it as a problem. They simply sell themselves into an unhappy
marriage to gain wealth, for a hefty dowry. Your good
intentions are all the more precious and valuable when you
consider the social conditions and trends of the times.”
Miss Pendleton blushed so profusely that she reddened all
the way to the tips of her ears. Mr. Dalton looked at her
flushed face shamelessly and even smiled. It was impolite,
but he found the sight of Miss Pendleton endearing. He
thought the way she flushed with embarrassment was
adorable, and the reason behind her shyness only added to
her loveliness.
She would not have been nearly as shy after receiving a
formal compliment out of courtesy. Experienced in the ways
of high society, she tended to react in a cheeky, unblushing
manner to those who complimented her looks or melodious
voice. Whenever she heard sincere praise, however, based on
objective observation, she reacted with surprise and panic.
Every time Mr. Dalton paid her a compliment, he sensed
the shyness hidden within the normally perfect, flawless lady
that was Miss Pendleton, and that made him want to
embarrass her even more so that he may see and feel more of
her loveliness.
 Miss Pendleton too knew Mr. Dalton was amused by her
embarrassment, and she spoke up in an effort to extricate
herself from the situation before Mr. Dalton could say
something else so profoundly true that it left her startled and
flustered. “Do not misunderstand me, Mr. Dalton. I am just as
much of a realist as a banker. I would never advise a friend to
disregard a gentleman’s circumstances and marry him purely
out of love, for it is also true that a marriage facing financial
hardships breeds misery. Even in the happiest of homes, once
poverty comes calling, love flees through the rear door, akin
to a debtor running away from his creditor. So please, please
stop praising me!” A thought then quickly flitted through her
mind, and she quickly spoke it out loud. “I was actually
plotting behind my back to have you, Mr. Dalton, married off
to one of my friends, for I was laboring under the
misapprehension that you had come to London in search of a
wife. I also taught you the waltz on the first night of the ball
solely so that I could get you to dance with one of my friends.
What do you say to that? Do you still see me as a wise
matchmaker?”
However, Mr. Dalton did not at all appear surprised by her
words, as his smile only deepened.
Miss Pendleton soon caught on to the implications and
exclaimed, “You already knew this!”
In lieu of an answer, he merely laughed loudly. Miss
Pendleton’s face turned even redder. After laughing for a
good long while, he finally stopped. “I am sorry, Miss
Pendleton. It is simply that you were so ador—” He paused
and shook his head slightly. “I mean, I could not help but
wonder at your innocence. You will forgive me, won’t you?”
Miss Pendleton turned away wordlessly, not wanting to
show him her flaming face any longer. She took a deep breath
and continued walking.
As they were talking, they had passed through Grosvenor
Square and were now entering Hyde Park. Hyde Park, with its
vast expanse of greenery, had more gentlemen and ladies
strolling than the streets they had just passed, and on Rotten
Row were many fine carriages drawn by two horses.
Miss Pendleton quickly calmed herself as she enjoyed the
fresh, clean air, and quickly returned to her amiable self.
“Were you not offended by my attempts at matchmaking?”
“On the contrary, I was grateful. You stepped in to try and
resolve for me an issue that I lacked the ability to resolve
myself.”
“But you have no intention of marrying yet, Mr. Dalton.”
“Indeed not. While at Whitefield, my estate, I tried to fall
in love countless times. But those efforts only made me
realize that falling in love is not something to be achieved
purely by effort.”
“Sounds as though you could not open your heart to any of
the ladies there.”
“That is the perfect way to describe it. I could not open my
heart. Or, more accurately, I did not find anyone I wanted to
open my heart to.”
 “But if you try to look for the good in any person, there is
no one entirely devoid of redeeming qualities. Besides, I have
yet to hear a rumor that the ladies of Yorkshire are lacking in
comparison to the average lady in England.”
“Of course, the ladies were all from decently good families.
My heart simply did not open to them, that is all. It wasn’t as
though I was being particularly picky or that I was looking for
an extraordinary beauty. That is simply how things
transpired.”
Miss Pendleton recalled that Mr. Fairfax had once
described him as a man waiting for his destiny. “Are you
perhaps looking for a woman whom you feel you are destined
to be with?”
“Funny, that is precisely what William said to me. That
being said, I doubt William would have told you something so
silly. Well, I do not believe in anything as grandiose as
destiny. I simply think the right person for me is out there
somewhere. Someone who will be my perfect pair, and I also
believe I will be able to meet that person without any
contrived efforts on my part. Ah, but perhaps that is
effectively believing in destiny?”
Miss Pendleton merely laughed. “Then why don’t you try
harder to find that person in London? With my matchmaking
skills, which you praised so highly earlier, I will be sure to
find the lady destined for you.
Mr. Dalton looked at Miss Pendleton for a moment, then
shook his head wordlessly.
 “Why not? Is it because you dislike contrived encounters
that will throw a wrench in destiny’s works?”
“No. It is because I no longer need such contrived
encounters.”
The words “no longer need” stayed on Miss Pendleton’s
mind. Those words were open to interpretation. It could mean
that he was giving up on any efforts to find the woman for
him—or that he had already found the one meant for him.
 Chapter 15

Miss Pendleton continued to walk alongside Mr. Dalton, lost

in thought until she heard a voice calling out to her from
behind. “Miss Pendleton!”
Miss Pendleton and Mr. Dalton turned around and saw a
gleaming, ornate fourwheeled carriage standing on the
carriage drive. The carriage door soon opened, and Miss Dora
Lance slowly stepped out of the carriage.
Miss Lance was a vision. The netting of her fine outing hat
cast a faint shadow over her lovely, peach-pink face, and the
striped dress she wore flattered her slender figure perfectly.
Miss Pendleton inwardly sang Miss Lance’s praises. My
goodness, Miss Lance is looking especially radiant today. She is
like a Venus painted by Botticelli.
Miss Lance hurried over to them and curtsied slightly in
greeting, which Miss Pendleton and Mr. Dalton both returned.
“My oh my! It is such a lovely day, isn’t it? Both of you
have been dragged out by this beautiful weather, I wager?”
For some reason, Miss Lance seemed much more excited than
usual. Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton murmured appropriate
words of agreement. “So have I! I simply couldn’t bear to stay
at home and plunk on the piano keys on a day like this. Now
then, shall we take a stroll together?”
“Yes, please dojoin us, Miss Lance,” said Miss Pendleton,
readily inviting her to join them.
The three of them walked down the promenade side by
side, with Miss Dora Lance sandwiched between Mr. Dalton
and Miss Pendleton. Miss Lance casually linked her arm with
Mr. Dalton’s. “The weather today is delightful, Mr. Dalton.
And since it is right before the peak of the social season, the
crowds are still modest.”
“Ah, yes.”
“It will soon be the peak of the social season, and my
friends who are still at resorts or their country estates will all
be coming to London within the month. I have planned all
sorts of events with them —balls, tea parties, picnics! It will
be so much fun. Mr. Dalton, if you plan to be in London
throughout the social season, why don’t you join us for a
picnic? We will go boating and we will pack lots of delicious
food to eat. How about it?”
“Hmm.”
Miss Lance, whose gaze had been fixed on Mr. Dalton all
this time, turned to Miss Pendleton. “You will come too, Miss
Pendleton, won’t you?”
“If I am invited, of course.”
“Yes! You should join us all summer, Miss Pendleton. We
shall have a grand old time. We can go swimming, boating,
and eat lots of cookies too. I am certain there will be other
gentlemen accompanying us.”
Miss Pendleton laughed quietly.
“And Mr. Dalton, you will come too, won’t you? Won’t
you? Won’t you?”
At Miss Lance’s repeated urging, Mr. Dalton nodded. “All
right, I shall.”
Miss Lance clapped her hands in delight. Afterward, Miss
Lance continued to ramble on about her plans for the
summer, her words mostly directed at Mr. Dalton. Mr. Dalton
seemed a little taken aback at first, but he listened to her
calmly and responded in a polite manner.
This gave Miss Pendleton a chance to observe the two of
them. Miss Lance, she noticed, was much more eager and
worked up than she was used to seeing, which puzzled her.
Miss Lance was a lady she had been introduced to through
Beth, and with whom she had occasionally had tea with at the
viscount’s prior to Beth’s marriage. Through small acts of
kindness, such as mending the hem of a dress that had been
accidentally torn at a ball, or lending a pair of gloves, Misses
Pendleton and Lance had formed an amiable friendship that
was not particularly deep but significant. As such, Miss
Pendleton had known Miss Lance for some time, which made
her current behavior seem all the more unusual.
As soon as Miss Lance made her debut, London society had
begun treating her like a star. Her every word and every action
was met with praise. Men and women alike professed to be
her admirers. And why not? She was beautiful and intelligent,
graceful and talented. And she knew it, too, which was why
she was usually indifferent to the attentions she received, and
her pride was so great that she almost appeared conceited at
times. In short, she was not a lady desperate enough to cling
to a gentleman who had no interest in her.
What, then, explained her conduct now? What emotional
exchange had taken place between Mr. Dalton and Miss
Lance? Miss Pendleton knew they had met at the ball, and had
a formal dinner together the following night. Did those two
encounters lead to something resembling a romantic
relationship between them? Or did they have another
encounter of some sort after that day?
None of this made sense otherwise—for Miss Dora Lance,
of all people, to practically make a fool of herself by attaching
herself to a man who had absolutely no interest in her! Miss
Pendleton glanced at Mr. Dalton curiously.
Mr. Dalton was reacting calmly to Miss Lance clutching at
him. His demeanor was stately and dignified. From a
distance, one might simply see him as a dashing gentleman,
happily accepting the antics of his ingenue lover. After
spending the past two weeks observing Mr. Dalton closely,
however, Miss Pendleton could not arrive at the conclusion
that he was in love with Miss Lance.
He would grumble and gripe about the trouble his young
nephews and niece would get into, but there was warmth and
affection in his eyes whenever he spoke of them. But as he
looked at Miss Lance now, there was no sign of such emotion
in Mr. Dalton’s eyes.
After a moment, Miss Lance recalled her mother’s
insistence that she return home early and hastily climbed into
her own carriage, which had been following the trio closely
behind. She wistfully asked them both to promise to attend
the picnic once again, then sped away in the direction of her
home.
Mr. Dalton let out a loud sigh and asked Miss Pendleton if
her legs were feeling sore. As their stroll had unexpectedly
gone on for longer than anticipated, her calves were in fact
beginning to ache. Miss Pendleton was honest about the pain,
and Mr. Dalton immediately decided that they would retrace
their steps to return to her manor.
Miss Pendleton looked at Mr. Dalton, who was walking
slowly with one hand in his pocket, matching Miss
Pendleton’s narrow stride. She could not sense any emotion
in his blank face.
Mr. Dalton broke the silence between them. “Miss Lance is
a lovely young lady.”
“A lovely young lady, yes. She is also quite talented and
intelligent.”
“Beauty, talent, and intelligence—a perfect lady, indeed. I
do not think any gentleman would be able to resist her. What
a pity I was not able to dance with her at that ball the other
night.” There was no passion in Mr. Dalton’s voice, but he
sounded quite serious. Miss Pendleton spoke a few more
words of flattery about Miss Lance. Mr. Dalton agreed with
each one and even added what he himself thought were her
merits. It was the first time he had ever praised someone so
eagerly. “From what I have seen of your friends, Miss
Pendleton, it seems to me that the only person in your social
circle who leaves much to be desired is William.”
Miss Pendleton laughed. “Mr. Fairfax is my most precious
friend, Mr. Dalton.”
“Most precious?”
“Yes.”
“Why on earth would that be?” asked Mr. Dalton,
sounding genuinely puzzled.
“He is kinder and more good-natured than any other
gentleman in London. I respect that.”
“At the same time, that makes him weak and soft-hearted.
If Olivia asked him to, he would even get down on his knees
and imitate a goat. He is taking pains to spoil my nephews
rotten as well. I cannot understand for the life of me how he
managed to make his business into a success,” Mr. Dalton
said in the sarcastic tone of voice that usually came naturally
to him whenever he spoke of someone he liked.
Miss Pendleton stifled a laugh. “Don’t be so harsh on Mr.
Fairfax. He is the one who pleaded with me to find a bride for
you.”
“I suppose… I should be grateful for that.”
“Anyway, aren’t you looking forward to the picnic with
Miss Lance? I shall have to ask Miss Lance to invite Mr.
Fairfax, too. No doubt he would love to go boating.”
Mr. Dalton was a gentleman who never missed an
opportunity for mockery. “A splendid idea. Let us make
William our coachman when we are traveling, and our
boatman when we are boating. He is just the man for the job.”
Miss Pendleton did not know whether she should laugh or
not, and in the end, she just laughed.
Their conversation continued on the subject of the
upcoming picnic all the way to the Pendleton house. As a
result, there were plenty of opportunities for Miss Pendleton
to bring up Miss Lance. Mr. Dalton sincerely agreed with Miss
Pendleton in her praise of Miss Lance, and he added his own
favorable opinions, stacking up his compliments atop hers
like a tower.
Miss Pendleton was pleased to hear such praise directed at
her friend, for one of her favorite things was to hear
compliments about her friends—and Mr. Dalton had seen
right through her.
Arriving at last at Miss Pendleton’s doorstep, Mr. Dalton
politely declined her offer of tea. “Thank you for the offer, but
I have a letter waiting for me, so I must be
• 55
going.
“Sounds like an urgent business. You should hurry along
then.”
“Until next time, then.” Mr. Dalton took off his hat,
bowed, and turned around to leave—then paused and turned
back to face Miss Pendleton. “By any chance… has William
Fairfax ever courted you?”
“What?” asked Miss Pendleton, shocked by the question.
Mr. Dalton waited somberly for her answer.
“Did you not hear what happened between Miss Hyde and
Mr. Fairfax?”
“I did.”
“And surely you remember Miss Hyde has been practicing
typing at my home?”
“Yes.”
“I am surprised to hear you ask you such a question then!
Had such a thing happened, with Miss Hyde, how could I
possibly— no, it would be inappropriate to imagine such a
scenario. Do you mean to ruin my friendship with Mr.
Fairfax?” asked Miss Pendleton, looking agitated.
Mr. Dalton then smiled, as if pleased by her fervent denial.
“Your answer leaves no room for doubt. I am glad to hear of
it. Then until next time, Miss Pendleton.”
 Chapter 16

With those words, Mr. Dalton turned and left. Miss Pendleton
was dumbfounded, but chalked it up to Mr. Dalton’s unique
sense of humor and went back into the house. Inside, she took
out the flowers that were in the water and resumed trimming
them to finish the flower arrangement she had started earlier.
But as she trimmed the blooms, she could not help but
recall the image of Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton walking
together in Hyde Park. She was responsible for protecting
Miss Lance in the context of her and Mr. Dalton’s potential
relationship, as she had been the one to first introduce her
friend to the gentleman. She began thinking about Mr. Dalton
and Miss Lance. Mr. Dalton and Miss Lance… Miss Lance and
Mr. Dalton. Had the two of them truly fallen in love?
It wasn’t an entirely unreasonable conclusion. Currently,
Miss Lance was probably the most beautiful unmarried
noblewoman in London, and Mr. Dalton was as handsome a
young man as could be found, not only in London but all of
England. What Miss Lance lacked in terms of a large dowry,
she made up for with her family title, and while Mr. Dalton
did not have a title, he was from a storied family, which he
had used as the foundation to amass his substantial fortune.
They were a perfect match.
However, that did little to quell Miss Pendleton’s
uneasiness. Mr. Dalton’s quiet aloofness. A composure that
was typically difficult for someone to maintain in front of the
person they carried a torch for. It was the polar opposite of
how she expected Mr. Dalton to behave as a man in love.
Perhaps that was simply the way Mr. Dalton loved—hiding
his feelings from others, only revealing them fully to his
lover. Miss Pendleton’s only fear, however, was that Miss
Lance had somehow misunderstood the depth of Mr. Dalton’s
regard for her and was acting in a highly presumptuous
manner, focused solely on her own feelings for him.
Miss Pendleton did not think Miss Lance would be so
foolish, but the young woman’s pride was concerning. Miss
Lance was not only beautiful, but her intellect was also
superior to that of any other lady. She was knowledgeable and
talented. Still, however, she was only twenty years old,
inexperienced, and knew nothing other than what she had
learned from books and what her friends told her. And the
biggest problem was that she did not realize that there was
much in the world she did not know or understand. She was
constantly surrounded by many admirers, all of whom were
always eager to praise her, and Miss Lance accepted their
praise without question.
Under these circumstances, it was natural to suspect that
Miss Lance might have fallen for Mr. Dalton on her own. If
someone around her had somehow put the fantasy in her
head that Mr. Dalton cared for her deeply, it would be gravely
troubling. The degree of embarrassment she would feel when
she discovered Mr. Dalton’s indifference—would be
devastating!
Miss Pendleton stopped thinking for a moment. She had
finished trimming the flowers, and for a while, she
concentrated on arranging them in the vase. When she was
finished, she turned the vase this way and that to see how the
flowers looked together. She debated for a moment, then
repositioned a few of the daffodils, which improved the
overall arrangement greatly.
Miss Pendleton took the vase straight back to the sitting
room and set it on the table so that it would be the first thing
her guests saw when they entered the room. She then went to
the kitchen to discuss with Mr. Germain, who was taking a
brief break before starting dinner, the matter of his salary.
He brightened up at the sudden offer of a raise and
expressed his delight in French, offering to make Miss
Pendleton her favorite fruit pudding tonight. She thought to
herself that she wouldn’t need to worry about Mr. Germain
leaving their employ for a while, then headed back to her
room.
As she walked back to her room, her earlier thoughts
resumed. On the one hand, she wondered if she was selling
Miss Lance short in her suspicions. While the young woman
might be prideful, it did not necessarily mean she was foolish.
In the three years Miss Pendleton had known her, her pride
had not once landed her in hot water. Even with so many
admirers around her, showering her with praise as though
they were determined to turn her into a hopeless narcissist,
she had managed to retain a modicum of selfawareness. She
was weak to compliments about her outward appearance, but
not nearly as susceptible to flattery about her other attributes
—proof that Miss Lance was a sensible, discerning sort.
Miss Pendleton chose to place her faith in Miss Lance and,
at least for the time being, suspend the notion that she alone
was infatuated with Mr. Dalton. She instead examined the
possibility that the two of them felt for each other. Assuming
that it was Miss Lance that Mr. Dalton was thinking of when
he had stated there was no need for further matchmaking,
and should their affections bear fruit and lead to marriage…
that would be a truly wonderful turn of events.
At that moment, a dull throb of pain blossomed in Laura’s
heart, but she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to
perceive it. She continued her train of thought.
The union would benefit both of them, she thought. Mr.
Dalton was a rather particular gentleman, but he was also
rational, intelligent, and broad-minded. If she were to marry
and share her life with him, Miss Lance would receive his
positive influence and grow as a person in many ways.
It would be a good match for Mr. Dalton, too. He would be
starting a family with one of the finest single ladies in
London. With such a beautiful and skillful wife at his side, he
would enjoy an abundance of domestic bliss—the greatest
happiness a man could ever dream of. Moreover, Miss Lance’s
title and connections as a noble in high society would help
him in his future business endeavors.
Miss Pendleton thought that as long as they loved each
other, their marriage would be perfect. She walked away from
the window, resolving to patiently wait and see what
happened next.

***

It was now May—a time of radiance and flourishing. The

social season had begun in earnest.
It was also the time of year when the upper crust of
English society, who had been lounging around in their
estates or relaxing in their resorts, flocked to London like
moths to a flame. In the area of London where many
townhouses were concentrated, invitations to parties,
dinners, balls, and concerts were exchanged daily, and every
night was a dazzling display of decadent revelry.
The townhouse of Lady Abigail Pendleton, however, was
quite removed from all the merriment. It had already been
over twenty years since the esteemed Lady Abigail Pendleton
had withdrawn from high society, and she was content to
pass her time in the refined pursuit of serving as an advisor to
artists. Recently, however, her failing health was forcing her
into near seclusion. She had even withdrawn from attending
tea parties hosted at the Pendleton townhouse, spending
hours sitting alone in her rocking chair instead. Sometimes
even that proved too taxing for her, and she often had to
return to her bed.
Miss Pendleton, an introverted person by nature, became
even more socially withdrawn in light of her grandmother’s
condition. She was often at her ailing grandmother’s bedside,
reading to her or helping her take her medication. Then once
she fell asleep, Miss Pendleton would have a servant keep
watch over her and spend some time in the study, sitting at a
large oak desk to read, write letters, and study.
She treasured that time immensely, as she was naturally
inclined to enjoy spending time in peace and quiet. She loved
the desk she always sat at, she loved the books on the shelves,
and she adored having some quiet time to herself. But lately,
her study was neither peaceful nor quiet, for she had someone
to spend her afternoons with.
Two months ago, after receiving Miss Pendleton’s offer,
Miss Hyde had come to visit her the very next day. At first,
Miss Hyde was skittish, unsure whether she deserved such
kindness from Miss Pendleton, but Miss Pendleton brought
her to the study without hesitation.
Miss Hyde was quite surprised, as had never seen a study
of that size in a London townhouse before, and took her time
exploring the cozy room. An entire wall was covered with oak
bookcases, in the middle of which a fireplace merrily blazed.
There were two large desks on one side of the room placed in
an L formation, one against the window and the other facing
the fireplace. Both were large, handsome desks.
While Miss Hyde was preoccupied with the study, Miss
Pendleton crouched under the desk that faced the fireplace
and, grunting, began to pull something out. Miss Hyde heard
Miss Pendleton ask for help and approached her, soon
realizing the object she was struggling with was a typewriter.
Miss Hyde quickly went to her side and together they pulled
out the typewriter, picked it up, and placed it on the desk.
Miss Hyde stared at the typewriter with wide eyes. It was
clearly a typewriter for office use. It was pitch black, clunky,
and professional-looking. “Where in the world did you
acquire such a thing?”
“I found it used at an office supply store. A lawyer’s office
had gone out of business, I believe. You can create all types of
documents with this.”
Miss Hyde looked at the typewriter as if it were a rare,
marvelous artifact. “You practiced on this machine? To
become a typist?”
“Yes.”
Miss Hyde said, surprised by Miss Pendleton’s answer,
“How incredible. I never even considered such a possibility
until now.”
“Well, when one is afraid of the future, one is compelled to
do something, anything.”
“Then Miss Pendleton, do you plan to become a typist as
well?”
 Miss Pendleton shook her head.
“The year I turned twenty-five, I was feeling as lost as you
are, Miss Hyde. I did not think marriage was in the cards for
me. And in that case, I needed to make a living. While I was
walking down the street, mulling over how I could earn a
livelihood, I discovered this typewriter on sale and I bought it
immediately, and spent the next three months doing nothing
but typing.” Laura sighed wistfully as though she were
thinking back to those days. “When I became skilled enough
to close my eyes and fill up an entire page without making a
single mistake, I was relieved. With the help of an
acquaintance, I even learned proper formatting for
documents from a typist. Once I was in a position to get a job
at any time, I could seriously envision myself working in an
office.”
Miss Pendleton frowned as the picture she had painted in
her mind replayed itself.
“Conversations with strange, unfamiliar men, thick cigar
smoke, daily paperwork. None of it seemed to be for me. So I
ended up giving up on that pursuit.”
Miss Hyde tilted her head. “That is the opposite of how I
feel. I cannot stand the mawkish, cloying manner in which
gentlemen treat ladies. I would much rather they tell me what
to do, cigar in hand. That is how my father always treated me
when he was alive, and I liked that, Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes, you are the opposite of me, Miss Hyde. I believe you
will be capable of becoming good at this—good enough to
make a living from it.” Miss Pendleton took Miss Hyde’s
hand. “But to do that, you must first become a skilled typist.”
Miss Pendleton placed Miss Hyde’s hand, which she was still
holding, on the typewriter, and had her push one of the keys
with a finger. A loud click echoed in the quiet study.
This was the first time Miss Hyde had ever used a
typewriter. She was amazed at the sensation at her fingertips,
nearly vibrating with excitement. She felt a whirlwind of
emotions—a little scared, but also excited and thrilled.
“Miss Hyde, would you be interested in learning how to
type from me?”
 Chapter 17

Miss Hyde nodded. “If not for this opportunity, I have no

hope for the future.”
“Bear in mind that I will be a strict teacher.”
Miss Hyde looked at the warm gray gaze of Miss
Pendleton’s kind eyes and found it difficult to imagine her
friend being strict in any shape or form. But she knew Miss
Pendleton was the only person who was going to be of any
real help to her, her last ray of hope. As such, Miss Hyde
resolved to entrust herself entirely to Miss Pendleton,
regardless of how she treated her. “Yes, Miss Pendleton,
please teach me however you wish. I will do whatever you ask
of me.”
Miss Pendleton smiled gently, and so Miss Hyde’s training
began.
First, Miss Pendleton instructed her to familiarize herself
with the positions of the letters of the alphabet. In Miss
Pendleton’s study, she had Miss Hyde press the keys of the
typewriter herself, and at home, she kept a piece of paper on
which was copied the exact layout of the keys of the
typewriter by her at all times, so that she could type the
letters she needed to without even looking at the keys. Within
a week, Miss Hyde—who was a very enthusiastic pupil—
could hit every key with her eyes closed.
That, however, was when the real training began, for a
typist’s job was to transcribe a document on paper without a
single mistake. Miss Hyde began to type out the text in
history books, novels, and books of essays in the study
bookcases every day.
For five hours straight each day, Miss Pendleton stood by
Miss Hyde’s side and watched her type, holding a thin switch
in her hand.
If Miss Hyde pressed the wrong key, Miss Pendleton
moved her finger to the right key with the switch, and
whenever she tried to look away from the document, Miss
Pendleton smacked the back of her hand. The blows only
stung slightly, but it made Miss Hyde nervous nonetheless.
At first, Miss Hyde was taken aback by Miss Pendleton and
the switch in her hand. Corporal punishment seemed rather
uncharacteristic of the kind and gentle Miss Pendleton.
However, that was Miss Pendleton the lady. As a teacher, Miss
Pendleton was a completely different person. When she
taught Miss Hyde, her face was devoid of the gentle smile she
always wore. Her expression was stern and spoke in a cold
voice. And if Miss Hyde made more mistakes than usual, Miss
Pendleton—without ever raising her voice—would deliver a
reprimand sharp enough to petrify her hapless student.
The first month was certainly a difficult one for Miss Hyde.
After practicing on the typewriter and being scolded by Miss
Pendleton for hours, she was left exhausted each day. Every
single joint of her fingers would ache after hours of typing,
and her wrists would hurt so badly that she would have
trouble sleeping at night.
Miss Hyde’s mother shot disparaging words, thinly veiled
as concern, at her back as she left to make her daily trip to the
Pendleton townhouse, while her brother John openly
criticized her, saying she was embarrassing the family with
all her talk of becoming a typist.
Miss Hyde, however, ignored all of their snide remarks.
She was like a racehorse with blinders on. She could not
afford the luxury of looking sideways or behind her. A robber
was chasing her with a knife, and that robber was an
uncertain future—a future in which she was doomed to live
with her horrible mother for the rest of her days, or in which
she had to work as a poverty-stricken laborer, doing odd jobs
to make ends meet.
Fortunately, after a month, things got better. She adapted
to the pain in her wrist, and her family grew tired of nagging
at her and gave up. Miss Pendleton’s rigorous training
regimen also served to stimulate her now that she had grown
accustomed to it.
As she grew more focused on her training under Miss
Pendleton’s tutelage, Miss Hyde’s typing skills steadily
improved. A week passed, then two, then a whole month, and
Miss Hyde was now able to type out an entire novel in three
days without a single mistake. By the time one month out of
the three Miss Pendleton had predicted it would take her to
learn the skill, Miss Hyde had become a rather capable typist.
As she became more skilled, Miss Hyde began to shake off
her melancholy and return to her usual cheerful self. She was
no longer self-deprecating or pessimistic about the future. No
longer would her ability to make a living be threatened by her
failure to fit into the world. She had become confident in her
ability to take care of her own needs through employment. At
the same time, she became increasingly grateful to Miss
Pendleton for giving her such a valuable opportunity.
On a particular midday in May, Miss Hyde completed the
chapter of her novel that she had set aside to type up for the
day, as usual, set the stack of papers aside, then glanced at
Miss Pendleton, stretching her aching fingers.
Once Miss Hyde’s typing skills were on par with her own,
Miss Pendleton had put down her switch and left Miss Hyde
to practice independently, sitting down at the other desk to
work on her own tasks. With her mind now at ease, Miss Hyde
became interested in what her teacher was doing.
“Miss Pendleton, what are you writing?” she asked. Miss
Pendleton, who had been staring intently at a page, lifted up
the book slightly to show her the cover. Upon recognizing it
as a copy of the Bible in Latin, Miss Hyde exclaimed in
surprise, “How devout you are, Miss Pendleton! It isn’t even
Sunday, yet here you are reading the Bible!”
Miss Pendleton, who had gone back to her usual gentle self
after setting down her switch, shook her head and replied
softly, “Please do not praise me for my piety, for I am not
reading it to study scripture.”
“Then why are you reading it?”
“I am studying Latin, Miss Hyde.”
Startled, Miss Hyde walked over to Miss Pendleton’s desk.
Miss Pendleton had a pile of books beside her. TheAeneid, the
Odyssey, the Iliad… Miss Hyde flipped through books. They
were all in their original language. Every page was filled with
Latin or Greek text, none of which Miss Hyde could read or
understand.
Miss Hyde raised her head to stare at Miss Pendleton in
wonder. Miss Pendleton laid down her pen, seemingly to take
a break herself. On the sheet of paper she had been toiling
over with her pen was a faithful translation of Psalm 23:3
from Latin—He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name’s sake.
“You know Latin, Miss Pendleton? And Greek too?”
Miss Pendleton nodded.
“Where did you learn?”
“At an all-girls school.”
“I thought all-girls schools only taught French and
German.”
“That is usually the case, but the school I attended had
Latin and Greek classes, and though it mostly focused on
simple grammar, I was able to learn the basics so well that I
am able to translate most texts on my own with the help of a
dictionary.”
 Miss Hyde looked at Miss Pendleton in amazement for a
moment before pulling up a chair and sitting down beside her.
“It is amazing that you are able to read all these thick tomes.
If you were a man, you could have easily gone to Oxford, Miss
Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “I may not be able to go to Oxford,
but I need to be good enough at both languages to help a
student who wants to go to Oxford so that I am able to teach
boys over the age of thirteen.”
“Miss Pendleton, are you thinking of becoming a
governess?”
“Yes. For now, at least.”
Miss Hyde realized what Miss Pendleton had been
preoccupied with beside her while she was practicing her
typing. She had assumed her friend was simply reading, but
Miss Pendleton had been studying in order to become a
governess.
Miss Hyde stared at her face intently. As always, her pale,
delicate features were lovely and feminine. Miss Hyde’s
impression of Miss Pendleton had always been that of a quiet,
reserved maiden. No matter what she said to Miss Pendleton,
she always responded with kind words, and she never lost her
temper, no matter what. A refined lady by anybody’s
standards. And so Miss Hyde was shocked to learn that Miss
Pendleton was preparing for the future in such a zealous
manner.
 “But Miss Pendleton, you graduated valedictorian at the
school you and Rosemary attended, and you speak French like
a native.”
“I did graduate valedictorian, and I do speak some French,
but that is not enough.”
“I don’t believe it! You would be welcomed by any family
with a daughter.”
“The education of its daughters is the first thing any
family gives up on when their financial circumstances
worsen.
Governesses for girls are also paid less than ones for boys,
and their employment is more precarious.
Miss Hyde suddenly understood Miss Pendleton’s
meaning, for Miss Hyde had experienced it firsthand—once
the Hyde family began to fall on hard times, she had been
forced to leave school immediately and return home. But her
younger brother was able to still attend Eton, as if that were a
given. “Knowing Latin and Greek will certainly improve your
chances of being employed by a family with sons, and the pay
will be higher too. Then Miss Pendleton, do you plan to be a
governess for the rest of your life?”
“Yes, if possible. However, if the demand for governesses
diminishes, I plan to try and find work at a school. The same
teachers who taught me are still teaching at the school I
graduated from. The same headmistress is still there, too. If I
send a letter to them, I believe they will offer me a position as
a teacher. I would like to work there until I reach retirement
age, then go into retirement when I am around fifty years of
age. After working for twenty years, I should have enough
money to buy a little house in the outskirts of the city.” With
those words, Miss Pendleton quietly began to put away her
books and writing utensils. “What about you, Miss Hyde?
Have you been envisioning your future lately?”
Miss Hyde rested her chin on her desk and said
hesitatingly, “I read the papers often these days, and I pay
particular attention to the advertisements for typists. They
are mostly from lawyers’ offices and tax offices, and
sometimes from newspapers and publishing houses. I think I
would like a position in a publishing house. They don’t pay
much, but I would get to read lots of new books. That being
said, I would be happy to work anywhere willing to hire me.
Then I could earn some money for a room in a boarding house
so that I can leave the family home.”
“Does your mother know what you are planning?”
“No, she doesn’t. But I am not worried about it, because
she cannot stand me as much as I cannot stand her. She will
be angry and kick up a fuss at first, but I think she will feel
relieved once I am gone, and in a year or so she won’t even
remember I was ever there. Leaving home would ensure both
my and my mother’s happiness. I know it is a terrible thing
for me to say, Miss Pendleton, but this is simply how some
mother-daughter relationships are—it is as though God
made a mistake in tying our fates together.”
 Chapter 18

Miss Pendleton neither rebuked Miss Hyde for her words nor
agreed with her, but simply took her hand and said, “Miss
Hyde, I do not believe you will spend the remainder of your
life typing.”
“Pardon?”
“Because being a typist would be too monotonous an
occupation for you, Miss Hyde.”
“But Miss Pendleton, I do not even have a job yet!”
“I know that what I am saying may be a tad premature. But
I am telling you this now because I want you to remember
these words one day when our paths diverge and I am no
longer at your side. You are a smart, strong woman, and
what’s more, you yearn for a new world. So, Miss Hyde, if
another opportunity ever comes your way, do not be afraid to
take it —or you will come to regret it.”
Miss Hyde, head bowed, stared at Miss Pendleton’s hand.
A small, pale hand. A slender wrist and arm. Miss Hyde’s eyes
traveled up Miss Pendleton’s arm to her tiny, clothed
shoulder. To her slender neckline. Then to the kind,
considerate expression on her face.
 As Miss Hyde stared at her face, her heart felt restless for a
moment. She became genuinely curious. Why had Miss
Pendleton never found love? When she was this beautiful and
delicate, unlike herself? And it wasn’t as though she was
reluctant to the idea of marrying and being with a man the
way she was.
Miss Hyde, however, did not ask Miss Pendleton—who
had been so generous with her time, advice, and typewriter-
such an impolite question. She merely held her friend’s hand
tightly and promised to keep practicing her typing.
And so the two young ladies worked diligently to make
preparations for their future, oblivious to the fact that the
date of Miss Lance’s planned spring picnic was fast
approaching.

***

Miss Lance had made up her mind to spend the summer of

her twentieth year extensively enjoying all sorts of merriment
and revelry. After all, it could very well be her last social
season as an unmarried
woman.
She wrote to all the young ladies and gentlemen she knew,
asking them to join her for a picnic. Were they to all attend,
there would be more than thirty people present. Mr. Dalton,
of course, was the first gentleman she sent an invitation to.
 Upon receiving her invitation to the picnic, Miss Pendleton
wrote her back and said she would be happy to attend. As Miss
Pendleton drafted her response, Miss Hyde, who was sitting
at the desk next to hers, was wondering with a troubled
expression on her face why Miss Lance, whom she had only
greeted in passing a few times, had sent her an invitation too.
Miss Pendleton suggested to the reluctant Miss Hyde that
she come to the picnic with her. Miss Hyde would be
employed within the year, if not sooner, and this kind of
social event would be out of her reach for a while. Deep down,
however, Miss Pendleton had another purpose for bringing
Miss Hyde to the picnic—to have her reconcile with Mr.
Fairfax.
For both Mr. Fairfax and Miss Hyde, his proposal was an
embarrassing incident that could not be undone. But since
Mr. Fairfax was not the kind of man to bear grudges and Miss
Hyde bore no ill will towards him, there was no reason why
they couldn’t be friends again.
And truthfully, Miss Pendleton was as eager to see their
friendship restored as she was for Miss Hyde to find a job
through Mr. Fairfax’s introduction. Miss Hyde was a novice at
navigating the world as a working professional and starting a
career with a trustworthy employer was worth the risk of
dredging up a troubling past memory.
At Miss Pendleton’s gentle urging, Miss Hyde agreed to go
with her to the picnic hosted by Miss Lance.
 The picnic took place on a sunny day in late June. The
ladies and gentlemen who were to attend the picnic
immediately assembled at the Lance townhouse. There were
about twenty ladies and gentlemen, and as usual, women
made up two-thirds of the group. With most of the men
abroad seeking their fortunes, London social circles were
always bustling with ladies.
Soon, four carriages stood ready in front of the mansion.
They were open-top carriages that could seat four. The few
gentlemen present were ready and willing to escort the ladies
and serve as coachmen. In high society, the gentlemen were
obligated to volunteer their services for the ladies’
merrymaking.
Each of the gentlemen took a box seat as the ladies,
forming small groups with their closest friends, climbed into
the carriages with their colorful parasols open. Soon, the
carriages departed, making their way to the outskirts of
London.
The scenery outside the carriage gradually changed from
shops and squares to green mountains and fields. The ladies
laughed and chatted merrily as the carriage bounced along.
Even the occasional shaking and clunking of a carriage
whenever a stone got caught on one of its wheels made the
ladies giggle.
The noisiest carriage was the one carrying Miss Lance and
her friends. Miss Lance’s three friends, Misses Daisy Orson,
Susan Donovan, and Victoria Wilkes, had come to London last
week, Daisy from Bath and Susan and Victoria from
Yorkshire.
They had been meeting every day for the past week,
sharing with each other all sorts of happenings they had
experienced during their time apart. The main topic of
conversation was the local high society of each respective
region and the gentlemen they had encountered there.
They talked at length about the charms and wealth of the
men they had met and spent time discussing how far they had
advanced with said men and whether they were worth
meeting again. But in this picnic carriage, such talk was not
appropriate, as the box seat and the carriage seats were only
an arm’s length apart. Moreover, the man sitting in the box
seat of their carriage was none other than Ian Dalton.
The three ladies all knew quite a bit about Ian Dalton
already, as they found upon their arrival in London that his
name was the one being uttered most often by the other
ladies in town. His wealth and status were already a subject of
gossip among young ladies and ladies who had daughters to
marry off. And the fact that the first dinner invitation he
received was from Baronet Lance was being talked about just
as often. They were curious to know what the rumored Ian
Dalton was really like, as well as how Miss Lance, the object of
their admiration, had spent her time with Mr. Dalton.
At the first tea party of the social season, where all their
friends had gathered, Miss Lance had told them of the ball
where she had met Mr. Dalton and the dinner he had
attended. The three young ladies had intuited that the
gentleman was smitten with Miss Lance before she could
even finish telling her story, for his glances and manner of
speaking—as described by Miss Lance—were exactly
identical to those of Miss Lance’s many admirers.
When Miss Daisy Orson spoke of their conjecture, Miss
Lance, of course, fervently denied it. However, she did not
bother to stop the three ladies from bringing up Mr. Dalton as
a topic of conversation throughout the rest of the tea party.
When Miss Susan Donovan, who was from Yorkshire,
revealed what she had heard from her neighbors about the
value of Ian Dalton’s estate, the ladies grew more envious
than ever before of Miss Lance, who had managed to capture
Mr. Dalton’s heart.
The belief that there was already a great deal of affection
between Mr. Dalton and Miss Lance was already firmly
established in the minds of the ladies in the carriage. They
were constantly conscious of the handsome coachman
driving the horses, and they kept speaking to Mr. Dalton even
as they laughed and chattered among themselves.
“Mr. Dalton, why haven’t you been dining at Baronet
Lance’s lately? Miss Lance says you decline whenever she
invites you.”
Mr. Dalton replied, not even bothering to turn around,
“I’m afraid I always have some urgent business to take care
of.”
 “Oh my! What kind of urgent business would cause you to
turn down an invitation from Baronet Lance? Being invited to
a dinner with the Lances is an honor akin to being named the
most respectable gentleman in London.”
“How unfortunate. Had I known that was what the
invitation signified, I would have dropped everything at once
to attend.” There wasn’t a trace of enthusiasm in his words,
but the rattling of the carriage masked his flat tone of voice.
“I hear you frequently attend the tea parties at the
Pendleton townhouse. Do you enjoy spending your time
there?” asked Miss Daisy Orson.
Miss Susan Donovan interjected, “My goodness, Daisy,
how can it possibly be any fun? They don’t hold any decent
concerts or balls! All they do there is sit around and talk about
books and music.”
“Still, Lady Pendleton is a very interesting person. And
Miss Pendleton plays the piano most wonderfully. People of
culture tend to be very fond of Lady Pendleton’s tea parties,
and I suppose you have a taste for that sort of thing, Mr.
Dalton. That must be why you attend their tea parties so
religiously, isn’t it, Mr. Dalton?”
Mr. Dalton gave her a simple answer in the affirmative. He
was beginning to feel a headache coming on at the ladies’
constant chatter.
“And the food they serve there is excellent, too. I do not
know who the chef is, but I am certain he is French. At their
dinner party the other day, they served barbecued meat, and
the skin was so crispy that I nearly burst my corset open while
gobbling it all up! ”
The ladies tittered in unison.
“And the wines and desserts, too. Mrs. Pendleton is a true
gourmand, and I am sure she took care to find a talented
cook. But I don’t know why she doesn’t spend a single penny
on her granddaughter when she spends so much money on
food and drink. Why on earth would she let Miss Pendleton
remain single for so long?”
Miss Lance spoke up in a dignified voice. “Susan, it isn’t
proper for us to gossip about Miss Pendleton’s marital status.
I am sure she would be offended to hear us talk about it.”
Miss Susan Donovan glanced in Mr. Dalton’s direction,
then fell silent. Miss Victoria Wilkes, however, did not
possess Miss Donovan’s tact. “But is there a single soul in
London who doesn’t know that Miss Pendleton hasn’t got a
penny to offer as a dowry? Miss Pendleton was a beauty in her
prime, and she is still pretty enough for a spinster, but with a
surname like Pendleton and her appearance, she ought to be
riding around in a golden carriage and acting all high-and-
mighty like a noblewoman by now. The only reason she
hasn’t received a single proposal from a decent gentleman is
that she hasn’t got any money to bring with her when she
gets married. Miss Pendleton will admit as much if you ask
her.”
Miss Orson, who had been listening, could not help but
wonder out loud, “But why did the Pendletons not provide
Miss Pendleton with a dowry?”
Miss Victoria Wilkes asked in astonishment, “Haven’t you
heard, Daisy? Miss Pendleton’s mother—’
“Victoria!”
 Chapter 19

Miss Lance interrupted her in a loud voice, and Miss Wilkes,

realizing her error, flushed and fell quiet. Miss Daisy Orson,
who was sitting beside her, quickly changed the subject.
“Wow, look at that river there!”
Soon, the four carriages pulled up to a large patch of grass
by the river. The gentlemen who had been acting as coachmen
all disembarked and extended a hand to the ladies to help
them out of the carriages. Miss Lance was so embarrassed by
her friends that she could scarcely look Mr. Dalton in the eye,
but Mr. Dalton assisted her with the utmost courtesy.
The day’s schedule consisted of one boat ride and a meal,
after which people were free to either enjoy a walk or a game
of tennis. The gentlemen, of course, were to serve as
boatmen, and everyone was split into the same groups they
had been for the carriages for boating. One by one, the
gentlemen helped the ladies climb aboard the boats. The
ladies let out ladylike exclamations of fright when they felt
the boats rock as soon as they set foot onto them. The
gentlemen boarded last, then began to row slowly to let the
boats follow the current down the river.
 The ladies enjoyed the boat ride, admiring the leaves of
grass and the scenery along the river or bowing their heads
and dipping their hands into the water. One of the ladies
made a dangerous attempt to reach out and pluck a water lily
floating on the water, nearly falling straight into the river in
the process and causing all the ladies to let out genuine
screams this time.
Meanwhile, Miss Lance quietly gazed at Mr. Dalton’s back
as he stood on the bow and rowed. His sleeves were rolled up,
and his dark hair whipped about in the wind. She was able to
catch occasional glimpses of the profile of his face, which
appeared as though it were straight out of a painting. A warm,
fluttery feeling bloomed in her chest.
After a lap of the river, the boats returned to the dock. The
servants in the Lances’ employ who had followed them to the
picnic had already laid out picnic blankets and plenty of food
in a secluded spot under a tree.
The group was so large that the picnic blankets were laid
out in four separate spots, and everyone stayed in the groups
they had formed for the carriage ride for the picnic. Miss
Lance’s wish aligned with the intentions of her friends,
resulting in Mr. Dalton staying with Miss Lance’s group.
Mr. Dalton sat among the ladies, not speaking up much.
Since earlier, he appeared to be preoccupied with his
thoughts. Miss Lance watched him carefully, trying to read
his expression, and soon realized that his gaze was lingering
on Miss Pendleton. Miss Lance recalled what her friends had
been talking about earlier—that had to be the reason he was
so lost in thought.
Miss Lance continued to study his face, feeling dismayed.
He had a somber expression on his face. Miss Lance pieced
her thoughts together, trying to figure out why he was
looking at Miss Pendleton that way.
Even if he was close friends with Miss Pendleton, it was
rather odd of him to look at her with such an expression on
his face merely because of the matter of her birth. It clearly
wasn’t just mild concern or curiosity—he looked positively
grim. Miss Lance thought more deeply on the matter for a
moment and came up with an answer. After learning of the
flaw in the circumstances of Miss Pendleton’s birth, Mr.
Dalton was clearly feeling uncomfortable about having struck
up a friendship with her.
Miss Lance was a little disappointed in him, but she
quickly came around and took his side. His discomfort was
understandable, given his family and lineage. The English
still tended to value the purity of one’s bloodline above all.
Her affection for Mr. Dalton was quickly restored, and she
made up her mind not to be disappointed with him even if he
chose to cut off all ties with Miss Pendleton, as he would only
be acting in accordance with the values held by many of his
countrymen.
Once the meal ended, the group went out into the field,
each person holding either a racket or parasol in hand, and
began to enjoy the peaceful afternoon with either a stroll or a
tennis match.
Miss Lance was racking her brain, trying to figure out how
to maneuver the situation so that she could go on a stroll with
Mr. Dalton, but to her surprise, he came up to her and asked
her to stroll with him. Miss Lance, blushing brightly, followed
him. And her friends, of course, kicked up a fuss over it once
the two of them were gone.
Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton walked along the lake in
silence. Miss Lance watched his profile, clearly lost in
thought.
Mr. Dalton then called out to her in a quiet voice, “Miss
Lance.”
“Yes, Mr. Dalton?”
“There is something I wish to ask you, but I do not know if
you can give me an answer.
Anticipating his question, Miss Lance told him it was fine
for him to ask.
I was wondering about the conversation
Lt
you ladies were having earlier about Miss Pendleton. The
part in regards to Miss Pendleton’s mother.”
Miss Lance looked at the ground without speaking. She
knew it would be unseemly of her if she did not display an
appropriate measure of hesitation before she spoke.
“I am very sorry for asking you such a question. I know
you are very good friends with Miss Pendleton, and so it must
be distressing to be asked such a question about her family. I,
however, value the friendship I’ve cultivated with Miss
Pendleton in London as much as you cherish your friendship
with her, Miss Lance. For the sake of our future association, I
believe this is a matter I should be aware of.”
At Mr. Dalton’s words, Miss Lance thought, It is as I
expected. Mr. Dalton is reluctant to associate with Miss Pendleton.
And for good reason—in English high society, one’s family name
and the reputation of one’s parents are just as important as
wealth. He must feel distaste at the thought of having befriended
Miss Pendleton, given the problematic circumstances of her birth.
No one could rightly blame him for this.
Miss Lance paused for a moment before starting to speak.
“I do not know the full story, as I have only heard parts of it
from when the adults around me spoke about it, but Miss
Pendleton’s mother was a daughter of the Pendleton family.
She was like the crown jewel of high society, and countless
suitors lined up at the door, waiting to make her choice.”
Mr. Dalton’s gaze was attentive and focused.
“However, she mysteriously disappeared at the age of
seventeen and hasn’t made a single appearance in high
society since. You see, she ran away from home in the middle
of the night with an American painter who came to her home
to paint a portrait.”
Miss Lance glanced at Mr. Dalton’s face.
He had a hard expression on his face.
 “The two of them eloped and were living together
somewhere in hiding. Sadly, she died while giving birth to
Miss Laura, and the painter disappeared after leaving his
daughter in the care of Lady Abigail Pendleton. He probably
abandoned his daughter and made a fresh start. Eventually,
poor Miss Laura abandoned her father’s surname and was
formally adopted into the Pendleton family.”
As Miss Lance recounted the story, she could not help but
feel sympathy for her friend’s situation. If Miss Pendleton
had been born under legitimate circumstances, she could
have risen to the height of London society, where no one
could dare point fingers at her. Sadly, her parents’ mistakes
had rendered her a half-baked noblewoman who bore her
mother’s surname. The issue of her birth was as fatal a flaw in
the marriage market as her lack of a dowry.
Upon hearing the story, Mr. Dalton stopped in his tracks
and gazed out at the distant river for a moment. As Miss
Lance could not see his face, she was unable to discern the
expression he wore. But she could tell by his demeanor that
his mood had worsened considerably.
Ah, so Mr. Dalton truly is offended by Miss Pendleton s
lineage! Miss Lance was overcome with a sudden fit of
sympathy and felt compelled to put her arms around poor
Miss Pendleton.
“Mr. Dalton, Miss Pendleton is not at all lacking as a
member of the upper class, both in terms of her character and
her family. You must know how gentle and elegant she is. She
is the greatest victim of her birth, and it is all because of her
pedigree that she has no dowry.” Miss Lance continued, her
voice rising, “Miss Pendleton’s uncle, Mr. Pendleton, was so
vehemently opposed to her becoming part of the Pendleton
family that she was finally accepted on the condition that all
of Lady Pendleton’s wealth go to Mr. Pendleton’s son in the
event of her death, which left Miss Pendleton penniless.
There will be nowhere for her to go when Lady Abigail dies.
So…” Miss Lance steadied her trembling voice. “So don’t
think too badly of Miss Pendleton.”
Mr. Dalton turned his head at her words and looked at Miss
Lance. “What do you mean?”
“Even though she may have some commoner blood in her
veins, you must judge her by her character, Mr. Dalton, and
not her pedigree!” Miss Lance passionately implored.
Mr. Dalton looked at her oddly before letting out a bark of
laughter. Shaking his head, he replied, “No, Miss Lance. You
are gravely mistaken. Do you think I would look down on her
over such a trivial matter? I am simply… surprised to hear
such misfortune had befallen Miss Pendleton…” He fell silent
for a moment, turned his gaze towards the river once more,
and muttered to himself, “So that is why she always…”
The two stared at the river in silence. Miss Lance did not
think Mr. Dalton was being completely honest when he said
he felt no discomfort over the less-than-acceptable
circumstances of Miss Pendleton’s birth. He was likely only
saying so because he felt too embarrassed to profess his
feelings on the matter frankly. Otherwise, there was no
reason for him to react to it in such
a serious manner.
Miss Lance thought the complicated look on his face now
revealed his inner struggle with his conscience. He was
endeavoring to stay on the right track between the friendship
he had developed with Miss Pendleton and his discomfort
over her lineage. Miss Lance felt a great deal of empathy at
the inner battle he was waging in order to maintain his
integrity, as she too had worked very hard to conceal the
revulsion she felt over Miss Pendleton’s impure bloodline
whenever they met.
After a moment, Mr. Dalton concluded his rumination and
told her that they should return to the others. They turned
and walked slowly toward the group.
“Miss Pendleton spoke very highly of you, Miss Lance. She
said you are a lady with a kind, gentle heart. I learned today
just how reliable Miss Pendleton’s assessment was.
Miss Lance blushed and smiled. “Please don’t say that, Mr.
Dalton.”
“It is reassuring to know that Miss Pendleton has so many
good friends.”
Miss Lance’s felt quite pleased by his words. Such praise
felt much better than the usual compliments she heard about
being beautiful or elegant. By doing a good deed, she had
managed to earn his approval as well. She was proud of her
conscientiousness, thought that she had done the right thing
in defending poor Miss Pendleton after all, and resolved to
take what had transpired today as a lesson learned.
As they neared the crowd, a few friends who were playing
tennis on the field invited Miss Lance to join them. Miss
Lance looked up at Mr. Dalton, wanting to stay with him a
little longer, but he simply told her to enjoy herself and
walked away before she could even attempt to stop him. Miss
Lance felt a little disappointed but decided to be content with
the stroll she had enjoyed with him and accepted the racket
from her friend.
 Chapter 20

The location they were at was a popular picnic spot for the
aristocracy—it had green fields and a tranquil river and was
adjacent to a dense forest. He walked toward the woods as if
by instinct, and soon saw there was a clear path from the
entrance to the forest onwards. He started walking down the
path.
With each step he took, the noise of the crowd grew more
and more faint. Soon, all Ian Dalton could hear around him
were the rustling of grass, birds singing, and his own
footsteps. The throb of pain he had been feeling in his temple
began to dissipate. He let out a sigh, relieved that he now had
a moment of peace to organize his thoughts.
Over the past month, he had experienced a series of
unexpected events. His sole purpose for coming to London in
the first place was to meet with friends whom he had only
exchanged letters with after graduating from university. That
objective had been accomplished within ten days. Had he
strictly adhered to his original plan, he would currently be
sitting in his office at Whitefield Hall, talking to his tenants.
Yet not only was he still here, he was wasting his time by
attending a frivolous nobles’ social outing—precisely the
type of thing he would usually turn his nose up at. Prior to
arriving in London, he would have been sooner caught dead
than at a gathering of this nature.
The longer he stayed, the more uneasy he became. He had
work to do on his estate. There were a number of problems he
needed to resolve, such as disputes to be mediated between
farmers, discussions to be had regarding the land clearing
business, and the matter of land leases. In addition, the
elderly rector of his estate was in poor health, and he needed
to have his will drawn up and talk over with him the matter of
his family’s living arrangements after his death. While he had
a land agent doing the work on his behalf, there was only so
much he could leave in the hands of another. He needed to
return to his estate as soon as possible. But there was an
invisible yet powerful force holding him captive, and its
master was none other than the slim, delicate Laura
Pendleton.
Laura Pendleton. At the mere thought of her name, he felt a
faint tremor in his fingertips—a tremor he suppressed, lest
he be spotted in the empty forest, by clenching and
unclenching his fist repeatedly. The wild beating of his heart
that had begun along with the tremor, however, was not
something he could stifle. As he felt the palpitations in his
chest, he recalled his memories of her.
The ball where they had first met, the gray eyes he had
gazed into as they waltzed together that evening. His tremors
had started there, and after that first shock of sensation, his
regard for her began to grow beyond all measure. He could
not stop himself from visiting her home every chance he got,
hovering around her and attempting to strike up a
conversation whenever possible.
As he spent more time with her, she proceeded to open her
heart to him all too easily. She possessed a shy, quiet
disposition and was an honest, unpretentious sort, always
willing to lend an ear and ready to respond with a witty quip
when the occasion called for it. She was by nature the epitome
of elegance, in need of no embellishment.
He had not met anyone whose character he found as
favorable as Miss Pendleton’s, nor had he been so enamored
of someone, for no woman had ever mesmerized him like
this. Before he knew it, he found himself reciting his entire
life story in front of her. In retrospect, he had even told her
the silliest, most minute details— about his sister’s children
and his tenant farmers, small talk about matters that were
important to him but utterly inconsequential to her. How
long it had been since he was last this frank with another
person!
But while he rambled on like a fool about his relatives and
his estate, she herself said little. Even when he asked her from
time to time questions about herself—her family and
relatives, for instance—she would only give him simple
answers. In particular, she would tell him nothing about her
parents other than that they had died when she was a child.
 Mr. Dalton could now understand why her answers had
been so brief—the circumstances of Miss Pendleton’s birth. It
was a familiar story, for such romantic elopements were not
an uncommon occurrence in any social circle. Unfortunately,
such unions tended to end in misery and squalor.
Even as they neared the turn of the 20th century, the
machinery of England’s longstanding class system was still
diligently at work—even as its now worn cogs creaked with
age—and its result was the nation’s still-unchanged social
mores. Anyone with a questionable lineage, especially if they
were not able to take their father’s surname, was looked
down upon, no matter how admirable their qualities—even
more so if you were a lady, and especially if you were a lady
without money or the protection of a head of household.
The conversation he had overheard between the ladies on
the carriage ride earlier that day was proof of this. That they
could gossip so casually about a lady who was the
granddaughter of a countess and ten years their senior
indicated that Miss Pendleton was openly disrespected in
London society.
Mr. Dalton clenched his teeth as he thought back to what
had happened earlier. It positively enraged him to recall the
words those foolish ladies had uttered. The content of their
conversation was one thing, but what was even more
infuriating was the callous manner in which they belittled
Miss Pendleton. It was evident that all the foul gossip
concerning Miss Pendleton was exchanged overtly and often.
No doubt the whole of London society was treating her in that
abhorrent manner.
He thought again of Miss Pendleton’s demure
comportment, her quiet, unassuming nature, and her shy,
almost overly touchy reactions to receiving praise from
others. He had merely chalked it up to Miss Pendleton’s
innate character and found it endearing, but perhaps it was
an attitude cultivated by all the scorn she had been subjected
to over the years in London society. Fingers pointing at her if
she did not behave in an extremely careful manner, people
who were kind and friendly to her face talking ill about her
behind her back—traits Ian had discovered countless times in
his own observations of the people he had met back when he
participated in Yorkshire’s social circles. He felt a renewed
disgust for high society, which he had always despised, and
his heart ached with sympathy for Miss Pendleton.
Mr. Dalton paused his thoughts for a moment in order to
calm himself and continued walking down the path. But no
matter how hard he tried to refrain from doing so, he could
not stop himself from picturing Miss Pendleton’s visage. Miss
Pendleton. The clear expressiveness of her gray eyes. The
glimpse of a slender wrist as she handed him a teacup.
He missed Miss Pendleton more than he ever had. What he
would give to take that delicate woman into his arms and look
into her eyes. If only he could make her confide in him all her
past hurts so that he may comfort her. Have her lean her head
against his shoulder, gently pat her back, place a kiss on her
forehead, and… He blushed at the thought that had just
entered his mind. His feelings of sympathy were somehow
turning into impure thoughts, and he shook his head
vigorously to clear them from his mind.
Having reached the end of the path, Ian exited the woods
and began to walk towards the river when he heard loud
noises coming from a ways away near the riverside. There
was laughter, shouting, and chatter. He turned towards the
source of the noises and saw a group of people skipping
stones across the water. Judging by the parasols the ladies
were carrying, they were part of Miss Lance’s group of
picnickers. Two ladies and a gentleman.
He turned away, intending to pass them by, when he
recognized the gentleman’s shouting voice—it was William
Fairfax.
Turning his head in their direction, he squinted his eyes to
get a better look. William had a stone in his hand and was
flinging it at a slanted angle as hard as he could into the river,
in a pose that suggested he was about to fall to the ground.
Meanwhile, the two ladies stood nearby, watching him, and
after a moment they clasped their hands together and hopped
excitedly. He looked at the ladies intently and soon
recognized one of them as Miss Pendleton. He immediately
started walking towards them.
The closer he got to the group, the more clearly he could
see Miss Pendleton: the white lace shawl she always wore and
the snood that held her hair in place; her slender arms and
neckline. He clenched his fists, feeling his heart tighten at the
As he neared them, Miss Pendleton accepted the parasol
from the lady standing beside her. After having handed off
her parasol, the lady proceeded to pick up a stone from the
ground, leaned her body to one side, swung her arm wide, and
flung the stone towards the river. There was a plop, plop, then
silence. A moment later, Miss Pendleton threw down the
parasol she was carrying and embraced the lady who had
thrown the stone, squealing with delight, while William, who
stood near them, clutched at his head and cried out, “Five
more skips and I would have won! Blast it, I shouldn’t have
picked such a large stone!”
“The stone isn’t the problem, William, but the way you
position your body when you throw it,” Mr. Dalton responded
casually to Mr. Fairfax’s shout of despair.
The gentleman and two ladies turned their heads toward
Mr. Dalton in unison. Mr. Fairfax jumped to his feet. “Ian,
when did you get here?”
“Just now,” Mr. Dalton replied absentmindedly and looked
at Miss Pendleton. She was smiling at him, her face full of
vitality. He observed her sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks.
He turned his gaze elsewhere, feeling the heat rising in his
face.
“Mr. Dalton, would you like to join us for a game of
skipping stones? I have placed a wager on Miss Hyde, so you
can bet on Mr. Fairfax!”
 Mr. Dalton shook his head gently. “I shall have to place a
bet on Miss Hyde as well. I do not wish to place a wager on the
losing side simply because he and I are in-laws.”
“Oh, come now, Ian! How can you make such a claim when
you have not even seen us play? I won the previous match, I’ll
have you know! My stone skipped three more times than Miss
Hyde’s did!”
“That is probably because Miss Hyde made a mistake with
her throw somehow. Or she let you win on purpose because
she felt sorry for you.”
“No! Tell him at once, Miss Hyde, that you did not throw
our last match on purpose.”
Miss Hyde ran a hand through her now- messy hair. “Mr.
Fairfax is very skilled at this. His skill is enough to even make
me, the most talented stone skipper in the Hyde family,
nervous. That being said, he still has a long way to go before
he can surpass me. If stone skipping were an event in the
Olympics, I am certain I would have been chosen to represent
Great Britain.”
“Oh, really?” Mr. Dalton retorted, sounding intrigued.
Wearing a confident expression on her face, Miss Hyde
picked up another stone from off the ground, then began to
repeatedly toss and catch it with her hand. “Mr. Dalton,
would you like to play a match against me? I am certain I can
defeat you as soundly as I did Mr. Fairfax.”
Mr. Dalton laughed. “I too was a member of the Yorkshire
stone skipping team in my youth. But I must admit, I am a
little nervous about being challenged by a member of the
national team.”
“There’s no need to be nervous! After all, there is
absolutely no shame in losing to me, and while it is highly
unlikely, if you were to best me, it would be a great honor for
the Dalton family. It is certainly worth a try,” she quipped in a
clear attempt to provoke him.
Miss Pendleton added, “Do go on, Mr.
Dalton. I shall place my wager on you this time.”
 Chapter 21

Mr. Fairfax, who was standing nearby, interjected, “Oh? But

Miss Pendleton, when I was up against Miss Hyde, you said
you had to side with a fellow lady!”
Miss Pendleton giggled. “Well, I know how athletically
inclined Mr. Dalton is. I cannot help but side with the player
who is favored to win.”
“Ah, so you underestimate my skill too, Miss Pendleton!
You were certain that Miss Hyde would beat me soundly! Go
on then, Ian, and restore my honor!”
“Very funny,” Mr. Dalton muttered.
Picking up a stone from the ground, he tossed and caught
it as Miss Hyde had earlier and asked, “Who shall have the
first turn?”
“After you, Mr. Dalton.”
Mr. Dalton leaned to one side, thinking it had been quite
some time since he last had occasion to skip stones. He then
swung his arm and threw the rock toward the river.
Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash.
The sound of the stone bouncing off the surface of the
water was heard repeatedly for a good long while. Miss
Pendleton, who had the best eyesight among the group,
squinted and began to count.
“Thirty-seven, thirty-eight… My word, thirty-eight!”
Miss Pendleton exclaimed, clapping her hands. “Incredible!
Thirtyeight skips is a new record! You aren’t just good enough
to be a regional representative, Mr. Dalton; you deserve to be
on the national team!”
Mr. Dalton became childishly pleased by Miss Pendleton’s
applause.
Meanwhile, Miss Hyde was staring at the surface of the
river with her hands on her hips. Thirty-eight! That was three
skips more than her official record of thirty-five. When
practicing on her own, she occasionally managed to skip a
stone more than forty times, but it was rare. Such a miracle
had yet to occur when she skipped stones in the presence of
others.
Facing such a formidable challenger, however, ignited the
competitive spirit within her. How dare a country gentleman
from Yorkshire challenge her record? She couldn’t lose to
him, no matter what—her reputation as a self-proclaimed
national champion was on the line. With a solemn expression
on her face, she rolled her right shoulder and flexed her wrist.
Then, unlike with her previous throws, she chose her stone
with care. After selecting the flattest stone she could find,
Miss Hyde turned to face Miss Pendleton. “While you have
placed your bet on Mr. Dalton and not me, Miss Pendleton,
the glory of my victory shall belong to you, as always.”
 Miss Pendleton, flummoxed by her declaration, replied,
“Miss Hyde, there is no need to take this so seriously…”
Before Miss Pendleton could finish speaking, Miss Hyde
rapidly flung her arm and hurled the stone. Miss Pendleton
could not help but be amazed by her spirited throw.
The stone soon began to skip along the river with a series
of splashes. The group fell silent for a moment, and the only
sound was Miss Pendleton’s voice as she counted the number
of skips out loud.
Arms crossed, Mr. Dalton stared at the surface of the
water, becoming increasingly worried. Miss Hyde’s stone was
hopping across the surface of the water like a grasshopper,
showing no sign of slowing down.
“Thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-
seven, thirty-eight! Wow! Thirty-nine, forty, forty-one,
forty-two…” Miss Pendleton stifled an exclamation of awe
and continued counting, which continued for some time, then
stopped exactly at fifty-two—not because the stone sank, but
because it disappeared over the horizon and out of sight.
Silence fell over the group for a moment before the
dumbfounded gentlemen and lady began to clap quietly for
Miss Hyde, who was looking out at the horizon in triumph.
Once their applause ended, Mr. Dalton readily admitted his
defeat. Mr. Fairfax, mesmerized by Miss Hyde’s incredible
victory, began urging Miss Hyde to teach him her skills. Miss
Hyde, who was in a boastful mood, happily picked up a stone
and began to instruct him on her techniques. They were so
preoccupied with this endeavor, in fact, that they seemed to
have forgotten about Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton entirely.
Mr. Dalton leaned over to Miss Pendleton and whispered,
“They seem to be otherwise engaged. Why don’t we take a
stroll nearby?”
Miss Pendleton nodded. “A splendid idea, Mr. Dalton.”

***

Miss Pendleton followed Mr. Dalton.

Walking slowly to keep pace with Miss Pendleton, he led
her down the forest path he had been on just earlier.
“Are there perhaps two Miss Hydes who are currently
active in London society?”
“No.”
“Then that lady is the same one who refused William’s
proposal of marriage.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Yet the two of them are skipping stones together?”
Miss Pendleton laughed, understanding the reason for Mr.
Dalton’s confusion. “Miss Hyde and I were on a stroll when
we happened to run into Mr. Fairfax, and the three of us
found ourselves walking along the riverside. As we were
walking, Miss Hyde whispered in my ear that she would
happily jump into the river if it meant she could escape the
situation. I am so glad Mr. Fairfax suggested then that we skip
stones. Otherwise, Miss Hyde might have jumped into the
water for real.”
“Having to stroll with the person whose proposal you
rejected? Were I in her shoes, I would have jumped in too. But
it is astounding that they can be so comfortable around each
other again after only a few rounds of a childhood game.”
“Well, they were very good friends, to begin with. The two
of them are much better suited to be friends than lovers. I
wonder if perhaps Mr. Fairfax only attempted to woo Miss
Hyde because he wanted to maintain their friendship for the
rest of his life.”
“Unable to tell the difference between love and friendship?
I do not believe William, however naive he may be, would be
that foolish.”
“I agree. Mr. Fairfax is surely capable of distinguishing
between friendship and love. But even if he did propose out of
feelings that closely resembled friendship, that does not
mean his decision was foolish. There are many couples whose
marriages are based on friendship.”
“Do you think it is possible for two people to marry out of
friendship and find happiness? To see their spouse simply as
a friend they cohabitate with?”
“I do, Mr. Dalton.”
Mr. Dalton shook his head. “I do not understand such
couples. A husband and wife who are friends? Then how is
that any different from being married to someone of the same
sex? A marriage is a partnership founded upon romantic
affection, not friendship.”
“Affection, however, can at times cause too many
conflicts. I have seen many couples who are more like friends
and they do not seem to lead unhappy lives. Instead of finding
fault and being disappointed in their spouses, they were
considerate and understanding, and usually supportive of
each other rather than demanding. A husband and wife must
share many years together. For the marriage to continue even
after their attraction to each other has faded, mutual trust is
far more important than desire. Friendship maybe a more
important factor than passion for a couple to remain each
other’s soulmates for life.”
“Do you think affection hinders the formation of mutual
trust?”
“Somewhat. Affection creates desire, which can easily turn
into hatred and disappointment when not fulfilled.
Friendship is an emotion that pursues peace and harmony
rather than excess, so you could say it is much safer for a
couple to feel.”
“I thought you would value love more than anyone else,
Miss Pendleton. You have worked so hard to make good
matches for many of your friends.”
“Oh dear. So you have not yet realized that I am not a very
romantic person. I’ve somehow wound up playing the role of
matchmaker in high society, but the reason I took up this
mantle in the first place was to protect my friends from
experiencing any unfortunate circumstances. Among my
friends was a lady who was madly in love with a man and
planning to run away with him under cover of darkness. I told
her that while love is important in marriage, it doesn’t solve
all problems.”
“Ah, you mean like the saying that when poverty comes
knocking, love makes its escape out the rear door?”
“Yes. Love cannot survive in a household that poverty has
been invited to. Love is too lofty an emotion for a home filled
with lengthy disagreements and feelings of lack. And it isn’t
limited to poverty either —insurmountable differences in
circumstance, personality, or schooling are also unwelcome
guests that drive love away. While ‘love conquers all’ is a
beautiful phrase, beauty tends to wither and wane in the face
of reality.”
“Those are wise words, Miss Pendleton. However, I must
disagree. I believe that love is worth all the disagreements
and conflicts, even unhappiness. Choosing your spouse on the
basis of friendship would make it no different from being wed
to your dormitory roommate. A husband and wife must reside
in the same house, eat at the same table, and even share the
same bed. If they feel no passion for each other, regardless of
how harmonious and comfortable their marriage may be,
they will lead a numb, lukewarm existence.”
Miss Pendleton gazed softly at Mr. Dalton as he made his
impassioned speech.
 “While I disagree with you, Mr. Dalton, I do not wish to
persuade you otherwise. Your view is idealistic, but on the
other hand, proper and correct. Love is a necessity for a man
and a woman who vow to spend the rest of their lives
together. Perhaps I am being overly pragmatic in my
thinking. That being said, Mr. Dalton, no matter how much
importance you place on the value of love, you must admit
that passionate love will one day fade. When one must
continue living with a member of the opposite sex from
whom they no longer feel the same passion as before, the
only choices left are either to grow cold and indifferent or to
become friends. A marriage may start with love, but
ultimately, it must end in friendship. Do you not agree?”
“Even if it fades and dulls over time, the fact that there
was once love between the husband and wife will be enough
to make the marriage worthwhile. Besides, I do not agree with
your assumption that all love will die out without fail. I am
not arguing for the existence of everlasting love, for nothing
lasts forever. In certain cases, however, love between two
people can last long enough not to end until death do them
part.”
Miss Pendleton no longer sought to dispute Mr. Dalton’s
words. His outlook on love was pure, and she backed down,
feeling akin to an adult who was loath to ruin the innocent
imagination of a child who believed in fairies. “I pray you find
such a person, Mr. Dalton. In fact, I have no doubt that you
will one day find someone who you love and who loves you
back the way you described.”
They walked along the dirt path in silence for a moment.
Mr. Dalton did not speak. The fluttering in his heart had
turned into a heavy pounding as he walked with her.
The entire time he was with Miss Pendleton, he was
constantly conscious of her presence. The way she patiently
listened to him, sometimes agreeing and at other times not,
expertly weaving together their conversation. The way she
wordlessly kept pace with him, sharing peaceful silences. It
was the same thoughtfulness and sincerity he had come to
expect from her.
Normally, he would have enjoyed the stroll, content to
simply be with her. However, his feelings for Miss Pendleton
had undergone a change. In his mind, he was playing out the
scenario he had envisioned during his walk earlier- pulling
her into his arms, locking eyes with her, gazing upon her
sorrowful face, and placing his lips on hers. Imagination
running wild, he then proceeded to picture kissing her cheek
and throat.
He turned his gaze to glance at Miss Pendleton’s profile.
As usual, except for a few strands by her cheek, her hair was
pulled tightly into a snood, and she wore a garment
appropriate for a summer outing, cut low enough to expose
her collarbone. The only accessory around her neck was the
pearl pendant necklace she always wore. Directly in his view
was the pale nape of her neck, all graceful curves and soft
skin. It made him want to touch… and kiss…
He turned his head away, suddenly feeling a weighty
tension in the pit of his stomach. He thought to himself, Have
you completely lost it, Ian Dalton? Come to your senses. Why on
earth are you having such untoward thoughts of Miss Pendleton,
when she is not doing a single thing to provoke them?
The body rarely obeys the mind, however, and especially
so for men. The sound of Miss Pendleton’s footsteps and the
rustle of her dress were enough to tantalize him.
 Chapter 22

“Mr. Dalton, is something bothering you?”

He turned his head to look at Miss Pendleton, who was
looking up at him with concern. As he met her clear gray eyes,
he felt even guiltier about his wayward thoughts.
Meanwhile, Miss Pendleton lifted her hand and pointed to
a large, flat rock off to one side of the path. “Oh, I see a good
place to sit over there. Mr. Dalton, why don’t we take a brief
rest?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“You look a great deal paler than you did earlier, and there
is even sweat upon your brow. You must be fatigued after
driving the carriage and rowing the boat earlier. Let us go sit
down.”
Miss Pendleton appeared to be genuinely worried. She put
her arm around Mr. Dalton’s shoulders with a casualness that
belied the fact that she hadn’t had any physical contact with
him since their dance together the first night they met, led
him over to a rock, and sat him down.
Mr. Dalton was further discomfited by her kindness. The
kinder she was to him, the worse he felt about himself. He sat
on the cool rock for a while and observed her for a moment.
The way she was looking at him, the delicate features on her
alabaster face, the slender arms holding the parasol. This is
dangerous, he thought. I fear that at this rate, I will absolutely
lose control of myself.
He did not wish to continue exchanging glances with Miss
Pendleton. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he laid it
out on the rock beside him. Realizing his intentions, Miss
Pendleton folded the parasol she was carrying and sat down
next to him on the handkerchief.
Mr. Dalton could not bear to face Miss Pendleton, who was
now sitting beside him. He merely stared at the greenery in
front of him and the sparkling surface of the river that could
be glimpsed through the foliage.
Suddenly, a gust of cool air rushed past them. The sound of
leaves rustling in the breeze and the refreshing scent of grass
stirred them. For a moment, he wished they were in the
woods of Whitefield. If only I could be together with Miss
Pendleton like this among the birch trees in that beautiful forest.
“Mr. Dalton, are the woods of Whitefield similar to this?”
Mr. Dalton turned to look at her. “If this forest were filled
with birch trees, it would be practically identical to
Whitefield.”
“It must be just as wooded and clear there as it is here.”
“And quiet, since there are no people.”
“That sounds wonderful. You are fortunate, Mr. Dalton, to
live near those woods. When one resides in London, one
cannot get anywhere close to a forest other than by making a
trip to the outskirts of the city. Otherwise, the best one can do
is man-made parks.”
“But doesn’t the pride of being a Londoner make up for
it?”
“I am a Londoner, yes. But as for pride…”
“People who live out in the provinces tend to yearn for
London. Even if they pretend otherwise, they all wish they
could afford a townhouse so they could stay here every social
season. I am certain many people are envious of you, Miss
Pendleton, for living in a townhouse in Grosvenor Square.”
“It has the latest fashions, certainly. There is also plenty
to do and see. Goods are always plentiful and opportunities
abound. That being said, London is also noisy and tiresome.”
With a faint smile, Miss Pendleton tapped the dirt path with
the tip of her parasol. “How blessed we are to have this quiet!
I truly don’t want to go back to London. It is far too loud.”
A sullen voice—she was being rather honest today. Mr.
Dalton liked it when she spoke with such frankness. Not only
was it endearing, it also made him feel as though he had
grown a little closer to her. “I wish we were in the woods of
Whitefield. Then you could spend time with the trees and the
leaves for as long as you wish. When evening comes, you
could walk to Whitefield Hall and rest up, and the next
morning, you could walk back into the woods. For a day or
two, three for… even forever.”
“That sounds lovely, Mr. Dalton.”
 “I am not merely offering empty words, Miss Pendleton.
You are welcome to come to Whitefield any time you like. I
have more rooms than I know what to do with, and it is a
waste to leave them empty day after day. Cooking meals for
one more person would be hardly any work at all, and I’m
sure the servants would be thrilled, not vexed to have a new
guest. Whitefield is so quiet that even the smallest of changes
is readily welcomed.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “That is a kind offer, Mr. Dalton,
and I very much appreciate it. I would like to go to Whitefield
someday and witness the beauty of the lands you love so
much. However, you shall have to marry before such a visit
could ever take place.”
“Is that truly necessary?”
Miss Pendleton said as though she were stating the
obvious, “Is there any other means then, Mr. Dalton, for me
to be the guest of a house in which an unmarried gentleman
lives by himself?”
“It may be quite some time before I can take a wife.”
“Then I shall wait. If you ever do get married, Mr. Dalton,
be sure to send me a wedding invitation and I will hop on the
first train I can. Ah, how wonderful that would be—I will get
to see both the picturesque scenery of Whitefield and your
beautiful bride.”
Mr. Dalton was displeased by Miss Pendleton’s remarks,
which reaffirmed that she had no feelings for him other than
that of friendship. This, however, did not diminish his own
feelings for her in any way, nor did it endear her to him any
less. If anything, it only fueled his desperation. “I had better
hurry, for your sake if nothing else. I will find myself a wife as
soon as possible, and receive confirmation from her that you,
Miss Pendleton, are welcome to stay at Whitefield Hall as
long as you like.”
“Oh, Mr. Dalton, that would simply be too unkind to your
wife. You mustn’t do that. I would never overstay my welcome
and be a bother to the lady of Whitefield Hall. If she is the
least bit unwilling to have me, I will pack up and leave
immediately. I would never do anything to disturb the peace
between a friend and his spouse.”
Mr. Dalton stared at Miss Pendleton. “But what if Mrs.
Dalton, my wife, were to wish you to stay with her for all
time, and insist that you must remain at Whitefield Hall
forever and ever?”
“Well… if that were the case, I suppose I could stay. If Mrs.
Dalton was to accept me as a friend… But as a rule, wives
aren’t inclined to extend such courtesies toward their
husbands’ female friends. I cannot realistically imagine such
a thing ever happening.”
“I can imagine the future Mrs. Dalton happily welcoming
you to our home.”
“Then I think it is fair to say that you, Mr. Dalton, know
nothing about the feminine mind. If you were ever to take a
wife, you must never ask her any favors regarding friends of
the opposite sex you made prior to the marriage unless you
want your family to fall into discord.”
“No, I will. Because if I ever were to marry, there is no way
you wouldn’t be staying at Whitefield Hall. My marriage
would never take place, Miss Pendleton, if that weren’t
guaranteed.”
A brief silence fell over them. Miss Pendleton stared at
him, her gray eyes wide. He stared back at her, his jaw set and
his powerful gaze a near glare. If he could have found it in
himself to speak one more phrase from deep within his heart,
the friendship between them would have come to an end right
then and there.
Miss Pendleton, however, deprived him of the
opportunity. She rose from her seat and said, “The lady of
Whitefield Hall will most certainly disapprove, Mr. Dalton.
She would never agree to marry you in the first place if it
meant she would be forced to accept me into her home, so
please do not make such unreasonable demands of your wife-
to-be. And please invite me to your home only as a friend.”
And with those words, Miss Pendleton opened her parasol,
then turned and walked away.
Her demeanor was so frigid that Mr.
Dalton did not even dare to follow her and voice his
thoughts again. He simply watched Miss Pendleton walk
away, trudging down the long forest path.
He had been completely, utterly rejected. There was no
room for misinterpretation —Miss Pendleton had refused
him.
He stayed seated for a moment. The realization that he had
just proposed marriage was even more shocking to him than
Miss Pendleton’s rejection. He had acted in a highly
emotional, aggressive manner—and immediately after her
declaration that she saw him as nothing more than a friend!
He had practically set himself up for rejection, but he had
done it nonetheless— and his reason for doing so was
evident. He could put on a pretense of genteelness and call it
love, but frankly, it was lust. Damnation! I have made the most
depressingly common mistake that the male creature can make.
He had laughed at the absurd things men did because of
women. Back when he was more active in high society, he had
witnessed more than enough to know how desire could make
fools out of men. They were helpless in front of women,
especially beautiful women. Even the most educated men
from renowned families were easily seduced by women into
unwise marriages. They wooed ladies in the name of love and
affection, but what lay underneath it all was lust. Blinded by
lust, those men sought to marry women who were neither
virtuous nor shared anything in common with them, and
marriages based solely on lust eventually led to a miserable
married life. Growing tired of seeing such foolishness, he
decided to withdraw from society.
However, Ian had no regrets about what he had said to
Miss Pendleton, even if it had been motivated by lust.
Although impulsive, he knew he would eventually have
proposed to her one day. It was something he had secretly
planned during his stay in London—to ask her to marry him,
have the wedding, and bring her to his estate. That had been
the sole purpose of his month-long stay in London.
I need to explain to her. Tell her how deeply I feel for her.
Confess to her that these feelings are not a passing fancy— that I
am truly, madly in love with her. Then she will surely reconsider
my proposal.
He quickly tidied up his handkerchief, put it in his pocket,
and walked briskly in the direction Miss Pendleton had just
headed. As he emerged from the forest, he could see the group
of ladies and gentlemen in the distance. The women were
playing tennis, and the men were sitting near the court,
watching with listless eyes as the ladies hit and received the
ball, the hems of their dresses fluttering.
He looked for Miss Pendleton in the crowd, but she was
nowhere to be found. He approached Miss Lance, who was
cooling off on one side of the tennis court. “Miss Lance, do
you know where Miss Pendleton has gone?”
“‘Oh, Miss Pendleton has gone home. She said there was
an urgent matter she had to attend to.”
“Gone home? On whose carriage?”
“She took the servants’ carriage. She seemed to be in a
hurry, so I instructed the coachman to take Miss Pendleton
home as soon as possible.”
Mr. Dalton bit his lip. Her intentions were clear as day—
she was avoiding him. Did she abhor his affection for her to
such a degree that she felt it necessary to run away?
“But why are you looking for Miss Pendleton? Given the
direction from which you came, I assume you would have
encountered her.”
“We had a little chat, which was left unfinished. More
importantly, what urgent matter did she say she needed to
attend to?”
“I think she said a relative was coming to visit. Oh, come to
think of it, she also told me that because of some family
matters, the Pendletons won’t be receiving guests for a while.
I think you will have to wait quite a while before you can
finish that conversation, Mr. Dalton.”
He merely stared at the dirt path on which she had
departed in silence. Miss Lance said a few more words, but he
barely heard them. She had rushed down that path. To get
away from him.
He could see Miss Pendleton’s intentions even more
clearly than he had earlier. Miss Pendleton did not want to
marry him. She absolutely did not desire him as a man.
 Chapter 23

The next day, Mr. Dalton went to the Pendletons’ townhouse.

When he knocked on the door, the maid who had always
answered the door whenever he visited came out and told him
that they were not receiving any guests at the moment.
As he had expected to be turned away at the door, he asked
the maid to at least pass on a letter to Miss Pendleton. The
maid, however, only replied coolly that she was instructed
not to accept anything from guests. Mr. Dalton eventually had
no choice but to leave after only having left behind a visitor’s
card.
He could not bear to walk away, however, and so he stood
across the street from the Pendletons’ home and stared at the
windows for hours. From time to time, he could spot Miss
Pendleton’s figure passing by an uncovered window. Only
once he had seen her did he turn away in unspeakable
anguish.
After repeating the same pattern for several days, he began
to grow impatient. The fear that Miss Pendleton might have
closed her heart to him forever bloomed within him. For the
next few days, he could do nothing but smoke cigar after cigar
as he hovered about Miss Pendleton’s townhouse, knowing
full well that none of it would do any good.
Then one day, a telegram arrived, bearing news that made
it impossible for him to put off returning home any longer.
Mr. Jenfield, the elderly rector of his estate, had died. It was
not entirely shocking given his advanced years, but it caught
Ian by surprise nonetheless, as Mr. Jenfield had been in good
health prior to his departure. He realized that he had
overstayed his welcome in London. It was time for him to
return to Whitefield, comfort the bereaved family, and
appoint a new rector.
He put down the telegram and immediately found the
earliest train out of the city, which was departing in an hour.
To the servant who informed him of the train departure time,
he gave two orders: first, to pack for his return to Whitefield;
and second, to telegraph to both Whitefield and Dunville Park
that he was coming home. The servant got to work at once.
Ian sat down at a desk in the guest room, where his
servants were busily packing, and took out a piece of paper.
He pulled out a pen and began to write hastily.
Dear Miss Pendleton,
I am writing to inform you of my sudden departure from
London. The vicar, Mr. Jenfield, has passed and I am returning to
Whitefield as both a mourner and the landowner who must fulfill
the duty of appointing his replacement. lintend to return to
London as soon as the matter is settled. I cannot remain at
Whitefield without first having repaired the fractured relationship
between you and I.
I am not ignorant of the fact that you have been avoiding me
since the day of the picnic. For that I do not begrudge you and
therefore do not feel inclined to reproach you in any way. I only
hope that my friendship with you, Miss Pendleton, can be rebuilt.
I hope to be given at least an opportunity to offer an explanation
upon my return from Whitefield.
Your faithful servant,
Ian Dalton
He quickly stuffed the letter into an envelope, sealed it,
and placed it in the inside pocket of his jacket before opening
a drawer and pulling out a picture frame. It was a small
painting of a landscape of Whitefield.
Immediately after he had promised Miss Pendleton that he
would present her with a painting of Whitefield, he had
chosen the best of the dozens of Whitefield landscapes in his
sketchbook, then colored and framed it for the purpose of
presenting to her one day—asking her if she would come and
live with him here. That had been the plan, at least.
He wrapped the painting in plain wrapping paper and tied
the string in a crisscross pattern and carried it outside. His
carriage was already loaded with all of his belongings as he
had instructed. He instructed the coachman to head to the
Pendleton home.
Soon, the carriage pulled up in front of the townhouse. Ian
climbed out with the package, his letter tucked under the
string. He hurriedly knocked on the front door, and the young
maid who always greeted him came out.
She regarded him with an impassive expression. “I beg
your pardon, sir, but we are not receiving any visitors at the
moment.”
He held out the package. “Give this to Miss Pendleton.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but I am not allowed to accept anything
from visitors.”
It was the same answer she had given him last time. Ian
said in an impatient voice, conscious of the train’s departure
time. “Make an exception this time. An urgent matter has
come up and I must leave for my estate at once.”
“With all due respect, sir, that is none of our business.”
“Then I suppose I shall have to tie this package to a stone
and throw it through the window.”
“If you are so desperate to have that package delivered,
sir, why don’t you send it through the post?”
“I would if I had time, but I must catch the train in half an
hour!”
The maid looked at Ian for a moment, then folded her
arms and said in a more relaxed tone, “It isn’t my place to
accept. What if I am dismissed for disobeying my mistress’s
order?”
“I can find you a job with another family in London. Or
perhaps you would rather come and work in Yorkshire?”
“I am not very fond of the countryside.”
 A silly woman who has been spoiled by city life, he thought.
He took two-pound bills out of his wallet and placed them on
top of the package. There was no better bribe for a spoiled city
dweller than the pound.
The maid stared at the two bills for a moment before
accepting the package. Mr. Dalton turned and was about to
walk back toward his carriage when heard the maid’s voice
behind him. “Mr. Dalton, sir!”
Ian turned back to face the maid. She took a step toward
him and thrust the two pounds back at him. He frowned. “Are
you asking for more?”
The maid shook her head. “I would like to ask something
else of you.”
“You wish to make a deal with me?”
“Yes. Two pounds is nothing to me.”
Ian stared at the maid, wondering what her intentions
were.
The maid hardly batted an eye at his piercing stare. “I shall
pass this on to my mistress. But in exchange, you must come
back to London no matter what. Come back and win Miss
Pendleton’s heart.”
“What?”
“I am telling you to regroup in Yorkshire, come back, and
try again to win my lady’s heart. I certainly hope you aren’t
thinking of giving up now, after the persistence you showed!”
Ian stared at the maid, a dumbfounded expression on his
face. The maid shoved the two pounds into his jacket pocket
and slammed the door shut behind her. He turned and jumped
into the carriage, conscious of the time. But deeply embedded
in the recesses of his mind were the maid’s words: Come back
and win Miss Pendleton s heart.
Mr. Dalton leaned back against the departing carriage and
sighed. I would have done so this instant if I could have, damn it.

***

Anne carried the package into the study, which was usually
noisy, filled with the sound of typing. Today, however, it was
quiet—Miss Hyde, a frequent visitor, had gone to an
interview at a publishing house that had been arranged by Mr.
Fairfax, and Miss Pendleton was alone. As always, she had a
white lace shawl over her shoulders and was passing the time
by translating the Latin Bible.
Anne stood across the desk and showed Miss Pendleton
the package.
“What is it?”
“Mr. Dalton came again today.”
“I told you not to accept anything from guests.”
Anne said mournfully, “I hardly had a choice in the matter.
As I was about to refuse, he shoved it into my hands and took
off before I could stop him.”
Miss Pendleton let out a deep sigh and took the package.
After regarding it for a moment, she unwrapped it. Inside was
a small picture frame with a landscape painting in watercolor.
Miss Pendleton stared at the painting for a beat, then asked
Anne, who was craning her neck in order to get a good look at
it, “Would you like to come have a look?”
Anne walked up to her mistress’s side and looked at the
painting. Inside the small frame was a dazzling country
scene. There were cute little farmhouses clustered atop wide
fields with rolling mountains as the backdrop, and nearby
were a beautiful lake and a forest of white birch trees. A
beautiful white mansion stood on one side.
Anne marveled, “It is lovely. Who painted such a
masterpiece?”
“It’s Mr. Dalton’s work.”
Anne was genuinely surprised. “Oh my! Really? That
gentleman is a talented painter.”
“He is. He is very skilled at using color. I did not expect
him to be so skilled.”
“Where is this, by the way?”
“Whitefield, Mr. Dalton’s estate.”
Giving a lady a painting of his estate? The implications
were clear. He wanted to show the woman he fancied where
he lived, and perhaps tempt her with the idea that she would
be able to live here if she accepted his proposal. Anne smiled
inwardly, amused by the seemingly dignified gentleman’s
transparent ploy.
But had her mistress realized the same? Anne stole a
sideways glance at Miss Pendleton. The recipient of the gift
herself merely gazed at the painting with a calm, inscrutable
expression. “Anne, I want you to ask Leon to hang this
painting in the parlor.”
“Where in the parlor would you like it hung?”
“Over the jade-colored end table.”
“The most prominent spot in the parlor?”
“It was painted by Mr. Dalton himself. It deserves a place
of honor.”
“Yes, Miss,” Anne meekly replied and left the study to
hang the painting in the parlor.
That evening, Anne knocked on Miss Pendleton’s bedroom
door so she could brush her hair. Miss Pendleton stood
looking out the window. In her hand was a letter.
As Anne entered the room, Miss Pendleton sat down at her
dressing table. Anne walked up behind her and began the
usual process of letting down and brushing out her hair.
Meanwhile, Anne carefully studied her face in the mirror.
Miss Pendleton had a subdued look on her face and her eyes
were downcast, apparently lost in thought. Anne’s gaze
naturally drifted to the letter on the dressing table.
Anne was dying to know what the letter said. Ever since
her mistress had come home from a picnic a week ago with a
face that was clouded over, she shut herself up at home, not
accepting any guests.
Miss Pendleton had claimed she was exhausted after all
the boating, but Anne, who had served her for nearly a
decade, was certain she was in perfect health—she simply did
not want company. And the dashing young gentleman Ian
Dalton, who had been visiting the Pendleton townhouse with
alarming frequency this past month, had come by the house
every day for a week.
 Chapter 24

When Anne told the gentleman that she had to turn him away
at her mistress’s behest, he looked resigned and asked her to
at least pass on his letter at least, but eventually gave up,
having only left a visitor’s card. He then loitered around the
townhouse for hours before leaving.
Watching the situation unfold, it wasn’t at all
unreasonable for Anne to deduce that something must have
happened between the gentleman and Miss Pendleton at the
picnic. That was why she couldn’t help but wonder about the
contents of the letter.
What could it possibly say? Was it a simple message of
farewell? No, her mistress would not be looking so
melancholy then. Or perhaps it was a declaration of love? A
marriage proposal? If either were true, her current mood
made even less sense.
Ah, if only she were someone who shared everything about
their love affairs with the maids like all those other silly young
ladies in high society! Anne sighed and diligently continued to
brush Miss Pendleton’s hair, figuring her mistress would tell
her if she needed someone to confide in. After brushing, Anne
braided her hair loosely so that it wouldn’t bother her during
sleep.
That was when Anne’s patience was rewarded. Miss
Pendleton said, “Anne, Mr. Dalton said something to me that
sounded an awful lot like a marriage proposal.”
Just as I suspected! Anne cheered inwardly, but acted
outwardly as though she had been mildly surprised at
best..”My goodness, really? Did he confess his affections for
you?”
“No. He said something from which I could infer his
feelings.”
“I haven’t had much schooling, miss, so I don’t know
what ‘infer’ could possibly mean. That being said, it sounds
to me like he didn’t confess his feelings outright, but spoke of
it in a roundabout way.”
“Yes, something of the sort.”
“Is that why you haven’t been receiving any visitors
lately?”
“Yes. You must have been puzzled to see me claim to be
under the weather with a cold for a while. I suppose you
caught on that I wasn’t actually ill?”
“Yes, miss.”
“I thought so. I can’t fool you, Anne.”
“So you’ve been avoiding Mr. Dalton ever since he asked
you to marry him, miss? Do you intend to… refuse his
proposal?”
Miss Pendleton nodded.
 “But miss, his circumstances are… No, never mind. It is
entirely your decision whom you choose to marry, so who am
I to opine on it? But hiding like this is silly, miss. It is entirely
within your right to either accept or refuse his proposal, and
it is hardly dignified to act as though you’ve done something
wrong. Gentlemen are at liberty to propose marriage, ladies
have the freedom to reject it.”
“Anne, none of what you said is wrong… theoretically
speaking.”
“I don’t understand what you mean by ‘theoretically
speaking’… but I presume it means something along the line
of ‘supposedly,’ doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. As always, you’re quick to catch on. So you
should be able to grasp the ambiguity of this situation as well.
It would be highly impolite for a lady like me to refuse a
proposal from a man like Mr. Dalton.”
“A lady like you, miss?”
“A spinster without a dowry.”
“But Mr. Dalton knows all that, yet he still harbors feelings
for you.”
“I am grateful for his affections, but marriage is another
matter altogether.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it is an uneven match. I have nothing to bring to
the marriage other than myself. Even if that alone is
sufficient to satisfy him, that would only be the case as long
as he burns with passion for me.”
 “But his love may last a lifetime. You possess both beauty
and an excellent character, miss. Unless he is a vulgar man by
nature, he will always be faithful to you. He will never have
occasion to grow tired of you if his preference is for genteel
women.
Miss Pendleton smiled wryly and replied, “You always
think very highly of me, Anne. This matter, however, has
nothing to do with his preferences.”
Anne wanted to refute her mistress’s words, but she kept
quiet and finished tying the knot in Miss Pendleton’s hair.
Miss Pendleton rose from her seat and walked over to
stand by the window. Anne took the shawl on the chair and
draped it around her shoulders, laid a hand atop it, and asked
in a low voice, “And what is your heart, miss? Do you not have
the slightest regard for him?”
Miss Pendleton was silent for a moment— a silence rife
with meaning. “Anne, do you know what the greatest
advantage of being a spinster is?”
“What is it?”
“That I can enjoy friendships with young gentlemen
without any tension or apprehension. I have been relying far
too much on that advantage and caused Mr. Dalton to come to
a misunderstanding. I do not love him in the slightest, Anne.”
Anne sensed something in that brief silence. It was most
certainly hesitation, so she knew Miss Pendleton was not
being entirely truthful. But she couldn’t cajole her mistress
any further. Not only was Miss Pendleton not one to be easily
persuaded by others, Anne knew that a third party could do
little to intervene in affairs of the heart. Anne smoothed out
her mistress’s hair, bade her good night, and left the room.
Once the door closed with a click, Miss Pendleton was
alone in the room. She paced up and down the room for a
moment. She sat down on the bed then stood back up, went
over to the window then walked away, sat in the rocking chair
then rose to her feet…
Her mind was restless and wandering. Her footsteps
wandered around the room until they stopped in front of her
dressing table, and her hand automatically grabbed the letter
atop it. She reopened the folded letter, her eyes tracing every
stroke of Mr. Dalton’s beautiful handwriting. It was neatly
written, and its contents were polite. He was truly a good
man, writing to her even in the midst of a crisis and making
sure to bring the gift he’d promised.
But when her eyes reached the final words of the letter, Ian
Dalton, she stopped breathing. His face, from the last time she
had seen him, flashed before her eyes. The way he had looked
at her. His feelings, which had cut straight through her like an
arrow.
Miss Pendleton dropped the letter, curling in on herself.
Her shoulders trembled slightly. The sheer intensity of his
emotions had frightened her. Rather than showing hints and
glimpses, he had bombarded her with the full force of his
feelings—a terrifyingly deep desire.
 If he had brought up the subject in her home or in public,
she might have been able to handle it more delicately. But
they had been in the forest. A forest with no one else around.
She had run away, afraid of what might happen.
After that, he kept dropping by her home, hoping to see
her, and when she refused to meet him, he even loitered
around the house—proof that the feelings he had professed
in the woods that day were neither her imagination nor a
fleeting impulse on his part.
Miss Pendleton spent an agonizing week, wondering when
exactly he had begun to harbor such feelings for her. For the
past month, they had shared a friendship that was
wholesome and comfortable. She had never regarded him in a
romantic light and believed the same would be true for him,
for she was certainly not good enough to be his wife. Relying
on that fact, she had apparently conducted herself around
him without reserve.
She looked at the letter again, which contained news of his
departure for Whitefield. It was a relief for Miss Pendleton.
She hoped that his ardor would cool once he returned to his
estate. If only he could shake off these feelings and they could
return to being friends upon his return! Even while knowing
what lay in Mr. Dalton’s heart, she cherished him—as a
friend.
No, Miss Pendleton thought in spite of herself. Do not
deceive yourself, Laura. Are shock and concern the only feelings
you have about his regard for you?
 Miss Pendleton bit her lip. Her hand lifted and unfolded
Mr. Dalton’s letter again. He had said he would come back.
Miss Pendleton’s chest tightened at that sentence, loosened,
then tightened again.
He had left. But he would come back. She found herself
rejoicing at this—more so at his promise to return than his
departure. Were these feelings of hers merely those for a
friend? It would be a lie to say so, and she had no desire to lie
to herself. She had missed him all week. Not seeing him after
a month of his near-daily visits had made her feel lonely and
empty.
She was troubled to learn that he was leaving London
today, and she reread his letter every time the feeling
overwhelmed her, after which her loneliness would subside.
Her unguardedness had not only made him love her—it had
also inclined her heart towards him.
Miss Pendleton folded the letter back up again. Her
fingertips trembled and her heart pounded. She knew she was
feeling, for the first time in a very long while, something she
could not allow herself to feel. It was a most unwelcome
visitor. A fruitless endeavor, an unfulfilled dream, an emotion
that would cause her lasting pain and sorry. She knew this
feeling very well from prior experience. Oh, to think she
would have to endure this tribulation again!
He wants me. Isn Y that all that matters? Miss Pendleton’s
heart briefly wavered at the thought. Ishis heart and mine
align, what more is needed? What point is there in overthinking
it?
But even as she thought this, her hand was instinctively
grabbing the pearl pendant she always wore. She took off the
necklace. In the middle of the necklace, densely strung with
tiny pearls, shone an oval locket made of silver with delicate
metalwork in the shape of violets. She ran her fingertips
along its edge and, feeling a round button, pressed it firmly.
With a click, the inlaid part of the locket popped open,
revealing the profile of a woman. The portrait had been
painted with delicate brushstrokes. A young woman with gray
eyes, red hair, fair skin, and fine features. Her mother,
Dolores Pendleton.
She had only survived to the age of eighteen, and now she
lived on in this painting, eternally eighteen years old and
hanging around her daughter’s neck. She stroked the silver
rim of the locket that contained her mother’s picture with her
fingertips.
Had she been alive, she would now be a middle-aged
woman at her daughter’s side. But she was dead. Her mother
had died in a cottage far from London, her body ravaged by
difficult childbirth and her poverty denying her even the most
rudimentary medical care.
The necklace had been given to Laura when she was seven
years old by his father, who had left her at her
grandmother’s, with only the words that he would come back
for her one day. That was the end of it. Her parents could now
only be found in this small pendant.
The necklace had remained a part of her throughout her
childhood. She would often open it and look at the painting of
her mother. As a child, to help forget her sadness; as a
boarding school student, to soothe her loneliness; and as a
newly debuted socialite in her late teens, to find someone
who would empathize with her.
 Chapter 25

Laura entered the Pendleton home, her father’s hand in hers.

At first, she did not feel lonely, for her grandmother, Lady
Abigail Pendleton, had welcomed her with open arms. For
Lady Pendleton, who was still grieving the loss of her
daughter years later—having become a shut-in and still
donning mourning clothes daily—having Laura in her home
was like having her daughter back. She showered Laura with
love and affection. Through her, Laura was able to experience
the mother’s love she had been deprived of due to her
mother’s early demise.
Her uncle, however, did not share his mother’s feelings
about Laura. To him, his sister’s torrid love affair was a
sordid scandal that had sullied the Pendleton family’s good
name, and his niece was nothing but a byproduct of that
scandal. Furious at his mother’s unilateral decision to take in
his niece while he was away, he fought with her daily. Her
uncle often threw young Laura out of the dining room during
meals and shouted at her, this voice full of rage and
contempt, whenever he spotted her in the house.
Miss Pendleton had to quickly learn to hide herself from
her uncle’s sight. The mere sound of his footsteps sent her
into a convulsive fit, and it became routine for her to hide in
the nursery to avoid him. Each day was filled with anxiety and
fear for little Laura; she felt as though she were always
treading on thin ice.
Miss Pendleton could still recall the terrifying figure of her
uncle as he threw an ashtray at her for dragging her feet, and
the beatings she had suffered after being falsely accused of
stealing pudding from the pantry, even though she hadn’t
even known it was there. Every single day of the three years
she had spent in the Pendleton manor had left a scar that
would never heal.
Her grandmother coaxed, cajoled, and even pleaded with
her son in order to protect her granddaughter, but her uncle
did not yield. Lady Abigail eventually began fighting with her
son like enemies. Young Laura’s shoulders were heavy with
the yoke of guilt, knowing that her very presence had caused a
significant rift in the family.
After three years of endlessly fighting with her son to keep
her granddaughter, Lady Pendleton finally gave up on raising
her at home. On the day the decision was made that Laura
would be sent away to boarding school, she stayed up all
night, soaking her pillowcase with tears and offering up
prayers of thanks. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to leave this
hellish home.
The boarding school she had enrolled in, however, wasn’t
exactly paradise. The Pendletons were one of England’s most
prestigious families, and gossip about the circumstances of
Laura’s birth quickly spread through the school. Although
there was no overt harassment, Miss Pendleton spent most of
her first few years at school without friends.
The solitude, however, allowed her to focus on her studies,
and her intelligence and hard work allowed her to
consistently earn academic honors at school. In addition, to
her natural temperament, she added significant effort to
ensure that she always behaved graciously and judiciously in
front of others. Her reputation gradually improved, and the
scarlet letter of illegitimacy that had haunted her was
gradually replaced with something else.
“Sweet Laura.” “Diligent Laura.” “Serene Laura, who
never got angry.” Such was how her classmates and teachers
always referred to her. It was a vast improvement from
“illegitimate Laura.” Laura spent her entire teenage years
trying to avoid being called a bastard. To be diligent, sweet,
and never angry, she repressed her feelings again and again.
It wasn’t an easy life, but it was far better than her life at
Pendleton Manor. At least here, her efforts were paying off.
But one could not attend school forever. When Laura
turned seventeen, her grandmother came to fetch her. As she
followed her grandmother into a carriage decorated with the
Pendleton family crest, she feared that she would have to
return to the Pendleton manor. But her grandmother took her
to a townhouse in London instead. The two settled and had
been living there ever since.
 Miss Pendleton did not find out until later that her heading
off to boarding school hadn’t ended the feud between her
uncle and grandmother. It, in fact, had been only the
beginning. While her granddaughter was away at school, Lady
Abigail had filed a suit to officially make Laura into a
Pendleton. She wanted to give her dear granddaughter her
mother’s renowned surname instead of her poor American
father’s. Naturally, her uncle Gerald, the head of the
Pendleton family, objected, and the two ended up battling in
court for years.
Lady Abigail was able to fight her son as an equal with her
own wealth—the large tract of land she had inherited from
her own family, the townhouse whose ownership had been
transferred to her from her husband, and the sizable pension
she received from the government. But she was not able to
overcome English law, which heavily favored the head of
household. Moreover, Gerald had developed a genuine hatred
for his own mother after their yearslong feud—full of venom,
he did everything in his power to bring her to her knees by
hiring a team of expensive lawyers.
In the end, realizing her loss was imminent, Lady Abigail
finally had her granddaughter admitted into the Pendleton
family on the condition that, upon her death, her entire estate
would go to Charles, Gerald Pendleton’s second son. The
whole affair had completely estranged Lady Abigail from her
son, and she claimed she wanted to see neither hide nor hair
of him. She settled in London once and for all with Laura, who
had officially become Miss Pendleton.
The pension Lady Abigail received as a widow was more
than for the two women to live in London with dignity.
Grandma formally debuted Miss Pendleton in London high
society the same year she graduated from school.
Lady Abigail had high hopes for Miss Pendleton’s debut.
Since her daughter had run away shortly after her debut, she
was hoping Laura would get to enjoy the social life her
mother couldn’t—wearing beautiful dresses, receiving
countless invitations, hosting tea parties, formal dinners, and
concerts.
While Miss Pendleton did not take it upon herself to dash
her grandmother’s hopes, she herself had no such
expectations of her life in society. She could not imagine the
brand of shame that had haunted her since childhood would
be so easily shed. And as it turned out, London’s aristocrats
hadn’t forgotten the woman behind such a huge scandal and
were not fully accepting of Laura Pendleton, the child of that
woman who bore her name, as one of them. The ridicule and
abuse she had experienced at first after her debut in society
was unimaginable.
During her twelve years in high society, she had kept her
head down, reminding herself that she was not a proper
noblewoman. It was the only way she could keep from
crumbling under the weight of all the unkind and humiliating
treatment she received at the hands of others in society.
 As she stood by the window, looking into the locket, her
eyes dulled. She was now an unmarried woman nearing
thirty, and the lady in the locket, her mother, had been a
woman much younger than herself. Laura Pendleton, whose
reason had been developed by experience and observation,
had the ability to make a sound judgment.
She knew how wrong Dolores Pendleton had been to run
away with a penniless painter at the age of seventeen. Her
foolish passion had killed her. And the cost of her folly did not
end with her death but was still being paid by her child.
For Laura, that pearl necklace was now akin to a solid piece
of armor that kept her from losing herself. As long as she
wore it, she would never make a choice that her sense of
reason would not allow her to make. She would never make an
irrevocable mistake like her parents had, no matter how out
of control her emotions became.
She put Mr. Dalton’s letter back in the drawer and looked
at herself in the mirror at the front of her dressing table—at
Laura Pendleton, the illegitimate child with an American
father, the farce of an aristocrat.
She could never be with Ian Dalton. Frankly, the issues of
age and dowry were secondary. No matter how much he loved
her, he would be subjecting himself to criticism by marrying a
woman with commoner blood like herself. And the bigger
problem was after he married and had children. The stigma of
her parentage would haunt not only the couple themselves
but their children as well. Whenever those children married
or entered high society, the matter of their mother’s birth
would be brought up. Children born into families as renowned
as the Daltons would be shunned due to the circumstances of
their mother’s birth.
Her children would go through what she herself had. Miss
Pendleton could not allow her children to experience what
she had—or to be more precise, she could not let Mr. Dalton’s
children suffer the way she had.
Yes, I am fond of Mr. Dalton. And that’s all the more reason to
give up on him.
Her reasoned thinking calmed her mind. She closed the lid
of the locket with a snap. And with it, her heart closed as well.

***

Mr. Jenfield’s funeral was held quietly in the small church in

Whitefield to which he had devoted his life. The memorial
service was performed by Oliver Starr, the young curate who
had served the parish alongside Mr. Jenfield for the past three
years, and his family and congregation, dressed in black, paid
their respects to the obstinate but dignified man.
Soon the coffin was placed on the shoulders of six
pallbearers and carried to the cemetery where he would find
eternal rest. People in mourning clothes formed a long line
behind the coffin and followed it to the cemetery.
The coffin was lowered into the ground and sealed forever
by a mound of earth. The mourners scattered, crying and
reciting prayers. In the end, only one man remained at the
newly made grave. Ian Dalton stared at the tombstone quietly.
Mr. Jenfield had been the one to baptize him. Ian grieved that
he had not been there on the old vicar’s deathbed.
He stood there, closed his eyes, and prayed for a few
minutes. Finally, after kissing the tombstone briefly out of
respect and mourning, he quietly left.
The mourners were scattered outside the church, either
chatting amongst themselves or gathering around the family
of the deceased to offer their condolences. In their midst was
a middle-aged man of refined bearing in a black suit. Upon
spotting Mr. Dalton, the man walked up to him with his hands
in his pockets. It was Robert Fairfax, Ian Dalton’s brother-
inlaw.
When Ian saw him, he took off his hat and bowed lightly.
“You arrived in a hurry last night, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“Have you wrapped up all your business in London?”
“Not yet. I will head back as soon as the affairs of the
estate are in order.”
Robert nodded. “Why don’t you come and see your sister
sometime after you’re done with that? She has been eagerly
awaiting your return from London.”
“Tell her I shall visit once everything on the estate is
settled. Is she well?”
“The chills have abated, though she is still too weak to
travel far. However, she still has plenty of energy to meddle in
your love affairs. So? Have you found any decent ladies in
London?”
 Chapter 26

He wishes to discuss such a frivolous topic immediately after a

funeral? Ian sighed inwardly and replied, “No.”
“What on earth have you been doing in London for over a
month?”
“I’ve been listening to William badger me about finding a
decent woman. In London, I had William twisting my arm
about it, and you are doing the same back home. Where can I
go, I wonder, to be free of this burden?”
Robert Fairfax chuckled, which was rather inappropriate,
given the fact that they were at a funeral. “You could shake us
off the minute you pick a lady and turn her into Mrs. Dalton…
although you shall have to contend with the burden of your
wife’s nagging in its stead!”
Without another word, Mr. Dalton began to walk off to one
side, away from the crowd. Robert walked beside him. “I’m of
the same mind as your sister; I would like to see you tie
yourself down to a lady as soon as possible. After marrying
your sister, I realized the sooner one marries, the better—
especially for a man. You cannot imagine how much it
empowers a man to have a family waiting for him at home.”
“To have a wife nagging at him?”
 “That becomes bearable after a while. And it’s coming
from my wife, the woman who is raising my children. If I
listen to it while thinking, ‘My wife is paying quite a bit of
attention to me today. How fortunate I am!’ it doesn’t sound
too unpleasant.”
“I find myself confounded whenever I listen to married
people speak of marriage —I cannot for the life of me figure
out whether they love or hate their spouses.”
“Because it is both. You could never understand the
complex mix of emotions between a husband and wife. Of
course, I didn’t understand it either when I was a bachelor. I
feel as though I’ve only truly learned what life is after
marriage—the joys and sorrow of being human. You do not
even know the half of it yet. You are, for all intents and
purposes, still a child.”
“It seems all married people take lessons somewhere on
treating singletons like children. To avoid this, if nothing
else, I suppose I shall have to find a Mrs. Dalton to make me
into a true adult.”
“Yes, good thinking. Hurry up and find her. I was actually
hoping you would bring home a girl from London. There must
be much more that is pleasing to the eye in London high
society.”
“Pleasing to the eye… If you are referring to the ladies,
that is correct. There are more beautiful women in London
than in Yorkshire.”
 “Yet none of those lovely women have managed to
captivate you?”
Mr. Dalton thought about the woman whose face briefly
flashed in front of his eyes, but shook his head at his brother-
inlaw.
“My word. Had I been in your shoes, I would have fallen in
love a hundred times over.
“Had you been in my shoes, you would have been in grave
trouble. Falling in love a hundred times is surely no easy
feat.”
Robert Fairfax merely laughed heartily in response to Ian’s
cynical retort. “As aloof as always! Well, visit us at Dunville
Park sometime soon. You can come see your sister and go for
a hunt with me.”
“Sure. Thank you for coming, Robert.”
Robert Fairfax shook Mr. Dalton’s hand lightly, then
shoved his hands back into his pockets and strode to where
his carriage stood.
Ian stayed behind until all the mourners left. He then
discussed with Mr. Jenfield’s widow and family, who
remained in the empty parsonage, the matter of their living
arrangements. The only family Mrs. Jenfield had was a
younger brother, a military officer currently stationed in
India. It had been arranged that her family would live with
him once he and his family returned to England, but they
were not set to do so for several years. Ian decided to rent
them a small cottage—a small house for middle-class folk—
on the east side of Whitefield at a low rate until they could
join her brother.
With everything in order, Ian left the parsonage and began
to walk slowly up the road toward Whitefield Hall. Since the
parsonage and Whitefield were about a half-hour walk away,
he had left his carriage behind.
Once he left the village made up of small shops and homes
both large and small, shortly appeared a quiet, tree-lined
street. Between the trees over forty feet tall that lined both
sides of the street could be seen glimpses of a stream and
farmland. Through the dense foliage, rays of sunlight broke
through and illuminated the ground. Ian trod on the rays as
he walked. After the tree-lined street ended, past a field
appeared a heavily wooded area.
It was a grove of birch trees that had given Whitefield its
name. As Ian walked along the wide, well-paved earthen
path, he could hear the nightingales singing and the wind
rustling through the trees. His heart warmed as he gazed at
the birch trees filling his vision. He had walked along this
path thousands of times since childhood, but after such a long
trip away, it felt new again. Though he hadn’t realized it
during his stay in London, he had subconsciously missed it
dearly— Whitefield, where he was born and raised. It once
again struck him just how much he loved this place. As he
regarded every blade of grass, every tree, every clod of earth
as far as the eye could see, his heart beat powerfully,
overwhelmed by the intense affection he felt for his home.
 He walked through the woods and crossed a bridge over a
wide stream, and soon the wild, natural trees gave way to
neatly trimmed garden shrubbery. Soon, the enormous
Whitefield Hall appeared before his eyes.
Whitefield Hall was a mansion so large that anyone
looking at it, even from a distance, could see exactly how
grand it was. A stone structure built out of beautiful alabaster
marble masonry that complemented the snow-white woods
perfectly, it had a dignity and elegance befitting the owner of
these lands. He passed the well-manicured garden and
fountain and entered the manor through the front door.
Upon entering, he was immediately greeted by his aged
butler Ramswick, a short, stocky fellow. “Welcome home,
master.”
Mr. Dalton nodded. “Early tomorrow morning, send a few
of our servants to clean up Hartnum Cottage. Tell them to
take special care, as it is where Mr. Jenfield’s family will be
residing.”
“Yes, master.”
Ian was about to head to his office, but turned toward
Ramswick and asked, “Did I ask you how you were faring
when I returned yesterday?”
“No, master. But no matter.”
“Have you been well, Ramswick?”
“Yes, master, I have.”
“And you are in good health?”
“Yes, master.”
 “How are your knees?”
“Very well, thanks to you, master.”
Ian smiled faintly. “I am glad to hear that.
I am sorry that I’ve been away for so long.”
“It is quite all right, master.”
Ian went upstairs to his office. For some reason, Ramswick
entered the office behind him. “Is something the matter?” he
asked.
“There is something I must inform you of, master.”
Ian gave him a look that silently beckoned him to speak.
“It concerns the land agent you hired on a temporary
basis. I think it would be best not to have him in your employ
any longer.”
“Why is that?”
“While you were away, he worked hard for half the day—
from morning to afternoon. The other half, however, he
whiled away by shooting game on your hunting grounds
without permission and attempting to play inappropriate
pranks on the maids.”
Mr. Dalton’s brow furrowed.
“Frankly, I wouldn’t even have bothered to mention this
to you if that were the end of it, but I also suspect he accepted
a bribe in the process of leasing the mill. One of the servants
overheard two people whispering about it in the tavern.”
Ian sighed and crossed his arms. “I wonder if there exists
in this world such a thing as a land agent with a conscience. It
seems the lot of them try to take something else aside from
their wages by any means possible.”
“I would wager that there aren’t any.”
“I would as well.” Ian sat down at his desk at once and
wrote a letter, which he then handed to Ramswick. “Send this
to him tomorrow along with his wages for the days he has
worked.”
“Yes, master.” With that, Ramswick left the room.
Ian, still at his desk, immediately began his work. He had
been away from Whitefield for less than two months, yet
there was a veritable mountain of work to be done. The
matters he had to tend to urgently were to settle the tenants’
rent, deal with legal disputes that had occurred on the estate,
resolve the friction between two farms over the installation of
a fence, and arrange meetings for the lease of a building.
Once all that was taken care of, he would need to visit the
mines—currently being excavated—as soon as possible, as
well as meet with his lawyers. Before that, however, he
needed to review the quality of the work the land agent had
done while he was in London. He went through the books and
read each piece of lease paperwork drafted by the land agent
and business correspondence that had arrived in his absence.
He noticed several things that were completely different from
the explanations he had received from the land agent in his
letters, and certain matters that had been handled in exactly
the opposite manner from what he had instructed.
 The longer he reviewed the documents, the more his mood
soured. He was furious at the land agent for handling the
work on his estate in such a shoddy manner and irked at his
brother-in-law for introducing him to this land agent. The
fact that his brother-in-law had introduced him to such an
incompetent individual showed how little the man cared
about his own estate.
However, Ian knew how rare it was to find a trustworthy
land agent—he had learned that the hard way. After the death
of his father, who had entrusted the task of running his estate
entirely to a land agent, young Ian went through the books
and documents and was horrified to discover how much of his
father’s money the agent had been siphoning off. He fired the
agent forthwith and took on all of the duties related to the
estate himself. It was a neverending hassle, but he could not
stand by and let the pillars of Whitefield be eaten away.
He reorganized the messy books and redrafted the
documents, realizing once again that land agents were not to
be trusted. Once that was done, he wrote a series of letters to
lawyers from whom he required legal advice.
After a few hours had passed, and he had reasonably
completed all the work he needed to do for the day, he rose
from his desk and walked over to the window. Night had
fallen, painting Whitefield in a deep, dark indigo. The moon
and stars shone brilliantly over the black outlines of the
sweeping mountain peaks in the distance.
 He lifted the lid of the wooden cigar box on the table by the
window, took out one of the cigars inside, placed it between
his lips, and struck a match. As he lit the end of the cigar and
inhaled deeply through the filter, his throbbing headache
subsided. He looked out the window and inhaled the smoke,
feeling much more at ease.
Relaxed and content, it truly sank in for Ian that he was
back home in Whitefield. His life was here—in front of his
office window, overlooking the entirety of Whitefield. As he
flicked away the ashes, he reflected on the time he had spent
in London. The carriages, the crowded streets, the bustling
balls. Formal dinners and tea parties, surrounded by elegant
furniture.
He had rubbed elbows with London’s upper echelon, yet
the memories were a blur in his mind, as it had all meant very
little to him. He could barely remember the people he’d met
and the places he’d gone. There was only one thing he
remembered clearly—the young lady who resided at the
Pendleton townhouse on Grosvenor Street.
He shook the ashes of his cigar into an ashtray. His feeling
of satisfaction waned. What was she doing now? Dancing at a
ball? At a friend’s home for a formal dinner? Was she in her
room, staring up at the night sky like he was? Ah—did she
miss him as much as he missed her?
Of course not. He smiled sardonically. There was no way she
would want to see him, after giving him the cold shoulder and
brushing him off so harshly, after refusing to even see his
face for a week. She probably wasn’t even thinking of him. He
inhaled his cigar one more time.
He had been thinking about it nonstop since his train ride
back to Whitefield— why had she rejected him so quickly,
before he’d even had a chance to properly propose to her?
Why had she, a woman in possession of a kind and gentle
heart, become so unfeeling?
 Chapter 27

In retrospect, Miss Pendleton was a rational person—a rarity.

She greatly valued harmony and faith between a man and
woman, but she did not place undue confidence in the power
of love. During their conversation in the woods, she explicitly
stated that a marriage between two people of unequal
circumstances would never bring happiness. Conscious of
either her lack of a dowry or the issue of her parentage, she
must have rejected him with the intent to nip his affection for
her in the bud.
It made no sense to Ian. Why would either be a problem for
him? Even if she didn’t have a dowry, he himself was already
a wealthy man. He was already earning more than enough
from his estate and businesses and did not require an infusion
of money through marriage.
As for the matter of her parents, it was none of his
business whether she was a commoner or how her parents
had wed. Was she worried about the gossip that may surround
them? Did she fear that his name would be dragged through
the mud? But his reputation was already less than stellar,
thanks to his personality. Everyone knew that Ian Dalton, the
owner of Whitefield, was a rude, persnickety man. How much
of a difference would it make, really, for him to take a wife
with commoner blood?
He imagined himself pouring out all these thoughts to her,
trying to persuade her to change her mind. She would surely
listen to him calmly. She would shake her head if he criticized
himself, and nod whenever he said something sensible. As
always, with her serious gray eyes fixed on him, she would
understand every single one of his thoughts, with earnestness
and intelligence, the two qualities he loved most among Miss
Pendleton’s many virtues.
But in the end, if he reattempted the proposal that had
failed the last time, she would… she would shake her head no.
Damn it. He took another deep drag of smoke to ease his
anxiety.
While kind and warm-hearted, Miss Pendleton was also a
highly principled person. No matter how much he cajoled and
begged, and even if he eventually lost his temper and threw a
fit, she would not bat an eye. Indecisiveness was not in her
dictionary. Her way of thinking was an even bigger obstacle
than her feelings.
However, Ian could not simply give up on her. This was the
first time in all of his thirty years on this earth that he had felt
a desire to marry someone. If he lost her, he probably would
never feel this way about anyone else again. Then he would
become what those around him feared most—a confirmed
bachelor without an heir. As he had no particular desire for an
heir, he had not the slightest intention of forcing himself to
marry a woman he did not want in order to gain children.
He gritted his teeth and thought about Laura Pendleton.
He vowed to bring her to my estate at all costs. He would wrap
up my affairs at Whitefield as soon as possible, find a
dependable land agent, then return to London. To do that, he
needed someone he could trust, for he would not be returning
home until he had managed to persuade her to accept his
overtures. The next time he went to London, he would bring
her back to Whitefield with him, no matter what. If he failed
to convince her, he would beg and plead, and if that didn’t
work, he would go as far as to threaten to end his own life.
Being the kind, generous soul that she is, she would have no
choice but to marry him—even if it was only to save his life.
Once I begin seeking a land agent, I should also look for that
old pistol of mine, which I haven’t used for quite some time, he
thought seriously. In his head, he knew he was acting like a
stubborn child, but his heart was reckless as if to prove that
he had indeed fallen in love for the very first time. And Ian
was a man who followed his heart over his head.
He spent the evening thinking of how best to make use of
the temper he had so far managed to keep hidden.

***

Ian Dalton’s daily life after returning from London was rather
unremarkable. He spent his mornings reviewing paperwork,
and his afternoons meeting with tenant farmers or lawyers.
Occasionally, he visited the parsonage for tea with the young
vicar and his wife, or rode out to dine at the invitation of one
of the farmers.
Ramswick, who faithfully served Ian at his side, thought
his master’s daily routine was exactly the same as it had been
before his trip to London—outwardly, at least. There was no
difference in how he handled his work or how he acted around
others. No other servant would have noticed a change in him.
Ramswick, however, who had been a butler at Whitefield
Hall since the days when Ian was lying in a cradle and trying
to grab at his mobile with tiny fingers, could sense that a
change had occurred deep within him. He was oddly restless,
and Ramswick often found him deep in thought, his gaze
withdrawn.
Ramsay began to suspect that something was troubling his
beloved young master, and now his trusted lord, Ian. He
would lie awake at night in his bedroom, which was nearly as
small as he, and with his eyes closed, toss and turn with
worry for his master.
On the fourth day after Ian’s return, Ramswick knocked on
the door of the office, as he needed his master’s signature on
the bills for the manor’s upkeep over the past month, as well
as the servants’ paychecks. However, there was no answer. He
opened the door and entered, thinking Ian was perhaps out
for the day.
 Ian was sitting by the window, the sketchbook he always
carried in his lap. Ramswick called out to him, yet he
remained oblivious. Looking out the window, he seemed to be
lost in thought. Ramswick considered simply leaving the
papers behind, but there was the matter of a pension for
servants who were nearing retirement that needed to be
settled quickly.
He went to Ian’s side and called his name. Only then did
Ian turn toward Ramswick, seemingly not having heard the
butler enter at all. Ramswick held out the papers with an
apologetic look. Ian nodded, took the documents, and began
to review them.
Meanwhile, Ramswick studied his master’s face. He looked
tired as if he hadn’t slept well in the past few days, and
Ramswick’s concern grew. Ian, however, remained unaware
of Ramswick’s thoughts and continued to look over the
paperwork. He held out his hand wordlessly to Ramswick,
who readily pulled out a pen from the inner jacket pocket and
handed it to him. Ian signed the papers quickly and handed
them back. “Make sure to give them sufficient severance pay.
“Of course, master.” He took the papers and bowed to take
his leave when out of the corner of his eye, he saw the
sketchbook lying open in his master’s lap. Drawn on the page
was the image of a beautiful lady.
He looked away from the sketchbook, realizing he had
committed a breach of etiquette. Fortunately, preoccupied
with his thoughts, Ian turned back to stare out the window
once his work was finished and did not notice that Ramswick
had seen his sketchbook.
Ramswick quickly left the office. As he closed the door
behind him, a faint smile spread across his genial face. He had
recognized the reason behind his master’s daydreaming—it
was lovesickness.
For the rest of the day, Ramswick went about his routine
with his usual imperturbable expression. Inwardly, however,
he was humming with joy. his master, who had never before
shown a desire to marry, had apparently found a woman in
London he deemed fit to share his life with. To think his
master, who had eschewed Yorkshire high society, would find
his match in London! He chuckled, understanding now why
Ian, who had left with the assurance that he would return in
ten days, had ended up spending more than a month in
London. His master was in love and courting a lady!
After that, he began to observe his master surreptitiously.
Ian went about his business as calmly as usual, but whenever
things became delayed or fell behind schedule, he did not hide
his nervousness and prodded Ramswick. The cigars in his
cigar box ran out faster than usual, and at night, after all of
his work was concluded, he would sit in front of the fireplace
and stare intently at the image of the woman in his
sketchbook.
Realizing that Ian was anxious to finish his work and
return to London, Ramswick eagerly helped to expedite his
master’s plans. Even though he knew his work would
multiply without his master around, and things at the manor
would not run smoothly, he was eager for his master to bring
back from London the beautiful lady from his sketchbook as
his wife. As a loyal butler, he wanted to see Whitefield, where
he had worked all his life, to flourish—and knew that it
needed a mistress in order for that to happen. If Ian did not
have a son, his relative stood to inherit Whitefield.
Thanks to Ramswick’s hard work, a week after Ian’s
arrival, all the important business that hadn’t been dealt with
while he was away was taken care of. Relieved, Ian
immediately turned to Ramswick and said, “I must go to
Dunville Park to see my sister. Prepare my horse.”
“Yes, master.”
Shortly, Ian’s beloved sleek black stallion stood saddled in
the yard. Ian, in a stylish riding outfit in chestnut brown,
mounted the horse. Holding the reins in his leathergloved
hand, he said to Ramswick, who was there to see him off. “I
am very sorry about this, Ramswick, but I must return to
London in a few days. I do not know how long I will stay, but I
will likely be away for longer than last time. Begin looking for
a land agent to manage Whitefield in my absence.”
“Will you not be leaving it to Mr. Robert Fairfax this
time?”
Ian, his jaw set, shook his head.
Ramswick inclined his head. “I will place a newspaper
advertisement at once.”
 Ian kicked the horse’s flank lightly, and the well-trained
steed carried his master out of Whitefield’s garden. Ramswick
watched Ian’s back as he left Whitefield, a joyful smile
blooming on his face. The young master was bringing home a
mistress at last. He stifled the joyful song that threatened to
escape him and entered the manor.

***

Dunville Park was only a short distance away, less than an

hour’s ride at a brisk pace. The way was so familiar to Ian that
he could practically drive his horse there with his eyes closed.
After all, he had been traveling back and forth between
Whitefield and Dunville Park since he was a boy—at first, to
play cards with William; from the age of eight, to see Henry in
his cradle; and now, to visit his ailing sister and rambunctious
niece and nephews.
After a long ride through a rocky field overrun with heath,
he soon found himself in the open hunting grounds
surrounding Dunville Park. His brother-in-law usually spent
more time here than at home, so much so that anyone who
had urgent business with Robert Fairfax would search the
hunting grounds first.
As Ian rode slowly through the hunting grounds to give his
tired horse a break, he heard a gunshot in the distance. He
thought to himself, My brother-in-law is out hunting again
today, as usual.
 However, he then heard the loud shouts of young boys
coming from the same direction as the gunshot.
 Chapter 28

On a hunch, he quickly urged his horse in the direction the

shouts had come from. Ian rode quietly through the oak trees
and into the dense woods and soon found two strapping boys
standing by a desolate pond. He knew at once that they were
his nephews, Daniel and George Fairfax. Ten- year-old Daniel
had something in his hand and was pointing it at a tree, and
next to him stood eight-year-old George, tugging
impatiently at the hem of his brother’s robe and mumbling
something unintelligible. He slowly led his horse toward
them.
“Uncle Ian!” George called out, noticing him first, and
Daniel quickly hid what he was holding behind him. Ian
jumped off his horse and walked over to them.
“How have you been?”
Without saying a word, Ian held out his palm to Daniel.
Daniel, knowing what the gesture meant, gave his uncle an
excuse in a desperate attempt to keep the object he had
hidden behind his back.
“U-u-uncle, this is a wooden gun. The two of us were just
practicing our shooting.”
 “A wooden gun that makes the same noise as a regular
gun?”
“Yes… We thought it was pretty unusual too… Haha…”
Daniel began to laugh awkwardly but quickly stopped when
he saw the look on Ian’s face. His uncle was looking at him
with the icy, impassive expression he wore whenever his
anger reached its peak.
“Hand it over, Daniel Fairfax,” Ian ordered curtly. Daniel
glanced at him, intent on holding out a little longer, but
quickly relented and placed what he had hidden behind his
back in his uncle’s hands, looking as though he was about to
cry.
A vein popped on Ian’s forehead. It was a hunting pistol. A
real pistol, not a toy. He quickly removed all the bullets from
the gun and put them all in his pocket.
“Where did you get this?”
“F-father told me I could play with it now that I’m ten
years old— Ouch!” Daniel yelped, as Ian grabbed his left ear
before he could even finish his sentence.
“I will give you one more chance. Where did you get this?”
“Father gave it to me! I swear!”
“No, Uncle. He’s lying. Daniel swiped it from Father’s gun
case!”
At George’s outburst, Daniel glared at him furiously. “You
snitch! You said you’d even lick my boots if I let you try
shooting it once!
 George stuck his tongue out. “That’s what you get for
hogging it!”
“Why you little—!”
“Be quiet, Daniel. This is entirely your fault. It’s bad
enough you went against what the adults said—that you were
not to touch a firearm until you turned fifteen— but stealing,
and now lying too? It seems you have forgotten how to
behave yourself in my absence!” Ian tugged his ear.
“Ow, Uncle! Uncle! I’m sorry, so please let go!
Ian instead began to drag Daniel around the pond by his
ear. Daniel sobbed and pleaded, but Ian dragged him along
impassively. By the time they had completed one lap, Daniel’s
face was bright red and tear-stained. Ian returned to where
they had been standing and let go of his nephew’s ear.
Sniffling, Daniel furtively glanced at Ian. The uncle he
knew was generally a strict, uncompromising man,
completely different from his laid-back, carefree parents, and
as frightening as the devil when he was angry.
“I told you clearly that as soon as you turn fifteen years
old, 1 would teach you how to shoot, and when you turn
eighteen, I would help persuade your mother to let you join
the Navy instead of attending university. You know it will all
happen in due time, yet you were unable to exercise a
modicum of patience and resorted to such antics?”
Daniel hung his head.
“Having you in the Navy may only serve to weaken the
British Armed Forces. Perhaps it would be better to get you
into a university and make you into a pastor instead.”
Daniel jumped in panic when Ian brought up the threat he
often employed to discipline his nephew when he caused
trouble. “No, Uncle! I’d rather die than be stuck in a
parsonage and memorize the Bible all day! I’m going to be a
soldier!”
“If you want to be a soldier, you must first learn self-
discipline. It is far more important for a soldier to know when
not to shoot than to be a skilled marksman. If anything like
this ever happens again, I am going to have you move into my
manor and discipline you properly.” Scared stiff, Daniel
nodded. Ian mounted the horse he had tied up and turned to
his nephew. “As punishment, you are to spend a week
mucking out the stables.”
“Uncle!”
Ian stared at Daniel calmly, and Daniel hung his head
again. George, who had been merrily watching his brother get
scolded by his uncle, snickered. Ian turned to him and said
sternly, “And George, you will help your brother for a week.”
George cried indignantly, “But Uncle, I didn’t steal
anything! I never even got a chance to touch that gun!”
“Perhaps after cleaning up horse manure together, you
won’t be so eager to join your brother in his naughty
schemes.” With that, Ian tugged on the reins. He could hear
the two boys wailing behind him, but he paid it no mind.
His heart, which had frozen with fear upon finding Daniel
with a gun earlier, still felt chilled, long after he’d retrieved it.
What if he had accidentally opened fire on himself while
messing about with that pistol? He envisioned his
troublesome nephew lying in a pool of blood from a self-
inflicted gunshot. It was a terrifying thought.
When Ian and his horse emerged from the woods, a well-
manicured garden appeared, a stark contrast to the lush,
wooded hunting grounds. It was Dunville Park, famous for its
neatly paved riding trail and beautiful garden paths. He rode
along the lawn toward the stately manor in the distance, and
once he reached it, he grabbed the reins, brought his horse to
a halt, and leaped from the saddle with ease. He left his horse
with a servant who had quickly approached him and headed
to the entrance.
He entered the manor and ascended the stairs to the
second floor. He knocked on the innermost room on the
second floor, and a woman’s voice beckoned him to enter.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw his sister seated in
front of the fireplace in the interior of the room. Mrs. Robert
Fairfax was a middle-aged woman of small stature, graying
hair, and a sickly complexion. Seated at a small table, she
exclaimed with a wide smile as soon as she saw her little
brother, “Oh, Ian! Welcome!”
Ian’s face didn’t brighten at all, however. He walked
briskly over to his sister. After taking the pistol Daniel had
been playing with earlier out of his pocket, he placed it on the
table.
“What is this?”
 “Two of your sons were playing with it.”
“So you made them muck out the stables again?”
“Yes.”
“They’ll be stinking of manure for a while. But more
importantly, Ian, look at these tarot cards.”
Ian glanced at the colorful cards scattered atop the velvet-
covered table. “Your sons were playing with a real gun and
bullets, yet you want me to look at a bunch of cards?”
“Well, they didn’t shoot each other to death, did they?”
She looked at her brother with an incredulous expression, as
if to ask why he was making such a big deal out of nothing,
then turned her attention back to the cards.
This was exactly how he had expected his sister to react.
Ian figured it would be better to have a proper talk with his
brother-in-law later about this. Robert would probably laugh
it off and say it was typical of young boys, but he would at
least be alarmed to learn that someone had stolen one of his
precious guns.
“Ian, like I said, take a good look at these!” his sister
repeated insistently.
Ian scanned the cards with a vague curiosity, wondering
what sorts of earthshattering revelations his sister’s favorite
tarot cards had made this time. One card depicted a naked
woman drawing some water from a lake, another a man lying
on the ground, his body riddled with cuts from a knife, and
the third showed Adam and Eve holding hands before God.
 “Ian, you’ve met someone in London, haven’t you? This
reading indicates that you’ll be married within the year. My
goodness! Ian, tell me at once. Who is the lucky lady?”
“There is no such person.”
“Nonsense. You must have had women swarm you like
bees and not allow you a moment’s peace, yet you weren’t
able to make up your mind and choose one of them?”
“I am not very popular with the ladies.”
Mrs. Fairfax, of course, did not believe him. “Then William
must have been lying to me, for he told me all about how
popular you were in London. He wrote me a letter so lengthy,
he required both sides of the paper.”
William? What a pain! Mr. Dalton sighed.
“Besides, you were apparently quite receptive to the
attentions of those in London high society. I heard you were
invited by ladies to formal dinners, frequented tea parties,
and even went on a picnic.
“I only went because I was invited.”
“But you’re not one to accept invitations out of politeness,
are you?”
“I suppose, dealer sister, you think of me as an ill-
mannered scoundrel.”
Mrs. Fairfax scoffed. “Of course I do. You? Manners? The
horse you rode in on would laugh at the very thought, brother
mine. Have you forgotten that you are the one who told the
magistrate of Sheffield—who by the way is old enough to be
your father —that he had clearly had one too many and to
make himself scarce?”
Mr. Dalton recalled the magistrate and frowned. “Was it
wrong of me to point out that a man who was unaware of his
own crudeness was taking pains to embarrass himself?”
“Yes, and you had a valid point, as he had gotten drunk
and was comparing a part of his wife’s body to the anatomy of
a certain animal. But thanks to you, he’s never accepted an
invite to dine with you or anyone else close to you since. So I
haven’t even seen the man’s face in five years.” Mrs. Fairfax
threw up her hands in exasperation. “Well, that’s beside the
point. I doubt you suddenly developed a keenness for
socializing in London that you hadn’t possessed before. Be
honest with me. There was a lady you had your eye on at all
those events you attended, wasn’t there?”
Mr. Dalton did not reply.
“Was it by any chance Miss Pendleton, who is so often
mentioned in William’s letters? The lady who danced with
you and hosted the tea parties you attended so frequently?”
 Chapter 29

“I suppose I made a mistake in coming here.” Mr. Dalton

immediately turned to leave the room.
But Mrs. Robert Fairfax, who usually showed an extreme
reluctance to move due to her now frail body, was capable of
being as fast as lightning when it came to catching her fleeing
brother. She quickly seized him, and with the authority of an
older sister, had him take a seat on the stool beside her. Mr.
Dalton had no choice but to sit, fearing that he might knock
his sister over and injure her while resisting capture.
Inwardly, he cursed William’s big mouth.
Mrs. Fairfax grabbed her brother, who was sitting at her
side, by the collar of his jacket. “It’s her, isn’t it? Haha! I
knew it, Ian Dalton. I could tell from the look on your face
alone that you are no longer the same person you were before.
It is easy to recognize a man who harbors affection in his
heart for a lady, and I recognized that in you.
“Recognize what? What utter nonsense. Release my collar
—you’re wrinkling my jacket.”
“Tsk, don’t struggle so much. You’re exhausting your poor
old sister. Now, tell me at once. What is this Miss Pendleton
like? Hmm? William’s letters only described her as a kind,
genteel lady, but I’m sure she must also be very beautiful and
intelligent. How old is she, twenty- one? Or twenty-two?”
“Don’t try to interrogate me for any information on her.
She and I are friends, nothing more.”
“Friends?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, would you mind if I sent her the letter you
gave me the day before I got married?”
“What?”
“The day before my wedding ceremony, you came to my
room, sobbing, and gave a letter that says, I will always love
you, dear sister, no matter how far apart we’ll be after you are
married. Love, Ian. Et cetera.”
“For God’s sake!”
“The letters were all crooked and the words were
misspelled, and the entire thing was smudged with tears. I
cried so much after I read it, and the next day, my eyes were
so swollen that they wouldn’t even open when I walked down
the aisle. Still, it is a very precious memory to me and I always
keep that letter at the very top in my box of correspondence.
If I were to send that letter to William immediately, I am sure
he would be so touched by it that he would show it to Miss
Pendleton as well.”
Ian paled. Mrs. Fairfax was merely teasing him, but in
Ian’s opinion, his sister was the kind of person who was more
than capable of doing such a deed if the mood struck her.
 Mrs. Fairfax looked at her brother’s stony face and was
convinced that her suspicions were correct. She gripped Ian’s
jacket tighter, inwardly crowing with delight. “Now, little
brother, tell me. Who is this Miss Pendleton? What sort of
family does she come from?”
At first, Ian silently stared at the floor. But when his sister
threatened to send that letter to William again, he was forced
to speak up. “I can’t tell you, for her sake if nothing else.”
“Why not?”
“I have yet to win her affections. Moreover, there is very
little chance that I will be able to.”
“Does she detest you?”
Ian did not reply.
“Well?”
“We are just friends.”
“Oh my… your love is unrequited, isn’t it? My Ian is
suffering from unrequited love! I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Having fun mocking me, are you?”
“Oh, not at all! I would never mock you, you poor thing. I
am your sister, Ian. Why would I ever do something so cruel?”
“It certainly sounds like you are.”
“Really, I’m not. I think you’ve become a tad touchy. I
shall forgive you, though, for the heart of a young man who
has failed to win the affections of the woman he loves is
bound to be filled with heartache. Ah, my poor Ian. My poor,
dear Ian!”
 I should never have said anything. Ian regretted his
confession as he eyed his sister, who was teasing him
mercilessly with a sympathetic expression on her face and a
look of glee in her eye that belied her enjoyment of the entire
situation. He should have just said nothing, found his sister’s
box of letters, and burned that embarrassing artifact from his
childhood himself.
Mrs. Fairfax teased Ian for a bit longer but stopped right
before he ran out of patience and strode out of the room. Her
voice now serious, she murmured, “Win her heart, Ian.
Capture it and marry her this year. I will do my best to help
you.”
“I do not need your help. It will hardly make a difference.”
“And why is that?”
Ian fell silent. He couldn’t explain the problem to his
sister. For one thing, he didn’t have the heart to disclose
every little detail of his romantic woes, but more importantly,
it was intimately connected to Miss Pendleton’s personal
affairs. It would not be polite to reveal to his own family, who
did not know Miss Pendleton well at all, the circumstances of
her birth; the matter of her dowry, or rather lack thereof; or
her character and temperament.
Ian made that clear to his sister. Fortunately, Mrs. Fairfax
possessed the ability to rein in her desire to pry into other
people’s affairs in order to satisfy her own curiosity.
However, that didn’t stop her from wanting to help her little
brother court the lady he had so clearly fallen for.
 She was deep in thought for a moment, her arms around
his shoulders to keep him from escaping. She then asked,
“Does she have a favorable impression of you?”
“As a fellow human being, yes.”
“But you say she will never accept your overtures? For
some reason that you cannot divulge?”
Ian nodded.
“Well, remain her friend for a while. Do not try to
approach her until she lets down her guard and you see an
opening. You’ve gone hunting with your brother-in-law and
seen how he sometimes lies in wait quietly in the grass for
hours on end, haven’t you? That is exactly what you should
do.”
“Do you realize, dear sister, that you are comparing a
fellow lady to prey?”
“I know it isn’t the most polite analogy, but it isn’t as
though you’ll actually shoot her. Anyway, stay friends with
her for some time. And be decently kind to her. Always do her
favors and come across as someone easygoing and harmless.
At the same time, make friends with a few other ladies.”
“What?”
“If you only spend time with her, she’ll become wary, so
be considerate to other women as well.”
“What on earth are you teaching me?”
“I’m teaching you how to steal a woman’s heart. Keep at it
and she will let her guard down in front of you, and she won’t
give you the cold shoulder even if you try to grow closer to
her. You have to foster a relationship with her that is close
enough for her to comfortably share her most intimate
thoughts with you so that she grows very attached to you.
Because that is what women are weakest to— attachment.”
Ian did not reply.
“Once you can see that she’s become sufficiently attached
to you, pretend that you’ve given your heart away to another
woman. Outwardly, she will seem accepting, but envy will
bloom in her heart and it will make her acutely aware of her
feelings. Ultimately, she will end up lovesick for you.”
“You have a knack for telling long jokes. Unfortunately,
this joke isn’t funny.”
“I’m serious, Ian.”
“I am sorry to hear of it—that my sister is seriously giving
me advice to toy with the emotions of the woman I love. I
shall be going now. Please get some rest.” Ian pulled away
from his sister’s arms, then stood and headed toward the
door.
“Ian, wait!”
He stormed out of the room. Alone, Mrs. Robert Fairfax
clicked her tongue, fully having anticipated her little
brother’s holier-than-thou response, then turned back to the
cards on the table.
 Still, the reading indicated that wedding bells were on the
horizon. She chose to believe in the cards and imagined the
new mistress of Whitefield making her jubilant entrance.

***

In London, no one was more surprised by Ian’s sudden

disappearance than Miss Lance. She had sent an invitation to
Mr. Dalton, only to receive a polite letter of refusal from Mr.
William Fairfax—he had left for Whitefield and was
unavailable for dinner.
Miss Lance read over the letter several times, which did
not give a reason for his departure, then sent Miss Janet
Fairfax an invitation to see her so that she could find out the
precise reason. Miss Fairfax, who had always admired the
beautiful and cultured Miss Lance, was very excited by the
invitation. She had her hair done first thing in the morning
and wore her finest dress for the visit.
Miss Lance made some small talk with her before casually
asking, as though in passing, why Mr. Dalton had gone back
to Whitefield. Miss Fairfax, munching on a cookie, replied
that the rector of Whitefield had died, and Mr. Dalton needed
to appoint a new one.
“Oh, how sad. So that was why… But what about after he
appoints the new rector? Will he still remain there?”
I suppose so.
“But he might miss his time in London.”
 “Well… I don’t think so. Ian said he despises London, that
it was no place for people to live.” Miss Janet studied Miss
Lance’s expression. “You don’t understand him either, do
you, Miss Lance? If London isn’t a livable place, where is?
Anyway, Ian won’t be back for a few years now that he’s
returned to Whitefield.”
“Is that what Mr. Dalton said? That he wouldn’t be back
for a few years?”
“No, he didn’t. That is just what I believe, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance was actually relieved to hear that. It was only
Janet Fairfax’s opinion that he wouldn’t be returning to
London for a while. Miss Lance dismissed the idea handily,
not trusting Miss Fairfax’s powers of observation.
After Ian returned to Whitefield, Miss Lance waited
patiently, trusting that he would return to London sooner
rather than later. But days passed with no news of his return.
Miss Lance began to feel uneasy; she wondered if he had
forgotten Dora Lance, the beautiful lady he had seen in
London during his stay at Whitefield, and had fallen in love
with a lady back home. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say.
Anxious, Miss Lance began to invite Miss Fairfax often to
tea and gatherings with her friends. She claimed to want to
get to know the adorable Miss Fairfax, but what she truly
wanted was to hear from her about Whitefield.
Unfortunately, Miss Fairfax could not fulfill Miss Lance’s
expectations, for she herself was not very close to her cousin
Ian Dalton. Miss Fairfax was a late child, raised by relatives
upon the death of her parents before being sent to boarding
school, and so only had met Ian for the first time recently.
Although she admired Ian, she was afraid of his brusque
nature, and Ian had no interest in her whatsoever.
These circumstances had thwarted Miss Lance’s plan of
reminding Ian Dalton of herself by socializing frequently with
Miss Fairfax, thus ensuring that there would be mention of
her periodically in Miss Fairfax’s correspondence with Ian.
She wanted nothing more than to write to him personally
at Whitefield, but it was taboo in English high society for
unmarried men and women who were not engaged to be
married to exchange letters. There were, of course, many men
and women who broke the taboo and wrote to each other
freely, but the relationship between Ian and herself had not
yet developed to such a degree.
Miss Lance, while disappointed, was undeterred—for
there was also Miss Fairfax’s brother, William Fairfax.
 Chapter 30

He was the only person in London who officially

corresponded with Mr. Dalton, and if Miss Lance were to
socialize with him often, she knew it would be no hardship to
get Mr. Fairfax to insert a few words mentioning her into his
letters to Ian.
Miss Lance decided that he would strike up a friendship
with Mr. Fairfax, and to begin, she persuaded her parents to
invite the Fairfaxes to dinner. At first, her mother was
reluctant to socialize with Mr. Fairfax since, even though he
was a successful self-made businessman, his country estate
and manor was relatively small. However, after being
convinced by her daughter’s arguments that he was Mr.
Dalton’s cousin and that she needed access to Mr. Fairfax in
order to capture Mr. Dalton for herself, she agreed to extend
him an invitation.
Baronet Lance, meanwhile, was surprisingly amenable to
the idea, for Miss Lance had the good sense to inform him
that the Fairfax siblings were descendants of a prestigious
Yorkshire family of a landed gentry.
Shortly thereafter, the Fairfaxes were invited to dine with
the Lances. At the dinner, the Lances had a much more
pleasant time than they had anticipated. The Fairfax siblings
were comely, good- natured, and cheerful folk. Moreover,
they were generous with their praise and admiration, which
satisfied the pride of each member of the Lance family.
The Lances warmed to the Fairfaxes immensely. Baronet
Lance, in particular, had become so fond of Mr. Fairfax that
he even asked the younger gentleman to smoke his fine cigars
together after dinner. Mr. Fairfax readily accepted the offer.
Unlike Mr. Dalton, Mr. Fairfax had a high tolerance for the
nobility’s tendency to self-aggrandize.
Before the siblings departed, Miss Lance asked Mr. Fairfax
as he kissed the back of his hand in greeting to give her
regards to Mr. Dalton at Whitefield. Mr. Fairfax replied he
would gladly do so, then helped his sister into the carriage. As
Miss Lance watched the carriage drive away, she smiled in
satisfaction over having accomplished her purpose.
After that evening, Miss Lance often socialized with the
Fairfaxes. She would sometimes go to Mr. Fairfax’s
townhouse for tea or would invite them to a concert or opera.
Her objective was to keep Ian Dalton abreast of her goings-
on, but Miss Lance increasingly found it pleasant to be in the
Fairfaxes’ company.
Miss Janet Fairfax was a lovely lady and Miss Lance’s
biggest admirer. It was impossible for Miss Lance not to be
pleased to have someone fawn over her every move and agree
with every single one of her opinions.
 However, she found her friendship with Mr. Fairfax even
more valuable. Up until that point, Miss Lance had simply
known Mr. Fairfax as a pleasant, handsome gentleman. But
the more time she spent with him, the more she realized that
he was not just an amiable man. He was as serious as he was
kind. He listened to Miss Lance’s words attentively and
expressed his opinions with care. And there was
consideration and wisdom in every word he spoke.
Miss Lance had an adequately good eye for people, and she
quickly realized what a remarkable person Mr. Fairfax was.
Miss Lance was delighted to discover that Mr. Dalton’s best
friend was such a good man, and so she enjoyed socializing
with Mr. Fairfax as well as Miss Fairfax.

***

While Miss Lance was enjoying her new friendships, London

high society blossomed as though each day were its zenith.
Parties and balls took place every day, with new faces
constantly ebbing and flowing like the tide.
In the midst of it all, another new gentleman entered the
social scene—Tom Pryce. At first, he did not stand out much.
He was a short, unremarkable man of fifty with a pot-bellied
stomach and round eyes. However, people began to take
notice of him once word spread that he was a hugely
successful stockbroker from the United States of America. It
wasn’t long before he became the center of attention in
London social circles, due to his charming nature.
He was English, but at the same time, very American. He
always bet large amounts of money at cards, won big, and was
never a sore loser, even when he lost a lot of money. As was
characteristic of a businessman, he was always confident and
stubborn, and always looked people in the eye when he met
them. He was well- informed, knowledgeable, and had a great
sense of humor.
Soon, details about the man began to circulate at the
ladies’ tea parties. He was the third son of a British naval
colonel. Immediately after graduating from university, he
traveled to the United States, where the Civil War had just
ended, and made a fortune selling lumber to the South during
Reconstruction. With that capital, he entered the securities
business and was now one of the wealthiest men in New York.
As he advanced toward success, he met and married a
beautiful, elegant lady from the South whose family had
fallen to ruin. They were happily married for twenty-five
years, during which they had seven children together, until
the passing of his wife. The eldest and second were already
adults; one had married, and the other had started his own
business. The other five were younger, ranging in age from
seven to thirteen years old, and were now being raised by a
nanny and a tutor in the United States.
This was the first time in thirty years that he was visiting
his homeland. He was in London for an extended stay to
attend his sister’s twenty-fifth wedding celebration and
spend time with his family, who he had not seen for years.
As people learned more about him, they began to wonder if
the real reason Mr. Pryce was ever-present at London’s social
events was to find himself a new wife. Otherwise, there really
was no need for him to attend them so frequently. Perhaps he
had not gotten over the loss of his elegant, aristocratic wife
and was attempting to find another lady to fill that void.
It was certainly an interesting enough story, and at the tea
parties, the subject of Mr. Pryce was brought up whenever
people ran out of topics to discuss—and those at the
Pendleton tea party were no exception.
Miss Pendleton, however, had very little interest in the
subject. The reasons behind his popularity—his wealth and
his jovial disposition—were not sufficient to attract her
attention. Those were aspects so alien to her, in fact, that any
mention of Mr. Pryce made her wary instead of curious.
Not long afterward, however, an incident occurred to Miss
Pendleton which made it impossible not to take an interest in
him. It all began with a letter.
^-^-^-
Miss Pendleton was sitting in her study, as usual, sorting
through the letters a servant had picked up from the post
office. Invitations to events and household bills were placed
on the left, along with Miss Pendleton’s personal
correspondence, and letters to her grandmother from her
friends and relatives went on the right. Miss Pendleton was
going through the work like an automaton, the same way she
had been doing for the past twelve years.
As Miss Pendleton placed the ornate picnic invitation on
the left, she saw the sender’s name on the white envelope
beneath it—and froze in shock. She looked at the name again.
The letters in front of her were written clearly in ink, and
there was no way she could mistake them.
Gerald Pendleton.
Uncle… A shiver ran down Miss
Pendleton’s spine. She quickly checked the recipient. Laura
Pendleton. Her name was on the envelope. Her uncle had sent
it to her.
Had it been her grandmother’s name on the envelope,
Laura would not be nearly as unsettled as she was now. The
shiver that had traveled down her spine moved down her
shoulders and down her arms. She trembled in spite of
herself.
Miss Pendleton placed the envelope at the bottom of the
desk, close to her and neither to the left nor to the right, then
finished sorting through the rest of the letters. She checked to
see if there were any bills that needed urgent attention or
letters that needed to be answered immediately. Thankfully,
there were none. She pushed the stacks of correspondence
aside for a moment, then took the letter from her uncle out of
the envelope and unfolded it. Even as she did so, she couldn’t
quite believe it. Her uncle had never sent her a single letter or
postcard, not even for Christmas or her birthday. Miss
Pendleton opened the letter, expecting to find the obituary of
someone from the Pendleton estate.
The letter began bluntly, without a word of greeting. There
was not the slightest hint of politeness or kindness. But Miss
Pendleton, who did not expect any warmth from her uncle,
was rather glad that he had simply gotten straight to the
point.
Surprisingly, her uncle’s letter was concerning Mr. Pryce,
who was apparently a friend of his from university. The letter
explained that a year earlier, Uncle Gerald and his second son,
Charles, had visited the United States and happened to run
into Mr. Pryce by chance. Mr. Pryce introduced them to his
goddaughter, Joanne Jensen, heiress to a New York magnate.
Charles Pendleton and Joanne Jensen fell in love and were
now engaged to be married.
After the engagement ceremony, which had taken place in
the United States, Mr. Pryce had traveled to London first for
his sister’s twenty-fifth wedding celebration, and as Uncle
Gerald, Charles, and his fiancee would be departing the
United States at a later date, the main ask of the letter was for
Laura to invite Mr. Pryce to the Pendleton townhouse as a
guest and treat him with the utmost courtesy until they
arrived in London. At the end of the letter, in cold, high-
handed verbiage, Uncle Gerald ordered her to make
preparations for Charles and himself to stay at the
townhouse.
 Miss Pendleton read the letter to the end, then put her
head in her hands for a moment and closed her eyes. The
thoughts in her head felt hopelessly tangled, as though they
had been played with by a six-year-old child. All sorts of
complex memories and uneasy prospects plagued her.
Her uncle would soon arrive at the Pendleton townhouse.
She had been ten years old when she left the Pendleton manor
to attend boarding school, so she would be reuniting with him
after nearly twenty years. But no matter how much time had
passed, the terrifying memories of her uncle were not ones
she could easily forget.
She drew a sharp breath, feeling as though something was
pressing down on her chest. Even as an adult, simply thinking
about him made her feel like a frightened seven-year-old
hiding in the nursery, waiting for his footsteps to fade away.
This feeling, however, she could bear—she had been the
target of constant harassment and malicious gossip, if not
outright abuse, for the past twenty years. She was inured to
do her duty with dignity and grace, even under stress. No
matter how scared she was of her uncle, as long as she did her
part, he would realize that she was now all grown up and an
adult like him. Then what he had done to her in the past
would never happen again, even if he continued to treat her
coldly.
Frankly, what made her the most anxious was something
else. Her uncle’s visit meant a reunion between him and her
grandmother. She didn’t know if her grandmother would
even let him in the house, but if she did, she could not even
begin to fathom what might happen.
The two hadn’t even exchanged a single letter for over a
decade after their messy legal battle. The grudges they held
against each other must still be festering—what would
happen when they saw each other now? Her grandmother was
now an elderly woman for whom even sitting down was
taxing.
What if a fight breaks out between them and she falls gravely
ill? At the thought, Miss Pendleton’s heart pounded
anxiously. Her fingers grew ice-cold.
Miss Pendleton recalled what Mr. Webster, her
grandmother’s physician, had told her the other day. “She
likely won’t make it to the end of this year. She needs rest,
and you must take care not to provoke her into becoming
upset, no matter what. Take good care of her, so that her
mind may be at ease. Also, it’s important to keep giving her
hope. Tell her often that she will live a very long life, the way I
do every time I come to see her.”
 Chapter 31

Miss Pendleton rested her chin on her hand and looked down
at the letter. After some time of contemplation, she finally
stood up and headed upstairs. When she opened her
grandmother’s door, the dim room greeted her. Her
grandmother was in bed patting her cat Annie while listening
to the maid reading her a sonnet. Lady Abigail’s health has
worsened lately, which was why she has become bedridden
like this.
After sending the maid away, Miss Pendleton told her
grandmother the brief summary of her uncle’s letter.
“Are you saying Mr. Pryce is Gerald’s friend?” asked Lady
Abigail.
“Yes.”
“And Gerald and Charlse are coming to London? They’ll be
visiting our townhouse?”
When Miss Pendleton nodded, her grandmother became
quiet. Miss Pendleton stood, anxious that her grandmother
might burst with anger. But to her surprise, Lady Abigail said
something very unexpected.
“Laura, get our best guest room ready. And make sure the
servants treat them with the utmost respect.”
 Miss Pendleton’s eyes widened in shock, and they grew
even bigger as her grandmother continued, “We must host
Mr. Pryce with the utmost care. Send a dinner invitation, and
ask Mr. Germain to create a feast. As the friend of the head of
this family, Mr. Pryce deserves to be welcomed into this
house.”
Noticing her granddaughter’s surprise, Abigail raised her
hand, gesturing to Miss Pendleton to come closer. When Miss
Pendleton sat next to the bed and held her hands, Abigail
caressed her granddaughter’s hands.
“Have I surprised you?” asked Lady Abigail.
“…Yes.”
“And I’m sure you hate this, don’t you? Gerald mistreated
you so badly, and I’m asking you to be courteous to him.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “I don’t hate it. He’s the
head of this family after all.”
“So you feel indifferent about this matter?”
“It’s just… I feel a little nervous, Grandmother.”
“Laura, may I ask you for a favor?”
“What favor?”
“Could you endure it just for a few days? For me?” Lady
Abigail requested.
Miss Pendleton was willing to do whatever was necessary.
She wasn’t the type to shirk her responsibilities, especially if
it involved her grandmother. But Miss Pendleton couldn’t
answer easily because she didn’t know her grandmother’s
intentions. Frankly, she wasn’t even sure if her grandmother
was clear-headed at the moment considering what she had
just ordered.
Realizing why Miss Pendleton was acting hesitant, Abigail
explained quietly, “…I don’t have many days left to live. Dr.
Webster claims that I’ll live till I’m hundred, but I’m no fool.
I’m not going to last till the end of this year. I’m certain of it,
and I would like to reconcile with your uncle. I want to see my
only son and… my grandson as well.”
Miss Pendleton was surprised, but she asked calmly, “Are
you sure you want to reconcile with Uncle, Grandmother?”
“That’s right.”
Miss Pendleton was shocked that her grandmother wanted
to restore her relationship with her son. Lady Abigail also
claimed that she wanted to see her grandson freely. Miss
Pendleton studied her grandmother’s face, the darkness in
the room making her wrinkles look deeper. When Miss
Pendleton first met Lady Abigail, there were only a few white
hairs on her head. She remembered Lady Abigail being a
vibrant young woman.
But so much time has passed. Now, her grandmother was
no longer the robust middle-aged lady who took her in. Lady
Abigail was frail and ill. She was dying.
Miss Pendleton asked, “What would you like me to do?”
“Just carry on as you have so far. I’m talking about the
duties of the mistress of this household. You must host not
only Gerald and Charles but also Miss Jensen and Mr. Pryce. It
appears that these two people are important to Gerald.”
 Miss Pendleton nodded. “Alright, I’ll make all the
necessary preparations.”
Lady Abigail held her granddaughter’s hands. “I’m sorry
to make you do this, Laura.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “Please don’t apologize,
Grandmother. You have the right to ask for anything from me.
You became a mother to me when I had nobody. I’ll show
them how well you’ve raised me. I’ll treat them courteously.”
After kissing her grandmother’s forehead, Miss Pendleton
straightened the blanket a little before leaving the room. That
afternoon, she spent her time making plans on how to host
her uncle and cousin Charles. She needed to decide on
preparing their rooms and the servants who will be serving
them. She also wanted to organize a carriage for them and
menus that would suit their taste. She even considered doing
minor house repairs she has been procrastinating so far.
Miss Pendleton went to work immediately. For the next
several days, she became incredibly busy as she managed
everything including the spring cleaning of her residence,
root repair, and rearrangement of the furniture in the guest
rooms. She was required to make and approve every decision,
so countless servants and workers sought her out
continuously. In order to complete everything she planned on
time, Miss Pendleton had no choice but to work without rest.
This went on for days, and every evening when she
returned to her room, Miss Pendleton felt exhausted.
Naturally, she wanted to go to bed as quickly as possible, but
Miss Pendleton was unable to fall asleep easily.
After Anne brushed her hair and got her ready for bed, she
spent much time standing in front of the window. Her chest
felt tight, knowing that the day of her uncle’s arrival was
approaching.
She found her situation quite ironic. She worked all day to
prepare for her uncle’s visit, yet she feared it at the same
time. Miss Pendleton didn’t enjoy this irony because deep
inside, she knew the truth.
Her grandmother was dying, and it wasn’t going to be long
before Miss Pendleton lost her.
If she was asked to pick the one she loved the most in the
world, she wouldn’t hesitate to name Lady Abigail. Miss
Pendleton’s own mother died when she was still an infant,
which made Lady Abigail the only mother she knew. Her
grandmother was a fearless warrior who fought off her evil
uncle and allowed her to live as a proper lady. Lady Abigail
has always been Miss Pendleton’s strongest ally, and Miss
Pendleton loved her with all of her heart.
But the question of whether Miss Pendleton was happy
with the life her grandmother provided was an entirely
different matter. This was a secret she has never told anyone
before. This was something she could be honest only to
herself.
The truth was, Miss Pendleton was much happier before
her grandmother took her in. She still had the memories of
her father, who was a drifting artist. As a child, she lived the
life of a vagrant with her father. She remembered traveling
with her father on a train while playing with her strings and a
harmonica. They used to visit different galleries to sell his art,
and they even went to various noble mansions to paint
portraits. She felt like it was just yesterday when she was on
the road with her father while being mesmerized by
unfamiliar cities, strangers, and villages.
Miss Pendleton has never resented her father for leaving
her with the Pendleton family. A young daughter had to be a
huge burden to a drifting artist. Besides, a child needed a
house and care to grow up properly. Miss Pendleton
understood that sending her to the Pendletons was the best
decision her father could’ve made.
But despite it, she couldn’t help but wonder often. What
would’ve happened if her father didn’t leave her? She didn’t
doubt that she wouldn’t have been as well educated or lived in
a comfortable home like this, but could she have been
happier?
Whenever she faced a tough situation, Miss Pendleton
pictured a completely different life she would’ve had. She
would still be reading her books quietly beside her father
while he painted. She would sit in the train dining
compartment with her father while enjoying coffee.
Whenever he visits a nobleman’s mansion to paint a portrait,
she would go out to the village on her own and make friends
freely. She would’ve become part of a completely different
world.
Whenever Miss Pendleton was brought back to reality
from her daydreaming by the voice of her maids, the first
thing she felt was guilt. She felt guilty toward her
grandmother, who gave up so much to give her
granddaughter a new life. Lady Abigail surrendered most of
her wealth as well as her relationship with her son. She even
gave up her life in the extravagant Pendleton mansion.
Living in this tiny townhouse that was only a fraction of
her old home, Lady Abigail took loving care of Miss
Pendleton. Her grandmother loved her so much, so how could
she miss her old life?
This was why Miss Pendleton worked even harder to hide
her truth. She wanted to become a worthy granddaughter, so
she went to all of the balls her grandmother wanted her to
attend. She also held countless banquets, concerts, and tea
parties to make her grandmother proud.
Miss Pendleton tried her best to become the lady her
mother would have become if she hadn’t met her father. She
was fairly successful in this, and she took joy in becoming her
grandmother’s pride and comfort.
But unfortunately, Miss Pendleton still couldn’t hide the
truth from herself. She was not happy living as Miss
Pendleton. Society still refused to accept her fully due to her
lowly background, and she felt the constant need to mind her
manners even to those who resented her.
 So what would it feel like to live simply as “Laura?” Miss
Pendleton wondered often, and she imagined a different life
for herself. Eventually, such imagination caused her to hope
and dream.
Her dream was about to come true, but sadly, it was going
to be through her beloved grandmother’s death. When Lady
Abigail dies, Miss Pendleton wasn’t going to be allowed to
remain in the Pendleton house. She knew her uncle would
never take her in, and this certainly wasn’t what she wanted
either. Miss Pendleton believed that she lived the life she
didn’t deserve for far too long.
It wasn’t going to be long before she would have to pack
her meager set of clothes and leave the Pendleton house. A
noble lady being thrown out on the street would be
considered a tragic end of her life, but Miss Pendleton
disagreed. To her, this was going to be the beginning of her
new life as “Laura” instead of “Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton has been making many preparations for
this day. In order to make a living, she educated herself, and
she even found an employment agency. So preparing for
Uncle Gerald’s arrival was just a part of this preparation. She
may not have been happy, but she knew to be grateful to her
grandmother.
Lady Abigail loved her like her own daughter, so Miss
Pendleton wanted to do whatever it takes to make her
grandmother’s last days happy. Having Lady Abigail
surrounded by her son and grandson and enjoying the peace
before she meets her maker would certainly lessen Miss
Pendleton’s guilt as well.
So Miss Pendleton slaved away while calmly preparing
herself to leave the Pendleton name.
 Chapter 32

A dinner invitation was sent to Mr. Pryce, who was currently

staying at Mrs. Nazeley’s residence. Soon, an acceptance reply
written in a handsome scrawl arrived at the Pendleton
residence.
After discussing the dinner menu with Mr. Germain, Miss
Pendleton began planning the table setting while
contemplating who else to invite to this dinner. Her
grandmother was unlikely to be able to attend, and she didn’t
feel confident enough to entertain Mr. Pryce by herself.
According to the rumors about her main guest Mr. Pryce,
he was supposedly an outspoken chatterbox with casual
manners. Miss Pendleton went through the list of her friends
in her mind, quickly deciding that the Fairfax siblings and
Miss Hyde were the best candidates. The Fairfax siblings were
amazing listeners, and Miss Hyde had an abundance of
interest in anything new to her.
Miss Pendleton also thought of several newly arrived
gentry couples who were known to have open minds. She sent
an invitation to all of them, and they accepted willingly.
As she expected, her grandmother stayed in bed on the day
of the dinner party. After dressing neatly in one of her
dresses, Miss Pendleton waited for her guests in the reception
hall.
The first to arrive was Miss Hyde. In a simple white blouse,
black jacket, and plain brown skirt, Miss Hyde was without
the usual extravagant accessories often required in a social
setting. She showed off a clean look of a female clerk, which
was no surprise since she was recently hired by a publishing
company. Today was her fifteenth day at work.
Putting down her briefcase on the floor, Miss Hyde
abandoned the usual curtsy and hugged Miss Pendleton
instead. Miss Pendleton, in turn, joyfully accepted such an
enthusiastically affectionate gesture. After all, this only
proved how happy Miss Hyde must be with her new life.
Miss Hyde began telling her about the things she
experienced at work during the last few days. She explained
what she learned about her duties in the office. Her official
title was the editing department typist. Her responsibilities
included greeting and making tea for the writers visiting to
inquire about or sign a publishing contract. But during the
first week, Miss Hyde discovered that her real job was to
listen to her boss editor, a chain smoker, gossip about the
writers and their works.
Miss Hyde realized that this was a strangely funny job, but
her eyes twinkled as she talked about it. Miss Pendleton has
never seen her friend looking so happy. It was obvious that
Miss Hyde loved her new life, and Miss Pendleton felt proud
of her for beginning a new life.
 Mr. Pryce arrived right on time. In his neatly ironed
tailcoat, he whistled as he followed the servant into the
reception hall. When he spotted the two ladies, he bowed and
greeted them respectfully, “Nice to meet you. I’m Tom
Pryce.”
The two ladies rose and curtsied. Miss Pendleton
welcomed her guest warmly, “Thank you for coming to my
dinner. I’m Uncle Gerald’s niece Laura Pendleton. This is Jane
Hyde, the first-born daughter of the Hyde family.”
Mr. Pryce bowed again and walked to the two ladies.
Cheekily kissing the back of their hands, he replied, “I’ve
heard so much about you from Gerald. I mean, I heard much
about you from Count Pendleton. Just as he claimed, you live
in such a wonderful home. And Miss Hyde, you’re very
beautiful befitting of a London lady! I’m not sure if I’ll be able
to eat anything at all surrounded by such gorgeous ladies. By
the way, your outfit looks quite unique. How practical and
clean!”
When Miss Pendleton explained that Miss Hyde is a typist
working in an office, Mr. Pryce laughed and clapped. “There
are a growing number of working women in America as well. I
was told it’s still a rare occurrence in England, yet here I am
meeting an amazing professional woman! By chance, do you
have any plans for marriage?”
“Not at all. After all, I got into this work in order to avoid
marriage,” answered Miss Hyde.
“Your wisdom astounds me, Miss Hyde!”
 Appreciating his lively boldness, Miss Hyde asked, “Why
would you think so, Mr. Pryce? All my life, I’ve heard the
opposite. In fact, criticisms over my unmarried status have
been worsening as I became older.”
“That’s because you learned the secret truth no one ever
tells the young ladies in this world. For all of history,
everyone has been conspiring to fool all ladies of
marriageable age including you, Miss Hyde.”
“And what is this secret truth, Mr. Pryce?”
“That a husband is a burden to a woman!”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “I apologize if I’m mistaken, but I
thought you were married for a rather long time, Mr. Pryce.”
“You’re correct, Miss Pendleton. And this truth is based on
my reflection from an extensive experience. Every man I
know is a burden to his wife regardless of if he’s a good or bad
husband.”
With an exaggerated sigh, he continued, “Because I loved
my wife so much, I feared becoming unworthy of her love. So
I worked all of my life to become a good husband to her. I got
her the stars and the moon only because she asked me to. But
of course, I’m sure you have noticed that the sky is still
adorned with all the stars and the moon. That’s because I
returned them every day before the night fell. I was holding
her hand and crying on her deathbed, but before my wife left
this world, she said to me, ‘Oh, God! Please take me now so
that I can be free of this burdensome man!”’
 Unable to hide her amusement, Miss Hyde burst into
laughter. On the other hand, Miss Pendleton put on an
awkward smile, not knowing how to accept his masochistic
humor. Soon, the Fairfax siblings and the other guests
arrived, and the official dinner began.
The atmosphere turned lively. Mr. Pryce was a talented
conversationalist, and he entertained everyone from the time
the appetizers were served to the end when the desserts
arrived. As a businessman of thirty years in America, he had
countless stories to delight the guests.
He was especially well-versed in New York society. He had
visited the place often with his wife for twenty years, so he
considered it his home. His tales easily mesmerized the
guests.
Mr. Pryce talked about how the children of rich American
families tried their best to behave like European aristocrats.
He was sharp and observant, and he was an apt satirist.
Through his capable lips, the ugly truth about American high
society was revealed. He laughed at the Americans for
imitating European culture including the interior designs,
servant’s uniforms, public etiquette, and even the method of
adultery. His stories crossed the line more than once, but
thanks to his nonchalance and cheerfulness, none of the
guests felt uncomfortable. And even if they did, they wouldn’t
have stopped him. After all, his stories were satisfying their
European ego.
 After the meal, the guests moved to the reception hall.
Misses Janet and Pendleton took turns playing the piano, and
the rest either enjoyed their performances or played card
games.
Miss Hyde was especially captivated by Mr. Pryce’s stories
during dinner. She insisted on hearing more about America,
and Mr. Pryce didn’t seem to mind her attention. They sat
together in the reception hall the entire time while he talked
about Atlanta and New York.
The dinner was a success. All of the guests were pleased,
especially Mr. Pryce who raved about the food, service, and
amazing guests. Before leaving, he kissed the back of Miss
Pendleton’s hand with a content expression. He claimed that
he never experienced such a delightful dinner even in
America.
His boisterous tone and exaggerated humor gave her a
headache by the end of the night, but Miss Pendleton was still
relieved that her main guest was pleased. After that night, she
invited Mr. Pryce for dinner often. Mr. Pryce created an
animated atmosphere at every event, and before leaving, he
never forgot to kiss her hand and praise her endlessly.
Miss Pendleton could tell that he was satisfied with her
work. But as she interacted more with him, she realized that
there was something more to what Mr. Pryce felt.
The first time she noticed something odd was during the
fourth dinner party. That day, her grandmother was feeling
much better, allowing her to attend the event. Lady Abigail
approved of Mr. Pryce’s exuberant nature, and he, in turn,
used all of his wits and humor to entertain the elderly lady.
By the time the main course arrived, Lady Abigail and Mr.
Pryce became close enough to have a deeply personal
conversation.
“I can see that Miss Pendleton must bring such comfort to
you, Lady Abigail. You’re going to miss her very much when
she gets married and leaves.”
“But I understand that it can’t be helped. If she goes out
into the world looking for happiness, how could I stop her?”
“Indeed. A farewell between a daughter and her parents is
inevitable, of course. Parents must always be ready to say
goodbye to their daughter even if she’s the love of their lives.
Or else, they’ll end up begging her not to leave when the time
comes. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I did. The day my
daughter wore her wedding dress, I pleaded with her to stay
for just one more year.”
“I can understand how you must’ve felt, Mr. Pryce. If my
Laura leaves, it’s going to feel like a part of my heart is being
ripped out.”
Miss Pendleton quietly listened to their conversation. She
appreciated how Mr. Pryce was being a good companion to
her grandmother. But shortly after, Lady Abigail felt dizzy
again, and she returned to her room with help from her maid.
So that night, Miss Pendleton had to entertain Mr. Pryce
by herself. Until the end of the dinner, she listened to him
attentively and laughed when appropriate. After all, he was an
important guest to her family.
After the meal, she even played the piano in the reception
hall per Mr. Pryce’s request. He stared at her the entire time,
and although Miss Pendleton felt uncomfortable by his
intensity, she acted naturally and continued to play.
“When I first arrived in London, I looked for you, Miss
Pendleton,” Mr. Pryce announced.
“Did you hear about me from my uncle?”
“Yes. That boy… Excuse me, I mean Count Gerald
Pendleton had only good words to describe you. He praised
you for being a beautiful and noble lady, an epitome of what a
proper English woman should be. He claimed that you were
better than a dozen American women combined.”
Miss Pendleton found it hard to believe that her uncle
raved about her like this. He hasn’t seen her since she was
ten, so how could he know if she was beautiful or noble? More
importantly, Miss Pendleton suspected that Uncle Gerald
didn’t have a good intention for raving about her like this.
 Chapter 33

Mr. Pryce explained, “I was engrossed in New York society for

decades, but when I heard his description of you, it made me
feel nostalgic. The English ladies are the most beautiful,
noble, and elegant of any woman in the world. So I used my
little sister’s vow renewal ceremony as an excuse to come
here.”
“So what’s your verdict, Mr. Pryce? Have the English
ladies met your standard?”
“No, I’m afraid that the only differences between the
American and English ladies were insignificant like the
fashion trends or their tastes in opera.”
“My, how unfortunate, Mr. Pryce,” Miss Pendleton replied
kindly. She raised her hand to flip the music sheet when
suddenly, Mr. Pryce rose from the sofa. He strode to her
abruptly and turned the sheet for her.
Miss Pendleton bowed lightly to show her appreciation
and continued to play. To her surprise, her guest didn’t return
to the sofa. Instead, he placed his hand on top of the piano
and leaned toward her.
They were in a reception hall designated to entertain
guests. It was certainly a public place where the servants
walked in and out frequently, but this didn’t change the fact
that they were alone at the moment. Although she had met
Mr. Pryce several times already, Miss Pendleton still felt
awkward around him. Having him so near her created an
uncomfortable situation.
When she finished the piece, Mr. Pryce clapped and
mumbled a compliment. If he was any other gentleman, Miss
Pendleton would’ve never invited him to dinner again. But he
was her uncle’s close friend. Not only that but as the bride’s
godfather, he was also the person who arranged her cousin’s
wedding. Miss Pendleton didn’t have a legitimate reason to
discontinue their acquaintance, which was precisely why Mr.
Pryce continued to prowl around her at every one of her
dinner parties.
Then one night, Mr. Pryce was again standing by Miss
Pendleton’s side as she played the piano. Regrettably, all the
other guests left early, which left her to entertain Mr. Pryce
by herself.
She silently prayed over and over again that the night
would end soon as she played the piano. Then suddenly, Mr.
Pryce grabbed her hand. Miss Pendleton shrieked and stood
up quickly, thinking that what she had been fearing was
finally happening.
But to her surprise, Mr. Pryce knelt in front of her at that
very moment. Looking up at her astonished and confused
expression, he begged, “Miss Pendleton! Please do not be
shocked. Please… Please do not look so appalled and listen to
me!”
Covering her gaping mouth, Miss Pendleton looked down
at her guest. She couldn’t understand why he was behaving
this way, but she felt certain that he meant no harm.
Just then, she heard her maid Anne’s voice from the
doorway. “Miss, what’s going on here…?!”
Anne had come running when she heard her lady’s scream.
When she saw a whitehaired elderly man kneeling in front of
a lady young enough to be his daughter, Anne became aghast.
Mr. Pryce was no doubt acting shamefully.
Miss Pendleton said to Anne in a hurry, “It’s nothing. You
can leave, Anne.”
Covering her mouth, Anne slowly left the room. When they
were alone again, Mr. Pryce looked up at Miss Pendleton. He
began speaking ardently, “As I said before, the only
differences between the American and English ladies are their
tastes in opera and dresses. At least that’s what I believed. No
matter which ball, tea party, or dinner I attended in London,
all I met were silly ladies just like the ones in America. I was
greatly disappointed because I believed that I might be able to
find my Eleanor Pryce here. My wife left me and my children
to be with god too soon. She was the perfect example of a
Southern lady. But I quickly learned that I was wrong. Here in
the Pendleton house, I met a woman who is a shadow, no an
incarnation, of my wife. A lady of beauty, elegance, talent,
and kindness… You are the one, Miss Laura Pendleton!”
 As he blurted out his love confession, Miss Pendleton’s
face turned pale. It was a drastic contrast to Mr. Pryce’s
reddening face.
Mr. Pryce continued, “Miss Pendleton, please be my wife!
Come with me to America and we shall begin a new life. The
fact that you’re past your marriageable age doesn’t bother me
at all. After all, I’m an old man, and I’m not greedy enough to
covet a young girl of twenty-one. All I want is a mature lady
who will warm my bed. Miss Pendleton, please accept my
proposal of marriage!”
He was panting by the time he finished. It seemed that his
old lungs were unable to catch up to the youthful passion he
still possessed. Miss Pendleton stared down at him with a
troubled look. There were many unhappy consequences she
would suffer if she refused him, but what worried her the
most was something entirely different.
His eyes were turning red, and looking down at his half-
white eyebrows and hair, Miss Pendleton couldn’t help but
feel sympathetic toward the man. Mr. Pryce wasn’t
attempting to trifle with her. He was genuinely wanting her
as his wife.
But if she was someone who accepted a marriage proposal
from sympathy, she would’ve been someone’s wife by now.
Pulling her hand away, Miss Pendleton replied, “Mr. Pryce, I
appreciate your proposal. But sadly, I must decline. I cannot
see myself returning even a fraction of the love you’re
offering me, and I’m certain this won’t ever change. Please
forgive my refusal.”
After a polite curtsy, Miss Pendleton quickly ran upstairs
She couldn’t invite Mr. Pryce to her dinners anymore. He
may have been a close friend of the head of her family, but
society respected a lady’s right to refuse a marriage proposal.
She had a legitimate reason not to be in the same space as a
gentleman she refused, so she immediately stopped inviting
him.
But Mr. Pryce turned out to be a persistent man. The very
next day after he was rejected, he sent Miss her flowers. The
giant bouquet of roses confused her. Imagining Mr. Pryce
picking out this gift for her, she became unsettled.
Miss Pendleton wrote the most polite letter, hoping that
she wouldn’t hurt his pride. She then sent it to him along with
the bouquet. From that day on, it became her daily routine to
return his flowers along with a refusal letter.
Despite her continued rejection, Mr. Pryce wasn’t a man
who surrendered easily. He was no longer invited to her
dinners, but he still managed to find occasions to see her.
Because he was well-liked in London society, he was free to
attend any social events he wished. With help from his
acquaintances, Mr. Prye figured out which balls or operas
Miss Pendleton planned to attend.
In the end, Miss Pendleton had no choice but to pause all
of her social activities except for the tea parties which only
ladies were allowed to attend. The rumor of Mr. Pryce
courting Miss Pendleton quickly spread. After all, he visited a
flower shop every day to send roses to her. In addition, he
followed her around whenever he saw her, and he wasn’t shy
about asking around for her schedule. Mr. Pryce showed no
shame in his pursuit. As a matter of fact, he was overtly open
about it.
Surprisingly, no one was surprised by this courtship. There
was an age difference of twenty-four years, but this wasn’t an
unusual occurrence in high society. Once a lady passed her
marriageable age, it was common for her to end up marrying
an elderly gentleman like Mr. Pryce. Some even believed that
Miss Pendleton was lucky to receive such interest.
“This might be Miss Pendleton’s last chance,” Lady. Lance
announced assertively to the other women at the tea party
she was hosting. “She turns thirty next year, so realistically,
she is unmarriageable. She’s very fortunate that Mr. Pryce is
interested in her.”
Another woman agreed, “That’s true. Lady Abigail is
taking care of her now, but everyone knows she doesn’t have
long to live. Once the countess passes away, all of her
remaining wealth will be inherited by Mr. Pendleton’s second
son. I heard Lady Abigail already wrote this out in her will,
and I doubt Miss Pendleton will get anything more than a few
jewels and a silver knife set. Once the countess passes away,
Miss Pendleton will have nothing. If she knows this, she
shouldn’t be rejecting Mr. Pryce like she has been doing so
far.”
 A lady sitting across argued, “But Miss Pendleton can’t
help not wanting to marry him, can she? I mean, Mr. Pryce
doesn’t have the best look after all. And it’s so obvious why
he’s courting her. He’s planning to take her to America and
have her raise his young children!”
Lady Lance protested, “Oh my, but can she afford to be
choosy? If Miss Pendleton had any sense of reality, she
would’ve gotten herself a man a long time ago. Instead of
playing a matchmaker, she should’ve found a willing
gentleman like Mr. Pryce who could rescue her.”
The women gossiped for a while longer, and they
concluded that Miss Pendleton must hurry and accept Mr.
Pryce’s proposal. At the same time, their determination for
their daughters to avoid such a fate was renewed. After the tea
party, the ladies planned to return home and informed their
daughters about Miss Pendleton’s dire situation as a warning.
Most women inherited their views of marriage from their
mothers. Young ladies had a healthy fear of becoming a
spinster like Miss Pendleton. Without her knowing, Miss
Pendleton has become an example of what not to become
among the young girls.
But Lady Lance failed in instilling this necessary fear in
her own daughter. This was because instead of dreading the
life of a spinster, Miss Lance felt sympathetic toward Miss
Pendleton’s situation.
Miss Lance exclaimed, “Miss Pendleton cannot marry Mr.
Pryce. He’s twenty-four years older than her. How can a
woman marry someone who’s old enough to be her father?”
 Chapter 34

Lady Lance smirked. “You just don’t know the way of the
world yet. There are plenty of couples like that out there.”
“That can’t be. What a disgusting idea. Their relationships
can’t be normal.”
“Yes, it is indeed disgusting. It’s not normal either, so if
you don’t want to end up like that…”
But Miss Lance wasn’t listening. “Mother, isn’t her
situation terrible? It’s true Miss Pendleton holds her
mother’s name instead of her father’s, but she’s still an
aristocratic lady belonging to Count Pendleton. So how could
she be forced to marry a fat old man from America? What is
happening to our English society?!”
“Hmm, it is indeed terrible. Of course, it is. So unless you
want to be stuck in the same situation, smarten up and hold
onto Mr. Dalton. Time isn’t a woman’s friend, my girl. Miss
Pendleton never learned this lesson, which is why she’s still a
‘Miss.’ She should be grateful that Mr. Pryce is here to rescue
her.”
Miss Lance, who felt an overwhelming pity for Miss
Pendleton, turned toward her mother. Her eyes widening, she
asked, “Mother, do you believe Miss Pendleton must accept
Mr. Pryce’s proposal?”
“Of course. What other choice does Miss Pendleton have?”
Repulsed by the idea, Miss Lance argued, “That’s her only
choice? If that’s true, Miss Pendleton would be better off
dead!”
“My, what a naive thing to say. Do you have any idea how
rich Mr. Pryce is?! As his wife, she’ll live the most comfortable
life in New York. Such a luxurious life would certainly be
better than being dead or living as a spinster. If she misses
this chance now, Miss Pendleton will end up on the street.
She’ll really want to be dead then.”
Never having experienced a day of poverty, Miss Lance
remained ignorant despite her mother’s explanation. She
continued to deny her mother’s logic, which frustrated Lady
Lance. In the end, Lady Lance lightly smacked her daughter’s
forehead to make her quiet.
Unfortunately, this gesture only made Miss Lance’s
antipathy toward her mother grow. Accordingly, her
sympathy for Miss Pendleton increased. Miss Lance was
desperate to find someone who might share her thoughts.
All her friends, however, were brainwashed by their own
mothers. They believed that Miss Pendleton must accept Mr.
Pryce’s proposal. Normally, Miss Lance’s friends agreed with
her on most things, but when they contradicted her on this
matter, she became upset. She needed someone who could
empathize with her. She thought for a moment and she
decided to visit Miss Fairfax, who has always agreed with her
in every subject.
With an excuse of going for a stroll, Miss Lance changed
into a pretty outing dress. She grabbed her parasol and went
to the Fairfax residence. Janet was in the middle of her piano
lesson, so Mr. Fairfax, who was working in his library,
welcomed her and escorted her to the reception hall.
Miss Lance and Mr. Fairfax exchanged simple greetings.
They chatted about mundane things, and it wasn’t long
before she confided in him about what has been bothering
her.
“People seemed to believe that Miss Pendleton must
accept Mr. Pryce’s courtship. This is a very unfair situation
for her, don’t you think?” asked Miss Lance.
Mr. Fairfax sighed. This topic has been arousing bitterness
in him as well. He replied, “I agree, Miss Lance. Miss
Pendleton is indeed in dire circumstances. This courtship is
unreasonable, but because he’s her uncle’s friend and
someone very influential, she probably isn’t able to refuse
him more firmly.”
“And he’s so elderly! He’s twenty-four years older!”
“Indeed. The age difference is the biggest problem here.
This is a humiliating situation for Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Lance sighed, satisfied that she finally found
someone who agreed with her. Looking at Mr. Fairfax fondly,
she continued to chatter, “If Miss Pendleton was in a better
position, she wouldn’t have been embarrassed like this. I feel
so terrible for her. Is it such a hard thing for Mr. Pendleton to
show a little mercy to his niece?”
“Well…”
“Considering how Miss Pendleton has taken care of Lady
Abigail all these years, the least he can do is provide her a
little dowry. ”
“This is a family matter, so we are in no position to
judge,” said Mr. Fairfax quietly.
“But this is too cruel. If Miss Pendleton had at least five
thousand pounds, she would be able to marry a young man of
my age. Of course, it might have to be a nouveau riche or a
middle-class professional, but it will still be someone much
better than Mr. Pryce.”
Mr. Fairfax contemplated for a moment before replying,
“It’s true that Miss Pendleton is in a disadvantageous
situation because she doesn’t have a dowry. But I don’t think
that’s the biggest problem. What disappoints me the most is
that she’s being treated unfairly because of people’s
prejudice. The trouble is that people don’t know Miss
Pendleton very well.”
In her excitement, Miss Lance misunderstood him and
exclaimed, “Yes, I agree! Miss Pendleton is in a bad situation
because she is penniless and hated by the head of her family.
She’s supposed to be a flawless lady of House Pendleton.
Normally, she would’ve had plenty of dowries, but just
because of her impure pedigree, she’s being criticized. If Miss
Pendleton’s mother had married a proper nobleman, none of
this would’ve happened. It’s not like Miss Pendleton chose to
be born to such parents…”
Mr. Fairfax interrupted her gently, “Miss Lance, I think
we’re discussing too deeply about Miss Pendleton’s personal
business.”
Miss Lance paused. Her face turning red with
embarrassment, she replied, “I hope you know that I didn’t
mean to badmouth Miss Pendleton.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled and consoled her, “Of course, I do. I
know you mean well, but I think we should stop talking about
Miss Pendleton. She’s certainly in an unfortunate situation,
but I’m certain she’ll overcome her hardships on her own.
Society doesn’t need to gossip about her with pretentious
concern.”
His voice was gentle but stern. Realizing that he saw her
concern as “gossip,” Miss Lance’s pride was hurt. But at the
same time, she was ashamed because his opinion of her
indicated how vulgar she must’ve acted just now.
Miss Lance believed Mr. Fairfax to be a wise gentleman, so
she quickly admitted her mistake. She decided that she’ll
never act thoughtlessly in front of him again. Among many
reasons, Miss Lance had a practical rationale for her trying to
be cautious. She was afraid that Mr. Fairfax may describe her
negatively in the letter he wrote to Mr. Dalton.
Of course, Mr. Fairfax would never write such a thing
because he wasn’t the type to badmouth a lady. Besides, Miss
Lance clearly had no idea what men write in their letters to
other men.
As a matter of fact, it was rare for men to write proper long
letters anymore. Their preferred method of communication
was the new invention called the telegram. Men kept their
messages as short as possible as if the cost was based on the
number of words. Therefore, there was no room in Mr.
Fairfax’s brief messages to Mr. Dalton for a description of
Miss Lance’s silly outburst.
So what did Mr. Fairfax write about to Mr. Dalton? Usually,
it only included short notes about himself, his little sister
Janet, and perhaps Miss Pendleton, who was Mr. Dalton’s
only other acquaintance in London.
Immediately after Mr. Dalton left the city, he requested
Mr. Fairfax to send updates on Miss Pendleton when possible.
Believing Ian has become good friends with Miss
Pendleton, Mr. Fairfax kept Mr. Dalton informed through
regular letters to Whitefield.
But lately, Mr. Fairfax was unable to update Mr. Dalton on
the details of Miss Pendleton’s current situation. The event of
an elderly gentleman courting her against her wish was a
rather personal and humiliating matter. Thinking of Miss
Pendleton’s reputation, all Mr. Fairfax wrote was that a friend
of Miss Pendleton’s uncle was visiting London and had been
keeping her company.
Mr. Fairfax sealed the letter and summoned his butler to
have it sent. The butler brought him a letter that had just
arrived, and Mr. Fairfax saw that it was from his sister-in-
law in Dunville Park. He handed his own letter to the butler
and began reading his sister-in-law’s letter.
“Dear William,
I hope you’re faring well. I assumed Janet is still excited to be
in London. Well, I guess it’s a silly question to ask. I can’t imagine
a more independent man than you and a young lady who would
enjoy life in London more than Janet, so I’m certain you two are
doing very well.
To be honest, I’m not writing this letter to ask about your
well-being. I have a bone to pick with you, William.
How could you do this to me? Why haven’t you told me that
our Ian (Not the little Ian but the grown man of a marriageable
age who got himself stuck working his days away in his land)
found his future bride? You know very well that Ian’s marriage is
more important to me than my own health or even my children s
future at this point!
Ah, perhaps this is my fault for being too slow. After all, I
didn’t catch on to the fact that Miss Laura Pendleton, who you
have mentioned often in your letters, is the one.
It seems that Ian has no plans to tell me himself, so you’ll have
to answer these questions for me, William. How old is this lady?
What is her family like? Her height? I hope there isn’t anyone
with consumption or cleft lip in her direct family.
You must write to me everything you know about her. It is
your duty since you volunteered to be the London branch
manager of ‘Ian Dalton s Marriage Committee. ’
 I shall wait for your reply.
Feeling a little betrayed, but still yours truly
Mrs. Robert Margaret Fairfax”
Mr. Fairfax froze, unable to understand the content of his
sister-in-law’s letter. Ian found a bride for himself? And even
more shockingly, it’s Miss Pendleton? Could it be that he
didn’t read the letter right?
Mr. Fairfax put the letter down and tried to remember if he
had missed anything while Ian was staying in London.
Suddenly, he smacked his own forehead.
How could he have been so stupid?! Ian Dalton hates all
social interactions, so why else would he have frequented the
Pendleton house so often?!
Mr. Fairfax quickly summoned his butler again. He
requested the letter he wrote earlier to be brought back, and
when he got it, he ripped it into several pieces. He then
grabbed another piece of paper and began writing a new
letter.
This time, he wrote about the troubles Miss Pendleton
currently faced. He included all the details without
exaggeration. If Ian Dalton was indeed in love, there was
going to be no need to dramatize anything. The truth was
going to be enough to enrage him.
Mr. Fairfax requested his letter be sent through express
delivery. In less than two days, the letter arrived at Yorkshire
Whitefield. Wondering why a letter was sent by express, Ian
opened the envelope. As he read the content, his face turned
rigid. When he was finished, he put the letter down on the
desk and became silent.
For a long time, Ian Dalton angrily glared at each of the
words in the letter.
 Chapter 35

Five minutes later, Mr. Dalton summoned Ramswick and

ordered him to bring in the land agent they interviewed
yesterday. A short chubby man in his 40s with sagging skin
underneath his eyes, the said land agent arrived at Whitefield
that night. At the interview, this man turned out to be a
smooth talker, and Ranswick could sense his deceptive
nature. So feeling confused by his master’s order, Ramswick
obeyed with a word.
Two hours later, Ramswick was summoned again to Mr.
Dalton’s office. When he entered, Ian introduced the man as
their new land agent and ordered Ramswick to help him as
needed.
Ramswick was shocked, to say the least. It turned out that
Ian had hired the man on the spot and had been instructing
him on his new duties during those two hours.
Ian then ordered Ramswick to prepare a carriage. He
must’ve ordered a servant to pack his bag earlier that day
because small travel luggage was already prepared. Ian picked
it up and headed out to the train station.
Watching the carriage carrying their master leave,
Ramswick and the servants couldn’t help but wonder what
could’ve happened in London. Thanks to the night train
scheduled that day, Ian was able to reach London the next
morning. He quickly hired one of the coaches waiting outside
the station and gave the coachman the address of the Fairfax
siblings’ townhouse.
After paying his fare, Ian grabbed his luggage and got out
of the coach. He knocked on the door, and when the butler
came out, he was clearly shocked by who he saw. The Fairfax
butler had no idea that Mr. Dalton of Whitefield was going to
visit today.
Ian strode inside, and after handing his luggage to another
confused servant, he searched for William. The servants
informed him that their master was in the living room, so
after ordering them to take his luggage to the guest room, Ian
walked into the living room without hesitation.
The Fairfax siblings were enjoying quiet time together
after their breakfast. Janet was playing the piano while
William was enjoying the music while reading through some
documents.
But when Ian entered, their peaceful morning became
filled with shock. Miss Janet stopped playing the piano the
moment she spotted him, and Mr. Fairfax dropped the paper
he was reading.
Ian nodded curtly to Miss Janet, who curtsied with a red
face. He then turned toward William, who looked like he had
just seen a ghost. William asked, “Why are you here? What
about Whitefield?”
 “It’s being taken care of by a suspicious bookkeeper. I
need to talk to you.” Ian gestured for William to follow and
left the living room. William placed the neatly stacked papers
on the side table. After kissing Janet on the forehead and
thanking her for a beautiful performance, he followed Ian.
The two men entered the study. As soon as Ian was inside,
he leaned against William’s desk. When William closed the
door behind him, Ian demanded, “What’s that bastard’s
name?”
“What?”
“I’m talking about that stinking rich creep from America.
What’s his name?”
When William saw Ian’s enraged face, he realized what
kind of effect his letter must’ve had on his friend. William
asked, “Why do you want to know?”
“I’m going to kick him out of England.”
“What? For what reason? He’s originally an Englishman.
He lived in America, but he’s officially an English citizen. And
it’s not like he committed a crime here! So how are you going
to kick him out?”
Instead of answering, Ian reached for his pocket. A small
palm-sized pistol appeared in his hand, and William turned
pale. Looking back and forth between the pistol and his
friend’s face, William asked, “Are you saying you’re going to
challenge him for a duel?”
Ian placed his pistol on William’s desk without a word. He
then grabbed a cigar from the cigarette box and put it in his
mouth.
William exclaimed, “Have you lost your mind? Have you,
Ian? But we’re entering the twentieth century! This kind of
behavior ended in our grandfathers’ generation!”
Ian lit a match. A small flame appeared at the end of the
wooden stick, and he used it to light his cigar. After sucking it
deeply, Ian finally replied, “But the law still allows it. As long
as both parties agree to it, I have the legal right to shoot
him.”
“So you, a young man of vigor, are going to kill an elderly
gentleman? That’s not an honorable duel! That’s an abuse of
an elderly man!”
“If he doesn’t like the idea, he’s free to return to
America,” said Ian firmly as he continued to smoke his cigar.
William was appalled, but his friend’s reaction only
confirmed his suspicion. His letter had infuriated Ian, who
was in love, enough to pull out a gun. It was a shock since Ian
Dalton has never been one to let his emotions control him.
A duel for the lady’s honor… William never expected to see
the infamous Ian Dalton think of such an ancient practice.
William asked, “So is it really true that you’re in love with
Miss Pendleton?”
Still leaning against Mr. Fairfax’s desk, Ian frowned. “Why
else would I be here?”
“Well, maybe you consider yourself a good friend of Miss
Pendleton. Perhaps your gentlemanship has triggered you to
want to defeat Mr. Pryce on her behalf.”
 “You know better than to look for gentlemanship in me,
Ian. I’m a man of logic who refuses to entertain such a foolish
concept.” Ian flicked the cigar on the ashtray and continued,
“I never told you before, but the moment I met Miss
Pendleton in London, I have been thinking of her. If my
parish rector hadn’t passed away, I wouldn’t have returned to
Whitefield. From the beginning, my plan has been to marry
her in London and return home with her.”
William gaped when his friend mentioned marriage. It
appeared that Ian Dalton was very serious about Miss
Pendleton.
William asked, “Does Miss Pendleton know how you feel?”
“She does.”
“And she reciprocates your feelings?”
Ian refused to answer. When he continued to smoke his
cigar silently, William frowned. “You were rejected, weren’t
you?
Ian remained quiet, but his grim expression was answer
enough. William sighed. “So your marriage proposal was
rejected, and you’re now planning to shoot the friend of the
lady’s uncle?”
“Is there a problem?”
“The problem is that you don’t realize it’s a problem!
Don’t you know that if you do something like this, it will only
trouble Miss Pendleton? What you’re planning to do isn’t love
but murder out of jealousy. If you challenge him, Miss
Pendleton is the one who’s going to suffer the most. What will
her uncle say? How will everyone else in London society see
her from now on?”
“Neglecting to fix this situation is the worst thing that will
tarnish Miss Pendleton’s reputation, William,” Ian mumbled
as he crushed his cigar on the ashtray. “If she had her father
or a brother, they would’ve done the exact same thing as I
plan to do. They would’ve pulled out their gun without
hesitation for their daughter and their sister. No, actually, an
old senile man would’ve never dared to approach her. That
bastard is clearly courting her knowing Miss Pendleton has
no man to protect her.”
Ian’s eyes burned and the veins in his forehead bulged
angrily. William was surprised to see such an emotional side
of his friend. Ever since they were children, Ian had been cold
and cynical. But at the moment, he looked like a completely
different person. Ian Dalton was acting reckless, hysterical,
and crazy.
William replied, “Yes, you’re right. I agree with you that
what Miss Pendleton is going through isn’t fair. But the
problem is that you aren’t her father or her brother.”
“But I’m not simply her friend either, William.” Ian took
out another cigar from the box.
“Yes, you’re her suiter. So do you believe that gives you the
right to threaten Miss Pendleton’s other suitor in the name of
her honor? Don’t you think you’re crossing the line?”
Ian Dalton seemed unmoved.
 “I’m sure you know that the reputation of the head of the
family dictates his entire family’s honor. This is how things
work in the world of aristocracy. What you’re trying to do is
tarnish the Pendleton name. It’s unlikely that she’ll fall in
love with you if you go through with your plan. But even if she
does, she will refuse to see you ever again. After all, you’ll be
the one who ruined her family’s honor.”
“You believe she’ll care about the head of her family who
refuses to protect her?” asked Ian sarcastically.
“Yes, she’ll care because it’s her family. I’ve been her
friend for six years, and I can tell you that Miss Pendleton is
that kind of a lady.”
Ian listened quietly. Seeing that his friend was
reconsidering his decision, William placed a hand on his
shoulder and suggested, “If you truly want to gain Miss
Pendleton’s heart, you must first calm down. Meanwhile, I’ll
try to think of the best course of action. And please put that
gun away already. It scares me.”
On any other day, Ian would’ve ignored William’s advice.
But this wasn’t the case today. Ian obediently put his gun
back in his pocket, knowing well that William indeed shared
many years of friendship with Miss Pendleton. At this
moment, Ian desperately needed help from someone who
knew her well. It angered Ian to see Miss Pendleton being
insulted, but he couldn’t take the risk of never getting to see
her again.
 William leaned against the desk beside his friend and
lighted a cigar for himself. They smoked in amiable silence
while deep in their own thoughts.
William imagined the marriage between Miss Pendleton
and Ian, and he decided that it was a good match. He felt that
his friend didn’t deserve Miss Pendleton, but in all honesty,
he had to admit that Ian Dalton was quite a catch. Ian was a
man who was unlikely to fall out of love easily, so William felt
certain his friend would be a devoted husband to her for the
rest of his life.
Miss Pendleton herself had admitted that Ian was a good
husband material. More importantly, she was capable of
handling Ian’s strange personality. This could be Ian’s last
chance to escape dying an old bachelor.
But one question troubled William. Miss Pendleton seemed
to think rather highly of Ian Dalton, so why did she refuse his
proposal?
“Ian, how did you propose to her?”
“I didn’t.”
“But you said you did.”
“I said Miss Pendleton is aware of how I feel for her.”
“Then how did you let her know? Tell me exactly what
happened.”
Ian didn’t like the idea of disclosing what happened
between him and Miss Pendleton to his friend, but he still
answered, “At the picnic, you were busy skipping stones with
Miss Hyde. So I took a walk with Miss Pendleton in the woods.
While we talked, the topic of Whitefield came up, and she said
she’ll visit when I hold my wedding there. When I told her I
won’t get married without her, she became quiet and left.”
William stared blankly at his friend for a moment before
asking, “So Miss Pendleton told you she’ll attend your
wedding? Because she wished for you to get married soon?”
“Yes.”
“But you told her that you won’t get married if it wasn’t
her?”
“Indeed.”
“You actually thought it was a good idea to say something
like that? After Miss Pendleton made it perfectly clear she
wasn’t interested in you?”
Ian muttered, “If I could go back in time, I would bite my
tongue to keep from saying something so stupid.”
 Chapter 36

“That’s what all rejected suitors say, but I can’t believe I’m
hearing it from you. Well, I suppose it’s common for a
gentleman or lady to mention marriage in an indirect way to
find out how their love interest feels about them. But Miss
Pendleton isn’t the kind of lady who would use such a foolish
trick. It’s clear that she isn’t interested in you, Ian,” said
William.
“I know. She has been refusing to see me ever since that
day, so it’s quite obvious.”
William sighed, realizing that this was why Miss
Pendleton smiled awkwardly and tried to change the subject
whenever he mentioned Ian Dalton. William continued, “I
believe that the first thing you must do is to restore your
friendship with Miss Pendleton. You’ll have to become her
friend again in order to get a chance to win her heart.”
“I agree with you, William. But I can’t let that old bastard
continue his courtship. I must remove him no matter what it
takes. If not with my gun, I’ll find another way.”
“Ian, it’s true that Miss Pendleton is in an unpleasant
situation right now. But I think you should let her handle him
on her
 own.
“What?” Ian’s expression turned ugly again as he glared at
his friend.
But William remained calm. “Miss Pendleton is an
amazing lady, but objectively speaking, her birth and wealth
are lacking. The head of her family is also refusing to protect
her, so many men might believe they won’t suffer any
consequences if they treat her shamefully. It’s unfortunate,
but that’s what most people think.”
Ian sighed.
“After Miss Pendleton made her social debut, countless
vulgar men approached her. Even after she missed her prime
marriageable age, this continued. At least Mr. Pryce asked her
to be his proper wife. There were plenty who tried to take her
as a mistress. Those filthy bastards.”
A vein on Ian’s forehead bulged again in fury.
William continued, “But Miss Pendleton never once
succumbed to such an offer. She rejected all of them firmly,
and I believe the same thing will happen again this time.
There’s no way she’ll ever be pressured to accept Mr. Pryce’s
proposal. Ian, Miss Pendleton will be able to end Mr. Pryce’s
courtship by herself.”
“…So you’re saying I should do nothing and just watch,”
Ian muttered.
“What I’m saying is that there’s only one way you can
increase your chance of marrying Miss Pendleton. If you get
involved in her dilemma right now, your relationship with her
will only worsen. She very much liked you as a friend, and she
is disappointed that she lost your friendship after she rejected
you. You have the tiniest chance of winning her at the
moment, but if you attack Mr. Pryce and make a scene, you’ll
forever be exiled from her life. Not only will she refuse to
marry you, but it’s also likely she’ll never see you again.”
Ian crushed his cigar on the ashtray and stood straight. He
then walked to the fireplace located in the corner of the study.
There, he put his hands in his pockets and pondered.
William has known Ian for most of his life, so he could tell
that his friend was about to explode. The way Ian walked
toward the fireplace and the rigid way he was standing
without moving suggested how furious he must be. From
Ian’s suppressed breathing, William could feel his friend’s
rage.
William was unhappy to see his friend upset. It reminded
him of how he pursued Miss Hyde in the past. Being unable to
rescue the woman you love may be the worst feeling a man
could suffer.
Things must’ve felt even worse for Ian because he
possessed a much more romantic and sensitive personality
than William did. Although Ian would argue profusely against
it, he was a man capable of intense devotion and passion. He
rarely gave away his heart, but once he did, he would love that
same woman until his dying days. So it must’ve agonized him
to accept the reality that he couldn’t save the love of his life.
 Ian continued to be frozen on the spot. After about five
minutes, William approached him cautiously. His face pale,
Ian was glaring at the fire. His own eyes were burning even
brighter with painful outrage.
William slowly began, “This is what I think. If your wish
comes true and you marry Miss Pendleton, I’m sure you two
will have a happy ending. I’m not saying this because I’m
your friend; I truly believe it as an objective bystander. After
all, you’re a man who’s more than capable of making Miss
Pendleton happy.”
Ian remained silent.
“If you win Miss Pendleton’s heart, you’ll protect her for
the rest of your life. She’ll get to wear the invincible armor
that is Ian Dalton. So for now, you must be very careful. You
must not let your anger get the better of you,” William urged.
Ian continued to stare at the flame. His chin trembled
slightly, and his eyes were burning as if a spark jumped into
them from the fireplace. He made an effort to calm down his
breathing. After some time, he mumbled, “I wish I could find
every one of those bastards who humiliated her. I would love
to punch them in the face, and I would start with that old
clown.”
William gently placed his hand on Ian’s shoulder in
warning. “Ian, you need to calm down…”
“William.” Ian took out the gun from his pocket and
handed it to his friend. “If I ever try to do such a thing, use
this to shoot me.”
 When William accepted the gun, Ian turned around
abruptly and left the study. He went to the guest room across
the hall and closed the door behind him. William sighed in
relief, glad that he had at least stopped a disastrous duel. This
was the best thing he could do as Ian and Miss Pendleton’s
friend.

***

Ian found his luggage placed on the small side table in the
guest room. Instead of going to bed, he sat on the chair next
to the side table. Taking out a cigar from his own silver
cigarette box, he began smoking again. The bitter smoke
filled his lungs, but it still wasn’t enough to put out the anger
seething inside of him. Ever since he received William’s letter
in Whitefield, nothing could quell his rage. He desperately
wished that he could kick that old snake skulking around Miss
Pendleton out of this country.
But if he did, he was never going to see Miss Pendleton
again. Remembering sitting across from her near the
fireplace in her living room, Ian clenched his fists. The
haunting image of the gentle expression on her beautiful face
and her elegant intelligent voice have been stabbing at his
heart the entire time he was in Whitefield. Ian closed his eyes,
unable to breathe. He wanted to see her. He wanted to be with
her. If he could have her heart, he was willing to pay any
price.
 His longing for Miss Pendleton tormented him. Still
holding the burnt-out cigar, Ian continued to keep his eyes
firmly shut. Miss Pendleton was just a short carriage ride
away. She was so much closer than when he was in
Whitefield, yet he was still unable to see her. Could there be
torture worse than what he was suffering at the moment?
Biting his lower lip, he exhaled a shuddering breath.
Ian yearned for her, and all the cigars in the world weren’t
going to be enough to calm his nerves. He walked around the
room aimlessly, feeling exhausted but unable to sleep. He
hasn’t been getting much sleep during the last several days,
so he was in rough shape.
Ian sat down at the table in the corner and pulled out a
piece of paper. He began writing a letter to Miss Pendleton
only to crumple it angrily. He got another sheet, but after
scribbling for a while, he crumpled it again.
Even if he informed her of his arrival in London, she
wasn’t going to see him. Ian imagined that Miss Pendleton
would be suspicious of him still, so what could he write in his
letter? He leaned against the desk and wondered what he
could do to meet her. But no matter how hard he tried, no
solution came to his mind. There seemed to be no way to get
her trust back.
He didn’t know how many hours had passed when he
heard a knock at the door. When he answered, William’s
sister Janet peeked in. Her cheeks were flushed as if she was
drunk.
 “Ian, are you busy?”
Looking tired, he turned toward Janet. “Why do you ask?”
“Umm, Miss Lance came for a visit, and she wants to see
you. She heard that you’re here in London again.”
“Miss Lance? Who’s that?”
Janet’s eyes widened in shock. “I’m talking about Dora
Lance. Don’t you remember her? You had dinner at the Lance
residence!”
Ian thought back on his last visit to London. Dora Lance…
He had no memory of such a lady because except for the time
he spent with Miss Pendleton, he had forgotten everything
else. Ian sorted through the memories of Miss Pendleton and
managed to remember one woman he met.
Ah, Janet must’ve been talking about the friend Miss
Pendleton introduced him to at the ball. He finally
remembered her. She was a lady who smiled too much at him
and shared too many of her opinions with him. She hung onto
him more than once, making him feel uncomfortable.
Because Ian had met so many women like her, it was difficult
for him to keep track of them. The only reason he vaguely
remembered Miss Lance was because she was Miss
Pendleton’s friend.
“Miss Lance wants to see me? But why?” asked Ian.
When Janet hesitated and couldn’t answer him, Ian flatly
refused to go downstairs. He didn’t have any time to waste on
someone like Miss Lance, and he didn’t feel like entertaining
a guest at the moment.
 But Janet had promised Miss Lance that she would bring
Ian to her. Not having the courage to return to the reception
hall empty-handed and disappoint Miss Lance, Janet
stammered, “B…but Ian… I told her you’re here…”
“Tell her I’m sleeping, Janet,” Ian ordered coldly.
“At this time of the day? She’ll think you’re very lazy.”
“You can tell her that I arrived by the night train.”
Janet mumbled, “But you went to her picnic before too…”
“Who cares…” Ian mumbled in annoyance when he paused
suddenly. On the day when he walked Hyde Park with Miss
Pendleton, he complimented her friends to please her. He
remembered how Miss Pendleton’s cheeks turned pink in
pleasure by his praises.
 Chapter 37

Miss Pendleton was a lady who treasured friendship. Ian

Dalton was able to get close to her only because she had
hoped to match one of her friends with him. Miss Lance was
Miss Pendleton’s close friend, which meant that he might be
able to get close to her again through Miss Lance.
Ian straightened his clothes and stood up before following
Janet downstairs. In the reception hall was Miss Lance having
tea with William. Miss Lance was wearing a rose-colored
dress and a wide-brimmed hat that looked like a tray. When
Ian appeared, Miss Lance smiled prettily and offered him her
hand. Ian walked to her and kissed it.
“My goodness, Mr. Dalton! You vanished from London in a
puff of smoke!” Miss Lance exclaimed.
“I’m afraid I had no other choice, Miss Lance.”
“And you reappeared again like magic.”
Ian nodded and sat down on the sofa next to William. Janet
chose a seat across from them next to Miss Lance. After
offering her condolences for the rector in Whitefield parish,
Miss Lance began asking Ian about his life back home. Mr.
Dalton willingly answered all of her questions. He showed
perfect manners, but his answers couldn’t be drier. Miss
Lance might have been the key to winning Miss Pendleton’s
heart, but unfortunately, Ian had no talent for entertaining
ladies.
But this didn’t matter because Miss Lance was ready to
listen attentively to anything Ian Dalton had to say. She
seemed truly content as she giggled at everything he said. Ian
didn’t believe cheerfulness was a bad quality, but he was
confused why his land lease problem that had to be resolved
in court amused her so much. He assumed that Miss Lance
was either a silly girl or a half-wit.
Twenty minutes passed by. Miss Lance seemed to be
enjoying herself immensely while Mr. Dalton was bored out of
his mind. Ian did his best to act like a gentleman in order to be
liked by Miss Lance, but he was losing his patience quickly. He
was reaching his limit in hiding his true personality, and his
expression began to slip. Miss Lance’s meaningless laughter
and annoying curiosity were tiring him. Staring at his teacup,
he was beginning to wonder if he should’ve stayed in the
guest room and smoked the rest of his cigars.
Miss Lance announced, “Mr. Dalton, your return was
perfectly timed. We’re at the peak of the ball season, and the
rowing competition between Cambridge and Oxford is just
around the corner. Ah, you and Mr. Fairfax attended different
universities, didn’t you? I guess you’ll be cheering for your
own schools then.”
Mr. Fairfax chimed in, “No, Ian has absolutely no interest
in sports games. Even if Oxford beats Cambridge five years in
a row, he won’t begrudge me one bit. He’ll actually be more
upset that I dragged him to see the rowing competition.”
“How interesting. I thought all men were passionate about
this sort of thing. Then what do you enjoy instead, Mr.
Dalton?” asked Miss Lance.
After taking a sip of his tea, Ian answered, “I usually like to
read or go horseback riding. I’m afraid I have a rather boring
life.”
“But you also sketch too, Ian! Miss Lance, Ian is an artist.
He can create a perfect likeness of things like the piano or a
vase,” Janet interrupted in excitement. She wanted to brag
about her handsome inlaw to her friend.
Miss Lance put down the teacup. “Oh, you draw? At the
level of a professional artist?”
“No, Janet is exaggerating. I’m certainly not as good as a
professional artist.” Ian waved his hand, annoyed at how the
conversation had turned.
Janet insisted, “No, Miss Lance. I saw Ian’s sketchbook
before, and his works were better than the ones done by art
teachers I had in the past.”
“Janet, that’s enough.” Ian tried to stop Janet, but it was
too late to curb Miss Lance’s interest. She begged him to show
her his work, and even though he refused several times, she
insisted. Janet, who was sitting next to Miss Lance, began
begging Ian as well.
Feeling troubled, Ian turned toward William. But William
refused to help his friend because in his mind, showing
respect to his lady guest was more important than rescuing
his friend from an awkward situation. Ian would have
expected nothing less from William, so in the end, he ordered
a servant to bring down his sketchbook from his luggage.
The two ladies poured over Ian’s work intently. On every
page were lively pictures of farmers working in the fields,
livestock enjoying the grass, and Ian’s niece and nephews
playing freely.
The ladies exclaimed in surprise. Ian’s sharp observational
skills, fine talent, and love for what he drew created such
wonderful sketches. As ladies who have been taught art since
childhood, Misses Lance and Fairfax couldn’t find a single
fault with Ian Dalton’s work.
Even as she looked through the pictures, Janet studied
Miss Lance’s expression. Miss Lance’s eyes were sparkling,
and her cheeks turned as pink as her rosy dress. Janet felt
excited, thinking that she had somehow impressed her friend.
Miss Lance was in awe of the work that was done by Janet’s
house guest, and this was enough to thrill Janet. Technically,
Ian wasn’t part of her family nor was she well acquainted
with him, but being associated with such an important man
made Janet feel elevated.
“Mr. Dalton, could you draw a portrait of me?” When Miss
Lance closed the sketchbook and made this request, naive
seventeen-year-old Janet was on cloud nine.
Ian, who was waiting to get his book back so he could
return to his room, shook his head in a disapproving manner.
“Miss Lance, I cannot use a single lady as a model for my
sketch. I’m not a professional portrait artist, so it may look
unseemly.”
“But there are only four of us here, Mr. Dalton. If we all
promise to keep quiet about it, no one will ever find out.”
“No, if you were a married woman or a young girl before
making a social debut, it may have been acceptable. But
you’re an unmarried lady who has already had her debutant.
Doing such a thing will tarnish your reputation, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance felt grateful for Ian’s thoughtfulness. But she
still wanted a portrait of herself drawn by him. It was then
that she noticed Janet sitting next to her. Miss Lance grabbed
Janet’s hand and asked, “Then please draw me and Miss Janet
together. That should be fine, shouldn’t it? If it’s the two of
us, my reputation will remain safe, and you’ll feel
comfortable about drawing us, Mr. Dalton.”
William whispered to Ian in amusement, “Miss Lance
must be smitten with you, Ian. Just do it for her. Since you’ll
draw Janet too, I’m sure Miss Pendleton won’t
misunderstand. ”
Ian began to get a headache. He often spent much time
drawing, but at the moment, he didn’t even feel like holding a
pencil. Sadly, the situation worsened when Janet began
begging him as well. It seemed that Janet was in love with the
idea of being in the same drawing as Miss Lance who was the
belle of the season.
 Normally, Ian would’ve refused such a request even if it
made him look rude, but he was in a unique situation at the
moment. Miss Lance wasn’t just some random lady but his
chance at getting close to Miss Pendleton.
So Ian asked the servant to bring him his pencil case from
his luggage. He then asked the ladies to move to the settee
across from the sofa where they were sitting. He explained,
“I’m going to draw just one picture, so you can do whatever
you wish with it. I don’t care if you rip it into two and keep
one each.”
Miss Fairfax quickly announced, “The picture will belong
to Miss Lance, of 5?
course.
“Goodness, Miss Janet, you’re too kind. I appreciate your
generosity. I’ll make sure to place the picture in our reception
hall where everyone can see. I’m going to show off your
beauty to every guest I have from now on.
Miss Lance’s honeyed voice praised Janet, who blushed in
pleasure. To have her picture in theLance residence reception
hall had to be a great honor. Janet couldn’t believe that Miss
Lance planned on praising her beauty to the guests of the
Lance residence! She wished she could
scream in joy.
Soon, Ian’s pencil case arrived. He pulled out a pencil and
knife, and he began to sharpen it blankly like a farmer
sharpening his sickle before the harvest. Meanwhile, the two
ladies straightened each other’s clothes and hair to get ready.
 Ian ordered the ladies to sit at a certain angle and
informed them where to look. After asking them not to move,
he picked up his pencil. The two ladies put on the loveliest
and most graceful expression they could manage.
Scr it ch, scritch, scr it ch.
The sound of the pencil on paper filled the reception hall.
While Ian concentrated, William looked at his sister Janet. She
looked adorable with her pink cheeks, and being a doting
brother, William was pleased to have her likeness captured
forever.
But Ian, the artist himself, felt indifferent. In fact, drawing
a subject he didn’t approve of was like torture. This was
precisely why he rarely mentioned his hobby to anyone.
He completed his drawing in less than thirty minutes. He
held up the sketchbook and blew on it to remove the excess
charcoal dust. He then ripped the paper neatly before handing
it to Miss Lance. The two ladies stared at his work, seeing
themselves drawn so expertly on the paper.
“How amazing, Mr. Dalton! I’ve never seen such an
accurate portrait in my life. You’ve captured Miss Fairfax’s
expression and even the pattern of her dress!” Miss Lance
exclaimed loudly.
Ian nodded quietly to show his thanks. Misses Lance and
Fairfax continued to chatter their appreciation toward him,
making it impossible for him to leave. But the proper
etiquette dedicated that a guest should not overstay for a tea
party. Being a well-mannered young woman, Lady Lance rose
and announced her departure shortly.
For Miss Lance to carry the picture home safely, William
placed Ian’s drawing between the pages of a small book. Miss
Lance thanked William for his kindness, and after inviting the
three of them to her house to see the picture hung in her
reception hall, she left. William, Ian, and Janet promised to
visit sometime soon and walked Miss Lance out.
Inside the carriage on her way home, Miss Lance opened
the book to look at the drawing again. Mr. Dalton’s skill was
remarkable. The quality of the drawing was something she
would only see in work done by professional artists.
Miss Lance couldn’t help but be surprised by Ian Dalton’s
artistic ability. There were many gentlemen with great
wealth, but not many who also possessed such incredible
talent. Gazing at the picture, she remembered how Mr. Dalton
looked while he drew her. His black eyes under his matching
black hair were darting intently between the paper and
herself. His large yet slim hand moved quickly to draw every
detail of her.
His dark eyes were on every part of her body, and Miss
Lance felt her cheeks redden. She shivered a little and closed
the book.
The moment she returned home, she grabbed the best
picture frame in the house and placed the picture inside. Just
as she promised Janet, she showcased it in the reception hall
where everyone could see it. Every time she passed by, Miss
Lance turned to look at it. Naturally, it reminded her of Mr.
Dalton who looked so serious as he drew her. Blushing
profusely, Miss Lance couldn’t help but look away shyly.
 Chapter 38

Ian headed out early the next morning. After thirty minutes
on foot, he reached Grosvenor Street. Because the street
wasn’t busy, it wasn’t long before the Pendleton townhouse
came into his view. He stood across the street from it and
stared at the third window, which was Miss Pendleton’s
room.
He stood on the spot, refusing to budge until he saw at
least the shadow of her. After an hour, the curtains in her
room opened, and Ian continued to stare. To his
disappointment, it wasn’t Miss Pendleton but a maid who
opened the window. The maid reached out and flailed her arm
as if to check the temperature.
She was looking out the window blankly when she spotted
Ian. She stared, and Ian instinctively knew that this was the
same maid who delivered his letter to Miss Pendleton before
he left London. He remembered her making an outrageous
remark to him. She looked at him for a moment before
pointing downward with her index finger. It looked like she
was asking him to stay where he was.
Soon, the front door opened and the maid came out. She
crossed the street and curtsied respectfully when she reached
Ian.
“To stand in front of the house of the woman you love…
How romantic, Sir.”
“Is Miss Pendleton doing well?” asked Ian.
“If you’re asking about her health, she’s fine. But there’s
another problem at hand.”
“You mean that rich man from America.”
“So you know.”
Ian took out a cigar and began to smoke, making the
shadow underneath his eyes darken. The maid studied him
for a moment before asking, “Have you by chance met Mr.
Pryce yet?”
“So his name is Pryce?”
“Yes.”
Ian asked, “Do you know where he lives as well?”
“Yes, I’ve seen his address on the invitations before. But I
won’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Based on the look on your face, it’s obvious you’ll run to
him and shoot until there’s nothing left of him.”
Smoke wafted out from his mouth as he asked leisurely,
“Are you afraid that I might be sentenced to execution?”
“No, why would I worry about a powerful man like you,
Sir? I’m plenty busy taking care of myself. Besides, I would
love for someone to shoot Mr. Pryce.”
“So you agree with me on this.” Ian sighed.
“But you can’t be the one shooting him.”
 “Why not?”
“Because you need to marry my mistress. I won’t have
Miss Laura become the wife of a murderer.”
Ian looked at the maid who seemed to have all the
confidence in the world. Her behavior bordered on rudeness,
but he didn’t doubt that she was his ally. He muttered, “What
a loyal maid you are.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” the maid retorted in a
sassy voice.
“Then, you… Ah, what’s your name?” asked Ian.
“I’m Anne Steel.”
“Anne Steel… Alright then. Would you be willing to help
me and Miss Pendleton, Steel?”
“Of course. To a maid like me, two pounds is a lot of
money.”
“But you said two pounds was trivial.”
“I was bluffing.”
Ian looked at the maid as if she was being absurd. “Alright,
then what do you think my chances are at making your
mistress fall in love with me?”
“It’s hopeful, at least at this point. After all, you haven’t
killed Mr. Pryce yet.”
“So do you also believe Miss Pendleton won’t approve if I
challenge Mr. Pryce for a duel?”
“Obviously. Once Lady Abigail passes away, the only
family Miss Laura has left will be her uncle Count Pendleton.
So if you kill his friend, do you think he’ll leave Miss
Pendleton alone? On top of that, Mr. Pryce was the one who
arranged Charles Pendleton’s engagement. If you harm Mr.
Pryce, I’m certain Count Pendleton will beat Miss Laura to
death or kick her out of England forever.”
Ian sighed. “But I can protect her from all that. If only
she’d abandon her foolish uncle and come to me… All of her
problems will disappear.”
Anne shook her head. “My lady would never do something
like that. She would rather die.”
Ian bit his lips. Both William and this loyal maid were
telling him the exact same thing. If he harmed that old Pryce
fella, Miss Pendleton was going to cut all ties with him.
Ian argued, “But she has nothing to inherit from her
family. So when her dear grandmother passed away, where
would she go? I heard Miss Pendleton’s uncle treats her like
she’s his worst enemy. Am I wrong ?
Anne’s eyes widened as she asked, “Didn’t you know? My
mistress has been preparing to become a governess for a long
time.”
Ian dropped the cigar he was holding between his fingers.
“What?”
Anne explained, “I guess you really didn’t know. Well, it
makes sense since Miss Laura rarely talks about herself to
other people unless she’s very close to them.”
Ian turned to look at Miss Pendleton’s window again. So
Laura Pendleton was preparing to become a governess? He
replied, “But it’s unthinkable for a noble lady like her to
become a professional woman. A governess?! What family
would hire a lady whose title used to be higher than their
own?”
Anne, who had been working as a maid for over ten years,
agreed with Ian’s assessment. “Absolutely. Any noble family
would fear that a lady like her wouldn’t make a good
governess. They would expect her to be disobedient and
snooty. Some might even believe she’ll try to seduce the
master of the house for a better life. And even if she somehow
manages to find a job, she’ll never be able to escape poverty
on a governess’s wage. But then… Miss Laura speaks Greek
and Latin, which means she’ll probably get paid more than
normal. She might actually get hired very quickly because
there aren’t many governesses who can speak five
languages.”
Ian continued to stare at Miss Pendleton’s window. As he
listened to Anne, his body began to turn cold. Learning about
Miss Pendleton’s plan to become a governess forced him to
think more logically.
Ian didn’t doubt Miss Pendleton would fare just fine. A
governess was usually not treated well. But with her
persistence and intelligence, she might find a good position
and become independent. Of course, this meant that Miss
Pendleton could become out of his reach at any time. This
realization made his blinding rage disappear instantly. His
heart turned cold, and his head cleared. Ian’s sanity finally
returned to him.
 He watched Miss Pendleton’s window for a while in
silence. He requested, “Don’t tell your mistress that I was
here. Can you do that?”
“Of course, but… Do you have a plan, Sir?”
Ian watched the window for a while longer before walking
away. After he left, Anne returned to the townhouse. Just as
on any other day, she carried out her duty by helping Miss
Laura with her dress and hair.
Miss Pendleton, oblivious of Ian Dalton’s visit, was
preoccupied. She was concerned about whether the repairs of
the stairs would be completed by the time her uncle arrived.
She looked exhausted, and Anne brushed her hair gently to
relax her. At the same time, Anne pondered about how Ian
Dalton looked at her mistress’s window. It surprised her how
his eyes had turned cold and focused. Before today, Anne had
only seen an elegant and controlled side of him. But this
morning, she felt something dangerously obsessive about Ian
Dalton.
This side of him pleased Anne, however. It was because Mr.
Dalton’s tenacity appeared to be directed toward her lovely
mistress. Anne felt certain he was never going to give up Miss
Laura. A man with such a look always got what he wanted. He
was going to take Miss Pendleton to his home in Whitefield
where she would get to live with a new name.
 Someday, Miss Pendleton was going to become the most
respected lady of Yorkshire under the name Mrs. Dalton.

***

The rumor of Ian Dalton’s return to London spread like

wildfire thanks to his drawing in Miss Lance’s reception hall.
It was rare to hang a colorless picture in the reception hall, so
every guest who visited asked about it. As expected, Lady and
Miss Lance were only too happy to let them know that it was a
gift from Ian Dalton.
The sudden reappearance of Mr. Dalton gained much
attention in London society. People found it especially
interesting that the first thing he did when he returned was to
draw a portrait of Misses Lance and Fairfax.
When a gentleman gave a lady the gift of a picture he drew,
it was enough to start a scandal. But thankfully, Janet
Fairfax’s presence in the drawing worked very well to prevent
such a rumor. Most people knew Miss Lance’s friendship with
the Fairfax siblings, so it was easy to guess that she must’ve
received this gift while visiting the Fairfax townhouse.
So in the end, the portrait hanging in the Lance residence
reception hall only served to prove Ian Dalton’s artistic talent.
Slowly but surely, people began to forget about it altogether.
But this wasn’t the case in Miss Lance’s mind. Instead, the
significance of Ian Dalton’s drawing grew every day. She
often became thoughtful while standing in front of it. It was
obvious that she was reminiscing about the day when this
portrait was drawn.
She remembered that day to have lovely weather. It was
afternoon tea time, and she was sitting in Mr. Fairfax’s
reception hall. Across from her was Ian Dalton still in his neat
navy travel suit. He was leaning toward his sketchbook, his
fingers moving quickly to draw the likeness of her. His black
hair fell on his forehead a little, and his dark calm eyes looked
intense as they gazed at her. Miss Lance remembered the
scritching sound of the pencil like it was yesterday.
In her memory, he was like the hero of a romance novel.
Miss Lance tried to remember every detail and blushed in
pleasure just at the mere thought of him. Like any young lady,
Miss Lance enjoyed romantic novels, which were what most
inexperienced girls used to learn about love.
One’s thumping heart, inability to stop thinking about one
particular gentleman, the feeling of embarrassment and
thirst and becoming more emotional than usual were sure
signs of being in love.
Miss Lance had all of these symptoms. At first, she felt
embarrassed by how she felt. But soon, she decided that it
was okay for her to enjoy such a feeling. Many people claimed
that love could be painful, but this wasn’t the case for her. It
was because Miss Lance firmly believed that Ian Dalton felt
the same way about her.
Youth and foolish confidence often went hand in hand. She
was still young, so she couldn’t be faulted for making such an
absurd assumption. However, it was also going to be her
responsibility to pay the price for being wrong.
But for now, Miss Lance was oblivious to the pain she
would someday suffer. For now, she lived her days dreaming
of sweet love instead.
 Chapter 39

Miss Lance was very certain of Mr. Dalton’s love for her. Her
reckless belief was partly due to her vanity, but her delusion
wasn’t entirely her fault. Through her conversations with
Miss Janet, Miss Lance knew that Mr. Dalton had no interest
in socializing. So there had to be a very specific reason why he
returned to the hectic city of London.
Miss Lance believed that she was that very reason because
since Ian Dalton returned to London, he began frequenting
her tea parties. He didn’t attend her events every day, but he
visited her tea parties with Miss Fairfax fairly often. There, he
closely socialized with Miss Lance as well as her close
acquaintances Misses Susan Donovan, Victoria Wilkes, and
Daisy Orson.
At first, the ladies were confused by the persistent
appearances of Mr. Dalton. After all, they have never
interacted with him before. But with his flawless manners
and gentlemanly kindness, they soon accepted him with open
arms.
Mr. Dalton was polite to all of the ladies, but he was
especially attentive to Miss Lance. Ian Dalton had no idea, but
this behavior caused Miss Lance and her friends to believe
that he was interested in her. He appeared in London out of
the blue and began visiting Miss Lance often, so such an
assumption was a reasonable one.
Of course, Ian Dalton’s kindness toward Miss Lance was
never beyond what any proper gentleman would offer to a
lady. His good manners were ordinary and textbook, but the
ladies weren’t thinking logically anymore. At this point, they
saw his every action in Miss Lance’s presence as a gesture of
love.
AMr. Dalton left the tea party early today, leaving just the
four ladies in the reception hall chatting amongst themselves.
Victoria Wilkes exclaimed in excitement, “Did you hear him
earlier? He said, I agree with you on this matter completely,
Miss Lance.’ He said this to Dora. He said it three times!”
Miss Lance asked in embarrassment, “Victoria, you’ve
been counting?”
“Who cares?! The point is that he said he agrees with you
completely!”
“But Victoria, I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it,”
Miss Lance protested.
“Sure, those words themselves may not have any meaning
but try to remember the way he said it. Think about his
expression and his body language. Mr. Dalton was clearly
saying, ‘My heart belongs to you completely, Miss Lance.’ I’m
sure of it Dora! Couldn’t you feel it?”
Dora Lance couldn’t say anything. Her face turned as red
as a pomegranate, and the other three ladies felt excited by
her reaction. The three girls loved and worshiped their friend
Miss Lance for being a perfect example of a lady. They felt
proud that she managed to steal such a handsome
gentleman’s heart. It made them feel like they were being
loved as well.
Victoria continued, “He’s in love with you. Why else would
he come to your party so often?!”
“She’s right. I think so too. Maybe…. He’ll propose to Dora
very soon!” Daisy exclaimed.
The three ladies giggled in anticipation. Thinking her
friends were getting too ahead of themselves, Miss Lance
protested. But the thought of Mr. Dalton’s proposal brought
such joy to her that she couldn’t hide her pleased smile. Miss
Lance was in fact inciting even more excitement from her
friends by acting coy and shy at the same time.
Miss Lance’s ambiguous behavior made her friends believe
that there must be something going on between Ian Dalton
and Dora Lance.
“Mr. Dalton and Dora are going to have such pretty
children! ”
“Not just pretty! I’m sure they’ll practically be angels!”
“Dora, what are you going to name your children?”
Miss Lance tried to put on an awkward smile, but instead,
an expectant look appeared on her face at her friend’s
comments. The other ladies fanned Miss Lance to cool down
her reddened cheeks and giggled.
 Victoria asked, “Why are you smiling like that, Dora?
Anyway, you’ll let us be your bridesmaids, won’t you?”
Miss Lance shook her head. “Don’t say that. Nothing has
been decided yet. I don’t even know how Mr. Dalton feels
about me.
But none of her friends believed her. Not even Miss Lance
herself.
“Alright, if Dora says she doesn’t know, what else can we
say? Right, Ladies?” Miss Wilkes grinned and looked at her
friends. The other two ladies hid their smiles and nodded.
Miss Wilkes continued, “But if you do get married, you
have to have your wedding in Whitefield. That way, we’ll all
get to finally see it as your bridesmaids! Okay, Dora?”
Miss Lance kept quiet, deciding that she must be careful of
what she said. When she refused to talk about her imaginary
wedding, the conversation moved on to the topic of
Whitefield.
Daisy began, “By the way, Whitefield Hall has a grand
reputation, yet I’ve never seen a picture of it.”
“That’s true. If that mansion is as old as I heard, there
should be some pictures of it going around,” Victoria replied.
Being from Yorkshire, Miss Susan Donovan chimed in
confidently, “It’s because of the tradition Mr. Dalton’s father
began. They wanted to keep their family crest and mansion as
private as possible from the public. Apparently, quiet and
idyllic life was what his family strived for. Mr. Dalton has
been following this tradition, which is why he doesn’t open
his home to tourists. He believes that since his mansion is a
family home, he has no obligation to show it to outsiders.”
“So that’s why Whitefield Hall is missing in the travel
pamphlets, huh?” Miss Wilkes sighed.
Just then, Miss Daisy Orson clapped her hands and
shouted, “Ah, that’s right! I know someone who saw a picture
of Whitefield Hall!”
The three other ladies turned toward Miss Orson.
“What? Where? Which gallery has the picture?” Miss
Lance asked.
“It’s in the Pendleton townhouse reception hall!” Miss
Orson answered.
“What?”
When the three ladies’ eyes widened, Miss Orson
explained, “Miss Pendleton was having one of her tea parties
and one of my friends saw a picture of a landscape. When she
asked about it, Miss Pendleton claimed that it was a picture of
Whitefield!”
“Huh? How did the Pendleton family get a picture of
Whitefield?”
When Miss Wilkes tilted her head in confusion, Miss Lance
made a guess. “Mr. Dalton used to frequent the Pendleton
home before, remember? He must’ve drawn one for Miss
Pendleton then.”
The other ladies seemed surprised.
Victoria asked, “Mr. Dalton was that close to the Pendleton
family? Enough to give them a picture of his private home?”
 Miss Orson shrugged. “Well, I guess Miss Pendleton
managed to convince him. Having a rare drawing like that
would certainly help her family reputation.”
The other ladies asked Miss Orson more questions about
this picture, but Miss Orson was unable to satisfy their
curiosity. All she knew was that such a picture existed, but
nothing more. The tea party ended with the ladies feeling
frustrated.
Finally alone after her friends left, Miss Lance began
playing the delicate harp placed in the corner of the reception
hall. Her eyes chased after the music notes and her fingers
moved diligently to pluck the strings, but her mind refused to
focus.
She dreamt of having a wedding at Whitefield. She was
going to become Mrs. Dalton, the mistress of Whitefield Hall.
After taking Mr. Dalton’s family name, she would give birth
to his children. She imagined that they would resemble their
father.
Such thoughts were sweeter than the cake she had at the
tea party earlier. Miss Lance couldn’t have been any happier
with her future. During the last few days, Mr. Dalton’s
drawing had Miss Lance daydream about that day in the
Fairfax reception hall. Now, her imagination went wild
dreaming about the Whitefield mansion.
Miss Lance was so distracted that she forgot to turn the
page. She kept playing the same notes over and over again as
she fantasized about her new life in Whitefield. As of today,
she considered her dream to be no longer just wishful
thinking. She felt absolutely certain that she was going to
marry Mr. Dalton. Thanks to her daydreaming friends, Miss
Lance lost her ability to be objective.

***

Miss Pendleton has been incredibly busy for the past few
days. She had a mountain of work to do before her uncle
arrived from America. She had been so worried about taking
care of the new guests that she had no idea Ian Dalton was
back in London.
But this didn’t mean that she had forgotten about him.
Even throughout a hectic day, her eyes darted to the drawing
of Whitefield whenever she entered the reception hall. She
could tell that every stroke of brush was made with care, and
it made her heart ache. It hasn’t been even a month since Mr.
Dalton left, but it felt like she hadn’t seen him for many
months. She clearly remembered his dark eyes and his
sensitive look, and the fact that she rejected him pained her.
Whenever she was reminded of what happened, Miss
Pendleton returned to work. The best thing for her was to
forget about what happened.
One warm spring day in May, an extravagant four-
wheeled carriage with the Pendleton family crest appeared in
front of her townhouse. Miss Pendleton and all of her staff
had been waiting outside, and when the servant opened the
carriage door, she saw a young man with a smooth face
appear.
This was the first time she saw this gentleman, but based
on his expensive suit and angular features, Miss Pendleton
knew he had to be Charles Pendleton.
He looks just like Uncle when he was young.
When she saw her cousin’s face, she became even more
nervous. Charles Pendleton resembled his father too much,
and suddenly, Miss Pendleton remembered the day when her
uncle threw a cigarette box made of a birch tree at her to
chase her away from the fireplace.
 Chapter 40

But Miss Pendleton never lost her smile for her guests. She
looked like a porcelain doll or a statue with a fake smile
permanently stuck on her lips. Society had taught her that a
smile could be used as a mask to hide her true emotions.
Charles stepped down from the carriage and turned to
raise his hand. The gloved hand of a lady appeared to accept
his help, and soon, a slim woman wearing a pearlcolored
dress appeared from the carriage.
Miss Pendleton got an excellent view of the lady who
stepped down to the ground. With her deep red hair and large
green eyes, she was an unusual beauty. She had a slim chin
and delicate facial features. As tall as her fiance Charles, she
was pleasingly voluptuous.
Just as she quickly recognized Charles Pendleton, Miss
Pendleton realized that this woman had to be her cousin’s
fiance Joanne Jensen. It wasn’t just because the woman
confidently accepted Charles’ escort or was wearing a dress of
an unusual design not seen in England. It was in fact mostly
because she had the appearance befitting of an American
heiress who would someday inherit great wealth. Her hat,
dress, shoes, and accessories were extravagant, but it was her
assertiveness that shined the most. Miss Joanne Jensen was a
gorgeous beauty uncommon in English society.
Holding her fiance’s arm, Miss Jensen took a look at the
Pendleton townhouse. Soon, she smiled quietly and nodded to
Charles, who grinned back at her. He seemed satisfied by his
fiancee’s approval that he didn’t even notice the elderly
gentleman with drooping shoulders getting out from the
carriage behind him.
Thanks to a servant’s help, the older man safely stepped
on the ground. Just like the young couple beside him, the
elderly gentleman studied the townhouse. He looked upward,
and this allowed Miss Pendleton to get a clear view of his face.
His hair and eyebrows were partly white now, but the
angular and rough features still remained on his face. He was
as cold as she remembered him, making her heart pound
nervously. But suppressing her growing anxiety, Miss
Pendleton tried to focus on his bent back and deep wrinkles,
sure signs that much time has passed since she last saw him.
She reminded herself the man she used to fear was now old
and frail while she became a strong mature adult.
Her uncle was no longer the young vibrant head of the
family nor was she a young girl helpless against his
mistreatment. Laura was a grown woman of twenty-nine,
and this was her home. She told herself again and again that
the three people standing in front of her were guests and
nothing more.
 Miss Pendleton took three steps toward them and greeted,
“Welcome, everyone.”
The three people all turned toward her. Still keeping a
smile plastered on her face, Miss Pendleton curtsied lightly.
Behind her, the servants followed suit.
Miss Pendleton continued, “Please forgive me for greeting
you instead of Lady Abigail Pendleton, who is the mistress of
this house. During your stay here, I’ll be the one who takes
care of all your needs.”
The three guests seemed shocked to see her. It was no
wonder since Miss Pendleton showed off a flawless
appearance. Her hair, dress, demeanor, and expression were
clearly those of an elegant lady and mistress of a great
household.
Miss Pendleton quickly assessed her guests’ expressions.
Charles appeared to feel awkward about meeting his cousin
for the first time while Miss Joanne’s dimples deepened with
a smile.
On the other hand, her uncle, Gerald Pendleton, was
glaring at her with a stony expression. It has been over a
decade since she last saw him, but Miss Pendleton could still
read him easily. The emotion he felt at the moment was the
same resentment he had for her many years ago.
Miss Joanne Jensen let go of Charles’ arm and stepped
forward. Offering her hand to Miss Pendleton, she greeted,
“Hello, I’m Joanne Jensen. Nice to meet you.”
 Miss Pendleton didn’t show, but she was surprised by Miss
Jensen’s action. In English society, a lady was expected to be
introduced by her male companion. It was forbidden for her
to introduce herself to a stranger let alone offer to shake
hands. Miss Jensen’s behavior was certainly not ladylike.
But Miss Pendleton remained calm. She gently shook Miss
Jensen’s hand and replied, “I’m Laura Pendleton.”
“I know. You’re Charles’s cousin and Mr. Gerald’s niece.
Thank you for welcoming us, Miss Pendleton. I have been
looking forward to visiting the Pendleton townhouse in
London.
Mr. Charles told me that it’s the best in London.” Miss
Jensen’s voice was clear and cheerful.
“I’m afraid I can’t confirm your assumption, Miss Jensen.
My grandmother has always taught me to be humble about
my home rather than indulge in pride. But I would be happy
to give you a thorough tour if you wish. You’ll have to decide
for yourself whether or not this is indeed the best townhouse
in London.”
When Miss Pendleton replied kindly, Miss Jensen’s
dimples deepened even more before she burst into laughter.
Miss Pendleton was so surprised that she almost flinched.
Miss Jensen’s laughter was as loud as thunder.
But Miss Pendleton wasn’t offended. Miss Jensen’s
laughter was full of joy and amusement without any malice.
Soon, Miss Jensen became quiet and began shaking Miss
Pendleton’s hand. “Thank you! I had no idea you were going
to be such a kind woman. I like you very much, Miss
Pendleton. Could we go inside now and have some tea? I
would love to tour the reception hall while we’re at it.”
“Of course, Miss Jensen. Let us go inside.”
Charles, who had been whispering with his father, held
Miss Jensen’s arm and protested, “But Miss Jensen, we must
get to Mrs. Nazeley’s place now. Your godfather Mr. Pryce is
waiting for you there.”
“No, Charles. My godfather already knows I’ll be late.”
“But you must be very tired. Wouldn’t it be better to go
rest now?” asked Charles.
“Goodness, Charles! You’re the one who’s probably
exhausted after your terrible seasickness. You were hugging
that bucket all throughout our trip. But I am not tired at all.”
“But it is my duty to bring you safely to England. So we
must go to Mrs. Nazeley’s house now.”
When Charles continued to insist, Miss Jensen began to
lose her smile. She explained, “You don’t have to be so
obedient to my godfather, Charles. He won’t care if I’m early
or late.”
“But…”
“That’s enough, Charles! Please stop acting like my
godfather’s servant.”
Charles flinched. Being Gerald Pendleton’s son, he spoke a
little more forcefully in order to recover his pride. “It’s n…not
because Mr. Pryce ordered me to bring you to him as soon as
possible. I have the right to suggest the best course of action
to you!”
“And who gave you that right? I don’t remember granting
something like that to you. Did my father give it to you
without telling me?”
Charles argued, “No, that’s not it… I don’t know how
things work in America, but in England, a woman must obey
her fiance. It’s an English tradition.”
Turning toward Miss Pendleton, Miss Jensen asked,
“Hmm, is that so? Miss Pendleton, is this true?”
Miss Pendleton hesitated for a moment before telling her
guest the truth. “No, there is no such tradition, Miss Jensen.”
“She says no, Charles. So could you let go of my arm
now?”
Charles seemed to want to say something, but he kept
quiet and took a step back. Miss Pendleton felt awkward being
caught between the couple. Technically, it was against the
proper etiquette for Miss Jensen to request to enter the
townhouse on their first meeting. It was difficult to tell why
Charles tried to stop his fiancee, but he wasn’t doing anything
wrong.
What shocked Miss Pendleton was how Miss Jensen
rebuked her fiance in front of his cousin. Charles looked
helpless as he sweated nervously. It was clear he didn’t know
how to deal with Miss Jensen’s behavior. The most surprising
thing was Gerald Pendleton’s reaction. He was standing
silently like a statue while hiding his usual temper.
 With an awkward smile, Gerald Pendleton finally
intervened, “Miss Jensen, we should go back now. When you
visit this place again next time, I’m certain my niece Laura
will treat you with the same candor as today. I can’t have you
tired on your first day in London or else, Tom will become
upset with me. He put me in charge of taking care of you after
all.”
Gerald’s voice was a little stronger than his son’s, but it
was obvious that he was trying not to upset Miss Jensen
either. His gentle insistence must’ve worked because Miss
Jensen finally let go of Miss Pendleton’s hand. After
promising to return for dinner with her godfather that
evening, Miss Jensen got back into the carriage.
After waving and throwing kisses at her future father-in-
law and husband, Miss Jensen left to go see her godfather.
When the carriage disappeared out of sight, the father and
son turned toward Miss Pendleton. Rigid and arrogant
expressions appeared on their faces, and Gerald asked Miss
Pendleton, “Are the guest rooms ready?”
“Yes, Uncle. The two rooms across from each other on the
third floor have been prepared. The servants will…”
Without listening to his niece, Gerald Pendleton walked
into the townhouse. Charles followed his father inside, but he
stopped for a second to ogle the youngest maid in the group
who was only sixteen. He looked at her up and down and
whistled before entering the house.
 Miss Pendleton frowned at such behavior, but Charles only
snickered. She wasn’t expecting much from her cousin, but it
seemed that Charles had even worse manners than his father.
Because Miss Pendleton had expected to be ignored by her
uncle and cousin, she only sighed before following them
inside. She then went straight to the kitchen and discussed
the dinner menu with Mr. Germain.
Gerald Pendleton hasn’t visited the London townhouse for
many decades. Miss Jensen was from America, and this was
going to be her first dinner in London. Miss Pendleton felt
pressured to create a feast that could impress both of them.
After much discussion, Miss Pendleton and Mr. Germain
decided on the degree of roasting for their barbeque and the
wine selection.
Miss Pendleton then found the servant who was assigned
to serve the Pendleton men. When she asked how her guests
were settling, the servant informed her that they went
straight to Lady Abigail’s room instead of their guest rooms.
Miss Pendleton hurriedly went upstairs. This was going to
be the first time the mother and son meet after their terrible
fight. If another argument might erupt, would she be able to
protect her grandmother from her uncle?
Miss Pendleton’s heart began to pound ominously.
 Chapter 41

Her heart thumping wildly, Miss Pendleton knocked on the

door. When there was no answer, she entered her
grandmother’s room.
What she saw inside made her speechless. Uncle Gerald
was kneeling beside his mother’s bed while holding and
kissing her hand. Miss Pendleton could hear him sob, and she
froze before noticing Charles standing in the corner. He had a
bored look on his face, and deciding that she shouldn’t
interrupt the reunion, she went to stand silently in the corner
as well.
Uncle Gerald, still crying, murmured, “Mother… Please
forgive me… Please forgive your foolish son…”
Miss Pendleton watched in surprise. Her grandmother
patted her son’s hand and whispered, “It’s alright…
Everything’s going to be okay…”
Her uncle and grandmother’s touching reunion continued
for a while longer, and it made Miss Pendleton feel strange.
Until now, she had only seen the two fight and bicker at each
other. She couldn’t remember them ever holding hands like
this.
Soon, her uncle gestured to his son.
 Charles, who looked indifferent, suddenly put on a
saddened expression and approached the bed.
“Grandmother, I’m Charles. I’m your grandson. I heard
that you were the one who named me when I was still in my
cradle.” Charles’ voice shook.
Lady Abigail seemed tired and frail as she nodded. “You’ve
grown up to be a fine young man.
Charles suddenly burst into tears and hugged his
grandmother. Miss Pendleton, still alone in the corner,
watched in shock. It was such a moving family reunion, and
she should’ve felt relieved. Except for Charles’ dubious
behavior, everything looked perfect. To have her uncle and
grandmother reconcile so smoothly like this had to be a
miracle.
But Miss Pendleton’s instincts sounded the alarm bell.
Things seemed so unnatural, and she felt like she was
watching amateurish actors putting on a cheap show.
“Laura, are you there?” Lady Abigail called out.
When Miss Pendleton walked to the bed, her grandmother
said to her son, “Gerald, please hold my grandfather’s hand.
She has been faithfully taking care of me all these years.”
Uncle Gerald looked at his niece with tear- stained eyes.
He awkwardly held her hands and mumbled, “Yes, you did a
fine job.”
He shook her hands gently, but Miss Pendleton clearly
remembered the resentment toward her in his eyes earlier.
She, however, smiled and replied in a kind voice, “Thank you,
Uncle. I’m very glad you’re here.”
She had to suppress the urge to yank her hands away from
him. For a while, they sat around Lady Abigail and visited.
Miss Pendleton herself became part of this fake play. Her role
was the good granddaughter who was happy to see her
grandmother and uncle reunite after many years apart. Miss
Pendleton played her part marvelously because she didn’t
care if this was all just for show. What mattered to her was
that her grandmother achieved everything she wished before
dying in peace.
So Miss Pendleton focused on her goal. If her grandmother
could be happy, she would willingly face her uncle’s
contempt.

***

That night, the dinner at the Pendleton townhouse turned

into a perfect family gathering. Despite her ill health, Lady
Abigail attended it for her son and grandson. The other guests
included Miss Jenson and Mr. Pryce, who hadn’t been invited
to the Pendleton house for a long time.
Mr. Germain, the Pendleton house cook for many years,
created a wonderful course meal. Everyone enjoyed it, and the
scene in the dining room was heartwarming. The American
heiress and her godfather carried on an energetic
conversation while Gerald Pendleton treated his mother with
exaggerated affection. He whispered to her and placed on her
plate pieces of barbecue he sliced himself. Lady Abigail acted
just as lovingly by gently nagging him not to drink too much
after he had three glasses of sherry.
It was the first time Mr. Pryce had seen Lady Abigail and
her son together. He praised them profusely, claiming that
there could be no mother and son more devoted to each other.
Miss Pendleton, who had been rather quiet through the
evening, had to hide her bitter smile.
Lady Abigail was curious about how Charles’ life had
turned out in her absence. Charles, Gerald’s second son,
began bragging about the life he had created for himself. Just
as his father wanted, he had attended Eton College followed
by Oxford. After studying law at university, he got a job in a
law firm.
But he claimed that being a lawyer forced him to lead a
rigid and materialistic life. He didn’t enjoy being stuck in the
office all day, and eventually, he lost all interest in the field of
law. So after considering various careers, he was currently
studying to become a rector. Once he became ordained, he
planned to get assigned to the parish in the Pendleton
territory. Although he knew he wouldn’t get to live a life of
luxury, Charles stated that he would endure the hardship
faithfully.
Gerald claimed that he was very proud of his son. Lady
Abigail, who listened attentively, wished her grandson luck,
stating that she believed he would make an excellent rector.
Listening quietly, Miss Pendleton remembered how Charles
ogled a young maid earlier that day. Praying that it was just a
one-time mistake he made, she continued to eat quietly.
When the night darkened, Mr. Pryce and Miss Jensen
returned to Mrs. Nazeley’s by carriage. Charles and Gerald
insisted on taking Lady Abigail to her room, and Lady Abigail
seemed happy to lean on her son. They slowly walked up the
stairs together.
Miss Pendleton stayed on the first floor to take care of the
cleanup. But something unexpected befitting such a strange
day occurred.
Knock knock.
Miss Pendleton was ordering the servants on what to do
with the leftover food when someone knocked on the front
door. She heard a maid answering it, and soon, someone
strode into the dining room.
It was Mr. Pryce.
Miss Pendleton turned pale as she stared at him. He took
his hat off and bowed to her lightly.
“I apologize for my intrusion, Miss. I’m afraid I forgot my
gloves.”
Miss Pendleton looked around and saw a pair of gloves on
the chair Mr. Pryce sat down during dinner. They were folded
neatly, and she couldn’t help but suspect that he left them on
purpose. She quickly grabbed them and returned them to him.
“Miss Pendleton.” Sweating profusely, Mr. Pryce begged,
“I would like you to help my Joanne.”
 “Pardon?”
“Please help her get through the London society. I came
here to ask you this.”
“…That won’t be hard, but I don’t have much influence in
my own society, Mr. Pryce. On top of that, I’m not sure if Miss
Jensen would be interested in joining the London society.”
Mr. Pryce shook his head. “This is the real reason why she
came here. Miss Pendleton, you’ll soon learn that she’s a very
ambitious girl. She isn’t vicious, but the blood of a conqueror
flows in her veins. For the last three years, Joanne
successfully became the queen of American society. Her next
target is London. She’ll start here, and it won’t be long before
she takes over the entire Europe.”
“What an enthusiastic lady she must be.”
“Just as I expected, you see her in a positive light. Miss
Pendleton, you’re an exemplary English lady. I’m certain that
you’re the best candidate to help Joanne adapt to London
society. I beg of you.”
“Miss Jensen is Charles’ fiancee, so I’ll gladly do my best
to help her. Please don’t worry.
“I knew I could trust you. You’re a kind and conscientious
lady, Miss Pendleton. I will always trust you with my life,”
Mr. Pryce mumbled.
Miss Pendleton began to sweat, praying that he would
leave before any of her family saw him. But her prayer wasn’t
answered because Mr. Pryce took a step toward her. To her
shock, he tried to get down on one knee again.
 Miss Pendleton quickly stopped him. “Mr. Pryce, please!
Please stop.”
“B…but Miss Pendleton!”
“I asked you to stop already! If you propose to me again, I
will never appear at any dinner you attend even if it means
disrespect toward my uncle and Miss Jensen!”
Mr. Pryce awkwardly unbent his knee at her firm
insistence. Studying her outraged expression, he sighed.
“Hmm, if you would tell me what it is that I’m lacking, I
would do my best to rectify the problem immediately. But
ladies seldom speak of their honest thoughts in such a matter.
I am well aware of how the fairer sex like to play the game of
twenty questions with their suitors. But couldn’t you give me
just a little hint at least?”
Miss Pendleton was beyond confused. She now felt curious
because she had never done anything to give him false hope.
Yet Mr. Pryce was acting like she had seduced him and was
now playing hard to get.
Ready to refuse him firmly once again, she opened her lips.
But before she could say anything, Mr. Pryce put his hat back
on and bowed. “Please don’t forget that I will forever wait for
your heart, Miss Pendleton. Just say the word, and I will be all
yours.”
Mr. Pryce turned around and ran out the door. Miss
Pendleton watched him enter his carriage through the dining
room window. Her shoulders slumped weakly, exhaustion
from such a long day and Mr. Pryce’s unexpected love
confession finally catching up to her. She sighed and began
walking upstairs to her room. But before she reached the
second floor, she bumped into the person she dreaded the
most in the world.
It appeared that Gerald Pendleton was going out because
he was wearing his hat and frock coat, and holding his cane.
Miss Pendleton nodded to him and tried to walk by, but her
uncle called out to her.
Miss Pendleton turned around to find him looking at her.
He announced, “You hosted the dinner very expertly tonight,
Laura Pendleton.”
She didn’t reply because his tone, expression, and past
conduct indicated that he wasn’t giving her a compliment. It
was more like he was criticizing her.
 Chapter 42

“So I heard you ran this household for the last twelve years
while taking care of your grandmother. You were responsible
for all the big and small events in this townhouse,” Gerald
Pendleton commented.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
It seemed that Miss Pendleton’s docile answer annoyed
him. Glaring at his niece, Gerald asked, “If you’re capable of
running a household, why haven’t you gotten married yet?”
“I think I’ve just been running into a series of bad luck.
And I’m lacking in many ways as well, of course,” Miss
Pendleton answered politely to avoid a fight.
“Ah, then are you saying that no man has been good
enough for you?”
“I would never have such an arrogant thought, Uncle.”
Gerald Pendleton smirked. Straightening his hat, he
muttered, “I don’t know what you’re planning, but if you
believe you’ll get something out of my mother, you can think
again. And you better learn now that you won’t be allowed to
live here after Mother dies. This townhouse will go to Charles,
which means you’ll have to leave as soon as the funeral is
over. So think of a
 to• „
_ survive on your own.
He passed by her and disappeared to the first floor. Miss
Pendleton stayed still for a moment on the stairs. Except for
the fact that her uncle didn’t physically harm her just now, it
seemed that nothing had changed. Gerald Pendleton’s
contempt and hatred toward his niece haven’t lessened
during the last twenty years.
Miss Pendleton looked downstairs, her eyes filled with
coldness she would never reveal to anyone.
Nothing has changed. It’s just like before when he cursed me,
beat me after framing me for being a thief, and threw things at
me so my body got bruised all over.
To her uncle, she was still an unwanted burden he needed
to get rid of. He considered her a rat, and it must’ve angered
him to know she lived with the name Pendleton all these
years. But Miss Pendleton didn’t want to respond to his
resentment nor did she want to get angry at him. She
remained cold, secretly laughing at him for being ignorant.
Gerald Pendleton obviously had no idea what his niece was
thinking. The name Pendleton was the source of his identity
and pride, but Miss Pendleton only saw it as a shackle.
She didn’t want to be trapped by this name for eternity.
Someday, she swore to free herself and give it up just as her
uncle wished. It wasn’t going to happen this very moment,
but it was going to happen soon.
 Miss Pendleton stood on the spot for a while before
walking up the rest of the stairs. Just like any other night, she
went into her grandmother’s room and gave her a goodnight
kiss.

***

The next morning, Miss Jensen made an unexpected visit to

the Pendleton house, claiming that she wanted a tour. She
was without an invitation and she came at a time that wasn’t
designated tea time. Such an act was against English
etiquette, but Miss Pendleton didn’t show any outward
reaction. Instead, she took her time showing the townhouse
to her guest.
Miss Jensen was satisfied with the interior design. In fact,
she seemed properly impressed. Although she was wealthy
enough to buy the most luxurious townhouse in central
London, Grosvenor Street was an exception. Representing the
wealthiest part of London, the houses on Grosvenor Street
were sold only to the most influential families with
prestigious history and lineage. Unless she married into such
a family, an American woman like Miss Jensen would never be
allowed to buy a place here.
So it made sense that Miss Jensen showed great interest in
the Pendleton townhouse. While she looked around the place,
Miss Pendleton did her best to satisfy her guest’s honest
curiosity regarding the financial aspect of the townhouse.
Miss Pendleton told her about the square footage of each
room, the history of the furniture, and the size of the
household in general.
It was Miss Jensen’s right as Charles’ fiancee to know
about these things. Miss Pendleton didn’t begrudge her, even
if it meant that she would one day be kicked out penniless
after Lady Abigail passed away.
After the tour, they had tea in the reception hall. Miss
Jensen sipped on the black tea and nibbled on the apricot cake
while asking for the details of London society. She wanted to
know everything about the most popular balls, fashion
trends, the most influential ladies, and even their usual tea
times.
Miss Pendleton had answers to all of her questions. She
was knowledgeable enough to indulge Miss Jensen’s
curiosity.
Miss Jensen was impressed. “It looks like you know
everything about this town, Miss Pendleton. Well, I suppose it
makes sense since you made your debut at the age of
nineteen. You’ve lived here for twelve years, so it’s no wonder
you’re an expert.”
Miss Pendleton smiled smoothly and drank her tea. Miss
Jensen watched her hostess delicately wetting her lips on the
hot tea while holding the cup in the most elegant manner.
With her graceful face and refined manners, Miss Pendleton
was indeed a perfect lady.
 Admiring Miss Pendleton who was five years her senior,
Miss Jensen smiled.
Miss Pendleton replied, “I’m only a big frog in a small
pond. Other than London society, I am ignorant of the rest of
the world. This Grosvenor Street, several places in central
London, and my old boarding school are all I know. But Miss
Jensen, you have crossed the ocean to go on an adventure
despite your young age. I hear you plan to join London
society.”
“Goodness, who told you that?”
“Mr. Pryce dropped by after dinner yesterday to retrieve
his gloves, remember? He asked me to help you then.”
“My godfather? I was going to formally ask you myself,
but I guess he beat me to it.” Miss Jensen giggled. “Miss
Pendleton, I plan on staying in England with my godfather for
a while. Perhaps I’ll never return to America. Once I marry
Charles, I’ll be settling down here after all. As soon as I marry
Charles, I’ll enter London society.”
“You’ll be very busy traveling between his parsonage and
London,” Miss Pendleton commented.
“I won’t be living in the parsonage at all, Miss Pendleton.
And I doubt Charles will either. We both love London.”
Miss Pendleton, who was swirling her tea with a teaspoon,
paused. “…Ah, I see. I suppose a rector isn’t required to live
with his parishioners. I know many rectors live far away from
their parish and go to work only for services. But the distance
between London and Pendleton land seems rather far.”
 “I don’t think Charles will mind the distance. I heard him
saying that he refuses to be stuck in a tiny countryside parish
just because of the commute. He said he’s too active to be
trapped like that.”
“When did he say that?” asked Miss Pendleton.
“When he proposed to me. I asked him if I needed to live in
the parsonage, and that was his response. Instead of living
there, he offered me this townhouse on Grosvenor Street.”
Miss Jensen looked around proudly before adding, “This is
even more impressive than the picture he showed me. I doubt
I’ll find a marriage that can offer me something better than
this.”
When Miss Jensen talked about the townhouse as if she
already owned it, Miss Pendleton felt troubled. Her guest had
to know what would happen to her once the married couple
moved in. So how could Miss Jensen be callous enough to
show her excitement like this?
But Miss Pendleton couldn’t feel any ill intention or
condescension from Miss Jensen. And based on Miss Jensen’s
behavior at the dinner last night, it was clear she wasn’t
oblivious to other people’s feelings.
Miss Pendleton thought quietly. Maybe she was told that I
had a secure future. It wouldn I surprise me if Uncle came up with
some made-up story about my situation in case Miss Jensen feels
guilty about this marriage. I wonder what lies he told her.
Laura felt curious, but she knew better than to ask her
guest about such a matter. Instead, she replied, “With a
wonderful mistress like you, this lonely townhouse is going
to become so much livelier. Everyone working here is hard
working. Our cook is especially talented.”
“Ah, that’s right. That barbeque last night was amazing.
He’s French, isn’t he?”
“Yes, his wage is rather high, but he’s worth every penny.”
“Perfect. Providing good food to the guests is a must in
high society, so I’m glad to hear that. I feel very lucky to have
this townhouse. By the way, I have a favor to ask, Miss
Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton looked into her guest’s eyes. Miss Jensen
has been open and loud until now, but suddenly, she leaned
forward and whispered, “Before Charles inherits this place,
could you let go of all of the young maids?”
Miss Pendleton instantly knew why Miss Jensen made
such a request. Just this morning, she witnessed Charles
trying to force himself on the sixteen-year-old maid he ogled
yesterday. Miss Pendleton quickly made up an excuse and
took away the young maid before she burst into tears. She
then assigned the maid the kitchen duty so that she’s unlikely
to be seen by Charles.
Miss Jensen explained, “Please write them good
recommendation letters so they can get good jobs. I’ve
already decided not to care about how my husband lives, but I
really want to avoid his bastard being born in my own home.”
Miss Pendleton nodded silently while thinking very hard
to change the subject. Miss Jensen’s honesty was difficult to
bear because she was revealing the vulgar nature of her own
fiancee as well as her indifference to it. She made it clear that
this was a marriage of convenience and nothing more.
“Miss Jensen, how many dresses did you bring to
London?” asked Miss Pendleton.
“I had three trunks full of them, but two of them got lost
on the way.”
“Oh my! How did that happen?”
Miss Jensen sighed. “The nametags on them must’ve come
off because when I reached London and my servant went to
find them in the cargo compartment, they were already gone.
All of my best ball and dinner gowns are forever lost.”
“How terrible.”
“But I’m trying not to worry. It will be easier for me to
follow the London trend if I get my clothes made here.”
“Sadly, because we’re at the peak of the season, I’m sure
all of the dressmakers are booked solid.”
“Do you by chance have a personal dressmaker?”
When Miss Pendleton shook her head, Miss Jensen became
gloomy for the first time since she entered the townhouse.
She murmured, “Then what should I do? The one trunk I have
left only has several day dresses and one ball gown.”
Miss Pendleton contemplated for a moment before
suggesting, “Why don’t you try getting something from the
Harrods department store?”
“The department store?”
 “Yes. I visited it once with some other ladies before. All of
their products are ready-made, but they’re good quality and
follow the current trend very well. If the dresses you get don’t
fit you perfectly, you can ask your maid to adjust them.”
“Uwah, that’s a great idea. We should go together
sometime.”
“I would love to.” When Miss Pendleton answered easily,
Miss Jensen stared at her for a moment. Miss Pendleton
asked, “Is something wrong, Miss Jensen?”
“You’re very kind, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton raised her cup and pretended to take a sip
to hide her embarrassment. Miss Jensen continued, “I’ve
heard Mr. Gerald Pendleton praise you often, but I had no idea
that you would be this considerate.”
Miss Pendleton was surprised that her uncle praised her at
all. Now that she thought about it, she remembered Mr. Pryce
telling her that his interest in her began because of Uncle
Gerald’s praise of her.
 Chapter 43

“I haven’t known you for a very long time, but I’m certain
you’re the best person to help my dream come true.” Miss
Jensen straightened and continued, “Miss Pendleton, I’ll take
your kindness as permission to ask you this favor. What my
godfather told you is absolutely correct. I’m talking about my
purpose for coming to England. As an American woman,
becoming part of an English noble family isn’t normally
something even money can buy. I just happened to be lucky
thanks to the recession in England. I plan to take over London
society in three years. When I’m done, everyone here will be
desperate to attend any event I host. There will come a day
when anyone will die for my invitation. Joanne Jensen from
America will never be able to accomplish this, but as Joanne
Pendleton, it’s very possible. Once I become an influential
figure in English society, I’ll naturally be invited to European
society as well. I’m going to conquer the entire Europe.
Napoleon Bonaparte failed in doing this, but I know I))
can.
Miss Pendleton was surprised by her guest’s honesty. It
was shocking to see Miss Jensen openly admit that she was
using her marriage only to enter the European aristocratic
society. But then, Miss Pendleton had heard about the
existence of ambitious women like Joanne Jensen in America.
Many wealthy ladies traveled to Europe to find a husband of
noble birth. European ladies feared and despised the arrival of
these new rivals, mockingly nicknaming them the “pirates.”
Joanne Jensen was a typical “pirate,” but Miss Pendleton
didn’t dislike her as a person. Since she wasn’t interested in
marriage herself, Miss Jensen wasn’t her rival. Although Miss
Jensen’s motive for marriage was impure, it was rare for
anyone in an aristocratic society to marry for love anyway.
After all, London society was essentially a meat market where
people were sold for money, power, and title.
Miss Jensen was at least honest about her intention, so
Miss Pendleton found her admirable. All her life, Miss
Pendleton had suppressed her basic wants and needs, but it
seemed that Miss Jensen felt free to openly fight for them.
Smiling genuinely for the first time since they met, Miss
Pendleton replied, “Please do go on.”
“I realize that the name Pendleton alone isn’t going to
remove all of my obstacles. That’s where you come in, Miss
Pendleton.”
“What can I do for you?”
Miss Jensen smirked and asked, “Please be honest. You see
many problems in my manners, don’t you?”
“I do,” Miss Pendleton replied truthfully.
“So tell me what I must do to become a graceful lady like
you. I need you to tell me every English etiquette a proper lady
is required to follow. I’ll obey your every instruction, Miss
Pendleton. Then, please introduce me to your friends. I’ll take
care of the rest afterward.”
“Alright. There’s a rowing competition between
Cambridge and Oxford next week. Most of the important
figures in London society will be gathered, and I’ll introduce
you to my friends there. Just as you said, the rest will be up to
you. I feel certain that you’ll soon become the most sought-
after lady in London society.”
Beginning that day, Miss Pendleton became Miss Jensen’s
teacher. She invited the American lady often to teach her how
London society worked and the proper etiquette required to
socialize with others. They also visited the Harrods
department store together where Miss Jensen purchased an
excellent picnic dress, hat, and shoes.
Luckily, Miss Pendleton had plenty of free time. Since her
uncle’s arrival, he insisted on becoming Lady Abigail’s
constant companion. He often lay down next to his mother
while holding her hand. He whispered secretly to her about
things, and whenever Miss Pendleton entered the room, he
ordered her to leave and focus on helping Miss Jensen.
 Miss Pendleton was worried, but her grandmother wished
to spend her time with her son. So Miss Pendleton had no
choice but to leave the room every time.

***

A week later, the day of the rowing competition arrived.

Misses Pendleton and Jensen rode the same carriage to the
Thames River where the contest was taking place.
On the upper side of the river where the finish line was
located, crowds of upperclass figures in delicate dresses and
picnic suits were gathered already. Hiding from the sun using
hats and parasols, the ladies and gentlemen socialized among
themselves while strolling or sitting at the long benches.
Most had their eyes on the river, some with small telescopes,
as they waited for the rowers to arrive.
Miss Pendleton held Miss Jensen’s arms in a friendly
manner and escorted her to the crowds. Wherever they went,
people stared. The rumors of Mr. Pryce’s goddaughter had
already spread far and wide, so everyone knew that the
beautiful lady next to Miss Pendleton was Miss Joanne Jensen.
Everyone, especially the ladies, was curious about this
gorgeous American heiress. Her looks and wealth were more
than enough to deserve their attention. Many ladies have
already spotted her shopping with Miss Pendleton in the
Harrods department store, so Miss Jensen had been the talk
of the town for a while
 now.
But their curiosity didn’t guarantee friendship. Miss
Jensen may have been rich and already engaged to a member
of the prestigious Pendleton family, but nothing changed the
fact that she was still an American. They weren’t ready to
accept her with open arms unlike they had Mr. Pryce, who
was originally English.
For Miss Jensen to be welcomed, she needed a connection
with a firm establishment within the society. And Miss
Pendleton was going to act as this very bridge for her.
Miss Pendleton introduced Miss Jensen to the most
prominent figures in her circle. By now, Miss Jensen has
abandoned her carefree manners. Instead, she showed off
impeccably polite conduct.
However, many arrogant ladies and gentlemen refused to
lend her much of their time. After all, Miss Jensen was still an
American, and she hadn’t married into the Pendleton name
just yet.
But all in all, it wasn’t a terrible day. Miss Jensen still
managed to make acquaintances with important figures,
which meant that she now had the right to invite them after
she got married. Whether they accepted her invitation
depended on how attractive she made her events to be.
After presenting Miss Jensen to the most powerful
members of society first, Miss Pendleton took her to a group
that could help her in the most practical sense. Miss Lance
and her friends formed this very group, and when Miss
Pendleton approached them, they rose and curtsied
respectfully. They have been bored waiting in one of the
reserved seats for the competition to begin.
“Hello, Miss Pendleton.”
Curtsying just as politely, Miss Pendleton introduced Miss
Jensen to them. “Hello, everyone. This is my cousin Charles
Pendleton’s fiancee Miss Joanne Jensen.”
Miss Jensen smiled at them, and the young ladies were
thrilled to meet the most talked about woman in town. They
had been suffering from terrible boredom, so they were glad
to see her. Miss Lance and her friends gladly invited Misses
Pendleton and Jensen to their seats.
The conversation continued smoothly. The ladies asked
Miss Jensen about the high societies of America, and Miss
Jensen satisfied their curiosity with her wits and humor. She
told them of amusing incidents that happened to her due to
the differences in the American and English etiquettes.
Watching their interaction, Miss Pendleton felt relieved.
Her students learned much from her lessons and was
capturing these young ladies’ hearts. Miss Lance and her
companions were the most favored ladies in society at the
moment. Now that Miss Jensen earned their approval, she
was going to be invited to various balls, dinners, parties, and
picnics. Miss Jensen was a clever woman, so it wasn’t going to
be hard for her to get established in London society using her
acquaintance with Miss Lance.
 Just as Miss Pendleton expected, it wasn’t long before Miss
Lance asked Miss Jensen, “My family is going to have a ball in
two weeks. I would love it if you and your godfather would
join us!”
Miss Jensen accepted graciously. The ball hosted by the
Lance family was going to be a perfect debut for her. Miss
Lance was in her prime marriageable age, which meant that
Lady Lance was going to spare no expenses for an event that
could showcase her daughter. Miss Pendleton suspected that
there were going to be at least five hundred guests, and Miss
Jensen could take this opportunity to show off her
extravagant beauty.
Perhaps Miss Jensen will become a star even before she gets
married.
Miss Pendleton watched her protege proudly before
turning toward the Thames River. There still was no sign of
the rowers anywhere, but out of the blue, she caught a
glimpse of a familiar-looking gentleman.
Miss Pendleton gasped, realizing that it was none other
than Ian Dalton. At first, she thought that her eyes were
playing tricks on her. After all, Mr. Dalton was supposed to be
back home in Whitefield.
But she quickly shook her head, knowing that it was
impossible to confuse him for someone else. He may have
been wearing a clean ivory suit and white hat, a typical picnic
outfit worn by the majority of the gentlemen gathered here,
but his tall figure and handsome features distinguished him
from the rest.
It wasn’t just Miss Pendleton who spotted Ian Dalton. Miss
Lance saw him as well, and after excusing herself, she dashed
toward him.
The two of them stood together. Miss Lance offered him
her hand, and Mr. Dalton kissed it in a familiar manner. They
began chatting, and Miss Pendleton as well as Miss Lance’s
friends watched quietly.
Naturally, Miss Jensen followed suit and turned toward the
couple. She asked, “Is that gentleman Miss Lance’s beau?”
Miss Orson jumped and answered, “No!
He’s our friend. Just a friend.”
“Yes, a friend. At least for now.” Miss Victoria Wilkes
winked suggestively. Miss Donovan jabbed her with her
elbow, and Miss Lance’s three friends couldn’t hide their
blushes. Miss Jensen immediately caught on and decided that
Mr. Dalton must be Miss Lance’s future fiance.
Miss Pendleton, who had been listening quietly, asked,
“Do you know how long it has been since Mr. Dalton returned
to London?”
“Umm, I think it has been over two weeks now,” Miss
Orson answered.
Miss Wilkes exclaimed, “Goodness, has it been that long?!
We’ve seen Mr. Dalton so often that I had no idea.”
“Indeed. We’ve been seeing him almost every day because
he attends most of her tea parties. Ah, I’m sure you’ve heard
the rumor, Miss Pendleton! I’m talking about the drawing
hanging in Miss Lance’s reception hall. Mr. Dalton drew a
portrait of Misses Fairfax and Lance recently. I think he did it
on the very day he arrived, right?”
“He did!” Miss Orson replied. “I heard he forgot all about
his fatigue from his long journey because he was so eager to
draw Miss Lance. Ah, it’s so romantic!”
Miss Lance’s friends chattered in excitement. While
listening to them, Miss Pendleton watched Miss Lance and
Mr. Dalton together. Miss Lance was looking up at him with a
joyful smile, and Mr. Dalton looked pleased.
Miss Pendleton remembered how Mr. Dalton acted in the
past in Hyde Park. That day, he was rather indifferent to Miss
Lance who was clearly interested in him. But the way he acted
now was completely different. Miss Lance’s friends
insinuated that they were in a promising relationship.
Although Miss Pendleton couldn’t feel any serious affection
in Mr. Dalton’s behavior toward Miss Lance, something had
definitely changed. He seemed much friendlier toward her.
 Chapter 44

Holding Mr. Dalton’s arm, Miss Lance returned to her friends.

All of the ladies curtsied to him, and it was then that Ian
Dalton finally noticed Miss Pendleton.
Holding his hat in his hand, he stared at her for a brief
moment before bowing nonchalantly. He greeted, “It has
been a long time, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton gave him a small smile before quickly
introducing Miss Jensen to him.
“This is Miss Joanne Jensen. She’s engaged to my cousin
Charles Pendleton. She’s also the goddaughter of my uncle’s
friend Mr. Pryce.”
Mr. Dalton quietly looked at Miss Jensen for a moment at
the mention of the name “Pryce.” He then turned toward
Miss Pendleton with a look of disbelief. But his usual poker
face returned so quickly that Miss Pendleton didn’t notice it.
Mr. Dalton greeted Miss Jensen brusquely before
addressing Miss Lance’s friends. “I’ve been looking for you,
Ladies. May I join you?”
All the ladies welcomed the idea, so Mr. Dalton sat down
with them. Miss Lance’s friends worked expertly to make sure
the conversation centered mostly around Mr. Dalton and Miss
Lance. Mr. Dalton tried to include everyone in their chat from
time to time, but he mostly talked directly to Miss Lance. He
wasn’t excluding the other ladies on purpose; he was only
trying not to disrupt the natural flow of the conversation.
Miss Pendleton was relieved to be excluded. The moment
she saw Ian Dalton, she had been feeling confused and
uncomfortable. She knew she would bump into him
eventually, but she didn’t think it was going to happen so
unexpectedly.
Miss Pendleton had been worried he might still have
feelings for her. But his behavior at the moment made all of
her concerns disappear. It was quite evident that he wasn’t
interested in her at all.
However, it didn’t look like he was ignoring her on
purpose. She also didn’t get the feeling that he was angry at
her or was hiding his feelings for her. Mr. Dalton looked
comfortable and at peace.
But why? It sounded like he was ready to propose to me in the
forest that day.
At first, Miss Pendleton suspected that he was
embarrassed about what happened and was pretending not to
care about her anymore. But she soon became ashamed of her
suspicion. Mr. Dalton was acting perfectly naturally, so it was
obvious he no longer felt anything for her. He also seemed
very comfortable with Miss Lance.
Miss Pendleton decided that either Mr. Dalton was the type
who didn’t hold any grudges or that she misunderstood his
feelings on that day in the forest. As time passed, she began to
feel that the latter was more likely.
Technically, Mr. Dalton never voiced his feelings to her.
She made her own assumptions based on the way he looked at
her and the desperate ardor in his voice. But what if she
misunderstood him completely? What if he visited her house
so many times after that day in order to explain her
misunderstanding?
Miss Pendleton felt ashamed by this possibility. To hide
her embarrassment, she began focusing on Miss Jensen’s
chatter. Because she concentrated on Miss Jensen’s face, she
missed the many times when Ian Dalton’s gaze rested on her.
The moment Ian Dalton saw Miss Pendleton earlier, it took
everything he had to hide his love for her. He tried his best
not to look at her, but unfortunately, he wasn’t entirely
successful. It had been so long since he last saw her, but Miss
Pendleton looked the same as he remembered. Her
strawberry blond hair was neatly hidden inside a hairnet, and
her kind dark gray eyes sparkled with intelligence. Her long
eyelashes and small but straight nose haven’t changed at all.
But Mr. Dalton knew that she must’ve gone through a
troubled time. He quickly noticed that her face looked slightly
paler. Her chin also looked a little sharper from losing weight.
Seeing her like this made him feel anguished.
To his relief, Ian Dalton did a decent job of hiding his
frustration. Not a single person around him noticed anything
amiss with him. No one figured out that he was here only for
Miss Pendleton. From time to time, he lost his concentration
and missed Miss Lance’s questions, but Miss Lance didn’t
seem to notice. She appeared to be oblivious to how rigid his
whole body was from trying to hide his feelings for Miss
Pendleton.
Miss Lance’s friends were just as blind to his tension. All
they could think about was how their friend and this
handsome gentleman would make a wonderful couple.
Ian Dalton found himself glancing at Miss Pendleton again
when Miss Lance called out to him, “Mr. Dalton!”
“Ah, yes, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance asked with an adorable smile, “Try guessing
which university each of us bet on!”
Returning to his gentlemanly facade, he replied smoothly,
“Well, I assume Misses Wilkes and Orson betted on Oxford
since their brothers graduated from it. But I’m not sure about
you and Miss Donovan.”
“Miss Donovan betted on Oxford too. Her maternal family
all graduated from it.”
“Hmm, then you might be my only hope, Miss Lance.
Which team did you bet on?” asked Mr. Dalton.
“You must try to guess!”
“I think you must’ve betted on Cambridge.”
“Why?”
“If everyone betted on Oxford, it wouldn’t be much of a bet
at all. On top of that…”
“Yes?”
 Mr. Dalton explained, “I like to believe that at least one
lady here chose to be on my side. If you take my side, it would
be an honor, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance hid her blush at Mr. Dalton’s smooth tone.
Listening to the two of them, Miss Pendleton felt her mouth
go dry. Murmuring that she wanted to get something to
drink, she walked away. Nearby reserved seats was a buffet
tent prepared with various snacks. She poured herself a cool
glass of fruit juice, but drinking the refreshing nectar didn’t
help her feel any better.
The polite thing would’ve been for her to return to her
group quickly, but Miss Pendleton didn’t feel like it. So
instead, she left River Thames and the crowd behind and
began walking toward the deserted grassy area. For an
unknown reason, she felt strangely upset. Was it because it
had been a long time since she attended a social event? Or…
Miss Pendleton remembered the familiar way Miss Lance
and Mr. Dalton sat next to each other. She bit her lips,
knowing very well that she needed to be honest with herself.
The day Mr. Dalton left London, she had no choice but to
admit her own feelings toward him. But knowing that they
could never be together, she had closed her heart to such an
impossible dream.
So why was she so upset now? Suddenly, Miss Pendleton
realized that she was fidgeting with the pearl pendant around
her neck. This was an answer enough, and she knew that her
feelings for him were more intense than she had realized. Her
heart was trying to hope again.
Caressing the violet flower engraved on the pendant, Miss
Pendleton renewed her determination. Mr. Dalton was no
longer interested in her, so she needed to end her feelings for
him as well. Falling in love with someone beyond her reach
would only bring pain. She has seen plenty of examples of
such tragedy, so it was time for her to return to reality.
“Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton jolted and turned to find Ian Dalton
standing next to her.
“Mr. Dalton…!” She looked at him in shock while he kept a
blank face. Miss Pendleton quickly realized that he was a little
thinner than before. Could it be that he has been sick while
away?
Mr. Dalton gazed at her with his dark eyes for a moment
before handing her something.
“Oh my.” Miss Pendleton blushed when she saw the
feather in his hand. It was the feather that must’ve fallen
from her hat.
“Don’t worry. I caught it before it fell on the floor.”
Miss Pendleton accepted it, her face turning even redder
from embarrassment. She couldn’t believe that she made
such a silly mistake. A faint smile appeared on his lips when
he saw her blush.
“It has been a long time, Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes, indeed.”
 “Have you been well?” Mr. Dalton asked.
Miss Pendleton nodded, but both of them knew that it was
a lie.
Mr. Dalton announced, “I’m glad to hear that. You didn’t
return to us, so the ladies are looking for you.”
It was surprising that Ian Dalton volunteered to be an
errand boy for the ladies. In the past, he wouldn’t have been
so obliging.
“Goodness, I’ve inconvenienced you, Mr.
Dalton.”
“Not at all. It brings me great joy to serve the ladies. I
believe it was you who taught me the pleasure of having a
friendship with a lady.”
Miss Pendleton remained quiet. To escort her back to the
group, Mr. Dalton offered her his arm. She took it, and they
began walking back to the reserved seats where Miss Lance
and the rest were waiting.
“How did you fare in Whitefield?” asked Miss Pendleton.
“It wasn’t very pleasant. I was very busy trying to get all
the overdue work done.”
“I suppose one’s duties come first before pleasure. But the
fact that you’ve returned to London must mean you were
successful in completing all of your work. Am I correct?”
“In a way. I just felt very eager to come to London. I’m
afraid that Whitefield didn’t feel as cozy as before,” Mr.
Dalton replied.
 “Oh, why was that? You loved Whitefield more than
anything.”
“Well, I believe that my previous stay in London must’ve
affected me in a certain way. For example, I think I missed
socializing with people like Mr. Morton and his wife. After
watching such a harmonious life of a husband and wife, I felt
unbearably lonely alone in Whitefield.”
Mr. Dalton suddenly stopped and asked, “I have a request I
would like to make. Would you mind if we take a stroll over
there?”
“But the other ladies must be waiting for us.
“It will only take three minutes for me to explain.”
Miss Pendleton nodded, and they began walking away
from the crowd. As they strolled among the large trees, Mr.
Dalton seemed hesitant to begin. But after some time, he
finally opened his mouth.
“During the entire time I was back home, I thought about
what you said to me. I’m talking about the topic of soulmates
and the life of harmony between a man and a woman. Yes,
perhaps I was moved by what you told me. Whitefield needs a
mistress, and that is exactly why I came to London.”
Miss Pendleton could barely breathe. She couldn’t even
guess what Mr. Dalton was about to say to her. If she hadn’t
seen how he interacted with Miss Lance earlier, she might
have guessed that he was going to propose to her again. But at
the moment, she felt clueless.
 Mr. Dalton stopped walking again. Looking down at her
with a serious expression, he continued, “Miss Pendleton, I
have realized how lonely I have been after meeting you. I need
a wife, and you’re the only one who can help me find one.”
 Chapter 45

Miss Pendleton looked at him in surprise. Mr. Dalton

continued, “I’m sure you’re aware of what blunt and strange
personality I possess. But I want to appear to be a good
husband material to the ladies, so please help me find a wife,
Miss Pendleton. Please make me look attractive to the ladies
so that I can get married by the end of this year.”
Miss Pendleton became speechless. She couldn’t believe
that Mr. Dalton was asking her to find him a wife. Was he
hiding his feelings for her right now, or…
Did I really misunderstand what he meant on that day in the
forest?
She became terribly embarrassed. She had firmly believed
that Ian Dalton was in love with her, and she had done many
things to deter his advances. But it turned out that she
misunderstood the entire situation. Even worse, she was
certain that Mr. Dalton noticed her mistake. She couldn’t
have been more humiliated.
But Miss Pendleton quickly found her calm. Based on her
experience, the best thing she could do to protect her
composure was to act naturally as if nothing had happened.
 “I’m happy that you have changed your mind, Mr. Dalton.
I’ll help you as best as I can.
Mr. Dalton finally smiled. “Thank you, Miss Pendleton.”
“Mr. Fairfax has made the same request to me to aid you in
the past, and I have already agreed to help. Mr. Fairfax
thanked me in advance, so you don’t owe me any thanks, Mr.
Dalton. I’m very happy that I finally got to keep my promise.
Miss Pendleton hid her confusion perfectly with her
elegant demeanor. Mr. Dalton, doing an excellent job himself
hiding his ulterior motive, asked, “Do you think I’ll be able to
take a wife and return to Whitefield before the end of this
year?”
“Of course. I’m certain that you’ll be able to capture the
heart of any lady you desire. Hmm, why don’t you try to look
for someone at Miss Lance’s upcoming ball? Or do you
already have a lady you fancy?”
“Well, I’m indeed interested in one particular lady, but I’m
still in the process of approaching her carefully. I don’t feel
very confident about myself just yet,” Mr. Dalton answered.
Miss Pendleton suspected that this said lady may be Miss
Lance, but she didn’t voice her opinion. “Then this ball would
give you a perfect opportunity. Why don’t you ask this lady to
dance with you? Ah, do you remember the waltz steps I taught
you before?”
“I do, but unfortunately, my waltz skills haven’t improved
one bit since your tutoring, Mr. Pendleton.”
 Miss Pendleton laughed. “If you wish to fall in love in our
society, you must know how to dance, Mr. Dalton.”
“I’ve never really thought seriously about dancing.”
“Since you’ve decided to become serious about love, it’s
time for you to learn to dance properly. There’s nothing
better than a romantic dance to begin new love.”
“Why is that?” asked Mr. Dalton.
“Dancing with someone means you’re sharing an intimate
moment with that person. You’re concentrating to make sure
your steps are in sync with your partner. Perhaps it’s not too
different from how a marriage works.”
Mr. Dalton became quiet for a moment. In his head, he
remembered dancing with a beautiful lady with gray eyes not
too long ago. He requested, “Then please teach me the waltz
and other dances. If you’re my teacher, I’m certain I won’t get
bored.”
Miss Pendleton studied his face carefully to find that there
was only a smooth smile. She couldn’t sense any passion in
him, and she realized that all he felt for her was friendship.
Her heart still pounded a little, but ignoring it expertly, she
replied, “Of course. I’m happy to help at any time. You’ll be
on the top of my dance card, Mr. Dalton. After all, you’re an
excellent friend me.
Mr. Dalton looked down at her for a moment as if he
wanted to say something. But he closed his mouth quickly and
offered her his hand. Miss Pendleton looked at his hand
before gently putting hers on top.
 “You’re also a kind friend to me, Miss Pendleton.” Mr.
Dalton kissed her hand.
Mr. Dalton escorted her back to the other ladies. By then,
the rowers had already finished the competition and were
returning to the shore with tired faces.
“Mr. Dalton! What took you so long? Cambridge won!”
Miss Lance yelled the moment they returned.
Mr. Dalton sat down next to Miss Lance, and Miss
Pendleton watched the two of them together. Miss Lance’s
cheeks were flushed as she clapped while Mr. Dalton watched
her with a smile.
Mr. Dalton and Miss Lance would make a wonderful couple.
Now, hell be able to lead the fulfilling life he deserves. I’m the one
who introduced them to each other, and they’ll have their happy
ending.
Miss Pendleton tried to be happy for them. She did her best
to suppress the overwhelming pain that refused to be
subdued.

***

After Miss Pendleton returned home, she changed and

immediately went to her grandmother’s room. Inside, Lady
Abigail was accompanied only by her personal maid. It
seemed that her uncle was out at the moment. Feeling
relieved, Miss Pendleton allowed the maid to take a break. For
the last several days, Miss Pendleton hasn’t been able to
spend any time with her grandmother because her uncle kept
kicking her out.
Miss Pendleton sat down next to Lady Abigale, who was
sleeping in her bed. She leaned to hear that her
grandmother’s breathing was shallow. It seemed that just the
act of sleeping was difficult for her.
Deeply saddened, Miss Pendleton slumped a little. She
caressed her grandmother’s hair gently, and Lady Abigail
opened her eyes. She murmured, “You’re back.”
“Yes, Grandmother.” Miss Pendleton smiled.
As always, Lady Abigail inquired about the social event her
granddaughter attended. “How was the rowing
competition?”
Miss Pendleton aptly described the event so that her
grandmother could picture it. She talked about what people
wore, what new people arrived, and how her grandmother’s
close acquaintances were faring. She also told Lady Abigail
about which team people betted the most on, and how some
reacted when they lost. She explained in detail, knowing that
these descriptions would make her grandmother laugh.
But today, Lady Abigail didn’t even smile. She only gazed
at her granddaughter’s face, and noticing the worry and
thoughtfulness in Lady Abigail’s eyes, Miss Pendleton
finished her story awkwardly.
“It must be very hard for you, isn’t it?” asked Lady Abigail.
Miss Pendleton instinctively touched her cheek, realizing
that her grandmother had noticed her gaunt and pale
complexion. But Miss Pendleton was used to lying. She shook
her head without a word.
“You always do this. Even though you’re suffering, you
never show it and endure it by yourself. But if you do that, no
one will know how you feel.”
“That’s why I’m not showing it,” Miss Pendleton joked
with a smile. But her smile wasn’t genuine. Instead, it was
that of a disheartened person. The truth was, Miss Pendleton
was exhausted. She didn’t mind meeting with Miss Jensen
often, but everything else that happened since her uncle’s
arrival has been difficult to handle. Her grandmother’s health
was deteriorating, and both her uncle and Charles looked
down at her as if she was nothing more than a bug to be
crushed.
Miss Pendleton knew it was going to be all over someday,
but even so, she couldn’t make herself welcome the idea.
After all, the end of her current life would be accompanied by
her grandmother’s death.
“You won’t have to wait too much longer, Laura.”
“Grandmother… ”
“It won’t be long. I can feel it.”
Miss Pendleton looked at her grandmother quietly. She
couldn’t say a word; only a drop of tear rolled down from her
eye. After a long silence, she finally answered, “Grandmother,
I’m enduring everything for you. I’m doing everything to
make you happy. I love you… enough to do anything for you.
So please do not speak of the end to console me. You know
what you mean to me. I’ll be losing my parents all over
again.”
Suddenly, Miss Pendleton burst into tears. She covered her
eyes and began to sob while her grandmother watched
quietly. Lady Abigail wanted to pat her granddaughter’s back
to comfort her, but she didn’t have the energy to do so.
Miss Pendleton quickly regained her composure. It didn’t
take long before she returned to her usual calm self, and Lady
Abigail watched in bitterness.
“Laura, when you parted with your father, you cried for
days. I had to comfort you every night in my bed, but now…
You can’t even cry when you want to, Child. Yes, you’ve
become a perfect lady.”
Indeed, Miss Pendleton became something society
expected a proper lady to be. She was like an artificial flower,
but she had no other choice. To survive in this harsh society,
she had to suppress all of her emotions. Miss Pendleton made
a great effort to gain control over herself, which required
ignoring her feelings.
“You’ll have to endure it just a little while longer, Laura.
Just a little bit more, and I’m going to compensate you. I’m
going to make up for the past twelve years of your life,” Lady
Abigail promised.
Her grandmother’s words sent a shiver down Miss
Pendleton’s spine. She became anxious that perhaps Lady
Abigail’s illness had spread to her mind. Her grandmother
has been physically sick for a long time, but her mind has
always remained clear.
Worried, Miss Pendleton put her hand on Lady Abigail’s
forehead. Just then, the door opened.
“Mother, I’m back… Ah, Laura, you’re here.” Gerald
Pendleton greeted Miss Pendleton unhappily. Miss Pendleton
rose immediately and curtsied,
“Since I’m back, you may go now,” her uncle announced.
Miss Pendleton turned toward her grandmother, who
nodded. Her grandmother wanted her to obey her uncle, and
although Miss Pendleton didn’t like the idea, she left quietly.
She was about to enter her room when she heard the door
open behind her. She turned to see that her uncle followed her
out.
“I heard you went to see the rowing competition with Miss
Jensen.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“I’m sure you treated her with great respect.”
Miss Pendleton nodded, and her uncle asked her various
questions about Miss Jensen. He wanted to know the mood
her future daughter-in-law was in and what kind of things
she said. He also inquired about whether or not any
gentleman approached Miss Jensen.
After Miss Pendleton answered all of his questions meekly,
he asked, “So I hear Tom Pryce proposed to you.”
Miss Pendleton’s cheeks turned red. It wasn’t from
shyness but from humiliation. She replied, “Yes.”
“And you refused?”
 Chapter 46

Miss Pendleton nodded. Her uncle seemed puzzled as he

asked, “Why?”
“Because I do not wish to become his wife.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t feel anything for him other than respect for an
elder.”
Gerald Pendleton watched his niece’s face. He studied her
eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, ears, and even her hair. He examined
her as if she was a product. Although Miss Pendleton felt
insulted by his action, she tolerated it.
Soon, her uncle replied, “I can understand why you would
feel vain about yourself, but it’s not a good idea for you to be
so calculating. You’re a bastard child and you have no dowry.
And as I said before, you better not expect anything from
me.”
Keeping her calm as best as she can, Miss Pendleton
answered, “Please don’t worry. I’ve never once expected
anything from you.
“Then why didn’t you accept Tom’s proposal?”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “This is my personal
decision. I’m not obligated to explain myself to you.”
 “Insolent wench.”
“My apologies, Uncle.” After a dry apology, Miss
Pendleton continued, “But as a gracious gentleman, I’m sure
you understand. A lady has the right to refuse a marriage
proposal, and her decision must be respected. I’m sorry to be
rude, but I must remind you that I’m still a lady. So please
respect my rights, Uncle.”
Gerald Pendleton glared at his niece for a moment. It was
clear that her words had offended him greatly, but everything
Miss Pendleton claimed was true. The biggest right a lady
held in society was her entitlement to refuse any suitors. And
no proper gentleman was allowed to question a lady’s
decision.
Just as Miss Pendleton expected, her uncle backed away.
He responded, “You don’t have to remind me of my
gentlemanly responsibility, Laura Pendleton. I know a lady’s
rights just as well as you. But I’ll give you advice as your
uncle. Some ladies may succeed in raising their worth by
rejecting multiple marriage offers, but this won’t be the case
for you. Tom Pryce is indeed much older than you, but you
should be grateful that he’s interested in you. Stop playing
hard to get and accept his proposal.”
Her uncle returned to her grandmother’s room. Miss
Pendleton stood in the hallway for a moment, the feeling of
being humiliated swirling inside of her most unpleasantly.
Did both Mr. Pryce and her uncle believe she was doing this to
increase her value in the marriage market? Just because she
has passed her prime marriageable age and she was
penniless?
Miss Pendleton bit her lip. No matter what they said, they
were never going to change her mind about marriage. Just as
she planned on never entering a marriage that was beyond
her worth, she would never sell herself to the highest bidder.
Marrying a man who she couldn’t connect emotionally with
was going to be a huge mistake. After all, she had seen so
many miserable marriages because of this very reason.
With a sigh, Miss Pendleton returned to her room.

***

“Now, what do you think about this one, Miss Pendleton?”

Miss Jensen stepped toward Miss Pendleton and twirled. Miss
Pendleton, who was sitting on a sofa, studied the dress
pensively. It was a red satin dress with black feathers in
various places, and it came with a matching red hat with a
black veil.
“It looks like an opera costume,” Miss Pendleton
answered.
Miss Jensen threw the hat on the bed and lay down on it in
frustration. The rustling sound of the crumpling dress filled
the room as her weight crushed it.
Miss Pendleton warned, “You’re going to ruin that dress.”
“What does it matter? I can’t wear it outside anyway.”
Miss Jensen grumbled. “When I decided to bring it here, I
thought it would be perfect for London society. Same for the
yellow satin dress, black evening dress, and green bustle-
style dress! These are considered very tame in New York, so I
can’t believe you think they look like costumes! ”
“Tame…? I don’t know anything about New York society,
but I can tell that it must be an extravagant place.” Miss
Pendleton’s voice sounded weak as she mumbled.
When Miss Jensen asked her to look at her dresses for
tomorrow’s ball, Miss Pendleton believed her role would be
simple. She expected to just look at a few dresses and
compliment her. But this was before she saw what the dresses
from Miss Jensen’s trunk looked like.
Miss Pendleton thought about all the dresses Miss Jense
showcased today. The yellow satin dress was adorned with
white net-like accessories while the black evening dress was
filled with blood-red embroideries. The green bustle-style
outfit boasted a prominent rose-shaped decoration.
Every single one of them looked too bold. At first, when
Miss Jensen walked out in one of these dresses, Miss
Pendleton laughed because she thought it was a joke. But
when she realized that Miss Jensen was serious, she became
troubled. Every dress made her speechless because they
looked like stage costumes.
This was a huge problem. A good dress was a must for a
ball, yet all of Miss Jensen’s dresses were going to make a
great target for ridicule. The problem was that it was going to
be impossible to custom-make a new dress for her. All of the
dressmakers in London were fully reserved. There wasn’t any
place Miss Jensen could purchase a decent dress from.
Miss Pendleton was feeling troubled when a middle-aged
woman walked in. She announced, “Ah, Miss Pendleton. You
came!
Still lying on the bed, Miss Jensen made the introduction.
“This is my godfather’s younger sister, Mrs. Nazeley.”
“Hello, Mrs. Nazeley,” Miss Pendleton greeted.
“M…my goodness! N…nice to meet you, Miss Pendleton! I
can’t believe you really came to my humble residence…”
Middleaged Mrs. Nazeley seemed flustered. She was a
nouveau riche gentry living on the outer edge of London.
Having Miss Pendleton, a member of the Pendleton family,
from Grosvenor Street was like having royalty in her house.
Miss Pendleton replied, “I’m grateful to be here. In fact, I
must apologize for intruding when you, the mistress of this
residence, wasn’t even present…”
“Not at all! Not at all! If I had known about your visit, I
would’ve made proper preparations and served you better. I
pray that my servants didn’t act rudely toward you…
“They have treated me grandly, so please don’t worry,”
Miss Pendleton reassured Mrs. Nazeley.
Miss Jensen interrupted, “That’s right, Mrs. Nazeley. Calm
down, already. If you keep acting like this, you’re going to
make Miss Pendleton feel uncomfortable. Stop it already and
please fix my dress problem. I’m in a disastrous situation.”
“Hmm? What’s wrong?” asked Mrs.
 Nazeley.
“Miss Pendleton informed me that none of these dresses
will work.”
“But why not? All of them looked very pretty.”
“Apparently, they do not fit London society,” Miss Jensen
explained.
“Really? Hmm, that’s strange. I wore similar dresses when
I first made my debut, and everything went fine.”
“When did you make your debut, Mrs.
Nazeley?” asked Miss Jensen.
“About thirty years ago?”
“Jesus, that long ago?”
“Yes, it was right after I got married.” Mrs. Nazeley
reminisced. After her husband suddenly became rich thanks
to his publishing company, she was able to make a debut in
high society. But sadly, she was ridiculed and insulted. She
thought money could buy her a place among the noble ladies,
but no matter how hard she worked, the nobles only saw her
as a nouveau riche and nothing more.
Mrs. Nazeley was wise enough to quickly give up on high
society. Instead, she chose comfort by deciding to spend her
time with other gentry ladies in a similar situation. But even
so, Mrs. Nazeley couldn’t help yearning for a life among the
nobles. Every time she saw high-born ladies like Miss
Pendleton, her envy resurfaced.
Too shy to look straight into Miss Pendleton’s eyes, Mrs.
Nazeley furtively glanced at her. While Mrs. Nazeley and Miss
Jensen chatted, Miss Pendleton came up with a solution. She
asked, “Mrs. Nazeley, do you have a talented seamstress in
your household?”
At such an unexpected question, Mrs. Nazeley stammered,
“A…ah… Umm… We do have one working in our laundry room
who’s good with her hands, but… I’m not sure if she’s
talented enough to make a dress…”
“If you don’t mind, could you summon her?”
Mrs. Nazeley immediately ordered her servant to bring
them the seamstress. Meanwhile, Miss Pendleton walked into
Miss Jensen’s dressing room. She grabbed the yellow satin
dress that was thrown on the floor haphazardly.
Miss Pendleton suggested, “Let’s take off all of the net
decorations from this yellow dress. Then, we’ll try to place a
different ornament.”
Miss Jensen, who was still lying on the bed, sat up. “A
different ornament? You mean we should recycle this dress?”
“Yes, since we don’t have much time, this is our best
option.”
With a quiet knock, a middle-aged maid walked in. It was
the seamstress Miss Pendleton requested. Miss Pendleton
asked the woman to take off all of the ornaments on the
yellow dress. While the seamstress began working, Miss
Pendleton opened the small trunk she brought from home.
Inside, there were various laces, frills, mesh, and a needle
case.
“Miss Pendleton, what are all these?” asked Miss Jensen.
 “These are the materials I use to recycle my own dresses.”
“You recycle them? You don’t just get new ones made?”
“It’s rare for me to throw away a dress unless it becomes
unwearable,” Miss Pendleton explained.
The seamstress took off all of the ornaments as ordered.
Once they were gone, the yellow satin dress looked very
ordinary. Miss Pendleton studied in carefully and looked
through the strips of laces she brought. After pondering for a
moment, she tried putting a few extravagant laces on the
dress.
Everyone in the room watched in silence. Miss Pendleton
tried on the laces with roses and camellia flowers back and
forth before making the decision. “The camellia flower lace
would be the best. It goes well with the dress material, and it
is the best quality lace I have. Now, please sew this on the
edges of this dress.”
The seamstress got to work immediately. Meanwhile, Miss
Pendleton returned to Miss Jensen’s dressing room to go
through her trunk. Within ten minutes, she selected a pair of
gloves, shoes, and a hair accessory that would go well with
the dress.
The seamstress quickly sewed the elegant lace on the dress
where the gaudy net decorations used to be a moment ago.
When it was done, Miss Pendleton handed the dress and all
the rest of the outfit to Miss Jensen to try.
A moment later, Miss Jensen walked out of her dressing
room. She looked completely different from earlier. The
yellow satin dress now looked charming with the camellia
flower lace. The pearlcolored ball gloves embedded with tiny
jewels, the adorable black shoes with yellow ribbons, and the
rose-shaped silver hairpin went perfectly with the newly
upcycled dress.
Mrs. Nazeley shouted, “Goodness! Joanne, you look like a
completely different woman!
Miss Jensen covered her lips and laughed. “Oh, really?
Heavens, at this rate, I might get pursued by another London
gentleman!”
Mrs. Nazeley laughed loudly. Still quiet, Miss Pendleton
examined Miss Jensen’s outfit. She quickly returned to the
dressing room before coming out with a transparent shawl
and a diamond broach.
Miss Pendleton pinned the broach on the yellow dress and
helped Miss Jensen put on the shawl around her shoulders.
She then took a step back to look, finally satisfied that the
dress looked even classier and more luxurious.
Miss Pendleton thought in satisfaction.
Yes, this is a perfect ballroom look.
 Chapter 47

“You’re ready to attend the ball now,” Miss Pendleton

announced.
Miss Jensen dashed to her dressing room. She was
pleasantly surprised to see a proper lady she has always
wanted to be in the mirror. She not only looked aristocratic,
but she also couldn’t have been any more beautiful. Miss
Jensen clapped so loudly that the sound rang inside the room.
“You fixed it, Miss Pendleton! I finally have the perfect
dress. Thank you! Thank you so much!” Miss Jensen
exclaimed.
Feeling proud, Miss Pendleton sat down on the sofa. Mrs.
Nazeley, who was standing nearby, gazed at Miss Pendleton
as if she was a goddess. Mrs. Nazeley couldn’t believe how
aptly Miss Pendleton solved this impossible problem. It was
no wonder she was a high-born lady.
Mrs. Nazeley sat down next to Miss Pendleton. Clasping
her hands tightly, she requested, “Miss Pendleton, I would
appreciate it if you stay for dinner tonight.”
Miss Pendleton refused politely, afraid that she might
bump into Mr. Pryce. Thankfully at the moment, he was out of
the house. But it was very possible she might have to face him
if she stayed for dinner.
Miss Jensen, who heard their conversation, rushed out of
the dressing room. “Why not? Miss Pendleton, please stay for
dinner! Please?”
“No, I need to go check on my grandmother, and I also
need to prepare for tomorrow’s ball…”
“Oh, come on! You helped me so much, so you need to let
me thank you,” Miss Jensen insisted.
Mrs. Nazeley added, “Indeed. Miss Pendleton, please stay.
I know my humble home might not offer you a dinner
befitting your station, but our cook is actually quite famous in
this neighborhood. So please don’t worry that the food might
not be up to your standard.”
“Mrs. Nazeley, I…I never thought of such a thing. It’s
just…” Miss Pendleton tried to come up with more excuses,
but she failed. When she became quiet, Miss Jensen and Mrs.
Nazeley each took Miss Pendleton’s arms and begged. The
two women chirped incessantly like the morning birds.
Miss Pendleton refused a few more times, but the women
were determined. She was stuck having to choose between the
possibility of seeing Mr. Pryce and rudely refusing the dinner
invitation, and in the end, she had to choose the former.
“…Alright, I’ll stay.”
Miss Jensen exclaimed with joy and shook Miss
Pendleton’s hand hard. Mrs. Nazeley quickly ran out to the
kitchen to order a feast. She was dead set on making sure not
to disappoint Miss Pendleton.
Shortly after, Miss Pendleton sat down at the dinner table
with the two ladies. She was treated with an extreme
cordiality she hasn’t experienced in a very long time. There
were only three of them for dinner, yet the cook brought out a
roasted goose, turtle soup, and even a bottle of expensive
wine. Every five minutes, Mrs. Nazeley asked Miss Pendleton
if there was anything she wanted. Miss Jensen also remained
very attentive to Miss Pendleton during the entire night.
Miss Pendleton felt a little overwhelmed by their
staggering reception, but she found the food enjoyable. Miss
Jensen’s jokes were entertaining as well. Miss Pendleton had
been the mistress of her household for a long time, so she was
only used to hosting others. It has been a long time since she
was a welcomed guest in someone else’s house.
After dinner, Miss Jensen took Miss Pendleton to the
reception hall. There, Miss Jensen sat down at the piano,
promising to treat Miss Pendleton to a performance. Miss
Jensen asked Miss Pendleton for her favorite song.
Miss Pendleton requested her favorite sonata by Franz
Liszt. To her surprise, Miss Jensen began playing the piece
gracefully. While Miss Pendleton enjoyed the music, she
drank the tea Mrs. Nazeley offered.
Miss Pendleton instantly came to like Mrs. Nazeley, and
she also became very fond of Miss Jensen. After the rowing
competition, Miss Jensen became fast friends with Miss
Lance. She was now invited to many tea parties, and she was
always welcomed to Miss Lance’s parties.
This meant that Miss Jensen no longer needed Miss
Pendleton. Miss Pendleton was a spinster who was soon going
to leave society, so it would’ve been more advantageous for
Miss Jensen to invest her time in young up-and-coming
ladies her age.
Yet Miss Jensen still visited the Pendleton townhouse
often to spend time with Miss Pendleton. She gifted Miss
Pendleton with candies she brought from America, and she
requested them to stroll in Hyde Park together. Miss Jensen
was making it clear that she wanted to become Miss
Pendleton’s friend.
Having a cheerful lady such as Miss Jensen brought great
comfort to Miss Pendleton, who was going through a lot of
stress lately. Lady Abigail’s health has been worsening by the
day, and every time she bumped into her uncle, he bullied her
in the most resentful manner. Charles, who was busy
wandering London most days and nights, was caught eyeing
the young maids more than once.
Everyone in her house was causing her to become
exhausted, so such generous treatment by Miss Jensen and
Mrs.
Nazeley made her feel rested. Listening to Miss Jensen’s
excellent piano and being fed cookies and compliments by
Mrs.
Nazeley, Miss Pendleton felt comforted.
 At least until Mrs. Nazeley asked a shocking question. “By
the way, Miss Pendleton…”
“Yes, Mrs. Nazeley?”
After glancing at Miss Jensen for a moment, Mrs. Nazeley
leaned toward Miss Pendleton and asked, “When do you plan
on accepting my brother’s proposal?”
Miss Pendleton couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
“Pardon?”
“I am asking when you’ll accept my brother’s proposal.”
Mrs. Nazeley asked in a clear voice.
Miss Pendleton froze, but oblivious Mrs. Nazeley
continued, “I heard everything from my brother. He
explained that he has been courting you for a long time. And I
hear that you aren’t uninterested either.”
Miss Pendleton felt dizzy at such an unexpected question.
She quickly put the teacup down on the table. “Excuse me,
Mrs. Nazenely, but I don’t understand…”
“Oh, am I not supposed to talk about this? But Miss
Pendleton, my brother is almost in his mid-fifties. It
wouldn’t be a surprise if he passes away at any time now. If
you drag this out for too long, then…”
“Mrs. Nazeley!”
Miss Pendleton and Mrs. Nazeley jolted when Miss Jensen
yelled in shock. Miss Jensen had stopped playing the piano
and was staring at Mrs. Nazeley. She admonished, “I told you
to be careful of what you say in front of Miss Pendleton! She’s
a lady!”
 Mrs. Nazeley seemed to realize her mistake. “I…I’m sorry,
Joanne.”
“Good heavens, this is terrible. You have embarrassed
Miss Pendleton to no end. How could you be so careless?!”
Mrs. Nazeley turned red from being scolded by a woman
young enough to be her daughter. She argued, “But Joanne,
you’re too young to understand. And Miss Pendleton is still
unmarried, which means she probably doesn’t understand
either. I’m the only one married here. I have been married
long enough to give you useful advice. It’s always more
advantageous for a woman to get married as quickly as
possible if she finds the right man.”
“W…wait.” Miss Pendleton interrupted. Miss Jensen and
Mrs. Nazeley turned toward her, and Miss Pendleton
continued, “I think you two misunderstood the situation. Mr.
Pryce indeed proposed to me, but I refused him. I don’t know
how Mr. Pryce described the situation, but I made it very clear
to him that I can’t marry him.”
Mrs. Nazeley laughed awkwardly. “Miss Pendleton, I can
understand that it might feel embarrassing to marry a man
old enough to be your father. But we’re all very grateful to
you. Isn’t that right, Joanne?”
Miss Jensen no longer looked troubled. Instead, she turned
toward Miss Pendleton with a smooth smile. “Of course. Miss
Pendleton, I didn’t mention anything before because I didn’t
want to embarrass you, but our whole family is enamored by
you. After all, you’re rescuing my godfather in his twilight
years. You must be a warm-hearted generous lady. We’re all
grateful that someone like you will become my godfather’s
wife.”
Miss Pendleton looked at Miss Jensen and Mrs. Nazeley
back and forth. She was aghast that they believed she was
going to marry Mr. Pryce. She felt like she had the right to
become furious. But instead, her heart turned cold like it
always did when she faced an impossible situation.
Miss Pendleton replied, “Mrs. Nazeley, Miss Jensen, I’m
sorry to tell you this despite the fact that you treated me so
bountifully today. But I must. I have never treated Mr. Pryce
as a man. When he proposed to me, all I felt was confusion
and shock. I…”
“But Miss Pendleton, the thing is…”
“Mrs. Nazeley, please listen. If he had asked me to become
his nurse or a governess for his children, I might have
accepted. But I will never become his wife. This kind of
marriage is something I’ve spent my entire life trying to
avoid. Marrying Mr. Pryce would be going against my nature
and belief. If you mention this topic again, I will feel very
insulted.”
An awkward silence fell in the reception hall. Mrs. Nazeley
and Miss Jensen looked at Miss Pendleton, who returned their
gaze unwaveringly. Soon, they realized that Miss Pendleton
wasn’t playing coy.
The silence lasted long. It was Mrs. Nazeley who broke it
by ordering the servant to take away the refreshments. Then
her shoulders slumped, she left without a word. Miss Jensen,
on the other hand, was looking down at the piano keys. She
seemed to have turned very thoughtful.
From what happened just now, Miss Pendleton now
understood Miss Jensen’s friendliness toward her. Miss
Jensen had been kind to her as the future wife of Mr. Pryce.
Miss Pendleton couldn’t help but feel resentment toward Mr.
Pryce. She made it very clear in her rejection, so why did he
make these women hope?
Unable to stay in Mrs. Nazeley’s place anymore, Miss
Pendleton rose. “I should take my leave now. Please forgive
my rudeness, and… Please let Mrs. Nazeley know how
apologetic I am to leave without saying goodbye.”
“Wait, Miss Pendleton!” Miss Jensen rose and stopped
Miss Pendleton from leaving the reception hall. “Please take
our family carriage. I’ll take you back to your home.”
“Please don’t mind me. I can return home on my own.
“No, I want to ride with you because I need to talk to you in
private. I don’t think you’ll feel comfortable talking about it
here. Please give me a minute. I’ll just go grab my coat.”
After ordering a servant to prepare the carriage, Miss
Jensen ran upstairs. She came down with a thin cape, and the
two women got into the carriage. When they took their seats,
the carriage jolted before moving slowly.
 Chapter 48

When the carriage began moving, Miss Jensen opened her

lips. “Firstly, I want you to know that I have no intention of
getting involved in the situation between my godfather and
you, Miss Pendleton. I don’t plan on trying to convince you to
do anything either. I do not wish to make you feel pressured.
You have shown me great kindness, and I’m not awful enough
to repay you with such vulgarity.”
Miss Pendleton was a little surprised. She believed Miss
Jensen was going to try to change her mind. She replied,
“Thank you for respecting my decision.”
“I’m sure you know how much I care about my godfather.
He’s like my father. In fact, I’m closer to him than my own
father, which is why I have the duty to rescue him from
embarrassing himself.”
Miss Pendleton became confused by Miss Jensen’s grim
tone.
Miss Jensen continued, “Miss Pendleton, I swear this will
be the last time I ask you this question. Do you really have no
feelings for my godfather?”
“None, Miss Jensen.”
 Miss Jensen sighed and rubbed her forehead. She
mumbled, “Then what were those two men trying to do…?”
Miss Jensen remained quiet for a while. It looked like she
was thinking hard about something, and Miss Pendleton
waited patiently. Soon, Miss Jensen began, “Miss Pendleton,
my godfather is planning to propose to you publicly at the ball
tomorrow.”
Miss Pendleton gaped as Miss Jensen explained, “My
godfather has been very busy lately. He made great
preparations to show his love for you by finding the most
extravagant way to propose. He believes that simple flowers
and words won’t be enough to protect your pride.”
“Oh my goodness, Miss Jensen, I…”
“Yes, I know. Based on what you said earlier, I think I have
a good understanding of what’s going on. It’s clear that you
don’t feel anything for my godfather. On top of that, it sounds
like his courtship has been troubling you. I know my
godfather. Once he sets his mind on something, he’s like a
stubborn bull. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. I
can see that he has made you suffer, Miss Pendleton.”
“It’s true that he has caused me trouble, but… I need you
to know that I have no ill feelings toward Mr. Pryce. If things
hadn’t progressed this way, I might have even formed a great
respect for him. After all, he’s a good person.”
“Yes, he is. And he should’ve left it at that. He should’ve
remained a respected elder to you instead of dragging this out
into a relationship between a man and woman… Goodness, I
don’t know what to do. How am I going to tell him?”
Miss Jensen grabbed her forehead again. She looked very
troubled and miserable. Miss Pendleton, on the other hand,
was grateful toward Miss Jensen. This was a very tricky
situation, and if Miss Jensen was a careless woman, she might
have sided with her godfather and cornered Miss Pendleton.
But instead, Miss Jensen saw things very objectively, and she
was trying to help Miss Pendleton fix this problem.
“First, I’ll do my best to stop my godfather from going
through with his plan tomorrow. Umm, how long do we have
left till we reach the Pendleton house?” asked Miss Jensen.
“We’re about a quarter way there.”
“Then we have twenty minutes left. So please indulge me
and listen. As his treasured goddaughter, I would like to
defend him. I don’t believe that this is entirely his fault.”
Miss Pendleton gave her a dubious nod. “Go ahead, Miss
Jensen.”
Miss Jensen sighed. “To be honest, I’ve known about you
long before I left America, Miss Pendleton.”
“Me?”
“Yes. We began hearing about you about six months ago. It
was soon after my godfather first met Mr. Gerald Pendleton.”
Gerald Pendleton visited America to find an investor for
his firstborn son’s shipbuilding business. But instead of
taking his first son, he was accompanied by Charles. As the
second son, Charles didn’t have much to inherit, and Miss
Jensen later learned that Gerald Pendleton wanted to find
Charles a rich wife.
Miss Jensen continued, “After my godfather became
acquainted with Mr. Pendleton, he began mentioning Mr.
Pendleton’s niece often. That would be you, Miss Pendleton.
You were described as a beautiful and sophisticated lady who
was without a husband to protect her. You were supposedly
too shy to find a good marriage prospect.”
It wasn’t long before Mr. Pryce began telling Miss Jensen
of his worries about getting remarried. Because she knew how
lonely her godfather had been after he lost his wife, she
agreed with him that it was a good idea.
Shortly after, Mr. Pryce began redecorating his home. He
also purchased a beautiful carriage ladies liked to ride. Miss
Jensen became confused because her godfather didn’t have a
bride yet, but she soon received an explanation.
Mr. Pryce introduced Gerald and Charles Pendleton to Miss
Jensen. She began having dinner with them often, and there,
Miss Jensen often heard about Miss Pendleton. Mr. Pendleton
made a point of mentioning his niece often to arouse Mr.
Pryce’s interest.
Miss Jensen added, “At first, I was skeptical. You two
haven’t even met and lived so far away. I didn’t think it was
possible for a marriage to be arranged based on another
family member’s words. But slowly, I became convinced. Mr.
Pendleton made it clear that his niece replied in her letters
that she felt favorable toward this arranged marriage. Miss
Pendleton, have you sent such a letter?”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. She was beginning to
understand what must’ve happened. In the past, Mr. Pryce
mentioned that her uncle praised her endlessly. Mr. Pryce
also seemed certain that she would accept his proposal when
he bore his heart to her. Miss Jensen’s story finally confirmed
that her uncle was behind this whole mess.
“But why did my uncle do this? What is it that he gets out
of this?”
“Well, as a person who isn’t directly involved in this
matter, I can’t say for certain. But based on what I’ve seen, I
can make a reasonable guess. You said that Mr. Pendleton
visited America for his son’s shipbuilding business, right? At
first, he asked my godfather to find him an investor. But later
on, Mr. Pendleton asked my godfather directly for an
investment. My godfather refused because he believed that
the business plan was flawed. He didn’t think it could be a
profitable trade. But now, he has changed his mind and is
planning to invest. Why do you think that is?”
The carriage stopped. Miss Pendleton was so engrossed in
Miss Jensen’s story that she hadn’t realized that she was
already home. It turned out that Mr. Pryce’s absurd courtship
was due to her uncle’s encouragement. Gerald Pendleton
meant her to marry Mr. Pryce so that his first son’s
shipbuilding business could get Mr. Pryce’s investment.
 “Miss Pendleton, you must confirm this story with Mr.
Pendleton himself. But I doubt you’ll find out anything new. I
have no choice but to believe that your uncle tried to sell you
to my godfather.”
Miss Pendleton nodded quietly and held Miss Jensen’s
hands. “Thank you for your candor, Miss Jensen. If it wasn’t
for you, Mr. Pryce and I would’ve suffered great humiliation.
And I would’ve come to resent Mr. Pryce. Just now, your
honesty may have saved Mr. Pryce’s honor.”
Miss Jensen shook her head. “I still have much work to do.
I must return home and do my best to convince him that you
aren’t interested in him, Miss Pendleton. I need to stop him
from making a fool of himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if I
have to spend all night trying to change his mind. My
godfather is terribly stubborn.”
When Miss Jensen sighed, Miss Pendleton murmured,
“You must really treasure him, Miss Jensen.”
“Of course. As I said before, he’s like a father to me. I grew
up with his children, and I was at his wife Mrs. Elenor’s
deathbed with them. Before she passed away, she made a
special request for me. She asked me to take care of her rash
and reckless husband at least until he found a new wife. After
what happened, I think I’m going to have to keep my eyes on
him until his passing. I can’t believe he got roped into such a
ridiculous scam.”
The groom opened the carriage door and pulled down the
steps. Miss Pendleton got out quietly.
 Miss Jensen begged, “I hope you still come to the ball
tomorrow, Miss Pendleton. I would appreciate it if you would
give my godfather a chance to apologize. I think he’ll accept
reality only after he talks to you in person.”
Miss Pendleton nodded, and the two of them shook hands
through the window. Soon, the carriage disappeared from
Grosvenor Street. Miss Pendleton stood immobile for a
moment. The Pendleton townhouse was one of the most
gorgeous places on Grosvenor Street. It was so impressive
that an American heiress was willing to travel across the
ocean and marry a man she didn’t even love.
But to Miss Pendleton, this townhouse was a miserable
prison. Based on her conversation with Miss Jensen, she now
understood everything. The nagging feeling that has been
bothering her since her uncle’s arrival was finally confirmed.
It made sense that Mr. Pryce studied her closely on their first
meeting as if she was an item he reserved for purchase. He
had pursued her relentlessly, and he seemed puzzled by her
rejection.
It was all because her uncle promised her to Mr. Pryce.
Miss Pendleton shuddered. Without her knowledge, she
was being talked about like a product to be sold. As the head
of the Pendleton family, her uncle was planning to give her
away to his friend.
Miss Pendleton thought about all the things her uncle told
her since he arrived. He had warned her of the fact that he
won’t be giving her any dowry and that she shouldn’t play
hard to get. She now knew that all of these things were said
with a clear intention. She felt humiliated, remembering the
indignity she suffered because of Mr. Pryce’s actions.
What more does my uncle want from me?
For the right to carry the name “Pendleton,” so many
demands had been made of her. She lived as a perfect lady for
the past twelve years, and in doing so, there were countless
times when she felt angry and hurt. But because she was
trapped in the Pendleton name, she wasn’t even allowed to
express her pain and anger.
And today, Miss Pendleton learned that she was being
asked to sell her body to a man old enough to be her father.
Her outrage at the situation, along with the frustration
that has been building all her life, exploded inside of her.
Gerald Pendleton had mistreated her when she was a child,
and now, he was attempting to use her to advance his family.
He was trying to sell her future away.
Laura’s future.
Miss Pendleton was never going to let him do this. She
entered the house and walked upstairs. She has been banned
from entering the study ever since her uncle arrived, but
tonight, she burst into it.
Inside, the unpleasant smell of a cigar stabbed at her nose.
Miss Pendleton suppressed her cough, squinting to see that
the study was filled with fog-like smoke. Through it, she saw
her uncle Gerald Pendleton.
 Chapter 49

Sitting on the chair across from the door, Gerald Pendleton

had his legs on top of the oak desk and was leisurely smoking
his cigar. When his niece entered without warning, he looked
at her coldly.
“Didn’t you learn how to knock?” he asked icily.
Miss Pendleton walked up to the desk without a word.
After curtsying lightly, she replied, “Please forgive my
rudeness. I needed to see you because I have a question to
ask.”
“I had something to tell you as well, so I’m glad. If what
you have to say isn’t urgent, I’ll go first.”
Miss Pendleton nodded, but it didn’t seem like Gerald
planned on waiting for her answer. He glanced at her without
interest and put his legs down. He placed the cigar on the
ashtray and after resting his arms on the armrest, he ordered,
“Tom will be attending the ball at the Lance residence
tomorrow. You’ll accept his proposal there.”
Miss Pendleton bit her lip, but she kept quiet. Her uncle
continued, “You refused him enough already. You have
protected your pride as a lady, and no one will be able to say
that you took his offer too easily. You will now marry into the
Pryce family and form a family of your own.”
“Uncle, I’ve already given you my answer regarding this
matter. I have refused him as I have the right to do so. And
you, as my uncle, have no right to force me into this marriage.
Even if you promised Mr. Pryce that he could have me, it was
done without my consent. It isn’t considered a valid
contract.”
One of Gerald’s eyebrows turned crooked. “Did you hear
about this from Miss Jensen?”
“I don’t think that matters at this point, Uncle.”
His other eyebrow crinkled as well. He put out his cigar on
the ashtray and looked at his niece up and down. Miss
Pendleton endured his insulting gaze, and after a moment, he
clicked his tongue.
Gerald Pendleton muttered, “I didn’t expect your beauty
to cause this much problem.”
Glaring at her in displeasure, he continued, “As Dolores
Pendleton’s daughter, I assumed you would turn out to be
decent looking. So I have always wondered why you never
managed to get married. I guess you thought you could find a
better man, hm? You must’ve been playing hard to get all this
time, but you must know your place, Laura Pendleton. Your
advanced age, impure bloodline, and lack of wealth make you
undesirable. Tom Pryce is the perfect husband for you. You
should be grateful.”
“What should I be grateful for?”
 “For me to have found you a proper husband. I thought
that once you know you’ll have nowhere to go after your
grandmother dies, you’ll accept his proposal. I had no idea
how naive and vain you’ve become.”
Miss Pendleton bit her lip. “I’m not being calculating
because I depend on my looks or my station. I’ve worked all
my life never to forget my place. The world refused to let me
anyway. I’m well aware of how lacking I am. In fact, I’m
lacking in countless ways.”
“Then why do you keep refusing Tom’s proposal? You
claim to know your place, so why? A man appeared right in
front of your eyes to rescue you, so why? You’re obviously
being too proud.”
“Uncle, I realize that I have many faults. But must you sell
me to a man I don’t love as if I’m a cattle? Am I not even a
person to you, Uncle?”
Gerald Pendleton’s chin turned rigid. “I’m aware that
you’re human. In fact, you’re disgustingly human. If you were
just livestock, I could’ve just thrown you away. I’m resentful
at the fact that you were born human.”
His voice was filled with contempt.
Miss Pendleton replied, “I know. I know how much you
hate me, Uncle. I was the result of my parents’ shameful
union. My existence brings humiliation to this family. You
taught me this when I was only a child, and I’ve never
forgotten it. If I was indeed just a product, you would’ve
thrown me a hundred times.”
 The resentment in his eyes slowly turned into bloodthirst.
“When Mother decided to raise you, I should’ve thrown you
away in an orphanage in the middle of the night without her
knowing. No, even better, I should’ve drowned you in secret
in a nearby stream. If I had known that you would grow up to
be such an ungrateful…!”
“Please do not call me ungrateful. Technically, you have
given me nothing except pain. I was raised with
Grandmother’s love and money. I owe my life to her, but I
owe nothing to you, Uncle.”
Crash!
Miss Pendleton dodged quickly. If she had moved a second
slower, the ashtray would have hit her face. Crouching on the
floor, she turned rigid. A strong sense of deja vu engulfed her.
In her memories, Gerald Pendleton has always been the one
with power. Over the last decade, her painful past faded away,
but at the moment, it was all coming back to her.
“Just because you’ve been living in a fancy townhouse on
Grosvenor Street, wearing silk dresses, and riding luxurious
carriages, do you believe you’re a real noble lady? You’re a
shameful mistake. You’re a dirty secret of House Pendleton.
Every comfort you’ve enjoyed until now was thanks to your
grandmother’s feeble mind.”
Still hunched over in fear, Miss Pendleton listened. The
things he was telling her were the same things she had told
herself over and over again in the past. Just like her uncle, she
has been seeing herself as a source of shame to her family.
She had accepted that her current life had been from the luck
of having a generous grandmother.
As she heard her uncle’s accusations, Miss Pendleton now
realized that her remorseful nature must’ve begun with
Gerald Pendleton. The guilt she has been feeling all her life
was implanted by her own uncle. His harsh words from her
childhood must’ve been embedded deep inside of her.
Miss Pendleton stood up. Her body shook as it
remembered Gerald Pendleton’s abuse from the past, but
instead of running away, she replied, “There was a time when
I believed you. I thought that I have brought shame to this
family. People say that a child must pay for her parents’ sins,
and that is exactly what I did. I carried the burden of my
parents’ mistake. But now, I don’t understand what it is that
my parents did wrong.”
“What?” Gerald Pendleton gritted his teeth. “Your father,
a vagabond, seduced a lady of the Pendleton family. Your
mother, a whore, bore a child out of wedlock. So how could
you believe that they’ve done no wrong? Your sense of
morality must be tainted just like theirs.”
“My parents got married in front of a priest and a witness.
It was a private wedding. On their way to sign the marriage
certificate in Gretna Green, my mother had to stop traveling
because of her severe morning sickness. They planned on
making it official, but they were unable to. My father told me
the whole story and gave me this necklace before he entrusted
me to the Pendleton family. He said that he loved my mother
very much and that they had nothing to hide. They didn’t do
anything wrong.”
“I suppose the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Alright,
let’s go with that story and pretend that your mother didn’t
do anything wrong. But what about your father? He seduced a
noble lady into a secret marriage for her family’s money and
power. Can you really defend that bastard?”
Watching her uncle pant angrily, Miss Pendleton spilled
the true feelings she had been hiding all of her life. “You
aren’t insulting my father because he ran away with my
mother. If she eloped with a nobleman of wealth, you
wouldn’t have gotten that angry. It’s also not because my
father was American. If it was, you wouldn’t be groveling to
your future daughter-in-law, who’s an American herself.”
Gerald Pendleton’s face turned pale in rage, but Miss
Pendleton refused to stop. “You hated my father because he
was poor. You keep claiming that it was about my mother’s
honor, but all you can think about is money. You could never
forgive her because you couldn’t sell my mother for a good
price. You couldn’t sell her just like you’re trying to sell me
now. It wasn’t my parents who brought shame to the
Pendleton family. It was you, Uncle. It was your money-
grubbing nature.”
A tense silence fell in the study. Gerald Pendleton turned
rigid as he glared at his niece. He couldn’t believe that a
useless wench like her called him a money grubber. Suddenly,
he realized how much his niece had grown. The last time he
saw her, she was a tiny child always trembling whenever their
eyes met. But now, she had her head held high and was
talking back to him.
This had to be Lady Abigail’s fault. She had created a
comfortable environment for Laura Pendleton, and it had
caused his vain niece to forget her place. Gerald Pendleton
decided that he needed to set her straight again.
“This is my last warning, Laura Pendleton. You must
accept Tom Pryce’s proposal tomorrow.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “I can’t accept Mr. Pryce’s
proposal, Uncle.”
Gerald Pendleton suddenly grabbed his niece’s wrist
before throwing her on the floor.
Thud!
Miss Pendleton fell helplessly. Her whole body ached, and
when she tried to stand up, her tight corset prevented her
from moving freely. She was still on the floor when Gerald
Pendleton’s shoes appeared in front of her eyes. Miss
Pendleton looked up at him.
“Say it. Tell me that you’ll finally give up the Pendleton
name and take Pryce as your last name. You’re going to go to
America where your father came from.”
“You don’t have the right to do this to me, Uncle.” Miss
Pendleton gritted her teeth. “After Grandmother passed
away, I’m going to leave this place. I won’t accept any money
and I’m going to give up my last name. I’ll live with my
father’s family name instead. You cannot force me to marry…
Ack!”
Gerald Pendleton crushed her hand with his foot. Miss
Pendleton screamed and grabbed her uncle’s ankle.
He whispered, “You filthy rat. Where did you learn to
speak with such insolence?!”
His eyes filled with wrath, he crushed her hand even
harder.
“Ah, Uncle, please…!”
“You’ve been living off of the wealth that’s meant for my
son to inherit. So how dare you speak to me this way? Apology
this very minute. I’m the head of this family, so apologize!”
Miss Pendleton burst into tears. It felt like her hand was
going to break, so she screamed, “Uncle! S…stop…!”
But he refused to listen. He resentfully looked down at his
niece who was trembling in pain. He ordered, “Accept Pryce’s
proposal.”
Miss Pendleton looked up at her uncle, who was glaring at
her as if she was a bug he wanted to crush. It looked like he
not only wanted to break her hand but her whole body.
 Chapter 50

“Say it now. Say that you’ll accept his proposal!”

When her uncle demanded, the burning rage inside Miss
Pendleton faded away helplessly. If he crushed her hand
further and she lost the use of it, how will she survive on her
own? Her whole body cringed in fear.
“Uncle! Please… Hng… Okay, okay. I’ll do as you ask! So
please…!”
Gerald Pendleton finally released her hand. Miss
Pendleton trembled while holding her red hand. Blood finally
began to flow into her fingers, and pain quickly became
replaced with stiffness and numbness. It felt like her hand
turned into a block of wood.
Gerald Pendleton returned to his seat and picked up a new
cigar from his cigarette box. He ordered, “Make sure to put a
lot of effort into your appearance tomorrow. You can go now.
Miss Pendleton staggered out of the study. Her hand was
turning even redder with an imprint of the bottom of his
shoe. She went to her room and threw herself on the bed.
Burying her face on the pillow, she began sobbing.
Misery rained down on her like a tsunami. What happened
in the study opened up the floodgate of memories. Her uncle
had mistreated her terribly when she was just a little girl, and
the feeling of helplessness returned to her.
After leaving the main Pendleton residence, she tried her
best to escape her past. While studying in the boarding school
for seven years, she worked hard to stay at the top of her
class. For twelve years after she graduated, she lived as an
exemplary lady and a helpful member of this society. Miss
Pendleton tried her best to prove her worth. She wanted to
show that she was not the useless mistake her uncle claimed
to be.
She had managed to separate her adulthood from her
despairing childhood, but the violence her uncle committed
tonight shattered all of her efforts until now. Miss Pendleton
felt like she was eight years old again when she ran to her
room after getting hit by an ashtray in the head. At the age of
nine, her uncle accused her of stealing a vase and beat her
harshly. When she was ten, she cried all night after Gerald
Pendleton swore at her in rage.
Miss Pendleton had sworn never to give in to him again.
She believed that she had become strong enough to protect
herself. But in the end, she failed again. Her heart ached as if
it was going to explode. She resented herself for being weak.
She blamed herself for her inability to protect herself from
her uncle’s abuse. The emotional agony she suffered was so
much worse than the throbbing pain in her hand.
Just then, someone knocked on her door, preventing her
from entering deeper into her dark misery. Her face wet with
tears, Miss Pendleton rose. For a moment, she worried that it
might be her uncle. But she knew it couldn’t be. If it was
Gerald Pendleton, he wouldn’t have knocked politely like this.
She wobbled toward the door. When she unlocked and
opened the door, she saw Anne standing with a worried face.
Her loyal maid was holding a bowl of soup on a small tray. She
whispered in a sad voice, “I’m sorry, Miss… I heard
everything from outside the study.”
Miss Pendleton forced a smile on her pale face. “Thank
you, Anne.”
“Umm, would you like me to help you with anything?”
“No, I would like to be alone.” When Miss Pendleton
refused gently, Anne nodded and offered the tray. Miss
Pendleton didn’t think she could drink even a sip of water let
alone a bowl of soup, but she didn’t want to hurt Anne’s
feelings.
Miss Pendleton raised her hands. The moment she
accepted the tray, her right hand throbbed sharply. She
gasped, “All!”
Shatter.
The soup bowl fell to the floor. Anne stared at her mistress
who grabbed her right hand with a cringe. When Anne yanked
Miss Pendleton’s hand toward her, she saw that it was
swollen and bruised. Anne looked at her mistress in
astonishment.
“Anne, could you get me the first aid kit?” Miss Pendleton
asked calmly.
 Anne left without a word and hurriedly brought the first
aid kit from downstairs. When she returned, she saw Miss
Pendleton on the floor cleaning the spilled soup with her
injured hand. Anne asked her to stop, and after cleaning up
the mess herself, she took her mistress to the vanity.
Miss Pendleton sat down meekly. Anne knelt before her to
place some ointment on her hand. She then began wrapping it
with a bandage.
Anne tried her best to be gentle, but every time her finger
grazed Miss Pendleton’s hand, Miss Pendleton moaned and
flinched. Anne felt like her heart was being ripped out of her
body.
Why was her kind mistress treated this way? Miss
Pendleton was the most generous lady Anne knew. Anne was
exasperated, but her hands moved gently to treat Miss
Pendleton’s hand.
“Thankfully, I don’t think anything’s broken. It’s a relief,”
Miss Pendleton mumbled.
Anne bit her lip and looked up at her lady. Tears filling her
eyes, Anne retorted, “What are you talking about?! Your tiny
fragile hand was crushed like this! Miss, do you have any idea
how loud your scream was? I thought that man was
strangling you.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. After thinking for a moment, she
replied, “It’s a good thing that I didn’t hurt my neck. There
aren’t many dresses that can hide a neck injury. Hands are
much easier to hide with gloves, so I won’t have any problem
attending the ball.”
Anne looked at her in surprise. “You’re still going to
attend the ball tomorrow?”
“I must see Mr. Pryce.”
Anne’s face crumpled with disgust as she pictured the
middle-aged gentleman Tom Pryce who boasted of a pot
belly. “You don’t plan on obeying Mr. Pendleton’s order, do
you? Are you really going to accept that old man’s proposal?!”
“It sounds like you heard everything.” Miss Pendleton
stared at her maid.
When a guilty look appeared on Anne’s face, Miss
Pendleton grinned. “It’s a relief that my uncle didn’t catch
you. If he had, you would’ve been reprimanded harshly.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“How can you say that after you saw what he did to my
hand?”
“I don’t know what that man threw at you, but if it was
me, I would’ve thrown it right back at him. I would’ve aimed
it for his face so that he can’t even see where my hand is.”
Miss Pendleton laughed out loud. As she chatted with
Anne, her gloomy mood slowly improved. But Anne felt even
worse watching her mistress’s weak laugh. She has been
serving Miss Pendleton for eight years now, and before this
job, Anne used to work for horrific masters and mistresses.
Miss Pendleton was the best person Anne ever worked for. It
was rare to find such a tenderhearted lady.
 Anne gently patted Miss Pendleton’s bandaged hand.
“Miss, you won’t accept Mr. Pryce’s proposal, will you?
You’re capable of living on your own. You aren’t like me who
has never set foot in school. You can speak Latin and even
Greek. You’ll follow your plan and become a governess after
leaving the Pendleton house, won’t you?”
Miss Pendleton looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes
and face were swollen and red from crying. She ordered,
“Anne, please pick out a dress for me. Something that will be
extravagant enough to hide my hideous face.”
“But Miss, are you really…?!”
Miss Pendleton turned toward Anne and smiled. “Don’t
worry. I’ll never become Laura Pryce. I just want to look
perfect at the ball tomorrow, that’s all. After all, it’s going to
be my last ball.”
“Your… last ball?”
“Yes, I can’t live as Laura Pendleton anymore. I’ll start my
new life as Laura Sheldon.”
When Anne looked at her in confusion, Miss Pendleton
explained, “Sheldon is my father’s last name.”
“Your father’s name…? Then, you and Mr.
Pryce…”
 “I won’t be marrying him.” Miss Pendleton turned toward
her reflection. “I’m going to live my own life now as Laura
Sheldon.”

***

The next day, Miss Pendleton left her house looking the way
she had never looked before. Her usual choice of dress for a
ball has always been either a silver silk dress or a dark navy
muslin dress. But tonight, she wore something she hadn’t
worn since she made her first debut.
The expensive sky blue silk dress embroidered with white
flowers in silver threads looked dazzling on her. The
snowwhite silver gloves enveloped her dainty hand while the
sparkling sapphire bracelet showed off her slim wrist. Her
hair, usually hidden in a hairnet, was now free. It was in an
updo and adorned with lilies, daffodils, and pearls.
Miss Pendleton arrived in a white carriage with the
Pendleton crest. After greeting Lady Lance at the entrance
politely, she entered the hall.
Everyone’s eyes turned to her as soon as she made an
appearance. Miss Pendleton had always kept her outfits plain,
but tonight, she looked splendid. The others have never seen
her this way, and some men didn’t even recognize her as they
asked her to dance.
Miss Pendleton’s plan worked perfectly. People were so
distracted by her gorgeous adornment that they failed to
notice her reddened eyes and the shadow under them. She
didn’t get any sleep because she spent all night icing her
swollen face, but no one seemed to note her fatigue.
Miss Pendleton refused all the gentlemen who asked her to
dance. She slowly walked around the ball to find Mr. Pryce
and Miss Jensen.
“Miss Pendleton!”
Miss Pendleton turned when her name was called. She saw
that Miss Lance, surrounded by her friends, was waving at
her enthusiastically. Miss Pendleton walked toward the
group.
Miss Lance and the rest couldn’t hide their shock as Miss
Pendleton came closer.
They have always thought she was a beauty, but with
further embellishment tonight, Miss Pendleton was glowing.
She looked much younger as if she was a fresh debutante in
her first ball.
Miss Lance’s friends stared at Miss Pendleton unhappily.
They were upset that she looked too beautiful. She was as
beautiful as their pride and job Dora Lance. In fact, Miss
Pendleton perhaps looked even more beautiful. This was a
problem since Miss Pendleton was supposed to be the belle of
the ball.
Miss Lance’s friends whispered among themselves,
worried that Miss Pendleton might outshine their friend. But
unlike them, Miss Lance seemed genuinely impressed by Miss
Pendleton.
 “Goodness, you look incredible tonight, Miss Pendleton! I
almost didn’t recognize you!” Miss Lance exclaimed.
“This is the ball hosted by House Lance, so I thought I
should take extra care. You look very beautiful too, Miss
Lance. You’re clearly the belle of the ball.”
Wearing a voluminous green dress and roses in her hair,
Miss Lance laughed. “It took all day for me to get ready. My
hair was straightened before it was braided and adorned with
flowers. They had to tighten the corset quite a bit for this
dress, and I was sprayed with so much perfume! I don’t think
I can go through that again!”
Miss Lance shuddered at the thought. She looked indeed
lovely, and it showed that Lady Lance didn’t spare money or
effort to showcase her only daughter. It was obvious that Lady
Lance was very proud of her beautiful daughter.
Miss Pendleton asked thoughtful questions all ladies loved
to hear. “I’ve never seen this dress before. It’s gorgeous. It
goes very well with your eye color, Miss Lance. Did you by
chance get it made overseas?”
Miss Lance’s face brightened. “I’m so glad you noticed. It
was made by the most famous dressmaker in France. This
particular embroidery pattern, however, was created by me. I
sent it to have it added.”
Miss Lance looked down at her dress proudly. The golden
embroidery of leaves looked luxurious on the green dress. It
suited the dress material perfectly.
 “It looks exquisite. You certainly have an excellent taste,
Miss Lance.”
“My goodness, you flatter me.” Miss Lance blushed,
unable to hide her pleasure.
When Miss Pendleton gave her a few more compliments,
Miss Lance twirled around to show off her dress with a
pleased smile.
 Chapter 51

Miss Pendleton found Miss Lance adorable. Miss Lance was

complimented often by others, yet she still became childishly
happy whenever she was praised. In their society, the ladies
learned early on not to show the full extent of their emotions
to avoid being talked about. But whenever she felt happy,
Miss Lance seemed incapable of hiding her joy.
It must mean that she’s still untainted.
Miss Pendleton thought about her own innocence, or more
accurately, the lack thereof. After spending much time in this
society, she learned to hide her emotions well.
Miss Lance’s friends kept busy whispering among
themselves when finally, Miss Susan Donovan called out,
“Umm, Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t your legs hurt? Why don’t you go rest in the lady’s
restroom over there?”
Miss Pendleton declined kindly, “No, I just arrived.”
“Exactly. The ball hasn’t really begun yet, so it would be
better if you make your appearance when it reaches its peak.”
Miss Lance’s eyes widened as she stared at her friends.
Miss Donovan was sweating nervously while Misses Wilkes
and Orsen were behind with expectant looks. It appeared that
they were encouraging Miss Donovan to continue for some
reason.
What are they trying to do? Miss Lance tilted her head in
confusion.
But Miss Pendleton quickly understood their intention.
She didn’t know why, but it seemed that these young ladies
wanted to get rid of her so she would be out of sight. Miss
Pendleton was used to being scorned by other ladies, so the
looks on these ladies’ faces made it very clear.
Normally, Miss Pendleton would’ve been obliging. Her
entire life had been filled with an effort to avoid troubles at all
costs. But not tonight. There was something she needed to do.
Without losing her smile, Miss Pendleton refused again.
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but I must speak to Miss
Jensen who will also be attending this ball tonight.”
“When Miss Jensen arrives, we’ll send her to the restroom
too. I swear! I’m just very worried about you, Miss Pendleton!
I’m afraid you might become dizzy if you stand for too long.
In your advanced age, it’s important not to push yourself too
hard.”
When Miss Donovan made such a condescending
statement, Miss Wilkes couldn’t stop herself. “Pfft!”
“Thank you for your concern, Miss Donovan.” Miss
Pendleton smiled graciously. These young ladies had no
manners, but it was best to ignore their behavior in a
situation like this.
 But Miss Lance felt differently. She openly frowned at her
friends in annoyance. She didn’t know why her friends were
behaving this way, but she could tell that they were acting
rudely toward Miss Pendleton on purpose.
Holding Miss Pendleton’s hand in a familiar manner, Miss
Lance admonished, “Susan, that’s enough. Miss Pendleton
adorned herself so beautifully for my ball, so I need to show
her off to everyone. She must stay all night on the dance floor
and shine to elevate my event.”
Miss Donovan flinched and glanced at her friends behind.
Misses Wilkes and Orsen were staring at Miss Lance in
surprise, but Miss Lance ignored them.
Turning toward Miss Pendleton, Miss Lance announced,
“Miss Pendleton, all of my friends have partners for the next
dance except for me. So won’t you please stay by my side and
keep me company?”
Miss Pendleton was grateful for Miss Lance’s kindness. “It
will be my pleasure, Miss Lance.”
For the next several minutes, Miss Lance and Miss
Pendleton conversed. The three ladies, who were trying to
help their queen, were abandoned. It was obvious Miss Lance
was upset with them for being rude to Miss Pendleton, and
they seemed distressed.
When the music ended, the people on the dance floor
scattered. It was time for the cotillion, so the gentlemen
escorted their partners to the dance floor. Miss Lance’s
friends, who were abandoned by Miss Lance, hid their
displeasure and accompanied their respective partners.
Only Misses Lance and Pendleton were left behind. They
talked about various guests attending the ball, but they were
constantly interrupted by gentlemen asking them to dance.
Miss Pendleton received many more invitations than usual,
but the number still couldn’t compare to that of Miss Lance.
As the belle of the ball, Miss Lance received a neverending
invitation to dance. But she refused every single time.
Miss Pendleton knew why Miss Lance kept refusing. Even
as they chatted, Miss Lance kept glancing at the entrance. It
was obvious she was waiting for a specific gentleman. It
wasn’t difficult to guess who this may be.
As if to confirm Miss Pendleton’s suspicion, Miss Lance
asked, “By the way, is it true that there’s a painting of
Whitefield in your reception hall, Miss Pendleton?”
“It’s true, Miss Lance,” Miss Pendleton replied smoothly.
I’m so envious. How did you manage to
Lt
get such a precious piece?”
“Mr. Dalton learned that there was an empty spot in our
reception hall, so he was gracious enough to give me one.”
“Oh, how thoughtful!” Miss Lance exclaimed.
“Yes, he’s a very considerate gentleman.”
Miss Lance’s eyes sparkled at Miss Pendleton’s praise. She
asked, “Do you truly think so, Miss Pendleton? That he’s a
generous gentleman. I’ve learned that he’s the epitome of
what a proper English gentleman should be. He’s kind, witty,
and attentive… Ah, did I mention how kind he is? Anyway,
he’s perfect. I’m so grateful for you to have introduced us.”
When Miss Pendleton agreed wholeheartedly, Miss Lance
continued, “And he looked so handsome when he was rowing
that boat at the picnic. The way his hair danced around him
looked like a gorgeous painting. He looks like a prince, and
he’s so tall too. I’ve never met such a handsome man before.”
Miss Lance praised Mr. Dalton endlessly. Her pretty eyes
twinkled as if they were filled with stars. She was obviously
very much in love.
Mr. Dalton is a lucky man. He has managed to capture the
heart of a beautiful ladylike Miss Lance. Miss Pendleton thought
serenely.
“Ah, that reminds me. Speaking of the picnic… You left in
such a hurry that day, Miss Pendleton. I saw Mr. Dalton go
after you. Did something happen?” asked Miss Lance.
Miss Pendleton was so shocked that she became
speechless. She didn’t expect to be asked such a question, and
it made her blush from remembering that day.
“…N…nothing happened. We just had a walk together.”
“Really? But Mr. Dalton looked very
serious when he was looking for you…”
“Well, I wouldn’t know. All we did was just walk. We were
talking about Whitefield when I needed to return home for an
urgent matter… Ah, I left my handkerchief behind that day.
That’s probably why he looked concerned. I remember it
now.”
Miss Lance stared at Miss Pendleton for a moment. She
had never seen Miss Pendleton look flustered like this before.
Miss Pendleton’s eyes wavered as she looked away nervously.
To put Miss Pendleton at ease, Miss Lance quickly changed
the subject. They talked about the new fashion trends, but
neither of them sounded interested. This, however, allowed
Miss Pendleton to regain her calm.
Even as they continued to chat, Miss Lance couldn’t stop
thinking about Miss Pendleton’s reaction. Why did she act so
strangely? Did something happen between Miss Pendleton
and Mr. Dalton? Was Miss Pendleton lying right now?
If it involved another gentleman, Miss Lance would’ve
ignored it. But because this was about Mr. Dalton, she needed
to find out more about it. Everyone knew that Mr. Dalton and
Miss Pendleton were friends. They were a man and a woman,
but no one in London doubted their relationship. Mr. Dalton
was the brotherin-law of Mr. Fairfax, who was a close friend
of Miss Pendleton. It wasn’t strange that Mr. Dalton and Miss
Pendleton became close.
And most importantly, Mr. Dalton was the head of the
most prestigious family in England. He was extremely rich,
and his wealth was growing every day. In contrast, Miss
Pendleton was a spinster of twenty- nine years and without
any dowry. Realistically speaking, these two could not marry
each other. Such an idea might even offend Mr. Dalton.
 “Hello, Miss Lance.”
“Good evening, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance, who had been deep in thought, jolted. She was
so distracted that she didn’t even notice the Fairfax siblings
approaching her. The fact that they were here had to mean
Ian Dalton had arrived as well. It was then that Miss Lance
noticed Mr. Dalton standing next to Mr. Fairfax.
As usual, Mr. Dalton looked superb in his tailcoat. Miss
Lance quickly recovered and greeted, “Good evening, Mr. and
Miss Fairfax. Ah, you’re here too, Mr. Dalton!”
Mr. Dalton bowed to her politely. As usual, Mr. Fairfax
spoke kindly to Miss Lance to begin a conversation, but Miss
Lance couldn’t concentrate. All of her focus was on Mr.
Dalton. He gave her his usual smile, but to Miss Lance, he
looked especially handsome tonight. His jet-black hair was
slicked back, and his flawless skin glowed under the
chandelier. His beautiful facial features made him look like a
Greek god.
She could never get bored of his beauty. There was
something refined and philosophical about him, and Miss
Lance stared as if she was looking at an angel.
Mr. Dalton, who was smiling at Miss Lance, slowly turned
to face Miss Pendleton. Miss Lance watched in
disappointment and heard Mr. Dalton greet Miss Pendleton.
“Good evening, Miss Pen…!” Mr. Dalton paused suddenly
and stared at Miss Pendleton. A smooth smile disappeared
from his face, and his eyes turned razorsharp. Miss Lance
became shocked by what she saw. She has never witnessed
such a scary expression on Ian Dalton’s face. Until now, Mr.
Dalton has been a perfect gentleman. But now, he looked like
a completely different man.
Miss Lance turned toward Miss Pendleton to see that she
was looking at the entrance where Miss Jensen and Mr. Pryce
were walking in. After excusing herself, telling them that she
needed to talk to Miss Jensen, Miss Pendleton left.
Miss Lance was shocked once again to see that Mr. Dalton
continued to stare at Miss Pendleton as she left. His gaze was
still as vicious as ever. Earlier, she felt something odd from
Miss Pendleton. And now, Mr. Dalton was acting strangely.
What’s going on? Why did he make such a scary face at Miss
Pendleton ? I thought they were good friends, close enough for
him to give her a painting of Whitefield. Did they fight? If so, what
kind of a fight?
But there could be no fight between a gentleman and a
lady. A gentleman was required to always remain polite
toward a lady and make sure her feelings didn’t get hurt. This
was the proper etiquette in their society.
But if there was a fight between a man and a woman, there
could be only one reason for it.
Love.
 Chapter 52

Miss Lance couldn’t stop her heart from pounding wildly.

Could it be that the two of them used to be in a romantic
relationship before having a falling out? Anxiety filled her,
thinking about the possibility that the man she was in love
with may have had a secret affair with another woman.
Trying her best to regain her calm, Miss Lance looked at
Mr. Dalton again. She felt certain that Miss Pendleton and Mr.
Dalton weren’t in love at the moment. After all, Mr. Dalton
hadn’t visited the Pendleton house once since he arrived in
London. The only events he attended were her own.
This logic made Miss Lance conclude that Mr. Dalton
couldn’t be in love with Miss Pendleton. Her apprehension
lessened, but she still couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Miss
Pendleton had looked so flustered when the incident at the
picnic was mentioned.
Miss Lance tried to remember the details of that picnic.
She and Mr. Dalton were chatting when he claimed that he
needed to visit the forest. About an hour later, Miss Pendleton
rushed out with a pale face and hurriedly returned home in a
carriage. It wasn’t long before Mr. Dalton ran out of the forest
as well.
 Why did Miss Pendleton go home in such a rush? And why
did Mr. Dalton run after her?
Miss Lance remembered the conversation she had with
him about Miss Pendleton’s bloodline. All of a sudden, all the
pieces of the puzzle came together, and Miss Lance jolted in
realization.
Mr. Dalton must’ve abandoned her after he learned about her
parents!
Once this thought entered her mind, Miss Lance felt like a
great mystery had been solved. To her, everything made
perfect sense now.
There was no doubt that Miss Pendleton and Mr. Dalton
were interested in each other at one point. Miss Lance decided
that it had to be Miss Pendleton who fell in love first. After all,
Ian Dalton was handsome, kind, gentle, and amazing. And
she admitted that Mr. Dalton must’ve found Miss Pendleton
attractive. Miss Pendleton may have been older, but she was
kind and pretty.
This had to be why he gifted her with the painting of
Whitefield. It was to show his feelings for her. But in that
forest, Miss Pendleton must’ve told him about the sordid
secret behind her birth, causing him to break their friendship.
This explained why Miss Pendleton and Mr. Dalton acted
so strangely at the picnic. Miss Pendleton must’ve run away
in despair, and Mr. Dalton must’ve gone after her because he
felt guilty. He was a kind gentleman after all.
 If this was all true, Mr. Dalton had to be a terrible man.
How could he abandon love just because of her bloodline?
This was very ungentlemanly of him. Normally, this would be
something a villain would do in a romance novel.
If Mr. Dalton was a villain, it made Miss Pendleton a tragic
heroine. She had the chance to marry a magnificent man, but
she was thrown away because of her parents’ sins.
Miss Lance, being an avid reader of romance novels,
became enraged by Mr. Dalton’s behavior and sympathy
toward Miss Pendleton. But despite it all, Miss Lance still
couldn’t hate Mr. Dalton completely nor could she take Miss
Pendleton’s side wholeheartedly.
It was inevitable that Miss Pendleton didn’t get a happy
ending. Someone like Mr. Dalton couldn’t marry her knowing
her impure bloodline. As the head of his household, he had
the responsibility of taking in a woman of flawless
background. If he married someone like Miss Pendleton, he
would end up diminishing his family’s prestige. Such logic
may sound old-fashioned and unfair, but this was how this
world worked.
It was unfortunate that Miss Pendleton got her heart
broken. Miss Lance had always thought Miss Pendleton was a
wise and careful lady, but it turned out that she became
blinded by love. Even Miss Lance, who was only twenty years
old, knew the way of the world. So how could Miss Pendleton
not know this in her advanced age?
 But then, Miss Pendleton’s parents made a rash decision
to marry each other. So perhaps it was no wonder that she
inherited their careless personality.
“Are you listening to me, Miss Lance?” Mr.
Fairfax asked.
Miss Lance was engrossed in her thought when she jolted.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Mr.
Fairfax. What were you saying?”
It was obvious Miss Lance hadn’t been paying attention to
him. But Mr. Fairfax smiled. “Who do you plan on dancing
your first waltz with tonight?”
With her own smile, Miss Lance turned to where Mr.
Dalton was standing. But to her surprise, he was no longer
there. She looked around in confusion. “Where did Mr. Dalton
go?”
“He left just a moment ago.”
Miss Lance gazed disappointedly at the spot where Ian
Dalton was standing. She had been certain that he was going
to ask her to dance the first waltz.
It was easy for Mr. Fairfax to read her distress. “Goodness,
did Ian promise to dance with you and forgot about it? That
terrible man.”
Miss Lance gave Mr. Fairfax an empty smile. Mr. Dalton
never promised her anything. It was just her hope that he
would ask her to dance the very first waltz at the ball her own
family hosted.
 But even though he never promised her, Miss Lance has
been sure that he would ask her to dance. Her assumption was
validated by his recent interest and kindness toward her.
Miss Lance had even imagined that he might confess his
love for her during their first dance. This was why she
endured the unbearable torture of being primped. Her hair
had been pulled hard countless times and her corset had been
tightened until she couldn’t breathe.
Mr. Fairfax became confused when Miss Lance looked
devastated. She wasn’t crying, but it looked like she was
about to burst into tears. He wondered if he should run out
and find Ian immediately. But the cotillion was already over
and the people were leaving the dance floor. Soon, the waltz
was going to begin.
Mr. Fairfax hurriedly offered Miss Lance his hand.
“Thanks to Ian’s stupidity, I guess I might become the
luckiest man in this ball. Miss Lance, will you dance with
me?”
Miss Lance stared at his hand. She liked Mr. Fairfax just
fine, but he wasn’t the man she wanted. She has been hoping
for Mr. Dalton to offer his hand just like this. But she refused
to be a wallflower who couldn’t even get a gentleman to dance
the first waltz with her. She was the belle of the ball, and her
pride forced her to put on a brave smile.
“Of course, Mr. Fairfax.”
A-A-A-
 After Miss Pendleton left Miss Lance’s side, she slowly
headed toward Miss Jensen and Mr. Pryce.
She curtsied respectfully. “Good evening, Mr. Pryce, Miss
Jensen.”
When they saw her, both of them bowed politely in return.
Miss Jensen greeted, “You came early, Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes. It didn’t take as long as I expected to get prepared, so
I was able to get here early.”
Miss Jensen replied cheerfully, “You must have an
experienced maid. My servants forgot to shine my
godfather’s shoes, so we were delayed thirty minutes. We
suggested Mrs. Nazeley train her staff better.”
Miss Pendleton smiled quietly while glancing at Mr. Pryce.
He was keeping silent, which was an odd behavior for him.
Normally, he would’ve chimed in by now.
“Mr. Pryce?” When Miss Pendleton called out to him, Mr.
Pryce looked up from the floor. His abnormally bulgy eyes
gazed at her. Miss Pendleton planned on greeting him
properly, but she became speechless. His eyes were filled with
such sadness that she was afraid he might start crying.
Miss Pendleton turned toward Miss Jensen, who sighed in
exasperation. Miss Jensen gestured with her chin, silently
asking if Miss Pendleton wanted some privacy. Miss
Pendleton nodded.
“Then I’ll go look for Miss Lance. I need to see how pretty
the belle of the ball looks,” Miss Jensen announced.
 “You look prettier to me, Miss Jensen,” Miss Pendleton
said teasingly.
Instead of her usual thunderous laugh, Miss Jensen
covered her mouth daintily and giggled. “Obviously. After all,
my dear friend helped me with this dress!”
Miss Jensen’s golden dress fluttered as she walked away.
Left alone with Miss Pendleton, Mr. Pryce finally opened his
lips. “Miss Pendleton, could we have a brief chat?”
Miss Pendleton nodded, and Mr. Pryce escorted her to the
balcony. She looked around and saw that the spacious balcony
was connected to all of the other balconies. There were velvet
ropes that separated them, but the entire outdoor area was
wide open. However, Miss Pendleton was relieved to see that
it was deserted.
The two of them stood side by side and enjoyed the view of
London. The bright streetlights, extravagant carriages that
were rushing toward the ball, and the servants’ silhouettes
moving hurriedly to escort the guests inside created a typical
night scene of the busy city.
“Thank you for helping Joanne find her place in London,
Miss Pendleton. We owe you a great deal.”
“Not at all, Mr. Pryce. All I did was share a wonderful
friendship with Miss Jensen. I didn’t do much.”
“I have a fair understanding of both American and English
societies. I know very well how different they are. Joanne was
born and raised in America, so she’s an American through
and through. She’s bold and active, which means that she
wouldn’t have been welcomed into English society on her
own. But tonight, I see that she has become a perfect London
lady. Just like you, Miss Pendleton.”
Mr. Pryce turned toward Miss Pendleton and continued,
“I’m certain Joanne learned the proper behavior from you.
She’s now elegant, humble, and smooth. She is lady-like all
thanks to you.”
Miss Pendleton looked out at the city without a word. She
could feel that Mr. Pryce was staring at her face as he added,
“Miss Pendleton, when I heard what my goddaughter told me
last night, I had to make a decision. Either I could visit Gerald
without a delay to find out the truth, or I could wait one more
night and hear the truth from your own lips. As you can see,
I’ve chosen the letter. I want the truth, Miss Pendleton.”
 Chapter 53

Miss Pendleton turned toward him.

“Thank you, Mr. Pryce. I know it would’ve been easier for
you to talk to my uncle.
You could’ve pressured me into marrying you through
him, so by talking to me directly, you have lessened my
suffering.”
Her soft voice made him slump. “Miss Pendleton, I
couldn’t believe it even after Joanne told me. She scolded me
late into the night, but I still… Is… is it really true? You have
never considered marrying me at any point?”
His voice trembled in agony. Miss Pendleton’s resolve
weakened for a moment, but she renewed her determination.
“Mr. Pryce. I’m sorry, but it’s true. You have always been my
uncle’s close friend to me and nothing more.”
Gloom filled his face as Mr. Pryce whispered, “Then it
means I have behaved shamefully toward you all this time,
Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton opened her mouth to say something, but
she decided against it. Mr. Pryce continued, “I am so
ashamed, Miss Pendleton. My apologies. I’m truly sorry. Until
now, I believed that you rejected me out of formality. I
thought you had feelings for me, but you were just being a
proper lady. I had no idea that you didn’t want me at all. I
must’ve looked like a fool…!”
“Mr. Pryce, please do not blame yourself. This was just a
misunderstanding, and it’s all in the past. I have already
forgotten about it.”
“No, I can’t forget it. In my whole life, I’ve never acted
rudely toward a lady. Even when I was courting Eleanor, I was
never too forward. Just as she asked, I waited three years for
her, which was how I won her heart. But I didn’t act patiently
toward you, Miss Pendleton. It was because I didn’t think
there was a reason to wait. I believed that you had already
decided to marry me, so I didn’t think it was necessary to
waste any time.”
“Mr. Pryce…”
“No, Miss Pendleton. I will never trouble you after today,
so please let me finish. Please allow me a little time to explain
myself, or else, I’ll die of embarrassment.”
Miss Pendleton closed her lips obediently. Holding the
handrail of the terrace, Mr. Pryce looked down and continued,
“I was dazzled by your uncle Gerald Pendleton. He was
baiting me to invest in his first son’s business. When I arrived
in England, I figured it out. Gerald’s first son is a useless idiot.
Charles Pendleton is no better. They have already failed in
many business ventures, which has caused the Pendleton
family to be in financial ruin. Their new business had no
foundation. It was a terrible idea, but even so, I was going to
invest anyway.”
Mr. Pryce banged on the handrail.
“Believing that I could have you, I couldn’t think clearly. I
can’t believe I fell for this when I am over fifty years old. But I
was desperate, especially after I met you. I was actually
worried that Gerald might refuse to let you marry me. This
was why I did everything he asked.”
Mr. Pryce looked up at her. Tears filled his big kind eyes as
he continued, “At first, I just wanted someone to warm my
bed. And I thought it would be wonderful if it was a young
lady from my home country. But when I met you, I genuinely
fell in love with you. Most of the things I did was out of my
love for you. And what pains me the most isn’t that I can’t
win your heart, but that I have troubled you.”
Miss Pendleton looked at him quietly. She could feel that
he meant every word. She believed that he loved her, which
was unfortunate. Even though his love may have been
genuine, she still couldn’t accept his proposal.
“Please forgive my uncle. And forgive me for being unable
to accept your love. I pray that this incident won’t hurt you
for too long. Please know that your courtship has flattered
me, Mr. Pryce.”
Mr. Pryce gazed at her for a moment.
When he saw her kind eyes, hope began to linger in his
mind.
 “Miss Pendleton, I’m going back to America tomorrow.
And I’ll never return to England. I’m an American man. I may
have been born in England, but America suits me perfectly. So
for the very last time, I’m going to ask you this question.”
He turned toward her. “Miss Pendleton, could you forget
everything that had happened and come with me?”
“Mr. Pryce, that’s an impossible request.”
“I’m asking you to go with me not as my wife but as my
friend. I won’t demand anything from you. All I want is for
you to have a conversation with me for an hour every day. I
would like your company and nothing more. In return, I’ll
give you everything I have. I… I… can’t leave you under the
protection of a bastard like Gerald!”
“Thank you for your concern, but I won’t be under Uncle
Gerald’s control forever. I plan on becoming independent in
order to secure my future. So please accept my thanks, and
leave with a light heart.”
Miss Pendleton refused his request with the greatest
respect. Mr. Pryce slumped, realizing that there was no hope
for him. He bowed to her politely and announced, “Please
forgive me for all the troubles I’ve caused you until now, Miss
Pendleton. I wish you all the happiness in the world.”
Just like that, Mr. Pryce left. Alone on the terrace, Miss
Pendleton looked at the spot where Mr. Pryce was standing a
moment ago.
It’s finally over.
 Indeed, everything was over. Mr. Pryce was gone, and her
life as Miss Pendleton was nearing its end. Once Mr. Pryce left
England tomorrow, her uncle was going to find out that she
had refused him once again. Miss Pendleton couldn’t even
imagine what Gerald Pendleton might do to her, but she was
certain of one thing. Her life as a member of House Pendleton
was over as of this very day.
When Mr. Pryce told her that the Pendleton family was in
ruin, she finally understood why her uncle orchestrated this
scam. Gerald Pendleton went to America to find his second
son a rich heiress. At the same time, he tried to sell his niece
to Mr. Pryce for his investment. It was no wonder her uncle
and Charles had been desperate to please Miss Jensen. It was
all because they were suffering from a financial problem.
She didn’t doubt that Mr. Pryce planned on canceling his
investment after what had happened. The Pendleton family
was going to face an even worse financial problem because of
this, and her uncle was going to blame her for everything.
Miss Pendleton remembered how Gerald Pendleton
crushed her hand with his foot.
“Ugh…” Just the memory alone was enough to cause her
hand to throb. She clenched and unclenched her right hand a
few times. It was no longer swollen, but the stabbing pain had
continued all day. Looking down at it, she knew that
something worse might happen to her.
Fear burned in the pit of her stomach. She had been badly
traumatized by her uncle’s rage, screams, and violence. But
even so, Miss Pendleton didn’t regret refusing Mr. Pryce’s
proposal. Becoming his wife was never an option for her to
begin with.
Clack.
Miss Pendleton was lost in thought when she heard a
footstep. It was that of a heavy gentleman’s shoes, and she
turned toward the sound. When she saw the man standing
there, she froze on the spot.
Besides the heavy curtain stood Mr. Dalton. Her heart
began to pound fast, wondering how long he had been there.
Could it be that he heard her conversation with Mr. Pryce?
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” said Ian
Dalton.
“W…what brings you here…?”
Mr. Dalton walked up to her with an innocent look. “I
thought I could get a lesson from you before I ask another
lady to dance. What if I end up stepping on the toe of the lady
I desire?”
Mr. Dalton stood in front of her and gave her a friendly
smile. He begged, “Please help me, Miss Pendleton.”
His face was filled with playfulness. He seemed perfectly
happy, and Miss Pendleton decided that he must’ve arrived
after her conversation with Mr. Pryce ended. She felt relieved,
and once her anxiety dissipated, she was glad to see Mr.
Dalton. She had been filled with melancholy, but his presence
brightened her mood.
 With a smooth smile, Miss Pendleton replied, “Good thing
there’s plenty of space on the terrace. And no one’s here
either. But the music…”
Just then, the waltz rang inside the ballroom. Miss
Pendleton smiled. “Alright, please give me your hand.”
Mr. Dalton raised his right hand. After placing her own on
top, she placed her left hand on his shoulder. Mr. Dalton, in
return, wrapped his arm around her slim waist.
The music that filled the ballroom spilled into the terrace.
The two of them began dancing slowly, and Miss paid extra
attention to his steps.
“You haven’t forgotten anything at all, Mr. Dalton.”
“But I’m not better either.”
“If you dance better than this, the ladies might
misunderstand. They might believe you’re a scoundrel who
likes dancing too much.”
Mr. Dalton chuckled, but his eyes didn’t smile. His gaze
fixed on her, he asked, “Please tell me the truth, Miss
Pendleton. Tell me that I’m not following the music properly
and that if a lady danced with me, she would come to resent
me. Tell me that I have no rhythm and that I must take
several days’ worth of lessons from you in order to dance
properly with another lady other than yourself.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head at his joke. “It’s actually
quite the opposite. I don’t know which lady you’ve set your
heart on, but when you dance with her, I’m sure she’ll fall in
love with you even more.”
 Miss Pendleton thought of Miss Lance.
Perhaps she’ll fall in love with you even more than she already
has.
 Chapter 54

“There’s nothing wrong with your dancing, Mr. Dalton. From

now on, the problem will be your ability to entertain a lady.
You’re a man who prefers bluntness, and you’ll have to
make an effort to hide this.”
“Miss Pendleton, do you detest the way I speak?”
“Personally, I don’t mind. To be honest, that’s one of the
things I like the most about you, Mr. Dalton. But this is
probably because I’ve been in high society for too long and
am sick of it. Most other ladies worship the social etiquettes
and manners.
“It sounds like you want me to hide my true personality
completely. Could you explain in a little more detail?”
“When you’re speaking to a lady, and she appears to be
troubled by a certain topic, you must change the subject of the
conversation immediately. And you need to praise everything
she says. You must make it sound like you believe everything
she’s saying and doing is correct. And I know you might feel
embarrassed to do this, but complimenting a lady about her
appearance is a must. Make it specific and thoughtful. For
example, say something nice about her dress or her hair
ornament.”
 “Hmm, you look especially lovely tonight, Miss Pendleton.
Your sky blue dress suits your dark gray eyes delightfully. The
scent of the flowers in your strawberry blond hair is heavenly,
but certainly not as much as your beauty.”
Miss Pendleton giggled. “Are you practicing the art of
compliments on me?”
“Does that displease you?”
“Not at all. Feel free to practice as much as you wish, Mr.
Dalton. I don’t mind being used this way if it’s by you. And
I’m still a woman, so I don’t mind being praised for my
beauty.”
“My goodness. If I knew my flattery would make you
happy, I would’ve done so much sooner. From now on, I shall
pay tribute to your beauty every time we meet. I’ll do it until
you get sick of it and slap me with your fan.”
“If you’re waiting to be slapped by my fan, you’ll be very
disappointed, Mr. Dalton. I’m not the type of person who
would stop anyone from praising my looks.”
The waltz continued. Mr. Dalton’s dance skill was
impeccable. Miss Pendleton believed that he could make any
lady fall in love just with a single dance. There was nothing
more she needed to teach him.
But even knowing this, Miss Pendleton didn’t stop dancing
with him. She didn’t want to let him go because this was
going to be her last waltz as a lady of London society. After
this day, no gentleman was going to ask to dance with her as a
lady of House Pendleton. This meant that this was also going
to be her last waltz with Ian Dalton.
Everything finally felt real to Miss Pendleton. This was her
last day in high society and she was never going to dance with
Ian Dalton again. On top of this, she’ll no longer be able to
share genuine friendship with him as his equal.
Her feelings for him buried deep inside began to resurface.
The joy, comfort, and affection she felt whenever she was
with him were trying to reemerge. Her foolishness disgusted
her, and she became conscious of the pearl necklace around
her neck. Miss Pendleton pictured her mother’s photo hidden
inside the pendant and buried her feelings deep inside again.
“Miss Pendleton, I heard that you’re preparing to become
a governess.”
Miss Pendleton looked up at him in surprise. “…May I ask
who told you this information?”
“Let’s just say it was one of your friends.”
Mr. Fairfax’s face popped into her head. Several of her
closest acquaintances knew about her plan, and Mr. Fairfax
was one of them. He even promised her he would help her
look for a job. Because Miss Pendleton had no intention of
hiding her future profession, she didn’t feel upset.
“That’s correct, Mr. Dalton.”
“Do you by chance speak Latin and Greek?”
“Yes.”
“Then how about you become my nephews Daniel and
George’s governess?”
 “Daniel and George? You mean your eight and ten-year-
old nephews?”
“Exactly. My sister asked me to find an appropriate
teacher for them, and I’ve been very busy lately trying to
accomplish this.”
Mr. Dalton’s nephews’ governess? Miss Pendleton had
already heard about the people living in Dunville Park. As far
as she could tell, they seemed like kind decent people. And if it
was Mr. Dalton’s family, she wouldn’t have to worry about
being exploited or mistreated.
But Miss Pendleton didn’t feel comfortable about his offer.
Her grandmother was still alive, so it was too premature to be
thinking about her future job anyway. Besides, she also
wanted to avoid the situation where she might end up
bumping into the future Mrs. Dalton.
“Taking on the responsibility of two naughty boys will be
such a huge challenge. I don’t feel confident about it,” Miss
Pendleton replied teasingly.
But Mr. Dalton’s voice turned serious. “If you become their
governess, I’ll make sure they learn their manners. They will
never dream of being naughty or disrespectful.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “I need some time to
think. And I’m not even sure when I’ll be able to start
working.”
“Then please take your time. I’ll continue my search, so
you don’t have to feel pressured.”
 Miss Pendleton nodded at this considerate offer. Both of
them became quiet, and only the music filled the space. The
moonlight shone on them on the dark deserted terrace. Ian
Dalton’s eyes were glued to Miss Pendleton’s face. There was
one main reason why he asked her to dance. It was only
during a dance that a gentleman could gaze at a lady’s face
without being misunderstood.
He has been working tirelessly for a whole month to gain
this chance to stare at her like this. But now that he was
gazing at her, his heart ached painfully. When he first saw her
earlier, his heart fell. Her eyes were bright red and the skin
underneath them looked dark. Her lips had cracked a little,
and her cheeks looked gaunt. She looked sick and
heartbroken. She attempted to hide it with the dress and
various adornments, but she couldn’t fool him.
Then, he saw Miss Pendleton walk to Miss Jensen. A
middle-aged man was standing next to the American heiress,
and Mr.
Dalton could easily guess that he had to be Mr. Pryce.
Ian watched them from afar. Miss Jensen left on her own,
and Miss Pendleton and Mr. Pryce disappeared together. Ian
couldn’t just stay idle, so he went after Miss Pendleton. He
didn’t know why she willingly followed Mr. Pryce, but if this
old man tried anything sneaky, Mr. Dalton was ready to throw
him off the terrace.
But what Ian Dalton heard hidden behind the curtain was
unexpected. It turned out that everything stemmed from a
misunderstanding. He heard Mr. Pryce apologize to her over
and over again. It was the head of the family Gerald Pendleton
who was behind this whole situation.
Miss Pendleton’s uncle tried to sell her for a profit. Ian
clenched his fists hard. His nails dug into his palms, but he
couldn’t stop. There was a time when he felt outraged by how
Gerald Pendleton failed to protect Miss Pendleton from Mr.
Pryce’s courtship. But now, his rage has progressed to
hostility.
How could an uncle try to sell his own niece? This was a
concept Mr. Dalton could never understand. Did Gerald
Pendleton act so cruelly because Miss Pendleton was born a
bastard? But no matter what the reason, it didn’t change the
fact that Gerald Pendleton was a scum.
It seemed that Miss Pendleton wasn’t surprised to hear
what had really happened. She consoled Mr. Pryce calmly, and
after refusing his offer once more respectfully, she bid him
goodbye.
Ian watched Miss Pendleton alone on the terrace for a long
time. She was so small and fragile, and it looked like she
might collapse at any time. What was she thinking? Did she
resent her uncle? Blame him? Was she resentful?
Mr. Dalton wanted to know how she felt. He wished she
would confide in him. So continuing his role as her friend, he
approached her and asked her to dance.
Holding her in his arms under the moonlight, he looked
down at Miss Pendleton. She was smiling at him, but it was
obvious she was exhausted. He could imagine how much she
must’ve suffered during the last several days to make a
difficult choice. Mr. Dalton had already heard about the extent
of Mr. Pryce’s courtship, and he could guess how much her
uncle must’ve pressured her.
But there was no sign of sadness or anguish in her
expression. In fact, Miss Pendleton looked relieved. She
clearly didn’t regret her decision, and it must’ve taken
incredible courage to disobey her uncle considering her dire
situation.
Mr. Dalton wanted to thank her for refusing Mr. Pryce’s
offer. He wanted to tell her that he would help her in any way
possible. If she would accept it, he was willing to give her
everything he owned.
Mr. Dalton remembered yearning for her in his office in
Whitefield. He sketched her in his book often, praying that
she would someday be by his side. And now, it seemed that his
dream has come true. Miss Pendleton was indeed right in
front of his eyes, but he still felt unsatisfied. At that moment,
she saw him only as a friend and nothing more. It was a
ridiculous pretension because he could never see her as a
friend. He saw her as a woman, a woman he desired with all of
his heart.
Miss Pendleton, no Laura, I am yours.
Please stay by my side. Not as a friend but as a wife and a
lover. In return, I’ll give you everything I have.
Mr. Dalton confessed his love in his head.
 He then squeezed her hand hard.
“Ah!” Miss Pendleton screamed, making him pause. When
he saw the pained look on her face, he flinched.
“What’s wrong?” Mr. Dalton asked in panic.
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “It’s nothing. Let us
continue…”
Mr. Dalton stared at her hand. Miss Pendleton tried to pull
away, but he held her wrist firmly. He asked, “Did you get
hurt? Where?”
“I was taking a stroll yesterday when I tripped over a rock.
I sprained my finger, that’s all.”
“What…? Then why did you come to the ball?!”
“I’m really alright. It’s not a big deal. Let us finish the
dance. I really would like to dance until the end of this song.”
Miss Pendleton looked up at him with a desperate gaze.
His heart jolted, and this time, he held her hand very gently.
The two resumed dancing, but the air between them was no
longer comfortable. Miss Pendleton was staring straight at
his chest, so Mr. Dalton couldn’t see her expression.
He was worried about her hand, but this wasn’t why he
couldn’t concentrate. There was something very special about
the way she looked at him and begged to finish the dance. His
heart began to pound fast. It was clear that Miss Pendleton
was desperate to dance with him. This had to mean that this
dance meant something more to her just as it did to him.
 Chapter 55

Could it be that Miss Pendleton has come to like me just a little?

This thought made Mr. Dalton’s heart pound even harder.
He wanted her to show him her face because he was desperate
to see what kind of expression was making. He wanted to look
into her eyes and see if he had the right to hope.
But Miss Pendleton kept her face down until the very end
of the song. When the dance ended, she took a step back and
her hand left his grasp. She said quietly, “It has been a long
time since I danced, so I’m feeling a little tired. I need to take
a break in the restroom.”
“I’ll escort you there, Miss Pendleton.”
“No, you must find your lady and ask her for the next
dance. I can go by myself.” Miss Pendleton looked away and
tried to leave in a hurry.
“Miss Pendleton, wait…”
When Mr. Dalton held her hand, she turned toward him.
His serious dark eyes were peering into her own, and she had
to look away. Miss Pendleton felt embarrassed that she
begged him to finish the waltz with her. She didn’t want their
last dance to pause in the middle, so she had beseeched him.
Could it be that he figured out how she felt about him? Miss
Pendleton became scared.
“Please don’t look away,” Mr. Dalton implored.
Miss Pendleton shook her head.
“I can’t let you go like this, Miss Pendleton. I’m worried
about you.”
“There’s no need for you to be concerned, Mr. Dalton.”
“Miss Pendleton, do you remember when I wrote to you
that I’ll forever be your faithful servant?
“Yes.”
“I meant what I wrote. I’m your faithful servant no matter
what situation you’re in. I’ll always be there for you. So please
tell me what you need. I’m ready to do anything for you.”
Her eyes wavered. His warm words reminded her of the
misery she experienced last night. Remembering how she was
insulted and mistreated by her uncle, Miss Pendleton wanted
to cry in Mr. Dalton’s arms and tell him everything that had
happened. She wanted to be comforted by him.
But she knew better than to act on her impulse. With a
small smile, Miss Pendleton pulled her hand away gently and
replied, “Thank you, Mr. Dalton. I’ll always be your friend as
well. You’re the most precious friend anyone can ever hope
for.”
With that, Miss Pendleton left the terrace. Mr. Dalton
watched without being able to say anything. She called him
the most precious friend and her words stabbed his pounding
heart. Miss Pendleton made it clear that he was nothing more
than a friend to her, and if he wanted anything more, she was
going to abandon him.
The ardent love confession he had prepared disappeared
from his mind. Mr. Dalton stood alone on the terrace for a
very long time.

***

Miss Pendleton escaped the terrace and returned to the ball.

There were at least over a hundred more people now, and the
warm air invaded her lungs unexpectedly. The feeling of
breathlessness and loud noises increased the turmoil
storming inside her heart.
Miss Pendleton passed by crowds of people. Some
gentlemen asked her to dance, but she refused them. She
didn’t feel like dancing, so she quickly walked into the lady’s
restroom.
The place was already full. Some ladies were there to have
their ripped seams mended by the seamstresses on standby
while others helped each other tighten their hair ribbons.
Women were checking themselves in the mirror to straighten
their dresses, and some ladies were there just to gossip. Miss
Pendleton also saw some who were hiding to avoid being
wallflowers.
It looked like there were about one-fifth of the female
guests gathered in the restroom. Because it was so crowded,
Miss Pendleton couldn’t find an empty seat. She turned
around, thinking she needed to leave when she heard a
familiar voice.
Miss Pendleton turned around to see that it was Miss
Victoria Wilkes. She was having the back of her dress mended
by a seamstress while sharing a bowl of cookies with Susan
Donovan.
“Yes, I’m sure he will ask her to dance the waltz… Oh, Miss
Pendleton!” Miss Wilkes yelled when she noticed Miss
Pendleton. “Please come over here. This seat next to me is
available!”
Miss Pendleton tried to shake her head, but Miss Donovan
waved enthusiastically as well. She shouted, “Hurry, Miss
Pendleton! Please come!”
The two young ladies seemed desperate to make up for
their failed plan to get rid of her earlier. They seemed overly
eager, and Miss Pendleton looked at them awkwardly. She
wanted to be among strangers to quietly regain control over
her feelings, but now that these ladies noticed her, she
couldn’t ignore them. Having no other choice, Miss Pendleton
walked toward them.
Miss Donovan asked kindly, “Did you come here to get
your dresses mended, Miss Pendleton? Or did your ornament
become crooked? Can we help you with it?”
“No, I just wanted to rest a little,” Miss Pendleton replied.
“Ah, then rest with us. Please sit here.” Miss Victoria
Wilkes pushed away the cushion to make some room.
 When Miss Pendleton sat down, the two ladies suddenly
began ignoring her. It was the strangest thing since they had
been so adamant that she sit with them. Instead of conversing
with Miss Pendleton, the two young girls continued their
chat.
“She ended up dancing the quadrille with Mr. Fairfax too,
but I’m sure she’ll definitely dance the next waltz with Mr.
Dalton.”
Ah, so they’re talking about Miss Lance and her dance
partners. Miss Pendleton sipped on the lemonade a servant
handed her and listened quietly.
“You think so? But I haven’t seen Mr. Dalton anywhere
tonight. I can’t believe she had to dance the first waltz with
Mr. Fairfax. How disappointing! He’s very good-looking as
well, but he’s only a second son. According to my mom, his
family’s extensive wealth all went to his older brother. So Mr.
Fairfax has only a tiny piece of land and a country cottage too
meager to be called a mansion.”
“Well, Mr. Fairfax can’t compare to Mr. Dalton, of course. I
hate to be blunt, but he’s not worthy of Dora. Mr. Dalton is the
only one for her in every way. Both his financial situation and
his family name make him perfect. And of course, we can’t
forget about his looks!”
“Totally! He’s so handsome!”
“This season will be winding down starting next month.
So the wedding will be in the fall. It won’t be long before Dora
Lance becomes Dora Dalton. I guarantee it.”
 Miss Pendleton’s heart fell. Based on Lady Lance’s friends’
conversation, it appeared that Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton had
gotten engaged in secret. So this confirmed that the lady in
Mr. Dalton’s heart was indeed Miss Lance.
Miss Pendleton took another sip and suppressed her
despair. It was obvious Mr. Dalton had already chosen his
future wife. He was going to marry Miss Lance, and another
perfect couple was going to be born in London society. Miss
Pendleton told herself that this was a good thing for her. It
was also a great ending for Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton. All
there was left to do was for her to forget her feelings for him.
But the next part of Misses Donovan and Wilkes’
conversation confused her.
“So when will Mr. Dalton propose to her?”
“Who knows? It could be today or it could be tomorrow.
But I’m sure he has feelings for Dora too. That’s not the issue.
We just need to come up with the color for our bridesmaids’
dresses. I like pink. How about you?”
“Geez, Victoria, the bride is supposed to pick the color…
But I prefer lavender.”
The two of them began chatting about the different colors
that suited their skin tones. Meanwhile, still sitting beside
them, Miss Pendleton turned pale.
What were these ladies saying? So Mr. Dalton and Miss
Lance haven’t gotten engaged yet?
Miss Pendleton looked around in panic. All the ladies in the
restroom had turned silent. They were pretending to be busy,
but they were obviously listening to Misses Donovan and
Wilkes’ conversation. It was no wonder because Miss Lance
was the most beautiful lady of the season. It made sense that
everyone was curious about her marriage prospects.
Miss Pendleton felt dizzy. This kind of gossip didn’t
matter if Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton were already engaged.
But if their relationship didn’t work out, Miss Lance’s
reputation was going to be tarnished beyond recovery. In
their society, if a man and woman found themselves in a
romantic scandal, such gossip tended to follow them for
years. Something like this was especially fatal to a lady’s
reputation. Sadly, Miss Pendleton knew this better than
anyone.
Miss Pendleton hurriedly asked Miss Wilkes, “Where are
your other friends right now?”
“Miss Lance is dancing with Mr. Fairfax. I’m sure Miss
Orson is sitting down and chatting with Miss Janet Fairfax
near the fountain.”
“When will you be finished?” Miss Pendleton asked the
seamstress who was crouched behind Miss Wilkes’ dress. She
clipped the thread and replied, “It’s all done.”
Miss Pendleton nagged the two ladies that they should
rejoin their friends immediately. Misses Wilkes and Donovan
wanted to stay longer and gossip, but Miss Pendleton insisted
that Miss Lance would want to see them once the dance was
over.
 So the two ladies handed the cookie bowl to the
seamstress, who had been crouching on the floor to fix their
dresses for over twenty minutes, and followed Miss
Pendleton out of the restroom.
As they passed crowd after crowd, Miss Pendleton felt the
other ladies’ interested stares on her back. They were hungry
for a scandal, and she couldn’t even imagine what kind of
rumors they would spread after what they had just heard.
Miss Pendleton felt hopeless, knowing that it was already
too late. Miss Lance wasn’t going to be able to avoid being
talked about. At this point, the only hope she had was for Mr.
Dalton and Miss Lance to get engaged for real.
 Chapter 56

By the time they returned to the hall, the music was nearing
its end. Miss Lance and Mr. Fairfax were walking away from
the middle of the spacious dance floor when they spotted
Miss Pendleton and the other two ladies.
While Mr. Fairfax asked Miss Wilkes about the
whereabouts of his sister, Miss Pendleton took Miss Lance’s
hand and walked to a nearby corner. Miss Lance became
confused when Miss Pendleton practically dragged her away.
When they reached a deserted spot, Miss Pendleton looked
around before sitting down with Miss Lance.
“Miss Lance, please do not misunderstand what I’m about
to tell you. Could you promise?”
Miss Lance has never seen Miss Pendleton looking this
serious. She was quite surprised. “Of course, Miss Pendleton.
Is there a problem?”
“Did you get engaged to Mr. Dalton, by chance?”
Miss Lance was shocked by such an unexpectedly forward
question. “N…no.”
Miss Pendleton grabbed her forehead. “Miss Lance, just
now in the restroom, your two friends were talking as if you
and Mr. Dalton were going to get engaged. They were
speaking loudly, and at least eighty people must’ve heard.”
Miss Lance blushed. “Pardon? Who? Who said that? N…
never mind. It’s obvious it was Victoria. Goodness, that silly
girl! Haa, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, so why would she get
excited already?”
Miss Lance seemed annoyed. “She must’ve talked about
her bridesmaid’s dress too, didn’t she? She has been chirping
about it for days now. He hasn’t even proposed yet, so I can’t
understand why she would do this.”
Miss Pendleton looked at Miss Lance quietly. Even though
her reputation was at stake here, Miss Lance didn’t seem
worried.
“Miss Lance, I know this might be embarrassing, but could
you be honest with me? Did Mr. Dalton make it clear that he
was going to propose to you? Did he give you a letter
suggesting it or tell you in person that he would like you as
his wife?”
Miss Lance stammered, “N…no, but… But I’m certain of it.
I could feel it since he visited London for the second time. It
has been very obvious that he favors me. And he has also been
attending my tea parties for the past month. And…”
Miss Pendleton listened attentively with a serious
expression. This confused Miss Lance because until now, her
mother and friends seemed very sure of Mr. Dalton’s love for
her. But for some reason, Miss Pendleton didn’t give her the
same confidence.
 Everyone around Dora Lance assured her that Ian Dalton
loved her. It has always been her job to blush and deny it to
appear modest. So why did Miss Pendleton look so
suspicious?
Miss Lance continued, “He drew me a picture, and he also
promised to go on a picnic with me. And… Umm… When I told
him I learned to play the harp, he told me he wanted to see me
play one day. He said he really did. And…”
When she realized that her reasons sounded weak and
flimsy, Miss Lance became quiet. Silence fell between the two
ladies, and Miss Lance studied Miss Pendleton nervously.
Miss Pendleton, who had been listening without a word,
seemed pensive.
“Miss Lance, please do not misunderstand what I’m about
to tell you. I’m the one who introduced the two of you, and I
want your union just as much as your friends… Frankly, the
only people who don’t want it would be your enemies. After
all, your reputation is on the line here.”
“I don’t understand…”
“Miss Lance, I’ll tell you a story about a lady I know. She
left London society a long time ago, so please don’t bother
asking other people about her.”
When Miss Lance nodded, Miss Pendleton continued, “She
was a brand new debutant. She was a shy and naive lady, and
she didn’t have a proper guardian.
Her family wasn’t well-to-do, so from time to time, men
with impure intentions approached her. She was lonely and
unable to make any decent friends when her heart was stolen
by one gentleman.”
After looking around once more, Miss Pendleton added,
“The two of them fell in love instantly. They danced and
chatted only with each other at every ball and dinner. Because
this lady believed she would marry this man, she didn’t care
about the rumors. I think the gentleman also planned on
marrying her.”

“But the man’s guardian wanted him to marry a woman with

a large dowry. Unfortunately, this lady didn’t have much of a
dowry, so in the end, they didn’t end up together. The man
left, leaving behind this woman all alone. Two months later,
the news of this gentleman’s marriage reached London.
Apparently, he married a rich heiress. So what do you think
happened next?”
“Did… the lady commit suicide?” Miss Lance had read too
many romantic novels, and her imagination went wild.
Miss Pendleton smiled bitterly. “That might have made
things simpler. Per her parents’ order, the lady had no choice
but to return to society. For the next several years, the rumors
of her being that gentleman’s lover followed her everywhere.
Some even believed that she was living with this man out of
wedlock. It took almost eight years for such rumors to
disappear, but by then, the lady became a spinster. She
suffered a terrible emotional trauma, and she was unable to
recover… She had to marry a foreigner thirty years her senior
and leave the country.”
Miss Lance listened quietly. The story Miss Pendleton told
her was a common event in their society.
Miss Pendleton asked, “Can’t you understand why I’m
telling you this, Miss Lance?”
“No, not really…”
“Her family situation might have been a big part of why
she suffered such a misfortune. She wasn’t able to fit in with
other ladies, which meant that she didn’t have any friends to
stop her from making this mistake. She also was without any
wise family members who could help her. But I believe that
the main reason for her demise was her own foolishness. She
knew very well how rumors can ruin a person, especially a
woman. She also knew that a lady’s reputation could be very
fragile. Those around her had given her plenty of advice about
it when she first made her debut. But the moment she fell in
love, she forgot all about it. More accurately, she didn’t think
it mattered. She only cared about love, and it was her own
stupidity that ruined her life.”
Looking straight into Miss Lance’s eyes, Miss Pendleton
continued, “I think there’s a lesson you could learn from my
story, Miss Lance. Please think about it and make sure to
handle your situation wisely. If you ever need advice, please
feel free to visit me.”
After Miss Pendleton left, Miss Lance brooded over the
story. Soon, her face turned bright red because she
understood. Miss Pendleton was warning her that she was
being careless, and Miss Lance trembled from humiliation. To
be compared to a foolhardy woman blinded by love was an
insult. Miss Pendleton was insinuating that Miss Lance was
being reckless about her reputation because she was blinded
by love for a man who hasn’t even promised to marry her.
Miss Lance couldn’t understand why Miss Pendleton
would make such a comparison. Her and Mr. Dalton’s
relationship was nothing like the story. After all, Mr. Dalton
wasn’t a villain and she was no fool.
Wait… Am I wrong about this?
Miss Lance shook her head roughly, telling herself not to
doubt. Mr. Dalton was madly in love with her. His gaze,
expression, and words have proven this over and over again.
Everyone around her had witnessed his behavior objectively
and told her so.
Miss Lance desperately tried to forget the possibility that
he might not love her. This was such a frightening thought
because her feelings for him have become too deep. If she
doubted his love now, Miss Lance was afraid she might die of
a broken heart.
So Miss Lance began coming up with an explanation that
could contradict Miss Pendleton’s claim. This wasn’t difficult
since she already had an assumption made earlier regarding
Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton’s relationship.
However, Miss Lance had to wonder. Miss Pendleton was
such a nice lady, and it was also her who introduced her to Mr.
 Dalton. So why would she do something so cowardly?
But then, Miss Pendleton had just insulted her in the worst
way. Anger clouded Miss Lance’s judgment, and she began
picturing Miss Pendleton, a kind woman who gave her good
advice, as a nasty villainess.
Miss Pendleton must’ve gotten jealous after she was rejected
by Mr. Dalton. So she’s trying to break Mr. Dalton and my
relationship.
Comfort filled Miss Lance’s heart. She welcomed this
explanation, and she even felt superior for pitying a woman
who tried to hurt her. But at the same time, Miss Lance was
disappointed. She had ignored society’s prejudice against
Miss Pendleton and tried to be nice to her. She has always
liked Miss Pendleton, who was pretty, kind, and suffered an
unfortunate history.
Miss Pendleton was often treated unfairly because of her
parents’ mistakes. Miss Lance had always pitied her, and
when she heard other people badmouth Miss Pendleton, she
had tried to defend her. But it seemed that Miss Pendleton
had returned her kindness with an act of jealousy.
Yes, she must’ve loved Mr. Dalton too much. So when she
found out that I’ll become engaged to him, she must’ve lost her
mind. She may be a kind person, but love makes people do crazy
things. She was being courted by a strange man like Mr. Pryce, so
Mr. Dalton was her only hope. Therefore, I must feel sorry for her.
As a fellow lady, I must forget her mistake.
 Feeling much better, Miss Lance returned to her friends.
She decided against telling anyone about the ridiculous story
Miss Pendleton told her. Miss Lance knew that if her friends
found out about it, they would badmouth Miss Pendleton in
the most atrocious way.
 Chapter 57

Miss Pendleton returned home immediately after her

conversation with Miss Lance. On her way inside the carriage,
the problem of Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton nagged at her. But
the moment the carriage entered Grosvenor Street, she forgot
all about it. After all, she had a much bigger problem she was
about to face.
Miss Pendleton expected her uncle to summon her to the
study this very night. He was going to question her about Mr.
Pryce’s proposal, and she would have to tell him the truth.
She wondered how her uncle would react when he heard it.
He might do something worse to me than what he did
yesterday.
This thought was enough to cause a sudden throbbing in
her right hand. Miss Pendleton touched her gloved hand and
decided silently.
If that happens, I’m not going to just stand by. I can’t fight
back because I’ll lose. But I can at least throw something at him
and run. I won’t let him hurt me again.
The carriage stopped in front of the townhouse. When
Miss Pendleton got out and entered the house, the
atmosphere inside was quite different from when she left
earlier that day. It felt gloomy, and all the servants looked
worried.
Miss Pendleton asked a maid, “Did something happen
while I was away?”
“Dr. Webster is here.”
“Why is he… Ah, did Grandmother…!”
“No, Miss. Lady Abigail just fainted. Dr. Webster is waiting
for you.”
Miss Pendleton hurried upstairs. In her grandmother’s
room were Dr. Webster, Anne, and three other maids beside
Lady Abigail’s bed. When Miss Pendleton entered the room,
Dr. Webster rose. “Miss Pendleton…”
Forgetting to greet her guest properly, Miss Pendleton
rushed toward her grandmother who was lying on the bed like
a corpse. She leaned closer, and when she heard the shallow
breathing, she sighed in relief.
“Doctor, my grandmother… She’ll be okay, won’t she?”
asked Miss Pendleton.
Looking troubled, Dr. Webster replied, “It’s time you
prepare yourself. She… won’t last another three days.”
Miss Pendleton became dazed as she stared at her
grandmother. Dr. Webster continued to speak, but she
couldn’t hear him. After prescribing a few meaningless
medications to the servants, the doctor grabbed his bag and
left. Meanwhile, Miss Pendleton continued to watch her
grandmother. She was in such shock that she couldn’t even
cry.
 The servants seemed hesitant to leave Lady Abigail and
Miss Pendleton alone. It was because they loved their kind
mistresses so much. Anne Steel was especially concerned, but
she was also a practical woman. She knew that she couldn’t
dwell in sadness if she wanted to help Miss Pendleton. She
also believed that it was unnecessary for the servants to add
their own gloom to the room that was already somber.
So Anne ordered the servants to various tasks. She asked
them to get the medicines made by the pharmacy and let
other staff know about the situation. She then left the room
herself to give Miss Pendleton some privacy with her
grandmother.
Ten minutes later, Anne returned with a glass of wine.
Miss Pendleton was sitting beside the bed.
“Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Pendleton remained still, her face as white as a piece
of paper. Anne offered a glass of wine. “Please have a sip of
this. It will give you some energy.”
Miss Pendleton looked up at her. Without a word, Anne
raised the glass to her mistress’s lips. After one small sip,
Miss Pendleton turned away. She whispered, “…She seemed
fine just last night when I bid her goodnight, so how…?”
Anne looked at Miss Pendleton for a moment. Her clever
eyes studied her mistress in concern.
“Anne, where is my uncle? He needs to be here.”
Anne sighed. “Mr. Pendleton is out at the moment.”
 “Didn’t he tell you where he’s going? Grandmother might
pass away at any time. If she ever wakes up, my uncle needs
to say goodbye. Ask the servants and see if he told them
where he was going. Ah, maybe he’s with Mr. Pryce. You
should send someone to Mrs. Nazeley’s…”
“Miss.” Anne shook her head. When Miss Pendleton
looked at her in confusion, Anne explained, “I doubt Lady
Abigail will want to see Mr. Pendleton.”
“What…? Do you know something?”
“Miss, please have another sip of wine first. You didn’t
even eat dinner before you went to the ball tonight. I’m afraid
you might collapse. When you finish this glass, I’ll tell you
everything.”
Miss Pendleton obeyed and drank the entire glass.
Meanwhile, Anne dragged the comfortable rock chair beside
the fireplace to the bed. After taking the empty glass, Anne
helped Miss Pendleton sit down on this chair.
Miss Pendleton requested, “Now, tell me. What
happened?”
Anne placed a small cushion beside her mistress’s feet and
sat down on top of it. Holding Miss Pendleton’s hands, she
began, “Lady Abigail collapsed because of Mr. Pendleton.”
 Miss Pendleton’s eyes widened. Slowly, Anne told her
everything she heard and saw earlier that day.

***

Earlier that night.

Anne was on her way upstairs with a bowl of soup for Lady
Abigail. She was annoyed because she would have to see
Gerald Pendleton again. Whenever she went into Lady
Abigail’s room, she saw that Mr. Pendleton was always sitting
too close to his mother. This evil man had hurt Miss
Pendleton’s hand, and he was probably feeding more lies to
Lady Abigail.
Anne remembered what Miss Pendleton’s right hand
looked like before she left for the ball. She helped her mistress
put on the gloves, and she saw that four of the fingers looked
black from being bruised. Imagining throwing the steaming
bowl of soup at Gerald Pendleton, Anne walked toward the
room.
She could hear the mother and son murmuring to each
other. Lady Abigail’s voice was as soft as always while Mr.
Pendleton’s voice was filled with fake kindness. Anne sighed,
knowing that Lady Abigail had no idea. She didn’t know what
this man did to her granddaughter. Miss Pendleton made
Anne promise not to tell anyone, so Anne had to keep quiet.
Anne felt frustrated. Lady Abigail was on her deathbed, so
Anne understood how much she must’ve missed her son. But
Miss Pendleton had cared for her for many years while Mr.
Pendleton had been ignoring her all this time. So how could
Lady Abigail ignore her granddaughter now?
Anne was enraged, but she shook her head. Holding the
tray firmly with one hand, she raised the other to knock on
the door when she heard a scream.
“Gerald!”
Lady Abigail’s voice made Anne stop breathing. Instead of
knocking, Anne leaned to get her ears closer to the door. From
inside, she could hear mumbling and panting.
“Why must I do that?!” Mr. Pendleton’s angry voice yelled.
“Laura has stayed by my side all this time to care for me.
Throwing her out penniless would be too cruel. The right
thing to do would be to give her an appropriate amount of
money. Since you have forgiven me, I thought you didn’t have
any more resentment toward Laura either.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t at all,” Gerald growled, and Anne
sneered at his lie.
“The inheritance Charles is going to get from me is worth
over three hundred thousand pounds. So why is it a problem
that I give Laura just five thousand pounds?”
Anne’s eyes widened. Five thousand pounds might not be
much to a nobleman, but it was enough to change a
commoner’s life.
Lady Abigail continued soothingly, “When I die, she’ll
have nothing. You’re not a heartless man, so wouldn’t you
feel uncomfortable if that happens? Neither Laura nor I
expect you to take her in. So just promise her five thousand
pounds and she can have a new life on her own. You can show
your generosity as the head of our family.”
“Mother, please don’t worry. Of course, I care about Laura.
That’s why I found her a husband. He’s someone who’s too
good for her.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Mother, you said Tom was a good man, didn’t you? You
were right. Tom is an excellent man indeed. He’s cheerful and
responsible. That is why I chose him as Laura’s husband
while I was in America.”
Anne couldn’t hear anything anymore. She held her breath
and leaned closer.
“…Tom Pryce? Your friend and my granddaughter? Gerald,
did I hear you right?”
“Yes, Mother. You still have excellent hearing. Tom loves
Laura. He has been courting her enthusiastically, but that
naive Laura kept rejecting him. But don’t worry. He’ll propose
to her again at the ball tonight, and she’s going to accept him.
When Laura marries Tom, she’ll have a bright future ahead of
her. She’ll become a rich woman, so you don’t have to worry
about her anymore.”
Bright future? More like hell! Anne gritted her teeth,
wondering how Lady Abigail was going to react. Soon, Anne’s
curiosity was satisfied.
Lady Abigail no longer sounded gentle as she replied, “I’m
warning you, Gerald. If you allow that old fool near Laura, I’m
going to leave nothing to Charles. Instead, I’ll throw all of my
money to the River Thames instead.”
Anne gaped in surprise.
“Mother, how could you say that…?!”
“You’re the one who’s being unreasonable here. How
could you do this to your own niece? Tom Pryce is your age,
which makes him twenty-four years older than Laura. So how
could you force her to marry a man who doesn’t have much
time left on this earth? Have you lost your mind?”
Another silence fell. Feeling impatient, Anne looked into
the keyhole. She saw that Gerald was panting visibly and
holding his forehead in frustration. He muttered, “All I did
was worry about Laura’s future. Let’s be honest here. She’s a
spinster of twenty-nine years. The fact that she remains
unmarried is humiliating. Her bloodline is impure, and she
has no money. Haa… So I introduced her to an appropriate
man. That wench has been acting immature and arrogant
until now, but she’ll accept his proposal tonight. You’ll see.”
 Chapter 58

Lady Abigail glared at her son. Anne couldn’t see things

clearly through the keyhole, but she was certain the elderly
woman looked upset.
Lady Abigail continued, “If Laura returns from the ball and
tells me that she accepted Mr. Pryce’s marriage proposal, I’m
going to stop her. I’ll tell her that unless she wants me to
hang myself, she better break off the engagement. I didn’t
raise and nurture her so that she’ll be sold to an old fat man
like him.”
“Mother!”
“That’s enough, Gerald Pendleton. How dare you yell at
your mother like this?!”
Anne’s eyes widened. It has been a very long time since she
saw Lady Abigail raise her voice like this. Gerald Pendleton
stared in surprise before pacing around the room to cool
down his anger. But his face was turning redder by the
second.
“Mother, could it be… that you reconciled with me for this?
To give that child some of your money?”
Lady Abigail remained silent.
 “So that was your plan all this time? You were scheming to
give as much money to Laura as possible when everything
belongs to Charles? So this is why you’ve been so kind to me!
Mother, how could you?! You’re dying, yet you still lied to
your son?”
“But aren’t you doing the same thing? You only came here
to protect Charles’ inheritance. It was nauseating to endure
you and Charles buttering me up. But a promise is a promise.
Since you kept yours and allowed me to raise Laura as a
Pendleton, I’m happy with the outcome. And since your son
will inherit all of my wealth, you should be content as well,
Gerald.”
“Yes, I was! I was content until you did this! If you had
kept your part of the bargain, everything would’ve been
fine!”
“Well, I guess it’s unfortunate then, my son,” Lady Abigail
replied sarcastically.
“Mother, you’re threatening me with the money you
already promised. You’re trying to blackmail me with your
will!”
“So you’re aware of the fact that I can change my will in
any way I want. Everything makes sense now. That’s the only
reason why you came here. You learned that I’m on my
deathbed, didn’t you? That’s why you were fawning over me
this whole time. But don’t worry, my child. I have no plans to
steal any money from Charles.”
 Lady Abigail sighed and continued, “To be honest, I’ve
been tempted. I learned that your son Charles is a useless
fool, so giving him any money would be like throwing it away.
But oh well, a deal is a deal. I won’t change my will. I’m going
to let Charles inherit my wealth. But I’m just asking you to
give five thousand of it to Laura. Of three hundred thousand
pounds, just give her five thousand.”
“Laura Pendleton has already taken more than enough.
She has lived the luxurious life of a noble lady…!”
“But as the daughter of Dolores Pendleton, she deserves
such a life.”
“Mother!”
“You’re acting like Laura is a complete stranger. You’re
pretending like she isn’t Dolores Pendleton’s daughter. But
just as Dolores came out of my womb, Laura came out of
Dolores. You may be the head of the Pendleton family, but you
cannot break the bond between a mother and her child!”
“You haven’t changed at all, Mother!” Gerald panted
angrily. “You have always been like this. Just for playing with
your golden thimble, you refused to let me out of my room for
half a day when I was a child. But when Dolores lost that same
thimble, you forgave her immediately and gave her a kiss. I
was so sick of how you used to favor her. It was ridiculous!
And when Dolores died, you turned your attention to Laura.”
“So are you resentful just because I didn’t indulge you,
Gerald?”
 When Gerald didn’t reply, Lady Abigail continued, “You
might not remember, but when you fell from a tree and
dislocated your shoulder, I nursed you every night for days.
When you entered Eton College, I sent you a letter every week
for five years. But it sounds like you’ve forgotten all about
this as well. There wasn’t a single moment when I didn’t love
you, Gerald. But you have always liked to compare yourself to
others. You were so calculating, and you never seemed to find
my love enough. Your little sister was six years younger and
fragile, but instead of pitying her, you were jealous of her.”
a»
“Since you were both little, Dolores’s body used to be
covered in bruises caused by you. That was the reason why
she ran away with that American man. She knew that when
you became the head of the family, you would take your
revenge on her for being my favorite child. Instead of being
sold to a man she didn’t even know, she chose love.”
Silence fell between the two of them. Lady Abigail’s face
had turned pale from fatigue. Gerald Pendleton glared at fer
for a moment before sniggering. “When I was little, I decided
that you must not be my real mother. It made me feel better.
But I know now. You have to be my birth mother because my
calculating nature came from you. Fine, you win. Give Laura
five thousand pounds. I don’t know what she’ll be able to do
with such little money, but perhaps it will allow her to marry
a merchant or a pharmacist. I suppose that’s the kind of life
she deserves.”
 Gerald Pendleton sneered and added, “But you’ll see what
I can do to Laura the moment you die. You better watch the
whole thing from above. I’ll make sure she isn’t allowed to
see your body once. I won’t let her attend the funeral or come
anywhere near your grave!”
Just like that, Gerald stormed out of the room. Anne
quickly stepped aside while still holding the tray. He glared at
her for a second before stomping downstairs. He yelled at a
servant to prepare a carriage, his voice echoing throughout
the house.
Anne entered Lady Abigail’s room with her tray. The
elderly woman was leaning against the bed with a pale face.
Anne walked toward her and saw that she was covered in
sweat.
Anne quickly grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket. She
tried to wipe away the cold sweat from her mistress, but Lady
Abigail grabbed Anne’s wrist and ordered, “Find John
downstairs and tell him to bring my lawyer and Mr. Naise.
They must come as soon as possible before I die…”
Suddenly, Lady Abigail lost consciousness.

***

“The lawyer couldn’t be here because it’s after office hours

and he went home. Mr. Naise came earlier, but when Lady
Abigail wouldn’t wake up, he left. Both of them will be here
early tomorrow morning,” Anne explained.
Miss Pendleton couldn’t say anything. She has been
shocked by what she had heard just now, but the only
emotion left inside of her at the end was sadness. She buried
her face in her hands in devastation.
Miss Pendleton had believed that her grandmother was
happy in her last days. She reconciled with her son, and Miss
Pendleton thought she was preparing for a peaceful end. But
it turned out that her fragile grandmother had been fighting
for her all this time on her deathbed.
“…Anne, you heard everything.”
Anne and Miss Pendleton turned toward the bed when they
heard Lady Abigail’s voice. The elderly woman’s eyes were
open, and Miss Pendleton rushed to her.
“Grandmother, when did you wake up?”
Lady Abigail caressed her granddaughter’s reddened
cheek. “I hope you showed off your looks tonight at the ball.”
When Miss Pendleton smiled sadly and nodded, Lady
Abigail praised her, “Good. You did well.”
Lady Abigail searched for her hand, and Miss Pendleton
grasped her grandmother’s hand.
Lady Abigail explained, “As you have just heard, you’ll
receive five thousand pounds, Laura. It’s not a small amount,
but it’s also not a lot of money either.”
“Is that why… you’ve been pretending to get along with
Uncle Gerald?”
 Lady Abigail smiled. It was a sharp contrast from the
miserable look on her granddaughter’s face. Lady Abigail
asked, “Why do you look upset? Don’t you want five thousand
pounds? Is it not enough?”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “Grandmother, I’m going
to become a governess. I’m going to make my own living.”
“A governess? You won’t be able to buy a house even if you
work your whole life in that profession. Five thousand pounds
won’t get you rich, but it will still be enough for you to
survive out in the world. You can open a small store, or you
can find and marry a man who loves you for who you are.
“…Grandmother, you have told me many times that you
aren’t afraid of death. You said that Dolores is waiting for you
in heaven, so there was nothing to fear. But Grandmother,
death means that you’ll be saying goodbye to your other child
on earth. Are you certain you’ll be okay leaving things the way
they are with Uncle Gerald? Can you accept the fact that you’ll
never be able to reconcile with him?”
“Laura, I’m afraid that there will never be a true
reconciliation between my son and 1.1 knew that if I changed
my will in secret, he would harm you. If I have you inherit all
of my wealth, he would try to kill you to take the money. So
the best compromise I came up with was to get his consent in
giving you a small amount.”
Tears began rolling down from Miss Pendleton’s eyes.
They refused to stop, and soon, she was trembling and
sobbing.
 “So I finally get to see you cry openly. I’m glad that I get to
see this before I die. I don’t know when, but you transformed
into an emotionless doll, Laura. You always have a smile on
your lips and you act so thoughtfully and elegantly. It was as
if you knew nothing else… When I realized that I was the one
who made you this way, it was too late. I was too old to
reverse my mistake. I’m sorry, Laura.”
Miss Pendleton couldn’t stop crying. She needed to say
something to comfort her grandmother and unburden her
guilt, but she couldn’t. When her grandmother spoke the
truth she had been hiding all this time, there was nothing
Miss Pendleton could do but sob.
Lady Abigail continued, “When you first made your debut,
it was as if my Dolores came back to life. When you hosted all
those parties, played the piano for the guests, and wore
beautiful dresses to dance with handsome gentlemen, I was
able to experience all the things I missed because of Dolores’s
death. I was so happy.”
Lady Abigail shook her head. “But that was foolish of me.
You aren’t Dolores, but I missed my daughter so much and I
became blindly greedy. It was only later that I learned the
sadness I’ve caused you, Laura. The insults you had to endure
in society and the pain you suffered to survive… I’m sorry. I’m
really sorry that I made you live an unhappy life to satisfy my
greed.”
Lady Abigail squeezed her granddaughter’s hand. “Laura,
please live your own life now. You have earned your
freedom.”
 Chapter 59

Lady Abigail passed away the next day. Her last moments
were heartbreaking. After telling her granddaughter
everything she wanted, she fainted again. She went in and out
of consciousness a few times afterward.
Both her body and mind were weakening rapidly. But early
the next morning when her lawyer and notary arrived, she
ordered the maid to bring her the smelling salts. After forcing
herself to be wide awake. Lady Abigail added a new item to
her will.
While her grandmother, the notary, and the lawyer worked
on her will, Miss Pendleton sent out the servants to search for
her uncle. She was tired from lack of sleep because she spent
last night nursing her grandmother. But Miss Pendleton
didn’t bother resting. Her uncle and her grandmother might
not have reconciled, but Lady Abigail could pass away at any
moment. It was unthinkable for the head of the family to be
absent at a time like this.
After the lawyer and notary left, Miss Pendleton returned
to her grandmother. Lady Abigail continued to lose
consciousness again and again while moaning in pain.
Sometimes, she would whisper her husband’s name while
other times, she mumbled the names of her children Dolores
and Gerald. But the name she called out the most was Laura.
Miss Pendleton never left her side or stopped praying. She
prayed to her mother in heaven for a miracle. She was
desperate for her grandmother to recover.
But sadly, there was no miracle. That afternoon, Lady
Abigail passed away at the age of seventy-two.
After Dr. Webster declared her dead, Miss Pendleton
returned to her room and sobbed in her bed for a very long
time. There were times when she blamed her grandmother
and wished to escape this place. For a while, she believed that
she was unhappy due to Lady Abigail’s obsession with her
dead daughter.
But there wasn’t a moment when Miss Pendleton didn’t
love her grandmother. Lady Abigail loved and protected her
more than her own parents ever could. Miss Pendleton loved
her grandmother dearly.
But Lady Abigail was gone now. Miss Pendleton was finally
free just like she wanted, but this also meant that she no
longer had anyone who cared about her.
Miss Pendleton writhed and wailed for a while, but thanks
to her willpower strengthened by her difficult past, she soon
regained control over herself. After all, she was by nature a
woman who valued common sense over emotions.
There were things she needed to do. Firstly, she had to
summon the undertaker to take care of the body while she
prepared for the funeral. She then needed to write letters to
her relatives informing them of her grandmother’s passing.
These were all Miss Pendleton’s duties.
So she forced her tired body to stand up. She sat down in
front of the writing desk and after taking out the address
book, she began writing the letters.
Just then, there was a knock on her door. A servant entered
and informed her that Gerald Pendleton was looking for her.
It seemed that her uncle had finally returned. Miss Pendleton
quickly changed into mourning clothes and rushed to the
study.
Gerald Pendleton was in his dark gray suit and looking out
the window. Miss Pendleton approached him and asked,
“Uncle, did you need to see me?”
He remained quiet.
Miss Pendleton continued, “We must prepare for
Grandmother’s funeral. Do you by chance have an undertaker
or a minister in mind? If not, may I take care of the details
myself?”
Gerald Pendleton turned toward his niece.
“There’s nothing for you to do now.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I’ll give you one hour. Pack your things and get out of this
house.”
His resentful look made Miss Pendleton flinch. It appeared
that his hatred toward her has grown since a few nights ago
when he crushed her hand. He warned her, “You better not
show up anywhere near me or any member of the Pendleton
family again unless you want to be found dead in the river.
“…I’ll get the oldest and most experienced maid to take
care of Grandmother’s funeral. But Uncle, you won’t stop me
from attending the funeral, will you?”
“Didn’t I tell you just now that you have an hour to leave
the Pendleton house?”
Miss Pendleton bit her lip. “As Lady Abigail’s
granddaughter, I have the right to attend her funeral.”
“Yes, I’m so sick of how well you know your rights. I also
know that you’re willing to ruin our family if it means you get
to protect your precious rights.”

“Tom Pryce pulled out the investment he promised and

returned to America. Before he left, he railed at me like a
madman. It seems that your refusal has embarrassed him a
great deal.”
Gerald Pendleton gritted his teeth. Just as Miss Pendleton
expected, her uncle blamed her for losing Mr. Pryce’s
investment.
Gerald Pendleton continued, “You will no longer be
allowed to enter the Pendleton house. I won’t let you use the
Pendleton name anymore either. From this day on, you must
live as Laura Sheldon.”
His icy demeanor brought chills to Miss Pendleton’s body.
Her uncle never bothered hiding his contempt for her, but
something had changed. He was acting like he was enraged by
her.
But there was still one more thing she needed to do.
“Uncle, I don’t plan on dwelling on my life as part of the
Pendleton family. I have no affection nor greed for it. My only
wish is to repay my grandmother by attending her funeral
before leaving this place. That’s all I ask, so please allow me
this one request.”
Miss Pendleton bowed and promised, “I’ll give up the five
thousand pounds. I’ll ask to be taken off from the will. It was
never my money to begin with, so please let me mourn my
grandmother.”
Gerald Pendleton looked at his niece who kept her head
bowed. “You were never going to receive any money.
Miss Pendleton looked up at him and saw that he was
sneering at her. He explained, “Her lawyer and notary are
very responsible men, but ten thousand pounds were enough
to buy their conscience.
“…Are you saying you changed
Grandmother’s will on your own?”
“I didn’t do anything. All I asked those men was to ignore
the last words of nonsense my senile mother muttered before
her death.”
Miss Pendleton bit her lip. “Uncle, that’s illegal. You know
that very well, and most importantly, what you did will bring
shame to the Pendleton family.”
 “I don’t need your lecture. Just hurry up and get lost. You
have already polluted our family beyond repair.”
Despite his insulting words, it wasn’t humiliation or anger
Miss Pendleton felt. Instead, she was in disbelief at what her
uncle did. He always preached about the importance of his
family, yet he did something that could ruin the Pendleton
family’s reputation. He was clearly obsessed with making
sure she became impoverished.
“So you resent me this much, Uncle. In order to steal my
five thousand pounds, you gave away twenty thousand
pounds. How incredible.”
“Don’t be shocked, Laura Pendleton. I’ll give you one piece
of advice. It won’t do you any good to tell anyone that I stole
your money. My mother’s will was written a long time ago,
and everyone knows Charles was supposed to inherit
everything. People will just think you’ve gone mad. No one
will ever believe your words against mine.”
Miss Pendleton knew this to be true. She turned cold, but it
wasn’t because she wanted this money. She didn’t care
because it was never hers in the first place. She replied,
“Don’t worry. Charles will get everything. I don’t have the
money to hire a lawyer, and even if I did, I’m sure you’ll drag
this out as long as possible so that I give up. Just like you did
with my grandmother.”
“Good, so you know.”
Miss Pendleton smiled. “Until now, I could never
understand my mother. I resented her and blamed her for
everything. But now, I finally understand why she was so
desperate to escape the Pendleton family. It makes sense that
she gave up a life of comfort and luxury and followed my
father. Uncle, you’re a terrible person. I would rather sleep in
a shack covered in spider webs that live under your roof.”
Gerald Pendleton turned rigid. Miss Pendleton curtsied
and added, “I should thank you for tolerating me until now.
Please take good care of Grandmother’s funeral.”
She turned around. When she opened the door, she heard
Gerald Pendleton’s unyielding voice.
“You have exactly one hour. If you’re still here after that,
you’ll be dragged out by the same staff who served you all
these years.
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I can’t think of a worse form of
torture than being under the same roof as you for a second
longer than necessary.”
Miss Pendleton closed the door behind her.

***

Lady Abigail’s death brought sadness not only to her family

but to all of her staff. She was a kind and considerate woman,
so her witty presence was going to be missed by everyone. All
the servants dabbed their eyes and prayed that she would rest
in peace.
Anne, who was crying with the other maids in the kitchen,
was summoned by Lady Pendleton. Anne wiped her tears
away and quickly went upstairs. She expected to receive
orders from her mistress regarding the funeral arrangement.
Miss Pendleton had to be drowning in sorrow, but she was a
lady who took her duties very seriously.
Anne climbed the stairs while trying to come up with the
right words of condolences. But when she opened the door,
she was shocked by what she saw. Her mistress’s room was a
disaster. All of the drawers and the closet were opened, and
there was a large trunk opened on the bed. Inside was a giant
mountain of clothes.
Anne saw that Miss Pendleton was going through the
documents and books inside her side table.
“Miss, what are you doing?”
Without taking her eyes off the document, Miss Pendleton
replied, “Thank goodness you’re here. Anne, I’m afraid I need
your help. Firstly, could you find me some outfits a governess
would wear from that pile of dresses?”
“M…Miss, but this is too soon. The funeral hasn’t even
been arranged, so why…”
“My uncle ordered me to leave immediately. He said that if
I don’t leave in an hour, he’ll order the servants to drag me
out. He’s a piece of work, isn’t he?” Miss Pendleton’s voice
was filled with bitterness and sarcasm.
Anne was in disbelief. “He actually kicked you out before
Lady Pendleton’s funeral?”
“Yes, in one hour. About ten minutes have passed, and I
haven’t packed any clothes or documents yet. So please
hurry.”
Anne was in shock, but she knew what a terrible man
Gerald Pendleton was. She refused to see her dear mistress
get dragged out, so she quickly began to sort through the
clothes.
 Chapter 60

A governess’s outfit was a tricky concept. It had to be more

elegant than a maid’s uniform, but it needed to be simpler
than something a noble lady would wear. A governess wasn’t
allowed to wear extravagant jewelry, and she was banned
from wearing a dress that showed her collarbones or
accentuated her hips.
Anne was stumped. Miss Pendleton was more frugal than
most other ladies, but she was still one of the noblewomen
who frequented London society. Most of her clothes were
formal wear that was considered acceptable in high society.
The bed became littered with formal dinner and ball
gowns, tea party and picnic dresses, and various hats and
gloves to match them. Every piece was elegant, and among
over twenty dresses, Anne could find only three that might be
suitable.
She chose a gray dress with black vineshaped embroidery,
a green tartan pattern dress without any ornament, and a
brown silk dress that might work if worn with a simple cape.
These outfits filled half of the trunk, and Miss Pendleton
filled the other half with a bundle of letters, novels, the Latin
Bible, a Greek anthology, a book of philosophy written in
German, and several French essays.
Miss Pendleton ordered Anne to burn the rest of the
documents and letters before heading to her vanity. She
wrapped up her favorite hairnet and dumped all of her jewelry
in a small pouch. She made sure to hide these valuables
underneath the dresses in the trunk. Then, she packed the
simplest gloves, shoes, and shawls. Picking up a snow-white
shawl, Miss Pendleton contemplated for a moment before
packing it as well.
By the time Anne returned after burning the unnecessary
documents, Miss Pendleton was looking around her room to
make sure she didn’t miss anything.
Anne asked, “But you’ll come to the funeral, won’t you?”
Miss Pendleton shook her head.
“Then what about when they read the will?”
“I won’t be getting anything.” Miss Pendleton smiled.
“Why not?”
“Because my uncle changed my grandmother’s will. More
accurately, he falsified it. Whatever’s inside this trunk is all I
own now.”
Anne rushed to her mistress. “That can’t be! Lady Abigail
got everything in order with her lawyer! She even had a
notary.”
“Those men became very rich from this. Apparently, my
uncle bought their silence by paying them ten thousand
pounds each.”
 “That’s impossible. How could he be so evil?!”
Miss Pendleton picked up a notebook and a few writing
instruments. Anne walked to her again and begged, “You
must sue him, Miss!”
“Sue him?”
“Yes! You know that my fiance is a lawyer, don’t you? He
began working in the law firm only a year ago, but he’s very
talented and smart. He has already won three trials so far. He
hasn’t lost once. If he hears about this, I’m sure he’ll fight for
you!”
Miss Pendleton gazed at Anne quietly. She patted her
maid’s shoulder and murmured, “Thank you, Anne.”
“Please don’t thank me. Miss, you have always been so
kind to me. Even when I first began working for you and made
a lot of mistakes, you never scolded me. You also gave me
raises as a wedding gift every time one of my sisters got
married… Now, I’ll just write down my statement as a
witness, and…”
“Anne.”
When Anne looked at her, Miss Pendleton shook her head.
“Miss! You can’t give up like this. Falsifying a will is
clearly against the law! I’m sure you’ll win if you sue him!
Don’t you want to get back your grandmother’s inheritance?”
“Of course, I do. But I can’t take such a big risk on
something I have no chance of winning.
“No chance? Are you saying you don’t have any proof? But
you have me! I heard everything! And what risk are you
talking about?”
“Your wedding.”
“Pardon?”
“My uncle will never let me win. He just won’t. Twenty
years ago, my grandmother and my uncle had a legal battle.
He hired dozens of lawyers and dragged it out for many years.
My grandmother got exhausted by the end and she gave up. It
took seven years. My grandmother, who was a wealthy
woman, still had to surrender. I believe you when you say
your fiance is talented, but if he takes this on, he’ll end up
losing his chances in getting other cases. That also means
that your wedding will be delayed. It might be five years, or
even ten.”
“I’m fine with that. If it means that you’ll get your money
back, I don’t care if my wedding gets postponed.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head again. “No matter how I
think about it, it’s not worth it, Anne. Even if we win, I won’t
get much after paying all the fees. It would be better if I focus
my effort on teaching children. Besides, it was never my
money to begin with. So let’s just forget about it.”
Anne stomped a few times as she yelled, “But…! But…!”
In the end, she burst into tears. “This isn’t fair!”
Miss Pendleton looked at Anne, who was wailing. Her maid
had always looked out for her. Miss Pendleton was used to
suppressing her emotions, but Anne laughed, cried, and
vented out on her behalf. Anne was such a good friend to her.
Miss Pendleton treasured her more than the friends she made
in high society.
“Anne, I’m okay. I’ll be perfectly fine. I have been saving
for a while now, and more importantly, I have the knowledge
I gathered in my head. I’m certain there isn’t any governess
more knowledgeable than me in all of London. I can live on
my own just fine, so please don’t cry. You’re breaking my
heart.”
Miss Pendleton tried to comfort Anne. By the time her
maid stopped crying, she only had ten minutes left. Miss
Pendleton asked Anne to give her expensive dresses, hats,
gloves, and shoes to the servants as gifts. She also handed an
envelope and requested the male servants to be given one
pound each from it. Anne burst into tears again, touched by
Miss Pendleton for her thoughtful gesture as the mistress of
this household.
Putting on a black cape and flat black hat with no
adornment, Miss Pendleton walked downstairs. All of the
servants were busy mourning, so there was no one to see her
leave. Miss Pendleton was able to reach the entrance without
being noticed by anyone.
Then suddenly, she paused. She felt like she had missed
something. Miss Pendleton stood there for a moment before
asking Anne, “Could you get me the painting of Whitefield in
the reception hall?”
Anne hurried to the reception hall. It was then that
footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Miss
Pendleton looked up to see that it was her uncle.
Gerald Pendleton announced, “It has been an hour. Leave
now.”
“There is one item I must get before I leave, Uncle.”
“That’s not my problem. Hurry up and get out or else, I’ll
get the servants to kick you out!”
Miss Pendleton refused to move. To her shock, her uncle
yelled for the servants, who came running. Gerald Pendleton
ordered, “Drag that woman out of this house.”
The servants looked at him in confusion. Miss Pendleton
muttered, “So you won’t even give me one minute. I
understand, Uncle. I won’t ask again.”
Miss Pendleton picked up her trunk. Its heavy weight
pulled on her shoulder painfully so she barely managed to
carry it outside. When one of the servants stepped forward to
help her, Gerald Pendleton yelled, “If anyone helps that
woman, you’ll be kicked out as well!”
The servant froze. Just then, Anne rushed out holding the
painting in her hand. She walked up to Miss Pendleton and
grabbed the trunk. “Miss, please give it to me. I’ll carry it for
you.”
“No, Anne, I’m fine…”
“Take your hands off of that trunk!” Gerald Pendleton’s
thunderous voice rang inside the entire mansion.
Her eyes red, Anne glared at him. “How could you do this
to her?! You’re too cruel, Sir!”
“Anne, please! That’s enough!”
 When Miss Pendleton begged, Anne’s tearful eyes turned
toward her. Miss Pendleton shook her head, knowing that
Anne would get fired if she disobeyed her uncle.
Miss Pendleton took the painting from Anne and dragged
the trunk out of the Pendleton house. Just like that, the
mistress of the most luxurious townhouse on Grosvenor
Street in the richest part of London was kicked out after
twelve years of her life here. No one was allowed to help her
or walk her out the door.

***

Miss Pendleton carried the trunk with both of her hands and
walked out to Grosvenor Street one step at a time. It was dark
and deserted, so enjoying the quiet, she headed toward
Grosvenor Square.
It was late, which meant the park was empty as well. Miss
Pendleton placed the trunk on the ground and sat down on a
bench. She didn’t see anyone around her. She hugged herself
tightly, feeling the unfamiliar texture of the mourning
clothes against her skin. This was the first time she wore this
dress. She prepared it a long time ago, knowing that she
would need it someday. And that day has finally come.
Today was the day she became all alone in the world. Until
yesterday, she had her grandmother. She had many servants
who waited for her orders, and she also knew many people in
society. But despite all the acquaintances and friends, Miss
Pendleton had always felt alone.
The unsettled feeling of emptiness and inadequacy had
forced her to live in constant anxiety for twelve years. She had
always felt like she was a piece of dust floating around
without a home, and she experienced a need to prove herself
to others. This was why Miss Pendleton suffered tension
headaches often, and she never gained weight even though
she ate her fills. She couldn’t remember a single day when she
felt completely relaxed. The only times she could rest were
the brief moments when she imagined her future life outside
the Pendleton house.
But now that this day has finally come, Miss Pendleton felt
like she was falling into a well. It was as if she was
plummeting into never-ending darkness. Her grandmother,
who had allowed her to live as a lady of Pendleton, had just
passed away. She was no longer allowed inside the townhouse
she called home for twelve years. She wasn’t going to return
to the London society that had felt like a prison. On top of it
all, she couldn’t even use the last name Pendleton anymore.
She felt like she became a person of no country. She was like a
plant that was ripped out from the soil.
Miss Pendleton hugged herself even tighter. Her stomach
felt empty as if all of her organs had disappeared. She felt
cold, and she found it hard to move as if all of her tendons
were severed.
 Suddenly, Miss Pendleton wondered if the walls she
considered a prison might have actually been a fence that had
been protecting her this entire time. She has been desperate
for freedom, but now that she had it, she couldn’t breathe as
if she was a fish out of water.
Miss Pendleton took a deep breath. A puff of warm June air
entered her lungs, and she was relieved she left home in
summer at least. If it was winter, things would’ve been much
worse. She remained on the bench for a while because she
continued to feel weak. She didn’t even have the energy to
cry. It was as if all of her life had left her body.
She became immersed in the feeling of emptiness. Miss
Pendleton raised her head to look at Grosvenor Square in the
dead of the night.
“Hahaha…” she laughed weakly. This was a place she
hesitated to even pass by in the past, yet on this night, she
chose to come here. Something terrible happened twelve
years ago involving her first love. The incident had been
forgotten by everyone, but she remembered it like it
happened yesterday. After all, she dreamt about it once in a
while whenever she came close to forgetting it. Along with the
pearl pendant, this incident was the very catalyst that caused
Laura to close her heart to the world.
 Chapter 61

Many years ago, Miss Pendleton stood in Grosvenor Square

just like tonight. It was in the middle of the night, and she
was holding a large trunk then as well. But at the time, she
was wearing a green shawl and trembling while looking
around nervously. She had waited for a coach carrying her
lover in this deserted park.
But the young girl filled with hopeful love began to wilt as
time passed. An hour flew by, and then two, and anxiety
turned into fear before despair engulfed her. In the end, as the
sun began to rise, there were no longer any emotions left on
her face. By the time the grocery wagons drove by and the
streets became crowded with luxurious carriages
transporting noble ladies to the church for early morning
prayer, the seventeen-year-old Miss Pendleton had lost all
hope.
Whenever she dreamt of that day, her body became soaked
in sweat. She would cringe in bed and shiver uncontrollably.
Her juvenile attempt at elopement ended with her beloved’s
betrayal.
Miss Pendleton was incredibly naive at the time. The
young man she met in society was handsome and intelligent,
but he was penniless and without a patron. He was also the
only man who understood her in her most vulnerable time
after making her debut.
She had believed that this man would save her. Everyone in
high society ignored her as if she didn’t exist, and she trusted
this man to take her away from it all. But in the end, he never
showed up. Two months after his betrayal, the news of his
marriage to a rich woman reached society. Everyone already
knew that this man and she had been lovers, so Miss
Pendleton became stigmatized as a fool.
When Miss Pendleton told Miss Lance her story disguised
as someone else’s experience, Miss Lance asked if this
unfortunate woman committed suicide. Miss Pendleton
decided that perhaps that would have been a better choice.
For the longest time, she was the talk of the town.
Everywhere she went, people whispered about her. Ridicules
and criticisms followed her like a ghost.
But Miss Pendleton couldn’t kill herself. Lady Abigail had
given up her own son to raise her, so she couldn’t repay her
grandmother with such devastation. Miss Pendleton also
didn’t want to bring shame to her mother’s name. Dolores
Pendleton had died a tragic death, and Miss Pendleton’s
suicide would’ve only confirmed her mother’s mistake.
Most importantly, Miss Pendleton wanted to live. She
wanted a real life of her own as Laura Sheldon, the name she
had to give up after she was entrusted to the Pendleton
family. So she endured the pain to survive. She smiled at
those who laughed at her and behaved politely to those who
criticized her.
Miss Pendleton became her grandmother’s joy, a good
companion to her friends, and an advisor to the unmarried
ladies. She prayed for the day she could leave the Pendleton
house after repaying the debt she owed her grandmother.
Miss Pendleton did her best so that people wouldn’t believe
she followed in her mother’s footsteps.
And at the age of twenty-nine, Miss Pendleton became
free of House Pendleton.
She clenched and unclenched her fists. Her body still felt
stiff, but she dreamt of the life ahead of her. She could go and
live anywhere she wished because she was no longer “Miss
Pendleton.” She was now Laura Sheldon.
Laura Sheldon. She repeated the name in her head. She lost
it so long ago that it sounded unfamiliar, but this was
definitely her name. After all, she remembered her father
calling her by it.
Laura Sheldon, the daughter of Dolores and Louis Sheldon.
“Laura Sheldon,” she said the name out loud. “Laura
Sheldon, Laura Sheldon…”
It sounded so strange, but her tranquil heart began to soar.
Yes, she was Laura Sheldon. This was her new name and new
life. Miss Pendleton said her name over and over again as if it
was a spell. The more she said it out loud, the more familiar it
sounded. The strangeness of it changed into a sense of
freedom, and soon, she felt addicted to her new name.
 She never wanted to stop saying it. She wanted to hear
others call her by it, and she wanted to sign papers with it too.
She even imagined her name engraved on her gravestone.
Miss Pendleton clenched her fists again, noticing that her
strength was finally returning. Her muscles that had felt weak
a moment ago were finally finding their hardiness again. She
finally realized why she had to come to this park. Twelve
years ago, young Laura Pendleton was desperate to gain
freedom through one man. Now, it was time for Laura
Sheldon to say goodbye to her old self. That seventeenyear-
old girl had no choice but to return to the Pendleton house
after being betrayed. But she now had a new name. More
accurately, she finally got her old name back, and she was
never going to go back to the Pendleton townhouse.
Miss Pendleton stood up and grabbed the trunk sitting
next to her. Its heaviness pulled on her shoulders painfully,
but she knew that the things inside were going to be much
more useful than the items she packed twelve years ago.
She began walking toward her new life.
A-A-A-
The next day, Laura woke up on a small bed in a shabby inn
near King’s Cross Station. When she opened her eyes, she
flinched at the unfamiliar scene. She was no longer in her
elegant room, and she quickly remembered what had
happened.
When Laura entered the inn late last night, the innkeeper
didn’t bother hiding his annoyance. Holding a gas lamp, he
took her to a small room at the end of the dark hallway.
Inside, only a small candle provided a source of light, and
Laura fell asleep immediately after she got undressed.
She looked at the small chair in the corner where her
mourning dress hung haphazardly. She slowly stood up and
wore it again before pouring some water into a chipped
porcelain washstand. She washed her face and looked at the
small mirror hanging on the wall to tidy up her hair.
Laura saw that her eyes were red and her skin pale. She
went through the list of things she needed to do today.
Deciding that she couldn’t do any of them while looking this
gaunt, she went downstairs. According to the innkeeper’s
words from last night, the dining room was on the floor
below her room. To get to the stairs, Laura walked down the
hallway.
She passed by a gentleman smoking a pipe and wearing a
shabby frock coat. Two children, who looked to be a brother
and sister because their dress and shirts were made from the
same wool fabric, ran around rambunctiously. Laura dodged
them to avoid falling, and as she went downstairs, even
louder noises greeted her.
The dining room was large, but it was crowded with all
types of people. She managed to find a seat and a waiter in
casual wear, not a uniform, walked up to take her order. His
voice was uninterested, and when she requested coffee, soup,
and two pieces of bread, he barely acknowledged her before
walking away.
 Shortly after, food arrived. While eating, Laura watched
the people around her with interest. Countless men and
women sat around different tables to drink coffee, read
newspapers, smoke, and eat. Most of them were wearing
ragged clothes, and even the ones who were better dressed
were middle-class at best. After listening to their chatter,
Laura realized that most of them were tourists.
There were maids from the noble families’ country houses
who were on a day trip. She also spotted a lawyer and his
secretary who was here on business. The people sitting next
to them were a merchant’s family here to visit their relatives.
She also saw a peddler who traveled all over the country to
sell various goods.
Laura studied them in silence. Thankfully, no one paid any
attention to her because the mourning clothes she wore
looked very simple, especially considering they were made for
a noble lady. Not a single person seemed to notice her
nobility.
In addition, her eyes were swollen from the stress and
fatigue of the last few days, which helped in hiding most of
her beauty. Laura wasn’t in the mood to talk, so she was glad
to be unnoticed.
After finishing her meal in peace, she returned to her
room. Thanks to the hot coffee and soup, she felt energized.
Frankly, the meal was the worst she had ever had. The
coffee was too weak, the soup wasn’t seasoned correctly, and
the bread was burnt on the outside. But strangely, she enjoyed
them. She was surprised that she didn’t feel bloated
afterward.
Laura locked the door behind her. She opened the trunk
and took out a bunch of documents to find the deposit receipt
from the bank. The most recent one made two weeks ago
indicated that she had a total of five hundred pounds in the
account under her name. During the last twelve years, Laura
led a frugal life. Lady Abigail often gave her large sums of
allowance for dresses and jewelry, but Laura had tried to save
as much of this money as possible.
She looked down at the receipt quietly. Five hundred
pounds was enough to rent a small house with a kitchen in a
middleclass suburban area or a fairly safe business district.
She wouldn’t be able to hire a maid, but if she remained
frugal, she could survive for about ten years.
But what was she going to do afterward? There was no
doubt that she needed to work.
Laura thought of the information she collected about
different teaching jobs. Whether she became a school teacher
or a private one, most teachers retired by the age of fifty. This
meant that she had at least twenty years left to work as long
as her health allowed it.
Her goal was to work until she was in her fifties before
buying and retiring in a modest cottage in a small village. She
would need a male servant for protection and a maid for
housework. Such a life would be a comfortable one even if she
became old and frail. She could remain safe as a single
woman.
To accomplish this, she needed at least three thousand
pounds. Not knowing what kind of health problems she may
face in the future, three thousand pounds was the very
minimum she needed.
After some thought, she grabbed the practical leather bag
she packed in her trunk. Inside were some documents and a
purse. From deep inside the trunk, Laura also grabbed the
pouch of her jewelry.
She put on a flat brown hat and a black cape before looking
in the mirror. Thanks to breakfast, some color has returned to
her face. Most of the swelling was gone too, so she looked
decent. Feeling relieved, she went outside.
Laura got into a coach and headed toward the West End.
Outside the window, she recognized the office sign she
memorized a long time ago. She asked the coachman to stop,
and after paying the fare, she got out to stand in front of the
Westaway Tutor Employment Agency.
 Chapter 62

Laura gulped while looking up at the sign. She experienced

many anxious moments in her life, but this was the first time
she was about to embark on a new challenge. She wasn’t this
nervous even when she was making her debut in high society.
After tidying up her hair and clothes, she walked inside.
As soon as she entered, Laura found herself in a waiting
room. It was filled with natural light, but due to the poor
condition of the furniture and wallpaper, the place looked
gloomy. One of the walls was lined with a row of chairs, and
several modestly dressed young women sat there to wait for
their turn.
Laura walked to the reception desk in the corner and
informed the woman that she was there to find a job. The
woman scanned Laura head to toe before telling her to have a
seat. Laura did as she was told, her heart pounding loudly. Her
hands were sweating badly enough to soak her gloves.
Shortly after, several names were called. The ladies who
arrived earlier stood up and disappeared into the office. Laura
waited for her turn patiently. As expected, she was the last
one to be called.
“Miss Laura Sheldon.”
 Laura immediately stood up and entered the office. She
saw that the inside of the office was decorated much better.
The wallpaper and the cabinet looked clean and new, and on
top of the sturdy beech wood desk was an elegant nameplate
engraved “Annie Stopper.”
The owner of the office, a middle-aged woman named
Miss Stopper, greeted courteously, “Welcome, Miss Sheldon.
I heard you’re looking for a governess position?”
Laura smiled awkwardly. “Yes.”
“Have you worked in this field before?”
“No.”
“Goodness, that must mean that you don’t have a
reference letter, which is necessary to snag a good position.
Well, let’s talk about what you can teach first.”
Laura replied, “I can teach anything that’s taught in a
public school.”
“I assume you mean math, geography, literature, history,
French, and German? And perhaps art and a little bit of
music?”
“Latin and Greek as well.”
Miss Stopper stared for a while before asking, “Did you say
Latin and Greek?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask how fluently?”
Laura took out a few notebooks and handed them to her.
Miss Stopper closely examined the pages filled with the New
Testament in Latin and its translation below. She flipped
through the pages in surprise before moving on to another
notebook that included the famous Green epic story Odyssey
translated into English.
Miss Stopper asked, “Where did you learn all this?”
“At Grant Girls’ School, which I attended for seven years.”
“So you graduated from the prestigious school for girls!”
Miss Stopper pulled on her ear before looking at Laura.
“You’re in mourning. Did you lose a family member?”
“Yes, my grandmother.”
“Does that have something to do with you entering the
workforce? Maybe just a little?”
“I can’t deny that.”
Hmm…” Miss Stopper crossed her arms. You graduated
from a prestigious school,
LL
a
and at the age of twenty-nine, you have no experience as a
governess… Could it be that you’re a noble lady who needs to
find a job because of a sudden family situation?”
Laura shook her head with a blank expression. Miss
Stopper stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Whether
you’re telling the truth or not, it’s the right answer. No
matter who asks you this question, you’ll always have to deny
it because no one wants to hire a noble lady as their
governess. Now, shall we find the capable Miss Laura Sheldon
a job?”
 Miss Stopper flipped through her binder. “Well, you’ll be
welcome to a family that has a mix of sons and daughters as
well. But… To be honest, any families with sons prefer male
tutors. Even though a female governess would teach the exact
same Latin grammar, they must feel more confident in the
male teachers. Of course, the tutors cost more money. If they
can pay only the governess fee and get someone who can
teach Latin and Greek, families with a tight budget will
welcome the idea. Hmm, Mr. Rayjin has seven children and
wants someone to teach them all. He’s willing to pay fifty
pounds a year. What do you think?”
Laura shook her head. Fifty pounds was an average salary
for a governess, so it didn’t make sense that she would have
to teach seven children for this wage. When Laura looked
unimpressed, Miss Stopper continued to look through her
binder.
“Hmm, I have a letter from Mr. Denis requesting a teacher
for his two children. They’re both boys, and he wants
someone who can help them prepare for public school. He’s
willing to hire a governess if she can teach Latin and Greek.
He has offered sixty pounds per year.”
“That’s ten pounds higher than the average salary in this
market.”
“Indeed, but you need to be wary of this family. Mr. Denis
is a cheapskate. He might make you work like a dog for a year
and when it’s time to pay, he might dump a roll of carpet he
doesn’t need or a strange-looking vase on you and claim it as
payment. Several years ago, he did this to a governess. She
tried to sue him, but in the end, I heard she didn’t get her
money. Haha, what a funny man!”
Laura couldn’t understand why Miss Stopper found this
amusing. Miss Stopper laughed once more, but when she
noticed Laura’s displeased look, she began searching her
binder again.
Miss Stopper continued to name various positions that
paid sixty, fifty-five, and forty-five pounds. But all of them
either required teaching too many children or the family
boasted of a terrible reputation. Realizing the bleak situation
of the teaching market, Laura began to lose hope.
The last position Miss Stopper suggested paid sixty-five
pounds. Mr. Roland had eight children, and on top of teaching
all of them, he required the governess to cook, clean, and take
care of the newborn baby. It was obvious he was looking for a
slave.
Knowing that all the positions she suggested were terrible,
Miss Stopper kept pulling her ear sheepishly. After promising
to visit again next week, Laura left the office.
Feeling depressed, Laura got into a coach on West End
Boulevard and headed toward Waterloo Station. When she
arrived at Newcourt Street filled with street vendors, she got
out.
Passing through several dozens of merchants and
customers, she turned around a corner. Soon, she reached an
alleyway where seven gold dealers were located in a row.
Laura visited each of them one by one to show the pouch of
her jewelry.
Every piece was flawless, yet none of them offered more
than eighty pounds. Laura chose an owner with the kindest
face, and she spent hours begging and explaining to get
eighty-three pounds for everything.
Afterward, she slowly walked to the bank instead of taking
another coach. There, she deposited the money she received
for her jewelry. In total, Laura now had five hundred eighty-
three pounds plus one pound bill and a few coins in her
wallet. Unfortunately, she didn’t expect this sum to grow any
time soon. She had learned today that her labor was worth
only fifty to sixty-five pounds a year.
Her drastically-changed situation suddenly felt too real.
She used to spend close to a hundred pounds for a dress and
several hundred pounds to hire a good cook. Yet it turned out
that a whole year’s worth of her time was worth between fifty
to sixty-five pounds.
What shocked Laura even more was that she wasn’t a great
commodity in this market. She educated herself tirelessly, yet
all it gave her was a few additional job opportunities.
She walked slowly to reach her inn. It took over an hour,
but after learning her financial worth, she felt hesitant to
waste even a few pence on renting a coach.
Whenever she saw a bench or empty steps, she sat down to
rest. By the time she returned to the inn, she was worn out.
Laura has never walked this much in her life. It was only early
afternoon and she hadn’t eaten lunch yet, but she needed a
nap.
After taking her clothes off and folding them neatly, she
lay down on the bed. The ceiling was poorly painted with
cheap gray paint, and she could see countless cracks in it as if
it was a piece of shattered glass. Laura blinked a few times
and calculated quietly. If she was paid fifty pounds a year, she
would make five hundred pounds in ten years. In twenty
years, she would have one thousand pounds. At this rate, it
was going to be impossible to save up three thousand pounds
before she turned fifty.
Laura smirked bitterly. Things would’ve been drastically
different if she had the five thousand pounds her
grandmother left her. Her uncle had to know this, which
must’ve been why he took the additional loss to prevent her
from having it.
If he learns how troubled I am because of money, I’m sure he
would be very pleased.
She remembered how angry he was right before she left
the Pendleton house. Gerald Pendleton had lost Mr. Pryce’s
investment, and his own mother changed the will against his
wishes. Her uncle then poured all of his rage on her. He
obviously didn’t want to admit that everything that had
happened was his fault.
Laura shook her head. The five thousand pounds of
inheritance and her uncle were no longer part of her life. They
were in the past, and she was determined to forget it all.
Dwelling on the things that couldn’t be changed was just a
waste of time.
But unless she experienced amnesia, it was going to be
impossible for Laura to forget her entire life as Miss
Pendleton. After all, she had left many precious and
important things behind too.
What bothered her the most was her grandmother’s
funeral. Laura closed her eyes, picturing her grandmother
lying inside a coffin. She imagined all the mourners in black
clothes, her uncle with a cold expression, and Charles, who
must have a bored look.
They must be in the middle of the service by now. No, perhaps
they already finished the burial.
Laura pictured her grandmother’s coffin closing. It would
be placed in a deep hole before being covered by dirt.
I never expected to miss my own grandmother’s funeral.
Her heart ached badly. Laura quickly rose and sat in front
of the desk. In the end, she was unable to attend the funeral,
and her absence caused quite a stir within London society.
 Chapter 63

Because Laura had given up her family name, she no longer

had the social obligation of Miss Pendleton. But she still had
friends who would genuinely worry about her, so she took out
some paper from her trunk. She began writing short letters to
them, telling them that they needn’t worry about her.
She wrote to only a handful of her closest friends. By the
time she began sealing them, Ian Dalton’s name popped into
her head. But since she was going to send a letter to Mr.
Fairfax, she assumed Mr. Dalton would hear about her
situation through his friend. In the end, she chose not to write
him a separate letter.
Laura went outside to the post office and sent her letters.
As she walked back to the inn, the sun began to set. The shops
started to close for the day and Laura walked among the large
crowd of workers getting out of the train station to return
home from work.
Countless people passed her by including middle-aged
men with beards in tattered clothes and women carrying their
children on their backs. The street was also filled with various
carriages.
 Until recently, Laura had been inside those luxurious
carriages looking outside. But now, she was part of this very
group she used to watch. It felt like she had fallen into a
painting she had been admiring for a long time. She was
surprised by the unfamiliar, lonely, yet refreshing feeling.
By the time she returned to her room, it was getting dark
inside. She lit the match to light the shortened candlestick. It
created just enough light for her to organize her bank receipts
and clean up her trunk.
The sounds of the footsteps outside the hall quieted down
as the night deepened. Laura sat in front of the desk quietly,
watching the last of the candle burn out. She thought about
her day beginning with waking up in an unfamiliar room. She
had roamed various places in London and ate food that tasted
a little strange.
Her situation wasn’t going in the right direction. She
learned today that the governesses were paid very little, and
she ended up selling her jewelry for a fraction of the price she
had expected. To save on transportation costs, she walked the
streets of London. Her throbbing calves were proof of her
difficult day.
She was in a strange place all alone without any
protection, so it would’ve been a lie if she wasn’t nervous and
afraid. She was physically and emotionally tired from the
disappointment of the day.
But sitting in front of the dying candlelight, Laura has
never felt this comfortable. She had been anxious and
disappointed all day, yet she didn’t feel upset one bit. It was
the darndest thing.
Laura pondered before realizing that this was because she
didn’t have to force a smile once all day today. She didn’t have
to show kindness to anyone or act conscious of others. Today,
she spent all of her time focusing on surviving.
She felt relaxed. She could breathe as if she had taken off a
tight corset after a long day. This proved that the name
Pendleton had been suffocating her this whole time. Living
the poor life of Laura Sheldon was going to be difficult, but
she was free from the painful consequences of having a
luxurious life.
If the absence of pain equaled happiness, Laura supposed
she was happy at the moment. She wondered how long this
freedom would last. Living as a governess was going to be like
being in another prison of new responsibilities. But she at
least wouldn’t have to leave under the Pendleton name and
the shadows of her parents’ mistake. As a governess, she
would be able to demand a certain amount of respect from her
employer. And if worse comes to worst, she could always
leave her job. In that sense, she would always remain free.
The word freedom used to cause such yearning inside of
her, but not anymore. She was free just as she wished, and the
freedom she enjoyed now was different from that of her
childhood. No one could take it away from her anymore, and
if anyone tried, she had the power to protect it. She was a
grown woman with a sound mind.
 Laura was free to live a life of her own.
When less than an inch of the candle was left, she brought
out a bible from her trunk. With her hands clasped on top, she
began praying.
Please make sure Grandmother meets with my mother in
heaven safely. Thank you for a safe day today, and please allow
me to find a good job as quickly as possible. Lastly…
Laura finished her prayer out loud, “Thank you for
allowing me such freedom.
Amen.”

***

During the next several days, Laura visited a few more

governess employment agencies. Sadly, she was unsuccessful
in getting better options than she found in the Westway
agency. All of the offers paid very little while demanding a lot
from the employee.
On the fourth day of job hunting, Laura left another job
agency in disappointment. She was walking the streets of
London to return to her inn. She passed by the grocery stores
and bakeries, finding the city as hectic as ever.
Covered in the dust because she has been walking all day,
she was proud of herself for getting used to traveling on her
feet. Overall, she was feeling pretty good about herself.
I just need a decent job, and I would be able to truly enjoy this
new life.
 As she got closer to her inn, she saw a familiar silhouette
standing outside the building. She froze suddenly when she
recognized him. The man with jet-black hair, a slim figure,
and a chiseled facial profile was walking toward her.
It was Ian Dalton.
When he spotted Laura, he stopped in front of her. “Miss
Pendleton.”
Her reflex kicked in and Laura curtsied. “What brings you
here, Mr. Dalton?”
He remained quiet as if he was speechless. His eyes
scanned her unadorned flat hat, clunky leather bag, and dusty
shoes. His face turned rigid as if he was clenching. He
demanded, “How did this happen?”
Laura didn’t know how to respond. It would’ve taken many
days to explain everything that had happened.
“…You must’ve read the letter I sent to Mr. Fairfax,
haven’t you? It’s exactly as I stated in that letter. I had to
leave because I couldn’t stay with my uncle anymore. I’m
staying here right now and looking for a governess job. But…
How did you find me? I didn’t write where I was staying in
that letter…”
“I was in my carriage when I saw you.”
Laura nodded. She hadn’t expected to see him in a place
like this, and she didn’t welcome the idea. He was a friend she
made while still in high society, and she felt uncomfortable
showing him her current situation. She wasn’t ready for him
to find out.
 Laura was no longer a lady. She was now just one of the
laborers looking for work. The change in her status didn’t
affect how she felt about him, but she had no idea what must
be going through his mind.
Laura looked at Mr. Dalton’s face quietly. His face was
unreadable as he gazed at her. He looked angry, sad, and
confused at the same time. It was difficult to guess, but Laura
at least couldn’t see any disgust in his eyes. This was what she
had been fearing the most.
Laura secretly felt relieved. She knew Ian Dalton wasn’t
the kind of man who looked down on others based on their
ranks. But if he had shown any discomfort toward her
diminished station, it would’ve hurt her very badly regardless
of how content she was with her new life.
If she had to guess, the most prominent emotion on his
face was sadness. Did Mr. Dalton pity her? Has she become a
source of sympathy for him? If so, Mr. Dalton was wasting his
time.
“Miss Pendleton, you must come with me.” Mr. Dalton
offered her his hand. “William has a spare guest room in his
house for you. I’ll get my servant to bring down your trunk.
Please go inside my carriage.
Laura realized that Mr. Dalton indeed pitied her. She
smiled bitterly. “Mr. Dalton, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not Laura Pendleton anymore. I’m not worthy to
become the guest of someone like Mr. Fairfax.”
 “Not worthy? But you’re William’s closest friend. And to
me, you’re…!”
“I’ll always be your friend, but I must get used to my new
station now. Become Mr. Fairfax’s guest? That’s
unthinkable.” Laura glanced at the inn behind him and
continued, “I’m trying my best to get used to my new life, so
please, do not drag me back into the role of Miss Pendleton. I
can’t endure being a Pendleton anymore. I finally…”
Laura stopped, believing that Mr. Dalton would never
understand how she was enjoying her hard-earned freedom.
Ian gazed at her for a moment, distressed by her shabby
appearance. She has fallen hard, no longer looking like Miss
Pendleton he knew. She looked just like the common maids or
shop employees.
But for a strange reason, she looked much happier. She
had always been rather pale, yet she now looked rosy and
healthy. She was very different from her fragile self in the
past. Mr. Dalton also couldn’t understand how she could look
so much more comfortable now.
He retrieved his hand and replied in a more businesslike
voice. “Miss Pendleton, do you remember the position I
offered you before?”
He had to be referring to the governess position for his
nephews he mentioned during her last ball. She replied,
“Yes.”
“Are you still thinking about it?”
 “Things have been so hectic that I have forgotten about it
completely.”
“Then please think about it now. I believe that you’ll
become an excellent teacher for my nephews in every way.”
Laura became thoughtful. She had considered asking her
friends from society for help in finding a job, but only as a last
resort. She hated to burden her friends, and if she ended up
working for one of them, she could imagine how awkward it
would be.
Having a friend as an employer would mean that Laura
would have to serve someone she used to attend tea parties
together. Her friend, on the other hand, may feel
uncomfortable about making demands even though they
would have all the right to do so.
What a tricky situation it would be.
Mr. Dalton continued, “You’ll be teaching them five hours
a day. You’ll only have to focus on teaching the basics of
Latin, Greek, math, and history. You’ll be free to spend the
rest of your day as you please. On top of the weekends, you’ll
receive one additional day to rest.”
“Wait, Mr. Dalton, I…”
“For this position, you’ll be paid hundred and fifty pounds
per year. What do you think?”
Laura stared at him in surprise. Did he just say one
hundred fifty pounds? Per year?
 Chapter 64

Laura stammered, “M…Mr. Dalton, that’s three times the

average salary of a governess. You need to be careful when
you make such an offer. After all, it’s going to be your sister
who’ll be paying…”
“The tutor she hired for her first son Henry before he
entered the public school was paid that amount.”
“But I’m a governess.”
“Your job will be to tutor these boys. You’ll be teaching the
same subjects, so it won’t be fair if you’re paid any less,” Mr.
Dalton insisted.
Laura didn’t know what to say. Frankly, she didn’t want to
argue with such a generous offer of hundred and fifty pounds.
Mr. Dalton continued, “My sister gave me a tight timeline,
so I can’t give you a long time to decide. You’ll have to give
me your answer in three days.”
“…Alright, I’ll think about it, Mr. Dalton.”
After Mr. Dalton nodded, he offered his hand again. The
habit from her old life kicked in, and she placed her own on
his. Mr. Dalton kissed her hand covered in a simple navy glove
before disappearing into his carriage.
 Laura returned to her room, her head filled with the
thought of a one hundred fifty pound salary. She was a single
woman without any family, which meant she needed to work
to support herself while preparing for her retirement. But
based on her findings from various agencies, the governess’s
salary alone was never going to be enough for her to retire at
the age of fifty.
So Mr. Dalton’s offer was a godsend. In fact, everything
about this position was perfect. Two boys were the perfect
number of students to teach, and if her work hour was only
five hours per day, she would have enough time left in a day
to get a side job. Even better was the fact that there was a
newborn baby, Ian Fairfax, in this household. Around the
time the two boys were ready to attend school, Mrs. Fairfax
would require a governess for her youngest child. This meant
that her position in his family was guaranteed to last at least
ten years.
Laura was surprised by how calculating she has become,
but what shocked her even more was the miraculous timing
of this perfect opportunity. No matter how hard she thought
about it, she needed this job desperately.
Laura paced around the room wondering if she should take
this position. The only flaw in this offer was that she’ll be
working for Mr. Dalton’s family. She knew how much he
treasured his sister and her children. He was going to
frequent this household, so what if her feelings for him get in
the way?
 The reality of her situation and the emotional dilemma
confused her. No matter what choice she made, she was going
to face certain hardships.
Knock knock.
Laura wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she
heard a knock on the door. She jolted, wondering who it could
be. Was it a maid who was here to collect her laundry?
“Miss Pendleton!”
Laura rose quickly at the familiar voice. She walked to the
door and unlocked it to find Miss Hyde.
“Miss Hyde! What brings you here…?”
Miss Hyde stared at Laura in disbelief before asking to be
let in. Laura obliged, and they sat across from each other at a
small table. Miss Hyde scanned the room before facing Miss
Pendleton, who looked haggard in her mourning clothes.
“What are you doing in a place like this? You should’ve
come to me!” Miss Hyde argued.
“It’s not so bad here.”
“But it’s dangerous. All kinds of people go in and out of
this place. What if a dangerous traveler is staying here? What
if he finds out that you’re staying here alone and tries to get
into your room?”
Laura smiled quietly. It was true that she had been making
sure to keep the door locked just in case. Miss Hyde sighed
and announced, “You need to come to my boarding house.”
“Your boarding house?”
 “If you pay my landlord what you’re paying here, she’ll
welcome you with open arms. She has been worried because
she lost many of her boarders lately. Get your things, Miss
Pendleton. Hurry.”
Miss Hyde urged Laura. Her concern was legitimate
because this inn was indeed a place of mixed crowds. The
male and female quarters were too close, so a single woman
staying alone was a risky situation.
Laura agreed that Miss Hyde’s boarding house would fit
her station perfectly. So she rose and began packing her
things. Miss Hyde helped, and the two women left the inn
carrying Laura’s large trunk together.
Miss Hyde quickly walked to the street and hailed a coach.
When they got inside, Laura asked, “How did you find me,
Miss Hyde?”
“Mr. Ian Dalton came to visit me.”
Laura was surprised. “Mr. Dalton? But how did he know
where you work?”
“Apparently, Mr. Fairfax told him. Mr. Dalton told me
where you’re staying. He said that you were in an unsafe
place, and he begged me to let you stay with me where it’s
safe.”
Laura became speechless at such an unexpected kindness.
She couldn’t believe that Ian Dalton had visited Miss Hyde at
work out of concern for her. He had to know that this inn
wasn’t a safe place to stay. But instead of insisting on taking
her to Mr. Fairfax’s house, he sent Miss Hyde here. Mr. Dalton
was trying to respect her decision.
Laura had known from the beginning, but she was
reminded again of what a thoughtful Mr. Dalton was. His
bluntness made him appear rude from time to time, but he
was in fact a warm-hearted and decent gentleman. She was
very lucky to have his friendship. If it wasn’t for her romantic
feelings for him, she might have been able to appreciate his
kindness without feeling wounded.
The coach passed by the business district densely lined
with small publishing and newspaper companies. Soon,
family homes began to appear, and it wasn’t long before they
arrived on a street packed with three-story houses.
Despite Laura’s protest, Miss Hyde paid the coach fare. She
got off first and began taking down the trunk by herself. Miss
Hyde took Laura to one of the houses with a red door. They
walked up the stairs and knocked on the door using the
metallic door knocker.
Knock knock.
The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman wearing
an adorable mobcap. “You’re back, Miss Hyde. Umm, who
may this be?”
“Mrs. Caron, this is my friend. Could we go inside first so I
can explain?”
Mrs. Caron escorted the two women into the reception
hall.
 “This is my friend Laura Pendleton. She’s a proper and
excellent lady. She’s seeking a place to live temporarily until
she finds a position as a governess.”
Mrs. Caron looked Laura up and down. There was an aura
of elegance in Laura’s demeanor, but she was dressed rather
poorly.
Mrs. Caron murmured, “Miss Hyde, you know the rules.
Our boarding house doesn’t allow a guest…”
Miss Hyde quickly added, “She’ll be staying in my room.
She won’t need anything additional, and if you’ll provide her
with meals and laundry service, she’ll pay the same boarding
fee as mine.”
“Our boarding house is always happy to host such an
elegant lady, Miss Pendleton. You’re absolutely welcome to
stay as long as you wish!” Mrs. Caron smiled in satisfaction.
The two women climbed the stairs and went into Miss
Hyde’s room. Inside, Miss Hyde took Laura’s hat and cape
and hung them on the coat hanger. After promising to get her
some food, Miss Hyde went downstairs.
Finally alone, Laura looked around the room. It was
surprisingly spacious and consisted of all the necessary
furniture including a comfortable sofa, bed, desk, and
bookshelf. There was even a small fireplace in the corner. The
bookshelf was filled with books, and Laura quickly realized
that these were the same books that used to be stacked in the
corner of Miss Hyde’s tiny room in her old home.
 Laura remembered the crowded place Miss Hyde used to
live with her family. Compared to Miss Hyde’s old room
which was small and desolate, her new place was three times
bigger and equipped with everything she needed. What
pleased Laura the most was that Miss Hyde now had her own
desk.
Laura walked up to the desk and saw that it was littered
with papers and pens. One particular stack of manuscripts
caught her eye, so she examined it. She saw that it was an
essay written by Mary Lotis, a name she had heard before.
Mary Lotis was a travel writer who visited the continents of
Europe, America, and Africa all by herself. Curious, Laura
looked closer only to find that the writing was impossible to
read. The scribbles were illegible, especially with spots of ink
stains. The lines also overlapped in many places as if the
author wrote them while asleep.
Just then, Miss Hyde returned holding a tray of cookies
and tea. Laura asked, “This is Mary Lotis’s manuscript, isn’t
it?”
“Yes, did you read it?”
“No, I can’t. Is it written in some kind of code?”
Miss Hyde smiled and placed the tray down on the table.
Laura returned the manuscript to the desk and joined her
friend.
After taking a sip of her tea, Miss Hyde explained, “There
are many writers who have terrible handwriting. They
scribble the alphabet to look like ancient pictographs. The
editors go crazy trying to decipher them, and Mary Lotis has
the worst handwriting of them all. Apparently, she has always
had bad handwriting, and it looks even worse because she
often writes in a ship or a carriage.”
Laura realized why Miss Hyde was able to bring the
famous writer Mary Lotis’s manuscript home. She asked,
“But you can interpret it, can’t you?”
Miss Hyde laughed. “It’s strange, isn’t it? I’m not
particularly good at reading handwriting, but when I look at
Mary Lotis’s words, I can somehow understand them. Thanks
to this, they assigned me to her specifically. Because this
writer is always traveling, the editors can’t ask her any
questions. They were in a panic, so they dumped the task of
typing her story on me. I now have even more work because of
this, but I guess I should feel lucky since I get to be the first
one to read her book.”
“That’s impressive, Miss Hyde.”
“No, it’s Mary Lotis who’s impressive. I’m just an office
worker who types all day, but she travels all over the world.
And she’s a woman at that. Don’t you think she’s such a brave
soul? And her stories are amazing. There have been many
travel essays being published nowadays because it’s the new
trend, but Mary Lotis’s words are by far the most beautiful.
She writes such smooth essays. She’s a true artist.”
When evening came, their dinners were sent up. Veal soup,
oatmeal bread, and fruit jellies filled the trays, and all of them
tasted incredible. Laura, who had been surviving on the bland
food from the inn, enjoyed it immensely.
After the meal, the two sat down on the sofa and chatted.
Laura told Miss Hyde about the things that had happened
after she left the Pendleton house. The difficulties she
experienced while looking for a job and living alone for the
first time had made Laura nervous, but she also admitted that
she has been enjoying her newfound independence.
Miss Hyde, who had found her own freedom much earlier,
could easily sympathize with her. She encouraged Laura to
keep looking for a perfect job, and Laura felt comforted by
Miss Hyde’s advice.
Only a few months ago, it was Laura who helped Miss Hyde
a great deal to make her own way. It seemed that her kindness
was being repaid in the best way possible.
 Chapter 65

Night fell, and Laura lay down next to Miss Hyde in the same
bed. Compared to the inn where she had stayed for the last
few days, Laura found Miss Hyde’s room much more
comfortable. The mattress was thick and soft, and she wasn’t
jolted awake by the random footsteps outside the door.
But Laura couldn’t fall asleep deep into the night. In the
end, she rose and quietly sat down on the sofa. She was
getting a headache from the thought of Mr. Dalton’s job offer
earlier that day. She imagined what her life might look like
living in Dunville Park and teaching two Fairfax boys as their
governess.
Laura remembered Ian Dalton mentioning Dunville Park in
passing. He talked of the beautiful bridle path, a large tree-
lined trail, and the garden that could be enjoyed all year
round. Based on his description, she imagined that although
his sister and the rest of the Fairfax family may not be
perfect, they still sounded like decent people.
An excellent salary and a stable position sounded dreamy.
She had to admit that she was tempted. It was actually
ridiculous that she was contemplating her decision
considering her grim situation. She knew she had to take this
offer.
But something inside of her heart kept making her
hesitate. Living close to Ian Dalton was bound to cause her
heartache. He was going to marry soon, which meant that she
would be required to meet his new wife often. There was a
long history between the Fairfax and Dalton families, so
Laura didn’t doubt she’ll see Ian Dalton more often than she
wished.
Will I be able to feel indifferent whenever I see Mr. Dalton and
his wife together?
Knowing how miserable she would be, Laura felt uncertain
about taking this position. No matter how hard she tried to
bury her feelings deep inside of her, they kept tormenting
her. After leaving the Pendleton house, she lost the last of her
chance to be with Ian Dalton. Living close to him would
prevent her from shutting away her feelings. In fact, it would
only remind her of her pathetic situation.
Laura pictured his wedding, and how he would introduce
his new wife to her. Someday, Ian Dalton and Mrs. Dalton
would visit Dunville Park with their own children. They would
live happily ever after in Whitefield. Just this thought alone
caused her to feel dizzy.
But then, the logical side of her began picturing her own
future in thirty years. Living an unexpectedly and unwantedly
long life, she may find herself too poor to afford necessary
medical treatments. She imagined her frail body being forced
to depend on the workhouse, a public institution for the
destitute.
In her past life as Miss Pendleton, she had visited the
workhouse several times with other ladies who were
interested in charity work. Laura knew what a harsh place it
was with constant stink and mice infestation. People living
inside were wearing filthy rags, and they often got into a fight
because there was never enough food to go around.
Among them, the old and sick were neglected the most due
to a lack of staff. Their bodies rotted, and even when they
groaned in pain and begged for medicine and food, no one
listened. If Laura didn’t save up enough money, this was
going to be her future.
She shivered at the thought. Picturing the future
[Link] was certainly painful, but the thought of her
impoverished retirement made her flinch as if someone
poured a bucket of ice water on her. Laura decided that she
needed to be realistic. Just because she was afraid to see Ian
Dalton marry didn’t mean she should give up a profitable
position.
Laura fidgeted with the pearl pendant around her neck.
This jewelry was the only piece she didn’t sell. She touched
each pearl that made up the pendant like a rosary. This
necklace always managed to remind her of her place. It was
an important item that helped her control her feelings when
she was in high society. Laura didn’t doubt that it would help
her again in her new life in Dunville Park.
 Laura knew that she was making the right decision.

***

Three days passed since Laura began living with Miss Hyde.
Sunday arrived, and the two women woke up early and
dressed in their best outfits. They tidied their hair and got
ready to go to church. Instead of the church for the nobles she
used to frequent in Mayfair, Laura decided to accompany Miss
Hyde to her new church located in Holborn.
Laura braided her hair and covered her head with a hairnet
as she asked, “How far is this church from here?”
“It’s about a twenty minute walk.”
“Then I better wear a comfortable pair of shoes.”
“Ah, don’t worry about that. We’re going to get a ride.”
“Are we getting a coach?” asked Laura.
“No, a gentleman is going to escort us.”
Laura gave Miss Hyde a confused look, but Miss Hyde
picked up her bible without a word. When they left the
boarding house, they saw a luxurious carriage waiting
outside. As soon as she saw it, Laura knew who was there to
escort them.
“Good morning, Miss Hyde! And Miss Pendleton too!” The
familiar-looking gentleman stepped down and greeted them.
Laura smiled and curtsied. “Hello, Mr.
Fairfax.”
 Mr. Fairfax gave her a kind smile and asked, “How is your
new life treating you? I hope you’re adapting to it well.”
“Of course.”
“I’m relieved to hear that. I’m happy that you look
healthier than before, Miss Pendleton. I assume Miss Hyde is
treating you well?”
Miss Hyde interrupted. “Mr. Fairfax, there’s no one who
would treat Miss Pendleton better than me!”
“Of course, Miss Hyde. I know that very well.” Mr. Fairfax
looked at Miss Hyde warmly. The gentleman and the lady
shared a knowing smile.
Laura was surprised to learn that Miss Hyde and Mr.
Fairfax continued their friendship even after Miss Hyde left
high society. But then, these two have always gotten along
very well and shared many interests. There was a time when
Laura believed they could have a happy marriage even if they
didn’t love each other.
Laura was watching the two when someone else got out of
Mr. Fairfax’s carriage. Laura’s heart fell when she recognized
the gentleman.
Miss Hyde exclaimed, “Ah, I see that Mr. Dalton will be
joining us today!”
“Hello, Miss Hyde.” Mr. Dalton took his hat off and
greeted Miss Hyde. Then, he turned toward Laura and gazed
at her for a moment. Soon, he bowed respectfully and greeted,
“And Miss Pendleton, of course.
Laura curtsied quietly without a word.
 The four of them got inside the carriage. Miss Hyde sat
across from Mr. Fairfax, so naturally, Laura sat facing Mr.
Dalton. Mr. Dalton stared at her openly. Laura felt like he was
demanding something from her, and she assumed that he
was waiting for her answer. After all, it has been three days
since he made the offer.
Laura turned toward Mr. Fairfax and asked, “Do you
accompany Miss Hyde often to church, Mr. Fairfax?”
“Of course. I attend the Sunday mass with Miss Hyde every
week. Afterward, we have tea together and have a nice
conversation.”
“What do you usually talk about?”
“Miss Hyde tells me the stories about the writers and new
novels from her publishing company. I find them fascinating.
And I give her the news of her old acquaintances in society.”
“I get news of my parents through Mr. Fairfax. After I
began working, they treat me like I don’t exist. I sent letters,
but they refuse to respond, so my only source is Mr. Fairfax,”
Miss Hyde explained. “It would be lovely if Miss Pendleton
finds a job in London. Then we can all go to church together
every Sunday and have fun together. Don’t you agree, Mr.
Fairfax?”
“Of course. I would love to continue my friendship with
Miss Pendleton. However, I know that I’m only being greedy
because there’s an excellent job waiting for her somewhere
else.” Turning toward Laura, Mr. Fairfax asked, “Miss
Pendleton, I heard that my friend Ian here has offered you a
governess position for my brother’s family.”
“That’s correct,” Laura replied.
“Do you know what I said to Ian when I heard about it? I
said this is the first time he did something helpful for his
sister in all his life. Ian scolds his nephews, but he never does
anything educational for them.”
Mr. Dalton muttered, “William, I’m right here.”
Mr. Fairfax ignored him and continued, “Miss Pendleton,
it would be an honor if you teach my nephews. You’re the
most intellectual woman I have ever met, and you’re very
ethical too. If my nephews learn to be like you, I’m certain
they’ll grow up to be fine young men.”
Laura blushed at Mr. Fairfax’s sincere compliments.
“Thank you, Mr. Fairfax.”
Laura turned toward Ian, who was looking out the window
while resting his chin on his hand. She felt more comfortable
now that he was looking elsewhere. He seemed to have lost
interest in her, so Laura was able to talk freely with her
friends during the carriage ride.
When they arrived at the church building, the four of them
entered together. The place was filled with working-class
people including merchants and laborers. They were dressed
humbly, but it was clear they wore their best and cleanest
clothes. Men were cleanly shaved and women wore small
adornments.
 After the mass, people left the church slowly. Mr. Fairfax
suggested that they should take a walk in the nearby park
together since it has been so long since they gathered
together. The other three agreed, and they began walking
together.
The park was crowded with people enjoying a lazy Sunday.
Because there were so many people, it was impractical for the
four of them to walk in a row. Naturally, Miss Hyde and Mr.
Fairfax paired up, which left Laura and Mr. Dalton to follow
behind.
Miss Hyde held Mr. Fairfax’s arm, and they whispered
about various things in a familiar manner. Meanwhile, Laura
and Mr. Dalton walked a little apart from each other. To break
the awkward silence, Laura asked, “Is everyone in London
society faring well lately?”
Mr. Dalton shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I’m curious how Miss Lance is doing. The other ladies
too. Could you say hello to Miss Lance for me? I sent her a
letter, but I didn’t tell her where I was staying. I don’t want
her to worry.”
“I haven’t seen her lately, so I’m not sure.”
Laura became a little confused. Why hasn’t Mr. Dalton
been spending time with Miss Lance? She thought he enjoyed
Miss Lance’s tea parties often.
“Miss Pendleton, I came here today to hear your answer to
my offer.”
 Mr. Dalton looked down at Laura calmly. Realizing that it
was time to let him know, Laura replied, “I would love to take
your offer, Mr. Dalton.”
 Chapter 66

Mr. Dalton nodded without any expression.

Laura continued, “But I have one condition.”
“Please tell me.”
“I want to tell your sister about my family situation. I have
been hiding my true identity from all the agencies, but I don’t
want to lie to your sister, Mr. Dalton.”
“Actually, I was planning on visiting my sister as soon as I
got your answer, Miss Pendleton. I wanted to explain your
situation to her myself. I’ll tell her everything that led you to
become a governess.
Laura nodded. “If your sister feels uncomfortable about
hiring me after she hears everything, please don’t try to
change her mind. Your relationship with your sister is more
important than my job.”
“My sister won’t change her mind. She has a daughter
who’s about to become a debutante. My sister will value your
experience, Miss Pendleton. I also believe that Olivia will
benefit from your wisdom. I hope you’ll become a good friend
to her.”
“Yes, of course.”
 Mr. Dalton promised, “Then I’ll go down to Yorkshire
today. Please expect a letter from me within the week.”
The two of them continued to walk in silence. Laura felt
relieved to have made this decision. The die has been cast,
and unless something unexpected happened, she was soon
going to become a governess to two young boys in Dunville
Park. There, she would get to teach Latin and Greek, the two
languages she has been studying very hard for years.
Laura wondered about Dunville Park, a place she might
end up living in as a governess for the next ten years. She felt
a mix of apprehension and eagerness.
She murmured, “You described Duneville Park to me as a
large open space with a beautiful garden. I tried to picture it,
but it’s not working.”
“It’s a typical English mansion. You don’t have to try to
picture it because you’ll be disappointed when you see it in
person,” Mr. Dalton warned.
Laura grinned. “You’re still as blunt as ever, Mr. Dalton.
But it will be impossible for me not to picture it for the next
week. After all, it’s going to be the place I’ll call home for a
long time.”
Walking by her side, Ian glanced at her. “I can tell you’re
nervous.”
“Just a little. I want to do a good job because this is your
sister’s family. We’re talking about your precious nephews’
education here.”
 “They aren’t very precious to me. They’re too naughty for
my liking.”
“You say that, but it’s obvious you love them dearly, Mr.
Dalton.”
Ian didn’t respond. It seemed that he was embarrassed by
how she knew him so well. This unexpected side of him made
Laura smile. Perhaps it was inappropriate to feel this way
about a gentleman, but she found him adorable.
Ian Dalton changed the subject. “I guess it’s true when
people say you can never tell the future. It feels like it was
only yesterday when I promised to invite you to Whitefield.
Now, it won’t be long before I get to keep that promise. I’m
very pleased about this turn of events.”
“Do you really plan on inviting me?”
“Of course. My niece and nephews visit my land all the
time, so you should come with them. It’s the home of a
bachelor, but it’ll be okay for you to visit if you come with my
niece and nephews.”
“So I’ll get to see Whitefield in person. I’m curious if it will
be as beautiful as the painting you gave me,” Laura replied,
but in truth, she was planning on avoiding visiting his home
if at all possible. Keeping a proper distance between friends of
different genders was important. It was especially necessary
due to the difference in their stations. It was imperative that
she kept a clear line between them.
“It won’t disappoint you, Miss Pendleton.
 I don’t know about Dunville Park, but Whitefield will
certainly live up to your expectations. And…” Ian added
quietly, “…while you stay in Dunville Park, please consider
yourself our guest. No matter what happens, nothing will
change the fact that you’ll always be my friend. This means
that you’ll be an important guest to both Dunville Park and
Whitefield.”
His kind words warmed her heart. His concern for her
always managed to make her emotional. His kindness
sometimes felt almost cruel, but she knew he had no idea
what kind of effect he had on her.
The four of them walked around the park before returning
to the carriage. When Mr. Fairfax heard that Laura had
accepted the governess position at Dunville Park, he seemed
thrilled. “Thank goodness! You made the right decision, Miss
Pendleton. Please consider my brother’s place your new
home. I’ll send you letters often to inquire about your stay
there. And please visit me before you leave. Janet misses you
very much too.”
They returned to Miss Hyde’s boarding house. Mr. Fairfax
and Mr. Dalton got out of the carriage first, and Mr. Fairfax
helped the two ladies down the steps. Misses Hyde and
Pendleton curtsied to the gentlemen before going inside the
building.
The carriage began moving again, and Mr. Fairfax looked
at Ian sitting across from him. Ian was resting his chin on his
hand and watching the boarding house disappear through the
window. He turned toward Mr. Fairfax only when the carriage
fully exited the street.
“Ian, you don’t have to hide it anymore.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m telling you that you can smile now. You did it. Miss
Pendleton will now be living in your neighborhood.”
Ian snorted, but his face relaxed into a satisfied grin. While
riding with Miss Pendleton earlier, Ian had to make a lot of
effort not to stare at her the entire time. He made sure to
forcefully turn his face toward the window.
Mr. Fairfax continued, “I had no idea you would come up
with such a plan. I can’t believe you hired Miss Pendleton as a
governess. But was your sister even looking for one in the
first place?”
Ian shook his head, and Mr. Fairfax gave him a derisive
look. “So your sister’s going to be shocked by this news.
You’ve hired someone to live in her home now. Not only that,
it’s a noble lady you’re secretly in love with. You should’ve
begun this plan after you informed your sister about it first.”
“Don’t you know my sister by now? She isn’t the type to be
shocked by something like this.”
Mr. Fairfax clicked his tongue in disapproval. “So once
Miss Pendleton moves, you’ll never come back to London,
will you?”
“Of course not. Why would I waste my time in a place with
no substance?”
 Mr. Fairfax smiled at his friend who belittled the city he
loved dearly. “Fine, I wish you luck, Ian. I would love to get a
wedding invitation from you, but I guess I wouldn’t care if
you die of a broken heart either. What matters is that Miss
Pendleton will become a governess in Dunville Park. You’ll
pay her a good salary, and she’ll live comfortably.”
“Jesus, you’re trying to put a curse on me, aren’t you?
“Anyway, I’m pleased that she’ll be safe and sound. It’s
always nerve-wracking to watch a noble lady leave high
society and enter the workforce. If you hadn’t done this, I
would’ve arranged a nice position for her myself. But you got
her something much better than anything I could’ve come up
with. I’m very much relieved.”
When Ian stared at him, Mr. Fairfax asked, “Why are you
giving me such a scary look?”
“Be honest. Are you sure you’ve never felt something for
her before?” Ian demanded.
Mr. Fairfax pushed his hair back in frustration. “Yes, I’m
sure! Just how many times are you going to ask me that
question?”
But Ian continued to look at Mr. Fairfax suspiciously. Mr.
Fairfax waved his hand and continued, “Stop talking
nonsense already. And before you leave London, make sure to
say goodbye to Miss Lance. You can’t leave rudely like last
time.”
Ian turned toward the window again in annoyance. “You
do it for me. I’m so sick of Miss Lance’s reception hall.”
 Mr. Fairfax argued, “But you wouldn’t have succeeded in
repairing your relationship with Miss Pendleton if it wasn’t
for Miss Lance. This only worked because Miss Lance
accepted you into her group and became your friend.”
“I’m done with flattering those ladies. I don’t have the
patience for it anymore. I’m sure she’ll prefer you over a
boring man like me. You’re well versed in sweet talks and
politeness, so you’ll be able to relay my goodbye to Miss
Lance much better,” Ian replied coldly.
Mr. Fairfax smiled at him. “According to Janet, Miss Lance
thinks very highly of you. So it must’ve killed you inside to
humor her and her friends for so long.”
“This was the most boring time I’ve ever had in my life. All
the ladies there only talked about the stupidest things. Maybe
it’s because they’re so young.”
“But Miss Lance is quite wise compared to other ladies her
age. She isn’t unkind either. I have to admit that she’s a bit
gullible, but isn’t everyone at that age? I’m sure she’ll learn
more as she gains more experience. Not everyone can be born
with a perfect character like Miss Pendleton.”
“Well, you’re free to watch Miss Lance grow into a mature
woman since you’ll continue to live in London. I’m going
back to Whitefield, and I’ll pray for Miss Lance’s future in my
own way,” Ian announced sarcastically.
“Just like Robert always says, you can be such a prick
sometimes, Ian.”
 Ian snorted again and looked out the window. If Mr.
Fairfax was an ordinary gentleman, he would’ve been
frustrated by his friend’s rude remarks and being burdened
with an annoying chore. But Mr. Fairfax, a kind and generous
friend, looked at Ian with relief. Ian had a dark cloud over his
head for a while now, but he was back to his blunt self. Mr.
Fairfax knew that Miss Pendleton had no idea, and she
certainly shouldn’t, but after she disappeared from society so
suddenly, Ian had been living in hell.
A week ago, Lady Abigail’s funeral took place in her
church. All of the important figures in London society
attended, but her most beloved granddaughter was absent.
The only families who appeared were Gerald Pendleton and
his ill- mannered son Charles who yawned several times
during the service.
Many people considered Charles Pendleton an eyesore
because he was seen at the London racetracks and gambling
halls every day despite his plans to become ordained. His
reputation couldn’t have been any worse at this point.
Everyone gathered was very conscious of Miss Pendleton’s
absence. It was a well- known fact that Lady Abigail and her
son had a vicious legal battle regarding the raising of Miss
Pendleton. Some gossiped that perhaps Gerald Pendleton
confined Miss Pendleton in the attic so she couldn’t attend
the funeral.
Listening to these chatters, Ian remained blank-faced. But
Mr. Fairfax could see the veins bulging out in his friend’s
temples. Afraid that Ian Dalton might attack Gerald Pendleton
at any moment, Mr. Fairfax had to keep a close eye.
But Ian didn’t say a word during the entire funeral.
Afterward, he got into his carriage and visited the Pendleton
house. Mr.
Fairfax had no idea when his friend acquainted himself
with Miss Pendleton’s maid, but he witnessed Ian call out and
talk to her.
William remained inside the carriage as he watched Ian
interrogate the maid, who cried while stomping angrily. He
could tell that the maid had a lot to say. By the time Ian
returned to the carriage, his face had gone pale. Biting his lip,
he looked out the window in silence.
Feeling impatient, Mr. Fairfax asked, “What’s going on?
Did the maid say Miss Pendleton is inside?”
 Chapter 67

Ian spat out the words, “She got kicked out.”

“What?”
“I said she got kicked out from the Pendleton house.”
Mr. Fairfax gaped at his friend. “What are you talking
about? Are you really saying that Miss Pendleton, who had
taken care of Lady Abigail for twelve years, got kicked out of
her own home? How does that make sense?”
“No, it doesn’t make any sense. But that snake Gerald
Pendleton did it. Not only did he try to sell his niece to that
man old enough to be her father, but he also crushed her hand
so it bruised all over. Then, he changed Lady Abigail’s will and
kicked Miss Pendleton out penniless! That bastard!” Ian
Dalton gritted his teeth and roared.
Watching his friend turn into an angry beast, Mr. Fairfax
replied, “Listen, you need to calm down. Let’s find Miss
Pendleton first. Did that maid know where she went?”
Mr. Dalton shook his head. Mr. Fairfax became tense with
worry for Miss Pendleton as he murmured, “Maybe she went
to a friend’s house…”
Ian muttered, “No, I’m sure she hid somewhere where no
one could find her. She’s a lady who refuses to burden anyone
even if it kills her. I’m sure she’s accepting her situation
without a complaint.
Dammit, where am I supposed to start…?”
When they passed a bookstore, Ian asked the carriage to be
stopped. He dashed into the bookstore before walking out
with a travel brochure for London. Instead of returning to the
carriage, he began walking down the street. William rushed
out of the carriage and followed.
Mr. Fairfax asked, “Are you trying to search the lodgings
first?”
Ian ignored him.
“Hey, we need to work together. There must be over a
hundred places to search, so you can’t go through them all on
your own!
Mr. Dalton ordered, “There’s something else I need you to
do. Go find Lady Abigail’s executor and lawyer and find out if
what that maid said is true.”
“Fine, but at least take my carriage, okay?”
Ignoring Mr. Fairfax, Ian hailed a coach and disappeared.
William returned straight home, and using his business
acquaintances, he tracked down Lady Abigail’s lawyer and
executor. Because the elderly lady was a very private person,
this was not an easy task.
But in the end, Mr. Fairfax was successful. Lady Abigail’s
lawyer turned out to be Richard Roydon of Roydon Law
Corporation. Her executioner was Mr. Paul Naise, Lady
Abigail’s old friend and former baronet whose family wealth
was lost due to a bad investment decision.
Mr. Fairfax was aware that both men suffered from poor
financial situations. On the surface, Mr. Roydon looked like a
successful lawyer, but in fact, he became a gambling addict
about a year ago. As for Mr. Naise, he went bankrupt three
years ago. Currently, he lived with his wife and children in the
business district while barely making a living writing gossip
and novels for a third-rated newspaper.
Mr. Fairfax began his investigation to see if there had been
any recent changes in these two men’s finances. He visited
various gentlemen’s social clubs to gather information.
Meanwhile, Ian spent day after day searching for Miss
Pendleton. He left early in the morning and returned usually
after midnight. There were some days when he didn’t return
at all. Then one afternoon several days later, he burst into Mr.
Fairfax’s office. He demanded, “Where does Miss Hyde live
right now?”
“What?”
“Where does she live?”
“Umm, that boarding house for females on Fleet Street.
Why do you ask?”
Ian thought for a moment before asking, “Which
publishing company does Miss Hyde work for?”
“Hey, why do you keep asking about Miss Hyde all of a
sudden? Just tell me what’s going on first.”
 “I found Miss Pendleton. She’s staying at this absurd inn
all by herself. I’m going to ask Miss Hyde to let Miss
Pendleton stay with her. So tell me right now!”
Mr. Fairfax hurriedly told his friend where Miss Hyde
worked, and Ian left like the wind.
That was almost a week ago. While walking with Miss
Hyde after church, Mr. Fairfax heard the rest of the story.
Miss Hyde explained how Ian Dalton visited her at work and
told her about Miss Pendleton’s situation. He then politely
requested her to take in Miss Pendleton. Miss Hyde disclosed
to Mr. Fairfax that this was when she knew Mr. Dalton must
have strong feelings for Miss Pendleton.
And now, Ian Dalton succeeded in taking Miss Pendleton
to his sister’s home by creating this nonexistent governess
position.
Mr. Fairfax asked his dogged friend, “Now that Miss
Pendleton’s situation has been handled, what are you going
to do with Gerald Pendleton? And what about that lawyer and
executor?”
It was very evident that Mr. Roydon and Mr. Naise came to
large sums of money recently. Mr. Fairfax learned that Mr.
Naise moved to a much better home while Mr. Roydon was
able to retrieve his carriage and house he lost through
foreclosure. The problem was that there was no evidence that
the money came from Gerald Pendleton.
Ian replied, “I’m going to investigate in more detail. If I
find out that they got the money by helping Gerald Pendleton
steal from Miss Pendleton, I’m going to make them pay.”
“How? Are you going to sue them?”
“I won’t get involved publicly. I’m sure Miss Pendleton
doesn’t want me to get involved in her business.”
“Then what?”
“I’ll make sure they never find any work anywhere in town
including the fields of law and publishing. They were seduced
by money to steal a woman’s rights. For that, they must
experience what it’s like to have their lives ruined.”
Mr. Fairfax nodded. Although it was a bloodthirsty plan, he
was just glad his friend wasn’t considering another duel.
Besides, the two men deserved to go to jail for the crime they
committed, so they should feel lucky for such merciful
treatment.
Mr. Fairfax moved on to a more serious problem. “What
about Count Gerald Pendleton?”
Ian became silent, and Mr. Fairfax found it impossible to
read his friend’s expression. Mr. Fairfax became anxious. Ian
Dalton was a mean and annoying man, but when he became
truly mad, he turned blank just like right now. It was obvious
to Mr. Fairfax that his friend was livid.
“…You won’t kill him, will you?” Mr.
Fairfax asked nervously.
“That would be too easy for him.”
“Then…?”
Ian looked out the window blankly before asking,
“William, how do you feel about the aristocrats in our
country?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you think they have too many privileges and too
few responsibilities?”
“…Well, I don’t agree with that. All of the aristocrats have
ancestors who served England marvelously. I admit that they
can be a little arrogant and self-indulgent, but… Unless
there’s no guarantee that such privileges are inherited by the
descendants, who would sacrifice themselves for their
country?”
“But if you want to inherit the reward of your ancestor’s
achievement, you must take on the duties that come with it.
They are the ruling class of this nation, yet the nobles are
ignoring to do the necessary work. They only know pleasure,
and they continue with their depravity by using their title.
The English nobles are scums who are ruining our nation, and
Gerald Pendleton is the worst of them all. For the better of
England, the Pendleton family must disappear from the
map.”
Mr. Fairfax became dazed, realizing what his friend was
trying to do. House Pendleton was a prestigious family with a
long history, yet Ian Dalton was talking about eliminating it.
Mr. Fairfax was an old-fashioned man who had a healthy
respect for nobility, so he couldn’t hide his shock.
But Mr. Fairfax didn’t discourage his friend. Ishis sister
Janet went through what Miss Pendleton did, he would’ve felt
the same way. After all, Mr. Fairfax was a proper gentleman.
His regard for the female kind was just as big as his respect
for the nobility. What Count Gerald Pendleton did to Miss
Pendleton was unacceptable. In Mr. Fairfax’s mind, Gerald
Pendleton was no better than an animal.
As soon as Mr. Dalton returned to Mr. Fairfax’s
townhouse, he packed his things. Mr. Fairfax offered his
carriage and groom so that his friend could get home quickly.
Not once did he ask Mr. Dalton to stop his plan of ruining the
Pendleton name.
The next afternoon, Mr. Fairfax visited Miss Lance with his
sister. He hadn’t forgotten his chore of letting Miss Lance
know about Ian’s departure. Mr. Fairfax spoke with his sister
in advance to come up with a plausible story. In order not to
upset Miss Lance, they decided to tell her that an urgent
matter had come up that forced Ian Dalton to leave in a hurry.
Mr. Dalton didn’t care one bit about his reputation, but Mr.
Fairfax wanted to protect it nonetheless.
Miss Janet was ready to follow her brother’s plan, but her
reason had more to do with her friend Miss Lance. Being Miss
Lance’s biggest fan, Janet was ready to he if it meant it would
save Miss Lance from a world of hurt.
As expected, Miss Lance was upset when she heard Ian
Dalton had left London. Mr. Fairfax understood how
displeased she must be since a gentleman she befriended left
without a word.
To console her, Mr. Fairfax told her the story he made up.
“His land agent quit suddenly, so Ian had no choice. He’s a
very responsible landlord after all. Before he left, he asked me
to say goodbye to you, Miss Lance. He told me that the time
he spent with you in London was precious and that he can’t
wait to see you again.”
Miss Lance’s gloomy face brightened a little. “Did he really
say that?”
“Yes, of course.” Mr. Fairfax felt a little guilty, but he
smiled and nodded.
Sitting next to him, Janet added, “Even as he walked out
the door, Mr. Dalton mentioned you many times, Miss Lance.
He said, I wish I could see Miss Lance one more time before I
leave. I would love to kiss her beautiful hand and say goodbye
in person.’ He said that he resented his duty as the head of the
family because it prevented him from leaving the most
beautiful lady in London behind. He asked me to tell you that
when he returns to London after taking care of the problem at
home, the first person he’ll visit will be you, Miss Lance!”
Mr. Fairfax thought his sister was going too far, but when
he saw Miss Lance’s face bloom, he couldn’t bear to correct
her. Blushing like the color of May rose, Miss Lance offered
the Fairfax siblings tea and refreshments, and she walked
them out after the teatime was over.
The Fairfax siblings knew that it was wrong to lie to Miss
Lance, but they were content that they’d done right by their
friends. They never imagined that their white lie had
demolished the last chance Miss Lance had to recover her
common
 sense.
After her guests left, Miss Lance’s heart fluttered
expectantly, believing that Mr. Dalton’s love for her was
confirmed. So for the next few crucial weeks, rather than
denying and suppressing the rumors of her impending
engagement to Ian Dalton, Miss Lance wasted her time
daydreaming about her romantic reunion with him. She
fantasized about what kind of diamond she would get on her
engagement ring.
 Chapter 68

Ian arrived at Dunville Park the next day. Just as he requested

through the telegram, a carriage was waiting for him at the
train station. He rode it to the Fairfax residence, and as soon
as he entered the building, he asked to see his sister. The
servant informed him that Mrs. Fairfax was in her private
reception hall.
He ran upstairs and opened the door without knocking.
Inside, Mrs. Fairfax was sitting in front of the fireplace and
comforting little Ian who wasn’t even a year old yet. Sitting
next to the mother and son was pretty blonde Olivia Fairfax
who had turned thirteen this year. She was quietly shaking a
toy for her baby brother.
This blissful scene was unfortunately interrupted by Ian
Dalton who burst in.
“Goodness, don’t you know how to knock?!” Mrs. Fairfax
shouted in surprise when she saw her brother. Olivia Fairfax’s
eyes widened as she stared at her uncle.
Ian took off his hat and asked, “How’s your health,
Margaret?”
“I’m fine, but you certainly don’t look okay. Did you catch
the consumption while in London or something? What’s
wrong with your face? You had only your looks going for you,
and now, you have nothing.”
Olivia defended her uncle, “Mom, don’t be like that! Uncle
still looks very handsome.”
In Olivia’s eyes, Ian Dalton was the most handsome man
in the world. She believed him to be the definition of prince
charming.
Ian greeted, “Olivia, how have you been?”
“Geez, Uncle! I told you how to do it properly!”
Remembering Olivia’s demand from the past, Ian tipped
his hat politely and bowed to her. When Olivia raised her hand
as if she was a great lady, he kissed the back of it and asked,
“Have you been well, milady?”
“Heh, of course, Uncle! I…I mean, sir!”
He let go of her hand and turned toward his sister again. “I
found you a governess for Daniel and George.”
“When did I ever ask you to find a governess for them?”
Mrs. Fairfax looked puzzled.
“Never.”
“Then are you saying you hired a governess without even
telling me, the mother of your nephews?”
“If you want them to attend public school soon, you need
to get them a governess.”
“I know that, but I don’t feel sure about this. Both my
husband and I believe that we must pity the teacher who will
end up with our boys in school.”
 “You’re probably the only parents in this country who joke
about your children like this,” Ian muttered.
Mrs. Fairfax quipped, “That’s how we keep our marriage
healthy.”
Ian politely asked Olivia for privacy, and the thirteen-
year-old was happy to oblige her beloved uncle. She rose from
the sofa and curtsied prettily before leaving the room.
“Sis,” Ian began.
“It sounds like you’re about to say something serious.
Would you like me to ask little Ian to step outside too?”
“Miss Pendleton is going to arrive soon.”
Mrs. Fairfax was caressing her son when her hand paused.
Ian continued, “She’s your new governess.
“…But she’s a noble lady, so how…?”
Ian placed his hat on the sofa and sat next to his sister. He
then confided in her about Miss Pendleton’s life story. He
explained how Miss Pendleton’s mother eloped with an
American man, which resulted in the Pendleton family’s
resentment toward her. Miss Pendleton’s grandmother, who
was her only protector, had passed away, and she was now
homeless without any money.
“Miss Pendleton must be suffering greatly,” Mrs. Fairfax
murmured sympathetically. One thing Ian and his sister had
in common was their lack of prejudice against one’s lineage.
Ian added, “She’ll be here in a week’s time.
I asked her to. And she’ll be teaching Daniel and George
five hours a day.”
 “You’re willing to torture the love of your life in this
way?”
“That’s why I came here as soon as possible. I must teach
those boys some manners before she arrives. Give them to
me.
“Sure. Go ahead,” Mrs. Fairfax answered indifferently as if
Ian had just asked her to hand over a pair of forks. “But if
Miss Pendleton is coming here as a governess, that must
mean you haven’t won her heart yet. If she’s the one for you,
you need to move fast! What are you waiting for?! When are
you going to get married and have children?”
A look of irritation appeared on his face as his sister began
nagging about having children again. There was one more
thing he needed to tell her. This fact didn’t bother him, but he
knew his sister would care a great deal.
Ian announced, “One more thing.”
“What is it?”
“She’s a year younger than me.”
Mrs. Fairfax, who didn’t even blink when she heard Miss
Pendleton was halfAmerican and a bastard, gaped. “Then
she’s a spinster!”
Ian knew his sister was going to overreact like this. He
grumbled, “If she’s a spinster, what does that make me? I’m
older than her.”
“A man and a woman aren’t the same! A man can have
children at any age as long as he can move, but a woman has
only a limited time!”
 “Margaret, you had baby Ian when you were forty-two, so
how can you say that? By the way, he’s drooling on your
hand.”
Mrs. Fairfax wiped little Ian’s mouth with a napkin and
replied, “You know my situation was different! Shortly after I
had Henry, my husband fell off the horse and hurt his back.
He was bedridden for five whole years. But after three years of
hot spring therapy in Bath, he recovered, remember? What
you don’t know is that he was insistent on proving to me that
his back is perfectly fine…”
“Enough! I don’t want to know about you and my brother-
in-law’s bedroom situation! Not one bit!” Ian shrieked.
“Anyway, you can’t compare Miss Pendleton to me. I
mean, how many children do you think a twenty-nine-year-
old woman can bear?”
“Probably between one and a dozen. Or maybe none. I
don’t care.”
“You don’t care about having children?
How could you say that when you’re the head of our
family?!”
“Sis, I’m not trying to purchase a horse or a cattle. I’m
trying to find myself a wife. If the definition of a good spouse
is her ability to breed, then we would be no different than
animals.”
“But twenty-nine is still too old,” Mrs. Fairfax insisted.
“Margaret.”
 “That’s the truth, Ian. Twenty-nine is too nM ” A/Trc
Pnirfav winpd littlp Tan’c IITAQ you want to happen to our
home?”
Ian sighed. He wasn’t going to change his mind about this
matter, but he knew very well what his sister was worried
about. Ian and his sister Margaret both inherited the family
name Dalton, but their lives were vastly different. As a man
and the firstborn, Ian received the best of education. As soon
as he graduated from university, he inherited Whitefield.
Margaret, on the other hand, went through only the minimal
education a woman was entitled to. When she married into
the Fairfax family, all she got from her family was an
appropriate amount of dowry and nothing more.
But both Ian and Margaret inherited one thing in common;
their love for Whitefield. Although Margaret got married
before turning twenty and has been living in Dunville Park,
she still felt great affection for her old home. Sometimes, she
loved it more than Ian did even though he was the one who
owned it now.
This was precisely why Mrs. Margaret Fairfax was
obsessed with Ian’s marriage. She believed that land became
worthy beyond its monetary value only if it was owned by
someone who grew up on it. If it belonged to someone who
didn’t feel deep affection for it, the land was nothing more
than just a meaningless asset.
“If it was me, I would’ve married a healthy woman the
moment I inherited the land and have twelve children,” said
Mrs. Fairfax.
“Yes, I know that’s exactly what you would’ve done, Sis.
Like I always say, you should’ve inherited Whitefield instead
of me. You’re someone who would do anything for it. That’s
the biggest difference between us. As the head of this family, I
would do anything for Whitefield except one thing. I won’t
marry just to protect a piece of land even if it means
Whitefield will end up with some random cousin.
“But Ian, it’s necessary to make certain sacrifices as the
head of a family.”
“As a man, this isn’t negotiable. I can’t live with a woman
I don’t get along with. This might sound coarse, but I feel
disgusted just imagining being in bed with a woman I don’t
love.”
Mrs. Fairfax was about to argue, but she decided against it.
She knew how stubborn her brother could be, so it would’ve
been a waste of time and energy. Resting her chin on her
son’s head, she became contemplative. She still didn’t
approve of Miss Pendleton. No matter how hard she thought
about it, twenty-nine was too old. Even if she became
pregnant right now, she would end up having a baby at the
age of thirty.
Childbirth needed to take place in one’s twenties. Because
of her husband’s overabundant stamina and carelessness,
Mrs. Fairfax ended up bearing children in her thirties. This
has been very difficult for her, so she was a firm believer in
avoiding pregnancy at an older age.
 Mrs. Fairfax loved her children, of course. But the memory
of childbirth still haunted her to this day. Every time, it was a
battle filled with blood, screams, and pain. On top of that, it
took her a full year to recover. But she knew that she should
still feel grateful. After all, it was quite common for a woman
to die during childbirth.
There was no way her brother was going to understand
what she went through. Men tend to believe that a baby just
drops from the sky in a basket.
“Hmm…” Bouncing little Ian on her knee, Mrs. Fairfax
wondered. Perhaps this might work out in the end. If she got
him married before the end of this year, he and Miss
Pendleton could have a child by the end of next year.
Margaret Fairfax was still flabbergasted by the fact that
her brother was madly in love. She guessed that the only
reason Ian returned to London so suddenly a month ago was
because of this woman. Her brother took his duties very
seriously, so in the past, he has never been absent from
Whitefield for more than a week.
But during the last few months, Ian stayed in London for
over a month twice. This was evidence of his love forMiss
Pendleton. Everyone knew he loved Whitefield, but it seemed
that he loved Miss Pendleton even more.
It had to be a miracle that a picky man like Ian Dalton fell
in love.
 Chapter 69

Mrs. Fairfax thought for a moment before speaking quietly, “I

suppose as long as you get married, I can’t ask for anything
more. I’ll treat her like family, so she’s welcome here.”
A happy smile spread on Ian’s lips. He leaned and kissed
the forehead of his sister who had also been like a mother to
him. “Thanks, Sis.”
“Ah, so this is what it takes to get a show of affection from
you, Ian? You haven’t kissed or hugged me since you were
ten.”
Ian grinned and left the room. He was in a hurry to send a
letter to Miss Pendleton as soon as possible. Mrs. Fairfax
snorted, deciding that her young brother was still just a man
after all. When he left, Olivia returned to the room, and Mrs.
Fairfax gestured for her to come closer.
“A new governess is going to arrive soon, Olivia.”
Olivia brightened and sat down next to her mom. “For me?
So you finally found a French teacher?”
“No, not for you. For Daniel and George.”
Olivia slumped. “What’s the point of giving them a
teacher?”
“That’s true,” Mrs. Fairfax agreed calmly.
 “Mom, you’re better off investing in me instead. I only
have three years left till my debut in high society.”
“I know you have only three years left till your debut. After
all, you remind me every single day as if I would forget.” Mrs.
Fairfax hugged her baby with a resigned look.
“Mom, my friend Lydia improved her French by staying in
France for the summer. Lilly and Rebecca have teachers from
France and they converse in French every single day. Their
pronunciation is perfect, and I’m the only one who’s behind.
Wouldn’t you feel anxious if you were me?”
Mrs. Fairfax was beginning to get a headache from her
daughter’s nagging. Jeanne, Olivia’s French governess hired
last year, left to get married. Ever since then, Olivia has been
begging for another French teacher every single day. She was
insistent that it had to be a native speaker.
The Fairfax family was ready to provide any educational
support their children desired. This was why they hired a
tutor for their firstborn son Henry who wanted to go to
university just like his uncle. They also allowed Olivia to learn
dance, art, and literature just as she wished.
But it seemed that there was no satisfying Olivia. They
were proud of her desire to learn, but the problem was that it
came from her ego. She couldn’t bear the thought of falling
behind other girls her age.
Mrs. Fairfax replied, “Who cares if you’re a little behind in
French? You already learned everything you need including
dance, art, music, and literature.”
 “Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? French is the
most important thing in high society. Once I make my debut
in London, French will be the subject used to measure the
level of a lady’s sophistication. That’s what Aunt Janet told
me.”
“I don’t speak a word of French, but I married your father
and enjoy a perfectly good life, dear.”
“That’s only because Grandfather made the effort to
arrange your marriage when you were very young. But my
own father has no interest in my future. This means I must
find my husband by myself. And to acquire a good husband, I
must stand out among countless other ladies. According to
Aunt Janet, she said beauty alone won’t be enough to survive.
It will be like a battlefield. If I make my debut in my current
state, I’ll become a laughingstock.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll get you a French teacher, so please stop
already. And listen, there’s something else you need to
know.”
“What is it?”
“The new governess who’ll be here soon…
She might end up marrying your uncle.”
Olivia stared at her mom in confusion. “The governess
might marry Uncle?”
“Yes.”
“What do you mean?” Olivia couldn’t understand her
mother. She couldn’t connect the terms “governess” and
“the woman who will marry her uncle” together.
 Mrs. Fairfax explained, “It’s a complicated story, but
simply put, this lady is someone your uncle is trying to court.
But she needs a job, which is why he hired her for us. You’re a
quick girl, so I thought you might figure it out on your own
and make a scene. So I’m telling you to keep this a secret,
okay?”
“A…alright. But who is she? If she has to work as a
governess, she must be middleclass at best. Could it be that
she’s from a ruined noble family?”
“You’ve heard of House Pendleton, haven’t you?”
“I’ve read that name in the magazine before… Ah, I
remember. That’s a high- ranking noble family from
Cornwall.”
Mrs. Fairfax answered, “She’s from that family. Her name
is Miss Laura Pendleton.”
Olivia jolted. “Ah, I think I’ve heard of her too. Laura
Pendleton! My friend Lydia’s cousin is part of London society,
and apparently, she often attended tea parties in the
Pendleton house. Lady Abigail was technically the mistress of
that household, but her granddaughter Miss Laura Pendleton
took care of all the events. Ah, but I heard Lady Abigail passed
away recently.”
“That’s correct.”
“So is she going to work as a governess because she
doesn’t have anyone to take care of her? But she’s a lady of a
great house, so why? Does she not have any inheritance?”
asked Olivia.
 Mrs. Fairfax shrugged. She had no intention of telling her
young daughter every detail of Miss Pendleton’s situation. It
would’ve been disrespectful toward Miss Pendleton, but more
importantly, Mrs. Fairfax was too lazy to explain.
Olivia continued to ask questions, but she only got vague
answers from her mother. Unfortunately, this only made the
thirteen-year-old even more curious. Ian Dalton had been
her prince charming since she was much younger. Even now,
he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. It was no
wonder she was dying to find out more about this woman.
Olivia asked the very thing she was most curious about. “Is
she pretty?”
Mrs. Fairfax shrugged again. “Who knows? As long as your
uncle finds her pretty, that’s all that matters.”
“Then do you know how old she is?”
Mrs. Fairfax had been indifferent until now, but a shadow
appeared on her face. “…Apparently, she’s twenty-nine.”
“What?” Olivia jumped. “Twenty-nine? Then she’s a
spinster!”
Her mother nodded. “That’s true.”
“I don’t understand. Uncle can marry any new debutante
he wants, can’t he?”
“Well, he has always hated stupidity, so I guess he found a
smart one to marry.
Perhaps I should be relieved he didn’t bring home a
woman older than him.”
 Oliva became quiet. She felt confused, unable to
understand her uncle’s decision. A twenty-nine-year-old
spinster who needs to work because she’s too poor? So why
would a perfect man like her Uncle fall in love with her?
After thinking hard for a moment, Olivia clapped her
hands. “Ah, I get it!”
“Get what?”
“I know why Uncle wants to marry a woman like that!
Uncle Ian is protesting against you, Mom!”
“What?”
“You’ve been nagging him so much lately that he’s
bringing this preposterous woman as his bride. He’s being
rebellious,” Olivia explained.
Mrs. Fairfax shook her head, claiming that this didn’t
make any sense. “Do you really think your uncle would drag a
woman home for such a childish reason?”
But Olivia continued to make a case. “She comes from a
great family, so the fact that she’s still unmarried must mean
she’s ugly. She has no money to inherit, which tells me that
she’s so frivolous her own family has disowned her. So why
do you think Uncle Ian would bring her into our home? He’s
threatening to marry her if you continue to harass him,
Mom.”
“Goodness, what a smart girl you are,” Mrs. Fairfax
replied sarcastically.
“I’m serious. You need to trust me, okay? Uncle Ian used to
get angry because you treated him like a stud horse. He wants
to remain a bachelor, but since he’s afraid you won’t stop
nagging him, he’s trying to put an end to it. Mom, just go tell
him that you won’t bother him with this marriage business
anymore. If you do this, he’ll forget about the whole thing.”
“Olivia, you need to stop dreaming. Stop getting your
hopes up.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve always wanted your uncle to remain a bachelor,
haven’t you?”
Olivia flinched. “W…what are you talking about, Mom? I’ve
never wanted such a thing.”
“You stutter when you panic, you know.” Mrs. Fairfax
smirked.
“T…that’s not true. I agree with you that Uncle Ian should
get married now. It’s just that he’s bringing home a
ridiculous woman…!
“No one in our family’s going to believe you except maybe
our little innocent baby Ian here. Everyone in this house,
including the staff, knows that Ian Dalton was your first
love.”
“Mom!” Olivia turned red.
Mrs. Fairfax chuckled in amusement.
Teasing her children was a great source of entertainment
for her, so she continued mercilessly, “I still remember it
clearly. You were six and your uncle, who was in university at
the time, was staying in Dunville Park for the summer. One
morning, you woke up late and found that he had gone to the
train station to return to Cambridge. So what did you do the
moment you found out your uncle was gone?”
Olivia turned even redder when she remembered.
Mrs. Fairfax continued, “You climbed to one of the
branches of that elm tree and cried your lungs out! You
demanded that we bring your uncle back or else you’ll never
come down. The whole family begged you to climb down the
tree, but you refused. Geez, I don’t know how you got up so
high in the first place.”
“That’s not fair…!”
“So your uncle, who was on his way to the train station,
had to come back. He climbed the tree himself and brought
you down in his arms. He missed his train, of course. And you
agreed to come down on one condition. Ian told me that you
asked him to marry you when you turn twenty. Is that true?
He said it was a great honor because it was his first time being
proposed to by a lady.”
Olivia grasped her skirt and shrieked, “I hate it when
you’re like this, Mom! Why do you keep making fun of me
about the things I did when I was little?!”
“Because it’s so fun! How could I forget such an amusing
event like that? I’m going to tell your husband about it in the
future. Your children too! Haha!”
“Mother!” Olivia stomped her feet in embarrassment. Mrs.
Fairfax continued to tease her daughter for a while longer.
Olivia was entering a rebellious age, so she screamed in
annoyance. But Mrs. Fairfax enjoyed watching her daughter
agitated like this.
But soon, Mrs. Fairfax became bored and returned to her
calm self. She warned, “Even if you don’t want this, we now
have a future Mrs. Dalton. Your uncle is madly in love, Olivia.
So you can’t be rude to this lady. And keep this a secret from
your brothers, okay? Let’s keep this between just the two of
us. Ah, and don’t tell your father either.”
Olivia pouted. She still couldn’t believe that her gorgeous
uncle was courting a spinster. She didn’t want to cooperate
with her mother, but she knew she would get teased again if
she refused.
Standing up from the sofa, Olivia grumbled, “Obviously, I
won’t. If Dad finds out about it, he’ll put up a sign every
hundred meters all along the path to Dunville Park that says
‘Welcome, Future Sister-In-Law.’”
Olivia left the room. After enjoying the time with her
daughter, Mrs. Fairfax felt a little better. Her daughter
certainly didn’t enjoy it, but this wasn’t her concern. After
summoning the wet nurse and sending the baby to his room,
she took out her cards to tell the fortune. The question she
regularly asked was about Ian’s marriage.
Just like the last time, the cards told her that Ian was going
to marry before the end of this year. All throughout this year,
she has been getting the same result. Keeping the thought of
Miss Pendleton in her head, she spread the cards again.
The result was clear. Miss Pendleton was definitely going
to become Ian’s wife.
 Packing up her cards, Mrs. Fairfax decided that perhaps
this was all meant to be. But she still couldn’t give up hope
that the future might change and a better and younger lady
might appear on her brother’s path.
She clasped her hands and prayed to her Christian God to
make her wish come true. If God truly existed, he would’ve
been very offended.
 Chapter 70

Part 2. Yorkshire
Tap, tap.
When she heard the annoying sounds at the window, Laura
turned toward them. The carriage had entered a narrow street
lined with thick trees on both sides, so the branches were
hitting the windows loudly.
She couldn’t tell how many hours she had been riding. She
looked down at her watch with a simple leather strap to see
that it had been over an hour.
I wonder how much further I need to go.
Her heart began to pound even harder, so she clasped her
hands tightly. Three days after she accepted Ian Dalton’s
position, his letter arrived. It stated that she should take the
train on the coming Monday to Yorkshire. It seemed that Mrs.
Fairfax had agreed to hire her as a governess despite knowing
everything.
Relieved to receive the letter, she took the next few days
preparing for her new life. She said her goodbyes to the
Mortons, the Fairfax siblings, and other close friends. She
then packed her things and purchased some additional
clothes for cheap and necessary books for the children.
 In Ian Dalton’s letter were information on the train
departure time and a detailed map of the arrival station.
Following his thoughtful instructions, she rode the train for a
full day to reach Yorkshire. When she arrived, a carriage from
Dunville Park was waiting for her just as he promised. The
groom treated her respectfully as if she was some great lady.
The groom was a man of few words. Because Laura was
exhausted from the long train ride, she was glad of his
silence. Her heart pounded with a mix of excitement and
anxiety. This was her first governess job in a completely new
place. She was going to start a new life and meet new people.
Her heart squeezed nervously as she tried to picture what her
days would look like from now on. She imagined how
awkward the first meeting with the family would be and how
naughty her students may be. She expected to be given a
shabby bedroom and live a restricted life.
Laura wasn’t a fanciful woman by nature, so the life she
imagined for herself was quite realistic. She knew it wouldn’t
be pleasant and comfortable, but she was willing to adapt to
her new surroundings. She knew she was capable of doing
this because after all, she had survived the harsh life of
London society.
What made her the most nervous was the doubt about her
capability as a governess. She couldn’t help but worry that
she might not do a good job. In school, she had taught
younger students their letters from time to time, but she felt
embarrassed to even call it a teaching experience. Soon, she
would find out if she was cut out to be a teacher at all.
The carriage continued to the narrow road and passed
through a few hills. After crossing a river, it entered another
wooded path. It went on and on, and Laura wondered if the
path would ever end.
But all roads ended at some point. As the thickly wooded
area slowly disappeared behind her, she saw a vast open field.
It was then that she saw a mansion at the top of a low hill
surrounded by the woods. It was far away, but she could still
feel its majesty.
Laura tidied her outfit again. She straightened her flat
lady’s hat and checked to make sure no stray hair escaped
from the black hairnet. She wiped the dust off of the green
tartan pattern dress and the brown shawl on top, and she
checked for any open seams in her navy gloves.
The carriage exited the forest before passing by the green
field and a lake. Soon, it stopped in front of a mansion that
was surrounded by a neatly maintained garden. With the help
from the groom, she stepped down from the carriage.
Laura looked up at the mansion. Made of light brown
stones, it was a four-story building. Its wide sturdy structure
was so well-built that she didn’t think it would crumble even
with an earthquake.
The man, who was standing in front of it, approached her
and bowed. He introduced himself as the butler of Dunville
Park, and Laura hurriedly greeted him. The butler informed
her that Mrs. Fairfax was waiting and escorted her inside.
When she entered through the front door, she found
herself in the spacious hall. The unique stone and wooden
scent of an old mansion tickled her nose. Laura wanted to
tour the home in leisure, but she wasn’t given the
opportunity. She followed the butler into the hallway on the
right. They stopped at one of the inner rooms with double
doors. Asking Laura to wait for a moment, the butler entered
alone.
Once inside, the butler announced, “Mrs. Fairfax, the new
governess has arrived.”
Laura heard a quiet female voice inside. Shortly after, the
butler came out and asked Laura to enter. As soon as she did,
Laura realized that she was now in a living room. The sizable
room was equipped with a grand piano and a giant sofa that
could seat twenty people. In one corner was a small bar with
rows of wine bottles and an ice box.
Even though it was early summer, the fireplace was going
in full force. The middle-aged woman was sitting near it and
working on an embroidery project. Laura approached her and
saw that the mistress of this mansion was a woman with a
strong jaw and black hair.
Laura greeted with a curtsy, “Hello, Mrs. Fairfax.”
“Welcome, Miss Pendleton.” Mrs. Fairfax smiled
comfortably. “I’m Margaret Fairfax and I’m the mother of the
two boys you’ll be teaching. Everyone calls me Mrs.
 Robert Fairfax.”
Laura nodded, and Mrs. Fairfax studied her face quietly.
Laura noticed that Mrs. Fairfax’s eyes were just as black as
her hair, reminding her of Ian Dalton. Although the siblings
looked very different, they shared the same shade of black
eyes. Perhaps this was why Laura felt comfortable around her
new employer.
Mrs. Fairfax, who has been studying Laura closely,
continued, “Would you like to see the children first? Or
maybe you would like to rest first. It must’ve been a long
journey, so I recommend the latter.”
“Actually, I would like to meet the boys first, ma’am.”
“You don’t have to feel pressured to make that choice.”
“No, I think I’ll be able to rest more comfortably after I
meet the children.”
Mrs. Fairfax asked the butler, who was waiting nearby, to
bring the children. While waiting, Mrs. Fairfax asked Laura to
sit next to her on the sofa. She asked, “So Miss Pendleton, I
heard this is your first time working as a governess.”
“Yes, Mrs. Fairfax.”
“I have to warn you that my sons will be difficult to
handle. They’re naughty and they can’t concentrate. And they
aren’t good listeners either. You’ll soon learn how unlucky
you are with your first job.”
“I wouldn’t expect boys their age to be obedient.”
“I’m not greedy enough to expect obedience. It would be a
miracle just to get them to sit in front of a desk.”
 The door opened and the butler ushered two boys in.
Wearing clean clothes, the boys had curly brown hair, and
they were all for their age. They were strongly built, but
because they hadn’t hit puberty yet, they were still just
children.
Mrs. Fairfax announced, “Now, let me introduce you to my
sons. These are Goerge and Daniel.”
The children bowed to Laura awkwardly. Laura smiled at
them and greeted them. “Nice to meet you, children.”
She looked at each boy one by one while they returned her
gaze with a curious yet wary look. Mrs. Fairfax explained, “So
these are the two boys you’ll be taking care of from now on,
Miss Pendleton. My thirteen-year-old daughter Olivia has a
dance teacher and an art teacher who visit twice a week, so
you don’t have to worry about her.”
Laura nodded and began asking about the boys’ history.
She wanted to know if they had had a tutor before, how much
education they received so far, and which school they would
be attending in the future.
Mrs. Fairfax answered without hesitation. The two boys
knew enough letters and numbers to write their own names
and count candies in a bowl. They also knew that England was
apart from the continent of Europe, but nothing more.
“I’ve always believed that boys should run and play when
they’re young. Little boys are like hunting dogs, so they must
use up their excess energy, or else, they’ll get into all sorts of
trouble. Thanks to this, they are as robust as ponies. Don’t
you agree?”
Laura nodded as she looked at the healthy boys. “Indeed,
they seem bigger than the other boys their age. When they
enter public school, it would be a good idea for them to get
into rowing, Mrs. Fairfax.”
“We’ll worry about that after they get in. They’ve never
studied before in their lives, so I’m worried they might not
keep up.”
“We’ll have to begin Latin from scratch, so it’s going to be
a lot of work. Would you mind if we begin our lessons today?”
“Well, I don’t think that will be necessary. Why don’t you
just take this week off and get used to the mansion? You can
look around and enjoy a nice stroll. Dunville Park has a nice
walking trail.”
It was obvious Mrs. Fairfax was a very relaxed lady. But
Daniel was eleven, which meant that he had less than two
years left till he entered the public school. So Laura insisted,
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Then I’ll take today off,
but I really think we should begin our lessons tomorrow. Even
if the boys don’t actually start learning right away, I want
them to develop a habit of sitting at a desk as soon as
possible.”
Mrs. Fairfax burst into laughter. “Children, I wanted to
give you one more week of freedom because you begged for it,
but your new teacher is against the idea. Oh well, I guess
you’ll be stuck in your study room memorizing Latin verbs
starting tomorrow. Your fun days are over now.
Mrs. Fairfax teased her sons mercilessly and the boys
slumped in disappointment. Laura watched Mrs. Fairfax
torment her sons for a while longer before explaining, “We’ll
begin our real lessons next week. I just want to spend some
time with you, that’s all. My biggest goal is to figure out how I
can have fun with you two boys.”
The boys didn’t look convinced, so Laura continued, “I
promise that you won’t be sitting at a desk all day. You won’t
get to play outside as much as you used to, but you’ll still get
plenty of free time to run around. I agree with your mother
that growing children must be out getting fresh air and
exercise.”
The smaller boy, who Laura assumed was the younger one
named George, asked, “Then we won’t have to stare at the
blackboard all day memorizing Latin verbs?”
“Of course not.”
“And we don’t have to solve math problems every day
either?”
“Exactly.”
“And you won’t hang us upside down from the ceiling and
beat us if we get a question wrong ?
Laura blinked in surprise. Hang children from the ceiling?
But why would anyone do such a thing?
 Chapter 71

Mrs. Fairfax clicked her tongue. “I guess Daniel scared his

little brother again. As you can see, George is quite gullible,
Miss Pendleton.”
Laura couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Finally
realizing that he has been lied to, George turned bright red.
Daniel, standing next to him, giggled as well. Daniel teased,
“Fool. Did you really believe what I said?”
George glared at his older brother. To make matters worse,
Daniel stuck his tongue out at George, who finally snapped.
George attacked his older brother, and the two boys began
punching and kicking each other.
Laura turned toward Mrs. Fairfax anxiously, worried that
the boys might get hurt. But their mother only watched with
an indifferent look. A short while later, the kerfuffle ended
with younger and smaller George getting his arms and back
beaten up.
Mrs. Fairfax announced, “Are you boys done? Then you
can both go to your rooms. As a punishment for this fight, you
won’t be getting your afternoon snacks.”
The two boys’ faces, especially George’s, crumpled in
distress. He protested, “But, Mom! Daniel started it!”
 “And you attacked him first. I can’t believe you did this in
front of your new governess. What will your uncle say when
he hears about this?”
George turned pale at the mention of his uncle. Mrs.
Fairfax continued calmly, “Go to your rooms right now, or
I’m going to take away your dinner too.”
The boys slumped and left the room. Mrs. Fairfax turned
toward Laura and smiled. “My sons are so docile, aren’t
they?”
Not knowing how to respond, Laura quickly changed the
subject. “I assume the uncle they’re afraid of must be Mr.
Dalton?”
“How did you know?”
“I didn’t think the children would be afraid of Mr.
Fairfax.”
“Haha, you’re correct! They don’t fear William at all, but
they think Ian is Satan.”
Laura smiled. “But Mr. Dalton is a good uncle, isn’t he?”
“You’re right about that too. My boys are demons, but they
at least listen to me thanks to Ian. If they were half as tame as
Henry, Ian wouldn’t have to be so firm with them.”
“Henry must be your first son?”
“Yes, he’s at Cambridge right now. He’s so docile that Ian
never had to scold him once. Until he left home to go to
school, Ian was very kind to him. He took Henry out riding
every day, and he came to visit every summer too. When
Henry entered the public school, Ian used to send him a gift
every month so he wouldn’t be lonely. In a way, Ian took
better care of Henry than my husband.”
“I knew it when I met Mr. Dalton in London. I knew he was
a good man,” Laura agreed.
“Hmm, I thought his reputation in London would be
terrible.”
Laura smiled. “It’s true that it’s rare to find a gentleman
like Mr. Dalton in London.”
“How so?”
“Honesty is hard to come by in London society. Someone
like Mr. Dalton often shocks other people with his bluntness.
But that was the exact reason why I became his friend. I prefer
curtness over hypocrisy.”
Laura claimed that Ian was a rare breed, but Mrs. Fairfax
found Miss Pendleton to be the unusual one. She has never
met a woman who showed interest in her brother for his
personality. Every lady in the past has approached him for his
looks and wealth, and they ran the other way after a brief
conversation with him.
Goodness, ʃlike her already.
Mrs. Fairfax suggested that Laura take the afternoon off
since she must be tired. Laura curtsied and left the living
room. Outside, the butler was waiting for her and offered to
escort her to her room.
They were climbing the stairs when Laura saw a young girl
come down from the second floor. With smooth golden hair
and an extravagant dress, the girl looked very pretty. She was
a few inches shorter, and Laura knew she had to be Olivia
Fairfax.
The young girl stared at Laura in confusion. “Who may you
be?”
“Hello. I’m the new governess.” Laura smiled. Olivia’s
eyes widened as she stared. She seemed quite shocked, which
confused Laura. Laura wondered if Olivia hadn’t been told
about her arrival.
Suddenly, Olivia seemed to remember her manners. “I’m
Olivia Fairfax.”
Her tone was sassy, and Laura had to try hard not to laugh.
With her chubby cheeks, Olivia was still just a child. Yet she
was acting like a proud lady, and Laura found her adorable.
Laura replied, “I’ve heard so much about you from Mr.
Dalton. He said that his niece is a mature young lady. I hope
we get along well.”
“You don’t have to get along with me. I’m not your pupil
after all.”
“But we’ll be staying in the same house, so it’ll be nice if
we become friends. And perhaps I can be of help to you, Miss
Fairfax,” Laura replied warmly. Officially, she was
responsible only for Daniel and George, but since Olivia was
their sister, Laura planned on caring for her as well. Olivia
must’ve been preparing for her debut in society, and as
someone who had gone through it before, Laura knew she
could help.
 But for some reason, Olivia seemed upset by Laura’s offer.
She retorted sharply, “I already have teachers who take good
care of me. So please don’t meddle in my business and focus
on my brothers.”
Olivia turned around and went downstairs. Her hostile
behavior confused Laura, causing her to wonder if she had
done something wrong. Laura tilted her head to contemplate
before following the butler to the second floor. They turned
right at the top, and Laura was shown the very last room in
the hallway.
When she entered, she was quite shocked. The room was
much bigger than she expected. In fact, it was as big as Mrs.
Fairfax’s living room Laura was in just a moment ago. But
what surprised her even more was the furniture. The room
was equipped with a large bed, sofa, wooden table with
beautiful engravings, large fireplace, and desk. The windows
were tall enough to reach the ceiling, and there was even a
separate dressing room on the side.
Laura saw that her trunk was brought up and placed next
to the bed. It looked so shabby compared to the furnishing in
the room. She asked the butler, “Is this really my room?”
“Yes, Mrs. Fairfax chose it personally.”
“I can’t believe such a room was given to a governess. Did
the previous tutor also stay in this room?”
“No, this is the best guest room in this house. It’s
designated for only the most important guest.”
 Laura thanked the butler. When she was finally alone, she
took her time looking around the room. She opened the
window and was surprised to see a terrace with a stone
handrail around it. When she stepped out, she could see the
entire Dunville Park garden. The view of the greeneries was
overwhelmingly refreshing. She couldn’t believe that she was
given a room with such a view.
She was unpacking her things when there was a knock at
the door. When she answered, a maid with a large tray walked
in. The maid bowed respectfully and placed the tray down on
the table. Laura looked at the tray of a sparkling porcelain
teapot, teacup, cookies, and cakes in confusion.
The maid explained politely, “Mrs. Fairfax thought you
might be tired from the long journey. She asked me to bring
these up so you can enjoy some snacks while resting. There’s
still over four hours left till dinner, so she was concerned you
might be hungry. ”
“Thank you. Please let Mrs. Fairfax know that I really
appreciate it.”
The maid curtsied again and left. Feeling touched, Laura
sat down on the comfortable sofa and enjoyed the black tea
and some cake. It felt like she was dreaming. She was afraid
that if she pinched herself, she would suddenly wake up
inside the carriage that brought her here a few hours ago. It
was unthinkable that she was treated so grandly like this
when she was only a governess. The fact that the maid told
her when the dinner was served also indicated that she would
be dining with the family. This again was something she
never expected.
Ever since she decided to take this profession, it became
Laura’s habit to watch how the governesses were treated
whenever she visited other people’s homes. In most cases,
the governesses made sure to keep themselves unseen per
their employers’ wishes.
A governess was more respected than a maid, but she was
still not allowed to mingle with the family. She was to spend
her days in the study room for the children’s lessons or in her
room to read and sew. The maid would bring her food to her
room, and she was to eat her meals alone. A governess was
expected to live an invisible life separate from the family.
So eating dinner with the family was something Laura had
never heard of before.
Four hours later, the maid came to escort her downstairs.
Laura checked our appearance before following her. In the
elegant dining room lit with bright candlelights, the Fairfax
family was already gathered around the table. There, Laura
was introduced to the master of the house, Mr. Robert Fairfax.
A well-built middle-aged man, he was already aware that
Laura was his brother-in-law Ian’s friend. When she entered
the dining room, he rushed toward her to shake her hand in
excitement. He shook her hand so hard that it made Laura
stagger a little.
Laura was treated like an important guest at the dinner.
Instead of sitting at the end of the table, she sat close to Mr.
and Mrs. Fairfax. Mr. Robert Fairfax constantly offered her
various dishes, pushing different plates toward her. Feeling
awkward and grateful, Laura ate everything he offered.
During the meal, George and Daniel incessantly bothered
the servants. For example, they asked for their meat to be cut
up and inquired if there was lemon cake in the kitchen. In
comparison, Olivia had impeccable table manners. She kept
quiet, and the only thing she asked for from the servants was
more water. But even though Olivia was silent, Laura felt her
presence sharply. It was because the young girl examined
Laura very closely during the entire dinner.
Olivia’s behavior didn’t particularly trouble Laura. After
all, she had endured the stares and glares of countless people
while in London society. She used to be the center of
hundreds and thousands of people’s gossip, so being
scrutinized by a young girl didn’t have much of an impact.
But Laura was curious as to why Olivia disapproved of her.
If there was a misunderstanding, she wanted to explain.
Laura wished to get along with Olivia because Olivia was Mr.
and Mrs. Fairfax’s daughter and Mr. Dalton’s niece.
 Chapter 72

After dinner, Laura and the family moved to the living room.
The Fairfax family often spent time together after dinner.
Mrs. Fairfax sat in front of the chess board, Mrs. Fairfax sat by
the fireplace to embroider, and Olivia began playing the
piano.
Mr. Fairfax asked Laura if she knew how to play chess.
“Yes, Mr. Fairfax,” Laura answered.
“Then we shall play, you and me.” Mr. Fairfax rubbed his
hands excitedly and offered her the chair across from him.
Somehow, Laura ended up playing a game of chess with
her employer on her first day of work. Daniel and George sat
next to her to watch the game between their father and their
new teacher.
As Laura moved her chess piece, she felt awkward to be in
this situation. Even if a governess was close to her employer’s
family, they tended to spend the evenings separately. But no
one in the Fairfax family seemed to find it odd that she was
with them in the living room. Even Olivia, who was openly
hostile toward Laura, appeared to accept her presence
without question. The whole family included her as if she was
one of them.
 Mr. Fairfax urged Laura to focus on the game, so she
cleared her head and studied the board carefully. Mr. Fairfax
was very curious about the new governess’s chess skills. He, a
simple-minded gentleman, liked to assess a man by his
hunting skill and a woman by her ability to play chess. He
liked everyone in general, but he preferred those who did well
on his test.
Laura immediately knew that this was some kind of an
interview, so she concentrated on the game. Thankfully, she
used to play chess with her grandmother every night, so she
was very family with the game. Slowly but surely, she
continued to move her pieces forward.
Mr. Fairfax was very competitive, but he lacked caution
and intelligence. Such weaknesses didn’t interfere with
activities such as hunting, but chess was a whole different
story. It was a game of strategy, and Mr. Fairfax wasn’t a
particularly shrewd man.
Unfortunately for Mr. Fairfax, Laura was sharp-minded
while possessing an even temperament. Quickly realizing that
her opponent was an impatient man who was incapable of
looking more than two moves ahead, Laura moved her pieces
with confidence.
Within a very short while, Laura grabbed Mr. Fairfax’s
king. She announced, “Checkmate.”
Shocked, Mr. Fairfax looked up at her. But recovering
quickly, he rearranged the pieces and asked for another game.
Out of five games, Mr. Fairfax lost three. He won the last two,
but unbeknownst to him, Laura had let him win secretly to
save his pride.
Losing three out of five had to be embarrassing, but Mr.
Fairfax was thrilled. Until now, he had only his two sons to
play against, and it has been annoyingly easy to beat these
two young boys. Having an experienced chess player like
Laura was a must for an excellent evening. Mr. Fairfax quickly
categorized Laura as one of his favorite people.
Laura enjoyed the games as well because it has been a long
time since she last played. But the fatigue from her journey
and having to concentrate brought on a headache. Laura gave
up her seat to Daniel and decided to watch the game between
the father and son.
Daniel tried his best to win, but he inherited his father’s
impatience. Mr. Fairfax won every game easily, and he patted
his son’s head with affection. Olivia seemed to have lost
interest in playing the piano, so she came to watch the chess
game as well. The table became crowded with this addition,
and Olivia stayed a step behind and watched on her tiptoes.
Laura’s headache refused to improve, so she gave up her
seat to Olivia. Then she walked to the piano where Olivia was
playing a moment ago. Laura opened it and tried a few keys.
The Fairfax family’s piano was a well-tuned and expensive
instrument. Her fingers began moving naturally to play her
favorite piece, Chopin’s Waltz No. 18. She had practiced this
song hundreds of times before, and she had performed it in
front of others several dozens of times. By now, it was a piece
Laura could play blindfolded.
Like a blind pianist, she closed her eyes and began playing.
The lack of sight allowed her hearing and tactile senses to
heighten. Laura felt her fatigue and headache melt away. As a
student, she was forced to learn the piano by her music
teacher. In her twenties, she needed to practice so that she
wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of her guests. But now,
music brought her joy and comfort. As if she was alone in this
space, Laura played the piano mindlessly.
Feeling much better, she opened her eyes when the song
ended. She felt someone’s gaze on her, so she glanced to the
side to see Olivia staring as if she was bewitched. Olivia
flinched when their eyes met. Laura smiled at her, but Olivia
quickly looked away.
Laura noticed that Mr. Fairfax was now playing against
George. When his young son moved his piece thoughtlessly,
Mr. Fairfax pinched George’s cheek and scolded, “Why do you
keep moving your king forward? Don’t you know anything?”
“Huh? But why can’t I? He’s the chief, so shouldn’t he be
at the front of the battle?”
Mr. Fairfax clicked his tongue. He replied sarcastically,
“You’re going to make an excellent navy officer, aren’t you?”
Mr. Fairfax dismissed George and yelled, “Miss Pendleton,
stop playing the boring piano and play another game with
me!”
 Laura returned to the chess board as requested. While she
played the game, she saw Olivia return to the piano. Then, the
young girl began playing the same piece Laura played. But
Olivia kept playing the wrong keys, so Laura watched secretly.
Olivia was trying to play with her eyes closed just like
Laura did. But she was failing miserably. After a few more
tries, she seemed too frustrated to continue. In the end, Olivia
gave up and closed the piano.
Laura found Olivia adorable, so she smiled. But not
wanting to embarrass her, Laura turned toward the chess
board to hide her smile.
This time, Mr. Fairfax managed to achieve a checkmate. It
was largely because Laura was distracted by Olivia. Mr.
Fairfax insisted on another game, but Mrs. Fairfax announced
that Laura should retire to her room since she must be tired
from her journey. Laura returned to her room, feeling
grateful for Mrs. Fairfax’s interruption.
After lighting the candle inside her dark room, Laura
changed. She then sat down on the sofa and reflected on her
day. Everything that had happened was the opposite of what
she anticipated. Things couldn’t have worked out any better.
It had only been a day since she arrived, but based on what
she saw of the family, she couldn’t think of anything negative
in her new life. The worst thing she needed to worry about
was that the boys might be a little difficult to handle.
That night, Laura knelt beside her bed and said a prayer of
gratitude. She was thankful that she met such wonderful
people and was allowed to live in an amazing place. She had
been so worried about her new life, but it seemed that there
was no need to be concerned. Laura was truly appreciative of
such good luck.
But when she lay down on the bed, the thought of Ian
Dalton popped into her head. Although everything had to be
God’s will, he did all this by sending Mr. Dalton to her.
Without Ian Dalton, she wouldn’t have made it here.
Suddenly, she was reminded that she was now in Yorkshire
where Mr. Dalton lived. Not only that, but she was going to
live in the house of Mr. Dalton’s closest relative. His own
territory, Whitefield, was only an hour away and surrounded
by snow-white birch trees. This fact made Laura’s heart beat
faster for some reason.
The beautiful place Mr. Dalton painted for her was only so
close now. And at this very moment, he was probably there.
This thought was enough to make her heart squeeze
painfully. Laura shook her head and closed her eyes, blaming
the thumping of her heart on her fatigue and being in an
unfamiliar place.
To escape the haunting image of Ian Dalton, Laura tried
her best to fall asleep. Thankfully, she was exhausted, so it
wasn’t long before she was sleeping soundly. What she didn’t
know was that an hour’s ride away from Dunville Park, a
gentleman in Whitefield was smoking a cigar and picturing
her sleeping in his sister’s guest room.

***

Just as she expected, her life in Dunville Park continued

smoothly. The very next day after she arrived, the butler gave
Laura a tour of the house with Mrs. Fairfax’s permission. The
building was sturdy and well-structured. According to the
butler, it was built over four hundred years ago. He proudly
explained how well- maintained it was, and she could tell
that he wasn’t exaggerating. She saw that every window and
corner was kept clean.
A house often held the history of the family that lived in it.
Laura saw various portraits of Fairfax ancestors, and she
enjoyed looking at the weapons and valuables the ancestors
used and collected in the past. She guessed that the Fairfax
family enjoyed hunting over many generations because there
were several mounted deer heads and other taxidermy
specimens.
But the most impressive part of Dunville Park was the view
outside. A vast green field surrounded the mansion with a
forest and a lake nearby. Laura couldn’t think of a better place
to live. After informing the butler that she wanted to spend
some time alone, she took a nice stroll all morning around the
mansion to enjoy the beautiful English summer day.
 Chapter 73

But as Laura walked back to the mansion for lunch, she

remembered that she was there to do a job. After the meal,
she asked the butler to gather up the boys. Soon, Daniel and
George, who had been frolicking in the garden with the
German shepherd puppy their father gave them, were
summoned. The boys and Laura sat in the study room
together.
George and Daniel looked at Laura nervously. With clear
gray eyes and strawberry blond hair in a neat bun, their
teacher was a kindly-looking woman. There was nothing
scary about her, yet the boys looked afraid. It was because a
few days ago, their uncle threatened them that if they were
rude to their new governess, there would be severe
consequences.
But Laura had no idea about what Ian Dalton did to the
boys. She assumed that they were just nervous about meeting
their new governess. To relieve their anxiety, she decided to
approach them slowly.
Laura didn’t bring out any writing instruments or
notebooks. She also turned the blackboard around. She knew
that if she began her lessons now, they would never trust her.
So Laura didn’t even mention anything about studying.
Instead, she asked about how they spent most of their time,
and what they liked and disliked to do.
George and Daniel had expected Laura to torture them
with memorizing Latin grammar.
The boys answered hesitantly, but when their new teacher
didn’t immediately begin their lessons, they seemed to relax.
More importantly, Laura was smiling and attentive. A
pretty woman was paying attention to them, so it was no
wonder the young boys opened their hearts to her. It wasn’t
long before they began answering her questions
enthusiastically.
Laura listened to them kindly. The boys explained that
they like to swim, fish, collect berries, make slingshots, and
set traps for rabbits. The only things they did inside their
house were eat, play with the horses in the stable, and play
with their father’s hunting dogs.
When Laura asked them about their favorite books, the
boys fought each other to be the first to tell her. It seemed
that they enjoyed stories about detectives and adventures, so
Laura asked them to tell her one of these stories. The boys
began arguing again about who gets to tell her, so Laura had
them play a small game to decide the order.
The boys were easily distracted, but they were capable of
telling a story in chronological order. This showed Laura that
they had normal intelligence. Although they became angry
when they lost, they knew to accept the defeat. This meant
that they weren’t completely unreasonable. They were
certainly hot- tempered, but Laura suspected it was because
no one had taught them how to be patient.
She played with them a few games of simple math, word
matching, and naming the past kings of England. Not even
realizing that they were studying, the boys participated in
excitement. Through these games, Laura was able to analyze
the boys’ abilities more clearly. She learned that Daniel and
George were smart boys. Their memory and reasoning skills
were normal, so she didn’t think it would be a problem to put
information into their brains. Of course, the problem was how
she was going to accomplish this.
The boys found it hard to concentrate except when they
were playing games. They couldn’t stay still, so they kept
twisting their bodies and burying their faces on the desk. It
was clear that they were never required to sit still for a long
time. Since they couldn’t even sit still, how was she going to
teach them anything?
Laura learned enough about their basic abilities, so she
decided that they had enough for the day. She dismissed
them, and the boys ran out of the study room as if they were
fugitives running away from the law.
Alone in the room, Laura sat down and rested her chin on
her hand. She began pondering about how she was going to
teach these unruly boys. Unfortunately for her, her pupils
happened to have dispositions and personalities that were
opposite to hers.
 When a teacher faced such a situation, she had two
options. Either she could have her students follow her style of
regimen, or she could cater to them. After thinking for a long
time, Laura decided to take the latter option. It wasn’t
because she wasn’t confident about making the boys follow
her plan. She just felt that they would fare better if she was
more lenient with them.
With the excuse of raising elegant ladies, the girls’ school
she attended banned all activities except dancing. During
summer on rare occasions, the students were allowed to go
on picnics. This was the only time the girls had the
opportunity to run around freely. Laura remembered these
picnics fondly. She rode boats, climbed rocks, played tennis,
and plucked flowers with her friends.
When she looked back, she realized that not only were
those activities enjoyable, but they also helped her become
stronger physically. After she graduated, she learned that
most girls’ schools banned exercise, which had to be why the
ladies of the high society were often fragile. It wasn’t
uncommon for women to faint at the balls while dancing. Of
course, frailty in a woman was considered attractive in
society.
However, Laura believed that the lack of exercise was
partly why women frequently died during childbirth. So she
decided that if she ever became a teacher at her old school and
gained influence over the curriculum, she would allow her
students to exercise more. She didn’t doubt that there was a
correlation between physical activities during childhood and
health in later years of life.
So in this aspect, Daniel and George were very lucky. Being
allowed to run around in the forest had to be a huge blessing.
Laura agreed with Mrs. Fairfax that they should continue to
play freely until they went to school. They were going to learn
about rules and manners when they entered public school, so
they should enjoy their time until then.
The next day, Laura took the boys outside. She asked them
to show her the forest and river they loved so much. George
and Daniel couldn’t hide their excitement when their teacher
showed interest in the things they liked. They grabbed her
hands and took her to the forest.
The forest filled with giant trees was damp and dark, but it
boasted of fresh scent. The boys showed her the hundred-
year-old elm tree they like to climb, and the swamp that was
filled with all kinds of insects. They also took her to their
secret spots where they like to set rabbit traps. As she
explored the forest with her students, Laura slowly learned
about how these boys like to play.
At first, she only watched the boys play. But as time passed
and they became used to her, Laura began playing with them.
She chased after squirrels, collected acorns, made traps,
fished, played games, and caught bugs. In the beginning, she
wasn’t able to keep up with the energetic boys. Since she
graduated from an all-girls school, her only source of
exercise had been dancing. So for a week, Laura’s body
screamed in pain after rolling on the muddy ground and
climbing the trees all day.
But slowly, she began to adjust to her new life. Her body
became physically stronger, and she felt emotionally better as
well. She found joy in playing tag with her students and
collecting things from nature. After a long day of mindlessly
running around with the boys, she felt more clear-minded.
George and Daniel’s active nature was what worried Laura
the most at first. But she realized that although they were
naughty and short-tempered, their exercise was what made
boys healthy in both mind and body. When she became their
playmate, they opened their hearts to her. Laura was a pretty
new teacher who paid attention to them, and the boys
couldn’t help but fall in love with her.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Fairfax was shocked by Laura’s teaching
method. She never expected the new governess to make this
much effort. It was very obvious Miss Pendleton was a high-
born lady, so Mrs. Fairfax assumed she would use the
standard methods of education that involved staying in the
study room and giving regular tests. The most effort she
expected Miss Pendleton to make to get closer to the boys was
to try to bait them with candies and cookies.
But Mrs. Fairfax realized that she had been very wrong.
Laura went out to the forest with her sons every day and
returned home covered in mud. Her clothes were often torn
with leaves sticking out in different places.
 Mrs. Fairfax knew very well why Miss Pendleton was doing
this. She knew how distracted and impatient her sons could
be, and it seemed that the new governess figured this out in
just a single day. Miss Pendleton found the best way to gain
their affection and teach them. Just from this, Mrs. Fairfax
could tell what kind of person Miss Pendleton must be.
She’s a smart one.
Olivia was just as shocked as her mother, but she was
unable to understand the reason behind Miss Pendleton’s
action. To Olivia, a proper lady was supposed to remain
elegant at all times. So Olivia believed that Miss Pendleton
had lost all of her lady-like qualities the moment she began
running around the forest.
Olivia thought in disgust. How could she give up being a lady
just to make some money?!
But her resentment came from her jealousy. She was upset
that Miss Pendleton stole her uncle from her. In truth, Olivia
knew that it was ridiculous of her to fault Miss Pendleton for
being a good teacher.
The first day Laura arrived, Olivia was shocked to see how
beautiful she was. From then on, Olivia made a great effort to
find faults with the new governess. But during the last few
days, all she learned was that Laura had an elegant walk, a
kind voice, and a sophisticated demeanor. Miss Pendleton
wasn’t just ladylike; she was
As Olivia continued to spy on Laura to find flaws, she
became more anxious. Were all London ladies as graceful as
Miss Pendleton? Will she be able to have the same kind of
presence in three years when she makes her debut?
Feeling nervous, Olivia focused on improving her piano,
art, and reading skills. But even so, her apprehension refused
to diminish.
 Chapter 74

A week passed since Laura arrived at Dunville Park. Mrs.

Fairfax has been hiding her curiosity and spying on Laura
secretly, but she couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted to
allow Laura some time to get used to her new surroundings in
peace, and now, it was time to learn more about her.
So one morning, Mrs. Fairfax asked Laura to have morning
tea with her. She promised to introduce little Ian to her, and
Laura accepted the invitation in a heartbeat. Laura was
excited that she’d get to meet the new baby.
When Laura arrived in the reception hall, Mrs. Fairfax
ordered her maid to bring little Ian. While waiting, Laura
handed her employer a gift wrapped in paper. Mrs. Fairfax
opened it to see that it was a small picture book.
Mrs. Fairfax asked, “What is this?”
Looking shy, Laura explained, “I promised Mr. Dalton that
I’d get little Ian a present. I made it several months ago, and I
finally get to give it to him.”
When Laura learned that Mr. Dalton had a newborn
nephew, she began working on a gift for him. While attending
the all-girls school, she remembered enjoying The Fables of
La Fontaine when she first began learning French. So she
picked the most entertaining stories from it and made a
picture book out of them.
Laura completed this project months ago, but she made
the mistake of leaving it in the Pendleton townhouse.
Thankfully, Anne was able to get it for her before she left
London.
Mrs. Fairfax couldn’t hide her shock when she saw the
book. Inside the red leather cover, the pages included eight
stories Laura wrote out by hand. The original French versions
were on the left side while the right side showed their
translations along with the watercolor paintings Laura drew
herself.
Olivia, who had been sitting next to her mother, leaned to
look. Beautifully written French surprised her, but pretending
indifference, she asked, “Do you speak French as well?”
Laura nodded.
“How well?”
“I can both read and speak it fairly fluently.”
“Did a governess teach you?”
Laura answered, “No, I learned it when I was in school. I
became friends with my teacher who was a French native.”
Olivia became fascinated. She has been obsessed with
improving her French for a while now, so she was desperate
to question the new governess more about it. Olivia wanted to
know how long Laura had learned it and what books she used
to study.
 But Olivia’s ego refused to let her show any interest. So
pretending nonchalance, Olivia munched on the cookies on
the table. But Laura could tell that Olivia was dying of
curiosity. Mrs. Fairfax, who knew her daughter very well,
noticed this too. It was only Olivia who believed that she was
doing an excellent job hiding her feelings. The two grown
women exchanged knowing glances and hid their smiles.
Soon, the wet nurse arrived with the baby. Mrs. Fairfax
took him and leaned so Laura could see him, and Laura
exclaimed in pleasure. All babies were precious, but
objectively speaking, not all of them were cute. No one,
however, could deny that little Ian was an adorable angel.
Boasting light brown curly hair, pink cheeks, large eyes, and
chubby fingers, every part of baby Ian was enchanting.
The baby was drooling and snots were coming out from his
nose, but Laura leaned closer. When she whispered his name,
baby Ian gazed at her quietly as if he understood her.
Suddenly, he smiled, making Laura burst into laughter. She
has seen many babies in her life, but baby Ian was by far the
cutest.
Ian reached out to her. Realizing that he was trying to grab
the ribbon on her dress, Laura leaned even closer. Ian
captured it in his hand and began fidgeting with it.
“Our Ian isn’t shy at all. He may have the same name as his
uncle, but he certainly doesn’t have my brother’s
personality,” Mrs. Fairfax explained.
 Laura’s heart fluttered as she watched the baby grab the
ruffles on her dress. She replied, “He’s the cutest baby I’ve
ever seen, Mrs. Fairfax.”
Mrs. Fairfax handed Ian to Laura, who sat him on her lap.
Laura showed him the storybook she made for him and
tickled him. Even though he was in a stranger’s arms, baby
Ian didn’t seem bothered. He cooed and giggled.
Sometime later, the wet nurse came downstairs for the
baby’s feeding time. She took Ian away, and Laura watched in
disappointment. Mrs. Fairfax promised Laura that she’ll get
to see Ian again soon.
Laura and Mrs. Fairfax continued to chat about the baby.
Mrs. Fairfax talked about when he was born and when he
learned to flip. These were mundane things to talk about, but
two women enjoyed the topic.
Olivia, on the other hand, was bored. So when the
conversation between the two women began to dwindle, she
took the opportunity to ask Laura.
“Do you by chance know Miss Christine Salmon?”
The name sounded familiar to Laura. She remembered one
lady who often attended her tea parties. Laura answered,
“Yes, Miss Salmon used to attend my tea parties often.”
“Are you close to her?”
“No, I’m just acquainted with her. Is she your friend, Miss
Fairfax?”
“She’s my friend Lydia’s cousin. She told me that she used
to go to the Pendleton house tea parties a lot.”
 “Ah, then you must’ve known about me before I arrived
here, Miss Fairfax.”
“Just your name,” Olivia replied.
Laura nodded, and Olivia began asking specific questions.
“You were in London society for a long time, weren’t you?
How many years?”
When Laura answered, Olivia blinked in shock. The
number Laura mentioned was almost as long as Olivia’s age.
For a moment, she forgot her hostility toward Laura and
continued to ask many more questions. Until now, Olivia has
been reading countless magazines and newspapers to learn
about London society and its people. She was thrilled to learn
that Laura had met most of them. On top of that, it turned out
that Laura had attended many of their weddings, funerals,
and christening ceremonies.
Laura answered all of the questions easily, and Olivia’s
heart began to pound. The thirteen-year-old felt like a great
encyclopedia of London society was sitting right in front of
her.
Until now, Olivia’s aunt Miss Janet has been the only one
who could tell her about high society. Therefore, it was
understandable that Olivia worshiped her seventeen-year-
old aunt. Although Janet was only a newcomer in London
society, she looked like a grown-up to young Olivia.
Olivia couldn’t forget the time she spent with Janet last
Christmas. Janet had arrived garbed in the newest London
fashion, and Olivia thought her aunt was the most elegant
lady she had ever seen. Olivia followed her all during the
holiday and asked about London society. She looked up to
Janet, and feeling flattered, Janet told her everything she
knew. More than half the things Olivia asked were things
Janet didn’t know about, but instead of admitting her
ignorance, Janet hid her lack of experience by giving
imaginative answers.
Mrs. Fairfax interrupted. “Our Olivia will be making her
debut in London in three years. She’ll be staying with William
and Janet.”
“Mr. and Miss Fairfax?” asked Laura.
“Yes, Janet promised to help Olivia with her debut.”
“How splendid. Olivia will be living with her guardian who
could also be her mentor. You must be pleased, Mrs.
Fairfax.”
“Indeed. I trust William and Janet completely. I have no
worries about my daughter’s future. But Olivia can’t seem to
relax at all. She claims that her dancing and art skills are
lacking.”
“Mother!” Olivia tried to stop Mrs. Fairfax.
But ignoring her daughter, Mrs. Fairfax continued, “She’s
especially concerned about her French. For the longest time,
she has been nagging me about getting her a new French
teacher. About a year ago, her French teacher left to get
married. She left much earlier than expected because her
fiance insisted. Even since then, Olivia has been very anxious
about her French skills.”
 Laura turned to look at the thirteen-year- old girl who was
blushing in embarrassment. Olivia seemed upset that her
mother revealed her weakness.
Laura said encouragingly, “Miss Fairfax, I can tell that
you’re a very ambitious young woman. It’s a good thing, but
you don’t have to be so afraid of London society. It won’t be
much different from Yorkshire society.”
“It won’t be different?! But according to Aunt Janet, all of
the ladies there speak French as if it’s their mother tongue.
She also told me that they all play at least five instruments.
And of course, they’re well- versed in literature and
philosophy,” Olivia insisted.
Laura shook her head. “Unless Miss Janet Fairfax belongs
to a different society from mine, that’s an exaggeration.
London is just another city like any other, and therefore,
different people have different levels of education and skills.
Miss Fairfax, will you tell me what you have learned so far?”
Olivia answered obediently. She listed all the lessons she
took including literature, math, history, art, piano, and
dance.
Laura announced, “It sounds like you can make your debut
right this very minute.”
“R-really?”
“Indeed. There are plenty of ladies with much less
education than you, and they’re still successful in making
wonderful friends. They also have no problem receiving love
letters from nice gentlemen.”
 Olivia became very confused. What Miss Pendleton was
telling her was vastly different from Aunt Janet’s claims.
During her last visit, Aunt Janet had scared Olivia that her
piano and art skills weren’t even close to being adequate for
London.
But Laura was much older and more experienced. Olivia
knew that it was logical to trust the governess’s words over
her seventeen-year-old aunt’s. She forgot all about her
dislike toward Laura and began asking about the things she
and her friends read in London society guidebooks.
Olivia also wanted to know if the gossip she heard about
certain ladies was true.
 Chapter 75

Laura pointed out that most of the things Olivia knew about
London society were exaggerated. The society guidebooks
sold in the bookstores were filled with false information
because they were written by the has-beens of London
society who were suffering financially. They often added
fabrications to make the stories more interesting. The things
these writers claimed to be the newest trends were in fact
either nonexistent or out of fashion.
Laura kindly explained to Olivia all the things she was
mistaken about and gave solid pieces of advice. She
emphasized, “As I said, London is just like any other place,
Miss Fairfax. Sophisticated ladies indeed tend to be popular,
but what really matters is one’s family name and wealth.
Since you’re a lady of a prestigious Yorkshire family, you’ll
definitely be welcomed into society with open arms.”
“Really?” Olivia asked in relief.
“Of course.”
“I told you, didn’t I? I told you that you don’t have to
worry,” Mrs. Fairfax chimed in with a smile. “So from now
on, you can continue your dance and art lessons as a hobby.
You should relax and play more. Once you go to London,
you’ll be jumping into the marriage market immediately. This
will be your last time being a young girl, so you don’t want to
waste it studying.”
“But what will I do to play?” asked Olivia.
“You can go to the forest with your brothers and Miss
Pendleton. Or maybe Uncle Ian can teach you how to fish.”
Olivia shook her head. Even if she was free from the
anxiety of getting ready for her debut, she was too old to be
playing childish games. She replied, “I don’t want to do that.
That’s not very ladylike.”
“Enough with being ladylike!” Mrs. Fairfax was
exasperated.
Laura asked Olivia quietly, “Then how would you like to
spend your time, Miss Fairfax?”
Olivia pondered for a moment before answering, “I… still
want to study more. Even if I don’t need any more education
to make my debut, having more skills can’t hurt.”
“What would you like to study?”
“I want to read more, and I want to learn to speak French
fluently. Only if my mother would hurry up and get me a
French teacher…” Olivia glanced at Mrs. Fairfax demandingly.
“Fine, Olivia. You don’t have to give me that look…” Mrs.
Fairfax seemed resigned.
“Mrs. Fairfax.” Laura asked, “What if I give Miss Olivia
some French lessons whenever I get free time?”
Mrs. Fairfax turned toward Laura. “You?
 But you must have your hands full already with Daniel and
George.”
“An hour or two in the morning should be fine. It sounds
like Olivia already had an extensive education from her
teachers, so I won’t have to do much at all.”
“I would appreciate it of course, but…” Mrs. Fairfax turned
toward Olivia and asked, “How do you feel about that?”
Olivia contemplated for a moment. Her uncle was her first
love, so having this spinster who stole her uncle as her
teacher seemed like a terrible idea. Frankly, her pride
wouldn’t let her accept such an offer.
Olivia replied, “No thank you. You aren’t even French,
Miss Pendleton. My mother will get me a proper French
teacher soon, so I would rather wait.”
Olivia declined in a sassy voice, but she didn’t believe her
own words. Her mother has been ignoring her request for a
new French teacher for a year. Olivia knew there was no way
she would get a new teacher any time soon.
“Miss Fairfax, I understand you might not trust my
French. But just try studying with me. I’m certain I’ll be able
to help you,” Laura suggested.
“I don’t want to inconvenience you, Miss Pendleton.”
“It won’t be an inconvenience at all. To be honest, I need
to study just as much as you do. It’s easy to lose your
language skills if you don’t keep up. This is especially true for
speaking. If you would study with me, it would help me a lot. I
might not speak perfectly, but please help me out. Let’s study
together. Please?”
When Laura requested so respectfully, Olivia felt flattered.
Miss Pendleton was clearly an accomplished lady of London
society, yet she was asking for a favor from her.
Mrs. Fairfax urged, “Olivia, you must accept since Miss
Pendleton is asking so politely. This is a good thing for you
too.”
Olivia stammered hesitantly, “I…I suppose we can try.”

***

On the tenth day of her arrival, Laura received an unexpected

guest. Laura, Daniel, and George were deep in the forest
eating raspberries while sitting on a rock. George had crawled
under a thick bush to collect these berries, which meant that
he was covered in dirt. But he wasn’t concerned one bit.
When he dumped the berries on his teacher’s skirt, she
seemed very impressed. Her pleased expression was reward
enough for him. She patted his head and praised him, and
George felt like he had won the world. Meanwhile, Daniel,
who was clearly jealous, ate the raspberries with a grumpy
look on his face.
The boys were no longer wary of their new teacher. They
loved her now because she showed great interest in whatever
they do or say. Laura also didn’t hesitate to explore the forest
with them.
 Until now, no adult has shown this much attention to
them. Their father was engrossed in hunting, their mother
was only interested in teasing them, and their older sister was
a spoilsport. It may have looked like they had a carefree life,
but they were hungry for attention. So when a pretty
governess arrived and showered them with acknowledgments
and praises, the two naughty boys couldn’t help but fall in
love with her.
Lately, they even began fighting for her attention. If
George brought Laura acorns, Daniel would bring a handful of
wild berries for her. If Daniel gave Laura a bouquet of
wildflowers, George would climb the tree to bring bird eggs
for her.
Laura made a great effort to make sure neither of them felt
neglected. She was very encouraging to both of them by not
being stingy with praises. She shared the berries with them
and adorned her dress with the flowers they brought her. As
for the bird eggs, she asked the boys to return them as the
mother bird must be frantic to find them.
Just as George and Daniel grew to like her, Laura began to
treasure them as well. The boys showed genuine affection
toward her, and she appreciated their innocence. She herself
felt like a little girl again when she played with them.
Laura’s life has been artificial and pretentious for far too
long. She didn’t think it was possible to regain her innocence.
But as she freely roamed the forest, she felt cleansed. She was
twenty- nine, yet it was as if she returned to being nineteen,
or even the innocent age of nine. In the quiet magical forest,
Laura felt the true happiness she had never experienced
before.
After finishing the berries, the three of them headed
toward the lake to skip stones. As they got closer to Dunville
Park, the path became wider and firmer. Two rows of thick
trees on both sides created a tunnel-like trail, and they
walked in quiet peace. Then suddenly, they saw a man
walking toward them from afar. Laura instantly recognized
who it was.
“It’s Uncle Ian!” The boys began to panic as soon as they
recognized him. George and Daniel hurriedly wiped dirt off
their clothes and pulled out their hats from the pockets to
wear them. But it was actually Laura who should tidy herself
up the most. She became conscious of her appearance,
knowing that her usually neat hair must’ve escaped her
hairnet. She also saw that her dress was stained with dirt and
berry juice.
She was supposed to be the boys’ governess, yet she
looked ridiculously inappropriate. But unfortunately, she
couldn’t get herself cleaned up like her students. It was too
late because Ian had already reached them. In contrast to
Laura’s filthy state, Ian Dalton looked impeccable with his
gray suit, black tie, and gentleman’s hat.
“Good day, Uncle.” The boys greeted their uncle politely
without acting naughty as usual. Mr. Dalton nodded and
turned to look at Laura, who blushed.
 Ian was surprised to see Miss Pendleton in such disarray.
Her strawberry blond hair was escaping the hairnet in waves
and her cheeks were rosy from vigorous exercise. He teased,
“Are you having a biology class today?”
Laura blushed and nodded.
Ian asked, “That sounds fun. What did you do?”
“We climb the tree to examine the bird eggs in their nest.
We also found some raspberries. It seems that George has a
great talent for finding berries,” Laura answered.
“Indeed. And he uses his skills to shock those around him
from time to time. While looking for berries, he also finds a
larva the size of my thumb or a centipede with countless legs.
He carries it around in his pocket before putting it in the
groom’s hat or a maid’s apron pocket.”
“Pfft!” Laura burst into laughter.
Mr. Dalton gave George a stern look and asked, “You
haven’t done such a thing to your new teacher, have you?”
George shook his head hurriedly.
When Ian heard that they were going to the lake to skip
stones, he asked to join them. Mr. Dalton had the boys walk
ahead so he could be alone with Miss Pendleton. He
apologized, “I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you sooner, Miss
Pendleton.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Mr. Dalton. I’m sure you’re
very busy with your work.”
“Have there been any troubles during your stay here? I’m
sure it hasn’t been easy.”
 Laura shook her head. “Not at all, Mr.
Dalton. In fact, I’ve been treated with too much respect.”
Mr. Dalton gave her a doubtful look. He didn’t seem to
believe her, so Laura continued quickly, “Umm, I don’t know
if it’s noticeable, but my waist has gotten two inches thicker
since I arrived here. Mr. Fairfax continues offering me food
day and night, and because I’ve been running around all day
like this, I couldn’t help but eat it all. I’m afraid I’ll have to
get new clothes made next year.”
Mr. Dalton grinned, making her blush again. He replied,
“That’s a relief. I thought you must be having a hard time.
Getting used to a new place is always a difficult task.”
“If I was in any other place, I’m sure you would’ve been
right. Being a governess anywhere else would’ve been hard.
But to be honest, I’m faring much better here than I ever did
anywhere else. Your family has been treating me like family,
not an employee. I feel very comfortable here as if I’ve come
home, Mr. Dalton.”
There was joy in Laura’s voice. Mr. Dalton studied her face
quietly with his pitchblack eyes. She indeed looked quite
different from the way she was in London. She looked rosier,
and she was walking more energetically. Miss Pendleton was
still too thin for his liking, but her chin was a little rounder.
Ian agreed that she must’ve gained a little weight.
 Chapter 76

When they arrived at the lake, the boys picked up nicely

shaped rocks and immediately began practicing. Mr. Dalton
watched them for a while before teaching them the right
posture and angle. The boys seemed very serious as they
listened to their uncle attentively.
Laura watched Daniel and George closely. They were
following their uncle’s instructions obediently, and at first,
she thought it was because they feared him. But as she
continued to watch, she realized that this wasn’t the case.
The boys glanced at their uncle from time to time as if they
were anxious. But when Mr. Dalton encouraged them and
offered small praises, the boys glowed in pride. Soon, Laura
realized that it was admiration the boys felt for him as young
children often do for someone older and wiser.
Following their uncle’s directions, George and Daniel
began throwing more rocks again. When the tiny stones
skipped a few times, the boys couldn’t hide their excitement.
They continued to practice earnestly.
Mr. Dalton took a step back and joined Laura. The two of
them watched the boys in silence, enjoying the calm lake that
was only disturbed by the gentle waves from the skipping
stones.
It was Mr. Dalton who broke the silence. “This is the place
where I skipped my very first stone.”
“This lake?”
“Yes. It was when I was around eight, and I was with
William,” Mr. Dalton replied.
“So you were younger than Daniel and George. Did you
have someone to teach you? Like the way you did for those
boys?”
“My brother-in-law did. He was crazy about hunting even
back then, but whenever I visited, he took good care of me as
his brother-in-law”
“It must feel like you’re returning to your childhood
whenever you visit Dunville Park,” said Laura.
“Indeed. I have more childhood memories here than in
Whitefield.”
The two of them continued to watch the young boys skip
stones. Laura imagined what Mr. Dalton would’ve looked like
as a child. He was a head taller than her with broad shoulders,
so it was very difficult to picture him as a little boy. So
instead, she tried painting over the two boys in front of her in
her mind.
Laura guessed that he might have been big for his age.
Perhaps he was George’s size, but he would’ve had much
darker hair and eyes. With clear porcelain skin and adorable
facial features, Laura imagined Mr. Dalton to have been a
serious boy who rarely smiled.
I’ll bet he was adorable. Laura thought silently and pursed
her lips so she wouldn’t say it out loud. But having her lips
closed tightly didn’t mean she could stop herself from
smiling. He had such delicate features even now, so she didn’t
doubt that he would’ve been a beautiful child. On top of it all,
she felt her heart melt as she imagined him having chubby
cheeks too.
Mr. Dalton looked at her in confusion. He asked, “Why are
you smiling like that?”
“Ah… I tried to picture you and Mr. Fairfax as little boys
skipping stones. Unfortunately, I’ve never met you two as
children, so I can only see you as a respectable gentleman.
Thinking that you must’ve had a childhood like George and
Daniel’s…”
“Yes?”
“I get a ticklish feeling, Mr. Dalton.”
“Ticklish? What a strange expression.”
“It’s just how I feel, so please don’t think too much about
it.”
“No, actually, I think I understand. When I see you, I
sometimes wonder about what you would’ve been like as a
child too.”
“Me?” Laura asked.
“Indeed.”
 “And how do you imagine what my childhood must’ve
been like?”
“I’ll be you were a prim young lady with braided pigtails
and not a single piece of cookie crumb on her dress. Someone
who prefers to stay inside and read or study instead of going
out to play with her friends. I think you would’ve preferred
small animals over larger ones. You would’ve been a rather
shy little girl. Did I get it right?”
“You got only one thing correct.”
Mr. Dalton sighed in disappointment. “Just one…? And
which one did I get right?”
“That I liked cookies. But whenever I ate them, my dress
became a mess. So I had to go to the window to shake the
crumbs away. The birds used to gather around the window to
eat these crumbs. And I did enjoy reading, but not enough to
refuse to go out and play. I actually liked running around
outside. At school, when we went on picnics, my friends and I
used to ride boats and play cricket.”
“You even played cricket?” asked Mr.
Dalton.
“It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”
“To be honest, I can’t imagine it at all.”
Laura answered, “That’s understandable. Unfortunately, I
never had many chances to play though.”
“Then what about small animals?” Did you not like
animals?”
 “I didn’t dislike them. I used to feed stray cats and play
with baby chicks. But to be honest, I preferred the livestock
on my dinner table over living animals.”
Mr. Dalton laughed quietly, and Laura did the same.
“Miss Pendleton, it appears that I had a certain prejudice
against you. Since you’re such a perfect lady now, I assumed
that you would’ve been the same way as a child.”
“That’s what everyone thinks. Besides, I pictured your
childhood based on what you are like now as well.”
“And how did you picture me?”
“Do you truly want to hear about it?”
Mr. Dalton nodded. Laura thought for a while before
telling him everything she pictured earlier. When Mr. Dalton
heard her imaginative description, he smiled smoothly. “Miss
Pendleton, you would make an excellent detective. You got
everything right except one.”
“Really? So what did I get wrong?”
“I wasn’t that cute.”
Laura grinned. “You have to be lying. You must be just
embarrassed to admit that you were adorable.”
“No, I’m serious. I wasn’t cute at all.”
When Laura glanced at him skeptically, Ian continued, “If
you don’t believe me, you should come to Whitefield. My baby
photos are there, so you can have a look at them and decide
for yourself if I’m lying.”
“This is a very odd way of inviting me to your home, Mr.
Dalton.”
 “It’s because you’re very difficult to convince to visit me,
Miss Pendleton.”
“I see that you know me very well,” Laura replied.
Another silence fell between them. If it was with anyone
else, Laura would’ve felt awkward. But with Ian Dalton, she
felt very comfortable. The truth was, she felt a certain sense
of solace from him. It was strange how secure she felt when
she was with him.
Laura realized that perhaps she had been feeling more
tired than she realized living among strangers. She felt
unusually calm at the moment, and she assumed that it must
be from having Mr. Dalton, a familiar face, with her.
Or could it be that there was another reason why she felt
this way?
Laura glanced at Ian secretly. Ian looked beautiful as he
gazed at the quiet lake. Suddenly, it felt as if a pool of warm
water was being gently poured on top of her. Her body began
to relax before turning warmer. She felt a kind of sweet
comfort she hadn’t felt before while staying in Dunville Park.
Far away across the lake, the sun began to set. Laura and
Ian announced to the boys that it was time for them to return
home. Daniel and George dropped the stones and followed
obediently, and the four of them passed the garden to reach
the house. Laura and the two boys went to their rooms to get
cleaned up while Ian was left alone in the lobby. But familiar
with Dunville Park, he made himself comfortable. He walked
down the hallway to stand in front of a large window. The sun
was painting the sky bright orange as evening came to
Dunville Park.
Ian watched the sunset, his heart filling with unfamiliar
feelings. Dunville Park has been like his second home for over
twenty years, so he was surprised that he felt differently
about this place so suddenly. Nothing has changed and Ian
still knew every inch of this house like the back of his hand.
So why did he feel this way?
Wait. He quickly realized that there was actually one thing
that was different. More specifically, it was one particular
person that arrived here recently. Ian pictured the woman
who went upstairs just a few minutes ago. He imagined her
entering one of the many rooms upstairs. Inside this room
was most likely now filled with the things she unpacked from
her trunk. She was probably changing into a new dress for
dinner. Perhaps she had her hair down and ordered the
servant to draw her a bath.
Ian clenched his fists as his heart pounded wildly and
every cell in his body danced in joy. He still couldn’t believe
that Miss Pendleton was here in the very city where he was
born and raised. In fact, she was living in the very house he
frequented. Even though he saw her walking down the forest
with his nieces earlier, Mr. Dalton was still in disbelief. He
spent his childhood here, and Laura Pendleton, the love of his
life, was actually here.
“Hello, little brother.”
 Hearing the familiar voice, Ian woke up from his daydream
and turned around. He greeted drily, “Hello, sister.”
It was in the middle of the summer, yet Mrs. Fairfax was
wearing a thick shawl. She smiled at him teasingly and asked,
“Why are you standing there like that? You can’t be
daydreaming about how the love of your life is now living in
the place you grew up, are you?
“Do you think I’m that childish?” Ian pretended
nonchalance, but he couldn’t hide the truth from Mrs.
Fairfax. She knew him too well because she took care of him
since he was a wee baby. Mrs. Fairfax giggled and took her
brother to the living room.
Sitting beside the fireplace that was going in full force, she
asked her, “What took you so long to get here, Ian?” I
thought you would be coming every single day.”
“If I came here every day immediately after she arrived,
she would’ve been suspicious.
“Well, she’s a smart one, so I guess you’re right.”
Ian finally asked the question he had been dying to ask,
“How has Miss Pendleton been doing?”
Mrs. Fairfax told her brother everything that had
happened during the last few days. She told him that Laura
roamed the forest with George and Daniel every day, met
little Ian, and took over Olivia’s French lesson.
Mrs. Fairfax explained, “At first, I was worried about her.
She’s thin as a stick, so I was worried she might collapse if
she ran around like that with my boys. But she has been doing
surprisingly well. Daniel told me earlier that she climbed that
giant elm tree all the way to the top. I’m talking about the
same tree that’s over a hundred years old and you and
William used to climb when you were little. Can you
imagine?”
 Chapter 77

“It would be easier to imagine her flying in the sky. Why

would she do such a thing as climbing that tree? What if she
falls?” Ian became upset about Laura’s careless behavior.
Mrs. Fairfax explained, “Because that was probably the
only way to gain George and Daniel’s respect. The boys need
an adult who can control them. It’s the same as how hunting
dogs need a master to train them. Miss Pendleton must’ve
realized this the moment she arrived here.”
“So to teach those twits, she must become an animal
handler rather than a teacher.”
“Exactly.” Mrs. Fairfax laughed. “And now, Daniel and
George have become mesmerized by Miss Pendleton. They
gather flowers and berries for her every day. They follow her
around like helpless puppies.
Ian smirked, and his sister continued, “Olivia pretends
indifference, but she’s falling for Miss Pendleton as well. She
told me that she couldn’t tell any difference in pronunciation
between Miss Pendleton and her old French teacher Miss
Jeanne. Olivia acted haughty at first, but I’ve noticed how she
mimics Miss Pendleton now. She has been practicing her
piano with her eyes closed so she can play like Miss
Pendleton.”
“What about you, Sis?” Staring at Mrs. Fairfax, Ian asked,
“Now that you’ve met Miss Pendleton, what do you think
about her?”
Mrs. Fairfax paused for a moment. She seemed very
thoughtful, but Ian knew she wasn’t indecisive about how she
felt. His sister was someone who was quick to judge. She
wasn’t calculating when it came to deciding whether she liked
someone or not.
Just as he expected, Mrs. Fairfax answered confidently,
“Miss Pendleton runs and rolls around in dirt all day.
Sometimes, she even climbs the tree like a squirrel. She’s
unlike the other ladies who sit and embroider their days away.
With a stamina like that, she’ll be able to have at least five
children.”
“You’re describing her as if she’s a mare for breeding.
What about her personality?”
“Well, as I said earlier, she’s a smart woman. She’s kind,
and she understands you very well. I guess that’s enough.”
“She understands me?”
“Yes.” Mrs. Fairfax smiled. “She knows you very well
indeed. She’s aware of how blunt, obsessive, rough, and full
of yourself you are. But despite it all, she believes that you’re
not a bad person. If I were you, I wouldn’t miss this chance,
Ian. It’s rare to find a woman like Miss Pendleton, especially
for someone like you.
 “I told you, didn’t I?” Ian took out his silver cigarette case
from his inner pocket and caressed the embossed pattern on
it. He wasn’t able to smoke inside his sister’s home, so he
fidgeted with the case instead. It was a common habit of a
long-term smoker.
He announced, “She’s going to be mine.”
“You sound very confident.”
Ian smiled faintly. “I brought Miss Pendleton all the way
out here. I’ve been acting like a lady’s man, which is
something I’ve never imagined myself doing. I even made up
an elaborate lie to make all of this happen. Now, do you think
I went through such trouble just to have her become my
nephews’ teacher?”
He opened the cigarette box. The cigars wrapped in paper
lined up neatly inside, and he caressed them. He murmured,
“She must be my bride. I’m going to make it happen.”
“But how are you going to accomplish that? She sees you
as a friend and nothing more. Besides, she understands her
situation too well. Even if she falls in love with you, she won’t
accept your feelings. In fact, she’s the type who would leave,
believing it’s for your own sake.”
Ian frowned. His sister was a strange and sometimes
foolish woman who believed in silly superstitions, but she
could be very sharp when it came to judging characters. He
smiled bitterly and replied, “I’ll have to make her love me
enough to want to stay. She must feel like she would rather
die than leave me.”

***

About a month later after Laura arrived at Dunville Park,

several changes occurred. Firstly, Laura began proper lessons
for George and Daniel. In the mornings, she spent hours
hiding notes with the names of the English kings for the boys
to find like a game. The first one who found these notes and
arranged them in the correct chronological order was to be
the winner.
George and Daniel, who sought Laura’s approval, roamed
the forest all day to find these pieces of paper. They then
studied the history book Laura gave them to figure out the
correct order of the kings.
Mr. Dalton became a frequent guest in the forest when
Laura held these unconventional classes. He visited Dunville
Park often to sketch, and since he enjoyed drawing nature the
most, he and Laura ran into each other often.
Laura felt both glad and troubled whenever she
encountered Mr. Dalton. She usually looked messy from
running around the forest with the boys. She was often
covered in dirt, and strands of her hair always managed to
escape the hairnet no matter how hard she pinned it.
Because Ian Dalton always appeared unexpectedly, Laura
never got the chance to tidy up herself. He was like a squirrel
that materialized out of nowhere, and she had no choice but
to face him in a vulnerable state.
Mr. Dalton never failed to act like a gentleman no matter
how she looked. Perhaps he behaved nonchalantly because he
could feel how embarrassed she was by her appearance. When
the boys disappeared into the forest to find the names of the
English kings, Mr. Dalton often approached Laura and asked
about how she was faring in Dunville Park. He inquired about
any difficulties she faced and if his nephews were being rude
to her at all. Laura’s answer was always that she was perfectly
content in her new situation, but Mr. Dalton asked these same
questions every time they met. He acted like her comfort was
his priority in life.
While the boys kept busy, Laura and Ian sat on a large tree
stump or a rock to chat. As they chatted about the mundane
things in life, the only sounds that surrounded them were the
sharp chirping of the birds and the rustling of the wild
animals nearby.
Dunville Park and the Fairfax family became their
common interests. Laura was especially in love with country
life. Living with the forest so close by was something she had
never experienced before. She had lived in the Pendleton
country cottage when she was much younger, but she didn’t
have the mind to enjoy anything at the time.
But things were different now. Laura felt eager to share all
the new refreshing sensations she felt. Unfortunately, no one
in the Fairfax family was a good candidate for meaningful
conversations. The children were too young, and although
Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax showed great respect for her, they were
still her employers.
But Mr. Dalton was her friend. Laura felt free to tell him
the unfamiliar feelings she felt inside the forest. She let him
know about the joy of stepping on the dirt- covered ground
and the freedom she felt while playing with the children.
Ian listened to everything attentively. His eyes filled with
understanding because his childhood was spent in this very
forest. All his life, Ian Dalton had loved the quiet yet beautiful
nature that surrounded him.
Sometimes, Laura was so overwhelmed by her emotions
that she found it impossible to describe them properly.
Whenever this happened, Ian managed to verbalize her
feelings for her, helping her organize her thoughts more
clearly. It brought Ian such joy to realize that Laura felt the
same way about nature as he did. Just like him, Laura loved
the trees, birds, streams, berries, and everything else that
made up the forest.
Sitting with Ian, sharing the same air, and talking with
him, Laura felt the wall between them disappear. Their
interaction in the forest felt very different from how they
were in London.
Laura and Ian were fairly close even when they were in the
city, of course. They drank tea and took walks together, and
they enjoyed conversing with each other immensely. But
when they were in London, there was an invisible line
between a gentleman and a lady that couldn’t be crossed. The
proper etiquette ruled over their relationship.
But inside the forest, there was no line between them.
They were free to be together in this place and share the same
feelings. Thanks to the magic of the forest, Laura was able to
give up on the usual formality while Ian showed his warmth
instead of his usual icy demeanor.
Then one day, Laura asked Ian to show her his sketches.
He obliged, and the sketchbook he handed her had the letter
“D” for Dunville Park on the cover. This was the sketchbook
he always brought when visiting this place.
Laura opened the book to see the drawings of the elm tree
she climbed, the bush George crawled under to get the
berries, the swamp they watched to study the insects, and the
small tunnel where a fox hid its cubs. Laura smiled and
informed Ian that all these places were the very spots Daniel
and George told her about.
Ian suggested, “Look at the dates.”
Laura’s eyes widened and looked at the corners of the
pages. She saw that each drawing had a date written in the
corner. It seemed that most of them were drawn fifteen to
twenty years ago.
She exclaimed, “So you drew them when you were a
child!”
“Yes.”
“Are these places where you used to play with Mr.
Fairfax?”
 When Ian nodded, Laura commented, “So you and Mr.
Fairfax’s playground has become little Daniel and George’s
playground.”
“Yes, I’m very happy about that.”
Laura flipped through the pages one by one. “The way you
depict the leaves and trees is so wonderful. It’s impressive
that you drew them when you were so young. I learned to
draw when I was in school, but my work always turned out
mediocre at best. So what’s your secret?”
“I only draw the things that interest me.”
“And?”
“That’s all.”
Laura laughed. “Stop joking!”
“But I’m not joking. When I draw things I’m not interested
in, my work turns out boring. Good technique isn’t enough to
make good art. My old art teacher used to tell me that if I want
to improve my skills, I should draw something I like. As time
passed, I learned that he’s absolutely right.”
Laura looked at the sketches again, seeing the meticulous
effort and affection in each of them. She decided that if she
wanted to know what this man loves, all she has to do is look
through his drawings.
Just then, they heard the rough footsteps from nearby. It
was Daniel who was covered in sweat and running toward
them.
He announced, “Miss Pendleton, I’ve found all five verbs!”
 The boy rummaged through his pocket and dumped a
bunch of things on her dress. They were pieces of paper with
Latin words written on them. They were covered in dirt, so
Laura had to look closely to check them. She had to make sure
that they were all verbs instead of nouns or adverbs.
It appeared that Daniel indeed found all the verbs. She
suspected that he memorized the Latin verbs from the book
she gave him before this game began.
“Good job, Daniel! You won today’s game!” Laura cheered.
“Hooray!”
 Chapter 78

Daniel raised his hands and cheered.

George, who arrived later than his older brother, flopped
down on the floor in anger. He was disappointed by losing,
and Laura gave him a few words of encouragement and
helped him stand up. George was still very much outraged,
but he didn’t attempt to attack his brother as usual. He didn’t
want to upset his teacher, and more importantly, his uncle
was standing nearby with watchful eyes. George would never
dream of doing something unruly in front of him.
After the game ended, it was time for dinner. The four of
them walked back to the mansion together across the field.
The shadow of the long grass darkened as the orange glow
spread in the sky.
Laura sat across from Mr. Dalton at dinner, and just like
every other night, she moved to the living room with the
family afterward. Mr. Fairfax went hunting that day, so he
went to the basement to clean his guns. But the rest of the
family gathered in the living room.
Olivia practiced the piano zealously while Ian taught
George and Daniel how to play the pool. Meanwhile, Laura
helped Mrs. Fairfax by holding her embroidery frame. The
peaceful evening became filled with the quiet piano and the
sounds of the billiard balls hitting each other.
Mrs. Fairfax was relying on the candlelights to sew
silently. Laura asked, “Does Mr. Dalton visit here often to
draw?”
Mrs. Fairfax glanced at his brother before nodding. “Yes, it
has been his hobby all his life.”
“When did he begin drawing?”
“Probably right after I got married, so he would’ve been
eight. He was allowed to visit Dunville Park freely, but he
couldn’t come every day, of course. He was left alone in
Whitefield, so I think he focused on drawing to endure his
loneliness. It was what helped him feel better after I left. Did
he show you his sketches?”
“Yes.”
“He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” asked Mrs.
Fairfax.
“I thought it was a shame he was only doing it as a hobby.”
Mrs. Fairfax nodded proudly. “Indeed. He could’ve become
a professional artist if he wanted. Ian has always been very
artistic since he was a child. If he was born a second son, he
probably would’ve become a pretty famous artist. But
unfortunately, he was the firstborn of the prestigious Dalton
family. He had no choice but to keep his passion as a hobby
only. It’s quite sad really. But then, he’s also very talented in
running our land.”
 “He loves Whitefield very much, so I’m sure not becoming
an artist wasn’t such a terrible thing.”
Mrs. Fairfax gazed at Laura. “I’ve noticed from the
beginning that you understand Ian very well.”
“I wouldn’t say I understand him… I’m just telling you
what I see. Even in London, Mr. Dalton seemed the happiest
whenever he talked about Whitefield. He wasn’t just bragging
about his wealth. It was as if…” Laura chose her words
carefully. “I could feel genuine pride and love. Something you
would feel for your child. It’s obvious Mr. Dalton loves where
he lives. To have a purpose of running and improving such a
home… I always thought Mr. Dalton was a very lucky man.”
“In that aspect, he certainly is very lucky. After all, most
other nobles have no interest in their land except when they
boast about it to others. They spend money to adorn and
maintain it only to improve their reputation. But to Ian,
Whitefield is in his blood. It’s his roots, parents, comfort, and
happiness. This is the fate of anyone who’s born in
Whitefield. Once you fall for the white forest that is our home,
you can never escape this kind of love.”

***

That night, Laura returned to her room and sat down on a

chair. She thought for a moment before rummaging through
her trunk to find a square-shaped item wrapped in a white
lace shawl. She held it carefully and walked to the desk. When
she uncovered it, the picture of the Whitefield Mr. Dalton
gave her was revealed.
Sitting beside the burning lamp, Laura studied the picture
quietly. She felt like she could tell how much Mr. Dalton loved
his home just by looking at his work. The truth was, she never
took the time to examine this picture before. After she
received it, she hung it in the reception hall immediately.
From time to time, she glanced at it as she passed by, but she
always looked away quickly because it made her feel
confused.
So this was the first time Laura was looking at his picture
closely. For about twenty minutes, she studied it intently. The
painstaking details of the forest and the mansion were
painted exquisitely. Laura gazed at the colors and shapes as
they embedded themselves in her head and her heart. It
wasn’t difficult for her to recognize what he must’ve been
feeling as he painted it. It wasn’t just excellent techniques he
used to create this piece. It was evident that he put his
undying love into his work.
Laura realized the very obvious truth. Mr. Dalton really
loves Whitefield.
Her heart began to pound fast as if his love for his home
was contagious. She had never even seen Whitefield before,
yet she felt like she was already in love with it.
Thanks to her art lessons at school, Laura had an eye for
art. She has seen many paintings with perfect detail. There
were plenty of artists who knew how to depict nature in the
dreamiest way. But it was rare to find art that could make the
viewer fall in love with it. Any artist who could accomplish
such a miracle would be considered a genius.
Mr. Dalton is an outstanding artist.
Laura placed the picture against the wall on her vanity. Mr.
Dalton’s work was too precious to be kept inside a dark trunk.

***

Dunville Park turned greener day by day. Every morning,

Laura and Olivia walked to a bench outside and conversed in
French. Olivia spoke inarticulately, and Laura corrected her
grammar gently.
Olivia became a meek student when she took French
lessons from Laura. The thirteen-year-old was hostile at
first, but once she realized how Laura could speak just as
fluently as Miss Jeanne, who was French, she dropped her
attitude. Olivia could be childish, but she was smart enough to
control her emotions to get what she needed.
It didn’t take Olivia long to know that there was a lot she
could learn from Laura. Once she realized this, she gave up on
her childish jealousy. She decided that it was in her best
interest to learn as much as she could from this mature lady.
Olivia could tell that it wasn’t just French she should learn
from the new governess.
A little over a month after Laura arrived, Olivia received a
birthday invitation from her friend Lydia. She has been
avoiding most of the social events and focusing on her studies
for the past month. Feeling excited, Olivia woke up early that
morning to get dolled up before heading out to her friend’s
house.
Olivia’s friends who hadn’t seen her for a month were
shocked. Olivia’s walk appeared to be much more graceful,
and her tone and expression became more ladylike. All of her
friends noticed that something significant had changed in
Olivia.
Their surprise grew when Olivia played Chopin on the
piano for her friend as a gift. She even recited a poem in a
much more eloquent French than before, which brought such
shock to everyone.
Olivia felt proud as she watched her friends’ awe. She had
been observing and mimicking Miss Pendleton for a whole
month for this very reason. But this wasn’t the end. Olivia
told her friends about the stories of high society she had
heard from Laura. The girls were all ears for Olivia, and she
quickly became the center of the party instead of Lydia.
Young Lydia was just as vane as Olivia, so she pouted
unhappily. But sadly, her friends were so captivated by
Olivia’s stories that they didn’t notice her displeasure. The
tales of London society were just too interesting for the young
ladies who were only a few years away from making a debut.
Until now, Lydia has been the main information source of
London society because her older cousin made her debut
some time ago. Unfortunately for Lydia, Miss Christine
Salmon has been too busy lately. She used to visit Lydia often
before, but nowadays, she just sent infrequent letters. The
only information Lydia now received was just a few lines in
her cousin’s letter she received once or twice a month.
In comparison, Olivia knew much more detail about
London society. Not only that, but she also possessed
information no one had ever heard of before. Olivia talked
about the habits and lifestyles of the people they’ve only read
about in newspapers. She also divulged to them who were the
latest people of influence and how they grew their power.
Olivia’s friends couldn’t stop gaping. When she paused to
take a sip of her tea, Rebecca asked, “Olivia, where did you
hear about all these things?”
To add credibility to her stories, Olivia answered honestly,
“I told you before, didn’t I? About the new governess. She’s
Laura Pendleton of House Pendleton.”
“Ah, the high-ranking aristocratic family of the Cornwell
region? The lady of House Pendleton is really your
governess?”
“Yes.”
“To have such an amazing lady as your teacher… That’s
incredible!” the girls exclaimed.
Just then, Lydia, who has been quiet in the corner, chimed
in, “Ah, you mean the same Miss Pendleton who was close to
my cousin?”
“Close? When I asked Miss Pendleton about Miss Christine
Salmon, she said she was just one of many ladies who came to
drink tea sometimes,” Olivia answered without much
thought, but Lydia became upset that her friend spoke in a
belittling way of her cousin.
Lydia replied sharply, “Well, I suppose she would say that.
After all, there’s no reason why my cousin should get close to
Miss Pendleton. If she had, her own reputation would become
tarnished.”
Olivia was shocked and strangely annoyed by the way her
friend was putting down Miss Pendleton. She asked, “What
do you mean?”
“You must know, don’t you? About Miss Pendleton’s
background.”
Olivia had no idea, but she didn’t want to embarrass
herself. Hiding her confusion, she stammered, “W-why is
that a problem?”
“You don’t think it’s a problem? Wow, I’m shocked.
Frankly, I think it was very brave of your family to hire
someone like her as a governess. Your parents must be very
open-minded, Olivia.”
 Chapter 79

There was unkindness in Lydia’s voice. Olivia became

confused. Because she was clueless about what Lydia was
talking about, she didn’t know how to respond. And she
certainly couldn’t ask her friend to explain now.
Thankfully, Olivia’s other friends were just as oblivious.
Unable to control her curiosity, Rebecca asked, “Lydia, what’s
wrong with Laura Pendleton’s birth?”
Loving all the attention, Lydia smirked and answered,
“Christine told me that Laura Pendleton is a perfect lady of
beauty. But sadly, she’s a spinster because no one would
marry her. Apparently, the last name Pendleton is her
mother’s name. Her father is an American, and her mother
eloped with him. They had her without even getting
married!”
The young girls gasped in shock. One of them exclaimed,
“That means she’s a bastard!”
There were about ten or so girls gathered at the party, and
all of them couldn’t hide their surprise. Olivia became
confused because this was the first time she was hearing
about this. Even more troubling was how her friends were
looking at her with pity.
 They murmured in worry, “Even if she’s elegant and well-
educated, she’s still just a bastard.”
“How could your parents hire someone like that as your
governess?”
The conversation began to move in the opposite direction
of what Olivia wanted. She was being admired just a moment
ago, but suddenly, she became the target of sympathy.
Olivia’s head spun trying to survive this unexpected situation.
Mustering all of her courage, she straightened her posture.
She decided that the best course of action was to be brazen.
“That doesn’t matter. We hired her for her skills. Do you have
any idea what an amazing woman she is? She’s a brilliant lady
who graduated from the best all-girls school in London. She
speaks French, German, Greek, and even Latin.”
Lydia argued, “But doesn’t it bother you? Miss Pendleton
probably inherited the same immoral nature as her mother.
Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If you were taught by
someone like that, wouldn’t it affect who you become as
well?”
Olivia held her head even higher and replied, “That’s
nonsense. Your prejudice is clouding your judgment. Miss
Pendleton is an excellent lady. She’s smart, graceful, and very
kind. And she’s gorgeous too. I’ve never met such a beautiful
woman before.”
Lydia asked in surprise, “She’s that pretty?”
“She’s like the angel who fell from heaven. I heard many
young men tried to court her too. She may be a bastard, but
she’s still a member of House Pendleton. She has many
friends and great connections. You all know my uncle, don’t
you? Ian Dalton of Whitefield.”
When Ian Dalton’s name was mentioned, the atmosphere
changed. The girls whispered among themselves in
excitement, and Olivia smiled in satisfaction. Every female in
Yorkshire knew who Ian Dalton was. He was the heir to the
oldest family in Yorkshire, and he was a handsome bachelor
with vast land and wealth.
There may have been other nobles who had just as much
money, but none of them could compare to the distinguished
Dalton family. Because Ian Daltn wasn’t very social, there
wasn’t much known about him. But this only made him even
more famous and attractive.
Lydia asked hesitantly, “So…she’s Mr. Ian Dalton’s
friend?”
“Yup. Miss Pendleton was actually introduced to us by
Uncle Ian. I mean, this alone has to be the greatest reference
one could have, right? So please do not badmouth Miss
Pendleton in front of me. She’s now a very precious member
of my family.”
The situation changed completely. Olivia was back in
charge, and the girls mostly forgot about the fact that Laura
Pendleton was born a bastard. The fact that she was angel-
like, brilliant, and a friend of the mysterious Ian Dalton made
everything else pale in comparison.
 Olivia was so relieved to regain control of the narrative
that she spent the rest of the party praising Miss Pendleton.
By the end of the day, all the girls returned home feeling
envious of Olivia who had such a wonderful governess.
But on her way home, Olivia experienced great confusion
and shock. She had no idea that Miss Pendleton was a bastard.
Did her uncle know about this?
As soon as the carriage arrived at Dunville Park, Olivia ran
to the living room. Mrs. Fairfax jolted and covered her table,
but Olivia could see the colorful cards. Her mother had been
doing a good job controlling herself, but it seemed that she
was back at her pagan hobby again.
“Geez, I thought you were Miss Pendleton!” When Mrs.
Fairfax realized that it was her daughter Olivia who entered,
she sighed in relief. She ordered, “Olivia if you aren’t very
busy, could you stand there and be my lookout? When Miss
Pendleton comes, I need to clean this up and pretend to be
doing embroidery like I’ve been doing. Haa, I don’t know why
I’m pretending to be a good lady in my own home. I guess it’s
all to impress my future sister-in-law.”
Instead of keeping watch for her mother, Olivia sat down
next to her. Mrs. Fairfax returned to her cards, and Olivia
tugged her mother’s dress. “Mom, Mom, Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Mom, did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Miss Pendleton is a bastard!”
 Mrs. Fairfax turned toward her daughter. “Who told you
that?”
“Lydia. She said she heard it from her cousin, which
means it must be true. Apparently, Miss Pendleton’s mom
eloped with some man and had a child without even getting
married! And the name Pendleton is actually Miss
Pendleton’s mother’s name!”
Mrs. Fairfax continued to gaze at her daughter silently.
Olivia became confused when her mother didn’t look shocked.
Mrs. Fairfax sighed, and after making sure there wasn’t
anyone near the entrance, she whispered, “Don’t tell anyone
about this. Not your brothers, your father, or any of the
servants.”
Olivia realized the truth quickly. “So you knew!”
“Yes.”
“Who did you hear it from?”
“Your uncle.”
Olivia covered her mouth in shock. Her mother continued,
“Your uncle told me everything before Miss Pendleton came.
He asked me to take care of her since she has such a painful
past.”
Still covering her mouth, Olivia mumbled, “So Uncle Ian
knows too… Yet he still wants to marry her?”
“Your uncle isn’t bothered by something like that.”
Olivia became speechless. On her way home, it never
occurred to her that her uncle would know about this. No
matter how she looked at it, being a bastard was a fatal flaw
that no one could overlook. How could the head of House
Dalton, a four- hundred-year-old family, marry a bastard?
But it appeared that her uncle knew about it all along.
Olivia shook her head. “This can’t be.”
“This isn’t your decision, Olivia.”
“Why didn’t you stop him, Mom? Uncle Ian is going to
marry a bastard?! And I heard her father is American too! An
American! Uncle Ian is considering marrying a woman who’s
half American.”
“So what?”
“Mom!”
“Geez, you’re hurting my ears.”
“You should’ve stopped him, Mom. He can’t do this! You
should’ve refused to help him! I know Whitefield needs an
heir, but this isn’t the way. Uncle Ian is going to regret this
later.”
“Olivia.”
“If you won’t stop him, I will. I’ll go talk to Miss Pendleton
and tell her she can never marry my uncle…”
“Olivia.”
Olivia looked at her mother, who was frowning unhappily.
Mrs. Fairfax warned, “If you do that, you’ll be ruining your
uncle’s only chance at happiness.”
“But Mom, Uncle Ian is making a terrible mistake. What do
you think everyone will say? This isn’t about just House
Dalton either. It’s going to bring great dishonor to our family
too. When it’s time for me to get married, my future husband
is going to ask about it. What am I supposed to tell him?”
“You’ll be honest and tell him that your uncle married a
beautiful lady who was born a bastard.”
“Mom, seriously…!” Olivia became angry at her mother for
not taking her side. They were talking about her future, yet it
seemed her mother wasn’t taking it seriously.
But Mrs. Fairfax found her daughter’s concern ridiculous.
“You always amaze me with your imagination, Olivia. The
only man who’ll care about his wife’s in-laws’ pedigree will
be someone from the royal family. And what are the chances
you’ll marry a prince? But considering how vain you are, I’m
sure you’ve pictured it more than once. Well, you’re free to let
your imagination run wild but think about this. Does your
uncle have to give up the woman he loves just so that you
might have a chance of marrying a prince?”
Olivia flinched. “I…I’ve never thought about something
like that!”
Mrs. Fairfax sniggered when she heard her daughter
stammer. She let her children roam freely, but she also knew
her children better than anyone. Olivia turned bright red in
embarrassment. She knew that her mother had guessed her
secret wish. More than once, Olivia dreamt about entering
London society and marrying royalty. She knew it was a silly
thought, but she couldn’t help it.
Mrs. Fairfax scolded her daughter sharply, “Even if you’re
doing this for your uncle’s sake, you still don’t have the right
to butt in. Your uncle is the one who’ll have to take
responsibility for his own choice. Ian loves Miss Pendleton,
and Miss Pendleton is a kind, healthy lady. That’s all that
matters.”
“But are you really okay with this, Mom? People are going
to talk about Uncle Ian. Their children will have to live with
the fact that their mother was a bastard. The name Dalton is
going to be tarnished forever.”
Mrs. Fairfax looked at her daughter quietly before
replying, “Olivia, didn’t you tell me earlier that you thought
Miss Pendleton was a good woman? You said you didn’t want
to admit it, but perhaps Uncle Ian made the right decision in
choosing her.”

“You aren’t going to take back what you said just a few days
ago, will you? I really hope you don’t because I don’t want a
daughter who changes her mind willy- nilly like that. You
judged Miss Pendleton correctly earlier. But now, you see her
as some kind of a disgusting bug just because her father is
American and her parents didn’t get married at the church.”
 Chapter 80

Olivia insisted, “Mom, I know what you’re trying to say. I also

know that I’m being a snob. But we must face reality. People
will point their fingers at the Dalton children forever. Look
how Judge Anderson’s daughters are being treated.”
Judge Anderson was the firstborn son of the hundred-
fifty-year-old family that used to be greatly respected. But
his self- indulgent nature brought ruin to his family’s
reputation. For the past twenty years, he kept a mistress and
had three daughters with her. These women were rather
famous in their neighborhood as one can imagine. No one
invited them to any social events, and even the laborers were
hesitant to work for them. The church also banned them from
attending. Although the daughters were old enough to make
their debut, they lived as if they were exiled from society.
Mrs. Fairfax replied, “I know what you’re saying. Judge
Anderson broke the oath he made in front of God. And his
daughters are paying for his sins.”
“Exactly. No one will marry those girls because they know
being associated with this family will harm their reputation.
And their children will suffer as well. Even the son of a miller
won’t marry them. So why should someone like our uncle
marry a bastard? He’s the most eligible bachelor, isn’t he?”
Mrs. Fairfax looked at his daughter. “You talk of reality,
Olivia, and you’re right to some extent. If Ian marries Miss
Pendleton, it’s going to cause quite an uproar in Yorkshire.
People will talk about her parents, and when they have
children, they will hear about it as well. But I always believed
that judging someone based on their pedigree is wrong.
What’s happening to Judge Anderson’s daughters and Miss
Pendleton is unfair. You shouldn’t have to pay for your
parents’ sins. And this is one of the very few ideas I have in
common with Ian.”
“Then you’re okay with people pointing their fingers at
Uncle Ian after he marries Miss Pendleton?”
Mrs. Fairfax shrugged. “He must pay the price to get what
he wants.”
Olivia became speechless. She has always known that her
mother was different from the other ladies. Mrs. Fairfax
didn’t consider her social life and her children’s education
her priority. The only things she seemed to care about were
Uncle Ian’s marriage and telling fortune with her cards.
But the strangest thing Olivia felt about her mother was
her unrealistic ways of thinking. Olivia accepted how society
functioned without question, so it was difficult to understand
her mother.
Just then, they heard footsteps nearing the living room. It
was a quiet sound, and both of them knew immediately who it
was. Mrs. Fairfax wrapped the cards with the velvet cloth
underneath and hid the bundle behind the sofa.
“Miss Fairfax, you’re back! Did you enjoy your time with
your friends?” Laura walked in and asked kindly. Olivia
nodded with a suppressed expression as if she was trying to
stop a hiccup.
Laura continued, “Then could we go out for a short walk
before dinner? I want to hear all about your friends.”
Olivia knew that Miss Pendleton was trying to make up for
the French lesson they missed that morning. So she followed
Laura obediently to the garden. Just like they always did, they
sat down on the bench and chatted quietly in French. Olivia
told her everything about the birthday party except for the
conversation she had with her friends about Laura.
Laura listened attentively, and she clapped to congratulate
Olivia for her perfect French. Olivia blushed shyly, unable to
help but feel proud. After Laura arrived at Dunville Park, her
French improved exponentially. Both Laura and Olivia knew
this.
“All of my friends were so shocked today. They asked me
how I was able to improve my French so fast. They thought I
must’ve gone to France in secret,” said Olivia.
“You must’ve been very happy.”
“Indeed.”
“This is all thanks to your hard work, Miss Fairfax. You
deserve to feel proud.”
 Olivia became quiet for a moment before murmuring,
“Miss Pendleton.”
“Yes, Miss Fairfax?” Laura looked at Olivia with her warm
eyes.
“Were you popular in London?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“Didn’t anyone propose to you?”
Laura asked, “You want to know?”
“Yes.”
Laura contemplated for a moment. In truth, there used to
be countless men who wanted to court her. But most of them
had impure intentions. The playboys never stopped trying to
seduce her into becoming their mistress. Some proposed to
her to become their wife, but they were always elderly
gentlemen who tried to take advantage of her situation.
Laura replied, “I wasn’t popular, Miss Fairfax.”
“But you’re very beautiful.”
“Thank you for saying that, Miss Fairfax,” Laura answered
respectfully.
But Olivia didn’t bring up this topic to be thanked. She
continued, “You should be able to get married if you really
wanted to, right? Would you like me to introduce someone to
you? There’s a doctor who visits our family often if one of us
gets sick. He’s very nice and smart. And there’s also a young
tailor my mother hires to make clothes. He’s really good-
looking. You have no idea how popular he is with women. I’m
sure he’ll suit you very well, Miss Pendleton.”
 Laura became confused by Olivia’s sudden interest in her
marriage prospect. Her instincts kicked in quickly, so she
asked, “Miss Fairfax. Did you by chance hear something
about me?”
Olivia became very quiet. It was evident that she was
flustered, and Laura knew immediately what must’ve
happened. She guessed that Olivia must’ve met someone who
knew her from London. Or perhaps Mrs. Fairfax told her the
truth.
Laura decided that Olivia pitied her after hearing about her
background. This had to be why this young girl was trying to
list potential husband materials. This was unhelpful, but
Laura still appreciated Olivia’s concern.
Olivia finally explained, “I know there are many stories
about you, Miss Pendleton. But I’m sure there’s someone out
there who could be your husband.”
“I think a married life will be great. Meeting the man you
love and having children together sounds blissful. But Miss
Fairfax, I want to continue with my life as is for a while
longer.”
“Why?” asked Olivia.
“Because I’m very content with my current situation.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. Miss Pendleton led a life of luxury as
a lady of a grand noble family, so how could she be happy
with working as a governess?
Laura continued, “I can’t remember the last time I felt so
relaxed and purposeful. So I want to maintain this life for a
long time.”
“…Even if someone proposes to you? For example, what if
a man from a good family wants to marry you?”
“That will never happen, but even if it does, I would have
to refuse. I’m not worthy to marry someone like that, and
more importantly, he would suffer because of my past.”
It was difficult for Olivia to believe that Miss Pendleton
was being honest. She felt certain that Miss Pendleton would
agree to marry if a wealthy gentleman, for example, her
uncle, proposed. After all, this was the only way Miss
Pendleton could return to a life of respect and wealth.
To coax the truth out of Miss Pendleton, Olivia continued,
“But there’s a chance a good man might fall in love with you.
You’re very pretty and sophisticated. Not every man is
practical when choosing a wife for himself. I’ve read
countless stories and articles about two people of drastically
different stations marrying. Beauty and charm can be enough
to obtain a rich husband. Don’t you think you can do that
too?”
Laura didn’t look convinced. In fact, she looked
uninterested, but Olivia was oblivious. Using all of her
imaginative power, she envisioned out loud, “Think about it.
A man with a great big land could fall in love with you at first
sight. He’ll send you all kinds of jewels and flowers. Then,
he’ll arrive in a white carriage and take you to southern
France or the beach in Italy. He’ll own a beautiful villa, and
he’ll ask you to live with him there forever away from the rest
of the world. If you live abroad, no one will know anything
about you. Don’t you agree, Miss Pendleton?”
“That’s a nice story, but I think you should stop now, Miss
Fairfax.”
“Why?”
“Because such a thought doesn’t help anyone. Dreaming
of something impossible like that is a waste of time.”
Olivia became speechless because it was the first time Miss
Pendleton spoke so drily. Laura continued, “Miss Fairfax, if I
ever get married, I’m going to marry someone that suits my
station. A nobleman must marry a noble lady of flawless
background, and someone like me must marry a middle-class
man.”
“But if you love each other…”
“No, that’s not true, Miss Fairfax.” Laura shook her head
firmly, “A marriage is a union between two people. You
probably don’t understand what this means yet, Miss Olivia,
but love isn’t a very strong emotion in humans. For a brief
moment, it might allow you to endure financial problems,
gossip from society, and other conflicts two people from
different backgrounds would naturally face. But human
emotions are like custard. Unless you keep it in the fridge, it
can go bad very easily. Love isn’t enough to protect anyone
from real-life problems. By the time you become my age,
you’ll know this better than even me, Miss Fairfax.”
Olivia listened in confusion. This was the first time anyone
described marriage in such a cold manner.
 Chapter 81

“For over a decade, I’ve seen many couples become unhappy

due to the difference in their status in society. It’s such a sad
event. Those who marry for money may regret their decision
as well, but they adapt better because they enter the marriage
with very low expectations. It’s those who marry for love who
tend to suffer the most. They become so disappointed when
reality catches up to them. In the end, they end up resenting
each other even though they got married for love.”
Laura sighed and continued, “Miss Fairfax, if what I’m
telling you is upsetting you, you can just ignore it. But when
the time comes and you must make the most important
decision of your life, please remember this conversation. And
you should start observing the people around you. It won’t be
hard to find couples who ignored reality and got married for
love. See how unhappy they are.”
Olivia had never seen Miss Pendleton voice her opinion
like this. What shocked her the most was Laura’s demeanor as
she explained her thoughts. She looked dead serious, her
voice was firm, and her eyes couldn’t look calmer. Her usual
gentle side disappeared for a moment.
 But after she finished her speech, Miss Pendleton returned
to her normal warm self. With a smile, she continued, “Now
then, shall we return to our French lesson? You told me you
recited a poem for your friends, right? Please repeat it in front
of me. Make sure to pay attention to your pronunciation and
breathing.”
Olivia obeyed. After her recitation, Laura gave a few
pointers, but Olivia couldn’t pay attention. She was in fact not
focused when she recited the poem. She was very much
distracted by what Miss Pendleton said to her a moment ago.
Her governess’s realistic view shocked the thirteen-year-
old. Olivia realized how much her teacher was aware of her
situation. She suddenly developed a great respect for the older
lady.
After the lesson, Olivia ran to her mother and told her
about the conversation. Thinking her daughter was trying to
interfere with her uncle’s marriage prospects again, Mrs.
Fairfax was about to scold Olivia. But she became quiet when
Olivia added, “Mom, isn’t Miss Pendleton such an interesting
person? Her parents were so ignorant, but she’s completely
different from them. It’s ironic, isn’t it?”
“No, I don’t think irony is the right term.”
“Why not?”
“Because it makes sense that Miss Pendleton knows the
reality of marriage. I’m sure she lived her whole life paying
the price of her parents’ mistake.”
 Olivia couldn’t understand what her mother was trying to
say. “Paying the price? Are you saying Miss Pendleton
would’ve been treated like the way Judge Anderson’s bastard
daughters are?”
“Exactly.”
“No way, that doesn’t make any sense. She may be a
bastard, but she’s still a member of House Pendleton, a high
ranking noble family. So who would dare to do that to her…?”
“Her situation isn’t exactly the same as Judge Anderson’s
daughters. And you’re right that because of the Pendleton
name, no one would’ve spat at her openly. But I’ll bet people
still treated her with disrespect and talked about her behind
her back. People in London are uppity, so they would’ve
tortured her in the sneakiest way. Poor woman. I can’t
imagine how much she would’ve suffered growing up in a
place like that.”
“Then do you think she’ll refuse Uncle Ian even if he
confesses his love?”
“Miss Pendleton is an intelligent woman who learned the
way of the world despite her unfortunate situation. She
must’ve promised herself never to forget who she is and
about her place in this world.” Mrs. Fairfax frowned before
mumbling, “Congratulations, Olivia. It looks like your teacher
and your uncle won’t end up together after all. I guess you got
your wish.”

***

During dinner that night, Olivia thought about what her

mother told her. Mrs.
Fairfax didn’t believe that Uncle Ian and Miss Pendleton
would get married. It was very unexpected to hear such
pessimism from her mother, who seemed so confident about
their union before.
But Olivia agreed with her mother. She believed that it was
unlikely her uncle would succeed in marrying Miss Pendleton.
Strangely, this conclusion brought on two very different
emotions. The selfish and childish side of her felt relieved by
it. Miss Pendleton was the worst candidate to become Ian
Dalton’s wife, so it was a good thing that she knew her place
well. As long as Miss Pendleton remained this determined,
she would never accept Uncle Ian’s love. She’ll continue to
work as a governess for the family but nothing more. This had
to be the best news Olivia could hope for.
But there was another side of Olivia, a kind and
sympathetic one, living deep inside of her. And this part of
her made her pity her teacher. Olivia stopped eating her soup
and looked up at Miss Pendleton, who was eating her own
soup so elegantly. The way she moved her spoon looked like
she was painting. It has always confused Olivia why an
accomplished lady like Miss Pendleton had to work as a
governess. But now, her curiosity was answered. Because of
her parents’ misdeed, Miss Pendleton must’ve been excluded
from the marriage market.
If her parents had married properly, this wouldn I have
happened. The sorrow she never felt for Judge Anderson’s
daughters engulfed Olivia all of a sudden. The last month she
spent with Miss Pendleton had taught her that her governess
was a good woman. Miss Pendleton was kind, hardworking,
and smart. Olivia’s jealousy made it difficult for her to admit
it, but it didn’t change the fact that Laura Pendleton was a
decent lady.
So it was disturbing to learn that she must’ve lived the
same miserable life as Judge Anderson’s bastard daughters.
Olivia was bothered by how difficult it must’ve been for Miss
Pendleton to survive London society for over ten years.
The next day when they sat down on a bench for their
French lesson, Olivia became overwhelmed with compassion
toward Miss Pendleton. Before she could stop herself, Olivia
asked suddenly, “Miss Pendleton, don’t you resent your
parents?”
“My parents?”
“Yes. Your parents’ mistake has caused you a lot of
trouble, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s true.” Laura nodded calmly.
“If my parents were like yours, I would’ve been very
upset.” Olivia’s eyes filled with distress as she looked at
Laura. Laura smiled and put her hand underneath her collars
and brought out a pendant.
Olivia looked up at it in confusion. When Laura opened the
pendant and showed the content, Olivia jolted. “Is this your
portrait, Miss Pendleton? Ah, no, it can’t be. The eye color is
different…”
“This is my mother.”
“…She looked just like you!”
“Yes, I resemble her a lot. Except for my father’s gray eyes,
I’ve inherited her looks. When I became an adult, I tried the
dress my mother used to wear. I was surprised to find out that
it fit me perfectly.”
“Uwah, that’s amazing…” Olivia pondered as she stared at
the portrait. Miss Pendleton’s mother was a gorgeous woman
just like her daughter.
Laura explained, “This portrait was drawn by my father
when he first met my mother. He drew it in secret.”
Seeing Olivia’s interest, Laura smiled and continued, “My
father first visited the Pendleton house when he was twenty.
He was hired to draw a portrait of my grandmother. That day,
he fell in love with my mother at first sight. But he knew they
could never be together, so he concentrated on his work.
Because my grandmother treasured her daughter, my mother
was always in the same room embroidering during all of the
portrait sessions. My father kept glancing at her, and
whenever he returned to his room, he drew the likeness of her
from his memory in this tiny pendant.”
 Olivia was mesmerized, finding this story terribly
romantic. This was better than any romance novel she ever
read.
Laura added, “But as my father got closer to finishing my
grandmother’s portrait, he had to get ready to leave. He was
only given a month, and he couldn’t delay the schedule. So on
the last day, he finished my mother’s portrait in his room. He
planned on carrying it near his heart for the rest of his life.
But that night, a maid visited him. She was my mother’s
personal maid, and she handed him a note. My father opened
it to read the message that said, ‘You haven’t been able to
take your eyes off of me. If you feel something for me, please
run away with me.’”
Chills ran down Olivia’s spine. “Uwah, that’s a lovely
story. So what happened next?”
“The two of them eloped the next day. But when my uncle
found out, he sent out his men to search for her rather than
reporting her to the police. I think he thought he could find
her before the rumor began to spread. But by the time they
were found, they had already married in front of a minister.”
“That means you aren’t…” Olivia couldn’t finish her
sentence. She didn’t feel right about saying the word
“bastard” in front of her teacher.
Laura answered, “No, I’m not sure if I could be called a
bastard. But then, a wedding requires proper steps. As you
know, one needs an official certificate and be registered on
the church registry to be considered legally married. Besides,
my mother was too young anyway. She required her parents’
consent to marry. But because my father came from America,
he didn’t know about these things. He was afraid that my
uncle might find them and take my mother away, so he
wanted to marry her as soon as possible.”
Olivia could barely breathe as she listened silently.
Laura continued, “In the end, my parents lived in hiding.
They weren’t legally married, and their plan was to travel to
Gretna Green and get married officially when my uncle
stopped searching. But my mother suffered terrible morning
sicknesses and a cold on top of that. She couldn’t travel, and
in the end, my mother got even sicker and died after giving
birth to me.”
Olivia stared at her teacher in awe. This was the most
tragic ending she had ever heard.
 Chapter 82

“My father told me this story when I was little. Whenever he

talked about it, his eyes would turn red. He said that if he had
been a little wiser, my mother wouldn’t have died like that.
And my reputation wouldn’t have become so tarnished.
Frankly, I agree with him. They were too young and foolish.
Eloping like that was the wrong thing to do.”
Olivia disagreed with Laura’s cold assessment. “But Miss
Pendleton, they had to do it because they loved each other too
much. It ended in tragedy, but you were born as a result of
their love. That must mean something.”
Laura smiled without a word. Olivia continued, “I wish
they could’ve made it to Gretna Green. Then the three of you
would’ve lived as a happy family.”
“Thank you for thinking that, Miss Fairfax. I sometimes
imagine such a scenario myself. If they were a little wiser, my
mother and father may still be alive. I don’t deny the fact that
they loved each other. When I look at my mother’s portrait, I
wonder what it would’ve been like to have her with me. Her
life ended in tragedy because she made such a huge decision
before she was old enough to know better. There was a time
when I blamed her for it, but I don’t resent her or my father
anymore.”
“What happened to your father?”
“I don’t know. When I was little, he entrusted me to the
Pendleton family. I tried to look for him after I became an
adult, but there was no painter with my father’s name in
England. I’m sure he returned to his country.” Laura closed
the pendant and placed it underneath her blouse again.
Without a word, she looked at the wide trail surrounding
Dunville Park.
Miss Pendleton emanated a sense of peace like the grass
dancing in the calm wind. Olivia was surprised by how honest
and tranquil her governess could be as she talked about such a
devastating story. For the first time, Olivia felt a great
admiration for Miss Pendleton.
From then on, Olivia’s attitude toward Miss slowly
changed. Until now, she had been ignoring her teacher except
during their French lessons. But now, it was Olivia who
greeted Laura first whenever they encountered each other.
She also acted more respectfully during their classes. Olivia
was even generous enough to give Miss Pendleton a portion
of the lace she received as a gift from her friend who returned
from touring the city of Bath.
Laura was surprised by this change. She had known that
Olivia had been pretending obedience until now. Except
during their French lessons, the thirteen- year-old has been
ignoring her as if she didn’t exist.
 It was easy to guess that Olivia felt sympathy toward her
teacher after hearing about her parents. Being pitied by a
young student was an unpleasant experience, but Laura
decided to be grateful for it. Her honesty allowed Olivia to
finally open her heart, and Laura believed that she should
accept her student’s kindness.
Laura used the lace Oliva gave her to adorn her boring
black hat and white handkerchief. And to show her
appreciation, she played Olivia’s favorite pieces by
Mendelssohn that evening. Olivia sat next to her to turn the
sheets and listen.
The way Laura played was beyond anything Olivia had ever
seen. It was so much more elegant than how Olivia played, but
the young girl didn’t feel angry or jealous. Laura’s fingers
danced on the keys like a graceful white butterfly, and Olivia
wished that she would get to play just as well someday.
After that evening, it became Olivia’s job to turn the sheet
music whenever Laura played the piano. It was no surprise
that the two ladies became close friends as they spent more
time with each other. Olivia looked up to Laura, and Laura felt
great affection for the young girl. It took no time for Laura to
get attached to Olivia as much as she did with the two boys.
But what Olivia felt for Laura was much deeper and more
serious. At first, Olivia coveted the ladylike qualities her
governess possessed. But now, she came to love her teacher’s
talents passionately. Olivia adored Miss Pendleton, and there
was no reason for her to hide her feelings anymore.
 Olivia wanted to know everything about the new
governess. She asked about what kind of books Laura read,
the dances she enjoyed, how many songs she knew, and what
poems she liked to read. The answers Laura offered made
Olivia’s admiration grow bigger. The level of Laura’s
knowledge and intelligence was by far the best Olivia had ever
seen in a teacher. It turned out that Laura Pendleton was the
perfect lady she always wanted to be.
So Olivia began following her role model everywhere. It
was to a point where Mrs. Farirfax scolded her to stop
annoying her teacher. But Laura wasn’t bothered by the
young girl one bit. She was happy to have gained Olivia’s
heart, and she approved of the young girl’s intellectual
ambition. Laura remembered being thirteen herself and
following her favorite teacher everywhere to learn as much as
she could.
Laura studied Olivia’s personality and traits. Soon, she
realized that Olivia was having a hard time studying by
herself despite her effort. This was why she showed
improvement in only the subjects she was taught by a teacher.
Olivia was having the most difficulty with reading. It
turned out that the reading list she followed was the one
given by her oldest brother who was in university. Laura
asked for this list, and Olivia hurriedly fetched it for her.
It was no wonder Olivia was having a hard time improving
her reading. The list of books recommended for her was too
difficult for a young girl her age. This was why Olivia gave up
on most of the books after reading just a few chapters.
Laura created a new list of educational books that would
interest a thirteen-year- old. She asked Olivia to read one
book every week so they could discuss it.

***

As the two ladies became good friends, autumn arrived in

Dunville Park. Laura and Olivia became so close that they now
considered each other sisters. Mrs. Fairfax was pleasantly
surprised by their relationship. She believed that Laura’s
presence was helping her young daughter greatly. Although
Olivia pretended to be mature, she was still quite young and
childish. Interacting with a wise mature lady like Miss
Pendleton was certainly going to help her daughter grow up.
It wasn’t just Mrs. Fairfax who watched their budding
friendship. Ian Dalton found Miss Pendleton and his niece’s
relationship very interesting. He visited Dunville Park at least
once every week, claiming that it was to check on his sister’s
family and sketch. Most of the people didn’t question him.
After all, Ian Dalton hasn’t increased the frequency or
duration of his visits to Dunville Park, and he hasn’t been
acting any differently.
But he couldn’t fool Mrs. Fairfax and Olivia who already
knew everything. Mrs. Fairfax especially could tell how
impatient he felt. Laura was a smart woman, so in order not
to alarm her, Ian was trying his hardest to approach her
slowly.
Thanks to his effort, Laura and Ian became very good
friends. They learned about each other and became honest
about their thoughts and feelings. But even so, there was still
an invisible line between them. It was a natural barrier
between a man and woman, a nobleman and governess, and
an employer and employee. Both Laura and Ian were very
conscious of this obstacle. But while Laura made an effort not
to cross this line, Ian never stopped trying to eliminate it.
Ian Dalton took great care not to scare Miss Pendleton. He
knew that this was his last chance. If she rejected him again,
he was never going to see her again.
Laura and Olivia’s friendship presented a great
opportunity for him. Standing in front of the window and
watching them reading together on a bench underneath a
cedar tree, Ian said to his sister, “I better ask for Olivia’s
help.”
Mrs. Fairfax hid the cards in case Miss Pendleton returns.
She took out her embroidery and asked, “Help with what?”
“To get me closer to Miss Pendleton.”
“Are you serious?” Mrs. Fairfax jolted in surprise.
“Yes.”
“Ian, I know it happened six years ago, but Olivia still
proposed to you. Don’t you remember?”
“She was just a baby then. Look at her now. She’s reading
poems with the woman I love. Besides, we would’ve all
forgotten about that incident if you hadn’t reminded
everyone about it over and over again.”
“I don’t agree with you. Ian, you have no idea how long a
woman’s love lasts. And Olivia can be very obsessive. If you
ask her for such help, you might end up upsetting her in the
worst way. She might even sabotage you by telling Miss
Pendleton everything.”
Ian shook his head. “I don’t think Olivia is that childish.
Margaret, you can be very harsh on your only daughter
sometimes.”
“And you’re too lenient with Olivia. If you were half as
kind to George and Daniel, they wouldn’t fear you so much.”
“If I wasn’t strict with them, it would’ve caused them to be
completely out of control by now. I was a nice uncle to them
until four years ago when they were caught playing with
matches in the forest.”
“Well, you have me there. They almost burnt down half of
the Dunville Park forest that day, so… But anyway, I’m still
not on board with this plan. Olivia loves her teacher now, but
she might feel this way only because she thinks you and Miss
Pendleton will never end up together.”
Ian looked out the window again. He saw that the two
ladies whispered something to each other before bursting
into laughter. He murmured, “You’re wrong. I’m certain
Olivia will listen to me.”
 Chapter 83

After lunch, Miss Pendleton took the boys to the forest for
their lesson. Ian took this opportunity to ask Olivia to chat for
a moment. The two of them sat down at a smaller dining
room table and drank tea together. Her heart pounding fast,
Olivia looked at her uncle who sat across from her. He looked
gorgeous as usual. His chiseled facial features made him look
sharp, and Olivia felt flattered that he asked to spend time
with her.
Ian asked, “Olivia, you seem much more ladylike
nowadays.”
“Y…you think so?”
When Ian smiled and nodded, Olivia giggled. Ian studied
his niece affectionately. His favorite had always been Henry,
the firstborn, but Olivia was a close second. She was a smart
child who used to follow him everywhere. Ian cared for her
like she was his much younger sister.
Ian continued, “You’ve become much more mature since
the new governess arrived. It looked like you’re getting along
very well with her.”
When Olivia nodded, he asked, “How do you feel about
Miss Pendleton?”
 “She’s a very nice lady. I have a lot to learn from her. She’s
kind, smart, and very hard-working.”
Ian smiled kindly. “She’s certainly too good for me.”
Olivia watched her uncle without a word. Ian put down the
teacup and continued, “I asked for your time because I have a
favor to ask, Olivia. I know that you already heard everything
from your mom. I’m talking about how I want to take Miss
Pendleton as my wife and why I recommended her to be hired
as a governess here.”

“But there are many obstacles between her and me. I believe
I’m not worthy of her, but she thinks the opposite. I want to
win her heart, Olivia. And to do this, I need your help.”
Ian saw that Olivia’s face turned rigid. She seemed
confused. Shaking her head, she replied, “No. Uncle, I would
do anything for you. You know that. But this is one thing I
can’t do.”
“May I ask why?”
“If you asked me two weeks ago, I would’ve told you that
it’s because Miss Pendleton doesn’t suit you. This is what I
believed even before she arrived here. After I heard about her
parents, I felt even more certain about it. I didn’t want an
aunt like that. But now… things are different.”
Olivia bit her lip. She became quiet, but Ian didn’t prod her.
He waited patiently, and after a short silence, she continued,
“Miss Pendleton is very kind and soft- spoken. But there was
one time, just once, when she showed me an unyielding side
of her. It was when she talked about marriage. She told me
she would never stray from her social class. She was as
serious as a judge in a courtroom. If she finds out about how
you feel, she might give up being our governess and leave our
home. If that happens, I…”
Olivia’s face crumpled as if she was about to burst into
tears. “I don’t want her to leave Dunville Park, Uncle!”
Ian looked at Olivia quietly. It seemed that she was
shocked by what she had just said. This was the first time she
admitted how she truly felt.
“Olivia, we both fear the same thing.”
“Pardon…?”
“I am also afraid every day that she might leave.”
Olivia looked dazed as Ian continued, “At this rate, Miss
Pendleton will leave this place someday. Little Ian will grow
up soon, and when he goes off to public school, there won’t be
any children for her to teach here unless your mother has
another baby. Miss Pendleton will move on to become
someone else’s governess. Or perhaps she’ll fall in love with
another man before that and get married.”
With a bitter smile, he added, “Ever since she arrived in
Danville Park, I’ve been having this same nightmare every
night.”
Olivia stared at her uncle’s face. His chin looked sharper
and his face looked pale. He had become even more brooding
lately, but she just thought he looked more handsome. But it
turned out that he lost weight from heartache. Olivia was
saddened by her uncle’s pain.
Ian walked to Olivia. Kneeling on one knee in front of her,
he took her hand. “I promise that I won’t let your teacher
leave. I’m going to make her my wife because it’s the only
thing that will make me happy.
So…”
With a small smile, he requested, “Lady Fairfax, please
help me.”
Olivia slumped forward. “I’ll… think about it.”
As if she was a lady he met at a ball, Ian politely kissed his
niece’s hand.

***

That evening, Olivia went upstairs after dinner. After her

maid changed her into a nightshirt and brushed her hair, she
sat in front of her vanity. There, she thought over her
conversation with her uncle.
Olivia would’ve flat-out refused him if he had asked for
help several weeks ago. She would’ve become angry that he
would make such a request. She might have even become
resentful toward Miss Pendleton.
But at the moment, Olivia wasn’t angry. In fact, she felt
torn about what she must do. She shook her head,
remembering how determined she used to be about
preventing her uncle from marrying her governess. So why
did she feel differently now?
Their union was unthinkable. Her uncle was the richest
and most respected gentleman in all of Yorkshire, so he
couldn’t marry Miss Pendleton, a penniless spinster who was
born a bastard. Olivia knew the right thing to do was to stop
him.
But the image of Miss Pendleton kept popping into her
head. At this moment, her governess was probably playing
chess with her father or a card game with her brothers. Miss
Pendleton was so loving, and Olivia sighed deeply.
If all she felt for her teacher was pity, she would’ve helped
Miss Pendleton in a different way other than marrying her
uncle. But Olivia no longer sympathized with Miss Pendleton.
Instead, she admired, respected, and loved her teacher.
Not too long ago, Olivia offered Miss Pendleton to
introduce men from the middle class. She listed a pharmacist,
tailor, and merchant at the time. Olivia shuddered at the
thought. She felt like she had insulted Miss Pendleton by even
considering them suitable. These were decent men, of course,
but they were not close to being worthy of a lady like Miss
Pendleton.
No matter how much I think about this, the only man who
suits her is my uncle.
Olivia buried her face in her hands. If her uncle married
her teacher, he would face many troubles. House Dalton, the
most prestigious family in Yorkshire for hundreds of years,
was going to be at the center of gossip for the first time in
history. Her uncle’s children were also going to be talked
about.
But Olivia didn’t doubt her uncle would overcome this
easily.
More importantly, if he marries Miss Pendleton, she’ll become
my aunt!
Such an idea was too attractive to ignore. Olivia imagined
Miss Pendleton and her uncle visiting her on her birthday
every year, their arms full of presents for her. She would get
to see them every Christmas and perhaps even pick
strawberries with them every spring. If Miss Pendleton and
her uncle had a child, Olivia would be asked to attend the
baby’s christening ceremony and birthday parties.
And maybe… maybe… If they have a daughter, they might ask
me to name her after me!
This last thought was enough to sway Olivia. Everyone
would admire Miss Pendleton’s beautiful baby girl, and they
would ask what her name is. Miss Pendleton would reply,
“Olivia. Her name is Olivia Dalton. I named her after Miss
Olivia Fairfax, who is my special friend and the lady from my
husband’s side of the family.”
The very next day, Olivia sent a letter to her uncle in
Whitefield. The content of the letter was very short and direct.
 Uncle, what would you like me to do?

***

One late morning, Laura and Olivia were taking a stroll when
Olivia asked, “Miss Pendleton, won’t you visit my uncle’s
house with me?”
Laura was breathing in the fresh air laced with the scent of
the fir trees. Surprised by the unexpected question, she
murmured, “…Your uncle’s place?”
“Our library is missing many of the books from the new
list you gave me. It will take over two weeks to get them
ordered from the bookstore. I’m sure my uncle’s library has
them.”
Laura tilted her head in confusion.
“Couldn’t you ask one of the servants to get them for
you?”
“But that won’t be fun.”
“Ah, you want to go on an outing.”
Olivia smiled and nodded. Laura smiled back awkwardly. It
had been her wish to see the beautiful Whitefield ever since
Mr. Dalton described it to her in London. Living in Dunville
Park now, she was closer to his residence than she ever was,
but Laura didn’t welcome the idea of visiting the place.
She had no doubt Whitefield would be lovely. Laura could
tell from looking at the painting he gave me. But Whitefield
was where Mr. Dalton was residing. More than that,
Whitefield was Ian Dalton himself. It was where he grew up
and loved as his own child. Laura was afraid that if she fell in
love with it too, it would be much more difficult to suppress
her feelings for him. Visiting his home would be like allowing
a ray of warm sun to shine on the emotions she buried deep
inside of her.
Laura frowned without thinking. She hated herself a little
whenever she became conscious of these unwanted feelings.
When Miss Pendleton looked unconvinced, Olivia became
nervous. She began begging, “Please Miss Pendleton! If I go
alone, my mother won’t let me use the carriage because I’ve
stayed in my uncle’s place for too many days in the past. The
last time I did this, she got annoyed because she couldn’t use
the carriage for herself.”
“Do you think she’ll let you use it if I accompany you?”
“Of course. If you go with me, we won’t be able to stay
overnight at my uncle’s house, right?”
Olivia grasped her teacher’s hand and continued to
implore. They have gotten so close that it was normal for
them to hug and hold hands now. Laura found it difficult to
say no since Olivia looked so desperate. So she decided to ask
Mrs. Fairfax if Olivia could be allowed to go alone.
 Chapter 84

After breakfast, Laura went to Mrs. Fairfax to request her

permission. Mrs. Fairfax had always had a nonchalant
attitude toward her children’s affairs, so Laura was surprised
that she flat-out refused.
Mrs. Fairfax explained, “Whenever Olivia visits Whitefield,
she never returns home the same day. At first, she stayed
there for a day or two, claiming she needed to copy one of the
drawings there. Then, she didn’t come back for three days,
saying she was invited to the parsonage. The last time she
went to her uncle’s, she stayed there for four days because
she needed to play chess with Ian every evening. She seems to
be staying there longer and longer. She even missed her art
and music lessons more than once.”
“Oh my…” Laura sighed and turned toward Olivia. “Are
you sure you want to go to Whitefield?”
“Yes! Yes! I really do, Miss Pendleton!” Olivia raised her
fist like a general, making Laura flinch in surprise.
When Mrs. Fairfax coughed and gave her daughter a
warning look, Olivia lowered her hand and glanced at Laura
nervously. Laura felt that there was something odd going on,
so she looked at Mrs. Fairfax and Olivia back and forth.
 Mrs. Fairfax quickly continued, “Anyway, you’re not
allowed to go to Whitefield alone, Olivia. You must wait until
we go there as a family next time.”
Olivia’s shoulders slumped, her face filling with sadness as
if she was about to cry. Laura felt so sympathetic toward
Olivia that she forgot all about the odd look Mrs. Fairfax and
Olivia exchanged. After thinking for a moment, Laura
announced, “Then I’ll accompany Miss Fairfax to
Whitefield.”
“Oh goodness, but I can’t inconvenience you like this,
Miss Pendleton…”
“No, it’s no trouble at all, Mrs. Fairfax. When I was in
London, Mr. Dalton would attend my tea parties even on rainy
days. I’m happy that I finally have the chance to return the
favor.”
“If you insist.” Mrs. Fairfax smiled graciously and picked
up the bell sitting on the side table. When she rang it, a
servant in uniform appeared through the door. She ordered,
“Get the carriage ready. Olivia and Miss Pendleton are going
to visit Whitefield today.”
The servant bowed respectfully and left.
Laura couldn’t hide her surprise as she stammered, “U…
umm, Mrs. Fairfax.”
“Yes, Miss Pendleton?”
“I didn’t realize we were going to go right away… I thought
it would be next week at the earliest. I’m sure we should ask
for Mr. Dalton’s permission and…”
 “Permission? But we’re his family,” Mrs. Fairfax replied.
“That’s right! Uncle would be thrilled to have you… I…I
mean me since I’m his niece!” Olivia grabbed Laura’s hand
and pulled her out the door. She insisted on helping Laura
choose a dress to wear for this visit. Laura was dragged to her
room, and things happened so fast that she didn’t even get
the chance to protest.
Per Olivia’s suggestion, Laura put on the brown silk dress
she rarely wore. It was an elegant piece, and she hadn’t worn
it once since she arrived at Dunville Park. Olivia even lent her
the ruby earrings from her jewelry box.
When the carriage was ready, the two ladies went
downstairs. Laura felt confused, realizing that she was being
swept away. When she woke up this morning, she had no idea
she would be going to Whitefield today. She couldn’t
understand how this could’ve happened.
I feel like I got caught up in a whirlwind created by Mrs. and
Miss Fairfaxes. Laura thought in confusion. When she reached
the first floor, Mrs. Fairfax was waiting for them wrapped in a
thick shawl. She was ready to walk them out.
Fairfax said in excitement, “Please take your time and
have fun, Miss Pendleton.
You must have dinner there as well.”
“We can’t inconvenience Mr. Dalton like that. We’ll be
back before dinner time.”
“Hmm, maybe it will rain…” Mrs. Fairfax sounded hopeful.
 When Laura and Oliva entered the carriage, the groom
snapped the reins. The carriage began moving, and Olivia and
Laura poked their heads out the window. Mrs. Fairfax waved
at them, and the ladies waved back. They did this until they
were out of sight.
The carriage moved quickly along the path as it left
Dunville Park. Even though the windows were closed, the
tapping sound of the branches and leaves against them rang
loudly inside. It reminded Laura of the day she first arrived
here. She couldn’t believe that it had already been two
months.
Sitting across from her, Olivia was humming in
anticipation. Laura smiled, happy to see how excited Olivia
was to visit her uncle. She admitted to herself that she was
secretly thrilled as well. She had been feeling vaguely hesitant
in the past, but now, she looked forward to seeing Whitefield
and its owner Mr. Dalton.
I wonder what he’s like in his own home. Laura wondered.
When the carriage left Dunville Park, an open view of green
fields and blue mountain tops appeared. There were sheep
eating grass far away and the shepherd watching over them,
and the summer sun shone on the sparkling lake nearby.
It was such a lovely drive. The carriage crossed the arch-
shaped bridge across the shallow brook, and it continued on
for a while longer. Laura and Olivia chatted from time to time,
but they mostly sat quietly to enjoy the view outside. The
sight of pristine nature mesmerized Laura.
 Yorkshire was a beautiful place. It wasn’t as modern as
London, but it possessed the beauty of untouched nature.
When Mr. Dalton was in London, he dreamt of returning
home. Laura could now understand why he felt this way.
Compared to the magic of these mountains and fields, the
debauchery of the city looked like just meaningless pleasure.
They rode inside the carriage for another hour to enter a
village. It was an eclectic little town filled with various
buildings including a small general store and a mill.
Olivia announced, “We’ll be arriving in Whitefield soon,
Miss Pendleton.”
Laura nodded. The carriage passed by the church in the
middle of the town and the graveyard attached to it. Olivia
was looking out the window when she suddenly yelled for the
groom to stop. She poked her head out and yelled, “Mrs.
Starr!”
A woman who was holding a large bouquet of flowers and
walking toward the church turned around. Wearing a
flowerpattern chiffon dress, she was very slim. She seemed to
recognize who called out because she smiled brightly and
trotted toward the carriage.
“Miss Fairfax!” Mrs. Starr curtsied politely. Olivia inquired
Mrs. Starr about the parsonage, and Laura quickly guessed
that Mrs. Starr must be Whitefield’s pastor’s wife.
Mrs. Starr was a homely woman, but with sky-blue eyes,
abundant red hair, and porcelain skin, she looked attractive.
She was very expressive, perhaps a little too cheerful for a
pastor’s wife, but her elegant tone and genuine smile were
enough to put people at ease.
Olivia made the introduction. “Mrs. Starr, this is my
governess Miss Laura
Pendleton. Miss Pendleton, this is the new pastor’s wife
Mrs. Olivia Starr.”
“Ah, you two have the same name,” Laura commented.
Oliva nodded. “Yes, that’s why we became close so fast.”
Laura bowed lightly to Mrs. Starr, who smiled. Olivia
added, “Ah, and Miss Pendleton is my uncle’s friend as well,
Mrs. Starr.”
“You mean Mr. William Fairfax?” asked
Mrs. Starr.
Olivia explained, “Both Uncle William and Uncle Ian. It
was actually Uncle Ian who introduced her to our family.
We’ve received a formal invitation from Uncle Ian, so we’re
on our way to Whitefield Hall right now.”
Mrs. Starr’s eyes widened as she turned toward Laura. The
look of mild interest quickly turned into reverence as she
replied, “It’s such a pleasure to meet Mr. Ian Dalton’s friend.
Any friend of his is our friend, of course. I hope you’ll visit me
and my husband for tea with Miss Fairfax someday. Our
housekeeper makes incredible berry cakes. You won’t be
disappointed.”
“I’m honored by your invitation, Mrs. Starr. I’ll make sure
to visit, of course,” Laura replied.
 “Then I’ll send an invitation to you and Miss Fairfax
before the end of this month! You must accept it! You must!”
Mrs. Starr insisted.
When Laura nodded, Mrs. Starr made a few more cheerful
comments before leaving. Laura smiled and said to Olivia,
“She’s a very social lady, isn’t she?”
“Absolutely. When you visit her, she probably won’t let
you for a whole day. She loves my uncle. Ah, but not as a man,
of course. The pastor and Mrs. Starr are madly in love after
all. They’re so affectionate with each other that people tease
them about it all the time.”
Olivia was excited about being on an outing with her
teacher. She continued to gossip about the people living in her
uncle’s town. “Miss Cofield, a member of the choir, told me
that she saw Mr. and Mrs. Starr kissing one spring near the
strawberry field. She was picking strawberries with her
friends, and apparently, the pastor and his wife were taking a
walk. Miss Cofield was about to greet them when suddenly,
they began kissing. And it wasn’t just a regular kiss. It was the
French kind! You know, the one where you use your tongue…”
“Miss Fairfax.”
When Laura gave a quiet warning, Olivia realized that she
made a mistake. Olivia coughed in embarrassment before
adding, “Anyway, Mrs. Starr has a great respect for my uncle.
But then, everyone in this town feels that way. ”
“Mrs. Dalton must have a great reputation.”
 “Of course. Uncle Ian is a hard-working landlord. He
interacts with the villagers often and helps them all the time.
People say he’s a great gentleman.”
As their carriage left the village, vast farming lands and
the farmers’ cottages began to appear. Olivia pointed out each
farm and talked about the specific crops and livestocks that
were raised in it.
Laura asked in surprise, “How do you know about all these
things?”
“My uncle told me.”
“Ah, you mentioned that Mr. Dalton is close to all the
farmers.”
“They’re more than close. They’re practically family.
Uncle Ian knows everything about all the farmers’ families
and their situations. He gets invited to their homes often and
never forgets to attend the christening ceremonies for their
babies. He also consults the farmers about making new
investments.”
While Olivia chattered, the carriage left the farming lands
and entered the path lined by trees. The branches were so
thick that they created enough shadows to darken the inside
of the carriage. Looking at the small stream and grassy area
beyond the trees, Laura smiled. What a pleasant place.
When the path ended, they passed by a small field before
entering a forest. Suddenly, Laura’s smile disappeared. Her
gray eyes widened and her pink lips opened in surprise as she
saw countless birch trees cover the entire forest.
 Chapter 85

Laura sat closer to the window. The forest seemed to be

endless; the birch trees were growing so densely that she
couldn’t see anything between them. Its vast whiteness
blinded her.
Olivia said something proudly, but Laura couldn’t hear
anything. She felt hypnotized by the scene she had never seen
before. The Dunville Park forest was magnificent and
primitive. Large trees, thick bushes, wildflowers, and berries
created an overwhelming scene of greenness. Laura felt
invigorated whenever she roamed it.
But the forest of Whitefield was very different. It looked
dreamy and mysterious as if she was in another world. The
contrast between the black knars against the snow-white
bark was shocking to the eyes. Above them, the broken pieces
of sunshine gleamed on the fresh green leaves. The light blue
sky of Yorkshire created the perfect roof for this majestic
forest.
If the forest in Dunville Park was God’s playground, the
one in Whitefield had to be his greatest art piece.
During the ten-minute ride through the birth tree forest,
Laura stared out the window silently. She was afraid to blink
because she didn’t want to miss a second of it. She wished to
hold the beautiful scene in her eyes as long as possible so that
she could remember it forever.
But just as all good things must come to an end, the
carriage finally left the birch tree forest. It began running
across the bridge above a stream, and Laura realized that she
was enthralled by Whitefield. Her heart was pounding wildly.
Laura breathed in deeply to control her emotions.
Thankfully, the neat garden outside the window made her feel
much calmer. She put on her usual serene smile and offered
Olivia a smooth compliment about the birch tree forest.
The carriage stopped in front of a mansion and the two
ladies stepped down. Laura slowly looked up at the building,
and she became in awe again. Whitefield Hall was a wide five-
story structure with distinctly angular architecture. There
were also smooth curves in various places including the first-
floor stairs, the balcony on the second floor, and five Greek
columns. There were also statues of goddesses on the terrace,
their rams raised high to reach for the sky.
It was rare to find a building with authentic Greek
architecture such as this. Laura looked at Whitefield Hall for a
while, fascinated by its charm. I can understand why Mr. Dalton
is so proud of it. Anyone who calls this place home wouldn’t be
able to help but feel great affection for it. It’s no wonder he couldn
I stop thinking about this place when he was in London.
Laura was still staring at the mansion when Olivia yelled at
the front door, “Mr. Ramswick!”
 Laura turned toward the front door with a jolt. The giant
entrance with a black door knob opened, and a man in a black
suit walked out. The small man with thick white hair looked
confused as he stood in front of Olivia. He greeted, “Good day,
Miss. What brings you here so suddenly?!”
“I came here to visit, of course! It has been almost a year
since I saw you last winter. How are your knees?”
“Much better thanks to you, Miss.”
Olivia raised her hand to gesture toward Laura and made
the introduction. “Mr. Ramswick, this is my family’s new
governess. Her name is Miss Laura Pendleton.”
Ramswick immediately bowed. “How do you do? I’m
Whitefield Hall’s butler Ramswick.”
Laura curtsied and bowed lightly. “How do you do, Sir?”
“My master has told me that Dunville Park received a new
governess. He informed me that you have helped him a great
deal during his stay in London.”
“Mr. Dalton has helped me just as much.”
Olivia glanced behind Ramwick and asked, “Where is
Uncle Ian?”
“He’s having a meeting with his lawyer.”
“Ah, really?” Olivia tilted her head as if she found
something odd.
Ramswick turned toward Laura and continued, “We have
been very much looking forward to your visit, Miss Pendleton.
Please come in. I’ll show you around Whitefield Hall until Mr.
Dalton is available.”
 “I’m honored by this rare opportunity. Isn’t this place
famous for not accepting any visitors for a tour?” asked
Laura.
“Indeed. Please, this way.”
Olivia touched Laura’s arm and announced, “Miss
Pendleton, I’m going to go to the garden to look at the
flowers. You have fun touring the place, and we’ll meet in the
library later.”
Olivia seemed very familiar with the place as she ran away
to the back of the building.
Laura and Ramswick entered the mansion. When they
passed by the first- floor hallway, a door appeared. Ramswick
opened it wide, revealing a wide and long room behind it.
Laura quickly realized that it was a long gallery.
She took a step inside, seeing hundreds of paintings
hanging along the extended wall. She slowly followed
Ramswick to enjoy the art pieces. As she studied the various-
sized paintings, she noticed something odd.
Most noble mansions hung portraits of their ancestors and
the members of royalty. But here in Whitefield Hall, the long
gallery was filled with paintings of landscapes and still life.
“House Dalton has valued art for many generations. It
became a family hobby to collect fine arts. The former master
especially enjoyed visiting Europe and bringing back various
sculptures and paintings,” Ramswick explained.
Laura looked at the paintings carefully. She was raised by
her grandmother who was an enthusiast of art, so she had an
eye for good art. Laura instantly realized that all the pieces
hanging in Whitefield Hall gallery were high-quality works.
Some pieces in particular were painted by artists who recently
became famous in France and Italy. Laura was impressed by
the former Dalton masters who must’ve seen these painters’
potential early on.
Ramswick showed Laura the second-floor space that
included a living room and a dining room. She followed him
quietly, feeling like she was visiting an art museum. Paintings
hung on every wall and beautiful statues stood in every
corner. Even the furniture and the window frames looked
elegant. Not only were they beautiful, but she could tell that
they were also treasured over a long period of time.
After a thirty-minute tour of the mansion, Laura felt
energized. Everywhere she looked, she was greeted by
beautiful things that were assigned in the places that created
perfect harmony. Whitefield Hall wasn’t just a simple house
but an art gallery.
It’s no wonder Mr. Dalton fell in love with art. Laura thought
quietly.
After touring the entire mansion, Ramswick guided Laura
to the second- floor library where she was supposed to join
Olivia. When the double door opened, Laura became
speechless at what she saw inside. A shocking awe shook her
to her core.
The library inside Whitefield Hall reminded her of a
university library. On every wall was a bookshelf that reached
the ceiling. Each shelf was stacked with books, and there was
even an elephant ladder. The library was extended to the third
floor which could be reached by the stairs between the
shelves. The third floor held just as many books as the second
floor.
Laura scanned the library. Everywhere she looked, her eyes
landed on books. The only place she saw so many books was
the giant book rental store in London. This store was built to
serve the entire population of London, but this library was
located on private land. She had never heard of a family
owning this many books.
Laura’s heart pounded hard. She was looking around
feeling a little confused when she heard Olivia’s voice.
“Miss Pendleton!”
Laura turned toward the sound and saw Olivia waving at
her. Olivia was sitting at one of the desks in the corner.
Several books were placed in a neat stack next to her, and
there was a pretty teapot with a rose pattern and some
cookies nearby.
Laura walked to Olivia, who asked, “Did you get to see all
of the mansion?”
“Yes, it’s a very beautiful place.”
“Absolutely! You should have a look at the garden too
when you get a chance. There are many rare plants and
flowers there. They’re all very pretty.”
“I don’t doubt it, Miss Fairfax. But I’m most impressed by
this library. How could there be so many books here…?”
 Ramswick, who was standing nearby, explained, “There
are several tens of thousands of books that were collected by
the former masters during the last few centuries. A fifth of
these books were actually gathered by the current Mr. Dalton.
He believed that there were too many paintings and statues in
this household, so he wanted to balance it out by collecting
more books. He explained that sensibility must be supported
by the intellect.”
Ramswick added, “Every book here is being shared with
Dunville Park. If you need anything from here, you’re free to
borrow them, Miss Pendleton.”
Laura’s eyes twinkled and a smile spread on her lips. She
couldn’t hide her pleasure as she murmured, “Thank you, Mr.
Ramswick.”
Laura touched Olivia’s shoulder gently and asked, “Miss
Fairfax, would you mind if I go look around?”
“Not at all.”
Laura trotted away into a deep corner and began looking
through the books. When she was far away, Olivia gestured
for Ramswick, who leaned closer. Olivia whispered in his ear,
“Did you hear from my uncle?”
“Hear what, Miss?”
Olivia frowned. “Geez, Uncle Ian should’ve given you a
heads up… Mr. Ramswick, Miss Pendleton is the one my uncle
likes.”
Ramswick turned to look at Laura who had her back
toward them. She was busy reading a book, and a few strands
of her beautiful strawberry hair escaped over her slim neck.
Suddenly, Ramswick remembered the lady Ian Dalton drew in
his book. More than once, he saw his master mooning over
this sketch.
He exclaimed, “Ah! That’s why she looked so familiar!”
Olivia put her finger on her lips and whispered, “Hush!”
Ramswick closed his mouth and glanced at Laura
nervously. Luckily, Laura was still preoccupied with a
leather-bound book in her hand.
 Chapter 86

Ramswick sighed in relief, but a worried frown appeared on

his face. “Why didn’t Master Dalton tell me about something
so important? If I had known that future Mrs. Dalton was
coming today, I would’ve cleaned the mansion more
thoroughly. And I could’ve shown her a dozen more beautiful
rooms.”
“Hmm, I think that maybe he was worried you might make
a fuss. Besides, you’re too honest to lie, Mr. Ramswick. Just
forget what I told you. By the way, when will his meeting with
the lawyer end?” asked Olivia.
“I’m sure it’s almost over now, Miss.”
Olivia clicked her tongue. “He insisted that I bring Miss
Pendleton here today, so why is he working?”
“Are you saying this visit was planned?”
“Absolutely. Do you have any idea how hard my mother
and I had to work to come up with this plan?”
Ramswick explained, “Mr. Dalton probably couldn’t
postpone this meeting. His lawyer and property manager
have been visiting him often lately. They usually talk for
several hours at a time.”
“Talk about what?”
 “I don’t know, Miss. I assumed it’s about his business.”
Olivia wasn’t interested in her uncle’s business, so she
turned to look at Miss Pendleton again. Laura had forgotten
about the butler and her pupil because she was so engrossed
in a book.
Olivia asked the butler, “Anyway, did Miss Pendleton seem
to like Whitefield Hall?”
“Yes, she seemed especially impressed by the long gallery.
I think she has an eye for art.”
Olivia replied proudly, “That’s no surprise. She was
educated in the best all-girls school in the country. And she
was a lady who belonged to London society for over twelve
years. It’s no wonder she has very good taste.”
“My goodness, why would such an important lady be
working as a governess?” Ramswick was surprised.
Olivia groaned with a sigh. “You’re going to cry when you
hear her story.”
Ramswick looked at Olivia in confusion. She gestured for
him to come closer, and when he leaned forward, she began
whispering quickly.
Meanwhile, Laura was still in her own world. She could
barely hide her excitement as she closed the book Leviathan
by Thomas Hobbes. She first read it per the principal’s
recommendation when she was still in school. Looking down
at the book after over a decade, she felt a little emotional.
Ill read it when I get home. Laura hugged the book with both
hands and began walking. There was a library in Dunville Park
too, but it was a much smaller one. In addition, the books
there were in terrible condition with many missing pages and
damaged covers. Some even had mold inside and out. Afraid
she might ruin them further, Laura had refrained from
reading them.
She roamed the library to search for the books on the list
she gave Olivia. She was shocked to find these books in less
than five minutes even though there were tens of thousands
of books in the library. It was all thanks to the fact that the
books were categorized systemically by their genre and the
name of the author.
All the books she looked at were in excellent condition.
Some of the older books had turned yellow, but they were
clean with not a single particle of dust in sight. It must’ve
taken the servants much effort to maintain them this
impeccably.
Collecting this many books must’ve been hard work, but it
would’ve been even harder to keep them in such good
condition. As an avid reader, Laura felt great respect for the
previous masters of House Dalton and the current Mr. Dalton.
She strolled inside the library as if she was in a beautiful
garden. She selected two more books, which were Faust by
Goethe and Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. When she was done
looking, she returned to Olivia.
Ramswick and Olivia were hunched over toward each other
and whispering with serious faces. When they heard Laura’s
footsteps, they quickly paused. With his usual kind smile,
Ramswick pulled out a chair for her and poured her a cup of
tea. After explaining that he needed to check on dinner, he
left the library.
While sipping on her tea, Laura showed her pupil all the
books she selected. Olivia was excited about the books she
was going to read, but she was also curious about what kind
of books her teacher chose for herself. Laura was happy to
show them to her.
“Leviathan? I’ve never heard about it.
Umm, is it in Italian…? And Mansfield Park?That’s Jane
Austen’s story, isn’t it?” asked Olivia.
“That’s right. Jane Austen is my favorite author.”
“I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, but I didn’t like her other
stories. Persuasion was boring, and I couldn’t even finish
Mansfield Park. I prefer novels like Jane Eyre and Tess of the
D’urbervilles.”
“You’ll feel different about Persuasion when you read it as
an adult. But if you didn’t enjoy Mansfield Park now, I don’t
think you’ll like it later either. For me, Mansfield Park is by far
my favorite of Jane Austen’s work.”
Olivia stared at the book Mansfield Park which had a thick
leather cover. She couldn’t believe that this was her teacher’s
favorite book. She felt like perhaps she should give it another
shot. She suspected that there must be something very special
about this novel that she had missed.
“Miss Pendleton, when we get back to Dunville Park, can
I…” Olivia was about to ask a question when they heard
someone at the door.
“Ladies, I hope you’re all having a good time here?”
Olivia and Laura turned to find Ian Dalton, the master of
this grand house and the white birch tree forest they passed
by on the way. He was wearing a formal brown suit with a tie.
His eyes were as black as the birch tree knars as he gazed at
the two ladies. His lips held a smile more beautiful than any
painting in the long gallery.
Ian walked to the ladies, who rose and curtsied
respectfully. Mr. Dalton announced, “Miss Pendleton, what a
pleasant surprise to see you here. I thought inviting you here
was going to be harder than turning a lump of coal into
obsidian.”
“Mrs. Fairfax wouldn’t allow Miss Fairfax to travel alone,”
Laura answered.
“It sounds like my sister and Olivia made my dream come
true then,” Mr. Dalton replied lightly before smiling at Olivia.
“It’s nice to see you here in Whitefield, Olivia. It has been so
long. How’s your mother?”
“She’s doing well. Ah, but she has been putting more and
more firewood in the fireplace.”
“That’s troubling since it’s only going to get colder,” Mr.
Dalton mumbled. He then glanced at the desk and
commented, “I’m curious about what titles you chose for
yourselves.”
Laura showed him the books. Ian scanned them with a
small smile, but when he saw Mansfield Park, a confused look
appeared on his face. He asked, “Did you choose this for
Olivia?”
“No, I’m going to read it myself,” Laura replied.
“Will you be upset if I try to stop you?”
“Not at all, but I’m curious why you would do such a
thing.”
Mr. Dalton explained, “Because this is the most boring
story of all of Jane Austen’s work. I’m guessing that many
unhappy events occurred in the author’s life when she was
writing this particular novel. That’s the only possible
explanation why the writer who wrote a masterpiece like
Emma wrote such a terrible book.”
Laura burst into laughter while Olivia turned pale. Olivia
whispered, “But Uncle, that novel is…”
Worried that her uncle might upset her teacher, Olivia
tried to stop him. But Laura quietly shook her head at her
pupil. She replied, “I didn’t realize you feel so strongly about
Mansfield Park, Mr.
Dalton. I haven’t read any of Jane Austen’s books yet.
Would you make a recommendation for me?”
Mr. Dalton rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment
before shaking his head. “That’s not an easy task. All of her
heroines tend to be foolish, and the endings are rather
unimaginative. But Persuasion wasn’t half bad.”
“Ah, so Persuasion is the only decent work Jane Austen
wrote.”
 “Yes. Anne Elliot was the most mature character Austen
created. The rest are pathetic and slow…”
“Uncle!” Olivia shouted. When Ian gave her a confused
look, she quickly explained.
Mr. Dalton became flustered, “Miss
Pendleton, I apologize. Please forgive me.”
Smiling widely, Laura shook her head. “I was the one who
led you on, so there’s no need to apologize, Mr. Dalton. I
didn’t tell you that I have read them all because I wanted to
hear your honest opinion.
Please tell me why you detest Austen’s heroines so much. I
really would like to hear it.”
Mr. Dalton laughed with a frown. “You have a knack for
unsettling me sometimes, Miss Pendleton. Alright, since you
have already found out about my view regarding Austen, I
might as well be brutally honest. But we must go have dinner
first. I believe it’s ready.”
The gentleman and two ladies left the library together. The
dining room in Whitefield was an immaculate place like a
freshly cleaned porcelain base. Covered in a white cloth, the
ten-seater dining table was set with shiny silver utensils. The
table was also decorated with several snow-white vases filled
with summer flowers. Their scent was heavenly, and through
the giant window nearby, the beautiful view of Whitefield
could be seen.
When the three of them sat down, food began to be served.
Dinner began with steaming mushroom soup and cold salad
followed by pheasant, flounder dish, chicken pot pie, and rice
pudding.
Running around Whitefield had made Laura hungry, so
she was glad for the food. While Mr. Dalton asked Olivia about
how the Fairfax family was faring, Laura ate her dinner with
enthusiasm.
As soon as she took her first bite, she knew that the cook in
Whitefield must be very skilled. All the sauces were seasoned
well, and the meats were cooked perfectly.
After hearing everything about the Fairfax family,
including how Mr. Fairfax’s back pain worsened when it
rained and little Ian began walking, Mr. Dalton finally turned
toward Laura. He asked, “Miss Pendleton, is the food to your
liking?”
 Chapter 87

Laura replied, “Yes, very much so. You have an excellent

cook.”
Mr. Dalton smiled at her compliment. “I’m sure Phillip
will be honored to hear that he was able to satisfy a lady from
London.”
“I may be overstepping my bounds here, but if I were you,
I would give your cook a raise every year. I’m certain the other
wealthy people around this neighborhood are eyeing Mr.
Phillip.”
Mr. Dalton explained, “They’ll have to pay a fortune to
take Phillip from Whitefield. Phillip used to work for Viscount
Richardson before. There, he had twelve cooks underneath
him and was paid as much as a French chef. But there was a
reason why he was paid so much. His former employer was an
obsessive socialite who held at least twelve balls every month
and a formal dinner every night. Phillip had to prepare a
thirtycourse meal every single day, and he couldn’t take it
anymore. Viscount Richardson offered to pay him a yearly
salary of five hundred pounds, but Phillip refused and came to
work for me.”
 “I suppose that makes sense since you aren’t the type to
torment an employee with frequent balls and formal
dinners.”
“Apparently, Phillip claimed that he decided to work in
Whitefield because he heard its master resembles the ghost-
like character Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens’s Great
Expectation.”
Laura laughed. “Miss Havisham? What a cruel comparison.
But I was told you have an excellent reputation in Yorkshire,
Mr. Dalton.”
“I’m sure someone I offended in the past spread such a
rumor. It doesn’t really bother me.”
“So is Mr. Phillip happy with his position here?”
“I’ve never asked him in person, but he was as thin as a
rake when he first came here. Now, he looks like a chubby
little hamster adored by a young child. I’m sure his life is
much easier now since he only has to feed an antisocial
master and twenty-seven servants.”
Olivia chimed in, “Uncle, are you sure Mr. Phillip isn’t
interested in moving? My father will pay him twice his
current salary if he comes to work for Dunville Park. You
know how my father fell in love with Mr. Phillip’s barbeque.”
“I’m sure he’s not going anywhere. He purchased one of
the farms in Whitefield recently and began an herb farm. It
looks like he plans on staying here till his dying day.”
The dinner ended and the three of them left the dining
room for tea and dessert. Mr. Dalton escorted the ladies to the
first- floor terrace overlooking the garden. The large tea table
stood in front of stone stairs and was surrounded by
blooming rose bushes with healthy green leaves. The lovely
rose scent mixed with the warm air to create a romantic
atmosphere. It was a perfect spot to enjoy tea.
When they sat down, a servant in a uniform arrived
pushing a silver cart. Wearing white gloves, he expertly
moved the tea set and desserts onto the table. Soon, the table
became filled with elaborately-decorated round plates, white
napkins, a three-level birdcage-shaped dessert tray, a golden
cake stand, a porcelain teapot with a lilac pattern, and silver
tongs.
The delicious smell of desserts was enticing. Laura saw
that the dessert tray was adorned with raspberry
millefeuilles, English macarons, and buttermilk scones. A
thick walnut coffee cake stood on the cake stand proudly.
When the servant bowed and left, Mr. Dalton poured Laura
and Olivia some tea. He then added a little bit of milk to
Laura’s teacup, making her smile. She had a weak digestive
system, so she always added milk to her black tea, and it
seemed Mr. Dalton remembered.
After placing a lemon wedge in Olivia’s cup, he cut
generous pieces of walnut cake and placed them on the plates
for the ladies. His manners were excellent, unbefitting of his
nickname Miss Havisham.
Enjoying her cake, Laura requested, “I believe it’s time for
you to enlighten me, Mr. Dalton.”
 “What do you mean?” Mr. Dalton shrugged and pretended
ignorance.
“You must tell the reason why you don’t like Austen’s
novels.”
“Haa, I prayed that you would forget all about that during
dinner, but it seems God has forsaken me, Miss Pendleton.”
“Unfortunately, God has given me an excellent memory.
Now, please continue. Why do you find Austen’s heroines so
lacking?”
“Miss Pendleton, I’m begging you. Please withdraw this
request. You know I can never refuse you,” Mr. Dalton
begged.
“If my request is intended to upset you, I certainly would.
But I believe that this topic will bring us excellent
entertainment for our tea time. So could you tell me why you
wish to escape this conversation?”
“Firstly, I am terribly embarrassed by my mistake. I may
not be kind or sensitive, but I am not insensitive enough to
belittle another person’s taste in books. In fact, I have always
hated those who behaved this way. But it turns out that I’ve
inadvertently behaved rudely toward you. It’s especially
upsetting since you are my very special friend, Miss
Pendleton. Just remembering what I did earlier is making me
blush. I was very careless, and I’m afraid the mere mention of
Austen will torment me from now on.”
Mr. Dalton sipped his black tea with lemon and continued,
“Secondly, I do not wish to upset you, Miss Pendleton. All
book lovers consider their favorite characters their friends.
The heroines like Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Woodhouse, the
Dashwood sisters, Fanny Price, Catherine Morland, and Anne
Elliot must’ve received your affection over the years. So for
me to criticize them would be like attacking your friends Miss
Hyde or Mrs. Morten in London. I’m certain my honest
thoughts will make you angry.”
After listening attentively, Laura smiled smoothly. “I’m
very sorry that your mistake earlier has caused you such
embarrassment. You claim you aren’t kind or sensitive, but
the fact that you feel this way proves otherwise. And I know
that no matter how many times I tell you not to, you’ll
continue to feel uneasy about this incident for a while. Those
with a pure heart tend to suffer longer from things like this.
But Mr. Dalton, I cannot in good conscience watch my dear
friend in pain like this. So will you allow me to say a few
words to make you feel better?”
The smile he gave Laura was teasing and playful. “My
answer will always be yes to all of your requests, Miss
Pendleton.”
“Thank you. Now, firstly, what happened earlier in the
library didn’t bother me one bit. To be honest, I consider it
the most interesting event that happened during my visit
here today. Mr. Dalton, you’re a perfect gentleman who rarely
makes any mistakes. So I found it enjoyable to witness your
error in judgment. I’m especially happy that I was the
recipient of your slip.”
 “Why is that?”
“Because as our friendship continues, I’ll be able to tease
you about this, Mr.
Dalton. But if this incident upsets you, then I’ll lose this
rare opportunity to share a joke with you. You’ll try to avoid
the topic of Austen as much as possible, and even if I find it
entertaining, I would never bring it up if it makes you
uncomfortable. I believe that even the funniest joke can be
considered an assault if it hurts someone. But if we discuss
what had happened earlier over some tea, it will all turn into
an amusing mishap.”
“But Miss Pendleton, are you sure you’ll be okay? I’ve
been very rude about your taste in literature.”
“I like to think that I’m capable of separating my taste
from my ego. And no matter how much I treasure my favorite
characters, I understand that real friends of flesh and blood
are much more important. You’re a true friend to me, Mr.
Dalton. So how could I get upset over a few condemning
words toward fictional characters written a hundred years
ago? It will be quite the opposite. I would feel very lucky that I
found a gentleman friend who I can discuss Austen’s work
with.”
Mr. Dalton turned toward Olivia and asked, “Have you met
such a persuasive lady before?”
Olivia, who had been listening in astonishment, shook her
head. “I’m certain we won’t find another like her, Uncle.”
 Mr. Dalton raised his hands in surrender. “Then I give up.
I’ll do whatever you ask of me, Miss Pendleton. Your
thoughtfulness must have more power than a deadly sword.
You have convinced me that following your wish will make
everything all better.”
Laura blushed at his compliment. With another naughty
smile, Ian looked down at his cup. Seeing Miss Pendleton
blush made him blush as well. After taking a slow sip, he
regained control over his emotions. Putting on the mask of an
innocent friend, he continued, “Then I suppose it’s time for
me to tell you why I do not enjoy Austen’s novels.”
“You must be truthful, Mr. Dalton,” Laura insisted.
“Yes, of course. Only the truth.”
Laura and Olivia exchanged expectant looks. Mr. Dalton
crossed his legs and arms and began, “All of Austen’s
characters are fools. None of them are decent human beings.
Of her six novels, there are less than ten characters who set
good examples. Even worse, these good characters barely
make noticeable appearances in these books. Jane Austen
seemed to focus only on the idiots, and perhaps, I have this in
common with her. I tend to spot indecency in humans very
easily. But the difference is that while Austen had enough
patience to laugh it off, I cannot. I can’t stand the idiots of
this world. I detest them. Austen satirized these characters in
the most witty way, but instead of laughing at them, I can’t
help but frown in frustration.”
 Mr. Dalton shook his head and continued, “But if such
stupidity was limited only to the side characters, I wouldn’t
have minded so much. The biggest problem is that all of the
main characters in Austen’s novels are foolish too. Emma
Woodhouse and Elizabeth Bennet were idiots who believed
they were smart, while Catherine Morland couldn’t even
distinguish between the real and fictional worlds. Marianne
Dashwood mistook herself for a tragic heroine and ended up
ruining her sister’s reputation. Every time I read about these
characters’ imbecility, I felt the urge to throw the books into
the fireplace.”
 Chapter 88

Laura smiled when she saw Mr. Dalton’s frustration. For

some reason, she enjoyed his exasperation.
Laura replied, “In that sense, Austen is a true realist. After
all, people in real life are full of flaws, aren’t they? But you
omitted Elinor Dashwood and Fanny Price. What about
them?”
“Since Miss Fanny Price is from your favorite novel, I will
exclude her from my critique.”
Laura laughed. “If Miss Price knew how thoughtful you
are, I’m sure she would love to visit and have tea with us.
Now, please continue with Miss Elinor Dashwood.”
“She’s a dignified lady who knows how to take care of her
situation wisely. But her wisdom failed her when it came to
love. She was so naive that she suffered a heartache over an
indecisive fool like Edward Ferrars.”
Laura quickly disagreed, “How could you call Edward
Ferrars an indecisive fool? He was an excellent gentleman.”
“How so?”
“He gave up on true love to keep the promise he made to a
lady a long time ago when he was an immature young man.
He didn’t let his emotions dictate his decision, which was the
right thing to do. If he had broken his engagement with Lucy
Steele and chosen Miss Dashwood, Elinor would’ve been
disappointed in him. The readers wouldn’t have forgiven him
either.”
“I agree, Miss Pendleton. It would be an unscrupulous
deed to betray your fiancee who you promised to marry. But if
Edward hadn’t been an idiot, he wouldn’t have promised to
marry a shallow woman like Lucy Steele in the first place.”
Laura covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
She was a very forgiving woman, but even she couldn’t
defend Lucy Steele. It was impossible to deny the fact that this
character was an inexcusably shallow woman.
Laura replied, “Now then, it’s settled. You’re saying that
Emma and Lizzie are arrogant, Cathay is naive, and Marianne
and Elinor are foolish in their own ways? And our Fanny has
an unknown flaw you cannot discuss? Goodness, it seems that
none of my friends are up to your standard, Mr. Dalton. I’m
dreadfully embarrassed!”
Laura feigned an exaggerated disappointment. Knowing
that she was jesting, Mr. Dalton chuckled. But Olivia, who had
been listening anxiously, couldn’t help but feel concerned.
She believed that her uncle had upset Miss Pendleton. It was
no wonder since her uncle’s words were sharp and his tone
very sarcastic.
While she listened, Olivia wondered if her uncle had gone
mad. Miss Pendleton may have insisted on his honesty, but
how could any man criticize a lady’s taste in such a vicious
way? If she was in Miss Pendleton’s shoes, she would’ve
thrown her tea at her uncle.
Oliva stammered, “B…but Uncle, you said you like Anne
Elliot from Persuasion. You said she was very mature.”
Mr. Dalton nodded in agreement. “Anne Elliot was indeed
a gentle yet strong lady. She was intelligent, patient, and
wise. It was no surprise that Captain Wentworth fell in love
with her.”
Laura tilted her head. “Do you really think so?”
“I do.”
“That’s very interesting. But Anne Elliot rejected his love
per Lady Russell’s advice, didn’t she? I would say she was
very indecisive in this aspect.”
“I disagree. I think Lady Russell gave the right advice and
Anne Elliot was wise to accept it.”
“Why would you think so?” asked Laura.
“At the time, Wentworth was a poor naval officer with
nothing to his name. A job in the navy wasn’t considered a
good career, so I can’t understand why he would’ve proposed
to Miss Elliot. He had nothing, which meant that he couldn’t
guarantee a comfortable life to the woman he loves. It was
foolish of him to believe that a woman would choose him out
of love when he could barely make a living for himself. In the
end, he became a war hero and gained significant wealth, but
things could have gone very wrong. If they had gotten
married and a cannon hit his ship, he would’ve left Anne
Elliot a widower with nothing but his cold corpse.”
 “Mr. Dalton, you never cease to surprise me. I thought you
were a man who believed in love above all else. It’s usually a
woman who thinks of such a realistic concern.
“I believe in love, and I try to live my life based on its noble
concept. But I can afford to do this because I’m a man of
wealth. The situation for women is very different. They’re at a
disadvantage financially and too dependent on the status of
their reputation. If they follow their heart only, they’re
unable to protect themselves against poverty. Therefore, it
makes sense that a woman must act rationally and carefully
when it comes to her marriage. As a nobleman born into
wealth and prestige, I don’t have the right to criticize the
realistic choices a woman must make.”
Just then, a servant walked in to relay a message.
Apparently, one of the farmers who leased the Whitefield land
requested an audience with his landlord. Mr. Dalton
apologized to the two ladies and left.
Laura and Olivia drank their tea and waited for him. Olivia
made a great effort to brag about her uncle’s wealth and
looks. She claimed that half of Yorkshire belonged to him and
that he was the most handsome man she has ever seen.
Thinking the little girl was very proud of her uncle, Laura
nodded and smiled. But she was so distracted by her own
thoughts that she didn’t notice how anxious Olivia was. The
thirteen-year-old was worried that her uncle had upset Miss
Pendleton.
 But Olivia was mistaken. Laura wasn’t upset by any means.
Just as she claimed earlier, she was able to draw a clear line
between her likes and herself as a person. She knew that any
criticism of her taste wasn’t an attack on her. As a matter of
fact, Laura enjoyed her banter with Mr. Dalton. She realized
that there would never come a day when she came to dislike
him.
As far as Laura could tell, Mr. Dalton was someone who
didn’t spend time on things he disliked. He concentrated only
on the things he loved, and he ignored everything else. So the
fact that he read all of Jane Austen’s six novels suggested that
he’s a big fan. He was a gentleman who clearly enjoyed Jane
Austen, and Laura couldn’t help but like him even more for it.
I’m so lucky to have someone like Mr. Dalton as a friend.
Laura thought quietly while Olivia chatted about what a great
marksman her uncle was. Mr. Dalton returned in less than
thirty minutes. The three o’clock bell rang, and he suggested
they move to a different room.
“Our tea has gotten cold and the flies are gathering around
our desserts now. I think it’s time to move to the reception
hall. I have a well-tuned piano there, so I shall ask you to play
a piece for me, Miss Pendleton.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to accept your request and show
off my skills,” Laura replied teasingly.
Olivia grumbled, “And while you play, I’ll give my uncle a
piece of my mind, Miss Pendleton.”
 Laura thought that Olivia was annoyed because Mr. Dalton
stepped out for a moment. She patted the young girl’s
shoulder kindly. The three of them moved to the reception
hall, and Mr. Dalton grabbed several sheet music from nearby.
He stood next to Miss Pendleton, and they discussed which
piece she should play.
Oliva sat on the sofa and watched the two of them
together. They looked so great together as if they were
newlyweds. She wished that Miss Pendleton would really
marry her uncle and stay here forever. Olivia desperately
hoped that her teacher would soon become her aunt.
But the problem was that her uncle was doing a poor job of
seducing Miss Pendleton. Olivia managed to bring her here,
yet he has already embarrassed himself several times. He told
her about his embarrassing nickname Miss Havisham and he
attacked her favorite author. Why wasn’t he enticing Miss
Pendleton with sweet words? Olivia became furious.
Soon, Laura began playing the piano. She chose Mozart’s
Sonata No. 12. Olivia sat next to her teacher and glanced at her
uncle. She was shocked to see that his eyes were glued to Miss
Pendleton. There was a smile on his lips and a faint blush on
his cheeks. There was a dreamy look in his eyes, and it was
clear he was mesmerized.
Ah, Uncle Ian’s head over heels in love with her.
Suddenly, Olivia felt a little jealous of her teacher who
managed to capture her uncle’s heart. She glanced at Miss
Pendleton, who was wearing her ruby earrings and looking
down at the keys elegantly. Her strawberry blond hair was put
up neatly, showing off her slim neck. Her porcelain skin
shone against the sun entering through the nearby window.
Olivia’s jealousy slowly disappeared. I would’ve fallen in
love with her too if I was Uncle.
Olivia had no choice but to admit that Miss Pendleton was
a perfect lady. All she felt for her teacher was respect and
love, and the jealousy she experienced earlier was just a faint
memory. In the past, she resented her governess for stealing
her uncle’s heart, but her hate was now replaced by affection.
Olivia wasn’t ashamed to accept her defeat. She called out
quietly, “Uncle.”
Mr. Dalton was so engrossed in Laura’s performance that
he didn’t hear his niece. When he didn’t respond after she
called him three times, Olivia finally pinched his hand. Mr.
Dalton finally looked down at her. “Umm, what is it, Olivia?”
Olivia whispered in his ear, “You have a plan, don’t you?”
“Ah, you’ll get your turn very soon. Please just wait until
Miss Pendleton finishes her piece.
Her uncle turned toward Miss Pendleton again, and Olivia
frowned. “Not that. I’m talking about your plan to make her
fall in love with you.”
When Mr. Dalton looked at her again without a word,
Olivia continued, “All you wrote in your letter was that I need
to bring her here today. So what’s your plan?”
“To have a good time together in Whitefield.”
“That’s it?”
 “Yes, just showing her Whitefield Hall should be enough.”
Olivia found his answer absurd, but Mr. Dalton looked
confident. She replied, “You’re so arrogant, Uncle. Do you
really believe a prudent woman like Miss Pendleton will fall in
love with you just because of your land and mansion?”
 Chapter 89

“Of course.” A confident smile appeared on Mr. Dalton’s lips

as he continued, “Because everyone who visits Whitefield
always falls in love with it. After all, this is the most beautiful
place in the world. And once she falls in love with this place,
she’ll fall in love with its master too.”
Olivia gave her uncle a doubtful look. “I’ve visited
Whitefield many times before, but I haven’t fallen in love
with you, Uncle.”
“Then who was it that proposed to me when she was only
seven years old?”
Olivia turned bright red, making Ian chuckle. He reassured
her, “Don’t worry, Olivia. All you need to do is to bring your
teacher here as often as possible. The more she spends time
here with me, the faster she’ll open up her heart. Since you’ll
be by her side, she’ll let her guard down. After a month,
maybe two, there will be some days when you and Miss
Pendleton have to stay the night because of the bad weather.
Later on, I might ask her to step in as the hostess for a formal
dinner here. I’ll also create a situation where I fall ill so she
can nurse me back to health.”
 Olivia tilted her head in confusion. “I can understand the
formal dinner plan, but an illness? Uncle, you’ve never even
caught a cold in your life. You’re so healthy that you brag
about how you never get sick. So how would you create a
situation where Miss Pendleton needs to nurse you?”
“I’ll pretend to be sick.”
Olivia gaped before clasping her hands together. “You’re a
genius, Uncle.”
Looking at him with respect, she continued, “That’s a
perfect plan. If she sees you sick, it will stir up a protective
instinct in a kind lady like Miss Pendleton. She’ll realize how
alone you are, and she’ll feel sympathetic. Such a feeling can
easily progress into love, so by the time you get better, she
won’t want to leave your side. That’s going to be your chance,
Uncle. You’ll say to her, ‘I’ve fallen in love with you while you
nursed me back to health. Please marry me and make me the
happiest man.’ I’m certain she’ll accept your proposal.”
“You got it, Olivia.” Ian smiled at his clever niece. “This
winter, I plan on getting sick for over ten days. I’ll be
bedridden and in and out of consciousness. I’ll be just sick
enough that it won’t require her a lot of work to take care of
me. When I’m almost recovered, I’ll hold her hand and take
her to the window. With the snow covering the whole land,
Whitefield will look very romantic. I’ll kneel on one knee and
beg her to become my wife. She won’t be able to say no. I’ll
look very gaunt because I won’t be eating much, and I plan on
shedding a few tears as well.”
 Olivia put her thumbs up. She was very impressed by her
uncle’s sneaky plan.
Laura finished playing her piece. Olivia and Ian applauded
her wholeheartedly, and unaware of the conversation that
went on between the two of them, Laura bowed in
appreciation. She then led Olivia to the piano. The two ladies
sat down together and played a duet by Johann Strauss.
By the time they finished, the giant gold wall clock at the
end of the hallway rang five times. It was five o’clock, and
Laura closed the piano. She announced, “It’s time to go now.”
Sitting next to Laura, Olivia protested in disappointment,
“Miss Pendleton, can’t we just play one more song?”
“But we promised your mother that we’ll be back before
dinner.”
“It only takes an hour to return to Dunville Park. Since
dinner is served at six thirty, we still have an extra thirty
minutes.”
Laura tucked Olivia’s golden hair gently and replied, “Miss
Fairfax, it’s true that it only takes an hour to return. But to
say goodbye to your uncle, greet your mother when we
return, and change our clothes and wash our faces before
dinner, we’ll need that extra thirty minutes.”
Laura was making perfect sense, so Olivia stood up
obediently. Mr. Dalton walked the two ladies out. Looking at
Miss Pendleton through the carriage window, he smiled and
murmured, “Thank you so much for visiting my home, Miss
Pendleton. I’ve been very lonely being here all alone, so I had
a wonderful time today.”
“I should be the one thanking you for your incredible
hospitality, Mr. Dalton. Whitefield is indeed very beautiful.
I’m certain I’ll be dreaming about walking in the white birch
tree forest tonight.”
“I’m always honored to receive your praise, Miss
Pendleton. But of course, you’re so kind that you’re never
stingy with your compliments.”
Laura shook her head with a serious look.
“I admit that I may give empty compliments from time to
time, but please do not doubt my genuine affection toward
Whitefield. I’m very impressed by it.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Of course. I’ve heard so many great things about it, and
the painting you gave me was so beautiful that I was worried I
might get disappointed when I saw the real deal. But I was
wrong. As soon as I arrived here, I was captivated. And…”
Laura’s breathing became a little uneven as she continued,
“…I felt that this place is as pure as its master.”
Laura blushed, thinking that she misspoke. Mr. Dalton was
just as confused. It seemed that Miss Pendleton
complimented not only Whitefield but him as well. She called
both Mr. Dalton and his home beautiful and pure.
Mr. Dalton’s heart began to pound wildly. He raised his
hand toward her, and Laura gave him hers. He leaned to kiss
her delicate hand. His kiss was much longer than a traditional
hand kiss. He looked up at her and whispered, “I pray that I’ll
get to see you wearing a silk dress and ruby earrings in my
dream tonight. Please have a safe trip.”
Laura’s face turned pretty pink. She smiled awkwardly and
pulled her hand away. She mumbled, “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
The carriage began moving. The lady was leaving while the
gentleman was staying. But both of them were thinking the
same thing.
I shouldn ’t have said what I said.
A-A-A-
After the visit, Laura and Olivia returned to Whitefield in
less than a week. It was because Laura received an invitation
from Mrs. Starr, the wife of Whitefield’s pastor. In the letter,
Mrs. Starr wrote in cheerful writing asking Laura and Olivia to
visit her in her humble parsonage for tea. So Laura headed to
the parsonage in Whitefield church accompanied by Olivia
who wrapped herself in lace and silk.
The parsonage was crowded with ladies between the age of
twelve and eighteen. These young church choir members
were the daughters of farmers and shop owners. Laura knew
that she might be asked about her relationship with Mr.
Dalton at least once during tea time. But she was very much
mistaken because it seemed that Mrs. Starr had already told
everyone in the village about how she was their landlord’s
good friend.
 During the entire visit, Laura had to endure an overly
excited Mrs. Starr who kept offering tea and cake. She was
also surrounded by young girls who were too shy to talk to her
and only gazed at her in worship. Then, there was Olivia who
incessantly bragged about her teacher’s language and piano
skills. It was a rather uncomfortable afternoon for Laura.
After that day, Mrs. Starr continued to invite Laura and
Olivia for tea. Frankly, Laura didn’t welcome the idea, but she
accepted the invitations nonetheless. She needed to show
respect to Mrs. Starr, and she needed to think of Mr. Dalton’s
reputation as well.
As she visited Whitefield frequently, Laura met the
farmer’s wives with rough hands and warm eyes, the shop
owners’ wives who worked very hard, and young children
who went to Sunday school every week. They all knew that
Laura was Mr. Dalton’s friend, and just this fact alone made
her a greatly respected figure. She was welcomed by everyone
with open arms. Friendly middle-aged women often asked
her about how she was doing and young children followed her
everywhere asking about life in London. Every time she left
Whitefield, she had an armful of small gifts from the
villagers.
Soon, Laura learned that all of the villagers were warm and
generous. She also saw that everyone regardless of their age
had great respect for Mr. Dalton. He was seen as a fair and
hard-working landlord.
 It wasn’t long before Laure felt more comfortable about
visiting the parsonage. She came to love the villagers of
Whitefield, and she became used to Mrs. Starr’s incredible
cheerfulness. At first, Laura felt awkward about the respect
she received for being Mr. Dalton’s friend. But now, she
became grateful for it.
Laura worked hard not to tarnish Mr. Dalton’s reputation.
She made sure to behave respectfully toward everyone, and
she never forgot to be kind and humble. Her conduct was
faultless, and the villagers who loved Mr. Dalton was in awe
of her.
After she visited the parsonage, she always ended up in
Whitefield Hall. Mr. Dalton’s mansion was only a fifteen-
minute carriage ride from the church, so it became natural for
Olivia and Laura to visit it.
Crossing the magical birch tree forest to see Mr. Dalton in
Whitefield Hall was always enjoyable. After hearing all the
good work Mr. Dalton did for the villagers, Laura couldn’t
help but feel an even greater respect for him. She always knew
that he was a responsible landlord, but now that she saw it in
person, it confirmed how exceptional he was.
Mr. Dalton was always generous toward Olivia and Laura.
He allowed them free access to his library and gave them a
tour of the glass solarium filled with flowers. On nice sunny
days, he showed them the hedge maze and various trees in
the garden. He grew apple trees as a hobby, and he sometimes
picked his precious apples for them.
 Laura loved spending time in Whitefield. She appreciated
the elegance of the mansion, and its impressive library was
like heaven to her. The servants were always polite to her, and
the meals and desserts were excellent.
But the biggest reason why she enjoyed coming to
Whitefield was because she was able to see Mr. Dalton. Sitting
and talking with him brought her such happiness.
 Chapter 90

Laura found Mr. Dalton’s honest and eloquent way of

expressing his emotions charming because she lacked these
qualities. He always maintained impeccable manners, which
meant that she never found his openness unpleasant.
Whenever she was with him, they fit together to create
perfect harmony.
In her entire life, the only other time Laura met someone
she could emotionally connect with like this was twelve years
ago. Of course, that man left her life abruptly to marry
another woman.
As Laura enjoyed her friendship with Mr. Dalton, autumn
arrived in Yorkshire. The air turned crisp, and the leaves
became painted red and yellow. The servants looked a little
thicker due to their warmer uniforms of wool sweaters and
flannel pants, and Mrs. Fairfax’s rocker moved a few inches
closer to the fireplace.
It was around this time that Laura became close to the
pastor and his wife. It was in big part thanks to a sudden rain.
Laura and Olivia were attending an afternoon tea at the
parsonage when the sky turned dark. It had been a sunny
morning, but suddenly, heavy rain began followed by thunder
and lightning.
After the tea was over, the villagers borrowed Mrs. Starr’s
umbrellas and returned home. But Laura and Olivia had no
choice but to stay. There were countless fields and brooks
between the parsonage and Dunville Park. It wasn’t
uncommon for the brooks to overflow with even just a little
bit of rain. Because the fields weren’t drained often, the
carriage wheels got stuck in them frequently. Based on the
amount of rain, it was most likely that Laura and Olivia would
get stuck in the middle of nowhere.
They waited several hours for the rain to stop. In the end,
Mrs. Starr suggested that they stay for the night. She had a
guest room, and she became excited to have them for dinner.
Mrs. Starr assured them that her husband would be honored
to have the two ladies of Dunville Park as his guests. Laura
and Oliva accepted the generous invitation.
Laura greatly enjoyed her stay. The pastor and his wife
treated their guests with the utmost respect, and the dinner
and the guestroom were exemplary. But the most pleasant
aspect Laura found was how in love Pastor, and Mrs. Starrs
were with each other.
The young couple had caused quite an uproar in the small
village with their French kiss. After what she witnessed that
night, Laura could see how the husband and wife were
devoted to each other. Mrs. Starr, a cheerful woman, seemed
interested in everything her husband said while Pastor. Starr,
a calm man who tried to maintain his seriousness as a pastor,
couldn’t help but beam whenever his wife smiled.
Laura learned that the couple grew up in the same town.
They’ve been childhood friends and after a long nine-year
engagement, they got married. Pastor and Mrs. Starr now
called the small parsonage their home, and with their
adorable son Harry, they were clearly very happy.
The next day, the sun couldn’t be any brighter. The roads
dried up, so with a happy memory of the night before, Laura
and Oliva returned to Dunville Park. Not too long after that
day, another invitation arrived from the parsonage asking
Laura to attend a formal dinner on a weekday. Laura felt
troubled. She would’ve loved to accept but as an employee,
she found it difficult to borrow her employer’s carriage and
go out on a weeknight.
When Olivia found out about the invitation, she rushed to
her mother to tell her about it. Soon, Mrs. Fairfax summoned
Laura and encouraged her.
“Pastor Oliver Starr has been taking good care of my
brother since he was Pastor Jenfield’s curate. Due to my
health concerns, I don’t get to visit him often. So if you could
spend time with Pastor and his wife, I would really appreciate
it.”
With Mrs. Fairfax’s permission, Laura set out. Laura was
grateful for the kindness Olivia and Mrs. Fairfax showed her.
She had no idea that while she got into the carriage, Olivia
and her mother were whispering about how often Ian had
dinner in the parsonage.
To Laura’s surprise, she was the only guest at the dinner.
She was trying hard not to show her confusion, but Mrs. Starr
seemed to have noticed her shock. Mrs. Starr whispered to
Laura, “I hope you understand, Miss Pendleton. My husband
freezes when there are more than four people for dinner. It’s
strange since he has no problem giving sermons to over a
hundred people. Once he befriends you, I’m sure I can invite
more guests.”
Mrs. Starr seemed apologetic that she wasn’t able to invite
more friends to entertain Laura. But Laura welcomed such an
intimate dinner as she didn’t particularly enjoy crowded
social events.
After the quiet dinner, Laura learned even more about the
pastor and his wife. Pastor Starr was a shy man, but he
possessed incredible intelligence and willpower.
Born as the youngest son of a poor farmer, he finished his
education with full scholarships. In the end, he graduated
from Cambridge at the top of his class to become a
theologian.
Mrs. Starr joked that despite her seven years of schooling
in an all-girls school, all she learned was doing embroidery
on muslin. But Laura could tell that although Mrs. Starr
lacked her husband’s intelligence, she more than made up for
it with her determination. Mrs. Star was a daughter of a
wealthy fabric merchant and with her cheerfulness, she was
courted by many men. She endured years of her parents’
nagging and waited nine years to become a poor theologian’s
wife. Pastor and Mrs. Starrs would’ve never achieved such a
wonderful life if it wasn’t for Mrs. Starr’s unwavering faith.
Laura formed a great respect for the two of them. She came
to like them even more, and because they felt the same way
about her, Pastor and Mrs. Starr continued to invite her for
dinner.
Mrs. Starr concentrated on trying to come up with topics
that everyone at the dinner table could enjoy. The topic of
locals seemed to turn Laura quiet. When they began talking
about Baby Harry, Laura perked right up. Unfortunately,
Pastor Starr often remained quiet when the conversation
focused on the topic of babies. Both Laura and Pastor Starr
enjoyed discussing theology and literature, but these topics
bored Mrs. Starr to no end. After some contemplation, Mrs.
Starr was finally able to find one subject everyone could
enjoy; Mr. Dalton.
Mr. Dalton was Pastor and Mrs. Starr’s close friend. Pastor
Starr and Mr. Dalton were alumni, and in fact, they shared a
dorm together while in college. The pastor was only a year
older than Mr. Dalton.
Mrs. Starr said in excitement, “Sweetie! Tell Miss
Pendleton about what Mr. Dalton was like in university. I’m
sure she’ll enjoy it.”
Pastor Starr chuckled. “I became Mr. Dalton’s friend when
he was in his first year of Cambridge. But I knew about him
way before then because he was so famous. With his good
looks, Mr. Dalton received a lot of attention beginning on his
first day. I can’t even count how many love letters he received
from the ladies.”
“The ladies?” Laura asked.
When Laura seemed surprised, Mrs. Starr explained, “The
town of Cambridge holds a ball to welcome the university
freshmen at the beginning of every year. When Mr. Dalton
attended it, all the local ladies saw him and fell in love. It’s
surprising since he only attended the ball once for ten
minutes. But Mr. Dalton didn’t even open any of those letters,
claiming that he couldn’t trust women who confess love to a
man they’ve only seen once.”
Laura laughed, thinking that such behavior was exactly
what she would expect from Mr. Dalton.
When his wife encouraged him, Pastor Starr continued,
“But there was an even bigger reason why he became so
famous in Cambridge. As soon as he began school, the
Cambridge rowing coach visited him, wondering why Mr.
Dalton hadn’t submitted his application to join the team. You
see, Mr. Dalton was the captain of the rowing team for years
when he was in Eton College.”
Laura jolted. “Mr. Dalton used to row?”
“Apparently, it was what his father wanted. While Mr.
Dalton was the captain, Eton College won every single
national competition. I heard that he was as strong as three
men, and his leadership and strategies were incredible. At the
time when he entered Cambridge, the university had been
losing to Oxford for years. Cambridge needed Mr. Dalton, so
the coach begged him. But Mr. Dalton didn’t even blink.”
“Why did he quit rowing?” Laura asked.
“Because he wouldn’t have had any free time if he had to
study and row at the same time. Mr. Dalton had already
gotten permission from his father to quit rowing once he
entered university. When the coach’s begging didn’t work,
the president of Cambridge visited and asked Mr. Dalton to
join the rowing team to boost the school’s reputation. He
promised a full scholarship and special treatment from the
professors. But do you know how Mr. Dalton replied?”
Imitating Mr. Dalton’s annoyed frown, Pastor Starr
mimicked his friend’s voice as he continued, “I came here to
learn, not to boost the school’s reputation. Defeating Oxford
means nothing to me, and I don’t want to waste a second of
my time doing something I don’t wish to do. And Sir, if you
believe a school’s reputation depends on who rows faster, I
suggest that you go back to school.”
Laura was clearly impressed by Mr.
Dalton’s bluntness.
Pastor Starr added, “In the end, everyone gave up and Mr.
Dalton became free. For the next four years, Cambridge lost
against Oxford. This caused Mr. Dalton to be the most hated
student in school. Some people even criticized him openly.
But he attended the classes leisurely and enjoyed his school
life. To torment the rowing coach who tried to bully him, Mr.
Dalton even sat beside the lake and drew whenever there was
rowing practice. He was at the top of his class all through four
years and graduated with the highest grade.”
A short silence fell before the three of them burst into
laughter. Knowing Mr. Dalton, they were all thinking the
same thing, that he was certainly a consistent man.
 Chapter 91

Mr. Dalton, known to be a man of consistency, soon learned

that Laura had befriended the Starrs. He seemed overly happy
because every time he saw Laura, he interrogated her about
how close she was to them and how much she liked them.
One day while having tea, Laura couldn’t control her
curiosity anymore. She asked, “Why is it so important that
I’ve become friends with the Starrs?”
Ian Dalton rubbed his red cheek with his hand. “Please
forgive me. I’m just so happy that I get to show off the fact
that I have such good friends… Just like you, I find pride in
having good friends.”
Laura treasured her friends as well, so she nodded. “Ah, I
understand now. I agree that you should be proud of having
Pastor and Mrs. Starr as friends.”
Mr. Dalton’s smile deepened. Laura loved the way he
smiled, especially when she was the reason behind it.
He replied, “I pray that you continue your friendship with
the Starrs. They are excellent people who deserve great
respect. They also make an exemplary husband and wife.”
“Then you’re very lucky to be living so close to them, Mr.
Dalton.”
 He looked at Laura for a moment. “It’s true that close
proximity helps with developing good relationships. It only
takes thirty minutes to walk from Whitefield to the
parsonage, after all.”
“So you’re definitely at an advantage, Mr. Dalton. It takes
me over two hours of a carriage ride to visit the Starrs. And I
feel so apologetic whenever I have to borrow the carriage.”
“If Whitefield Hall was your home, you would be able to
grow your friendship with them faster, Miss Pendleton. So I
understand how disappointed you must be.”
“You’re right, Mr. Dalton.”
After that day, Mr. Dalton attended dinner at the
parsonage often. Whenever he met Laura, he worried about
her long journey to reach Whitefield and mentioned often
how wonderful it would be if she lived closer.
Laura felt appreciative of Mr. Dalton’s concern. Whenever
she reassured him that the journey to Whitefield wasn’t very
rough at all, he replied, “But the closer you are to your
friends, the better your life becomes. Living in a place where
you can walk to your friend’s house can bring you such
happiness. If you live in Whitefield Hall, you would be able to
walk here to the parsonage.”
After hearing this repeatedly, Laura slowly became
convinced that Mr. Dalton was right. She began to believe that
she was living too far away to grow her friendship with the
Starrs. On her ride back to Dunville Park, Laura always
became a little lonely because it reminded her of how far away
she was from Whitefield. Her heart filled with the cold
autumn air, and this unhappiness stayed with her until she
fell asleep in her bed in Dunville Park.
Laura had never felt this way while living in London. When
Mr. Dalton left the city, she had missed him a little, but it was
never enough to bother her much. When she arrived in
Yorkshire, however, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. He
was no longer just a passing thought but a permanent
presence in her head.
Could it be that I’ve been enchanted by the magic of
Whitefield’s birch tree forest? It’s true that whenever I’m passing
by this forest, I feel like I’m being hypnotized.
Laura suddenly laughed, realizing that she was being silly.
How could she believe in magic at her age? She had grown out
of such a fantasy a long time ago when she closed her heart to
the world. She was still in full control over her emotions. After
suffering so much in the past, she learned that her rational
mind was the only thing she could depend on. In order not to
follow in her mother’s footsteps, Laura put sweat and blood
to build an impenetrable wall around her heart.
She believed that she was doing the right thing by not
revealing her true feelings to anyone. But what Laura didn’t
realize was that life could be very unpredictable. Life was like
a battlefield where an unexpected stray arrow could change
everything.
 And for Laura, this arrow was a small tombstone.

***

One warm Wednesday afternoon in the parsonage living

room, Laura and Mrs. Starr were enjoying freshly baked apple
pie when Mrs. Starr asked, “Miss Pendleton, please tell me
the truth.”
Laura’s fork paused midair as she looked up. Mrs. Starr
was biting her own fork lightly while gazing at her guest with
her large squirrel-like eyes. Laura murmured, “About
what…?”
“Mr. Dalton has a lady he’s in love with, doesn’t he? He fell
in love in London, right?”
Laura swallowed her apple pie in shock. Mrs. Starr
continued, “My husband goes out for walks at the river often
with Mr. Dalton. They like to talk about books and theology.
But after he returned from London last summer, Mr. Dalton
began talking more about marriage. Apparently, he asked my
husband about what it’s like to have a wife and become a
father. He also wanted advice on how to become a good
husband. It wasn’t long after that that Mr. Dalton returned to
London.”
It’s true that Mr. Dalton told me in London that he’s serious
about getting married. Laura thought silently as she put down
her fork on her plate. She was having a pleasant afternoon
with a delicious dessert, but now, she felt gloomy.
 As Laura frequented Whitefield, Laura’s feelings for Mr.
Dalton grew deeper. But she never forgot that he belonged to
another lady no matter how close she was to him. His
kindness toward her stemmed from their friendship only.
Laura was adamant that there could and should be nothing
more between them.
There were odd times when Mr. Dalton blushed at the
things she said. He also tended to remember the smallest
thing about her. These things sometimes made her secretly
hopeful, but she knew better than to take it seriously.
I’m certain he’s in love with someone else.
In order to suppress her sadness, she quickly began
guessing who this lady may be. The most likely candidate who
popped into her head was the lovely lady Dora Lance. Mr.
Dalton has never claimed to be in love with Miss Lance, but
the second time he visited London, he followed her
everywhere. It wasn’t just Miss Lance’s friends but everyone
in their society that Miss Lance was soon going to become
Mrs. Dalton.
Laura refused to believe that Mr. Dalton would allow Miss
Lance to become hopeful without a clear intention. There was
no doubt that he was in love with Miss Lance.
So Mr. Dalton asked Pastor Starr about being a good husband.
He must really love Miss Lance. Laura told herself that this was
a good thing. The problem was that although her head
understood the logic, her heart still continued to drown in
sorrow.
 Laura poured a little bit more milk into her cup. She
swirled her tea with a teaspoon in the most elegant way and
looked down at the opaque liquid. She was able to keep a
blank look on her face after years of practice in high society.
She was now living in a different world, but her ability to
control her emotions still worked well as her shield.
Laura finally replied, “I agree that I don’t think Mr. Dalton
will remain unmarried forever.”
“So you know something?!”
“Please forgive me for not being able to give you a clear
answer. I’m just a third party, so I must be careful of what I
say. But I can tell you one thing for certain. When Mr. Dalton
makes a firm decision, I’m sure you and your husband will be
the first people he tells after his family in Dunville Park,”
Laura explained.
Although Laura hadn’t confirmed it outright, Mrs. Starr
put her fork down and clapped her hands. The pastor’s wife
looked like a young girl who was asked to dance by her crush.
Mrs. Starr exclaimed, “Oh my goodness! So Mr. Dalton is
in love!”
Laura became anxious at Mrs. Starr’s excitement.
Although the pastor’s wife was a lovely woman, she lacked
caution. On top of this, she was too social, which made her a
perfect person to spread gossip.
Laura warned, “Mrs. Starr, even if Mr. Dalton found a
soulmate, there’s no guarantee that he’ll succeed in marrying
her. You know how precarious a path to marriage can be.”
 Mrs. Starr waved her hands. “Please don’t worry, Miss
Pendleton! I won’t tell a soul and ruin his chance at love. I’m
just so very happy because Mr. Dalton has helped us so much.
It won’t be long before Mr. Dalton will find his own
happiness!”
Laura could understand why Mrs. Starr was so pleased.
Pastor Starr was a young theologian with no wealth or family
support. The only reason he found a decent position was
because of Mr. Dalton’s help. If Mr. Dalton hadn’t, Pastor and
Mrs. Starr’s marriage would’ve taken place at a much later
date.
Her face pink like the color of a peach, Mrs. Starr clasped
her hands. “Ah, I can’t wait to fill our church with Mr.
Dalton’s family and the rest of the villagers for his wedding!
Can you imagine how beautiful this event would be? So can
you tell me who it is that captured our picky Mr. Dalton’s
heart? Can’t you give me just the tiniest hint? Please?!”
Laura, perhaps the most cautious lady in all of London,
only smiled and sipped her tea. She planned on not saying a
single word about this. After all, this topic brought her too
much pain. In addition, she was afraid any information she
disclosed might cause Mr. Dalton’s reputation to be tarnished
if things didn’t work out.
Oblivious to Laura’s feelings, Mrs. Starr began begging her
for more information. The pastor’s wife possessed the
personality of a golden retriever puppy. She knew how
adorable she was, and she wasn’t afraid to use her charm.
Laura burst into laughter, finding Mrs. Starr’s attempt lovely.
Just then, someone knocked on the door to the reception
hall. When Mrs. Starr answered, a stocky maid waddled in.
She announced, “Mr. Dalton of Whitefield is here for a visit.”
Laura shivered and began straightening her already-
perfectly neat hair and dress.
 Chapter 92

Mr. Dalton soon appeared in the reception hall wearing a dark

green frock coat and brown leather gloves perfect for a chilly
autumn day. He was holding several small bouquets in his
hands. He took off his hat and greeted the hostess Mrs. Starr
first. The pastor’s wife transformed from being a golden
retriever puppy into an elegant lady of the house. She
welcomed him with a gracious smile. After asking about Mrs.
Starr’s day, he turned toward Laura.
“I didn’t realize that you were here too, Miss Pendleton,”
said Mr. Dalton.
Laura smiled at him. As soon as she saw his face, the
sadness she felt earlier disappeared. “I came because Mrs.
Starr invited me to try her famous apple pie during our last
dinner. You were there too, Mr. Dalton. Don’t you
remember?”
“I’m afraid I don’t. My apologies.”
“As expected, you’re very indifferent to the ladies, Mr.
Dalton,” Laura teased.
“But compared to all the other ladies, I show much
partiality toward you. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Starr?”
Mrs. Starr nodded. “Yes, very much so.”
 Laura glanced at the flowers. “You look like a young girl
selling flowers at Covent Garden, Mr. Dalton. They’re from
the solarium in Whitefield Hall, aren’t they? Where are you
taking so many of them?”
“I’m going to go see my relatives.”
“Your relatives?”
When Laura seemed confused, Mrs. Starr explained, “He’s
referring to those who have passed. Their graves are located
behind the parsonage.”
“Ah.” Laura nodded.
“I wish I could give you one, but it’s bad luck to give a lady
the flowers meant for the dead. Next time you and Olivia visit
Whitefield Hall, I’ll make each of you a bouquet.”
After tipping his hat to the ladies, Mr. Dalton left. His
footsteps disappeared, and when they heard the front door
close behind him, Mrs. Starr tilted her head in confusion. She
murmured, “That’s strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mr. Dalton always comes to leave the flowers on his
family tombstones on the last Sunday of every month. So I
wonder why he came on a weekday this time.”
Mrs. Starr rose and slowly walked to the window. She was
soon joined by Laura and they looked out together. A small
garden was located behind the parsonage, and a graveyard
was beside it with a metal fence in between.
On the dry grass stood several tombstones of different
shapes. Some were rectangular or cross-shaped, while others
were square with a roof or an arch above them. The two ladies
soon saw Mr. Dalton appear. He slowly walked until he stood
before two cross-shaped tombstones. He placed one bouquet
between them. After taking his hat off, he bowed to pray.
Mrs. Starr whispered, “Mr. Dalton’s parents, Eric and
Patricia, rest there.”
Mr. Dalton prayed for about two minutes before placing a
bouquet on the next tombstone. He prayed again, and he went
on to do the same with the others. Mrs. Starr quietly
explained who lay beneath each of the gravestones. They
belonged to Mr. Dalton’s grandparents Thomas and Irusha
Dalton, the former pastor Mr. Jenfield, Mr. Dalton’s old
housekeeper Mrs. Marsha, and Mitchell Dunn, his friend and
a farmer who died very young.
Soon, Mr. Dalton walked up to a rectangular shaped
tombstone and placed a bouquet in front of it.
Mrs. Starr explained, “That one… Umm, I can’t remember
the name, but it belongs to Mr. Dalton’s childhood art
teacher. Ah, why can’t I remember the name? It was a really
beautiful name…”
When Mr. Dalton prayed a little longer this time, Laura
commented, “This teacher must’ve been very special to him.”
“I heard that Mr. Dalton considered him family. Mrs.
Fairfax got married when Mr. Dalton was only eight. After she
left, he became very lonely. Apparently, he cried every day
and couldn’t even eat. At the time, there was a traveling
portrait painter who was working at Whitefield Hall, so the
former Mr. Dalton hired him for his son.
“I guess Mr. Dalton found comfort in having an art teacher
to help with his loneliness.”
“Indeed. I heard that this art teacher was a very kind man.
Mr. Dalton told me several times that he had great respect for
this man. His art teacher taught him not only how to draw,
but also how to endure sadness and grow up.”
Mr. Dalton finished his prayer. He knelt and kissed the
tombstone while Laura watched him from the window. She
couldn’t see his face, but she could feel great love from Mr.
Dalton toward his teacher.
Mrs. Starr continued, “Mr. Dalton treasures that
tombstone. His teacher was from America, so Mr. Dalton
always feels sad that he was buried so far away from his
home. I think Mr. Dalton sees himself as his teacher’s only
family.”
Mr. Dalton rose and turned away. The reddish lilacs
sparkled beautifully in front of the tombstone. When he
walked away, the two ladies stepped away from the window
as well. Mrs. Starr held Laura’s hand affectionately and
begged, “Miss Pendleton, you must stay for dinner. I am
dying to hear about London society!”
Mrs. Starr purred, and Laura considered Pastor Starr a
lucky man for being able to hear such a beautiful voice every
day.
Laura replied, “I’m afraid I can’t today.”
 “Why not?”
“Today’s Daniel’s birthday. I promised to have dinner with
the family tonight.”
Mrs. Starr sighed in disappointment. She may have been a
puppyish woman, but she was also twenty-eight and a
mother as well. She replied, “I guess it can’t be helped then. I
baked many apple pies, so please take some home.”
“Thank you. It will make a great gift for Daniel.”
The two of them walked toward the kitchen together. They
left the reception hall when Mrs. Starr paused. “Ah! I
remember now. The art teacher’s name! Geez, I don’t know
why I couldn’t remember earlier. After I had Harry, my
memory hasn’t been like what it used to be.”
Laura smiled and asked, “So what was his name?”
“Louis. Louis Sheldon.” Mrs. Starr beamed, but the smile
on Laura’s lips disappeared.
“Louis… Sheldon…?”
“Yes, it’s such an artistic name, isn’t it? He would’ve
become a famous artist in Europe if he had lived longer. I
heard that he was a genius…”
Mrs. Starr continued to chatter, but Laura couldn’t hear
anything. The memories of her childhood flashed in front of
her eyes. It took her some effort, but she soon remembered
what her father looked like. The last time she saw him was
when he gave her the pendant necklace and cried as he
promised to come back for her.
But of course, he never came back.
 The image of her father, who she remembered as a young
and beautiful man, was seared in her head. Laura stormed out
like a mad woman. She vaguely heard Mrs. Starr yelling after
all, but she couldn’t stop. Laura exited the front door and ran
toward the graveyard. After passing through several
tombstones on the dry grass, she stood in front of the marble
gravestone with a bouquet of lilacs in front of it.
Louis Sheldon
August 7th 1844 ~ February 1st, 1876
His talent was unrecognized on Earth, but it will no doubt
paint Heaven to its glory.
Laura caressed the name and the dates on the tombstone.
The engravings spelled the very name she remembered so
clearly. The birthdate was also how she remembered.
“Ah, ahh…” Laura felt like all of the blood was leaving her
body. She staggered from dizziness.
Just then, a large hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Miss Pendleton.”
When Laura turned around, she saw Mr. Dalton standing
behind her. He asked, “What’s wrong?”
She looked up at him with a blank gaze. His black eyes and
hair against his almost pale skin reminded her of the birch
tree. The birch tree forest surrounding Whitefield Hall
suddenly popped into her head. As if she was enchanted by
some fantastical magic, her eyes began to blur.
Her heart pounding fast, Laura’s lips turned white. “Mr.
Dalton…”
 With the last of her brain power, she whispered, “…I know
I’m probably very heavy, but please catch me.”
Laura suddenly collapsed, and Mr. Dalton supported her
just in time. He hugged her tightly, her cheek hitting his hard
chest. Her entire body fell into Mr. Dalton’s embrace.
Covering her head with his gloved hands, Mr. Dalton yelled,
“Laura, Laura…!”
Even as her consciousness faded away, Laura felt safe in
his arms. She fainted without worry.

***

When her eyes opened, she saw an unfamiliar white ceiling

above her. She stared for a moment, wondering if she was still
dreaming. If she closed her eyes, Laura knew she would be
able to fall back to sleep again.
Sleep sounded wonderful, but the noises beside her were
quite disruptive. She heard whispers and worried sighs, so in
the end, Laura opened her eyes wider instead.
She saw that she was in the parsonage guest room where
she stayed with Olivia some time ago. The whispers and sighs
were coming from the corner, and she quickly realized that
Mrs. Starr and Mr. Dalton were behind them. They were
standing together, and the whispers were mostly from Mrs.
Starr while Mr. Dalton sighed over and over again.
Mrs. Starr was speaking to Mr. Dalton when she glanced at
Laura. “Ah! She’s awake! ”
 Mr. Dalton hurried toward the bed. His eyes wide, he
examined Laura’s face before sighing in relief. He took his
leather gloves off and caressed her forehead.
This was the first time their bare skins touched. His finger
felt hard and warm, and it was enough to make Laura feel
wide awake.
Mr. Dalton asked, “Are you in pain?”
“No.”
Still keeping his eyes on her, Mr. Dalton requested, “Mrs.
Starr, could you get Miss Pendleton some wine?”
Mrs. Starr left the room immediately and brought a small
glass half filled with wine. Mr. Dalton supported Laura’s head
and helped her drink. Laura accepted his help without a fight,
the bitter yet fragrant wine making her body feel warm and
energized. Her head felt much clearer too.
Mr. Dalton put the glass on the side table and helped Laura
sit up. He quickly placed a pillow behind her so she could lean
against it. He announced, “The doctor will be here shortly.”
When Laura nodded meekly, Mr. Dalton muttered, “You
said that you were eating and doing well at Dunville Park. You
said that you might have to get new dresses made because
you gained weight! It was all a lie, wasn’t it? Could it be that
my sister and brother-in-law made you feel uncomfortable
during dinners?”
Mr. Dalton’s seriousness made Laura laugh.
 Chapter 93

Laura replied, “No.”

“Then what happened? Why did you faint so suddenly?”
asked Mr. Dalton.
His question reminded Laura of what she saw right before
she lost consciousness. She thought for a moment before
looking at Mrs. Starr. Laura requested, “Mrs. Starr, could you
allow me to have a moment of privacy with Mr. Dalton?”
Mrs. Starr nodded and left immediately, but even as she
did, she glanced at them curiously. When they were finally
alone, Laura asked, “Mr. Dalton, was the name of your
childhood art teacher Louis Sheldon?”
“Yes.”
“And he was from America? Did he have blond hair and
gray eyes?”
“That’s correct. How did you know, Miss Pendleton? Ah,
now that I think about it, you fainted in front of his
tombstone. Did you meet him when he was still alive?”
Laura remained quiet, knowing that Mr. Dalton’s answer
confirmed her suspicion. Mr. Dalton looked at her in
confusion before a look of understanding appeared in his
eyes.
 Laura nodded and answered, “He was my father.”

“My real name is Laura Sheldon. I lived with my mother’s

maiden name, but I was originally called Laura Sheldon.”
Mr. Dalton’s face turned rigid in shock. He didn’t say a
word, and Laura guessed that he was probably speechless. She
took the opportunity to organize her thoughts in silence. The
date of her father’s death recorded on the tombstone
indicated that he died about two years after he entrusted her
to the Pendleton family. It seemed that her father roamed the
country looking for jobs and ended up becoming Mr. Dalton’s
teacher.
Confusion engulfed her. Laura always thought that her
father returned to America immediately after he left her with
the Pendleton family. After all, he never sent her a single
letter after they parted ways. This meant that she was
abandoned by her own father, but Laura has given up her
bitterness a long time ago. She understood how difficult it
would’ve been for a poor artist to raise a child on his own.
Besides, her father was very young at the time.
Remembering what a beautiful man he was, Laura had
assumed that he returned to America and formed a new
family with another woman. He never became successful as
an artist in England, and it would have been impossible for
him to take her back. Going back home would’ve been the
wisest thing to do for him.
 Laura never blamed her father for this. In fact, she
respected his decision. Thanks to her parents’ failure, she
learned the importance of being rational. She trained herself
to master her emotions, which allowed her to become a
logical and independent person. She was able to see her
parents’ actions through unbiased eyes. She accepted that her
parents had no other choice.
But today, Laura found her father’s tombstone in the most
unexpected place. She learned that perhaps her father didn’t
abandon her after all. She felt like the whole world had turned
upside down. Her head understood the significance of this
new finding, but her heart still had a hard time accepting it.
Laura felt blank.
“Jesus.” Mr. Dalton’s cracked voice filled the room. “I
can’t believe you’re Mr.
Sheldon’s daughter…”
He couldn’t hide his confusion. He was probably feeling
similar feelings as Laura but for a very different reason. He
continued, “But how could you have not known that your
father was buried here? I understand that you would’ve been
too young and perhaps living in a boarding school at the time.
But he wrote letters to you often. The return address he put
was always Whitefield Hall.”
“My father wrote me letters?”
Mr. Dalton replied, “Yes. Whenever he found time between
my lessons and working on his paintings, he made
bookmarks for you and copied poems to send to you. He
always sealed his envelope with a kiss. There was deep
sadness and yearning for you whenever he sent these letters.”
Laura became speechless. Again, her head processed this
information without a problem, but her emotions remained
frozen. She mumbled, “I’ve never received a letter from him. I
didn’t even know that he had passed away.”
“He was an intelligent man, so there’s no way he wrote the
wrong address. Perhaps his letters went missing during
delivery.”
Laura could guess how such a thing could’ve happened.
Her uncle Gerald Pendleton popped into her head. As the
magistrate of the Cornwall area, a position given to the head
of the prestigious noble family, it would’ve taken him a
minimal effort to get the post office to destroy a few letters.
The same thought occurred to Mr. Dalton, making his
resentment toward Count Pendleton burn even brighter. But
he didn’t show it. Instead, he continued, “If I had known that
Mr. Shledon’s daughter was entrusted to House Pendleton,
this wouldn’t have happened. But he never disclosed to me
where his daughter was being raised. My father didn’t know
either. When I think back, I believe your father kept it a secret
because House Pendleton is an esteemed family. He probably
wanted to prevent any more unsavory rumors.
“I think so too.” Laura nodded. It wouldn’t have been
strange for her to burst into tears, but her face remained
emotionless.
 Becoming a little nervous about her lack of reaction, Mr.
Dalton murmured, “You must be very shocked.”
“A little.”
“I’m sure you feel sad as well. You probably thought your
father was alive somewhere, but you just found out that he
has passed away.”
Laura shook her head. “If I had found out about this when
I was in my teens, I would’ve been shocked. Perhaps I might
have even cried for days. But I’ve forgotten about my father
quite a while back. I loved him very much in my childhood,
but I let him go from my heart a long time ago.”
“How is that possible? Can anyone really let go of someone
they love?” There was no criticism in Mr. Dalton’s voice. He
just seemed genuinely curious.
Laura understood why Mr. Dalton would have a hard time
understanding her. After all, he was still bringing flowers to
the tombstone of the teacher he lost twenty years ago. She
replied, “My father promised to come back for me, but I never
received a single letter from him. You say he wrote them, but I
haven’t gotten them. I’ve missed and resented him for a long
time at first. But as I grew up, I’ve learned to put myself in
other people’s shoes. I decided that it would’ve been wise of
him to return to America and form a new family.”
“But your father wasn’t like that at all.”
“I’m saying that it doesn’t matter if he was. After all, it
would’ve been the most logical thing for him to do. It
would’ve been a more realistic choice than eloping with a
noble lady. I believed that he learned his lesson from the
mistakes he made.”
Mr. Dalton’s confused expression slowly darkened. He
seemed a little angry now. “If you knew how much your
father loved you, you would never be able to say that. He
never told me your name, but he talked about you often. He
painted day and night so that he could bring you back. That
was why he passed away at such a young age. He was outside
for too long in the middle of the winter to draw a landscape
when he fell ill with tuberculosis. He worked so hard because
he needed money to have you back.”
Laura didn’t know what to say. Mr. Dalton yelled, “Yet
here you are, thinking that you’re just a byproduct of a failed
marriage… He treasured you so much, so if he finds out that
this is how you feel, Mr. Sheldon would weep in heaven!”
It sounded like Mr. Dalton felt the need to defend Louis
Sheldon. Laura replied, “Mr. Dalton, please calm down.”
“I… can’t calm down. Just when did you start thinking this
way? And why? Mr. Shledon was a great man. He was born
with true talent, yet he lacked the cantankerous arrogance
most genius artists have. He was an angel. He wasn’t some
irresponsible vagrant but an incredible artist.”

“Even when he became bedridden, he never stopped writing

to you. According to the servant who nursed him, his last
word was an apology…. He said, Tm sorry.’… This apology was
for you, Miss Pendleton.”
Her father was sorry. He was sorry for leaving her. He was
sorry for not coming back for her. He was sorry that he had
died like this.
Laura’s heart wavered. She wondered if it was because her
deeply buried emotions were reawakening. Or could it be the
wine? Perhaps it was the pain she saw in Mr. Dalton’s face.
She grabbed her chest, feeling her heart ache so
unexpectedly. The pain she used to feel a long time ago, her
yearning, love, and sense of betrayal for her father began to
creep up again. Laura tried to bury these intense sentiments
deep inside again because such emotions could be dangerous.
They could hurt her by causing her to make careless mistakes.
Laura had been so certain of herself before. She told
herself that she was a result of her parents’ failures, and the
things she learned from her misfortune had served her well
until now. But the sudden and unexpected appearance of her
father’s grave shook her to her core.
“Mr. Dalton, please calm down. I just need time to process
everything.”
Her serene voice was finally enough to make Mr. Dalton
simmer down. “My apologies, Miss Pendleton. You must be
feeling even more confused than I am, so I had no right to get
excited like this.”
When Laura shook her head, he continued, “There are
several things that used to belong to Mr. Sheldon in
Whitefield Hall. My father kept them safe in case his family
came to collect them. I guess they’ll finally find their rightful
owner.
A mix of emotions filled his eyes as Mr. Dalton gazed at
Laura. “After Mr. Sheldon passed away, I prayed every night
that the news of his passing would reach his family. I still
can’t believe his family is you, Miss Pendleton. I don’t know if
this is God playing a joke on us, or… perhaps this is fate.”
 Chapter 94

Laura visited Whitefield Hall the very next day. This was the
first time she was there alone. She slowly walked into the
mansion. Ramswick, who was waiting inside, escorted her to
Mr. Dalton’s office. He opened the door, and Laura entered.
Mr. Dalton, wearing a neat gray suit and a navy tie, was
standing at the window. He greeted, “Welcome.”
His voice sounded unusually awkward. Laura curtsied, and
he asked, “Did you feel dizzy at all when you returned to
Dunville Park yesterday?”
“Not one bit.”
“It looks like you didn’t get much sleep though.”
Laura gave him a small smile. “I haven’t slept a wink.”
Mr. Dalton nodded in understanding. “Would you like to
have a seat?”
They sat down on a buffalo leather sofa. Soon, a servant
brought them a pot of black tea and a tray of cookies and
cakes. Once she set the table and left, Mr. Dalton picked up the
pot and poured Laura a cup. He then added a splash of milk
and two spoons of sugar before stirring it for her.
While Laura sipped on her tea, he cut up a generous piece
of cake and placed it on her plate along with some cookies.
Laura barely ate any breakfast that morning, so she was
ravenous. While she ate, Mr. Dalton watched quietly. After
finishing an entire slice of cake, she wiped her lips with a
napkin.
Mr. Dalton asked, “Was it good?”
Laura nodded, making a faint smile spread on his lips.
“It’s nice to see you eat well, Miss Pendleton… Ah… Would
you prefer it if I called you Miss Sheldon?”
“Whatever makes you comfortable is fine with me, Mr.
Dalton.”
“But I’m most comfortable with whatever makes you feel
comfortable, Miss Pendleton.”
“Then I would prefer ‘Miss Pendleton’ since that’s how
you have always addressed me.”
“Alright, Miss Pendleton.” Mr. Dalton rose and walked to
his desk where a large paper box was placed. He brought it
and put it down on the table in front of her. Laura looked at
the cover, which had the name “Louis Sheldon” written
clearly. There was also a small envelope on top.
Mr. Dalton handed the envelope to her. “I would like to
check this first.”
Laura accepted it, and he explained, “This was Mr.
Sheldon’s entire asset.”
Laura slowly opened it. Her father lived his whole life as a
poor artist, so she wasn’t expecting a great inheritance. She
anticipated a banknote of a few pounds and some coins at
most.
 But when she took out a bank receipt, she gasped. “Two…
thousand pounds…?”
Laura looked up at Mr. Dalton, who was stirring his black
tea with a lemon edge floating on top. She asked, “This was
my father’s money?”
“Yes, and now, it belongs to you.”
“This doesn’t make any sense. My father was poor, and
I’m certain he wouldn’t have had jobs that paid this much…”
“When he first arrived at Whitefield Hall, he was
beginning to gain fame in the noble society as a portrait
artist. The landscapes he painted during his travels were also
being noticed by art dealers around that time.”
“But every time I met an art dealer, I asked about my
father. They all said they’ve never heard of him…”
“That’s because he passed away before he was fully
recognized. There are thousands of painters working in
England, and if you die before you become famous, you’re
quickly forgotten. But if he hadn’t passed away, I’m certain
Mr. Sheldon would’ve become the most famous painter in
England within a year or two. His paintings were beautiful
just like his soul.”
There was confidence in Mr. Dalton’s voice, but Laura
decided to take his claim with a grain of salt. After all, it was
too easy for strong affection to cloud one’s judgment. As if
Mr. Dalton read her mind, he opened the box and handed one
of the drawing pads to her.
 Laura opened it and looked through her father’s
unfinished watercolors one by one. They were all landscapes
of Whitefield. She saw the lake at sunset, the beautiful forest
with the stars glowing above, and the lonely cornfield just
before the harvest. All the colors were bright and transparent.
The paintings looked like the light and darkness were melted
into them rather than painted on. Her father’s technique was
flawless and unique.
Having a good eye for art, Laura had to agree with Mr.
Dalton’s assessment. Her father was indeed an incredible
artist. If he hadn’t passed away so young, he would’ve
become one of the most famous artists in all of England. For
the first time in her life, Laura felt proud of her father.
She turned to look inside the box. It was filled with his
threadbare handkerchief, worn shirts, stained palette, paint
cans, bible, and shabby leather bag. These were all the things
Laura remembered from her childhood. As expected of a poor
unknown artist, all of his possessions were meager, but there
was not a single particle of dust on them.
Laura mumbled, “They look so clean as if they were being
used recently.”
“My father took much effort to keep them that way. He
was always very appreciative of Mr. Sheldon for rescuing me
from drowning in sadness.”
“Mrs. Starr told me the story. She said my father became a
good teacher to you, Mr. Dalton.” Laura smiled.
 “He was much more than that.” There was sadness in Mr.
Dalton’s smile as he explained, “As a child, I was a sensitive
and gloomy young boy. After my sister left to get married, my
depression and loneliness worsened. It was Mr. Sheldon who
taught me to accept these feelings. He said that no emotion
was bad and that if I felt lonely, I should use it to paint. He
told me to draw the subject that made me feel this way
because if I project my feelings outward, the pain will
disappear. He promised that my heart will fill with fullness,
and when this happens, even sadness will look beautiful.”
Laura remembered the watercolor of Whitefield Mr. Dalton
painted for her. She felt a little overwhelmed that such a
beautiful piece was possible all because of her father.
Mr. Dalton continued, “After he passed away, I fell into
despair for a long time. But because Mr. Sheldon had taught
me how to overcome my sadness, I did just as he asked. I
painted and prayed for him. If I had anything I wanted to say,
I wrote him a letter. When I was finally able to mourn him
without crying, I knew that I had finally grown up.”
His voice turned husky. It was clear Mr. Dalton still
yearned for his teacher who passed away twenty years ago.
Laura wished she could hug him tightly. She wanted to
console him and thank him for keeping her father’s
memories alive.
But Laura knew not to let her urges win. So instead, she
thought of a different way to comfort him. She asked, “Mr.
Dalton, shall we go for a walk?”
 The two of them left the mansion. The early autumn air
was refreshingly chilly like the air hidden deep inside the
valley. Mr. Dalton and Laura walked by the garden to reach
the dirt path lined with white birch trees on both sides. The
sound of crickets, birds, and leaves in the wind mixed into
quiet music.
They walked silently for a long time. It was Laura who first
spoke. “Do you remember how I wished to take a stroll in
Whitefield someday? I guess my wish finally came true.”
She continued, “You always boasted of your beautiful
home when you were in London, Mr. Dalton. I believed that if
someone like you were so proud of it, it would be a truly
wonderful place. Now that I saw it in person, I know that you
weren’t exaggerating. Whitefield is indeed heaven on earth.”
“I appreciate your compliment, Miss Pendleton.”
“My father must’ve felt the same way. I noticed that all of
the paintings he drew were of Whitefield.”
“Mr. Sheldon only painted Whitefield the moment he
arrived here.”
“I think I can understand why. I can’t paint, but if I could, I
would be roaming this magnificent land with a brush, palette,
and sketchbook in my hand.”
Mr. Dalton became very quiet. Laura glanced at him and
saw that there was a proud smile on his lips. His reaction
brought such joy to her heart. She asked, “Mr. Dalton, will
you give me permission to come here from time to time for
walks?”
 Their eyes met, and Laura continued, “Will you still
welcome me even if I come by myself without Olivia?”
“Of course.”
Laura nodded her thanks. “I thought about my father all
last night. The fact that he didn’t abandon me and that he
died from working hard to return to me… I felt very confused.
Frankly, I couldn’t believe it. Or perhaps I didn’t want to. You
see, my identity was built on my belief that he abandoned
me.”
Laura expected Mr. Dalton to ask her for an explanation,
but he remained quiet. She turned toward him to see that he
was looking ahead and listening attentively. His calmness
gave her the courage to continue.
“I remember my fifteenth birthday. I was in boarding
school, and the school threw me a birthday party. The
principal even ordered a large cake. All the students and
teachers gathered, and I attended the party in a lilac silk
dress. It was a gift from my grandmother. It was a grand
party, Mr. Dalton. I blew out the candles, and my friends gave
me kisses to congratulate me. My teachers hugged me, and
we had fun late into the night. But when I returned to my
room, I crawled into my bed and cried all night.”

“Not even the cake, dress, and everyone’s love weren’t

enough to fill the emptiness inside of me. The only thing I
could think about was that my father couldn’t even bother to
send me a postcard. I was disappointed every year, but it was
the worst that particular year. I cried and cried, and I think it
was then that I decided to never let my emotions dictate my
life.”
Laura wondered why she was telling Mr. Dalton this story.
She knew it would only make him feel uncomfortable. She
quickly realized that it was because she was afraid he might
misunderstand. She hadn’t shed a single tear after finding out
about her father’s death, so Mr. Dalton had to think she was a
cold, unfeeling woman.
Laura was trying to make an excuse. She was telling him
that the reason why she could remain calm wasn’t because
she didn’t love her father. There was a good reason why she
wasn’t able to cry easily anymore.
Mr. Dalton didn’t respond, and she assumed that he was
trying to find a proper word of consolation. She put on a smile
on her lips and turned toward him. She planned on
unburdening him by telling him that she was perfectly fine
now. But when she saw his face, her smile disappeared.
Mr. Dalton’s face was covered in tears.
Laura paused and grabbed his arm. “Mr.
Dalton…”
He hurriedly looked away, but his wide shoulders
continued to shudder. Laura knew that she wasn’t mistaken
about his tears, and she froze. She didn’t know what to do
because she has never seen a grown man cry before.
Mr. Dalton took out a clean gray handkerchief with a paid
pattern from his inner pocket to wipe his face. Laura squeezed
his arm and consoled him, “Everything’s okay now. It’s all in
the past, and I’m happy now.”
But her words only made things worse. Mr. Dalton buried
his face in the handkerchief and suddenly began to sob. As
Laura listened, she realized that he was saddened by her past.
There were only very few people in the world who knew about
her pain, and there were even fewer people who sympathized
with her. Yet here was Mr. Dalton, who was crying and
sharing the pain from her past.
At that moment, the wall she built to keep her emotions
hidden began to crack.
 Chapter 95

After that day, Laura visited Whitefield once a week. Most of

the time, she went on a Sunday when she could attend Pastor
Starr’s morning sermon. Afterward, she would have lunch in
the parsonage or at Whitefield Hall before taking a leisurely
walk in the forest, field, and riverside of Whitefield. She
always made sure to carry her father’s drawing pad when she
went on these strolls.
Whitefield was where her father spent his final days. It
seemed that most of the work he left behind was the
paintings of this place. It was evident that he loved this land
dearly. And of course, this was also the spot where Louis
Sheldon was buried.
Laura now saw Whitefield in a new light. It used to be her
close friend’s home and a beautifully dreamy countryside, but
now, it felt so much more special. As if she was on a
pilgrimage searching for a great saint, Laura explored the
very places her father must’ve visited. By doing so, she
wanted to learn the thoughts and feelings her father must’ve
had.
Mr. Dalton was always by her side in her adventure. He
claimed that he was worried she might get lost, and Laura
accepted his help without question.
Laura liked to search for the scenes her father drew in his
landscape paintings. Most of the time, Mr. Dalton
accompanied her quietly as if he was air or shadow around
her. The only time he spoke was whenever she asked if she
found the right spot. If she was interested, he also told her of
any relevant information about the time her father drew a
particular piece.
Through Ian’s voice, Laura was able to picture her father’s
life in Whitefield. She imagined him sitting on a large tree
branch, a giant rock, or a patch of grass to draw for hours at a
time. The gentle breeze would have mussed his golden hair
while his long neck would have been bent downward as he
focused on his work. Laura remembered how his long fingers
used to move tirelessly to create a masterpiece on a blank
page.
In her memory, her father remained an impossibly
beautiful youth.
Laura liked to sit on a branch or rock where her father
would’ve rested. She often looked out at the very scenery her
father would’ve studied. Whitefield had to be heaven on earth
with its peaceful nature tucked away from the rest of the
world. Laura didn’t doubt that God made a special effort to
create this piece of art. The fragrant breeze felt like the breath
of God while the distant chirping of the birds sounded like
God whistling a tune.
 While Laura found peace in Whitefield, Ian was
experiencing the greatest happiness he has ever felt in his
life. For a long time, he had dreamt of strolling his land with
Laura, and it was finally happening. He could be by her side
without worrying that she might find out about his feelings.
In the past, Ian believed that he would get to spend private
time with her only through marriage. So this unexpected
situation was no doubt a miracle.
It had to be an angel who gave him such an unexpected
gift, and Ian was certain this angel was his teacher Mr. Louis
Sheldon.
Ian Dalton had lost his mother at a very young age. When
his older sister left him, he felt like his world had ended.
When he was suffering the most, Mr. Sheldon appeared out of
the blue and gave him endless love. His teacher was the one
who taught everything Ian knew. Mr. Sheldon must’ve been
sympathetic toward young Ian because he was about his
daughter’s age and also motherless.
When he became older, Ian realized how much love Mr.
Sheldon had given him. If it wasn’t for his old teacher, Ian
would’ve become a dejected and gloomy figure. So it was a
huge shock when he learned that Miss Pendleton was Mr.
Sheldon’s daughter.
Ian couldn’t forget the moment when Laura fainted in his
arms. That day, he went to the graveyard just as an excuse to
see her and invite her to Whitefield Hall. But that fateful day,
he learned an incredible truth.
 He was shocked at first, but later on, he became confused
as to why he hadn’t noticed it earlier. In his memory, Mr.
Sheldon was a gentle and wise man who was full of love. It
was clear that Miss Pendleton had inherited these traits.
Ian Dalton had always believed that he was destined to be
with Laura Pendleton. When he fell in love with her, he knew
it was meant to be. He didn’t doubt that he was born to marry
her. He was certain no other woman had ever interested him
because he belonged to Miss Pendleton.
After learning that Laura was Louis Sheldon’s daughter, all
of his beliefs were confirmed.
This woman is the only one forme. She’s going to be the
mistress of my heart.
He gazed lovingly at Laura sitting on a branch like a
goddess. He thought to himself, Mr. Sheldon must’ve become
an angel and helped me find his daughter. He wants her to
become my wife so that I can make her happy. He’s allowing me
to pay him back for everything he did for me.
His love for Laura Pendleton grew exponentially. It was so
overwhelming that he found it hard to bear sometimes.
Laura.
Laura Pendleton.
Laura Sheldon.
She was the woman of his dreams. He couldn’t help how
he felt because they were fated to be together. Ian wished he
could kneel before her and worship her the way she deserved
to be. He wanted to offer her everything in his possession. If
she would agree to be his wife, Ian Dalton would gladly sell
his soul.
But Laura Pendleton didn’t want him. Ian despaired at the
impossible situation. If she loved him even half as much as he
loved her, they could be incredibly happy together. But it
seemed that Laura didn’t love him as a man one bit.
Whenever Laura was with him, her demeanor couldn’t
have been any calmer. Except at odd times when she blushed
if he teased her, Laura remained serene. If she had shown
even the smallest sign of longing for him, Ian would’ve told
her how he truly felt. But Laura gave him no sign.
Ian tossed and turned every night. Laura was a smart and
independent woman. On top of this, she now had Mr.
Sheldon’s inheritance and thereby escaping poverty. She was
finally free in every way.
If he begged for her love now, Laura was going to leave
him without hesitation. She would think it was for his own
good. She would claim that she didn’t want to follow in her
mother’s footsteps. And lastly, she would want to avoid being
trapped in a marriage with a man she didn’t even love.
Ian found the last reason to be the most painful. He knew
that he was considered a good husband material. He owned
one of the biggest lands, and he even grew his family wealth
fourfold over the last few years. Despite the recession in
England, House Dalton was experiencing its golden years.
And although he has never thought too much about it, Ian
knew that he was fairly good-looking. At least that is what
the ladies believed.
But it seemed that none of these things mattered to Miss
Pendleton.
Every night, Ian sketched the likeness of Laura to escape
his desperation. But things worsened as his feelings
deepened. Sadness could be overcome with mourning, but
love tended to burn even brighter as one thought more about
his love interest. Now that he was in Laura’s presence more
often, his desire for her grew quickly.
Ian’s body burned for Laura as he lay in bed.
I would commit any crime if it means I can earn her love. I
would do it even if God never forgives me for it.
At the moment, the only crime he was committing was
continuing to lie to Miss Pendleton. He hid his feelings for her
and pretended to be her friend. Ian prayed that this would
eventually lead to Laura falling in love with him.
Mr. Sheldon, if she becomes mine, I’ll repay you by making her
the happiest woman. So please help her let her guard down. Make
her careless and childish so that I have a chance. Because at the
moment, she’s not letting me in at all. I have no chance at this
rate, so I’m begging you, Mr. Sheldon.
 In the haze of passion and desperation, Ian Dalton prayed
to his guardian angel every night.

***

It was another peaceful Sunday afternoon when Laura was

carrying her father’s drawing pad and walking the birch tree
forest with Mr. Dalton. She commented, “Mr. Dalton, I think
it’s going to rain.”
Laura clenched and unclenched her hand a few times. Mr.
Dalton stopped walking and looked up at the sky. Through the
thick branches of birch trees, he saw that the sky was clear
without a single puff of cloud.
Laura looked up and blushed in embarrassment. She
murmured, “Ah, I guess I’m wrong. It doesn’t look like it’s
going to rain at all.”
“Why did you think it was going to rain?”
Laura massaged her right hand awkwardly and replied,
“Because this hand aches a little whenever it’s about to rain.”
Laura answered innocently because she believed Mr.
Dalton had no idea of what happened to her hand. But he
knew much more than she thought. Mr. Dalton clenched his
teeth, remembering a piece of unpleasant memory from the
past. Thinking about Gerald Pendleton made his jaw shudder
in anger.
But Ian quickly regained his calm and turned around. He
announced, “We should go back.”
 “N…no, Mr. Dalton. I think my hand is aching for no
reason.”
“You must never ignore the signs your body sends you.”
Laura shook her head. “This hand has fooled me many
times before. I should put a heat compress on it from time to
time, but I’ve been lazy about doing it. It’s just having a little
tantrum. We have been out less than thirty minutes, so I don’t
want to go back yet.”
Ian looked at her face in worry before smiling. “Then if it
rains while we’re out, will you take responsibility, Miss
Pendleton?”
“Responsibility? For what?”
“For getting me wet, of course. You’ll have to carry me
back to the mansion on the muddy path. If I catch a cold,
you’ll have to nurse me back to health. And if I can’t fall
asleep from my sickness, you’ll have to sing me a lullaby
every night.”
Laura burst into laughter. “Just like my father did for
you?”
“Exactly.”
Laura rolled her eyes. “Those are all the things that are
inappropriate or impossible for me to do. But there’s one
thing I can do for you.”
“What is it?”
“If your clothes get wet, I’ll let you borrow my dress. You
can wear it to return home.”
 Both of them laughed loudly. They leisurely entered the
forest. After walking among the snow-white trees for a while,
they soon reached a field where willows and foxtails reached
their knees. The sun shined to turn the field golden, and when
they walked a little further, a giant lake with a clear reflection
of the sky appeared.
Laura exclaimed at such a beautiful scene. She thought in
silence. If Renoir was here, he would’ve painted voluptuous
naked women with this place as a background.
She flipped through the drawing pad to find the picture
that depicted this place. Instead of naked women, her father
had drawn a young boy with the lake in his background. The
boy was sitting and hugging his knees while watching the
gentle waves in the lake created by a breeze.
Realizing that this boy was Mr. Dalton at the age of eight,
Laura smiled in joy.
 Chapter 96

The eight-year-old Mr. Dalton in the drawing looked

impossibly adorable. With pink chubby cheeks, intelligent
black eyes, and pouty lips, he was the most charming boy she
had ever seen. If such a boy lived in her neighborhood, Laura
would’ve given him candies every day and pinched his plump
cheeks every chance she got.
She turned to look at Mr. Dalton now. He was standing
next to her with his hands in his pockets. Looking out at the
water striders floating on the lake, Ian Dalton looked like a
perfect gentleman in his blue-green suit including a
matching vest and black tie. His hair was slicked back, and his
face was no longer that of an innocent child.
The smile on Laura’s lips disappeared as her heart began
to rattle like a broken engine. She had been experiencing this
strange symptom often lately. As if she caught an illness, her
heart pounded whenever she saw him. Ever since Mr. Dalton
cried for her, Laura’s emotions have been out of control. She
was able to push them down for now, but it was impossible
for her to ignore them anymore. Without any way to express
them, Laura’s heart ached as they clawed at it.
 Laura’s face crumpled in pain. At times like this, she
missed her father even more. If she had learned to deal with
her feelings just as Mr. Dalton did from her father, she would
know how to handle her current situation now. All her life,
Laura had controlled her emotions forcefully and never let
her guard down. But it appeared that she no longer had
command over her own feelings. They were growing more
unruly every day as if they were unmanageable children.
Laura sighed quietly and closed the drawing pad. In her
usual tranquil voice, she asked, “What are you thinking
about, Mr. Dalton?”
“I’m remembering the day when Miss Hyde beat me in the
game of skipping stones. This lake reminds me of my
embarrassing loss.”
Laura chuckled. “That was indeed an entertaining
contest.”
“Is Miss Hyde faring well?”
“I think so. She sent me a letter, telling me that she
received a special bonus for successfully completing Mary
Lotis’s most recent manuscript. She sent me a small pearl
brooch as a gift.”
“That’s impressive. Well, Miss Hyde is a lady who’s
capable of skipping a stone beyond the horizon, so I’m certain
she can do anything she sets her mind to.”
“I hope so too. The thing is, her publishing company is
considering promoting Miss Hyde to a proper editor position
from her typist role. Since there has never been a female
editor before, many of the executives are pushing back. But
I’m sure it will all work out for her. After all, Miss Hyde is very
sharp and insightful when it comes to books.”
“At this point, it won’t be Miss Hyde’s skills that decide
whether she becomes an editor. It will all depend on whether
her publishing company has an eye for talent. If her
promotion doesn’t work out, you should tell her to resign.
There’s no need for her to stay in a place that doesn’t treat
her fairly.”
“I think that’s exactly what Mr. Fairfax advised her.
Apparently, he already made up a long list of publishing
companies he plans to send his recommendation letters on
her behalf if her promotion fails to go through.”
“That man should spend more effort taking care of his
own affairs. Geez, he’s always dying to help others whenever
he gets a chance.”
When Mr. Dalton grumbled a compliment for his friend,
Laura burst into laughter. Just then, a loud rumbling echoed
through the sky. When they looked up, they saw that a swarm
of dark clouds was invading the sky that was clear only a
moment ago. Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton’s eyes met, a
look of disappointment crossing their eyes at the same time.
Mr. Dalton quickly took off his jacket to cover Laura’s
head. The jacket fit him perfectly, but it was big enough to
cover both her head and her upper body. Soon, the rain began
to come down a few drops at a time.
 He tightened his jacket around her and asked, “Are you
wearing comfortable shoes?”
Laura nodded. Whenever she came to walk in the forest,
she made sure to wear a pair of sturdy boots with rubber
soles. Mr. Dalton put his arm around her shoulder and
announced, “Then we’d better run.”
He began running, and Laura did the same. They followed
a small dirt path and passed by two streams. When they
entered deep into a forest filled with chestnut trees, they saw
a small cottage ahead. The two of them ran into the well-built
structure with a triangular oak roof.
With Mr. Dalton’s jacket still around her shoulders, Laura
looked around the house. It was clearly an abandoned place
because it was dark with some chairs and a table scattered
haphazardly. The table was covered in a thick layer of dust.
Mr. Dalton explained, “A woodcutter and his family used
to live here. After the husband died, his wife got a job in
London as a housekeeper. This place has been abandoned for
a long time so it’s dirty, but let’s just stay until the rain
stops.”
He pulled up his sleeves and broke two of the wooden
chairs. He threw the pieces into the fireplace and took out a
small box of matches. He lit it, and when he threw it into the
fireplace, the fire brightened the house instantly.
Laura was watching Mr. Dalton work when she jolted in
shock. In the light, she saw that he was soaking wet. His hair
was dripping with water, and his bare skin could be seen
through the wet shirt. It was a cold autumn, and they were
inside a chilly forest. Every time they exhaled, they could see
the white breath forming in the air. Laura became worried
that Mr. Dalton was going to catch a cold.
He took off his wet vest as if he was annoyed by it. After
placing it on the table, he grabbed one of the intact chairs and
wiped it clean with his handkerchief. The chair was so dirty
that the clean handkerchief quickly turned into a black rag.
Mr. Dalton folded it neatly on the table and placed the chair
near the fireplace.
He gestured to Laura kindly, “Please come closer.”
Laura slowly walked up to him. Mr.
Dalton had her sit down on the chair and removed his
jacket from her shoulders. He examined her, satisfied that
thanks to his jacket, she remained very dry except for a little
wetness on her dress hem.
Mr. Dalton rose again and broke a few more chairs to
throw them into the fireplace. The fire burned even brighter,
bringing warmth to the small cottage in no time.
He wiped his hands on his pants when Laura offered him
her black shawl. “Please use this to dry yourself.”
Mr. Dalton shook his head. “I don’t want to ruin your
clothes, Miss Pendleton.”
“I got this for only five pence at a secondhand store in
London. It was so cheap that I wouldn’t be bothered if I threw
it away, so please use it. I’m afraid my precious friend will
catch a cold.”
 Mr. Dalton smiled and accepted the shawl to pat his face,
neck, and arms dry. He replied, “This is too dirty for you to
use now. I’ll get rid of it and get you something similar next
time.”
Laura nodded. Mr. Dalton folded the shawl neatly. He then
spread his jacket near her chair and sat down on top of it.
It would be more comfortable if he sat on top of my sha wl…
Laura thought quietly, but she didn’t voice her opinion.
She assumed that he felt embarrassed to sit on lady’s clothes.
The heavy rain banged on the old wooden cottage
viciously. Laura looked out the window, surprised by how
dark it was outside as if the night had fallen. Only half an hour
ago, the world was filled with sunshine. At this rate, it was
difficult to guess when the rain would stop. If it continued all
night, they might be trapped here until tomorrow.
Laura sighed and fidgeted with her throbbing right hand. I
shouldn I have ignored the sign.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dalton was sitting quietly and looking at
the fire. He was holding a silver cigarette case he took out
from his jacket pocket. He kept caressing the engravings on
it, and Laura could tell that he must be a little nervous.
She asked, “Do you want to smoke?”
“Just a little.” Mr. Dalton smiled.
“Please go ahead.”
“I don’t smoke in front of a lady.”
“But you can smoke in front of a friend.”
 “I don’t want to pollute the air you breathe, Miss
Pendleton,” he announced, but even as he spoke, he kept
opening and closing the case. Mr. Dalton sighed and
explained, “Smoking is such a terrible habit in many ways.
It’s not good for my health, and it’s bad for others around me
too. If I had a son, I would never teach him to smoke.”
“Did you learn to smoke from your father?”
Mr. Dalton nodded. “It was the year I turned fifteen. When
I returned home for the summer from boarding school, my
father called me into his study. Instead of patting my head as
usual, he asked for a handshake. He then rolled me a cigar for
the first time. Since then, I smoked with him while we talked
whenever I returned home for vacation. We talked about
family business like grownups.”
“It sounds like he wanted to bring into the world of men.”
“I think so. It was around that time when he began
preparing me to inherit the title. My father passed away a
long time ago, but the family title and this cigarette case are
still with me.” Mr. Dalton shook the metal case lightly to
show it to her. He explained, “This was a gift from my father
when I got accepted into Cambridge.”
“It looks lovely.”
“It’s my favorite gift among all the things he gave me. I’ve
carried it with me wherever I go, which is how my smoking
habit worsened. I’m sure my father wanted to share the same
habit, so I understand. But if it was me, I would’ve gone
fishing with my son instead.”
 The sounds of raindrops and crackling of the burning
wood filled the room. Laura replied, “I envy you for having
had parents. You inherited their habits, memories, and gifts.
It’s a wonderful thing. I, on the other hand, didn’t get much
from my own parents.”
“Your existence is the greatest inheritance they left
behind.”
“But unfortunately, most of the things that make me who
I am don’t come from my parents.”
Mr. Dalton looked at her with curiosity. Wondering if it
was the warm fire and the quiet sound of raindrops that made
her let her guard down, Laura explained, “I no longer think
my parents were foolish in falling in love. I can sympathize
with how my mother wanted to escape the Pendleton family,
and I now know my father worked hard to take responsibility
for his actions. But even if I am put in the same situation as
my parents, I would never make the same choice they made.
It’s not because they made the wrong decisions. The problem
is that I’m not like them at all.”
 Chapter 97

Mr. Dalton stared at Laura quietly as she continued, “I’ve

tried all my life to live differently than my parents. I faced my
reality head-on, and I used logic and discretion to solve
problems. I never let my emotions dictate my actions, and my
effort has served me well. But suppressing my emotions has
become a habit now just like you with your smoking. Just as I
wished, I became someone very different from my parents.
Whenever I feel an intense emotion, I freeze. My rational side
kicks in immediately to deal with it.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing.” Mr. Dalton replied
in a gentle voice he used only with those he treasured. “I
respect your rational nature, Miss Pendleton. Anyone with
half a brain would agree with me on this. You’re able to
always remain calm, gentle, and fair. Your kind demeanor is
possible only because you’re wise and strong. I’m sure your
parents are proud of the woman you have become.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
Laura smiled, and Mr. Dalton gazed at her with intense
warmth in his eyes. She felt her body burn as if she had drunk
a glass of wine. Her heart flailed, desperate to show her deep
feelings for him. Laura wanted to express her love for him
with everything she had. She wanted to use her eyes,
expressions, gestures, and words to let him know how she
felt.
Laura wished she could become his cigarette case so that
she could feel his caress. She wanted to become his shirt so
that she could embrace him tightly. She craved to become the
fireplace in front of them so she could bring him warmth.
The wall she built around her heart continued to crack
further. As if she was a schoolgirl finding love for the first
time, Laura’s face slowly turned pink. Watching her, the way
Mr. Dalton looked at her began to change slowly.
Laura flinched. Did he figure out how she felt for him?
What if she made a fool of herself and troubled him with her
love?
Fear engulfed her, and Laura’s rational side kicked in
immediately as a defense mechanism. Trying to escape this
awkward situation, she chose her words carefully. “Mr.
Dalton, I pray that you’ll find a lady who can love you for who
you are. Have you made any progress with the lady you’re
interested in? May I ask where you are in your quest?”
Mr. Dalton’s gaze turned calm, making Laura feel relieved.
His expression a little gloomier now, he replied in a rigid
voice, “She’s very far out of my reach at the moment.”
He must mean that this lady is still in London. The image of
Miss Lance popped into Laura’s head. Ah, perhaps they’ve
already gotten secretly engaged. It makes sense since Mr. Dalton
would never do anything ambiguous. He wouldn’t have acted the
way he did toward Miss Lance without a good reason. He’s a good
man after all, so he wouldn’t mislead her like that. I was worried
about Miss Lance for nothing.
She knew she should’ve felt relieved, but for some reason,
Laura’s nose burned and her heart ached. She put on a brave
smile and replied, “Physical distance can be overcome easily.
You can always take the train to see her after all. I don’t know
where she lives, but I’m sure it’s less than two days’ ride
away.”
Mr. Dalton smirked mockingly. “There’s a bigger hurdle
than a physical distance.”
“What might that be?”
“She doesn’t know that I’m in love with her.”
“Ah…” Laura’s eyes wavered in confusion. Before she left,
she saw that Miss Lance was very much in love with Mr.
Dalton. Could it be that he was oblivious to this?
Or is he in love with another lady other than Miss Lance?
Laura couldn’t figure it out. She always prided herself on
having a good instinct in matters of heart. But it seemed that
her intuition was useless against Mr. Dalton. Unfortunately,
she couldn’t ask him who this lady was. Such a blunt question
would be considered inappropriate.
Unhappy to see him looking so somber, Laura asked, “Is
there anything I can do to help?”
“I couldn’t win her heart in London, so how will I ever
accomplish this mission here?”
 Laura suggested, “What about sending a letter… Ah, never
mind. Why don’t you visit London again then?”
“I can’t be absent from Whitefield for too long.” Mr.
Dalton looked out the window. He seemed so lonely, having
the face of a man who failed to win the woman he loved. As
Laura became more depressed, she tried even harder to
ignore her feelings. She began putting all of her efforts into
helping the man she loves marry another woman.
Laura was a resourceful woman, so she quickly came up
with an idea. “Then how about you host a hunting party?”
“A hunting party?”
“Yes. If you host a hunting party, many ladies and
gentlemen will flock to Whitefield. You must send invitations
to everyone you met in London. Promise them many days of
hunting, dance parties, dinners, card games, concerts, and
picnics. You’ll write to them that they’ll get to enjoy the
neverending pleasures of Whitefield. I’m certain people will
get on the train and rush here, and one of them will be the
lady you’re interested in. Once she sees Whitefield, I’m sure
she’ll fall in love with you, Mr. Dalton.”
Laura emphasized her last sentence, believing that it
would entice him. But Mr. Dalton looked aghast as if she had
asked him to invite a hoard of mice. She quickly realized that
she should’ve expected this reaction from him. After all, he
was known by many as Miss Havisham.
Laura continued, “I know you like your privacy, so you
might not like this plan. But you’ll be able to have your lady
for a whole week in your mansion. This will give you a chance
to win her heart.”
Mr. Dalton’s face brightened when she mentioned the
period of a week. Laura decided that he liked the idea of
spending that much time with the woman of his dreams.
Mr. Dalton protested, “But I don’t know how to prepare
for a social event like that. I doubt my butler knows either.
The last time we held a sizable ball was when my great-
grandfather was still alive. If my staff finds out I’m inviting
several dozen ladies and gentlemen, they’re sure to panic.
“Ah, that’s indeed a problem. There are many decisions to
make including the menus, table arrangements, and such.
You’ll need someone to take care of everything from scratch,
and if your butler doesn’t have any experience, this will be
difficult to pull off. ”
“Then would you help me, Miss Pendleton?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You’ve attended countless balls and dinners in
London, haven’t you? You have also hosted your own formal
dinners and tea parties quite successfully. I have no one else
who can execute such a huge event.”
“But that means I’ll have to frequent Whitefield, and it will
affect my lessons for the children.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Everyone at Dunville Park is
more concerned about my marriage than the children’s
education. If I explain the situation to my sister, she’ll allow
you to take some time off. Daniel and George will get a nice
vacation too.”
Mr. Dalton looked cheerful and lively. It seemed that he
was excited about having his beloved lady stay in his house.
Laura suddenly felt nauseous. It was something she had never
felt before, and she couldn’t decipher the reason behind it.
“Alright, I’ll help you,” Laura answered reluctantly. Mr.
Dalton beamed and raised his hand toward her. She placed her
own on top, and he leaned to kiss it.
His lips still on her hand, Mr. Dalton mumbled, “What will
I do with you?”
Laura put on a bland smile and tried to pull away. But he
refused to let her go. Instead, he continued to stare at her
gloved hand for a long time. Her hand tingled at his gaze.
Feeling her whole body turn warm, Laura joked, “Are you
trying to ask me for another favor, Mr. Dalton?”
He slowly looked up at her. “Please attend this event, Miss
Pendleton.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m asking you to enjoy this event just like the other
invited guests.”
This was an unexpected request, something she could not
accept. She was no longer a noble lady. As an employee of
another household, she didn’t belong at such a gathering.
She replied, “Mr. Dalton. I appreciate your invitation, but I
must decline.”
 Laura expected him to ask her why, but Mr. Dalton
appeared to know her better than she thought. He understood
the reason why she refused his request, so he argued, “I do
not want my treasured friend to hide in the corner and work
like a housekeeper.”
“Please forgive me for not being able to accept your
invitation, Mr. Dalton. But this isn’t possible because my aid
in hosting this event isn’t enough reason for me to attend it.
As the host of this gathering, you must only invite worthy
people. If you introduce me to your guests as your friend, you
will be neglecting your duty.”
“I disagree. Inviting you will only make this event more
notable.”
“But that’s not what your guests will think. I’m sure the
lady you love wouldn’t feel that way either.”
“If that is the case, then I would be very disappointed in
her. If she’s indeed a woman who belittles the daughter of my
teacher who saved my boyhood just because of her title, then I
wouldn’t want her either.”
Laura tried to say something, but Mr. Dalton used his
other hand to clasp her hand. Her hand was now trapped
between his two large hands. His warmth shocked her,
making her speechless. Mr. Dalton continued, “I can’t do
anything without you. If you aren’t there, I would freeze. I’m
embarrassed to admit it, but this is the truth. I am depending
on you for the matters of my heart.”
 Laura’s eyes wavered, and he begged, “So please stay by
my side. Please lead me to the right path. I’ll follow you like a
sheep following its shepherd.”
Confusion filled her heart. Mr. Dalton was begging her for
help, and she felt sympathetic toward his cause. He had to be
in so much pain as he yearned for the lady of his dreams. At
the same time, fear gripped Laura knowing that she would
have to witness him court another woman.
But the biggest emotion she felt was happiness. She was
overjoyed that this man needed her so much. They may still
have been just friends, but she had become important enough
for him to depend on her. It brought her devastating joy to
realize that she was able to do something for him.
Laura nodded. A large grin spread on Mr. Dalton’s lips,
suggesting that he was happy to have made her surrender to
his requests twice. Caressing her small hands, he said in
excitement, “I never expected to be hosting a social event like
this in my life. I guess life is really full of surprises after all.
I’m counting on you for everything, Miss Pendleton. Please
remember that money is no object. Consider my house and
staff your own. Think of yourself as the mistress of Whitefield
and feel free to do whatever you wish.”
Laura tried hard to maintain her usual calm demeanor. It
was then that the rain suddenly stopped outside. Their
clothes had dried from sitting near the fire, so the two of
them left the cottage.
 When they left the darkened chestnut tree forest, they
entered the white birch tree forest that was beginning to be
filled with sun. Laura walked quietly while Mr. Dalton held
her shawl in one hand and whistled happily.
Hugging her father’s drawing pad, Laura looked up at the
sky and tried her best not to cry.
 Chapter 98

The next day after she escaped the rain in an abandoned

cottage with Mr. Dalton, Laura spent the afternoon having tea
with Mrs. Fairfax in a private room. When Laura informed her
of Mr. Dalton’s plan for a party, Mrs. Fairfax was surprised.
Wearing a fox fur shawl, Mrs. Fairfax asked, “A hunting
party? For several days?”
“Yes.”
“That’s shocking. I’ve never expected Ian to do something
like that. I heard he’s growing apple trees. Maybe he got hurt
by having one of the apples fall on his head.”
Laura laughed quietly. Mrs. Fairfax continued with
concern, “I’m a little worried. There’s no one in that house
that can prepare a party that size.”
“The truth is, I need your permission regarding this
gathering. Mr. Dalton asked me to prepare it, so would it be
okay if I helped him?”
“You, Miss Pendleton? If you help him, then I guess I have
nothing to worry about. Please feel free to go ahead.”
Mrs. Fairfax nodded easily while munching on a piece of
madeleine. Laura expected this, but there was something
even more difficult she needed to ask. After some hesitation,
she opened her lips. “And… I was invited as well.”
Laura quickly added, “If you don’t want to give me your
permission, I won’t go, of course.
“Why would you think that I wouldn’t allow you to attend
this party?”
“Some of the most prestigious people from London are
going to attend. If I’m seen there, it will damage the Dalton
family’s reputation.”
Mrs. Fairfax put down the madeleine on the plate. “Miss
Pendleton.”
“Yes?”
“You’re a very humble and straightforward woman. But
sometimes, you go too far. There are times when you belittle
yourself and act too guarded. I didn’t think too much about it
at first, but it upsets me now. Perhaps it’s because I now know
that you’re Mr. Sheldon’s daughter.”

“Mr. Sheldon came to Yorkshire twenty years ago. I always

believed that he was an angel sent by my mother. His
appearance and personality certainly confirmed this belief. I
do not doubt that you, his daughter, came to our home for a
reason.”
Mrs. Fairfax reached out to hold Laura’s small hands. She
continued, “No one will be able to point their fingers at you
anymore, Miss Pendleton. Houses Dalton and Fairfax won’t
allow it. You’re under the protection of two most powerful
families in Yorkshire, so you must feel confident about
yourself.”
Laura couldn’t say a word. She felt so touched by Mrs.
Fairfax’s kindness. Her employer had always been
wonderfully kind to her, and once she learned that Laura was
Louis Sheldon’s daughter, Mrs. Fairfax had become even
more considerate. She treated Laura like her own daughter
now. Laura was able to experience again the motherly love
her grandmother used to give.
Laura nodded quietly.
“Then what dresses will you be wearing at this event, Miss
Pendleton?” asked Mrs. Fairfax.
“The brown one I wear when I visit Mr.
Dalton’s mansion.”
“There will be many days of ball, so how will you survive
on just one dress?”
“It’s alright. I didn’t get dressed much more than that
even when I was in London.”
Mrs. Fairfax contemplated with a frown. “Miss Pendleton,
I…”
Knock, knock.
When Mrs. Fairfax answered, a servant in uniform holding
a silver tray walked in. He announced, “Ma’am, the mail has
arrived.”
Mrs. Fairfax picked up the letters from the tray one by one
when suddenly, one of them caught her attention. She
exclaimed, “Oh my! There’s a letter from Hartnum Cottage.”
 Hartnum Cottage was where Pastor Jenfield’s family was
currently living after his passing. Mrs. Fairfax hurriedly
opened the letter as she murmured, “I hope everyone’s
okay.”
While she read the letter, the servant leaned toward Laura.
“I’ve put aside your mail, Miss Pendleton. Would you like the
maid to deliver them to your room? Or would you like to see
them now?”
“Ah, I’m waiting for a letter, so I would like them now.”
The servant took out two letters from his pocket and
handed them to her. Laura accepted them quickly and saw
that the letters were from Anne and Miss Hyde. When Laura
saw Jane Hyde’s name on the envelope, her heart began to
pound. She has been waiting for news from Miss Hyde
because she wanted to know if her friend has gotten her
promotion.
Laura placed Anne’s letter on her lap and opened Miss
Hyde’s letter. Her friend’s messy scribble filled the page, and
Laura began reading it in anticipation.
Dear Miss Pendleton,
Hello. I hope this letter finds you well. I haven’t been able to
send you a reply for the past two weeks, but I had a good reason
for it. Miss Pendleton, I’m not sure if I am dreaming or not at this
moment. If you were by my side, I would ask you to poke my hand
with a fork to prove that this isn’t a dream!
I’m sure you have noticed the address on the envelope. Yes,
I’m currently in Bath right now!
 Surprised, Laura quickly checked the envelope. Just as
Miss Hyde stated, the letter was sent from Hotel Lorelia in the
city of Bath, which was known for its hot springs.
Miss Hyde should be in London working at the publishing
company, so why is she in a resort city? Laura wondered. Feeling
curious and nervous, she resumed reading the letter.
I’m sure you’re very shocked. You’re probably wondering if I
got let go. Perhaps you’re worried that I might be wasting my
lifesaving on horse racing and gambling.
But rest assured, none of those things happened. I am working
hard just as I always have, and I’ll now tell you what really
happened!
You see, it all began ten days ago. I was sitting across from the
editor and typing as his cigarette smoke filled the room. Suddenly,
the office door burst open without a warning. The editor, who
was dozing off with a cigarette in his mouth, fell from his chair.
Through the half-opened door, which was broken and barely
hanging in place, I saw a woman standing outside. Her black hair
was wavy, and she was a rather petite lady. She was wearing a
neat riding outfit and a pair of black boots, and she was holding a
black cane.
Her appearance reminded me of the Greek goddess Artemis.
She looked just as confident and beautiful as Artemis. Her black
eyes sparkled, and her nose and lips perfectly suited her healthy
tanned skin… And she was so slim too…
Anyway, I stared at her helplessly. This beautiful woman was
panting in anger, and she was holding a book in her hand. I
quickly realized that it was Mary Lotis’s Africa travelog that was
published by our company.
She walked up to the editor’s desk. She limped a little, which
explained why she was carrying a cane. When she arrived at the
desk, she yelled at the editor, who was still on the floor. “This isn’t
what I wrote in my manuscript!”
The editor stared at the woman for a moment before standing
up in a jolt. He bowed and greeted her, “Hello, Miss Lotis! How
are you?”
“Not well. Six years ago at our meeting, you promised me that
you’ll publish my words exactly as I write them! Don ’tyou
remember? Say something, Mr. Shallow!”
“O…of course. That’s why your books turned out so perfectly…”
“Mr. Shallow!”
“Ah, Miss Hyde. Please bring us some tea. ”
I quickly went out to make some tea. The editor was clearly in
trouble, but I couldn’t help my excitement. Imagine, Miss
Pendleton. You must know how I dreamt of this moment. Ever
since I first read Mary Lotis’s book when I was twenty years old,
I’ve become her biggest fan. So when she appeared out of the blue
right in front of my eyes, I couldn’t believe my luck. My hands
shook so badly that I spilled the tea leaves all over the place.
When I returned with tea and some refreshments, the editor
was pacing around the room while Miss Lotis was sitting down on
a chair. She was flipping through a book, and I saw that it was her
most recent book about her visit to China. It’s the very manuscript
you saw when you visited my boarding house, Miss Pendleton!
 I left my tray on the table and stood in the corner to watch
them. The editor was pulling at his beard and glancing at Miss
Lotis nervously, and I felt just as anxious. Miss Lotis had already
broken our door, so who knows what else she might break if she
became angry again?
Twenty minutes passed by, and Miss Lotis finally looked up.
She put the book down on the table and asked, “So who worked
on this book?”
“My typist. Miss Hyde, please come here. ”
I obeyed and walked up to Miss Lotis. She looked up and down
at me before staring into my eyes. Her gaze was so intense that it
felt like a spear was stabbing into my heart.
“How old are you?” Miss Lotis asked.
When I told her my age, she nodded. She then asked me
several more questions including how long I’ve been doing this
and where I live. It felt a little like an interrogation, but I
answered without hesitation. I would’ve been willing to answer
any question honestly at that moment. If she had asked me who I
hated the most in the world, I would’ve told her the truth. I
would’ve replied, “My mother.”
Miss Lotis listened to my answers before frowning. She seemed
very unhappy when she muttered, “I can’t believe you haven’t
been able to do what this novice accomplished in such a short
time. Your publishing company is ridiculous. I feel hesitant about
continuing my business here. ”
“M..Miss Lotis!”
 The editor became pale, but Miss Lotis continued to stare at
me quietly. Meanwhile, I was sweating hard underneath my
dress. I was relieved that she approved of my work, but if Miss
Lotis took her business elsewhere, I knew our publishing company
would be ruined.
She was holding everyone’s fate in her hand. She continued to
stare at me, and I looked right back at her. Her eyes were gray just
like yours, Miss Pendleton. They were almost the same shade, but
unlike your kind eyes, hers was sharp like those of a cat. If I saw
them at night, it would’ve scared me a little. But her eyes were too
beautiful to look away.
We stared at each other for a while longer. She studied my
appearance for some time before grinning. She announced, “Mr.
Shallow, I have one condition for letting you continue publishing
my work. ”
Mr. Shallow asked her what it was. To my shock, she pointed
at me with her black cane and answered, “Give Miss Hyde to me
as my assistant.”
 Chapter 99

Can you imagine what I felt at that very moment, Miss

Pendleton? I felt an even greater joy than what I experienced
when you gave me a new life as a typist, when I left my home to
live in a boarding house, and on my first day at the publishing
company!
The very next day, I headed to Bath with Miss Lotis. She had a
seminar and an autograph event planned there. The moment I
arrived, I followed her everywhere to arrange her schedules and
prepare her outfits, carriage rides, and meals. Essentially, I’ve
become her personal secretary. My salary increased threefold, and
the publishing company was happy to pay for it. My work hour
has certainly increased, but I would’ve been willing to work for
free if I got to work with Miss Lotis! So I can’t believe my luck in
getting paid to do my dream job!
It has only been a little over a week since I began this position,
but Miss Lotis is already completely dependent on me now. I am
ecstatic that I get to take care of all of her documents, clothes, and
manuscripts with scribbles as bad as mine. And what makes me
even happier is the fact that Miss Lotis seems to approve of me.
Ah, Miss Pendleton, I wish I could show you what a wonderful
life I have now!
 Couldn’t you come to visit me in Bath by chance? I would love
to introduce you to Miss Lotis. The three of us could have tea
together. I’m certain you ’ll like Miss Lotis!
I’ll write you another letter very soon. Please pray for meso I
would never be exiled from this perfect life!
Always your friend,
Jane Hyde.
This was completely different from what Laura expected.
She thought for a moment and decided that this new job
would definitely help Miss Hyde grow into a successful
professional woman.
Laura believed that Miss Hyde wasn’t someone who
should be trapped in a stuffy office. Miss Hyde was active,
free, and brave. Helping England’s best travel author Miss
Lotis would no doubt lead Miss Hyde to a successful career
path.
Mrs. Fairfax guessed, “You must’ve gotten some good
news, Miss Pendleton.”
Laura put down her letter, her cheeks pink with
excitement. She quickly explained the content of her letter to
her employer. Mrs. Fairfax congratulated Laura on her
friend’s success. Mrs. Fairfax wasn’t interested in books,
which meant she didn’t even know who Mary Lotis was. But
Mrs. Fairfax had always had a healthy respect for independent
women.
Mrs. Fairfax suggested, “Tell your friend to try the
restaurant named Beatric in downtown Bath. It has an Italian
chef, and its food is excellent.”
“Ah, I remember you telling me that you resided in Bath
for a long time.”
“Yes, my husband fell off a horse and hurt his back a long
time ago. We stayed in Bath for his treatment.”
“I find it difficult to believe that he was sick at all. He’s so
healthy and active now.”
Mrs. Fairfax answered, “The hot spring in Bath saved him.
If we hadn’t gone there, we wouldn’t have had any more
children other than Henry.”
Laura blushed, but Mrs. Fairfax continued nonchalantly,
“I also benefited from Bath too. Taking care of my husband
was exhausting, but there, I regained my health too. Drinking
mineral water and eating at excellent restaurants reenergized
me. Bath has neverending balls, reading clubs, shopping
opportunities, and concerts, so no woman can stay depressed
there.”
Shortly after, Laura returned to her room. She took out a
piece of paper and began writing a reply to Miss Hyde. It was
filled with warm congratulatory remarks and blessings. After
sealing the envelope, Laura took out Anne’s letter.
After Laura left London, Anne wrote to her regularly. Anne
worried about Laura’s new life, but most of her letters were
filled with complaints about the changes in the Pendleton
house. She cursed Charles Pendleton for drinking and
gambling every day and Gerald Pendleton for indulging his
son.
 Through Anne’s letter, Laura learned that her
grandmother’s treasured art pieces were sold to fund Charles’
gambling habit. Her uncle was apparently running around
London trying to find another investor for his first son’s
business, making empty promises to any potential lenders.
Gerald Pendleton always claimed that his priority was to
protect the family’s honor. But at this point, Laura couldn’t
understand what her uncle’s definition of “honor” was.
Curious about what her uncle and cousin have done this
time, Laura opened Anne’s letter. But just like Miss Hyde’s
letter, the news was very unexpected.
My beloved mistress Miss Pendleton,
It hasn’t been even two days since I wrote my last letter to you,
so forgive me, milady.
But this message isn’t to gossip about the Pendleton family.
After reading your last reply, I realized that you don’t enjoy
hearing about your family’s downfall. I’m very sorry that I upset
you. I can’t believe I waste paper and ink on writing about those
two terrible men.
I planned on restraining myself from writing you letters for a
whole month. Instead of praying that Lord Pendleton would fall
off the carriage and that Charles Pendleton would get rejected by
Miss Jensen, I decided to focus on cleaning this townhouse to the
best of my ability.
But then, a man visited our place this afternoon. I had no
choice but to open my ink jar to inform you about it.
Milady, do you by chance know a man named John Ashton?
 John Ashton.
Laura dropped the letter. John Ashton…
John Ashton…
The image of the red-haired man from her memory
popped into her head. She remembered him to have darker
skin and manly features, and he was an unusually tall and
well-built man. He used to have a beaming smile with a
dimple on both of his cheeks.
Her hands shaking, Laura continued to read the letter.
He arrived in a coach. He had dark red hair and dark skin, and
he was very tall too.
(He was almost as tall as Mr. Dalton.) His eyes were violet, and
I couldn’t help but notice his dimples. He was certainly a well-
built man. (Almost as much as Mr. Dalton.). He was wearing
mourning clothes, and they looked expensive.
So milady, do you remember such a man?
He was looking for you. He wanted to know if you still resided
in this townhouse. He already knew about Lady Abigail’s passing.
I told him you left. He asked me where you were, and when I
refused to tell him, he tried to bribe me. When I refused him
again, he became very angry. As you would expect, I didn’t even
blink an eye.
He said he’ll visit one more time and left in the coach. Milady,
was I supposed to tell him where you are?
I need to know what you would like me to do. Please send me a
reply as soon as possible. When this man returns, should I keep
my mouth shut? Or could I give this attractive man a chance to
find you?
With love,
Anne Steel.
P.S. I’m almost done knitting your gloves. I’ll send them in my
next letter. Milady, I miss you terribly.
Laura became dazed for a moment. Her head searched for
the memories of what happened twelve years ago when she
was a naive lovestruck seventeen-year-old. At the time, he
was a twenty-two-year-old Oxford student. When he
appeared in high society, he wasn’t very popular despite his
good looks. After all, he was very poor with incompetent
parents and several younger siblings he was responsible for.
Without Countess Grandchard as his sponsor, he wouldn’t
even have been able to attend a university. People gossiped
that he was the countess’s plaything even though he was her
distant nephew. This fact didn’t matter, however, since
London society preferred juicy gossip over the truth.
The young man was suffering from these vicious rumors,
so it wasn’t a surprise that Laura became interested in him.
After all, she was also a young lady who was being ignored by
society due to her parents’ disgrace.
Laura was the only lady who didn’t refuse to dance with
him. She was the only one who laughed at his jokes.
There was no way of knowing who fell in love first. Laura
also couldn’t remember who first suggested the idea of
running away. It happened so long ago that her memories
were fuzzy. But there was one thing that she remembered
very clearly. It was that he betrayed her. Laura was already
being despised in high society, so he would’ve known what
his abandonment would do to her. Yet, he still left her without
a single letter or a word of explanation.
Why is he back?
Laura read the letter again. Anne had mentioned that he
was wearing mourning clothes, and suddenly, Laura could
make a reasonable guess.
It seemed that his wife must have passed away.
John married shortly after he abandoned Laura. She heard
that his new wife was the daughter of a successful lumbar
merchant. With his father-in-law’s support, John was able to
study law and open his own law office. The last Laura heard,
John Ashton became a renowned lawyer.
I guess he became curious about me now that his wife is dead.
I’m sure he wouldn I have dared to even think about me before
because he had to be loyal to his wife and father-in-law.
Laura became upset. She thought she had forgiven him. He
was young and poor at the time, so she could understand that
he couldn’t abandon his family. This was probably why John
threw her away instead. Laura had decided a long time ago to
forgive and forget. Hating him only brought her even more
pain.
But now that she heard his name again, her unhappy old
memories resurfaced. After he left, she became the
laughingstock of London society. She was miserable, and
when she heard that he had gotten married, she cried for
days. Falling in love was one of the most regrettable things
she had ever done.
It seemed that Laura wasn’t done hating him. She didn’t
want to see him, and she didn’t want him to know about her
life. So Laura took out a piece of paper and began writing to
Anne.
Anne,
I do not welcome his interest. If he visits again, tell him I had a
falling out with my family and ran away. Tell him that you don’t
even know if I’m still alive.

***

Not too long afterward, Whitefield experienced a great

uproar. It began with sending several dozens of invitations to
London. Ian, the master of Whitefield, sent an invitation to
every single person he met while in London.
Ninety percent of the invited guests responded yes, which
meant close to eighty people were going to attend this party.
Keeping this number in mind, Laura began preparing
Whitefield Hall for a large-scale event.
 Chapter 100

Laura visited Whitefield every day. She checked all of the

rooms one by one, examined the ballroom, and estimated the
servants’ capabilities. Because they had only been responsible
for cleaning, laundry, and cooking, these countryside
servants were daunted by the upcoming event. Even
Ramswick, the butler, was in shock.
Laura gave Ramwick specific and detailed orders. She
shared her plan with him, and she even taught him where
each servant should be assigned. Quickly learning his duties,
Ramswick executed her order perfectly. The Whitefield Hall
became like an army base with Laura as the general,
Ramswick as her right hand, and the servants as their foot
soldiers.
Laura usually arrived in Whitefield at around 10 o’clock.
With Ramswick, she looked around the mansion and decided
on which bedrooms should be assigned to the guests. Later
on, Laura also examined the new decorations and wines that
arrived.
After these busy mornings, lunch came by quickly.
Wherever Laura was, Mr. Dalton always managed to find her
so he could escort her to the dining room for lunch.
Overlooking the beautiful garden, the two of them sat across
from each other to enjoy their meal. They found each other’s
company comfortable and enjoyable.
After lunch, they always took a short stroll around
Whitefield Hall before going back to work. Ian returned to his
study while Laura used a room he assigned as her temporary
office. According to Ramswick, this room used to be Mr.
Dalton’s mother’s room before she passed away. The elegant
furniture inside this room told Laura that the former Mrs.
Dalton had an excellent taste. Here, she organized the menus
and interviewed the musicians for the concerts.
Around 4 o’clock was when Mr. Dalton usually came to
find Laura in her office. He always came pushing a cart full of
refreshments. The servants were shocked to see their master
doing such a menial task, but Mr. Dalton didn’t seem to mind.
He poured Laura tea and sliced a piece of cake for her
before pulling a chair to sit close to her and chat. Laura had no
idea what a talkative man Mr. Dalton was. She assumed that
he must have been lonely because he didn’t have any friends
close by. She listened to him attentively, and she in turn
informed him of how her day went. Mr. Dalton listened
carefully as well. Even the smallest things she said made him
laugh.
Time flew by when they talked. Laura and Ian always ate
dinner together in the dining room before she returned to
Dunville Park. As days passed by, Laura became as
comfortable in Whitefield as in Dunville Park. She became
familiar with all the servants and the mansion itself. She
befriended Ramswick and Phillip, the Whitefield Hall cook.
Thanks to Mr. Dalton’s chatty nature, she even knew his daily
schedule like the back of her hand.
Every day felt like a wonderful dream. Whitefield was so
beautiful that even Laura, a woman of sense rather than
sensibility, was touched by it. She loved roaming the mansion
and spending time with Mr. Dalton. She wished that this
happy dream would never end.
But of course, time never stayed still. Soon, the day of the
hunting party arrived. To stay in Whitefield Hall for the
entirety of this one-week event, Laura packed her bag. She
had an unexpectedly large number of party dresses to pack.
One day before the party, Mrs. Fairfax asked Laura to her
room. She opened her closet and handed Laura an armful of
silk dresses. Every one of them was beautiful without being
too extravagant. Laura had seen tens of thousands of dresses
in London society, and these were one of the best she had ever
seen. Mrs. Fairfax explained that she inherited them from her
mother. She was adamant that Laura wear these for the party.
Laura refused, but Mrs. Fairfax was insistent. Mrs. Fairfax
even loaned Laura her mother’s jewelry. She explained,
“These will look great on you, Miss Pendleton. Please wear
them and take good care of Ian. He can’t do anything without
you, so… But I don’t mean that you should spend all of your
time working. Don’t be afraid to have fun.”
 Knowing that refusing too many times was rude. Laura
accepted her employer’s offer. She promised to keep them
clean and return them as soon as possible. The next day,
Laura got into the carriage while Mrs. Fairfax and Olivia
waved at her with a broad smile. The boys were crying and
having a tantrum because they couldn’t bear to be apart from
their teacher for a whole week, but Laura’s carriage left to
head toward Whitefield.

***

Miss Lance looked out the window to watch the sheep grazing
on the field. It had been a long time since she left the city, so
she smiled, enjoying the countryside view. The greenery filled
her eyes, and she felt so expectant that she didn’t even mind
the mild motion sickness.
She heard a quiet breathing nearby. When she turned, she
saw Miss Janet dozing off and snoring. Miss Lance smiled and
looked at Mr. Fairfax, who was sitting across from her. Their
eyes met, and he smiled as well.
Miss Lance asked, “She must’ve been very tired.”
“Indeed. She hasn’t been able to sleep much from the
excitement of going to Whitefield.” Mr. Fairfax gently helped
his sister’s head rest on his shoulder. After asking Miss Lance
for her permission, he closed the window curtains. He then
covered his sister with a blanket.
 What a kind brother he is. Miss Lance was touched by Mr.
Fairfax’s brotherly love. Originally, she planned on riding
with her three friends. But Miss Victoria Wilkes recently
became engaged to Miss Daisy Orson’s brother George Orson,
so she decided to travel with the Orson family.
This left Miss Susan Donovan to keep Miss Lance
company, but she was currently visiting her aunt with her
mother. Miss Donovan was going to join her friends in
Whitefield at a later date.
When Miss Lance lost all of her traveling companion, it
was Miss Janet who shyly offered a seat in her train car. Miss
Lance had no reason to refuse, hence the reason why she was
riding the train with the Fairfax siblings.
The three of them got along very well. They played cards,
shared funny stories, and recited their favorite poems. But
after half a day of these mundane activities, they turned quiet.
It was Miss Janet’s snoring that broke the silence.
Miss Lance asked, “Mr. Fairfax, when was the last time
you visited Yorkshire?”
“Things have been hectic with my business, so I haven’t
been here in two years. I can’t even imagine how big my niece
and nephews must be now. I’m afraid they might not even
remember me.”
“I’ll bet you’re a very kind uncle. Look how well you take
care of your sister.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled shyly, his handsome face lighting up. “I
was very close to my nephews. I quite like children.”
 “Goodness, yet you still aren’t married. How strange!”
Miss Lance quickly realized that she made a mistake. About
six months ago, Mr. Fairfax was pursuing Miss Jane Hyde
only to be rejected. It was considered lukewarm gossip at the
time, so it was forgotten quickly. But Miss Lance couldn’t be
sure if Mr. Fairfax had gotten over it.
But he continued to smile. “I just haven’t found the right
lady yet. It’s disappointing since I’m praying every night to
find a good wife.”
“So you want to get married?”
“Of course. I’m a big believer in marriage. Because I’m a
young man with a business in London, people think I want to
enjoy my bachelor life and procrastinate getting married. But
I’ve always felt that this life is just temporary.”
Mr. Fairfax continued quietly, “I need a family. I would
love a wife who I can share my life with, and adorable
children who’ll come running whenever I return home. My
real life will begin once I get married. I believe being a
husband and a father is what makes a man’s life worthy.”
Miss Lance was impressed by such a wholesome thought.
She asked, “If you get married, will you leave London?”
“If my wife wishes to stay, I’ll continue to live in my
current townhouse, of course. But to be honest, I prefer
country life. I even bought a small cottage in Somerset. It’s
currently being rented out now.”
Miss Lance tried to hide it, but real estate was one of her
interests. Feigning ignorance, she asked about the size of his
cottage. Mr. Fairfax quickly realized her intent, but he
pretended not to notice. Instead, he answered coolly, “It’s
nothing compared to Mr. Dalton’s Whitefield Hall. It’s also
much shabbier than Dunville Park, the place I grew up and
was inherited by my older brother Robert.”
Miss Lance cautiously asked a few more questions, and she
was able to guess the size of Mr. Fairfax’s cottage based on
his answers. It appeared that his place was a two-story house
that was smaller than a mansion but bigger than a usual
cottage. It had a sizable garden with a gazebo, and it
overlooked an orchard. It was also located near a large
market, which meant that the supply was easy to come by.
Miss Lance was surprised. By English law, the second son
inherited the bare minimum. Mr. Fairfax may have been a
successful businessman, but it was still shocking that he was
able to make such an impressive purchase at the young age of
twenty-nine.
Miss Lance thought about Miss Hyde, who was slim,
unique, and attractive, but hardly a beauty. Yet she rejected
Mr.
Fairfax and chose to work as a typist. Miss couldn’t
understand how someone would choose a profession instead
of marrying a perfectly eligible bachelor.
Only women who failed to snag a husband ended up
needing to work. These women were excluded from the
marriage market because they came from poor families or
were very ugly. Just as the world saw these women as a
disappointment, Miss Lance did the same.
I could never understand Miss Hyde for what she did. Miss
Lance clicked her tongue in secret. But at the same time, she
was happy that Mr. Fairfax, who would most likely become
her relative in the near future, was such a wholesome and
capable gentleman.
The train continued. Miss Lance and Mr. Fairfax were
given an unexpected opportunity to chat privately because
Miss Janet continued to snooze. Mr. Fairfax was usually a
quiet man, but in order to entertain the lady sitting in front of
him, he made a great effort. Being amiable people, their
conversations remained enjoyable.
Mr. Fairfax was amused by Miss Lance, who chattered
cheerfully. She was such an adorable young woman. Before
becoming her friend, all he had known about her was that she
was quite a beauty. But as he got to know her better, he found
himself enjoying her company.
Miss Lance was innocent, honest, lively, and imaginative.
The age of twenty wasn’t considered young in high society,
yet she acted like a little girl from time to time. She could be
too honest and childish, but knowing she didn’t have any ill
intentions, Mr. Fairfax found her mistakes to be innocent.
Miss Lance was far from his ideal type. Mr. Fairfax wanted
a woman of intelligence and strength. He wanted a wife he
could respect and share opinions as an equal. But he knew
that he was an oddity. Most gentlemen dreamt of taking an
adorable lady like Miss Lance as their wife.
I wonder which lucky man will get to take her as his wife.
 Chapter 101

Mr. Fairfax expected Miss Lance to marry the eldest son of

either a wealthy count or marquess. He also knew that it
wouldn’t be long before she was married. Mr.
Fairfax believed this because of the things his sister Janet
told him.
He has been so busy lately that he hasn’t been attending
many social events. He was oblivious to the latest gossip of
London society. But when he was invited to the hunting party
at Whitefield, Mr. Fairfax decided to go despite his busy
schedule. There was something he needed to talk about with
Ian. He also didn’t feel comfortable sending Janet alone.
Mr. Fairfax remembered his conversation with Janet
earlier.
He was packing for the trip when Janet asked, “William, if
someone asks me to be her bridesmaid, can I do it?”
“Of course. You’re old enough to become a bridesmaid after
all. So who’s getting married?”
“I don’t want to tell you since it hasn’t been confirmed yet.”
“Who is it? Tell me!” Knowing his sister was dying to tell him,
Mr. Fairfax insisted teasingly.
 Janet giggled. “It’s our friend. She has the face of an angel,
and her harp skill is heavenly. She’s also the best-dressed lady of
this season.”
Janet might as well have just said it was Miss Lance. She
continued, “That’s all I can tell you. She hasn’t made any official
announcement yet, but it’s a done deal. The entire London is
buzzing with this rumor. ”
Mr. Fairfax didn’t pry about who Miss Lance was
marrying. He felt uncomfortable gossiping about a lady’s
personal life. Besides, it sounded like it wouldn’t be long
before he found out anyway. He began planning the kind of
flower he should send as a congratulatory present when the
announcement was made.
As he watched Miss Lance chatter across from him, Mr.
Fairfax prayed. I hope you chose a worthy gentleman, Miss
Lance. You deserve a man who won’t hurt your innocent heart,
and I am certain you’ll become a good mother.

***

When the Fairfax siblings got off the train, they headed
toward Dunville Park. Naturally, Miss Lance joined her
friends. They took their respective carriages and left the train
station.
Miss Lance and her friends couldn’t hide their excitement.
They were certainly thrilled by being invited to the infamous
Whitefield Hall, but what drove them wild was the fact that
they believed Mr. Dalton was going to propose to Miss Lance.
The entire London already believed that Mr. Dalton and
Miss Lance were in love. The rumor that began at the ball
hosted by the Lance family spread quickly. As expected, it
took no time for the story to become distorted. People were
whispering that the wedding date had already been set.
Before traveling to Yorkshire, Miss Lance took much effort
to choose her dresses and accessories. Her mother spent a
fortune on Miss Lance’s new dress. As she looked at the bill
from the dress shop, Lady Lance sighed and threatened her
daughter not to return home without a marriage proposal.
Miss Lance wasn’t worried. She didn’t doubt that she
would receive a proposal from Mr. Dalton at this event. Mr.
Dalton had isolated himself from high society all of his life, so
why else would he open his home to the Londoners like this?
Miss Lance believed that Mr. Dalton was hosting his event to
propose to her and officially announce their engagement.
Carriages lined up in front of Whitefield Hall. Ladies in
luxurious dresses and excited gentlemen holding their
hunting guns entered the mansion one by one. Miss Lanec
and her friends were impressed by the exterior of the place. It
was so beautiful and stylish that they believed it had to be the
best-looking mansion in all of England.
Miss Wilkes whispered to Miss Lance, “Soon, you’re going
to become the mistress of this place, Dora. Goodness, I’m so
envious!
 Miss Lance blushed, but her lips curled up in pride. Mr.
Dalton, wearing a tidy suit, greeted each guest. Normally, this
was a job for both the host and hostess, but since he was
unmarried, he was burdened with this duty alone.
Miss Lance gave him an expectant look. Mr. Dalton gave
her the same smile he gave everyone else. “Welcome, Miss
Lance.”
But this was more than enough to boost Miss Lance’s
confidence. She was blinded by love, and his brief smile made
her heart soar. The servants carried the bags, and each guest
was assigned to their guest room. Luncheon was just around
the corner, so Miss Lance quickly changed into her afternoon
dress and went down to the dining room.
Each table was already set with name cards. Families and
friends were sat together while those with awkward personal
or business relationships were sat far away. Miss Lance
became curious, wondering who helped Mr. Dalton plan such
a superb arrangement. There was no way Mr. Dalton could’ve
done it by himself.
The last to appear was Mr. Dalton. To everyone’s surprise,
he was accompanied by a woman.
Laura Pendleton.
Miss Pendleton walked in holding Ian Dalton’s arm. A
sophisticated plum dress showed off her beautiful silhouette,
and the diamond earrings added to her perfect appearance.
People gasped and whispered among themselves in shock.
Everyone already knew that Miss Pendleton became a
governess after being kicked out of her home. She was forced
to become a working woman, so how did she manage to
appear in Whitefield Hall wearing such a sumptuous dress?
Mr. Dalton looked around the room confidently. “Thank
you for visiting my humble home hidden deep inside the
countryside. As you know, this place has been closed to
outsiders for a long time. I was able to invite such esteemed
guests all thanks to Miss Laura Sheldon, who’s standing next
to me.”
The unfamiliar name of “Sheldon” caused the guests to
turn toward Laura in confusion. Mr. Dalton continued, “Some
time ago, I requested this highly educated and accomplished
lady to become my nephews’ tutor. Miss Sheldon has been an
exemplary teacher and lady for the last few months. And
recently, we learned something shocking. It turned out that
she’s the daughter of my childhood art teacher and a genius
painter, Louis Sheldon.”
The crowd gasped again.
“It’s an incredible fate that the father and daughter graced
their presence in our home. We decided to take it as God’s
will, so instead of taking Miss Sheldon as our employee, we
have accepted her as family. So please let me introduce her to
you again. This is Miss Laura Sheldon, a member of Houses
Fairfax and Dalton of Yorkshire.”
The guests clapped with puzzled looks. Laura, who has
been able to keep calm, blushed.
 Mr. Dalton added, “Mr. Sheldon’s paintings are hanging at
the entrance of the second-floor gallery, so I hope you enjoy
them.”
He escorted Laura to the head table and helped her sit on
his right. The servants soon entered in a line to bring trays of
food. The musicians, who had been waiting in the corner,
began playing quietly.
As they ate, people began to whisper among themselves.
They were in shock, but no one doubted Mr. Dalton’s words. It
was a well-known fact that Miss Pendleton became the
Fairfax family’s governess. There was no reason why Ian
Dalton would risk his and Fairfax families’ reputations by
lying about Laura Pendleton.
The nobles glanced at Laura. They were curious, but there
was no resentment. She was no longer a poor bastard
abandoned by the head of her family. She was now Laura
Sheldon who was protected by the two most powerful families
of Yorkshire. No one dared to criticize her.
After the meal, the men headed out to the hunting ground
of Whitefield. The ladies scattered in small groups to the long
gallery, reception hall, and billiard room to enjoy their
afternoon. Miss Lance, who had been feeling uneasy during
the luncheon, decided to tour the house with her friends.
Just like everyone else, Miss Lance has been so curious
about Whitefield Hall. But now that she was here, she
couldn’t focus on anything. All she could think about was
Miss Pendleton and Mr. Dalton standing together earlier in
the dining room. Her friends’ reactions were confusing her
even more. They couldn’t hide their fury at the sudden
appearance of Miss Pendleton who was clearly under Mr.
Dalton’s protection. They believed their friend Miss Lance
was the rightful mistress of Whitefield Hall, so they resented
how Miss Pendleton was receiving all the attention.
“A member of Houses Dalton and Fairfax?! Ha! That
doesn’t change the fact that she’s just a daughter of an
unknown American artist!”
“Exactly! She was born a bastard out of wedlock, and now,
she’s nothing more than a spinster who’s forced to be
employed!”
“She pretended to know all the rules of high society, so
how could she make an appearance like that? If I was her, I
wouldn’t have shown myself here…”
“Ladies, that’s enough.” Miss Lance warned. Her two
friends turned to her and saw that Miss Lance was pressing
her temples with a frown. They asked her, “Do you have a
headache?”
Miss Lance didn’t answer. The two ladies exchanged
knowing glances and kept their mouths shut, realizing that
their queen bee was upset. They roamed the mansion in
silence, visiting the music room, library, and billiard room. In
the end, they arrived at the long gallery.
Misses Wilkes and Orson glanced at Miss Lance nervously.
They had bad-mouthed Miss Pendleton just a moment ago,
but they couldn’t help but be curious about her father Louis
Sheldon’s works.
Miss Lance was just as curious, so she didn’t protest as
they entered the gallery. There were already a dozen other
ladies looking at the paintings. There were several hundreds
of pieces, but to no one’s surprise, the most popular painting
was the landscape hung at the entrance.
Miss Lance and her friends pushed through the crowd to
get closer to the painting. They stared, mesmerized by the
magical colors. They were all well- educated in art, so they
instantly recognized its good quality.
Miss Lance heard several other ladies nearby whisper.
“Miss Pendleton, I mean Miss Sheldon… It looks like her
father was an incredible painter.”
“I agree. I thought he was just some penniless scamp from
America. If he hadn’t died young, he would’ve become a
famous painter, which means Miss Sheldon would’ve had a
comfortable life too. But how did Louis Sheldon’s student end
up meeting his daughter? Mr. Dalton and Miss Sheldon were
close even in London, weren’t they?”
“I know! This sounds like something you would only read
about in a romance novel! ”
“No way. Everyone knows that Mr. Dalton and Miss Lance
are together.”
“How can you be sure? It’s not like they announced their
engagement or anything.”
 Miss Lance took a step back in shame. Her friend, feeling
embarrassed, began distancing themselves from the painting.
“W…what a terrible piece of art!”
“E…exactly. He was clearly no genius. It looks like a
fifteen-year-old painted it.”
Misses Orson and Wilkes grumbled loudly, knowing that
they were wrong. Miss Lance slowly walked down the gallery
in a gloomy mood. Then suddenly, one particular painting
caught her eye. It was a portrait of a graceful woman with
black hair and eyes. Miss Lance paused in front of it because
the dress in the portrait looked very familiar. It was a stylish
plum dress that could never go out of fashion.
It was the very dress Miss Pendleton was wearing earlier in
the dining room.
Miss Lance’s friend quickly recognized the dress too. Miss
Orson gestured for one of the servants nearby to come closer.
When she asked him who it was in this portrait, the servant
answered, “It’s Mr. Dalton’s mother, the former Mrs.
Dalton.”
Miss Lance and her friends became speechless.
 Chapter 102

By the time the sun began to set, the men who went out
hunting returned holding their captures. Later on, men in
tuxedos and women in evening dresses enjoyed an
extravagant dinner before gathering in the living room. They
formed smaller groups to chat, drink wine, play cards, and
play the piano.
Miss Lane sat in the corner. Her friends had left her to join
the Orson family in the billiard room. Normally, being left
alone like this would have been hard to bear, but tonight, it
was quite the opposite. Miss Lance preferred solitude at the
moment.
After they left the long gallery, Miss Lance’s friends began
doubting her and Mr. Dalton’s relationship. If there was
indeed something going on between Mr. Dalton and Miss
Pendleton, it was going to be a huge problem. It would mean
that their friend lost her future husband to a bastard spinster.
Miss Lance coldly dismissed her friends’ concern and
warned them not to speak a word of it. The two ladies
promised to keep silent, but Miss Lance knew better. By now,
her friends were probably playing a game of pool and tattling
about this whole situation.
 Sitting on a sofa placed in a deserted corner, Miss Lance
leaned against the cushion and stared at one particular
woman. Tonight, Miss Pendleton was wearing a blue evening
dress. The outfit looked like it was made from a piece of sky,
and it made her look airy and innocent. There were large
sapphire earrings on her ears and a diamond bracelet around
her slim wrist.
Miss Pendleton was greeting and chatting with people who
approached her. At the same time, she glanced at various
areas of the reception hall, making sure no one was left out
and the servants were doing their jobs.
Miss Lance then turned toward a gentleman standing near
the window. He was wearing a handsome tuxedo and leaning
against a wall while being surrounded by several young men.
It was Ian Dalton, her prince charming she had been
dreaming about for the past several months. While chatting
with the other gentleman, Ian kept glancing at Miss
Pendleton, who had her back toward him. Every time he saw
her, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Miss Lance’s heart sank.
Suddenly, Miss Pendleton excused herself from the group
and approached the servants. She quickly ordered something,
and the servants bowed before going outside. Within only a
few minutes, a stage was installed in the reception hall.
The guests who seemed to be getting bored from the lack
of entertainment flocked to it. Soon, a game of charades
began. Miss Lance slumped in defeat. What she had witnessed
so far confirmed her suspicion. It was obvious that Miss
Pendleton was acting as the mistress of this household. There
was no doubt that she had received this duty from Mr. Dalton
along with his mother’s dresses.
But how? Miss Lance wondered. She had a vague idea of
their relationship. It began as a friendship before it developed
into love. But after Mr. Dalton found out about the secret
behind Miss Pendleton’s birth, he had left her.
Later on, Miss Pendleton was kicked out of her own family
and became hired as a governess for the Fairfax family. When
Miss Lance heard the rumor that it was Mr. Dalton who made
this arrangement, she assumed that he did it out of guilt. At
the time, Miss Lance was touched by Mr. Dalton’s warmth
and selflessness.
But today, she found Miss Pendleton wearing Mr. Dalton’s
mother’s dresses. She had adorned herself with lavish jewelry
and acted as the hostess of this house. Miss Lance tried her
best to understand the situation. Perhaps Mr. Dalton had
asked for Miss Pendleton’s help to throw this party. But if this
was the case, he shouldn’t have invited her to be a guest as
well.
Could it be that he wanted to be generous to her because
she was the daughter of his childhood teacher? But if so, Miss
Pendleton should have refused his kindness. They may have
been lovers in the past, but wearing his mother’s dresses and
behaving like the mistress of the Dalton household was still
unacceptable.
 Miss Lance watched how smoothly Miss Pendleton ran the
evening. Miss Pendleton seemed so confident about her
position here, and Miss Lance’s jealousy whispered a new
theory in her ear.
Could it be… Could it be that Miss
Pendleton became Mr. Dalton’s mistress?
This was certainly a logical possibility.
After all, things like this happened often in London
society. It was common for noblemen to take their mistresses
to social events. Some married men even ran a second
household and had their mistresses take care of them. It was
an immoral act, but so many high-ranking nobles did it that
people accepted it as a norm.
S, so Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton…?! But Mr. Dalton is such
a noble gentleman and Miss Pendleton is kind and upstanding, so
how could they…?!
Miss Lance tried to deny this possibility, but she couldn’t
think of a likelier answer. In her mind, she couldn’t even
imagine that Mr. Dalton might want to take Miss Pendleton as
his lawful wife.
Ah, I had no idea what a dishonorable man Mr. Dalton is. He’s
using Miss Pendleton’s unfortunate situation to his advantage. He
doesn’t want to marry her, but he wants her body, so… So he
must’ve taken her to his bed…!
Miss Lance was terribly disgusted. Despair and jealousy
burned her whole body. Her fantasy of Mr. Dalton had
lessened a little. She now admitted that he was an immoral
man who did something very ungentlemanly. Yet Miss Lance
still couldn’t help resenting Miss Pendleton even more.
Miss Lance glared at Miss Pendleton, who was smiling and
watching the game of charades progress on the stage. Miss
Pendleton must know how this world works, so how could she
have let herself fall into this trap? How could she let Mr. Dalton
seduce her like this? Doesn f she know that in a situation like this,
it’s the woman who ends up getting hurt?
Miss Lance became frustrated by disdain and contempt.
Could it be that he promised to marry her later? Or did he
promise to support her financially for the rest of her life even if
their relationship ends? Whatever he may have offered, Miss
Pendleton shouldn’t have accepted it. The moment he tried to
seduce her, she should’ve packed her bag and left. She was once a
noble lady, so how could she agree to such a debauched
relationship? Her reputation is now tarnished beyond repair!
Miss Lance remembered what had happened to Miss
Pendleton’s mother. Leaving home at the age of seventeen,
the former Miss Pendleton had a child out of wedlock and
died from childbirth.
What a cruel fate Miss Pendleton suffered! It appeared that
she was following in the footsteps of her mother.
Ah, what if she gets pregnant?! Such a thought made Miss
Lance shiver. Miss Pendleton might end up having a bastard
child and raising it all alone! This was again not an
uncommon occurrence in high society. Men often had their
bastard children raised by their lawful wives. These wives
were praised for their virtues, but no woman ever wanted to
experience something like this. Raising your husband’s
bastard child had to be one of the worst things a wife must
bear. It would be impossible not to hate the child.
Miss Lance glared at Miss Pendleton’s stomach with
suspicion. It couldn’t be any flatter at this point, but Miss
Lance imagined Mr. Dalton’s baby growing inside.
No, that can never happen. Miss Lance clenched her fists.
For her and Mr.
Dalton’s peaceful marriage, she needed to interfere with
this arrangement. She needed to help Mr. Dalton and Miss
Pendleton stop their wicked relationship and follow their
proper paths.
If only Mr. Dalton would hurry up and propose to her… If
he did, Miss Lance would have the right to warn Miss
Pendleton off. But at the moment, her position was an
awkward one. In addition, Miss Pendleton was being
protected by the two most powerful families of Yorkshire.
Miss Lance couldn’t act rashly against Miss Pendleton.
After a moment of contemplation, Miss Lance decided to
do exactly what Miss Pendleton did for her. She was going to
point out Miss Pendleton’s carelessness in the subtlest way
possible.
As the night deepened, most of the guests returned to their
rooms. Mr. Dalton was standing next to Miss Pendleton and
having a conversation. Miss Lance rose and walked toward
them. As she got closer, she could hear them clearly. They
were talking about tomorrow’s schedule, and noticing how
great they looked together, Miss Lance’s blood began to boil.
When they noticed Miss Lance, their conversation paused.
Miss Pendleton greeted kindly, “Miss Lance, it has been so
long. And we didn’t get to talk with each other at all today.”
Miss Lance responded accordingly. She couldn’t be any
angrier, but she acted her usual self. This was especially
crucial since she was in Mr. Dalton’s presence.
Miss Lance replied, “Miss Pendleton… I mean, Miss
Sheldon. I’m so glad to see you after all this time. We have
much to talk about, so shall we step out onto the balcony? We
can watch the stars while we chat.”
Miss Pendleton was a little confused. They have never been
close enough to spend time together privately like this. But
she nodded easily.
Mr. Dalton quickly took his cue and announced, “Then I’ll
see you two ladies tomorrow. I bid you goodnight.”
When he left, the two ladies walked toward the balcony.
The cool autumn air made them cringe. Both were wearing
shoulderless dresses, so they shuddered a little. Miss
Pendleton asked Miss Lance to give her a minute before
leaving. A few minutes later, Miss Pendleton returned with
two warm shawls.
“I purchased these just in case one of the ladies gets too
cold. If you would like, please take one, Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance had been looking at Miss Pendleton with
contempt, but her gaze softened a little. No matter what, Miss
Lance knew that Miss Pendleton was a kind person. She had
learned this in London, and her belief hadn’t changed here
either.
Perhaps Miss Pendleton’s corrupt behavior stemmed from
her kindness. Maybe she felt guilty about refusing Mr.
Dalton’s lust, so she agreed to his offer. Beginning to feel
sympathetic, Miss Lance’s voice turned much warmer as she
began, “I was shocked when you disappeared from London so
suddenly. You didn’t even say goodbye, Miss Pendleton. That
was very cold of you.”
“Please forgive me. Things happened so fast that I didn’t
have the mind to say goodbye to anyone.”
“How do you like your new life here?”
Miss Pendleton told her honestly about life in the
countryside. But Miss Lance believed that she wasn’t telling
the whole story. She was so certain that Miss Pendleton was
romantically involved with Mr. Dalton.
 Chapter 103

“You must be able to meet Mr. Dalton more often now that
you live close to Whitefield,” Miss Lance commented.
“Indeed. Mr. Dalton visits Dunville Park often to see his
nephews and niece. He’s a good uncle.”
“And you visit Mr. Dalton as well, Miss Sheldon?”
Laura replied, “Yes, with his nephews and niece.
“I heard you’ve helped Mr. Dalton a great deal to host this
event. I’ve been here for only one day, but I can already tell
how much effort you must’ve put into it. You’ve done an
excellent job, Miss Sheldon.”
When Laura thanked her, Miss Lance asked, “According to
Mr. Fairfax, Dunville Park is quite a distance away from this
place. Is that correct?”
“Yes, it’s about two to three hours away.”
“Then it must’ve been so hard to travel back and forth to
prepare for the event. How many days did it take you to get it
all ready?” asked Miss Lance.
“About two weeks.”
Miss Lance’s mouth went dry. So she must’ve stayed here for
two weeks. She would’ve slept in Mr. Dalton’s bed.
 “Miss Sheldon, I’m going to be honest. I was very
concerned to see you here today. It looked like you’re… N…
never mind. I won’t say it out loud. I don’t want to, especially
for your reputation.”

“You gave me advice before about how easily a woman’s

reputation can be ruined. I was touched by your concern for
me, and I wanted to become a good friend to you as well. And
finally today, I got a chance to return the favor.” Miss Lance
tried to sound genuine. “Miss Sheldon, I may be younger than
you, but I know how this world works. England is going
through a terrible recession, and the heads of prestigious
noble families are using marriage to protect their names.
Therefore, they cannot afford to marry women who lack
wealth and education.”
Laura became confused, but she continued to listen
attentively.
Miss Lance continued, “To a young gentleman of means, a
beautiful but poor woman is an easy target. Past romantic
relationships don’t affect men negatively, but they can ruin a
woman’s life. It’s unfair, but it’s the way of the world.”
“…I’m sorry to interrupt, but I don’t know why you’re
telling me this, Miss Lance…”
Miss Lance took a deep breath. “Miss Pendleton, you still
have a chance to get married. It’s not like you’re middle-aged
or anything. But no matter your station in life, a woman’s
reputation can affect her ability to get married. Even if you
have lost your nobility, this doesn’t mean you should throw
away your virtues. You must not fall for the sweet tempting
words of a man because he won’t take responsibility. Even if
this said gentleman has an amazing mansion like this and has
an incredible reputation.”
Miss Pendleton’s eyes widened, realizing what Miss Lance
was insinuating. Her face turned bright red. Miss Lance
assumed that this was from the embarrassment of being
found out, so she continued her admonishment disguised as
advice.
“Miss Pendleton, your sin brings shame to your parents
and to God. Just because your parents have sinned doesn’t
mean that you should too…”
“Miss Lance.”
“Yes?”
“Please stop. If you continue any further, you’ll not only
insult me but Mr. Dalton as well.” Miss Pendleton’s face and
neck were burning red by now.
Good; I’m sure she understands what I’m trying to say now.
Miss Lance obliged and became quiet. Miss Pendleton looked
around awkwardly before suggesting that they should retire
to their respective rooms.
The two ladies passed the hallway and walked up the stairs
together. An uncomfortable silence fell, and it seemed that
Miss Pendleton was deep in thought. Miss Lance stopped on
the second floor. Miss Pendleton’s room was located on the
third floor, so Miss Lance bid her good night. She was about
to walk away when Miss Pendleton called out, “Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance paused. She turned around, and their eyes met
in the darkened hallway. Miss Pendleton advised, “For
everyone’s sake, please do not say anything about this to Mr.
Dalton. He’ll feel humiliated, and you’ll lose his favor.”
Miss Lance nodded in confusion. She never expected Miss
Pendleton to worry about her relationship with Mr. Dalton.
Miss Pendleton smiled. “Please have a restful night, Miss
Lance. We are planning to go boating tomorrow.”
She then quietly climbed the stairs.
Miss Lance slowly returned to her room. As she walked
down the hallway, she felt like she had done something
embarrassing. She was frustrated because she couldn’t figure
out why.

***

The next day, men and women formed small groups to ride
the boats on the nearby lake. The gentlemen rowed leisurely
while the ladies enjoyed the view under their colorful
parasols, creating an extravagantly beautiful scene.
The farmers living nearby watched in fascination, but the
noblemen ignored them and concentrated on their own
pleasure. They sang, flirted, and enjoyed the water.
Laura was on one of the boats listening to several ladies
chatting. They used to openly look down on her when she was
in London, but now that she had been introduced as a
member of Houses Dalton and Fairfax, they suddenly began
acting friendly.
They informed Laura about the news of London she
already knew. They gossiped about how the head of House
Pendleton began a large-scale construction in an attempt to
find investors. They also talked about Mrs. Elizabeth Morton
being bedridden from severe morning sickness and Miss
Joanne Jensen being the most popular lady in London society
with an endless list of men pursuing her even though she was
already engaged.
Laura barely paid any attention as she watched one
particular boat ahead of hers. Mr. Dalton was rowing while
Miss Lance sat in front of him holding a sky-blue parasol.
Miss Lance’s friends were beside her chit-chatting amongst
themselves while asking Mr. Dalton a few questions from
time to time. Mr. Dalton appeared to be very polite in his
responses.
I hope things go well. Miss Pendleton knew that Miss Lance
and Mr. Dalton needed to get engaged before the end of this
event. All of the guests believed that Mr. Dalton was courting
Miss Lance in secret. If Miss Lance didn’t marry him, her
reputation in London society was going to be ruined beyond
repair. On top of this, she was also going to get hurt in the
worst way possible.
Miss Lance’s advice last night was filled with contempt.
She pretended to be concerned, but Laura could feel an
obvious jealousy from this young lady. It was clear that Miss
Lance was very much in love with Mr. Dalton.
Her love was instigated by Mr. Dalton’s actions. Laura
never witnessed the two of them flirting, but there was no
way a confident and popular lady like Miss Lance would fall
for a man who showed no interest in her.
Laura prayed that this young woman wouldn’t get hurt
just like she was twelve years ago. It appeared that Miss Lance
made a wrong assumption about her, but once Miss Lance
and Mr. Dalton became engaged, Laura would get a chance to
give a proper explanation.
Of course, Laura knew her heart would shatter into a
million pieces when their wedding date was announced. But
she scolded her heart, telling herself that this was a burden
she needed to carry in silence.
After the boating, a picnic took place. Just as Laura
planned, Mr. Dalton continued to spend time with Miss Lance
and her friends. Laura could hear Miss Lance’s giggle from
quite far away. Wondering if they were having a good time,
she glanced at them. It was then that she saw Miss Lance
leaning her head against Mr. Dalton’s shoulder.
Laura turned away as if she saw something she wasn’t
supposed to. She instantly lost her appetite, so she couldn’t
eat anything during the picnic. After lunch, the afternoon was
filled with games of tennis and croquet. She made an effort
not to look at Mr. Dalton, and she kept busy ordering cleanups
to the servants and watching the games.
 Laura was walking around the tennis court watching the
ball go back and forth when she flinched at the sound of a
familiar voice.
Miss Pendleton.” It was Mr. Dalton.

What wonderful weather we have for

these outdoor activities. You picked the perfect day.”
Laura nodded. “Indeed.”
“Do you like tennis? I don’t think I have seen you play
yet.”
“…Not really. I get tired too quickly.”
“But your health has improved since you arrived in
Dunville Park. You should try playing.”
Laura shook her head. She was feeling strangely
frustrated. She didn’t want to hear his voice or respond to his
questions. She had never felt this before. In fact, she had
always welcomed his presence.
Mr. Dalton asked, “Are you tired? Perhaps you overworked
yourself yesterday and today.”
“No, it’s just… I want to be alone for a while.”
Laura felt his gaze on her. She could imagine what his
black eyes must look like as he watched her. She continued to
keep her eyes on the tennis court without looking at him.
“Miss Pendleton, I can tell you are upset. Is it because of
me?”
it «
 “I don’t know what I have done, but if you’re angry, I’m
certain I’ve done something wrong. I apologize.”
Laura wanted to cry. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Mr.
Dalton. I’m just not feeling very well.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No. If I need something, I can take care of it.” Laura
looked away from him. You fool! Why are you lashing out at Mr.
Dalton? He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s your fault for liking
him when he feels nothing for you.
Soon, they both heard Miss Lance calling out to Mr.
Dalton. He turned away from Laura and walked away. Laura’s
eyes became misty and her heart turned heavy as if a large
brick was placed on top. Laura quickly wiped her eyes,
desperate to run away from it all. She wanted to leave
Yorkshire at this very moment and hide somewhere far away.

Laura continued to be reminded of how she has

underestimated her feelings for Mr. Dalton. Just as she had
planned, he spent all of his time with Miss Lance and her
friends. They watched the small concert together, and they
played all of the games in the same group as well. This was all
exactly how Laura had planned it.
Laura concentrated on taking care of the other guests, but
she couldn’t help feeling constantly irritated by the fact that
Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton were spending time together.
Every night when she returned to her guest room, she curled
up in the bed and lamented. She admitted that she was
jealous, and she was afraid of how she would endure Mr.
Dalton becoming another woman’s husband. Just the thought
brought sharp pain to her heart, making her shudder.
I need to leave this place. Thankfully, I have my father’s
inheritance now, which means I no longer have to save as much. I
should write a letter to my old school and find out if they have a
teaching position. I won’t make as much money working as a
governess here, but it will be a stable and rewarding job.
Laura made this decision when suddenly, she heard a
knock on her door.
“Who is it?” she asked.
It s me.
Laura sat up when she heard Mr. Dalton’s voice.
 Chapter 104

Laura stammered, “W…what is it?”

I brought something for you, Miss

Pendleton.”
Laura put a shawl around her shoulder and walked to the
door. When she opened it, she saw Mr. Dalton still in his
tuxedo. It appeared that he hadn’t changed yet. Meanwhile,
she was in her comfortable nightgown with her hair braided
down. She blushed in embarrassment.
Mr. Dalton was holding a tray of steaming soup, a small
glass of wine, and a large almond cookie. He explained, “It
looked like you barely ate anything at dinner.”
“…Thank you.” Laura took the tray and tried to close the
door.
Mr. Dalton, however, grabbed the knob and stopped her.
He asked, “Are you sick?”
Laura was silent.
“Please tell me the truth. I’m so worried that I can’t stand
it.”
Laura’s heartbeat quickened. “I’m just tired. I’ll be fine
once I get some sleep. You should go now, Mr. Dalton.”
 “I’ve overworked you… I’m so sorry.”
Feeling her eyes tearing up, Laura bit her lip. “Why do you
keep apologizing? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You always do everything I ask of you. You’re as kind and
warm as an angel, so I keep wanting to rely on you. I didn’t
consider the possibility that it might burden you.”
But that’s not true! The fact that you need me brings me such
joy. I’m afraid of the day when I’ll no longer be needed, which is
why I’m planning to run away.
The day when she won’t be needed anymore was coming
soon. Tears rolled down her eyes suddenly, making Mr.
Dalton tense. He shouted, “Miss Pendleton!”
Laura quickly turned away and walked inside her room.
She heard Mr. Dalton follow her from behind. She put the tray
down on the table and wiped away her tears. She could feel his
warm presence behind her.
She begged, “I would like to rest, so please leave.”
“How could I leave you crying like this?”
“My problem isn’t something you can’t solve, Mr.
Dalton.”
“But I can comfort you.” Mr. Dalton walked a step closer.
“Please tell me. Whatever it is, try me. I…”
He sounded miserable as he continued, “I want to become
someone you can depend on, Miss Pendleton. Someone you
need. I want to be important to you so that you can’t live
without me…”
 She felt his hand on her shoulder. Mr. Dalton whispered,
“You might not feel that way about me, but that’s how I feel
about you.”
Laura jolted, getting a distinct feeling from his touch and
voice. But it can’t be.
She denied her instinct, telling herself that she was
imagining things. She wiped her face with her shawl and took
three steps away from him. She replied, “Being together in
the middle of the night like this is inappropriate. My
reputation has already become ruined because of you, Mr.
Dalton.”
“…What do you mean?”
“It’s expected since I’m acting as the hostess of a
bachelor’s household. I… I was asked if I was your mistress,
Mr. Dalton.”
A deadly silence fell. It seemed that Mr. Dalton had
stopped breathing. He whispered, “…Who asked you such a
thing?”
Laura shuddered at his icy voice.
He insisted, “Tell me.”
“What will you do if I do?”
“I’ll shoot the fool.”
Laura turned toward him. At first glance, his face looked
calm. But she quickly saw that his eyes were burning
dangerously with the rage of a beast. She replied quietly,
“Just think about how we have been behaving so far. We have
been acting careless with the excuse of our friendship. Even if
we don’t have any romantic feelings for each other, it’s
understandable that other people will mistake our
relationship.”
44 »
“After this event, let us be careful. I will stop visiting
Whitefield from now on. Whenever you visit Dunville Park to
see your sister, niece, and nephews, I will make sure to stay
out of sight. We may not be able to avoid meeting completely,
but we must not be seen alone,” Laura announced firmly
before walking to the vanity. She then unbraided her hair and
began brushing it.
Only the sound of her brush rang in the air for a while. In
the end, Mr. Dalton muttered, “…All that planning for
nothing.”
He turned around and walked out of the room. When the
door closed behind him, Laura put down her brush. The
tension left her body suddenly, and she slumped on the
vanity.
No, I’m sure I’m wrong about this. Laura tried to ignore her
gut feeling. Because if it’s true, it means that Mr. Dalton toyed
with me. It makes him a thoughtless, cruel, and selfish man. So I
refuse to believe Mr. Dalton did such a thing.
That night, Laura tossed and turned. She could fall asleep
only after drinking the wine Mr. Dalton brought her. In her
dream, Laura found herself back in London again. It was the
time when she was still considered a noble lady.
 She dreamed of the day when she wore a light airy dress to
attend a picnic. It was a cool summer day, and she had sat
down with Mr. Dalton beside her. He was looking at her with a
burning passion.
In her dream, he said to her, “I can imagine the future
Mrs. Dalton happily welcoming you to our home… Because if I
ever were to marry, there is no way you wouldn’t be staying at
Whitefield Hall. My marriage would never take place, Miss
Pendleton, if that weren’t guaranteed.”
This time, Laura embraced Ian with both of her arms. She
held him tightly and declared, “I feel the same way, Mr.
Dalton. I can’t imagine marrying anyone other than you! ”
A-A-A-
Men who were obsessed with hunting gathered in front of
the hunting ground early in the morning every day. It was a
large bunch, so they divided into six smaller groups. Formed
based on their family and business ties, these individual
groups took this competition very seriously.
The group with the best catches was made up of young
gentries. They brought back an impressive amount of loot
every day to impress the ladies. But on the third day of the
hunt, the score changed suddenly. Although newly arrived
Mr. Farfax had decent hunting skills, he only added an
insignificant help to his group. It was actually Ian Dalton,
who was in the same group as Mr. Fairfax, who began hunting
like a madman out of the blue.
 Mr. Dalton appeared to have been hypnotized as he used
his weapon. Shot after shot resulted in a perfect kill every
time and everyone in his group admired him in awe.
Everyone except for his old friend Mr.
Fairfax.
At the end of a successful day of hunting, the group
returned to the mansion. After making sure the rest of the
group was far away, Mr. Fairfax caught up with Mr. Dalton
and asked, “Are you angry at something?”
“No.”
“Liar. Based on how you were shooting, it looked like you
were hoping to kill someone. Did something happen between
you and Miss Pendleton?”
Mr. Dalton frowned. “Shut up.”
“So I’m right.”
“This is my business, so butt out. Let’s just talk about
something else.”
Mr. Fairfax looked around again to make sure no one was
nearby. He asked, “It’s you who decided to invest in the
Pendleton family’s shipbuilding business, isn’t it?”
Instead of answering his friend, Mr.
Dalton quickly loaded his gun and shot at the tree branch
to his right. With a fluttering sound, a bird dropped from the
tree. When Mr. Dalton whistled, one of the hunting dogs
dashed to retrieve the catch.
Mr. Fairfax continued, “When people heard about a large
investor’s interest, many financiers began flocking to invest
too. What are you trying to do here?”
The dog brought the dead bird to Ian. He patted the dog
affectionately before whistling and pointing at the servants
carrying all the games. The well-trained dog quickly rushed
to obey.
Mr. Dalton retorted, “You’re a businessman, so you know
exactly what I’m doing.”
“But I want to hear it from you.”
I’m going to pull out my fund when the

ship is half built. Their business plan is shitty, so it shouldn’t

be a problem to find a legitimate reason for backing out.”
“…You’re really going to do this?”
“Yes.”
Mr. Dalton loaded his gun again and shot at the forest
again. Another bird fell shortly after.
Mr. Fairfax warned, “That’s enough.
You’re going to annihilate the entire bird population
here.”
I’m barely controlling myself from

shooting people, so don’t stop me.”

“…Fine. But I need to say this. You must think carefully
before you do this. The Pendleton family already only has a
fraction of its land left. Whatever money they make from it is
barely enough to pay for the interest on their debt. If this
business goes under, they’ll become penniless. They’ll be
thrown out on the street.”
Mr. Dalton smiled coldly. “I like the sound of that.”
“Do you think Miss Pendleton would enjoy it too? What do
you think she’ll say if she finds out about this? What if she
thinks you’re being cruel?”
Mr. Dalton remained quiet. They were almost out of the
forest, and he could see the field ahead of him. He hung his
hunting gun over his shoulder and took out the silver
cigarette case from his chest pocket. He offered it to Mr.
Fairfax, who took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Mr.
Fairfax lit his friend’s cigarette first.
“My love for her allowed me to find the side of me I never
knew before,” Mr. Dalton murmured. He exhaled a puff of
smoke, and Mr. Farifax noticed how red his friend’s eyes were
from lack of sleep.
Mr. Dalton continued, “I’ve always thought I was immune
to desire and anger. But I was wrong. I am impulsive and
cruel, and it’s clear that all of my education has been useless.
I have become a slave to my own lust.”
“All humans are like that.”
“You lost your love, but you overcame the pain bravely.
After you were rejected by Miss Hyde, you hunted for a few
days to get over it. And on top of that, you have become her
friend as if you had felt nothing for her. But I can’t do that.
Even if I hunt every day for the next ten years, I’ll never be
able to forget Miss Pendleton.”
 “Then why don’t you stop your revenge against the
Pendleton family? You should avoid doing anything that
might cause you to lose her favor…”
a
I can never forgive anyone who hurt her.
If I lose her because of it, then so be it. And when it
happens, I will never forgive myself for losing her.” Mr.
Dalton looked up at the clear autumn sky. “Frankly, the one I
wanted to shoot today was myself.”
it „
“William, I think I might lose her.”
 Chapter 105

Late that night, Ramswick entered his master’s bedroom to

find him lying on the bed while pressing his eyes with his
hands. He was half undressed out of his tuxedo. His linen tie
was loosened, and his chest could be seen through the
unbuttoned shirt. His hair, brushed neatly earlier, was
disheveled while his jacket and vest were littered on the floor.
Mr. Dalton looked very different from his usual neat self,
but Ramswick wasn’t surprised. Miss Sheldon had been
avoiding Mr. Dalton for the past three days. They have been
acting like loving husband and wife until recently, but now,
they looked like complete strangers.
Miss Sheldon had been refusing to talk to Mr. Dalton
altogether. Whenever he neared her, she moved away like a
jumpy deer. There was only one day left of this event, and
Ramswick’s heart broke watching his master in pain.
Ramswick has become Mr. Dalton’s only source of
information regarding Miss Pendleton’s days.
“Mr. Dalton, I’m here to give you my report,” Ramswick
announced.
His face gaunt from the lack of sleep, Mr. Dalton turned
toward his butler. He sat up slowly to sit on the edge of the
bed.
Ramswick continued, “I took a piece of coffee cake and a
bowl of sorbet to her, informing her that they were from
Phillip. She only ate half of them, but she seemed to be in a
decent mood. After the party, she wishes to return to Dunville
Park as soon as possible.”
“What about the thing I ordered you to ask?”
Ramswick gulped. When he remained silent, Mr. Dalton
turned tense. He insisted, “Tell me.”
“…At first, she claimed that she didn’t know. But when I
persisted, she finally told me that she may get a teaching job
at her old school. She said she already sent a letter to
inquire…”
Mr. Dalton’s face crumpled in despair. He rubbed it with
his hand silently. Ramswick became filled with worry,
wondering if Miss Shelden really planned to leave his master.
If so, would Mr. Dalton be able to accept it?
Since the day Miss Sheldon began ignoring him, Mr.
Dalton hadn’t been able to sleep at all. He smoked nonstop,
and he refused to eat. No matter what was said to him, he
always seemed dazed. This confused all of the guests and the
servants. It was as if he was always half asleep.
What if he loses his mind? The elderly butler, whose life had
been dedicated to his master’s comfort and happiness,
couldn’t bear the thought.
Ramswick added, “She told me to tell you that for
tomorrow’s ball, she’ll order some fireworks for after the
cotillon. Since it’s the last day, she felt like she needed a big
event as a good finale.”
Mr. Dalton looked uninterested as he put a cigar in his
mouth. Ramswick bowed and left the room quietly. Alone in
the dark room again, Mr. Dalton smoked his cigar in silence.
When he was done, he picked up another one, and another
one after that. But unfortunately, his mind refused to calm
down. Instead, frustration continued to build inside of him.
She might leave Dunville Park?
His worst nightmare was coming true and he couldn’t
figure out where things had gone wrong. While preparing for
this event, Mr. Dalton had hoped that Miss Pendleton would
become familiar with Whitefield Hall. Once she knew this
mansion well and befriended the servants, he expected her to
be more receptive to becoming the mistress of this household.
Mr. Dalton wanted to tell the world that she now had him
as a protector. It was a not-so-subtle warning that no one
should ever belittle her again. He also wanted her to be able to
brag about her genius father.
But it seemed that his plan had backfired because Miss
Pendleton was distancing herself from him.
Someone thought she was my mistress? I wish I could find
which bastard said it so I could punch his mouth.
But Mr. Dalton knew he couldn’t waste time venting his
anger because Laura was trying to leave him forever.
If she leaves, I will wither away.
 Being ignored by her during the last three days was hellish.
He couldn’t think clearly, and everyone around him looked
like monkeys to him. William kept waving his fingers in front
of him and asked how many of them he was holding up, but
Ian couldn’t even answer.
I can’t let her leave. I must make her stay by my side no matter
what. I’ll do whatever it takes.
Mr. Dalton thought hard, but his logical mind seemed to
fail him whenever Laura was involved. His sleep-deprived
brain gave him the most ridiculous answer.
I must propose to her before she leaves.
He bit his cigar and thought in desperation. I’ll ask her to
come to the terrace at the ball. And I’ll tell her that I’ve been in
love with her all this time… But… I know she won’t accept my
feelings.
Ian put out his cigar and chewed on his fingernail. Soon,
another absurd idea popped into his head. I’ll tell her that if she
refuses me, I’ll throw myself off the terrace.
His body began exploding with adrenaline from the
excitement. Mr. Dalton paced around the room, his thoughts
jumbling in his head. Yes, I’m sure she’ll accept my proposal
then. She’s a soft-hearted woman, after all. My priority is to have
us get married. Then, we’ll sleep in separate bedrooms like a
brother and sister until she falls in love with me. I’ll wait as long
as it takes for her to come to love me. I don’t care if it takes years.
Once she feels the same way as I do, we’ll finally be able to begin
our marriage.
 Perhaps his brain was malfunctioning from the lack of
sleep. He was so obsessed with the idea of trapping her that
Ian forgot all about how devout Laura was. Suicide was the
worst of the Christian sins, and if his mind wasn’t so
muddled, it would’ve been obvious to him that Laura would
feel contempt toward his stunt.
The very next morning, Mr. Dalton ordered a servant to
retrieve a diamond ring from the bank safe. It was the very
wedding ring his father gave his mother on their wedding
day. It was considered one of the most treasured heirlooms of
House Dalton.
Around lunchtime, the servant returned and handed him
the ring with a diamond the size of a thumb. Mr. Dalton put
the ring box in his chest pocket. Wearing a shiny pair of
shoes, he headed toward the ballroom downstairs.
A-A-A-
The ballroom was loud with the orchestra music and
people’s voices. Mr. Fairfax enjoyed the quadrille with his
sister before they parted ways to meet their respective
friends. Mr. Fairfax planned on dancing the cotillon with Miss
Pendleton next.
During the last few days, he hadn’t had a chance to speak
much with Miss Pendleton. It was unfortunate because there
was much he wanted to discuss with her. He considered Miss
Pendleton a close friend, almost as close as Miss Hyde. He
also had great respect for her.
 Mr. Fairfax found her beside the drink table. She was
wearing a pair of gold earrings and a dark violet velvet dress
adorned with white lace. She was ordering Ramswick to send
another maid to the ladies’ restroom.
When Miss Pendleton saw Mr. Fairfax, she curtsied. “Good
evening, Mr. Fairfax.”
“Good evening, Miss Pendleton. Ah, but Pendleton is your
old name, is it not?”
“I don’t mind which name I’m called by.
Please feel free to use whatever name you wish.”
“Then I shall call you Miss Sheldon. It’s the name your
admirable father left you, so it’s about time you carry it with
pride.”
Laura smiled, but Mr. Fairfax could feel a faint shadow on
her face. Is she worried about something?
Mr. Fairfax became curious, but he didn’t pry. It was
considered impolite to point out how unwell a lady looked.
Instead, he asked, “Miss Sheldon, did you promise the next
dance to someone yet?”
“No.”
“Then may I have the honor?”
“Of course. I’m happy to be dancing the cotillon with you,
Mr. Fairfax. It has been so long since we last danced together,
and I know what an expert you are in social dances.”
“I’m only good enough not to embarrass myself in front of
you, Miss Sheldon. After all, you dance as light as a feather.”
 Laura chuckled, but her laugh stopped suddenly. She was
looking past his shoulder, and when Mr. Fairfax turned
around, he saw Ian roaming the ballroom looking for
someone.
Mr. Fairfax raised his hand. “Hey, over here…!”
“Mr. Fairfax!” Laura yelled urgently. When he faced her
again, she apologized, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to dance the
cotillon with you. Please forgive me.”
“Are you ill, Miss Sheldon?”
“No, umm… I just remembered something I forgot to
order.”
“I’m concerned that you’re working too hard. It looks like
you don’t get to enjoy yourself at all.”
“You go ahead and have fun in my place, Mr. Fairfax. And
please don’t tell Mr. Dalton which direction I went.”
“Ah… Alright.”
Laura left hurriedly. Ian made his way to Mr. Fairfax only
after she disappeared.
Ian asked, “William, have you seen Miss Pendleton?”
“Huh?” Mr. Fairfax’s eyes wavered. “N…
no.
Ian pushed back his neatly combed hair. “Dammit, where
did she go?”
Mr. Fairfax studied his friend’s face closely. Ian has been
turning gaunt lately, but for some reason, his face was pink
with excitement today. Mr. Fairfax asked, “Did something
happen?”
 “No. When you find Miss Pendleton, let me know.”
“Okay…”
“And if Miss Lance asks you where I went, tell her you
haven’t seen me. She has been stuck to me like a piece of gum
during the last few days, and my patience is running out.”
“Hey, how could you describe a lady in that way…”
Ian disappeared into the crowd, not bothering to wait for
his friend to finish his sentence.
Mr. Fairfax wondered silently. I have no idea what’s going
on here. Maybe they’re playing a game of tag?
He shrugged and walked around to find another friend.
Just then, he saw his sister mingling with Miss Lance and her
friends. He walked up to them to say hello.
“Good evening, Mr. Fairfax.” The ladies curtsied.
Mr. Fairfax asked, “Are you enjoying yourselves?”
“Of course.” Miss Lance laughed. She seemed even livelier
than when he saw her on the train. Her hair and dress looked
perfect as well. Miss Lance was no doubt the most stylish lady
in the entire ballroom.
“William! Wiliam! Look at Miss Lance’s dress. She said it
was made by a dressmaker from France!” Miss Janet
exclaimed in excitement.
Miss Lance blushed in embarrassment, but Mr. Fairfax
clapped to play along. “That’s why you’re so glowing tonight,
Miss Lance. I noticed from a mile away. You’re definitely the
belle of the ball tonight.”
 Miss Lance’s friends giggled, and Miss Lance’s cheeks
turned even redder. She replied, “Thank you.”
“Then I suppose your dance card is already full for the
night.”
“Of course not. I’ve saved one spot just for you, Mr.
Fairfax.”
“I’m honored, Miss Lance.”
Miss Wilkes opened her fan to hide her mouth and
whispered in Miss Lance’s ear, “But not the waltz!”
“Be quiet!” Miss Lance whispered back.
They were talking very quietly, but Mr.
Fairfax could hear everything. I guess she wants to dance the
waltz with her beau.
Mr. Fairfax hid his smile and requested, “The cotillon has
already begun, so would you dance the country dance with
me?”
“I would like that.”
Miss Orson suddenly asked, “By the way, Mr. Fairfax, have
you seen Mr. Dalton?”
Mr. Fairfax became torn, wondering if he should oblige his
friend or a lady.
 Chapter 106

Mr. Fairfax replied hesitantly, “Ah, well…

I… don’t think I’ve seen him today.”
“If you see him, please bring him here to us,” Miss Orson
insisted.
Miss Lance yelled angrily, “Daisy, stop it already! I told
you I’ll deal with it myself!”
Mr. Fairfax blinked as he watched. He wondered. What’s
going on here?
Suddenly, Miss Janet asked her brother, “William, I’m
thirsty. Could you get me a glass of lemonade?”
“Of course. May I get you something as well, ladies?”
Miss Lance and her friends returned to their ladylike
demeanor. They requested politely.
“Then I’ll take white wine.”
“Could you get me a plate of paninis?”
Taking their orders like a server, Mr. Fairfax walked to the
dessert table. He took a tray from one of the servants and was
placing the requested drinks and dishes on it when he heard
the two ladies nearby chatting.
“Do you think Miss Lance is really engaged?”
“But if she had, shouldn’t they be announcing it tonight?”
 Mr. Fairfax had no interest in eavesdropping, so his hands
moved quicker to fill the tray. Meanwhile, the gossiping
ladies continued.
“This is the perfect time for such an announcement, isn’t
it? I bet they’ll use it as the finale of this ball.”
“It’s going to be so exciting. We’d better not go to the
restroom or else we might miss it. Let’s make sure to stay in
the ballroom.”
Mr. Fairfax placed the paninis on the plate in a hurry.
Hmm, I need to move faster. I really don’t want to hear about this.
He didn’t get all the requested desserts, but after checking
the tray one last time, Mr. Fairfax turned around. He was
about to walk away, but what he heard next made him pause.
“By the way, I’m not sure if Mr. Dalton really likes Miss
Lance. I saw Miss Lance hanging onto him all this week, but
Mr. Dalton seemed distracted.”
“Anyway, it’s a good thing Miss Lance is going to be the
mistress of Whitefield Hall. It means that she’ll be hosting
many balls from now on.”
“I agree. She might even open this house to the tourists
too.”
The ladies continued to chat while Mr. Fairfax remained
frozen on the spot. He no longer paid any attention to them
because he had heard enough. His head filled with confusion.
Miss Lance’s secret dance is Ian? But that doesn I make any sense!
I know for a fact that Ian is busy chasing after Miss Pendleton!
 Mr. Fairfax quickly returned to his sister. He handed the
requested food and drink to the ladies, and they thanked him
cheerfully. Afterward, he asked his sister to speak in private.
It was surprisingly difficult to find a deserted spot where they
could talk alone. In the end, he took his sister outside the
ballroom and went upstairs.
Mr. Fairfax asked quietly, “Janet, Miss Lance’s secret
fiance… Is it… Ian?”
Janet, sweating profusely from following her brother all
the way upstairs, wiped her face with a handkerchief and
giggled. “William, you figured it out just now?”

“I didn’t know Ian kept it a secret from you too! He’s so

secretive, isn’t he? I’ll bet it’s because he and Miss Lance
promised each other not to tell anyone.”
“Janet.”
“Yes?”
Mr. Fairfax asked, “This rumor… How many people know
about it?”
“I told you. Everyone in London is excited about it!”
Mr. Fairfax turned pale.

***

“Hmm, Dora, I think we need to go search for Mr. Dalton

ourselves,” Miss Orson suggested while fanning her neck. “I
think he hasn’t been able to find you because there are too
many people here.”
Miss Lance shook her head and replied with a pout, “I’m a
lady, so how could I be the one seeking out a gentleman?”
Miss Wilkes offered, “Then shall we go look for him? Dora,
you can stay here and when we find him, we’ll tell him where
you are.
Miss Donovan agreed, “Yes, that’s a good idea. If he can’t
propose to you tonight, he’ll find it harder later to find the
courage to do it. He hasn’t been able to confess his feelings
for you during the last few days, right? It’s because he never
got the chance to be alone with you.”
“That’s true. But the waltz is a dance for just two people,
so I’m sure he’ll do it then,” said Miss Wilkes.
Miss Lance didn’t say anything, which was her silent way
of giving them her permission. Her friends promised to bring
Mr. Dalton to her and disappeared into the crowd. Sipping on
white wine, Miss Lance tidied her dress once more. Her heart
fluttered even harder from the alcohol.
During the last few days, Mr. Dalton’s eyes appeared dazed
as he looked at her. She believed that it was because he was
mesmerized by her beauty. She thought in excitement, I’m
sure he’ll do it tonight.
To be proposed during a romantic waltz at a ball in
Whitefield Hall was going to be the most perfect moment of
her life. She was wearing an exquisite dress, which made it
even better. Miss Lance waited for Mr. Dalton to appear at any
moment. Soon, the cotillon ended and it was time for the
country dance. She promised to dance with Mr. Fairfax, but he
was nowhere to be seen. She waited, but he didn’t appear even
when the music began.
Miss Lance became annoyed, but she shook her head. He’s
not the kind of a gentleman who would let a lady down for no
reason. I’m certain something urgent came up. By the way, I
wonder when Mr. Dalton will find me. The waltz is to take place
right after the country dance.
It wasn’t long before the country dance ended. The ladies
and gentlemen left the stage one by one after such an exciting
dance. Soon, the waltz began, followed by quadrille and
cotillon.
Men asked Miss Lance to dance from time to time, but she
refused every time and waited for Mr. Dalton. After an hour of
standing alone, she finally began to feel anxious. This won’t
do. I better go find him myself.
She raised her dress a little and began walking. There were
too many people around. With every step, she bumped into
someone or got her dress hem stepped on.
Just where is he? How could Mr. Dalton leave me all alone like
this? Miss Lance became frustrated. When she thought back,
she realized that Mr. Dalton had never asked her to dance the
waltz once since they were first acquainted. It seemed that
she was always waiting for him only to be disappointed.
Mr. Dalton, where are you? You won’t let me down again, will
you?
 Miss Lance continued to walk in determination when
suddenly, a drunk middle-aged man appeared in front of her.
He looked at her in confusion before his face slumped forward
a little as if he was bowing to her.
Wondering if she knew him, Miss Lance was about to
curtsy when the man vomited.
“Blegh!”
“Kya!” Miss Lance screamed as the gentleman’s vomit
spilled onto her dress. Everyone around her gasped in shock
as they stared while Miss Lance turned bright red. She pushed
away the middleaged man who was still gagging and ran. The
other guests stepped aside hurriedly, worried that the vomit
on Miss Lance’s dress might get on their own clothes.
Miss Lance ran out of the ballroom and climbed down the
stairs. Once outside, she looked around to see that there was
no one around. She examined her milk-white dress, which
was now stained with a disgusting mix of wine and shrimp.
Tonight is ruined! I had to beg my mother to get this expensive
dress, yet I didn’t even get to show it off to Mr. Dalton! This ball is
over!
Miss Lance couldn’t stand how pathetic she must look. She
became resentful toward Mr. Dalton for leaving her, and she
felt upset that her expectations were once again unfulfilled.
When she burst into tears, several servants walking by
glanced at her. But Miss Lance didn’t care.
She continued to sob when someone touched her shoulder.
“Miss Lance?”
 Miss Lance looked up to see Miss Pendleton standing in
front of her. Laura asked her, “Why are you crying here?”
Miss Lance quickly wiped her face, humiliation and
disappointment making her feel almost dizzy. It seemed that
she was caught at her worst moment by a woman who might
be, or most likely was, Mr. Dalton’s mistress.
Miss Pendleton noticed the soiled dress and frowned. But
her usual calm expression returned quickly as she murmured,
“It looks like someone made a terrible mistake.”
“I’m… going back to my room.” Miss Lance sniffled.
“But we aren’t even halfway through the ball yet. And
there’s going to be fireworks later on too. Don’t you want to
see it?”
“But this dress… I can’t stay looking like this…”
Miss Pendleton said reassuringly, “You can change. I’m
sure you brought plenty of evening dresses.”
“None of them are as pretty as this one. Besides, my face
must look terrible too! How could I go back there like this?!”
Miss Lance screamed before crying again.
Miss Pendleton waited patiently. When Miss Lance quieted
down, Miss Pendleton wiped her wet face with her gloved
hands. The soft velvet fabric absorbed the tears quickly.
Miss Pendleton replied, “Your eyes look a tiny bit swollen
and red, but you’re still the most beautiful lady at the ball,
Miss Lance.”
Miss Lance glared at her in disbelief. With a small smile,
Miss Pendleton added, “Many women tend to ruin their faces
after crying, but you look like a blossoming flower.”
“R… really?”
“Of course. Now, let’s take you to your room. You’ll wash
your face and change into another dress. I’ll redo your hair
too. No one will find out that you were crying, Miss Lance. Not
even Mr. Dalton.”
Miss Lance rubbed her eyes and looked up at Miss
Pendleton, who was smiling serenely. Miss Pendleton added,
“Because tonight is the perfect night for a proposal, isn’t it?”
Miss Lance nodded and followed Miss Pendleton into the
mansion. While climbing the stairs, Miss Lance kept glancing
at her companion. This was such an odd situation where Miss
Pendleton, the mistress, was helping her, Mr. Dalton’s future
fiancee.
Miss Lance wondered, Did she decide to give up Mr. Dalton?
Or could it be that she has an ulterior motive?
When they arrived at Miss Lance’s room, Miss Pendleton
helped the young lady diligently. She ordered a maid to bring
a basin filled with warm water for washing before helping
Miss Lance change. She also redid Miss Lance’s hair. Miss
Pendleton was very skilled, so when everything was done,
Miss Lance looked just as pretty as at the beginning of the
ball. It was all because Miss Pendleton styled her hair to suit
her face shape and picked out an appropriate dress.
Miss Lance had no choice but to be grateful. “Thank you,
Miss Pendleton.”
 “It’s my duty to help you.” Miss Pendleton shook her head
as she put a few more pins in Miss Lance’s hair.
“How so?”
“Because I’m the one who introduced you to Mr. Dalton.”
“Now that I think about it, I forgot to thank you for that
either. Thank you.”
The two ladies left the room to return to the ballroom.
While walking with Miss Lance, Miss Pendleton seemed very
thoughtful.
 Chapter 107

“Miss Lance,” Miss Pendleton called out quietly.

“Yes?”
“As soon as the ball ends, I’m going to return to Dunville
Park. I’ve already packed my things, and I’ve asked the groom
to prepare a carriage for me.”
Miss Lance asked in confusion, “Why are you leaving in
such a hurry…?”
“Because I’m going to look for another job. I plan on
leaving Yorkshire within a week. I’ll go somewhere very far,
which means I won’t get to see my friends anymore.”
“Ah…” Miss Lance didn’t know what to
say.
Miss Pendleton smiled. “Miss Lance, I sincerely wish you
all the happiness in the world.”
“You… too, Miss Sheldon.”
As Miss Lance walked down the stairs, she felt troubled.
Frankly, she was glad that Miss Pendleton was going to be out
of Mr. Dalton’s life for good. But at the same time, she felt a
little guilty. It seemed that Miss Pendleton was going to give
up Mr. Dalton for her.
 This meant that Miss Pendleton was going to surrender
the protection of two powerful families. Where was she going
to go? How would she survive?
The two ladies reached the end of the stairs and began
walking down the long hallway toward the ballroom. Miss
Lance wanted to ask about Miss Pendleton’s plans for the
future, but she stopped herself. She wasn’t going to be able to
help anyway, and she shouldn’t either. It would be unseemly
to help her future husband’s old mistress.
Besides, this isn’t my problem anymore. Miss Lance decided
silently. Just then, they heard a familiar voice yell ahead of
them.
“Ian!”
The voice was coming from a small den quite a distance
away from the ballroom. The door to the room was slightly
ajar, and Miss Lance instantly knew the voice belonged to Mr.
Fairfax. She thought in excitement, Mr. Fairfax must’ve found
Mr. Dalton!
Without thinking, Miss Lance rushed toward the den. But
Miss Pendleton quickly grabbed her arm and warned, “It
sounds like the two gentlemen have something to discuss.
That must be why they chose a deserted room to talk. Let’s
return to the ballroom and give them some privacy.
“But the ballroom is so crowded. I couldn’t find Mr. Dalton
for hours. I need to see him and return to the ballroom
together…!”
 Miss Lance froze mid-sentence when she heard Mr.
Fairfax’s angry voice.
“You foolish bastard! How can you be talking about Miss
Pendleton right now?” Mr. Fairfax continued to yell inside the
den. “The rumor of your and Miss Lance’s engagement has
already spread throughout the entire London! Everyone
believes you two are going to get married!’
Misses Lance and Pendleton froze.
Mr. Dalton laughed. “What nonsense. Me and Miss Lance?
Good lord, those idiotic Londoners come up with the most
ridiculous ideas.”
“This is all your fault. Miss Lance also believes you’re
going to propose to her. It’s obvious you behaved in a
confusing way. So what are you going to do? Miss Lance’s
reputation is going to be shattered!”
“All rumors fade away in time. She’s very popular and
comes from a good family, so I’m sure she’ll find a good
husband soon.”
“You know nothing about high society. Miss Lance will
never be able to find a good husband at this rate. This is all
your fault!” Mr. Fairfax panted in fury. “There’s only one
solution here. You must give up on Miss Pendleton and find it
in your heart to love Miss Lance. Unless you take
responsibility and marry Miss Lance, this problem will not go
away.”
“That’s nonsense. Why should I marry a woman I’m not
interested in when I’m in love with someone else? I refuse to
marry anyone other than Miss Pendleton!”
Mr. Dalton’s displeased voice rang in the ears of both Miss
Lance and Miss Pendleton. Miss Lance pulled her hand out of
Miss Pendleton’s grasp and burst into the den.
Slam!
The door hit the wall loudly, and the two panting men
turned toward the sound. Soon, their faces filled with regret.
They each yelled out the name of the lady they held dear to
their hearts.
“Miss Lance!” yelled Mr. Fairfax.
“Miss Pendleton!” Mr. Dalton shouted.
“A…ah…” Miss Lance stared at Mr. Dalton, whose eyes
were glued to Miss Pendleton standing behind her. It seemed
that Mr. Dalton didn’t even notice Miss Lance at all.
This can’t be…! Miss Lance burst into tears and ran out of
the room. Mr. Fairfax called out to her and followed her out,
leaving only Mr. Dalton and Miss Pendleton in the room.
His face crumpled in pain, Mr. Dalton stared at Laura. “…
Miss Pendleton.” He took a step forward and whispered, “I…”
“Enough.” Laura raised her hand as if to physically stop
him.
Mr. Dalton froze, and she murmured, “It seems that our
friendship is over.”
His face turned even paler as she added, “I will never let
you in my life again.
Goodbye, Mr. Dalton.”
 Laura curtsied calmly before disappearing like the wind.

***

Miss Lance groaned as she barely managed to carry out her

luggage when she saw Mr. Fairfax. He was standing in front of
the guest room she and her friends were sharing.
“Miss Lance,” Mr. Fairfax murmured.
Miss Lance became conscious of her appearance. Her face
was covered in tears, her hair was a mess, and her dress was
crumpled from carrying her heavy luggage. But what
embarrassed her most was that this man was right there
when she was rejected by Mr. Dalton.
“Why are you here?” Her voice sounded annoyed.
“I was concerned for your safety…”
“I’m perfectly safe.” Miss Lance passed by him as she
dragged her luggage across the hallway.
Mr. Fairfax followed her and asked, “Are you returning to
London right now?”
“That’s right.”
“Please do not do this. By tomorrow morning, the entire
event will finally end. It would be best if you leave with your
friends just as you planned, Miss Lance.”
“I don’t want to do that.”
“It’s dangerous for a lady to be riding the train alone at
night. And if you ride the carriage in that dress, you’re sure to
catch a cold…”
 “I said no!” She turned toward him and glared. “All of my
friends believe that Mr. Dalton proposed to me! What do you
think they’ll say when they see me like this? What am I
supposed to tell them?”
44 ??
“Even if I come up with a story for my friends, people will
still talk at breakfast tomorrow when they see my swollen
face. They’ll say that I was rejected and that he… loves
another woman…” Miss Lance bit her lip. Her light-blue eyes
filled with tears as she begged, “I… need time to think. I need
time to endure what happened. I must… process what
happened tonight…”
Mr. Fairfax nodded. “Alright. Then please let me at least
escort you back to London.”
<4 »
“I won’t interrupt your thoughts in any way. I’ll act like
your shadow and nothing more. Please just allow me to make
sure you return to your home safely. I beg of you.” Mr. Fairfax
bowed. It almost looked like he was groveling as if he was a
debtor begging his lender to postpone the debt collection.
Miss Lance was tempted. The truth was, she was a little
scared of riding the train by herself in the middle of the night.
When she nodded, Mr. Fairfax thanked her and quickly put his
jacket around her. She was wearing a shoulderless dress, so
he was being considerate.
Mr. Fairfax then took her luggage. Miss Lance was barely
able to drag it out of the room, but in his hand, it looked like a
tiny paper bag.
Just as he promised, he became her shadow. He followed
her from three steps behind, and he didn’t say a single word
to her. After ordering a coach, he loaded her luggage and
helped her into the seat. Mr. Fairfax then sat outside with the
groom so she could be alone.
When they arrived at the train station, he got the tickets,
loaded her luggage, and escorted her to her seat. He then took
the seat to the side that was separated by an aisle from hers.
Miss Lance was still mindless from what happened earlier,
but she recognized how kind Mr. Fairfax was acting toward
her. They were acquaintances and nothing more, yet he was
taking such good care of her. Men called themselves
gentlemen all the time, but Miss Lance knew that there were
less than a handful of true gentlemen like Mr. Fairfax in
London.
Miss Lance felt grateful toward him. She knew that she
should show her appreciation, but at the moment, she was
too tired and depressed. She was filled with so much sorrow
that she couldn’t say anything.
And most importantly, she was mortified. Before she got
on the train, she was still denying her reality. She kept telling
herself that she must’ve misheard everything or that there
must be a misunderstanding. Perhaps Mr. Dalton was only
trying to hide his true feelings.
But there was no forgetting what she heard tonight.
 “That’s nonsense. Why should I marry a woman I’m not
interested in when I’m in love with someone else? I refuse to
marry anyone other than Miss Pendleton!”
His cold cruel voice still rang in her ears. Miss Lance cried
in the carriage on her way here, and she began crying again.
Ah, he never loved me!
The train began moving as it gave off black fumes. Her
eyes red and swollen, Miss Lance looked out the window. The
cheerful scene she saw when she arrived here with a hopeful
heart now looked somber under the moonlight.
When much of the sadness and tears left her body, Miss
Lance finally began thinking straight again. Fortunately for
her, she had a decent amount of intelligence, especially for
her young age.
How could I have misunderstood things so badly?
In hindsight, Miss Lance admitted that Mr. Dalton had
never courted her. He had shown the exact amount of
kindness any proper gentleman would to a lady. But she, Dora
Lance, came to believe that he was in love with her.
Why?
She tried to remember. She assessed all of her memories in
detail and as objectively as possible. By the time the train left
Yorkshire, Miss Lance was finally able to face the truth.
It’s because everyone around me kept telling me how Ian
Dalton fell in love with me. And… I wanted to believe it too.
Her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. She wanted to kick
herself for being so pathetic. What a fool I am. How could I have
believed something like that just from other people’s words? Mr.
Dalton was never interested in me. He never asked me to dance
the waltz nor has he ever given me a gift. He never flirted with me
either. Ahh… What am I going to do now? The entire city of
London believes that I’m engaged to Mr. Dalton!
Miss Lance wished she could jump out of the moving train.
But she knew Mr.
Fairfax would never allow her to do such a thing. That was
probably why he insisted on accompanying her.
Ahh, if I was just a little more aware, things wouldn’t have
gotten this bad. I would’ve made sure my friends didn’t go around
telling everyone about it, and I would’ve kept my distance from
him so that people don’t make the wrong assumption. Only if my
mother hadn’t given me such false hope. Only if anyone had given
me good advice…
Just then, someone popped into her head. There was
actually one person who warned her about the growing
scandal between herself and Mr. Dalton.
 Chapter 108

There was probably one person who knew everything from

the beginning.
Miss Pendleton.
Miss Lance remembered the picnic from last spring when
she witnessed Miss Pendleton running away and Mr. Dalton
going after her. At the time, Miss Lance thought he betrayed
Miss Pendleton because he learned about the sordid secret
behind her birth. But now, Miss Lance realized that perhaps
the opposite had happened. Maybe Mr. Dalton still loved Miss
Pendleton ardently, but Miss Pendleton pushed him away.
Why didn’t she think of this before?
Miss Lance knew the answer. It was because
subconsciously, she had looked down on Miss Pendleton for
her parents’ sin and for being a poor spinster.
But she was the most thoughtful person in London and cared
deeply for me…
The truth forced Miss Lance to look at herself under the
most unflattering light. Unlike her youthful and beautiful
outer appearance, she saw how pathetic and weak she was on
the inside.
 I thought I was smart. I believed that I was better than my
father who cares only about people’s status in life, my greedy
mother, and my childish friends. But the truth is, I’m no different
from them. I’m just a silly twenty-year-old chit.
Miss Lance covered her face with her hands, which quickly
became soaked with her tears. But she wasn’t crying as a
jilted woman. Instead, she was sobbing from learning the
ugly truth about herself.

***

Wearing a green plaid dress and a white shawl, Laura walked

out of the mansion. Behind her, two servants followed
carrying her luggage. There was a dark brown carriage
waiting outside, and the Whitefield Hall groom and maid
loaded her things on top of it. Miss Pendleton quickly got
inside the carriage as they worked.
She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. She
needed time to think and process what had happened. Early
last summer when Mr. Dalton returned to London, she
believed that he was in love with another woman. He was
spending a lot of time with Miss Lance and her friends, and he
claimed that all he felt for her was friendship. Therefore,
there was no reason for Laura to believe otherwise.
But it turned out that he was only pretending. He was
wearing a mask to fool her, and he used Miss Lance to make
her let her guard down.
 After loading the carriage, the maid bowed and returned to
the mansion. When the groom sat in his seat, Laura peeked
out the window and ordered him to depart.
“Giddyup!” the groom shouted and swung the reins. The
horse neighed loudly before taking a step forward.
Just then, someone yelled, “Stop!”
Laura turned to see that a slim man, Mr. Dalton, appeared
from the front entrance. The groom hurriedly stopped the
carriage, allowing Mr. Dalton to approach it.
Feeling panicked, Laura ordered the groom, “Just go!”
But at the same time, Mr. Dalton ordered, “Drop the
reins.”
It wasn’t a surprise that the groom obeyed his master.
Without asking for Laura’s permission, Mr. Dalton opened
the carriage door.
She clenched her fists and asked, “Aren’t I allowed to
leave, Mr. Dalton?”
“You’re going to leave without talking about what just
happened?”
“I have nothing to say.”
“If you have nothing to say, then it must mean that what
happened doesn’t trouble you. So you shouldn’t have a reason
to avoid me, correct? And you shouldn’t be angry with me
either.”
Laura looked at Mr. Dalton coldly. “What is there to talk
about? That you toyed with Miss Lance to fool me? That you
lied time after time to get me?”
 “I never toyed with anyone, Miss Pendleton. There has
never been anything more than friendship between Miss
Lance and myself. Nothing more than what you shared with
William. So please do not make me into a scoundrel. All my
life, I’ve never cared about how other people thought. But
some time ago, I met one person who became an exception. It
was you, Miss Pendleton.”
44 „
“I might as well tell you everything. I fell in love with you
the first time I met you during that ball. I’ve hovered over you
afterward in London because of love, not friendship. But you
didn’t want me, so I pretended to be interested in another
woman. On that rainy day in the cottage, I told you there was
a lady who had captured my heart. I meant you.”
Laura became speechless. When she didn’t say a word, Mr.
Dalton continued, “I do not regret what I have done. If I
hadn’t lied to you, you would’ve never become the governess
at Dunville Park or come to Whitefield like this. Giving up on
you was never an option for me, so I had no choice.”
“…What would’ve changed by bringing me here? Even if I
fall in love with you, we can’t be anything more than lovers.
You can t marry me.
“Why can’t I?”
“That’s impossible. The gap between our stations in
society is too great…”
“Yes, that appears to be the core of our problem here, isn’t
it? I know I won’t be able to convince you with just a few
words, so…” Mr. Dalton got inside the carriage and ordered
the groom to depart.
Miss Pendleton jolted in surprise, but Mr. Dalton crossed
his arms and announced, “We shall take our time discussing
this on the ride.”

***

Clip clop, clip clop.

The carriage left the Whitefield forest and passed by the
familiar parsonage, but no words were exchanged between
the two of them. Mr. Dalton continued to gaze at Laura, who
kept her eyes out the window as if to ignore him. She could
tell that Mr. Dalton was waiting for her to break the silence,
but she couldn’t find the words.
Laura maintained a calm look on her face, but her heart
was in turmoil.
Mr. Dalton claimed that he loved her. Not Miss Lance or
some other nameless lady, but her, Laura Sheldon.
Until this evening, Laura believed that it was a one-sided
love. She thought she would have to bear the heartache for
the rest of her life in secret. But it turned out that Mr. Dalton
felt the same way.
She should’ve been happy. And in one corner of her heart,
Laura was indeed ecstatic. If she was alone in the carriage,
she might have let herself feel the incredible joy of being
loved. She might have even cried from it.
 But her sensible side, which was her greatest strength and
the biggest weakness at the same time, prevented her from
feeling this happiness. Laura murmured, “You have wronged
Miss Lance.”
“Is that so?”
“You have caused her irreparable damage. London is an
old-fashioned place. A lady who suffers a rumor of a broken
engagement can never get a good husband. Miss Lance faces a
cruel fate, especially considering she’s only twenty years
old.”
“But she’s a popular lady and a daughter of a baron. Her
friends bragged about how she has a constant stream of
suitors.”
“That was only because her reputation was still intact.”
“If you insist, I will apologize to Miss Lance. But Miss
Pendleton, let us stop talking about her. We have a more
important problem at hand, don’t we?” Mr. Dalton
disregarded the topic of Miss Lance as if it was a used
handkerchief.
Laura looked out the window, remembering what
happened when she was seventeen. After John Ashton left
London, she had to endure the stares and gossip of everyone
who knew about their engagement. People believed that she
had lost her virginity and that she might even have gotten
pregnant. The women hesitated to talk to her as if she was a
prostitute while the men insulted her by approaching her
with an ulterior motive.
 Those years have caused her many painful scars, and even
now at the age of twenty- nine, these memories still hurt her.
She knew Miss Lance would have to go through the same
thing. It was true that she was the daughter of a baron, which
meant that Miss Lance might not suffer as much. But a proud
yet naive young lady like her was never going to recover from
this.
And it’s all because I introduced her to Mr.
Dalton… Laura blamed herself.
“Mr. Dalton.” Miss Pendleton looked into his eyes. “You
must marry Miss Lance.”
Mr. Dalton became rigid. Laura knew she was hurting him,
but she mustered up the courage to continue, “You must
rescue the lady who’s in danger because of your actions.”
“I’m not some selfless knight who’s willing to face the
dragon and save the princess in distress.”
“But you also mustn’t become a villain. Miss Lance would
make a great wife in every way. She suits you, and through
this marriage, both families will benefit…”
“Enough!” Mr. Dalton yelled. “I do not want advice on who
I should marry, especially from you…!”
His handsome face crumpled as he continued, “You know
how I feel, yet all you worry about is Miss Lance. Her
reputation, her future, and her marriage… Who is she to you?
Isn’t she just an acquaintance you barely speak to when you
meet at social events?”
it „
 “You now know how I feel. You know that I love you and
that I do not want to marry anyone else! So how could you tell
me to marry someone else? Do my feelings not matter to you
at all? Don’t you know that your words are hurting me? Or…
do I mean nothing to you at all?” His voice was filled with
pain. “I’m not a gentleman. I never was. I have always been
just a man who lives the life he chooses for himself. I do not
care about what other people think. There’s only one
requirement in marriage for me. I must marry the one I love.
And I love you, Miss Pendleton. Only you. So please don’t try
to convince me otherwise. The more you try to refuse me, the
more resolved I’ll become. You’ll only drive me into trapping
you however I can.”
Laura decided to take his advice. Mr. Dalton was a
stubborn man, and his feelings for her appeared to be
stronger than she anticipated. There was going to be no way
to change his mind. She apologized, “I crossed the line. I
apologize, Mr. Dalton. Your marriage is your own decision, of
course.”
But the anger in his face refused to lessen. “I’ve already
decided who I’m going to marry. So whether or not I’ll get
married at all will depend on you.”
“…Please do not do this, Mr. Dalton. I can’t give you the
answer you seek.”
“Just a single nod from you and you’ll make me the
happiest man on earth.”
“That’s one thing I can never do for you.”
 Mr. Dalton asked, “Why not?”
“Anyone with a conscience would never welcome a
marriage she isn’t worthy of. After all, it will only bring
misfortune to her husband and children.”
“Do you fear the world so much? Is avoiding other
people’s disapproval your only goal in life, Miss Pendleton?”
“My goal is to live a moral life. Freedom, love, and
marriage must take place only if they do not bring misfortune
or turmoil to anyone around you. This is the value I live by.”
Mr. Dalton gave a dry laugh. “You’re speaking as if
marrying me is a crime.”
“Please forgive me if I’ve offended you.”
“No need to apologize. It doesn’t make me feel any
better.” Mr. Dalton sighed and rubbed his face. It was difficult
to watch him upset, so Laura turned away to look out the
window again.
“Let me ask you one thing, Miss Pendleton.” Mr. Dalton
broke the silence. “Please ignore everything that has
happened, and tell me. Do you feel nothing for me? Has there
never been even a second when you felt love for me? Any
moment when your heart fluttered because of me? Any night
when you tossed and turned with the thoughts of me? Have
you never once imagined what your life might look like if you
spent it with me?”
 Chapter 109

“…No,” Miss Pendleton answered.

“Please look at me and answer,” Mr.
Dalton begged.
Laura sighed and turned toward him to find his black eyes
staring at her. She prayed silently. God, please forgive me for
lying and help him believe what I am about to say.
She repeated, “No, never.”
Her prayer was answered because his face filled with dark
desperation.
He murmured, “So I guess this is our biggest hurdle. You
don’t love me. All you feel for me is friendship and nothing
more. If you had loved me, you wouldn’t worry about what
the rest of the world would think. And you couldn’t be this
calm knowing how I feel about you.
Alright, you don’t love me. I understand.”
Laura sighed secretly, relieved that she succeeded in
fooling him. He’ll give up on me now. No man could love a
woman who rejected him this cruelly. Perhaps he resents me
nowand doesn’t ever want to see me again.
Their relationship was over now, which hurt her deeply.
She bravely told herself that this was inevitable.
 But to her confusion, Mr. Dalton put his hand in his chest
pocket. He brought a small box out and explained, “Miss
Pendleton, you told me something before. You said that
friendship is a more appropriate sentiment for a good
marriage than passionate love. You believed that love can
incur unnecessary cravings, which will only result in
disappointment. This could lead to contempt and despair. At
the time, I disagreed with you. But now that I had some time
to think, I agree with you. Marriage based on friendship isn’t
such a bad idea.”
Laura got a bad feeling as she slowly recognized the small
box in his hand. He continued, “Miss Pendleton, we’ll be able
to live as good friends after we get married. If you wish, I
don’t mind sleeping in separate bedrooms. Everything I
possess will belong to you and I don’t expect anything from
you in return. So…”
Clack.
Mr. Dalton opened the small box to show a diamond ring
sparkling exquisitely. He begged, “Please marry me, Miss
Pendleton.”
Laura felt a lump in her throat. Shock, confusion, and fear
prevented her from being able to say anything. How could
this man propose to her after she had rejected him so many
times? What was wrong with him?
Laura felt dizzy looking at the perfectly cut diamond.
Based on its size and setting, it had to be an heirloom
wedding ring passed down for many generations.
 “Mr. Dalton, I’m sorry, but could you take it away?”
When Mr. Dalton didn’t budge, Laura tried again. “I’m
sorry to be so rude, but I’m asking you to take that ring
away.”
ɑ
cc
I can not,” he emphasized each word.
During the last few days of being ignored
by you, I realized something important. My life depends on
obtaining your love, Miss Pendleton. If you leave me, I will die
slowly in hellish pain. So to live, I must make you love me.”
There was desperation in his voice. Laura gazed at his face
again, noticing how gaunt and pale he looked. She could tell
that he had indeed suffered during the last several days. He
looked mournful, desperate for her love.
Her heart aching painfully, Laura replied, “I’m sorry, Mr.
Dalton. But I cannot marry you.
His beautiful black eyes wavered, tears and melancholy
filling them. His voice horse, Mr. Dalton whispered, “If I lose
you, I’ll die. I won’t be able to sleep, eat, or take care of my
land. I’ll yearn for you until I finally die of a broken heart.
Yet… yet you’re still willing to leave me?”
Laura forced herself to nod, making him slump weakly.
She could feel deep anguish from his entire body, and she
hated herself for causing it.
I need to console him. She tried to think of something to
say, but nothing came to her mind. Mr. Dalton seemed to
believe that her rejection was a death sentence. She
contemplated if she should at least offer to maintain their
friendship.
Suddenly, he picked up the ring and grabbed her left wrist.
“Huh?!” Before she could stop him, he quickly put the ring
on her ring finger. She protested, “What…?!”
Mr. Dalton gazed at her, his eyes glowing with
determination. His voice held the stubbornness of a young
boy having a tantrum. “I cannot lose you. You must marry
me.
“…Please don’t do this. Let go of my hand so I can return
this ring to you.”
“So you’ll take it off as soon as I let your hand go. That
means I will have to hold it forever.”
“Even if you do, you will still not get the answer you want,
Mr. Dalton. Even if you drag me to a pastor to be married, my
answer will remain no.”
“Are you sure?” His hand holding hers shook a little. “Will
you really reject me no matter what?”
“Yes.”
“Even if I die?”
Laura’s eyes widened as he continued, “The moment you
take that ring off, I’m going to find my pistol and shoot
myself in the head. It’s exactly what I’ll do if you run away
from me or say no at our wedding.”
“…Do you…mean that?”
“Yes.”
 Laura turned pale as he squeezed her left hand with both
of his hands. If other ladies saw this scene, they would’ve
considered it a romantic gesture. But to Laura, Ian Dalton was
acting like a little boy making a scene just because he wasn’t
getting what he wanted. She became angry at him for
behaving so immaturely. She was not worth losing his life
over, so how could he do this?
Laura yanked her left hand away and slapped him as hard
as she could.
Slap!
Mr. Dalton blinked in shock, his right cheek burning from
the pain. He could also taste blood in his mouth. He slowly
turned toward her to find Laura raising her right hand this
time. She swung it so hard that it made a whooshing sound in
the air.
Slap!
She slapped him again, his left cheek this time. Mr. Dalton
felt his whole face scorching in pain. His left side was the
worst, his lips bleeding visibly. But what shocked him the
most wasn’t the pain, but the fact that she hit him. He had
never imagined that Laura was capable of using violence. This
situation felt so surreal as if he just witnessed a dog smoking
and a lion juggling.
He was so shocked that he couldn’t even see anything for a
moment, but his mind slowly returned to reality.
Laura scolded, “I’m very disappointed in you, Mr. Dalton.
How could you threaten me with your life just to get me to
love you? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself as a Christian?”
Her contempt stabbed him, but Mr. Dalton wasn’t
ashamed of his behavior. He was so desperate, and he
couldn’t think of any other way to hold on to her. He soon
returned to his gentlemanly self and wiped his lip with the
back of his hand.
“Miss Pendleton, you have every right to scorn me, but I
still feel the same way. I cannot live without your love. Even if
I don’t kill myself, I will die anyway if you leave me.”
“Please pull yourself together. You’re not some hero in a
romance novel,” Laura retorted coldly. “When someone loses
love, he feels like he’s going to die. His heart rips into a
million pieces and he can’t find a reason to live anymore. But
that’s only temporary. No one dies from a broken heart, Mr.
Dalton.”
“There are plenty of people who die from being lovesick.”
“It’s only those who enjoy pitying themselves too much
that they let their health decline beyond recovery. Or it
happens only when someone commits suicide from falsely
believing that they’ve lost everything and have a bleak future.
Either way, it’s a foolish way to die. All you need to do is keep
yourself fed and busy, and you’ll eventually forget the whole
thing. Your life is too precious to give away like that.”
“How could you underestimate love like that?”
“Because the rest of the world overestimates it. Love is a
luxurious and sentimental pleasure. It’s a shallow fantasy and
nothing more. Love cannot rescue you from bankruptcy, a
ruined reputation, or the inconveniences of life. You should
know that I wouldn’t be saying this if I had witnessed
anything that contradicts this fact.”
Ian frowned. Laura was describing love in a general sense,
but he felt like she was judging him personally for how he felt.
He argued, “I understand why you would believe that. You
have lived your whole life being burdened by your parents’
sin. But please do not scorn love itself. We will not be walking
in your parents’ footsteps. We will become a lawful husband
and wife, and our children will inherit my family name. And I
swear that I will love you forever.”
“Just the fact that you used the word ‘forever’ proves that
you’re living in fantasy. Mr. Dalton, I’m Laura Pendleton. I
am a bastard daughter who brought shame to a prestigious
noble family. This means that my children will suffer no
matter what. The name Dalton may protect them to some
extent, but our son will be insulted by other children when he
enters school and our daughter will be considered flawed
when she enters the marriage market.”
Mr. Dalton announced, “If this bothers you so much, then
we won’t have any children.”
“But what about your heir?”
“I don’t care if I don’t have one.”
“You have the obligation to produce an heir. As the eldest
son, you inherited the family name and wealth, so you must
take this responsibility seriously. And besides, would you
really not take me to bed if we get married?”
 This was the first time Laura said anything so crude. Mr.
Dalton blushed in embarrassment. “As I said, I’m okay to
sleep in separate bedrooms if you wish…”
“But based on your behavior just now, I’m certain you’ll
pick my bedroom door lock in less than a month into our
marriage.” Laura sighed. “Let’s stop this useless argument
now. I’ll be direct. In order to protect my future children, I
will never marry a man of nobility. I am flattered by your
interest, and I will always treasure our friendship. But there
will be nothing more between us.”
Laura pulled out the ring he forced on her and handed it to
him. Mr. Dalton stared at it for a moment before accepting it
and putting it back in the box. In the end, Miss Pendleton
rejected his love, and his heart ached excruciatingly.
Mr. Dalton asked, “What will happen to us now?”
 Chapter 110

Laura replied, “We won’t be able to go back to the way we

were.”
“I wasn’t expecting that. Do you plan to leave Dunville
Park?”
When Laura nodded, Ian asked, “And go where? Are you
going to work at your old school?”
“…I received a reply from my school this morning that
they are not in need of a teacher. So I’m going to look for
another governess position.”
Ian insisted, “You won’t find a more generous position
than this one.”
“Now that I know the generous conditions you offered me
were just to seduce me, I can’t stay here. I would feel too
uncomfortable.”
“I will never visit Dunville Park again. As long as I know
that you’ll be safe and treated well, I can accept never seeing
you again, Miss Pendleton.”
“Mr. Dalton, I wish with all of my heart that I can believe
you, but my trust in you has been shattered now. It kills me to
know that you did something like this.”
“I only had one request when you asked me to be your friend
on the day we first met. I asked you to always be honest with
me. But you have lied to me, and you’ve ruined my friend’s
reputation.”
“I know that I’ve disappointed you, but it’s only because I
wanted you so badly. This was the only thing I could do to
spend the rest of my life with you. I had no choice, and if there
was a more ethical option, I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat.”
“If you hadn’t lied to me, I would’ve felt sympathetic.
Although I still wouldn’t have been able to accept your
feelings, I may have done my best to maintain our friendship.
But I just can’t forget what you have done…” Laura had been
calm until now, but she became a little breathless as she
continued, “I just can’t understand or forgive you. You know
very well how a woman’s life can change so easily. Yet you
toyed with a lady’s heart. And you did it for love. For
something so insignificant…”
Mr. Dalton had never seen Laura look this hurt. “Miss
Pendleton, it… It wasn’t intentional. If I had flirted with Miss
Lance in any way, I agree that I deserve to be hit by lightning
and die. But I swear I’ve never done such a thing. All I did was
share friendship with her just as you and William do.”
Even as Mr. Dalton explained, Laura’s face filled with
sadness. She murmured, “But nonetheless, your action
caused a devastating result. You have ruined Miss Lance’s life.
I was the one who introduced you to her, and now, my friend
is…”
A teardrop rolled down from Laura’s eye. Ian froze, even
more shocked than when she had slapped him. His heart
ached as he whispered, “Has my action caused you pain?”

“Have I… ruined our relationship beyond repair?”

Laura remained quiet, her silence confirming his worst
nightmare. She wiped away the tears, her gesture beautifully
elegant as usual. Mr. Dalton gazed at her for a moment longer
before rising. He knelt before her, making Laura freeze.
Covering her mouth, she exclaimed, “Mr. Dalton!”
When he slumped, Laura stammered, “M…Mr. Dalton…
Please stand up. This isn’t right. You mustn’t behave this
way…”
“If you’re crying because of me, it’s clearly all my fault. I
deserve to be resented by you. I’m just an ignorant
countryside bumpkin who doesn’t understand the rules of
high society, which must be why I made such a huge mistake.
I have no choice but to admit that I am at fault since you’re
angry and upset.”
44 ,?
“I thought that if I could make you love me, you would
forgive me for everything I did. I hid my feelings for you and I
used my acquaintance with Miss Lance to get closer to you. I
counted on your gentle nature.”
 Mr. Dalton held her hands and added, “But it seems that
I’m losing you because of my foolishness.”
He buried his face in her hands. “I would like to confess
my feelings for you for the last time.”
He rubbed his face on her beautiful hands. “Laura, I love
you.”
Laura inhaled deeply as he continued, “You’re my
soulmate. The only one I’ll ever love for the rest of my life.”
44 ??
“I know that you aren’t the type to believe in fate, but I’ve
been waiting for my missing piece all my life. For thirty years,
I searched for a woman I could spend the rest of my life with.
The one I would protect even after death. And I finally found
you, the only one I would ever want to take as my wife, yet…”
Ian began to cry, his tears soaking Laura’s velvet gloves.
“Laura, once I let go of your hands, my existence will crumble
down into nothing and disappear. I’ve been saving my heart
for my soulmate, but the giant hole you leave in it will kill it. I
will never be able to love again. I… I… I’ll never be happy.”
Mr. Dalton sobbed. He knew that such a confession was
useless because Miss Pendleton wasn’t someone who would
get swept away by emotions. He knew she would be aghast by
his outburst.
But even so, he couldn’t help it. Unable to control himself,
Mr. Dalton hugged her waist tightly. Burying his face on her
slim waist, he began crying his heart out. He sobbed so hard
that his tears soaked her dress to the hem.
 A long time passed. He was weeping mindlessly when he
noticed how Laura hadn’t stopped him yet. He has already
given up all hope, so he assumed she must be just being
patient and waiting for him to stop this foolishness. This only
made him want to hang onto her even tighter. Afraid she
might run away the moment he let go, Mr. Dalton buried his
face in her lap and sobbed.
Then suddenly, he felt something featherlight on the back
of his head. When Mr. Dalton slowly looked up, he saw that
Laura was caressing his hair. He expected her to act coldly, so
he was surprised to see that it looked like she was about to
burst into tears.
Laura slowly lowered her hand to wipe away his tears. She
whispered, “Please don’t cry. You’re breaking my heart.”
Ian’s heart jolted, hearing something he never heard
before in her voice. There was an unmistakable sweetness in
the way she spoke as if she was whispering words of love.
Hope returned to him. It gave him courage, which in turn
triggered an incredible sense of passion.
Mr. Dalton slowly raised his hand to caress her wet face
just as she had done for him. Laura didn’t push him away or
turn her face. He gently pulled her closer, her breath tickling
his nose a little. He closed his eyes and kissed her lips.
Ian caressed and licked her lips tenderly with his own. Her
lips were as smooth as flower petals and as sweet as sorbet.
His heart pounded wildly doing multiple summersaults. He
touched her cheeks and kissed her gently. Laura’s gasps filled
him, and he felt her hand holding his neck and shoulder.
Ah…! At that moment, Mr. Dalton’s instincts told him the
truth.
Overwhelming happiness filled his whole body.
Creak. Thud.
The carriage suddenly stopped, and their lips parted. Laura
seemed to be hypnotized because her eyes looked dazed. But
soon, they cleared as she gazed at Mr. Dalton.
She jolted and rose. Her eyes became focused again, and
her face turned bright red. She pushed away Mr. Dalton, who
backed away meekly.
“Ahh…!” Laura covered her reddened face in
embarrassment. Mr. Dalton had never seen her look this
flustered before.
Laura quickly opened the carriage door and leaped out.
Like a speedy deer, she ran straight into the Dunville Park
mansion. Still kneeling and alone in the carriage, Mr. Dalton
touched his lips. Their first kiss was over, but he could still
feel the woman who had captured his heart.
A slow smile appeared on his lips, remembering how
despondent she looked as she watched him cry. She had
caressed his face, and she had even let him kiss her.
Afterward, she looked so adorably embarrassed.
All of these things told him the truth. She loves me too.
Ian left the carriage and looked up at the sky. Mr. Sheldon,
my angel! Thank you! She loves me! She really loves me!
 He cried and laughed at the same time. His laughter rang
in the air to reach the stars high above.

***

The mistress of Dunville Park, Mrs. Fairfax received

unexpected news from her butler early in the morning.
Apparently, around midnight, Miss Laura Sheldon had
returned. She was a day earlier than expected, so Mrs. Fairfax
became curious. She wondered if something went wrong, so
she decided to ask Miss Sheldon at breakfast.
But Miss Sheldon was missing from the breakfast table.
Her maid came down to explain, “Mrs. Fairfax, Miss
Pendleton informed me that she is unable to make it due to a
terrible headache. She asked me to apologize to you on her
behalf and requested to take a day off. What should I tell
her?”
“Goodness, of course, she should rest if she’s ill. Do you
think she’s seriously ill? Should we call for a doctor?”
“Miss Sheldon asked me not to call anyone. She also didn’t
want any breakfast either.”
Mrs. Fairfax knew that something was wrong. If Miss
Sheldon was so sick that she couldn’t eat, why wouldn’t she
want a doctor to examine her?
Did Ian do something wrong? Mrs. Fairfax wondered.
All morning, she stayed in her private room to tell Laura’s
fortune using her cards. Most of the time, her cards boasted
supernatural power to tell the future. But today, they
remained stubbornly silent regarding Laura’s personal life.
Mrs. Fairfax summoned her daughter who had just
finished her art lesson. She asked Olivia to go spy on the
governess, and the young girl was only too happy to oblige.
Olivia returned in less than half an hour.
“Mom, I think Miss Pendleton is really sick.”
“Why? Did she look really bad?”
“Her face was as pale as a corpse, and she had terrible dark
circles underneath her eyes. When I asked her if her headache
was bad, she was barely able to nod. I wanted to know how
her party went, but she didn’t want to talk about it.”
“So something did happen.”
“Could it be that Uncle Ian proposed to her?”
“Already? That would’ve been very careless of him.”
“But maybe he became impatient. After all, Miss
Pendleton is so beautiful and lovely. I might have done the
same thing.”
“…Sometimes, it looks like you want to marry Miss
Pendleton more than your uncle, Olivia.”
“No way! Two women can’t get married!”
“What if you were a man? And also old enough? Life
twenty-four or something.”
Olivia contemplated for a moment before smiling.
 Chapter 111

Olivia replied, “Yes, I would’ve taken her as my wife if that

was the case.”
“Then it’s a good thing you were born a girl, or else there
would’ve been a duel between you and Ian for Miss Sheldon’s
hand in marriage.”
Mrs. Fairfax decided to visit Laura herself. She was worried
for her governess’s health, and she was also curious about the
party.
Knock, knock.
Mrs. Fairfax knocked on Laura’s door, but there was no
answer. A polite lady would’ve turned away, but Mrs. Fairfax
tended to be a self-centered woman who couldn’t bear her
own curiosity. At times like this, her relaxed nature
disappeared as she turned reckless.
Mrs. Fairfax twisted the knob. The door wasn’t locked, so
she opened it easily to enter. Inside, she found the unpacked
luggage and trunks Laura took to Whitefield for the event. She
checked the bed and found that it was empty. It was in fact
neatly made, indicating no one had been in it recently. If
Laura was indeed sick, she would’ve been lying in her bed.
 Mrs. Fairfax scanned the room to realize that the balcony
door was wide open. She walked toward it and saw that Miss
Sheldon was standing against the railing and looking out the
garden.
Mrs. Fairfax didn’t bother being quiet, but Laura still
didn’t turn around.
“Miss Sheldon.”
Laura’s fragile shoulders jolted. Mrs.
Fairfax continued, “I heard you’re sick, so how could you
be out in the cold like this?
Laura kept her back toward Mrs. Fairfax and touched her
face. Mrs. Fairfax soon realized that Laura was wiping away
her tears. She grabbed Laura’s shoulders to turn her around.
Shocked to find Laura covered in tears, Mrs. Fairfax
gasped. “Miss Sheldon…?!”
“I’m sorry that you have to see me like this…” Laura
rubbed her eyes and sniffled.
“Why are you apologizing? What happened? Did
something go wrong at the party?”
Laura shook her head. “No, it was nothing… Nothing at
all…”
“Then why are you crying? Is it because you miss your
home? Do you miss London?”
“No, I don’t miss that place at all. It’s just…” Laura’s voice
cracked as she continued, “I can’t stay here any longer.”
“What do you mean here…?”
“Dunville Park. No, the entire Yorkshire.”
 “Why?”
“Because my presence here is causing a problem. I’m
going to end up ruining everyone’s life.”
“What are you talking about? Miss Sheldon, you managed
to teach Latin verbs to my impossible sons. You have become
a perfect role model to my daughter, a big fish in a small
pond. You’re my husband’s favorite chess mate, and to me,
you’re the daughter of the man who saved my little brother.
So how could you…
Laura shouted, “That doesn’t matter! It’s all useless! Mr.
Dalton… He told me he loves me!”
Mrs. Fairfax covered her mouth in surprise. She thought in
annoyance. That fool, how could he have gotten caught already?!
Covering her face, Laura whimpered. “I don’t know how
I’ll ever make it up to you and your family, Mrs. Fairfax. You
welcomed me with open arms, yet… I let myself be noticed by
Mr. Dalton. He proposed to me…! I should’ve been more
careful… I should’ve behaved more cautiously…”
“Miss Sheldon, I’ve never met someone more cautious and
careful than you in my life, so please do not blame yourself.”
Mrs. Fairfax turned to look at the Dunville Park forest
adorned with yellow and red autumn leaves. The gentle
breeze made these leaves dance prettily, but it wasn’t enough
to relieve Mrs. Fairfax’s uneasiness.
She suggested, “Let’s go back inside to talk, Miss
Sheldon.”
 The two ladies returned to the room and sat across from
each other at a small table. Mrs. Fairfax asked, “Why didn’t
you unpack yet?”
Laura wiped her face with a handkerchief and replied,
“Because I must leave soon.”
“To where?”
“W-wherever I can. Now that I know how Mr. Dalton feels,
I can’t stay here.”
Mrs. Fairfax wanted to protest. Why not? Just marry him and
live in Whitefield! But she stopped herself. The fact that Miss
Sheldon knew about Ian’s feelings meant that she must also
know he brought her here to seduce her. Mrs. Fairfax knew
that if Laura found out about her involvement in this scheme,
her governess was going to resent the whole Fairfax family
too.
Mrs. Fairfax murmured, “I must admit that I’m a little
surprised too. I had no idea Ian felt this way about you, Miss
Sheldon. But I consider you my family, so I would hate to lose
you.”
Laura looked at her in confusion. “I thought this might
upset you. Your brother is such an amazing gentleman, and
he has fallen in love with someone so insignificant like me…”
“I would welcome any woman who’s willing to marry Ian.
Besides, he isn’t the type to listen to me anyway. I actually
feel a little sorry for you. Being courted by a bad-tempered
man like Ian can be upsetting. I understand how frustrated
you must be, Miss Sheldon.”
 “But Mr. Dalton is a great man.”
“I appreciate you for saying that, but I must disagree.”
Mrs. Fairfax held Laura’s small hands. “Let me ask you this
one thing. Will you be able to leave our family without any
regret?”
When Laura shook her head, Mrs. Fairfax suggested,
“Then why don’t we just stop Ian from visiting Dunville
Park?”
“I doubt Mr. Dalton will listen.”
“I understand that you’re worried Ian might ignore your
wishes and continue to visit. But Miss Sheldon, I know many
of Ian’s weaknesses he wants to hide. He made such adorable
mistakes when he was a child. All I have to do is threaten him
with a few of these secrets and he will never set foot in this
mansion.” Mrs. Fairfax offered to entice Laura, “If you want,
I can tell you all about them.”
But Laura wasn’t interested in knowing other people’s
weaknesses. She shook her head. “I know you’re Mr. Dalton’s
sister, but I don’t think even you can stop him.”
“You mustn’t underestimate me, Miss Sheldon.”
“No, I think it’s you who’s underestimating Mr. Dalton’s
feelings. He… He…” Laura became breathless just thinking
about what he had said to her. “He told me that if I don’t
accept his proposal, he’ll… end his life… He said he’ll shoot
his head with a pistol…”
Laura shuddered at the thought. Mrs. Fairfax looked up in
the air in exasperation, wishing she could grab her brother’s
head and smack him a few million times. He has never courted
a woman before, and it shows… Ian Dalton! How could you be so
stupid?! This is why men must date a few women and learn to
flirt when they’re young. He spent all of his life stuck in his room
and drawing, so he has no idea how to seduce a woman.
Mrs. Fairfax began to lose hope about keeping Laura here.
She wasn’t surprised that Laura was shocked by her little
brother’s ridiculous threat. But Mrs. Fairfax couldn’t let her
governess leave like this. From the beginning, she had liked
Laura. But after learning that Laura was Mr. Sheldon’s
daughter, Mrs. Fairfax was determined to have her marry Ian.
It happened twenty years ago, but Mrs. Fairfax still
remembered Mr. Sheldon very well. He always wore shabby
clothes, but he was a shockingly beautiful and tiny man. He
was kind, generous, and wise, which made him the perfect
angel to rescue Ian from depression.
So Mrs. Fairfax couldn’t believe how his daughter was
abused by her uncle and lost her inheritance in such an unfair
manner. Mrs. Fairfax felt great sorrow for Laura’s
unfortunate life. What made her even sadder was the fact that
the life of the governess Laura chose was going to be a lonely
one. She was going to live in poverty and suffer hardships for
the rest of her life.
This was why Mrs. Fairfax felt strongly about Laura
marrying her brother. If Miss Sheldon married Ian, she would
lead a happy life being loved and respected by her husband
and the entire village of Whitefield. Mrs. Fairfax felt certain
that Laura would make an excellent mistress to Whitefield.
She wanted Miss Sheldon to live the life she deserved.
“Miss Sheldon, I can’t stop you if you feel like you must
leave, but… What about my children? They love you so much.”
“I am very apologetic toward them, of course.
“Daniel and George won’t stop crying if you leave. Olivia
will be very upset too. We’ll never be able to find your
replacement, and I…”

“To be honest, I’ve been rather lonely until you arrived, Miss
Sheldon. You have become a good companion, and I have
been feeling so much better. Even my health has been
improving. You have become a good friend to both Ian and
me, so if you leave like this…”
Mrs. Fairfax tightened the shawl around her and coughed a
few times. She felt a little guilty about pretending to be ill, but
she pushed on.
“Miss Sheldon, may I make a suggestion? How about you
leave Dunville Park just for a little while until Ian falls out of
love with you?”
“Pardon?”
“They say that out of sight, out of mind, don’t they?”
Laura seemed doubtful. “Do you think Mr. Dalton’s
feelings are that shallow?”
“No, of course not. But he fell in love with you so quickly,
meaning his feelings might cool down just as fast. It has been
less than a year since he met you, Miss Sheldon, so his
feelings may be just temporary. If he doesn’t see you for some
time, he might feel differently.”
Mrs. Fairfax squeezed Laura’s hands and continued, “You
said your friend is staying in Bath, right? Why don’t you visit
her and take a nice break before returning around spring? I’ll
find you another position myself if Ian still feels the same
way then. In fact, I’ll find you a job as a tutor, not a governess.
You’ll be able to receive the same pay as here that way. So
please postpone leaving our family just for a while longer.”
Laura looked troubled, but she nodded in the end.
“Alright, I’ll do it, Mrs. Fairfax.”
Mrs. Fairfax sighed in relief. She asked, “Then when would
you like to leave?”
“I don’t want to see Mr. Dalton again, so as soon as I say
goodbye to the children…”
“Of course. You shall leave tomorrow. I’ll pay you for the
time you have already worked, and I’ll write you the address
of the hotel we stayed at. It was an excellent place.” Mrs.
Fairfax rose. “You must have a full stomach if you wish to
make this long trip. I’ll order the maid to bring you some
food, so please make sure to eat it.”
Her eyes red as those of a rabbit, Laura nodded. Mrs.
Fairfax smiled bitterly. I managed to stop Miss Sheldon from
leaving entirely for now, but… Ian, what do you plan to do now?
Mrs. Fairfax opened the door to leave. But when she did,
she heard the quick footsteps running away to the left side
hallway. She saw Olivia disappear into her room.
 What? Did she hear everything? Mrs. Fairfax sighed in
annoyance but she shrugged. Oh well, I’m sure it’s Une.
 Chapter 112

The next day, the servants loaded Laura’s trunks and luggage
into the carriage while the Fairfax family walked her out.
Laura kissed George and Daniel, whose faces were swollen
from crying all night. Olivia was smiling happily, and Laura
gave her a big hug. After curtsying to Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax
respectfully, Laura got into the carriage.
When it departed, she poked her head out the window. She
saw that the entire Fairfax family was waving at her, so she
waved back until she couldn’t see them anymore. Sadness
filled her heart as she realized they had become her family.
There was no doubt that she loved them and felt comfortable
around them.
But when the mansion was out of sight and the carriage
left the familiar Dunville Park forest, Laura began to feel
more comfortable. It was sad that she had to leave these
people who were so precious to her, but her departure also
meant that she was distancing herself from her greatest fear.
I won ’t have to see Mr. Dalton. Laura shivered in relief. After
their kiss in the carriage, facing him had become her greatest
fear. When he hung onto her and sobbed until her dress
became wet, the wall she built around her heart was
completely annihilated. So many different emotions spilled
out as a result including intense love, desire, desperate
cravings, and sweet affection. As if she was a princess who
woke up from an eternal slumber after the prince’s kiss,
inordinate joy filled her heart.
Laura no longer cared that Mr. Dalton lied to her and acted
recklessly to get her to marry him. She wished that she could
give herself to him and become his forever. She wanted to
give him love, bear his children, and spend the rest of her life
with him.
She had never felt this way before.
Laura was afraid that if she saw Mr.
Dalton now, she would be too helpless to refuse his
proposal again. She was going to be too weak to take off the
wedding ring if he forced it on her again. He wouldn’t even
have to threaten her with suicide because she would be more
than willing to walk down the aisle with him in a wedding
dress.
“But I can’t make him happy,” Laura murmured sadly. If
she became his wife, she knew she would be happy. She would
be loved by him as she lived in a great mansion. Sharing her
life with Ian Dalton would be like a miracle.
But this union was going to bring only pain to Mr. Dalton.
He was going to be laughed at and gossiped about. Their
children would also suffer all because of her. If Laura had
anything to minimize the terrible consequences of their
marriage, she would’ve been able to muster up more courage.
If she had great wealth or an impressive title, things would’ve
been different.
But unfortunately, Laura Sheldon was a nobody. She had
no money or rank. This meant that in the end, Mr. Dalton was
going to regret marrying her.
He’s human, after all. Even if he loves me now, his passion will
die down eventually. When he’s faced with trouble after trouble
because of me, he’ll regret it eventually. He would want to go
back in time and never marry me.
Love was a dream, but marriage was a reality. This was the
conclusion Laura drew after watching hundreds of couples in
London.
There has never been a time when Laura hated her
unfortunate life more than she did now. Gloom filled her, but
she shook her head and straightened. When she looked out
the window, she saw a herd of sheep grazing on a hill littered
with rocks and patches of dry grass. In two hours, she was
going to reach the train station. She planned on keeping
herself busy when she arrived in Bath. She was going to eat
plenty, read her fill, and stroll everywhere. Just as Mrs.
Fairfax said, Laura hoped that out of sight meant out of mind.
Laura sighed. She was about to check her watch when she
noticed a fancy carriage with a slim black horse across the
hill.
“Ah…!” Laura covered her lips in surprise. It was far away,
but there was no mistake that the family crest painted on the
carriage belonged to Whitefield Hall. Her heart pounding
nervously, she looked closer. She could see Mr. Dalton leaning
against the window resting his chin on his hand.
It looked like the carriage was heading toward Dunville
Park. The purpose of his visit was obvious. She knew that he
was going there to propose to her again. Laura was relieved
that Mr. Dalton didn’t see her carriage.
Once his carriage was out of sight, Laura sighed in relief.
She felt reassured that she wouldn’t have to see him. Or more
accurately, she decided to believe that she felt reassured. Her
heart continued to pound, and she could still feel his lips on
hers. But still, Laura told herself that this was for the best.
Even as the carriage arrived at the station and she got into
the train headed toward Bath, Laura couldn’t stop feeling Mr.
Dalton’s presence. She ate two plates of lamb steak in the
dining cart, and she made a point of making conversations
with the other travelers. But despite her effort, a subtle blush
continued to remain on her cheeks.
Laura couldn’t stop thinking about how he hugged and
kissed her. She tried hard to forget, but it was no use. Her
heart already belonged entirely to Mr. Ian Dalton.

***

The carriage stopped in front of the Dunville Park mansion.

Mr. Dalton tidied his tie quietly before getting out. His dark
green suit looked handsome, and his clean-shaven face
glowed as if the past several sleepless nights never happened.
Ian Dalton had the look of the man who had his first kiss
with the woman of his dreams. He pushed back his already-
slicked-back hair as he mumbled, “Laura loves me.”
The thought brought such pleasure to his entire body. His
heart burned and his body felt satisfied as if he had a large
meal after days of starvation.
The groom opened the door and pulled down the steps.
Humming happily, Mr. Dalton grabbed a giant bouquet and a
rosewood box with a morning glory pattern sitting beside
him. After all the guests left yesterday, he went to the
solarium to cut some of his flowers.
Perhaps thanks to the power of love, he was able to create
a beautiful bouquet even though he had no experience in
making one.
Inside the wooden box was a ring of keys to all of the
rooms in Whitefield Hall. Only Ian and Ramswick had it, and
he planned on giving his to Laura.
Last but not least, he brought the diamond ring with him
as well. The small box was resting comfortingly in his chest
pocket.
Ian got out of the carriage holding the gifts for the love of
his life. With a smile on his lips, he hurriedly walked into the
mansion. He headed toward the living room first in search of
his sister. But there, he was surprised to see Daniel and
George, who should normally be outside playing. Their faces
were red and swollen, and they were lying on the sofa weakly.
Ian asked, “What are you doing here?”
The boys sat up in surprise and straightened their backs at
the unexpected appearance of their uncle. Ian quickly realized
that his nephews were crying. He asked, “Did your mother tell
you she won’t give you any dessert?”
The boys shook their heads.
“Then why are you crying?”
George suddenly burst into tears. Daniel bit his lip and
managed not to do the same, but tears rolled down from his
eyes nonetheless. Ian knew that it was rare to see these boys
cry like this. He became worried that perhaps they had fallen
ill.
“Daniel, what happened?”
When their scary uncle asked with a frown, Daniel gulped.
“…Ngh… Hng… M… Miss Pendleton…”
“Miss Pendleton?” Ian’s face crumpled in concern. “Spit it
out already. What about Miss Pendleton?”
Daniel was now crying so hard that he couldn’t speak. Ian
rushed to him and shook his shoulder. “Tell me! What
happened? Is she sick? Did she get hurt?”
“Hng, she left! She… She left us!” Daniel finally burst into
tears, crying even louder than Goerge now.
Ian dropped the bouquet and the wooden box and ran out
of the living room. He ran upstairs to burst into his sister’s
private room. There, Mrs. Fairfax was sitting on a rocking
chair by the fireplace.
Mrs. Fairfax didn’t seem surprised when she saw her
brother. “I was wondering when you’d get here.”
“Laura really left?”
“Yes.”
Ian looked devastated. “Why didn’t you stop her? You
should’ve sent me a message!
“What for? Would you have come here with a pistol and
put it on your head for real? Put on a show to stop her? Idiot.
Are you really surprised that she left after what you’ve done?”
“…No, this can’t be… She… But she loves me…
“What are you talking about now?”
“She loves me! On our way here from Whitefield, I
confirmed it. She accepted my kiss!”
Mrs. Fairfax gave him a doubtful look. “Are you sure she
didn’t let you do it because you threatened to kill yourself?”
“She caressed my hair too. She even told me my tears
broke her heart!”
“Hmm, that actually sounds promising.”
Ian was a moment away from losing his mind. They finally
shared their feelings for one another, so how could she leave
now? They were supposed to live happily ever after!
Ian walked to his sister in the rocking chair and grabbed
her shoulder. He demanded, “Where did Laura go?”
“What will you do if I tell you?”
“I’m going to bring her back, of course.”
 Mrs. Fairfax frowned. “You’re going to drag her back
here?”
“I’m going to convince her to return. I’ll beg and…”
“And if she doesn’t listen, you’ll threaten her that you’ll
kill yourself again?”
“I would never do that again.”
“Even so, I’m not telling you where she is.”
“Why not?!”
Mrs. Fairfax grabbed his collars. “Because you keep
hurting that wonderful woman, you imbecile!”
She shook him hard enough for his tie to come undone.
One of his shirt buttons fell off as well. She yelled, “Miss
Sheldon ran away because of your rash courtship! She cried
buckets of tears and she was in so much pain! I told you to
marry her, not bully her! She blames herself!”
Ian pushed his sister away. “She blames herself? But
why?”
“Because she’s a governess, and she captured your heart.
Even if she likes you, her feelings are probably only making
her feel guilty.”
 Chapter 113

Ian muttered, “Damn it, why does she care so much about
titles and ranks…?”
“No, the problem is you, Ian. You should’ve been more
careful about approaching Miss Sheldon. You should’ve been
more patient and waited until she felt certain that you needed
her. You should’ve let her know that you would be gaining a
great deal through marrying her. But you were so blinded by
love that you acted like a child.”
Ian paced around the room like a madman. “I only
followed your advice, Janet! I befriended another woman so
she would let her guard down. But Laura was disappointed by
what I did. This must be why she left me!”
“Jesus, you like to blame everyone except yourself, don’t
you? No woman would leave the man she loves for something
so small.”
“Then why did she leave?”
“Because she knew love alone wouldn’t be enough. She’s
afraid that her presence would harm your reputation.”
Ian stopped pacing and scratched his head, his neat hair
turning into a mess. “Dammit! Dammit! She’s such a smart
woman, so how could she come up with such a stupid idea?!
Damn it all to hell!”
“I’m telling you it’s because you haven’t reassured her
enough. She doesn’t feel confident about herself.”
Ian turned toward his sister and demanded, “Where is
Laura?”
“You can torture me and I still won’t tell you.
“Must I threaten you the same way I did to Laura?”
“Oh, please. Your brother-in-law has plenty of guns in his
room. Would you like me to get one and shoot you myself?”
Ian grabbed his hair and screamed. He truly looked like a
maniac, but Mrs. Fairfax was uninterested. She wondered
what terrible effect love could have on a man. Watching her
brother, she decided that love must be a kind of black magic
that can drive a man into madness.
Ian begged and threatened his sister, demanding to know
where Laura was. But Mrs. Fairfax remained close-mouthed.
It seemed that she was entertained by her brother’s
desperation.
Mrs. Fairfax finally announced, “She’ll be back. I told her
to stay away until you cool down a bit. When she returns in
spring, you can begin your courtship again.”
“But what if she falls out of love with me by then? What if
she meets another man and falls in love with him?”
“A woman’s love isn’t a piece of steak that goes bad when
left out in the sun.
 Heavens, it sounds like you don’t trust her at all. You’re
going to make such an obsessive husband.” Mrs. Fairfax
clicked her tongue. “You acted too emotional, which is why
you weren’t able to win Miss Sheldon’s love despite your good
looks and wealth. Think about what you’ve done wrong and
make a new plan before she returns in the spring. And here.”
Mrs. Fairfax handed Ian an envelope from the side table.
She explained, “Miss Sheldon left this for you.”
Ian snatched the letter and opened it.
Mr. Dalton,
By the time you read this, I will have left Dunville Park. If you
search forme and come after me, I’ll travel across the ocean to
escape you.
There’s one confession I must make. You told me that I’m your
first love. But you aren’t mine, Mr. Dalton. Our kiss might have
been your first, but it certainly wasn ‘t mine.
I hope you realize that I am not as virtuous as you think.
Laura Pendleton.
Ian’s hands dropped. Mrs. Fairfax asked, “What does it
say?”
“That I should forget about her.”
This was all Ian could say. His legs felt as heavy as lead as
he left his sister’s room. Janet clicked her tongue again
behind him, but he didn’t even hear her. Ian left the house
and sat down on the stairs located between the mansion
entrance and the garden. There, he read Laura’s letter again.
 Reading it the second time was just as painful as the first
time. It was as if each word in her letter slapped him. It
appeared that he wasn’t Laura’s first love. Their kiss wasn’t
her first either. These facts alone were shocking enough, but
what upset him even more was that Laura told him about it
herself.
It was obvious that Laura was trying to make him fall out
of love with her. If she had loved him at all, she would’ve
never written such a letter. Instead, she would’ve tried her
best to hide her past romantic relationship from him.
If Ian had heard about her past from someone else, he
would’ve recovered from his shock much easier. He would’ve
been jealous, of course, but the past was in the past. It
happened before she met him, so he wouldn’t have cared. His
love for Laura wasn’t so shallow that something like this
would break it.
But this tells me that she doesn ’t love me. I’ve clearly
misunderstood her kindness for love. Maybe she likes me a little,
but nothing more.
He felt pathetic for preparing the bouquet and the bundle
of keys for her. I wish I could just die.
Ian buried his face in his lap, his heart falling deep into
despair.
“Uncle, what are you doing?”
Ian slowly looked up to see Olivia in a light violet dress. He
forced a smile and asked, “Have you been well, Olivia?”
 “Of course. But I’m a little sad that Miss Pendleton left.”
Olivia smiled sadly and asked, “She rejected your proposal,
didn’t she?”
Ian smiled bitterly.
Olivia continued, “Oh well, it’s alright. You can try again
later. If she says no again, you’ll just keep trying again and
again. I heard about this one woman who accepted a suitor
after he proposed six times. Apparently, he was an ugly man
with nine children. Since you’re so handsome, I’m sure you
won’t have to propose more than three times before Miss
Pendleton says yes.
“That’s a very hopeful story, Olivia. Thank you. I feel much
better now.” Ian rose, deciding that he should do his brooding
at home rather than in his sister’s house. He ordered a
servant to get his carriage ready, and Olivia followed to walk
him out.
Olivia mentioned, “Uncle, I heard you threatened to shoot
your head if she doesn’t accept your proposal.”
“And who told you that?”
“I was walking by when I heard it by coincidence. I
thought that was very romantic of you, Uncle. I never knew
you could be this gallant. You’re like a character in a romance
novel!”
“I’m grateful that you at least think so, Olivia.”
“I hope someone will propose to me the same way when I
grow up! Anyway, if you have a plan to visit London by
chance, you should drop by Bath as well.”
 “Why Bath?”
“Because your precious jewel plans to spend her winter in
Bath.”
Ian looked at Olivia, who covered her mouth and giggled.
The carriage arrived in front of them.
When Ian got inside and closed the door, Olivia added,
“You can’t tell anyone that I told you this secret, Uncle.”
“Alright. Take care, Olivia.”
The carriage began moving, and Ian leaned against the
seat and closed his eyes. So it appeared that Laura traveled to
Bath. If he hadn’t read her letter, he would’ve packed and
gone after her immediately. But at the moment, he felt
hopeless.
What would he even do if he found her?
She cared so little about him that she told him about her
past courtship. It was obvious that Laura didn’t love him at
all.
When Ian arrived home, he trudged inside. His butler
Ramswick approached him. “Master, you have a guest
waiting for 5» you.
Ian walked into his office to find the Dalton family’s
attorney. The attorney bowed respectfully as Ian sat across
from him.
Handing an envelope, the attorney explained, “This is the
proof of embezzlement in the Pendleton family business you
invested in. It looks like Charles Pendleton’s gambling debt
was so great that he took some money from his brother’s
business fund.”
Ian examined the documents and smirked. “Charles
Pendleton is unbelievable. It took no time for him to lose all
the money he inherited from Lady Abigail, and he even stole
from his brother’s business. And his older brother allowed
it?”
“Yes, because Gerald Pendleton gave permission. His
eldest son John Pendleton is a timid countryside man who
obeys his father without question. John Pendleton began
many businesses before only at his father’s insistence. It’s no
surprise that they all failed because he’s a rather useless
man.”
Ian smoked his cigar and contemplated quietly. Things
were going a lot smoother than he anticipated. The Pendleton
family’s new shipbuilding business was a sizable trade.
Normally, a shipbuilding business took many years to begin.
It was a painstaking job to create proper designs and select
the best materials.
But after Ian got involved as an investor, many other
lenders flocked to the business to be a part of it. In less than a
month, Gerald Pendleton released a blueprint. It took even
less time for him to acquire the necessary materials and begin
building. Things were moving abnormally fast.
Even before he invested, Ian knew that Gerald Pendleton
would commit fraud in material purchases by buying cheaper
lumbers to siphon off money from the funds or choosing to
purchase from the businesses that offered kickbacks. Ian’s
plan was to claim that he received an anonymous tip about it
and withdraw his investment, which would result in all of the
other investors backing out as well.
Because House Pendleton was clearly at fault, they would
be helpless to stop him. Gerald Pendleton and his sons would
be forced to personally take on the cost of the blueprint
design and the materials, which meant that they would go
bankrupt.
Ian had expected his plan to take years to accomplish. It
would’ve taken a long drawn-out legal battle to prove such
fraudulent activities. But it turned out that Gerald Pendleton
made Ian’s job much easier by allowing his second son to
commit embezzlement so early on in their business.
He kicked out his smart niece and chose his stupid sons
instead. Guess his choice is going to cost him his family.
This thought was enough to make Ian smile. Gerald
Pendleton was a cruel animal who not only abused Laura
when she was a child, but he also stole her inheritance and
threw her out penniless.
Ian was so close to destroying Gerald Pendleton, which
brought him such joy that he almost forgot his sadness from
being rejected by Laura. He asked, “Is Gerald Pendleton in
London?”
“Yes, he and his sons are living in the Pendleton
townhouse in Grosvenor Square.”
 “Since we have all the proof we need, there’s no need to
wait. Notify them that I’ll be pulling out my investment.”
“Of course. Then I’ll head out to London immediately. As
soon as I find out what happens, I’ll send you a telegram…”
Ian interrupted, “I’ll be going with you.”
“Pardon?”
Ian placed the documents on the table and picked up
another cigar. He lit it with a smile and answered, “I would
love to see the look on that arrogant Gerald Pendleton’s face
when his precious family crumbles down into nothing.”
 Chapter 114

The next day, Mr. Dalton and his lawyer arrived in London. It
was so early in the morning that it was still dark and chilly.
They immediately headed toward a nearby inn.
After a quick breakfast, Ian said to the lawyer, “After
lunch, we’ll go straight to Grosvenor Square. Have a coach
ready in front of this inn at one o’clock sharp.”
“Yes, of course. By the way, how do you plan on spending
your morning, Sir?”
“I’m going to buy some gifts for my nephews and niece
from Harrods Department Store. They seemed devastated
that their beloved teacher left.” Ian didn’t bother saying that
perhaps he was the one who was in worse shape.
Wearing a perfectly-ironed suit and a handsome hat, Mr.
Dalton left the inn. The cool autumn breeze brought
refreshing air to London. His hands in his pockets, he walked
to the Harrods Department Store leisurely. It was still early in
the morning, so the store was quiet. Ian passed by the glass
displays filled with silverware, the staff smiling like
mannequins, and piles of various products on sale to reach
the stairs.
 Mr. Dalton visited Harrods Department Store before. He
came here when he was in university to buy Olivia a dollhouse
as a birthday gift. He remembered the toy section to be on the
third floor.
As he walked up the stairs, Ian thought about what he
should buy. The boys want to join the Navy, so I better get them a
toy soldier set. If they like to read, I could get them a set of books.
But the only person who can get them to read is gone now, so…
Ian was about to reach the staircase that led to the third
floor when he bumped into a couple. They tried to walk
around him, but the woman suddenly grabbed Ian’s arm.
“Goodness, it’s you, milord!”
The woman seemed to recognize Ian, but he had no idea
who she was. She had dark brown hair, black eyes, freckles,
and adorable features. He asked, “Do you know me, Miss?”
The woman burst into laughter. “It’s me, Anne Steel!”
Anne Steel… Ian flipped through his memories. Before long,
he remembered the sassy maid he saw whenever he visited
the Pendleton house. He replied, “Ha, you look like a
completely different person without the uniform.”
“What brings you to London?”
“I had some business to attend to. So why are you here so
early in the morning? And with a man too.”
Anne grinned and pulled her companion closer. “This is
my fiance. Darling, say hello to Mr. Dalton. He’s the friend of
my former mistress Miss Pendleton.”
 The man took his hat off and bowed. With his reddish
brown hair and blue eyes, he was quite a handsome man.
Anne continued to chatter, “He’s a lawyer at Jayden &
Madds Law Office. He began working not too long ago, but
he’s already known as one of the most skilled lawyers. We’ll
be getting married by the end of this year. He already saved
enough money for our wedding. Here, look!”
Anne raised her left hand up to Ian’s nose. Ian saw a thin
silver ring with the smallest diamond he had ever seen in his
life. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly, noticing how happy
and proud Anne looked. He had proposed to Laura with a
diamond at least ten times bigger, yet Laura never made the
kind of face Anne was making right now.
I guess it all depends on how the woman feels about the man.
Ian thought with a sour face. He replied, “Congratulations. I
hope you live a happy life with your husband. Take care.”
He turned around, but Anne grabbed his arm again. “Wait,
Mr. Dalton. Wait!”
When he faced her again, Anne said urgently, “I have
something to tell you!”
“What is it?”
“It’s not a short story. If you have some time to spare,
please walk with me for a moment.”
“Is it about Laura?” asked Ian.
“I’m here to look at furniture with my fiance, so why else
would I want to talk to you, Mr. Dalton?”
 Anne let go of her fiance’s arm. She held his cheeks and
caressed them ever so tenderly. “Darling, I need to talk to this
gentleman for a moment. Could you go to the furniture
section on the fourth floor and wait for me? You should pick
out a rocking chair where you can sit and smoke a pipe after
work every day. Try to pick something sturdy so it won’t
break even if I sit on your lap.”
The man kissed Anne’s palm. “I’ll have to select a chair
that will withstand my weight as well as yours even when
you’re pregnant with our child. I’ll do my best, my love.”
The couple looked at each other lovingly as if Ian wasn’t
even there. Ian couldn’t help becoming annoyed. In the past,
he never felt jealous of Pastor and Mrs. Starr, who also didn’t
bother hiding their love for each other. But after being
rejected by Laura so recently, Ian couldn’t stand seeing any
kind of public display of affection.
Do they feel no shame in behaving this way? How could they
act like this in public? Dammit, couples can be so annoying. Ian
grumbled silently.
Soon, Anne’s fiance left to go to the fourthfloor furniture
section. Ian and Anne began walking together in the woman’s
clothing division. He asked, “So what is it that you want to
tell me?”
“Mr. Dalton. Did Miss Pendleton tell you about a
gentleman who visited our townhouse recently?”
“Not at all.”
 “Well, I guess that’s not a surprise. It’s not something
Miss Pendleton would want to talk to you about. It seemed
that you haven’t been able to win her heart just yet, Mr.
Dalton. You took her to your own town, yet you still failed. If
you were half as good as my fiance, you would’ve had her in a
wedding dress by now.”
“Did you ask to talk to me so that you can taunt me?”
Anne giggled. “Of course not, sir. I barely managed to get
this time off from work, so why would I waste it doing
something like that?”
“So who was this gentleman that visited the townhouse?”
“You know the Ashton Law Office in Cambridge, don’t
you? That gentleman was the chief attorney there. His name
is John Ashton, and he’s considered the best in England. Have
you heard of him?”
“Of course. I wanted to hire him as my family lawyer, but
he refused. He said he needed to focus on his London
business. So that man visited the Pendleton townhouse?”
“Yes! Apparently, he was Miss Pendleton’s first love! ”
Ian froze. “…What?”
“Her first love!”
44 »
“He asked me about Miss Laura’s whereabouts, so I sent
her a letter about it. Miss Pendleton told me not to tell him
where she was, so when he visited the second time, I acted
very coldly toward him. To my shock, he gave me thirty
pounds and begged me to hear him out for five minutes.”
 “So?”
“That was enough money to decorate my entire wedding
with real flowers, so obliged. He explained that he met Miss
Pendleton twelve years ago and fell in love with her. They
were going to elope, but things didn’t work out according to
their plan. Some time ago, his wife passed away from illness,
and after getting permission from his father-in-law, he came
running to see Miss Pendleton!”
“…What did that man look like?”
“You have no idea how handsome he looked! My fiance is
much better looking, of course, but he was still gorgeous. I
would say he could even compare to you, sir. And most
importantly, his undying love for Miss Pendleton was
impressive. He said that he thought of her every day for the
past twelve years. If she would have him, he would marry her
in a heartbeat.”
Ian listened with a rigid expression, hearing about the
handsome and wealthy lawyer who was her first love. This
had to be the man who took Miss Pendleton’s first kiss. It
appeared that they were even planning on eloping together.
Ian clenched his fists. “…But you said Laura didn’t want to
see him.”
“It made sense because on the day they were supposed to
run away together, Mr. Ashton didn’t go to their meeting
place. He didn’t even send her a message to explain himself
afterward. Miss Pendleton must’ve believed that she was
jilted. But that wasn’t the case. Mr. Ashton’s sponsor found
out about their plan and ordered a male servant to detain him
by force. She then forced him to marry a daughter of a rich
lawyer who could pay a handsome dowry. Mr. Ashton tried to
fight back and refuse to marry, but his parents begged him to.
In the end, he had no choice.”
“What a pathetic excuse. If it was me, I would’ve beat up
that servant and gone after her.”
“Well, different people make different choices. Anyway,
Mr. Ashton wants to tell Miss Pendleton his story and beg for
her forgiveness.”
“So did you tell him where she is?”
“No.”
“Why not? He would’ve given you even more money for
it.”
Anne seemed displeased as she snapped. “I have my pride
as a maid! I would never release the information my mistress
asked me not to! I would never do such a thing even if he
offered me enough money to buy a wedding dress from
France.”
“Fine. If John Ashton appears again, do not tell him where
she is. If you promise me this, I’ll buy you a French wedding
dress.”
“No thank you. I’m going to wear my mother’s wedding
dress.”
“Alright then. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
asked Ian.
 “No, but I want to know how Miss Pendleton is doing. I’m
so worried because I haven’t seen her in person for a long
time.”
“She’s doing well.”
Anne requested, “I’m glad to hear it. Ah, I knitted a scarf
and a pair of gloves for her for the winter. Could you deliver
them to her?”
“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible.”
“Oh, why not?”
Ian frowned and thought for a moment. Well, since she
exchanges letters with her regularly, she’ll find out eventually
anyway.
He answered, “She refused my proposal and left.”
“Pardon?”
“She hasn’t left completely. She went to visit her friend for
a while.”
“Goodness, gracious. If you were even half as good as my
fiance…”
“That’s enough, Anne Steel,” Ian warned.
“Alright, I’ll stop. It’s funny, but my sisters also
threatened to stab me with a steak knife if I bragged about my
fiance again. So where did Miss Pendleton go?”
“Bath.”
This time, it was Anne’s turn to freeze. Her eyes widened,
and she gaped in shock. “No way! No way!”
Anne clapped and exclaimed, “This must be fate! It must
be!”
 “What…?”
“Bath! That’s where Mr. Ashton said he was going! His
daughter is ill, so he was taking her there for the hot spring
treatment this winter!”

“Bath is a small town, so they’re bound to bump into each

other. Maybe they’re meant to be together! Miss Pendleton
didn’t want to marry above her station, so perhaps Mr. John
Ashton is a better fit…”
Before Anne could finish her sentence, Ian turned around
and walked away. His footsteps quickly disappeared toward
the first floor. Anne walked to the window and looked out. She
saw that Ian Dalton was running out of the department store
and jumping into a coach.
She smiled in satisfaction. That’s right, Mr. Dalton. You need
to work harder and never let go of Miss Pendleton.
Anne whistled and slowly walked toward the fourth floor.
There was a reason why she had brought up the topic of John
Ashton. A rival suitor was a perfect way to make a man’s
passion burn brighter. By making Ian jealous, Anne planned
on forcing him to hold on to Laura even harder.
Anne didn’t know that Miss Pendleton was in Bath, but
this worked out even better this way. Ian Dalton was going to
go after her and make an even greater effort to win her heart.
Anne remembered John Ashton’s disappointment as he left to
go to Bath. She snorted. How could a widowed lawyer with a
child think he can have Miss Pendleton? I won’t let that happen.
Miss Laura deserves to become the mistress of the most powerful
family in Yorkshire. She’s supposed to be Mrs. Dalton!
 Chapter 115

Part 3. Ba th
“Then please take care.” The front staff who carried
Laura’s trunk to the door bowed to her deeply. Laura nodded
and looked out at the street. Men and women in expensive
clothes crowded the sidewalk while the carriages with fancy
crests filled the street.
The sun began to set, making Laura sigh. What should I do
now?
She arrived at Bath around noon. Thinking to unpack first,
she headed straight to the luxury inn Mrs. Fairfax told her
about. But to Laura’s shock, the inn had changed into a four-
story dressmaker’s shop. When she asked the owner, she was
informed that the building was purchased last spring.
Feeling troubled, Laura hailed a random coach and asked
to be driven to any reputable inn nearby. Unfortunately, she
couldn’t find a place with an available room. She tried several
different lodgings, but all of them were full.
It was then that Laura finally thought about today’s date.
The height of the London season has been over for a while,
which meant that most nobles must be vacationing in nearby
cities to spend the winter.
 Bath was a popular choice for those who didn’t enjoy
hunting. It was a place where balls and gambling parties took
place every night. Luxury goods shops and fancy restaurants
were easy to find here. It was also a well-known fact that Bath
was a perfect spot to have secret affairs.
Most nobles would have arrived a month or two ago to rent
the best lodgings for the entire winter. It was no wonder that
Laura couldn’t find any place to stay.
Despite being twenty-nine, Laura felt like a lost child. I
guess I only have one option left.
She took out the letter Miss Hyde sent her earlier. Hotel
Lorelia.
Laura planned on visiting Miss Hyde later. She knew Miss
Hyde would be happy to see her even if the visit was
unexpected. But the problem was, Miss Hyde was here for her
work. Laura didn’t want to disturb her and even cause her to
get in trouble with her employer.
But at this point, Laura had no other choice. At this rate,
she would have to stay in some dingy third-rate inn. She
returned to the coach and asked to be taken to Hotel Lorelia.
In about thirty minutes, she stood in front of a beautiful
building located in downtown Bath. The hotel looked at least
five centuries old. It had a mysterious gothic design one may
read about in a novel.
The doorkeeper escorted Laura into the hotel. She was
surprised that the inside was rather modern compared to the
exterior. Laura asked the front desk if they had a guest named
Jane Hyde. The front desk staff, a man who was so wrinkled
that he may have been working here for five centuries, looked
through the list and nodded.
He explained, “Indeed. It looks like Miss Jane Hyde is
staying in the same guest room as Miss Mary Lotis.”
Laura couldn’t hide her disappointment because she had
hoped to stay with Miss Hyde until she found an appropriate
lodging. But if Miss Hyde was sharing a room with Miss Mary
Lotis, this wasn’t going to be possible.
Hoping that Miss Hyde might know a decent hotel with an
available room, Laura wrote a message and asked it to be
delivered to Miss Lotis’s room.
Laura paced around the modern-looking fountain in the
lobby. It didn’t take even five minutes before she heard a
familiar voice.
“Miss Pendleton!”
Laura turned to see Miss Hyde wearing an elegant light-
blue silk suit. It didn’t look luxurious, but it certainly looked
much more expensive than the normal typist outfit she used
to wear back in London.
Miss Hyde rushed to hug Laura. “I can’t believe you’re
here! What a pleasant surprise!
Laura accepted her embrace awkwardly. She was just as
happy to see her friend, but she was overwhelmed by the
remarkable appearance of the woman standing behind Miss
Hyde.
 The woman had long black hair, wearing a well-fitting
dark blue business dress, and holding a black cane. Her
healthy tan and goddess-like facial features looked beautiful.
Her presence reeked of genuine charisma.
The woman asked, “Jane, aren’t you going to introduce me
to your friend?”
Contrary to her sharp demeanor, the woman’s voice
remained soft. Her tone was also kind, making her sound very
feminine.
Miss Hyde let Laura go. “Miss Pendleton, this is Miss Mary
Lotis, the lady I’m helping. Miss Lotis, this is Miss Laura
Pendleton. She’s the friend I told you about.”
Laura curtsied, making Miss Lotis laugh. Miss Lotis
announced, “Please forgive me for not being able to greet you
in the same traditional manner. My knees aren’t what they
used to be, so if I curtsy, my whole lower body will throb for
days.”
Miss Lotis offered her hand, which looked delicate and
covered in a black glove.
When Laura accepted it, Miss Lotis shook it three times.
Miss Lotis continued, “Jane has told me so much about
you, Miss Pendleton. I heard you taught her how to type. I call
people who help women find independence the “lifesavers.”
That makes you Jane’s lifesaver, Miss Pendleton. It’s so very
nice to meet you.”
Laura blushed. “I only helped Miss Hyde a little. She did
the rest.”
 “Jane has already warned me that you’re terribly humble.
So I refuse to believe that. Ah, and I heard you graduated from
Grant Girls’ School. I did as well.”
Laura, who had been feeling a little nervous, jolted. “Oh,
really?”
“Yes, the very place that all of England criticizes for being
a useless place that teaches Latin and Greek to girls instead of
sewing and flower arranging. Most people think it’s all
meaningless since girls aren’t even allowed to attend
university.”
“So you’re my senior. It’s so nice to meet you,” Laura
replied.
“You’re finally glad to see me. I think we have much to talk
about, so why don’t we go up to our room?”
Laura followed Miss Lotis from behind. She quickly
realized that the writer’s walk was a little awkward. It wasn’t
terribly noticeable, but she could tell that Miss Lotis had a
limp on her left leg. Her signature cane appeared not to be
just decorative.
Miss Lotis and Miss Hyde were staying in the suite room
on the top floor. When the door opened, a spacious living
room decorated with large mahogany furniture appeared. The
wallpaper with golden leaves against a green background
made the space look sophisticated.
The three ladies sat on a sofa and chatted while drinking
black tea brought by a maid. Miss Lotis was thirty-two,
making her three years older than Miss Pendleton. They had
no memory of each other, but there was no doubt they were in
the school at the same time.
Laura and Miss Lotis became fast friends as they talked
about their days in Grand Girls’ School. They reminisced
about how they learned to recite French poems, get
reprimanded by the same piano teacher, and received classic
books by Aristotle and Thomas More from the principal.
After chatting for an hour, Laura felt much more
comfortable with Miss Lotis. She could tell that Miss Lotis felt
the same way too. Meanwhile, Miss Hyde watched them with
a proud smile as if she was watching her children get along.
Miss Hyde commented, “It’s so nice that you two like each
other.”
“Why is that, Miss Hyde?”
“Because you are my favorite people in the world.”
Laura was glad to hear such a compliment. It was clear that
Miss Lotis treated her secretary very well. Based on Miss
Hyde’s letter, Laura assumed that Miss Lotis must be a tough
lady. After all, Miss Lotis broke the publishing office door and
stole its typist Miss Hyde to be her personal secretary.
But during the last hour, Laura didn’t see any signs of
temper in Miss Lotis. The writer was very well-mannered,
and she seemed even affectionate toward Miss Hyde. Miss
Lotis seemed especially loving when she called Miss Hyde by
her first name.
Miss Pendleton assumed that they became like sisters, and
it made her feel happy for her friend.
 Miss Lotis suggested, “Miss Pendleton, would you like to
have lunch with us tomorrow? We became sick of getting
room service, so we’ve been trying out many restaurants.”
“I would love to, Miss Lotis.”
Miss Hyde chimed in, “We plan on trying the French
restaurant in the hotel next door. We reserved two seats, but
it won’t be hard to add another seat. We’ll send you a coach to
your hotel. Where are you staying, Miss Pendleton?”
It was finally time to talk about her problem now. Laura
explained her embarrassing situation. As soon as she
finished, Miss Lotis asked, “Where is your luggage now?”
“I left it at the front desk downstairs.”
Miss Lotis pressed the bell on the living room wall. A
servant arrived and bowed, and Miss Lotis ordered Miss
Pendleton’s luggage to be brought up.
When Laura looked confused, Miss Lotis explained calmly,
“Miss Pendleton, you will never find lodging in Bath right
now. Especially not somewhere where an elegant lady like you
should stay. So you must stay here. We have a spare room, so
it’s all yours.”
Laura’s heart pounded by such a generous offer. “This is
much more than I had hoped. Then please let me at least pay a
third of your hotel cost. It will make me feel better.”
Miss Lotis shook her head. “All the expenses are being
paid by the publishing company, so don’t worry about that.
Please consider this your home for the next little while.”
 Laura blushed and thanked Miss Lotis. Miss Hyde giggled
and held Miss Lotis’s arm affectionately. Rubbing her cheek
on Miss Lotis’s shoulder, Miss Hyde asked, “See, Miss
Pendleton? Didn’t I tell you she’s a wonderful lady?”
Laura smiled and nodded. Indeed, it turned out that Miss
Lotis was even more amazing than she expected. I get to spend
the winter with my old friend and my upperclassman from my
school. They’re lovely people, and maybe they’ll help me forget
about Mr. Dalton.
Laura decided to immerse herself in the busy life of Bath.
After all, the biggest reason why she ran away from Yorkshire
was to forget Mr. Dalton.
 Chapter 116

The next day, Laura and the two ladies had breakfast
together. Afterward, Miss Hyde showed Laura all of the rooms
while Miss Lotis smoked her cigar and read the newspaper.
Miss Lotis’s room had a pair of sliding doors with golden
knobs. When opened, it revealed a room with a dark luxurious
tone. The bed was decorated with a red damask and black
velvet curtain, the elegant oak desk held a copper candle
holder, and the walls were filled with ukiyo-e prints.
Laura was admiring the mysterious scenes drawn in these
art pieces when she noticed something in the corner of her
eye. She screamed suddenly.
“Oh, no! I should’ve warned you earlier! I’m so sorry, Miss
Pendleton.” Miss Hyde quickly apologized, knowing what
caused Miss Pendleton to scream. But Laura couldn’t
respond, fear making her speechless.
The hide of a giant male lion hung in front of the large
window that overlooked the terrace. Its four legs and mouth
were viciously wide open. Its sharp teeth gleamed as if it was
ready to kiss anything in its way at this very moment.
Laura stammered, “W…what is… It’s fake, isn’t it?”
 “It’s real. Miss Lotis hunted and killed it herself when she
was in Africa.”
“She hunted it herself?”
Miss Hyde explained, “Yes. Miss Lotis is an excellent shot
and a capable hunter of large beasts. She told me that she
used to hunt all kinds of animals including buffalos, leopards,
and elephants. And of course, she used to skin them
personally as well. But because she couldn’t travel with all of
her trophies, she gave them all away except for this lion hide.
It’s her favorite.”
Laura found it hard to believe that a small woman like
Miss Lotis, who even had a limp, could hunt such wild
animals. Miss Hyde grabbed Laura’s hand and walked closer
to the lion’s hide. She reached up to pat the lion’s head as if it
was a German shepherd.
Miss Hyde said reassuringly, “There’s nothing to be afraid
of. See? It’s dead.”
Indeed, the lion didn’t respond to Miss Hyde’s touch. But
the fact that it was dead didn’t help Laura feel any safer. She
has always been afraid of large animals since childhood. This
was why she never learned to ride, which was a common
hobby for many ladies.
Miss Hyde whispered, “Ah, I wish I could hunt a lion
too…”
Laura couldn’t understand Miss Hyde’s longing, but she
knew that her friend was an excellent rider. During the fox
hunting seasons in the past, Miss Hyde used to roam the
hunting grounds with her brother with a gun. Mr. Fairfax fell
in love with her hunting ability, which was why he courted
her for months.
Laura asked, “Does Miss Lotis have any plans to return to
Africa? If so, I’m sure she’ll take you out hunting there.”
“She won’t go back to Africa anymore. She lived there too
long after all. Her next destination will most likely be Japan.”
Miss Hyde sounded expectant.
“Will you be going with her, Miss Hyde?”
“Yes, as long as Miss Lotis doesn’t fire me before then.”
The two of them toured Miss Hyde’s room next. It was just
as big and beautiful as Miss Lotis’s room. Inside, Laura
noticed that Miss Hyde’s desk was littered with stacks of ink-
smudged paper. Miss Hyde’s unique writing appeared to fill
all the pages.
When Miss Hyde realized what Laura was looking at, she
rushed to hide the papers.
Laura asked, “They must be your diary.”
Miss Hyde turned red as she shook her head. “…It’s a
novel.”
“Miss Hyde, are you writing a novel?” Laura couldn’t hide
her surprise.
“To be honest, I started writing when I lived in that
boarding house. But I began taking it more seriously when I
arrived here…”
“May I read it?”
 “No!” Miss Hyde shook her head adamantly. “Later when
I’m closer to finishing it… I’ll show it to you then.”
Miss Hyde quickly turned around and organized the
papers. Laura didn’t ask anymore, noticing that her friend’s
ears were as red as an apple. Instead, she continued to look
around the room while Miss Hyde tidied the desk.
Laura remembered the boarding house she stayed with
Miss Hyde many months ago. It was a clean practical place
that was perfect for a working woman. But of course, it was
shabby compared to this hotel room.
Miss Hyde bravely left her tiny but familiar room in her
family home. After leaving the boarding house, she found
herself in a beautiful hotel suite. It seemed that every time
she moved into a new room, she was getting closer to her
dream.
Laura was impressed by Miss Hyde’s ability to improve her
life. It was true that she helped Miss Hyde at the very
beginning. But it was Miss Hyde who made the decision and
took the initiative. Laura believed that her friend’s life was
only just beginning. There was no doubt that Miss Hyde was
going to become someone notable.
 Laura expected her friend to accomplish everything she
wished for herself.

***

The three ladies headed out to a French restaurant at noon.

They initially reserved a table for two, but adding a guest
wasn’t a problem. The server brought another chair, and
Laura sat between Misses Hyde and Lotis.
“I was so surprised to see a lion hide in your room, Miss
Lotis. Is it true that you captured it yourself?” Laura asked
while they waited for their food.
Miss Lotis sat her cane against her chair and sipped on the
wine. “Indeed. It was the fourth year of my stay in Africa. I
was feeling down, and this capture really helped my mood.”
“Did something bad happen around that time?”
Miss Lotis chuckled. “It was right after my coffee farm
burnt down and I lost all the crops. I went bankrupt.”
Laura’s eyes widened as she turned to Miss Hyde. It
seemed that Miss Hyde already knew this story because she
smiled bitterly.
Miss Lotis continued, “When I was eighteen, I became the
sole heir to my great aunt’s fortune. I inherited two hundred
thousand pounds. Everyone around me believed that I would
use this money to jump into London society and find myself a
husband. No one expected me to limp my way into a ship that
headed to Africa.”
 “But you did, Miss Lotis,” Miss Hyde chimed in.
“Yes, I did. There, I ran a coffee farm. During the non-
farming season, I hunted real wild animals instead of the
adorable little creatures the Englishmen like to kill on their
hunting grounds. I’ve never felt more alive than when I was
there. If I had used my leg as an excuse not to go out into the
wild, I would’ve gone mad after I went bankrupt.”
Miss Lotis continued calmly, “I used to hang the hides of
my captures in my room. Whenever I saw them, I was
reminded that I wasn’t powerless. I may have failed as a
farmer, but this didn’t mean I failed in life. So I began writing.
At first, I wrote about how to farm coffee, but the result
wasn’t great. All the publishing companies rejected my work
too. But my manuscript about my life in Africa was accepted.
As soon as it was published, it became the bestseller in
England.”
Laura was impressed. “That’s amazing. So what happened
next? Is that when you decided to become a travel writer?”
“Yes. I traveled to Egypt, India, and China and wrote
nonstop. I wrote inside the carriage, on the boat, and even
while riding a camel. Losing my farm was the best thing that
happened to me. I loved my life in Africa, but being a farmer
meant I couldn’t be as free as a travel writer. I had always
dreamt of seeing the world, and after I became a writer, I
finally got what I wanted.”
Their orders, a scallop dish, veal steak, and grilled shrimp,
arrived. Even as she ate, Laura couldn’t taste her food. She
was so dazed by Miss Lotis’s story that she couldn’t feel
anything else.
Miss Hyde asked, “Is the food not to your liking, Miss
Pendleton?”
Laura shook her head and turned toward Miss Lotis again.
“You led such an amazing life, Miss Lotis.”
“Well, it was a dangerous one too. I almost died a few
times after all.”
“How?”
“One time, the ship I was on almost sank from a terrible
typhoon. When I was in Egypt, I was almost killed by a herd of
thieves. In China, there was a lot of hostility toward
foreigners because it was soon after the war with France. I
had to carry a gun the entire time I was there. I even kept it
close when I slept.”
Miss Lotis chuckled. “I like how I don’t have to carry a gun
around in England for my safety. But that seems to be the
only advantage this place has compared to other countries.”
Miss Lotis began focusing on her meal. She seemed to be
very much enjoying her veal steak. Not wanting to interrupt,
Laura concentrated on her grilled shrimp as well. After the
meal, they parted ways. Miss Lotis was to have tea at two with
a publisher staying in Bath. As her secretary, Miss Hyde
needed to accompany her. The two hailed a coach for
themselves.
Looking out the window and resting her arm on it in a
delinquent but seductive way, Miss Lotis smiled at Laura. “I
hope you enjoy Bath, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Hyde peeked out as well. “This city has everything
anyone would ever want!”
Laura smiled. “Goodness, then this must be heaven. Do
you think I’ll find the peace and tranquility I’ve been looking
for?”
“If you look hard enough!” Miss Hyde answered.
The carriage departed, and Laura began walking down the
street. She was surrounded by sixteenth-century buildings
and shop windows with beautiful displays. Men and women
with the trendiest outfits passed her by, and she could see a
giant fountain located in the intersection.
Laura had to admit that Bath was indeed a city of pleasure.
But just like in London, she couldn’t stop feeling that she
didn’t belong here. She was like a drop of oil floating on top of
a pool of water. She suspected that she wasn’t going to find
peace and tranquility in this extravagant city. The only places
she found them so far were Dunville Park and the Whitefield
forest.
Laura quickly lost interest in her surroundings, so instead,
she began thinking about the lunch she just had with her
friends. She had never met someone like Miss Lotis before.
Miss Lotis was such a brave and enterprising woman who
must’ve been born with fire in her heart. She was no doubt
someone with an extraordinary destiny to inspire other
women to want more for their lives.
 She isn ’t like me at all. Laura thought calmly without a
sense of jealousy or disappointment.
 Chapter 117

Miss Lotis and Laura had many things in common. They were
both unmarried, and their education level was unusually high
for a woman. But they appeared to have led vastly different
lives.
If Laura had inherited two hundred thousand pounds at
the age of eighteen, she would’ve never considered getting on
a ship to travel to Africa. Going on adventures and facing
challenges were things Laura wouldn’t consider for herself.
She wanted freedom, but her definition of this concept was
different. After working as a governess, Laura now knew very
clearly what she wished for in life.
She wanted to do the kind of work she could be proud of in
a small quiet place. She wanted a life where she could use her
skills in the best way possible and receive an appropriate
amount of respect and affection in return. If Laura had
inherited two hundred thousand pounds, she would’ve built a
school in a small village. There, she would’ve spent her whole
life teaching and playing with children.
If Mary Lotis was a flame, Laura was like a quiet stream
deep in the forest. And Laura decided that there was nothing
wrong with being different.
 Laura thought to herself. Getting older is a good thing
because I am finding it easier to accept myself. I feel much more
comfortable with who I am.
Laura aimlessly roamed the city among the crowds. Soon
in the middle of the busy city, she found a place that could
provide her a piece of quiet.
It was a bookstore.
Laura went inside without hesitation. As soon as she
entered, the smell of ink and paper rushed into her nose. She
slowly walked between the bookcases, already feeling so
much better. It wasn’t long before her passion for learning
burned just as brightly as Miss Lotis’s desire for adventure.
Laura found the section where books in foreign languages
were sold. There, she picked up one of the collections by Pluto
in original Greek. She also chose a book by German
philosopher Nietzsche in his mother tongue.
Laura’s heart pounded as she hugged the books tightly.
She couldn’t wait to return to her hotel room and sit in front
of the rosewood desk and eat up the words of these wonderful
books. Humming, she walked to the cashier to pay, but the
staff noticed heavy dust on one of the books she chose. He
offered to get her a cleaner one and disappeared into the
storage. While waiting, Laura couldn’t help but wonder if the
owner really kept a stack of books by Plato in the back. Bath
was supposedly the city of pleasure, so were philosophy
books really popular among tourists?
 The staff returned soon with an awkward look. He
apologized, explaining that he couldn’t find any additional
inventory of Plato’s work. Laura wasn’t surprised because she
really couldn’t see many tourists reading Plato on their
vacation. Thinking that the bookstore should be thankful she
was taking away a book unlikely to ever be sold, Laura
requested, “Please just give it a good wipe and I’ll take it.”
The staff began cleaning the book expertly. While waiting,
Laura walked to the window to see what else was available in
the bookstore. The bookshelf at the window was filled with
newspapers, magazines, and restaurant guide pamphlets for
Bath. She picked up a magazine and flipped it through, but
she lost interest quickly.
Laura looked out the window to enjoy the view. A noble
lady in an extravagant dress walked by pushing a stroller
while an elderly gentleman limping with a cane passed by
with a much younger woman who appeared to be his
mistress. Several women, most likely nouveau riche, who
were adorned with a much cheaper version of the newest
trend giggled among themselves as they rushed by.
Laura watched the passersby with a bored look when
suddenly, she spotted someone that made her jolt. “Ah…!”
A man was walking by the bookstore. He moved leisurely,
so she could see his profile very clearly. Under his hat, reddish
curly hair peeked through. His tanned skin and well-built
body were notable.
 Laura quickly turned away toward the cashier, worried
that the man might spot her too. The staff asked in a worried
voice, “Miss, is there a problem…?”
Laura shook her head and slowly turned to walk toward
the door. Just a moment ago, she was afraid he might see her.
But now, she was desperate to confirm that it was really the
man she remembered from her past. She assumed that both
of these feelings stemmed from fear.
She gingerly opened the door and looked in the direction
where he disappeared, but he was already gone. Laura
staggered a little before falling to the ground. The staff
hurried out to help her up. He asked, “Are you okay?
Goodness, you’re so pale!”
Laura couldn’t hear anything. All she could do was to
continue staring at the crowd and wonder.
Why is John here?!

After seeing John Ashton through the bookstore window,

Laura became confused. It has been twelve years, but there
was a time when she was deeply in love with him. They had
promised to get married, and she remembered him caressing
her hands and kissing her for hours under the moonlight in
their secret spot.
And now, it seemed that the same man was staying in
Bath.
Laura shuddered, knowing that Bath wasn’t a big city. It
was very likely that they might bump into each other at some
point, and if this happened…
I can’t do this.
Laura packed her things immediately. Misses Hyde and
Lotis were out, and knowing she couldn’t leave without
saying goodbye, she waited in the hotel room. But her friends
didn’t return until midnight. Unfortunately, Laura fell asleep
on the living room sofa before she saw them.
When she woke up the next morning, she found a thick
blanket over herself. There was a note on the coffee table as
well. The writing suggested that it was written by Miss Hyde.
We were out until very late at night. It looks like you were
worried about us! Tm sorry. From nowon, we’ll let you know in
advance if we’re going to be late. I ordered room service for your
breakfast already, Miss Pendleton. We’re going to be sleeping till
noon, so please enjoy your meal.
Soon, the room service arrived. The tray held scrambled
eggs, crispy chicken breast, freshly baked scones, black tea,
and a bowl of fruit salad. Laura looked down at the food
before pouring herself a cup of tea. Once the warm liquid
entered her body, her head cleared a little.
Now that she had some time to think, Laura regained her
calm. She even began to question what she saw. Was that even
really John Ash ton ?
She didn’t have a single painting or picture of him. The
only thing she had was her memory, which was rather vague
at this point. If I had missed him every day for the past twelve
years, maybe I would remember his face better. Or if I had a
portrait of him, I could be sure. But I thought about him very
rarely. Sometimes, I became curious about how his life might
have turned out… I felt resentful toward him from time to time
too, but… There’s no way I would recognize him just from a
glance like that.
Laura shook her head, deciding that it couldn’t have been
him. It was more likely just a stranger who resembled him a
little. She immediately felt much better, and the food the
maid brought began to look good. Laura slowly began eating.
Once she finished her meal, Laura felt stronger. She also
felt silly for panicking yesterday. Even if that was John Ashton,
there’s no reason why I should leave Bath. It was he who betrayed
me after all. If I do bump into him, it will actually give me a
chance to ask him why he abandoned me.
Laura decided that it would be foolish of her to give up
spending time with her friends in such a beautiful hotel just
because she might run into her old love interest. This decision
was further supported by the fact that she wasn’t even sure it
was really John Ashton she saw yesterday.
Before her friends woke up, she unpacked her things
quietly.
Around two o’clock in the afternoon, Miss Lotis woke up.
Laura was on the living room sofa drinking some tea and
reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra in German. Miss Lotis nodded
at Laura and rang the bell. When the servant walked in, Miss
Lotis ordered coffee and dry toast to be brought for her
breakfast.
 Laura commented, “You always have coffee for your
breakfast.”
“I was a coffee farmer after all.” Miss Lotis smiled.
The room service quickly arrived. Miss Lotis read the
newspaper while eating half a toast and drinking black coffee.
After asking for Laura’s permission, she also began smoking
a cigar. Laura continued to read her book quietly.
“Your German must be excellent,” said Miss Lotis. When
Laura looked up, she saw Miss Lotis holding her cigar
between her fingers and eyeing the book she was reading.
Miss Lotis’s cat-like black eyes sparkled like shiny obsidian.
“I like studying languages. And I didn’t want to forget
what I learned at school.”
“I have forgotten most of my schooling. Not just German,
but French, piano, and even waltz. It was a waste of money for
me to attend Grant Girls’ School.”
Miss Lotis inhaled her cigar deeply. The smoke escaped her
lips, and Laura stared as if mesmerized. With her black hair
down and smoking, Miss Lotis looked impossibly seductive.
Laura replied, “But I’m sure our principal is more proud of
you than me, Miss Lotis. After all, you’ve become a famous
bestseller in all of England.”
Miss Lotis grinned. “That’s true. Principal Grant always
wanted women to thrive.”
“She encouraged all of her students to be ambitious. I had
great respect for her.”
 Miss Lotis pushed her long hair back and changed the
subject. “Do you enjoy being a governess?”
“Yes, I was lucky enough to obtain an excellent position.”
“Excellent position… That’s rather subjective, isn’t it? Are
you by chance used to being ignored and disrespected?”
“No, it’s truly a great position. I’m getting paid and
treated like a tutor.”
Miss Lotis seemed surprised. “Then you’re indeed very
lucky. You would never be treated that well anywhere else in
England as a female teacher.”
Laura smiled awkwardly. The truth was, she only got this
“excellent position” because the man who was in love with
her made up this unrealistic position. She answered, “You’re
correct. I doubt I’ll ever find a position like this anywhere else
in the world. If I become no longer needed in my current
household, I’ll be forced to slave away with the pay of only
fifty pounds a year just like all the other governesses.
“I’m relieved to hear that you know the reality of this
world. You were unusually lucky with your first job, so I
thought that perhaps you formed an unrealistic expectation.”
Miss Lotis knocked the ashes off her cigar into the ashtray
and continued, “All women who want to work as a governess
must sell their education at a cheap price. If it was me, I
would rather become a thief than a governess.”
Laura felt a little uncomfortable by such a comment. Miss
Lotis was being realistic, but what she said just now could be
considered rude when spoken in front of a governess. But it
didn’t seem like Miss Lotis was trying to upset Laura on
purpose. Laura became confused about what Miss Lotis was
trying to say.
“Miss Pendleton, will you continue to work as a governess
if you can’t work in your current household?”
“Yes. My employer has reassured me that she’ll find me
another position with the same pay if that day ever comes.”
“And do you believe her?”
 Chapter 118

Laura couldn’t answer.

Miss Lotis asked, “Did you get a contract?”
“Umm, if you don’t mind, could you explain why you’re
asking me these questions…?”
Miss Lotis seemed thoughtful as she smoked her cigar.
Leaning against the sofa, Miss Lotis looked magically
seductive. There was something very attractive about her, and
Laura suddenly wondered if Miss Lotis had a lover. The
famous writer was quite beautiful and wealthy. She wasn’t
very old either, which meant that there must be plenty of
sophisticated gentlemen who would be interested in her.
Miss Lotis finally put out her cigar and answered, “I heard
that you began making preparations the moment you passed
your marriageable age. You’re a very strong woman, Miss
Pendleton. If I was twenty- five and without dowry, I
would’ve killed myself with a pistol. As I said before, I’m the
type who would rather become a thief than a governess. But
of course, I wouldn’t have been able to rob anyone with my
bad leg.”
Laura felt awkward again, unable to tell if this was a
compliment or an insult. Miss Lotis continued, “A spinster
faces cruel reality. You may have graduated at the top of your
class from the Grant Girls’ School and speak five languages,
but people will still see you as a governess worth only fifty
pounds. Now, do you truly believe you can plan your future as
a governess?”
Laura shook her head. Before she began working at
Dunville Park, she had learned this painful truth from visiting
many job agencies in London. But she still wanted to defend
her situation. “I know, Miss Lotis. I realize that being a
governess won’t allow me to live to my full potential. I’ll be
wasting my talent. Countless employers force their
governesses to cook, clean, and do laundry. But even so, this
career was the only choice I had, and I don’t regret it. I did
what I had to do.”
“So if you had another option, things would’ve been
different.”
“Pardon?”
“If there was a job that pays you more than two hundred
pounds a year, would you have taken it?”
Laura replied hesitantly, “…As long as it wasn’t illegal,
unethical, or dangerous, then… Yes, most likely.”
Her black eyes glowing, Miss Lotis looked at Laura. After a
long silence, Miss Lotis asked, “Then let me offer you another
choice. How about you become a translator?”
Laura’s eyes widened. When she remained quiet, Miss
Lotis continued, “That book you’re reading right now… How
long would it take for you to translate it?”
 “…Probably between six to eight months…”
“The fee to translate a book that size would be one
hundred and fifty pounds. You clearly have a talent for
language, and you’re a hard worker. That’s what Jane told
me, and I agree with her. Therefore, you should be able to
become a translator.”
Laura’s body shook. She placed a bookmark in her book
and placed it down on the table. Her hands feeling a little
numb, she grabbed her knees and asked, “Will the publishing
companies hire someone like me?”
“And what kind of person are you?”
“Well, I’m a woman, and… I have no translation
experience…”
“If you have enough skills, any editor would hire even an
octopus, let alone a woman. Lack of experience doesn’t
matter either. I know plenty of publishers, and I’m going to
introduce you to some of the best ones.”
Laura turned bright red. She was so shocked and thankful
that she lost her usual calm. This was such an unexpected
opportunity that could change her whole life for the better.
When Laura stammered her thanks, Miss Lotis explained,
“It is my duty to help you. After all, I must follow Principal
Grant’s wish and better the lives of as many women as I can.
On top of that…”
Miss Lotis smiled sweetly and added, “You helped Jane get
a job in a publishing company. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve
never met her.”
 Just then, Miss Hyde’s bedroom door opened. Her hair
disheveled and wearing a nightgown, Miss Hyde walked out.
She rubbed her eyes as she walked toward the sofa. She
murmured, “I think I slept too much. My head hurts.”
“I think your headache is from the rum.”
“But I didn’t drink that much.”
When Miss Hyde came closer, Miss Lotis moved her cane
to make space. Jane sat down next to Miss Lotis, who
announced, “Jane, I just suggested to Miss Pendleton that she
should try working as a translator.”
Miss Hyde stopped rubbing her eyes and looked at Laura.
“A translator? Uwah, that would be a perfect job for Miss
Pendleton! You’ll accept, won’t you?”
Miss Pendleton grinned. “I’ll be making three times the
governess’s salary, so of course.
Miss Hyde clapped happily, and Miss Lotis explained,
“From now on, I’m going to introduce Miss Pendleton to all
the editors I meet. She’ll be accompanying us to many social
events, so make sure to add one more seat to all of our
reservations, Miss Hyde.”
“Of course, Miss Lotis.” Miss Hyde smiled and hugged
Miss Lotis’s neck. “Thank you so much! Thank you!”
A faint blush spread on Miss Lotis’s cheeks. Laura watched
for a while before looking away. For some reason, she felt like
her face was turning red as well.
A-A-A-
 Since then, Laura accompanied Misses Hyde and Lotis
everywhere. They attended the seminars, autograph sessions,
and recitals where Laura met many publishers. She ate meals
with important figures of the publishing industry, and Miss
Lotis introduced Laura to them as a genius fluent in five
languages. Miss Lotis bragged that Laura’s academic
knowledge was comparable to that of Oxford and Cambridge
graduates.
The publishers, who quickly realized Miss Lotis’s
intention to turn Laura into a translator, fought each other to
offer Laura a job. They showed her different manuscripts she
could translate. They were desperate to please Miss Lotis
because there was a rumor that she planned on abandoning
her current publisher and finding a new one.
Laura took care to pick the right project for herself, which
didn’t take very long. One publisher showed her an essay
written by a German priest, and he offered a hundred pounds
for it to be translated.
Scanning through the manuscript, Laura thought in
excitement, I should be able to translate something like this in
two months.
Her confidence brought such joy to her heart. She felt
proud of herself, realizing that she might really be able to
escape poverty all by herself. She no longer had to depend on
luck or good fortune. She could see herself living a
comfortable life.
 Misses Lotis and Hyde stood nearby when Laura signed the
contract with the publisher.
As soon as they walked outside, Miss Hyde raised her
hands and shouted, “Hooray!”
People walking by glanced at her, and Laura turned red.
But her blush wasn’t from embarrassment. Laura was
ecstatic, and if she hadn’t been such a calm person, she
would’ve cheered even louder than Miss Hyde.
Miss Hyde announced, “You’re going to be very rich now,
Miss Pendleton. You’ll live in a huge mansion and get many
servants!”
“We don’t know that yet. I just signed my very first book,
so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Miss Lotis shook her head. “If you work hard for the next
ten years, you’ll get everything Jane mentioned just now.
Good translators are valued in the publishing industry.”
Laura’s heart began to pound wildly. She knew she
shouldn’t get her hopes up too high when there was still so
much uncertainty, but she couldn’t help being excited. The
pay was higher than she anticipated, so her fear of the future
melted away like the snow in spring.
The three ladies strolled down the street as the sun began
to set. Miss Lotis suggested, “We must celebrate. Shall we go
to a restaurant for dinner?”
“Let’s go to Beatric. It’ll be on me.” Laura’s voice sounded
uncharacteristically cheerful.
 The three ladies headed to the famous Italian restaurant
Beatric. It was only five- thirty in the evening, but all the
tables were already taken. The manager apologized to them,
explaining that it would take at least an hour for the next
table to become available.
The ladies contemplated going to another restaurant. But
today was a special day, so they all agreed that they didn’t
want to go to a mediocre place to eat. So after putting their
names on the waiting list, they walked to the nearby mineral
water hall. This was a famous tourist spot in Bath where the
visitors could drink the mineral water for free. The building
was spacious and beautiful, so it was a perfect meeting spot.
When they arrived, they each grabbed a pretty cocktail
glass filled with mineral water and began walking through
the central hall area. The place was jam- packed as usual, and
getting tired of being surrounded by so many people, they sat
down in one deserted corner near a window. There, they
sipped on their mineral water and chatted.
Laura talked about her future. She hoped to translate at
least three books per year. With the money she made from
translating along with the inheritance from her father, she
knew she would be able to live comfortably for the rest of her
life.
Laura wished out loud, “Perhaps in ten years, I might be
able to build a school in a small village. I’ll teach children
during the day and translate at night. It will be a very
meaningful life.”
 Miss Hyde agreed in excitement. “I’m sure you’ll be able
to get even the farmers’ children into Oxford and Cambridge.
You’re a talented teacher after all.”
Laura and Miss Hyde continued to chatter while Miss Lotis
remained quiet. Half an hour passed by when suddenly, Miss
Lotis muttered, “Someone’s watching us.”
Laura and Miss Hyde’s eyes widened. Miss Hyde asked,
“Who?”
“I don’t know, but I can feel someone’s eyes. This person
has been watching us for thirty minutes straight.”
Laura suggested, “Maybe it’s one of your fans, Miss Lotis.
Maybe this person wants to talk to you, but we’re in the
way…”
Miss Lotis shook her head. “If it was my fan, he would’ve
come up to me by now and asked for an autograph. By the
way, I’m pretty sure it’s a man.”
Miss Lotis looked upset. Trying to lighten the mood, Laura
replied, “Maybe there’s a gentleman who fell in love with one
of us. I’m sure it’s you, Miss Lotis, since you’re the most
beautiful.”
When Miss Lotis continued to remain displeased, Miss
Hyde recommended, “Let’s return to our hotel for now. If we
leave now and get into a coach, he won’t be able to follow us.”
They left the mineral water hall hurriedly. Miss Lotis
hailed one of the coaches quickly and the three ladies headed
back to Hotel Lorelia. When they returned to their suite, they
gathered in the living room and wondered.
 Who was watching them and why?
There was no way to find these answers. Bath was filled
with countless people, and half of them were men.
Miss Lotis seemed certain that this mysterious man must
be up to no good. “If a gentleman is interested in a lady, the
normal thing would be for him to approach her immediately.
The fact that this man watched us for over thirty minutes tells
us that either he has an ulterior motive or he’s lost his
senses.”
Laura didn’t agree with such an extreme assumption, but
she could understand why Miss Lotis was worried. After all, a
man’s gaze could indicate danger to a woman.
Miss Hyde rubbed her chin and thought out loud. “Who
was he after? Miss Pendleton? Me? Or Miss Lotis?”
“Maybe all three of us,” Miss Lotis mumbled, making
Laura shudder.
Laura whispered, “If he was really after all three of us, it
would mean that he has indeed lost his senses.”
 Chapter 119

Miss Lotis fidgeted with her cane. “If any of us go out alone
and encounter this man, we might end up being in danger. We
must try to use the coaches as much as possible, and make
sure not to go out alone. Most importantly, that man cannot
know where we’re staying. We’ll be in trouble if he waits for
us outside the hotel.”
Miss Hyde and Laura nodded in agreement.
That night, Laura changed into a nightgown and sat down
on the bed. She began reading over the manuscript when she
heard a knock on the door. Miss Lotis asked from outside,
“Are you sleeping, Miss Pendleton?”
Laura rose from the bed and replied, “No, please come in.”
Miss Lotis, wearing a black robe, slowly walked in with the
help of her cane. “Em glad you’re still awake.”
“Yes, I just couldn’t fall asleep… Do you need me for
something?”
Miss Lotis put her hand in the robe pocket and looked at
Laura quietly. She seemed worried. “I can’t help but think
that the man who was staring at us at the mineral water hall
must be after you, Miss Pendleton.”
“Why?”
 “Most men don’t like me. I think they instinctively know
that I’ll beat them up with my cane if they approach me.
Jane’s also not someone who attracts many men. She’s
certainly charming, but… She’s quite unique in her beauty.
But you, Miss Pendleton, are different.”
“You two are just as attractive as I am. And besides, men
all have different preferences.”
“Well, the chances are that it’s mostly likely you. Miss
Pendleton, you have a sweet and calm beauty about you. Most
men want a woman like you.”
Laura didn’t know what to say, so she remained quiet.
Miss Lotis often made Laura feel awkward due to her blunt
honesty. Laura was more used to the art of subtlety, so she
found Miss Lotis shocking from time to time. But Laura also
couldn’t deny that Miss Lotis’s personality was a big part of
her charm.
Miss Lotis continued, “I didn’t visit you in the middle of
the night to give you a compliment. I’m sure you’re sick of
being praised for your looks. Besides, my taste in women is
rather unique. I prefer someone like Jane. So I’m just here to
warn you.
“Warn me?”
“If you meet this man and feel like he might harm you,
please tell me before you tell anyone else.”
“You don’t want me to contact the police first?”
“No. The police won’t believe you until something actually
happens. And even then, they tend to blame the woman. But I
need you to know I’m completely on your side.”
“…I can’t promise you anything since I have no idea what
you plan to do.”
Miss Lotis became quiet for a moment before taking out
something from her pocket. To Laura’s shock, there was a
small palm-sized pistol in Miss Lotis’s hand.
Laura covered her mouth as Miss Lotis explained, “If you
knew how to use a gun, I would give this to you. But my guess
is that you probably never even touched a wooden slingshot
before. So I’ll do it for you.
Laura knew Miss Lotis carried a gun when she traveled to
dangerous places. But she never expected this eccentric writer
to have it here in England too. Laura realized how untrusting
Miss Lotis must be of the world. Miss Lotis clearly believed
that she wasn’t safe anywhere.
Laura shook her head. “Miss Lotis, there are laws in
England. Vigilantism is not allowed here.”
“England was built by soldiers with swords and spears. In
my father’s generation, it was very common for young men to
duel for their honor. Miss Pendleton, I cannot see my own
people get hurt, especially a lady.”
Miss Lotis put the gun back in her pocket and continued,
“My hope is that your stay here in Bath will be safe without
me having to use this. Good night, Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Lotis turned to leave the room. Laura looked at the
writer’s left leg which limped a little. Suddenly realizing
something, she called out, “Miss Lotis.”
 When Miss Lotis turned, Laura asked, “Your leg… Did a
man do something to it by chance?”
Miss Lotis turned a little rigid before smiling faintly. There
was sad wisdom in her smile as she explained, “There used to
be a persistent gentleman who insisted that I marry him
when I was seventeen. He knew I was going to inherit my
great aunt’s wealth. I rejected him many times because while
in school, I realized that I would never be happy if I married a
man. As soon as he heard that I planned on taking my
inheritance and traveling to Africa, he found me and shot me.
If he wasn’t drunk at the time, his bullet would’ve gone
straight through my eye. The same eyes he used to praise
profusely.”

“From that incident, my left knee became useless to me. But I

don’t consider it a problem anymore. Good night, Miss
Pendleton.”
Miss Lotis left the room.

***

The autumn in Bath passed by peacefully. Laura spent a lot of

her time alone in the hotel. Miss Lotis was busy attending
various events to promote her book, and Miss Hyde
accompanied her everywhere.
Laura stayed behind and concentrated on her translation
work. At first, she felt nervous about working. She was
familiar with the German language, but this was her first time
translating it officially.
But the manuscript she chose was simple and
straightforward. After working on a few chapters, she became
more confident. She was soon able to feel less burdened and
enjoy the work.
Then one day, Laura realized she had been stuck inside her
hotel room for a whole week. She put down her pen. Putting
on her coat and hat, she walked outside.
It has been a week since the incident at the mineral water
hall. Laura didn’t take what happened as seriously as Miss
Lotis. It was common for men to stare at women in high
society. Laura was certainly used to it. On top of this, Bath
was overcrowded, so she felt safe. As long as she didn’t go to a
deserted corner, she believed that she wouldn’t be in any
danger.
Laura left the hotel and began walking the streets of
downtown Bath. In her head, she made a plan for the day. She
was going to go back to the mineral water hall to drink a glass
of healing water before dropping by a bookstore to browse.
Then, she planned to go to a dessert store and get a box of
chocolate.
It was nice to be outside walking and enjoying the fresh air
for once. There was a spring in her step as she headed toward
the mineral water hall. But halfway there, Laura began to feel
a little uncomfortable. There was an odd presence that
seemed to be following her from behind. She turned to look,
but there was no one. Thinking that she made a mistake, she
began to walk a little faster.
Unfortunately after walking another hundred meters,
Laura felt the same presence again. She turned around, but
there was no one behind her again. She did this five more
times before finally feeling nervous. Could this be the same
man who was watching us a week ago at the mineral water hall?
Laura looked around to hail a coach to return to her hotel.
It was usually very easy to find a coach anywhere in Bath, but
for some reason, she couldn’t find any around her.
I should’ve stayed in the hotel room. Wait, no… It’s no use
regretting my decision now. Alright, let’s make a plan. I’ll first go
to the mineral water hall. There should be plenty of coaches
waiting in front of that place… Ah, but what if he gets into a coach
too, and follows me? If he does that, he’ll find out where we’re
staying.
Laura became troubled. If he finds out where we’re staying,
I’ll be endangering Misses Hyde and Lotis too. Maybe I’m not
even the one he’s after, so I need to lose him on my own.
Laura continued walking and pretended not to notice him.
Soon, the street split into two. The left one was the road that
led to the mineral water hall. She took it as if she was heading
to the mineral water hall. But as soon as she turned the
corner, she rushed into the bakery she knew very well. She
had previously visited this place often whenever she was in
the area.
 Laura quickly explained to the bakery owner about her
situation. The owner was only too happy to show her the back
door. She ran out of it and began running in the deserted
alley. She could feel someone following her. The heavy
footsteps suggested that they belonged to a man.
Laura knew she wouldn’t be able to outrun him. She was
wearing uncomfortable shoes and her dress was too narrow
for her to run in wide strides. She looked around, trying to
find a place where she could hide. It was then that she spotted
a narrow alleyway. Beyond it, she could see the fountain
located in the center of Bath. She knew that the opera house
and a museum were nearby. The entire area was so busy that
it always required policemen to control traffic.
Laura entered this alleyway and ran toward the fountain.
Behind her, the footsteps continued to follow her. The
moment she exited the alley, she bumped straight into a man.
“Kya!” Laura screamed as her head hit the man’s chest.
“Are you okay, Miss?”
The man sounded confused. Covering her face, Laura
nodded even though she wasn’t okay at all. Her nose hurt so
badly that her eyes teared up. The pain and embarrassment
made her ears burn.
She apologized, “I’m sorry I jumped out like that…”
Laura looked up, and when she saw the man’s face, she
paused. Her tongue, her whole body, and even her soul froze.
“Laura?” asked the man.
It was him. The man who abandoned her twelve years ago.
 John Ashton stood right in front of her eyes.

***

The two stared at each other in silence.

Laura gazed at his red hair underneath the hat and dark
tanned skin. His manly facial features, violet eyes, and wide
shoulders looked only too familiar. The vague image of him
buried deep inside her memory suddenly became clear.
Oh my god, he hasn’t changed at all. Laura thought in shock.
“Laura… What is… How… How are you here? Are you
hurt?” John put his hand on her shoulder.
Laura shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I’m not…”
She gently pushed his hand away, and John obliged her. He
asked, “By the way, why did you jump out of a deserted alley
like that?”
Laura finally remembered why she was running a moment
ago. She turned to look back and saw that there was no sign of
anyone following her anymore. She explained her situation to
John. She told him everything including how it all began with
a man staring at her and her friends. As she described the
heavy footsteps behind her, John became tense.
“…So I ran out this way. I knew that there would be
policemen out here,” said Laura.
“That was good thinking, Laura. But to be honest, those
policemen wouldn’t do anything other than reassure you that
you’re safe.” John turned to look at the alleyway and offered,
“Would you like me to find him and beat him up? Maybe kick
him out of Bath altogether?”
Laura shook her head. “A lawyer shouldn’t try to solve any
problem with violence.”
“So you knew I became a lawyer?”
“I couldn’t help finding out even if I didn’t want to.
Everyone in England knows what a capable lawyer you are.”
John grinned and offered her his arm. “Why don’t we start
walking? Let’s try to figure out how to lose your stalker.”
Laura took his arm meekly and began walking with him.
She couldn’t believe what was happening right now. She felt
flabbergasted and uncomfortable. For the past twelve years,
Laura tried hard to forgive him.
In her head, she understood why he betrayed her. After all,
John Ashton had ill parents and eight younger siblings to take
care of. The logical choice for him was to marry a woman who
could guarantee him financial success over a seventeen-year-
old girl with no dowry.
She understood that he had no choice, even if his decision
hurt her terribly and ruined her dream of spending their lives
together.
 Chapter 120

Laura used to pray for him every night. She prayed that his
business would be a success and that his family would live
peacefully. John Ashton made her life even worse than it
already was, but she still wished him happiness.
She did this as a form of meditation. Laura wanted to
become someone who could let go of her resentment and
forgive others. Her life gave her lemons, so she decided to
make lemonade. The best thing for her was to overcome her
pain and get on with her life.
But when Laura saw John Ashton again today after twelve
years, her old resentment resurfaced.
Truth be told, it has been a while since Laura began to feel
differently. She stopped praying for John a long time ago.
When she received the letter from Anne explaining how John
was looking for her, Laura realized that even after over a
decade, she still hadn’t forgiven him fully. The sense of
betrayal has just been hidden deep inside of her, but it hasn’t
lessened one bit.
Laura learned this around the time when she admitted to
herself that she was in love with Mr. Dalton. The wall she built
around her heart shattered, which awakened not only her love
for Mr. Dalton but all of her other forgotten emotions.
Thankfully, her ability to hide her true feelings still did an
excellent job protecting her. Instead of demanding answers,
Laura calmly held John’s arm and walked. At first glance,
Laura and John looked like a young loving couple.
Being pragmatic, Laura accepted the fact that she needed
John’s help at the moment. She certainly didn’t like walking
with him, but she felt safe that he was by her side. After all,
John Ashton was a well- built man. In his youth, he helped his
blacksmith father by spending hours every day hammering
on hot metals. When he was older, he learned to fence and
ride under the care of her sponsor Countess Grandchard. All
of these activities have helped him grow into an unusually
muscular man.
Twelve years ago, Laura used to feel safe whenever she
was around him. She believed that he would protect her from
anything. But of course, she was very much mistaken.
“I can feel his eyes on us. He’s still following.” John
mumbled, “He’s clearly a fool. Can’t he see that I’m with you?
He must be obsessed with you, Laura.”
“I’m not sure if it’s me who he’s interested in. He might be
following me to find one of the two ladies I’m staying with.”
Her voice remained calm.
“No, I do not doubt that he’s after you, Laura. I don’t know
how charming your friends are, but they can’t be as beautiful
as you.
 Laura didn’t reply. After a short silence, John continued,
“The nurse I used to hire lives on the outskirts of Bath. She
can help you escape safely. Can you walk a little further?”
Laura nodded. They continued to walk and passed by the
extravagant shops with elegant displays and luxurious hotels
guarded by doormen in uniforms. Soon, the street turned
much shabbier and became lined with cheap pubs and stores
with rusted doors.
The two stopped in front of a house with a red door. When
John knocked on it, a skinny middle-aged woman wearing a
lady’s bonnet appeared.
“Oh my, Mr. Ashton!” the woman exclaimed.
John tipped his hat and greeted, “Hello, Mrs. Chelsea. May
we come in for a moment?”
“Of course.”
John and Laura walked inside. He briefly explained the
situation to Mrs. Chelsea, who gave Laura a sympathetic look.
John announced, “Mrs. Chelsea, this lady is my old friend and
I must help her return home safely. Unfortunately, I can’t do
this without your help.”
“Please tell me what I need to do. I’m willing to do
anything you ask, Mr. Ashton.”
John explained his plan to Laura and Mrs. Chelsea. He
suggested that Laura leave this place in Mrs. Chelsea’s dress.
If Laura carried a basket and walked slowly, she would look
like a housekeeper leaving her work.
 Laura followed Mrs. Chelsea into her dressing room. They
both agreed that this was an excellent plan. All of Mrs.
Chelsea’s clothes were old-fashioned, fashionable over fifty
years ago. None of the dresses were cinched at the waist, and
the patterns on the fabrics were out of style. Even all of Mrs.
Chelsea’s hats were old- fashioned bonnets that not even the
elderly ladies wore nowadays.
Laura put on the ugly orange dress and a gray shawl that
looked more like a rag. She wore a large brown bonnet and
held a grocery bag as if she was going out shopping. When she
walked out the entrance, she slumped forward a little and hid
her face. Then, she began to slowly walk away from Mrs.
Chelsea’s home.
Laura walked for ten minutes without feeling any presence
behind her. It seemed that John’s plan was a success. When
she reached the main street, she hailed a coach. She relaxed
only when she got inside.
Laura took the bonnet off and pushed her hair back. She
leaned against the backrest with a sigh. John… I can J believe I
saw him again after twelve years.
It turned out that the man she saw outside the bookstore
was indeed John Ashton.
Laura took a deep breath and tried to slow down her
pounding heart. Since he helped me, I need to meet him at least
one more time to thank him. But that will be the last time. I
shouldn J ever have to see him again.
 The carriage stopped in front of her hotel. Laura paid the
fare and got out. In her head, she tried to remember Miss
Lotis’s schedule. Miss Lotis planned to do a private recital for
a duchess today. This event was supposed to last till evening,
which meant that Laura wouldn’t have to explain her
appearance to Misses Hyde and Lotis.
Laura walked up to the suite without hesitation. But when
she entered, she was confused to see her two friends. Why are
they back so early?
Laura quickly tried to figure out how to explain her
appearance. It was going to be very hard not to bring up
meeting John Ashton. It would sound very strange if she told
them a stranger on the street got her this outfit and helped
her escape.
But Laura soon realized that the two ladies didn’t even
notice her odd appearance. Miss Hyde seemed worried while
Miss Lotis looked very thoughtful.
Laura walked toward them. “Did something happen…?”
Miss Hyde stared at Laura. She looked both troubled and
concerned.
“Miss Pendleton.” Miss Lotis opened her lips. “We heard a
rumor at the duchess’s salon today. It had something to do
with you, so we came back earlier than planned.”
“What was the rumor…?”
Miss Lotis turned to look at Miss Hyde. They both seemed
hesitant. After biting her lip, Miss Hyde finally sighed and
explained, “They say that the Pendleton land and mansion in
Cornwall will be auctioned off tomorrow. We also heard that
the Pendleton townhouse is already on sale.”
Laura sat down on the sofa. She clasped her hands and put
them on her lap. She asked, “Did you also hear how that
happened?”
“Gerald Pendleton’s eldest son is having a problem with
his business. There are rumors everywhere that the second
son Charles Pendleton embezzled money from the business
fund to take care of his gambling debt.”
“If that’s true, it must mean that they weren’t able to pay
back all of Charles Pendleton’s gambling debt,” Laura
guessed.
Miss Hyde nodded. “All of the investors are suing the
Pendleton family, and Gerald Pendleton is barely keeping up
with the lawyer fee. So there’s no way they can take care of
the gambling debt. The investors were worried Charles
Pendleton might run away abroad, so they had him jailed for
now.
Miss Hyde watched Laura’s face carefully. Because Laura
was wearing a wide- brimmed bonnet, her face was partially
hidden from the shadow. But Laura’s expression didn’t
suggest she was sad or shocked. She looked rather calm.
After a short silence, Laura replied, “I guess that means
Miss Joanne Jensen lost her fiance. She was enamored by the
Pendleton townhouse, so I feel bad for her.”
Miss Hyde blinked in shock, but Laura continued
indifferently, “I hope the townhouse and the mansion in
Cornwall find a nice owner who can take care of them
properly.”
When Laura became quiet, Miss Hyde asked, “Miss
Pendleton, are you alright?”
Laura seemed confused by her friend’s question. Miss
Hyde explained, “I expected you to be very shocked, Miss
Pendleton. House Pendleton is considered one of the biggest
noble families in Cornwall, and you must be very proud of
your name… Of course, I know that your family was cruel to
you, but…”
Laura smiled faintly. “Miss Hyde, I may have the
Pendleton name, but I was never part of that family. I’m the
daughter of Dolores Pendleton who abandoned her family and
Louis Sheldon who was an American artist. And you should
know that I have great pride in being their daughter. I respect
my mother for giving up everything for love, and I love my
father who was the right man for my mother.”
Miss Hyde became dazed. She used to be part of high
society as well, which meant she knew how the nobles
thought. To aristocrats, their family name was everything.
After hundreds of years of obsession over the noble
bloodlines, the aristocrats defined their existence by their
names. It wasn’t uncommon for them to commit suicide if
their family reputations diminished.
Miss Hyde assumed that Laura felt the same way about her
Pendleton name. This was why she convinced Miss Lotis to
return to their hotel early.
 Suddenly, Miss Lotis banged the floor with her cane.
“Then it’s settled.”
She rose and announced, “We shall have dinner at Beatric
tonight. We made the reservation on our way here, so we
don’t have to be on the waiting list like last time and waste
time in the mineral water hall.”
Laura smiled at Miss Lotis. “Did you make this reservation
to console me, Miss Lotis? You’re too kind.”
“Of course not. I planned on opening a bottle of
champagne to celebrate. Jane told me how the Pendleton
family treated you.
The three ladies leisurely walked to Beatric together as the
sun began to set. They ate their fill of pizza piled with fresh
cheese and several different types of pasta. They also enjoyed
many glasses of champagne. The night was filled with
laughter.
After the meal, they left the restaurant. They walked for a
while, and Laura dropped by the nearby dessert store to buy a
box of chocolate. They shared the sweet treat and walked
under the bright lamplights back to the hotel.
That night, Laura took a nice warm shower. After changing
into a comfortable nightgown, she fell asleep soundly.
Laura knew how the members of the Pendleton family
must be faring now. Charles Pendleton, who was only used to
luxury, was probably cringing in jail in fear. The eldest son
John Pendleton, a fragile man, was probably crying and
drinking himself to sleep.
 And of course, there was the head of the family Gerald
Pendleton. This arrogant man whose whole identity depended
on being a Pendleton was most likely holding a pistol and
contemplating suicide.
Laura was a sympathetic woman by nature, yet tonight,
she didn’t say a single word of prayer for her family. Gerald
Pendleton couldn’t have been cruder to her, and his vicious
treatment of her was enough to make her not shed a single
tear.
 Chapter 121

Two days later, Laura laundered the clothes she borrowed and
placed them in a gift box. She then headed to Mrs. Chelsea’s
home to thank her in person. Laura also planned on asking
about where John was staying in Bath.
It took some effort, but Laura managed to remember her
way to Mrs. Chelsea’s home. She reached up to knock on the
red door when it burst open. Mrs. Chelsea appeared from
inside wearing an old- fashioned outfit and holding a worn
leather bag.
“Oh my! Aren’t you the lady I met before?” Mrs. Chelsea
looked very surprised.
Laura handed her the borrowed clothes and thanked her.
Mrs. Chelsea laughed “I can’t believe you brought my
raggedy clothes in such a pretty gift box meant for fancy
cookies. What a kind lady you are! Normally, I would’ve
dragged you in and baked you a walnut pie, but I was on my
way out just now…
“It looks like you have a patient to attend
“Yes, I need to go see Mr. Ashton.”
“…Ah, I did hear that you were helping Mr. Ashton. Do you
visit him often?”
 “Yes, it’s because his daughter Cecilia Ashton suffers from
cough and cold often.”
His daughter?! Laura was surprised, but she quickly
remembered hearing the news that John had a daughter many
years ago.
Mrs. Chelsea explained, “She has a weak heart and is very
fragile. Mr. Ashton brings her to Bath every autumn to help
her health, but it doesn’t look like her illness is something
that can be cured. I feel terrible for that little girl. She lost her
mother, and now she must be in shock from what
happened…”
“…Did something happen?”
“Oh, didn’t you hear? Since you’re Mr. Ashton’s friend, I
thought you must know. The day he helped you get home, he
was hurt very badly. He has become bedridden!”
Laura covered her mouth in shock. “Oh my goodness…
Was there an accident?”
“I don’t know exactly what happened. He has been
keeping quiet about it and refuses to tell anyone. But
according to his maid, she said that it looked like he got into a
fight. But I can’t imagine how that’s possible. Can you, Miss?
It would’ve taken at least five big men to hurt Mr. Ashton that
badly. Could it be that he encountered some thugs in the
alley…?”
Laura became worried for John. She still resented him for
what he did, but she certainly didn’t want him to get beaten
and suffer physically. She asked, “How badly is he hurt? He’s
still alive, isn’t he?”
“He must be or else, they would’ve summoned an
undertaker instead of me. But I’m certain he’s in terrible pain.
Two of his ribs are broken and his face is covered in bruises
and scars. Three of his molars are broken too.”
Laura gasped in shock. Mrs. Chelsea continued, “Anyway, I
don’t have any time to waste. The doctors in Bath do the bare
minimum for their patients. All they usually offer is a
prescription and nothing more. So it’s my job to take care of
Mr. Ashton. You should come by some other time. Please take
care.”
Mrs. Chelsea ran down the front steps, and Laura followed.
“Umm, Mrs. Chelsea. Is Mr. Ashton able to accept visitors?”
“Ah, do you plan to go see him?”
“If he’s allowed to see a visitor, of course.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be a problem. He’s in bed, but he can
talk and drink soup too. However, his face has been damaged
so badly that he might not want anyone to see him like that. If
you want to find out, you can come with me.”
Laura nodded and followed Mrs. Chelsea. Even as she
walked, Laura couldn’t help but wonder if she was doing the
right thing visiting John Ashton like this. She may owe him a
debt now, but it seemed over the top to call on him the
moment she heard about his accident.
But nothing changed the fact that John Ashton helped her
a few days ago. He was now bedridden, and Laura’s kind heart
refused to let her ignore him. Laura knew that she would feel
burdened if she didn’t at least visit him and offer a few
comforting words.
The two women arrived at the Paniz Hotel located in Bath
downtown. It was one of the expensive places Laura visited
when she first arrived in Bath in an attempt to find lodging. It
seemed that John Ashton was staying in a spacious guest
room that was one tier lower than the top-floor suite.
As soon as they entered the guest room, they could hear a
girl crying. Mrs. Chelsea walked into the room first. Inside, a
weak voice of a man murmured, “I’m glad you’re here, Mrs.
Chelsea. Before you take a look at me, could you take care of
my Cecilia first? She didn’t eat any of her breakfast and has
been crying all morning.
Mrs. Chelsea exclaimed, “Goodness, Celicia! Baby, please
stop crying. If you collapse, your father’s going to faint!”
Mrs. Chelsea talked kindly to the child, who stopped crying
shortly. Mrs. Chelsea announced, “Ah, Mr. Ashton. You have a
guest waiting outside. May she come in?”
Mr. Ashton sighed as if he was tired.
“Who? I’m not in the condition to see
anyone…
“It’s the lady you brought to my home a few days ago. The
one who was being followed by a stalker…”
“What? Laura…? Ugh…!” Mr. Ashton groaned.
“Geez, don’t try to get up, Mr. Ashton! Have you forgotten
that you broke your ribs?!”
 “…I’m fine, Mrs. Chelsea. Please ask her to come inside.
Ah, but my face must look terrifying…. But even so, please
have her come in…!
Laura heard Mrs. Chelsea’s footsteps get closer. The door
opened, and Mrs. Chelsea ushered Laura inside. John Ashton
was lying on a gigantic king bed befitting his size. Laura
became speechless at the sight of him. John Ashton was no
longer the attractive gentleman she saw two days ago. At the
moment, half of his face was bruised while the other half was
covered in bloody scabs. There was a thick bandage around
his waist.
John stared at Laura. Mrs. Chelsea hurriedly placed a
pillow underneath his head so he could sit up a little. John
whispered, “Laura, how did you get here…?”
Laura curtsied. “I went to see Mrs. Chelsea to thank her for
her help two days ago. That’s when she told me about your
injuries. I’m very sorry to see you hurt like this, Mr. Ashton. Is
it very bad?”
John laughed awkwardly. “It would be a lie if I said I’m
fine. You aren’t blind after all. I’m not doing very well, Laura.
Even yesterday, I couldn’t stay awake without pain
medication.”
Laura immediately felt sympathetic. “How did you get
hurt like this?”
“I’ll tell you about that later. First, let me introduce you to
my Cecilia. You haven’t met my daughter before, have you?”
John turned to the little girl sitting on the stool beside his bed.
“Cecilia, this is Miss Laura Pendleton. She’s an old friend of
mine.”
The child rose and curtsied toward Laura. Laura studied
the pretty child, who had thick curly red hair and blue eyes
that were red from crying. Laura tried to calculate the time
when she heard about the birth of John’s daughter. It was
before she turned twenty, which meant that this little girl
must be at least ten years old. But Cecilia was so small that
she didn’t even look seven.
Laura smiled kindly. “Hello, Cecilia. Nice to meet you.”
The child looked up at Laura hesitantly. Laura felt sad,
realizing how traumatized this girl must be. John Ashton’s
condition looked so awful that it would make even an adult
cringe. So it was no wonder this little girl was shocked by
what she saw. It was especially understandable since Cecilia
didn’t have a mother. Her father was all she had left in this
world.
John gestured toward his daughter, who walked closer to
him. His hand was cut up badly too, but he gently tucked the
little girl’s hair behind her ear. “Cecilia, Daddy’s is so much
better than yesterday. And I’m going to continue getting
better. What you dreamt last night won’t happen, so please
don’t be sad. If you’re sad, it makes me sad too. And that will
make me heal slower, so you need to stop crying. Okay,
Cecilia?”
The little girl nodded. John ordered in a warm voice, “Then
please go to your room and show Mrs. Chelsea how well you
play Mozart. Play the piece you learned this summer.
“Yes, Father.”
John kissed his finger and pressed it on Cecilia’s forehead.
Cecilia in turn kissed the back of her father’s hand. After
bowing respectfully toward Laura, she left the room with Mrs.
Chelsea.
When the door closed, it was only Laura and John left in
the room.
“Cecilia had a nightmare last night.” His forehead
furrowing, John sighed.
“Apparently, she saw her mother, who became an angel,
come down to take me. She has been crying all morning. If
Mrs. Chelsea didn’t come, Cecilia would’ve fainted by now.”
“Mrs. Chelsea seems like a wonderful nurse.
“Yes, our family owes her a great deal.” John offered the
chair beside his bed, and Laura sat down quietly. He
murmured, “Thank you for coming, Laura. Seeing your face
makes me feel so much better already.”
There was pure joy on his face as he looked at her. Laura
could tell that he still felt a deep affection toward her.
But how? Why? Laura found this hard to believe. She
believed John had forgotten her completely, which explained
why he didn’t send her a single letter of explanation during
the last twelve years.
But the way he looked at her hadn’t changed. Laura
remembered the first time they met at a ball. When they
parted ways, he looked so disappointed. And when they met
the next morning by coincidence at Hyde Park, his eyes
glowed so happily. To her dismay, John Ashton’s gaze now
held the same love for her he showed over a decade ago.
“…I’m relieved that my visit is helping at least a little. I
owe you a debt for helping me two days ago, and I would like
to return the favor as best as I can.”
“Please don’t think that way. I don’t want my help to make
you feel indebted, Laura.”
Laura nodded, and an awkward silence fell between them.
Normally, Laura would begin a mundane conversation to
lighten the mood. But at the moment, she couldn’t think of
anything to say. More accurately, she didn’t want to say
anything.
But Laura forced herself to come up with a proper thing to
say. “I wish you a speedy recovery, Mr. Ashton, so you can
have a good time with your daughter in Bath… I know you said
I’m not indebted to you, but I can’t help how I feel. So I would
like to thank you again.”
John stared at her, knowing that she wasn’t being sincere.
There was no reason for Laura to stay any longer, so she rose
slowly.
John asked, “You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“So soon? Couldn’t we have tea or something?”
Laura sighed. How could he ask to have tea with her? He
disappeared twelve years ago without a word after promising
to marry her!
 Laura replied, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You aren’t
in the condition to drink tea anyway.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you’re the only one drinking it. Please
stay a little while longer.”
“I don’t want to sit with you for too long, Mr. Ashton.”
Laura continued dryly, “If we sit together like this, we’ll have
no choice but to talk about our past. And in our past, I was a
foolish woman who was betrayed. I do not want to think
about it, and I don’t want to get angry at you. So I think it’s
best if I leave right now.”
Laura curtsied and walked toward the door.
“Laura.”
Laura didn’t stop even when she heard him call out. John
asked, “Did you know that a man named Ian Dalton is
following you?”
Ian Dalton?! Laura’s heart fell. She turned around and
asked, “How do you know him?”
“Because it was Ian Dalton who made me look like this.”
 Chapter 122

Laura became breathless. Mr. Dalton was in Bath? And he was

the one who has been following her? On top of that, he even
assaulted John Ashton?
She got closer to John, and he explained, “After I sent you
out that day from Mrs. Chelsea’s home, I stayed two more
hours before leaving myself. I passed by a few shops, and I
was walking under the deserted bridge when someone
grabbed my shoulder from behind. It was a man with black
hair.”
Laura sat down on the chair weakly. John continued, “He
introduced himself as Ian Dalton, the owner of a large
Yorkshire estate. He then warned me to give up my feelings
for Laura Pendleton. He claimed that you two were to be
married soon, so I shouldn’t get involved. He threatened me
to get lost. I instinctively knew that he was the one who was
following you, Laura. So I gave him a warning. He must’ve felt
offended because he punched me out of the blue.”
Laura slumped and covered her face. “…Oh no… I can’t
believe this…”
She became shocked and confused. She couldn’t believe
that Ian Dalton hit John Ashton. In fact, Mr. Dalton broke two
of John Asothon’s ribs and ruined his face. Laura didn’t want
to believe that Ian would do something like this. She knew
that he could get emotional sometimes and that he resented
being disrespected. But as far as she knew, Ian Dalton was
certainly not some violent thug.
However, it was difficult to imagine John Ashton lying
about something like this. Just the fact that he mentioned Ian
Dalton’s name suggested that he was being truthful. Laura
put her hands down and looked at John. His bruised face made
her forget all about her resentment for him.
Her voice filled with guilt, she whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m
so sorry, John.”
John shook his head. “I didn’t tell you this because I
wanted an apology. You’re clearly in danger, Laura. You must
be very careful. I’m afraid that if he ever finds you alone, he’ll
hurt you like he did to me…”
Laura shook her head. “He won’t do that me.
“How can you be sure?”
“Because I know him. He would never harm me. I admit
that he grumbles and has unreasonable tantrums. He even
lies too, which makes him a bad man, but still…”
Suddenly, Laura realized that she was openly defending
Mr. Dalton. She stopped talking mid-sentence.
John Ashton watched her for a moment before nodding.
“Alright. I don’t know the nature of your relationship with
him, so I have no right to interfere. All I wanted to do was to
let you know what happened.”
 “…Is that why you asked to have tea with me?” Laura
asked.
When he nodded, she apologized, “I’m sorry I got angry at
you without even knowing the whole story.”
“But you never got angry, Laura.” He smiled, showing off
his deep dimples. Although his face was badly hurt, his grin
was still gorgeous.
Gazing at her, John murmured, “Laura, you haven’t
changed one bit since the last time I saw you when you were
seventeen. No, you actually became even more beautiful. It
looks like in the last twelve years, your face has gained
elegance and charm instead of wrinkles.”
Laura quietly nodded her thanks. She knew he was
flattering her out of courtesy, and she decided to appease him
since he was beaten by her suitor.
John asked, “Can I see you again?”

“Could you… come visit me again sometime?”

Laura thought for a moment before nodding. “…Perhaps I
could come once a week.”
“Thank you. Your visit will help me much more than any
doctor can.”
Laura smiled awkwardly and rose. “I better go now. I wish
you a quick recovery.
“Okay. Please stay safe.”
Laura shook his hand lightly before leaving his guest
room. Out on the street, she trudged in silence. Now that she
was out of John Ashton’s hotel room, she forgot all about
him. Instead, the thought of Mr. Dalton filled her head.
He’s here in Bath. He… He’s…
While in Bath, Laura has been thinking about Ian Dalton
often. Did he still work his days away in his office? Did he still
enjoy walking in the garden among the apple trees under the
cool autumn sky? Did he drink tea with Pastor and Mrs. Starr
often nowadays?
It never occurred to Laura that Ian Dalton might not be in
Whitefield. So when she found out that he was here in the
same city as her, her heart began to pound wildly. She hated
to admit it, but all of her senses tingled with the thought of
their kiss in the carriage.
Laura shook her head roughly, but her cheeks reddened in
anticipation. Idiot! Stop thinking about what happened that day.
Stop it already! He hit a man. He hit so hard thathe broke John’s
ribs. Whathe did was wrong. I have to feel disappointed in him…
But then, men get into brawls all the time. And I doubt John
remained still and let Mr. Dalton pummel him… Wait, that must
mean Mr. Dalton got hurt too.
Laura paused in the middle of the street. John’s big and
strong. I’m sure he hit Mr. Dalton too. Oh no… Is Mr. Dalton hurt
badly? Did he get his bones broken too? Did he bleed? What if he
fell on the ground and got a concussion…?!
She became so worried that she wanted to scream. No, no! I
need to stop thinking about this. I must return to being the calm
Laura Sheldon I’m supposed to be.
 Please… Why do I feel this way? When did I become such a
fool?
Laura began walking again. But no matter how fast she
walked, her concern for Mr. Dalton refused to leave her head.
Even the refreshing autumn breeze wasn’t enough to cool
down her burning cheeks.
She shook her head. He might have gotten hurt, but I’m sure
he didn’t get fatally injured. John’s a lawyer, so there’s no way he
would’ve killed someone. Calm down, Laura, and come up with a
plan… Umm… Okay, the first thing I need to do is to let Misses
Hyde and Lotis know it was Mr. Dalton who was following us.
Laura tried to think about what to do next. But with the
thought of Mr. Dalton continuing to haunt her, she was
unable to think logically. She was so out of her mind that
when she arrived at her hotel, she didn’t even notice a man
staring at her from across the building. He was standing in
front of a mirror in a large hat shop on the top floor.
The man’s face was just as damaged as John Ashton’s, but
his body was perfectly intact without a single broken bone. If
Laura knew this, she might have burst into tears from relief.
And if she could see the sad joy on his face when he spotted
her, she might have felt a powerful urge to hug him.
A-A-A-
Once inside the hotel, Laura told herself that it was time to
smarten up. She expected Miss Lotis to be in their suite
because nothing was on her schedule for the day. The three
ladies were planning to go out for dinner today.
 Laura took a deep breath in front of the fountain in the
hotel lobby before heading up to her suite. She saw that Miss
Lotis was sitting alone in the living room doing something
she never expected this eccentric writer to do.
Miss Lotis was sewing.
Laura was so surprised that she forgot all about Mr. Dalton
for a moment. Laura sat down beside Miss Lotis and asked,
“Miss Lotis, why are you sewing? The hotel has the repair
service, doesn’t it?”
Miss Lotis stabbed the fabric and answered, “The
seamstresses here are terrible. I had them repair a pair of silk
stockings before, and they ruined it completely. It looked like
a twelve-year- old did the work. If you have something to get
repaired, you should sew it yourself or give it to me.”
Laura nodded and watched Miss Lotis sew. The cloth she
was working on was a dark plum jacket. Laura tilted her head
in confusion. All of Miss Lotis’s clothes were black including
her gloves, stockings, hats, and even the nightgowns.
Laura pondered for a moment before remembering that
this autumn coat was the one Miss Hyde wore yesterday. She
asked, “Isn’t this Miss Hyde’s coat?”
“It is.” Miss Lotis answered without taking her eyes off the
coat. “She rushed out without knowing that her coat was
caught between the doors. As you can see, it ripped. Jane gets
into trouble all the time like this. She stumbles on rocks or
falls off the horse often. She loses her gloves everywhere too.
You have no idea how adorable she is.”
 Laura smiled. “Miss Hyde has always been like that since
she was a child. I asked her one time why she was so careless.
Miss Hyde explained that her head is always filled with
never-ending thoughts. She said that countless interesting
ideas cross her mind, so she feels like she’s reading a book all
the time.”
“That’s the typical characteristic of a creative person. I’m
certain Jane’s novel is going to be great.”
Laura was surprised. “So you know Miss Hyde is writing a
novel!”
“Of course. She told me herself.”
“Then did she let you read it, Miss Lotis?”
“No,” Miss Lotis answered.
“That’s strange. You’re the writer Miss Hyde respects the
most.”
“I know. I asked her several times, but she refused. I was
very disappointed especially since I do so much for her. As
you can see, I even sew her clothes.” Miss Lotis sighed, but
there was a faint smile on her lips.
Laura continued to watch Miss Lotis’s hands that worked
so diligently. It looked like Miss Lotis was working on the
clothes of someone she cared very much about. A thought
popped into Laura’s mind, but she shook her head.
Laura asked, “Miss Lotis, where did Miss
Hyde go?”
“She went to the post office to send a letter.”
“When will she be back?”
 “I’m not sure. She said she’ll drop by the bookstore
afterward, so she won’t be back for a few hours at least. She
loves books just as much as you do, Miss Pendleton.”
Laura contemplated when she should tell Miss Lotis about
Mr. Dalton. Such a topic was inappropriate at the dinner table,
so Laura decided to tell Miss Lotis immediately. She could tell
Miss Hyde later.
“Miss Lotis, I found out who it was that was following us
several days ago.”
Miss Lotis’s hands paused. She looked up at Laura, who
gave a brief explanation. Laura told Miss Lotis Mr. Dalton’s
name, where he lived, their friendship, and the job he gave
her. She also informed Miss Lotis how Mr. Dalton developed
feelings for her and proposed to her.
Laura didn’t want to make Mr. Dalton sound bad, so she
omitted how Mr. Dalton lied and acted rashly. But Miss Lotis
was an excellent writer, so she could easily guess what
must’ve happened.
As Laura continued to explain, Miss Lotis’s frown
deepened. “So he created a fake job to keep you close and
when you figured it all out and left, he followed you here to
scare you.”
“N…no, it’s not like that…” Laura tried to deny it, but Miss
Lotis was already furious.
Miss Lotis muttered, “What a terrible man. He just can’t
take no for an answer, can he?”
 Laura regretted her decision to tell Miss Lotis alone. If
Miss Hyde was here, she would’ve defended Mr. Dalton and
made sure Miss Lotis understood that he wasn’t a bad man.
Miss Lotis tied the knot and snipped the thread with a pair
of scissors. She put the coat down on the table and asked,
“Where is that man staying right now?”
 Chapter 123

Laura asked hesitantly, “Why… do you ask?”

Miss Lotis lowered her eyes without answering. There was
such a cold look in her gaze that Laura’s heart froze in fear.
After a short silence, Miss Lotis asked, “Would you like me to
kill him?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m a travel writer. I communicate with the publishing
company through the mail and spend most of my time
abroad. If you wish, I can kill him and leave England for good.
What do you think?”
Laura’s blood turned cold. Miss Lotis continued, “Men
commit violence so carelessly just when their egos get hurt. If
you don’t accept his feelings, he’s going to try to kill you.
He’ll claim that you seduced him and changed your mind
after. He’s going to say that you betrayed him just like the
jerk who shot me did. He claimed to love me before maiming
me for good.”
Laura’s hands turned numb and her eyes blurred. Miss
Lotis was an excellent shot, and she was someone who
wouldn’t offer to do something like this lightly. Laura didn’t
doubt that if Miss Lotis saw Mr. Dalton, she would pull out
her gun without hesitation.
Laura stammered, “N…no, Mr. Dalton isn’t like that…”
“Then why did he follow you here? Now, tell me where he
is, Miss Pendleton. I’m going to go now with my pistol and…”
Laura couldn’t stand it anymore. She rose and yelled, “No!
Please don’t kill Mr. Dalton!”
Her voice rang inside the entire suite.
Miss Lotis stared at her in surprise. Laura clenched her
fists in desperation. Her eyes filled with tears as she begged,
“He isn’t like that at all! He would never hurt me! He would
rather hurt himself!”
Tears rolled down Laura’s cheeks. Unable to say anything
else, she covered her face with her hands. Powerful emotions
caused her to sob uncontrollably.
“Alright, I won’t kill him, so don’t cry.” Miss Lotis
sounded confused as she consoled Laura.
A few minutes later, when she stopped crying, Laura felt a
little embarrassed. It was very rare for her to lose control over
her emotions like this. She wiped her wet face and glanced at
Miss Lotis, who had her arms crossed. There was a naughty
smile on Miss Lotis’s lips.
Miss Lotis joked, “It looks like we have a lady here who fell
in love with a dangerous man, huh?”
Laura blushed, and Miss Lotis continued, “Why didn’t you
tell me from the beginning? If I had known this was a game of
love, I wouldn’t have offered such a scary option to you.”
 “A…a game of love? It’s not like that!”
“Of course it is. Are you playing hard to get? Or trying to
figure out how you really feel about this gentleman? Well, I
suppose it doesn’t matter. If the two of you’re in this
consensually, it’s all good. It’s just a game, not a crime.”
This was an awkward situation. It was a relief that Miss
Lotis was no longer determined to kill Mr. Dalton. But it
seemed that Miss Lotis now had a wrong idea about the
nature of Laura’s relationship with Mr. Dalton. Miss Lotis
seemed to think that Laura was driving Mr. Dalton crazy on
purpose.
Laura thought in panic. I need to clear up this
misunderstanding before Miss Hyde arrives.
Laura turned serious as she announced, “Miss Lotis, I’m
not going to marry Mr. Dalton.”
“Ah, so you’re going to just sleep with him? That’s not a
bad idea either.”
Laura turned bright red. “I…I won’t sleep with him either!
What are you saying, Miss Lotis?!”
“Geez, what else is there to do when a man and a woman
are together?” Miss Lotis smirked and teased Laura.
Laura tried to remain calm and explain the situation again.
She told Miss Lotis about the difference in stations between
herself and Mr. Dalton. She also spoke of her realistic
thoughts about marriage.
But the more Laura talked, the more confused Miss Lotis
became. Miss Lotis asked, “So you’re saying that he’s the
head of a wealthy family and your background isn’t as grand?
And that’s why you can’t marry him?”
When Laura nodded, Miss Lotis muttered, “What old-
fashioned nonsense is this?”
“Pardon?”
“Why would it be a problem that the wife has less money
than her husband? If neither of you has money, it would
certainly be terrible. But if one of you is wealthy, why can’t
you just share? And why does your parents’ history stop you
from marrying anyone?”
“Miss Lotis, you probably don’t understand because
you’ve been away from England for too long. English people
greatly value bloodline.”
“I’ve lived in England until I was eighteen, so I know how
damn old-fashioned this country is. But this man doesn’t
care about your background, right? He knows about your
parents, doesn’t he?” asked Miss Lotis.
“Yes, but if we do get married, it will cause him significant
problems. He’s going to suffer because of me.”
“That’s his burden to carry. No pain, no gain. That’s the
rule of this world.”
“I can’t endure someone I care about getting hurt because
of me. What if he falls out of love with me because of this…?”
Miss Lotis nodded. “Aha! So what you’re saying is that you
won’t marry him because you’re afraid he might not love you
later. Did I get that right?”
 Laura opened her mouth to deny it. But her voice refused
to work because she realized the truth about herself.
…Miss Lotis is right to a certain extent. Someday.; he’s going to
regret marrying me because of my background. I don’t think I can
endure it if he comes to resent me.
Laura closed her mouth. A gloomy look appeared on her
face.
Miss Lotis clicked her tongue. “I thought you’re a brave
woman, but I was wrong. You’re a coward, Miss Pendleton.
You know so much, yet you know nothing about love.”
Miss Lotis folded Miss Hyde’s coat and continued, “Do you
not understand what a huge miracle it is that you find
someone who loves you back? Wise love isn’t the only real
love, you know. Foolish love and careless love are just as
real.”
“I won’t argue with you, Miss Lotis. Everyone has their
own opinion about love. But ignoring all the legitimate
concerns of life for reckless love will only result in
misfortune. That’s the reality of things.”
“You can’t be sure that this marriage won’t work.”
“But I’m just an ordinary woman. I don’t have the power
to ignore the reality of this world.”
“Listen, Miss Pendleton. I’ve read countless books in
Grant Girls’ School and learned to become logical. But no one
can live every moment of their life logically. Frankly, you
shouldn’t.”
 Being a firm believer in logic, Laura retorted, “But logic is
the best tool in life to guide you. Being swept away by childish
emotions and impulsive desires will only bring ruin. Logic
helps prevent misfortune. Anyone who only values their
feelings can’t help but be weak. They let their lives pass by
without making any effort to make them better.”
“But Miss Pendleton, our goal in life can’t be just
preventing misfortunes. We live to become happy. Do you
believe someone who only wants logic can be truly happy?”
“I’m sure I’ll be able to find my own path to happiness
through logic.”
“But happiness is an emotion. People experience
happiness through feelings. Just like you can’t taste the
sweetness of an apple without a tongue, you can’t feel
happiness without emotions. If all humans are perfectly
logical at all times, what a boring and dry life it would be.”

“I’m certain you will bring great joy to Mr. Dalton’s life. Love
is the most beautiful miracle anyone can experience after all.
Even if difficulties arise in the future after your marriage, you
still have the power to make him happy.”
“How can you be sure if I have the power to do that?”
“I don’t have to be sure. Emotions aren’t an exact science.
All you need to love is courage. You must trust that you and he
can be happy together. I know this whole thing might be a
reckless idea, but you need to believe it’s going to all work. If
you aren’t brave enough to be reckless, you don’t deserve
love.”
Laura couldn’t say anything. What Miss Lotis said just now
was the opposite of Laura’s belief. Laura had trained her
whole life to live a certain way, and Miss Lotis disagreed with
it completely.
Normally, Laura would’ve touched her pendant to regain
her calm. But Dolores Pendleton’s portrait in the pendant no
longer helped her as a warning against uncontrollable
emotions. It was because recently, Laura decided that she
could no longer deny the love her parents had for each other.
Laura wanted to believe Miss Lotis. She wanted to believe
that she had been unreasonably stubborn and that Miss Lotis
was giving her a solution.
Perhaps… Perhaps it was really okay to love Ian Dalton.
His face popped into her head again. Laura clearly
remembered his sensitive black eyes, his handsome face, and
his warm smile.
I miss him. Feeling her eyes fill with tears, Laura blinked
quickly.
Just then, Miss Lotis stood up using her cane. She
wondered out loud, “Ah, I miss Jane. When is she coming
back?”
Laura could sense genuine love in Miss Lotis’s voice. Miss
Lotis looked out the window, and Laura stared at her back.
There have been countless times when she wanted to ask this
question, and Laura finally got the courage to do it.
 “Miss Lotis, why aren’t you being brave then?”
Miss Lotis continued to look out the window and asked,
“What are you talking about?”
“…Perhaps I might be wrong, which means I’m going to
offend you, but… I know how you really feel about Miss Hyde.
And I’m certain it’s not just friendship.”
A short silence fell in the living room before Miss Lotis
turned to look at Laura. She asked, “When did you figure that
out?”
“Less than a week after I arrived here.”
Miss Lotis smiled. “Was I that obvious?”
“You don’t like to be touched. If any man comes too close,
you flail your cane at them. The most you’ll touch another
woman is just a handshake. But I see how Miss Hyde hugs
you, holds your arms, and rubs her cheek against yours. As a
matter of fact, it… looked like you even enjoyed it.”
Miss Lotis seemed a little embarrassed. “Really? You could
tell?”
“Yes.”
“Goodness, I didn’t want you to know. I guess I better be
more careful.”
Laura remembered how adorable Miss Lotis’s blush was
whenever Miss Hyde touched her. Laura shook her head. “It’s
alright, Miss Lotis. I don’t have any prejudice against that
kind of a relationship.”
“Why not? You go to church every Sunday. You’re a devout
Christian.”
 “Indeed. I am a firm believer in following the teachings of
the Bible. But at the same time, I’m also Principal Grant’s
pupil. I read not only the classics she recommended but also
all the natural science literature. Scientists have observed
such cases in nature in almost every species. If this is true,
then it must all be God’s will. And the way you are must also
be God’s plan too.”
“I guess I better thank Principal Grant’s education system
again. I can’t believe that she was able to convince a devout
Christian like you to accept my preference.”
Miss Lotis smiled faintly and leaned against the window
again.
 Chapter 124

“I dated my first lover when I was in school. She was two

years ahead of me and was going to graduate in one year. She
graduated on time and married her fiance the year after.
When she did, my heart broke. The pain was so much worse
than when I lost the use of my leg. I met my next lover in
Africa. She was from America, and she has been divorced for
about five years. We lived together for a long time. If it was
legal, I would’ve married her.”
Miss Lotis continued to tap the floor with her cane and
continued, “She died trying to put out the fire that burnt
down my coffee farm. I lost all of my money, but it was losing
her that almost killed me. I tried to commit suicide a few
times, but I failed every time. In the end, I decided that she
wanted me to live. She used to praise my writing, so I thought
I should try to make a living out of it.”
“I see that you suffered a lot, Miss Lotis.”
“But I don’t have any regrets. I was happy to have met
those women. But Miss Pendleton, things are different with
Jane.” Miss Lotis stopped tapping the floor with her cane. “All
the women I fell in love with in the past had experience dating
other women. They instinctively knew that I prefer women,
which is why they approached me. But in this case, I can’t tell
at all. I don’t know if Jane is like me.”
“You can ask Miss Hyde.”
“Jane probably has no idea how I feel about her. I have
been very careful after all. The biggest problem is that Jane
worships me. Worshiping someone and loving someone are
very different. There’s a chance that Jane might confuse her
respect for me as love. Or perhaps she might even feel
obligated to accept my feelings, which would be the worst
outcome possible for both Jane and myself.” Miss Lotis
shrugged and asked, “So now can you see why I can’t be
brave?”
Laura gave her a bitter smile. “Yes, and also why you made
an effort to give me advice.”
Miss Lotis smiled and looked out the window. She watched
the streets, hoping to get a glimpse of a lovely woman
carrying a pile of books. She replied, “If I was in a similar
situation as you, and I knew that Jane felt the same way, I
wouldn’t hesitate even for a second. We’re all born to love,
Miss Pendleton. The two women I loved in the past have
taught me this.”
Laura couldn’t stop staring at Miss Lotis’s back. This
beautiful writer was very small, but she looked so giant to
Laura. It was impressive how brave Miss Lotis was when it
came to love.
Unfortunately, Miss Lotis was in an unfortunate situation.
However, this didn’t make her an unlucky woman. She was
one of the strongest ladies Laura ever met.
Laura sighed. For some reason, she was envious of Miss
Lotis for having the courage to love. It was clear that this
eccentric writer was not afraid to get hurt.

***

Two days ago.

The bright lamp lights allowed the streets of Bath to glow
even though it was in the dead of the night. Thomas Willow,
the owner of the hundred-year-old hat shop Isabella Willow,
was still in his shop settling the day’s balance. All of his
employees have gone home, which meant that only the
rattling sounds of the coins, the rustling of the bills, and the
scratching of his pen could be heard inside.
Just then, the front door opened with a jingling sound. Mr.
Willow announced, “I’m sorry, but the store is closed for the
day… Jesus!”
He was so shocked that he almost threw the bills in the air.
The gentleman who walked in was covered in dust from head
to toe, and half of his face was soaked in blood. The man was
clearly hurt.
The owner stared at the man in shock before yelling,
“Milord! What happened?!”
The man trudged into the store. He wasn’t limping, but
there was a grim look on his face. He requested, “Please get
me your medicine box.”
 The man disappeared upstairs. Mr.
Willow put all of the money in his safe and ran to the third
floor where the workshop was located. Finding the medicine
box in one of the drawers, he climbed to the fourth floor.
The fourth floor of the hat shop was the top floor of this
entire building. Mr. Willow used this space as storage for old
out-of-season stocks. When he opened the door to the fourth
floor, he frowned. The piles of hat boxes almost reached the
ceiling, which made it hard to see. The air was also quite
stuffy because of the dust. After the number of unsold hats
began to increase out of control, Mr. Willow stopped cleaning
or airing out this storage space altogether.
During the last three years, Isabella Willow experienced a
significant decrease in sales. It was all because the customers
preferred to make purchases in the new department store
nearby. Elderly nobles who valued tradition still visited his
shop, but the younger customers who enjoyed the newest
fashion at a cheaper cost rushed to the department store. This
was why Mr. Willow’s store has been in the red for the past
few years.
My grandmother, who gave me this store, must be crying in
heaven. Mr. Willow walked between the piles of boxes in
sadness. The path turned even narrower, which meant he had
to walk sideways like a crab.
After barely managing to escape the boxes, Mr. Willow
walked toward the windows where a small space of about 200
square feet was located. It was filled with a makeshift bed
made of wooden boards, a wash basin, and a travel trunk
being used as a table.
The injured gentleman was sitting on the trunk and wiping
his bloody face with a wet handkerchief. Once most of the
blood was gone, his injuries could be seen much more clearly.
His lips were badly cracked and purplish bruises adorned his
cheekbones. There was even a long gash on his forehead.
The man waved his hand, requesting the medicine box to
be brought closer. Mr. Willow asked, “Will this be enough?
Should I call for a doctor?”
“No need. I just got a cut on my forehead, that’s all.”
“If you were mugged, you should contact the police.”
The man remained quiet, focusing on disinfecting and
bandaging his forehead.
Where did this man go and what did he do all day? Mr. Willow
watched with fear and curiosity.
This strange yet handsome gentleman walked into the
shop about a week ago, requesting to rent the storage space.
Mr. Willow refused, of course. His store wasn’t a lodging but
an elegant shop that offered high-quality hats to its
customers.
But then, the man suddenly took out a bundle of money
and placed it on the counter. He offered, “I’ll pay five
hundred pounds a month.”
Mr. Willow took the money hesitantly. His store was
slowly going under, so he had no choice but to accept this
offer. Of course, there was no place inside the shop for anyone
to live. Anxious that the man might take back the five
hundred pounds, Mr. Willow showed him the storage.
To Mr. Willow’s shock, the gentleman didn’t complain.
From that day, this strange man began living inside the hat
shop. From time to time, he requested Mr. Willow to take care
of his laundry, mail, and meals. As the shop owner did these
errands, he realized that his strange guest was Ian Dalton of
Yorkshire.
Mr. Willow dealt with many wealthy noblemen as
customers, so he vaguely remembered hearing this name.
House Dalton was a noble family of prestigious history and
owned over half of Yorkshire.
Mr. Willow was shocked. His curiosity grew even bigger,
wondering why the head of such a wealthy family would
choose to live in a tiny storage space of a hat shop that was
going out of business.
Mr. Willow kept a close eye on this young nobleman. He
learned that Mr. Dalton spent much of his time standing in
front of the window looking outside. More specifically, he
stared at Hotel Lorelia which stood across the street.
If Mr. Willow didn’t know that this was Mr. Ian Dalton, he
would’ve thought that this gentleman was a private detective.
Except for eating and changing clothes, Mr. Dalton never took
his eyes off of the hotel entrance. He was behaving like an
obsessive detective trying to solve a case.
But he has the money to hire a hundred private detectives, so it
doesn’t make sense that he would do the work himself. So what is
he doing? This is such a mystery.
Mr. Willow shook his head in confusion as he watched Mr.
Dalton disinfecting his injuries. After getting cleaned up, Mr.
Dalton handed the medicine box back to the shop owner. Mr.
Willow accepted it and left the storage by walking sideways
like a crab again.
Mr. Dalton was again left alone in the tiny space. He slowly
opened the trunk he was sitting on. Inside, there were many
travel items his butler Ramswick sent him. Ian took out a
small mirror meant to be used for shaving.
His face was so badly damaged that he looked pathetic.
“Dammit,” Ian muttered and put the mirror back inside
the trunk. Then, he began changing out of his dirty clothes.
When his body was revealed, bruises could be seen
everywhere.
Ian Dalton reached Bath the very next day after meeting
Anne Steel. As soon as he arrived, the first thing he did was
buy a tourist brochure from a bookstore. He visited all of the
hotels and high-end inns listed in the brochure in search of
Laura. But it seemed that her name was not listed on any of
the guest lists in Bath.
Hoping to get lucky and spot her, Ian walked around
downtown. Some days, he spent hours waiting inside the
biggest bookstore in Bath because he knew Laura loved to
read. And all that time, he feared seeing her with her old lover
who was supposedly a handsome wealthy man.
 Then one day, he visited the mineral water hall and
miraculously found Laura. She was walking around with two
women he had never seen before. When he confirmed that
Laura wasn’t with John Ashton, relief filled his heart. He was
so overjoyed that he began to cry.
Laura was smiling. She was glowing like she never had
before. Ian had been anxiously dreaming of her for days, and
she looked so much more beautiful than he remembered. He
wiped away his tears and stared at her face. He had been
desperate to see her ever since she left Dunville Park.
Ian was reminded again how he couldn’t live without
Laura. If he couldn’t see her every day, his life was going to be
over.
When Laura and her companions left the mineral water
hall, he immediately followed them. He got into a coach just
as they did, and he learned that they were staying in Hotel
Lorelia. This was why he walked into the hat store across the
street and gave away all of the money he had to rent the
storage space.
Ian Dalton was a man who enjoyed cleanliness. His friends
often teased him for being too neat and tidy. He always
carried a handkerchief in case his hands became dirty, and he
made sure to shower thoroughly after visiting a dusty place.
So it was shocking to see him living in filthy storage that
must harbor enough dust to cause even a rat to suffer
consumption. Normally, he wouldn’t have been caught dead
in a place like this. But at the moment, he couldn’t afford to
be choosy.
Ian was desperate for a place where he could see Laura
without getting caught. Laura could never know where he
was. In her letter, she threatened to run away to somewhere
he could never find if he chased after her.
For a week, he was glued to the window, hoping to get a
glimpse of her leaving the hotel. To his disappointment,
Laura didn’t set foot outside once.
But maybe this is a good thing. If she doesn I leave the hotel,
she won’t bump into John Ashton.
Ian tried to reassure himself while continuing to keep his
eyes on the hotel. He was dying to see her again. If not her
face, he would be satisfied just to see a strand of her hair or
even her shadow.
Ian Dalton was craving Laura as if he was addicted to her.
 Chapter 125

A week after Ian began living in storage, Laura finally left her
hotel. As soon as he spotted her, his body moved instinctively.
He put on his frock coat and rushed out of the hat shop.
He followed her in silence. All he could see was Laura’s
back, but he was still ecstatic. Even the back of her head was
beautiful. It was shaped perfectly round while her strawberry
blond hair danced around her. She was slim, and her walk was
that of a proper noble lady.
Ian’s heart was about to burst from his feelings for her. As
if he was a lamb following its shepherd, he chased after Laura.
Whenever she turned to look, he hid quickly. Getting glimpses
of her face brought such joy to him.
But after some time, Laura suddenly turned around a
corner that led to the mineral water hall. She began running
away and naturally, Ian followed, not wanting to let her go.
He couldn’t bear to lose sight of her.
Please stay within my sight for one more minute. I’m begging
you…! Ian prayed. But perhaps he was being too greedy
because when Laura escaped the alleyway, she bumped into a
man none other than John Ashton. The very thing Ian feared
the most ended up happening.
 Ian knew instantly that this man was Laura’s former beau.
When he arrived in Bath, he sent a message to an
acquaintance requesting the description of John Ashton. It
seemed that Ian’s acquaintance was impressed by John’s
appearance because he replied in detail. Apparently, John was
a tall, well-built man with red hair, violet eyes, and tanned
skin. He was also known to have a gorgeous smile.
There was no doubt that the man holding Laura’s shoulder
was John Ashton.
To Ian’s shock, John began escorting Laura out of the
downtown Bath. Ian followed, staring at how they were
holding arms together. The fume from his burning jealousy
was enough to suffocate him.
John Ashton was the man who stole Laura’s heart when
she was a naive young girl. What if they walked together and
her old feelings reawakened…?
That can’t happen! Ian wished that he could run after them
and break them apart. But the last of his sanity managed to
stop him from such foolish behavior. He knew that he needed
to be patient for now. The wiser thing to do was to wait until
John Ashton was alone. Ian planned to threaten him to leave
Laura alone.
Laura and John walked for a long time before entering a
house, and Ian hid nearby and waited. Sometime later, Laura
walked out wearing a strange outfit. It didn’t take much for
Ian to realize that Laura was in disguise to escape him.
 Oh my god… I can’t believe she felt the need to do this. What
have I done?
Regretting his actions, Ian watched Laura leave. I missed
her so much, but it still doesn’t excuse my behavior. I shouldn’t
have stalked her like this.
Two hours later, John Ashton left the house as well. Ian
quickly followed, and when they reached a deserted place
under the bridge, he called out, “Excuse me.”
John turned around, and the two men faced each other. Up
close, John looked even more handsome, making Ian burn
with jealousy.
Ian asked, “Are you John Ashton?”
“Yes, and who may you be?”
“I’m Ian Dalton of Yorkshire.”
“…You mean from House Dalton of
Yorkshire?”
When Ian nodded, John Ashton took off his hat and bowed.
“It’s an honor to meet you in person, Mr. Dalton. You offered
me a job to represent your family a few years ago. I’m sorry I
couldn’t accept at the time. I had to train all the younger
lawyers, so I had no other choice.”
John reached inside his chest pocket and took out a
business card. “Our law firm expanded to Cambridge two
years ago. If you ever need my service, please don’t hesitate to
call me.”
John offered Ian his business card with a kind smile. His
deep dimples made him even more beautiful, causing Ian to
become furious.
Taking a calm breath, Ian shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I
will never ask for your service.
John looked at him in confusion, and Ian asked, “Do you
know a lady by the name of Laura Pendleton?”
The smile on John’s face disappeared at the mention of
Laura’s name. Ian continued, “Miss Pendleton and I have
developed a close relationship during the last few months. I
proposed to her, and we will be getting married someday.”
John put his business card back in his pocket. No longer
smiling, he asked icily, “Are you the man who has been
following Laura?”
How dare he call her by her first name?!
Ian’s rage boiled. “Yes, I am.”
“If you are to be married, why are you following her like a
common thief? Are you sure you even proposed to her?”
Ian’s face crumpled at his rude tone, but John doesn’t
seem to care. John continued sarcastically, “Could it be that
you proposed to her, but she rejected you? And now, you’re
stalking her because you can’t take no for an answer? Either
way, what you’re doing is rather pathetic.”
Ian clenched his fists. “That’s none of your business. What
matters is that her heart belongs to me now. You’re nothing
more than a man who entered her life briefly twelve years
ago. There’s no place for you in her heart now.”
John smirked. Only one corner of his lips curled up,
creating a mean smile. “I can tell that my presence makes you
feel nervous. You’re afraid that Laura might fall in love with
me again, right? You may own a huge piece of land, but it’s
obvious your confidence is adorably small.”
Ian’s fists tightened further. He unclenched and clenched a
few times, trying to remain patient. He pictured Laura’s face
in an attempt to be a proper gentleman. Ian replied, “I’m sure
you understand. A man in love can do the most foolish things.
You and I love the same woman, and we’re both waiting for
her decision. But there’s a huge difference between the two of
us, Mr. Ashton. The fact is, Miss Pendleton loves me. I’m the
one who holds her heart.”
Ian sniggered and continued, “You may have won her
heart a long time ago, but not anymore. She belongs to me
now, so give up and go mourn your wife, who I heard passed
away very recently. It’s very inappropriate to be courting your
old love when your wife was buried not too long ago.
Ian turned away to leave, but John announced, “Ian
Dalton, did you know that she was going to elope with me?”
Ian froze, and John continued, “She was going to give me
her whole life. Her body, mind, and future. If I had chosen
her, we would have had several kids together by now. Can you
imagine how many kisses and caresses we must’ve shared
before she decided to marry me? Can you guess?”
Ian slowly turned around, his face filled with cold fury. He
was livid that his rival was insulting Laura just to annoy him.
Ian desperately wished he could pummel the handsome
bastard’s face.
 But Ian knew violence was the last resort. He clenched and
unclenched his fists again to control his anger. “Mr. Ashton,
what happened between the two of you is none of my concern.
I respect Miss Pendleton too much to pry, so why don’t you
just shut up?”
John Ashton refused to stop. “We were always together,
which was why the entire London buzzed with the rumor that
we were to be married. And it wasn’t just the public events we
attended together. We were alone in dark terraces, carriages,
parks, and gardens. She was seventeen and I was twenty-two,
so what do you think we did when we were together? I’m sure
you don’t want to think about it, but you can’t help it, can
you?”
Dark veins bulged on Ian’s forehead. “I’m warning you.
You better shut up.”
“What a naive countryside gentleman you are, Mr. Dalton.
You may be the head of a prestigious family, but even you
can’t shut everyone up. You must admit the truth. The woman
you love was willing to give herself to the son of a blacksmith.
Perhaps, I already took her innocence…”
Before John could finish his sentence, Ian’s fist landed on
his face.
Their fight was a rough one. The two men fell to the
ground shortly and their fists flailed everywhere. John Ashton
was a big man, which meant he was strong. But he wasn’t an
experienced fighter like Ian. In his early teens when Ian was
the captain of the rowing team, there were times when his
teammates bullied him or used their family names to skip
practices. At times like these, Ian was required to teach them
hard lessons using his fists.
It didn’t take long for Ian to win. When John fell to the
ground helplessly, Ian kicked his waist a few more times to
make him lose consciousness.

***

Back in the storage of the hat shop, Ian sighed in frustration.

Dammit, I didn’t mean to fight. But I don’t regret what I did. That
bastard tried to insult Laura’s honor.
After changing into clean clothes, Ian closed the trunk and
stood in front of the window like he has done for the entire
week. Across the street, Hotel Loreli stood in its gothic glory.
It was so close that he felt like he could touch it if he reached
out.
Ian counted the hotel windows with lights on. Laura, did
you return to your room safely?
He mumbled quietly, “I’m sorry. I didn’t do it to scare you.
I won’t force you to run again, I promise. Please forgive me.”
Ian sighed again, wondering which room she was in and
who she was staying with. Was she being treated well?
All I want is for you to be happy, Laura. And I hope you’ll
return to Dunville Park in spring. I want you to give me just one
more chance. I want to prove to you that I’m the man who can
make you happy. So please, do not give your heart to John Ashton.
Please… I don’t care how many times you kissed him. Just don’t
forget our kiss.
Ian begged that his prayer would reach Laura. Just then, he
heard the rustling of the boxes and a man’s struggling
groans. Soon, Mr. Willow reappeared and announced,
“Several letters arrived for you this morning while you were
out, milord. I meant to give them to you when you returned,
but I forgot because of your • • _ »
injury…
Mr. Willow took out a bundle of letters and gave them to
Ian. He then quickly disappeared between the stacks of boxes.
Ian leaned against the window and began going through the
letters.
The first one was from Ramswick. He opened it quickly and
saw that it was a short message about the total of last
month’s estate balance. There was a neat list of the farm
rental income, bond interests, and other revenues.
Although the sender was listed as Ramswick, the message
was actually written by the land agent. A few days ago, Ian
sent a letter to Ramswick asking for his travel trunk to be
delivered. Ian also ordered their previous land agent to be
hired again. It was the very man who had saggy eyes and
looked like a swindler.
To Ian’s surprise, this land agent was a good worker.
Ramswick seemed to hate the new hire because he apparently
ate too much and smoked cigars everywhere. But the new
land agent never stole or did anything fraudulent.
 After going through the numbers, Ian nodded and folded
away the letter. The next letters were from his sister and Olive
from Dunville Park. It appeared that they learned about his
trip to Bath through Ramswick.
Ian put away their letters for now, easily being able to
guess their contents. His sister probably wrote a nagging
message about how he must leave Miss Pendleton alone while
Olivia probably gushed about how romantic he was for
chasing after his love. Just thinking about these letters gave
him a headache.
Now, there was just one letter left, and it was from an
unexpected sender.
William ?
Ian opened the envelope.
 Chapter 126

Dear Ian Dalton

I know you never open a letter without knowing its sender, so
you must know this is from me, William. I shall not ask you how
you are. After all, I don’t care about your welfare at the moment.
After I returned home from your grand hunting party, I asked
Janet to attend all of the tea parties she gets invited to in London.
From these events, we learned that everyone in the city is talking
about you and Miss Lance’s nonexistent engagement.
Ian Dalton, do you have any idea what you have done to Miss
Lance?
Do you believe that it’s okay to ruin a lady’s reputation just so
that you might get a chance at love?
What happened recently has caused me to become incredibly
disappointed in you. As a matter of fact, I’m contemplating
ending our friendship. If you do not fix this situation, I shall never
speak to you again.
Hurry up and come to London. Either you will propose to Miss
Lance, or you must publically announce that you have used Miss
Lance in order to obtain another lady’s heart. Whatever it takes,
you must rescue Miss Lance. That will be the only way you can
prove to me that you’re a man of honor.
 Ian Dalton, the lady who won your heart isn’t the only
important person in this world. Those young immature ladies you
despise and look down on are just as precious. You must
remember that all of God’s creatures matter.
I hope this incident allowed you, an arrogant and selfish man,
to learn this valuable lesson.
Take care.
Perhaps no longer your friend,
William Fairfax.
P.S. I received a letter from Miss Hyde recently. Miss
Pendleton, I mean Miss Sheldon apparently began workingas a
translator. This means that she now has the ability to make more
money than what you can offer her as a governess. She can live
comfortably all on her own, so you must stop stalking her.
Margaret tells me that you have rented the hat shop storage to
live inside. Have you lost your mind?
I feel terrible for Miss Pendleton for having someone like you
as a suitor. What an unlucky woman she is.
Ian’s expression turned serious as he read his friend’s
letter. William has never scolded him this harshly before.
Since childhood, William could laugh off most things because
he was exceptionally generous and soft-hearted. So the fact
that William was considering ending their friendship meant
that he must be livid.
If William hadn’t added the postscript, Ian might have
seriously considered making amends to Miss Lance. But the
last few sentences of the letter caused Ian to forget about
Miss Lance once again completely.
Laura is working as a translator? Ian couldn’t hide his shock.
She was visiting Bath as a tourist, so he couldn’t understand
how she managed to suddenly obtain such a lucrative job. But
William’s source appeared to be Miss Hyde, which suggested
that this wasn’t false information.
It was great news for Laura. She was sophisticated and had
incredible competence in several languages. She loved books
too, so this was a perfect career for her. Her intelligence was
one of the many things Ian loved about her. Her intellect
mesmerized him, and it made him happy to learn that she
finally had the chance to show it off.
But this meant that she could make more money now than
she did as a governess. This development troubled him
greatly, especially because there was never a guarantee that
Laura would return to Yorkshire at all.
Now, she has absolutely no reason to return. After all, she
found a way to make more money doing something she loves
rather than teaching some naughty boys Latin verbs. She… She…
Ian dropped the letter and covered his face with his hands
in despair.
She might forget all about me and leave forever.
 He slid down the wall and sat on the floor helplessly. Fear
and dejection floated all around him like the dust that filled
the storage.

***

The autumn in London wasn’t as extravagant as summer, but

it was still a pleasant time. During the peak season, the
streets became filled with well-dressed nobles riding in
luxurious carriages. But in the off-season, most left London
to enjoy the touristic cities.
This meant that it was now time for the true Londoners to
enjoy the city. They were mostly prosperous middle-class
people who were born and raised in London.
Mr. Fairfax loved this time of the year. He was forced to
carry an umbrella at all times due to the gloomy weather, but
the colorful leaves made the streets look poetic. The typical
London buildings boasted pale colors, which created a quiet
and elegant atmosphere.
Mr. Fairfax enjoyed taking a stroll on a nice autumn day.
Wearing the sweater his sister Janet knitted for him, he put
on his frock coat on top to take a walk outside. The refreshing
London air always helped him clear his mind, which was
often filled with concerns for his business.
William pulled up the coat collars when he felt the cool
breeze. He was carrying his usual black umbrella as he walked
the street. It was another gorgeous day, but lately, William
has been unable to enjoy his walks.
He was on his way back from the post office. He had hoped
that there would be a reply from his friend Ian Dalton. But
unfortunately, he was leaving empty- handed. It has been a
whole week since he sent the letter threatening Ian to end
their friendship.
That bastard! He has brought shame to the entire male sex.
He’s a scoundrel who knows no honor. William cursed his friend
in silence. Their families became in-laws when they were
only eight. Ever since, Mr. Fairfax had to endure Ian’s
rudeness and arrogance. But being a good-natured man,
William had always maintained an indulgent attitude toward
Ian. Oftentimes, William even found his haughty friend
entertaining.
But this was a different matter altogether. What Ian did to
Miss Lance was wrong, and William was furious at his friend.
William passed by Regent Park and entered the street lined
with luxury houses. This was one of the areas where the rich
nobles and gentries lived. He soon spotted an extravagant
mansion decorated with marble bricks. There was a door plate
with the name “Lance” hanging at the front.
William stood in front of it. Will she refuse me again today?
He looked at the front gate sadly. A month ago after the
unfortunate incident took place in Whitefield, Mr. Fairfax
escorted Miss Lance back to London in the middle of the
night. He advised her against traveling at the time, but she
was very insistent. They barely spoke on the train, but
William could feel how heartbroken Miss Lance was.
William’s heart ached for her. He blamed himself for not
noticing the problem sooner. If he had paid a little more
attention, he could’ve figured out who she gave her heart to.
Twenty was considered the perfect marriageable age for
women. But twentyyear-old ladies tended to be still very
innocent and fragile. Learning that the man she loves wants
another woman must’ve been devastating for Miss Lance. It
was even worse that she heard everything in person with
other people present. William couldn’t even imagine the kind
of pain Miss Lance must be feeling.
On top of it all, the latest rumors in high society must’ve
made things even worse for her. The story of Miss Lance and
Ian Dalton’s engagement was the biggest gossip of this
season. But after the hunting party in Whitefield ended, the
rumor changed completely. Now, everyone believed that Miss
Lance was jilted by her fiance.
Sadly, Miss Lance failed to control her feelings during the
Whitefield event where everyone’s eyes were on her. The
entire time in Whitefield, she followed Ian Dalton everywhere
and tried to flirt with him. Whenever he was out of sight, she
didn’t bother hiding her disappointment.
In comparison, Ian Dalton’s reaction toward her was cold.
It was no surprise that people believed Ian lost interest in her.
It also didn’t help that Ian introduced Miss Pendleton as a
member of his family.
 People began to gossip that Miss Lance must’ve lost her
fiance to Miss Pendleton. This resulted in an even worse
situation for Miss Lance. Miss Pendleton was considered
worthless in the marriage market. Her circumstances were so
terrible that people expected her to be flattered by elderly
men’s interest. It was unfair, but wealth and title dictated
one’s value in high society. This made Miss Pendleton almost
unmarriageable.
Now that people believed Miss Lance lost her fiance to
Miss Pendleton, they began to think that Miss Lance must
possess a great flaw. Miss Lance’s reputation was irrevocably
demolished.
Mr. Fairfax couldn’t concentrate on his work due to his
concern for Miss Lance. He was worried that Miss Lance, a
sensitive young lady, might take drastic action to end her
misery. He didn’t think she was a reckless woman, but it
wasn’t uncommon for ladies to end their lives in an unsavory
situation like this.
William asked his sister to visit Miss Lance often. Because
Janet still worshiped Miss Lance, she was only too happy to
oblige. But the Lance family stopped accepting guests or
having tea parties, which meant that Janet was refused entry
every time. In the end, her pride was too hurt, and Janet
began hanging out with other ladies. Mr. Fairfax begged Janet
to call on Miss Lance one more time, but she refused. Instead,
she spent her time with her new friends shopping in Harrods
Department Store or watching operas.
 This left Mr. Fairfax with only one option. He had no
choice but to visit Miss Lance himself. He couldn’t be sure if
he could console her, but he wanted to try. William wanted to
tell Miss Lance that she was still a beautiful young lady with a
bright future ahead of her. He also wanted her to know that he
still considered her his friend.
Mr. Fairfax knocked on the door using the knocker. When a
middle-aged maid walked out, he explained that he was there
to visit Miss Lance. He wasn’t expecting to be allowed in
because this was already his fourth attempt. The last three
times, the maid informed him that they weren’t accepting
any visitors. All William could do was leave a calling card.
But the answer he received today was different.
“Please come in, milord.” The maid ushered him inside.
Surprised, William asked, “Did your mistress resume her
social activities?”
“No, we are still not accepting any visitors yet. But Miss
Dora saw your calling cards from before and asked me to let
you in if you ever visited again, Mr. Fairfax.”
William was escorted to the reception hall. He sat on the
sofa and waited for Miss Lance. Soon, she walked in wearing a
simple but heavily embroidered lavender dress. He was
surprised to see that there were no signs of despair in Miss
Lance’s face. She did lose some weight, but she didn’t look
pale. He couldn’t see any dark circles underneath her eyes
either.
 “Welcome, Mr. Fairfax.” Miss Lance smiled and raised her
hand.
Mr. Fairfax kissed the back of her hand. “Nice to see you
again, Miss Lance.”
“You too, Mr. Fairfax. I’m terribly sorry that I couldn’t see
you the last three times. My mother can’t stand looking at the
calling cards anymore, so our maid Jenny has been burning
them.”
“Why doesn’t she want to see the calling cards?”
Miss Lance sat down across from him and explained,
“Elderly gentlemen have been calling on our family often
lately with gifts. My mother likes to be acquainted with rich
noblemen, but when she found out that they were after me,
she stopped all of her social activities.”
Mr. Fairfax frowned in disgust. It seemed that the elderly
men looking for a new wife must’ve heard about Miss Lance’s
diminished reputation. They were like vultures attempting to
swoop in when she was in a vulnerable state.
 Chapter 127

“I’m very sorry to hear that, Miss Lance. Lady Lance must be
very upset. I know how much she treasures you.”
Miss Lance replied, “She refuses to leave her bed. My
father traveled to Italy to escape my mother’s hysterics. I’m
sure he’ll be back soon with many interesting sculptures and
paintings, which will only anger my mother even more.”
Her tone remained light as if she was joking, which
surprised Mr. Fairfax. Miss Lance’s situation couldn’t have
been worse, yet she was jesting as if nothing was wrong.
She’s pretending to be okay. William thought in surprise.
Based on his previous observations, Miss Lance wasn’t
particularly strong-willed. He believed that her heart must’ve
been broken into a million pieces, but she was acting
nonchalantly to protect her pride.
I can’t imagine how hard this must be. William wanted to tell
her that she didn’t have to pretend in front of him. That she
could be honest about how much she must be suffering.
But William remained quiet, knowing that such an offer
would be crossing the line. If they were of the same sex, it
would be considered a kind gesture between friends. But he
was a gentleman, and she a lady. Therefore, he had no choice
but to remain proper.
In order to change the subject, William asked kindly, “I
know you stopped having tea parties, but I’m sure you still
meet with your friends regularly. Are Misses Wilkes,
Donovan, and Orson well?”
“They’re all very busy. You’re aware that Miss Victoria
Wilkes is engaged to Mr. George Orson, aren’t you? They’re so
occupied with planning the engagement party that they have
no time to visit me.”
“My goodness, but I’m sure your artistic talent can help
them greatly with the preparation.”
Miss Lance smiled awkwardly. “My friends must feel that
they have more to lose than gain from being seen with me. Or
more accurately, it might be their mothers who feel this way.
My friends send letters to tell me that they miss me. But they
also tell me that their mothers won’t allow them to see me.
“…But why…?”
“Mothers with daughters have constant fear for their
daughters’ reputations. They believe having a friend with a
tarnished reputation is worse than befriending the devil.”
The servant brought a cart of refreshments. William saw
that he was being served well-steeped black tea, lemon cake,
and madeleine. He tried them all and complimented Miss
Lance for hiring such an excellent cook. He was being a polite
guest, but his words were empty. William couldn’t taste
anything because his heart felt heavy. He couldn’t believe that
Miss Lance was abandoned by all of her friends when she
needed them the most.
His teacup was half empty when he requested, “If you
don’t mind, could you give my little sister a few harp
lessons?”
Miss Lance, who was sipping on her own tea, looked at
him in confusion. William explained, “She has been learning
to play the harp, but she isn’t getting any better. If she could
visit you a few times a week and listen to you play, it would
help her greatly. She would love it if you could give her some
pointers as well.”
“Well, I can certainly do that, but… Would Miss Janet really
want that?”
“As you know, she worships you, Miss Lance.”
“Still?”
“Of course,” said William.
Miss Lance looked down for a moment to think before
asking, “Do you truly believe this would benefit Miss Janet?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking if spending time with someone like me would
help Miss Janet.”
Mr. Fairfax’s eyes widened in shock as Miss Lanced
continued, “Miss Janet is a lady of high society who must find
a good husband. If she’s seen with me, a woman with a
tarnished reputation, her own name will suffer. You treasure
your sister, Mr. Fairfax. That means that you must stop her
even if she insists on remaining my friend. You must do
exactly what my friends’ mothers did.”
“But that’s wrong. I do not want to disrespect those ladies
you mentioned, but I believe they’re wrong to prevent their
daughters from seeing a friend in need. They should not make
such a decision solely based on rumors.”
“But you must admit that they’re being smart.” Miss
Lance smiled lightly. “And to be honest, I wouldn’t welcome
my friends’ visits either. In their letters, they talk about how
much they pity me and how they resent Miss Pendleton. If
they called on me in person, I’m sure they’d say even worse
things. And I do not want to hear them disrespecting Miss
Pendleton. I don’t want their pity either.”
Miss Lance became quiet for a moment as if she was
contemplating. She placed her cup down on the table and
continued, “You know everything, Mr. Fairfax. You know
where Mr. Dalton’s heart belongs, how foolish I was in
misunderstanding his feelings, and how devastated I was
when I learned the truth. You’re the only one who I can share
my true thoughts and feelings with. So I wish to forget the
proper etiquette between a gentleman and a lady for now. I
want to be honest with you. Would that be okay?”
When Mr. Fairfax nodded, Miss Lance bowed lightly to
show her appreciation and walked to the window. Looking out
at the lonely autumn garden, she began, “After I returned
from Whitefield, I cried day and night for several days. I
couldn’t eat and I could barely sleep. It would’ve been
romantic if it was from losing the love of my life, but that
wasn’t the case. I was afraid for my future. I’m not stupid, Mr.
Fairfax. The whole world has heard this rumor about me, so I
know exactly what is going to happen to me. I’ve been tagged
as flawed, and it would take years for people to forget what
happened. By then, I would be a spinster.”
Miss Lance continued quietly, “I thought I was madly in
love with Mr. Dalton. I believed that I would die without him
like a tragic heroine in an opera. But when I learned that he
didn’t love me, my feelings for him disappeared entirely. The
only thing I had left was self-contempt.”
Mr. Fairfax rose and stood beside her. “Please do not
blame yourself, Miss Lance. This wasn’t your fault at all. You
were heavily influenced by the people around you including
myself, Ian, and your friends.”
“But I was the biggest problem. When my mother and
friends made haphazard guesses about Mr. Dalton’s feelings,
I got swept away by the fantasy. And when my friends spread
false rumors about my imagined romance with Mr. Dalton, I
didn’t stop them. I thought too highly of my pretty looks, and
I believed that I was worthy to be loved by a great man like
Mr. Dalton. My vanity made me blind and lost my reasoning.
It was all my fault. I failed to be sensible.”
Mr. Fairfax became speechless. He has never met a woman
who could confess her vanity honestly. A lady was a creature
well versed in the art of hiding her true thoughts. It was
understandable since the consequences of honesty could be
harsh for women.
William was impressed by Miss Lance’s courage to be
truthful.
She continued, “I looked back on my life, and I realized
how arrogant and immature I have been. That’s the only way
to explain how I mistook a gentleman’s indifference as love
just because of other people’s sugar-coated words.”
“I should’ve figured it out myself, Miss Lance. If I had
realized what was going on and given you proper advice,
then…”
“Mr. Fairfax, please do not defend my actions. It will only
embarrass me even more. Besides, someone did give me the
advice you wished you had given me. But I didn’t believe her.”
“Who gave you this advice?”
“Miss Pendleton.”
Mr. Fairfax stared at Miss Lance in shock. She explained,
“Miss Pendleton told me that I was mistaken about Mr.
Dalton’s feelings. She also warned me that I might suffer for
my mistake. She was very upfront about it, but I ignored her.
If I had taken her words seriously, my reputation might not
have suffered as much.”
“…I guess Miss Pendleton had a vague idea about how Ian
felt.”
“I think so too. I saw her run away from Mr. Dalton at a
spring picnic. In retrospect, I now realize that perhaps she
was running away from his courtship. Unfortunately, I made
the mistake of thinking the opposite at the time.”
“Ian tried to propose to Miss Pendleton during that picnic,
but she ran away before he could do it. But afterward, Ian
didn’t show his feelings anymore, so Miss Pendleton
wouldn’t have known how he truly felt.”
William was worried that Miss Lance might
misunderstand Miss Pendleton’s intentions. But Miss Lance
smiled. “Please don’t worry, Mr. Fairfax. I do not believe Miss
Pendleton stood by idly while knowing the whole truth. That
wouldn’t make sense since she made a great effort to help
me.”
Miss Lance frowned and sighed. “I need to open a window.
Will that be okay, Mr. Fairfax?”
Instead of answering her, William opened the window
himself. The cool autumn breeze rushed into the reception
hall which was scorching from the burning fireplace. Miss
Lance closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air. The wind
made her shiny brown hair dance around her.
She asked, “Is Miss Pendleton still in Dunville Park?”
“No. She traveled to Bath for a short vacation. She’s
staying with Miss Hyde and the travel writer Miss Lotis. I
heard she’s enjoying herself and even got a very promising
job.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I truly wish only the best for her.”
Mixed emotions entered her light blue eyes. “When I think
about what I’ve done, I’m most ashamed by how I
subconsciously looked down on Miss Pendleton. I always saw
her as someone I must patronize. I agreed with the rest of
society and judged her for her parents’ sins. But now that I
have become an outcast myself, I understand what an
impressive woman Miss Pendleton is. She was sneered at by
everyone, but she has never lost her elegance and calm. She
always remained kind and altruistic. I’ve never met a greater
lady than her.”
Mr. Fairfax watched Miss Lance quietly. Miss Pendleton
stole her love, but instead of becoming angry and petty, Miss
Lance was feeling humbled.
Maybe I was wrong about her. William thought in silence.
He always believed that Miss Lance was just a childish girl
who needed to grow up. But at this very moment, she was the
most mature person he had ever seen. She willingly admitted
her mistakes and tried to learn from them. Such a grownup
attitude was rare even in people much older than her.
For the first time, he felt genuine respect for Miss Lance.
Meanwhile, Miss Lance felt a warm gratitude toward Mr.
Fairfax. Everyone had abandoned her, yet he made a point of
visiting her in person. He also patiently heard everything she
wanted to talk about.
He’s a true gentleman. He’s nobler than any of those wealthy
dukes.
Miss Lance smiled at him warmly.
 Chapter 128

Miss Lance requested, “Mr. Fairfax, would you visit me from

time to time at your convenience? I won’t take up too much of
your time. I just want to hear how well Miss Pendleton is
doing, and about Miss Hyde too.”
“Are you well acquainted with Miss Hyde?”
“We weren’t very close when she still belonged to high
society. I’m a little saddened that I didn’t get to know her
better. If I had befriended her, I would be able to learn about
becoming a typist or a secretary through her. It’s very
possible I might have to become a professional woman
someday.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled bitterly. “I’ll tell you about it instead.
After all, I’ve heard a lot about it from Miss Hyde. And next
time I visit, I’ll bring Janet too. You should see how
awkwardly she plays the harp.”
“Mr. Fairfax, I must remind you again that if Miss Janet is
seen with me, then…”
Mr. Fairfax interrupted her in an unusually firm manner.
“Miss Lance, as Janet’s guardian, I must teach her to be an
upstanding person. Giving up on your friend because it
inconveniences you is wrong. Ignoring an innocent person
because of a rumor is unethical. You are still my and my
sister’s friend. Therefore, we will always be here for you, Miss
Lance.”
There was an unwavering sense of friendship and trust in
his voice. Miss Lance was so touched that she wanted to cry.
And for some reason, her cheeks slowly turned red too. She
felt her heart squeeze a little.
“Thank you, Mr. Fairfax. Then I would love you and Miss
Janet’s visit sometime soon. I’ll have croissants and cheese
crackers ready. I know they are Miss Janet’s favorites.”
Mr. Fairfax smiled and kissed the back of her hand. He has
done this dozens of times before, but both he and Miss Lance
felt a little different from their physical contact today. It was
an odd and vague feeling, but something was blossoming. If
they explored their budding feelings a little bit more bravely,
something magical could no doubt happen between them.
As Mr. Fairfax walked out of the Lance family home, he felt
oddly hesitant to leave. He forced himself to walk away
nonetheless, his heart thumping most strangely.
William has always seen Miss Lance as a friend and
nothing more. But today, he found a side of her he had never
witnessed before. William learned that Miss Lance was a
strong and mature woman who was worthy of great respect.

***

Autumn fell much sooner in Bath than in London. The

pleasant scent of fallen leaves filled the air, and frequent
freezing rain forced people to take out their fur coats. The
shop windows began dressing their mannequins with velvet
shawls and decorating the space with wads of cotton to mimic
snow. The fashionable tourists of Bath kept busy shopping for
the latest trends.
Walking in the street, Laura saw the last leaf hanging on
the branch dancing bravely in the wind. She smiled, enjoying
the beautiful but chilly day.
Laura liked autumn because it was the perfect season for
taking walks and reading. It was a little annoying that she had
to wear flannel underpants to keep herself warm, but the
unique mood of this season made it all worth it.
The autumn in Bath felt very similar to that of London.
Perhaps it was because both were very crowded cities.
I wonder what it looks like in Yorkshire now. Laura paused in
the middle of the street and glanced back. There was no one
behind her, causing her eyes to become filled with
disappointment.
It has been two months since she reunited with John
Ashton. Ever since then, she kept her eyes open whenever she
went outside. Unfortunately, she could no longer feel Mr.
Dalton’s presence.
She should’ve felt relieved. Being followed by someone
was a scary event. But Laura developed a new habit of looking
back from time to time. And wherever she realized that no
one was following her, she couldn’t help but feel
disappointed.
Mr. Dalton probably left Bath by now. He’s too busy to be stuck
in a silly vacation city just for me.
Laura tried to forget her yearning for him and hurried on.
Passing by the bakeries with sweet scents and the gift shops
already filled with Christmas gifts, she turned around a
corner to spot Paniz Hotel.
She was familiar with this building now. During the last
two months, she has been visiting John Ashton once every
week. At first, she did this purely out of duty. Even now, it was
mostly her guilt that made her call on him every week. But
she was certainly not being forced to continue visiting him.
The recovery of John Ashton’s broken ribs was slow
because of his incompliance. The doctor ordered him to stay
in bed at all times, but John constantly disobeyed him. John
Ashton often held his daughter Cecilia on his lap to bounce
her up and down. He also held her hands and walked around
the room to reassure her that he was okay. He would sweat
from the pain, but he made sure to keep a smile on his face.
Watching him take care of his daughter reminded Laura of
her father. When she was a young girl, she didn’t have any
friends. So whenever she got bored, she would climb onto his
lap even when he was busy working. But every time she did,
her father put down his brush and played with her. He would
give her a piggyback ride or go out to pick flowers.
Being interrupted often during work would’ve been very
frustrating, especially for an artist. But Laura always
remained his top priority. He tried his best to make sure she
didn’t feel lonely, which meant that he needed to make a lot
of sacrifices.
Being Louis Sheldon’s daughter, Laura could never resent
any father who devoted himself to his daughter. This was why
she couldn’t come to hate John Ashton even though he was
the very man who betrayed her twelve years ago.
Laura slowly walked into the hotel. She passed by the lobby
and climbed the stairs. When she reached the sixth floor, she
walked down the hallway lined with red carpet to get to John
Ashton’s room.
Knock, knock.
A servant opened the door, and Laura walked inside. When
she entered the living room, she saw a small child sitting on a
sofa. Her red hair was braided neatly, and she was wearing an
expensive custom-made dress. Her face was pale, and her
adorable facial features made her look like a fairy.
“Miss Laura!” The child put down the book she was
reading and rushed to Laura.
“Hello, Cecilia.”
 Cecilia hugged Laura’s waist tightly. “I missed you so
much.”
Laura patted the child’s hair. Cecilia smiled and rubbed her
face on Laura’s waist as if she was a purring cat. Laura smiled
at the little girl’s show of affection.
It was never Laura’s intention, but her weekly visit
allowed her to befriend Cecilia. Laura liked children, but
considering her awkward relationship with John, she thought
this was a bad idea at first. She had no intention of continuing
her acquaintance with him, so she didn’t want to hurt the
little girl by leaving her later on.
But whenever Laura visited John, Cecilia was always by her
father’s side. She was a docile child, so she listened quietly as
her father and his guest chatted. Then one day, Laura was on
her way to leave when Cecilia stopped her.
The little girl asked bluntly, “Miss, do you plan to marry
my father?”
Laura denied it adamantly, but Cecilia remained skeptical.
“My father always says that I need a new mother.”
“But I’m not the one, Cecilia. It’s because… Umm…
Because I’m not good enough for your father.”
“You look plenty good to me.”
“No, I’m very lacking in many ways. The truth is… I’m a
terrible glutton.”
“A glutton?” asked Cecilia.
“Exactly. Have you heard about Erysichthon from Greek
mythology? He was cursed with insatiable hunger, which
caused him to devour his own body. I’m like him, so if I marry
your father, he’ll go bankrupt feeding me.”
“Then how do you stay so slim?”
“It’s part of God’s curse.”
The child nodded as if she understood.
For some reason, Laura felt like her answer had
disappointed Cecilia. When she told Mrs. Chelsea about it, the
nurse seemed to know why. She explained, “That child is
mostly alone. She gets sick often, which is why her nannies
quit frequently. She can’t go out, and she can’t make friends.
I’m certain that she has been hoping to get a new mother. She
never experienced motherly love, so she’s desperate for a
kind stepmother.”
Laura finally understood why Cecilia asked her if she
would be her new mother. Cecilia wasn’t feeling wary of her.
It seemed that the little girl wished for Laura to marry her
father.
Laura felt sympathetic. Based on what she had heard,
Cecilia’s mother was never an affectionate woman. But even
so, losing her must’ve been traumatizing for the little girl.
And now, her father, who was her only family and friend, was
bedridden. It must’ve been difficult for the young girl to
endure such loneliness.
Cecilia reminded Laura of her own childhood.
After that day, Cecilia developed an even greater interest in
Laura. Being cursed like Erysichthon was enough to pique the
little girl’s curiosity. Every time Laura visited, Cecilia asked
many questions. She wanted to know how much and how
often Laura ate. Cecilia also asked if Laura ate things other
than food.
Laura had no choice but to lie to the child. It wasn’t long
before Cecilia began to believe that Laura would even eat
desks if she was hungry enough. Afraid that the child might
ask her to eat the furniture in front of her, Laura quickly
changed the subject. She tried to talk about other things the
child was interested in.
It turned out that Cecilia liked to read and play the piano.
Her hobbies were the same as Laura’s, which allowed them to
get even closer. They talked about their favorite books and
music. Soon, Laura was invited to Cecilia Asthon’s room for a
solo concert.
Cecilia quickly fell in love with Laura, a pretty and kind
lady who suffered from a mysterious curse. Laura couldn’t
help but come to like the little girl too. Cecilia was an innocent
and affectionate child.
Laura worried about the day when they’d have to say
goodbye, but she decided to befriend Cecilia nonetheless. The
child lost her mother, and her father was badly injured. Until
John Ashton recovered, Laura wanted to help heal the child’s
lonely heart.
 Chapter 129

“Cecilia, which book are you reading today?” asked Laura.

Cecilia, who was still hugging Laura, looked up. “A Study in
Scarlet. Mrs.
Chelsea let me borrow it.”
“Ah, that’s the famous Sherlock Holmes series. I’ve never
read one. Is it good?”
Cecilia smiled. “Yes, they’re all really fun. You should try
reading one, Miss Laura.”
“I can’t read detective stories. I find it a little cruel to be
reading about serious incidents as entertainment. But I
wouldn’t mind hearing about it from you, Cecilia. Can you tell
me what it’s about?”
Cecilia smiled brightly and guided Laura to the sofa. Laura
handed her coat to a servant and sat next to the little girl.
Cecilia began talking about the adventure by the private
detective Sherlock Holmes and a gentlemanly former military
doctor Dr. Watson. Laura listened attentively with a smile and
even asked several questions.
Cecilia’s eyes lit up with joy at Laura’s full attention. They
were chatting amicably when John’s bedroom door opened
and Mrs. Chelsea walked out. She was holding a bowl, towel,
and a sheathed razor, indicating she had helped Mr. Ashton
shave.
“Ah, Miss Pendleton. You’re here!” Mrs. Chelsea smiled
happily.
“Hello, Mrs. Chelsea. Is Mr. Ashton doing better?” asked
Laura.
“I’m happy to tell you that Dr. Perry believes Mr. Ashton
has recovered enough to leave the hotel at any time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, please go ahead. Mr. Ashton is waiting for you.”
Laura turned toward Cecilia. “Please tell me the rest of the
story later.”
Cecilia looked disappointed, but she nodded obediently.
Laura rose and walked toward John’s bedroom. Inside, she
saw that the curtain was opened to allow bright sunlight in.
John Ashton was sitting at a table and waiting for her.
His hair was neat, and he was cleanly shaven. Not a single
scar was left on his face, and he was wearing a dark green
gown. He looked so healthy, making it difficult to believe that
he was severely injured just a few weeks ago.
“Come in, Laura.” John smiled brightly. His violet eyes
curved into an elegant smile and his seductively red lips
showed off a handsome grin. His dimples looked gorgeous as
usual.
Laura curtsied and approached him. “I heard you got a
clean bill of health from Dr. Perry. You’re allowed to leave the
hotel now. So I guess you’re fully healed?”
 “Yes. He said I can do anything now except for vigorous
exercises like cricket or boxing.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.” Laura smiled, genuinely happy
for his recovery. This was great news. Now, she could feel less
burdened by his injury.
John gazed at Laura as if he was blinded by her smile.
Whenever she smiled, he always looked at her this way. He
saw her as a precious sapphire, clearly dazzled by her beauty.
John replied, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have
recovered this quickly. I really want to repay you for your
help.”
“But all I did was drop by a few times to say hello.”
“That’s not true. You became a good friend to Cecilia. If
you weren’t here, my little girl would’ve fallen ill from
sadness. And if she had, I would’ve been so worried that I
wouldn’t have been able to focus on my recovery. I owe you a
great debt that I can never repay. But please let me at least
try.”
Reminded again what a great father John Ashton was,
Laura shook her head. “If you do that, I’m going to feel like I
owe you again. I’ve been visiting you because I knew I would
feel guilty if I refused your request. But you’re fully recovered
now, and I feel much less burdened. So please do not try to do
anything for me, or else, I’ll feel like I owe you again.”
John gave her a bitter smile. “Then what can I do now to
hold on to you?”
 When Laura blinked, he continued, “Since you’ve done
your duty, I know you won’t visit me again. Cecil is going to
be very lonely. She has never experienced a friend like you
before. I’m sure she’ll miss you terribly.”
“She has you back now, so I’m sure Cecilia will be fine.”
John’s eyes filled with loneliness as he looked at Laura.
“Then… what about me?”
66 ??
“What will I do now?”
Laura realized that what she has been dreading was finally
about to happen. Until now, John has been careful about what
he said whenever she visited. He didn’t bring up their past nor
did he praise her overtly or show his interest in her.
But Laura could tell that John felt hopeful about their
relationship. He always made sure to look presentable
whenever she visited. He combed his hair, shaved, and wore a
pleasant cologne before seeing her. And whenever she
arrived, his face brightened expectantly. He couldn’t hide his
delight when he saw how well Cecilia got along with Laura.
It was clear that he wanted Laura back in his life.
Who does he think I am? Does he see me as an idiot who has
been waiting for him for over a decade after being betrayed like
that? Laura became upset, but she kept herself calm as she
replied, “You’re young, Mr. Ashton. You’re also rich and
handsome. I’m sure you’ll find a woman who falls in love
with you. Someone who can be a good mother to Cecilia.”
“Laura…”
 “I’m very glad that you’re fully recovered. Please send me
a message before you leave Bath. I would like to say my last
goodbye to Cecilia. Take care.”
Laura rose, but John caught her hand gently. “You’re
leaving?”
“I’ll say goodbye to Cecilia first. I’ll try to make sure she
understands.”
“Couldn’t you stay a while longer? Perhaps have dinner
with us? It’s almost six o’clock, so…”
“I have plans with my friends. I’m sorry,” Laura replied
politely and tried to push him away.
But John refused to let her go. “If this is the last time I get
to see you, please give me just five more minutes. I have
something to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“About why I didn’t show up twelve years ago.
Laura looked at John without a word. He begged her
silently just as he had done twelve years ago when he asked
her to run away with him. Laura decided that perhaps John
really did love her. But such discovery only brought more
confusion. If he loved her, why didn’t he show up that day just
as he promised? Why did he abandon her and fail to send her
even a simple message to explain himself?
 This might be my last time seeing him, so I want to know his
reason. Laura slowly sat back down on the chair. She put her
hand on her lap and replied, “Alright. Go ahead.”

***

John Ashton remembered that day twelve years ago very

clearly. He was packing his trunk and luggage with such hope
and excitement. His heart pounded wildly as he waited for the
coach to get to Laura.
But instead of the coach he ordered, the carriage from
House Grandchard arrived. It was sent by his sponsor
Countess Grandchard, and John couldn’t hide his shock when
several men she sent ran out to kidnap him.
That night, John was detained in a cottage far away from
the city. He was confined there until the next day. He
explained to Laura that it was like hell. He was so worried
about her, waiting all alone in Hyde Park. He couldn’t even
imagine how devastated she must’ve been.
John claimed that he wished he could die because he
couldn’t get to her.
The next day at noon, his parents visited him in the
cottage. Countess Grandchard had summoned them to
convince John from marrying a woman with no wealth or
power. John’s parents cried and begged him. They threatened
him that they would kill themselves if he married Laura.
 John tried to resist, but he couldn’t abandon his family.
His father worked all his life as a blacksmith and was
suffering from many illnesses. His mother was barely able to
take care of her nine children.
In the end, John chose to marry the wealthy woman
Countess Grandchard introduced to him.
“…Even after I got married, I couldn’t love my wife. I know
I did her wrong, but you were the only one for me, Laura.
Later on in our marriage, my wife found out about you. I
assume she heard the rumors about us in London. This caused
us to fight all the time. She tried so hard to erase you from my
memories. She got up early in the morning every day to get
dolled up, and she catered to my every need. But she also got
furious at me often. She would throw things at me, calling me
a liar and a womanizer.
John’s face filled with guilt as he continued, “She said that
I called out your name in my sleep. She claimed that I would
pause whenever I saw a woman with reddish-blond hair. I
didn’t realize I was doing these things, but my wife was
always watching me. She died so young because of me. She
hated me at first, but then her anger turned toward you.
Eventually, she ended up hating herself. She believed that I
couldn’t forget my first love because she wasn’t attractive
enough. You see, she had fallen in love with me. And when she
realized that she couldn’t have all of me, she couldn’t stand it.
Her heart broke, and her body began to fail her. When she
contracted the consumption, that was the last straw.”
 His eyes feared up. “There are several reasons why I
couldn’t explain myself to you during the last twelve years. I
knew I had no right to ask for your forgiveness. And I was
afraid that if my father-in-law found out, he would never
forgive me. But the biggest reason why I didn’t contact you
was because I felt so guilty. Sending you a letter would’ve
been an act of betrayal to my wife.”
A single drop of tear rolled down his eyes and Laura
listened in silence. She looked calm, but her head was filled
with confusion. Now that she knew John didn’t mean to play
with her heart, she began to pity him. He had to give up his
love for the sake of his family. He was forced to marry a
woman he didn’t love and live with her for twelve years. On
top of this, his daughter was so fragile that he lived in
constant worry.
But Laura’s sympathy didn’t progress to affection or
protective instinct. Although her head told her she should pity
him, her heart refused to do the same. It was because John
had acted too indecisively.
If he couldn’t betray his family, he should’ve been faithful
to his decision. John should’ve forgotten about the woman he
couldn’t have, and learned to love his wife. If he had done
this, John Ashton’s wife wouldn’t have died so young. In turn,
Cecilia wouldn’t have lost her mother so young.
Laura felt great empathy toward Mrs. Ashton even though
she never met her before. Mrs. Ashton must’ve felt desperate
while living with the shell of a husband who had given his
heart away to another woman.
It was even more unforgivable that John came to find his
first love so soon after his wife’s funeral. He should’ve still
been in mourning.
 Chapter 130

Laura murmured, “I’m sorry to hear about your unhappiness.

I think it would’ve been better if we had never met.”
“Please don’t say that.”
“But it’s the truth. We once shared something beautiful.
But as a result, we had to suffer for twelve years afterward. On
top of that, Mrs. Ashton had to endure such terrible pain. If
you had never met me, you would’ve been able to love your
wife.”
John looked at her in despair. Laura’s voice was
sympathetic, but there was no yearning. He asked, “Laura, do
you believe our love is over?”
“It happened twelve years ago. Do you still believe that our
love would have survived all that time? That wouldn’t be
normal.”
“Then I suppose I’ll look abnormal to you, Laura.” John’s
eyes filled with tears.
“There has never been a day when I didn’t think about you.
Even when I was with my wife, I wished that you could be by
my side. I know I’ve done my wife wrong, but this is my
honest truth. You have never left my heart, Laura.”
 “Haven’t you ever considered that what you’re feeling is a
sin?”
“As I said, I felt apologetic toward my wife. But a man can
never forget his first love, especially if it was with a woman
like you. Laura, do you have any idea how beautiful you were
when you were seventeen? You were so calm, innocent, and
affectionate. Letting you go was the biggest mistake of my
life.”
“But you chose your family over me. And don’t get me
wrong. I’m not saying you made the wrong decision. You just
need to realize that you can’t change the past. You’re trying
to go back in time and make a different decision even though
you’ve already reaped the benefits of your original choice.
You’re being selfish. And most importantly…”
Laura’s voice was so calm that it almost sounded icy as she
continued, “…I don’t feel anything for you anymore. Twelve
years ago when I had to face the morning alone in Hyde Park,
my love for you melted away under the sun.”
John became speechless. Laura could tell that he was very
hurt, but she had to tell him the truth. John Ashton hasn’t
changed much in twelve years, but other than a tiny bit of
sympathy, Laura felt nothing else for him.
John asked, “Do you truly mean that?”
Laura nodded, making him slump and cover his face with
his hands. He answered, “This can’t be. I was so certain that
you felt the same way as me… I believed that even though we
were far apart, our hearts were still together. That had to be
why you didn’t get married. I thought you were waiting for
me all this time…”
“It wasn’t that I didn’t get married. I couldn’t, because my
reputation was ruined from being involved with you.”
“Is that why you hate me? Did your resentment grow so
big that you can’t love me anymore?”
“The biggest reason why I don’t love you is time, John.”
Laura sighed. “It looks like staying here any longer will only
hurt you more. I pray that you’ll recover soon. That will be the
best thing for Cecilia as well. Your daughter needs a good
stepmother.”
Laura rose to leave. Just then, John suddenly looked up.
“You’re lying. You are in love with another man.”
Laura looked at him in surprise as John accused her, “You
love Ian Dalton, don’t you? That’s why you’re refusing me.”
Her cheeks turned red. “I don’t want you to get him
involved in this.”
“How could I not? This is clearly a love triangle.” His eyes
filled with pain, John glared at Laura. “The great Ian Dalton.
He’s the lord of over half of Yorkshire. His family has a long
prestigious history since the time of the Tudor line. I know
everything about him. When he offered me a job to represent
his family, I did my research. He’s certainly an impressive
man. It’s no wonder your heart was stolen by him. After all,
I’m just a blacksmith’s son who was able to make his way
only thanks to his in-laws’ help. I know how people talk
about me behind my back. Compared to me, he’s practically
the prince charming.”
“Please calm down. Cecilia is going to hear you.
“Laura, tell me the truth. Do you love him?”
Laura’s voice trembled. “This isn’t something I’m
obligated to confess to you.
John frowned, his beautiful violet eyes burning bright with
jealousy. He muttered, “The first day you visited me here, I
could tell. When I warned you about how dangerous he is, you
defended him. Now, it all makes sense. Your love for me
wilted away because of Ian Dalton. Are you hoping for a happy
ending with that man?”
“That’s not true.” Laura began to feel emotional as well.
The moment John mentioned Ian Dalton, she couldn’t remain
calm.
John continued, “In my memory, you used to be a sensible
woman. But I guess you’ve changed. Do you believe you could
be happy if you married him? Haven’t you ever considered the
difference in birth between the two of you? Both of you will
become unhappy, so what’s the point of this marriage?”
Laura’s lips turned blue. “I do not need advice from you,
Mr. Ashton.”
John smirked at her cold tone. “Laura, you need to wake up
from this fantasy. I have drawn up prenuptial agreements for
countless noble families. To them, marriage is just business.
Even if Ian Dalton has fallen for you now, I’m sure he’ll be
shocked if you accept his proposal. He would be troubled that
he might be forced to marry a woman who is more suited to
become a mistress.”
Anger and humiliation made Laura dizzy. How could he
say something so insulting to her? If Mr. Dalton was the kind
of man Mr. Ashton claimed him to be, he wouldn’t have
shared such a genuine friendship with her. Mr. Dalton was so
far out of her reach, yet he had been willing to become
acquainted with someone like her.
Ian’s love for her was beyond this society’s norm. He was
willing to lose everything for her, and Laura could feel the
purity and devotion in his love. He knelt before her and
begged for her affection. His tears have soaked her dress.
Yet here was John Ashton, insulting Mr. Dalton’s heart.
Laura felt an uncontrollable contempt for John.
She argued, “How could you say something so
disgusting?”
“I’m just being realistic, Laura. You must be smart about
this and find the man that suits you better.”
Laura screamed. “I know my situation in life better than
anyone. I’m poor, and I’m a spinster with parents who
eloped. But Mr. Dalton’s love for me is real. My biggest
disappointment in life is that I am unable to accept his
feelings. In comparison, losing you twelve years ago feels
more like losing a hat.”
John Ashton’s face turned pale from shock. Laura
continued to yell, “Please don’t ever look for me again. Even
if things don’t work out with Mr. Dalton, I will never accept
your feelings!”
She burst out of the room. In the living room, she saw Mrs.
Chelsea and Cecilia sitting on the sofa. The nurse was sewing
while Cecilia was still reading A Study in Scarlet.
“Miss Laura!” Cecilia rose quickly. Her pale face turned a
little pinker, and her eyes sparkled like the stars. “Please
come sit by me! I’ll tell you who the culprit is in this book.”
Her face tense, Laura walked to the little girl. “I’m sorry,
Cecilia. I won’t be coming over here anymore.”
“…Why not?”
“Because I’ll be leaving Bath.”
“You’re leaving Bath?” The child’s face crumpled as if she
was about to cry. “But why? You said you’ll be here until the
spring.
“My situation has changed. I need to go now. Please take
care.”
Cecilia grabbed Laura’s dress. “Miss Laura, then… Then
please stay just one more hour. I practiced my piano really
hard for you, so…”
“Yes, Miss Pendleton. Please stay a while longer. This is so
sudden…,” Mrs. Chelsea urged, but Laura shook her head.
Laura pulled her dress out of Cecilia’s grasp. “Goodbye,
Cecilia. I’ll always pray for your health.”
Laura ran toward the front door.
“Miss Laura! Miss Laura!”
 The little girl was crying behind her, but Laura barely
heard her. She ran out, and it was only after she left the hotel
that she realized she was without her coat. It was still in John
Ashton’s hotel living room, and her wallet was in the coat
pocket as well.
Instead of going back, Laura began walking toward Hotel
Lorelia. Earlier that morning, the autumn breeze felt so
pleasant against her skin. But now, it felt painful as if it was a
whip.
However, what hurt her even more was John Ashton’s
words. She couldn’t believe he insulted Mr. Dalton in such a
vicious
way.
I wish I had slapped him before I left. Laura boiled with rage.
If it was just her John insulted, she would’ve remained calm.
But she couldn’t allow anyone to insult Mr. Dalton.
Laura was walking in anger when she saw her reflection in
the shop window. It was a cold day, yet her face was bright red
from fury. She was also biting her lip. She looked completely
different from her usual self.
Until now, Laura’s reflection had always shown a calm and
expressionless face. She had never seen herself looking this
angry, and this realization caused her burning rage to cool
down abruptly. The wind caused her thin silk dress to dance
around her. She cringed and tried to look back at her inner
self.
 Feeling insulted wasn’t the only reason why she was
furious. What angered her the most was that her secret hope
was dashed completely.
Lately, Laura had been revisiting her conversation with
Miss Lotis. The writer believed that humans were born to
love. She also claimed that even foolish love was real and
meaningful. Meeting someone who loves you back was like a
miracle.
Contemplating the concept, Laura had considered the
possibility that she might be able to make Mr. Dalton happy
despite her station in life. She still believed that love alone
was never enough to achieve a happy marriage, but the two of
them at least wouldn’t ever suffer poverty. Based on her
experience, she learned that financial strain was the biggest
problem in most marriages. Since this wasn’t going to be a
concern for them, perhaps their marriage might work.
Most importantly, Laura loved Mr. Dalton with all of her
heart. He claimed that he would be satisfied if she would just
accept his love. Laura could imagine how ecstatic he would be
If she returned his love.
Laura had been ready to love Mr. Dalton more than anyone
else in this world. Her heart was brimming with love, so she
felt willing to dedicate her whole life to loving him. But just
now, John Ashton managed to throw cold water on her hope.
Laura felt like she was punched in the stomach. Any
dreams she had seemed impossible now. What John Ashton
said was exactly what her logical mind used to believe as well.
But now, her sensible side worked as a whip to break down
her courage.
What John said was absolutely true. It’s exactly what I used to
believe. It’s as if my past self is warning me through John ’s lips.
Laura shook her head.
But I’ve changed. I can no longer ignore howl feel. I can’t bury
my emotions deep down like I used to anymore. I love him. Ah…
There’s no way to stop loving him now!
 Chapter 131

A lady in a velvet coat and her hair in a sophisticated updo

style walked into a cafe. There was something very unique
about her. She wasn’t particularly pretty or elegant, but she
possessed an indescribable charm.
She was intellectual yet wild. She seemed sharp but
seductive at the same time. Her attractiveness was a rare
kind, which was why anyone who saw her once could never
forget her.
Taking off her lambskin gloves, she looked around. The
cafe was half full, and she couldn’t find the person she came
here to see.
Maybe he isn’t here yet, she thought as she sat down at an
empty table. When a waiter in a uniform approached her, she
ordered a cup of coffee. Lately, she had been enjoying coffee
more than her usual black tea. It was all because of her new
companion.
When her coffee arrived, she drank it black without any
sugar or cream. She watched the entrance while patiently
waiting for the one she was supposed to meet.
Soon, a gentleman walked up to her table. “Hello, Miss
Hyde.”
 Miss Hyde looked up to find the man who she saw sitting
in the corner since she first walked in. He was wearing a thin
autumn frock coat and sipping his black tea. Miss Hyde
blinked in confusion before standing up suddenly.
“Mr. Dalton! I didn’t recognize you at all! What has
happened since last summer that made you look this way?”
Miss Hyde asked in shock.
Mr. Dalton smiled bitterly. They shook hands and he sat
down at her table. The waiter quickly brought Mr. Dalton’s
black tea from the corner table.
Miss Hyde had received a message early this morning. She
was surprised to see that it was from Mr. Dalton. He requested
to have tea with her at three o’clock at a cafe named Morrison
that was located two blocks away from Hotel Lorelia.
On that note, Mr. Dalton asked this meeting to be kept a
secret from Laura. Miss Hyde informed Misses Lotis and
Pendleton that she was going out for a walk and left their
hotel suite.
Enjoying her coffee, Miss Hyde stared at Mr. Dalton. She
still couldn’t understand how terrible he looked. When she
first met him in London, she found him to be a handsome
man. His face looked like a gorgeous sculpture that was
created by a talented artist. Miss Hyde has never been
interested in men’s appearance, but even she could
understand why every lady in London was in love with him.
She may not have been interested in men, but this didn’t
mean she couldn’t appreciate extraordinary beauty.
 But Mr. Dalton looked very different now. He was
dangerously pale, and the dark shadows underneath his eyes
made him look like a corpse. She had to admit that he still
looked beautiful in a brooding sort of way, but she was
worried for his health.
“Mr. Dalton, you look very different from when we
skipped stones together on that lake. Did you suffer an illness
recently?”
Mr. Dalton shook his head. “There’s no need to worry
about my health, Miss Hyde. I rarely get sick even when I
don’t eat or sleep.”
“That sounds like you haven’t been eating or sleeping
lately.”
Mr. Dalton looked down at the table silently. His long
eyelashes created even darker shadows underneath his eyes.
Miss Hyde decided to get right to the point. “What is the
reason you requested to see me?”
“I assume you know that I was the man who followed you
and your friends two months ago at the mineral water hall.”
“Yes, and I also know that Miss Pendleton encountered her
old love all thanks to you. Why did you do that? Miss
Pendleton usually goes out with us only to attend certain
events, so there was almost no chance she would’ve bumped
into him otherwise.”
“Indeed. If I could go back in time, I would trip my foolish
self to stop him from making such a mistake.” Mr. Dalton
frowned. “Since that incident, I decided to cease following
Miss Pendleton around. This means that I have no idea if she
continued to meet with John Ashton after that day. Miss
Hyde, has Miss Pendleton been seeing him?”
Miss Hyde knew how Mr. Dalton felt about Miss Pendleton
since they met in London. After Lady Abigail passed away, he
searched every accommodation in London to find Miss
Pendleton. It was also Mr. Dalton who asked her to take Miss
Pendleton into her boarding house.
This was why Miss Hyde felt hesitant to tell Mr. Dalton the
truth. She didn’t want to make him suffer even more, but she
also believed that truth was more important than being
considerate.
She answered, “She visits Mr. Ashton once every week to
see how he’s recovering. She usually spends at least three
hours there.”
Mr. Dalton’s face crumbled in pain. As if he had a
headache, he grasped his head and slumped forward. Miss
Hyde now understood why he looked like a consumption
patient. He obviously hasn’t been able to take care of himself,
knowing that the love of his life was with her first love.
Mr. Dalton whispered, “Does it look like she has fallen
back in love with him?”
“Well, I’m not sure. Miss Pendleton is such a quiet woman
who rarely shows her feelings. But she mentioned a few
things about Mr. Ashton’s daughter. Apparently, his little girl
is quite intelligent and lovely. Miss Pendleton has been
troubled by how ill this young girl is.”
 Miss Hyde’s answer hurt Mr. Dalton even more. He
moaned and replied, “She’s such an angel. She already feels a
motherly instinct for this child.”
“Please don’t be discouraged. She has always been a
sympathetic woman who likes children.”
“That’s the problem.” Mr. Dalton gritted his teeth in
frustration. “You’re telling me she has been visiting the
patient and his young daughter once a week for two months.
This patient happens to be her first love, and he’s still in love
with her. This has to be the perfect scenario where she falls
back in love with him, don’t you think?”
Miss Hyde tilted her head. “Mr. Dalton, why are you so
nervous? Miss Pendleton knows how to distinguish pity from
love. I think the biggest problem here is that you don’t trust
her.”
He sighed. “I agree. When it comes to Miss Pendleton, I
just can’t relax. After all, she’s a strong, independent woman.
This is one of the reasons why I love her, but at the same
time, it’s also a source of great fear for me.”
Mr. Dalton raised his head to look at Miss Hyde. “I heard
she began working as a translator. Am I correct?”
“Yes. She already finished a book recently and received a
hundred pounds for it. She believes she found a perfect career
for herself in addition to being a great teacher.”
“So she’ll become rich soon.”
“Indeed. She’s a fast worker, and her translation is
accurate. She already has several job offers from many
different places.” Miss Hyde only spoke the truth without any
embellishment. Although this was exactly what Mr. Dalton
wanted, her every word was like a dagger in his heart.
Miss Hyde watched him suffer and clicked her tongue
silently. She has always liked Mr. Dalton. He was an excellent
skipper of rocks, and he was also Mr. Fairfax’s friend.
Her eyes filled with pity. “Mr. Dalton, please don’t be so
impatient. Your panic has caused such a terrible result so far.
Please let Miss Pendleton decide her own future, whether it be
Mr. Ashton, you, or being a spinster translator.”
“If I was capable of doing that, I wouldn’t have followed
her here and stalked her for the past two months. I have been
standing in front of a window all day just to get a glimpse of
her. Miss Hyde, I love her. And this love is driving me to
death. If I had known that love could be this painful, I
would’ve had one of my cousins inherit Whitefield a long time
ago and swear to become celibate.”
Not being a particularly compassionate person, Miss Hyde
wasn’t overly sympathetic to his cause. She felt a little
empathy for him, but her respect and concern for Miss
Pendleton was much greater. Miss Hyde considered Miss
Pendleton to be her mentor, so she was unwilling to let
anyone stand in Miss Pendleton’s way.
“Mr. Dalton, you’re dying of love. It’s very romantic. This
is the definition of a tragic love like that of Romeo and Juliet.
But we live in the real world, sir. You must remember that
Miss Pendleton is her own person. She’s the mistress of her
own destiny.” Miss Hyde continued coldly, “She must decide
her future by herself. Even if you die of love, she isn’t
responsible for it. If you truly love Miss Pendleton, you must
tell her that you’ll accept whatever decision she makes. Such
an act would look much better than begging for her love.”
Miss Hyde waved her hand for the waiter. When he arrived,
she paid for her coffee plus a generous tip. She said to Mr.
Dalton, “Ah, you should also know that Miss Pendleton won’t
be leaving the hotel for a while. She caught a cold.”
Mr. Dalton, who looked desperate, jolted. “How?”
“She returned home without a coat yesterday. Apparently,
she walked for an hour in her silk dress. She said she lost her
coat outside, which doesn’t make any sense. I thought it was
very strange. She isn’t normally that clumsy.”
“Is she seriously ill?”
“It’s a mild cold and nothing more. The doctor said she’ll
be fine if she rests for a week.”
Mr. Dalton reacted as if he heard Laura was diagnosed with
an incurable disease. He asked, “Does she have a nurse?”
“Yes, we have a nurse, and Miss Lotis and I are by her side
as well. We’re looking after Miss Pendleton because she’s our
dearest friend.”
Mr. Dalton sighed in relief. They left the cafe, and putting
his hand in his pocket, he murmured, “Miss Hyde, I have
been so worried about how Miss Pendleton is faring in Bath. I
didn’t know if she found a comfortable place to stay, and I
was concerned that she might have been forced to stay with
people who made her feel uncomfortable. But now that I
know she’s with you, I’m very relieved. I’m so glad Miss
Pendleton has someone like you in her life.”
Miss Hyde smiled faintly. “Compared to what Miss
Pendleton did for me, I’m far from repaying her for her
kindness.”
Mr. Dalton raised his hand. When Miss Hyde placed her on
top, he kissed it and replied, “Please continue taking good
care of her. Goodbye,”
Mr. Dalton walked away.
I know it’s proper etiquette, but I hate it whenever a man
kisses my hand. Miss Hyde shook her head and began walking
in the opposite direction. She couldn’t wait to get away from
him. Although she liked Mr. Dalton, he made her feel like she
went back in time to when she belonged to high society. He
reminded her of her old life she resented, and she couldn’t
help but feel like a trapped bird.
It was Miss Pendleton who had helped her out of her cage.
Thanks to Miss Pendleton, Miss Hyde was able to fly freely
now.
 Chapter 132

Miss Hyde couldn’t believe that she was now living in such a
beautiful city and making the kind of money she could never
even dream of before. On top of it all, she was also writing a
novel of her own.
It wasn’t very long ago when she lived in a cramped
townhouse being treated like a burden by her family. All she
could afford to do at the time was just write in her journal.
She used to live in an emotional prison, which meant that
creativity was an impossibility.
But when she got a job as a typist and began living alone,
she was able to have different ideas. Miss Hyde started
writing down her thoughts, and she realized that they might
make nice stories.
The day she met Miss Lotis was the day when she started
writing her first novel. Last night, three months after she
arrived in Bath, Miss Hyde was able to finish it. She knew that
if she showed it to Miss Lotis, she would be introduced to a
publishing company. If she showed it to Miss Pendleton, she
would be able to get some good advice too.
But Miss Hyde felt hesitant to show her novel to anyone.
As a matter of fact, she
 “Miss Lotis. Why are you here…?”
“The ground is wet from the rain. I came to get you.”
Miss Hyde smiled brightly and got inside the coach. “What
about Miss Pendleton?”
“She drank some warm wine and is sleeping like an angel.
Poor woman. Just how did she manage to lose her coat…?”
“I wonder.” Unlike when she was with Mr. Dalton, Miss
Hyde smiled brightly. Every time Miss Lotis granted her a
favor, Miss Hyde became so happy as if she was floating
among the clouds.
But for some reason, Miss Lotis looked upset. She took out
her cigarette box and put a cigar in her mouth. “You said you
wanted to get some coffee alone, but it looked like you were
meeting someone.”

It seemed that Miss Lotis saw Miss Hyde coming out of the
cafe with Mr. Dalton. Miss Hyde scratched the back of her
head. “This meeting needed to be kept a secret from Miss
Pendleton. That man was Mr. Dalton. The gentleman who’s in
love with Miss Pendleton.”
Miss Lotis lit a match and asked, “Why did he want to see
you?”
“To find out what’s going on with Miss Pendleton.”
“Aha.” Miss Lotis inhaled her cigar deeply. Faint smoke
escaped from her red lips as she murmured, “To ask about
Miss Pendleton? Hmm, I see.”
 Miss Lotis tilted her head from side to side, her eyes filling
with even more frustration.
Miss Hyde asked, “Is something wrong?”
Miss Lotis shook her head. “So how is he? I guess he’s still
as passionate about Miss Pendleton as ever?”
“Yes, I suppose so. He’s very anxious that Miss Pendleton
might marry Mr. Ashton.”
“You’d better be careful, Jane. He might propose to you in
the heat of the moment.”
Miss Hyde jumped in shock. “That’s mad…!”
“When a man gets rejected, he often proposes to a woman
closest to him in an attempt to recover his ego.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard.”
“Why?” asked Miss Lotis.
“Mr. Dalton is in love with a perfect woman like Miss
Pendleton, so how would he be able to love someone like me?
I’m lacking in so many ways.”
“So if he proposed to you, you might accept?”
Miss Hyde’s eyes widened. “Why would you ask something
like that?”
“Because you haven’t said that you don’t want him.”
“But that has nothing to do with anything. I mean, Mr.
Dalton is never going to propose to me, so why does this
matter at all?”
Miss Lotis frowned and continued to smoke her cigar. Miss
Hyde found this conversation absurd. Unfortunately, Miss
Lotis acted very bafflingly sometimes. For example, when
Miss Lotis found out that there was a gentleman who
proposed to Miss Hyde in London, she became visibly upset.
Miss Lotis asked Miss Hyde a million questions including
what kind of man Mr. Fairfax was, why she refused, and how
she felt about him now. For some reason, Miss Lotis became
annoyed and refused to speak to Miss Hyde for the rest of the
day.
I can’t understand her. Miss Hyde thought in confusion. She
greatly respected the writer, but she felt awkward around
Miss Lotis sometimes for her odd personality.
Miss Hyde sat close to Miss Lotis’s left side and began
gently massaging the writer’s left arm. Miss Lotis’s left arm
and shoulder were always a little tight from using the cane.
Miss Lotis tried to push her away at first. But when Miss Hyde
continued insistently, Miss Lotis seemed to relax. Miss Hyde
hugged her arm and rubbed her cheek on her shoulder
affectionately. Eventually, Miss Lotis smiled.
The writer pinched Miss Hyde’s cheek lightly as if she was
teasing a young child. Miss Hyde enjoyed the affectionate
gesture, but she couldn’t help feeling a little bitter.
Miss Lotis likes me, but she thinks of me as a pet. Miss Hyde
was disappointed, knowing that Miss Lotis treated her like a
cute puppy. This only made Miss Hyde more hesitant to show
the writer her manuscript.
Would she accept her puppy’s work seriously? No, she’ll
probably laugh at my story. Miss Hyde was terribly discouraged
by the thought. This means that there’s only one person left who
I can show my story to.
Enjoying the pleasant scent of Miss Lotis’s cigar, Miss
Hyde contemplated before making her decision. Alright. I’d
better show my novel to Miss Pendleton.

***

It has been two days since Laura fell ill from a cold, and she
already felt well enough to sit up.
On the day when she made the mistake of leaving her coat
in the Paniz Hotel, she became bedridden. Miss Lotis
hurriedly summoned a doctor while Miss Hyde procured
chicken ginger soup and herbal tea that was known to be good
for a cold. Miss Hyde practically force-fed Miss Pendleton
these home remedies all day.
Even though the nurse stayed with Laura in her room,
Misses Lotis and Hyde frequented her room. They read her
books, put more wood in the fireplace, and got her plenty of
snacks.
Mrs. Rover, Laura’s nurse, checked her patient’s
temperature and nodded. “You’re close to being fully
recovered. You have no more chills or headaches. You still
have a mild fever, but it will go down if you take a few more
days of rest.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Rover.” Laura thanked the nurse. Her
cheeks were bright red from the raging fire in the fireplace.
 “Well, I didn’t do much. Your friends did most of the work
after all. Your cold probably got scared by their vigil and ran
away.” Mrs. Rover laughed and put on her coat. The sun was
already setting, so it was time for her to return home. She
advised, “Make sure to take your medicine. And you mustn’t
go out in the cold or exert yourself too much. Oh, and get
plenty of sleep. A fragile lady like you can never be too careful
with a cold even if it’s a mild case. If you ignore it, it can
quickly develop into consumption or tuberculosis.”
Laura nodded. “I’ll be good, Mrs. Rover.”
After the nurse left, Laura leaned against the headboard
and ate a lemon macaroon Miss Hyde got from the bakery
across the mineral water hall.
During the last two days, she received devoted care from
three women. Laura has never experienced something like
this in her whole life. She has always been the one who helped
others. At school, she helped her friends with school work
while at home, she nursed her grandmother Lady Abigail. In
high society, she helped her friends find husbands or
volunteered for charity work.
Laura spent her life trying to prove her worth by helping
others. She wanted to hide the fact that she was born out of
wedlock by becoming a “nice” person. This was why
whenever someone helped her, she felt uncomfortable.
But Laura knew that receiving help wasn’t a bad thing. On
the contrary, she understood that she should be happy and
thankful for it. She decided that it was wrong of her to feel
burdened by being helped. With Misses Lotis and Hyde’s care,
Laura learned that it was okay to need help. She also felt a
much stronger affection toward her friends.
I’m such a lucky woman to have wonderful friends like them.
Laura thought happily as she ate a raspberry macaroon this
time.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“Miss Pendleton, are you asleep?”
Laura quickly wiped the crumbs off of her lips. “No, please
come in.”
Miss Hyde walked in wearing a refined white dress. Ever
since she arrived in Bath, Miss Hyde’s style has improved
greatly. Laura assumed that her friend learned to dress better
because Bath was such a stylish city. Miss Hyde was already a
tall and slim woman. So with well-fitting dresses, she looked
like a model from the catalog.
Miss Hyde looked shy and nervous as she approached
Laura. She was holding a stack of paper as if it was a treasure.
Laura stared at it in confusion.
“Can I read you a book before you go to sleep?” Miss Hyde
offered.
“I’m always happy to hear your recital, Miss Hyde. But
what is that in your hands…?”
Miss Hyde blushed and mumbled, “It’s… my manuscript. I
wanted to read it to you first before I give it to Miss Lotis.”
Laura was surprised. A wide smile appeared on her lips as
she replied, “So you’re finally going to let me read it? Did you
by chance finish it?”
“I did.”
Her heart pounding in excitement, Laura offered her
friend the stool next to the bed. Miss Hyde sat on it, her face
as anxious as a prisoner about to be executed.
“Why do you look so nervous, Miss Hyde?
You know I’m your biggest fan.”
Miss Hyde sighed. “But Miss Pendleton, you are an avid
reader. I’m sure my story will sound like something written
by a twelve-year-old.”
“That’s not true. And even if it is, who cares? You had fun
writing it, didn’t you? That’s all that matters. Writing makes
you happy, which means you’ll improve as you work on it.
Someday, I’m certain you’ll write a perfect novel. So please,
don’t worry and read it for me.”
Miss Hyde seemed a little relaxed by Laura’s encouraging
words, but the blush remained on her cheeks. She opened the
first page shyly, and she began reading out loud.
It was a medium-length novel, so it took almost two hours
to finish it. Miss Pendleton stayed in bed leaned against the
headboard as she listened in silence. As time passed, Miss
Hyde’s voice turned hoarse. But Laura didn’t even notice,
because the story she was hearing was out of this world.
 Chapter 133

The story went like this.

The main character of Miss Hyde’s novel was an average
twenty-five-year-old woman who worked as a typist in a
publishing company. She possessed an ordinary appearance,
but she was in fact a lovely woman who dreamt of traveling
and romance.
Then one day, a woman appeared in her life. She claimed
to be a widow whose husband went missing a long time ago.
He was presumed dead at this point. Even though she was
wearing her black mourning clothes, the widow was
shockingly beautiful. She wanted to write a romance story,
but she lost her right hand in an accident. So the main
character decided to work part-time for this widow on the
weekends.
The main character visited the widow’s mansion every
weekend to work as her personal typist. She typed as the
widow recited her story, and soon, the main character
realized that something was very strange. It turned out that
instead of a love story, the widow was telling her about a
murder. On top of that, the story was told from the
murderer’s point of view.
 The murderer the widow spoke of was an excellent shot.
He was also a lunatic obsessed with skinning humans. He
skinned countless people and displayed their hides on the
walls of his house.
The typist was shocked, of course, but she couldn’t stop
typing either. The widow’s story was so lively and interesting,
and the typist couldn’t help but fall in love with her. With her
black dress, hair, eyes, and glove over her prosthetic hand,
the widow mesmerized the typist. So on the last day when
they finished the novel, the typist confessed her love to the
widow.
To the typist’s surprise, the widow took her to a hidden
room that was filled with hides and taxidermy animals. The
widow confessed that ever since she was a child, she was
obsessed with hides. She spent much of her time hunting and
working on her taxidermy, and she even admitted that she
lost her hand during hunting.
The widow also confessed that what she actually wanted
the most was a human hide. It was a creepy admission, but
the typist still loved the widow. So the main character
promised to let the widow skin her if they lived for a whole
year together. The widow agreed, ecstatic that she would
finally get to skin a person.
They spent a wonderful year together. They went on boat
rides, cooked together, and made love to each other every
night. The typist had no regrets about making such an
outrageous promise because she had never been happier in
her life.
When the promised year ended, the main character
remained calm and patiently waited to be skinned by the love
of her life. But in the end, the widow was unable to go through
with it because she realized that she was in love with the
typist as well. So instead of parting ways, the couple decided
to go to Africa together.
The two women left England happily, leaving the widow’s
mansion empty. After a few years, heavy rain caused a
landslide behind the mansion. Among the mud and debris
appeared a skinned male corpse. It turned out that this was
the widow’s missing husband.
Miss Hyde finished reciting her novel, but Miss Pendleton
couldn’t say a word. The story was incredibly bizarre and the
relationship between the two main characters was very
unintentional.
Miss Hyde looked nervous as she waited for Laura’s
opinion. Laura first complimented her friend on some of the
excellent aspects of the story. Miss Hyde’s sentences were
written to perfection, and the way she described the scenes
was amazing. The novel also had a strong plot and
foreshadowing, proving that Miss Hyde was even better than
some of the professional writers.
Laura wasn’t exaggerating in her compliments because
Miss Hyde had a true talent. But there was one major
problem. Laura explained that the story was a little too
peculiar.
“Phew, I’m relieved.” Miss Hyde scratched the back of her
head with a sigh. “I thought I did a good job, but I was afraid I
might have been mistaken. However, I trust your judgment,
Miss Pendleton. If you say my work is decent, it must be.”
Miss Pendleton replied hesitantly, “But the story… Do you
think it could be published? And even if it does, won’t it harm
your reputation, Miss Hyde?”
“To be honest, I don’t really care if it gets published or not.
I wrote this because I felt such a strong urge to let this story
out of my chest. I was afraid my heart might burst if I didn’t
do this.” Miss Hyde hugged her manuscript tightly. “Even if
this novel is never heard by another soul, I’ll treasure it
always. This story is basically who I am. I bared my soul in it.”
“Miss Hyde, do… you have a hobby of skinning animals?”
Miss Hyde shook her head. “The themes of murder and
taxidermy were just used to create a gothic atmosphere. I
wanted components that could make the novel more
interesting. I have no interest in skinning anything, but…”
Miss Hyde turned red again as she continued, “Many parts
of this novel are things I love the most in this world. They…
are things I can’t have in real life.”
Laura thought about the novel for a moment before
realizing the truth. The widow—a disabled woman who loved
hunting, animal hides, and Africa—had black hair and wore
only black.
 “…Miss Lotis.” When Laura mumbled, Miss Hyde’s blush
turned even redder. Laura stared at her friend, quickly
realizing the reason why Miss Hyde wrote this story.
Miss Hyde was passionately in love with Miss Lotis. Laura
could tell that her friend wrote such an extreme story because
she felt so strongly about the writer.
Miss Lotis once said what a huge miracle it was to have the
one you love loves you back. It’s a miracle, Miss Lotis. You’re
about to experience a miracle of your own. Laura thought in joy
as she reached out to grab Miss Hyde’s hands.
“Where is Miss Lotis?” Laura asked.
“In her room.”
Laura urged, “You need to go right now and read this story
to her.”
Miss Hyde’s eyes widened. “I can’t!”
“Why not?”
“Because if I read this to her, then…”
“Then she might figure out how you feel about her?”
When Miss Hyde nodded, Laura explained, “Miss Hyde,
can I tell you something? Miss Lotis likes you too.”
“I know that. She likes me very much because I’m good at
my job and I give really good massages. And I’m also very
loyal.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Miss Lotis is in love with
you.”
A look of disbelief appeared on Miss Hyde’s face. “That
can’t be. Why would Miss Lotis love someone like me?”
 “Someone like you?”
Miss Hyde replied sadly, “Yes, an ugly woman like me.”
“But Miss Hyde, you aren’t ugly at all.”
“Yes, I am. I bought several dresses, hoping I could make
myself look better. But as you can see, it’s useless. I must be
the ugliest woman in all of Bath and London. Miss Pendleton,
I’ve never been pretty in my life. According to my mother, I
look like a long dry potato.”
Laura couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Miss Hyde
was certainly not a conventional beauty, but she was very
attractive in her own way. The problem was, Miss Hyde
refused to see this.
Miss Hyde continued, “My mom told me this since I was
very little. She said that only a blind man would propose to
marry me because I was so hideous. Then, she said that
perhaps even a blind wouldn’t take me because I didn’t have a
nice voice or know how to cook. So she said that the only way
for her to get rid of me was to place me in the potato field. She
said that perhaps a farmer might mistake me for a potato and
take me with all of his other crops.
Laura has always known Miss Hyde’s mother was a harsh
woman, but this was beyond what she expected. She now
understood why Miss Hyde disliked her mother so much.
Her voice turning hoarse, Miss Hyde added, “Miss Lotis
isn’t blind. And it’s not just men who prefer beautiful women.
Women prefer good-looking partners too. If she finds out
how I feel, she’s going to be disgusted. She’ll fire me, and I…”
 Laura’s heart ached as she watched Miss Hyde wipe away
her tears. She squeezed her friend’s hands and asked, “You
trust me, don’t you?”
When Miss Hyde nodded, Laura ordered, “Then go read
this story to Miss Lotis.”
“Miss Pendleton…”
“I guarantee you that Miss Lotis won’t fire
5»
you.
Miss Hyde tried to protest, but Laura shook her head
adamantly. “Miss Hyde, Miss Lotis desires you just like your
main character loves the widow. She craves you just like you
do her. One of the biggest reasons why Miss Lotis helped me
was because she loves you. I mean… What boss would ever
sew her employee’s ripped clothes?”
“It’s because she’s kind…”
“Miss Lotis is an amazing woman, but she isn’t that kind.
Remember how she attacked the gentleman who showed
interest in her on a street? She kicked his stomach with her
cane and made him faint.”
Miss Hyde giggled as she remembered the day. “Miss Lotis
was so impressive that day.”
“Well, it would’ve been even better if she called the police
to resolve the situation, but I suppose it doesn’t matter
now…” Laura grasped her friend’s shoulder and yelled, “Just
go to Miss Lotis and read her your story!”
 This was the first time Laura urged Miss Hyde this
strongly. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Miss Hyde nodded.
“Miss Pendleton, I know I shouldn’t be asking a patient to
do this, but could you wait for me in the living room in about
two hours?” There was fear in Miss Hyde’s voice.
“You think Miss Lotis is going to reject you, and you want
me to console you after, right? I would be happy too, but I’m
telling you that there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be
congratulating you instead of comforting you.”
Miss Hyde smiled awkwardly and left the room.
Two hours passed, which meant that Miss Hyde must’ve
finished her story. Laura put on a thick sweater over her
pajamas and walked out to the living room.
She waited on the sofa, expecting to see Miss Hyde appear
with a happy smile. But an hour passed, and two, but Miss
Hyde failed to come out of Miss Lotis’s room. Could it be that
the recital was taking longer? Or perhaps Miss Hyde gave up
in the middle of it?
Laura tiptoed to Miss Lotis’s room and leaned against the
door. She could hear the two women giggling and whispering.
Then, she also heard the bed creaking.
Laura jumped and stepped back. She wasn’t naive, which
meant that she could easily guess what must be happening
inside Miss Lotis’s room. Her cheeks and ears turned red as
she quietly returned to the living room sofa.
Laura took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. Not
too long ago, Miss Lotis swore that if she knew Miss Hyde felt
the same way as her, she wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
Miss Lotis, it looks like you really didn’t hesitate at all.
 Chapter 134

Laura was impressed by Miss Lotis, but at the same time, she
had some mixed feelings. She smiled weakly. Miss Lotis is like
a burning flame while Miss Hyde is a bird that just found its
freedom. They won’t hesitate when it comes to love because
they’re different from me.
Thinking of Mr. Dalton, Laura’s smile disappeared. While
she was bedridden with a cold, she couldn’t stop thinking
about him. She remembered him working in his office,
walking among the apple trees while smoking his cigar, and
sketching in front of a window.
Laura’s heart squeezed, no longer able to control her
feelings for him. She wished she could let him know even if it
was only by a letter. Her love for him was overwhelming, and
nothing could stop it.
But at the moment, Laura was sick and confined to bed.
She was surrounded by those who were taking care of her,
and she didn’t have the energy or privacy to write a heartfelt
love letter. Most importantly, Laura’s soul was like a slow-
flowing stream. For her to become ready to confess her
feelings, she needed a little bit of time.
 After being betrayed by her love at the age of seventeen,
Laura lived her life prudently. Mustering up the courage to
love again required her a lot more time and willpower than
most people.
f wish I could become a bird and fly to him right now. I wish I
could show him howl burn for him.
Although Laura was mature enough to understand and
accept her nature, she couldn’t help but envy Misses Hyde
and Lotis. They dealt with the matter of the heart so openly
and bravely.
Shaking her head, Laura rose to return to her room when
she heard a knock at the front door.
“Please come in,” said Laura.
A staff in uniform appeared and bowed respectfully.
“Someone is asking to see you at the lobby, Miss Pendleton.”
Laura glanced at the clock. It was almost ten o’clock at
night. She asked, “Who’s looking for me?”
“It’s Mr. John Ashton.”
Laura’s face turned cold. “Please tell him to leave.”
“He asked me to give you this message.”
“Please send him away.”
The staff bowed and left. Laura returned to her room and
knelt beside her bed. She closed her eyes, about to pray just as
she always did before going to sleep. Laura wished happiness
for all the people who were precious to her. She prayed for her
grandmother, teachers from the school, other friends who
were scattered all over England, Misses Hyde and Lotis, and
Mr. Dalton.
And… Cecilia too.
Laura had been feeling guilty that she left the little girl so
abruptly. At the time, she didn’t have the mind to worry about
anyone else but herself. But she knew she had no excuse for
hurting a child like that.
Unfortunately, Laura couldn’t visit Cecilia and apologize
to her because it would mean she had to face John Ashton
again. She felt apologetic toward Cecilia, but she wanted to
avoid seeing him at all costs.
Hoping to lessen her guilt, Laura spent extra time praying
for Cecilia. Afterward, she was about to get into her bed when
she heard a loud banging at the front door. She jumped and
walked out to the living room.
Someone was banging at the door outside. Laura looked at
the door and flinched when she saw that it wasn’t locked. She
shuddered in fear, realizing that the cleaner or the maid that
brought food to the suite must’ve forgotten to lock it.
Laura tiptoed to the door and hurriedly latched it.
Click.
At that very moment, the banging suddenly stopped.
“Laura?”
Laura stopped breathing when she heard John Ashton’s
voice.
“It’s you, isn’t it? Laura?” John asked outside the door.
 Laura took several steps back from the door, and John
begged, “Laura, open this door. I’m going to wait out here
until you do.”
She shivered, remembering how Miss Lotis injured her leg.
Her suitor became so angry by her refusal that he shot her.
Could John become violent as well…? Laura dashed toward
the bell to call for hotel security. But John’s emotional voice
continued, “I’m sorry. I know I’ve upset you by coming here
so late at night. But please… Please open this door… I’m not
trying to court you. I’ve come to my senses now. I know how
you feel now, so please… Please…!”
She was about to press the button when he yelled, “Cecilia
is dying right now!”
Laura froze, hearing John sobbing outside. He cried
uncontrollably, making the desperate sounds of an animal
losing its young.
Creak.
Miss Lotis walked out of her room, her hair disheveled
wildly. She was clearly annoyed by having her private time
with Miss Hyde interrupted.
“Dammit, who’s making all this commotion in front of our
room?!”
When Miss Lotis saw Laura standing in front of the bell,
she ordered, “Miss Pendleton, what are you waiting for? Push
the button.”
“…Miss Lotis, I’m so sorry. This man is my guest.”
“Who? Ian Dalton?”
 “Mr. Ashton.”
Miss Lotis asked, “Are you going to see him?”
44 ?>
“Unless you want to be maimed like me, you better call for
security,” Miss Lotis warned.
“He said his daughter is dying.”
“I don’t care if his daughter’s daughter is dying. You
shouldn’t believe what he says. The bastard who shot my leg
used our parents as an excuse to storm into my home.”
Laura insisted, “But he isn’t the kind of a man who would
use his daughter to get a woman.
Miss Lotis studied Laura for a moment before returning to
her room. When she came out again, she was holding her gun.
After hiding it behind her back, Miss Lotis nodded.
Laura walked to the door and opened it. In the hallway, she
found John Ashton whose face was soaked with tears and
snot. When he saw her, he knelt before her.
“Laura, it’s all my fault. Please come with me. My Cecil…
My only daughter… She’s suffering from a high fever. The
doctor said anyone who wants to say goodbye to her should
do it now. She has always been a sickly child, but never like
this! Laura! Please!”
“How did this happen?” Laura whispered.
John sobbed. “She tried to find your hotel… She took a map
and snuck out… She must’ve wandered around downtown
when it began raining… She got wet, and…”
 John slumped, banging his head on the floor. “If I hadn’t
said those cruel things to you… Then you would’ve taken time
to say goodbye to her! This is all my fault! It’s my fault…!”
He cringed and wept, his whole body trembling
uncontrollably. Laura slowly turned around. Miss Lotiss
must’ve thought John was harmless because she was playing
with her gun’s safety lock.
Laura announced, “Umm, I’m going out for a while.”
“That’s not a good idea,” Miss Lotis replied.
“I’ll bundle up. If this child dies like this, I won’t be able to
live with myself.”
“And if you die from a cold, Jane won’t be able to live with
herself either.”
Laura smiled sadly. “I’m sure she won’t feel as bad as a
father losing his daughter.”
Miss Lotis shrugged. “I can’t stop you from going. At least
take Jane’s velvet coat. And wear my black sable scarf too.”
Laura nodded.
Dressed in warm winter clothes, Laura followed John out
of the hotel. It was late autumn, and the nights were turning
quite cold. Inside the carriage was chilly as well. Every time
they breathed, white air left their lips. Laura tightened her
coat around her and cringed.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the Paniz Hotel.
The two of them went straight to John’s guest room. Inside,
Cecilia was unconscious as she lay in her father’s bed. She was
covered in sweat, and her tiny lips gasped for breath.
 “Baby.” John Ashton held his daughter’s hands. “Miss
Laura is here. Your friend came for you.”
When the little girl didn’t answer, John kissed her hand
and murmured, “Please open your eyes. You need to tell her
more about A Study in Scarlet. You need to play her Betoveen as
well. You’ve gotten so good at it. Baby… Please… Please open
your eyes.
A middle-aged man standing in the corner with Mrs.
Chelsea said quietly, “Mr.
Ashton, she won’t be able to hear you.”
John argued, “But she was able to talk earlier! She even
asked me to get Miss Laura for her!”
“Her fever went up while you were out. It has overtaken
your daughter completely. I’ll do everything I can, but you
must be ready. I don’t believe she’ll be with us much longer.”
John knelt on the floor. Rubbing Ceclila’s hands against his
face, he began wailing. Laura quietly walked out to the living
room, but even there, she could hear his weeping. She sat
down on the sofa and covered her ears.
Her heart was breaking for John. She still couldn’t forgive
him for insulting her. She still believed that it was his
foolishness that killed his wife. But his past mistakes didn’t
change the fact that John was a loving father.
God, this man has committed many sins. But please do not
punish him this way. His daughter is innocent in all this, so
please… God…
 It has been a long time since she prayed for John, but
Laura knew it was time. She closed her eyes and prayed that
God would forgive the man who hurt her so terribly.

***

John left his room later that night. It looked like he aged at
least ten years. Laura has been waiting in the living room, and
when she saw his face, she knew that Cecilia’s condition had
not improved.
Her shoulders slumped as she gazed at the fireplace. The
fire was dying because the servants weren’t allowed inside.
There was a fear that Ceclia’s condition might be contagious.
The living room was turning frigid, but John didn’t seem
to have noticed. He sat down far away from her on the same
sofa. Laura didn’t even know what words she could offer him.
He looked gaunt, even worse than when he was beaten by Mr.
Dalton. At least back then, he could still smile charmingly.
But now, John looked like he was on his deathbed. His
voice cracked as he called out, “Laura.”
Laura turned toward him to see that he was looking down
helplessly. He whispered, “I have something to confess.”
“…Go ahead.”
“…I lied to you. Ian Dalton didn’t punch me for no reason.
He did warn me to leave you alone, but he acted like a true
gentleman. If I hadn’t said those offensive things about you,
he wouldn’t have hit me.
“As you know, I’m a lawyer. I’m used to doing whatever it
takes to win a trial, and I did the same thing to get you back. I
ignored the truth, changed the facts, and incited sympathy to
get what I wanted. I pretended to be remorseful, and I used
insults. I claimed it was all for love, but it doesn’t matter.
What I did was disgusting.”
“…Why are you confessing all of a sudden?”
John Ashton frowned and laughed at the same time. “If I
repent my sins, maybe God will give me a miracle.”
Laura nodded. “Then continue. I’m praying for a miracle
too.”
John smiled bitterly and confessed all of his life sins to
Laura. He began with how he stole a piece of bread as a young
boy because he was starving. As a lawyer, he defended
countless criminals, causing the victims to experience
terrible losses.
But what John was most ashamed of was his petty jealousy
toward Ian Dalton.
 Chapter 135

John Ashton murmured, “Ian Dalton led an elegant life from

the moment he was born. He’s the sole heir to House Dalton
which goes back eight generations. He attended boarding
school and Cambridge like a true England elite. He’s now the
respected lord of his own land. Compared to him, I’m nothing
more than an insignificant bug. I come from a poor family,
and I have no wealth to inherit. Half of my success comes
from Countess Grandchard and my father-in-law. No matter
how talented I may be, I wouldn’t have come this far without
their help. It was them who introduced me to big cases after
all. I could’ve easily been one of those poor unsuccessful
lawyers.”
Laura replied, “I don’t understand why you aren’t
confident about yourself. They say you’re one of the best in
the entire England.”
“The fact that all I have is my skill makes me feel inferior.
You know very well how impossible it is to become a self-
made attorney in our current society. Even now, I’m destined
to be ordered around by the wealthy and powerful nobles for
the rest of my life.”
 John clasped his hands as if he was praying. “When I
realized that I’ll have to compete with him, I felt so insecure. I
hope you know how ashamed I am. I should’ve been honest
with you, Laura. I shouldn’t have hurt you again like that. I’m
so sorry. Please forget everything I said to you, even the
words of love.”
Laura turned toward him. Their eyes met, and she saw how
lonely he looked.
John continued, “I’ve been in love with you since the first
moment I saw you. I still do, and I always will. But I shall give
up my hopes of winning you back. Ian Dalton will make you
an excellent husband. You must marry him.”
“But you said the difference in our stations is too great.”
John smirked. “That was just nonsense. Anyone who gets
chosen by you has to be the luckiest man. And Ian Dalton is
one of very few who deserves your love. He loves you very
much, Laura. I’m sure he’ll give up his own life for you.”
Laura looked down. “This isn’t the time or place to be
talking about this.”
John looked at the fireplace for a while before rising. He
stood in front of her and asked, “Laura, do you remember the
first time we met?”
He knelt on one knee and held her hands gently. He
continued, “It was a ball at the peak of the season. You
became dizzy from the stuffy air, and I helped you to the
terrace. You and I sat on a bench just like this. I knelt before
you and massaged your hands.”
 When John squeezed her hands, Laura smiled. “I
remember, Mr. Ashton. At the time, I wondered why you were
doing that. I wasn’t cold or anything.”
“I’m glad you didn’t say that out loud, or else. I would’ve
left in embarrassment. We talked for over an hour that day on
the terrace. But then, you left because you had promised to
dance the waltz with another gentleman. I stayed on that
bench for a very long time afterward. Actually, I stayed there
until the end of the ball.”
Laura remembered that night very well. Even as she left to
dance with another man, she felt disappointed to leave John
behind. What she really wanted to do was stay and spend
more time with him.
John continued, “The next day, I was taking a walk in Hyde
Park while thinking about you. I was hoping to see you again,
and my prayer was answered. You were strolling in the same
park wearing a white dress and carrying a light green parasol.
When I saw you at that moment, I realized that I was in love
with you.”
“So that’s why you looked so happy.”
John asked hesitantly, “Do… you remember that day too?”
“Of course. It’s not just men who treasure their first love.
Women do too, but perhaps not as much.”
“…I wish we were having this conversation as a husband
and wife. While I was courting you, I had hoped that we would
end up having at least seven children who look just like you.”
 “Goodness, then I guess I should feel relieved that I didn’t
marry you.”
The two of them laughed.
“Thank you, Laura, for giving me such beautiful memories
in my youth. And I’m sorry that I hurt you. I caused you such
hardship, and there’s no excuse for it. I’ll always pray that
you find happiness. Even if it’s with another man.”
John kissed the back of her hands. Watching him, Laura
felt the scars of her past slowly fade away. Until now, thinking
about what happened twelve years ago had only caused her
pain. But at this moment, she was able to remember the
beauty of her first love. They were too young, and their first
love left a lot of heartaches. But at the same time, what they
felt for each other was real. Laura knew that from now on,
she’d be able to think of John Ashton fondly.
Her twelve-year-old disappointment, resentment, and
despair were now replaced by the joyous memories she
shared with him. Laura patted John Ashton’s red hair and
whispered sincerely, “I forgive you.”
He slowly looked up at her. Laura smiled sweetly as she
continued, “I forgive you for everything, Mr. Ashton. You
don’t have to feel guilty anymore.”
John gave her a sad smile, his violet eyes filling with tears.
“Thank you, Laura. Thank you.”
Laura nodded, her own tears rolling down her cheeks. Just
then, John’s bedroom door burst open. Mrs. Chelsea walked
out and shouted in excitement, “Her fever broke! Oh my god…
Thank the lord!”

***

Cecilia woke up the next morning. Laura spent the whole day
with the child wiping her sweat off, helping her eat, and
massaging her arms and legs. She also listened to Cecilia
chatter about A Study in Scarlet.
After having a wonderful day, Cecilia fell asleep with an
angelic smile on her face. Laura left the room and got ready to
return to her own hotel.
John Ashton followed her out of the room and called out,
“Laura, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll return in about a week. I’m sure Cecil
will be able to play Chopin for me by then.”
He offered her his hand. “Goodbye, my dear friend.”
Laura shook his hand. “Until we meet again, Mr. Ashton.”
Laura left his guest room. Walking down the hallway, she
prayed that there would be a coach available outside. She
didn’t let on in front of John and Cecilia, but she was
exhausted. She was a patient herself after all.
Laura had been feeling worse since noon. She could feel
her energy level declining, and she lost all of her appetite. By
dinner, she couldn’t even think. All she could do was smile
like a robot whenever someone said something to her. No one
else noticed, but her fever was returning with a vengeance.
 Laura walked down the stairs. Whenever she bent her
knees to take a step, her legs shook from weakness. She was
only able to reach the lobby with the help of the railing.
When she walked to the entrance and asked the doorman
to hail a coach for her, he apologized, “Ah, I’m so sorry. Miss.
The show at the opera house nearby is about to finish, so
most of the coaches are waiting there. And with the weather
like this, it will be even more difficult for you to get one from
here.”
Laura looked out the window. It was getting dark and
snowing heavily outside.
“I guess we’re having our first snow of the year today of all
days.” The doorman smiled apologetically.
Laura went out and stood under the entrance roof.
Normally, it shouldn’t have taken long to spot a coach
passing by. But tonight, she waited over twenty minutes
without seeing a single one.
The cold wind made her shiver. She was dressed warmly,
but her fever had returned. Laura was beginning to feel dizzy,
which made it difficult for her to think clearly.
Ah, what should I do? Laura tried hard to make the right
decision. If she continued to stand out here like this, she knew
she might faint. And there was no way she could walk to her
hotel when it was snowing so heavily.
Ah, I think there’s an umbrella store nearby! It’s only a block
away from here. I’ll buy an umbrella from there and walk to the
coach station where all the coaches gather.
 She was so feverish that she didn’t realize what a terrible
idea this was. She also forgot that she could borrow an
umbrella from the hotel front or John Ashton.
Laura wasn’t wearing a hat, which meant that the snow
melted on top of her. Her hair and face quickly became wet
despite her effort to cover them with the black sable scarf.
Men, women, and couples passed by, but none of them
noticed how Laura staggered as she walked. They were too
busy themselves trying to escape the bad weather.
Soon, Laura saw the umbrella store. Many customers were
lined up to make a purchase because this was unexpected
snow. It wasn’t even November yet, so no one was prepared
for such weather.
Laura walked toward the shop when she saw herself in the
window. She was covered in snow, and her face was bright
red.
I didn’t look this bad even when Ihrstgot my cold. Laura
thought in worry. She reached for the door when it burst open
from inside with a loud jingle. A man wearing a thin frock
coat walked out.
Laura stared at the man’s neck which was at her eye level.
Soon, she slowly looked up to see his beautiful chin, lips,
straight nose, and black eyes.
“Laura?”
 In front of her stood Mr. Dalton.

***

The two of them gazed at each other as if time had stopped.

Meanwhile, several customers went in and out of the store
around them, looking annoyed that the entrance was blocked.
But Laura and Ian didn’t even notice their glares. All they
could do was stare at each other.
It was Mr. Dalton who first broke the silence. He gently
held Laura’s arm and guided her to the side.
“Laura.” His face looked rough as if he suffered from
consumption. He was much thinner, but he still looked just as
caring and kind as before.
He frowned, “Are you so upset by seeing me that you can’t
even speak?”

“I’m sure you’re very angry at me. You warned me not to

follow you, but here I am. I also scared you by following you
before. I even got into a fight with your first love.”
Laura couldn’t understand him. She tried her best to focus
on his lips and voice to figure out what he was saying.
Ian continued, “But I swear to God that I didn’t fight out of
pettiness. And I haven’t been following you since I met John
Ashton. It’s just that… You still haven’t recovered from your
cold, yet you got into the carriage with him, and… I got so
worried that I went to the Paniz Hotel…”
 He suddenly stopped, grabbing his forehead in frustration.
“Dammit, I guess you now know that I’ve been spying on you.
What a fool I am…”
It began to snow even harder. Laura’s coat was soaking
wet by now, and her fever spiked even further. She felt ill, but
she didn’t care.
Because when Mr. Dalton raised his face, she saw that he
was about to cry.
 Chapter 136

Ian whispered, “Are you disappointed in me? Do you hate me

now? Are you going to cross the ocean to get away from me
just like you said in the letter?”

“Please don’t. Please… If you leave, then I…” He bit his lip. “I
won’t threaten to kill myself again. I know it won’t work on
you anyway, and I know it’s the wrong thing to do. You’re the
mistress of your own life, Laura. You get to decide who you
marry. I’ve learned that I cannot force you to choose me. But…
But even though I know this, my heart…”
His eyes became wet, but Laura couldn’t tell if it was from
his tears or the snow. Ian grabbed his left chest and
continued, “My heart keeps telling me that it will stop
beating if you leave. I know in my head that I should let you
go, but I also know that I’ll live in sadness for the rest of my
life if you leave. Laura, can’t you choose me? Can’t you trust
that my love for you is stronger than anything this world can
throw at you? Don’t you know that you’re the only one who
can make me happy?”
Tears resembling crystals rolled down his cheeks. “Our
love is real, Laura. It’s the truth, and no one can take it away
from us. Please believe in us.”
Laura remained quiet. It seemed that Ian took her silence
as a rejection because he took out a handkerchief to wipe his
face. “Alright. I’ll return to Whitefield today. Now that we’ve
encountered each other in person, I know you would want me
gone. And I respect you too much to upset you.”
He handed her the black umbrella he purchased a moment
ago. He murmured, “You look so cold. Take this umbrella. The
coach station is just around the corner.”
He smiled sadly and turned to leave. Just then, Laura
dropped the umbrella to reach out to him. She grabbed his
coat, making him turn around.
She walked two steps closer to him. Snow fell on her head
as she whispered, “Ian.”
His eyes widened, realizing that this was the first time she
called him by his given name. Her voice cracked from the
fever as she continued, “I’ve tried so hard all my life not to
become a fool. But now… I don’t know why it’s such a bad
thing to be a fool.”
“…What?”
Laura held him in her eyes. “Ian, I need to tell you that I
also…”
Suddenly, her eyes wavered. Like the Leaning Tower of
Pisa, she began falling. Ian caught her quickly like when she
lost consciousness in front of her father’s grave. Just like
then, she felt instantly safe in his embrace.
 “Laura! Laura!” Ian shook her, but she was already
unconscious. “Ah, you have a cold…!”
He took his glove off and touched her face. He assumed
that her skin was red from the cold, but her face was as hot as
a piece of coal from the fireplace.
“Dammit! Dammit!” He lifted Laura and began running
toward the coach station.
He didn’t notice, but in his arms, Laura had never looked
more content in her life.

***

Laura’s strawberry blonde hair sparkled on the pillow like the

sunset. Her skin looked as red as a rose, and her lips, which
normally had the color of a pink cherry blossom, also looked
just as red. Her eyes were closed, and the long lashes created a
mysterious shadow underneath her eyes.
Lying on the bed, she looked celestial. But unfortunately,
her beauty was laced with a hint of death. Upon closer look,
her face was glowing with a sheen of sweat, and her pretty red
lips were gasping and moaning.
The doctor leaned to check her temperature before
shaking his head. “She has a severe fever now. When I visited
her a few days ago, she only had a mild cold. She should’ve
recovered in a week, so what happened? How did it get so
bad?”
 Standing beside the bed with a grim look, Miss Hyde
answered, “She visited her friend’s daughter who was
suffering from a high fever.”
The doctor clicked his tongue. “That the child must’ve had
something contagious. How could Miss Pendleton visit a
patient with a fever when she was suffering from a cold
herself? That was very reckless of her.”
“But she’ll recover in time, won’t she?” asked Miss Lotis
standing next to Miss Hyde.
“I can’t guarantee anything. I’m sure we’ll know after
tonight. This is going to be a long night for you all,” the
doctor replied.
Misses Hyde and Lotis turned pale, realizing that the
doctor was warning them about the worst possible scenario.
The doctor made several orders to Mrs. Rover. The nurse
didn’t seem anxious at all despite being given the
responsibility of caring for a dying patient. She has worked as
a nurse and a midwife for over thirty years, which made her
an expert. She was ready to do her best for Miss Pendleton.
The doctor turned to Misses Hyde and Lotis. “Based on her
symptoms, I’m certain she has something contagious.
Everyone must leave this room except for the nurse.”
They gave Laura a worried look before leaving the room.
The doctor turned to the corner and ordered Mr. Dalton, “You
must leave as well, Sir.”
Since he carried Laura to her hotel suite, he has been
waiting on the sofa in the corner of her bedroom. He had his
hands clasped together as if he was praying.
Ian refused coldly, “I’m not leaving.”
His face was as pale as a corpse, and his eyes were
bloodshot. He hasn’t taken his eyes off Laura since he
brought her here.
The doctor protested, “If you get sick with the same
illness, you’ll be in danger as well. Even the strongest man
can die from it. So please leave.”
“I’m not afraid to die.”
“Are you saying you want to die too, Sir?”
Ian answered, “I can’t leave her when she’s fighting for
her life. If she’s at death’s door, I must be as well.”
Geez, ʃguess he thinks he’s Romeo or something. The doctor
sighed in annoyance. Turning toward Mrs. Rover, he ordered,
“Please make sure this gentleman doesn’t get too close to the
patient.”
“Don’t worry, Doctor.”
The doctor grabbed his medical bag and left.
Mrs. Rover loosened Laura’s shirt and fed her some warm
wine for her fever. Then, she began wiping Laura’s burning
body with a towel soaked in cold water.
As time passed, Laura began to pant even harder. It
seemed that she was having a nightmare because she often
shook her head and hit her chest while gasping for breath.
Then suddenly, Mrs. Rover began singing a folk song
“Greensleeves.” She sang it over and over again as if she was
a music box. At the same time, she continued to feed wine and
water to Laura while wiping her face and neck.
After some time, the nurse ran out of wine and water. The
cold water she used to wipe Laura turned lukewarm as well.
She turned toward Ian and requested, “Could you sing to this
patient while I go get more supplies?”
Ian jolted. “Can I?”
“It doesn’t matter who sings it. What’s important is that
someone sings to her. Folk songs are the best to bring the
patient back from death’s door. Those who are religious
believe hymns are the best, but hymns are the songs used to
take souls to heaven. So until I return, please sing her
‘Greensleeves.’ But don’t get too close to her.”
When Mrs. Rover left, Ian walked to the bed. He stopped a
few inches from it, but it wasn’t because he was afraid of
catching the illness. He was scared that he might not be able
to stop himself from embracing her if he got too close.
Laura was deathly ill. Her fever was burning her alive.
“Ahh…” Ian grabbed his heart in pain. Tears rolled down
from his reddened eyes, wishing that he could take her pain
away. He was willing to give up everything, his wealth, youth,
and even life if he could make her better.
Laura, ʃ won’t ask you to marry me again, so please… Please
live.
Ian opened her lips. “Greensleeves” was the very song his
own nanny sang for him as a lullaby in his childhood. He still
heard it sometimes because the farmers’ wives sang it while
working.
Unlike Mrs. Rover, Ian’s voice failed him as he sang. He
was crying, and he was barely able to say the lyrics. Tears
rolled down his cheeks nonstop. They fell to the floor as if it
was raining in the room. When he finished, he took out his
handkerchief to wipe his face. He was about to begin singing
again when he flinched at what he saw.
Laura opened her eyes.
 Chapter 137

“Laura?” Ian gasped in excitement as he ran to her. He

grabbed her shoulders and leaned so their faces were close.
“Are you awake? Do you recognize me? Laura?”
Laura’s eyes were unfocused, and her fever and panting
remained the same. Ian’s eyes filled with tears again as he
begged, “Please, Laura… Please tell me that you can see me.
Say something. Please…”
He sobbed, unable to stop himself from moaning in
despair. Laura blinked slowly, and her mouth gaped. Through
her open lips, her hoarse voice whispered, “…Daddy?”
Ian couldn’t believe his ears. “What?”
“…Dad…,” Laura repeated, still gasping for breath.
Ian lowered his head, realizing that the fever must’ve
caused her to become confused. She mistook him for her
father, which was a bad sign. Ian’s hair color and facial
features looked nothing like those of Louis Sheldon.
Ian let her shoulders go so he could wipe away his tears.
But just then, Laura grabbed his arm. It was hard to believe
where she got such strength when she was deathly ill. Ian
stared in shock, seeing that her eyes were becoming more
focused.
 “Don’t go, Dad.” Her voice became clearer as she begged,
“Please stay by my side. Don’t leave me again.”
Ian couldn’t help but obey her. He knew she was only
hallucinating, but he was powerless to resist her request. He
forced a fatherly smile on his face and began acting like Louis
Sheldon.
“I won’t leave you, Laura.”
“Really?”
“Really. Daddy isn’t going anywhere.”
Laura’s grasp around his arm weakened as an innocent
smile blossomed on her face. Ian was shocked by such a
childish expression. From time to time, he tried to imagine
what Laura might have been like as a child. But he always
failed, never being able to picture her as anything but a regal
lady. It was understandable since he had only seen her
intelligent eyes, sophisticated voice, calm atmosphere, and
elegant posture. Laura Pendleton was more royal than the
royalties themselves.
Everyone was a child once, but it has been impossible for
him to imagine Laura as a giggling school girl having a
tantrum over cookies. Yet at this very moment, she was acting
like a young child, her face as innocent as a baby angel.
In a saddened voice, Laura grumbled, “Why didn’t you
come find me sooner? Why did you leave me with Uncle
Gerald?”
“I’m sorry. I was very far away. I was teaching a young boy
how to draw in a place called Whitefield.”
 “But you could’ve sent me a letter.” Laura pouted.
“I did send you letters. Over a hundred of them. Maybe the
mailman made a mistake.”
Laur blinked in surprise. “Then you didn’t leave me for
good?”
Ian’s acting was flawless as he comforted Laura. “How
could I ever leave you, Laura? You’re my most precious jewel.
I was going to get you when I made enough money. I was
going to bring you to Whitefield so we could live together. I
wanted to be with you and protect you until I died.”
Laura’s eyes widened. Her lips trembled for a moment
before she burst into tears. She hugged Ian tightly. “I knew it!
I knew you didn’t leave me on purpose! I knew you loved me,
Dad! I knew it…!”
Ian patted her back, which was wet from her sweat.
“That’s right. Dad loves you, Laura. You’re the most
important thing in my life. My little girl… I would never trade
you for anything in this whole world…”
When Ian whispered lovingly, Laura sobbed, “I waited for
you… Whenever Uncle hit me… Whenever he called me a liar
and a bum… Dad, what took you so long?! Why didn’t you
come sooner…?!”
Ian felt a lump in his throat. He knew that Laura was
mistreated by her uncle, but he had no idea she had been
abused since childhood. He exclaimed, “I’m sorry, Laura. I’m
going to punish Uncle Gerald for you. I’ll make him pay for
what he did.”
 “Really? You’re going to punish him?! For me?”
“Of course!”
Laura sniffled and asked, “Then you’re going to yell at him
and call him a rat? Accuse him of stealing food?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to scream at him that you hate him and
make him leave?”
“I will.”
“And you’re going to throw the ashtray at his head so he
bleeds? Make him stay in a dark room for a long time with just
water and no food?”
Ian became speechless. He was aghast that Gerald
Pendleton would do something like this to a girl not even ten
years old. As if he had a fever himself, Ian began to burn. He
already ruined Gerald Pendleton’s life, but he wished he could
go back in time and do it all over again. He regretted not being
cruder to that terrible man.
There was much more Laura wanted to tell him. She told
him about all the things she kept hidden deep inside. She
whispered the terrible things her uncle said to her, how she
was beaten by the servants per his order, and how often he
insulted her parents whenever he fought with Lady Abigail.
The things Gerald Pendleton did and said to his young
niece were extremely cruel. Ian became shocked and furious
at first, but sadness soon took over. He shuddered to learn
that years of such horrific things happened to the love of his
life.
 Ian did his best to comfort her. He promised her repeatedly
that he would avenge her by inflicting the same pain on her
uncle. He swore to do even worse things to Gerald Pendleton.
Ian vowed, “I’ll make your uncle lose all of his money. I’ll
take away his house and land, and force him to live away from
his family.”
Laura, who had been hanging onto Ian’s arm, pulled back a
little. Her face was puffy from crying and red from the fever,
but he still found her to be the loveliest woman he had ever
seen.
“Really?” asked Laura.
“Of course. I can do all of these things for you.
Laura cast her eyes down to think for a moment before
mumbling, “…Don’t take away his house. And you need to
leave his family alone.”
“Are you saying we should forgive him?
You want to forgive your uncle?”
Laura shook her head. “No, but if he loses his house, where
will Grandmother live? Grandmother fights with Uncle Gerald
all the time, but she still loves him.”
Ian’s face crumpled into sadness. He kissed her head and
murmured, “Laura, you’re too kind. Your grandmother didn’t
even protect you that well, yet you still forgave her.”
Laura leaned on Ian’s wide chest. Now that she let her
darkest secrets off her chest, she looked very peaceful. “Dad,
you’ll protect me from now on, won’t you?”
“Yes, I will.”
 “You’ll make sure I won’t get sad again?
And that I won’t get criticized by anyone?”
“Of course.”
“Then pinky swear.” Laura raised her pinky finger. When
Ian locked his own pinky with hers, Laura squeezed it tightly.
He smiled because he found her adorable. But suddenly,
his smile disappeared. I just promised her not to make her sad
and become condemned by other people. But… Are there promises
something I can keep if we get married?
Being the head of House Dalton, Ian knew that the whole
world would be against their marriage. He hesitated for a
moment before asking, “Laura… Are you afraid of how other
people might think of you?”
Laura nodded. “Uncle said that Mom and Dad’s union was
immoral. He said they were like animals, which makes me an
animal too. I was hated by everyone the moment I was born.
Everyone in the world pointed their fingers at me because of
this. I don’t want to be hurt again. Dad, you need to hide me
from everyone.”
“…And if I do, will that make you happy? Would you like it
if no one could criticize you?”
“Yes.”
Ian’s lips trembled. His throat closed up, and he became
breathless. When his tears dropped on Laura’s head, she
looked up to see that he was weeping.
“Dad, why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?”
 Ian shook his head. “No, it’s just that… It has been so long
since I saw you, Laura… I’m so happy… That’s all…”
Laura wiped away his tears. “Please don’t cry, Dad.
Please…”
Ian forced a smile on his face. “Okay, I won’t cry. I won’t
cry since you asked me not to, Laura.”
He rubbed his face with his shirt and continued, “Laura,
it’s late at night. Do you know what a good girl is supposed to
do at night?”
“Play with puzzles and hide-and-seek with my dad!”
Ian pinched her cheek gently and whispered, “You
naughty girl.”
When Laura giggled and lay in her bed, he offered, “I’ll
sing you a lullaby. What about ‘Greensleeves?”’
“I like that song. The other lullabies are too scary.”
“Alright, close your eyes.”
Laura obeyed, and Ian patted her head affectionately.
Before he could even finish the first verse, Laura was fast
asleep. He touched her forehead to check her temperature.
She was still burning up, but she felt a little cooler than
before.
Ian gazed at her face quietly. Laura was sleeping so
peacefully as if she was guarded by the angels. Ian closed his
eyes, terrified by what he must do.
He thought he knew enough about her. He had known
about her parents, her first love, and her relationship with
her uncle. But it turned out that he didn’t even know half of
Laura’s pain.
He now understood why Laura was adamantly against
marrying him. She loved him, yet she felt like she had no
choice but to run away. Ian was ashamed of himself for not
knowing the real reasons behind her behavior. He had been so
blinded by love that all he could think about was convincing
her to marry him.
I’ve been so selfish. I was arrogant and egotistical. For the
first time in life, Ian reflected on his flaws. Countless people,
including his own family, have criticized him in the past. But
this was the only time he admitted that he had a problem.
Ian caressed Laura’s hair gently. He whispered, “I won’t
hurt you. I won’t let the world criticize you…”
He smiled sadly and continued, “I’ll give up trying to make
you Mrs. Dalton.”
His lips trembled in despair. His heart broke into a million
pieces, but he closed his eyes in determination. “Please be
happy, Laura. You’ll always be the only one I love, my
Greensleeves lady.”
 Chapter 138

Snow began late on Christmas Eve, and it continued to bring a

beautiful white Christmas. Sitting on her bed, Laura looked
out the window. Her room has been kept scorching hot since
she fell ill, making her cheeks remain pink all the time. But
today, they were even redder from anticipation.
Miss Hyde, who was sitting next to the bed and looking out
the window as well, asked quietly, “Isn’t it lovely, Miss
Pendleton?”
Laura nodded. “It is. I don’t think there’s anything better
than a White Christmas.”
A guilty look appeared on Laura’s face as she turned
toward Miss Hyde. She murmured, “If I wasn’t ill, you
could’ve gone out to a restaurant or attended a nice party. You
could’ve also gone shopping and had fun. I’m so sorry, Miss
Hyde.”
Miss Hyde shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize
for. Christmas would be meaningless without you, Miss
Pendleton. Besides, it must be so hectic outside right now. I
would just end up tiring myself. Christmas is all about
spending time with your friends and family, isn’t it? This is
exactly where I want to be.”
 Laura felt comforted by Miss Hyde’s warmth and kindness.
Without Miss Hyde, it would’ve been torturous to stay in bed
alone.
Laura gave Miss Hyde an affectionate smile. It has been
two months since she woke up from the high fever. She was
unconscious for three days, and when she woke up, she was
harshly reprimanded by her doctor.
“What a reckless lady you are! How could you disobey Mrs.
Rover’s order and leave your hotel? And you visited a feverish
patient on top of that? Do you have a death wish?! ”
Laura admitted that she made a mistake. The doctor
looked very stern as he scolded, “From my point of view as a
doctor, a patient who cares more about being kind than her
health is a criminal. God gave you this body, and it is your
duty to keep it safe! So I must give you a fitting punishment,
Miss Pendleton. You are banned from leaving this place until
March next year. You must stay here even on Sundays instead
of going to church. You shall eat your cake here on Christmas
rather than going outside. Do you understand?”
A doctor’s order was the law to a patient. Laura nodded,
willing to accept her punishment without question. The
doctor left only after Laura swore on God’s and her parents’
names to follow his recommendations.
Laura became a perfect patient, never leaving the hotel
once. She rarely left her room either because she still often
felt dizzy and nauseous. It was difficult for her to eat let alone
walk around the hotel.
 Miss Hyde rarely left Laura’s side. She made a great
companion, and she was also a great help to Mrs. Rover in
caring for Laura.
Laura asked, “When do you think Miss Lotis will return?”
“Probably before dinner. She’s going to bring us a
Christmas cake. Let’s eat it and have lots of fun tonight, Miss
Pendleton.”
Laura nodded, thinking how lucky she was to be spending
Christmas with the people she loved. She was in a warm room
with plenty of delicious food and gifts. She could hear the
carols being sung outside as well. She felt blessed, believing
that this had to be the happiest Christmas of her life.
I wonder how everyone’s doing at Dunville Park.
Laura could imagine the Fairfax family sitting in front of
the warm fire in their living room. There would be a giant
Christmas tree with golden decorations and a star on top. She
could see the children eyeing the giant gift boxes sitting
under the tree.
George and Daniel were probably screaming in excitement
as they ripped the wrapping papers like wolves. Olivia was
probably looking at them with contempt while unwrapping
her own gifts expectantly. Little Ian was most likely sitting on
his mother’s lap and sucking on his thumb while staring at
his brothers and sister curiously.
Laura imagined Mrs. Fairfax to be watching her children
with a proud smile. Perhaps Mr. Dalton was sitting nearby
and watching quietly as well. Mrs. Fairfax might say
something like the following.
“Ian, it looks like the children like your gifts the most. I
knew it. As their uncle, you know them the best.”
Laura could picture Mr. Dalton grumbling, “That’s not
true. You and Rober just don’t pay enough attention to your
children. All I did was buy the things the staff at the
department store recommended.”
Just thinking about the Fairfax family made Laura smile.
She was certain Mr. Dalton would react gruffly because he was
always busy trying to hide how much he loved his niece and
nephews.
Laura told herself. I’m sure he isn’t lonely. He must be having
a wonderful Christmas surrounded by his family.
Just then, Mrs. Rover returned to the room. She went to the
kitchen to get more water, but she was also carrying a small
bundle of letters in her hands. She announced, “The hotel
staff brought in the mail. It looks like they’re all for you, Miss
Pendleton.”
Miss Hyde took the letters. “Geez, you’re so popular, Miss
Pendleton.”
Mrs. Rover placed the water jug down on the table and
added a few more logs to the fireplace. Laura said to her
quietly, “You should get home now, Mrs. Rover.”
“But it’s not five o’clock yet.”
“It’s Christmas, isn’t it? If you go now, you’ll be able to
drop by the toy store and get your children a few more things.
You need to get home and have dinner with your family, Mrs.
Rover.”
The nurse seemed surprised, but she quickly put on her
coat. “Thank you, Miss Pendleton. If I go now, I’ll be able to
cook my children proper dinner instead of having them eat
the leftover soup from this morning.”
“Mary Christmas, Mrs. Rover,” said Laura.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Miss Pendleton.”
When Mrs. Rover left, Miss Hyde announced cheerfully,
“Shall I read you your letters until the cake arrives?”
Laura nodded. Miss Hyde took out a letter opener from a
desk drawer and opened the first envelope on top of the pile.
The first letter was from Mrs. Morton who began by talking
about her current situation. She was staying in Lincolnshire
and close to giving birth to her first child. She explained that
she couldn’t wait to meet her baby. She was being well taken
care of by her husband, and contemplating what she should
name the baby.
Laura, if we have a daughter, we’re going to name her after
you. Her name shall be Laura Morton. Isn’t that a lovely name?
I’ll raise her to become an excellent lady just like you. Once I
recover, I plan to return to London. Please promise me you’ll
attend our baby’s christening ceremony. You’re going to be her
godmother after all. Ah, I miss you so much, Laura. I’m so nervous
about the upcoming childbirth, and I would feel much better if
you were by my side. But I’m going to be brave and do my best. I
hope you have a wonderful Christmas and stay healthy.
 Always yours,
Mrs. Morton.
P.S. When will the book you translated be published? My
husband and I can’t wait to read it!
Laura smiled, feeling like she could almost hear
Elizabeth’s lovely voice. And she was flattered that the
Mortons planned on naming their child after her if it was a
girl. It had been six months since they last saw each other, but
it was clear Beth still cared deeply about Laura.
If they know I’m sick, it will only worry them. Laura decided
that she did the right thing by not telling her friend about her
illness.
Miss Hyde continued to read the other letters sent from all
over England. They were from Laura’s friends, and they all
wished her a Merry Christmas. Among them, there was some
surprising news as well. One example was the letter from
Miss Joanne Jensen.
Laura has been exchanging letters with Miss Jensen. As
expected, Miss Jense broke off her engagement with Charles
Pendleton. She informed Laura that she was currently being
courted by a man named Jacob Channings.
Jacob Channings was eleven years her senior and
possessed ordinary looks. But he was known to be a kind man,
and he was the eldest son of a count who had an excellent
reputation. Because Mr. Channings was wealthy himself,
there was no doubt that he wasn’t after Miss Jensen’s money.
Apparently, he pursued her quite ardently after falling in love
with her at first sight at a ball. Despite the countless men
trying to court Miss Jensen, he was able to win her heart.
Laura was surprised to hear that Miss Jensen succeeded in
purchasing both the townhouse and the country house that
used to belong to House Pendleton. Normally, only an English
noble would be allowed to buy prestigious real estate such as
these. But the Pendleton estates were being auctioned off in a
hurry to settle the family debt. Miss Jensen, with her deep
pockets, was able to get them both.
Miss Jensen was ecstatic, but she also worried that this
news might upset Laura. She acknowledged Laura to be the
rightful mistress of these buildings as Miss Pendleton. Miss
Jensen promised to welcome Laura whenever she wished to
visit and hoped to receive advice regarding the care of these
homes.
Laura was grateful for Miss Jensen’s thoughtfulness. She
didn’t feel any resentment toward Miss Jensen because she
didn’t care about the Pendleton houses anymore. She
wouldn’t have even blinked if both buildings burnt down to
the ground. Laura knew how much Miss Jensen wanted these
houses, so she was only too happy to hear the news.
After reading the fifth letter, Miss Hyde poured herself a
glass of water because her mouth was dry. After a few sips,
she picked up the letter opener to open the next envelope.
“Huh?” Miss Hyde’s eyes widened when she saw the
sender’s name. Laura became curious and peeked at the
envelope as well. It was a turquoise invitation with a gold
decoration around the edges.
Laura asked, “Who is it from?”
Miss Hyde opened it without a word. Inside, she took out
an expensive ivory paper that shined under the light.
“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Miss Hyde mumbled over and
over again.
“What’s wrong? What is it?”
Miss Hyde handed the letter to Laura. It was an invitation,
and the fancy writing inside said the following.
We would like to invite you to our engagem en t cerem ony.
William Fairfax & Dora Lance
“Oh my god!” Laura exclaimed. There was no words to
describe how shocked she was by this news.
“Miss Pendleton, am I reading this correctly? Does it really
say that Mr. Fairfax and Miss Lance are getting engaged?”
“Yes… That’s what it says.”
“But how did those two fall in love? Mr. Fairfax was never
very close to Miss Lance.”
Laura answered, “They became friends later on after you
left, Miss Hyde.”
“Ah, I see.” Miss Hyde thought for a moment before
murmuring, “…Then I guess this makes sense. Miss Lance is
beautiful, and she’s very sweet. It shouldn’t be a surprise that
Mr. Fairfax fell in love with her. What a lucky man he • J, is.
“…Indeed.”
 Miss Hyde burst into laughter. “Geez, Mr. Fairfax must
feel so relieved that I refused his proposal six months ago. If I
hadn’t, he might have ended up with a wife who looks like a
long skinny potato. He could’ve lost his chance to marry the
most beautiful debutante of this season. He should be so
grateful to me!”
Knowing Miss Hyde was joking, Laura laughed as well. But
secretly, Laura became confused and concerned. It wasn’t
because she believed that the two didn’t suit each other. On
the contrary, Mr. Fairfax was an excellent gentleman whose
family and wealth made him worthy to marry a baronet’s
daughter. Miss Lance could be a little naive, but Laura didn’t
doubt that Mr. Fairfax would be a very understanding
husband.
But what about Miss Lance? Isn’t she in love with Mr. Dalton?
 Chapter 139

Laura couldn’t help but worry. What if Miss Lance was so

devastated by Mr. Dalton’s rejection that she was impulsively
getting engaged to Mr. Fairfax? Could she still be in love with
Mr. Dalton but chose to marry Mr. Fairfax because she felt
grateful for his kindness…?
This had to be such a disastrous idea. Mr. Dalton and Mr.
Fairfax were good friends, which meant they met often. If
Miss Lance continued to love Mr. Dalton and yearned for him,
it would destroy their marriage as well as the friendship
between the two gentlemen.
While Laura contemplated, Miss Hyde looked through the
letters, thinking that perhaps there was one from Mr. Fairfax
as well.
“…Ah, it’s here! We have a letter from Mr. Fairfax too,
Miss Pendleton!”
Laura jolted in surprise. Miss Hyde opened the envelope at
the speed of light, and Laura suddenly became worried. What
if Mr. Fairfax wrote about the embarrassing incident Miss Lance
suffered at the hunting party?
Laura raised her hand. “Miss Hyde, I’ll read the letter
myself.”
 “Why?”
“…I’m so shocked that I want to read it with my own two
eyes.”
Miss Hyde handed her the letter without a fight. “But
please read it out loud, Miss Pendleton. Please?”
Laura nodded, thinking that she’ll just skip over any
awkward parts if necessary. She began reciting the letter
slowly.
Dear Miss Sheldon,
Miss Sheldon, I hope you’re doing well. Please forgive me for
not writing much
sooner. And I also would like to apologize for surprising you
like this with the news of
my unexpected engagement. Miss Lance, who shall become
my wife, has been
suffering from an unsavory rumor in London. Knowing the
announcement of our
engagement will improve her reputation greatly, we had no
choice but to send out the
invitations in a hurry. Please forgive my impatience.
Dora and I became engaged. A week ago, she made me the
happiest man on this
earth. Our wedding is planned to take place next year around
May. It was best
to procrastinate our wedding to prevent another possible
unpleasant rumor. We
decided to have a very long engagement.
 I have no doubt that Dora is going to become the most
beautiful bride. My hope is
to make her the happiest of them all as well. I am ready to do
whatever it takes to
ensure that she’s safe and content.
Miss Sheldon, there’s one more thing I want to tell you. The
real reason why it took
me so long to write to you is because I wasn’t sure if I should
relay this message to
you.
About two months ago, Ian Dalton visited the Lance residence.
No one wanted to see
him. Lady Lance considered him a family enemy, and Dora felt
awkward about his
presence. At the time, I was very disappointed in my friend too.
The important thing is that Ian begged for Dora’s forgiveness.
He apologized for
hurting her feelings and being ignorant. He didn’t make a
single excuse. He admitted
that he had been arrogant and selfish.
Dora accepted his apology. As a matter of fact, she said that
she had no right to
forgive anyone. She claimed that everything that had
happened was her fault. The
two of them argue for a long time, both insisting that they
were to blame. In the end, I
 had to intervene and stop them from fighting. I suggested that
they agree it was just a
big misunderstanding. Since no one blamed anyone, they
should shake hands.
And they did. They didn’t laugh out loud, but they smiled and
shook hands.
Miss Hyde, who was listening quietly, tilted her head in
confusion. “Miss Pendleton, what is this all about? Why did
Mr. Dalton apologize to Miss Lance? And why did Miss Lance
feel awkward about Mr. Dalton’s presence?”
Relieved that Mr. Fairfax didn’t mention the incident
directly, Laura quickly made up a white lie. “As you know,
there was a hunting party in Whitefield. We went on a picnic
at the lake, and there was a stoneskipping competition. Miss
Lance was winning, but at the very end, Mr. Dalton skipped
twice as many times as her and won the honor. Miss Lance
became so upset that she cried, but all Mr. Dalton said was
that she should spend her time practicing instead of crying.
Miss Lance was very hurt by such a rude comment, and Mr.
Fairfax became mad at Mr.
Dalton.”
It was a plausible story, and it was exactly something Mr.
Dalton would do. Miss Hyde, who took stone-skipping very
seriously, nodded in understanding. She crossed her arms and
replied, “I can imagine how upsetting it must’ve been for
Miss Lance. I had no idea she was interested in this game. I
hope we get to compete against each other someday.”
 “And make her cry again?” Laura joked, and both of them
burst into laughter.
Laura felt her worry disappear as she read Mr. Fairfax’s
letter. The burden she carried since she left Dunville Park also
lessened considerably. She has been worried about Miss
Lance after what happened at the hunting party. Laura knew
that Miss Lance must be suffering the same way she did
twelve years ago.
Miss Lance was only twenty years old. She was too young
to be enduring the whole world gossiping about her. When
Laura had to go through it, there were many times when she
wished to die. If it wasn’t for her grandmother, she might
have ended her life.
But based on Mr. Fairfax’s letter, it sounded like Miss
Lance was overcoming her situation much better than
expected. She behaved appropriately when Mr. Dalton
apologized. Instead of blaming anyone else, it appeared Miss
Lance did the mature thing by looking back at her own
behavior.
Miss Lance has always been a smart woman compared to
other girls her age. Her vanity could get in the way
sometimes, but she was such a beauty that it was
understandable she was a little selfabsorbed.
Laura guessed that Miss Lance figured out her flaw and
overcame it. She’s doing so much better than I did. She’s
obviously much smarter than when I was her age.
 Laura decided not to question Miss Lance’s motive for
accepting Mr. Fairfax’s proposal. It was unlikely the young
woman impulsively decided to marry someone while still in
love with another.
Laura felt very happy about Mr. Fairfax and Miss Lance’s
upcoming nuptial.
Miss Hyde urged, “Miss Pendleton, please finish the
letter.”
Laura nodded and continued to recite the rest of the letter.
As you know Miss Sheldon, Dora had to pay a much bigger
price than she deserved.
She wouldn I have made such a mistake if those around her
hadn’t misled her. But
Dora accepted that she had a small part in this whole incident.
I believe it has only
made her more mature.
Dora even asked Ian about how you’re doing. She told him
that she wished him and
you the best of luck. Ah, what a humble and generous woman
she is! I’m so lucky to
have someone like her as my partner in life!
I have forgiven Ian completely. Not only that, I’ve come to
think of him very differently
now. You see, he would’ve never admitted his fault in the past.
I’ve never seen him
apologize to anyone until now. He used to have a troublesome
personality that made
 him believe he could never be wrong.
But this time, he admitted his arrogance and bowed down to
make amends. It was
as
if he has become someone completely different. When I walked
him out the door, I
asked him what happened in Bath.
Ian explained, “Ijust learned that I am someone who can hurt
other people. After all, I
have a bad temper.”
“Well, I’m glad you realize it now at least. But who taught you
such a valuable
lesson?”! asked.
Ian gave me a gloomy smile and replied, “The Greensleeves
lady. ”
I became afraid that he might have lost his mind. But before I
could stop him, he
returned to Whitefield that very day.
Miss Sheldon, I am worried about Ian. I am neither his father
nor his guardian. I know
very well that he’s a thirty-year-old man and therefore he
must take care of himself
on
his own.
But Ian has changed. Some changes are good, but not all. He
seemed ill. He was
 noticeably thin, and he even coughed from time to time. What
concerned me the
most was that he looked depressed. He looked like a puppet
being controlled by
someone else. He looked like he had given up on his life.
By now, I’m sure you must know why I was hesitant to write
this letter. I can imagine
how worried you must look. But even though I would never
want to upset you, I must
still find out what happened to my friend of twenty years.
Why… Why did he look like
he wanted to end his life?
I shall wait for your reply. I hope you stay healthy until we
meet again.
Always your friend,
William Fairfax.
P.S. If you don’t mind, could you let Miss Hyde know about my
engagement? As a
man about to be engaged, it would be inappropriate forme to
send her a letter
personally. It would also mean disrespect toward Dora. I
would truly appreciate your
help.
Miss Hyde clicked her tongue. “I knew Mr. Dalton’s coat
looked too thin. I guess he got sick.”
Lt »
 “It’s probably because he was too confident about his
health. Mr. Fairfax once told me that Mr. Dalton inherited
perfect health and stamina. He also trained in rowing since
his teens, so he’s apparently built like a stallion. That’s why
he has a bad habit of not dressing warmly even in winter.”
“…I see…” Laura sounded weak.
Miss Hyde tilted her head in confusion. “You sound tired.
Should I get you some water?”
Laura nodded. When Miss Hyde left the room, Laura read
the letter again.
Mr. Dalton looked sick? Mr. Fairfax wrote that Mr. Dalton
was thin and pale, and he was coughing as well.
Could it be that he caught my fever?
Laura’s eyes wavered. She had felt peaceful a moment ago,
but now, uneasiness filled her heart again.
 Chapter 140

Laura remembered how she returned home on the night of

the first snow. She also remembered encountering Mr.
Dalton in front of the umbrella store. She had no
recollection of their conversation, but she recalled him
handing her his umbrella. Of course, she couldn’t remember
anything after she collapsed into his arms.
Miss Hyde and Miss Lotis told her the rest. Apparently, Mr.
Dalton ran into the hotel room carrying her. She was wrapped
in his jacket, and he refused to leave her until the next
morning. When her fever broke, he announced that he was
going to return to Whitefield.
Mr. Dalton had saved her. She was ill, and he carried her all
the way to safety. If it wasn’t for him, there was no way of
knowing what might have happened to her on the street.
What if he’s suffering from a high fever like me…?! Laura felt
like the whole world was crumbling down around her. She
almost died from this illness. She was in so much pain, and
the thought of Mr. Dalton suffering the same fate made her
heart fall and her hands tremble.
When Miss Hyde returned with a glass of water, she was
shocked to see Laura look pale. She snatched the letter from
Laura’s hand and made her lie down. Still filled with concern
for Mr. Dalton, Laura obeyed.
Miss Hyde continued reading the rest of the letters, but
Laura couldn’t pay attention. All she could think about was
Mr. Dalton. After Miss Hyde finished the last one, she stacked
them together and placed them in the box under the side
table.
Miss Hyde said quietly, “They’re all such wonderful
people. The high society is filled with self-serving fools, but
you managed to surround yourself with kind and loyal
friends, Miss Pendleton. I think it’s because you’re kind and
loyal yourself.”
Laura’s smile was hesitant. “…I don’t know what kind of
person I am, but I agree that I have many amazing friends.
And of course, you’re one of them, Miss Hyde.”
Miss Hyde laughed before touching Laura’s forehead to
check her temperature. She tucked Laura in and muttered,
“You look a little pale…”
“…I guess I got excited because it’s Christmas.”
“You’re like a little girl, Miss Pendleton.”
The two women smiled at each other. It was still snowing
heavily outside. They looked out the window as the night
slowly fell. Laura felt her eyes water, so she looked up at the
sky in an attempt to stop herself from crying.
“Miss Pendleton,” Miss Hyde called out.
Laura, who has been picturing Mr. Dalton in bed with a
fever, turned toward her friend.
 Miss Hyde explained, “Miss Lotis went out today to have
tea with the president of Delson Publishing. This company is
the most likely one Miss Lotis will sign with for her next
book.”
“…I know that company. Every book-lover knows it.”
“Exactly. It apparently offered Miss Lotis a huge amount
of money to get her next book. The company also promised to
give her the most senior editor. Unless something unexpected
happens, Miss Lotis will probably sign the contract today
before she returns.”
Laura had no idea this was in the plans. It was only for a
moment, but Laura forgot all about Mr. Dalton. She replied,
“What wonderful news! Ah, but I guess it’s a little sad that
she’s leaving the old publishing company. They paid for this
expensive hotel suite and allowed you to work for Miss Lotis.”
Miss Hyde shook her head. “This trip was to promote her
last book, so they were obligated to pay for everything.
Besides, that publishing company used to have only three
employees and barely got by before Miss Lotis came along.
Now, they have become a big company and own that five-
story building in downtown London. Compared to the profit
they made from Miss Lotis’s work, a suite room and me as her
typist are hardly enough. And if they had published her book
without all those silly mistakes, Miss Lotis wouldn’t have had
to look for another company.”
Laura nodded in understanding. When Miss Hyde sighed
suddenly, Laura became confused. “What’s wrong, Miss
Hyde? Miss Lotis is about to get an excellent deal, yet you look
sad.”
“Once she signs the contract, Miss Lotis and I are going to
leave soon. We’ll be gone by early March at the latest. Miss
Lotis is dying to travel again. She’s sick of England.”
“Don’t you want to leave England too, Miss Hyde?”
“Of course, I do. I dislike England as well.”
Laura asked, “Then this is a good thing. You’ll go straight
to Japan, won’t you?”
“Probably. We’ll have to pass by a few other countries, but
each port will be just a stop-by to get to Japan. But it looks
like Miss Lotis is more interested in the country located next
to Japan. It’s a place that’s close to China, and apparently, its
people eat a lot of rice and wear mostly white clothes with
handsome hats. I want to find out what they think about a
foreigner like me. I’m sure they’ll call me a thief considering
what our country did.”
Laura was confused by how weak Miss Hyde’s voice
sounded. Miss Hyde always wanted to see the world, yet now
that she was about to embark on a journey, she looked
unhappy. When Laura asked her why, Miss Hyde gave her a
lonely smile.
“It’s because I need to say goodbye to you, Miss
Pendleton.”
“Ah… You’re right. I didn’t think of that.” Laura became
saddened by the thought as well.
 Miss Hyde looked down at Laura affectionately. “We had a
lot of fun in Bath, didn’t we?”
“Yes, I’ll never forget it.” Laura nodded.
Miss Hyde crossed her arms and thought for a moment. It
seemed that she made a decision because she asked, “Miss
Pendleton, won’t you come with us?”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t you want to see the world? New faces, cultures, and
sceneries? If you come with us, you’ll get to experience all of
these things.”
“But what will I do there?” asked Laura.
Miss Hyde answered earnestly, “You can translate
anywhere you want. Imagine the three of us sitting around a
giant round table and working. Miss Lotis and I will write our
books while you’ll work on your translation.”
44 ??
“And if we end up in a place we like during our journey, we
can settle there too. It could be Marseille, Milan, or Osaka. No
one will ever point their fingers at you in these places, Miss
Pendleton. They’ll only know you as the beautiful lady from
England.”
Laura smiled bitterly. Miss Hyde knew how badly she was
treated in her younger days after John Ashton jilted her. Miss
Hyde resented the cruel English culture, and she was trying to
rescue Laura from it.
Laura was touched by her friend’s thoughtfulness. Miss
Hyde was a loyal and kind woman who felt indebted to Laura.
But Laura believed that Miss Hyde helped her just as much
during the last few months.
So it pained Laura to refuse Miss Hyde’s offer, but she had
no other choice. “Miss Hyde, I don’t particularly like jumping
into a new environment.”
Laura sat up and continued, “Miss Lotis is like the fire.
You, Miss Hyde, are like a bird. Together, you two become a
phoenix. In every culture, a phoenix makes miracles and
becomes a legend. You two will make history. But I’m like a
calm stream that flows quietly in the corner of a forest. I need
to be in a familiar place to thrive. I don’t want to leave this
country.”
“But England has been cruel to you, Miss Pendleton. The
unfair tradition of our society hurts you badly. Don’t you
agree?”
“But there’s more for me in this place than just pain. My
mother was English, and my father and grandmother’s
graves are here too. And what about my friends? They’re all in
England. The people I love are the most important thing to
me.”
Miss Hyde opened her lips trying to convince Laura
otherwise, but she gave up in the end. She grinned and
commented, “I must like you a lot, Miss Pendleton. That
must be why I hate the thought of leaving you. To be honest, I
always wished that you were my mother instead of that mean
woman. But of course, I’m sure you wouldn’t want a daughter
like me.”
 “Why wouldn’t I? After all, you’re talented, beautiful, and
free as a bird.”
Miss Hyde slumped weakly. “I don’t want to part with you
this way, Miss Pendleton. It’s very unlikely we’ll ever see each
other again because Miss Lotis likes to travel and I would
never leave her side. I don’t want her to ever lose another
lover again. We’re going to be together until our dying days.”
Laura felt proud just like when she managed to find her
other friends a good husband. But it seemed that Miss Hyde
was about to burst into tears. Miss Hyde was a calm
intellectual woman, but she seemed to become a child
whenever she was with Laura.
Miss Hyde murmured, “…This means that it will be rare
for us to visit England, and… I won’t get to see you, Miss
Pendleton… I won’t miss England, but you…”
“Miss Hyde, please do not be afraid to say goodbye. If you
want to become a real grownup, you must learn to do this.”
Laura reached out to hold her friend’s hands. “I lost my
father when I was young. I lost my grandmother recently too.
I pray for them often to help overcome my sadness. You have
the ability to conquer your sorrow too, Miss Hyde.”
Looking into her friend’s eyes, Laura continued, “One
gentleman I know told me that he drew whenever he felt sad
from saying goodbye. Doing something productive to express
your sadness can help you escape your sorrow. So you must
write whenever you feel sad, Miss Hyde. You must express
what you feel. It will help you lessen your pain and become an
even better artist.”
Tears rolled down Miss Hyde’s cheeks. She understood
that their parting was inevitable, but she still found it hard to
accept it. Laura patted her friend’s cheeks affectionately and
added, “I’m sad about saying farewell to you too, Miss Hyde.
We’ve known each other since we were young, and we helped
each other to become stronger. We’ll never be able to forget
each other. And you know what? As long as we remember
each other, it will mean we’re always together. You’ll write
about me, and I’ll pray for you. We’ll continue to live in each
other’s memories.”
“…So you’ll pray for me?”
Laura nodded.
 Chapter 141

Laura answered, “I’m going to pray that you fly freely. You’re
going to be like a bird that can never get caught by a human.
I’ll pray that you remain safe as you see the world no one has
ever seen before. You’re proof that the world is changing,
Miss Hyde. I wish you great success. I really hope that
countless women in the world see you and realize that they
can escape their own birdcages too.”
Miss Hyde slumped and began crying. Laura patted her
friend’s shoulder and comforted her. Miss Hyde cried for a
while, and by the time she stopped crying, someone knocked
at the door.
“Please come in,” said Laura.
Miss Lotis walked in wearing a black fur coat, black velvet
dress, black boots, and a black Russian fur hat. She was
holding a cake box and an envelope as she announced, “I have
good news. I signed the contract with Delson Publishing. They
paid me a huge signing bonus, more than they’ve ever paid
anyone in their company’s history. They made a huge deal
about it too. Anyway, we’re going to leave England in March.
Now, let’s go have a Christmas party to celebrate!”
 Before Laura could congratulate Miss Lotis, Miss Hyde
burst into tears again and hugged Laura. Laura patted Miss
Hyde’s back and glanced at Miss Lotis nervously. She heard
that the eccentric writer was a rather jealous woman.
But Miss Lotis only clicked her tongue as if she expected
Miss Hyde’s reaction. She muttered, “Geez, my love is such a
mama’s girl.”

***

The flame in the fireplace burned brightly to warm the living

room on Christmas night. The table was already set with
extravagant dishes including a roasted duck ordered from the
hotel kitchen. Desserts included a cake, bottles of wine,
pudding, and cookies
Miss Lotis seemed pleased with her new contract while
Miss Hyde was so drunk that she cried and laughed at the
same time. Laura chatted with her friends late into the night.
She sliced the duck into small pieces for Miss Hyde while
enjoying cake and warm wine herself. Every time Miss Hyde
burst into tears, Laura consoled her patiently.
Around midnight, Miss Lotis helped Miss Hyde, who was
barely awake, into her bedroom. Ever since they told each
other how they felt, the two women have been sharing the
same bedroom.
Laura slowly returned to her room as well. When she
closed the door and was finally alone, the smile that had been
plastered on her lips all night disappeared completely. Just a
moment ago at the party, Laura couldn’t have looked any
happier. But the truth was, it was just all a big act. Laura
didn’t want to ruin the mood because today was Christmas
and Miss Lotis just got a new contract. Laura was very happy
for her friends’ bright future, so she hid her devastation from
them. The time she spent in high society made her a good
actress.
But now that she was alone, Laura stopped pretending. She
shed the mask she wore for her friends, revealing her true
self. Tears filled her eyes, and afraid she might begin sobbing,
she looked up at the ceiling. The news of Mr. Dalton from Mr.
Fairfax had made her overwhelmingly emotional. She was
afraid that she was about to lose her mind.
Laura has been yearning for Mr. Dalton during the last two
months while she was bedridden. Now that he was no longer
in Bath, she felt that her whole life had become meaningless.
Laura desperately wished she could run to him in Yorkshire
right this very minute.
She could no longer lie to herself about how she felt for
him.
Before she received Mr. Fairfax’s letter, Laura was at least
consoled by the fact that Mr. Dalton was safe in Whitefield.
She assumed he was healthy and faring well. Mr. Dalton had
his work and family, which kept him busy. He was also
surrounded by the most beautiful place on earth; Whitefield
Hall. Laura often remembered walking in the Whitefield
forest and playing with the children of Dunville Park. Her
memories were the only things that helped with her
loneliness.
But it seemed that Laura assumed wrong. Mr. Dalton
wasn’t doing well at all. Thinking about what Mr. Fairfax said
in his letter, Laura felt almost dizzy from worry. Mr. Fairfax
claimed that Mr. Dalton looked thin and pale, and he even
coughed from time to time. He looked depressed as if he had
lost the will to live.
It was obvious Mr. Dalton was unhappy. His heart was
broken, and Laura felt weak at the thought. She was standing
against the door, and she slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
At the same time, tears rolled down her cheeks as well.
Ah, Mr. Dalton…
The news of his unhappiness confused Laura. Her heart,
mind, soul, and even physical body went into shock. She
despaired at his unhappiness. Her health, which has been
improving from rest and care, instantly worsened at the news
of his illness.
“Mr. Dalton… Mr. Dalton… Mr. Dalton…” Laura mumbled
mindlessly. “…What are you doing right now? What… are you
feeling? What about your health…? You’re okay, aren’t you?
You can’t be sick…”
Laura felt helpless, not having a clue what Mr. Dalton must
be going through right now. She covered her face and began
sobbing. “Ahh… Mr. Dalton… My…”
Without even thinking, she whispered, “…My Ian…”
 Laura cried alone in her room for a long time. She missed
him, but she was angry at him at the same time for making
her worry this much. However, the biggest emotion she felt
for him was love.
“…I love him… I love him… I love him…
I… I love him so much!” Laura burst into tears. She
couldn’t hide the truth anymore. She loved him with all of her
heart. Her mind and soul belonged to him.
Laura realized that it was useless to resist her feelings
anymore. It was a foolish battle, trying to forget him
altogether. She felt pathetic believing that such a thing was
even possible.
Laura couldn’t live without him. They were meant to be
together from the very beginning. She needed to be in his
presence, breathing the same air and sharing his pain.
We may have two separate bodies, but we are to live as one.
We’re fated to be together.
Laura finally accepted her destiny, which helped her worry
and sadness lessen a great deal. Now that she made a
decision, she was able to stop crying. She wiped her face and
rose. Still feeling weak, Laura staggered a few times. She was
still recovering from her illness, and she cried so much just
now that she was dehydrated.
But Laura was determined. She forced herself to stand on
her own two feet, and she slowly walked to the window. It was
well past midnight, but because it was Christmas, the streets
were crowded. The street lights shined brightly on passersby
and carriages.
Laura looked away from the busy city to stare at the sky.
The round moon was glowing surrounded by the dark gray
clouds. She wondered if Mr. Dalton was looking up at the
same moon at this very moment.
Laura touched the pearl necklace around her neck. She
fidgeted with each pearl like a rosary until her fingers reached
the silver pendant. In the past, it worked as her protection
against love. The pendant had always represented her
mother’s great love that led to her demise. Laura grasped it
tightly, feeling stronger as if it had magical power. Sadness
and loneliness disappeared, replaced by courage.
Laura clenched her teeth. Once I fully recover, I’m going to
go to him.
Her heart began beating fast, excitement and fear
overwhelming her. So many thoughts crossed her mind, and
many of them were negative. Nothing could change the fact
that she was a poor spinster born out of wedlock. So was there
even a small chance that Mr. Dalton might not regret
marrying her? And what about their children?
But Laura still remained determined. Nothing could
change her mind now.
I’m going to make him so happy that he never regrets
choosing me. If we have any children, I’ll teach them how to be
strong and defend themselves. I’ll make sure they don’t fear being
criticized for things that ar en ‘t their fault. And to do this, I need
to be confident in myself. Yes, I’m going to stop apologizing for
who I am. I’m going to become a proud wife and mother.
Laura inhaled deeply, her body and mind filling with vigor.
The thought of spending her life with the man she loves gave
her strength. She looked up at the moon again. As if it was Mr.
Dalton, she whispered lovingly, “Please wait for me just a
little while longer. I, Laura Sheldon, am ready to give myself
to you. I swear I’ll do my best to make you happy, so…”
Laura smiled, “…please wait for me, Ian.”

***

Clack, clack.
The cold sounds of the shoes against the marble stairs
rang inside Whitefield Hall. Ramswick, a short man with
neatly pushed-back white hair and a welltrimmed white
beard, walked up the stairs holding a silver tray.
A maid in a uniform and a warm sweater was mopping the
floor when she spotted him. She stopped and bowed
respectfully, but Ramswick passed by without even
acknowledging her. Normally, he would’ve at least nodded to
his staff. But today, it seemed that he didn’t even notice her.
The maid watched in worry as he walked away. The elderly
man’s face was filled with concern, and the maid understood
why.
It wasn’t just her who was worried about the elderly butler.
Everyone including the groom, gardener, and cook was
anxious for Ramswick. Even Mr. Noel, the bookkeeper who
was known to dislike Ramswick, showed concern.
But all of their worries combined couldn’t compare to the
despair Ramswick felt for his master.
Ramswick arrived with a steaming bowl of soup, soft
wheat bread, and a small cup of dark-colored medicinal herb
extract on his tray. It was clear that this was a meal for a very
sick patient.
It has been four months since Ramswick has been
delivering such a meal to Mr. Dalton who returned from Bath.
The day his master arrived home from a long trip, the elderly
butler almost didn’t recognize him. Mr. Dalton looked so thin,
and he kept covering his mouth with a handkerchief to cough.
When he staggered out of the carriage, Ramswick couldn’t
believe his eyes.
As soon as Mr. Dalton entered his home, he ordered in his
usual stern voice, “Get me a doctor.”
 Chapter 142

Ramswick hurriedly ordered one of the servants to fetch the

family doctor. It wasn’t long before the physician arrived, and
he quickly diagnosed Mr. Dalton with tuberculosis.
It being a dangerous and contagious disease, Ramswick
sent away most of the servants on paid leave. He kept the
house minimally staffed and ordered them not to go near Mr.
Dalton’s room. Only the doctor and Ramswick frequented his
room to take care of him.
Mr. Dalton was so ill that he lost over eight kilograms in
the first month. He coughed day and night, sometimes
scaring Ramswick by vomiting blood. Thankfully, his cough
lessened in the second month. Slowly but steadily, Mr. Dalton
was able to eat more. He was still pale and gaunt, but he
began to sleep better and gain weight.
In the fourth month in early March, the doctor
pronounced Mr. Dalton completely cured. But although he
was no longer actively sick, Mr. Dalton was ordered to
continue taking care of himself the same way.
The servants and his family in Dunville Park were ecstatic.
Daniel and George have been crying themselves to sleep since
they heard their uncle had tuberculosis. Now that they knew
Mr. Dalton had recovered, they insisted on visiting him
immediately. Olivia, who spent a lot of time in the parsonage
with Pastor and Mrs. Starr crying and praying for her uncle,
was finally able to resume her studies and social activities.
Mr. Fairfax has been hunting every day to send pheasants and
squirrels to Whitefield. He stopped only after hearing about
Mr. Dalton’s recovery, which allowed the creatures of his
hunting ground to avoid extinction. Mrs. Fairfax, who was
gaining a noticeable amount of white hair from worry, was
able to escape becoming fully white-haired thanks to her
brother’s improved health.
It was only Ramswick who roamed the Whitefield Hall still
with a distressed look. Standing in front of his master’s
bedroom, the elderly butler knocked on the door.
“Sir, I’ve brought your lunch,” Ramswick announced.
The clear voice of Mr. Dalton replied from inside, “Come
in.”
Ramswick entered the room. His master was standing near
the window that overlooked the entire Whitefield. The winter
in Whitefield was a picturesque place. The whole world looked
pure white with the snow covering everything including the
white birch tree forest and the hills. Even the frozen stream
that bordered the birch tree forest and Whitefield Hall
boasted a blanket of snow.
Mr. Dalton kept his hands behind his back as he looked
down at his land. He was wearing thick flannel pajamas, a
warm knitted gown, and a pair of wool slippers.
 cc
I’ll place the tray on the table, sir.”
When Mr. Dalton didn’t respond, Ramswick put the lunch
down on the table and took a step back. A few moments later,
Mr. Dalton turned away from the window. He still looked a
little pale, but he at least regained most of the weight.
Mr. Dalton sat down at the table and began eating.
Ramswick watched in silence, noticing how elegantly his
young master dined. Mr. Dalton ate in perfect silence, never
making unnecessary noises of chewing or scraping his
utensils against the bowl.
After being diagnosed with tuberculosis, Mr. Dalton made
the greatest effort to fight it off. He followed all of the
doctor’s orders perfectly. He stopped smoking, ate all of his
meals, and wore warm clothes for the first time in his life. He
also never failed to drink every drop of the disgusting
medicinal herbal extract that was recommended at every
meal. His diligence and determination were what helped him
survive such a fatal illness.
After his meal, Mr. Dalton drank the medicinal herbal
extract in one gulp. Ramswick continued to stand nearby,
waiting for the order to clear the table. Even as he wiped his
mouth, Mr. Dalton’s eyes were glued to the beautiful scenery
outside.
“Ramswick,” Mr. Dalton murmured.
“Yes, sir.”
“Is the road leading to Whitefield still badly damaged?”
 I’m afraid so. It’s so muddy that no

carriage can cross it yet.”

“So it’s going to be difficult to get the supplies transported
to us.”
Ramswick answered, “Thankfully, the distance from the
market isn’t great from here. The servants have been able to
walk to the village and back with supplies so far.”
“I see. Don’t be stingy with the firewood for the servants’
quarters. And make sure to give a day off to any servants who
had to walk to the village for supplies,” ordered Mr. Dalton.
“Yes, Master.”
“And…” Mr. Dalton paused for a moment before he
continued, “Once the road clears, send a message to Dunville
Park. Let them know that Olivia, George, and Daniel are
allowed to visit me now. And ask Phillip to cook something
the children might like.”
Ramswick bowed respectfully. Ian sighed and sat down on
the sofa. When his master didn’t dismiss him, Ramswick
asked hesitantly, “How are you feeling, sir?”
Ian remained quiet. He leaned his head on the sofa and
closed his eyes instead.
Ramswick added, “I am very proud of you for surviving
this terrible illness.”
Ian’s lips curled up slightly. “Am I an acceptable master to
you, Ramswick?”
“Of course, sir.”
 “Thank you. That makes me feel much better.”
When Ian became quiet again, Ramswick looked down as
the worry on his face deepened. When Mr. Dalton recovered, it
was his butler who was most overjoyed by the news.
Ramswick never got married to dedicate his entire life to
House Dalton. Although he was without family, he never
regretted his decision. Possessing the disposition of a monk,
the elderly man never had the desire to marry or have
children. Being able to serve a respected master brought him
more than enough pride and satisfaction to last a lifetime.
Living almost his entire life in Whitefield Hall, Ramswick
watched young master Ian grow up into an impressive head of
the family. The butler adored Mr. Dalton, and he considered
serving his young master his god-given duty.
This was precisely why Ramswick was still worried despite
Mr. Dalton’s recovery. Although his physical body was almost
fully healed, it was clear Mr. Dalton was still very much
suffering emotionally.
Ramswick knew that his master cried himself to sleep
every night while hugging a shawl that must’ve belonged to a
particular lady. Mr. Dalton also often looked dazed, a look of
despair appearing in his eyes frequently and unexpectedly.
Although his body was recovering, his heart was dying slowly.
Ramswick could easily guess the reason behind Mr.
Dalton’s mysterious condition. It’s because of Miss Sheldon.
Mr. Dalton went to Bath to win Miss Sheldon’s heart. And
everything went downhill when he returned from the city.
 He must’ve been rejected. Ramswick couldn’t help feeling
troubled. The only possible explanation was that things
didn’t work out between his master and Miss Sheldon. It was
a sad situation, but it couldn’t be helped. The love between a
man and a woman was a tricky deal after all. Anyone brave
enough to play this game needed to be prepared to suffer
unconsolable heartache.
The problem was that Mr. Dalton was an affectionate and
romantic gentleman. Miss Sheldon was his first love, which
meant that he must’ve been devastated by her rejection.
Ramswick guessed that the despair his master felt at the
moment was even greater than when his sister left to get
married and when Mr. Sheldon passed away.
I guess it’s a miracle that he’s still alive. Ramswick thought in
worry. Several months ago, Mr. Dalton almost starved himself
to death just because Miss Sheldon ignored him for a few
days. So Ramswick was surprised that Mr. Dalton worked so
hard to overcome his illness. It was a huge relief that his
master didn’t succumb to depression. Ramswick thought that
he should be proud of Mr. Dalton for not killing himself with a
pistol or drinking himself to death.
Ian, who had kept his eyes closed on the sofa for a long
time, suddenly looked up. He mumbled in a sleepy voice, “Ah,
I shouldn’t be keeping you here like this.”
“It’s alright, Master. I’m your butler, which means I
should always be within easy reach for you.”
 “You aren’t a candlestick, Ramswick. You can go and
return to your duties. I would much prefer if you sit down and
work if possible. I know how your knees ache in winter.”
“My knees are fine, sir. It’s all thanks to your care and
concern.”
Feeling sadder than when he first entered the room,
Ramswick took the tray and left quietly.
Clack.
When the door closed, Ian became alone in the room. He
buried his body in the sofa again. Even though he just had
lunch and had fully recovered from his illness, his limbs felt
weak. All of the physical pain was gone, and he regained most
of his weight. But Ian still felt helpless just like when he first
got sick. His whole body felt heavy as if he was a sack of rocks.
He lost all of his drive and vigor. He felt nothing no matter
what he did or saw. It was as if he left his will to live in Bath.
After he gave up on Laura, he lost all reasons to live. As if he
was drowning in a swamp, he sank deeper into the gloom. He
no longer found beautiful things beautiful, and he couldn’t
taste anything anymore either.
He couldn’t think of a reason why he should continue
living.
Laura… Ian called out her name in his head. Have you
regained your health by now? Are you happy?
Ian covered his eyes with his hand as pain engulfed his
heart.
 I wish you ’re still suffering at least just a little. I’m not talking
about your body, but your heart. I pray that you aren’t overjoyed
by finally getting rid of me. I hope you feel at least a tiny bit of
pity for me. I hope you’re disappointed that it didn’t work out
between us because it’s not fair that I’m the only one who’s
suffering. Because… Because we loved each other, didn’t we? You
might not have loved me as much as I did, but…
His hand became wet with tears. He was crying so hard
that his neck was becoming wet too. Ian bit his lip and
hurriedly took out the handkerchief from his pocket. He
wiped his face and silently scolded himself. Snap out of it, Ian
Dalton. This pain is only temporary. Time will heal everything.
Love is just a fleeting emotion without any substance.
Remembering what Laura had said to him before, Ian
pushed away his sadness. He couldn’t let his despair take over
or else, he was afraid he might end his life with his own two
hands. Although he had no will to live, Ian had a clear purpose
for living. If he died, he knew that a kind woman like Laura
would blame herself for his death. She had a bright future
ahead of her, so he couldn’t torment her in this way.
Laura has already suffered many misfortunes in her life. I
must not add to her pain.
During the last four months while he suffered from
tuberculosis, Ian felt an urge to give up. But he still followed
the doctor’s orders faithfully and forced himself to recover.
Even now, he rose to walk around the room because
yesterday, his doctor recommended that he should begin light
exercises.
Even if this sadness doesn’t go away and I must live like this
forever, I have no other choice. I need to live a long life so that
Laura doesn ’t feel responsible for my death. I must die of old age
for her.
 Chapter 143

Ian put his hand in his pocket and continued with his
thoughts.
When spring arrives, I’ll gather all of my staff to do spring
cleaning. I’m going to begin carrying out all of my societal duties
too. When the snowmelts, I’ll visit the parsonage and the farmers.
I’ll return to work and attend church as well. And when the
children visit from Dunville Park, I’ll…
Ian suddenly froze on the spot, feeling a headache come on
suddenly. He hasn’t had one in a long time, but the thought of
his niece and nephews reminded him of one task he dreaded
doing.
Ian decided to invite Olivia, George, and Daniel to tell them
that Miss Pendleton was never going to return. He felt terrible
because he knew the children would be hurt by this news. He
could be a stern uncle, but he always tried his best not to hurt
the children even when he reprimanded them. Ian would
never admit it, but he was willing to protect them with his life
if necessary.
But the next time they visit, he would have no choice but to
hurt them. They would suffer the same way he did when he
lost Mr. Sheldon as a child.
 Ian rubbed his face and sighed. This time, it wasn’t tears
that blurred his eyes but his worry. He walked to the window
to look out again. Whenever he felt troubled, he stared at
Whitefield to clear his mind. It no longer brought him great
joy as it used to, but he felt a little comforted by it at least.
Ian stood at the window, every little feature of his land a
reminder of his childhood. He used to walk the forest while
holding his sister’s hand. There were countless conversations
he had with Mr. Sheldon in the field too. Ian also remembered
waiting at the outer edge of the forest whenever his father
was late returning home.
Ian’s childhood was filled with warmth and love.
Protecting this place will give me a purpose to keep living. Ian
smiled bitterly. This place will bring me comfort from now on.
Whitefield is filled with so many memories. As I grow old alone, it
will remind me of the happier times. The time when I had a
family. When I am near my death, I’ll find an appropriate heir
among my cousins and give this place to him. I’ll have to find a
kind man who can take care of my home.
Such a thought made Ian feel like he had turned sixty
instead of thirty. But his body felt weak and helpless at the
moment, so perhaps he was indeed sixty at heart.
Ian looked down at Whitefield again and reminisced about
another beautiful memory. He remembered roaming the
forest and fields with Laura. They had escaped the sudden
rain one day in an old cottage. He bragged about his apple
trees to her and offered a fresh apple to taste.
 Ian knew that for the rest of his life, he would always
remember the summer and fall of his thirtieth year.
I lost the love of my life, but she still gave me so much. Her
friendship, time, and heart… Someday, I’m sure I’ll be able to
think of her without feeling this much pain. Someday, all I’ll feel
is appreciation for such wonderful memories.
A sad smile appeared on Ian’s pale face. It was time to
return to reality, so he slowly turned away from the window.
Just then, something caught his eyes outside. There was a
small bridge at the outer edge of the forest so the people
could cross the stream. There, he saw someone whose face
was covered in a thick scarf and waddling while carrying a
heavy bag.
Ian knew instantly that this was a woman because he
spotted a green checkered- pattern dress peeking out from
under the cloak.
Is it one of the maids who’s returning from an errand? Ian
frowned in sympathy. Why didn’t they send a young man for an
errand like that? I can’t believe a maid was sent when the snow is
knee-high.
Ian clicked his tongue while watching the woman barely
manage to cross the field. Then, a sharp breeze blew
suddenly. It was strong enough to shake all of the trees
nearby, and because of it, the woman’s scarf fell.
Under the bright sun, the shabby scarf flew away to reveal
her hair which was the color of the sunset.
Laura…?
 But this couldn’t be. Ian knew that Laura would never set
foot in Whitefield again. She would never return to this cold,
lonely, and remote land. But his eyes continued to stare at the
woman with desperate obsession. He silently prayed for an
impossible to happen.
The woman crossed the snow-covered field one difficult
step at a time. She paused often, putting down her bag on the
ground and panting. But after each short rest, she kept going
in determination. There was a certain kind of strength in her
that could be seen even from miles away.
The woman refused to get tired. She was relentless in her
will to reach Whitefield Hall. Ian couldn’t take it anymore. He
needed to find out who this woman was. He ran out of the
room and down the hallway. He jumped down several steps at
a time, making the servants scream in shock when they saw
their master still in his pajamas.
But Ian didn’t even hear them, knowing that his Laura
might be on her way to him. This was the only thing he cared
about. Even if the whole world ended right at this very
minute, it wouldn’t have mattered to him. After all, the love
of his life might be just right outside the door.
Ian burst out the front door, the icy winter air slapping his
face mercilessly. Still in his indoor slippers, he continued to
run across the garden. When he reached the edge of the
garden, he took off the slippers because they were slowing
him down.
 Most of the snow in the garden was cleared, but the field
was still heavily covered. Ian took off his gown too and began
walking through the snow barefoot. He didn’t know how long
he had been walking when he finally spotted the woman far
away down the hill. As he began running again, he could see
the woman even more clearly.
Her hair was the color of the sunset. She had a dainty face,
and her body was slim and beautiful. She was the woman that
held the key to his heart.
“Laura!” Ian screamed.
The woman was dragging her bag when she froze on the
spot. She looked up the hill, and her gray eyes found him. She
became very still as if she was a snowman. Ian slid down the
hill to get to her while white breaths escaped his lips every
time he panted.
Finally, Ian stood in front of Laura. She looked terrible, her
hair wet and tangled from the snow and sweat. Her face was
bright red from the cold air and her dress was wet and muddy.
But to Ian, she looked even more beautiful than Cleopatra
riding her golden ship to Anthony. He stared at her as if he
was mesmerized. He was afraid that perhaps he was
hallucinating. Or maybe this was just one of his dreams. Fear
crept up inside of him, so he secretly stabbed his palms with
his fingernails. The sharp pain told him that this wasn’t a
dream at least.
Laura finally opened her lips. “Ian.”
 His heart jolted when he heard her call out his name. She
continued, “The coach driver told me that it would take at
least two weeks for the snow to melt. So he took me to an inn
in the village to wait it out. But I insisted that I needed to get
to Whitefield Hall immediately. He tried to stop me five times,
but I couldn’t wait. I needed to see you as soon as possible.”
Laura’s voice remained serene, bringing a sudden
calmness to Ian as well. When he nodded quietly, she
explained, “As I walked here, I became afraid. What if you
have fallen out of love with me during this long winter? What
if you feel troubled by seeing me unannounced like this?”
She shook her head. “But I didn’t care.
Even if the whole world ended, I needed to tell you this.”
Ian gulped audibly. She held his fate in her hands.
Whatever she was about to say was going to determine his
whole future.
Laura took a step closer to him. There was such a peaceful
and warm smile on her face as she asked, “Ian, will you marry
me?”
He couldn’t say anything. His whole body was frozen, so
Laura asked again, “Will you take me as your wife?”
She closed her lips, waiting for his answer. Ian began to
tremble slowly, this sudden and unexpected miracle causing
him to react violently. Laura, the woman of his dreams, had
just proposed to him. She came all the way here to become his
wife.
 Tears began to roll down his cheeks. Ian raised his hand to
wipe them away, but Laura was faster. She gently caressed his
cheek, and Ian whispered, “Laura…”
“Yes?” She gave him an adorable smile.
Unable to help himself, he embraced her hard. Their
bodies became one from such a tight hug. Their faces were so
close that they could feel each other’s breath.
Looking down at her, Ian whispered, “My love exists only
for you, Laura. I will forever be yours. Please have me and
never let me go.”
His voice sounded like that of a priest worshiping God.
Laura, who had been caressing his cheek, whispered back,
“Then please kiss me.”
Ian covered her lips with his own without hesitation. The
cold wind slapped them as if it were a whip made of ice, but
all these two lovers could feel was the warmth of each other.
Standing in the magical land of Whitefield, Laura and Ian
found the happiness they never expected. Devotion, love, and
marriage were to follow, and there was no doubt they would
live happily ever after.
The End.
 Epilogue 1

It was Miss Dora Lance and Mr. William Fairfax’s wedding

day. Countless Londoners flocked inside the church.
Gold, green, and pink dresses fluttered up the stone stairs
as the May breeze danced around them. Neatly dressed
gentlemen looked just as excited as the ladies while chatting
amongst themselves.
Many people have been waiting for this day for months.
This wedding was going to be the biggest event of the year
because the lady, who had been in the middle of a great
scandal a year ago, was going to walk down the aisle.
People kept busy gossiping about what happened as they
sat down for the ceremony. Even the elderly ladies, who
considered themselves too elegant to get involved in gossip,
couldn’t stop thinking about it.
But who could blame them? After all, the Whitefield
hunting party was the infamous event that brought the rising
star of the season to fall from grace.
Early last year, Miss Lance was considered the most
beautiful flower in London.
Everyone believed that she had a great future ahead of her.
It was expected that she would capture an excellent husband
in her debutante year. And when Mr. Ian Dalton, the head of
the great Dalton family, appeared out of the blue, no one
doubted that he would marry her in a heartbeat.
But things happened most unexpectedly. Ian Dalton
invited everyone to his home and allowed Laura Pendleton, a
spinster who used to be ignored by everyone, to act as the
mistress of his household. It was especially shocking since
she was a bastard child with no parents or dowry. She was
abandoned by her own family, which eventually went
bankrupt anyway.
The situation became even more interesting when Miss
Lance followed Ian Dalton around like a puppy during the
entire hunting party. Strangely, Mr.
Dalton seemed completely uninterested in her because he
followed Miss Pendleton around with a smitten look on his
face.
This caused Miss Lance’s reputation to diminish in an
instant because, at the time, the entire London believed that
she and Mr. Dalton were engaged. Dozens of young ladies
heard Miss Lance’s friends talking about it in a restroom at a
ball. When asked about it, Miss Lance’s friends neither denied
nor confirmed it, which made the rumor burn even hotter.
Miss Lance also didn’t make a point of denying it either.
Miss Lance might as well have publicly announced that she
was engaged to Mr. Dalton.
Yet the strangest thing happened when Mr. Dalton
declared that Miss Pendleton was under his protection. Miss
Pendleton also appeared in the former Mrs. Dalton’s dress
and jewelry.
Rumor after rumor flew all over the city. Some believed
that Mr. Dalton toyed with Miss Lance’s heart and was trying
to do the same to Miss Pendleton. Others believed that Miss
Lance jumped into Mr. Dalton’s bed to seduce him and ended
up scaring him. Mr. Dalton, in turn, began pretending to be
interested in Miss Pendleton to deter Mis Lance. There was
even a rumor that Mr. Dalton called off the engagement
because Lady Lance tried to borrow money from him even
before he married her daughter.
No matter the reason, none of them worked in Miss
Lance’s favor. It was a terrible coincidence that around that
same time, it became known that House Lance was suffering
a serious financial downfall. This meant that Miss Lance
could not afford to pay any dowry, a fact that further
diminished her reputation beyond repair.
At the beginning of the season, Miss Lance was the
goddess beloved by countless young gentlemen. But with all
the unsavory rumors, people began to see her as an
unmarriageable woman with no future.
The other young ladies and their mothers, who have
always been jealous of Miss Lance, began describing her as an
arrogant and silly girl. To further ruin her reputation, they
told exaggerated stories about the small insignificant
mistakes she made in the past.
 It seemed that Miss Lance was never going to recover from
the whole situation. It was expected that she would suffer
from these rumors for many years to come. But not too long
afterward, shocking news caused an uproar in London
society. Everyone was in disbelief when Mr. Fairfax and Miss
Lance announced their engagement.
Although not as popular as Mr. Dalton, Mr. Fairfax was
still considered a highly eligible bachelor. Even though he was
the second son, he was impressively wealthy. He was also a
very handsome man and from an excellent family.
A huge banquet hall was rented for their engagement
ceremony. Miss Lance and Mr. Fairfax made a beautiful
couple and looked happy together. Soon, Miss Lance’s friends
began spreading another rumor about Mr. Dalton and Miss
Lance’s relationship.
Everyone already knew that it was Miss Pendleton who
introduced Miss Lance to Mr. Dalton. But Miss Lance’s friends
now claimed that Miss Lance and Mr. Dalton were never
interested in each other. In fact, Mr. Dalton had always been
in love with Miss Pendleton while Miss Lance was with Mr.
Fairfax.
Both Mr. Dalton and Miss Lance were in a one-sided crush,
so they often consulted each other about their love lives.
People mistook their friendship as love, but Mr. Dalton and
Miss Lance couldn’t tell the truth because they needed to
protect each other’s secrets. This was how the rumor of their
engagement came about.
 Then why was Miss Lance chasing after Mr. Dalton during
the hunting party?
Miss Lance’s friends claimed that Miss Pendleton refused
Mr. Dalton’s proposal because she didn’t believe she was
worthy. When Mr. Dalton refused to give up, Miss Pendleton
asked Miss Lance to keep him away. This was why Miss Lance
stayed close to Mr. Dalton during the entire event.
So in the end, a wholesome explanation was provided for
the incident. In this story, Mr. Dalton came out as a romantic
gentleman who loved Miss Pendleton despite her unfortunate
circumstances. Miss Pendleton was seen as a humble woman
who knew her place enough to refuse his proposal. Miss Lance
was now known as a loyal friend to Miss Pendleton and Mr.
Dalton and risked her own reputation to help her friends. And
Mr. Fairfax became the hero who rescued Miss Lance, a
damsel in distress.
Most people accepted the romantic explanation by Miss
Lance’s friends without question. But those observers who
liked to think they possessed sharp minds refused to believe
it. But either way, the rumors of these four people became
popular gossip even to this day.
The church was filled with live flowers and chatter of the
guests. It was so noisy that the place felt like it was in the
middle of downtown. Many were impressed by how much Mr.
Fairfax spent on the engagement and wedding ceremonies. At
the same time, some believed that Miss Lance was foolish to
choose him when she could’ve married a man with both title
and wealth.
But every guest quieted down as soon as a particular
couple entered the church.
It was Mr. Dalton and his wife. The entire church turned
quiet and everyone stared at them. The two walked down the
aisle slowly. Mr. Dalton, in his clean brown suit and
gentleman’s hat, looked as handsome as when he first
showed himself in London society.
But it was actually Mrs. Laura Dalton who captured
everyone’s attention. She was holding her husband’s arm and
wearing a light-blue silk dress with a voluminous skirt. Her
strawberry blond hair was in an elegant updo and pinned with
a ruby pin. A diamond necklace sparkled around her neck and
the white silk gloves with golden embroidery covered her
hands.
In her unmarried days, Laura always hid her hair under a
hairnet and wore a plain dress. She used to be a spinster no
one paid much attention to. But now, she was the one and
only mistress of the prestigious Dalton family. She was
beautiful and powerful, and people stared in shock. The
gentlemen, who never noticed her before, gazed at her beauty
in disbelief. The ladies, on the other hand, were more
interested in the details of Laura’s appearance. Even from a
quick glance, they could tell that her dress was made in
France. All of the jewels she wore were huge and meticulously
cut, suggesting that they had to be rare heirlooms. The
diamond wedding ring on her finger was the size of a royal
jewel. Some women became jealous while others were
impressed. There were even a few who became hopeful for
their own future.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton seemed oblivious to all the attention
they received. They sat down on their seats nonchalantly and
whispered among themselves. It was clear that they were very
much in love.
People whispered among themselves about Ian Dalton and
Laura Pendleton’s wedding that took place in May last year. It
was a small ceremony with only friends and family. There was
a lot of talk about this event because the couple skipped the
engagement altogether.
In high society, it was an unspoken rule to have as long of
an engagement as possible before the wedding. This was to
prevent the rumor that the marriage was taking place only
because the bride became pregnant out of wedlock.
People wondered why Ian Dalton and Laura Pendleton got
married in such a hurry. Everyone’s first guess was that she
became pregnant, but there hasn’t been any birth in
Whitefield so far. It was also very obvious today that Mrs.
Dalton wasn’t pregnant.
The middle-aged ladies sitting in the corner near the
organ were making guesses when one elderly gentleman
among them chuckled. “The husband was obviously in a
hurry to get the lady into his bed.”
 His wife agreed. “Indeed. I never knew how beautiful she
was before.”
 Epilogue 2

The ladies sighed and continued their conversation.

“A woman’s life can change in an instant if she captures a
good husband like that. Look at all those jewels she’s
wearing.”
“Forget her jewelry. Look how happy she looks. Her
husband must take good care of her.”
“Well, he did chase after her for a long time after all. What
an unexpected turn of events. I thought Miss Pendleton would
die as a spinster.”
One of the women who had two spinster daughters
brightened. “Not me. I always thought she was a kind and
pretty woman. She took such good care of her grandmother
and helped so many of her friends. It was obvious God blessed
her for her good behavior. This goes to show that we must
always be kind to one another.”
Her companion retorted, “Geez, I remember you bad-
mouthing Miss Pendleton when she refused that old man Mr.
Pryce. You said she should know her place and marry him.”
“Well, at the time, I was…” The mother of two spinster
daughters became embarrassed. At the time, she never
expected her own daughters to become spinsters. But she
couldn’t tell this to her friends because she knew this wasn’t
a good excuse. Not wanting to sound shallow, the woman
explained, “I made a mistake. I was wrong to think that way,
but I couldn’t help it. I am a mother of two daughters myself
after all. I spoke foolishly. We all now know that Miss
Pendleton, I mean Mrs. Dalton, has always been different
from the rest of us. She remained logical and realistic about
her own marriage prospects at all times. That’s why she
found such a good husband for herself. We must learn from
her, especially anyone with their own daughters. We need to
raise our children to be like her.”
The other women nodded, but no one took the mother of
two spinster daughters seriously. No matter what happened
to Miss Pendleton, it didn’t change the fact that having a
spinster daughter represented a mother’s failure.
Just then, the church bell rang to announce the beginning
of the wedding ceremony. The guests sat down, and the
pastor in his clergy outfit stood at the pulpit. Mr. William
Fairfax and Miss Dora Lance’s wedding was just about to
begin.

***

The reception hall became just as crowded as the church. Ian

and Laura were sitting at the best table designated for the
most important guests. Ian fidgeted with his food before he
turned toward Laura, who was elegantly cutting up her steak.
He asked, “Is the food to your liking?”
Laura took a bite of her steak and nodded. “Yes, what
about you?”
“There are too many people here that I can’t taste
anything. It looks like that bastard William invited the entire
London.”
“I guess he wanted to show off his beautiful bride to the
whole world.”
Ian shook his head. “I don’t understand. Shouldn’t he
want to keep his woman hidden so he can be the only one who
gets to enjoy her beauty?”
Laura burst into laughter. “Is that why you invited so few
people to our own wedding?”
“Of course. If I could, I would’ve wrapped you in a veil and
taken you straight home after signing the marriage
certificate. I wished that I could keep you in our bedroom so I
could be the only one who sees you.” Ian gazed at her and
added, “And I still feel that way even now.”
Laura looked at him as if he was being absurd. “But you
told me to get dolled up extravagantly today so everyone
stares at me.
“That’s different. Everyone in London underestimated you
for a long time because you remained unmarried. Don’t get
me wrong. I’m glad that you remained single so I could swoop
you up for myself. But I’m still angry at them. Those people
had no right to look down on you. They’re like the foolish
people of Sodom in the Bible who treated the angels and the
prophet so poorly…”
“Here, have a bite. Say ah.” Laura interrupted her husband
by offering him a piece of her steak. Previous experience has
taught her that Ian could rant for a long time if allowed.
When Ian accepted her food without a fight as usual, Laura
wiped his mouth with a napkin and explained, “I’m sure Mr.
Fairfax invited all these people for Miss Lance. Once everyone
sees her as a beautiful bride walking down the aisle, the
rumors about her from last year will finally cease. I think that
must be why he spent so much money on this wedding.”
Ian swallowed the steak and replied, “I admit that both of
them looked great. William told me he had to sell one of his
lands to pay for this whole thing.”
“If it’s for your future wife, it’s all worth it. And his plan
worked. Every guest here is busy raving about Mrs. Fairfax’s
beauty.”
Ian contemplated for a moment before asking, “Should we
have another wedding?”
Laura, who was sipping her wine, coughed. “What?!”
“It looks like it’s not a bad idea to hold a big event. You
were gorgeous on our wedding day, of course, but I didn’t get
to give you the kind of luxury dress Miss Lance wore today.
Your veil was also made in England.”
“We didn’t have the time, so it couldn’t be helped. I
remember you kicking and screaming that you couldn’t wait
more than two months. Haa, do you know how embarrassed I
was in front of your sister and the children?”
Ian blushed, making Laura smile. She patted his reddened
cheek and continued, “Our wedding was perfect. I don’t need
another ceremony because it was already the happiest
moment of my life. I don’t need a French wedding dress or an
Italian veil.”
Ian smiled expectantly and asked, “Are you saying that all
you need is me?”
Laura lowered her gaze. “…Yes.”
Ian chuckled and began kissing her fingers one by one. He
didn’t care that the other guests were gawking at them. He
rubbed her small hand against his cheek and whispered, “I
want to get home as soon as possible. I want to get you in our
bedroom and be the only one who gets to see you.”
Laura giggled and poked her husband’s cheek. Ian Dalton
was a handsome man who was respected by everyone
including herself. But during their one year of marriage, what
Laura found most endearing was how affectionate he could
be.
They were chuckling and whispering when a familiar voice
announced, “Hey! What are you doing at my wedding
reception party?”
Ian and Laura turned to find a pair standing at their table.
It was Mr. Fairfax still in his handsome white suit and Mrs.
Fairfa who changed into an ivory chiffon dress from her
wedding dress. The new Mrs. Fairfax looked as lovely as an
angel. They were smiling at Ian and Laura.
Laura pulled her hand away from Ian’s grasp and rose.
“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax.”
Mrs. Fairfax blushed. “Thank you, Mrs. Dalton.”
Laura smiled at the new bride. In the spring of last year,
Laura was busy preparing for her wedding when she received
a letter from Miss Dora Lance. The message began with a
customary congratulations on the upcoming wedding, but the
majority of the letter was filled with apologies and regrets.
Miss Lance explained that what she had felt for Mr. Dalton
was nothing more than a fleeting infatuation. She apologized
for her inappropriate behavior and tried to emphasize that
she didn’t feel anything for Mr. Dalton anymore. Laura could
understand what Miss Lance was trying to do. The young
woman was hoping to help Laura feel unburdened about
marrying Ian Dalton.
Laura felt appreciative, but she became concerned as well.
The letter suggested that Miss Lance was rather troubled by
what had happened. It was clear Miss Lance regretted her
behavior. She sounded very embarrassed.
The two couples talked about their honeymoons. Mr. and
Mrs. Fairfax planned on traveling to Marseille. They hoped to
ride a boat along the beautiful French coast and enjoy their
private time together.
After a short conversation, Ian suggested to William that
they should go out for a smoke. He knew that Laura wanted to
talk to Mrs. Fairfax in private. Once her husband was gone,
Mrs. Fairfax seemed flustered. She looked troubled by being
left alone with Laura. But when Laura asked to go somewhere
private for a chat, Mrs. Fairfax followed obediently.
The two women left the banquet hall and climbed the
stairs. When they passed by two flights of stairs, they saw a
ladies’ restroom that was empty inside.
They sat across from each other. To lessen Mrs. Fairfax’s
anxiety, Laura began by complimenting her about the
wedding. Laura talked about the live flowers and other
decorations. She also spoke of how handsome Mr. Fairfax
looked today. But of course, Laura focused mostly on praising
the beautiful bride. Mrs. Fairfax’s veil, gloves, and bouquet
were all exquisite. Laura raved that Mrs. Fairfax couldn’t have
been more elegant and lovely.
“Eve attended at least a hundred weddings, but I’ve never
seen a more beautiful bride than you, Mrs. Fairfax.” Laura’s
voice filled with enthusiasm.
Dora couldn’t help but giggle at Laura’s neverending
compliments. “If I had attended your wedding, I would’ve felt
the same way about you, Mrs. Dalton. Even today, you look so
delightful.”
“Thank you.”
The two of them smiled quietly. After a short silence,
Laura began, “I am afraid I might not have made much sense
in my last letter. I was so busy at the time. I had to prepare my
wedding dress and the whole wedding ceremony…”
 Dora shook her head. “Your letter was flawless, Mrs.
Dalton. As usual, you were respectful and proper. I still read it
from time to time. I will use it as a template whenever I need
to write a thank-you letter.”
Dora behaved very humbly, and Laura felt comforted. Mrs.
Fairfax was never a rude lady even before she got married, but
she was acting even more respectfully toward Laura. This
made it easier for Laura to bring up an uncomfortable subject.
“Mrs. Fairfax, do you remember the story I told you some
time ago?”
“Which story?”
“The one I told you two years ago at your ball. It was about
this foolish young girl who ended up ruining her reputation.
She ended up marrying a rich foreigner thirty years her senior
and leaving England for good.”
 Epilogue 3

The smile on Mrs. Fairfax’s face became replaced by an

anxious and awkward look. It looked like she stepped on a
small thorn hidden in her shoe. It was because she expected
to be scolded by Laura for being thoughtless. Laura’s age,
station in life, and wisdom gave her the right to admonish
her.
But Dora Fairfax didn’t know Laura very well or else, she
wouldn’t have been fearful.
Clasping her fingers nervously as if she committed an
unforgivable crime, Mrs. Fairfax looked down and answered,
“…Yes, I remember.”
Laura held the young woman’s hands comfortingly. “Mrs.
Fairfax, my husband and Mr. Fairfax are good friends and
inlaws. We’re practically family now, so I hope you’ll be
understanding of my past indiscretion.”
Mrs. Fairfax nodded emphatically, making Laura smile
again. Laura continued, “The truth is, that story was about
me when I was seventeen.”
Mrs. Fairfax’s eyes widened, and Laura explained, “Except
for marrying the rich man thirty years my senior, of course.
When I look back, I’m terribly embarrassed by it. I acted
foolishly and impulsively at that age. I was more mature than
other girls my age, but I was blinded by love. It was because I
was too inexperienced at the time. I made a mistake, and I had
to pay a big price for it.”
Laura blushed and added, “It took me a long time to
forgive myself. I felt guilty, and I cried a lot too. To be honest,
I couldn’t be free of it until very recently. That is why I
worked hard to pair up many ladies with good men. I hoped
that the other women wouldn’t repeat my mistake.”
Dora watched Laura in silence. There was empathy,
understanding, and respect in her eyes.
“But I learned a lot from my mistake too. I became more
cautious especially when it came to trusting people. When you
accept your pain, it helps you to grow. Everyone makes
mistakes, and no one can grow wiser without learning from
them.”
Laura continued, “God made us imperfect, and he wants
us to improve ourselves as we grow older. To do this, we need
to make countless mistakes. These mistakes make us better if
we accept them and learn from them. Therefore, it’s
unnecessary to agonize over the small mistakes we make
when we’re young.”
Dora finally realized why Mrs. Dalton was telling her this
story. Mrs. Dalton was trying to help her forget her
embarrassing mistake. Dora was surprised at how well Mrs.
Dalton understood her. Ever since she realized what she had
done, there hasn’t been a single day when Dora didn’t think
about it. Every night, she tossed and turned as she
remembered how foolish she had been. Whenever anyone
mentioned Mrs. Dalton or Whitefield, she found it hard to
breathe from guilt and embarrassment.
Dora has been trying to focus on loving Mr. Fairfax. He
made her happy, but even so, there was always a secret sense
of shame that never allowed her to forget. It was even worse
that she was reminded every day what a great man Mr.
Fairfax was. She felt inadequate, wondering if she was worthy
to be his wife.
Could she make a good wife? Dora asked herself this
question often, and the answer she came up with was always
a negative one.
Yet it seemed that Mrs. Dalton understood Dora well. This
wise woman was reassuring Dora that everything was okay.
Tears rolled down from Dora’s eyes. Mrs. Dalton calmly
offered her a handkerchief, and Dora continued to cry
silently. She didn’t sob uncontrollably because she was no
longer a childish young girl. She has grown much lately, and
she now had good control over her emotions.
Dora soon calmed down and returned the handkerchief to
Laura. “Mrs. Dalton, no words can describe how much respect
I have for you. If I had an older sister like you, I would’ve been
better off.”
“You’re still very young, Mrs. Fairfax. You must stop
blaming yourself.”
 “But it took me too long to see what a wise woman you are.
At first, I made the same mistake with Mr. Fairfax too. If I had
continued to be so naive, I wouldn’t have recognized him as a
great man just because he’s a second-born son.”
“But now, you’re marrying him. You’ve grown and made
the right decision. You must consider yourself very lucky.”
“Will I make a good wife to Mr. Fairfax? I’m so afraid that I
might disappoint him and make him regret marrying me. I… I
really would like to make him happy.”
“I’m certain Mr. Fairfax will be very happy with you. After
all, he’s such a generous man who is very easy to please. On
top of this, you respect him. A wife who respects her husband
can never disappoint him because she’ll always try her best
for him. Respect is a better tool in achieving a successful
marriage than passion.”
Dora nodded, believing that Mrs. Dalton was offering her
great wisdom. She trusted Laura and saw her not as just an
in-law or an acquaintance but as a teacher.
“Thankyou, Mrs. Dalton, for…”
Dora still felt hesitant about mentioning what happened in
the past, so Laura finished her sentence for her. “For coming
to your wedding, lending you my handkerchief, and praying
for your happiness?”
Dora smiled beautifully. “Exactly, Mrs. Dalton.”
 The two women smiled at each other warmly.

***

After Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax left for the port to head to
Marseille, the guests dispersed as well. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton
also got into their carriage.
When Laura leaned on the comfortable seat, Ian asked,
“Are you tired, Laura?”
“Just a little,” Laura mumbled weakly. It has been so long
since she attended a social event, and she felt exhausted. She
assumed that it was because she had gotten used to a peaceful
life in Whitefield. London society now felt as oppressive as a
tight corset made of whale bones. She couldn’t believe how
she lasted twelve years in a place like this.
But when I think back, I always suffered from indigestion in
the past. My shoulders always felt tight too.
All her life, Laura believed that she had a weak digestive
system. It was no wonder since she lived with constant
indigestion and acid reflux. But after she got married, she no
longer suffered from these ailments.
Her shoulder pain remained, but it wasn’t from stress. It
was because she continued her translation work. Even after
she became Mrs. Dalton, Laura never stopped working. She no
longer had to make a living, but using her skills for
something productive made her feel proud.
 Ian also felt great pride in Laura’s work. He transformed
the storage room in the Whitefield Hall library into her
private office. There, Laura spent much of her time reading
books and working on her translations.
Laura couldn’t help but love her husband who valued her
mind so much. She fell deeper in love with Ian every day.
Ian pulled down the shade over the window and suggested,
“You should take a nap. I’ll let you know when we arrive at
the hotel.”
“Okay, I’ll close my eyes just for a moment. Maybe just for
five minutes.”
Ian quietly placed his jacket over Laura and began
massaging her shoulders, which has become his habit lately.
The tension left her body, and Laura smiled happily at her
husband’s considerate gesture.
She didn’t know how long she had been asleep. When
Laura finally opened her eyes, she was refreshed and a little
dazed. It felt like she had a very long nap. Feeling confused,
she turned toward Ian who was still sitting next to her. He
seemed like he was deep in his thoughts.
Laura asked, “Ian, how long have I been asleep?”
He checked the pocket watch that hung on his vest and
answered, “About two hours?”
Laura jolted in shock and sat up straight. “My goodness!
That long?!”
“It’s no wonder you’re tired. It has been so long since you
rode the train overnight.”
 “You should’ve woke me up.”
“But I love watching you sleep. I couldn’t give up this great
chance.” When Ian retorted teasingly, Laura burst into
laughter.
She looked out the window to see that an orange sunset
was blooming over London. She murmured, “It doesn’t look
like we’re near our hotel.”
“I asked the groom to keep driving. We’ll return to our
hotel now.”
Laura smiled and nodded. Ian reached for her, and she
buried her body in his embrace. One year ago, she would’ve
never imagined that a day would come when she felt so
comfortable in his arms. When she leaned her head on his
broad chest, Ian hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.
Laura fidgeted with the chain of his pocket watch and enjoyed
his warmth.
Ian has kissed her thousands of times since they got
married. But even now, Laura’s heart thumped sweetly
whenever he kissed her. She didn’t think she could ever get
used to the feeling of his lips on her.
I’ll always feel this way as long as I live.
Laura thought quietly.
 Epilogue 4

Feeling drowsy and happy, Laura buried deeper into her

husband’s embrace. But instead of hugging her tighter, Ian
handed her a small bouquet of marigolds. Laura blinked and
looked up at him in surprise.
“A gift?” she asked.
He nodded. “I had the carriage stop for a moment to buy
this when we were passing by the Covent Garden.”
Laura gave him a small smile as she accepted the flowers.
Although she felt touched, she wasn’t surprised at all. After
all, this wasn’t the first time Ian gave her flowers as a gift.
After they promised to get married, Laura received flowers
from him every single day. She stayed in Dunville Park, and
he sent her a bouquet he made himself for two months until
their wedding day. Ian took care to pick and arrange the best
flowers from his garden to create beautiful bouquets to show
his love for her.
Even after they got married, Ian never stopped. Every
morning, he visited his solarium to gather an armful of fresh
flowers to adorn Laura’s library. He arranged the flowers in a
giant vase decorated with gold and rubies so his wife could
enjoy it. Filling Laura’s space with flowers became an
important daily routine for Ian. He never skipped it once since
they got married.
Laura smelled the pretty scent of the marigolds. Every
time she received flowers from Ian, it made her heart beat a
little faster. She murmured, “Marigold is such a lovely flower.
The ribbon around it was tied very prettily too. Did you buy it
from one of those young girls that sell flowers?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Those children barely make a living selling these
flowers, so it’s good to buy from them.”
“The girl who sold me this bouquet was a smart one. She
knew all the meanings of the flowers she was selling. She
seemed to recommend flowers that represent love to young
men while suggesting flowers that symbolize wealth and
honor to middleaged men.”
“Goodness, what a smart girl. So what did she say the
marigolds represent?” asked Laura.
Ian smiled softly. “Mourning.”
“But they are so bright and golden. I’m surprised that they
symbolize something so sad.”
“I’m sure it’s to offer golden love to those who have
passed away instead of dark sorrow.
Laura gazed at the bouquet in her hands. Slowly, the
sunset resembling the color of the marigolds began to stain
the sky outside. Laura was still leaning on her husband when
she wondered why they hadn’t arrived at their hotel yet. The
hotel restaurant was going to close soon, but she didn’t
bother voicing her concern. Ian was always worried about her
being too thin, which was why he made sure she never
skipped a meal. So the fact that they were still continuing to
drive around the city had to mean that he had a plan.
Maybe he made a reservation at a downtown restaurant?
Laura pondered quietly.
Their carriage continued on. Soon, they arrived at a well-
maintained cemetery with rows of neatly trimmed trees.
Laura looked out the window in surprise as they passed by
various tombstones.
“Is this place…?” Laura whispered.
Ian held her hands and explained, “Since we’re in London,
I thought we should go visit Lady Abigail.”
Laura gasped in surprise. Ever since she learned that she
would be coming to London, she made a plan to visit her
grandmother. Her uncle had warned her never to go near
Lady Abigail’s grave, but Gerald Pendleton didn’t have any
power over her anymore. Laura was finally able to say
goodbye to her grandmother.
But she never told her husband about her plan. Laura knew
that if she did, he would insist on accompanying her. She
didn’t want to cause him pain by having to witness her break
down in tears.
But it seemed that Ian knew exactly what Laura was
thinking. He asked, “You were going to visit this place early in
the morning without me knowing, weren’t you?
“How… did you know?”
 “Because I have a talent for reading your thoughts.” He
raised her chin gently so he could look into her eyes. He added
sternly, “I won’t let you cry alone again.”
When Laura nodded, he kissed her forehead softly. The
carriage finally stopped, and Ian got out first to help her out.
Laura took his hand and looked ahead of her. She saw a
rectangular tombstone that was as tall as her.
Abigail Pendleton.
February 1, 1823 -August 16,1895
God sent this woman down to earth to spread love.
Laura’s eyes filled with tears, but she forced a smile on her
lips. “Grandmother, I’m sorry I’m late.”
Fidgeting with the bouquet of marigolds, she continued, “I
got married. I married Mr. Dalton, the man you approved of.
And I’m very happy now. I feel so joyful every single day. I’ve
never been this glad to be born.”
The smile on her face suddenly faded as tears rolled down
her cheeks. “…But… even so, I’ll never forget how much you
loved me, Grandmother… You were the only mother I ever
knew.”
She placed the bouquet in front of Lady Abigail’s grave.
Unable to control her sadness anymore, Laura jumped into
Ian’s embrace and began sobbing. She wasn’t given the
chance to cry two years ago at the funeral, so the repressed
tears escaped her eyes like a flood.
Ian hugged her tightly. In a loving but hoarse voice, he
whispered, “I’m certain Lady Abigail knows how bravely her
granddaughter survived. She’s watching you from heaven,
Laura.”
Laura could tell that Ian understood what she was going
through. He felt her sadness and sorrow as if they were his
own. He was more than willing to share her burdens because
he loved her so much.
Thanks to Ian’s great love for her, Laura’s sadness quickly
melted away like the grains of salt in a bucket of water. The
guilt she felt for not being with her grandmother at her
funeral disappeared like magic. His calm and loving presence
had a miraculous healing power over her mending heart.
Laura’s sob slowly lessened as she remained in his arms.
When she became calm, Ian took out his handkerchief. After
gently raising her head, he wiped away her tears as if she was
a little girl caught playing with paints.
Ian always took care of her with a motherly instinct. The
things he did for her were the things Laura imagined her
mother would’ve done for her if she were alive. She never
realized how much she missed out as a child until Ian began
taking care of her. She has never felt this content and fulfilled
in her life.
“Ian.”
“Yes?” Ian answered with the most handsome smile.
Laura confessed to him with all of her heart, “I love you.”
Ian’s hands paused as if he was surprised. It was no
wonder since this was the first time Laura confessed her love
for him this directly. He pulled her closer, and in a quiet but
demanding voice, he requested, “Say it again.”
Laura’s eyes sparkled with love and respect. “I love you
with all of my heart. I really do.”
He leaned toward her so that their noses touched. Their
breaths mingled as he whispered, “So that means that we’re
both in love now.”
Ian smiled lazily, his eyes glowing with happiness. “Close
your eyes, Laura.”
She obeyed, and he gently rubbed her nose with his. “My
Laura. I’ll always love you and you only. Even when I die and
reach heaven, you’ll be the only one for me.
Ian’s lips touched her as he added, “I swear to you on this
kiss.”
Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him
closer so she could kiss him back. She didn’t doubt her
husband’s love one bit. She knew that even after their deaths,
their love would go on.
If there was a way to weigh one’s love, theirs would be of
equal weight. But Laura and Ian felt no need for a scale
because they could feel each other’s devotion every second of
the day.
 ***

The End.
 Side Story 1

Mr. and Mrs. Dalton’s carriage stopped in front of the

Whitefield Hall. Their butler Ramswick and the other servants
in uniforms have been waiting outside.
The staff quickly walked up to the carriage. Ram wick
pulled down the steps and opened the carriage door. Inside
was a man sitting with his legs crossed. Ian Dalton, the
master of Whitefield Hall, looked beautiful as usual with his
slicked- back black hair, gray suit, and black tie.
“Welcome back…” Ramswick was about to offer a
respectful greeting when his master raised his slim index
finger to his lips. It was apparent that Mr. Dalton wanted him
to keep quiet, so Ramswick shut his mouth.
Mr. Dalton lifted the woman sleeping beside him and
silently walked down the steps. The woman in his arms was
Whitefield Hall’s new mistress Laura Dalton, who married
Mr. Dalton a year ago. Her head was resting on his hard chest
as she slept like a baby.
Afraid he might wake her, Ian whispered to Ramswick,
“Move all our luggage to our room.
 Ramswick nodded quietly, and Ian Dalton slowly walked
into the house. The butler watched his young master carrying
his wife with such care. Ramswick remembered how the
couple looked when they returned from their honeymoon a
year ago. There was a broad smile on Mrs. Dalton’s face as Mr.
Dalton carried her out of the carriage. His neck was bright
red, and his pretty wife was hugging him tightly.
Ramswick thought happily. I’ve never seen a couple happier
than them in my whole life.
He reminisced about the interaction between Mr. and
[Link] during the last year. A faint smile appeared on his
lips. I never knew that a husband and wife could make each other
that happy.
When Mr. and Mrs. Dalton entered the house, Ramswick
ordered the servants to bring down the trunks and luggage
from the carriage. He knew that tomorrow morning, Mrs.
Dalton would tell him what to do with them. Her instruction
no doubt was going to be so clear that even a five- year-old
could understand.
Many big and small household decisions needed to be
made, and Ramswick knew Mrs. Dalton would provide logical
answers for all of them. He lived his entire life as Whitefield
Hall’s butler, but he trusted Mrs. Dalton enough to follow all
of her orders blindly.
For the past thirty years, Ramswick had to work tirelessly
to make up for the absence of a mistress in House Dalton. But
now under an intelligent commander like Mrs. Dalton, his
duties have decreased significantly. He was finally able to
work in leisure.
Watching the bags being carried into the house by the
servants, Ramswick nodded in satisfaction. This marriage is a
complete success.
***
Laura was fast asleep even as Ian walked down the hallway
and opened their bedroom door. But when he gently laid her
down on the bed, her eyes twitched. She slowly opened her
eyes and mumbled, “…Ian?”
“Are you awake?”
“Yes…” She rubbed her eyes and looked around. “Did you
carry me up here again?”
Ian sat on the edge of the bed and took his jacket off. “I
couldn’t wake you since you were sleeping so soundly.”
“You should’ve. I must’ve been very heavy.”
“Laura, you know you’re lighter than the snowflakes
coming down from the sky.” Ian smiled and pulled his tie
loose. Laura watched him dreamily for a moment before
trying to sit up. But Ian gently pushed her down and ordered,
“Just go to sleep. I’ll help you change.”
“But… You must be tired too… and I need to get washed…”
Laura protested in a drowsy voice. Their faces were so close
that their noses almost touched. When Ian put his hand
behind her neck and massaged her, Laura purred in pleasure.
Ian rubbed his nose on hers and whispered with a smile,
“I’ll wash you. Your face, hands, feet, and everything.”
 Laura smiled and wrapped her arms around her husband’s
neck. She fidgeted with Ian’s handsome ears and asked,
“You’re going to serve me, Ian?”
“Yes. Like a servant.” Ian kissed her and continued, “Eve
always been envious of your maids. They would follow you
everywhere and help you get dressed, comb your hair, and
bathe you. I would love to give away all of my work to land
agent Noel so I can get hired as your personal maid.”
Laura giggled while Ian gave her countess light pecks on
her lips like a bird. He argued, “I’m serious, so why are you
laughing?”
“Because I can’t imagine you in a maid’s uniform…”
“You’re picturing me in a maid’s uniform? How
disgusting!”
“No, I think you’ll look very cute. I would love to see you
in… a maid’s uniform.”
Ian pinched her cheek lightly. “I love you, but that’s one
thing I can’t do even for you, Laura.”
“I know… It was just a silly thought… I’m just so sleepy
right now… I’m not making any sense… Mmm… When should
we visit Dunville Park and the parsonage…?”
Ian answered, “We can talk about that tomorrow. You
sleep now.”
Laura caressed her husband’s smooth black hair for a
moment. But soon, her hands slowed down, and she fell
asleep while her arms still wrapped around his neck.
 Ian quietly looked down at Laura’s face. He loved watching
her sleep because he could get a glimpse of what she might
have been like as a young girl. He saw beautiful innocence,
vulnerability, and childishness in her face.
His gaze turned dreamy. Laura’s always so elegant because
she wears her perfect manners and intelligence as armor. But she
lets her guard down in our bedroom. She sleeps like a child,
grumbles about things, and even talks in her sleep. And I’m the
only one who gets to see her like this as her husband. Just me, Ian
Dalton.
Joy rushed through his entire body. He felt so pleased that
his skin tingled and his heart squeezed painfully. And there
will be no one else for her ever because I’ll be the only husband
she ever has.
Such a thought made him smile, but at the same time, his
eyes filled with tears. Ian wiped them away and sat up. He
wished he could watch Laura sleep forever, but he was
worried she might feel uncomfortable in her tight corset.
Ian slowly unbuttoned her dress. He then took her corset,
underskirt, bloomers, and stockings off in this order. He was
so gentle that Laura didn’t wake once as he undressed her.
Even when he put a loosefitting nightdress over her, she
remained asleep.
Ian then brushed her hair. Laura continued to sleep
soundly, and he couldn’t help but kiss her on the forehead. He
braided her strawberry blond hair loosely and laid it over her
right shoulder. Then, he fetched a wet towel and began
cleaning her face and hands.
To wipe her feet, he knelt at the end of the bed. Her feet
were a little swollen from the long journey, and Ian felt sad
that she had to endure wearing those hard shoes all day. After
cleaning her feet tenderly, Ian began massaging them.
Laura’s feet were so small that he could hold them
comfortably in his hands. I’ve never seen her feet this closely
before.
He studied them as he continued to massage them
diligently. Her beautiful feet had smooth curves and skin pale
enough to show off its veins. Her five round toes were just as
pretty, and their ends were tinged with a lovely pink tone.
How could even her toes be this pretty? Ian’s eyes looked
dreamy again. He caressed her swan-like feet and played with
her toes that resembled flower petals. Heat built up inside of
him, and unable to stop himself, Ian began kissing the top of
her feet.
Before Ian Dalton met Laura, if anyone had said to him
that he would enjoy kissing his wife’s feet, Ian would’ve left
in disgust. He was somewhat obsessed with hygiene, and he
used to be repulsed by just thinking about other people’s feet.
But at this moment, Ian wasn’t repelled by this act. It was
because he wasn’t kissing just anyone’s feet. These belonged
to his wife and partner in life. They belonged to the angel who
had blessed his life.
 Ian genuinely believed that Laura was an angel. The
happiness she offered him was beyond any human could give
him.
Before they got married, Ian reassured Laura that she
shouldn’t feel burdened in any way about becoming Mrs.
Dalton. Ramswick could continue taking care of the
household, and dealing with the locals was Ian’s job, not hers.
Ian promised Laura that just having her by his side was more
than enough.
Laura only smiled at him, silently telling him that
although she knew he was only being considerate, she
planned on doing things her own way. And after they were
married, Laura did exactly that.
Laura showed love to those Ian cared about. She took great
care of everyone in Dunville Park, the Whitefield locals, and
Pastor and Mrs. Starr of the parsonage. In addition, she
maintained Whitefield Hall perfectly as its new mistress. With
her kind but firm way, she gained the respect of everyone who
worked for Ian.
Laura also made a great wife to Ian. She quickly learned
her husband’s habits and made changes to make his life much
more comfortable. Ian’s daily menu became filled with his
favorite dishes. Every night, a pair of warmed slippers
awaited him. He also noticed that the still-life painting he
used to hate in the dining room mysteriously moved to the
long gallery. He hasn’t been able to remove it because it has
been hanging in that exact spot for a hundred fifty years. But
it seemed that Laura realized how he felt about this painting
and took care of it.
There were countless other considerate gestures Laura
made for him, proving that she was the best wife a man could
ask for. Ian felt loved, making him the happiest man in the
world.
Even after they got married, his sketchbook continued to
be filled with the likeness of Laura. But now, there were wings
drawn on her back. He drew her reading or sewing while
sitting on a chair with a pair of neatly folded wings on her
back. There were sketches of her flying inside the forest with
the white wings flapping above her. He even drew her
sleeping on a sunny field of daffodils with the wings over her
like a blanket.
Others who saw his works couldn’t believe how
imaginative Ian could be, but Ian was only drawing what he
saw. In his eyes, Laura was a guardian angel of Whitefield
with a crown made of stars and a pair of snow-white wings.
 Side Story 2

Ian was busy kissing his guardian angel’s feet when someone
knocked on the door. A servant announced from outside, “Sir,
your bath is ready.”
Ian was upset that his time with his wife was interrupted,
but he couldn’t fault the servant. Preparing his bath
immediately after he returned home at the end of the day was
one of the important rules set in this household. Ian covered
Laura with a blanket and left the room.
When he arrived in the washroom, the large bathtub was
filled with warm water as expected. Ian slowly got undressed,
revealing well-defined muscles that adorned his body. In his
teens, he never skipped practicing rowing every day. Even
after graduating from college, Ian made sure to exercise
regularly.
Inside the tub, he washed his face and wet his hair. His
usually slicked-back black hair framed his face, making him
look at least a few years younger. While Ian rubbed his body
with a soap-covered brush, the male servants walked in and
out to refill the tub with hot water.
 Ian washed himself for a long time until he felt clean. He
then ordered a servant to bring him a cigar and an ashtray.
Smoking in a warm bath was one of his favorite hobbies.
Leaning back against the tub, he dried his hands to light the
cigar before inhaling the smoke lightly.
Enjoying the taste of smoke in his mouth, Ian closed his
eyes and reminisced about the four-day London trip. The
purpose of this journey was to attend his friend William’s
wedding. The most extravagant moment was the wedding
itself, and his heart warmed the most when he sent off
William and his new wife to their honeymoon.
But his memories were mostly filled with the time he spent
with Laura. He remembered sitting across from her on the
train drinking coffee together and napping in each other’s
arms in their hotel. He also loved shopping with her at
Harrods Department Store.
But of course, the best moment of this trip was when Laura
made a heartfelt confession to him.
“J love you with all of my heart. I really do.”
Ian suddenly dropped his cigar. Fortunately, his hand was
resting on the edge of the bathtub, so the cigar didn’t fall into
the water. But because it landed on the wet floor, it was no
longer smokable.
As he watched his servant pick up the cigar and clean the
floor, Ian thought in disbelief. Laura loves me… Me…! She loves
me…
 His eyes became dreamily unfocused, his heart soaring in
ecstasy. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that a wife loves her
husband. But Ian Dalton couldn’t accept this new
development calmly. To him, Laura was an angel who came
down to earth to spread happiness. She was a source of joy in
his life. Although he had been content with his bachelor
years, he never wished to go back to that time.
Laura meant everything to him, so he couldn’t believe that
she loved him. She loved him with all of her heart.
Oh my god, Laura loves me… Me… His heart in his left chest
began to pound so loudly that it rang in his ears. Ian even felt
his face burning. He splashed some water on his face, but it
was no use. Even his ears began burning too.
Calm down. He told himself. If I go back to our bedroom like
this, I’ll end up waking her up and tormenting her.
Ian dunked his face into the water and lasted two minutes.
By the time he came out, he was panting heavily. But at least,
he felt much calmer. Smoking another cigar while resting in
the tub, Ian pondered.
I wonder when I’ll get used to Laura. Will there ever come a
time when I feel calm at the thought of her loving me? Will my
heart ever beat normally at the thought of living the rest of our
lives together?
At the moment, Ian didn’t believe it was possible. They
had been married a year already, but he still felt the same way
as on their wedding day. Every time Laura called him by his
first name, his body shivered and his heart thumped. Every
time he sat across from her, he couldn’t concentrate on his
work. There were many days when he would spend hours
gazing at Laura and get reprimanded by her for wasting his
day.
Ian found himself to be an idiot, so he could understand
how Laura might think of him as a silly man. Sometimes, he
worried that Laura might think he was pathetic.
No, Laura is humble and kind. She’s softhearted and forgiving.
Even if she becomes disappointed in me, she won’t leave me that
easily. An angel would never do something like that.
Ian tried to remain calm as he looked at the clock in the
bathroom. It was already close to midnight, so he put out his
cigar on the ashtray and rose. The servant handed him a
towel, which he used to dry himself before putting on the
bathrobe.
Ian felt happy just thinking about returning to his wife in
their bed. He was going to hug her and bury his nose in her
neck. He would fall asleep enjoying her scent, and they would
wake up together the next morning.
Ian couldn’t stop smiling in anticipation. He was tying a
knot around his bathrobe when a thought suddenly crossed
his mind. Is Laura still in bed?
He knew this was a ridiculous thought. Where else would
Laura be other than still in their bed? The only place she
belonged to was their bedroom in Whitefield Hall. There was
no doubt that she was in their king bed adorned with a light
sky blue curtain.
 Ian laughed at himself for being foolish and continued
drying his hair. But instead of feeling calm, stranger thoughts
popped into his head. In his drawings, Laura had fluffy white
wings on her back. To an angel, her wings were a method of
transportation to reach heaven.
Even if she loves me, an angel belongs to heaven. If God
summons her, she’ll have no choice but to obey.
Ian almost staggered at the thought. Anxiety filled him,
and he suddenly pictured Laura about to step out of their
bedroom window toward the night sky with her wings out.
He threw down the towel and rushed out of the washroom.
He ran down the long hallway and burst into their bedroom
before heading straight to the bed.
“Haa… Haa…” Ian panted, feeling like he was going to
collapse from relief. Laura was sleeping still in their bed with
her braided hair over her right shoulder and wrapped with a
clean blanket.
I’m such an idiot. Ian pushed back his hair, ashamed of such
crazy delusions. Laura was human. She may have been as kind
and beautiful as an angel, but she was still an English woman
who married him.
I’ve finally lost my mind. William joked that I was acting like
Romeo, but at this rate, I’m going to become King Lear. Romeo
died, but he was romantic at least. King Lear, on the other hand,
faced a tragic end. So I must not let these delusions get the better
of me. Snap out of it, Ian.
 Even as he scolded himself, Ian couldn’t take his eyes off
Laura. In her white nightshirt, she certainly looked like an
angel. It wouldn’t have surprised him if she rose right this
very minute and flew away to the sky.
And because he didn’t have wings himself, he was never
going to be able to stop her.
I can never take my eyes off of her. If anyone tries to take
Laura away from me, I’ll kill them. Even if it’s God.
Ian gritted his teeth. Sometimes, he became illogically
obsessed with absurd thoughts like this. He suspected that it
was all because he had been too happy lately. Since childhood,
he has experienced countless farewells. He lost his mother,
nanny, Mr. Sheldon, and a friend when he was very young. He
then lost his father when he was a bit older. These sad events
made him grow stronger, but they hurt him terribly as well.
Ian always found it hard not to feel a little nervous whenever
he became happy.
The bigger his happiness grew, the bigger his fear grew as
well. Ian knew being afraid of Laura flying away was a silly
thought, but such an idea stemmed from his genuine fear of
losing her.
I wish Laura was less beautiful. If she was less kind, lovely, and
dedicated… If I was only half as happy as I am now, I wouldn’t be
this nervous about losing it all.
Ian bit his lip, his anxiety refusing to leave his head. I want
to confirm that Laura is really human.
 He hesitated for a moment before taking his bathrobe off.
A moment later, Laura opened her eyes. “…Mmm…”
She felt his large hands caressing her waist. Her husband
was on top of her and kissing her face ardently. Quickly
realizing what he wanted, Laura murmured, “…Ian, I’m
sleepy…”
“I’m sorry, but I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Ian raised her nightshirt.

***

The next day after they returned from London, Mr. and Mrs.
Dalton visited Dunville Park. Because they called on the
Fairfax family at least once a week, their visit wasn’t a
surprise. But thanks to the gifts they brought from the city,
they were welcomed much more than usual.
Laura delivered each gift to its recipient one by one. A
sapphire brooch was for Mrs. Fairfax while an expensive pair
of hunting gloves was for Mr. Robert Fairfax. Olivia received a
lady’s hat that was all the rage in London, and George was
overjoyed with the newest Sherlock Holmes novel. Laura
picked each gift with care, and everyone was touched by her
thoughtfulness.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to deliver the gifts for little
Ian and Daniel in person. Little Ian was taking a nap while
Daniel had left home two months ago to attend Eton College.
 Daniel cried for days when he first found out he was
leaving. Eton was known for having strict rules and high
academic standards. Daniel was devastated at the realization
that he was going to lose his freedom.
Mrs. Fairfax and Ian believed that Daniel would benefit
from this experience. They expected strict teachers and stern
upperclassmen to cure Daniel of his rowdy personality. Their
guess was a logical one, but their encouragement gave him no
comfort. Before he left, Daniel often whined to his beloved
teacher and aunt Laura.
Laura empathized with the young boy and tried her best to
give him courage. She told Daniel that he should think of Eton
College as training to become a naval officer, which was his
dream. She explained that his time in this school would teach
him the necessary knowledge, patience, and courage to
become a successful sailor.
 Side Story 3

Being a simple boy, Daniel was quickly convinced by Laura to

overcome his fear of attending Eton College. By the time he
left home, all he felt was just a little bit of sadness at having
to leave his family.
With his naughty accomplice gone, George rarely got into
any trouble. George missed Daniel, but he was also happy that
he didn’t have to fight for his Aunt Laura’s attention
anymore. As George and Laura roamed the forest, he could
have her all to himself. Daniel’s absence allowed George to
have a much happier childhood.
After Laura delivered all of her gifts and chatted with Mrs.
Fairfax about the visit to London, she went to explore the
forest with George. Oliva, after instantly falling in love with
the hat Laura gave her, disappeared into her room to search
for a perfect dress to go with it. Mr. Fairfax put on the new
hunting gloves and headed out to the hunting ground, which
left Ian and Mrs. Fairfax alone in the reception hall.
Mrs. Fairfax caressed the brooch and announced, “My
goodness. How did you manage to pick out something so
elegant?”
 “Laura chose it,” Ian answered.
“Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it? All you ever get me is food
that’s supposedly good for my health. You’re a terrible gift
giver.”
She pinned the brooch on her thick shawl. It was elegant
with a quiet design, so it was perfect for Mrs. Fairfax who
enjoyed simple outfits. She continued, “I like it. I better thank
Laura again before she leaves today.”
Ian felt proud of Laura for selecting an excellent gift for
his sister.
Mrs. Fairfax asked, “So what did the Londoners say about
the new Mrs. Dalton?”
“No one dared to say anything to our faces. But they all
looked at her as if she was the queen herself.”
Mrs. Fairfax smirked, showing off the same smile as her
brother. She replied, “Laura is still the exact same person as
when she wasn’t married, but I guess people are finally able
to see her worth now.
“That’s what all nobles are like. Such a shallow bunch of
idiots. Anyway, when will little Ian wake up from his nap? I
want to see him before I leave.”
“Soon. I asked his nanny to bring him here as soon as he
wakes up.”
After about ten minutes, baby Ian walked in holding his
nanny’s hand. As soon as the child saw his uncle, a bright
smile appeared on his face. He yelled, “Uncle!”
 The little boy was wearing an adorable navy uniform
outfit. Ian opened his arms and said quietly, “Come here,
little Ian.”
When his nephew reached him, Ian raised him easily and
placed him on his lap. Ian patted the young boy’s thick black
hair affectionately. The child kept smiling, clearly happy to
see his uncle.
Big Ian whispered to little Ian, “I got you a gift from
London. It’s in my pocket, so why don’t you look for it?”
Little Ian began going through his uncle’s pockets. His tiny
hands brought out a box of matches, a silver cigarette box, a
handkerchief, and some mints. Soon, the child found a small
gift box wrapped in colorful wrapping paper.
Little Ian excitedly ripped away the wrapping paper. When
he found a tiny train inside the box, he stared in silence for a
while. His eyes glowed in joy, and it wasn’t long before he
began screaming in excitement.
Ian smiled in satisfaction and looked at his sister sitting
across from him. He murmured, “I think he likes it.”
Mrs. Fairfax, who was busy talking to the nanny about
maintaining the nursery, nodded toward her brother without
interest. She then continued her conversation with the nanny.
Although Mrs. Fairfax loved her children, she didn’t have a
huge interest in them. She felt this way about all of her
children.
After they finished their conversation, Mrs. Fairfax
suggested to the nanny that she could go get some tea in the
kitchen. When the nanny left, Mrs. Fairfax patted the
sapphire brooch once more before facing her brother again.
Ian was mesmerized by his baby nephew on his lap. He
smiled as little Ian played with the toy train, and he listened
attentively when the child babbled about some imaginary
train station.
Mrs. Fairfax watched their interaction quietly. Ian has
always liked babies since he was young. At the age of eight
when he was a child himself, he played with newborn Henry
just like he was doing right now. He did the same with Olivia,
Daniel, and George, at least until Daniel and George almost
set the entire Dunville Park forest on fire a few years ago.
Watching her brother playing with her son, Mrs. Fairfax
became curious. She knew she was being nosy, but she never
hesitated when she wanted to ask questions to her brother.
She asked, “When do you plan on having children?”
Ian, who was still watching his nephew playing with the
train, looked up at his sister. “Why are you asking me that so
suddenly?”
“It has been over a year since you got married, so why
hasn’t anything happened yet?”
Ian smirked. “You’ll have to ask God for an answer.
“Are you doing what you’re supposed to?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Mrs. Fairfax clicked her tongue. “Geez, have you become
an idiot after visiting London? I’m asking you if you’re
properly delivering your seeds to Laura.”
 Ian covered the little Ian’s ears in shock. Thankfully, the
young boy was so engrossed in the toy train that he didn’t
even notice his uncle covering his ears. He was sure to make
an excellent train driver someday.
Ian argued, “Think before you say things like that in front
of the children!”
Unlike her brother who was blushing in embarrassment,
Mrs. Fairfax remained nonchalant. “That boy is still a
monkey. He doesn’t understand what we’re saying at all.”
“How do you know that?”
“From you. You don’t remember anything that happened
before you turned three.”
Ian protested, “That’s because you keep making stories up
to tease me. Things that never happened.”
Mrs. Fairfax frowned in displeasure. “Child, I’ve done my
fair share of pranks in my life, but I’ve never made up things
that never happened. I especially do not need to fabricate
memories of my little brother because you’ve done plenty of
silly things on your own.”
“Don’t you dare talk about this again. If you do, then I…”
Before Ian could finish his sentence and threaten to leave,
Mrs. Fairfax narrowed her eyes and began reminiscing out
loud. “I remember when you just turned two. You were a very
smart child. Whenever I was invited to a ball, you wouldn’t
leave my side while I got ready. You would list the things you
would give me if I didn’t go to the ball. You used to offer me
the ginger cookies in the cookie jar in the nursery, the toy
soldier set in the toy box, and the stuffed animal you used to
sleep with. Whenever I was about to leave, you would hang
onto my leg like a koala and cry your lungs out. You used to
scream, ‘Don’t go, Margaret. Don’t leave me!’ You would ruin
my dress with your tears and snot so I have to change.”
Ian’s face crumpled as if he had eaten a bug. “I don’t
remember that.”
“See? A human can’t remember things that happened
before they turned three.”
I don’t remember because you made up
this story.”
“How could you say that?! If you don’t believe me, ask
Ramswick.”
I have no intention of playing along with
your joke,” Ian retorted sharply. He firmly believed that
his sister was lying to him because he had no recollection of
it. And even if she was telling the truth, he refused to
acknowledge it.
Mrs. Fairfax shrugged. “Even if you deny it, it doesn’t
change the fact that it happened. Anyway, what about the
babies?”
“You speak as if you have a say in this.
This is my and my wife’s business, so stop being nosy.”
“If you weren’t the head of the Whitefield family, I
wouldn’t have cared. But if you don’t get a son, some relative
we’ve never even met will get this land. You haven’t forgotten
this, have you? Now, Ian, be honest. Are you doing a good job
of your husbandly duty at night? Would you like me to send
you the herbs my husband takes?”
Ian couldn’t help but shout, “I don’t need some stupid
herb! I’m already doing it enough to break our bed!”
Mrs. Fairfax laughed so hard that she almost fell backward.
Ian turned red, realizing that he fell for his sister’s trick, and
ended up revealing how he spent his night with his wife in
private.
“Of course, Ian. I don’t doubt that you’re doing your best
since you’ve been pining for Laura for a long time. And on top
of that, you were a total virgin until your wedding night.”
Ian was glad that he kept his hands on little Ian’s ears.
Mrs. Fairfax continued, “Maybe the problem isn’t the
frequency but the quality of your seeds. Ian, are you sure
there isn’t anything wrong with your seed pouch? Maybe
you’re shooting blanks or your seeds are all rotten from
smoking.”
She lowered her gaze to stare at her brother’s crotch as if
she could see through his pants. Ian quickly placed his
nephew between his legs to block the view of his “seed
pouch” from his sister.
Ian muttered, “I can’t believe my ears. I may be your
brother, but that still doesn’t give you the right to make
disgusting guesses about my body. And what does smoking
have to do with having children?”
“Everything. In our village, I noticed that those men who
smoke a lot have no children. And even if they do, they’ll have
one or two at most. The husbands with at least ten children
don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Mr. Shultz, our town
pharmacist, had his twenty-fourth child recently. He doesn’t
smoke or drink, and he only eats one slice of meat at night
every day.”
Ian replied drily, “Then it sounds like Mr. Shultz should
start smoking. More importantly, he should start sleeping in
a separate bedroom.”
“Well, who cares? It’s not a bad idea to have as many
children as you can while you’re at it. His wife is as strong as
an ox after all. Even after giving birth to twenty- four
children, she can still work in the potato field just fine.”
Ian became confused about how each woman fares
differently after birth. Some women like Mrs. Shultz were
healthy enough to work in the field after having twenty-four
babies, yet his own sister became so fragile only after her fifth
baby. Ian was always worried about his sister’s health, which
was why he was more shocked by Mrs. Shultz’s ability to
recover than by Mr. Shultz’s reproductive capability.
Mrs. Fairfax explained, “You smoke all the time. How
about you quit for the sake of having a baby?”
“I can’t stop smoking. I’ve been doing this for the past
fifteen years and it has become part of my life.”
Mrs. Fairfax sighed. “Our father taught you such a terrible
habit.”
Mrs. Fairfax became quiet, trying to think of another way
to convince Ian.
Meanwhile, Ian became thoughtful as well. Hmm… A baby…
 Side Story 4

Ian has never thought about having children. He liked kids in

general, but he didn’t mind having none of his own. Lately, he
has been so happy being married to Laura that the thought of
children never even crossed his mind.
But now that he thought about it, he realized that it wasn’t
such a bad idea. Having a child with Laura actually sounded
wonderful. A child that resembled both Laura and myself… It
would bring us closer together even stronger…
A realization suddenly popped into his head. A baby tended
to strengthen the bond between a husband and wife. Even
when things don’t work out in the marriage, many choose to
stay together for the sake of their children.
Ian didn’t think Laura would ever leave him, but even if
she wanted to later in their lives, their child was going to keep
her here. As long as he was the father, it would be difficult for
her to leave him. This meant that he would have a better
chance of keeping her by his side forever.
That way, my angel will live in Whitefield with me for eternity.
We’ll always be a family with our child…
Ian was deep in thought when his sister asked, “What are
you thinking about that you’re grinning like the devil?”
 Realizing that he was smiling, Ian put on a stern
expression and replied, “Nothing.”
“Really? I thought you were thinking something evil like
how you’ll be able to trap Laura by having children. Well,
anyway, I thought of something just now. Would you be
interested in seeing a doctor?”
“To get my seed pouch examined?”
«T7 „
“As I said earlier, my body is perfectly fine. And an
examination like that would only work if both the husband
and wife get them done, and I don’t want to make Laura
worry.”
“…That’s true. The matter of conception is a sensitive
topic for every woman.”
“Margaret, I’m warning you now. If Laura and I never
have a child, that’s our problem. Please do not bother her like
you’re doing to me right now.”
Mrs. Fairfax laughed. “Do you really think I would be rude
to the mistress of Whitefield Hall? Especially to the very
woman who rescued you from dying as an old bachelor?”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Ian thought for a moment before taking out the silver
cigarette box from his pocket. He considered it his treasure
because it was a gift from his father when he was fifteen. He
opened it and stared at the cigars wrapped in brown paper.
“What are you doing?” asked Mrs. Fairfax.
“I’m saying goodbye to an old friend.”
 Mrs. Fairfax brightened. Ian looked down at the case for a
while longer before handing it to his sister. He murmured,
“Please keep this safe for me until we get a child of our own.”
***
“Really?” Laura, who was leaning on her husband’s
shoulder and fidgeting with his pocket watch chain, looked up
at him.
“You really decided to quit smoking?”
Ian had his arm wrapped around his wife’s waist while
looking at his fingernails nonchalantly. He replied, “Yes.”
Laura became a little nervous. “Is it because you feel ill?
Did something happen to your health?”
“Not a thing. Smoking is just a bad habit, so that’s the only
reason why I’m trying to quit.”
Laura still seemed confused despite his explanation. Ian
smoked often as if his life depended on it. He rarely smoked in
front of her, but there was often a cigar in his mouth
whenever he stood near the window or took a walk outside.
He seemed to get nervous when he didn’t have his cigarette
box in his pocket, so it was no wonder Laura became
suspicious.
She said quietly, “I didn’t think a day would come when
you decided to quit.”
“No?”
“No. It’s a habit that brings you fond memories of your
father. Smoking alone is an addictive enough behavior, but
for you, it even has a deeper meaning. So I can understand
that it would be a very difficult habit to give up.”
Ian realized that his wife wanted to know why he decided
to quit. He contemplated for a moment before explaining,
“My sister warned me yesterday that if I continue with this
disgusting habit, I’ll die before I turn fifty. She promised me
that if I die first, she’ll introduce a nice gentleman for you to
remarry. It’s very likely that you’ll live till hundred, and she
said she couldn’t have to live half of your life as a widow.”
Laura laughed out loud, and Ian continued, “When I heard
this, it hit me. I promised to spend a long life with you, so I
can’t break my word just because of a dirty habit.”
Laura could finally understand a little. She knew that her
sister-in-law and her husband liked to joke about this often.
More specifically, Mrs. Fairfax liked to tease Ian, who usually
ended up losing his temper and embarrassing himself. But
Laura could tell that this was how the siblings showed love to
one another.
Laura thought quietly. Ian must’ve realized how worried his
sister is about his smoking. He grumbles about her all the time,
but he cares deeply for his sister. He wouldn I be able to stand his
sister worrying about him.
Now that she understood the reason behind Ian’s decision,
Laura felt relieved. Her relief was followed by happiness
because she had been concerned about her husband’s
smoking as well.
 Ian wasn’t much of a drinker, and he ate healthy. He
followed a strict routine and he also exercised regularly such
as horse riding. But there was one very harmful thing in his
life, and it was his cigars.
For a long time, Laura had wanted to ask him if he could
try cutting down on it. But she stopped herself. As a matter of
fact, she made sure he didn’t forget to take his cigar box
whenever he went out. When he took out a cigar to smoke, she
brought him an ashtray and left so he could smoke in peace.
But all this time, she had been praying that he would find a
good reason to quit smoking. It seemed that her prayer was
answered so suddenly. Laura looked at him affectionately, her
lover for him bursting inside of her.
Laura’s love was a quiet and calm one, but there were odd
times when it exploded with passion. As expected, love could
be very volatile in general.
Laura suddenly pulled her husband’s face closer and
kissed his cheek loudly. Ian looked at his wife in surprise. He
saw that she was smiling broadly.
Laura whispered, “Thank you so much.”
He blinked. “Why are you thanking me, Laura?”
“For eliminating my worry.”
“…My smoking worried you?”
Ian was shocked to see Laura nod. He mumbled, “I thought
you were fine with it. You always made sure I didn’t forget my
 J?

cigar case.
“How could I be fine with it? It was killing you.
“Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Laura looked down and caressed his hands. He was
wearing black leather gloves, and his hands were noticeably
bigger than hers. She answered, “Because I thought you were
thinking of your father whenever you smoked. He must’ve
been a wonderful man who raised you well and gave you this
beautiful land. You had to know how dangerous smoking can
be, so I decided to wait patiently for you to quit on your own.
“But even so, you should’ve said something if it bothered
you. I guess I’ve worried you without even knowing I was
doing it.”
“I didn’t want to interfere with your happiness. Even if it
worries me, I would never want to take away your joy of
reminiscing about your loved one.”
Ian squeezed her hands tightly. His hands were so big that
they swallowed hers.
“Laura, please look at me.”
When she looked up to meet his eyes, Ian continued, “I’ve
given you the right over my everything. My wealth, my time,
and even my life. I am yours in every way.”
Laura shook her head, but she remained quiet. Ian added,
“You have every right to order me to stop a habit you believe
is harmful to me. After all, I belong to you. If you told me to
stop smoking, I would’ve thrown the cigarette box into the
fireplace without a moment of hesitation.”
Laura smiled, knowing that Ian was being serious. She
didn’t doubt that he would’ve done this exact thing because
she believed in his love.
“But even so, it wasn’t my place,” Laura announced.
“Didn’t you say you were worried about my health?”
“But my worry is my emotion to bear. As your wife, my
duty is to respect your choices and help you with your work.”
Laura smiled warmly. “My greatest goal in life is to make you
happy. I work hard every day to become a good wife and help
you be free instead of binding you to me. Your happiness is so
much more important than my little worries.”
A dreamy look appeared in his eyes as Laura continued,
“But Ian, do not think of me as a generous woman. You’ve
already given me so much more than what I can ever give you.
You always allow me to be free and you respect my decisions.
You love me unconditionally, and it’s more than I deserve.”
“Please don’t say that. You’re the greatest wife any man
could ever ask for. I consider myself a very lucky man.”
Laura blushed a little as Ian continued, “Sometimes, I feel
like I’m going to die because of you. I’m so happy that I find
myself unable to breathe. My heart flutters like it wants to
explode. How is it possible that you can control me like this
without even lifting a finger? Could you tell me your secret? I
want to do the same thing to you so you’ll worship me. Just
like I worship you, Laura.”
 “…I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
Laura’s cheeks turned even redder. Ian laughed at her
shyness before turning serious again. “I want to kiss you.”
Laura closed her eyes. His lip touched hers gently before
the kiss turned passionate. When Ian supported the back of
her head, Laura wrapped her arms around her husband’s
neck. Whenever Ian kissed her, she could feel how much he
loved her. His passion was so fiery that he burned her with his
kisses.
Laura didn’t believe that no husband could be more loving
than her own.
 Side Story 5

Sometimes, Laura was afraid of Ian’s love because it was

bottomless and intense. Whenever passion took over his mind
like this, it seemed that her husband couldn’t see or hear
anything. He became so mindless as he tried to engulf her
whole.
But her fear was accompanied by genuine happiness. No
matter the depth and shape of her husband’s love, Laura
knew she could accept it all. Although the way she loved was
more tranquil and kinder, it was just as intense as his. The
only thing she truly feared was Ian falling out of love with
her.
He claimed that he was lucky to have her, but Laura had a
different opinion. She believed that she was the one who
lucked out in getting a perfect husband. She knew that the
rest of the world defined his worth by his wealth. Even if a
man loves his wife, he wouldn’t be considered a good
husband if he was incompetent and penniless. So in this
sense, Ian was a great husband. He provided Laura with a
comfortable life using his wealth and respect from everyone
in Yorkshire with his prestigious name.
 But these things didn’t mean anything to Laura. As a
matter of fact, she had refused his feelings for a long time for
precisely these reasons. If he had been an average middle-
class man, she would’ve gotten engaged to him in a heartbeat.
She wouldn’t have felt like she didn’t deserve to love him.
The reason why Laura considered him a perfect husband
wasn’t his wealth or name. Ian Dalton was a special man all
on his own, and his love for her was unique. No man could
ever care for his wife so perfectly and completely.
During the two months they waited to get married, Ian
knocked down the walls between the two storage rooms
inside the Whitefield library. When a beautifully sunlit room
was created, he covered the walls with pretty wallpaper and
hired a carpenter to make a desk, chair, and bookcase with
the best of the materials. As a wedding gift, he had given her a
private study. When they returned from their honeymoon, he
presented it to her and made her cry. She was so grateful and
happy for his love.
Ian Dalton was a man with sharp views of this world. In his
younger days, he used his intuition to increase his family’s
wealth. After he got married, he used it to make his wife
happy. He was happy to realize that he had a true talent for
finding gifts Laura didn’t even know she wanted.
To replace uncomfortable quills, he bought her expensive
fountain pens. He filled her study every day with fresh
flowers, and in the afternoons when her focus diminished, he
brought her a cart of desserts. Ian also never forgot to give
her shoulder massages every day to help her tight muscles.
There was one reason why Ian knew her so well. It was
because he loved her. Ian Dalton could place his utmost focus
on the things and people he loved, and his constant
observation of her allowed him to look into her soul.
There was a reason why Laura valued his happiness over
her feelings. It wasn’t because she wanted to repay him for
his love. Frankly, it was because she wanted him to continue
loving her. Laura wanted to be loved by him forever. She
wanted to be the only woman in his life.
Too much happiness tended to be accompanied by anxiety.
This rule applied to her as well. Laura was so happy that she
often worried her husband’s love might disappear someday.
The carriage abruptly stopped. Even as she was being
kissed by Ian, she vaguely knew that they had arrived at the
parsonage. She tried to pull back to end the kiss, but quickly
realizing what she was trying to do, Ian tightened his hold
around her head.
Feeling nervous, Laura tapped his shoulders with her
hands. But it was useless because Ian refused to stop the kiss.
Has this man lost his mind?! Laura thought in shock. She
could hear the groom’s footsteps getting closer to the
carriage. Her heart shrunk, afraid that he might catch them
like this. This groom has worked for Whitefield for over forty
years. It would be humiliating to be caught kissing together
like this in the carriage with the curtains drawn.
 And what scared Laura even more was that her husband’s
reputation might get damaged by this. She screamed in her
head. What should I do?! What should I do?!
As a last resort, Laura pulled on his ears hard. But it didn’t
seem to hurt Ian because his eyes continued to be closed as
his tongue wrapped around hers.
He knows exactly what’s going on! He’s doing this on purpose.
Laura felt annoyed by her husband, ʃ have no choice.
Laura bit his lower lips hard.
“Ugh.” Ian finally pulled back. Taking his confusion as her
chance, Laura pushed him away hard. It was at the very
moment the door opened.
The groom announced, “Mrs. Dalton, we’ve arrived at the
parsonage.”
Laura quickly wiped her lips and nodded. She replied
calmly, “Please get the steps down and bring out the box
stored in the back.”
“Of course, ma’am.” The groom disappeared out of her
sight.
Laura sighed in relief and turned toward Ian. He was
wiping his bleeding lips. She narrowed her eyes at him and
muttered, “You are crazy.
“Yes, I am. I’m crazy for you.” Even as he was bleeding,
Ian grinned like an idiot. He really looked like a madman,
making Laura sigh in frustration.
Ian asked, “By the way, are you that embarrassed to be
caught kissing me?”
 “What?”
“We’re married, so what’s wrong with a husband and wife
kissing each other? It’s the most natural thing.”
“You need to think of your reputation, Ian. You must
behave like the head of an honored family. A landlord must
act respectfully.”
Even as Laura explained, she found this situation absurd.
Her husband was a year older than her, yet it seemed that she
had to explain such a basic concept to him. Even worse was
the fact that this wasn’t her first or second time having to
explain this. During the last year of their marriage, she had to
say this same thing to him at least thirty times.
Ian’s love was like a volcano. Once it exploded, he didn’t
care where he was or how he was troubling others. When he
was in a mood like this, all he could think about was kissing
and touching her.
Laura didn’t dislike being intimate with her husband, so
she was perfectly happy to be with him. But of course, this
was only when they were alone. The problem was that Ian
ignored this simple rule very often. Whenever he felt the need
to express his love for her, he would whisper to her if he could
kiss her or touch her. She appreciated him asking her for
permission, but it became awkward when he tried to do this
in inappropriate places.
For example, they were in a church service once when he
whispered to her for a kiss. Instead of answering him, Laura
pinched the back of his hand. At first, Ian became quiet as if
he understood. But after only five minutes, he began poking
her knee persistently.
He whispered, “Let’s do it. Let’s do it. Can we do it?! ”
To stop him, she needed to pinch him much harder.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just at the church that Ian attempted
this. Mood seemed to strike him everywhere including at the
dinner in Dunville Park, tea time with a farmer and his family,
and even at a funeral. She would scold him every time that he
must maintain his dignity in front of others, but it was
useless. He was willing to do everything for her, yet when it
came to this topic, he remained stubborn.
Laura admonished him gently, “A husband and wife must
do these private things in their bedroom only. It’s not like I
refuse you in our bed.”
“But when I’m with you, I forget where I am.” His lips
curled up as he drew hearts on her palm with his finger. “How
would you feel if you’re starving but you’re only allowed to
eat at night?”
“Please do not compare your wife to food,” Laura replied
coldly and yanked away her hands.
But Ian refused to give up. He gently pulled her shoulder
closer and murmured, “Of course, you aren’t food. But
whenever we make love, you taste as sweet as nectar and as
smooth as soup. A freshly cooked steak couldn’t be as hot as
you. I’m always starving for you, Laura.”
Laura blushed. “I can’t believe you would say something
so lewd in the middle of the day. You’ve probably
embarrassed even God enough for him to change the day
from the night.”
Ian grinned naughtily. “I would love that because it would
mean I can take you to our bed right now.”
“Geez, Ian! How could you say such a thing in front of the
parsonage? You must maintain your dignity!” Laura shouted.
“Until you learn to behave properly, I won’t allow you to
touch a single part of my body!”
She jumped down the carriage steps and walked to the
parsonage under a parasol. Looking confused, Ian rushed to
follow her. He yelled, “Laura! Laura!”
When he finally caught up to her, he asked, “Are you
angry?”
“You’re angry, aren’t you?”
Laura refused to answer. If she said no, she would be lying.
But she felt like her ego would suffer if she admitted that she
was indeed angry. Ian quickly turned her around toward him.
When Laura looked up at him with an annoyed face, Ian
became flustered. He finally realized that he had gone too far
and distressed her. Ian couldn’t endure upsetting his wife.
Laura had gone through many hardships to be with him. She
had given up her beliefs to love him. Laura’s love was worth
much more than a thousand pounds of gold.
Ian grabbed Laura’s hands. “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! ”
“What’s your fault? Can you explain?”
“You wanted me to stop kissing you, but I kept going
anyway. I disagreed with you on every piece of advice you
gave me. And I said lewd things to upset you.”
He was very accurate about admitting his mistakes.
Laura’s anger dissipated partly as he continued, “I won’t ever
forget to act dignified from now on. I’ll always remember that
I must act respectfully at all times.”
“…Really?”
“If I ever do anything inappropriate again in public, you
can cut my hands off.”
Laura frowned. “Why would I ever do something so
barbaric like that?!”
“I’m just telling you that you can do anything you wish to
punish me. You’re my mistress, and I deserve to be punished
if I don’t obey you.”
Laura smirked, her anger disappearing completely. A
beautiful smile appeared on her face. She turned toward the
parsonage again and said, “If you ever do this again, we’re
going to be using separate bedrooms.”
Ian chuckled. “How cruel. I better be very careful from now
on.”
Sometimes, Laura was afraid of Ian’s love because it was
bottomless and intense. Whenever passion took over his mind
like this, it seemed that her husband couldn’t see or hear
anything. He became so mindless as he tried to engulf her
whole.
But her fear was accompanied by genuine happiness. No
matter the depth and shape of her husband’s love, Laura
knew she could accept it all. Although the way she loved was
more tranquil and kinder, it was just as intense as his. The
only thing she truly feared was Ian falling out of love with
her.
He claimed that he was lucky to have her, but Laura had a
different opinion. She believed that she was the one who
lucked out in getting a perfect husband. She knew that the
rest of the world defined his worth by his wealth. Even if a
man loves his wife, he wouldn’t be considered a good
husband if he was incompetent and penniless. So in this
sense, Ian was a great husband. He provided Laura with a
comfortable life using his wealth and respect from everyone
in Yorkshire with his prestigious name.
But these things didn’t mean anything to Laura. As a
matter of fact, she had refused his feelings for a long time for
precisely these reasons. If he had been an average middle-
class man, she would’ve gotten engaged to him in a heartbeat.
She wouldn’t have felt like she didn’t deserve to love him.
The reason why Laura considered him a perfect husband
wasn’t his wealth or name. Ian Dalton was a special man all
on his own, and his love for her was unique. No man could
ever care for his wife so perfectly and completely.
During the two months they waited to get married, Ian
knocked down the walls between the two storage rooms
inside the Whitefield library. When a beautifully sunlit room
was created, he covered the walls with pretty wallpaper and
hired a carpenter to make a desk, chair, and bookcase with
the best of the materials. As a wedding gift, he had given her a
private study. When they returned from their honeymoon, he
presented it to her and made her cry. She was so grateful and
happy for his love.
Ian Dalton was a man with sharp views of this world. In his
younger days, he used his intuition to increase his family’s
wealth. After he got married, he used it to make his wife
happy. He was happy to realize that he had a true talent for
finding gifts Laura didn’t even know she wanted.
To replace uncomfortable quills, he bought her expensive
fountain pens. He filled her study every day with fresh
flowers, and in the afternoons when her focus diminished, he
brought her a cart of desserts. Ian also never forgot to give
her shoulder massages every day to help her tight muscles.
There was one reason why Ian knew her so well. It was
because he loved her. Ian Dalton could place his utmost focus
on the things and people he loved, and his constant
observation of her allowed him to look into her soul.
There was a reason why Laura valued his happiness over
her feelings. It wasn’t because she wanted to repay him for
his love. Frankly, it was because she wanted him to continue
loving her. Laura wanted to be loved by him forever. She
wanted to be the only woman in his life.
Too much happiness tended to be accompanied by anxiety.
This rule applied to her as well. Laura was so happy that she
often worried her husband’s love might disappear someday.
The carriage abruptly stopped. Even as she was being
kissed by Ian, she vaguely knew that they had arrived at the
parsonage. She tried to pull back to end the kiss, but quickly
realizing what she was trying to do, Ian tightened his hold
around her head.
Feeling nervous, Laura tapped his shoulders with her
hands. But it was useless because Ian refused to stop the kiss.
Has this man lost his mind?! Laura thought in shock. She
could hear the groom’s footsteps getting closer to the
carriage. Her heart shrunk, afraid that he might catch them
like this. This groom has worked for Whitefield for over forty
years. It would be humiliating to be caught kissing together
like this in the carriage with the curtains drawn.
And what scared Laura even more was that her husband’s
reputation might get damaged by this. She screamed in her
head. What should I do?! What should I do?!
As a last resort, Laura pulled on his ears hard. But it didn’t
seem to hurt Ian because his eyes continued to be closed as
his tongue wrapped around hers.
He knows exactly what’s going on! He’s doing this on purpose.
Laura felt annoyed by her husband, ʃ have no choice.
Laura bit his lower lips hard.
“Ugh.” Ian finally pulled back. Taking his confusion as her
chance, Laura pushed him away hard. It was at the very
moment the door opened.
The groom announced, “Mrs. Dalton, we’ve arrived at the
parsonage.”
Laura quickly wiped her lips and nodded. She replied
calmly, “Please get the steps down and bring out the box
stored in the back.”
“Of course, ma’am.” The groom disappeared out of her
sight.
Laura sighed in relief and turned toward Ian. He was
wiping his bleeding lips. She narrowed her eyes at him and
muttered, “You are crazy.
“Yes, I am. I’m crazy for you.” Even as he was bleeding,
Ian grinned like an idiot. He really looked like a madman,
making Laura sigh in frustration.
Ian asked, “By the way, are you that embarrassed to be
caught kissing me?”
“What?”
“We’re married, so what’s wrong with a husband and wife
kissing each other? It’s the most natural thing.”
“You need to think of your reputation, Ian. You must
behave like the head of an honored family. A landlord must
act respectfully.”
Even as Laura explained, she found this situation absurd.
Her husband was a year older than her, yet it seemed that she
had to explain such a basic concept to him. Even worse was
the fact that this wasn’t her first or second time having to
explain this. During the last year of their marriage, she had to
say this same thing to him at least thirty times.
Ian’s love was like a volcano. Once it exploded, he didn’t
care where he was or how he was troubling others. When he
was in a mood like this, all he could think about was kissing
and touching her.
 Laura didn’t dislike being intimate with her husband, so
she was perfectly happy to be with him. But of course, this
was only when they were alone. The problem was that Ian
ignored this simple rule very often. Whenever he felt the need
to express his love for her, he would whisper to her if he could
kiss her or touch her. She appreciated him asking her for
permission, but it became awkward when he tried to do this
in inappropriate places.
For example, they were in a church service once when he
whispered to her for a kiss. Instead of answering him, Laura
pinched the back of his hand. At first, Ian became quiet as if
he understood. But after only five minutes, he began poking
her knee persistently.
He whispered, “Let’s do it. Let’s do it. Can we do it?! ”
To stop him, she needed to pinch him much harder.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just at the church that Ian attempted
this. Mood seemed to strike him everywhere including at the
dinner in Dunville Park, tea time with a farmer and his family,
and even at a funeral. She would scold him every time that he
must maintain his dignity in front of others, but it was
useless. He was willing to do everything for her, yet when it
came to this topic, he remained stubborn.
Laura admonished him gently, “A husband and wife must
do these private things in their bedroom only. It’s not like I
refuse you in our bed.”
“But when I’m with you, I forget where I am.” His lips
curled up as he drew hearts on her palm with his finger. “How
would you feel if you’re starving but you’re only allowed to
eat at night?”
“Please do not compare your wife to food,” Laura replied
coldly and yanked away her hands.
But Ian refused to give up. He gently pulled her shoulder
closer and murmured, “Of course, you aren’t food. But
whenever we make love, you taste as sweet as nectar and as
smooth as soup. A freshly cooked steak couldn’t be as hot as
you. I’m always starving for you, Laura.”
Laura blushed. “I can’t believe you would say something
so lewd in the middle of the day. You’ve probably
embarrassed even God enough for him to change the day
from the night.”
Ian grinned naughtily. “I would love that because it would
mean I can take you to our bed right now.”
“Geez, Ian! How could you say such a thing in front of the
parsonage? You must maintain your dignity!” Laura shouted.
“Until you learn to behave properly, I won’t allow you to
touch a single part of my body!”
She jumped down the carriage steps and walked to the
parsonage under a parasol. Looking confused, Ian rushed to
follow her. He yelled, “Laura! Laura!”
When he finally caught up to her, he asked, “Are you
angry?”
“You’re angry, aren’t you?”
Laura refused to answer. If she said no, she would be lying.
But she felt like her ego would suffer if she admitted that she
was indeed angry. Ian quickly turned her around toward him.
When Laura looked up at him with an annoyed face, Ian
became flustered. He finally realized that he had gone too far
and distressed her. Ian couldn’t endure upsetting his wife.
Laura had gone through many hardships to be with him. She
had given up her beliefs to love him. Laura’s love was worth
much more than a thousand pounds of gold.
Ian grabbed Laura’s hands. “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! ”
“What’s your fault? Can you explain?”
“You wanted me to stop kissing you, but I kept going
anyway. I disagreed with you on every piece of advice you
gave me. And I said lewd things to upset you.”
He was very accurate about admitting his mistakes.
Laura’s anger dissipated partly as he continued, “I won’t ever
forget to act dignified from now on. I’ll always remember that
I must act respectfully at all times.”
“…Really?”
“If I ever do anything inappropriate again in public, you
can cut my hands off.”
Laura frowned. “Why would I ever do something so
barbaric like that?!”
“I’m just telling you that you can do anything you wish to
punish me. You’re my mistress, and I deserve to be punished
if I don’t obey you.”
Laura smirked, her anger disappearing completely. A
beautiful smile appeared on her face. She turned toward the
parsonage again and said, “If you ever do this again, we’re
going to be using separate bedrooms.”
Ian chuckled. “How cruel. I better be very careful from now
on.”
 Side Story 6

A tall maid opened the door and bowed respectfully. She then
escorted Mr. and Mrs. Dalton to the reception hall.
When Ian and Laura sat on the sofa and waited, Mrs. Starr
appeared in about five minutes. To their shock, Mrs. Starr had
flour smudged all over her cheeks.
“Welcome!” Mrs. Starr announced as she waddled in. She
walked like a duck, but no one laughed at her. It was because
her belly was as big as the moon.
Pretending not to notice the smudge on Mrs. Starr’s face,
Laura shook her hand. “Have you been well, Mrs. Starr?”
“Of course. I was baking a wildberry pie for you. I asked the
maid to bring it with a pot of tea, so please be patient. My
husband will be here shortly too. He went to look at the
rabbits with Harry.”
The three of them sat down together. It seemed that Mrs.
Starr’s belly was much bigger than before Ian and Laura left
to visit London. It was obvious the baby was growing stronger
every day. Laura first heard about Mrs. Starr’s pregnancy
around the time when she began to get used to the new life in
Whitefield. Mrs. Starr’s due date was just around the corner
and she was very excited about it.
 Mrs. Starr prayed to God for a daughter every day. She
played the piano and sang to her belly hoping for a girl, and
she even drank herbal tea from the gypsies that could
supposedly change a boy into a girl in the womb.
Laura presented the gifts she got from London to Mrs.
Starr. They were a silver rattle and a crib mobile made of
colorful stuffed animals. Mrs. Starr exclaimed, “Goodness,
what beautiful gifts!”
“I hope your baby likes them.” Laura smiled.
“I’m sure she will! Ah, I love them too. When Harry was
born, we couldn’t afford nice things like this. We didn’t have
much money because my husband was only an assistant
pastor at the time. Thank you so much, Mrs. Dalton.”
Mrs. Starr shook the silver mobile merrily. Meanwhile, Ian
and Laura glanced at each other secretly. They were pleased
to see that Mrs. Starr loved their gifts, but they were
uncertain about whether or not they should mention the flour
smudge on her face.
Soon, Pastor Starr and his son Harry walked in. Pastor
Starr took his hat off when he spotted Ian and Laura. He
greeted, “Welcome, Mrs. and Mr. Dalton. Did you enjoy your
visit to London?”
Ian shook his friend’s hand and answered cheerfully, “Of
course, Oliver.”
Laura nodded and smiled. “We certainly did, Pastor Starr.”
“Darling, look at these! Mrs. Starr got us such wonderful
gifts from London.”
 Mrs. Starr exclaimed and Pastor Starr turned toward her.
When he saw his wife’s face while she showed off the
extravagant crib mobile, his face turned red. He quickly sat
next to her and took out his handkerchief to wipe her cheeks.
When Mrs. Starr saw the white flour on his dark green
handkerchief, she blushed in embarrassment.
Laura hurriedly explained, “Goodness, I didn’t even
realize you had flour on your face, Mrs. Starr! Your skin is so
clear and porcelain-like that we didn’t notice it at all. Isn’t
that right, Darling?”
“Of course. I had no idea. Mrs. Starr, your skin is so snow-
white that it’s the exact color of flour.” Ian wasn’t good at
saying empty words, so his voice turned awkward. An
uncomfortable silence fell in the reception hall.
Mrs. Starr was so embarrassed that she felt ashamed. She
had great respect for Mr. and Mrs. Dalton, so she was
devastated that they saw her with a blatant smudge on her
face.
To change the subject, Pastor Starr had Harry say hello to
the guests. Harry was a boy about to turn five. He was a
beautiful child with his father’s fine features and his
mother’s clear skin. Harry took off his hat and bowed
properly. His manners were so perfect that they were
comparable to those of a London gentleman.
Laura greeted kindly, “Hello, Harry. You seem to grow
taller every time I see you.”
 “Thank you. You seem to become even more beautiful
every time I see you, Mrs. Dalton,” the boy replied solemnly.
His voice was so stern that it made everyone laugh.
Laura praised Harry’s intelligence wholeheartedly, which
lifted Mrs. Starr’s mood. The atmosphere in the room
improved quickly. Soon, wild strawberry pie and black tea
were served. The four people enjoyed the refreshments and
chatted amicably. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton talked about the
wedding in London while the pastor and his wife told them
about the things that had happened in Whitefield during their
absence.
During their conversation, Laura couldn’t help but glance
at Mrs. Starr’s belly often. The pastor’s wife was a slim
woman, but her stomach was the size of a giant balloon. It
looked so big that it might pop at any time.
Laura wondered what it must feel like to have a huge belly
like this. She saw plenty of pregnant women in the past in
London because she often visited her friends and neighbors
when they were with children. Laura saw that some women
became bedridden because of severe morning sickness while
others could waddle around the city in perfect health.
At the time, Laura didn’t think much about these women
other than just mild curiosity. But sitting in front of Mrs.
Starr now, many conflicting thoughts filled her head.
It had been over a year since she got married, yet she was
still not pregnant. One year was, of course, not a very long
time. She knew that there were plenty of couples who became
pregnant in their third or fourth years of marriage. But Laura
couldn’t help but feel anxious because of her age.
She was already thirty-one years old. Most women Laura
knew got married in their early twenties. Some even became a
bride in their late teens. So being in her thirties, Laura was
supposed to be a middle-aged woman with two or three
children by now.
A woman could still have children in their thirties, of
course. In fact, Mrs. Fairfax had most of her children in her
thirties. Mrs. Starr, who was heavily pregnant at the moment,
was only a year younger than Laura.
But the problem was that Laura had never been a healthy
person. When she was little, she suffered from malnutrition
and abuse from her uncle. In her school years, she lived with
constant exhaustion from studying. Being a bastard child, she
wanted to prove to the teachers and other students that she
was smart and capable. After she debuted, headaches and
indigestion followed her everywhere from the stress of being
insulted and ignored by the entire London society. This was
why all her life, she could never gain weight despite her
efforts.
Lately, Laura became tormented by the thought that
something might be wrong with her body from all the
hardships of life. Could it be that she was too weak to have a
baby? Did her body refuse to form a baby because it knew she
couldn’t handle the pregnancy?
 If this was the case, she was never going to be able to give
her husband a child. Ian was never going to experience the joy
of becoming a father, and House Dalton was going to end in
this generation. This beautiful land was going to be handed
over to a distant relative who had never even lived here.
Ian could’ve married a much younger and healthier woman
than me. He’s going to lose great happiness because of me.
Whenever such a thought crossed her mind, Laura
couldn’t focus on anything else. She was very much distracted
when she heard Mrs. Starr’s voice.
“Is the pie not to your liking, Mrs. Dalton?”
Laura quickly replied, “Yes, I love it. You must’ve used
very fresh berries. Did you buy them from the market?”
“No, the choir boys and girls picked them for me. The
weather has been so warm that berries are growing
everywhere. I heard they go to the forest to pick berries all the
time. Ahh, if I wasn’t so pregnant, I would love to go with
them.”
Laura smiled. “There will be plenty of berries next year
and the year after too. If God answers your prayer, perhaps
you’ll be picking them with your daughter in a few years.”
Mrs. Starr giggled. “That would be so wonderful. I’ve
already prepared lots of patterns for girl’s clothes. I’m going
to make pretty dresses for her to wear every day. I’ll braid her
long hair and play house with her. Sadly, it’s rather boring
raising Harry because he’s a boy. He’s always spending his
days reading in his father’s study. He makes his mother very
lonely. If God had given me a daughter, she would’ve become
my best friend.”
Laura glanced at Harry furtively, worried that he might
feel hurt by Mrs. Starr’s disappointment. But Harry was still
busy eating the wildberry pie while sitting on a stool. Pastor
Starr patted his son’s head and asked, “Harry, are you
looking forward to having a younger sibling as well?”
The child placed the fork and the plate on the table quietly.
He was taught that when someone asks him a question, he
should put down the utensils before answering politely.
Harry replied, “Of course. A sister will help with Mother’s
loneliness and bring great joy to you, Father.”
Laura asked kindly, “Your parents will be happy, of course.
But Harry, I’m curious about how you’ll feel. When a younger
sibling is born, your mother won’t be able to spend as much
time with you.”
“Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Dalton. It would
certainly make me a little sad, of course, but I believe it’s
something I must endure. Sharing parents’ love with one’s
sibling is such a trivial misfortune almost everyone
experiences, so I don’t feel the need to become devastated by
it. Besides, having a lovely little brother or sister would bring
me great happiness too.” Harry said in a clear voice. He
sounded even more stern than his father who was a pastor.
Laura nodded. “Then I guess having a young sibling will
make you happy too.”
 “Of course, Mrs. Dalton. I’m very much counting the days
when I get to meet him or her. I pray to God every night that
he or she will be born healthy. And I also pray that as long as
it’s God’s will, it should be a sister just like my mother
wishes.”
Mrs. Starr asked in surprise, “Do you really mean that,
Harry?”
It seemed that this was the first time she learned about
how her son truly felt. The boy gave his mother a mature
smile and answered, “God made me into a boring child of
very few words. So no matter how hard I try, I can’t be the
chatty friend you want, Mother. I’ve always felt terrible about
it. But if I get a little sister, she’ll be able to do things I
couldn’t for you. This will make you happier, which will in
turn make our whole family happier.”
Tears filled Mrs. Starr’s sky-blue eyes. She was touched by
her son’s thoughtfulness. When she opened her arms, the
young child walked to her to accept her hug.
 Side Story 7

Mrs. Starr kissed her son’s cheek over and over again. “My
dependent eldest son. I’ll love your little brother or sister, of
course, but you’ll always be my most meaningful child.”
Harry stretched his short arms to hug his mother as best
as he could. Pastor Starr patted his wife’s back and his son’s
head too. His eyes were filled with great love.
Laura watched the loving family silently. The Starr family
looked like tightly wound chains that could never be broken.
It warmed Laura’s heart to see such a beautiful family. But in
the corner of her heart, there was a secret gloom.
The Starr family is different from Ian and me. Thanks to Harry
and another baby on the way, Pastor and Mrs. Starr are closer as
husband and wife. I think a child is the very thing that can bring a
family together and make them feel responsible for one another.
If Ian and I don’t ever have children of our own, we will never
become a family like them.
Such a thought caused Laura terrible heartache. She didn’t
care about herself, but she was afraid that she might be the
reason her husband wouldn’t get to have a true family. If this
was the case, she didn’t think she deserved to be loved by
him.
 Ian had been quiet when he suddenly leaned toward Laura
and whispered, “Laura, can I kiss you?”
Laura gaped and turned toward him. “Are you out of your
mind?”
“They’re hugging and not paying any attention to us.”
“No, we can’t.”
“I’ll just give you a peck on your cheek.
Just once.”
“No. Never.”
Ian was unhappy with Laura’s cold rejection. He poked her
knees and whispered, “Then should we go home early? Or
maybe we can tell them we want to visit the garden by
ourselves…”
Laura pinched her husband’s thigh as hard as she could.
She seemed to have caused enough pain because he didn’t
bother her again until tea time.
Afterward, the husbands and wives went their separate
ways. The pastor, Ian, and Harry went to take a walk while
Mrs. Starr took Laura to show off the new baby room. After
getting pregnant with her second child, Mrs. Starr
redecorated the nursery. She covered the walls with
warmercolored wallpaper. She hung a landscape of a
countryside scene and a watercolor of Jesus herding sheep.
She also placed a pretty baby crib and a rocking chair in one
corner. The toy box was filled with cushions and stuffed
animals.
 Fidgeting with a mountain of stuffed animals, Mrs. Starr
confessed, “I’m much more excited about this pregnancy
than when I was with Harry. Because he was my first baby, I
didn’t know anything. I was scared before giving birth to him,
and everything was so hectic when he was born. But now that
I know how to raise a child, I think I can do a better job with
my second baby.”
“I’m sure you’ll be great. You’re very healthy, and you
have a great husband. The due date is sometime this summer,
isn’t it?”
“That’s what Dr. Mackenzie said. But I really hope it will
be before then. Being pregnant in summer is going to be very
difficult.”
Laura patted Mrs. Starr’s round belly and whispered,
“Baby, don’t make it hard for your mama. Come out soon.”
Mrs. Starr giggled. “That’s right, Baby.
Mrs. Dalton is giving you an order, so you must listen!”
It seemed that the baby heard the two women’s
conversation because it kicked. Laura felt it and exclaimed in
surprise, “Oh my, your baby just kicked!”
This was the first time Laura felt the baby’s movement
inside a womb. Mrs. Starr laughed and replied, “This baby
likes you, Mrs. Dalton. Baby, do you like Mrs. Dalton? I do!”
Laura found it hard to take her hand off Mrs. Starr’s belly.
Even though it wasn’t her own baby, and it was still an
unborn child, the feeling of its kick was still a wonderful
experience. Laura patted Mrs. Starr’s belly for a while longer
before pulling her hand away. When she looked up, she saw
the pastor’s wife gazing at her strangely.
“Mrs. Dalton, are you worried about something?”
Laura jolted, feeling like her deepest thought was found
out. She murmured, “What do you mean…?”
“You seemed very sad when you were touching my belly…”
Laura turned away. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m sorry if I made
you worry.”
She walked to the window to change the subject. She
planned on talking about the weather, but before she could
even begin, Mrs. Starr waddled to follow and grabbed her
hand. The pastor’s wife insisted, “Please tell me, Mrs.
Dalton.”
“But I really…”
“Mrs. Dalton, I know I’m not worthy to hear your
thoughts. After all, your mother was a noble lady and your
father a great artist. Meanwhile, I’m just a daughter of a
merchant and a wife of a countryside pastor. But I hope you
know that I have great respect for you. Perhaps I can’t be your
friend, but I want to help you if I
J? can.
“What do you mean, Mrs. Starr? You’re already a great
friend to me. You help your husband take care of the religious
needs of this entire village, so I won’t have you think this
way. God won’t forgive you if you think so little of yourself.”
“Then please tell me. What is bothering you?”
 Laura looked into Mrs. Starr’s innocent sky-blue eyes. The
pastor’s wife was a pure and kind woman. Laura’s heart filled
with affection, knowing that Olivia Starr meant so much to
her.
One year ago when the news of the marriage between
Laura and Ian spread, the entire Whitefield was filled with
shock. Laura was just a governess and a penniless woman of a
ruined noble family. On top of this, she was born a bastard. No
one could accept that she was worthy enough to marry the
great Ian Dalton.
Some worried that this union might tarnish House
Dalton’s reputation. Others believed that Mr. Dalton was a
victim of female seduction. The entire Whitefield became
confused, and it was Mrs. Starr who changed everyone’s
mind.
Before the wedding, Olivia Fairfax came to the parsonage
to visit Mrs. Starr. She was trying to straighten the rumors
about her future aunt-in-law. The young girl talked to the
pastor’s wife about Laura’s life for three hours straight. Olivia
explained that if fate hadn’t been so cruel, Laura wouldn’t
even have been born a bastard. She also spoke of all the
insults and hardships Laura had to suffer and the real reason
why Laura rejected her uncle’s proposal even though she
loved him.
Both Miss Fairfax and Mrs. Starr cried during the entire
conversation, ending up getting four handkerchiefs soaked in
tears. Until this day, Mrs. Starr had been worried about Mr.
Dalton’s wedding just like the rest of the villagers. But after
Olivia’s visit, the pastor’s wife couldn’t help but side with
Laura completely. She decided that she’d do everything she
could to protect Laura’s reputation and retrieve the respect
she deserved.
The parsonage was the social house of any village. The
wives visited it daily to gossip, discuss farming techniques
and childrearing tips, and plan charity works. And as
expected, Mrs. Starr was in the center of it all.
Every time she got a visitor, Mrs. Starr smoothly brought
up the topic of Laura. She and Olivia came up with this plan to
spread the beautiful yet sad life story of Laura Pendleton.
Their version of Laura Pendleton’s life story was more
heartbreaking than Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles
and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Luckily, this was enough to
turn everyone on Laura’s side.
People of Whitefield finally remembered what a beautiful
and humble woman Laura Pendleton was when they first met
her in the parsonage. They all agreed that she was a good
woman who deserved an excellent husband.
Later on, Laura heard about what Mrs. Starr did for her.
She was very grateful because she had expected years of
dealing with disgruntled villagers. But when she returned
from her honeymoon, the villagers bowed to her respectfully
every time they saw her. They even looked at her with great
affection.
 Mrs. Starr was one of the people who helped Laura settle
down in Whitefield comfortably. Perhaps this was why Laura
was easily persuaded to confide in Mrs. Starr. Laura told her
the fear she kept hidden from everyone. Why wasn’t she
getting pregnant? Was it because her body was weak and old?
If so, what will happen to House Dalton? Did this mean that
she would be stealing the chance at happiness from her
husband?
Laura feared up as she explained. Mrs. Starr took out her
handkerchief and wiped her face. The pastor’s wife replied,
“Mrs. Dalton, I understand how you must feel. My
engagement lasted nine long years, which was why I had to
have children later in my years. You must be experiencing
even more pressure than me. After all, House Dalton is an old
and prestigious family. But you have gained weight since you
got married. Your complexion has improved as well. Didn’t
you say you had to get new clothes because you’ve put on
weight?”
“That’s true. I can’t wear the clothes from when I was
working as a governess anymore.
“That proves that your marriage is a happy one. They say
that when a woman gains weight and feels comfortable in her
home, a baby comes along. You had a hard life, Mrs. Dalton.
Once you become even healthier, I’m sure a baby will come to
you.
“You think so?”
 Mrs. Starr nodded. “If you are still worried, you should get
examined by Dr. Mackenzie. He studied in France, and he has
been working here for thirty years. He’s Yorkshire’s best in
this field.”
The pastor’s wife even drew Laura a map to Dr.
Mackenzie’s house. His cottage was located at the east end of
the village on a hill away from the farms. She added, “I’m
sure he’ll put your mind at ease.”
Around three o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton
got into the carriage. The Starr family waved at them as the
carriage drove away. Laura felt much better after this visit.
She decided that she should visit this doctor and get
examined for an answer.
Even if I get bad news, I won I have to struggle alone. Maybe
there are treatments that can help me get pregnant. Laura looked
out the window and smiled.
“You seem happy. What are you thinking about, Laura?”
Ian hugged her and asked.
Laura wasn’t ready to share her fears about pregnancy
with Ian just yet. If he knew that she was worried, it would
worry him too.
 Side Story 8

It’s very unlikely that there’s anything wrong with Ian. I’ll try
everything I can on my part first, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll discuss
it with him. Laura decided.
She replied, “…I was thinking about Mrs. Starr’s new
nursery. It looked very cute. The new wallpaper had forget-
me-not flower patterns. She got a white crib and a pile of
stuffed animals too. Mrs. Starr said she made all of them.”
“I heard. Oliver told me she worked very hard on
everything.”
“It certainly looked like it. I’m sure their new baby is going
to be very special. Having such a loving mother like Mrs. Starr
must mean it’s a very lucky baby.”
Laura spoke in a light tone to hide her true feelings. She
made an effort to make sure she didn’t sound envious. She
acted nonchalant and indifferent. Thanks to her acting skills
from her high society days, Ian fell for it. He was very attuned
to her moods, but this time, he was oblivious. He found his
wife adorable for getting excited about pretty wallpapers and
stuffed animals.
Ian hugged her tighter and kissed her cheek. Rubbing her
nose with his, he chuckled. “So you got excited about the
stuffed animals?”
Laura giggled. “Yes, I did.”
“Then let’s go to the market tomorrow. I’ll get you a
mountain of them.” Ian caressed and kissed her cheeks.
“I wouldn’t mind one or two, but why would I want a
mountain of them?”
“So you can put them everywhere. Your study, bedroom,
dining room, reception hall, gallery, garden, and even my
office.”
“You keep talking nonsense… Mmm…!”
Ian’s lips, which had been kissing her cheeks lightly,
moved down to her neck. His kiss deepened as he caressed her
left ribs tenderly. This was a sensitive spot for Laura, and it
made her moan. To her dismay, the thing that was only
supposed to happen in their bedroom was happening in
daylight again.
Her head became foggy, but Laura managed to remind
herself that this needs to stop. The carriage windows and the
curtains were wide open. The backseats were quite close to
the groom’s seat. If something did happen, the groom was
going to find out about it soon enough.
Trying her best not to get swept away, Laura grabbed his
shoulders and protested, “Ian, we’re inside our carriage.
Stop… We can’t do this here…”
Ian was busy rubbing his lips on her collarbone. He
mumbled, “Just a little bit
more…
 His hand caressed her body as it moved down to pat her
knees. Laura tried to push him away, but she wasn’t strong
enough. His arm was tightly around her waist, and when he
was in an ardent mood like this, she couldn’t bring herself to
be too harsh with him.
The warmth of his body made her feel weak. Whenever
Ian’s lips touched her everywhere, Laura became dizzy and
unable to think clearly. She was certainly not as lusty as her
husband, but Ian always gave her great pleasure whenever
they were together. He knew that she enjoyed lovemaking as
well, so he pleasured her every night. There were also
oftentimes during the day when he made love to her. It
happened in different places including Laura’s study, the
library, and the solarium.
Laura always felt ashamed afterward. She promised
herself that she would never do it again, but her resolve
always seemed to fail her whenever Ian began touching her.
Once they began, Laura couldn’t help but want the same thing
as he did. All she could do was cooperate.
Ian used his fingertips to caress his wife’s slim thighs
covered in a pair of smooth stockings. He was gentle but
coaxing as he moved higher, making Laura moan. He buried
his face between her firm breasts, and Laura wrapped her
arms around his neck and rubbed her cheek against his head.
They were burning for each other when Laura glanced at
the window. She jolted in shock, realizing that there were
people outside. It was in the middle of May, which meant that
the farmers and their wives were out planting. The carriage
was on the path surrounded by turnip fields, and with her
excellent vision, Laura saw several farmers staring in shock.
She even saw one farmer tapping his companion’s shoulder
and pointing at the carriage.
Laura panicked and kicked her husband away. Ian, who
had been defenseless because he was busy pleasuring her, fell
backward. A flabbergasted look on his face, he rose from the
well-cushioned seat and asked, “What’s wrong, Laura?”
Overwhelmed with shame and embarrassment, Laura’s
hands shook as she closed the curtains. She buttoned her
dress and glared at her husband. “Why do you keep trying to
do this outside our bedroom?!”
“Because I love you…”
“So loving me gives you the right to ignore what I want?”
“But you like it too.”
Laura turned bright red, unable to deny Ian’s claim. She
yelled, “You promised me, so you should’ve kept it. But at the
parsonage earlier… And now too… How could you be so
indifferent about our reputation? You know that everyone’s
eyes are on us. If our reputation becomes tarnished, it won’t
do any good to the future of House Dalton.”
Ian pushed back his disheveled hair. “I admit that I make
you feel embarrassed sometimes, but I never do this in front
of other people. I mean I hold your hand sometimes in public,
but that shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve never been caught
making love by other people, right? Even when we were doing
it in the library, we stopped before the servant walked in.”
It looked like Laura was about to cry as she mumbled, “We
got caught.”
“…What?”
“The farmers on the field saw us.”
Ian blinked, and Laura continued, “I saw them! They were
staring at our carriage as if it were carrying an elephant. One
of the farmers was so shocked that he even dropped a bag of
turnip seeds. They saw us… They saw us… doing it in the
carnage…
Laura’s face slowly turned red. Her eyes filling with tears,
she whispered, “The whole village is going to be talking about
us doing lewd things in the carriage. They’re going to gossip
about us and look down on us. We won’t be able to escape all
the rumors for at least a few years. I won’t be able to attend
the church anymore…
I … I’m so embarrassed!”
Laura covered her face and began sobbing.
“Laura!” Ian turned pale and pulled her closer. Laura tried
to push him away, but he embraced her even tighter. “I’m
sorry. I didn’t know. I had no idea that people might be
watching… Dammit, I should’ve closed the curtains…”
“That’s not the problem here!” Laura continued to cry and
punched her husband’s chest. “We do it every night till
midnight, so why do you insist on doing it during the daytime
too?! You’re an idiot! I’ve married a pervert!”
 Ian grabbed her wrist. “You need to stop. You’re wearing
rings, and it will hurt your hand if you hit me like this.”
He was too strong for her to fight. Her hands still caught in
his grasp, Laura continued to wail. Ian quietly waited until his
wife calmed down. He only let her hands go when she stopped
crying.
Ian took out a stiffly ironed gray handkerchief from his
chest pocket and gently wiped her face. He then put it on her
nose and ordered, “Blow.”
Laura obeyed without a fight. After cleaning her face
thoroughly, Ian folded the handkerchief neatly and put it
back in his pocket. He hugged her again and apologized, “I’m
sorry.”
After kissing the top of her head, he explained, “I know
that I embarrass you sometimes. I want to do it all the time,
and I know it troubles you. I guess I thought you would
understand no matter what because you love me. But I know I
was wrong. I really won’t do it from now ” promise.
His giant hands patted Laura’s head lovingly. His gentle
touch made her anger evaporate, and Laura quickly became
calm. She must’ve loved him because despite what happened,
Laura still felt like she could cut her chest open and give him
her heart if necessary.
Rubbing her wet eyes against his gray spring jacket, Laura
murmured, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have kicked you and
gotten angry.”
“It’s okay. I’m fine.”
 Her husband’s affectionate whisper made her heart beat
faster. Laura hugged him tightly and muttered, “But what do
we do about the rumors? The carriage has our family crest, so
they must know it’s us…”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they were shocked to see our new
carriage. After all, it’s rare to see a carriage with edges
painted in gold in this place. I’m certain they didn’t see
anything that was happening inside the carriage.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Of course. Even someone with the best eyesight wouldn’t
be able to see that far.”
Ian managed to convince Laura. She admitted that it was
true the farmers were very far away. And it wasn’t like there
was a candlelight inside the carriage. It was dark, which
meant that it would be impossible for anyone outside to see
the inside. It made sense to her that the villagers were just
surprised to see the new luxury carriage her husband
purchased recently.
Laura felt relieved. She rubbed her cheek on Ian’s chest
and sighed when he asked, “Should we walk from here?”
When Laura looked up at him, he tucked her hair behind
her ear and whispered, “Wildflowers bloom everywhere in
Whitefield around this time of the year. You can see every
possible color in this place. It’s a perfect day for a nice stroll
too.”
Laura quickly realized that Ian was trying to lift her mood.
She was already feeling better, but she still appreciated her
husband’s thoughtfulness.
She nodded and the two of them got out of the carriage.
Ian told the groom to go ahead without them, and the
husband and wife began walking hand in hand.
 Side Story 9

The warm May sun sparkled on the birch trees, creating cool
shades on the ground. The scent of the trees in the forest was
lighter than summer but fresher than winter. The spring air
was soft and sweet as it wrapped around them.
Ian took Laura to a smaller path next to the wide main
road. Soon, the colorful wildflower Ian promised appeared,
making Laura gasp in pleasure. She saw red primrose, purple
violets, yellow buttercups, and pink azaleas. In addition,
there were also nameless wildflowers hanging down from the
fresh green vines.
The wildflowers bloomed in an unorganized fashion, but
the mix of their colors still looked harmonious somehow.
There was something very refreshing about them compared
to the more well- known plants often grown in gardens.
The honey bees flew between flowers diligently. To collect
honey, they worked as adorable gardeners by moving one
flower to the other while transferring pollen to turn
Whitefield into a giant flower bed.
Laura’s mood improved as she walked the path. She spun
her parasol playfully, a peaceful warmth spreading in her
heart. After she got married, taking a stroll with her husband
became her favorite pastime. The husband and wife walked
the Whitefield forest at least three times a week while holding
each other’s hands or arms. Sometimes they chatted while
other times they walked in silence. Regardless of what they
did on their walks, they enjoyed it immensely. They felt very
connected to each other.
They passed by the stream flowing with clear water and a
gentle slope filled with wild berries to reach the willow tree
forest. They decided to take a break, so Laura placed a
handkerchief on a tree stump to sit while Ian leaned against a
giant willow next to her.
He kept rummaging through his pockets as if he was
looking for something. Laura quickly realized that he was
looking for his cigarette box. Although he decided to quit, it
seemed that his body still hadn’t accepted the idea.
Laura smiled. “Ian, is there a mouse hiding in your pocket
or something?”
Ian, who was studying the family of squirrels staring at
them from nearby, finally looked down at his hands. He
smiled bitterly and took them out of his pockets.
She asked, “Are you sure you’ll be able to quit?”
“I promised, so I will. But it will be hard, of course.”
Laura took pity on him. She caressed his arms consolingly
as a brief silence fell. A light spring breeze passed between
them. As expected from a forest wind, it was refreshing yet
soft and comforting.
 “This feels exactly like that day two years ago,” said Ian.
Laura looked up to see that there was a small smile on his lips.
He continued, “The time when we were still just friends. It
was a spring day when we sat together like this while
enjoying a gentle breeze.”
Laura remembered that day. After watching the game of
skipping stones between Mr. Fairfax and Miss Hyde, Laura,
and Ian had left them to walk the forest alone. At the time,
they sat down on a small rock to enjoy the beautiful view of
the lake.
What did we talk about that day? Laura wondered quietly.
Ian seemed to have read her mind because he murmured,
“It was the day when you rejected me for the first time.”
“Ah…” Laura finally remembered Ian proposing to her. He
did it in a roundabout way, but no lady could’ve mistaken
what he was trying to do. The moment he proposed to her,
Laura had run away from him. She left the forest, believing
that she needed to reject him.
Laura replied, “I didn’t know then that I’ll someday
become Laura Dalton and enjoy the spring breeze with you
like this.”
“I didn’t know either. I didn’t realize at the time that I
would end up being rejected by you a few more times before
winning your heart.”
“You must’ve felt very upset.”
“I wanted to die.”
Laura jolted. “You were that upset?”
 “No, I wanted to die from embarrassment.”
“Silly man. Why would you be embarrassed by that?”
“Men are like that. We want to die when we’re rejected by
a woman.”
Laura smiled bitterly. “I guess I hurt you badly. And not
just once either.”
“It’s alright. You more than made up for it when you
proposed to me.”
Ian leaned to kiss the top of Laura’s head. Talking about
their past reminded her of what a surreal situation she was in
right now. She was now Ian Dalton’s wife. It was ironic since
there was a time when she believed this was an impossible
idea. But it was she who ended up proposing to him, and now,
she was worried that she might not get pregnant with his
child.
No one can ever guess the future. Even if you believe
something wholeheartedly, situations, experiences, and people
around you can make you change your mind. Laura thought
with a small smile.
“Laura.”
Laura was deep in thought when she looked up. Ian was
gazing at the countless tree branches above them. He asked,
“Do you regret marrying me?”
Laura’s eyes widened as he continued, “When you became
my wife, you had to give up your lifelong beliefs. I’m curious
about whether or not I was worth it.”
“Why are you asking me such a question?”
 “An interim inspection of our marriage, I guess.
Laura found his question unnecessary because the answer
was obvious. She replied, “No, I don’t regret it one bit.”
She experienced perfect happiness by marrying Ian. She
had vaguely known that such happiness existed in the world,
but she had never felt it personally because her life had
always been cold and lacking in one thing or another. But
now, every day was filled with warmth and joy.
In the past, Laura always dreamt of a different life. Things
were the very opposite now, however. She prayed that her
days would continue just like this. Meeting Ian and becoming
his wife was the best thing that could’ve happened to her.
She asked hesitantly, “…How about you, Darling? Don’t
you regret it? Have I been a good wife to you during the past
year?”
Ian became quiet. Only the rustling sounds of the branches
filled the air between them. Her heart racing anxiously, Laura
poked the ground with her folded parasol. She knew that Ian
loved her with everything he had. Her husband spent his days
thinking up ways to make her happy. He gave her everything
he had, yet he was still disappointed that he couldn’t give her
more. She couldn’t ask for a better husband.
But this was why she felt nervous sometimes. She worried
about losing this perfect happiness. What if she did
something wrong and their relationship became ruined?
Too much happiness could be poisonous. She had never
been this happy before, so Laura couldn’t help but feel
nervous as her happiness grew. She wished she could grab
onto her happiness and trap it somehow so she could hold
onto it forever.
“Laura.”

“Won’t you look at me?” Ian asked, but Laura kept poking at
the ground with her parasol. For some reason, she couldn’t
muster up the courage to look at his face.
Suddenly, she saw her husband’s clean leather shoes
appear in her view. They were spotless and neatly tied as
usual. Ian gently held her face and raised it slowly. Laura saw
that Ian was smiling at her.
He asked, “Are you afraid that you might not get a good
score from me?”
Ian sounded like he was enjoying this situation. Laura
pouted and looked down in silence.
Ian whispered, “Please look at me.”
When her gray eyes looked up to face him, he continued,
“You can be confident with me, Laura. I mean it literally when
I say I’m your slave. In the Bible, wise slaves control their
master’s mind to free themselves. But I’m a foolish slave. I
can’t do anything without my master, and my life will lose
meaning if I can’t serve you. I do not want to become free.”
“So I refuse to answer your question. It’s inconceivable that a
slave is even allowed to voice how he feels about his master.
So now, I ask you again. Laura, do you regret marrying me?”
There was a confident look on his face, and his voice
sounded tranquil. But his hand that held her chin shook a
little. It seemed that he was just as nervous as she was.
Laura touched his hand and slowly took his leather glove
off, revealing a large and warm hand. She kissed his palm and
rubbed her chin on it. Touching his bare skin allowed warmth
to spread inside of her.
She answered, “I gave up a lot to become the woman who
can kiss your hand like this. But I don’t miss any of the things
I lost. They weren’t the things I needed to get to heaven after
all. Because… living as your wife for the past year has been the
very heaven I’ve been praying for all my life.”
Ian held her shoulders and helped her stand. They stood to
face each other, and a pretty smile appeared on Ian’s lips. He
whispered, “Goodness, it sounds like you’ve fallen deeply in
love with your husband. I thought the weight of our love was
equal, but it looks like you love me more than I love you now.”
Laura pouted and mumbled, “Don’t tease me.
“But I can’t help it when you make a face like that.” His
eyes curved into a happy grin. Laura has never seen a more
beautiful man in her life. Her heart felt a little ticklish, so she
tried to look away. But Ian held her cheeks and made her face
him.
 “I want to kiss you,” he whispered.
“Here…?”
“Yes.”
When Laura shook her head, Ian asked, “Why not?”
“Because someone might see us.”
“No one is going to come here.”
“But…”
Ian insisted, “It’s the planting season.
Every ablebody is either on the field or the orchard.”
Laura shook her head again. It was only a few minutes ago
when they were almost caught doing inappropriate things
inside their carriage. She refused to make the same mistake
again.
Ian protested, “No? Are you sure we can t ?
“We can’t.”
He begged childishly, “But I think I’m going to die right
now.”
“Only the characters in fairytales die from a lack of kisses.
Just the princesses and princes who were cursed by an evil
witch.”
“But a curse was put on me too.”
“By who?”
“Oliver. I just found out that he’s actually a witch who’s
wearing the disguise of a pastor. His wife and son are made of
household things. Mrs. Starr was originally a vase and Harry
was a broom.”
 Laura giggled. “How could you joke about the pastor’s
family like that? That’s blasphemy, darling.”
“But it’s the truth. While you went to see the new nursery
with Mrs. Starr, I followed Oliver into his study. There, he
suddenly began chanting a spell. Harry turned into a broom,
and Oliver swung it and yelled, Tan, you’ll turn into a bird and
eat worms for the rest of your life unless you get a kiss from
your true love!”’
 Side Story 10

Laura announced, “If you become a bird, I’ll take good care of
you. I’m going to buy a pretty birdcage for you.”
“But a bird has a short lifespan.”
“It’s alright. Even if it’s for a short while, I’ll be happy to
hear your chirping. When you die, I’ll get a small coffin made
and hold a grand funeral for you. You’ll be buried in the
Dalton family plot. And I promise to live as a widow for the
rest of my life pining for you. No, perhaps I’ll miss you as a
bird so much that I’ll have to marry another bird.”
Ian burst into laughter, realizing that his plan had failed.
Laura gently pushed him away, ready to go home.
Just then, Ian hugged her from behind. He buried his face
on her neck and began rubbing against her. He begged, “I
want to kiss you. Let me kiss you, Laura.”
Laura realized that her husband now moved from the
persuasion phase to a stubborn phase. She replied firmly,
“Ian, we need to go home now. I’m supposed to give the
dinner menu to the cook before five o’clock.”
“I’ll let you go if you kiss me.”
“No.”
 “Then we’ll stay here like this until nightfall. I don’t care.”
Ian hugged her tighter.
Laura sighed, Her husband was usually a very
understanding man, but at the moment, he was being
pigheaded. She pulled on his ears and muttered, “Geez, don’t
be such a baby. Get your face off of me!
Ian slowly pulled away with a sad face. “Are you sure we
can’t kiss now?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” When Laura sounded stern, he seemed to
accept her decision. She thought in frustration. It’s clear he’s
the youngest of the family. I can understand why Margaret treats
him like a child.
Laura pushed him away. She was about to walk away when
he grabbed her arm. He had his face down.
Laura asked, “Darling?”
“Ian?”
He remained quiet. When the silence lasted almost a
minute, Laura became nervous. Suddenly, Ian opened his lips
and said in a low uncertain voice, “Laura, do you really love
me as much as I love you?”
“Pardon?”
“I seem to be the one who always begs for your attention.
It has been like this since the first time we met. I fell in love
with you at first sight, but you refused me twice.”
“Darling, you know why I did that. At the time, I…” Laura
couldn’t finish her sentence because Ian looked so lonely.
 He replied, “I know you loved me too. And I understand
why you did what you did. But even though it happened a long
time ago, I don’t think I can ever forget how you walked away
from me so coldly in that forest. How you treated my love like
it was just a fleeting emotion in that carriage… And how you
slapped me. When you did that, I felt like my heart got ripped
into a million pieces.”
Ian rubbed his face against her hand and continued, “I said
I forgot all about the pain you caused me after you proposed,
but that was a lie. I… It still hurts…”
Laura became speechless. It still saddened her to
remember how many times she rejected him. Pushing away
the man she loved wasn’t easy. She certainly had a good
reason behind it, but she still felt guilty about hurting him.
But Laura had no idea that her actions caused him this
much pain. It looked like he was about to cry.
“Oh… I’m sorry, Ian…” Feeling terribly guilty, Laura
caressed his cheek. “I had to refuse you because I loved you
more than I loved myself. I didn’t want you to become
unhappy because of me. When I pushed you away, I… I felt
like I was cutting out my own arm.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she added, “Please do not
doubt my love for you. We might have a different way of
showing it, but I love you with my life.”
Ian smiled. “So you love me?”
Instead of answering him, Laura stood on her tiptoe and
kissed him. Her need to console him made her behave more
boldly. Her tongue gently licked his lips as if she was tasting
something hot. She rubbed her lips on his gently and even
sucked on them a little. It was a shy and cautious kiss instead
of a passionate one.
Laura slowly pulled back, a clear string of saliva forming
between their lips. Ian gazed down at her, his eyes no longer
filled with tears. Laura felt relieved to see him feel better.
“This was the first time you kissed me on your own,” said
Ian.
Laura blushed, and he whispered, “It feels like I was given
a gift.”
“Do you feel better?”
“No.” Ian wrapped his arms around her waist. His black
eyes glowing, he replied, “I feel hotter now.”
Their lips crashed again. Ian held the back of her head
firmly, and Laura dropped her parasol.
“N…ngh…,” she moaned as their breaths mingled. Her
heart pounded, and because they were so close together, she
could feel Ian’s heart beating just as fast. She wrapped her
arms around her husband’s neck.
You think I don’t want you as much as you want me? Laura
thought in surprise. I’m only hiding my desire for you because I
feel embarrassed. If you stop begging me for more, I’ll be the one
begging you instead. I’ll lust after you so much that even you’ll
blush… I love being with you like this, Ian.
Her head turned hazy and her stomach filled with heat.
Her skin turned sticky with sweat, making it feel unbearably
sensitive. Ian’s hands caressed her back, and Laura shivered
in anticipation. She forgot where she was, unable to think
clearly at all. All she could focus on was her need for his hand
on her body. She wanted more of him.
Just then, a young girl’s voice shrieked from nearby,
“Uwah, are they kissing with their tongues?!”
Laura turned toward the sound to see a dozen girls gaping
at them about twenty steps away. Their ages ranged from
twelve to sixteen. They were all wearing a dress with a flower
pattern, cotton apron, and bonnet. Each of the girls was
holding a basket filled with wild berries.
Laura knew instantly that these were girls from the church
choir. They looked familiar because she saw them every
Sunday. When she met their eyes, the girls screamed and ran
away toward the hill.
Ian burst into laughter. “Goodness, I think there’s
definitely going to be a rumor about us now.”
Laura staggered away from him and sat on a tree trunk.
“Oh… No…”
She slumped and covered her face with her hands. She was
in such a shock that she couldn’t even cry. Earlier, Laura was
able to tell herself that the farmers couldn’t have seen what
they were doing inside the carriage. But what happened right
now couldn’t be hidden. So many girls witnessed their kiss, so
Laura and Ian would never be able to deny what happened.
These girls were going to tell everyone in the village. This
rumor was going to spread like wildfire, and soon, every
resident of Whitefield was going to know that Mr. and Mrs.
Dalton were kissing so hard that they were practically eating
each other’s tongues.
Laura was so mortified by the thought that she wanted to
run back home and get buried in the family plot at this very
moment.
“Don’t be so worried, Laura.” Ian patted his wife’s
shoulder. “What’s wrong with a husband and wife kissing
each other? There was a similar rumor about the pastor and
his wife a few years ago. But no one remembers it now.”
“Everyone still remembers, Ian. They just don’t talk about
it. It’s such an embarrassing topic that people feel
uncomfortable even gossiping about it. Things like this will
never be forgotten. Never… Ahh, what will people think when
they see us now?”
“They’ll think we’re a young loving couple,” Ian replied
nonchalantly. “Laura, think positively. It’s not like we were
caught making love.”
“That doesn’t matter. Have you forgotten that we live in a
very old-fashioned village?”
Ian suggested, “Then we’ll change this place to be more
open and modern. I’ll ask Oliver to do a sermon on love
between a husband and wife next Sunday. He’ll tell the
villagers that a kiss between a married couple is what God
wants.”
Laura began to feel annoyed. “Aren’t you worried at all?”
 “But it was funny. Did you see those girls’ faces?” Ian
chuckled as he looked at the hill where the girls disappeared.
The hurt look on his face disappeared followed by a naughty
grin like that of a schoolboy.
I’m glad he feels better at least. Laura thought in relief. But
the playful look on her husband’s face reminded her too
much of how George looked when he placed a worm on
Olivia’s head. When his eyes feared up a moment ago, she was
too surprised to doubt him. But now, she suddenly became
suspicious.
“Darling, when you cried a moment ago… Was that real?”
asked Laura.
Ian, who was still chuckling, turned to face her awkwardly.
“W…what?”
“You didn’t pretend to cry just to kiss me, did you?”
The guilty look on his face was enough to confirm her
suspicion. She warned grimly, “Ian.”
Her rigid look must’ve scared him because Ian shook his
head adamantly. “No, Laura. That’s not true!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
“Do you swear?”
Ian promised, “I do.”
“On your honor?”
“Yes.”
“On the lives of our family in Dunville Park?” asked Laura.
“Yes!”
 “On our love?”
“…Yes…”
Laura sighed deeply and asked, “On your mother and
father in heaven, and also God, who can see everything?”
“…” Ian slumped and whispered, “…I’m sorry.
A short silence fell between them. Only Laura’s breath
would be heard because it was becoming rougher. She picked
up the parasol on the ground and smacked him with it.
Whack!
Ian stared at her in shock. Her face had turned red and she
was panting. Her eyes began to fill with tears.
 Side Story 11

Ian realized that he was in big trouble.

“How could you lie about something like that just for a
kiss…?!” Laura screamed as she raised her parasol again.
“Laura, wait…”
Whack, whack, whack!
She smacked Ian’s back mercilessly. Still on the ground
and cringing, he shouted, “Laura, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry,
Darling!”
“You fool! Idiot! Shameless pervert!”
Smack! Smack! Snap!
Laura finally stopped hitting him. Her parasol, although
very pretty, wasn’t sturdy enough to last the beating. It
snapped into two, and Laura threw it on the ground. Ian was
still crouched on the ground when he looked up at her.
Her face soaked in tears, she wiped it with the back of her
hand and yelled, “Liar! We’re going to sleep in separate
bedrooms from now on!”
Laura turned and ran toward the mansion. Normally, Ian
would’ve gone after her to console her, but not this time. He
had never seen his wife this angry before.
 During the one year of their marriage, there had been
more than one occasion when Ian upset Laura. Early on
during their honeymoon period, he showered her with jewels
and dresses every day. When Laura saw the bills, she almost
panicked. Not knowing that she was afraid of horses, Ian
surprised her with a handsome black steed only to make her
scream in fear.
There were also times when he exhausted her every night
and made her sick. Ian was a hopeless romantic who had
never been in a relationship before. So when he married the
woman of his dreams, it was understandable that he made
many mistakes. Their marriage was a work in progress.
But something was different today. Anger usually made
Laura calmer. She used kind words to explain how she felt,
and if this didn’t work, she implored to persuade him. Even
when she became bedridden from his immense passion, she
held his hands and made a quiet request to limit their
lovemaking to last only until midnight. It was obvious he was
at fault and he didn’t deserve her mercy, but Laura was a very
forgiving woman.
But today, Laura beat him.
She must be really angry. Dammit, dammit!
Ian was ashamed of his thoughtless behavior. Laura had
lived her whole life being haunted by her reputation. She was
very sensitive about how people saw her, so it was no wonder
she hated her husband right now. His careless action had
placed her in the middle of a mortifying rumor.
 And I lied to her too. I hurt her feelings and made her feel
guilty just for a kiss. How could I have done this to my angel? I’m
an unforgivable bastard!
Ian pulled his hair and hit his head against a willow tree.
His forehead bright red, he leaned his back against the tree
and wondered. Why do I keep testing Laura s love?
He has been troubling his wife on purpose. Even though he
knew she hated it, he tried to touch her in public and make
love to her during daylight. No matter how many times Laura
admonished him in her kind way, he refused to learn his
lesson.
They say it’s a wife’s instinct to want to confirm her
husband’s love. Although Ian was a man, he couldn’t help but
want to keep making sure his wife loved him. Every time he
touched her, he was happily reminded of how she belonged to
him. Whenever Laura forgave him for doing despicable
things, it proved to him that she had such patient love for
him. Ian felt ecstatic to have her shiver underneath him every
night.
Laura was always cautious about expressing her feelings.
She showed her love by helping him improve his life. Her
caring nature made his life healthier and much more
comfortable, but her vague way of showing love made him
feel dissatisfied. He wished that his wife would be more open
about her passion for him.
Laura, do you want me too? Do you love me? How much?
Enough forme to push you further? Enough to demand more of
you? Enough to forgive me even if I act this way?
After spending much time with her, Ian already had his
answer. He knew that Laura loved him more than her own
life. But even though he knew this and that his irresponsible
behavior didn’t help their relationship, Ian couldn’t stop
himself.
She’s human too. At this rate, she might lose her patience with
me. What if she…
Ian was desperate for a smoke. He felt like he would feel so
much better if he could have a cigar right about now. He
searched his pocket out of habit, but all he could find was
some mint.
“Dammit.” He clenched his teeth and kicked a rock on the
ground. Ian walked around a little to calm down before
picking up the things Laura left behind. He grabbed her
handkerchief on the tree stump and the broken parasol lying
on the ground. The parasol was broken beyond repair, but he
didn’t feel right about throwing it away since it belonged to
his wife.
Wiping the dirt off of the parasol, Ian pondered. What
should I do now?
The best thing he could do for Laura now was to leave her
alone until she was no longer angry with him. A quiet person
like her always preferred to be alone to deal with intense
emotions like anger. If he nagged her now, she was going to
come to hate him.
 Ian knew this because he was a quiet person himself. He
hated those who didn’t have enough patience to wait for
forgiveness.
I need to wait until she cools down. Until she returns to me on
her own. And I’ll have to sleep away from her until then.
He sighed and began walking. Ian decided that as soon as
he returned home, he would go straight to his office so he
wouldn’t bother her. He passed by the field swarming with
wild berries and flowers. The scene that used to fill him with
great joy now looked lifeless to him.
It was all because he wasn’t by his wife’s side.
***
The afternoon sunshine entered through the huge bay
windows. The yellow light resembling the color of butter
warmed the room quietly.
Scritch, scritch.
The sound of a pen filled the study. The clock ticked slowly
but steadily in the room that was elegantly decorated with
leather-bound books on oak bookshelves.
Surrounded by the golden desk clock, ink bottles, and
stacks of paper, a woman worked diligently at her desk. Her
strawberry blond hair was bound neatly inside a hairnet, and
her hand moved efficiently while holding a fountain pen. The
woman, wearing a beautiful silk dress, was Mrs. Laura Dalton.
On her desk were three stacks. The left one was the
original French manuscript while the middle one was her
translation. The book on the right was the French dictionary.
 Laura kept her gaze on the script on the left while she
wrote on the paper on her right. Even though she wasn’t
looking at what she was writing, her writing was clean and
neat.
From time to time, her hand would pause. Her eyes would
move to the right to search the dictionary for the perfect
word. She would ponder for a while before continuing to write
again.
Laura read her translation from the top to check her work.
Seeing that the paragraph flowed smoothly and logically, she
nodded and turned to her left again. The scratching of her pen
renewed shortly.
It was a peaceful afternoon as usual. Unless she had special
plans, Laura usually spent her afternoons working on her
translation. Most of the time, she enjoyed this work because it
fit her personality perfectly. Translating required consistency
and accuracy, which were two qualities she had in abundance.
She was always grateful that she found a way to use her
talent.
But for some reason, she looked a little gloomy today. She
seemed uncomfortable as if she was in pain. She looked tired
from lack of sleep. To dry the ink on the paper, she blew on it
and glanced at the desk clock. It was almost three thirty in the
afternoon.
It’s almost tea time.
Laura placed the paper on top of the middle stack and put
the bookmark in the original book on the left. When she
closed the cover, the title stated La Nouvelle Heloise.
Rubbing her aching shoulders, she walked to the window
overlooking the rose garden below. Thanks to the gardeners’
hard work, the white, yellow, and red roses bloomed
majestically to greet her. Laura enjoyed gazing at the roses
after work every day. Having a productive day ending with the
luxurious view of these roses always lifted her mood.
But today, there was no joy in her eyes as she looked down
at the garden. She seemed to be deep in unhappy thoughts.
There was a rigid look in her eyes.
Knock knock.
Laura kept her eyes out the window as she answered the
door. She assumed that it was the maid bringing her some
afternoon tea. But when the door opened, Laura heard
footsteps that sounded too cheerful to belong to a maid.
“Aunt,” said a young voice.
Laura turned to spot Olivia standing at the doorway. A
bright smile appeared on Laura’s face as Olivia dashed toward
her. The young girl familiarly kissed her aunt’s cheek.
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” asked Olivia.
“Of course not. It’s almost tea time.” Laura hugged her,
realizing that Olivia had grown much since the last time they
saw each other. The first time they met, Olivia barely reached
Laura’s shoulders. But now, she was taller than her aunt.
Olivia was fifteen years old now. Her dress hem, which
used to reach her knees, now covered her ankles befitting a
young woman of her age. Her golden hair was no longer loose
but in a neat updo instead. She had lost her baby fat too. Her
cheeks were much slimmer, and her body had matured in a
feminine way. As a child, Olivia was a pretty girl. Now, she has
become a beautiful lady resembling the yellow rose in the
garden.
Laura thought proudly. The little girl is becoming a proper
lady.
 Side Story 12

Laura smiled and patted Olivia’s back. “You came right at the
tea time, which must mean you want to have tea with your
aunt.”
“Yes, at the rose garden.”
“Of course. Let’s go downstairs. I’ll ask the maid to bring
some fig jam. I know it’s your favorite.”
Olivia squealed and hopped in delight, proving that
although she was taller, she was still very young. The two of
them held hands and walked to the rose garden together. Just
as was ordered, a tray of muffins and toasts with a side of fig
jam was brought. While Olivia spread a napkin on her lap,
Laura pouted her a cup of black tea.
Olivia thanked her in French. Her pronunciation was not
only accurate but elegant as well. Laura praised her, “I’m so
proud of you, my niece. When you make your debut, people
are going to think you’re a French royalty.”
Olivia, who was eyeing the jar of fig jam, blushed.
“Really?”
“Bien sur,” Laura replied in French.
Olivia covered her reddened cheeks with her hands and
squealed again, making Laura laugh.
 When Laura poured herself some tea, Olivia added a bit of
milk for her. Just as Olivia did, Laura thanked her in French.
Her pronunciation resembled that of her niece. Or more
accurately, Olivia’s accent resembled that of her aunt. After
all, it was Laura who taught this young girl very elegant
French.
Laura suggested to Olivia that she should try the jam on
the toast. Olivia spread only a teaspoonful of jam on her toast
and took a bite.
Laura asked, “Isn’t that too little jam?”
“But I can’t gain weight.”
“You’re already very slim, Olivia.”
Olivia shook her head. “I’m going to lose enough weight so
my waist shrinks two inches. If I’m successful, I’ll be able to
wear an eighteen-inch dress with the help of a corset.”
Laura smiled sadly. Olivia got permission from her mother
to make her debut next spring. She had been waiting to do
this for a very long time, and in just one year, Olivia was
finally going to become an official lady. All the preparation
for her debut was completed. Her dancing skills, French, and
manners were impeccable. Olivia was already sophisticated
beyond her years.
The young girl explained, “Mom said I can take
Grandmother’s dresses. She promised that I could officially
inherit them. But all those dresses have eighteen-inch
waists.”
 Laura sighed and cut her muffin in half. She replied,
“They’re all beautiful dresses, but you don’t have to change
your body for them. You can ask the tailor to alter them.”
“I’m going to make sure I wear the original version.”
Olivia shook her head.
“Is there a reason why you’re insisting on this?”
“You wore that dress when there was a hunting party held
in Whitefield a few years ago. I can still see how beautiful you
looked in that dress. You were like a Greek goddess. You were
as elegant as Hera, as gorgeous as Venus, and as confident as
Athena. If Paris was driving by and saw you, he would’ve
knelt before you and given you his golden apple.”
Laura laughed. “Oh, Olivia. You always manage to seduce
me with your flattery.
You’re like a flirtatious Italian man.”
Olivia sometimes showered Laura with extravagant
compliments like this. Laura thought her niece was just
teasing her, but Olivia was dead serious.
It was Olivia who was most overjoyed when Laura and
Ian’s engagement was announced. To protect Laura’s
reputation, it was declared that Ian was the one who
proposed, not the other way around. When Mrs. Fairfax told
Olivia of this news, the young girl squealed loud enough for
all of the birds in Dunville Park to flutter in shock.
During the entire engagement period, which was quite
short, Olivia danced even in her sleep. At the wedding, she
cried as if she was Laura’s mother. In the past year, Olivia
frequented Whitefield Hall like it was her own home.
As she spent more time with her aunt, Olivia’s love for
Laura grew even deeper. Olivia already had great respect and
admiration for her former governess, and now that Laura was
her aunt, the young girl’s feelings exploded.
Sometimes, Olivia wished she could steal her aunt away
from her uncle. She wanted to live with Laura so they could
eat together and chat all day. Young girls tended to treat
friendship like love.
Although Olivia was getting close to being a marriageable
age by the English standard, she still had a long way to go to
become a grownup. So Olivia loved Laura as if she was her
first love.
Olivia ate only half of her toast and returned the rest to her
plate. She wiped her lips and hands with a napkin, indicating
that she was finished eating. She announced, “When you
wore that dress, you were more beautiful than the three
goddesses combined, Aunt Laura. If I could look half as good
as you, I’m willing to give up my favorite food.”
“Your mother must be worried for you.”
“Not at all. She just told me not to rummage through the
pantry in the middle of the night for food. Crumbs can attract
mice after all.”
“That’s true.” Laura didn’t try to stop Olivia. Young girls
could be stubborn about things like this, and if someone tried
to stop them, they could resist in a worse way. Laura was
worried that Olivia might stop eating altogether if she tried to
convince her to eat more.
So instead, Laura ordered the maid to bring some walnuts,
almonds, and dried figs. Laura explained to Olivia,
“Maintaining your body weight is important, but you need to
think about your skin too. If you don’t get enough nutrients,
your skin will turn dry and make you look tired.”
Olivia blinked in surprise. “R-really?”
“Of course. Here, eat some of these.”
Olivia looked down at the plate nervously. “But they’ll
make me fat.”
Laura shook her head. “I didn’t need to tighten my corset
too much when I wore that dress you love so much. And you
know why? It was all because I made sure to eat plenty of
fruits and nuts.”
Olivia’s eyes glowed with interest. “Really?”
“Yes,” Laura whispered as if she was divulging a great
secret. “But this is my secret diet method, so don’t tell
anyone, okay?”
Olivia nodded emphatically and began eating the walnuts
and dried fruits. She seemed to have been starving herself
because she cleaned the plate in no time.
Laura was lying to her niece, of course. She never once had
to worry about her weight in her entire life. Her life had been
filled with so much stress that her body never got the chance
to gain weight.
 Laura pictured the dress she wore on the first day of the
hunting party. I wonder if I’ll be able to Ut into it now.
She probably could if she starved herself for a day and
tightened the corset as much as possible. But why should she?
A dress was just a dress. Although Olivia would disagree, there
were plenty of other painless ways to look beautiful.
After tea time, the two ladies strolled the garden together.
Olivia was holding Laura’s hand affectionately as if they
were lovers when she asked, “Aunt Laura, did something
happen to Uncle Ian?”
Laura was shocked, but she didn’t show it. “Why do you
ask?”
“I dropped by uncle’s library before coming to you, and he
didn’t look good. When I greeted him, he barely answered me.
I also gave him good news, but he didn’t seem too happy.”
Laura looked down at the ground in silence, and Olivia
asked, “Is he worried about something?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Then what’s wrong with him? He looked distracted. He
looked pale too.”
“…He looked sick?”
“Yes. It looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept for a few days.
Could it be that he’s sick? He suffered from tuberculosis a
while back, which proved that he isn’t invincible.”
As Laura listened, her face turned pale. Her eyes wavered
and her lips trembled. Ian looks sick?
 Laura tried to calm down. She knew she needed to figure
out something to tell Olivia. If this curious young girl
returned home with unanswered questions, she was going to
tell her whole family about it. Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax, in turn,
would end up worrying about Ian.
Olivia was tilting her head side to side with interest. Laura
answered, “It’s because he quit smoking recently. I’m sure
he’s in withdrawal.”
“Ah, that’s right! Mom told me that Uncle Ian stopped
smoking so I shouldn’t go near him. Geez, how could I have
forgotten? I’m such an idiot.” Olivia scratched her head.
Laura tried hard to figure out a way to change the subject.
If they continued to talk about Ian, she was going to lose her
calm. She asked, “By the way, what good news did you bring,
Olivia?”
Olivia jolted. “Goodness, I forgot to tell you. Aunt Laura,
you know my oldest brother, Henry, right?”
Laura nodded. She had heard that her first nephew-in-law
was named Henry, and he was born when Ian was only eight
years old. Even before they got married, Ian always
mentioned Henry first whenever he talked about his niece and
nephews. Ian tended to be stingy with compliments, but he
talked very highly of his oldest nephew.
According to Mrs. Fairfax, Henry Fairfax greatly resembled
Ian. It wasn’t just their appearances but their personalities
too. Both were introverted, romantic, and highly intelligent.
On top of it all, Henry was also an accomplished artist. It was
no wonder that Ian had a soft spot for Henry.
Henry took a leave of absence from Cambridge some time
ago and was studying art in France. It has been a year and a
half since he left England, but Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax didn’t
choose to summon him back just yet. As the eldest son, Henry
was going to someday inherit Dunville Park. This was going
to be the last time he got to enjoy his freedom.
Laura answered, “Of course, I know. What about him?”
“He’s finally coming back home in the fall!”
Laura jolted in surprise. “Goodness, what good news! Your
parents must be so happy.”
“Yes, but my mother’s more worried that he might have
contracted some kind of sexually transmitted disease from a
French woman. They say that if you get such an illness, your
crotch rots.”
“Olivia.”
When Laura said sternly, Olivia quickly changed the
subject. “S-so I found it very strange. I thought Uncle would
be very happy to hear the news, but he only nodded. He was
just sitting in the chair as if he had no energy. He looked like a
paper doll. Does he really have to quit smoking? At this rate,
he’s going to be so thin that he might disappear.”
 Side Story 13

Laura forced a smile on her face and patted Olivia’s back.

“I’m sure your uncle will recover very soon. Don’t worry,
Olivia.”
Around five o’clock that afternoon, Olivia got into the
carriage to get home. She promised her mother that she
would return before dinner time. Mrs. Fairfax worried that
her daughter might interrupt the newlyweds’ private time, so
she only allowed Olivia to take the carriage if she promised to
return home by dinner time. If Olivia failed to keep her
promise, she was threatened to be grounded for a whole
month.
Olivia peeked out the window and said to Laura, “Don’t
worry too much, Aunt Laura.”
“About what?”
Olivia smirked. “Mom told me that rumors don’t mean
anything. As long as you know you haven’t done anything
wrong, you should just ignore these silly rumors. Frankly, you
and Uncle Ian didn’t do anything wrong, right? You just love
each other very much. But of course, I must admit that it
would’ve been better if you had better control over yourselves
in public.”
 Realizing what Olivia was talking about, Laura turned
bright red. “W-where…
where did you hear about…”
“I dropped by the parsonage before coming here. Since
Mrs. Starr knew about it, I’m sure the entire village knows
about it too.”
Laura wanted to disappear into the ground. Olivia
continued, “Mrs. Starr asked me to tell you that you should
attend the Sunday sermons again. You didn’t do anything
wrong, but if you act like you did, people will think so too. She
said that the best thing is for you to be shameless.
Olivia kissed Laura’s reddened cheek and ordered the
groom to leave.
When the carriage was out of sight, Laura sighed.
“Shameless…”
She turned around and trudged toward home. She had
already assumed that the rumor must’ve spread in the entire
village. In a small quiet place like Whitefield, such gossip
tended to fly. She could imagine the villagers talking about it
over dinner every night. They would’ve loved gossiping about
it.
How will these people feel about House Dalton now… And
about Ian too.
Laura worked so hard to keep her husband’s reputation
intact, but everything was ruined now. She paused and looked
up at the windows of her house. Among the countless square
shapes, she found the one that belonged to Ian’s office.
 Suddenly, the thought of the embarrassing rumor
disappeared from her head.
Ian looks sick?!
Her heart began to pound nervously. Her hands shook, and
she turned pale. Laura kept her emotions hidden from Olivia,
but the overwhelming worry for her husband now exploded
inside of her.
Olivia had said to her that it looked like Ian hadn’t eaten or
slept for several days. He looked like a paper doll, weak and
listless.
Is he that upset that I got angry at him ?
Laura wanted to cry. She was just as upset as him about
what had happened. After she returned from the forest
yesterday, she stayed in her bedroom and cried all afternoon.
She was furious that their kiss was caught. She was even
angrier that Ian had lied to her. Laura decided that she should
refuse to let him in her bed for at least a week.
Laura ate her dinner alone in her room and went to bed by
herself. But unfortunately, she wasn’t able to fall asleep.
Since their wedding, she had fallen asleep in her husband’s
arms every night after being thoroughly kissed and loved.
Without Ian, the bed felt so hard and cold. Laura felt anxious
as if she was a baby away from her mother’s side.
Laura tossed and turned all night and was able to only get
a few hours of sleep early in the morning. Laying in bed
feeling exhausted, Laura thought of her husband. She
wondered if Ian slept at all. Even as she ate her breakfast, she
worried that he might have skipped his meal. Ian didn’t like
jams, so she wondered if she should’ve taken it off the menu
altogether.
Laura couldn’t concentrate when she discussed household
details with Ramswick. She kept thinking about what her
husband must be doing. Was he reading his newspapers? Or
perhaps taking a walk? Maybe he was taking care of his apple
trees.
When Ramswick mentioned that Mr. Dalton slept in the
east wing guest room the night before, Laura managed to
remain calm. But in truth, she was shocked to learn that her
husband slept on the opposite side of their bedroom. It meant
that they had slept very far away from each other.
Laura became afraid. Would she have to sleep alone again
tonight? Tomorrow night too?
She finally realized what a big presence Ian had become in
her life. They’ve been married only for one year, but she has
already become so dependent on her husband and she didn’t
like it. She decided that she needed to become stronger.
At lunch that day, she had three cups of black tea. She
spent her whole afternoon working on her translation. She
was able to concentrate, but the worry and sadness continued
to haunt her. She hasn’t felt this lonely in a very long time.
If he loves me just as much as I love him, he must be spending
his day yearning for me as well.
After finishing up her work, Laura looked down at the rose
garden. She wished that he loved her a little less so that he
wouldn’t suffer the same unhappiness as her. It would’ve
devastated her to know that her husband didn’t love her as
much. But it hurt her even more to know that he was
suffering. Ian was more important than her own life now.
So when Olivia told her that Ian looked unwell, Laura felt
shattered. Of course, Laura knew that she couldn’t believe
everything her young niece told her. Olivia was known to
exaggerate her stories from time to time.
But it’s odd that he wasn’t overjoyed by the news of Henry’s
return. He loves his nephew so much, and he hasn’t seen that boy
for over a year.
Was Ian so devastated that he couldn’t even feel happiness
anymore?
Or could it be that he’s physically sick?
A sudden thought almost made Laura scream in fear.
What if he got a cut when I hit him with my parasol? Maybe it
became infected…!
She knew she was being irrational, but Laura was no
longer able to think clearly. She rushed into the house and
climbed to the second floor. Her usual serenity was gone and
was replaced by panic.
Laura knocked on Ian’s office and heard Noel’s voice
inside. When she opened the door, only Noel, the land agent
and Ian’s secretary, was inside the spacious office. At one
point, he was hired as a temporary help. But after proving
himself to be a reliable and honest man, he was now a
permanent fixture in Whitefield Hall.
 Noel was reading a letter with a serious face when the door
opened unexpectedly. He hurriedly rose and bowed to the
mistress of the house. He didn’t have much hair left, and
Laura could see the large bald spot on top of his head.
“Mr. Noel, I’m here to see Ian,” Laura announced.
“Ah, Mr. Dalton? He returned to his bedroom.”
“When?”
“Around two o’clock.”
“Why wouldn’t he be working in the middle of the day…?”
Noel scratched his balding head and answered, “He didn’t
look very well.”
“Did he look sick?”
“Yes. He seemed to feel very weak all day, and… Well, he
just didn’t look okay.”
Laura’s head spun. Oh no, he must really be sick!
Laura ran out of the office without even closing the door
behind her. Watching the door squeak back and forth, Noel
smirked before closing it himself. Geez, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton are
too deeply in love with each other.
Noel was tormented by Ian all day. They were working side
by side earlier, and Ian refused to stop lamenting about how
his angel abandoned him. He seemed truly devastated,
whispering that he couldn’t live without his wife.
Even though Noel wasn’t interested in Mr. Dalton’s
nonsense, he had no choice but to listen as a good employee.
Noel tried to console Mr. Dalton as best as he could all
morning. In the end, the balding man suggested that perhaps
Mr. Dalton should go lie down and rest. Ian must’ve realized
that he was being useless because he nodded and left the
room.
Based on how Mrs. Dalton looked just now, I guess they’re
going to be reconciling in the bedroom soon. There’s nothing
better than a little sight to spice up a marriage.
Noel chuckled before returning to his desk and finishing
the letter. It was a love letter from Betty Rosie, the prettiest
maid in the entire Whitefield Hall. She was a chubby twenty-
year-old girl who worked in the laundry room, and she wrote
that she would die for Noel. Her writing was crude and her
grammar was all wrong, but the words she wrote couldn’t be
any sweeter.
“There’s nothing better than love in this world.” Noel
kissed the letter.
***
Just how sick is he? Laura ran upstairs in a panic. …His
tuberculosis couldn’t have returned, could it?
This was the worst possible scenario, and the thought
made her eyes tear up.
Ah, but he barely survived the last time…!
Laura dashed down the hallway to reach the guest room at
the end of the east wing. After taking a deep breath, she
knocked on the door. “Ian…? Are you inside?”
She couldn’t hear anything from inside. Did Ian go see
Ramswick? Or maybe he decided to take a walk to get some
fresh air?
 Or… could it be that he’s too sick to answer the door?
Laura turned the knob and opened the door without
hesitation. When she entered, she saw that it was dim inside
because the curtains were closed. But because they were thin
and semitransparent fabric, she could still see the vague
shapes of the furniture.
Ian was lying on the bed. He was crouching and still in his
clothes and shoes. His hair was noticeably disheveled. Laura
was shocked to see him like this. Normally, Ian refused to go
even near the bed unless he was bathed and changed into his
pajamas.
She slowly walked toward the bed. As she got closer, she
was relieved to hear that he didn’t sound breathless. He
sounded asleep, so Laura knelt beside
Laura forced a smile on her face and patted Olivia’s back.
“I’m sure your uncle will recover very soon. Don’t worry,
Olivia.”
Around five o’clock that afternoon, Olivia got into the
carriage to get home. She promised her mother that she
would return before dinner time. Mrs. Fairfax worried that
her daughter might interrupt the newlyweds’ private time, so
she only allowed Olivia to take the carriage if she promised to
return home by dinner time. If Olivia failed to keep her
promise, she was threatened to be grounded for a whole
month.
Olivia peeked out the window and said to Laura, “Don’t
worry too much, Aunt Laura.”
 “About what?”
Olivia smirked. “Mom told me that rumors don’t mean
anything. As long as you know you haven’t done anything
wrong, you should just ignore these silly rumors. Frankly, you
and Uncle Ian didn’t do anything wrong, right? You just love
each other very much. But of course, I must admit that it
would’ve been better if you had better control over yourselves
in public.”
Realizing what Olivia was talking about, Laura turned
bright red. “W-where…
where did you hear about…”
“I dropped by the parsonage before coming here. Since
Mrs. Starr knew about it, I’m sure the entire village knows
about it too.”
Laura wanted to disappear into the ground. Olivia
continued, “Mrs. Starr asked me to tell you that you should
attend the Sunday sermons again. You didn’t do anything
wrong, but if you act like you did, people will think so too. She
said that the best thing is for you to be shameless.
Olivia kissed Laura’s reddened cheek and ordered the
groom to leave.
When the carriage was out of sight, Laura sighed.
“Shameless…”
She turned around and trudged toward home. She had
already assumed that the rumor must’ve spread in the entire
village. In a small quiet place like Whitefield, such gossip
tended to fly. She could imagine the villagers talking about it
over dinner every night. They would’ve loved gossiping about
it.
How will these people feel about House Dalton now… And
about Ian too.
Laura worked so hard to keep her husband’s reputation
intact, but everything was ruined now. She paused and looked
up at the windows of her house. Among the countless square
shapes, she found the one that belonged to Ian’s office.
Suddenly, the thought of the embarrassing rumor
disappeared from her head.
Ian looks sick?!
Her heart began to pound nervously. Her hands shook, and
she turned pale. Laura kept her emotions hidden from Olivia,
but the overwhelming worry for her husband now exploded
inside of her.
Olivia had said to her that it looked like Ian hadn’t eaten or
slept for several days. He looked like a paper doll, weak and
listless.
Is he that upset that I got angry at him ?
Laura wanted to cry. She was just as upset as him about
what had happened. After she returned from the forest
yesterday, she stayed in her bedroom and cried all afternoon.
She was furious that their kiss was caught. She was even
angrier that Ian had lied to her. Laura decided that she should
refuse to let him in her bed for at least a week.
Laura ate her dinner alone in her room and went to bed by
herself. But unfortunately, she wasn’t able to fall asleep.
Since their wedding, she had fallen asleep in her husband’s
arms every night after being thoroughly kissed and loved.
Without Ian, the bed felt so hard and cold. Laura felt anxious
as if she was a baby away from her mother’s side.
Laura tossed and turned all night and was able to only get
a few hours of sleep early in the morning. Laying in bed
feeling exhausted, Laura thought of her husband. She
wondered if Ian slept at all. Even as she ate her breakfast, she
worried that he might have skipped his meal. Ian didn’t like
jams, so she wondered if she should’ve taken it off the menu
altogether.
Laura couldn’t concentrate when she discussed household
details with Ramswick. She kept thinking about what her
husband must be doing. Was he reading his newspapers? Or
perhaps taking a walk? Maybe he was taking care of his apple
trees.
When Ramswick mentioned that Mr. Dalton slept in the
east wing guest room the night before, Laura managed to
remain calm. But in truth, she was shocked to learn that her
husband slept on the opposite side of their bedroom. It meant
that they had slept very far away from each other.
Laura became afraid. Would she have to sleep alone again
tonight? Tomorrow night too?
She finally realized what a big presence Ian had become in
her life. They’ve been married only for one year, but she has
already become so dependent on her husband and she didn’t
like it. She decided that she needed to become stronger.
 At lunch that day, she had three cups of black tea. She
spent her whole afternoon working on her translation. She
was able to concentrate, but the worry and sadness continued
to haunt her. She hasn’t felt this lonely in a very long time.
If he loves me just as much as I love him, he must be spending
his day yearning for me as well.
After finishing up her work, Laura looked down at the rose
garden. She wished that he loved her a little less so that he
wouldn’t suffer the same unhappiness as her. It would’ve
devastated her to know that her husband didn’t love her as
much. But it hurt her even more to know that he was
suffering. Ian was more important than her own life now.
So when Olivia told her that Ian looked unwell, Laura felt
shattered. Of course, Laura knew that she couldn’t believe
everything her young niece told her. Olivia was known to
exaggerate her stories from time to time.
But it’s odd that he wasn’t overjoyed by the news of Henry’s
return. He loves his nephew so much, and he hasn’t seen that boy
for over a year.
Was Ian so devastated that he couldn’t even feel happiness
anymore?
Or could it be that he’s physically sick?
A sudden thought almost made Laura scream in fear.
What if he got a cut when I hit him with my parasol? Maybe it
became infected…!
She knew she was being irrational, but Laura was no
longer able to think clearly. She rushed into the house and
climbed to the second floor. Her usual serenity was gone and
was replaced by panic.
Laura knocked on Ian’s office and heard Noel’s voice
inside. When she opened the door, only Noel, the land agent
and Ian’s secretary, was inside the spacious office. At one
point, he was hired as a temporary help. But after proving
himself to be a reliable and honest man, he was now a
permanent fixture in Whitefield Hall.
Noel was reading a letter with a serious face when the door
opened unexpectedly. He hurriedly rose and bowed to the
mistress of the house. He didn’t have much hair left, and
Laura could see the large bald spot on top of his head.
“Mr. Noel, I’m here to see Ian,” Laura announced.
“Ah, Mr. Dalton? He returned to his bedroom.”
“When?”
“Around two o’clock.”
“Why wouldn’t he be working in the middle of the day…?”
Noel scratched his balding head and answered, “He didn’t
look very well.”
“Did he look sick?”
“Yes. He seemed to feel very weak all day, and… Well, he
just didn’t look okay.”
Laura’s head spun. Oh no, he must really be sick!
Laura ran out of the office without even closing the door
behind her. Watching the door squeak back and forth, Noel
smirked before closing it himself. Geez, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton are
too deeply in love with each other.
 Noel was tormented by Ian all day. They were working side
by side earlier, and Ian refused to stop lamenting about how
his angel abandoned him. He seemed truly devastated,
whispering that he couldn’t live without his wife.
Even though Noel wasn’t interested in Mr. Dalton’s
nonsense, he had no choice but to listen as a good employee.
Noel tried to console Mr. Dalton as best as he could all
morning. In the end, the balding man suggested that perhaps
Mr. Dalton should go lie down and rest. Ian must’ve realized
that he was being useless because he nodded and left the
room.
Based on how Mrs. Dalton looked just now, I guess they’re
going to be reconciling in the bedroom soon. There’s nothing
better than a little sight to spice up a marriage.
Noel chuckled before returning to his desk and finishing
the letter. It was a love letter from Betty Rosie, the prettiest
maid in the entire Whitefield Hall. She was a chubby twenty-
year-old girl who worked in the laundry room, and she wrote
that she would die for Noel. Her writing was crude and her
grammar was all wrong, but the words she wrote couldn’t be
any sweeter.
“There’s nothing better than love in this world.” Noel
kissed the letter.
***
Just how sick is he? Laura ran upstairs in a panic. …His
tuberculosis couldn’t have returned, could it?
 This was the worst possible scenario, and the thought
made her eyes tear up.
Ah, buthe barely survived the last time…!
Laura dashed down the hallway to reach the guest room at
the end of the east wing. After taking a deep breath, she
knocked on the door. “Ian…? Are you inside?”
She couldn’t hear anything from inside. Did Ian go see
Ramswick? Or maybe he decided to take a walk to get some
fresh air?
Or… could it be that he’s too sick to answer the door?
Laura turned the knob and opened the door without
hesitation. When she entered, she saw that it was dim inside
because the curtains were closed. But because they were thin
and semitransparent fabric, she could still see the vague
shapes of the furniture.
Ian was lying on the bed. He was crouching and still in his
clothes and shoes. His hair was noticeably disheveled. Laura
was shocked to see him like this. Normally, Ian refused to go
even near the bed unless he was bathed and changed into his
pajamas.
She slowly walked toward the bed. As she got closer, she
was relieved to hear that he didn’t sound breathless. He
sounded asleep, so Laura knelt beside
 Side Story 14

The light through the gap between the curtains helped Laura
to see better. Ian’s eyes looked sunken, and his skin looked
pale and rough.
I can tell he suffered just like me.
Laura’s heart broke. She wished she could hug him, but
she didn’t want to disturb his sleep. It was obvious that he
hadn’t slept much last night.
Laura thought sadly. Darling… My Ian… I know you don’t
care, but there are still people in the world who are against our
union. They believe I would end up ruining you and House Dalton.
I don’t care what happens to me, but I want to protect you and
your name. I want people to know what a kind, ethical, and
respectful gentleman you are. That’s why I have been acting so
defensively. I’ve always been rather shy, but I overreacted even
more this time because I care about your reputation. It’s not
because I don’t love you… I’m sorry. I was only doing it for you,
but I had no idea it would make us suffer like this…
Laura wiped away her tears when she noticed that Ian was
hugging something. She wondered curiously. What is it that
you ’re holding? Is it something that gives you comfort?
 She saw that he was holding something that looked like
black fabric. It was still dark in the room, so she couldn’t be
sure. She touched the end of the fabric that stuck out. It was a
fairly thick fabric, but it was so rough that it felt like
sandpaper. It was the kind of cheap material a rich man like
Ian would never own.
Laura tilted her head in confusion before looking at Ian’s
face again. He looked so tired, yet to her, he looked beautiful.
Ian looked like a child who fell asleep crying out for his
mother. She found it hard not to kiss him.
I’ll do it when he wakes up. I just need to be patient for a while
longer…
“Mmm…,” Ian mumbled and moved a little. Laura jolted in
surprise, but she kept quiet and stayed very still. He sighed,
and she could smell mint from his breath.
Slowly, Ian brought the fabric to his nose and inhaled
deeply. He smelt it and rubbed his chin against it.
Laura…,” he mumbled in a hoarse voice.
Laura…”
Laura couldn’t take it anymore. She held his hand, which
made him flinch and look up. Their eyes met, and Ian stared
at her for a long time.
Laura smiled awkwardly. “…I’m here.”
“Let’s go to our bedroom. There’s no point in sleeping in
separate rooms anymore. The rumor about us has already
spread, and… I can’t be without you…”
Ian suddenly reached out for her.
 “Ah!” Laura yelled when he pulled her into bed. She found
herself on her back on the bed and her husband on top of her.
He caressed her face and whispered, “Are you real? Are you
really Laura?”
Laura’s eyes wavered because it looked like he was about
to burst into tears. She nodded, wanting to relieve his
suffering.
“Then prove it,” Ian demanded.
“…What do you mean…”
“Prove to me that this isn’t a dream.” Tears filled his eyes
as he murmured, “Because it has to be. You’ll tell me that
you’ll forgive me before disappearing before my eyes again.
You’re going to make me search the entire Whitefield for you.
And when I wake up, I’ll see that I’m alone in bed.”
His tears dropped on her face as he continued, “You don’t
care how much I regret what I did. You don’t care how scared
I am of losing you. You’re going to leave me.”
Laura moaned as if she was in pain. Ahh, why do you get
hurt so easily because of me?
The answer was obvious. It was because Ian loved her. He
loved her more than he did himself.
Laura caressed his head gently until he stopped crying. As
if her hands were magic, Ian’s sobbing quieted down. She
wiped his wet cheeks, and even as he watched her, Ian looked
unconvinced.
Laura pulled his face closer and kissed his lips lightly. “Did
my kiss in your dream ever feel this real?”
 Ian’s eyes widened in surprise. Laura began unbuttoning
his shirt to caress his slim neck leisurely. She asked, “Did my
touch feel this real in your dream?”
Laura gently pushed his shoulders away. Ian seemed
helpless as he obeyed her and lay on the bed on his back.
Laura sat on top of him and leaned to kiss his face. Soon, his
shirt was opened to reveal his hard muscles. Laura blushed a
little and pulled the ribbon around her waist.
Dropping the ribbon on the floor and pulling down her
dress, Laura promised, “I’ll prove to you that this isn’t a
dream.”

***

There was a giant French-style grandfather clock in the

middle of Whitefield Hall. It was tall and slim, and it was one
of the things Patricia Dalton, former Mrs. Dalton, brought
with her when she got married.
This clock’s bell created beautiful and clear rings. Most
grandfather clocks had dull sounds, but Patricia Dalton’s
clock offered rings that sounded like the lovely clinking
between two wine classes.
Just like any other night, the grandfather clock rang to
announce that it was midnight. The clear sound filled the
entire house including the kitchen where the cooks worked
tirelessly, the stairs Ramswick used all day to go up and
down, and Ian’s office where Noel stayed late to write a reply
to Betty Rosie.
The ringing even reached the guest room on the third floor
at the end of the east wing. This was a small room that was
meant for a guest under ten years old. The room was so tiny
that even though there was only a small lamp on the side
table, it lit the entire room. As expected, the brightest spot in
the room was the bed where Ian and Laura were resting.
Ding, ding, ding.
Under the lamplight, Ian was caressing his wife’s luscious
strawberry-blond hair. When he heard the bell, he
murmured, “It’s midnight.”
Laura, who was resting her head on her husband’s chest,
nodded. “It sounds like it.”
Ian hugged her tightly and asked, “So it’s time to stop
making love, right?”
“Pfft. You think you can love some more?” Laura laughed.
“If you would let me, absolutely. But I love being cuddled
up with you like this too.”
Laura teased, “Good, because you insisted on doing it
again, I was planning to call you an animal.”
“To be honest, you’ve called me an animal so many times
that it doesn’t mean much to me anymore.”
Ian wrapped her hair around his fingers and gazed at it. It
looked like he was holding a pretty sunset. He smiled in
pleasure and kissed it. “I guess it’s not such a bad idea to
make you angry. See how happy we are that we made up?
Maybe we’ll get into another fight again.”
“No thank you. I was so worried about you that I thought I
was going to die.”
“You were worried about me?”
Laura explained, “Yes. Olivia told me that you were
practically dying.”
Ian chuckled. “That child likes to exaggerate.”
Laura looked up at him. He was smiling, but his face did
look quite gaunt. She asked, “Did you not sleep well?”
“No.”
“What about your meals?”
“I couldn’t eat, of course.”
Laura rested her chin on her husband’s chest and sighed.
“No matter how angry I get at you, we better not sleep in
separate beds again.”
Ian pulled her face closer and whispered, “Because your
heart breaks when you see me suffer? Does my pain make you
hurt too, Laura?”
Laura felt a little awkward by his intense gaze, but she
nodded. Ian smiled in joy and pulled her closer for a kiss.
Because it was past midnight, he controlled his urges. Instead
of giving her a French kiss, he only gave her a light peck
instead.
Ian rubbed his nose against hers and mumbled, “You love
me way too much, Laura. What will you ever do without me?
You’re going to be in trouble if I’m gone, right?”
 Laura burst into laughter. “Yes, you’re right.”
“So I guess we better stay together forever. We’ll always
love each other like we do right now.”
“Of course.”
“And you’ll comfort me like you did just now?”
Laura blushed, but Ian continued to tease her, “Could you
ride me like that again from time to time?”
She slapped his chest and muttered, “You’re such a
pervert.”
“So you won’t do it again? Even though I’m your husband
and I’m begging for you to?”
“Never.”
When Laura turned away from him, he quickly turned her
to face him again. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry. Please don’t
turn your back on me. I want to look at your face, Laura.”
Laura obliged and did as he asked. But as she turned, she
felt something rough on her skin. They were busy up until a
moment ago, so she didn’t notice it before. But Laura now
saw that they were lying on top of something other than a bed
sheet.
Laura reached down and pulled out the rough fabric. It was
a black shawl, a very cheaply made kind. She was wondering
why such a thing was on the bed when Ian snatched it away
from her. He hugged it tightly as if it was something very
precious to him.
Laura suddenly realized that it was the very thing her
husband was hugging while sleeping. She asked, “Ian, that’s
a woman’s shawl. Why do you have that?”
“Did it belong to your mother?”
When Ian shook his head, Laura suggested, “Then maybe
your sister gave it to you before she left to get married…”
He jolted. “What? Why would I be sleeping with my sister’s
shawl at my age?”
“Then…?”
Ian refused to answer her. For a moment, Laura considered
baiting him by asking if he was having an affair with another
woman. But she decided against it. She knew that her
husband would become terribly upset that she could even
consider the possibility of him being unfaithful.
Laura stared at the shawl and thought hard. Then
suddenly, she realized that the piece of cloth looked very
familiar. It wasn’t long before she figured out that this old
shawl belonged to her a long time ago.
“This is mine!” Laura exclaimed. “I had it when I was
working as a governess. When did I lose it… Ah, was it at that
cabin? I let you borrow it and asked you to throw it away…
“So why do you still have it?”
“…Because I couldn’t throw it away. It belonged to you, so
I just couldn’t.” Ian looked mortified as he confessed, “At the
time, I really wanted something that belonged to you. This
was perfect because it smelled like you. I could hug it as if I
was hugging you… Please don’t think I’m being strange!
Haven’t you heard about the male characters in romance
novels who steal gloves from the ladies they love? It’s just like
that.”
Laura was a little confused. “Well, I can understand the
gloves, but this shawl… It’s a little too shabby to be
romantic.”
“It belonged to you once, so I would never think of it as
shabby! ”Ian protested.
 Side Story 15

He kissed the shawl and folded it to put it away in the side

table drawer. It seemed like he planned on keeping it. Laura
felt strange, realizing that her husband must’ve kept this
shawl since that rainy day in the forest. She only paid five
pence for this cheap second-hand shawl, and she imagined
him kissing it and smelling it every day.
Laura was touched by his love. She caressed his cheek,
upset that his skin felt much rougher than usual. It was
obvious that he hadn’t slept much.
She suggested, “You can hug me whenever you want now,
so why don’t you throw that away?”
“But we might get into another fight in the future. I don’t
think I could survive if I didn’t even have this at least.”
“We can make sure something like this doesn’t happen
again. We just need to avoid making each other angry.”
“That would depend on you, Laura,” Ian replied. “Because
I would never get angry at you.
“Life is long. I’m sure there will come a time when you
become furious at me.”
He grinned. “I can’t imagine that. You’re an angel after
all.”
 Ian contemplated for a moment before asking, “Unless
you have any plans to cheat on me?”
Have you lost your mind?” Laura jolted.
I would never be unfaithful to you. Never,
Darling.”
He gazed at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course. I swear on my mother and father’s names.
I swear to God.”
Ian reached up to tuck some stray hair behind her ear. He
murmured, “You can if you want to make me into a
murderer.”
“…You would kill me?”
I can never harm you, Laura. But…” He
played with her ear as he continued, “…I’m definitely
going to kill the man you have an affair with. I’ll shoot him
until there’s nothing left of him.”
Laura’s eyes widened in shock. Ian smiled and added,
“Then, I’m going to shoot my head right in front of you.”
“Don’t say something so scary like that!” Laura
shuddered.
When Ian chuckled with a playful look, she grabbed his
shoulders and shook him. “You’re jesting, aren’t you? Please
tell me you didn’t mean that.”
“Why would I want to live if you have an affair with
another man?”
“You would do something like that just because of an
affair? Then what about if I die young? Will you shoot yourself
after my funeral?”
“Probably?”
“How could you…?!” Laura rose and hit him with a pillow.
“Suicide is the worst of the sins! You’ll end up in hell!”
Ian laughed so hard that he became breathless. Laura
insisted, “Tell me right now that you won’t kill yourself!
Promise me that you’ll continue to live even if I die first!”
“Fine, I won’t die. I promise!”
Laura finally stopped hitting her husband. As soon as she
put down the pillow, Ian grabbed her arms and pulled her
closer. Her body toppled over him like a blanket, their naked
bodies slapping into each other.
Ian gazed at her face and whispered, “We’ll live happily
for fifty years and die on the same day.”
It was a lifelong promise, and Laura nodded with a smile.
He caressed her hair and added, “And we’ll ride each other’s
body from time to time, of course.”
Laura burst into laughter. “I guess you really liked what I
did for you just now.”
I thought I was in heaven.”
She contemplated for a moment before answering with a
serious face, “If you promise to stop your public display of
affection, I’ll do it for you from time to time.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Ian raised his pinky finger sternly, and Laura wrapped her
own around it. A pinky promise was made, and Ian kissed her
cheek in satisfaction.
Laura rested her face on his chest again. Feeling his
warmth, she felt happy because her life was whole again. Now
that she was relaxed, she couldn’t help but yawn.
Ian pulled the blanket to place over her. He patted her back
gently, and Laura fell deep into sleep within minutes. He
looked at his wife sleeping like a kitten on top of him. Only an
hour ago, the whole world looked gray and hopeless to him.
But everything regained its color, especially his wife. Her
sunset-colored hair, porcelain skin, and peachy pink lips
made his heart beat faster. He hugged her slim body tightly,
believing that she had to be the loveliest and kindest woman
in the world.
Laura Dalton. She was his now, and this thought brought
him joy. Ian almost felt overwhelmed with happiness.
He whispered to his sleeping wife, “I’m going to make
sure that your life is filled with joy. If anything gets in the way
of it, I’ll get rid of it. All you need to do is stay with me and be
happy.”
Ian closed his eyes and fell asleep listening to his wife’s
breathing.
***
The only source of light inside the clinic was the sun
through the smudged windows. Laura clasped her hands
tightly and waited on a small stool. Across her was a large
man wearing a white gown and holding a pipe in his mouth.
His hair and beard were as white as snow, and every wrinkle
on his face looked austere.
He resembled the French senator Victor Hugo. His
impressive experience and expertise allowed him to exude
sharp confidence. His elderly look certainly added to his
harsh atmosphere.
When Laura first visited him to ask for an exam, he studied
her very carefully. He was respectful, but his attitude wasn’t
particularly warm as he escorted her to his office.
He didn’t bother asking why she came for an exam.
Instead, he opened his yellow notepad and began asking
questions. He wanted to know her name, height, weight,
length of her marriage, frequency of marital relations, even
her menstrual cycle and related symptoms, family medical
history, and any illnesses she suffered during the last three
years.
Laura calmly answered over a dozen questions, realizing
that the doctor knew exactly why she was there. The
questions he asked were things an infertile woman would be
asked.
I guess he knows just by looking at me once. It’s no wonder
he’s the best infertility doctor in all of Yorkshire.
The doctor managed to gain her trust on their first
meeting, but Laura couldn’t help but feel almost dizzy from
anxiety. She had been nervous even before she came here.
After telling Ian that she was going shopping in the village,
she had gotten into the carriage to come here. She was afraid
that today might be the day she was going to be given the
terrible news.
What if the doctor told her that she could never have
children?
Laura has been dreading this possibility, and if the doctor
confirmed it, she didn’t think she would ever be able to hold
her head high in front of Ian.
In England, the eldest son was born into a privileged life.
He inherited all of the family wealth and name without
having to share it with his siblings. But this came with a
heavy price. The eldest son was burdened with the
responsibility of protecting the family’s wealth and name
while producing a healthy male heir who could someday
inherit everything.
This was how things worked in English aristocratic
society. If no male heir was produced, a male relative needed
to be selected for the job. The problem was that it was almost
impossible to find a male relative who was educated in
running a household and the family business. This meant that
the future of the family became very unclear.
Ian was the head of House Dalton, a prestigious family
with a four-hundredyear-old history. House Dalton
possessed the most fertile lands, the biggest buildings, and
the best stocks of Yorkshire. Everything belonged to Ian, and
he had the great responsibility of bearing a male heir.
If Laura couldn’t have children, Ian would have to select
one of his male relatives to inherit everything after his death.
Even if he managed to choose a good man, House Dalton was
going to be at risk of losing its wealth and reputation.
By the time Dr. Mackenzie was almost finished with his
questions, Laura’s hands were wet with her sweat. Her heart
ached as if she was having a heart attack. The doctor scanned
through his yellow paper before looking up at Laura. A short
silence fell, and her heart pounded uncontrollably. Her lips
turned pale, knowing that her fate depended on what the
doctor was about to say.
Dr. Mackenzie took off his glasses and placed them on the
desk. “Mrs. Dalton.”
When Laura nodded, the doctor sighed before
commenting, “You must love your husband very much.”
“…Pardon?”
“You must love your husband too much, am I right?”
This was such an unexpected question that she didn’t
know how to respond. Thankfully, it didn’t seem like he was
expecting an answer because he continued, “It has only been
a year since you got married, yet you came all the way out
here to see me. So it’s obvious that you want to make your
husband happy by giving him a child.”
It seemed that Dr. Mackenzie knew exactly how Laura felt.
She nodded but remained quiet.
He asked, “I guess you’ve been tormenting yourself about
this, huh?”
When Laura nodded again, he continued, “Then I’ll tell
you this as a doctor. You should be grateful that you haven’t
gotten pregnant yet.”
“Pardon?”
He looked down at his note again. “You’re five feet and
three inches tall, yet you’re only ninety-seven pounds. You
won’t be able to deliver your first child in this condition. Even
the women with pelvises the size of Buckingham Palace still
die frequently during their first childbirth.”
Laura replied in embarrassment, “B…but
I’ve gained weight recently…”
“How much?”
“About three pounds.”
“I realize that the country is going through a terrible
recession, but did you really not have enough bread to eat?”
“It’s because I suffered from indigestion.”
“Still?” asked Dr. Mackenzie.
“No, I can eat anything now and be fine. All the weight I
gained happened after I got married.”
“You need to gain at least nine more pounds. If you get
pregnant in your current condition, it would be a problem.”
Laura had no idea that her weight was a problem. She has
always been thin even as a child, but it was rare for her to fall
ill. The only time she was seriously sick was when she
suffered a high fever in Bath.
She asked, “…So Doctor, you’re saying my body isn’t ready
to bear a child, but… So… The only problem is that I’m
underweight, but it’s not so bad that I’ve become infertile… Is
that what you’re saying?”
 “You’re correct. So far, I haven’t found any reason to
believe you can’t have children.”
Laura couldn’t help but sigh deeply. Her body had been
tense during the entire appointment, but she felt much more
relaxed now. She felt free as if a huge weight had been lifted
off of her shoulders.
 Side Story 16

“Thank you, Dr. Mackenzie,” said Laura.

“Why are you thanking me for having a normal body, Mrs.
Dalton?”
“Because it was you who diagnosed me. Thank you so
much… It was worth coming all the way out here.” Her eyes
feared up. Laura took out her handkerchief to dab her eyes.
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I know you’re
a very busy man. I’ll return after I gain some weight.”
Laura rose to leave, but Dr. Mackenzie stopped her. “Mrs.
Dalton.”
“Yes?”
“…Please have a seat again.”
Laura sat down awkwardly again. The doctor crossed his
arms and stared at her, and she became a little scared. It was
as if the late Senator Victor Hugo came back to life to glare at
her right now.
“I’ve known about you for a while now, Mrs. Dalton. I may
be a hermit living in the middle of nowhere, but I still make
my living as a doctor. That means I need to keep my ears
open.”
“Ah, I see…”
 “Everyone told me that Mr. Dalton married an
impoverished woman from a ruined family. I heard your
name was Pendleton because you were born a bastard and had
to inherit your mother’s maiden name.”
“People love to gossip about you. They believed that a
problematic marriage like yours would lead to a problematic
life. After all, you didn’t marry just a rich bumpkin but the
head of House Dalton, the greatest family in Yorkshire. You
might think this is an outdated view, but there is some
wisdom in following tradition. I had to agree with the
villagers that Mr. Dalton made a foolish decision in marrying
you.
Laura turned deadly calm as she listened. She knew very
well what kind of damage House Dalton suffered from this
marriage. She could imagine what people must’ve said about
her and Ian, which was exactly why she ran away from the
love of her life at first.
But even though she knew, Laura still felt upset to hear
about it in person. She was no longer Laura Pendleton who
was used to being bullied and ignored. She was now Laura
Dalton, the mistress of Whitefield Hall who learned that she
deserved to be loved and respected.
Laura asked rigidly, “…So what is it that you’re trying to
say?”
Dr. Mackenzie answered nonchalantly, “But not long after
your wedding, I began hearing about different stories. People
told me that Laura Pendleton is a beautiful woman who lost
her parents at a young age and was mistreated by her uncle.
But despite the hardships, she was very kind and behaved like
royalty. They also claimed that you were a true scholar and
that you refused Mr. Dalton’s proposal many times because
you loved him more than you loved yourself.”
For the first time that day, Dr. Mackenzie smiled.
“Frankly, I thought people were just exaggerating. But now
that I’ve met you, I realize that they were telling the truth.
It’s obvious Mr. Dalton was lucky to marry a beautiful and
elegant woman. And I can tell that you love him very much.”
Laura blushed at an unexpected compliment. “I’m the
lucky one in this relationship. I’m afraid I’m still a very
lacking wife to my husband.”
“Is it because you haven’t been able to bear his child yet?”
“That’s only a small part of it. I just know that Mr. Dalton
deserves someone much better than me.”
“They say modesty is a virtue, but too much of it can be
toxic. Anyone who believes they’re lacking can never be
happy.” The doctor pulled the chair closer to her and
continued, “I’ve treated infertility for over forty years, Mrs.
Dalton. Some of my patients succeeded in getting pregnant
while others didn’t. But I’ve noticed something incredible
during my practice. Oftentimes, those couples who gave up
having children and adopted instead seemed to get pregnant
afterward. It happened so often that I couldn’t ignore it. For
many years, I researched this topic and studied it closely.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a scientific answer. The best I
could do was to make a guess. I decided that God disapproves
of humans who obsess over things that are supposed to be his
job.”
“I believe that a baby is conceived when the husband and
wife are happy. A happy couple guarantees that the baby will
have a stable home when it’s born. And even if a baby isn’t
conceived, a happy couple will continue to have a happy
marriage. Mrs. Dalton, do you attend church every week?”
“I do.”
“Then do you believe that God takes care of us and that he
completes his will through us?”
“Of course.”
“Then it shouldn’t be difficult for you to believe that God
will give you a child when it’s time. So how about you trust
him and stop worrying about it?”
Dr. Mackenzie’s advice hit Laura hard. She suddenly felt
enlightened as if a bucket of cold water was poured over her.
She thought in silence. Dr. Mackenzie is right. I have no control
over conceiving a baby, yet I never even considered the fact that I
should trust in God. It’s strange since I pray every day and go to
church every week.
Laura nodded to the doctor, who gave her the smile of a
truly wise man. He added, “Then until God gives you the gift
of a baby, you must enjoy your happiness. You went through a
great deal to become Mr. Dalton’s wife, didn’t you? So you
must count your blessings every day. Give all of your love to
your husband, and receive his love without a moment of guilt.
Mrs. Dalton, what you need isn’t the feeling of responsibility
but happiness.”
Laura couldn’t say a word. She felt tears rolling down her
cheeks. She loved her husband with all of her heart. She
believed that he shouldn’t have to give up the joy of having
children just because he chose her. She had felt so guilty and
burdened by the fear of being infertile that she came here to
see a doctor even though it had been only a year since she got
married.
It was not a surprise that Dr. Mackenzie was the best
infertility doctor in Yorkshire. He managed to read what
Laura was thinking in such a short time.
Laura cried into her handkerchief for a long time. The
doctor didn’t offer her any word of comfort, but she could feel
that he understood her and wished her happiness.
After she left the cottage and rode home in the carriage,
Laura asked herself why she married Ian.
It’s because I love him so much. I wanted to spend the rest of
my life with him and be happy.
Indeed, they got married to be happy together. During last
year, Laura worked tirelessly to bring him contentment. Ian
made her happy, so she believed that she needed to be
responsible for his happiness too. But subconsciously, it
seemed that Laura thought she should repay him for
marrying a penniless woman like her. She felt like she was
indebted to him.
 I belittled myself. How could I be happy with Ian if I feel this
way?
Laura reawakened her logic that had been asleep due to her
fear and a sense of duty.
Dr. Mackenzie is right. I have no control over becoming
pregnant. I need to trust in God to take care of me. What I need to
do is to focus on the present moment. I need to enjoy how happy I
am with Ian. That’s the best thing I can do for us.
Laura looked out the window to see the sheep-like clouds
in the sky creating dim shadows over the endless field. The
sheep and cows were grazing lazily, and she realized that Dr.
Mackenzie was living surrounded by such beauty.
She smiled, her heart feeling much lighter than earlier
when she was heading to see the doctor. The heavy burden
was now replaced with a yearning for her husband.
I’m going to give Ian all of my love, and I’m going to happily
accept his love for me. I won’t hesitate or feel guilty about it
anymore.
***
Noel placed the account book on Ian’s desk. He
announced, “Sir, I’ve finished calculating this month’s rental
income.”
Ian was planning on buying some stocks of an export
company. He was reading an article about the new ship built
by this company when Noel reported to him. He folded the
newspaper and skimmed through the account book.
 The letters and numbers were written neatly in the book as
if they were typed. The rental and lease incomes for this
month from his family’s farmlands and buildings were
calculated very neatly and accurately. Ian was a picky
employer who refused to allow lazy mistakes and omissions,
but even he had to admit that Noel’s work was transparent
and perfect.
Ian returned the account book to Noel and resumed
reading the newspaper. The balding man carried the book
back to his desk.
It was an afternoon like any other day. After lunch, Ian had
a meeting with his lawyer and one of the farmers who wanted
to lease a larger plot of land. Ian was now having a leisurely
break reading the newspaper while Noel took care of the
business correspondence, the lease advertisement for the
newspaper, and the account book.
Before Noel was in the picture, Ian never had the time for
himself in the middle of the afternoon like this. He used to be
incredibly busy because he had to do all the work Noel was
doing now. This wasn’t because he didn’t have a land agent
and a secretary before. The problem was that his previous
employees either made a lot of lazy mistakes or tried to steal
from him.
Being an unforgiving employer, Ian had no choice but to
fire his employees frequently. In the end, he decided that it
was going to be best if he just did all the work himself.
 But two years ago, Ian had to return to London to kill the
old bastard named Tom Pryce who tried to marry Laura. At
the time, he had no choice but to hire Noel, who he didn’t
think would make an honest land agent.
But Ian was surprised to learn that Noel was a true talent.
Noel was honest and hard-working, and his work was
meticulous. After hiring Noel, Ian’s life became much more
comfortable.
Knock knock.
The door opened and Ramswick entered. He bowed deeply
to his master and asked, “Where would you like to have your
tea, Sir?”
Ian glanced at the clock to realize it was tea time already.
He answered, “I’ll have it here. Bring some for Noel too.”
Ramswich was about to leave when Noel shouted, “Mr.
Ramswick, could you also get me some of the rice pudding
from this morning ?
Ramswick turned to glare at Noel. He nodded, “Fine.”
The butler sounded annoyed as he closed the door behind
him.
 Side Story 17

“I’m going to have some pudding.

Pudding, pudding, delicious pudding! The best rice
pudding in all of Yorkshire.” Noel hummed as he closed the
ink bottle.
Soon, a young servant arrived with a tray. On the spotless
silver plates were steaming scones and fresh tea leaves. There
was also a large raspberry tarte on a cake stand.
Noel sat down on the sofa beside Ian and watched the
servant set the table when he asked, “Huh? Where is the
pudding?”
The servant wearing a pair of white gloves answered, “Mr.
Ramswick gave away all of the rice pudding to the grooms and
stable keepers.”
“…” Noel’s face turned sour. When the servant bowed and
left the room, Noel began steeping his and Ian’s tea while
mumbling. “If he didn’t want me to have it, he could’ve just
said so…”
Ian, who was watching the interaction in silence, smiled in
secret. Ever since Noel was hired, he didn’t get along with
Ramswick. The butler didn’t approve of the new land agent,
who was hired in a hurry. Noel, on the other hand, was
annoyed by Ramswick who always looked at him with
suspicion for no reason.
Even when enough time had passed and Noel proved
himself to be a good employee, their relationship continued
to worsen. Ramswick resented Noel for enjoying singing and
smoking cigars during the staff meal time. Ramswick thought
of Noel as a cheap thug.
Noel was just as frustrated with Ramswick, who nagged
him for eating too much. Being a hard worker, Noel believed
that he deserved to eat as much as he wished.
The problem was that the two men were too different.
Ramswich was a quiet gentleman with old-fashioned ideas.
He was stoic like a monk, and he wanted all of his staff to be
orderly. He demanded them to keep their personal lives clean
so that they wouldn’t bring shame to House Dalton.
On the other hand, Noel loved to indulge himself when he
was off work. He enjoyed food, cigars, wine, and jokes. His
humorous nature meant that he made people laugh. He was
often surrounded by other servants who liked to joke around
with him.
Before Noel arrived, Whitefield Hall was a place of order,
exactly the way Ramswick wanted it to be. Now, the
atmosphere inside the mansion was becoming rowdy.
But this alone wouldn’t have been enough for Ramswick to
openly detest another employee in front of Mr. Dalton. The
butler’s main duty was to keep his master comfortable, so
Ramswick knew that he should resolve his conflict with Noel
privately. But things went south when Ramswick heard about
how Noel succeeded in seducing the laundry maid Betty.
The number one rule of Whitefield Hall was that no
romantic relationship was allowed between the staff
members. So as soon as Ramswick heard the news, he went
straight to Laura. The mistress of the house was the one who
had the authority to make major decisions regarding any
household matters.
“Oh, really?” Laura, who listened attentively in the study,
smiled. “Betty is such a lovely young girl. She’s plump, and
she has such an adorable face with flawless skin. I heard a few
of the gardeners fell head over heels in love with her, so I’m
shocked to hear Noel managed to seduce her. He must be a
very resourceful man.”
“Mrs. D…Dalton, this is a serious problem. Those two are
employees of this household!”
Laura continued to smile and answered, “Indeed. I am
aware that romantic relationships are forbidden in this house.
After all, this is the same rule in every noble household in
England. But it’s questionable whether there’s even a single
place where this rule is strictly followed. Most of the
employees are in their teens or twenties. It’s natural for
young men and women to fall in love when they work in close
proximity.”
“Yes, ma’am. You’re absolutely right. But this is a
workplace. If romantic relationships are openly allowed, the
staff won’t be able to focus on their duties. They’ll be too busy
flirting with one another,” Ramswick protested.
“I’m certainly not saying that we should openly
recommend our employees to form romantic relationships. I
agree that rules are important. But Ramswick, there are times
when we need to be flexible. It’s too cruel for us to forbid love
just because we are their employers. Our staff only get to take
time off once a month when they return home to visit their
families. They don’t even get weekly time off. So if they don’t
fall in love here, where else will they find spouses and form
their own families?”
“…I don’t want to be rude, but I believe Noel has passed his
marriageable age, ma am.
Laura emphasized, “We must be especially flexible for
Noel. After all, he’s an important employee for Mr. Dalton.”
Ramswick’s small shoulders slumped. Laura patted his
back and promised, “I’ll tell Ian to have a chat with Noel. Noel
and Betty won’t be allowed to be seen in public together in an
inappropriate manner. This will ensure that no one gets
distracted.”
His mistress had spoken, which meant there was nothing
more Ramswick could do. He bowed deeply and left Mrs.
Dalton’s study.
After that day, Ramswick never brought up this topic
again. But instead, he began tormenting Noel in other ways.
For example, Ramswick ordered the maids not to wash Noel’s
sheets. During meals, Ramswick grumbled loudly about how
much Noel eats.
Even today, it was obvious Ramswick gave away the rice
pudding so that Noel couldn’t have it. Everyone knew that
rice pudding was Noel’s favorite dessert. It was a childish
thing to do, but Ramswick couldn’t help it. Being a strict man,
this was the only way Ramswick knew how to torment an
indulgent creature like Noel.
Ian stirred his tea and chuckled. “Why did you bother
seducing a laundry maid to make Ramswick upset?”
“She’s worth all the trouble I get from that white-haired
butler, Sir.” Noel cut a large slice of the tarte and continued,
“At my age, even an ugly woman should look attractive. But
fortunately, I haven’t lost my sense of beauty. Betty is truly a
blessing in my life. She’s more beautiful than the aphrodite
born from the white foam of the sea.”
“Are you going to marry her?” Ian asked.
“I don’t plan on ever getting married.”
When Noel sounded firm, Ian became confused. “Then
why do you pursue women?”
“Sir, I’ve tried marriage before. This experience has taught
me that God made me, Noel Finch, into a man suited for
romance but not marriage. I would consider myself a gift to
womankind.”
“Gift to the womankind?” Ian gave Noel a doubtful look.
The way the balding man was stuffing himself with the tarte
suggested that he was more of a gift to the bakers than
women.
But Ian decided that Noel couldn’t be lying. Every
unmarried man in Whitefield Hall including the cook, stable
keepers, and footmen have been drooling over Betty Rosie.
Yet it seemed that Noel was the one who won her heart.
Ian had also heard some impressive stories about Noel’s
past. Some time ago, he wrote several letters to Noel’s
previous employers to assess his character. He kept this a
secret from Ramswick so as not to alarm him.
Based on the replies, Ian learned that at Noel’s last
workplace, he managed to seduce not only a doe-like twenty-
one- year-old maid but also a sensual kitchen maid at the
same time. This love triangle ended with the two women
almost killing each other over him. In the end, the three of
them were let go.
Ian asked, “Just what is it about you that makes the
women fall for you? Frankly, I wouldn’t call you a handsome
man.”
Noel wiped jam from his lips with a napkin and answered,
“Seduction is all about using your charm, Sir. And one’s
charm doesn’t come from one’s face.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The game of love depends on the man becoming
someone the woman wants.”
“Oh?” Ian became interested. He was already taken, but he
still had a deep desire to make his wife fall even deeper in love
with him. He wanted to become the perfect man for Laura. Ian
wanted her to worship him like the way he revered her. Ian
felt like he would die without her, and he wanted Laura to be
just as desperate as him.
Ian ordered, “Tell me more.”
Noel took a sip of his tea and continued, “Women have
contradicting feelings regarding love. They want to be treated
like queens by their men, but at the same time, they want to
become slaves to love too. No woman can resist a man who
can satisfy both of these emotions.”
A slave and a queen? When Ian looked confused, Noel
explained, “Women are wary creatures. They can’t help it
because they live in a jungle surrounded by lustful wolves that
are men. So if you want to win a woman’s heart, you must
appear to be harmless in her eyes. Jokes work well with some
women, while tears work wonders with others. It all depends
on the woman’s personality.”
Tears? Ian suddenly remembered all the times he cried in
front of Laura. He became a little embarrassed, knowing that
he had shown tears more than once to his wife.
Could it be that Laura opened her heart to me because of my
tears? Ian wondered.
Meanwhile, Noel continued, “Now, once you make the
woman vulnerable to your advances, you must build a
relationship with her. You must gain her affection by showing
kindness toward her. And as you do, you must slowly and
carefully show how much you love her. You can tell her that
you would willingly become her slave. All women have the
desire to enslave men after all. Once a woman realizes that a
man is interested in her, she can’t help but think about him
often.”
“Ah, I get it now. Once you have her attention, you can
begin courting her earnestly, right?”
Noel shook his head. “Not yet. If you move too fast, you
will fail to satisfy her other needs.”
“What other needs?”
“Her need to become a slave to love. Just as I said earlier, a
woman has two contradicting emotions.”
Ian still couldn’t understand, but he decided to continue
listening anyway.
Noel added, “If you take good care of her and court her
delicately, she’ll fall for you. Her feelings for you will grow.
But there’s one more thing you must do. If this is as far as you
go, the woman’s feelings will turn cold eventually. All she’ll
feel at the end is womanly pride in gaining a man’s attention.
Now, this is the most important part of the courtship. Sir, you
must act indifferent toward the woman you love.”
 Side Story 18

“Act indifferent toward the woman you love?” asked Ian.

“Exactly. The woman thinks she has you on a leash. But if
you stop paying attention to her, she will feel uncertain.
She’ll become desperate to make you love her again, and as
she makes this attempt, she’ll feel the satisfaction of
becoming a slave to love. She’ll become addicted to the sweet
pain of trying to win your love back.”
This story sounded familiar to Ian. He remembered
hearing something very similar. Suddenly, he realized that it
was his sister who gave him similar advice. When Ian was
rejected the first time, Mrs. Fairfax suggested that he should
act nonchalant toward Laura and become nothing more than
her friend.
But when he did this, he ended up being in the middle of a
scandal with Miss Lance and was rejected by Laura the second
time. He almost ended up losing the love of his life forever.
Ian quickly lost interest in Noel’s story. He replied, “I
respect your life, but I don’t think your advice will help my
relationship with Mrs. Dalton. We’re already both rulers and
slaves to each other after all. Just as I worship her, she loves
me the same way.”
 “Of course, Sir. I do not doubt that Mrs. Dalton loves you
very much.” Noel placed a second piece of tarte on his plate
and added, “But based on my experience, a woman eventually
tires of a man who gives never-ending love. As a matter of
fact, this doesn’t only apply to women, but men too. No one
can feel attracted to someone who constantly volunteers to be
a slave. You must be both a king and a slave.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, Sir. Every single woman I knew reacted this way. And
I don’t blame them because if I were a woman, I would feel
the same way. A man who sings love all day every day would
be boring. There would be nothing exciting to expect from
him.”
Ian suddenly felt a little guilty. Now that I think about it, I’ve
always been the one who’s chasing after Laura. Even after we got
married, I’m the one who’s always begging for love. Even after
she told me she loved me, I refused to stop. I guess if I were her, I
would become tired of me.
Of course, Ian didn’t doubt Laura loved him deeply. But if I
don’t control myself, she might become bored of me someday.
Chills ran down his spine at the thought. But I can’t live
without Laura.
When Ian looked worried, Noel quickly added, “But Sir,
this only applies to the game of flirtation. Everyone knows
that the greatest virtues that keep a marriage safe are trust
and devotion. Therefore, you and Mrs. Dalton’s marriage is
safe. I’m always impressed by how perfect you are for each
other.”
Ian shook his head. “No, Noel. I don’t think marriage is too
different from what you just described. After all, a marriage is
about a man and a woman as well. I show Mrs. Dalton my
whole heart all day every day. I pour my love out to her, which
has clearly overwhelmed her. About a week ago, she even hit
me with a parasol out of frustration.”
Noel rolled his eyes, unable to picture his elegant mistress
hitting her husband.
Ian continued, “We’re still both young, and she’s a very
patient person, so I’m sure she’ll be able to endure me for
now. But everyone has their limits. Once she becomes tired of
my love, it will be too late for me to regret it.”
Ian rubbed his chin and sighed deeply. “You’re right, Noel.
I think I need to lessen my show of affection. Perhaps I should
even act uninterested from time to time. This will give Laura
some room to breathe and reduce the chance of her getting
sick of me. Don’t you think so?”
Noel didn’t respond. If he agreed now and something bad
happened to Mr. and Mrs. Dalton’s marriage, there was a
chance he might be blamed for it.
Just then, both of them heard the horses outside the
window. Without even thinking, Ian rose and went to look. He
saw that the carriage carrying Laura was returning home. He
checked the pocket watch hanging on his vest and thought to
himself.
 It has been live hours and forty-five minutes since she left this
morning.
Ian’s heart began to pound wildly. Even now, he wished he
could run out and help her down the carriage. He wanted to
hug her tightly and tell her how much he missed her all day.
He wondered what she bought that took her over five hours.
Dammit. I’m acting like a Hve-year-old boy waiting for his
mother to come home from the market. Ian clenched his teeth
and suppressed his desire to run out the door to see his wife.
Soon the carriage stopped in front of the entrance. The
groom got out and opened the door for his mistress. Laura left
the carriage with the groom’s help, her reddish-golden hair
gleaming against the sun. Her perfectly shaped head, long
neck, and slender figure captured Ian’s eyes.
Laura stood next to the carriage for a moment to watch the
servants carry the boxes inside. She soon began making
orders to the servants, who nodded earnestly. All the staff of
the Whitefield Hall considered Laura their king. She spoke
softly and she was kind, but there was also something very
strict and charismatic about her. It was because Laura had
learned a way to gain the servants’ respect and cooperation
during the time she took care of her grandmother’s
townhouse.
How could she be so beautiful and smart at the same time? Ian
was very proud of his wife. Every time she proved to be a
perfect woman, he felt like he had won the whole world.
 Laura ordered one of the servants to bring her a red box
from the pile of things she purchased. She looked down at it
for a while before looking up. When their eyes met, she smiled
brightly and waved at Ian. Ian waved back lightly, trying his
best not to appear too enthusiastic.
Ian told himself silently. Control yourself, Ian. Control
yourself.
He stopped waving his hand. Laura was still looking up at
him with a wide smile, but he turned around and walked away
from the window. He saw that Noel was already back at his
desk opening a letter from a renter.
Ian sat down as well and resumed reading the newspaper.
But strangely, he couldn’t focus on the words. He wondered.
What did Laura buy? A book? A hairpin? Or maybe some satin?
Perhaps she bought gifts for the neighbors.
It was rare for Laura to be on an outing alone for this long.
It was even rarer for her to go shopping because she preferred
to stay home and focus on her work. If there was anything she
needed, she asked the servants to shop for it in her place.
Ian forced himself to finish reading the newspaper. By the
time he folded it, it had been about thirty minutes since Laura
returned home.
I’ve waited long enough. Ian decided.
When he rose, Noel asked, “Are you going somewhere,
Sir?”
Ian fixed his tie and answered, “To see Ramswick.”
 Ian buttoned up his suit jacket and walked down the
hallway. It looked like Laura made a lot of purchases, so there
was no doubt that Ramswick was helping her organize them.
Ian planned to ask Ramswick and find out what Laura
brought home.
I hope she had a wonderful time shopping for herself. Ian
thought expectantly as he rushed toward the stairs. But when
he was about to turn around the corner, he bumped into
Laura.
Laura was wearing a lovely peach dress and holding a
small box. She smiled at him and exclaimed, “Oh, darling!”
Ian suddenly blushed, touched by how happy his wife
looked to see him. Laura was so beautiful when she smiled.
Ian coughed awkwardly and put on a stern expression. He
asked, “So did you have a nice outing?”
“Yes, it was very fun.”
“Hmm, I see,” he replied coldly and walked by her.
Ian acted like he wasn’t interested in talking to her, but
Laura grabbed his arm. “Darling, wait.”
Ian slowly turned toward her and asked, “Is there
something you need from me?”
When Laura blushed and handed him a box, he murmured,
“…What is it?”
“It’s a gift, Ian.”
He accepted the box awkwardly. He saw that it was a small
box wrapped in red paper. It was the same box Laura was
staring at when she was outside. She explained, “I was
actually on my way to your office. I thought about giving it to
you later since you must be working, but I figured you might
feel the urge to smoke the most when you’re working, so…”
Ian couldn’t understand what she was trying to say, but he
didn’t care. Laura is giving me a gift… A gift for me…!
He had never received a gift from his wife except on his
birthday. Laura added sweetly, “This will help you. Anyway,
I’ll see you in the dining room at dinner.”
She took a step toward him and gave him a peck on his
cheek. She mumbled, “I love you, darling.”
Laura must’ve felt embarrassed because she looked away
and ran downstairs. Ian staggered a little and leaned against
the wall. His face and ears were turning bright red. He
muttered to himself, “Cam down, Ian. Calm down…”
His hands shaking, Ian slowly unwrapped the box. Inside
was a small jar of colorful fruit candies that sparkled like
jewels. Ian finally realized what Laura was saying to him.
“…Ah, these are to help me quit smoking…,” Ian
whispered. He closed the candy jar and hugged it. He wasn’t
sure if he would be able to eat any of them because they were
from his wife.
“Laura, you’re…” Ian groaned. “I can’t help but love
you…”
 Side Story 19

Ian remained determined to act indifferent toward Laura.

That evening after dinner, they sat in front of the bedroom
fireplace as usual. It was the spring, but the weather in
England could be unpredictable. It was best to keep the
fireplace going at night just in case. It was Ian and Laura’s
usual routine to spend the evening in front of the fireplace
like this before going to bed.
Laura brought a book to read. She chose Jane Austen’s
Mansfield Park. A long time ago, Ian criticized Jane Austen’s
work, but this was still Laura’s favorite.
Normally, Ian would’ve struck up a conversation with his
wife. He would nag her about why she chose to read this book
over and over again. He would’ve loved to discuss with her
why she liked this story so much. But tonight, he pretended
not to notice her. Instead, he opened his own book, which was
John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
Only the sound of the turning pages filled the room. They
usually liked to talk about their days in front of the fireplace,
so the silence between them felt a little awkward.
Ian couldn’t tell how much time had passed when Laura
suddenly burst into laughter. Ian glanced at her to see that
she was resting one arm on the armrest and laughing quietly
while reading.
Gauging the thickness of the pages she read, Ian tried to
guess which part of the
UI LUI
returning from Antigua.
Ian smiled faintly. It’s indeed a funny scene.
He returned to reading the scene in Paradise Lost where
Satan uses sweet words to seduce Hawwah. This is boring,
which is strange. I remember enjoying it when I read it in
university.
Ian wished he could just abandon reading Paradise Lost and
ask his wife to recite the entertaining scene from Mansfield
Park. But he stopped himself, reminding one signum as ii sue
was upsuL.
Ian pondered. What happened after Sir Bertram returned
from Antigua?
Maria Bertram married Mr. Rushworth and left.
Meanwhile, the wealthy Henry Crawford, who was flirting
with Maria, began courting the main character Fanny Price.
Fanny Price was still in love with her cousin Edmund, but the
people around her pressured her to marry Henry Crawford.
Ian frowned. It’s no wonder Laura is upset by this part. Fanny
maybe poor, but she’s only seventeen. She shouldn’t have to
accept the old womanizer’s proposal.
Ian clicked his tongue in annoyance. The author Austen
bluntly described the reality of being a poor woman in the
marriage market. Ian was the type that became emotionally
invested in the novel’s characters. This meant that he became
unnecessarily upset whenever he read Austen’s books.
Ian read all of Jane Austen’s six main novels at least four
times, so he felt certain that they weren’t suited for him. But
he continued to observe Laura’s face to figure out which part
she might be reading.
Laura turned the pages slowly. Ian could guess that she
was reading about how Fanny rejected Henry’s proposal and
was forced to move back to her poor parents’ home as a
punishment. When Henry visited her, he learned about her
unfortunate situation. But even so, his feelings for her
remained the same as he continued to court her. Then, the
biggest shocker came when Henry, who seemed so in love
with Fanny, abandoned her and ran away with Maria Bertram
who was already married to another man.
Laura didn’t look pleased as she continued with her novel.
When she finally read the scene where Fanny married her
beloved Edmund, Laura closed the book. Meanwhile, Ian hid
his face in Paradise Lost. He couldn’t see his wife’s face
anymore, but he could feel that she was deep in her own
thoughts.
Ian wondered. That’s her favorite book, isn’t it? So why
doesn’t it look like she s enjoying herself?
“Ian?”
When Laura called out to him, Ian pretended like he had
been engrossed in his own book. He raised his eyebrow as if in
surprise and glanced at her. “Yes, Laura?”
Laura was staring at Ian quietly. There was deep affection
and longing in her gray eyes, which excited Ian. He asked,
“What is it?”
Laura put her book aside and fidgeted a little. She seemed
shy and hesitant, making Ian feel all twisted up inside. The
way she squirmed and looked at him was so enticing. Ian kept
a blank face and waited for Laura to answer.
“Umm… I have a request.”
“Hmm, yes?”
Laura bit her lip, her cheeks turning as red as the autumn
leaves. She asked, “Could I… sit on your lap until we go to
bed?”
Ian dropped his book. He couldn’t speak as if there was a
lump in his throat.
Laura continued. “I’m sorry to bother you since you’re
busy reading, but…”
When she became hesitant again, Ian swallowed his lump
and whispered, “But what…?”
But…” Laura looked down and mumbled, …I’ve always
wanted to try sitting on your
lap.”
Ian opened his arms without saying another word. Laura
cautiously approached him and sat on his right knee. Ian
hugged her lightly so she could lean on him better. He asked,
“This is what you wanted to do?”
 When Laura nodded, he asked in a shaky voice, “Is there
anything else you want to try?”
“Umm…” Laura fidgeted again before murmuring, “…I
want to rub., my cheek against yours.”
Ian gulped and rubbed his right cheek against her left one.
“Like this?”
“Yes.” Laura smiled.
Ian could feel Laura’s soft skin against his. He sighed in
pleasure. Why is this woman doing this to me today of all days? I
decided to be indifferent to her only a few hoursago, but now…
Ian couldn’t help but caress her back tenderly. At the same
time, he began kissing her cheek, unable to stop himself from
wanting to get closer. He expected her to push him away
because it was still early in the evening. But to his surprise,
Laura wrapped his arms around his neck and began kissing
his face everywhere.
Ian couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled her closer with
both of his hands and whispered, “Laura.”
“Yes?” Her voice sounded dreamy as if she was drunk.
“Are you trying to seduce me?”
Laura stopped kissing him and looked into his eyes. “Did I
seduce you?”
44 „
“I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to love you and feel your
love for me.” Her eyes smiled happily.
Ian closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping his lips. “You
win.”
 Laura looked at her husband in confusion as he rose. He
carried her easily to the bed while she kept her arms around
him. He laid her on the bed gently and caressed her face. His
large hands were burning hot from anticipation.
“I’ll love you all you want.” Ian kissed her and promised,
“Don’t even think about sleeping tonight, Laura Dalton.”
***
Laura’s hair was wet with sweat as it spread on the carpet
with a Turkish pattern. She didn’t bother getting up because
all she could do was hang onto her husband. Meanwhile, Ian
was busy rubbing his cheek against hers. They were panting
and embracing each other tightly.
They began making love on the bed, but they ended up on
the thick carpet on the floor. The sun was just beginning to
rise and shine through the window. Ian’s rough breathing
began to slow down, but Laura continued to pant. He patted
her back and asked, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
When Laura shook her head, Ian murmured, “Are you hurt
anywhere?”
“Haa… Haa… N…no…” Laura hugged him tighter. “There
wasn’t a single moment when I didn’t feel good.”
Ian chuckled. “I’m proud of myself.”
“That’s strange. Why would you be proud of something
like this?”
“Men are like that. We’re an odd breed, aren’t we?”
The two of them continued to embrace one another,
feeling each other’s breath and heartbeat. Laura closed her
eyes in contentment. She was both physically and
emotionally satisfied.
Ian poured his love onto her all night. His devotion rained
down on her, and Laura felt like she was drowning in him. But
she wasn’t afraid or overwhelmed. If Ian was like the
tsunami, she was like a giant plate big enough to hold all of
him. The moment their souls touched, Laura found herself
becoming ready to absorb everything Ian wanted to give her.
I feel happy. I really am. Laura’s eyes filled with tears before
they began rolling down her cheeks.
A long silence fell before Ian asked, “Laura, I don’t want to
ruin the mood, but I need to ask. Did something happen
today? That gift you gave me earlier and how you seduced me
tonight… You seemed like a different person somehow.”
“Didn’t you like it?”
“Of course, I did.”
“I’m relieved. I guess I can keep being like this then.”
Ian pulled away a little to look into her eyes. “Really?”
When Laura nodded, he exclaimed in shock, “Uwah… This
isn’t a dream, is it?”
Laura stretched his cheeks, making him jolt. He
announced, “Well, I guess I’m not dreaming.”
The two of them chuckled together. Ian asked, “But
seriously… Why are you doing this? You changed so suddenly
that I feel a little scared.”
“I don’t really have a special reason. I suppose that I
realized how much I love you.
 Side Story 20

Laura smiled lazily and stretched like a cat on the carpet. “Did
you know that I read Mansfield Park over a hundred times? I
used to read it when I was sad, lonely, and hurt. It always
managed to console me and make me feel better. But you
know… When I was reading it today by the fireplace, I didn’t
find it entertaining at all.”
“Why not?”
“I think it was because I was very unhappy in my old life.
That must be why I felt comforted by Fanny Price, who was
poor, mistreated, and insignificant. I could empathize with
her, and I felt consoled that she found happiness in the end. It
gave me hope that I could do the same. But now, all I feel for
her is pity.”
Laura pulled Ian closer and kissed his cheek and lips. She
added, “I’m nothing like Fanny because Fanny didn’t have
Ian Dalton. Because you’re the perfect husband a woman can
ask for.”
“It sounds like I better get something for Fanny Price to
thank her. Maybe I should sell one of my lands in the east and
donate it to her husband’s parish?”
 “Miss Price already has a good life with her beloved
Edmund, so I don’t think there’s any need for a gift.”
Ian pushed her hair back and asked, “Then what about
you? Is there anything you would like?”
“Me?”
“Yes, because you make me the happiest man in the
universe.”
44 ??
“So please tell me, Mrs. Dalton.”
Laura touched her husband’s ear and pondered. Ian
enjoyed her sweet scent as he waited patiently. Laura
answered, “Darling, it’s our wedding anniversary soon.
Please make me happy on that day.”
“And what will make you happy?”
“You’ll have to find the way on your own, Ian.”
Ian begged, “…That’s a difficult task. Give me a hint at
least.”
“I don’t know. You figure it out.”
Ian groaned and buried his face on Laura’s chest.
“Dammit, you expect me to read your mind? But you’re a
woman of mystery! You’re difficult to read.”
“I’m difficult?”
“During our honeymoon, I got you a whole bunch of jewels
and a carriage too. But you scolded me, telling me that I’m
squandering my money away. Any other woman would’ve
loved those gifts.”
“You’re silly. Do you think all women are shallow?”
 “Well, it doesn’t matter because you’re the only woman
for me.” Ian rested his head on her chest for a while before
looking up. He looked determined as he promised, “Alright. I
swear on our love that I’ll make this anniversary the best one
ever.”
“So I can look forward to it?”
Ian kissed her lips. “Of course.”
His lips moved down her neck. Laura glanced at the clock
and murmured, “The maids are going to wake up soon.”
“I know.”
“They’ll be here soon to fill the bathtub.”
“I know that too.”
Ian’s lips moved even lower, and Laura couldn’t speak
anymore. She didn’t think it was possible, but an hour later,
Laura found herself even more satisfied both in body and
soul.
***
Noel announced, “Sir, the mine manager Jack Moss in
Barnsley sent a message. He reported that the refining facility
builders have been stealing materials.”
“Mr. Dalton?” Noel turned to look at Ian who was sitting at
his desk. Ian had his arms crossed while looking up in the air.
There was a frown on his handsome forehead.
“Mr. Dalton?”
“….”
“Mr. Dalton?”
 It was only when Noel called out a few times that Ian
glanced at him. Noel hid his sigh and explained the message
from Barnsley again. Without a word, Ian raised his hand to
accept the letter. He read it carefully before clicking his
tongue. He took out a piece of paper and scribbled something
on it.
Ian replied, “You shall go in person to deliver this letter to
Jack Moss. You can also have a look around the mine too.”
“Should I leave today?”
“There aren’t any more trains leaving today. You’ll go
tomorrow.”
“Alright.” Noel returned to his desk and put the letter in
his leather bag. He asked, “Is Jack Moss someone we can
trust?”
“…” Ian was still staring at the wall with a serious look.
“Sir!”
When Noel yelled, Ian flinched as if he woke up from a nap.
Ian asked, “What is it?”
“Is Jack Moss someone we can trust?”
Ian nodded. “After my father passed away, the only
account book that was transparent was the one from the
Barnsley mine. Jack Moss has been managing that place for
twenty years, and there has never been an issue. He’s the
most honest miner in England, so be sure to show him your
respect.”
“Of course, sir.”
 Their conversation was over. Noel expected his employer
to stare at the wall again with a pained look. But instead, Ian
leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. There was an
agonized frown on his face.
Noel wondered. What is wrong with him? Noel had no
interest in getting involved in his boss’s personal affairs, but
he couldn’t just stand by. It would’ve been rude of him to
ignore his employer who was obviously worried about
something. Besides, Noel couldn’t focus on his own work
while Mr. Dalton sat beside him sighing and groaning so
loudly.
There was a pile of receipts Noel needed to take care of by
the end of the day.
Although he loved to indulge himself, he was a man who
took pride in his work. In order to get all of his work done,
Noel decided to fix whatever problem that was troubling Mr.
Dalton.
Noel asked, “Is something bothering you, sir?”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?”
After a short silence, Ian finally opened his lips. “Noel.”
“Yes?”
Ian looked desperate as he gazed at Noel. “What do women
like?”
“…Is that what you’ve been contemplating all morning?”
Ian nodded. “I promised my wife that I’ll give her
something spectacular on our wedding anniversary. I swore
to make her the happiest woman in the world.”
 Noel sighed in frustration. He couldn’t believe that his
employer was tormenting himself during work with such an
unimportant matter.
“…Excuse me for bringing this up, but didn’t you decide
yesterday that you’ll be indifferent to your wife, sir?”
“I gave up.” Ian shook his head. “It would be easier to
move the pyramid than acting indifferent to such a lovely
woman like my wife.”
Noel hid his smile. Mr. Dalton is an unusual man. Normally,
most husbands will belittle their wives in front of other men so
they won ’t look weak. But Mr. Dalton never bothers to hide his
love for Mrs. Dalton.
There was a time when Noel laughed at Ian. He saw Ian
wake up extra early to find a four-leaf clover for his wife.
Every afternoon at tea time, Ian ran out of the office so he
could have tea with Mrs. Dalton. He also often stared at the
pocket watch his wife gave him as a birthday present with a
stupid grin on his face. Noel couldn’t help but believe his
employer was a foolish man.
But once he got used to life in Whitefield Hall, Noel began
to see Mr. Dalton’s devotion as something very beautiful.
Noel may have been a womanizer, but he was still man
enough to admire Mr. Dalton’s love for Mrs. Dalton.
Ian continued to grumble, “If it was up to me, I would take
her to the shopping district in a golden carriage and buy all
the fur coats and jewels she can carry. Then, I would take her
to a French restaurant for the most expensive course meal
they have. We’ll end up in a hotel suite afterward where I’ll
give her a foot massage and we’ll make love all night.”
“Oh, what a great plan. So why aren’t you doing that?”
“Because this isn’t what Laura wants.”
“I’m surprised to hear there are women who wouldn’t like
something like that. Then what made Mrs. Dalton the
happiest in the past?”
“Hmm, when I quit smoking?”
“…Anything else?” asked Noel.
Ian pondered for a moment. “When I had her sit on a thick
tree branch and sang for her. When I gave her the very first
apple I picked last autumn. When I made a crown out of
flowers and placed it on her head for her birthday.”
Noel became confused. Do they think they’re teenagers?
Instead of voicing his thoughts, Noel stuttered, “I…I
suppose Mrs. Dalton appreciates sincere efforts over anything
else.”
“This is the problem here. It would be easier if it’s
something I can buy with money. But Laura is very frugal. She
doesn’t care about materialistic things. She likes pretty hats
and jewels, but she detests overspending.”
“What an excellent lady she is.”
“Obviously,” Ian muttered as if Noel was being ridiculous.
Noel contemplated for a moment before suggesting, “Sir,
you told me something before. You said that to figure out
what Mrs. Dalton wants, you need to use your sixth sense on
top of all of your other senses. So this is the time to do exactly
that. Do not try to find an answer that works for other people.
You should try to find the perfect gift from inside of your
heart.”
“My heart?”
“Indeed. A wedding anniversary is a celebration of love. It
is a perfect opportunity to look back at your history together.
Perhaps you’ll find the answer there.”
When Ian became silent, Noel wondered. Did it work?
Noel saw that although his employer looked thoughtful, he
no longer seemed tormented.
I guess he found a clue. Now, it’s time to get back to work.
Noel decided that he solved the problem at hand. He returned
to organizing the receipts from the Barnsley mine.
Meanwhile, Ian crossed his arms and looked up at the
ceiling. Laura and my history together…
His conversation with Noel gave him an idea. Ian had been
trying to find a gift that would please an average woman, but
this was obviously the wrong thing to do. Following Noel’s
advice, Ian reminisced about his and Laura’s past.
There were many painful moments, but Ian also
remembered so many beautiful and precious times he had
with his wife. The night they danced the waltz under the
moonlight, he thought Laura was the most beautiful woman
in the world. The day when they had an honest conversation
inside the Dunville Park forest, Ian knew that he would never
get tired of talking to her. There was one lovely afternoon
when he and Laura roamed the Whitefield forest to find a
specific spot her father drew in his sketchbook. And of course,
he could never forget the day when they escaped the rain in
the old abandoned cabin.
All of these things were clear in Ian’s mind as if they
happened yesterday. He remembered how happy Laura
looked on these occasions.
Laura seemed the happiest when she was in nature, in my
arms, or in front of a warm fire.
Ian finally found the answer he was looking for. He rose,
his usual dignified expression finally returning to his face. He
buttoned his jacket and announced, “Do not look for me for a
while unless it’s something urgent.”
 Side Story 21

Noel answered, “Alright.”

Ian hurriedly left the office. Noel looked at the closed door
for a long time before picking up the quill on the desk. But he
couldn’t concentrate, the thought of a woman from his past
haunting his thoughts. He remembered the day when he and
the woman raised their wine glasses to celebrate their own
wedding anniversary.
***
I wonder what it is.
This was the first thought that popped into Laura’s head
when she woke up on the day of the wedding anniversary. Still
feeling sleepy, she stared at the checkered pattern canopy
over the bed before turning to her side. As usual, her husband
was already gone.
Ian woke up early every morning. He left quietly without
waking Laura, and after washing up, he always took a few
servants to the solarium. There, he picked fresh flowers to
adorn Laura’s study.
Laura caressed his empty spot. I wonder what he got me.
She has been wondering about this for a whole week. The
day after she demanded a wonderful wedding anniversary,
Ian became so busy that Laura barely saw him during the day.
He often left the mansion in a carriage early in the morning
and returned late at night. Even when he stayed home, she
saw that he spent a lot of time in the kitchen discussing
something with Phillip. Once, she visited Rams wick’s office
to discuss something and found her husband and the butler
whispering among themselves. When Laura asked what he
was up to, Ian only smiled at her. She asked Phillip and
Ramswick too, but they refused to answer her. It seemed like
Ian had ordered them to keep quiet about his surprise.
Laura patted Ian’s pillow. Because he had been so busy,
they hadn’t been able to go for walks or have dinner together.
He often returned so late that they couldn’t even make love
either.
“Just what are you planning for me, Ian?” Laura asked, but
Ian’s pillow didn’t have an answer for her. She hugged it.
Rolling side to side, she murmured, “I regret asking you for
this. You’re so busy that we don’t get to spend much time
together.”
She rubbed her face on his pillow before kissing it. “I want
to kiss you like this right now.
“We can certainly do that.”
Laura jolted at the unexpected sound of her husband’s
voice. When she turned toward the door, she saw Ian standing
there with a smile.
Laura turned bright red. “I…Ian, I wasn t…
 Ian strode toward the bed and grabbed the pillow Laura
was hugging. He threw it on the floor and got on top of her.
She was wearing a fragile nightgown, and Ian in his full suit
covered her whole body.
His body was cold from being outside on a chilly spring
morning, but his breath was warm like the bright sun.
“Mmm…” Laura moaned, enjoying the deep loving kiss
from her husband.
Ian slowly raised his head and whispered,
I suppose I should apologize. I know my
Laura can’t stand to be alone without her husband because
she gets lonely.”
Laura, who had been breathless, looked away in
embarrassment. She replied, “I was just talking to myself.”
“You’re most honest when you talk to yourself, aren’t
you?” Ian kissed her cheeks ardently.
“Ian, my maid will be here soon to brush my hair.”
“So?”
“And it’s not even night right now…,” Laura protested.
I didn’t say we’re going to do it, did I?”
Ian chuckled and caressed her cheeks. “To be honest, I
would love to do it right now, but we need to save our energy
for this evening.
“This evening?”
“Our anniversary party.”
Laura smiled. “So it’s going to be in the evening.
“Yes, I’ll pick you up around five o’clock.”
 “Okay, then I’ll make sure to wear something pretty.”
“Not too pretty I hope. If you become any more beautiful,
my heart won’t be able to take it.”
Laura slapped Ian’s chest. Ian gave her another kiss on her
forehead before leaving the bedroom.
After breakfast, Laura went to her study as usual to check
the household account book. She also interviewed new staff
and took care of her other duties as the mistress of Whitefield
Hall. Around lunchtime, she went for a quick stroll before
eating her meal alone. Afterward, she returned to her study to
focus on her translation work.
Laura carried on with her day just like any other day, but
she couldn’t stop herself from feeling a little excited. I wonder
what he planned.
Laura was translating the last page of The New Eloise when
she paused. She put down her fountain pen on the desk and
rested her chin on her hands.
Will we have a nice drive along the coast? Or maybe he’ll take
me downtown to show me something amusing?
A smile spread on Laura’s lips. She didn’t care what they
did as long as she got to spend time with Ian.
To be honest, just having dinner and dancing a waltz on the
terrace would be enough to impress me.
Laura imagined them together on the terrace under the
beautiful moonlight. She could almost hear the faint music of
a waltz.
Just like the night of my last ball as Laura Pendleton.
 At the ball hosted by the Lance family, Laura had said
goodbye to Mr. Price and danced a waltz with Ian. This
particular dance was seared in her memory even though it
didn’t even last five minutes. At the time, she felt such an
intense mix of emotions. She was devastated because she
believed she wouldn’t get to see Ian again. But at the same
time, she had been overjoyed that he was worried for her.
But now, all I feel is happiness.
Laura decided that whatever Ian planned for her tonight,
she would demand to dance a waltz with him. She wouldn’t
care if they didn’t have any music. The sounds of the rustling
tree branches were going to be enough for her.
The grandfather clock in the hallway rang three times. Her
heart pounding wildly, Laura slowly walked up the stairs to
get ready. She took extra care to wash herself before going to
the dressing room. Two maids were waiting for her, and when
she sat down at the vanity, they brushed her waist-length
strawberry blond hair until it gleamed.
Since today was a special day, Laura decided to try a
different hairstyle. She always kept her hair in a net, but
tonight, she twisted it up using a silver pin with a sapphire
stone. It showed off her elegant neck, and it suited her slim
face.
Her next task was to pick her outfit. She wasn’t sure where
they were going, so she chose a dress that would suit any
setting. It was an elegant green dress with black stripes. It
had three-quarter sleeves and covered her slim neck.
 She was putting on a shawl around her shoulders when a
servant in a uniform knocked on the door. He entered and
bowed deeply. “Mrs. Dalton, the carriage is waiting for you.”
I’ll be out in a minute.”
Laura looked in the mirror one last time. As she turned
side to side, the silver earrings with tiny pearls dangled on
her ears. She checked her dress one more time before going
downstairs.
Outside the mansion was a carriage waiting for her. Its
door was opened, and she saw that it was empty inside.
Laura asked, “What about Ian?”
“He is waiting for you at your destination,” the servant
explained.
Laura slowly got into the carriage. It began moving quickly
to pass by the garden and cross the Whitefield forest. She
looked out the window, enjoying the white birch trees
glowing mystically under the sunset.
Laura rested her arms on the windowsill and dreamily
looked outside. After she got married, she passed by this
forest hundreds of times. Yet even now, it still had the power
to mesmerize her. It was as if each tree held the magic to
make anyone fall in love with it.
She felt ecstatic that this was her home.
Ian invited her to this otherworldly place called Whitefield,
and she could now proudly claim Whitefield to be her home.
I’ve put my roots down in this place just like those trees.
 The carriage turned to enter a smaller path on the side.
Laura was still daydreaming when she realized something
odd.
This isn ’t the way to downtown.
She was being taken deeper into the forest. For a moment,
Laura wondered if they had taken the wrong turn, but this
didn’t make sense. The Whitefield groom knew this place like
the back of his hand, so there was no way he made a mistake.
The carriage finally stopped on a field in front of the clear
lake where the water striders played. The groom got off and
took out the steps for her. Laura left the carriage and looked
around, realizing that she had been there before.
I remember. This is the spot my father painted. It’s where little
Ian was sitting on the grass looking up at the sky.
Remembering how adorable her husband looked as a child
in her father’s painting, Laura giggled. She slowly walked
around, reminiscing about the time when she and Ian walked
this place before they got married. After learning that her
father spent his last days in Whitefield, Laura roamed this
place with his drawings in her hands. She tried hard to visit
the same spots her father painted.
Ian was always with her on these adventures. He took her
to places she would’ve never found on her own and told her
jokes when she seemed bored. When she was busy enjoying
the view, he took a step back and waited for her patiently.
He was such a thoughtful companion.
 Laura was deep in thought when the groom handed her a
letter. The wax seal on the envelope indicated that it was from
Ian. She opened it to see that there was a map inside.
The spot I’m standing right now is the starting point here.
Hmm… The small path separated by the fence is here and the two
tiny springs are over there. Then this is the chestnut tree forest…
It appeared that the arrival point was inside the chestnut
tree forest. Laura asked the groom, “So can you take me to
this place?”
The groom bowed apologetically. “I was ordered to take
you only up to this point, ma am.
“By how?”
“Mr. Dalton…”
Laura thought in surprise. He wants me to find this place on
my own?
She tilted her head, wondering if he wanted to play the
game of treasure hunt.
Well, I suppose he has a reason for this.
Laura told the groom that he could leave before taking the
small path on the map. She remembered walking down this
same road, but it looked very different now. In the past, it was
a tiny dirty path, but now, it has become a newly paved brick
road. It was so clean that even though she was wearing a pair
of heels and a long dress that covered her ankles, she didn’t
find it difficult to walk.
This is the path I ran with Ian to escape the rain.
 Side Story 22

It happened well over a year ago, but Laura remembered it

like it was yesterday. The rain began suddenly, and Laura and
Ian were unprepared in the middle of the forest. Ian gave her
his jacket without hesitation before they ran across this
chestnut tree forest.
His jacket was so big that it reached my waist. I remember him
hugging my shoulders tightly. We were running fast, and my
heart was beating even faster. I couldn’t believe how close I was
to his body.
At the time, Laura believed that it was a one-sided crush
on her part. But it turned out that Ian was in love with her too.
That was why he gave her his jacket and pulled her into his
embrace.
Laura crossed the fence easily. It didn’t have a door before,
but tonight, it had a new gate that was wide open for her.
When she walked by two small springs, the chestnut tree
forest appeared.
Laura paused, seeing the tree leaves flourishing to cover
the evening sky. It was getting dark, yet it was bright inside
the forest as if there was a chandelier lighting from above.
She quickly realized that countless lamps hung on the trees
on both sides of the path.
Laura felt deeply touched. Ian did this for me.
He dug up the ground to lay down bricks so she could walk
comfortably. He then hung lamps on the trees so that she
wouldn’t be scared in the dark.
Laura slowly walked into the forest. Thanks to the lamp
lights, she could see well ahead of her.
I think I know where I’m heading. He must be waiting for me
at that cabin we stayed to escape the rain. Laura became certain
of her guess. It’s a meaningful place for us. We sat together to
listen to the rain and chat about different things. It was also that
day when I gave him my shawl.
Laura smiled, still surprised by the fact that Ian kept that
shawl all this time. In fact, he has been treasuring it. She
found him incredibly adorable.
I can’t believe he thought of that place for our anniversary. He
must’ve put a lot of thought into this.
She remembered the cabin to be a decent - looking
building. The two-story wooden house had a triangular roof.
It had rough surfaces, but even though it was abandoned a
long time ago, it wasn’t leaking anywhere.
But it was a good thing that they were able to leave the
cabin quickly because the rain didn’t last long. The walls
inside of the cabin were covered in molds, and the door was
crumbling down. The windows were cracked everywhere,
allowing cold wind to enter. The whole place was so dusty
that Laura’s throat felt itchy even till the next day.
We… won’t be having dinner in that place tonight, will we? If
we eat anything in that cabin, we’ll end up getting sick.
Laura shook her head. He’s so obsessed with hygiene, that I
doubt he would do such a thing.
She could finally see the end of the path. Laura walked
faster, feeling excited to see the place where she shared such
a great memory with her husband.
“Huh?” Laura gasped, her eyes widening when she saw the
building. The cabin she visited with Ian was still there, but it
looked very different.
The broken windows and front door were replaced and
cleaned. A pretty porch was built around the front of the
house and was adorned with two lovely rocking chairs. The
second floor boasted a small terrace that rested above the
study porch.
Laura looked around, dazzled by the yellow, purple, white,
and red pansies that surrounded the house. She burst into
laughter because it looked like the cabin sprouted out of a
flowerbed.
To have a better look at the newly renovated cottage, she
began walking around the place.
Thud, thud, thud.
Suddenly, Laura heard a hammering sound from behind
the house. She walked toward it to see that it was coming
from inside. She leaned toward the window that appeared to
be fogged up from the inside.
She noticed a flower-pattern curtain inside. Bright light
filled the room, and she saw the silhouette of a tall man
banging on something on the table. He threw a few logs into
the kitchen fire and stirred something vigorously. The man
moved hurriedly around the kitchen doing a million things at
a time.
Laura couldn’t see clearly, but she knew exactly who this
man was. She knocked on the window, which caused the man
to freeze. He turned toward the window in shock before
opening the back door in panic.
“Laura!” Ian yelled in surprise. He looked very different
today. Unlike his usual formal suit, he was wearing a simple
shirt, comfortable brown cotton pants, and a pair of worker’s
boots. What shocked Laura the most was that Ian Dalton, the
head of Whitefield, was wearing an apron.
Laura froze on the spot. Ian wiped the sweat off his
forehead and murmured, “Why did you come in this way? I
left the front door open for you.”
“…Ian, what… is happening here…?!”
“I’ll explain later. Please come in through the front door.
It’s too messy here.”
Ian hurriedly closed the door, acting like a housewife
trying to hide her messy house from an unexpected guest. But
it was too late because Laura got a good glimpse of the
kitchen.
 On top of the fire was a pot of stew that was boiling
furiously. A whole duck was being chopped on the block while
a pile of sliced carrots and onions stood next to it. Laura even
spotted a tray of what appeared to be freshly baked cookies.
There was no doubt that Ian was in the middle of cooking
up a storm.
Oh my god, my husband is cooking… He’s cooking…
Now that Laura thought about it, she noticed that Ian had
been spending a lot of time in the kitchen during the last few
days.
Did he learn to cook for today? Goodness, I wasn ‘t asking him
to go this far for me…!
Laura obeyed and walked to the front of the cabin. She was
still in so much shock that she almost staggered. When she
got onto the porch, she saw that the front door was open just
as Ian claimed. She walked inside slowly.
The smell of beef stew and freshly baked bread filled the
whole cabin. The first thing she saw inside the living room
was the wallpaper with the pattern of forget- me-not flowers.
There was a plush sofa with a pile of stuffed animals on it,
and the fireplace was lit with a roaring fire. In front of it, she
saw a round dining table.
Laura slowly walked around the house. The floor that used
to be covered in dirt was now clean and shiny. The moldy
walls were washed and decorated with bouquets of dried
wildflowers hanging upside down. She even saw a display
cabinet filled with porcelain plates and decorative dolls
shining under the orange light.
The abandoned cabin had transformed into a cozy cottage.
Laura was in such disbelief that she couldn’t sit or touch
anything.
Is this really that same abandoned cabin?
She remembered this place to be a smelly and dark hole fit
for bats instead of people. For a moment, she wondered if she
was in a different building, but the location of the fireplace
and the scenery outside the window proved that this was
indeed the same cabin.
This is why Ian was so busy all week.
Laura walked closer to the fireplace where a round dining
table was placed covered with a red polka dot tablecloth. On
top of it were utensils, cups, and two napkins folded in the
shape of a boat.
She heard footsteps to the left of the living room where a
small door was located. It opened, revealing Ian who was no
longer wearing an apron. He always insisted on wearing
formal suits because he was conscious of how his staff saw
him. But tonight, he was dressed comfortably. His hair, which
was normally slicked back, was down in a relaxed way.
Ian looked attractive and much more at home. Carrying a
tray in his hands, he suggested, “You don’t have to just stand
there. Please have a seat.”
He pulled out a dining table chair for her. When Laura sat
down quietly, he asked, “You must be tired from walking,
aren’t you?”
Ian placed a small cup in front of her and poured her the
contents of the pot. The refreshing scent tickled Laura’s nose,
and she quickly realized that it was mint tea. Still looking
confused, she looked up and asked, “How did you manage to
get all of these things done?”
Ian looked pleased to see his wife in shock. A broad smile
appeared on his face as he kissed her head. “I’ll explain
everything later. I need to get back to the kitchen because the
stew is about to get burnt.”
He disappeared from the living room. By the time Laura’s
cup became half empty, Ian returned with an even larger tray.
There were two plates of salad and two bowls of thick beef
and vegetable stew.
He sat across from her and suggested, “Have a taste.”
He sounded nervous. Laura placed the napkin on her lap
and tried a spoonful of stew. She blinked in shock and
answered, “It’s delicious.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s seasoned perfectly, and it has a really nice
texture.”
Ian smiled brightly, and Laura continued to eat her stew.
She wasn’t lying to make her husband happy. The food really
tasted amazing. Ian grinned proudly and watched her eat.
When Laura finished her bowl clean, Ian asked, “Would
you like another bowl?”
 Laura dabbed her lips with her napkin and nodded. “Just
half a bowl please.”
Ian rose immediately and headed back to the kitchen with
her bowl. Laura glanced across the table and saw that her
husband hadn’t even touched his food yet. When he returned
with her bowl, Laura urged, “You should eat too.”
“Just watching you eat makes me feel full.”
Laura turned serious. “If you won’t eat, I won’t eat
either.”
It was only when she threatened him that he began eating.
They ate in amiable silence for a while before Laura asked,
“So what is all this?”
Ian wiped his mouth with the napkin and answered, “You
asked for a special anniversary.
“All I asked you is to make me happy.”
“You’re a special woman, Laura. And to make a special
woman happy, I obviously needed to do something very
special. So what do you think? Have I done a good job?”
Laura looked around the house, having no choice but to
admit that what he did was indeed unique and thoughtful.
 Side Story 23

Laura asked, “You did all this in one week?”

“Yes.”
“How?”
“First, I hired every decent carpenter available in
Yorkshire. When I promised to pay five times their usual rate
if they finished the work in five days, they worked day and
night to get it done. I was afraid they might do a poor job due
to lack of time, so I stayed here and supervised. When the
cabin became livable, I hired more workers to clean the place
and put up the wallpapers. It took a whole day just to chase
out the rats and insects. The rest of the job was done by
Ramswick. Without him, I would’ve never been able to find
the furniture.”
Ian did all this? Just because I asked for a nice anniversary?
Laura wanted to laugh, but for some reason, her eyes filled
with tears. She took out her handkerchief to dab her eyes.
Ian grinned and announced, “You can’t cry just yet. There
is still the barbeque I learned to cook from Phillip and 1870
Veuve Clicquot.”
He went to the kitchen and returned with a covered silver
plate and a bottle of champagne. The two of them enjoyed the
roasted duck with basil and white bubbly champagne. The
duck was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The
sweet champagne was chilled to perfection.
Laura placed the slim champagne glass on the table. She
normally didn’t drink much, but tonight, she emptied the
glass clean. She murmured, “Two years ago, we were here
trembling in the cold while waiting for the rain to stop. But
look at us now. We’re sitting across from each other and
drinking the best champagne in Europe.”
Ian poured her another glass. “Was trembling and waiting
all we did that day?”
“Ah, I guess not. You stole my shawl, and I was doing my
best to help you marry another woman.”
“We were both fools.”
The two laughed together. Ian rested his chin on his hand
and reminisced out loud. “We listened to the rain and had an
honest conversation in front of the fire. We were kind to each
other.”
“I remember. You told me that you were in love with a
woman, but she didn’t know how you felt. I can’t believe I
didn’t realize the truth then. You told me you relied on me for
everything that involved love. You gave me so many clues.”
“We were in love with each other, but we never really
looked into each other’s hearts. We were so blinded by our
feelings that we failed to see how the other person felt.”
Laura mumbled, “I guess we really were stupid.”
“Indeed.”
 The husband and wife laughed together again. By the time
the champagne bottle was empty, Laura’s cheeks had turned
pink. She chatted, “I expected something simpler from you.
Perhaps a picnic at the beach or something. I never dreamt
that you would plan something like this. To turn an
abandoned cabin into a cozy cottage… And to learn to cook for
me too… You always give me so much more than I ask for.”
Laura fidgeted with her napkin before adding, “…What
should I do for you? You planned such a perfect anniversary
for me, yet there’s nothing I can do for you…”
“There is actually something I do want from you.”
Laura looked her husband in the eyes and asked, “Is it
something lewd?”
Ian smirked. “If I say yes, will you still do it?”
When Laura nodded, Ian asked in surprise, “Really?”
Laura rubbed her cheek with her hand and mumbled, “I
think I must’ve drank too much.”
Ian burst into laughter. “It’s no wonder Veuve Clicquot is
such a famous drink. It’s so powerful that it turned even the
old- fashioned Mrs. Dalton into a love slave.”
Laura’s cheeks turned even redder. Still smiling, Ian
continued, “You might feel a little embarrassed by this, but it
won’t be bad enough that it torments you for days. So how
about it? Will you do it for me?”
Laura nodded. She was very intoxicated in both love and
alcohol. At this moment, she would’ve even committed a
crime if her husband asked. She was a typical English woman
who was raised with old-fashioned values. But she was deeply
in love, which caused her to become uninhibited. With the
addition of alcohol, her sense of right and wrong became
blurred. She felt much braver than usual, which turned her
into a reckless fool.
They moved to the comfortable sofa with embroidery of
wildflowers. They enjoyed sweet sorbet and cookies. Because
they weren’t surrounded by their servants, the husband and
wife could behave the way they wished. They hugged and fed
each other. They kissed often as well.
“Laura.”
Laura was sitting on her husband’s lap with her arms
around his neck when she answered dreamily, “…Yes?”
“Shall we go upstairs now?”
She nodded, and Ian carried her up the stairs. Laura’s
heart pounded in excitement as they reached the second floor.
Thanks to the cold sorbet, she was no longer feeling drunk.
Ian clearly wanted something from her, and she guessed that
it had to be something different from anything they’d done
before.
There were two rooms on the second floor, and Ian entered
the one on the right.
Inside the room was a lit lamp on the wall and a bucket of
steaming water.
Ian whispered in her ear, “Let me bathe you.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
 When Laura nodded, he gently let her down on the floor.
After washing his hands, he began filling the tub with hot
water. When the water temperature turned perfect, he began
undressing her. Her dress dropped to the floor followed by
her corset, chemise, and drawers.
Laura became naked, and Ian helped her into the bathtub.
He immediately began washing her with a soft brush covered
with foam. He was gentle and tender as if he was dealing with
a fragile artifact.
Laura flinched whenever her husband’s hands brushed
against her sensitive spots, but she continued to sit in silence.
He touched her not with lust but with affection a mother
would show her child.
After finishing cleaning her body, Ian moved on to her
hair. Laura closed her eyes, loving how he massaged her head.
“Ian.”
“Yes?”
“Was this really what you wanted? To serve me like a
maid?”
“Yes.” There was a satisfied smile in his voice as he
explained, “I always want to feed you, wash you, and tuck you
in bed.”
“Like a baby?”
“Exactly. As if you’re a baby.” He wiped the soap off from
her ear and continued, “Sometimes, I wish you were a young
child. A child whose life depends on me. A child who would cry
helplessly if I’m not around.”
 “…I’m already halfway to being that.”
“Liar.”
Laura argued, “No, I… I have become yours, Ian. Without
you, I would die in less than three days. I depend on you for
everything, like how a tree needs water and sun.”
Laura closed her eyes. Her voice was sincere as she
continued, “I’m like a flower you grow in your solarium. I live
in the pot you gave me, so I can’t go anywhere. More
importantly, I don’t want to go anywhere.”
Normally, Ian would’ve begged her to say these sweet
words again. But today, he only smiled. After rinsing her hair,
he helped her sit up so he could pour more warm water over
her body.
After the bath, Ian helped Laura into a bathrobe and
carried her to bed. The bedroom was simple, consisting only
of a bed, side table, closet, and vanity. But the giant window
showcased the luxurious view of the moon, stars, and forest.
It was one of the most beautiful things Laura had ever seen.
Ian sat Laura down in front of the vanity. He first dried her
hair with a towel before brushing it leisurely. Laura looked at
Ian through the mirror in front of her. His eyes were glued to
her hair and his fingers searched her hair diligently to find
any tangles.
He looks just like when he makes love to me.
Laura blushed at the thought. Chills went down her spine
as if her hair had nerve endings. Ashamed for having such
lewd thoughts, she kept her eyes on the candle holder on the
vanity until her husband finished brushing her hair.
When he was satisfied with her hair, Ian helped Laura
stand and took her bathrobe off. He then put a loose silk
nightgown over her. The soft fabric on her skin felt heavenly.
It felt so good that Laura never wanted to take it off.
But I will have to undress soon. Laura blushed again. Tonight
was their wedding anniversary, so it was expected that they
would make love.
Laura was ready for a long night. Her husband gave her
such a wonderful gift, so she was only happy to become his
over and over again until he was satisfied.
Ian touched her hands and whispered, “There is one more
thing I want.”
Laura nodded, expecting him to take her to bed. But
instead, Ian brought her a small box from the side table. He
led her to the terrace where the full moon was glowing down
on them. When Ian opened the box, the music suddenly began
to play. It was The Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss.
Laura knew quickly what Ian was asking of her.
He placed the music box on the terrace handrail and
offered her his hand. Laura accepted without hesitation, and
Ian’s left arm wrapped around her waist. When she placed her
hand on his shoulder, they began dancing the waltz.
Under the moonlight, the husband and wife both
remembered one particular moment from their past. It was
the ball hosted by the Lance family where they danced the
waltz on the terrace just like tonight. They didn’t have to say
anything to know what each other was thinking. After all,
their souls merged into one when they got married.
Ian led his wife smoothly and whispered, “Let’s dance the
waltz on our anniversary every year. We’ll do it even when we
become old and frail.”
“Even after death, we’ll dance with each other in heaven.”
Ian smiled faintly. “Yes, we’ll be together forever.”
They both believed in God, so they were certain their love
would continue even after death. The young couple was
grateful for their belief because it meant that they would find
each other even after their physical bodies disappeared from
the earth.
They didn’t doubt that they’d get to dance with each other
for eternity.
The clock showed that it was past midnight. Their first
wedding anniversary was over, but Laura and Ian continued
to dance nonetheless. After all, time held no meaning as long
as they were together.
 Side Story 24

It was the middle of September when the wind started to

become a little chilly. The sweet scent of the summer air
turned drier, and the green leaves of the birch trees began to
turn yellow and red. The forest was aging just as people
gained wrinkles and white hair as they became older. Nature
had enjoyed its youthful summer, and it was time to face the
coming winter.
It was impossible to tell if nature felt sadness in its aging
process, but autumn was a fantastic season for humans. The
scorching heat was disappearing, followed by the bountiful
harvest time. Many enjoyed frequent picnics and fox hunting
around this time of the year.
The autumn was also the season where people with deep
sensibility felt most emotional. This was the case for Ian
Dalton, the master of Whitefield. Known for his exceptional
stone-skipping skill, he was possibly one of the most
romantic gentlemen that ever existed. He was capable of
enjoying the autumn’s bluer sky and the sweeter scent of the
leaves, but at the same time, the cool air often made his mind
wander.
 Ian roamed the forest to capture the fall scenery in his
sketches. As a true romantic, art brought him comfort when
he painted the changes in the seasons.
Laura was always by his side. Knowing that her husband
returned quickly from his walks when he went out alone, she
accompanied him whenever he asked her to. Being a prudent
woman, she never forgot to wear thick flannel underwear and
a fur coat.
It was another beautiful day when the husband and wife
spent their time in the Whitefield forest. They sat back to back
on a clean mat beside the field of cosmos flowers. Ian
sketched the birch tree forest that had turned partly yellow
while Laura read her new translation project, a Stendhal’s
novel in original French.
The two enjoyed sitting with their backs touching
together. Although they were facing away from each other,
this position allowed them to feel each other’s warmth.
The chirping of the crickets, rustling of the pages, and
scratching of the pencil filled the quiet forest when suddenly,
Ian called out, “Laura?”
Laura was engrossed in reading the climax where Julien
Sorel shot Madame de Renal when she looked up from the
book. “Yes, Ian?”
“Isn’t that your bookmark floating over there?”
Laura turned to look at the small spring next to the field of
flowers. Dead leaves and bugs were floating on it, and she
spotted the ivory paper bookmark made with pressed azalea
flowers.
It was slowly but surely becoming wet, and Laura rose in a
hurry. “Oh, no! What should I do? That was a gift from
Olivia!”
“Do you want me to fish it out for you?”
“The water’s too dirty. And even if you get it, it’s too late. I
won’t be able to use it.” Laura sighed deeply. “She put a lot of
time into making it for me. I feel terrible.”
“I’m sure Olivia will be overjoyed by the news. She gets to
make you a new one, and it will be a good excuse for her to see
you again.
“Ian, you’re too silly.” Laura grinned and sat down on the
mat again. She checked her book to see that there were still
about a hundred pages left to finish.
She asked, “Darling, do you have anything I can use as a
bookmark?”
“I can rip the corner of a page from my sketchbook.”
“But you won’t be able to use that paper.”
“I don’t mind.”
“No, give me a minute.” Laura put on her shoes.
Ian asked, “Are you going somewhere?”
She straightened her hat and answered, “I’m going to get
some maple leaves.”
“The ones from near the chrysanthemums?”
“Yes.”
 Ian closed his sketchbook and announced, “I’ll go with
you.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s far.”
“Ian, it’s only five minutes away.”
“That’s far.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Yes, it is. What if you get attacked by a wild animal?”
Laura laughed. “I’ve strolled through this area hundreds
of times, but I’ve never seen an animal except for some
squirrels!”
As if to scare her, Ian warned in a serious voice, “Squirrels
can be deadly. Why if they kidnap you?”
“The squirrels? Why would they take me?”
“As food.”
“If you seriously believe that, I’m going to have to commit
you to a hospital, Ian.”
Ian suppressed his laughter. It was obvious he really
wanted to go with her. He protested, “Alright, you can call me
crazy if you want. I’m still going with you. There’s even a
record that a bear once appeared in this area.”
Laura would’ve taken his claim seriously if he had said
that he heard someone saw a bear around here. But the fact
that he said there was a “record” of a bear making an
appearance made her feel suspicious.
She asked, “When was this recorded?”
“…Three hundred years ago.” Ian looked embarrassed.
 Laura burst into laughter again. “Ian, you need to stay
here and protect my book. I put it upside down, but if the
wind blows and flips it, I’m going to lose my place in the
book.”
Her voice sounded light, but she was firm about her
decision. Ian groaned and remained seated. He answered,
“Alright. But if you don’t return in ten minutes, I’m going
after you because I’ll assume you were captured by a bear.”
“Or maybe by the squirrels. So make sure to check the
trees just in case.”
Still giggling, Laura walked away. Her husband could be
silly sometimes, and she loved him for it. She found him so
adorable that she wanted to give him a love bite.
I better return as quickly as possible. If I’m late, he’s going to
grumble about it, and I’m going to have no choice but to give him
a hard love bite. But then, I don’t want to leave any marks on his
beautiful body. She thought to herself.
Laura quickly passed the birch tree forest to find herself in
front of the vast field of gold chrysanthemums. She knew she
needed to hurry, but she couldn’t help but slow down at the
sight.
I remember seeing this spot in my father’s sketchbook.
The scenery in front of her reminded her of one of her
father’s sketches. The drawing showcased the golden
chrysanthemums dancing in the wind under the sharp
autumn sun. In the picture, the flower petals scattered like a
golden wave.
 Laura looked up to see a giant rock on top of the field
nearby. According to Ian. her father sat on top of it to draw
that particular sketch.
Father, you are not here with me anymore, but the scenes you
used to love in Whitefield still exist all around me. I, your
daughter, am surrounded by them.
Laura dabbed her eyes a little with her handkerchief. When
she crossed about halfway across the field, she saw the red
maple tree located far away. Around its slim trunk were
reddened star-shaped leaves falling like snow.
This maple tree in the chrysanthemum field was rather
famous in all of Yorkshire. Most maple trees turned color
slowly and reached their reddest state in October. But this
particular maple tree in the chrysanthemum field began
changing colors in early September and turned fully red
almost overnight as if someone threw a bottle of red paint.
The color was so vividly blood-like that the villagers believed
it might be haunted.
Being a logical woman with strong religious and scientific
beliefs, Laura didn’t believe in ghosts. She walked up to the
tree without fear. As she got closer, she became more and
more impressed by the majestic sight.
It’s shocking how red the leaves are. It’s the brightest crimson
I’ve ever seen. People associate the color of red with passion, but
this particular shade gives me a cold feeling. Instead of
excitement, they give off such a calm atmosphere. What an
elegant crimson shade. It’s more refined than even the shade of
royal violet.
Standing before the tree, Laura took off a single leaf from
one of the lower branches. The cold yet sublime shade looked
gorgeous in her hand.
This will make a perfect bookmark.
She smiled as she twirled the leaf. Should I take a few more?
I can decorate my notes and desk too… No, I should take a whole
branch to put it in a vase. That way, I can enjoy it every day.
Laura eyed the thinnest branches above her. She wasn’t
strong enough to break any thicker branches. She also felt
guilty about taking any major part of the tree. It wasn’t long
before she found the perfect one. It was as thin as a
horsewhip, but it was adorned with an abundance of huge
maple leaves. Laura stood on her tiptoes to reach up.
Her fingertips barely touched it. She pulled her muscles to
get closer, but she quickly realized that it was too high. Laura
hopped a few times, but after failing every time, she gave up.
I’m being greedy. I’ll just take a few more leaves. Ian must be
waiting for me too.
Laura began picking some leaves that were within her
reach.
“Are you giving up already?”
When she heard a man’s voice behind her, she jolted and
turned around. She saw a tall slim man in a suit standing
nearby. He was young, and he had dark brown hair and even
darker eyes.
 He was shockingly beautiful. His lips were pink like those
of a young girl, but his chin showed off a strong masculine
line. His skin was perfectly flawless, making him look like
Adonis who captured Aphrodite’s heart.
Wearing a pair of ivory leather gloves, the young man was
holding a bouquet of freshly picked golden chrysanthemums.
He explained, “Please don’t be shocked, Miss. I only came
here to look at the maple tree because it looked so red.”
The man smiled, making him look even more beautiful.
There was something very familiar about him, but Laura had
something more important to worry about. It was obvious
this man had seen her hopping around the tree like a
thoughtless tomboy, and she needed to explain herself to
him.
With a queenly smile, Laura replied, “I don’t think we’ve
met before. You must not be from around here. Different
people feel very differently about this tree, but no one can
deny that it’s one of the most famous institutions in this area.
I’ll take my leave now, so please continue enjoying the tree in
solitude.”
She curtsied, ready to leave.
“Wait.” The man took a step closer to her.
“Please do not run away, Miss.”
“I’m not a ‘Miss.’ I am…”
“Ah, so you haven’t made your debut yet.
You must be younger than I thought.”
“No, what I meant was that I am married.”
 The man laughed. “Then your husband must be a very
lucky man. I am so jealous that my heart is aching a little.”
 Side Story 25

Laura smiled awkwardly. She was anxious, knowing that Ian

must be waiting for her. She curtsied again. “Then please take
care.
“Wait, ma’am. Please.”
Laura sighed and turned toward the man again. He
insisted, “You’re such a beautiful and virtuous lady. I would
love to get you that maple tree branch you were trying to get
earlier.”
I don’t want to inconvenience you, Sir.”
It seemed that the man didn’t even hear her because he
reached up to grab the branch, which snapped easily. He
offered it to her, and Laura tried hard not to frown as she
accepted it.
“Thank you,” Laura murmured.
“Not at all.”
“Then I shall take my leave.” Laura curtsied the third
time, but when she took two steps away, the man grabbed her
arm and turned her around. She was surprised to see him
standing right behind her and looking down at her.
He insisted, “If you don’t mind, please let me know your
name.”
 Laura suddenly got a bad feeling. Just a moment ago, the
man was acting playful as if he was joking. But now, he had
turned dead serious. She could instantly tell that the man had
an ulterior motive.
Laura yanked her arm away from him. “I shall not give my
name to a man who touches a married woman’s hand without
permission.
“Are you really married? You look so innocent and
refreshing that I cannot believe you’re married.” His voice
filled with laughter as he whispered, “Please don’t be shy and
run away from me. You’re free to leave, of course, but please
tell me your name. It would be even better if you gave me your
address so I can find you. I swear to you that I’m not a
dangerous man.”
Laura wanted to scream in frustration. But she knew that
provoking a man in a situation like this was a terrible idea. In
the end, she decided to use her last resort. She answered, “If
you don’t believe that I am married, you should visit
Whitefield Hall. You can ask for Mrs. Dalton, and I will offer
you tea to show my appreciation for this branch.”
“…Mrs. Dalton?” The man stared at Laura in confusion.
“You’re the wife of Ian Dalton, the head of Whitefield? Laura
S. Dalton?”
The man quickly took a step back. Laura gave him a sharp
look before began walking away through the gold
chrysanthemum field. Just then, she saw a slim figure
carrying a leather bag walking toward her from far away.
 “Laura!”
When Laura saw Ian, she was so relieved that she felt like
she wanted to cry. He strode toward her and exclaimed, “So I
see that you haven’t been eaten by a bear yet! And you haven’t
been kidnapped by the squirrels either. It has been over ten
minutes, so why are you still here?”
It seemed that he had been worrying about her because he
sounded a little angry. Laura apologized, “I’m sorry. I was
trying to pick a branch from the maple tree…”
“I suppose my sentimentalism rubbed off on you, huh?”
Ian quickly forgot that he was upset. With a wide grin, he
opened his arms to hug his wife, but Laura took a step back.
Ian asked, “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a man over there in front of the tree…” Still
feeling a little upset, Laura pointed at the maple tree behind
her.
A short silence fell before Ian shouted an unexpected
name, “Henry. Henry Fairfax!”
Ian passed by Laura to walk to the man. He gave the young
man a big hug and announced, “There you are! It has been so
long that I almost forgot your face!”
The young gentleman, Henry Fairfax, hugged Ian back
tightly. The awkward look on his face disappeared followed by
genuine joy. “Uncle, I really missed you! I really did!”
The two men hugged for a long time. Ian whacked his
nephew’s back a few times, grumbling about how Henry
missed his wedding. He scolded Henry for never visiting once,
and Henry in turn patted his uncle’s back and asked for his
forgiveness. The young man explained that many of his
friends had fallen ill, so he had no choice but to stay in Paris.
Though it was a little late, Henry congratulated Ian on his
wedding.
It was obvious the two men cared about each other deeply.
The love between them filled the chilly autumn air. It was
heartwarming to see them so happy to be reunited.
The two of them were tearful when they finished greeting
each other. Ian dabbed his eyes with his handkerchief and
turned toward his wife. “Laura, come say hello. This is my
oldest nephew Henry Fairfax.”
Watching them from nearby, Laura was first shocked
before quickly figuring out the situation. She felt a little
troubled at first, but she made up her mind and walked up to
Henry calmly. She greeted, “I’ve heard so much about you.
I’m your uncle’s wife Laura Dalton. My maiden name used to
be Sheldon.”
Henry was also wiping away his tears just like his uncle
when he bowed to her respectfully. “How do you do, Aunty?
I’ve heard a lot about you too through letters. My apologies
for missing your wedding, ma am.
“Not at all.”
Ian suddenly interrupted them, “By the way, why are you
two here together?”
Laura offered a simple explanation to her husband. She
stated that she was trying to pick a branch, but she couldn’t
reach it. It was then that Henry appeared and helped her. She
omitted the fact that the young man was shamelessly trying
to flirt with her just a moment ago.
Thanks to Laura’s excellent acting, Ian didn’t doubt her
story for a second. It also helped that he had an unwavering
trust in her. If she had said that the sky was green, her
husband would’ve believed her without hesitation.
Laura and Henry chatted for a while. They were cordial to
each other, but for some reason, Henry’s forehead began to
be covered in sweat.
Ian looked at him in confusion. “Henry, why are you
sweating so much?”
“It’s very warm here.”
“You think this is warm? Is Paris very cold?”
“Yes, I was shocked to see that the weather in France is
even worse than in England.”
“Guess it would be difficult to live there,” Ian muttered.
Laura smiled, maintaining her usual kind demeanor. “It
may be gloomy in Paris, but the greatest artists are born
there. I heard you’re also an artist, Mr. Fairfax. Were you able
to find your muse in Paris?”
Ian shook his head. “There’s no need to call him Mr.
Fairfax. Just call him Henry. You don’t have to be so formal.”
Henry agreed, “Yes, Aunt Laura. I would prefer that as
well.”
“Alright, Henry.” Laura nodded.
 The three of them headed toward Whitefield Hall. As they
walked, Henry explained that he arrived at the London port
two days before. He took the train to Yorkshire from there,
and after sending his luggage to Dunville Park through a
coach, he came straight to Whitefield.
Ian frowned. “You didn’t go see your mother first?”
I wanted to see you more, Uncle. And I
couldn’t wait to meet Aunt Laura as well.”
Laura asked in concern, “Wouldn’t your mother and father
get upset by this?”
Henry shook his head. He still seemed awkward talking to
Laura as he replied, “They aren’t the type to get upset about
things like this. After all, Father feels more affection toward
his hunting dog. And although my mother would be ecstatic
to see me for a moment, she’ll soon become bored and return
to playing with her cards.”
Laura has known for a while that Mrs. Fairfax was a firm
believer in fortunetelling using cards. She nodded in
understanding, and Henry continued, “I knew that no one
would be happier to see me than Uncle Ian. And I was dying to
see Whitefield too.”
“So that’s why you walked here all the way from the
village.”
“Yes, and I was able to obtain a lovely gift from God.”
Henry looked down at the bouquet of gold chrysanthemum in
his hand.
 Ian grinned. “And you met another gift from God right
here.”
Pulling Laura closer, Ian added, “Your aunt is more
beautiful than any flower in Whitefield. In fact, all the flowers
in this world exist to make her shine even more.”
“Oh, Ian.” Laura blushed.
Henry looked down and mumbled, “…You’re right, Uncle.”
They finally arrived at Whitefield Hall. It was a little too
early to have tea, but they decided to have it anyway since
they had a special guest. The three of them sat in the
reception hall. The servants brought them black tea, walnut
cake, and some madeleines.
Ian poured milk into Laura’s tea and asked, “So Henry,
now that you’ve seen us, what is next in your schedule?”
“I thought I could stay here overnight.”
Ian answered, “Don’t you know you shouldn’t stay in a
honeymooner’s home for too long?”
“It has been over a year since you got married, yet you’re
still on your honeymoon?” asked Henry.
“You’ll understand when you get married, Henry.”
Henry smiled awkwardly at Laura. “Uncle Ian does look so
much happier than before. This is all thanks to you, Aunt
Laura. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you.
“Your uncle gives me even more joy than I can give him. If
happiness is a debt to repay, I would be indebted to him
forever.”
 “Really, Laura? Do I make you happy?” As usual, Ian tried
to confirm his wife’s love for him. Laura smiled at him and
nodded.
Ian clasped her hand and turned toward his nephew. “See,
Henry? Isn’t she the loveliest woman you have ever seen?”
Normally, Laura would’ve protested out of
embarrassment. But today, she remained quiet.
Henry took a few sips of his tea in silence. After wiping his
lips, he announced, “Just as you said, it would be rude of me
to stay in the newlywed’s house for too long. I better go see
my parents, brothers, and sister as well.”
Ian protested, “At least have dinner with us.”
“It’s alright, Uncle. My first meal after returning to
England should be at home.”
Laura agreed with Henry, “He would get home too late if
he has dinner here, Ian.”
Turning toward the young man, Laura offered, “Henry,
you can take our carriage, so you should leave before five
o’clock.”
After about an hour, the three of them stood in front of
Whitefield Hall entrance. Henry and Ian shook hands.
Ian requested, “Let’s make sure to see each other often,
Henry.”
“Of course.” Henry took his hat off and bowed to Laura.
“I’ll see you again, Aunt Laura.”
“Get home safe, Henry.”
 Henry gazed at Laura for a moment before getting into the
carriage. The vehicle caused a small sandstorm behind it as it
left Whitefield Hall. Ian stood still until the carriage
disappeared out of sight. He mumbled, “It feels like it was
only yesterday when he was still in his crib.”
 Side Story 26

That night, Laura was sitting on Ian’s lap in front of the

fireplace when she murmured, “When you sent off Henry,
you seemed like a father sending away his grown son.
Ian had his arm wrapped around her waist while reading
the new novel Laura was commissioned to translate. He
asked, “Really?”
“Yes. You seemed touched, sad, and proud. Exactly the
kind of feelings a parent would feel.”
Ian grinned. “Then it’s a relief that Henry is only eight
years younger than me. Or else, you might have
misunderstood the situation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe you would’ve thought that I had a dalliance with a
woman and had Henry and that my sister raised him as her
own to spare me.”
“Why would I think that? I know you very well, don’t I?”
Ian looked into Laura’s eyes. “And what kind of a man am I
to you?”
“An ethical and precise gentleman.”
“Oh, I’m glad to hear that you think so highly of me.” Ian
kissed Laura’s lips lightly before returning to the book. A few
minutes later, he frowned. “Dammit, I keep getting stuck
every few sentences. It’s because I haven’t used French in a
while. Laura, what does abbe mean?”
“A monk.”
“Ah, right. A monk.”
“Ian, you don’t have to read that. It’s my work.”
Ian protested, “But I’m curious about how you’ll translate
it.”
“Then read the translated version later.
This is giving you a headache.”
“Well, it’s also giving me good French practice. Ah, that
reminds me. I forgot to ask Henry what he thought about your
last novel.”
“ The New Eloise?”
“Yes. I sent him a copy.”
Laura blushed. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to show off your intelligence to him.
Men tend to get distracted by appearances. It takes us a long
time to appreciate the intellect of our fairer sex. I wanted him
to know what a talented translator his new aunt is so that he
knows to respect you and serve you like you’re his own
mother.”
Laura became confused. “Like his mother?”
“Yes, why not? Don’t you want to be motherly to Henry?”
“No, that’s not the problem…” Laura subtly changed the
subject, “So I guess I was right. You see Henry as your son.”
 “Yes, you’re absolutely correct. He’s like a son to me.
Sometimes, he feels like a brother or a friend. But the biggest
emotion I feel for him is fatherly love.” Ian smiled faintly.
“Henry is my first nephew. He was born when I was eight. I
felt a certain sense of responsibility toward him because not
long after he was born, Robert fell ill and became bedridden. I
didn’t want Henry to feel like he didn’t have a father. It’s
funny, isn’t it? I was only a child back then too.”

“But I taught him everything I knew. How to skip stones, fish,

ride a horse, and play cards. I taught him how to read too. I
was the one who told him about the long list of Henry VIH’s
wives as well. Henry used to follow me everywhere. We
became so close that William got jealous. I could feel that
Henry loved me too. He saw me as his second father, so I
decided that I’d always love him and take care of him. I would
protect him from loneliness and pain.”
“…So he’s very special to you.”
“Olivia might be disappointed to hear this, but as my
oldest nephew, Henry holds a special spot in my heart. I
wonder if this is how I would feel about our first child.”
Laura hugged his neck and leaned against him. She
couldn’t help but sigh.
Ian asked, “Are you tired?”
“No.”
“You seem unhappy.”
“How could I? I’m sitting on my love’s lap.”
 “Could it be that you’re jealous of Henry?” asked Ian.
“…”
“No way. Really?”
Laura shook her head. “No.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s just… Frankly, I can’t empathize with how you feel.
I’ve never met any of my nieces and nephews on my mother’s
side. I don’t even know I have any on my father’s side. And to
be honest, I don’t really want to know.”
Ian rubbed his wife’s back tenderly.
“Olivia, Daniel, George, and Ian are all yours too, Laura.
Henry too.”
“I’m not saying I’m lonely. I… never really knew how
special the first nephew would be to you since I’ve never had
one. I knew you treasured Henry, but I never imagined that he
would be like a son to you… Now that I know how you feel, I
know I should be nicer to him.”
“Don’t feel pressured.” Ian sounded worried.
Laura hugged him tighter. “I won’t. I might not be able to
act like his mother, but I’ll still get along with him, of course.
He’s like your son after all.”
“Did you not approve of Henry? Now that I think about it,
he seemed a little awkward around you.”
“I’m sure he just feels uncomfortable. I’m only seven
years older, so it must be strange to have to treat me like his
aunt. And I couldn’t help but feel a little awkward too since it
was our first meeting.”
 “Is that all?”
Laura smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry about it,
Darling. We can take time to get to know each other. As time
passes, I’m sure we’ll all become good friends. We’re family
after all. You know how I consider your family in Dunville
Park as my own blood, don’t you?”
“Of course. I’m always so grateful for it. I always will.”
Laura touched his cheek with her own. “I’m confident that
I can be a motherly aunt to Henry. I’ll set a good example as
an adult for him. You decided to take care of him when you
were only eight years old, and I’m going to share that
responsibility with you. You’re my fate after all.”
Ian kissed her cheek. “So I’m your fate, huh? I love it.”
He began caressing her waist. Laura thought secretly. I just
pray that Henry isn’t an ungrateful man.
She hid her worry and buried her face in her husband’s
neck.
***
Wearing a silver fox shawl, Mrs. Fairfax was napping in
front of the fireplace in her room when the maid announced,
“Mrs. Fairfax, Mrs. Dalton from Whitefield Hall has arrived.”
Mrs. Fairfax woke up and answered, “Come in.”
The door opened and Laura, in a well- fitted purple velvet
dress, walked in. Mrs. Fairfax felt the room become brighter
as soon as her beautiful sister-in-law entered. She has been
feeling gloomy from suffering arthritic pain in her waist and
pelvis that worsened in cold weather. But with Laura’s
appearance, she began to feel much better.
Every time I see her, I’m so impressed by how slim and elegant
she looks. She reminds me of my mother in her younger days.
Mrs. Fairfax thought with a pleased smile.
Laura curtsied and greeted, “Hello, Margaret. How have
you been?”
“Very well, thank you. Welcome, Laura. But why are you
here alone? Where’s Ian?”
Laura sat across from her sister-in-law and answered in a
gloomy voice, “He has been very busy lately. He’s dealing
with the Barnsley refinery construction.”
“About the stolen lumber?”
“Yes. The situation is more serious than he thought. Noel
and Mr. Jack Moss did their own secret investigation, and
they found out that over ten thousand pounds worth of
materials had been stolen.”
“Ten thousand pounds? That should be enough lumber to
build the Taj Mahal.”
Laura sighed. “That’s not all. More than half of the
building is very different from the blueprint that was
approved by Ian. Apparently, it was so poorly built that all it
would take was a good kick to make it crumble down. There’s
no way this involves just a few workers. The lawyer explained
that a high-ranking member of the company must be
involved at the very least. Ian thinks the president of the
company might be involved as well.”
 “Goodness. It sounds like this is going to lead to a legal
battle.”
“Ian is furious. You know how strict he is when it comes to
business. Corruption, embezzlement, and fraud are the things
he detests the most in this world.”
“Yes, I’m very aware of what a stickler he is. He’s famous
for it in all of Yorkshire. When he inherited the family land,
there was already a land agent in Whitefield Hall. His name
was Leon and he was the only son of our father’s close friend.
Our father even asked us to take good care of Leon on his
deathbed. But we later learned that Leon accepted bribes on
several occasions during the lease and purchase processes.”
“How much did he take?”
“Not much in terms of monetary value. He got maybe
about fifty pounds. But he took advantage of the daughters of
lessees and farmers. And do you know where he is now?”
“Where?”
Mrs. Fairfax whispered, “In jail.”
“Oh my goodness!” Laura exclaimed.
“After Ian sued Leon, he went to visit the magistrate he
didn’t get along with. Ian asked Leon to be hanged, but if the
law didn’t allow this, he requested that Leon should be kept in
prison as long as possible. Leon’s father begged Ian to show
mercy, bringing up his friendship with our father, but Ian
didn’t even blink. In the end, Leon received a life sentence.”
Laura wasn’t surprised. Even before they got married, she
had known how stubborn and law-abiding Ian was. Even
when he was criticized for being heartless, Ian didn’t care. He
rarely showed mercy to anyone except his family.
Laura muttered, “I guess that construction company is in
trouble now.”
“They should consider themselves out of business. I’m
sure they thought Ian would never find out because he lives so
far away. And they probably thought they could fool a young
man of thirty-two. But they picked the wrong person to mess
with. I have no doubt Ian will torment them until they go
bankrupt.”
Laura became worried. She didn’t care about the
construction company, of course. She wasn’t as strict as her
husband, but she has always resented corruption as well. So
she could understand why Ian was angry, and she supported
him wholeheartedly. What worried her was the emotional
state of her husband.
Laura replied, “He’s very upset. The Barnsley mine is his
most treasured business, which is why he spent a lot of effort
to build the refinery there. He took time to negotiate with the
company and was able to get the president to promise the
best materials and workers for this project. These conditions
were clearly written in the contract too, of course. So I can’t
believe something like this happened…”
“He isn’t eating well, is he?”
When Laura nodded sadly, Mrs. Fairfax murmured, “Yeah,
the first thing that happens when he’s upset is to lose his
appetite. How about his sleep?”
 “He sleeps well at least.”
“Oh, that’s a surprise. Considering how bad this situation
is, I would’ve expected him not to get a wink of sleep for
days.” Mrs. Fairfax smirked and asked, “Is it because his wife
consoles him with her body every night?”
Laura turned around and began poking at the fire. It was
unnecessary, but she did it to hide her blush. For many days
now, Laura has been singing to her husband every night. She
sang lullabies, folk songs, and German melodies. Ian listened
to her with his face resting on her chest. Laura caressed his
hair gently to calm him down while she sang, and usually
before her third song, he fell into deep sleep.
 Side Story 27

Laura changed the subject. “So how has Henry been lately?”
“I’m sure he’s doing fine.” Mrs. Fairfax answered without
interest as if her son was still in Paris.
“I guess he isn’t home much?”
“He goes to the forest often and comes back very late at
night.”
“Well, the autumn in Dunville Park is quite beautiful after
all. Being so artistic, I’m sure Henry can’t help but be drawn
to it.”
Mrs. Fairfax shook her head. “No, it’s because he doesn’t
want to spend time with me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve been nagging him.”
Laura found it impossible to hide her shock, making Mrs.
Fairfax laugh. Mrs. Fairfax asked, “Is it so shocking that a
mother nags her son?”
Laura managed to put on a calmer expression, but she still
couldn’t lie. She replied, “Well, to be honest, I just can’t • • • „
imagine you nagging anyone.
Mrs. Fairfax giggled. “Laura, I believe that being
adequately indifferent to my children is the best way to keep
myself healthy. The only reason I didn’t die of postpartum
illness was because I ignored George and Daniel’s monkey
business and Olivia’s silliness. But Henry is different. He’s the
eldest son. If he doesn’t turn out right, the whole family will
be in ruin.”
Just then, the door burst often. George, a young boy well
versed in the art of monkey business, stormed in.
“Aunt Laura!” George shouted.
“Ah, George!” Laura opened her arms, allowing George to
run into her embrace. She sat him on her lap and hugged him
tightly. The young boy grabbed her hand and put it on his
head, asking to be patted.
When Laura caressed the child’s golden hair, Mrs. Fairfax
watched with interest. She wondered out loud, “He’s acting
like a dog. Is it because I raised him like one?”
“I’m sure it’s because he’s still very young, Margaret,”
Laura replied with a smile.
Mrs. Fairfax said to her son, “George, this is your lucky
day. Your uncle isn’t here.”
George, who had a silly grin plastered on his face, raised
his head with a jolt. He exclaimed, “Really? He really isn’t
here?”
“Geez, look how happy you look. Do you consider your
uncle to be an enemy or something?”
Just as Mrs. Fairfax stated, the young boy’s face was
beaming with joy. It was certainly not because George disliked
his uncle. Although George feared his uncle, Ian was also his
role model. The problem was that with his older brother
Daniel gone, George expected to enjoy all of Laura’s attention.
But it turned out that Ian became his new rival for Laura’s
affection.
Laura always visited Dunville Park with Ian. George was
disappointed to see that his uncle rarely left his aunt’s side.
The young boy wanted to be babied by his aunt, but he was
too afraid of his uncle to get too close.
When George and Laura went to the forest together, he
was free to hog all of his aunt’s attention. But usually within
an hour, his uncle always managed to find them wherever
they were. Ian would always take his wife away, glaring at
George as if to say Laura belonged to him.
If Daniel was here and acted this way, George would’ve
fought him for Laura’s attention. But in front of his stern
uncle, George felt too small to do anything.
Fortunately, Ian didn’t accompany Laura today. George
was happy that he would be able to spend plenty of private
time with his beloved aunt.
George squeezed Laura’s hand and asked, “Can we go to
the forest today? Please?!”
The young boy had played with the puppies all morning.
He was covered in dog hair, so Laura dusted him off and
nodded. “Sure.”
Turning toward Mrs. Fairfax, Laura asked, “Margaret, is it
okay if I take George to the forest?”
 “Of course.” Mrs. Fairfax nodded nonchalantly as if she
were letting Laura borrow a spare plate.
Laura and Goerge headed out to the forest. While they
crossed the field between the house and the forest, the young
boy kept busy showing off his athletic ability. He hopped over
the fence that was as high as his shoulders and threw a rock
to hit a lotus leaf floating on the lake. Laura was impressed by
George’s every move, but she was especially inspired when
George performed six cartwheels in a row.
George has amazing physical abilities. When he enters the
public school, we’ll have to make sure he plays sports.
Perhaps rugby since it will allow him to run around and enjoy
physical contact. I’m sure his skills will impress the other kids and
allow him to make a good leader. It will teach him how to be
responsible and become more mature. I better talk to Margaret
about this later.
George panted and lay down on the green field. His face
was bright red and covered in sweat. Laura clapped and
praised the young boy generously. A proud smile appeared on
George’s face.
Laura announced, “You must be the healthiest ten-year-
old in the world. You’ll make an excellent navy man.”
“You really think so, Aunt Laura?! ”
“Of course! I’m certain you’ll become an admiral and lead
your men to victory. Countless soldiers will have great respect
for Captain George.”
 No longer panting and filled with energy again, George
rose and screamed, “Cheers for Captain George! Cheers!
Cheers!”
Laura followed suit. “Cheers! Cheers!”
The two of them laughed and began running toward the
forest. Inside, George and Laura roamed freely like they used
to when she was his governess. They ate wild berries and
picked up chestnuts to stuff their pockets. They also checked
the rabbit traps, studied an anthill, and scattered the
chestnuts over a giant rock to attract squirrels.
Laura loved to spend time in the forest. Until she arrived in
Dunville Park, she had never had the chance to lose herself in
nature like this. Whenever she was with George, she felt like
she was being compensated for her sad childhood. Running
through the forest was what made her healthy, free, and
simple. It was all thanks to the healthy and free young boy
George.
A squirrel suddenly appeared on the rock where Laura and
George scattered some chestnuts. It circled the delicious
morsels for a while before grabbing one of them. With its
sharp incisors, the squirrel began peeling the chestnut. Laura
and George, who were hiding underneath the rock, slowly
rose.
The squirrel stared at the two humans who appeared out of
nowhere. Laura and Daniel suppressed their breaths, praying
the tiny animal could feel that they meant no harm.
 The squirrel resumed peeling the chestnut again. It didn’t
seem interested in them, and Laura and George sighed in
relief. While the squirrel ate, the two watched in excitement.
The creature had black and white stripes, and Laura couldn’t
help but wonder what its fur would feel like. She and George
took turns to pat it gingerly, and they found the squirrel to be
soft and warm.
They were so anxious about the tiny animal running away
that their fingers trembled as they touched it. But the squirrel
couldn’t be braver as it continued to eat even though the
humans hundred times bigger hovered over it. Laura decided
that this particular squirrel must have the courage of
Alexander the Great. She knew that the animal’s bravery was
partly from the fact that winter was just around the corner. It
needed to fill its stomach as much as possible.
Just then, an unexpected voice yelled from nearby, “Is that
you, George?”
The squirrel jolted and threw away its chestnut. It ran
away immediately, making Laura and Goerge scream in
disappointment. They both heard footsteps nearing them.
When they turned around, they saw Henry Fairfax standing in
a deep blue suit and holding a book. Laura quickly realized
that it was her translated version of The New Eloise.
Henry had his hand in his pocket and was standing
arrogantly. He jumped when he spotted Laura. He stood
straight and bowed respectfully. “Hello, Aunt Laura.”
 Feeling a little embarrassed, she stood up from the dirt
ground and greeted, “Hi, Henry.”
Henry smiled awkwardly and looked down. An
uncomfortable silence fell, but it was thankfully broken by
George. “Henry, were you skating here?”
Laura corrected George, “Sketching.”
“Ah, that’s right. Sketch. Were you sketching here?”
“Are you blind, George? I was reading, of course.” Henry
kept his eyes down and retorted. He acted as if he dropped
money on the ground.
George argued, “Why are you always in the forest? Mom
told me to ask you to return home if I saw you here. If you
don’t, she threatened to boil you in a pot to make stew. Ugh, I
would never eat that.”
“Shut up, George,” Henry grumbled.
George looked up at Laura and asked, “Aunt, will you eat
it? Henry stew?”
Laura chuckled and shook her head.
Henry scratched his head and murmured, “Aunt Laura, I
apologize for interrupting your time with George. I thought
he was with his governess… Anyway, I’ll take my leave now.”
Henry bowed and was about to turn around when Laura
called out, “Wait, Henry.”
Henry’s eyes met hers. Laura raised her finger, asking him
to stay. She then turned toward George and requested, “Can
you grab some thumb-sized stones from under the coltsfoot
bush and bring them to the lake?”
 “Why?” asked George.
“So we can skip stones. Whoever wins will get to keep all
the chestnuts we found today.”
George, who loved to make bets, nodded and dashed
toward the coltsfoot bush. When Laura was left alone with
Henry, she suggested that they walk to the lake together.
Henry followed obediently.
“It has been long since I saw you, Henry. I think it has
been over a week. Have you been well?”
“Yes. Is Uncle Ian doing well too?”
“Not really,” Laura explained the trouble with Barnsley
refinery construction.
Henry listened attentively. His face turned rigid as he
muttered, “…Uncle Ian must be very upset.”
“He hasn’t been eating well or speaking much. He tries not
to show how much he’s worried, but I can tell he’s
concerned.”
“I’m sure he’s disgusted by what happened. Uncle Ian is
very sensitive to human misdeeds. He detests the basic
human natures like selfishness, hypocrisy, shallowness, and
greed. It’s probably because he’s such an upstanding man.”
“I agree, Henry.”
A short silence fell between them as they walked through
the forest. They were so quiet that they could hear the crows
cawing from far away.
Laura asked quietly, “Henry, why haven’t you visited
Whitefield Hall since that day? Ian told me that you used to
come every day whenever you were home. I heard you used to
draw, fish, and swim with your uncle all the time. Is it
because of me? Are you hesitant to visit because Whitefield
Hall has a new mistress?”
“Of course not.”
“I would love you to visit often. Ian really needs a
distraction right now. And I really want to get to know you
better.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
When Henry looked shocked, Laura smiled and explained,
“Ian loves all of his nephews and niece. He treasures them, of
course, but you’re his first. You’re very special to him, and I
hope you know that.”
“I do. And I love my uncle very much too.”
“I’ve heard how much you trust Ian. But I’m sure what you
feel for him can’t compare to how he feels about you. He
considers you his son.” Laura relayed her thoughts calmly.
“Since you are so important to my husband, you’re important
to me as well. I would love to become your second mother.
There will always be a place by the fireplace in Whitefield Hall
for you. Whenever you’re far away, I’ll write you long letters.
Just in case you visit, I’ll always keep the best guest room
clean. I may nag you from time to time, but I hope you realize
that I’m doing this out of love. I pray that you know you can
always depend on me.”
 Side Story 28

Henry argued, “You’re being too kind.”

“No, this is meant to be. Anyone important to my husband
is important to me too. I can’t help but love anyone he loves.
His son is my son as well.”
“You must really love my uncle.”
“More than I love myself. My flesh and blood belong to
him.”
“…Aunt Laura.”
“Yes?”
“If we’re to have a mother-and-son relationship,
shouldn’t we talk about what happened?”
“…” Laura knew that Henry was referring to what
happened when they first met under the maple tree. She
wished she could forget about what happened. It was such an
embarrassing incident considering they were an aunt and
nephew.
But Laura agreed with Henry that if they were to become
family, they needed to talk about it.
Henry sighed. “When I first saw you in front of the maple
tree, it never crossed my mind that you’re my aunt. I was told
that you were about the same age as my uncle, and The New
Eloise you translated was the best translation work I have ever
read in my life. In my mind, you were a middle-aged and
mature woman. I never expect you to look like a young girl
hopping under the tree to get a piece of branch.”

“Even when I saw your face, you didn’t look older than
twenty-two. That’s why as a young unmarried man, I
couldn’t control myself from flirting with you. When Uncle
Ian appeared and I learned that you’re my new aunt, I wanted
to die of embarrassment. I thought that I would never be able
to feel comfortable around Uncle Ian again.”
Henry paused for a moment, the bright sun shining down
on both of them. He continued, “I never expected you to
forgive me, Aunt Laura, let alone think of me as your son. I… I
thought you would resent me.”
“How could I resent you? What happened was certainly
awkward, but you mistook me, a thirty-one-year-old
woman, for a girl of twenty-two. It would be impossible to
genuinely resent you for that.”
When Laura joked, Henry smiled faintly. He answered,
“Thank you for being so forgiving. Because of you, my
relationship with my uncle will remain intact. And it seems
that I’ve gained an incredible new mother as well. Please take
good care of me, Aunt Laura.”
“Same here, Henry.”
Laura offered him her hand for a handshake. But instead,
Henry kissed the back of her hand. For a moment, Laura
became suspicious of his intentions, but she decided that he
was just being a good gentleman.
home now, Henry. Like George said, your mother is
looking for you.”
“I do return home every day, Aunt Laura. I just don’t like
having long conversations with my mother.”
“You and your mother have been apart for so long. I’m
sure she has a lot she wants to tell you.”
“I think you mean she has a lot to scold me about,” Henry
muttered quietly.
Laura asked calmly, “It’s burdensome to Laura smiled
sadly, “Your uncle inherited House Dalton during the worst
recession. He worked tirelessly to protect his family. I can
imagine how much he had to give up and sacrifice to do this.
As the eldest son, he received all of the privileges, but he was
also burdened to protect it by himself. I think the life of the
eldest son can be bountiful, but it can be a very lonely one.”

“You have the same path ahead of you, so it’s no wonder you
feel uncertain. But if you refuse to hear the words of concern
and advice from others, you’re also depriving yourself of
encouragement as well.”
They arrived at the lake. Henry gazed at the cool autumn
lake that dazzled like a giant piece of ice. He murmured, “My
uncle taught me to skip stones on this lake when I was little.”
“He told me that it was your father who taught him to skip
stones here when he was little.”
 “Indeed. I supposed that means my father taught me this
skill through my uncle. Without Uncle Ian, I would’ve never
learned this trick. My father was bedridden until I entered the
public school.” Henry picked up a small rock from the ground
and eyed it. “I haven’t skipped stone much when I was in
Paris.”
Henry leaned and swung his arm widely to throw the stone
into the lake.
Tap, tap, tap.
The stone skipped across the water. Henry counted, “…
Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…”
The stone sank on its fifteenth skip. Henry muttered, “I’m
definitely rusty. Please don’t tell my uncle about this. He’ll
scold me for being lazy with my practices.”
“You should get some lessons from your uncle then. He’s
still the best stone skipper in all of Yorkshire.”
“He’s second to none. I don’t understand why stone
skipping isn’t a category in the Olympics. If Uncle Ian
entered, he would definitely win the gold medal.”
Laura replied, “Actually, England would end up selecting
another person to represent this kingdom.”
“There’s someone better at skipping stones than my
uncle?”
“Yes, a London lady who’s smart and brave. She isn’t in
England anymore though.”
“I would love to meet her. Did she go abroad?” Laura
asked.
 “She’s apparently in a small country located at the end of
the Asian continent. She’s writing a story that takes place in
that country.”
“This lady sounds amazing. It makes sense, I suppose. If
she is better at skipping stones than my uncle, she must be no
ordinary woman.”
“You’re right. She’s certainly extraordinary. Ah, I miss
her. Her name is Miss Hyde.”
Just then, they heard George’s voice yelling from far away.
“Aunt Lauraaaaa!”
When they turned, they saw George sprinting across the
field toward them. Small things were being spilled from his
pockets, leaving a trail behind him like the bread crumbs
dropped by Hansel and Gretel.
Quickly realizing what they were, Laura yelled, “George!
You’re dropping all the stones from your pockets!”
George patted his pockets and shrieked in shock. He
scratched his head in frustration before beginning to pick up
the rocks from the ground one at a time.
“Geez, what an idiot.” Henry clicked his tongue and strode
toward his younger brother. He grumbled, but he helped
George pick up the stones. Laura smiled, loving the sight of
two brothers together.
When the two boys finished picking up the stones, they
held hands and walked to the lake. George hopped around in
excitement, and Laura could see Henry talking to his younger
brother incessantly. As they got closer, she could hear that
Henry was scolding Goerge.
“…What if it was money that was in your pockets instead
of stones? You’re so careless, George. You’re ten now, so you
must grow up. If you act like this when you’re in school, your
teachers and upperclassmen are going to beat you. Is that
what you want? Is it?”
“No! I don’t want that! It sounds as bad as your nagging,
Henry!” George continued hopping around playfully.
Frustrated, Henry smacked his younger brother’s head.
George rubbed his head as if in pain, but when he spotted
Laura, he ran toward her to hug her.
“Aunt Laura! I got the stones you asked for! The small flat
stones that are good for skipping on the lake!”
“Uwah, good job, George. You did very well!” Laura patted
the young boy’s head.
Henry caught up soon after. He gave George an annoyed
look as he muttered, “You’re going to have a very hard time
in school, idiot.”
“Don’t call him an idiot, Henry. George is a nice and brave
boy.” Laura protested before looking through the stones
George brought her. She never stopped praising the young
boy, and George leaped around and sang happily. He was
acting like a wild monkey.
Henry smiled and shook his head. “I think I’ll return home
now.”
“Home?” asked Laura.
 “Yes. If my mother is looking for me, I better go see her.”
Proud of Henry for doing the right thing, Laura beamed.
But this only made Henry frown. The beautiful woman
standing in front of him was way too young to be his aunt.
She was gorgeous too. When he first spotted her under the
maple tree, she looked so innocent and lovely that he thought
she was a fairy.
With a bitter smile, Henry turned around.
***
It was a cold October afternoon when several boys walked
along the stream in Whitefield forest. They were healthy
tanned boys each holding a fishing rod and various fish they
caught. The booties they caught were as big as their arms.
The boys were joking and walking downhill when one of
them paused. “Huh? Guys, look over there.”
“What is it?”
“Over there. It’s Mr. Dalton.”
“What? Mr. Dalton?”
All of the boys turned to see that it was indeed Ian across
the stream sitting on a rock. He had his fishing rod cast, and
the boys stared in shock. They knew Mr. Dalton very well
because they saw him at the church every Sunday. But today,
the master of Whitefield looked very different. Instead of his
usual three-piece formal suit, Ian was only wearing a simple
shirt with gray stripes and a worn hunting coat.
A young man was sitting next to Mr.
 Dalton. The boys’ eyes widened, noticing how beautiful
this young man looked.
One of the boys asked, “Who’s that man?”
“I don’t know, but whoever he is, my sister will instantly
fall in love with him if she sees him.”
“But he’s still not as handsome as Mr.
Dalton.”
“Of course not. No man can be more handsome than Mr.
Dalton.”
The boys called out to Ian. Ian, who was talking to the
young man beside him, turned to see the boys taking their
hats off to bow
 Side Story 29

“Are you boys coming back from fishing?” Ian asked.

“Yes, sir!”
“Alright, show me what you got.”
The boys raise their fish to show off. Ian exclaimed,
“Excellent job!”
When the children blushed and giggled, Ian shouted with
mock anger, “So it looks like you emptied the whole river!
That’s why I haven’t been able to catch anything. You
should’ve left something behind.”
The children giggled again. Ian continued, “Your family’s
going to have a great dinner thanks to you. Go ahead and give
those fish to your mothers.”
The boys bowed deeply before rushing home. Ian could see
their ears under their hats turning red from pride. When the
children disappeared, Ian turned toward his nephew again.
Henry smiled. “How did they manage to catch all those
fish?”
“All men from ages six to sixty in this village are expert
fishers.”
“It’s impressive. But then why are you so terrible at it,
Uncle?” Henry looked down at Ian’s empty bucket.
 Ian retorted, “What about you?”
Henry’s bucket was just as empty. The young man argued,
“Shouldn’t we put more effort into this? At this rate, we’re
going to go home empty-handed.”
“Who cares? If we don’t catch anything, we can just buy a
few fish from the fishers passing by.”
“Tsk, you always have a way of dampening my motivation,
Uncle Ian.”
“That’s exactly what your father tells me too. He has yet to
understand why I’m not interested in hunting. He claims that
all men are born to be hunters.”
Henry asked, “But isn’t he right?”
“Then that would make me a woman. But you can ask your
Aunt Laura to confirm whether I’m a man or not.”
Henry burst into laughter. Ian stared at his fishing rod
while rubbing his index and middle fingers, which had
become his habit lately.
Henry asked quietly, “Quitting smoking must be very
difficult.”
“I had to row twelve hours a day every day before the
national competition when I was in school. This is twice as
hard than that.”
“Seriously? Jesus!” Henry exclaimed.
Ian warned, “So you better not start this filthy habit. It’s
really hard to quit.”
“Don’t worry. Unlike you, I’m smart enough never to
begin any bad habits.” Henry’s voice sounded sassy. Ian
turned toward him to see that his nephew had a naughty grin
on his face.
Ian pinched Henry’s cheek and muttered, “What an
arrogant boy you are.”
The two of them chuckled together. The way they
interacted with each other was no different from the twelve-
year-old boys who passed by earlier. Because Ian and Henry
spent most of their childhoods together, they became boyish
even to this day whenever they were together. They liked to
reminisce about the time when they were so innocent and
free of worries.
Ian asked, “How was your conversation with your
mother?”
Henry was enjoying the peaceful atmosphere as he
watched the maple leaves floating on the water. He turned
toward his uncle. “Did you hear about that from Aunt Laura?”
“Yes.”
…It was the worst.” Henry sighed deeply. Mother believes
that I contracted some
kind of a sexually transmitted disease from Paris. She said
that I have an illness from an unhealthy relationship. Do you
know what she recommended? That I should clean my crotch
with boiled water twice a day. She said that if my seed
pouches rot, this whole family will end with me.”
“Heavens, Margaret is ridiculous. Syphilis is indeed
treated with mercury vapor, but you shouldn’t wash too
vigorously like that. Or else, that’s what will cause this
bloodline to end.”
“Uncle, can’t you tell my mother to stop telling fortunes
with her cards? She goes to church every Sunday, so I don’t
know why she does this.”
Ian asked, “Why don’t you stop her then?”
“Because she won’t listen to me.”
“How can I stop a woman who won’t even listen to her
eldest son? There’s no way she’s going to listen to her
younger brother. Unless our father himself comes down from
heaven, Margaret is going to continue to do whatever she
wants. In fact, I don’t think even our father could stop her.
She’ll probably promise him that she’ll quit fortune-telling.
But as soon as he returns to heaven, she’ll go right back to it.
I’ll bet she’ll use the cards to see if our father reaches heaven
safely. Your mother has always been like this. Even if she gets
hit by lightning, she’ll just do what she does.”
“You’re right, Uncle. She’s very determined. The problem
is that she’s stubborn about things that don’t matter much.”
Ian replied, “You should be thankful for that, Henry. If
Margaret was the type to control her family with an iron fist,
you would’ve never been allowed to go to university let alone
to Paris. She would’ve most likely forced you to marry a
woman with the biggest dowry she could find. You would’ve
spent your whole life in the middle of your controlling mother
and your arrogant wife fighting every day.”
 Henry had no choice but to agree with his uncle, but he
was still unhappy about the situation. Ian asked, “Was there
another fight you didn’t tell me about?”
“…”
“You can tell me when you’re ready.” Ian pulled out his
line and checked to make sure the bait was still intact.
“Uncle…” Henry began after a short silence. “Don’t you
think it’s creepy how accurate Mother’s fortune-telling is
sometimes? She gets it right too often.”
Ian became thoughtful for a moment. Now that he thought
about it, his sister’s fortune-telling had indeed been on the
mark on too many occasions. The best example was his
marriage to Laura. Although Margaret didn’t get the timing
right, she did predict that Ian would end up getting married
within the year. Exactly one year after she made this
prediction, Ian ended up winning the heart of the angel with
strawberry blond hair.
Ian guessed, “It sounds like your mother guessed one of
your secrets right, huh?”
“….”
“So she did, didn’t she? Did you lose your virginity while
in Paris or something?” Ian joked, but Henry’s face turned
rigid. Ian asked, “What? Were you in a romantic
relationship?”
Henry looked away, his silence confirming Ian’s suspicion.
Ian felt strange. Although Henry was a grown man now, Ian
still saw him as a little kid. Ian found it very painful to accept
the reality because he still remembered young Henry
following him around as a child.
In Ian’s eyes, Henry was just as young as Daenil and
George. No matter how old and tall Henry became, this was
never going to change.
Henry mumbled as if to give an excuse, “I didn’t lose my
virginity in some filthy place. During my stay in Paris for a
year and a half, I never visited any of the brothels. You believe
me, don’t you? I didn’t contract any illness there.”
“Of course, I believe you. After all, you care about your
hygiene just as I do.” Ian rubbed his face, unable to believe
that he was having this conversation with little Henry. He
asked, “But this relationship you had… It wasn’t a normal
one, was it? I haven’t heard that you got engaged.”
When Henry nodded, Ian continued, “Henry, this is what I
think. Chastity is just as important in a man as in a woman. It
is best to keep yourself pure until you find your life mate and
marry her. For the sake of your future wife, I hope you stop
this nonsense.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. It’s already over.”
“Did you return to England to run away from this
woman?” asked Ian.
Henry smiled and shook his head. “No. It ended long
before I decided to come back.”
“But it sounds like you can’t stop thinking about her. I feel
like it would be best if you marry her.”
Henry answered, “That would be impossible.”
 “Why?”
“Because I was just a plaything to her.”
Ian frowned and stared at his nephew. Henry looked down,
his long eyelashes creating dark shadows underneath his
eyes.
Ian urged, “Tell me, Henry. What happened in Paris?”
“…I’ll tell you only if you promise not to tell my mother.”
When Ian nodded, Henry began explaining. He told Ian
about the three months he spent with Celine who left him
with a scar that could never heal.
Celine was a twenty-two-year-old woman who worked as
a model, actress, and playwright in the art community of
Paris. She had beautiful jet-black hair and the slim body of a
ballerina. She was so beautiful and outgoing that she was very
popular. Henry used to spend a lot of time with her along with
his other friends.
Then one night, Henry drank too much with his friends
and fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, he found
himself in Celine’s home. Unfortunately, both he and Celine
were naked in the same bed.
Henry wasn’t interested in Celine as a woman, but he
believed that he should be responsible. Since he spent the
night with her, he decided that he must marry her. Henry
proposed on the spot, and Celine accepted.
They began living together, and Celine immediately
showed her true colors. The truth was that Celine had been
studying Henry since the first time they met. Quickly
realizing that Henry was an old- fashioned gentleman who
believed having relations before marriage was a sin, Celine
decided that he would make perfect prey.
Celine used Henry mercilessly. After they began living
together, his body became covered in scars. Shockingly, they
were all made by Celine. Celine claimed that she had an illness
where she couldn’t help but harm herself unless she harmed
others. Henry had never heard of this condition before, but
when Celine showed all the scars on her body, he felt
sympathy for her. He had no choice but to let her do whatever
she wished.
Her level of violence increased quickly. Toward the end of
their relationship, Celine often brought ropes and whips to
their bed. Henry could physically stop her at any time, but he
felt helpless to do so. His sense of responsibility for Celine
turned into guilt. Henry decided that it was all his fault for
sleeping with her and not being able to cure her illness.
Henry slept with Celine every night, but he felt no pleasure
from it. All she gave him was shame and pain.
Their relationship ended when an army officer returned
from abroad after many years. It turned out that he was
Celine’s husband of ten years. It was then that Henry learned
Celine wasn’t twenty-two, but thirty-two years old.
Instead of challenging Henry to a duel, Celine’s husband
begged, “Sir, please take that woman with you. I’m afraid of
Celine. If I live with her, I’ll die or end up losing a limb. Now
that I’m back in Paris, I’ll have to stay with her, and I just
can’t.”
Henry, who was covered in scars from being whipped,
shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t save you.”
 Side Story 30

Just like that, Henry and Celine parted ways. Or more

accurately, Henry was finally able to escape her.
Ian gasped in shock. “That woman sounds is…insane!”
“She wasn’t crazy, which is why it was even scarier.
Because during the day, she was perfectly normal. In that
sense, she was born to be an actress.”
“…Are you okay?”
Henry gave his uncle a pale smile. “I don’t know. After I
left her, my mind was at peace for a while. Guilt left me
because I found out that she was a married woman and a
fraud. But even now, I sometimes get nightmares about the
time I spent with her. When I wake up from them, I feel dirty
as if I came out from the sewage. I feel ashamed and
disgusted.”
Ian felt deep pity for his nephew. “I’m sure she’ll be
punished for what she did.”
“I hope so, or else, I might have to doubt the existence of
God.”

“God definitely exists, Henry. There will come a day when she
is judged by him for her sins. And I’m certain you’ll find a
woman who will heal your wounds. A woman who’s the
opposite of Celine.”
I’ll pray for that day.” Henry confessed, Uncle Ian, I really
want to find true love.
I need a woman who can heal me rather than hurt me. A
woman of innocence and kindness. A sincere and devoted
woman who is soft-hearted but wise at the same time. If I
meet a lady like that, I think I’ll be able to escape the terrible
memories of Paris. Will you tell me where I can find a woman
like that?”
“I don’t know,” Ian answered.
“How could you not know? You met the perfect woman
yourself, Uncle. Aunt Laura has all the qualities I desire in a
woman.
“That’s true.” A proud smile spread on Ian’s lips.
Envy bubbled inside of Henry. He had met his aunt only
twice, yet he already knew that she was the woman of his
dreams.
She was not only beautiful but sophisticated as well. She
was generous, polite, and calm. Most importantly, she was
devoted to her husband. There was no doubt Aunt Laura loved
his uncle.
I wonder what it feels like to be loved by a woman like her. I’m
sure it must be heavenly. Henry thought in envy.
Henry was a romantic just like Ian. He could be very
emotional, and he had an idealistic view of love. His heart was
damaged from meeting the wrong woman in Paris, so he was
desperate to find the woman who could mend him.
Ian explained, “I met Laura in London. But I knew
instantly that every other woman in the city was a fool
compared to her. Even if you search the entire London, I
doubt you’ll find someone like my Laura. Love is fate, Henry.
You must wait patiently and believe that God will find your
soulmate. Just like God sent Laura to me, he’ll send you a
treasure of your own.”
Feeling a little bitter, Henry looked out the water again.
The dazzling sun on the water reminded him of Mrs. Dalton’s
beautiful hair.
Henry shook his head. “I don’t think we’re going to catch
anything here, Uncle. We should move to another spot.”
“Let’s just stay. It’s so beautiful here.”
Henry smiled as he continued to gaze at the water. “That’s
true.”
“Why don’t we come out here to draw tomorrow?”
“But aren’t you busy, Uncle? I heard you’re going to be
interviewing new lawyers…”
“I still have time to sketch a few pieces. I need to take
breaks from time to time or else, my head will explode.”
Henry gave his uncle a sympathetic look. The investigation
of the Barnsley refinery project revealed that it was the
president of the construction company who had ordered his
men to steal materials. As expected, Ian was furious about it.
Henry promised, “I’ll bring my sketchbook tomorrow.”
 “That will give me a chance to look through your work
from Paris. How many pieces have you completed?”
“Not many. I was busy making friends there.”
“It sounds like you had a wonderful time there. I wanted to
go to Paris too when I was your age.
“Why didn’t you go?” Henry asked.
“Because my father fell ill. He died less than two months
afterward.”
“Ah, now that I think about it, you inherited Whitefield at
my age.”
“That’s true.”
“It must’ve been very hard. Being the head of a family at
such a young age.”
Ian answered, “I didn’t even have the time to realize how
hard it was. I hate to speak badly about my own father, but he
was a terrible businessman. The way he operated was all
wrong because he was losing money left and right. I was
thirty by the time I chased out all the rats, built better
systems, and saved up enough for rainy days.”
“Aren’t you disappointed that you didn’t go to Paris in
your twenties?”
“Not at all. On the contrary, I think it’s a relief I inherited
House Dalton when I did. If it was any later, I wouldn’t have
been able to save it.”
Henry hesitated for a moment before asking, “But what
about giving up your dream? You wanted to become an
artist.”
 “I have no regrets.” Ian grinned. “Having a chance to
protect Whitefield was the greatest honor I could ever ask for.
It’s going to be my best accomplishment in life. I felt this way
when I first inherited it, and nothing has changed. I don’t
regret one bit about sacrificing my childhood dream.”
Ian gazed at Henry who looked upset. Ian asked gently,
“Why do you look sad, Henry?”
“I wish I was just like you, Uncle.” Henry’s eyes filled with
gloom.
“You have Dunville Park.”
“I do, but I feel differently about it than how you feel about
Whitefield. I don’t think I can love my home as much. I know
very well that I have a responsibility. I’m the eldest son, and
I’m old enough now to take over the family estate. But I still
find it difficult to give up my dream.”
“Being an eldest son doesn’t mean that you need to give
up the life you want. If you’re so determined to become a
painter, go back to Paris. Your parents can wait for Daniel to
grow up and take over the position of the head of the house.”
“I know. If I decide to do it, I know I can make it happen.
But… I can’t take the path of the artist.” Henry forced a smile
at first, but his expression quickly became bitter as he
continued, “While I was in Paris, I made countless artist
friends. Many of them were true geniuses. But because they
were so poor, they spent whatever money they had on paints.
This left them starving and without a home. I often saw many
of them sleeping on the streets. Last winter, I went to a
funeral. A friend of one of my friends apparently froze to
death in Luxembourg Garden because he couldn’t afford to
pay the rent. He was a mural artist. When I saw his portfolio, I
was in awe. It included the kind of sketches I could never
accomplish myself. Only a few people in this world get the gift
of true genius. Even fewer get to experience the glory of being
recognized. Unfortunately, most of these people end up living
a hard life before dying from poverty. Once I realized this, I
decided that I couldn’t walk the path of the true artist. I have
too much to make such a sacrifice.”
Henry frowned and asked, “Are you disappointed in me,
Uncle?”
“No, I just feel sad for you. Being the head of the family
brought me such pride, but it seems like you consider it an
escape from reality.”
Henry grabbed Ian’s arm and begged, “That’s why you
must help me. When I left Paris, I decided that I’d love my
fate and accept the life of the eldest son. I want to protect my
family and be respected by my villagers. I want to become just
like you, Uncle. I’ll give everything I have to improve the
reputation of House Fairfax. I believe that in time, I’ll be able
to forget my dream to become an artist.”
Henry stared at his uncle and asked, “You’ll help me,
won’t you?”
Ian pulled Henry closer and kissed his forehead. “Of
course, Henry. It would be an honor to help you.”
 ***
After that day, Henry began visiting Whitefield Hall much
more often. Ian was in the middle of dealing with the
upcoming lawsuit, but he still made time for his nephew. He
concentrated on teaching Henry the basics of running a
household. Henry was a smart and hardworking student. It
didn’t take him long to apply what he learned to the running
of Dunville Park.
Henry’s father Robert rarely spent time in his study except
when he wanted to smoke a cigar in private. The space was
quickly taken over by Henry, who began spending hours every
day going through the account book. Robert was happy to
teach his eldest son the details of their family assets. Henry
made sure to check the bonds that were left by his
grandfather. He also went out on his horse to look around the
land that belonged to his family.
With Henry’s frequent visits, small changes began
occurring in Whitefield Hall. Most of the meals and teas were
prepared for three people instead of two. The best guest
room, which had been unused for a long time, was now
cleaned by the maids every day. Whitefield Hall has always
been well-maintained, but the stairs and the reception hall
became even more spotless. More flowers were brought in
every day, and the menu became more diverse.
All of these changes were ordered by Laura. She made
great efforts to make sure Henry’s stay in Whitefield Hall was
pleasant. Since she promised to become a mother figure to
him, she decided it was her duty to work for his comfort.
But despite this, Laura felt awkward by Henry’s presence
every time he visited. What happened under the maple tree
still bothered her. The two of them decided to forget about the
incident, but she couldn’t erase this memory from her mind.
Laura remained cordial to Henry at all times, but she tried
her best to avoid being left alone with him. She also never
asked him personal questions, such as about his love life. To
her relief, Henry did the same. He treated her as if she was an
elderly woman of seventy years old. The only comments he
made directly to her were when he was complimenting the
meals or the interiors of the house. This made Laura feel a
little better.
But an unfortunate situation arose on Henry’s tenth visit.
Ian, Laura, and Henry were in the rose garden enjoying their
tea. Today was a special day because Henry brought the
sketches he worked on while in Paris. Ian and Laura were
excited to see their nephew’s work. Laura especially looked
forward to it because she had never seen them before.
After taking a sip of his tea, Ian asked for the book. Henry
took out his portfolio shyly. For some reason, Henry had been
hesitant to show his work. He only brought his book today
because Ian asked for it many times.
Ian was just about to open the sketchbook when a servant
in a uniform approached them.
 Side Story 31

“Mr. Dalton, the judge from the Barnsley district sent a letter
through a messenger. He asked for an immediate response,”
the servant announced.
“Geez, what a bad timing.” Ian put Henry’s sketchbook
down on the table and rose. “I’ll be back in a while. You have a
look first, Laura.”
“Alright. Hurry back, darling,” Laura answered sweetly,
hiding her worry about being left alone with Henry.
Ian leaned to kiss Laura’s cheek. “Don’t worry, my love.
I’ll be back shortly.”
Henry quipped, “I may not be your ‘love,’ but I also hope
you return soon.”
“You’re my love too, Henry. But not as much as Laura, of
course,” Ian joked and left the garden.
When Ian disappeared, an awkward silence fell between
Laura and Henry. Being very good at reading people, it wasn’t
difficult for Laura to realize that Henry felt just as
uncomfortable as her.
Laura quickly opened Henry’s sketchbook Ian left behind.
She thought they could talk about his work to break the ice.
But as she flipped through the pages, her eyes filled with awe.
 Laura murmured, “Henry, I’ve never left England once in
my life. I never felt the need to travel. But after looking at the
sceneries of Paris you sketched, I’m regretting not picking
France for my honeymoon. Your art proves that Paris must be
as beautiful as England.”
“You think so, Aunt Laura?”
Laura nodded. She was genuine in her compliment.
Henry’s work showed strong techniques and a way of
describing a scene very accurately. It was clear he had a
unique artistic talent.
Laura answered, “Yes. These are magical. They look so
crisp yet dreamy. Is this how you saw Paris?”
“Yes. Many people call Paris a sensual city, but I saw
romance and innocence there. The streets were always filled
with lovers, and I saw how all of my friends were filled with
dreams. Nature makes Whitefield so beautiful, but people are
what makes Paris so charming.”
Laura studied Henry’s work intently. The more she looked
at it, the more she was impressed by his unique skills. She had
good instincts about art and quickly became mesmerized by
Henry’s work.
Laura said quietly, “Those with extraordinary perspectives
can create interesting art. It’s not just paintings, but also
novels and music too. Individuality is the only way nowadays
to stand out in the world of art. It is what can make an artist
timeless. Henry, I believe that you’re a true artist.”
 Henry shook his head adamantly. “Not at all! I’ve seen
enough artists to know that I don’t deserve to be called one. I
draw as a hobby and nothing more.”
“It doesn’t matter if you do it for a living or as a hobby.
Your work shows that you have true talent. It’s incredible. I’m
truly in awe.
“There were plenty of painters much better than me in
Paris.”
“But that’s not important. When Ian came to London
society, there were plenty of ladies who were younger and
more beautiful than me. But he ignored all of them and chose
me. It wasn’t because I was special; he and I were destined to
be together. I think art and marriage are very similar. It
doesn’t matter how great the other artists’ works are. All you
need are fans and a sponsor who recognizes your talent. The
success of both love and art depends on destiny.”
Laura continued to look through the book. After some
time, she realized that Henry had become very quiet. She
looked up and was confused by what she saw. It looked like
Henry was about to burst into tears.
Laura returned the book to him. Instead of putting it back
in his bag, Henry flipped through it. There was an odd
expression on his face. He looked both happy yet gloomy,
hopeful yet upset. Laura was concerned by her nephew’s
reaction, but she pretended not to notice.
Her teacup was half empty when she heard a loud buzzing
sound from the roses. Her instinct told her that something
dangerous was on its way. She ducked when she saw a giant
bee the size of a finger. At first, it looked like it was heading
toward the dessert table, but it suddenly turned and stormed
toward her.
With a single shriek, Laura rose in panic. Her chair fell
backward, and the cups and plates shattered on the ground.
She took a few steps back awkwardly before stumbling on her
dress. She lost her balance and began falling backward. She
was about to experience a bad fall, so she closed her eyes.
Just then, strong arms caught her back. A large pair of
hands grabbed her arms. When Laura blinked, she saw
Henry’s face only an inch away from hers. She panicked even
more than when the bee appeared. She flailed, which seemed
to shock Henry too. He quickly helped her stand up and took a
few steps back.
“U…umm, I… Aunt Laura, I…,” he stuttered, his ears
turning bright red.
Laura knew that she needed to say something quickly to
help this awkward situation. But unfortunately, she couldn’t
think of anything at the moment. She was shocked and even
worse, she felt embarrassed that she got into this mess
because of a single bee.
Henry bowed before running out of the rose garden.
“Henry!”
Even though Laura called out to him, he disappeared
without even looking back. Laura picked up the chair and sat
down. Even when a maid hurried over to clean the shattered
cups and plates, Laura couldn’t stand up.
Henry was blushing profusely when he ran out. What
troubled her was that it was a shyness in his face instead of
confusion. Laura had been trying so hard to keep her distance
from him, but her effort was ruined because of a single bee.
I guess Henry is going to stop coming around. Laura thought
grimly.
Just then, Ian returned. He looked at the mess in the
garden in surprise. He asked, “Laura, what happened?”
Her husband’s voice had the power to calm her. Laura
finally rose and replied, “A bee suddenly appeared in the
garden.”
He studied her body in worry. “Did you get stung?”
“No.”
“Where’s Henry?”
“He went home.”
Ian clicked his tongue. “So he ran away because a bee
scared him. What a pathetic boy. He should’ve protected his
aunt while I?? was away.
“No, he did… It’s just that… He said he had an urgent
matter to attend…”
“What urgent matter could he have?” Ian grumbled when
he noticed that Laura looked a little pale. He asked, “What’s
wrong? Are you sick?”
“No, I guess I’m still in shock because… that bee was so
huge.”
 Ian found his wife adorable for being afraid of a bee. He
burst into laughter. “Well, how big was it?”
“The size of my thumb.”
“Wow, that sounds more like a bird than a bee. It’s no
wonder you were scared.” Ian hugged her and patted her
back. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you if it comes back.”
Laura leaned against her husband. She felt like she had
done something wrong. Perhaps she did since she hid from
her husband the fact that she fell into another man’s
embrace. Maybe she was committing a sin.
But I don’t want Ian and Henry’s relationship to be ruined.
This was something very trivial, so as long as I kept quiet about it,
no one would know. Laura thought secretly as she hugged her
husband tighter. She could hear Henry’s horse leaving far
away.
After that day, Henry stopped visiting Whitefield Hall. Ian
was annoyed by this, but he was busy having to appear in
court often. So he didn’t bother summoning Henry to his
home.
Laura, on the other hand, welcomed Henry’s absence. She
couldn’t help but be suspicious of Henry’s feelings for her.
The look on his face after she praised his work and after he
protected her from the bee suggested that he might have an
ulterior motive.
What if the young man still saw her as a twenty-two-
year-old countryside lady under the maple tree?
 Laura shook her head, telling herself that this couldn’t be
true. There was no way Henry could be an unethical, silly, and
ungrateful boy. Ian had raised him in Robert’s absence, so it
didn’t make sense that Henry would betray his uncle like this.
Henry was raised by an upstanding man like Ian. There’s no
way he would covet his aunt like this. Laura decided and focused
on her daily routine. The best thing to distract herself from
unnecessary worry was to become preoccupied. Laura
concentrated on her translation work and household duties.
She took time to console Ian for his troubles and visit the
neighbors. There were still times when she became worried
about Henry, but she decided to trust that time would fix
everything.
Then some time later, Laura was greeted by unexpected
news. It seemed that she might be close to getting one of her
other problems resolved.
Laura’s period stopped.
“Mrs. Dalton, please calm down.” Dr. Mackenzie tried his
best to make Laura relax. His job involved dealing with
anxious women every day, but this didn’t mean he felt
comfortable doing it. It was especially difficult when women,
who were having a difficult time getting pregnant, visited to
check if they were with child. They always stared at him as if
their lives depended on what he was about to say.
Mrs. Dalton was in this very position at the moment. She
asked, “Am I pregnant, Doctor?”
 Laura grabbed her gloves anxiously as if she was ready to
jump out of her chair.
Dr. Mackenzie answered, “Just the fact that your period
stopped doesn’t guarantee that.”
“Isn’t there a way to find out? You’re the best doctor in all
of Yorkshire after all.”
“I don’t have special power to see through your stomach,
Mrs. Dalton. I’m not God.”
It looked like Laura was about to cry. “So you mean I have
to wait?”
“Yes. I’m sorry I can’t give you a better answer.
Laura shook her head. “No, I’m the one who should
apologize. I came here unannounced without an
appointment.”
“By the way, Mrs. Dalton, you said you don’t feel
nauseous, right? You don’t have chills or anything like that?”
“No.”
“So other than your period stopping, everything else in
your body feels the same?”
“That’s correct.”
Dr. Mackenzie took his glasses off and replied, “Then you
shouldn’t have high expectations. A woman’s period can stop
from stress or even cold.”
Laura squeezed her gloves even harder.
 Side Story 32

Laura protested, “But Doctor, ever since my period began in

March when I turned eleven, I’ve never skipped it in my
entire life. Even when I was suffering from that terrible fever
and almost died, I was very regular. And there’s no way I’m
skipping it because of bad health now. I’ve gained four
pounds since the last time I visited you.
“Mrs. Dalton, I’m asking you not to have high
expectations because it’s safer to be cautious in a situation
like this. You need to be comfortable with the idea that this
may not be anything. I’m sorry to tell you, but can you
imagine how devastated you would be if your hopes were
dashed? Once you get trapped in your own obsession, that’s
when hell begins. I’ve met many ladies suffering from
infertility, and they get closer to desperation every time
they’re disappointed. You’re a wise woman, so I’m sure you
understand.”
“…Yes. You’re right, Doctor Mackenzie. I’ll try my best to
not get my hopes up,” Laura replied calmly as if she agreed
with him. But her hands were still clenched so hard that they
looked pale.
 Dr. Mackenzie became concerned. She’s acting like a typical
infertile woman on a destructive path. It looks like Mrs. Dalton is
going to join the long list of desperate women in Yorkshire.
Dr. Mackenzie considered extending their consultation,
but he shook his head and ended the appointment. After
thirty years of experience, he knew better than anyone that he
didn’t have the power to control these women’s hopes. He
could talk until his mouth turned dry, but it was going to be
useless. A doctor’s job is to diagnose and treat human bodies.
Whether the patient was going to keep her hope or not
depended entirely on her. A patient’s mind was off limits.
As if to prove Dr. Mackenzie right, Laura continued to
squeeze her hands tightly in excitement even when she got
into the carriage. Her eyes glowed in joy. If she was as childish
as Olivia or as outgoing as Mrs. Starr, she would’ve been
singing by now.
There might be a baby in my belly now. Ian and my baby!
Laura’s eyes filled with tears. She dabbed them with her
handkerchief and thought hurriedly. Ah, but Dr. Mackenzie told
me not to get my hopes up… But I’ve been waiting for a baby for
so long!
After being told not to even think about babies by Dr.
Mackenzie last spring, Laura had been trying her best to focus
on her life with Ian. Thanks to this, their marriage has
become even more passionate. Their love and happiness
grew, proving that Dr. Mackenzie gave her a solid piece of
advice.
 But even her happy life wasn’t enough for Laura to
completely forget about her worry. Last summer, Mrs. Starr
gave birth to a healthy daughter just as she wished. Laura and
Ian visited the parsonage with an armful of flowers, and they
also attended the baby’s christening. Laura was relieved to
see Mrs. Starr recover quickly, and she was happy that the
pastor’s wife finally had a daughter she was desperate for.
She genuinely wished the Starr family all the happiness in the
world.
But after the christening, Laura became gloomy. She even
skipped dinner that night because she didn’t have the
appetite. Mrs. Starr’s happiness was a reminder of Laura’s
own sadness. She was a married woman without a child.
A woman who desperately wants a baby but can’t have one
of her own.
Laura was miserable and lonely, especially because she
couldn’t share her pain with her husband. But she refused to
bring up the subject to him. She wanted to protect Ian from all
of her heartache.
In their society, there was a stigma to a man who couldn’t
get his wife pregnant. If Ian knew that she was suffering from
feeling inadequate, it was going to devastate him too. He was
going to start noticing that something was missing in their
marriage. Laura was afraid her husband might even feel
inadequate himself. Things were already bad enough with his
business problems that there was no need for her to add to his
troubles.
 Knowing Ian was even more sensitive than herself, Laura
didn’t want to cause him unnecessary pain. She was willing to
take on all of it so that his life was filled only with happiness.
Would he be happy if I got pregnant? Like the sprouting new
leaves of the early spring, Laura’s expectations grew. He
treasures his niece and nephews, so I’m sure he would be ecstatic.
He might even insist that he wants to name the baby himself. Yes,
I think I should let him name our baby. That way, his love for it
would grow every time he calls its name.
The carriage climbed the hill and passed the orchard. By
the time it reached the market, the thought of Mrs. Starr
popped into Laura’s head.
I haven’t visited the parsonage since her second child was
born. I also tried to avoid hearing about her new baby. My
jealousy has made me into a bad neighbor. I think I can now
congratulate Mrs. Starr without feeling sad. I better get her some
nutritious food. She needs them since she’s nursing.
Laura roamed the market to purchase fresh meat and
fruits. When she returned to the carriage, her groom helped
her load them into the carriage. She requested, “I would like
to drop by the parsonage on our way home.”
The carriage arrived at the parsonage in one hour. The
groom carried the bags of food, and Laura knocked on the
door. The chubby maid who worked for the Starr family
dragged her feet out to the door.
“Welcome, Mrs. Dalton. What brings you here today?”
greeted the maid.
 Laura asked, “I wanted to give a gift to Mrs. Starr. Is she in
bed?”
“She’s taking a nap. Our new princess likes to cry all night,
so all of us have become night owls.”
“Goodness, that sounds very tiring. Then I’ll just leave
these with you. They’re fresh fruits, so please give them to
the family.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dalton. I’ll make sure to let Mrs. Starr
know that you dropped by.”
Laura said goodbye and returned to the carriage, which
headed toward Whitefield Hall. Sitting quietly, she looked out
at the familiar view. For some reason, everything looked so
much more beautiful today. Every birch tree resembled a
pretty young girl wearing a white dress and dancing. As if she
was a child of ten, Laura waved at the trees.
She arrived home soon after. Laura got off the carriage,
and after thanking her groom, she headed toward the
entrance. Just then, she heard someone call out to her from
behind.
“Laura!”
When she turned around, she saw that it was her beloved
husband. Ian was wearing a khaki frock coat and walking
toward her. It looked like he was returning from a walk in the
garden. He grumbled, “Where did you go all morning? You
even skipped breakfast.”
It was no wonder Ian was upset because as soon as Laura
woke up that morning, she left with just a note on her pillow
saying she’d be back shortly. Ian was in the solarium busy
picking flowers for her study at the time.
He continued to complain, “Couldn’t you have written
where you were going? I was worried about you all morning.
It was very unlike you…”
Ian stopped mid-sentence because Laura suddenly pulled
him closer for a kiss. He blinked in shock for a few seconds
before wrapping his arms around her. Their kiss deepened,
and silence fell in the air for a long time.
When it was finally over, Ian whispered, “Did you kiss me
just now because you want me to stop nagging you?”
Laura laughed and shook her head.
Ian asked, “Or could it be that you did something very
naughty outside?”
“The only naughty things I know are the things you taught
me, Ian.”
“Huh? It’s not even noon yet, so why are you doing this to
me? Do you want me to drag you to our bedroom?”
“No way.” Laura kissed the tip of his nose. “I just want a
quick kiss.”
“You’re torturing me, Mrs. Dalton.”
The two of them continued to kiss for a long time. They
were at the front entrance where everyone could see easily,
but it took them a long time to remember this.
After lunch, Ian held Laura’s hand and escorted her to her
study. Standing in front of it, Ian fidgeted with her hands as if
he was disappointed. He murmured, “I’m going to be
thinking of you all afternoon.”
“Me too. All of the letters on the pages are going to remind
me of you.”
Ian chuckled and caressed Laura’s cheeks. “I’ll see you at
dinner.”
“See you at dinner.”
“Bye, Laura.”
“Bye.”
Ian forced himself to turn away toward the stairs. He
looked back several times, clearly not wanting to leave her
side. He kept waving at her until she was out of his
Laura giggled and opened the door to her study. When she
walked in, the first thing she noticed was the vase her
husband filled with flowers. The fresh blue petals of the
veronica flowers brightened the entire room. It was obvious
that Ian took much time and effort to create this masterpiece.
Laura’s love for him grew even bigger at that moment. She
leaned in to enjoy the lovely scent. Darling Ian, I love you so
much. You’re the love of my life.
Feeling overwhelmingly happy, a calm smile spread on
Laura’s lips. There’s no way I can ever repay you for your love.
But soon, we are going to have a baby together. It won’t be long
before I can make you even happier. We’re going to be a real
family…
Laura had her eyes closed and was picturing a joyful future
when she slowly opened her eyes. A familiar sensation crept
up on her. The wetness from deep inside her body slowly
escaped, causing her underwear and her thighs to moisten.
Laura slowly rose. It can’t be…
Turning pale, she walked to her room upstairs. She entered
the bathroom that was connected to the dressing room.
After thirty minutes, Laura walked out in a new dress. Her
lively smile was gone, replaced by a cold rigid expression. She
walked calmly downstairs and returned to her study. When
the Veronica flowers greeted her again like before, Laura
stared at them.
Ian… Tears rolled down her pale cheeks.
Laura crouched in front of her desk. Ah…
Ian…
She covered her mouth and sobbed in silence. The
miserable sadness engulfed her mercilessly.
 Side Story 33

It was the afternoon tea time. Ian was caressing his wife’s
hand while sitting on the study sofa when he commented,
“Where did this blueberry pie come from? You don’t even
really like blueberries.”
Looking at the freshly baked pie on the cake stand, Laura
answered, “Mrs. Starr sent it this morning. I delivered some
fruit to her yesterday, so she baked it to thank me.
“How kind of her, especially since things must be so hectic
with the new baby.”
“Is the baby being very fussy?” asked Laura.
“Apparently, it’s very different from when Harry was
born. The new baby refuses to stop crying even when
someone holds her. I heard singing to her doesn’t help either.
The only time she doesn’t cry is when she’s sleeping, but I
was told that she wakes up every two hours.”
“…That must be so hard,” Laura mumbled.
“Oliver and Mrs. Starr both looked exhausted. Their whole
faces were covered in dark circles. Harry sleeps in the
hammock in the backyard nowadays. He would rather catch a
cold if he can get some sleep.”
 Laura laughed weakly. Noticing how gloomy she was, Ian
asked softly, “Are you still feeling weak?”
When Laura nodded, he hugged her and suggested, “If you
aren’t feeling well, you should go rest in our bed. It’s okay to
take a day off from your work, isn’t it?”
“I rested plenty yesterday. Besides, lying in bed makes me
feel even worse. I should do something.”
Ian looked worried as he gazed at his wife’s pale face. “Do
you want me to get you some hot compress for your belly?”
Laura laughed again quietly. “No, it’s okay.”
“What about massages? I can massage your arms and
legs.”
“You already did it for me yesterday.”
“But why do you look worse than yesterday…?”
“I don’t know.”
Ian tucked the stray hair back behind her ears. “I just can’t
understand our creator. It’s bad enough for women to have to
give birth, so why would he make them go through this every
month?”
“It’s because of Eve’s original sin, of course. Darling, I’m
really fine. Please don’t mind me.”
“I can’t help it.” Ian gazed down at her. “You look worse
than usual, Laura.”
Laura flinched secretly. She forced a smile on her face.
“Really?”
“Yes. Indeed, you usually look ill until the second day of
your period. You always look gloomy and tired around this
time every month. But this time…” Ian’s black eyes filled with
worries and suspicion. “I get a whiff of despair.”
Laura laughed out loud. “Goodness, despair? From me?”
“Am I wrong?
“Why would I feel despair?”
“Yes, I wonder why.” Ian’s voice quieted. He sounded very
serious as he asked, “Did I do something wrong? Have I acted
annoyed because of the ongoing lawsuit?”
Laura shook her hands quickly. “Not at all. Not one bit.”
“Then?”
“I think it’s because it’s autumn. The air has turned very
chilly already.”
Ian still didn’t look convinced. Laura wrapped his face with
her hands and whispered, “Maybe it’s because we didn’t get
to make love yesterday.”
“What?”
“After we parted in front of my study yesterday, I couldn’t
help but think about you all afternoon. I was looking forward
to trying this and that with you, but my period started…”
“‘This and that?’ What do you mean? What did you want to
try?” Ian sounded very interested.
“Well, you have been keeping your promise to act
gentlemanly in public lately. So I thought I would let you play
with me like a toy. ”
“Ha, seriously? Then why did your period have to start
yesterday of all days? If it had started on the third of the
month like it always does, it would’ve been over by yesterday.
We could’ve had an amazing time last night.”
“Who knows? God must’ve been against the idea. Maybe
he disapproves of us becoming too lewd.”
“Marriage was created so that you can be lewd with one
person.” Ian pulled her closer and kissed her lips. “Let me
know
as it’s over. I’m always ready.”
Laura hugged his neck tightly.
Ian whispered, “…whenever
you’re ready to be honest, let me know. I’m always ready
to listen to whatever concerns you have.”
Ian let her go and held her chin gently with his thumb and
index finger. “Whatever worries you might have, you need to
be honest with me. Okay?”
Laura instantly understood what her husband meant.
Gloom filled her face as she murmured, “I’m sorry.”
Ian shook his head. “I’ll wait for you.”
“Okay.”
Ian kissed her cheek once more and rose. “I wish you
would rest in bed, but if you must work, make sure not to
push yourself.”
Laura nodded. She was smiling, but she couldn’t meet his
eyes.
Ian announced, “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Yes. I’ll see you soon.”
Ian left her study.
 I’m pathetic. Finally alone, Laura slumped in her seat. He
knows everything. He knew that I was lying to hide how I really
felt. Yet he pretended not to notice… He suspected that something
was wrong, but he respected me enough to not say anything… He
trusts me.
Laura wanted to cry. Should I tell him the truth? Tell him that
my heart is breaking? That I hate myself? That I want to
disappear from this world?
Laura shook her head. No, I can’t. He sobbed uncontrollably
when he heard about my childhood. He’s more sensitive to pain
than I am. If he finds out howl feel, it will break him.
Laura became frustrated. She felt like she just swallowed a
bucket of lava. Unable to calm down, she left her study. After
putting on a coat and a hat from her dressing room, she went
outside.
Laura began walking aimlessly. She passed by the huge
garden, which took twenty minutes. She then proceeded
toward the forest. She could hear the cuckoo bird crying far
away. The rustling sounds of dry leaves in the wind
surrounded her.
The forest was a lonely place today. The trees looked bare
because most of the leaves had fallen. The air was chilly and
the sun was faint. Every time she stepped on the dead leaves,
Laura felt like she was stepping on corpses.
Bitterness seeped into Laura’s heart. If Ian was by her side,
she would’ve found this place romantic. She might even have
pictured snow, anticipating a white Christmas. But at the
moment, the quiet forest only reminded her of death. The
autumn forest was a place of loneliness and sadness as it
waited for the dead of the winter.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Laura made the mistake of
getting her hopes up for a happy future. Just as Dr. Mackenzie
warned, the disappointment was devastating.
What if we can never have children? What will happen to us?
Laura felt certain that Ian’s love for her would never
change. But if she couldn’t have a child, she felt like she
didn’t deserve it. A wife who couldn’t do her duty was
considered useless. She was unworthy to receive his love.
Laura covered her mouth as she burst into tears again. She
checked her pockets, but there was no handkerchief. She
came out in such a hurry that she forgot to bring one.
I’m such an idiot.
It was a small mistake, yet she became angry at herself.
Hopelessness dragged her down to the lowest point of her
life. Laura crouched on the ground in anguish.
I don’t think I’ll ever get pregnant. My body is ruined like a
rotten apple. I’m like a piece of meat that has gone bad… I’m…
useless.
She began wailing loudly. Laura hasn’t been able to cry out
loud while at home because she was afraid her husband might
find out. Alone in the forest, she let out all of her angst.
Just then, she heard rustling footsteps nearby. This path
was normally deserted, yet unfortunately, it seemed someone
was taking a walk today. Laura wiped away her tears and
looked up. She saw that a slim figure in a brown frock coat
was riding his brown horse toward her. To her confusion, it
looked like the horse was limping.
“Aunt Laura?”
It was Henry. Laura quickly rose and turned away from
him. Henry asked, “Are you hurt? Or did something happen?”
He was clearly concerned. Feeling embarrassed, she ran to
hide behind a giant tree. Her heart pounded nervously, but
thankfully, she couldn’t hear Henry getting any closer. She
tried to wipe her face, but she didn’t have a handkerchief. She
managed to wipe her eyes, but she was still covered in her
snot.
Laura had no choice but to ask for help. “Henry, could I
borrow your handkerchief?”
He slowly approached her. Laura felt him put something in
her pocket, and she realized that it was his handkerchief. She
heard Henry returning to where he was standing a moment
ago.
Laura wiped her nose, deciding that this might be one of
the most embarrassing moments of her life. Her voice cracked
as she apologized, “I don’t think I can return this to you right
now. I’m sorry.”
“You can keep it.”
Laura insisted, “I can’t do that, of course.
I’ll return it after washing and ironing it.”
“Of course, Aunt Laura. By the way…” Henry sighed before
asking, “Could it be that you had a row with Uncle Ian?”
 “Why would I have anything to fight about with a perfect
husband like him?”
“Then…?”
“It’s a personal matter. Please understand that I can’t tell
you.”
“Of course. I’m sorry I acted nosy.”
Laura leaned against the tree and asked, “By the way, what
brings you to Whitefield?”
“I… left my portfolio here the last time.”
“Ah.” Laura thought for a moment before answering, “I
think it’s being kept in Ian’s office. If you go there, Ian or
Noel will return it to you.”
“Thank you.”
“Ian was the one who stored it safely.
There’s no need for you to thank me.”
“Alright. I’ll take my leave now then.”
Laura heard Henry walking away. She guessed that he was
going to take another path to get to Whitefield Hall. She
sighed in relief when Henry called out, “Aunt Laura.”
He stopped walking away. Laura kept her back toward him
and waited quietly. Henry continued, “After the last time we
met, I couldn’t stop thinking about your compliments. Thank
you so much for all the kind words you said to me regarding
my work. If I had someone like you in Paris, I wouldn’t have
given up my dream to become an artist.”
“I’m envious of my uncle for marrying a woman like you.
If I were him, I wouldn’t hesitate to give up everything to
keep you by my side. Even if I became a beggar and lived in
poverty for the rest of my life, I would be happy as long as I
have a wife like you. After all, a man’s happiness depends on
having a good wife.”
Henry’s footsteps became distant again. Laura, who was
still hiding behind a tree, turned to see him walk away. He got
into his horse, which appeared to have a limp in its left leg.
Laura’s eyes filled with tears again as she watched him
disappear. Henry might not realize it, but what he said to her
just now was exactly what she needed. A baby was something
only God could give. But Laura still had the power to be a good
wife to her husband. She was far from being perfect, but she
believed that she could continue working on becoming the
wife Ian deserved. When that day arrived, Laura knew she
would finally feel worthy of receiving his love.
She buried her face in Henry’s handkerchief again. This
was the first time she felt like Henry was really her family.
 Side Story 34

Dear Henry,
Hello, Henry. I hope you’re doing well at Dunville Park.
Two days ago when we met in the forest, I continued to
walk for another hour after you left. When I returned home, it
was only then that I learned you didn’t drop by the house.
Naturally, I thought you had to have visited our home to leave
your injured horse in our stable and borrow one of our own. I
expected you to have borrowed our fastest and most
handsome horse Dewy.
I was very worried and saddened. Could it be that you
walked all the way home with your injured horse?
As your aunt, I can f help but scold you for this. I truly hope
you didn’t sacrifice your legs because of me that day. You
need to treasure your body now or else, you ’ll pay for it with
pain in thirty years.
Please come by Whitefield Hall sometime soon. Your uncle
misses you. I miss you too.
Take care.
From your aunt who worries about your knees.
P.S. I’m sending your handkerchief and portfolio back
along with this letter.
 I’ve had the handkerchief ironed stiff, so be careful not to
cut your lingers from the
P.P.S. I’m sure you already know, but you must keep what
you saw in that forest a secret from your uncle.
***
Dear Aunt La ura,
Hello, Aunt Laura. We’re in the middle of autumn now. I
hope the fantastic atmosphere of this season in Whitefield
has helped in consoling you.
Firstly, my portfolio and handkerchief arrived safely. I’m
so grateful for your thoughtfulness. You weren’t here, but I
almost felt the urge to bow as if you were. Thank you again.
It sounds like you are worried that I didn’t visit Whitefield
Hall the last time. It’s true that I was certainly worried for
you, but I didn’t sacrifice my knees for you, Aunt Laura. Let
me explain.
The brown horse you saw is my favorite horse Josephine.
She tripped in a ditch on our way to Whitefield that day. It
happened near the entrance of the forest, and I knew that I
needed to get her to Whitefield Hall for treatment. But only
after five minutes of walking, I could see that the poor thing
was in pain. I realized that it wasn’t going to be possible to
reach Whitefield Hall. I blamed myself for my stupidity, and I
was about to turn around to return home with Josephine. It
was then that I heard your voice, Aunt Laura.
After I left you, I left the forest. It seemed that God pitied
me and Josephine because we were shortly met by a farmer
who was returning home. He happened to have a large hay
wagon, and he was kind enough to let Josephine ride on it. We
returned to Dunville Park safely all the while enjoying the
farmer’s singing.
So as you can see, my knees remain perfectly intact,
ma’am. I was touched by how worried you sounded in the
letter, but you must stop immediately. I feel guilty to have
concerned you in this way.
I’ll visit Whitefield Hall as soon as possible. After all, I
must apologize to Uncle Ian for skipping his lessons. I would
also love to show you my other work.
I plan to keep showing you my work until you realize that
I, Henry Fairfax, is no artist. I believe that is the only way for
me to give up my passion, which has begun to burn again.
Until we meet again.
From Henry, a fraud artist who has become inspired by
your compliments
P.S. I contemplated very hard about bringing this up. Even
as I folded this letter and put it in an envelope, I told myself
that I should mind my own business. But just before I was
about to pour wax to seal it, my worry for you stopped me.
Aunt Laura, what made you cry so in the forest that day?
I know that there’s nothing I can do to help you with this
problem. There’s no way a greenhorn like me can fix
whatever is troubling you. But based on my experience, I
know that telling someone about one’s sadness helps a great
deal. Talking about a problem has the power to cut one’s
worry in half. So would it be possible for me to lend you my
ears?
I will wait for your reply. When we meet again, I won’t
mention this at all, of course. Your sadness will only remain
in our letters.
***
Dear Henry,
I’ve received your long and kind letter. I’m overjoyed to
hear that you’ll be visiting Whitefield Hall again. Your uncle
and I will always welcome you no matter what. We’ll be like
the kind old couple who always welcome their grandson with
open arms.
Henry, it’s no wonder what happened in the forest worried
you. After all, you’re a very thoughtful boy. As your aunt, my
heart warms to know that I have such a kind and caring
nephew. We haven’t known each other for long, but I’ve come
to love you just as much as I love George. I’ve always believed
that time is the key to developing love between family
members, but I suppose I was wrong.
Since you’re such a loving young man, I’m sure you’ll
understand that I can’t tell you about my problem. If you
don’t, I’ll be very upset. I would feel worse than how you feel
about my inability to confide in you.
Thank you again for thinking of me. I look forward to
seeing you in person instead of your letter, Henry.
From your Aunt Laura, who keeps busy making sure your
guest room always remains clean.
 P.S. I would love to see more of your work. You could bring
me a wagon full of your art and I would jump in joy.
But no matter how many of your pieces I see, there’s no
way I would doubt your talent. After all, I was able to tell what
a true artist you are just from a few of your works.
***
Dear Aunt,
Aunt Laura. It is late at night, but I am still unable to fall
asleep. My whole body is trembling anxiously, and my mind is
filled with confusion. I’m sure you can tell how rattled I am
from the shakiness of my writing.
Last evening, Uncle Ian brought me a box. Inside was a
worn bag, a Bible, a drawing case smudged with paints, and a
leatherbound portfolio.
As you might have guessed, they were belongings of your
late father Mr. Sheldon.
I have no memories of Mr. Sheldon. When he stayed in
Whitefield, I was a wee baby still sleeping in his crib. All I
know about your father is what I heard from Uncle Ian and my
parents. Everyone talked about him with love and respect as if
he was one of our old ancestors. Although I didn’t remember
him, he still felt very familiar to me.
This was the first time I saw Mr. Sheldon’s belongings,
including his paintings. Uncle Ian treasures them, which is
why he doesn’t show them to others often. He even kept it
from his favorite nephew until last night. I suspect that he
only allowed me to see it all thanks to you, Aunt Laura.
 I looked through them as if I was studying priceless relics,
and… Ah! Aunt Laura… Do you have any idea how inspired my
soul was by your father’s work?
My mind is singing dreamily as if it is drunk on wine. My
body is exhausted, but my consciousness is refusing to
succumb to sleep. Can you guess why? Ah… It’s because of the
burning passion, which I haven I felt in such a long time.
Aunt Laura, you already know that I’ve given up on my
dream. On the ship back to England, I’ve sworn to be faithful
to my reality. Art can no longer be my passion.
Yet as soon as I saw Mr. Sheldeon’s work, the dream I
buried away came back to me. I was shocked to realize that
my passion wasn’t dead. It was still alive and well.
And I… I… am dying to paint again!
Aunt Laura, I am desperate to return to the world of art. I
don’t want to paint as a hobby but as if my life depended on it.
I want to create a real masterpiece that takes days to
complete.
Yes, I know I can f do this. I can’t be both the head of
House Fairfax and a professional artist. I know this very well.
I’ve learned in Paris that the goddess of art expects her
artist to dedicate all of his soul to his passion. The goddess is
cruel and strict. She won’t accept you into her arms unless
you give all of yourself. Therefore, if I return to my passion, I
will have to dedicate my entire life to it.
Aunt Laura, I’m a pathetic man. I’m a coward, and I do not
know my place. Therefore,
 I cannot become an artist. While I stayed in Paris, I’ve
frequented hundreds of salons and art galleries to realize that
I have no talent. I haven’t forgotten the feeling of inadequacy
after witnessing thousands of true geniuses. I am nothing
more than an amateur who might have had a tiny bit of talent
as a child.
But even so… I am desperate to paint. What a terrible curse
this is! Why was I born at all?! Why did Uncle Ian teach me to
paint?! At this moment, I cannot help but resent him!
Aunt Laura, I need your help. Please scold me harshly.
Please tell me that I have no talent. Insist that I’m being
foolish to give up comfort and responsibilities to go after a
senseless dream.
I need you to save me.
Despera tely a waiting your reply,
Henry.
***
Aunt Laura.
I beg of you, please do not read the letter I sent ahead of
this. Please burn it and destroy its existence in this world. If
you read it, I’m going to evaporate from embarrassment. And
just like in Greek mythology, a plant would bloom from the
spot where I disappeared. Perhaps you’ll name it
“Humiliation. ”
Anyway, make sure to not open the letter I sent before
this!
 Side Story 35

My beloved nephew Henry,

Hello, Henry. This is your Aunt Laura. You must be exhausted
from being awake all night, so I hope you’ve replenished yourself
with plenty of naps today.
I’ve read both of the letters you sent. Samuel, the mailman,
told me that by the time Billy from Dunville Park gave him the
first letter, it was five o’clock in the morning.
The second letter was given to him three hours later.
This means that Billy had to walk back and forth the distance
of two hours twice in one morning. He wouldn’t be able to
complain about this, but I’m sure he’s very unhappy. If he spreads
a rumor about this, it will become much harder for Dunville Park
to hire any staff from nowon. So please make sure to thank Billy
properly and pay him handsomely for his trouble.
Anyway, I received two letters from you. And unfortunately, by
the time your second letter arrived, I had already read the first
one and was in the middle of writing a reply. As you already
know, the mornings in Whitefield begin very early.
I can imagine how desperate you must be feeling. You haven’t
already evaporated and disappeared from this earth, have you?
Please don’t, Henry. It would sadden me a great deal if you
become a mint plant like in Greek mythology.
Henry, let me be very clear. Your letters haven’t caused me to
become disappointed in you one bit. On the contrary, I love you
even more for being human. You’re twenty-four, and you’re
acting as such. Confusion about one’s path is a normal rite
ofpassage for all young people.
I remember a lady who was in a similar situation as you. She
was twenty-five, and she had just refused an excellent
gentleman’s proposal. She was very talented, but she was having
a hard time finding a way to overcome her reality. But do you
know what she did the year later? She crossed the vast ocean with
her lover to visit Asia!
Henry, I am unable to give you a clear answer about your
future. After all, that is your job, and yours only. You have asked
me to scold you and tell you that you’re talentless, but I cannot do
this either. It is not my place to do so, and it would be a complete
lie.
Lately, you have been bringing me a lot of your work from
your childhood. You pretended that it was to reminisce about the
time you spent with your uncle and how he taught you to draw.
But I know that your real intention was to prove to me that your
talent is mediocre. I didn’t say anything at the time, but I shall
confess my true feelings through this letter.
Henry, I saw Monet in his youth in your work.
I would love to talk to you about this in person. You’re
welcome to be honest about all of your worries. In return, I will
tell you about the artist Louis Sheldon, who disturbed your sleep
so terribly last nigh t.
I’ll wait for you with some freshly baked cookies. Until we
meet again.
From Laura S. Dalton, the daughter of a great artist Louis
Sheldon
P.S. I didn’t tell Ian about the contents of your last letters. I
know you didn’t mean it when you said you resented him. But I’m
not certain if you wish to hide your dilemma from him too.
If so, we shall keep your visit a secret as well. Your uncle won’t
be home tomorrow. He needs to go to the court to negotiate the
settlement with the construction company. Apparently, the
president of this company confessed after realizing how many
lawyers your uncle hired to fight him. I’m sure that this company
will go bankrupt after paying the settlement.
Anyway, your uncle will be out all day tomorrow, so you ’re
free to come.
P.P.S. From now on, you should not send any letters
immediately after writing them in the middle of the night.
A-A-A-
Beloved Aunt Laura,
Hello, Aunt Laura. It’s Henry.
I spent half the day with you yesterday, yet I’ve picked up my
pen already to write you another letter. I’m embarrassed to say
that I’m acting like Olivia. I was told that she has been behaving
like a duckling who imprinted on you as if you’re its mother. So I
shall remain as a human man Henry Fairfax. I’m sure you don’t
want two ducklings on your tail all the time.
I’m writing you this letter in order to show my appreciation.
Thanks to you, I have regained my calm and happiness.
I’m certain the memory of yesterday’s visit will remain with
me forever. You welcomed meso warmly, Aunt Laura, and after a
wonderful meal, we walked down the long gallery. You asked me
about my favorite artists and drawing style.
I became so excited that I chatted for hours. I’m embarrassed
about how much I talked yesterday. But you listened to me so
attentively. I can still see the kind smile on your face as you look
at me.
When the sun slowly began to set, we moved closer to a
fireplace. The comfortable sofa and the warmth from the Ere
allowed me to become even more honest.
I told you everything that was in my heart. I confessed my
confusion about my dream of becoming an artist. Just as you did
in the long gallery, you continued to listen to me even though I’m
sure I didn’t make any sense at all. I am a coward who ran away
from my dream, yet I still want to believe in my talent. I was
incorrigible, yet you didn’t judge me in any way.
When I poured my heart out, you offered me some tea. While I
drank the smooth black tea, you told me about two men who lived
their lives as true artists. One of them was Mr. Sheldon. He had
such a delicate talent, and he was a hard-working artist. Your
father left many masterpieces, but God took him away too early in
his life.
 You said that his life was a beautiful one. He had to give you
up because he didn’t have the money to raise you. He also died
before he was recognized. But you told me that the memories of
him painting still brought you great happiness.
As I listened to your stories, I thought about Mr. Sheldon’s
belongings. They were well-worn, and I could feel the hard life he
must’ve had. But none of his things looked shabby. I believe one’s
belongings resemble their user. Every single thing he left behind
was elegant, just as he must’ve been in his days.
You told me about another artist you admire. It was my uncle.
You explained that despite being faithful to his duties, Uncle Ian
never stopped drawing. Although he isn’t known to the world, you
believed him to be your own da Vinci.
You told me this afterward.
“These two artists I love have lived completely different lives.
One was a man of poverty while the other is a rich landlord. But
do you think one life was better than the other? I certainly don’t.
My father loved to paint, so he lived doing what he wanted. He
was a happy man. Ian, on the other hand, didn’t become a
professional artist. But he’s still very happy when he sketches.
One’s job is just a formality. What really matters is whether or not
you love what you do.”
At first, I couldn’t understand what you meant, Aunt Laura.
But as I contemplated, I realized that you were trying to give me
advice. You were telling me that even if I don’t become an artist,
art can still be a part of my life. Therefore, I should do what I want
and stop worrying about my profession.
 You’re absolutely right, Aunt Laura. Even if I don’t become a
professional artist, I’ll still be able to paint. I was finally able to
admit this truth through you.
Just now, I took out my art supplies from my childhood. I gave
away all the expensive paints and brushes to my friends in Paris
before I left. The colors of the old paints I have are cloudy. I don’t
have many varieties either. The cheap brushes I have are still stiff
even though I put them in water. But even so, I’m going to use
these things to paint after I finish this letter. I’m going to draw to
my heart’s content.
It is autumn outside, but my heart is as green as the summer
leaves. Just like goddess Demeter, you have brought the lively
season back in my heart.
I’ll visit you again very soon. I’ll bring you my new paintings,
of course. But this time, it won’t be to make you doubt my talent.
Instead, I’ll be looking for praise and compliments. Goddess
Demeter, please applaud me on my effort.
I love you as much as I love my paints and brushes.
From your nephew Henry Fairfax
P.S. Before I seal this letter, there’s one more thing I would like
to confess. I can’t tell you the details, but I have gone through
something very painful not too long ago. It has left me with the
biggest scar in my life, and I thought that I would never be able to
trust a woman again.
But after spending half a day with you, I’ve regained my trust
in the fairer sex. I realized that since you’re a woman, there
should be no need to doubt your gender. You have proven to me
that there are women in this world who would dedicate their lives
to save confused men such as myself. You are the hope for all
mankind, Aunt Laura.
***
Beloved Goddess Demeter,
Hello, Aunt Laura. You were suffering from a head cold when I
visited you last week.
I hope you feel better now. Please forgive me for not being able
to visit you in person.
George’s governess ran away again, so I am burdened to teach
him Greek until my mother finds a new teacher. I’ve decided that
it would be easier to teach a chicken than this young boy, but I
must admit that I treasure the time I spend with him. The truth is,
I’ve never spent this much time with George before.
The only thing I’m worried about is that George forgets things
very easily even if it’s something simple. It’s as if his brain is
made of rubber. He’ll have to attend public school in two years,
which means I must teach him English history and the basics of
the Greek language by then.
Without it, he won’t be able to catch up to other students.
I was told that you were a talented governess when you
worked in Dunville Park.
Would you by chance offer me a few pieces of advice regarding
George’s education?
I’ll await your reply. Take care.
From Henry, a temporary tutor who resents your head cold
 P.S. I’m sending you a painting I completed recently. It is of
you sitting by a fireplace.
 Side Story 36

Dear Artist Henry Fairfax,

Hello, Henry. Thank you for your letter. And thank you for
worrying about my head cold. I’m almost fully recovered now,
which is a huge relief. The staff at Whitefield Hall has been trying
their best not to laugh at my nasal voice.
The painting you sent me was much appreciated, Henry.
Thank you so much. I look like a goddess in your art, so I felt like it
didn’t really look like me. But I could feel your love for your aunt,
so it warmed my heart. I’m sure it will bring me even greater joy
later on when I am old and frail. It will give me a chance to
reminisce about my younger days in the most beautiful light.
As for George’s education, there isn’t much to it. Just do not try
to keep him seated at a desk. If he’s forced to sit still, his brain
turns off as if he can’t see, hear, or speak.
George is a special boy. His body is shockingly well-developed.
When he runs, rolls, and hangs down from something, I can see
him become a great spoilsman. He could be a genius dancer or a
talented boxer.
If you want to teach him Greek verbs, you must have him write
them on the ground. He must be in constant motion. If you want
to teach him about the Tudors, try reenacting the most vicious
battle of the War of Roses. I’m sure George will remember every
part of it.
As I write this, I’m beginning to realize that merely describing
these techniques isn’t going to be enough. I’ll visit Dunville Park
sometime this week, so let’s try to help George together. I have a
lot of spare time nowadays. Your uncle has been busy visiting
various railway construction sites, mines, sawmills, and quarries
that belong to House Dalton. They’re scattered all over Yorkshire.
After what happened in Barnsley, he must’ve felt the need to pay
more attention to his businesses.
I’ll visit as soon as I’m fully recovered from my cold. So please
endure it until then. If you tell George that his aunt is going to
visit him soon with freshly baked cookies, he’ll act more obedient.
See you soon.
From Aunt Laura, who can’t wait to see her adorable nephews
***
My most beloved Aunt Laura,
How have you been, Aunt Laura? It’s George’s tutor Henry.
The days are becoming colder, so I hope you’re keeping yo urself
warm.
Things couldn’t be anymore peaceful at Dunville Park.
George’s study room has especially become very quiet. George and
I used to scream and fight in here, but no more. It’s all because we
no longer use this room at all.
After you visited four days ago, I’ve mastered the best
technique to teach George. I must take him outside to run and
teach while he’s in constant motion. Oh, and I must always praise
him about everything.
All I did was what you suggested, yet I’ve already been
successful in teaching him several dozens of Greek verbs. George
finally knows the difference between the Lancaster and York
families. Not only that, he also memorized the summary of the
War of Roses that lasted thirty years.
I thought I couldn’t respect you anymore than I already did,
but my admiration for you has grown much since your last visit.
How could you be so wise, Aunt Laura? I’m very grateful that I get
to ask for advice from someone like you whenever I wish.
Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to teach George
anything. Such a failure would’ve destroyed our brotherly love as
well. But now, I am having a wonderful time with my little
brother, and it is all thanks to you.
After learning that Uncle Ian is often absent from Whitefield
Hall, George asked me to visit you sometime soon. Would you
mind? I would like to teach him about Henry VIII and Elizabeth I’s
governing style there. If the three of us reenact it like we did four
days ago, I’ll bet George would master it in a few hours.
I’ll await your answer. Please take care until we meet again.
Your fan and believer,
Henry.
P.S. Inside the box I sent along with this letter is a hair comb. I
was walking by a store with George when I saw it. We were
buying them for Mother and Olivia, so we thought to get you one
too. It’s made of colored glass. It only cost me a few shillings, so
please don’t feel burdened by it.
A-A-A-
Mrs. Fairfax looked down at the archshaped hair comb her
oldest son gave her. It was adorned with small pieces of green
and blue colored glasses, making it look like a peacock with
its wings wide open.
She said in an unimpressed voice, “I can’t believe it. You
brought me a gift.”
Henry smiled and replied, “I happened to see it in a shop.”
“But it’s too extravagant. I won’t be able to wear it daily.”
Henry’s smile wilted. “I guess I failed with Mother’s gift.
But how about you, Olivia? What do you think? You like
extravagant things.”
Olivia, who was sitting next to her mother, studied the red
hair comb before shaking her head. “It looks cheap. It’s
obvious it was made of colored glasses. I wouldn’t be able to
wear it to any public events.”
“It looks cheap?” asked Henry.
Olivia got the hair comb closer to the lamp light. “See? It
obviously looks very different from a real jewel.”
“Just wear it at home then.”
“I can’t do that either. Maids nowadays have good eyes.
They will know instantly if I’m wearing something fake.”
“Then just keep it in the drawer. You’re such a picky girl.”
“Ah, are you upset?” Olivia giggled.
 Henry scratched his head with an annoyed look. “Tsk, it’s
so hard to buy a gift for women.
Mrs. Fairfax put the hair comb back in the box and
announced, “Thank you, Henry. But next time, I would prefer
money instead.”
“Sure, of course.” Henry pouted, but he wasn’t
disappointed. Knowing his mother, he never expected much
from her anyway.
Mrs. Fairfax was known to be a very indifferent woman.
She was this way even to her eldest son. She never doted on
her children. Although she was never cold to them, she was
generally very indifferent. Henry had given up being adored
by his mother a long time ago.
For some reason, Olivia carefully put the hair comb back in
the box and rewrapped it with the ribbon. She explained,
“Henry, is it okay if I give this to a friend? Lydia has been so
annoying bragging about how her brother became rich from
their great aunt’s inheritance. I’m going to give this to her as
her birthday gift.”
Henry turned toward his mother. “Mother, don’t you think
it’s time for Olivia to grow up? She’s almost old enough to get
married now, yet she still talks like she’s twelve years old.”
Olivia pouted. “Hmph, you’re the one who should learn
better taste in jewelry, Henry.”
Olivia shook the gift box at her brother and continued,
“Because this gift is terrible. If you want to capture a
woman’s heart, you need to be better at this. If you don’t have
good taste, at least learn to spend more money!”
“Geez, what an arrogant girl you are…”
Mrs. Fairfax scolded her children, “Stop, you two. Both of
you. You’re embarrassing our whole family in front of the
staff.”
She shivered a little before tightening her fox fur shawl
around her. “I didn’t feel this cold around this time last year,
so I wonder what’s wrong with me.”
Olivia, who had been arguing with her brother, patted her
mother’s arms to help warm up. She offered, “Do you want
me to ask the maid to get you some hot tea, Mother?”
“It’s alright. Henry, please ask the servant to get more
logs for the fireplace.”
Henry rose and summoned a servant. When the fire began
to burn even brighter, the room warmed up quickly. Olivia
diligently massaged her mother’s cold hands. She used to be a
selfish girl, but she has matured a great deal recently.
Although she grew up in a wealthy family, it appeared that
she couldn’t escape the fate of having a fragile mother.
Meanwhile, Henry stared at the fire. He mumbled, “…I
wonder if Aunt Laura would hate it too…”
“What? Did you send one to Aunt Laura too, Henry?”
Olivia jolted.
“Yes.”
Olivia sighed and shook her head. “Do you have any idea
how many priceless jewels House Dalton has?!”
 Henry turned to his mother. “Is this true?”
“Of course,” Mrs. Fairfax replied. “They have all the jewels
they’ll ever want in this world. If they pile them up, it should
be enough to create a small hill. But I think Laura keeps all of
them in the safe in the bank.”
Olvia groaned in envy. “If it was me, I would wear different
ones every day and open a ball to show it off.”
“You’ll probably end up losing them so that the staff can
steal them. Laura is wise. Jewels are best kept safe in the
bank.”
Olivia continued to massage her mother’s hands and
grumbled, “But it’s such a waste not to use them.”
“I’m sure a shallow girl like you would never understand.”
“Tsk.” Olivia clicked her tongue and turned away from her
mother. But even so, she never stopped massaging Mrs.
Fairfax’s hands.
Just then, Henry stood up suddenly. “I’m going to go to
Whitefield Hall for a quick visit.”
Mrs. Fairfax muttered, “That’s not a quick visit. It takes
two hours just to get there and come back.”
“But I need to go. There’s an urgent matter I need to
attend to.” Henry walked out of the room.
“Hmm… I guess he’s embarrassed about his meager gift.
He had no idea that his aunt was a woman of wealth,” Mrs.
Fairfax murmured.
“Olivia, what’s wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?”
 “You have the look of an investigator on your face. Are you
planning to become a female Sherlock Holmes?”
“Of course not. When did I…” Olivia protested.
“Just tell me what you were thinking about just now.”
Olivia groaned and crossed her arms. “Mom, don’t you
think Henry has been frequenting Whitefield Hall too often?”
Mrs. Fairfax answered, “Henry has always visited his uncle
often since he was little.”
“No, you’re wrong. Until George’s tutor ran away, Henry
had been visiting Whitefield Hall at least three times a week.
He would spend most of the day there. But every time he
visited was the day when Uncle Ian was out to look around his
businesses. So why do you think Henry goes to Whitefield Hall
when our uncle’s not even here? It’s to spend time with Aunt
Laura.”
“Geez, you’re a regular Sherlock Holmes, aren’t you?”
Mrs. Fairfax said sarcastically.
But Olivia remained serious. She certainly looked like a
private investigator who just found an important piece of
evidence. She continued, “The strangest thing happened
when Aunt Laura visited us last Saturday with some cookies.
When we were in the reception hall, he couldn’t take his eyes
off her! He looked drunk. So what do you think he was drunk
on? Was it wine, or was it…
“What?”
“I’ll bet it’s forbidden love”
 Side Story 37

Mrs. Fairfax blinked a few times before bursting into

laughter. It has been a long time since she laughed this hard.
Her arthritis has been acting up so badly lately that she rarely
smiled nowadays.
Olivia protested, “Mom, don’t laugh! This is serious! This
might be a scary love triangle involving our two families.”
“Sure, it sounds very scary indeed. But Olivia, I’m begging
you. Please stop reading those trashy romantic novels.
Especially those French novels like Therese Raquin and Les
Liaisons Dangereuses, which are making you imagine immoral
delusions.”
“You don’t have to believe me, but I’m certain of it. Henry
has fallen in love with Aunt Laura.”
“Just because he stared at her a little? Olivia, I stare at
Laura from time to time too. She’s such a beautiful woman
after all. She’s slim and lovely. But does that mean I’ve fallen
in forbidden love with her? If I had, I would’ve poisoned Ian
before they got married and adopted her. Then, I would’ve
made her take a bath with me every night.”
“Stop making disgusting jokes and interfere with my
reasoning!” Olivia huffed in frustration. “Be serious, Mom.
This is a grave problem if there’s even a tiny possibility of it.
Frankly, I believe it’s a very likely scenario. Aunt Laura is
pretty and kind. She’s elegant and attentive, which means she
has everything any man would ever want. So there’s no way
Henry would’ve been able to resist her. She may be his aunt
on paper, but it’s not like he saw her since childhood. It’s
understandable that he can’t accept Aunt Laura as a relative.”
Olivia pulled on her hair, which she took great effort to
style that morning. She exclaimed, “Ah, what if Henry loses
control?! The worst thing that ever happened in history will
happen!”
“You mean Ian will kill Henry?”
“No! Henry’s going to kidnap Aunt Laura to Paris!”
Mrs. Fairfax couldn’t believe her ears.
“Jesus Christ. I know you were never fond of Henry, but
how could you think so little of him?”
“Because love can make people do reckless things! Look at
Uncle Ian. Before he married Aunt Laura, he threatened to kill
himself when she refused his proposal. He lived in some dusty
storage just to get a glimpse of her before contracting
tuberculosis. Henry resembles Uncle Ian a lot. You said so
yourself. Henry is just like Uncle Ian minus the temper.”
Mrs. Fairfax clicked her tongue. “Listen, Miss Holmes. You
might think you’re being smart here, but there’s one
important thing you forgot. Henry can never be a rascal like
that. He may be twenty-four, but his heart is like that of an
eleven-year-old girl who wants to live in a flower garden
forever. When he was little, he cried for a whole week when a
stray cat ate his pet beetle. Even as a grown man now, he’s
still unable to go near your father’s workshop where all the
dead animals are. He’s fragile and full of sympathy. Like you
said, he’s just like Ian.”
Olivia became excited as she replied, “Yes! Exactly! Henry
is just like Uncle Ian. And as I said, when Uncle Ian was trying
to court Aunt Laura…”
“Yes, yes. I know he went mad. He had completely lost his
mind. But he didn’t hurt a hair on Laura’s body, did he? I’ll
bet Henry is just like that. You think he’ll kidnap Laura to
Paris? Ha! That would never happen. In fact, I’ll bet the
probability of you kidnapping Laurato Paris is higher.”
“Why would I kidnap Aunt Laura?” Olivia asked in
confusion.
“You always tell me that you want to live with your aunt.
You want to sleep in the same bed with her and monopolize
her. You even said that you would’ve proposed to her if you
were a man.”
“That’s…!”
“You have no idea how thankful I am that you aren’t a boy.
If you were Oliver Fairfax instead of Olivia, you would’ve
pushed your uncle down the cliff and kidnapped Laura to
marry her. Hmm… Perhaps you’re suspicious of Henry
because you’re projecting your own obsession over Laura on
him. You’re imagining what you would’ve liked to do if you
were Henry. You’re blaming him now because
subconsciously, you want to deny your own immoral desire
for Laura.”
“Mom, you teased me for acting like Sherlock Holmes. But
it sounds like you’re pretending to be Freus.”
“You mean Freud?”
“Whatever!”
“You need to learn to say people’s names properly. Can
you imagine how upset Dr. Freud would be if he thought you
called him by the wrong name?”
“Anyway, don’t overlook my theory, Mom. There’s
something Henry is hiding deep in his heart. If he loses
control, it would be too late. If Henry steals away Aunt Laura,
I’ll never forgive him!”
Mrs. Fairfax looked up at the sky and shouted, “Ah, God!
My daughter is suffering from a forbidden love. Please purify
her soul and help her spend her valuable time on something
useful instead of wasting it!”
Upset that her mother was teasing her mercilessly, Olivia
rose and left the room in frustration. Mrs. Fairfax laughed for
a long time. She thought quietly. Henry in love with Laura? Not
a chance, because there’s another woman in his heart already.
Once she was able to stop laughing, Mrs. Fairfax spread a
velvet cloth on the table. Picture Henry in her mind, she
shuffled her cards before aligning them in an intricate pattern
on the table. Soon, she could see a part of Henry’s heart
through the cards.
 At the moment, Mrs. Fairfax could tell that her eldest son
was unhappy. There was a dark shadow over his heart, which
caused him to suffer from depression. When she looked
harder at the cards, she saw that it was because of a woman.
Mrs. Fairfax stared at the card that showed the queen sitting
on a golden throne.
This queen in a fancy dress indicated that this mysterious
woman appeared in Henry’s life about a year ago.
That means that whatever happened happened in Paris. It’s
obvious he still can’t forget this woman. Because why else would
he feel so hurt by her?
Mrs. Fairfax decided that Henry must’ve lost his heart to
this queen on the throne. So far, her eldest son has kept his
past a secret except for Ian. The pain was still too fresh, and
he was so mortified by the experience that he couldn’t tell
anyone else about it.
Since Mrs. Fairfax had no idea what happened in Paris, it
was understandable she assumed that Henry was in love with
Celine.
I wonder what kind of woman she is. The cards tell me that
she caused him an illness, but Henry is adamant he didn’t
contract any sexual disease. So are the cards talking about the
illness of the heart? Is Henry doing opium to forget this woman or
something?
Mrs. Fairfax shook her head. But if he can’t forget her, why
doesn’t he just bring her here from Paris? Or just go there and live
with her? His uncle risked his life to win the love of his life, so why
won’t Henry do the same? Geez, I guess he isn f like Ian after all.
Hmph.
Mrs. Fairfax shuffled the cards again. She regularly
checked to see if there were children in Ian and Laura’s
future. Even as she placed the cards on the table, she didn’t
get her hopes up. Every time she looked into this matter, the
answer always seemed very vague. It was as if the future was
still very uncertain.
But today, Mrs. Fairfax was shocked to see that she was
allowed a tiny glimpse into the future. She jolted when she
saw the cards. She covered her mouth and rolled her eyes as
she muttered, “Geez, Ian is going to be over the moon very
soon.”
***
“Mrs. Dalton, Master Henry from Dunville Park has
arrived,” a maid announced.
Laura, who was engrossed in her translation work in her
study, looked up. “Henry is here?”
She rose and checked herself in the mirror on the wall
nearby. Not a single strand of stray hair escaped her head, and
her green dress with puffed sleeves remained unwrinkled.
The white shawl over her shoulders looked spotless too.
Satisfied that she looked presentable, Laura nodded.
“Please have him come in.”
Henry entered shortly. With a wide smile on her face,
Laura greeted, “Welcome, Henry.”
“I’m not interrupting your work, am I?”
 “Of course not. I was thinking about taking a break just
about now.” Laura ushered him to the sofa in front of the
fireplace. Henry sat on the small single sofa while Laura sat
on the settee. She ordered the maid to bring them some tea
and refreshment.
“So I heard your lessons for George have been going well.
Is that true?” asked Laura.
Henry clasped his hands and nodded. His expression
suggested that he was more comfortable here than in his own
home in front of his mother.
Laura continued, “You’re free to visit Whitefield Hall any
time. George too, of course. I’m certain this place will make
just as good of a playground for him as Dunville Park. Besides,
I’m sure this is a good time for George to visit.”
“Because Uncle Ian isn’t here often nowadays?”
Laura smiled. “Exactly.”
“Geez, I don’t understand why George is so afraid of him.”
“It can’t be helped. You know how strict Ian is with George
and Daniel.”
“It’s because Daniel and George played with matches in an
abandoned cabin in the woods, isn’t it?”
Laura answered, “Yes. Unfortunately, it was a very dry
autumn day when they did this. The fire engulfed the entire
cabin and about three hundred yards of the forest too. If there
wasn’t that miraculous rain that very day, they suspect that
up to thirty thousand yards might have been damaged. I was
told that the fire was particularly vicious.”
 “I was in school at the time, so I don’t know much about it.
I guess it makes sense that Uncle Ian, who had been so easy-
going until then, turned strict.”
“But even so, I think Ian goes too far sometimes. George
trembles whenever Ian is around.” Laura sighed unhappily.
“If those boys had someone to control them, they would’ve
never done something so dangerous. Both George and Daniel
are smart and good boys. You know that, don’t you?”
Henry smiled and nodded. As he chatted with Laura, his
heart warmed as if he was resting on a soft blanket after a
long hard day. He felt safe when he was with her.
 Side Story 38

Henry’s first impression of Laura Dalton turned out to be an

accurate one. She was indeed a kind, wise, and warm lady who
was thoughtful and ethical. Whenever he was with her, Henry
felt like his soul was purified with clean water. His heart,
which had been damaged badly, healed in her presence.
Laura’s gentle nature shined on him, allowing him to
forget the memory of being abused in the past. With her,
Henry felt cheerful like a sunflower blooming on a beautiful
summer day.
And often, there was an odd flutter in his heart when he
was with Laura. At first, it only happened when he was
physically with her. But now, just the thought of her had this
strange effect on him. Although he had never felt this way
about anyone before, Henry could easily guess what this
meant.
A maid arrived in the study with a tray of refreshments.
Once she set the table, Henry poured some milk into his
aunt’s cup, the way Ian usually did. Laura accepted his
gesture without hesitation. There was a time when she felt
awkward around Henry, but no more. She felt comfortable
because now, she saw him as family just like her other niece
and nephews.
“Aunt Laura, I’m here for something.”
“What is it, Henry?”
“I want to get the hair comb back from you. The one I sent
you as a gift recently.”
Laura blinked. “That hair comb? Why?”
“I wasn’t thinking straight when I sent it to you. How
could I have given a cheap crude item to such a noble and
elegant lady like you, Aunt Laura?! I feel ashamed because
I’ve insulted you. So I would like to have it back.”
“Do you have another use for it?”
“No. I’ll just take care of it. I’ll throw it away or give it to
one of the little girls in the village.”
“Unless you have an important use for it, I would rather
keep it. Especially if you intend to throw it away.”
Henry protested, “You don’t have to force yourself to keep
it. There’s no need to be considerate of me. I’m certain you
don’t like that comb, and possessing a cheap glass accessory
like that will only bring your standard down.”
“I don’t have much of a standard. And my standard isn’t
so fragile that it can be brought down just because of a glass
hair comb. Most importantly, I like this comb.”
“You… like it?”
“Of course. Here, have a look.”
Laura turned her head a little, showing off the shiny comb
that adorned her hair. It was the shape of an ocean wave filled
with different shades of blue glass.
When Henry became speechless, Laura continued, “I
thought it looked very pretty, and when I tried it on, I realized
that it suited me very well too. Thank you, Henry. I’ll always
treasure it.”
“…My mother didn’t like hers. Olivia didn’t approve of
hers either. Are you sure you like it? They told me that it’s the
kind of cheap accessory even the maids would laugh at. Are
they right?”
“Well, I like it. Its color is very refreshing, and it has such a
unique shape that’s easy to use. Most importantly, I love it
because you bought it for me, Henry. I’m sure you put a lot of
thought into it.”
Henry slumped, his ears turning bright red.
Laura added, “You must’ve been upset because your
mother and sister didn’t like theirs. I suppose you were afraid
I might be disappointed too. But you didn’t fail with this gift,
Henry. Not with me, at least. So please let me keep this hair
comb.”
“…Of course. If that’s what you wish, then… please keep it.
And…” Henry rummaged through his pocket to bring out a
small box wrapped in blue velvet ribbon. It was a flat black
box that was a little bigger than his palm.
He offered it to Laura. “Please take this too.”
“What is it?”
44 »
 “We haven’t even had our first snow yet, but it already
feels like Christmas. I’m too old to be receiving a gift from
Santa Claus, and I wasn’t very good this year either. So what
could this be?”
Laura joked as she unwrapped the ribbon. When she
opened the box, the smile on her face disappeared. Inside was
a silver bracelet with tiny diamond pieces that adorned
several sapphire stones like flower petals. She knew instantly
that this wasn’t a fake. It was an expensive piece of jewelry.
She closed the box, her face filled with confusion. “I don’t
know why you brought this for me, but I can’t accept it,
Henry.”
Henry, who still kept his head down, slowly looked up.
There was desperation in his eyes as he begged, “Please
accept it.”
“No, I can’t.”
Henry clenched his fists. “When I found out that you have
a pile of priceless jewels, I felt mortified…! I couldn’t believe
that I gave you such a cheap glass piece… Aunt Laura, please
accept this gift. It’s something I can afford easily. I’m the
future head of Dunville Park after all!”
“I’m not refusing this to belittle you. I can’t accept it
because I’m a married woman. I cannot have a man other
than my husband give me a gift like this. I suppose it’s
unreasonable to consider you a man in the first place but
still…”
 Laura suddenly became confused when she spotted how
Henry’s black eyes filled with tears. It wasn’t long before he
began to cry. Even worse, there was a terribly hurt expression
on his face. He looked like a child who was scorned by his
parents. He looked so sad that for a second, Laura wondered if
she made the wrong decision to refuse the gift.
Henry put the gift box back in his pocket. He wiped away
his tears with his handkerchief, but soon, he began to sob
uncontrollably. Laura remembered how shocked she was
when she saw her husband cry before. She was surprised
again by witnessing Henry, a grown young man, wail openly
in front of her.
Henry,” Laura called out to him calmly.
What’s wrong? I understand that you
must be upset. It’s disappointing to have one’s gift
refused. But this isn’t really a big deal.”
“I…I’m sorry, A…Aunt Laura…” Henry couldn’t even speak
properly. He buried his face in his handkerchief.
Thinking she should console him, Laura reached out for
his trembling shoulders. But right before her hand touched
him, she jolted.
A voice inside her head warned her. Do not touch this man!
Laura quickly pulled back, her heart pounding ominously.
She thought in confusion. Wait… Did I call Henry a man just
now…?
She stared at him, suddenly remembering the day when
they first met. Henry had asked her about where she lived,
and he had looked at her longingly as if he had fallen in love.
Could it be… Laura shook her head. No, it can’t be… I’m
sure what he felt for me before is all in the past. Henry and I,
we…
Laura tried to rationalize the situation, but she couldn’t
make herself reach out to Henry. She was afraid that if she
touched her nephew now, something unthinkable might
happen.
After sobbing for a long time, Henry finally began to calm
down. He wiped his face, and Laura couldn’t help but notice
how red his cheeks and eyes had turned.
“Aunt Laura.”
“…Yes, Henry.” Laura sounded exhausted as if she was the
one who cried just now.
“I’m sorry. I… I can’t hide it anymore… I… am in love with
you, Aunt Laura.”

“I tried to hide my feelings. I had decided that I’d keep them a

secret until my dying day. But… I can’t take it anymore. My
love for you grows every day, but I am forced to pretend to be
a good nephew… I’ve been lying to you all this time…! I don’t
understand why I feel this way… I’m not a bad man… I wish
God would just put me out of my misery right now! ”
Henry began sobbing again in his handkerchief. Laura
moaned quietly. She was sitting down, but she felt dizzy. It
was as if someone threw a bomb at her, that bomb being
Henry. He was supposed to be the nephew she and Ian love
and protect.
Laura wanted to cry too. She couldn’t believe what was
happening right in front of her eyes. What Henry was feeling
was immoral. His love for her was a sin.
But she couldn’t scold the young man. The way he was
crying indicated that he was in a desperate situation. He even
confessed that he wanted to die right now. Therefore, the first
thing Laura needed to do was to comfort him. Knowing Henry
was just like Ian, things could become even more serious if
she reprimanded him right now.
“Henry.” Still feeling weak, Laura called out his name in a
clear voice. “You know very well that you and I are family. I
am your aunt, and you’re my nephew. You must not feel this
way about me.”
Henry sniffled and nodded.
“So let’s just forget this ever happened. I will pretend that
it never happened, and you’ll forget about it too. You can do
that much for your uncle, can’t you?”
“Aunt Laura…”
Henry looked up, and to Laura’s confusion, his eyes filled
with tears again. It was obvious he was about to begin sobbing
once more.
 Side Story 39

Henry whispered, “I want to die whenever I see Uncle Ian. I

feel so guilty. How could I feel these emotions about my
uncle’s wife?! All this time, I’ve been pretending to be an
obedient nephew, but I…”
“Indeed, you shouldn’t be having these feelings. I know
you love your uncle, so…”
But it seemed that Henry was so overwhelmed with his
emotions that he couldn’t even hear her. He interrupted her
and begged, “Aunt Laura, what should I do? I dream of you
every single night. I can’t stop reading your letters. My
sketchbook is filled with the drawings of you. So what can I do
to stop? What should I do to escape these sinful thoughts?”
Laura sighed. How should I know?
Henry looked like a sinner begging God for forgiveness. As
if Laura was a saintess, he implored for an answer.
Laura suggested, “Henry, you need to calm down first.
Nothing will resolve if you keep crying like this.”
Henry nodded and swallowed his sobs. His shoulders
shook, and Laura gazed at him with great sadness. What
Henry felt was shockingly sinful, but she still pitied him for
falling in love with someone he could never have.
 Henry kept reminding her of her own husband. They were
both men who became helpless when it came to love. Perhaps
Henry inherited his romantic side from Ian.
Laura continued, “Henry, you should go back home now.
We both need time to calm down. Go home and get control
over your emotions. I’m still in shock, so I need to be alone
for a moment. I’ll think of a way to help you out. We’re
family, and I really want to help you, of course. Let’s work on
this together.”
Her smooth voice helped calm him down. He sniffled and
wiped his face. With his reddened cheeks, there was an odd
innocence to him. Laura was nothing like the abusive woman
Henry met in Paris, so all she felt for him was sympathy.
Once Henry calmed down, Laura finally realized that her
head was throbbing. It was a normal reaction because she was
prone to headaches whenever she was placed in a stressful
situation.
I just can’t believe that Henry… Goodness, this can’t be
happening. Laura sighed again. She suddenly felt resentment
toward her nephew who was reckless enough to confess his
feelings for her. But she couldn’t dump her own chaotic
emotions on him at the moment. The first thing she needed to
do was send the child home, especially since Henry seemed
like he was standing at the edge of a cliff.
Laura still felt responsible for Henry as his aunt. He may
not see her as his family, and he may have betrayed his uncle
by confessing his feelings for her. But nothing could change
the fact that Henry was her nephew.
I’m sure Ian wouldn I want Henry to suffer either. Laura
thought in silence, deciding that she was protecting her
husband by protecting Henry.
Once Henry was calm, he glanced at Laura nervously. “I’m
sorry, Aunt Laura.”
Laura shook her head. “It’s never easy to control one’s
emotions. It was the same for me and your uncle too.”
“You too?”
“Indeed. I guess you don’t know, but it was me who
proposed to your uncle. Love turned me into an unladylike
woman. So I understand how you feel.” Laura gave him a
gentle smile.
Henry stared at his aunt. Objectively speaking, his
drawings of Laura looked much more beautiful than she
really was in person. But this was how Henry saw her. She was
the loveliest woman he had
ever seen.
When she noticed how Henry was gazing at her, Laura
quickly erased the smile off her face. As if she was an elderly
woman, she scolded him. “That doesn’t mean that what you
did was right. Your feelings need to be handled. Go home,
Henry. Your mother must be waiting for you.”
“I’ll visit again later.” Henry’s ears turned red as he ran
out of the study.
***
 After Henry left, Laura went to her room and rested in bed
until evening. She was so dizzy that she couldn’t even sit up.
The aftermath of the shocking event finally caught up to her.
I can I believe Henry has feelings for me… Laura covered her
face with both of her hands. Henry was her family now. He
was supposed to be an adorable nephew like George. In fact,
she was ready to accept him as her son.
Henry comforted her when she found out she wasn’t
pregnant. In his letters, he showed great respect for her
father Louis Sheldon, and he shared his troubles with her. He
asked for her advice, and they spent much time building a
close relationship. Laura was beginning to feel very
affectionate toward him,
But it turned out that while she considered him her son,
Henry had been seeing her as a woman.
It would’ve been so much better if he had kept his feelings
secret. For himself, and for both me and Ian too. Laura thought
in devastation. The thought of Ian made her feel even weaker
because she was reminded of the fact that Henry had betrayed
his uncle. If Ian found out that his nephew saw his wife as a
woman, he was going to be hurt. It was possible that Ian
might never recover from the shock.
These thoughts made Laura feel dizzy even though she
was lying down.
Ian has treasured Henry since childhood.
If he finds out, he s going to be so sad.
 Laura became terrified. She knew that the right thing to do
was to tell her husband everything. As his wife, she had the
duty to always be truthful to him. This was what she swore to
do when they got married.
But she wanted to avoid hurting Ian even if she had to sin.
If she dealt with Henry on her own, Ian would never have to
find out about what happened.
But if I don’t tell Ian, I would be betraying him. I would be
Henry’s accomplice. Ahh, what should I do?
Laura groaned. She tossed and turned, unable to find a
comfortable position as if the bed was made of thorny
branches. She couldn’t be sure how much time had passed. It
was pitch black inside the bedroom, so she rose and lit a
single candle. After taking a few sips of water, she lay down
on the bed again and leaned her head against the headboard.
Thank goodness Ian’s not home today. It would’ve been
too hard for me to act normal in front of him.
Ian had left home that morning to visit the steel mill in
Sheffield. Laura expected him to return home around
tomorrow morning, which meant that she was going to get at
least one day to figure out what she should do.
Laura shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Just then,
she realized that she had been clenching and unclenching her
right hand. She hadn’t noticed it earlier, but her fingers were
aching.
Now that I think about it, they’ve been throbbing even
before Henry came to visit today…
 Laura massaged her hand and looked out the window. The
faint moonlight shone on the pine tree, but all she could see
was just a faint outline of it. It must’ve been very windy
outside because the tree was shaking visibly.
About half an hour later, she heard the pitter-patter of the
raindrops outside the window. For some reason, the night
reminded her of her uncle. Gerald Pendleton was the animal
who left her with the pain in her hand that was never going to
go away. It had been many years since he hurt her, but Laura
still couldn’t forget the moment.
The thought of her uncle disgusted her. She barely stopped
herself from cursing out loud. Maybe I’m coming down with
something. I feel nauseous from just thinking about him.
Laura took a few deep breaths before sipping more water.
Once her stomach calmed down, she curled up in bed. The
sound of the loud raindrops was so noisy that it bothered her.
She kept her ears wide open and contemplated. She needed to
find a solution to her problem, but her headache was
becoming so bad that she couldn’t think. She continued to
massage her hand and looked out the window.
When the clock rang to announce that it was midnight,
Laura suddenly heard footsteps in the hallway. She turned
toward the door, wondering who would be roaming around
the house at this time of the night.
The footsteps got closer quickly. Feeling a little scared,
Laura cringed. It was then that the door burst open. To her
shock, Ian appeared wearing a black raincoat that was
dripping wet.
“Ian!” Laura exclaimed.
He took his hat off, revealing his wet hair. Ian pushed his
hair back, showing off his chiseled facial features. He replied,
“Hello, my love.”
Laura stared in shock. She was glad to see him, of course,
but she was too surprised to smile. Laura murmured,
“Darling, how did you get home so fast…?”
Ian took off his raincoat and hung it haphazardly without a
word. He walked up to the bed and began massaging her right
hand. He replied, “I came as soon as possible because I
missed you.”
A maid walked in with a bowl of steaming water and a
clean towel. Ian accepted them and dismissed her quietly. He
knelt beside the bed and pulled up his sleeves. After soaking
the towel in warm water, he wrung it once before wrapping
her right hand with it.
Feeling the heat, Laura moaned quietly.
Ian whispered, “Shh, it will feel better soon.
Just as he promised, the warmth began to soak into her
joints. To her relief, the throbbing pain slowly dissipated.
Ian did this for her often. Whenever the weather turned
gloomy, Ian brought warm water to relieve her pain for hours.
This was one of the countless ways he showed his love for her.
 Side Story 40

“Ian, why did you return so early? We have such terrible

weather…”
Ian continued to focus on her right hand as he replied,
“Like I said, I missed you.”
“So you hurried back like this?”
“All of the coach drivers went to the pub to drink since it
was raining, so I left my luggage at the inn and borrowed a
horse to get here.”
Laura caressed his wet hair and gave him a sympathetic
look. “It’s so cold outside.
You should’ve come tomorrow.”
“I knew your hand would ache since it’s raining, so I
needed to hurry back.” Ian wet the towel in warm water
again.
Ian… Laura’s eyes filled with tears.
Normally, she felt happy to be cared for by him like this.
But strangely, his love caused her heart to ache today.
Ian reheated the towel with warm water again and again.
About an hour passed by, and caressing her pink hand, he
asked, “How does it feel now?”
“…It feels okay.”
 He smiled and kissed her hand. “I’m glad.”
Laura bit her lip, noticing how his shoes and the hems of
his pants were wet as if he walked through a pond. His hair
was still dripping too. Ian must’ve felt cold, but the first thing
he did when he returned home was to take care of her. He
didn’t seem to care about his own health. All he was worried
about was her hand.
Laura burst into tears. Ian, who was kissing her right
hand, looked up. His eyes filled with confusion when he saw
that she
was crying.
“Laura.” He sat next to her on the bed and faced her. He
studied her face and saw that her face was already swollen
and red. He asked, “Are you sick?”
Laura shook her head.
“Then what is it?” Her silence piqued his anxiety. “Why
are you crying? Did someone upset you?”
Laura didn’t deny it, which turned him even tenser. Ian
grabbed her shoulders and demanded, “Who did this to you?
Tell me. I’ll go and kill the bastard right now.”
Laura’s lips trembled. Her love, fear, and protective
instinct for him prevented her from telling the truth.
Ahh, I’m going to end up in hell. I don’t deserve to be his wife.
Laura decided sadly. With an awkward smile, she murmured,
“No one upset me. I just… My hand hurt, so it reminded me of
my uncle…”
 A vicious look appeared on Ian’s face. “That damn Gerald
Pendleton.”
He hugged Laura tightly and asked, “Will you feel better if
I kill him?”
Laura shook her head. “It’s all in the past. His family was
ruined, so what’s the point of hurting him now?”
“But you’re still suffering.”
“Today has just been a strange day. I just… It’s late and
you weren’t here, and… I just felt a little sad…”
“You became sad because you were lonely?”
When Laura nodded, Ian asked, “Because I wasn’t by your
side?”
Feeling guilty, she answered, “Yes, exactly.”
Ian rubbed his cheek against hers, her tears and the
raindrops from his hair mixing together.
“Seeing you should’ve put me in a good mood, but your
tears are making me feel sad too. I’ve been away from home
too often lately, haven’t I?” Ian asked apologetically.
“It’s your job, so you can’t help it. I’m glad you’re keeping
yourself busy.”
“But you’re also sad about it?”
Laura reassured him, “Just for today. I usually don’t mind,
so don’t worry about me.
“You tell me not to worry, but you’re crying in secret when
I’m not around.” Ian sighed and began kissing her face. He
looked into her eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry I have so
many responsibilities.”
 “I told you it’s okay.”
He pretended not to hear her. “The steel mill in Sheffield is
running smoothly. The only place left to check is Leeds. After
I return, let’s make sure not to be apart for a long time. We’ll
go to sleep and wake up together. We can go to the hot spring
in winter, and we’ll go on picnics in the coming spring.”
Ian gently rubbed her reddened cheek and added, “So
please be patient. I won’t let you be lonely again.”
Laura’s eyes filled with tears again. “…I’m sorry, Ian.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
Because I can’t have children and I’m not telling you about
what happened with Henry. Laura said the truth in her head.
But to Ian, she answered, “Because I can’t give you back as
much as you give me.”
Ian grinned. “You’re silly. Don’t you know that your
presence in my life is what keeps me going ?
“Really?”
Ian smiled and caressed her cheek. “You’re my soulmate.
You’re my flower that will never wilt. I waited my whole life
just to meet you. I found all the other women intolerable
because I was meant to be with you. I was waiting for the
most perfect woman in this world, and I found her.”
Tears rolled down Laura’s cheek. Ian muttered, “Oh, no… I
didn’t mean to make you cry.’
“They’re tears of joy.”
“Are you sure?” Ian smiled and looked down at her. His
gaze was filled with deep love and devotion.
 Laura grabbed his shirt and demanded, “Will you take me
to bed?”
“…What?”
“I want to be with you right now.”
Ian stared at her for a moment before walking to the door
to lock it. He then slowly returned to the bed. Unbuttoning his
vest, he murmured, “I didn’t come home early to do this,
but…”
He took his shirt off, revealing his wellmuscled body.
Laura took her flimsy nightgown off and dropped it on the
floor. Ian’s eyes narrowed as he undid his pants and leaned
toward her.
***
Busy footsteps of the servants echoed throughout the
Whitefield Hall. Laura, who had been leaning against the
headboard, turned toward the clock to see that it was almost
seven o’clock.
I think it’s going to rain for another few days. Laura thought
quietly. Even though it rained all night, the sky was still filled
with dark clouds. Laura clenched her aching right hand once
before looking down at her husband. Ian was still sleeping
soundly beside her.
His jet-black hair scattered over his forehead. Even though
the room was dark, his beautiful face seemed to brighten it
somehow. His facial features were neat and smooth. They
were perfectly proportioned, and his skin was flawless.
 Laura stared at Ian’s pretty lips. Last night, these lips
traveled all over her body while whispering the words of love.
She remembered Ian moaning and groaning in satisfaction.
She suddenly wanted to kiss him. They made love all night
while listening to the rain outside, but she still wanted more
of him.
But instead of kissing him, Laura gingerly pushed back his
hair. His handsome forehead was revealed, making her smile.
I don’t think I’ve ever studied his face so thoroughly like this
before. Laura decided. Ian always fell asleep after she did, and
he also usually woke up much earlier than her.
Laura continued to gaze at him and whispered, “Ian.”
She wasn’t surprised when her husband didn’t respond.
Not only did he ride his horse for hours to get home, but he
also made love to her all night. It was no wonder he was
exhausted.
Knowing that he couldn’t hear her, Laura whispered her
confession. “Your nephew said he’s in love with me.”
She shivered. Saying it out loud sounded much worse than
just thinking it. She continued, “Why did this happen to
Henry? Is it because I was too careless in front of him? Was I
too nice to him? I just don’t understand why this happened.”
Gloom filled her face as she begged, “Please tell me, Ian.
Tell me that this isn’t my fault…”
Laura’s lips trembled. “…I want to tell you everything. I
want to lean on you and be protected by you. But if I do that,
you’ll get hurt.”
 Tears began rolling down one drop at a time as she
muttered, “And I would rather die than hurt you.”
Regaining control over her emotions, Laura took a deep
breath. She needed to be clear-headed to protect her husband.
I need to make Henry give up on me. And I need to get it
done quietly.
There was only one solution to this problem. She needed to
keep her distance from Henry because she knew that out of
sight meant out of mind. Henry was a good boy. The feelings
he developed for her were wrong, but he knew that he was
making a mistake. He was also softhearted, so Laura knew
that he would obey her no matter what.
I better stop seeing Henry immediately and keep my
distance from him for several years… But to do this, I need to
come up with a plan that won’t make Ian and the people at
Dunville Park feel suspicious. If Henry stops coming to
Whitefield Hall altogether so abruptly they’re all going to
think it’s strange.
Just then, Ian sighed and reached out to her. He grabbed
her waist and pulled her closer. He buried his face in her soft
bosom and began snoring lightly. With a happy smile on her
lips, Laura hugged her husband’s head and whispered, “Ian, I
love you.”
She kissed the top of his head and added, “Just as you
protect me, I’m going to do the same for you.”
 Side Story 41

Ian murmured, “The rain stopped too quickly.”

It was a sunny noon at Whitefield Hall. Ian and Laura were
inside their spacious dressing room when he looked out the
giant window. There was a gloomy look on his face.
Straightening her husband’s tie, Laura smiled and replied,
“It rained for three days, so I don’t think it stopped that
quickly.”
Originally, Ian planned on resting for just a day after he
returned from Sheffield. He was supposed to take the train to
Leeds two days ago. But because of the heavy rain, the train
stopped running. Ian was forced to be stuck in Whitefield for
three days.
He spent his three extra days very productively. He took
care of the duties he had been procrastinating while often
visiting Laura in her study to place hot compresses on her
right hand. They took nice strolls in the long gallery while
enjoying the sound of the rain. Ian also took Laura to the east
wing guestroom to make love. This was the same room where
they reconciled some months ago after a fight.
For the past month, Ian has been busy dealing with
visiting his businesses. Thanks to the autumn rain, he was
rewarded with an unexpected vacation.
Laura said encouragingly, “It’s better to get it over with as
soon as possible, darling.”
“I know. That’s why I’m leaving today.”
He planned on taking the train to Leeds today. This was
the last place he needed to visit, and it also happened to be
farthest away from Whitefield. Because he was scheduled to
visit the local engineering university in this city, this was
expected to be a long trip.
Ian has been donating scholarships to this engineering
university for a long time. Leeds was famous for its wool and
being an industrial city. The city took pride in educating and
nurturing top-rated engineers along with its research on
different technologies.
House Dalton possessed various businesses in Leeds,
which was why Ian was greatly interested in the growth of
this engineering university. He not only wanted the school to
provide more diverse curriculums to the young minds, but he
also wished it to expand to other neighboring cities. On this
trip, Ian planned on meeting with the dean to discuss creating
a liberal arts program.
For this idea, Ian was going to need to meet with the
directors to convince them. He also needed to visit the
students who received his scholarships. Therefore, this trip
was expected to last at least four days.
Ian looked down at his wife. She was tying his tie
earnestly, and he found her even lovelier than usual. Her hair
was in a neat updo, showing off her beautiful face. She usually
didn’t wear jewelry except for special events, but she was
wearing pearl earrings today. The blue-gray chiffon dress
reminded him of the forest fog, and it adorned her slim body
perfectly.
He couldn’t believe he had to leave his gorgeous wife for
four whole days.
“Ah…I don’t want to go,” Ian lamented.
After she finished with his tie, she helped him put on the
vest. Normally, Ian’s male servant helped him get dressed,
but Laura liked to take over the duty when Ian was heading
out for a long journey.
She hung his pocket watch on his vest and replied, “You
said that we’ll be together for a long time after you return
from this trip. We’ll spend all of our time together afterward,
so you shouldn’t complain about four days.”
“You’re right.” Ian touched her pearl earring. “But it still
doesn’t make me feel better.”
“Darling.” With a beaming smile on her face, Laura
suggested, “We should travel to Europe.”
“Europe?”
“Yes, until next spring.”
“Well, I guess that’s a good idea. But what brought this
on? I thought you don’t like to go abroad.”
“I just want to spend all of my time just with you for a
while. I want to forget all about the neighbors, my work, and
the household duties.”
 Ian’s lips curled up. “You’re always so diligent about your
work, so where did this romantic idea come from?”
Laura rubbed her cheek against his palm. “Can we go?”
“I would go anywhere you want, my love.” Ian touched her
cheek and kissed her for a long while. “I feel so much better
about leaving now.”
“Me too. Now, give me your arms.” Laura helped him into
his jacket.
As he buttoned it, he suggested, “You should pick out the
places you want to visit before I return.”
“Okay.” Laura placed a handkerchief in his breast pocket.
The husband and wife walked out hand in hand. The black
carriage was already prepared with his luggage loaded inside.
The servants were lined up in front of the entrance to say
goodbye to their master.
Ian nodded to them before looking down at Laura. He
leaned and whispered, “I won’t kiss you in front of everyone
if you promise to get on top of me on the night I return
home.”
I promise.
Ian expected his wife to blush and turn away, but she
answered easily.
Suppressing his desire to embrace her, he patted her back
affectionately. “I’ll see you soon, Laura.”
Laura replied warmly, “Have a safe journey, my love.”
They parted like a proper lady and gentleman. None of the
servants could ever imagine the lewd conversation the
husband and wife shared secretly.
The carriage left. As it drove away, Ian peeked out the
window to look back. His staff and his wife remained in the
same spot as they watched him leave. His heart filled with
great joy. Laura had the power to make him happy. Her
smiles, considerate gestures, and words of love could easily
make him feel ecstatic.
When the carriage left the front gate and entered the
forest, Ian rested his arm over the window and crossed his
legs. He began rubbing his index and middle fingers as was
his habit and thought about the conversation with his wife.
A trip to Europe… Ian contemplated. It was a wonderful idea
because he had always wanted to travel with his wife. They
went on their honeymoon immediately after the wedding, but
it was only a short three-day trip. And they only visited the
small coastal village of Lyme.
Ian pictured holding Laura’s hand and enjoying the view of
various fountains in Europe. They would walk inside the
Colosseum and discuss Roman history. They could walk the
hill of Montmartre in Paris and stroll the beautiful nights
along the Seine River. In Madrid, they would eat traditional
Spanish meals and watch the bullfight in Plaza Mayor.
Why haven’t I thought of this before? Ian smiled and looked
out the window. The wet autumn leaves were falling
helplessly, but his heart felt warm as if it was a sunny spring
day.
 He pictured how he would hug Laura tightly if she became
scared watching the intense bullfight. Just then, he wondered.
But why did she suggest this all of a sudden ?
The smile on his lips disappeared, his beautiful long
eyelashes creating a shadow as he closed his eyes. In the past
when they were busy planning their wedding, Ian had
suggested a similar idea to Laura. He asked if she wanted to
go on a long trip for two to three months.
At the time, Laura shook her head. She answered,
“Whitefield is the most exciting place for me in the world.
Three days in Lyme should be enough for me.”
At first, Ian was disappointed that their honeymoon was so
short. But he soon realized that Laura was genuine in her
words. She was determined to do the best job as the new
mistress of Whitefield Hall. This was why she wanted to start
learning about her new home immediately.
After their short honeymoon, it took Laura less than a
month to manage Whitefield Hall like the back of her hand.
And in the comfort of their home, Ian and Laura got the
opportunity to create sweet memories. They had a better time
than they ever could have had anywhere else in the world.
Laura was right. They didn’t need a long honeymoon after all.
Considering what a responsible woman Laura was, it was
strange that she decided to ignore her duties and translation
work to go on a long trip.
What is going on? Ian began to ponder. Was there anything
that was distressing her recently?
 He had no idea of knowing because he had often been
absent from home to visit his businesses. Ian became
troubled. The thought that Laura might be hiding something
from him was very upsetting. Her happiness was just as
important to him as the future of House Dalton. If something
was bothering his wife, he needed to know so that he could fix
it.
Once I return from Leeds, I better meet with Ramswick first. He
must know about Laura’s routine better than anyone.
Feeling gloomier than when he first left, Ian continued to
look out the window. The carriage had just left the village and
was climbing up the hill. Because of the heavy rain, the road
was muddy. But thanks to the sturdy carriage and the groom
with over forty years of experience, they were making a
steady way to the train station.
The road isn’t great, but I should be able to get to the station
on time. Ian considered reading a book he brought for his
travel. But when he was about to look away from the window,
a strange scene caught his eyes. The field and the road were
so wet that not even the shepherds were out today. Yet there
they were, an elderly man in a black frock coat and a young
boy running toward the field.
Ian yelled at his groom, “Stop the carriage when we get to
that gentleman over there.”
The groom obeyed. The elderly man, who was panting and
running, stopped when he spotted the carriage. As soon as Ian
saw the man, he yelled, “Dr. Mackenzie? Is that you?”
 The elderly man was panting heavily. His eyes widened
when he saw Ian. They’ve known each other for a long time.
After Ian’s sister Mrs. Fairfax gave birth to her last baby, she
fell very ill. It was all thanks to Dr. Mackenzie that she was
able to
recover.
Ian asked, “Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“The miller’s wife Mrs. Dawson in the village… Ugh… She’s
suffering from the puerperal fever…” Dr. Mackenzie could
barely speak.
Ian opened the carriage door without hesitation. The
doctor and a young boy climbed into the fancy black carriage.
Ian ordered the groom to head to the miller Dawson’s home.
The carriage turned around immediately.
Dr. Mackenzie continued to pant for a long time. It looked
like he was about to throw up, and Ian worried that this
talented elderly doctor might die in his carriage at this very
moment.
 Side Story 42

Thankfully, Dr. Mackenzie’s breathing slowed down

eventually.
Ian commented, “Dr. Mackenzie, if I were you, I would’ve
taken a horse to travel.”
“I did have a horse.” Dr. Mackenzie wiped the sweat off his
forehead. “But this stupid boy drove the carriage into a ditch
and got it stuck. Without a saddle, I wasn’t able to ride the
horse. So we were on our feet.”
Ian turned toward the boy who couldn’t have been older
than twelve. His face was covered in tears and snot. The boy
sniffled constantly.
Ian handed him a handkerchief and asked, “Is your
mother very ill?”
The boy wiped his nose and nodded.
Ian reassured him, “Don’t worry. This doctor here saved
my sister who was dying.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’m sure your mother will be fine too.”
Dr. Mackenzie interrupted coldly, “But if she’s already
dead by the time we get there, it would be too late. I won’t be
able to do anything.”
 When the boy’s face turned pale, Ian gave the doctor a cold
look. But Dr. Mackenzie added calmly, “I think it’s important
the boy knows that I don’t have the power to bring back the
dead.”
Ian clicked his tongue in frustration. Dr. Mackenzie was an
excellent doctor, but he was not a warm person. The elderly
man could be very cold and annoyingly honest. He tried his
best to control himself in front of the ladies, but he was just
not a very likable person.
As if to make Ian detest him even more, Dr. Mackenzie
took out a square box from his inner pocket. It was a cigarette
box made of copper. He opened it and offered it to Ian.
“Would you like one?”
Ian shook his head.
“Go ahead and have a smoke, sir.”
“No thanks,” Ian answered.
“Why don’t you have just one?”
“I said no, so why do you keep offering it to me?”
“Because I can smoke only if the owner of this carriage
smokes.”
Ian waved his hands in frustration. “I haven’t smoked in a
long time. So stop irritating me and get that away from me.”
“Well, I suppose it’s best that you quit. You need to get an
heir after all.” Dr.
Mackenzie closed the cigarette case.
It has been a long time since Ian saw a cigarette. The
sudden urge to smoke frustrated him, so he looked out the
window.
The elderly man asked, “Is Mrs. Dalton doing well?”
“Yes, my wife is fine.”
“So is she pregnant?”
Ian turned to look at Dr. Mackenzie. “What are you talking
about?”
“Didn’t you know that Mrs. Dalton visited my cottage for a
consultation?”
When Ian looked confused, Dr. Mackenzie frowned.
“Hmm, I guess Mrs. Dalton kept it a secret.”

“She actually visited me twice. Once in the spring and once in

autumn. The first time, she came because she feared she
might be infertile. The most recent visit was to see if she was
pregnant.”
Ian’s face turned dark. He was so obviously perturbed that
even the little boy Dawson noticed. Boy Dawson became
anxious that Mr. Dalton might kick them out of the carriage
from anger. Mr. Dalton was known to be generous, but at the
moment, he looked like a vicious monster.
Boy Dawson cringed in the corner, making himself as
small as possible. He wanted to make sure not to make Mr.
Dalton any angrier.
Ian demanded, “Why did my wife visit you?
“I just told you. She came to talk about getting pregnant.”
“My wife wouldn’t keep secrets from me.”
 “It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not, Sir. It won’t
change the fact that she visited me.”
Ian clenched his teeth. “If I find out that you’re lying, I’ll
make sure you will never be able to work as a doctor in
Yorkshire.”
“As you wish. But you should know that all I did was not
ignore a patient who came all the way out to my remote
cottage for help. Besides, I’m technically already retired. And
I’m not senile, so I’m confident about my memory.” The
elderly doctor was offensively calm.
Still frowning, Ian looked out the window. Laura visited the
infertility doctor without telling me?
He never imagined such a scenario, especially because
Laura had never let on that she was anxious about having
children.
Whenever a baby was born in the village and they attended
the christening, Ian paid extra attention to his wife. He
worried that she might become upset. But Laura always
seemed so calm and at peace. She never looked envious when
she congratulated the new mothers. On their way back home,
all she would say was that the baby looked cute before
changing the subject.
I thought it was me who was desperate to have a child. Ian
thought in quiet sadness. He hated the thought that the
doctor was telling the truth and Laura had been battling her
fear on her own. He could imagine his wife blaming herself
for everything.
 After a short silence, Ian finally asked, “What was Laura’s
condition?
Emotionally, I mean.”
“Terrible. She was very conscious of her age, and she felt
very pressured about not being pregnant yet. Recently, she
missed her period just once, but she was so hopeful that she
might be pregnant. She stormed into my cottage to confirm.
She showed the behavior of a woman obsessed with having a
baby.”
“…When was this visit?”
“Around the sixth of last month.”
The sixth of October was the day Laura’s period began. Ian
remembered this clearly because she left a note early in the
morning and returned home looking very excited. She kissed
him and looked very happy.
But that same night when Ian came to bed, Laura informed
him that her period had begun. She gave him a smile, but her
face was very pale. Laura always suffered on the first day of
her period, but there was something worse about that day.
I felt a kind of despair from her that night. Ian’s face
crumpled. He found her demeanor strange at the time, but it
seemed that she didn’t want to talk about it. So he ignored the
problem. In hindsight, Ian knew that he made a mistake. He
could imagine how happy Laura must’ve been that morning
before all of her hope became dashed that afternoon.
Yet she didn f let on any of it in front of me… Ian thought
sadly.
 The carriage stopped in front of the mill. Boy Dawson
hopped out, thanking God for allowing Dr. Mackenzie to
arrive safely. The elderly doctor grabbed his bag and said to
Ian, “Mrs. Dalton was worried that she might not be able to
give you a child. I told her that she shouldn’t blame herself,
which made her cry like a child. Sir, what you see isn’t
everything. She may look happy on the outside, but you must
realize that your wife has genuine fears.”
Dr. Mackenzie moved much faster than expected for his
age and ran to the cottage next to the mill. When Ian didn’t
give any further orders, the groom began driving toward the
train station again.
Ian thought in shock. Laura is afraid that she might not be
able to have a baby? She has been suffering all alone?
Ian felt like a giant rock hit him in the head. He clenched
his fists, miserable at the thought of his wife crying in secret.
But at the same time, he felt a little disappointed. He couldn’t
believe that Laura kept this a secret from him. It was even
worse that it was about a baby.
What were you thinking, Laura? The topic of a baby should be
a discussion between a husband and wife. You were able to pour
your heart out to that miserable old man, so why couldn f you talk
to me? Why didn fyou let me comfort you?
Ian covered his face with his hands. His head was
throbbing, and his chest burned. His disappointment quickly
turned into guilt at the fact that he was ignorant of Laura’s
unhappiness.
 Dammit, I have been so blinded by my own happiness.
Ian rubbed his face before looking up. The carriage had left
the village and was climbing the hill again.
I need to have a chat with Laura. He checked his pocket
watch to see that it was three o’clock. The last train to Leeds
left at five. He needed to get to the station now or else, he was
going to miss it. If he took the night train from the
neighboring village, he could still keep all of his scheduled
events.
Ian yelled an order at his groom, “Turn the carriage back
to Whitefield Hall.”
***
Crackle, crackle.
The fire in the fireplace burned brightly. Laura sat in front
of it in the study. She wasn’t wearing any jewelry, and her
hair was in a severe updo. The feminine chiffon dress she
wore that morning was replaced by a crude brown cotton
dress.
Laura changed her outfit because she needed to look plain
to the man who might show up today.
She suspected that Henry was going to visit soon. He
probably hadn’t come by during the last three days because of
the rain. He hadn’t arrived this morning most likely because
the road was muddy. It was also likely that Henry knew Ian
wouldn’t have left until late in the morning.
The weather had cleared completely. Henry was going to
visit either today or tomorrow. It was unlikely he was going to
procrastinate this visit because Ian was going to return in a
few days. Once Ian came back from Leeds, Henry knew his
uncle wouldn’t be absent from Whitefield often from now on.
The grandfather clock rang three times.
When it stopped, there was a knock on her study door.
“Mrs. Dalton, Master Henry is here to visit.”
Laura answered, “Let him in.”
The footsteps got closer, and Henry walked in wearing an
ivory suit. He took his hat off and bowed. He must’ve been
agonizing over what had happened because he looked gaunt.
“Hello, Aunt Laura.”
Laura nodded and ordered the maid standing at the
entrance, “You can go now. We don’t need any
refreshments.”
The maid bowed and left.
An awkward silence fell between Laura and Henry in the
study. With an even more awkward smile, she suggested,
“Henry, why don’t you have a seat?”
 Side Story 43

Laura tried to be the kind aunt just as she always had. To

make Henry accept her solution, she needed to relieve his
anxiety and make him open his heart to her.
Henry sat down on the sofa right next to the chair she was
sitting on. He was within an arm’s reach.
I wish he had sat down farther away. Laura thought to
herself, but she didn’t voice her opinion out loud. She was
afraid Henry might burst into tears again. He was someone
who had a hard time controlling his emotions. She wanted
him to remain calm so she could convince him of her plan.
Laura asked in a light voice, “So was the road okay,
Henry?”
“Yes, it was muddy, but I rode my horse very slowly.
Everything was fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Laura nodded and smiled. Henry,
who had been facing her, turned to look at the fireplace.
Laura continued, “I was very worried after you left last
time. You were upset, so I was concerned that you might fall
off the horse on your way home and hurt yourself.”
Henry blushed, remembering the last time they met when
he sobbed like a child. He murmured, “I’m sorry about how I
acted that day.”
Laura shook her head. “Like I said before, I feel
responsible for you. We’re family, which means we must talk
things out.”
“No, what I did was wrong. I should’ve never upset you
like that. Everyone would’ve been happy if I just kept my
mouth shut.”
Henry hesitated for a moment before adding, “I’m here
today to ask you to forget about what happened. I will never
speak of my feelings again. Please forget everything and treat
me like you have done before. I will always be your nephew,
Aunt Laura. Nothing has changed.”
Laura sighed. “Henry.”
“Yes, Aunt Laura.”
“Are you saying that your feelings have changed during
the last few days? Do you no longer see me as a woman?”
When Henry couldn’t say anything, Laura gently
admonished him, “If you wanted things to go back to normal,
you shouldn’t have told me your feelings at all in the first
place.”
“You’re right, Aunt Laura.”
“Thank you for agreeing with me. Now then, please hear
me out. I’ve come up with a solution. Just remember that this
is for your own good.”
Henry nodded.
“When my husband comes back from Leeds, we’re going
to go on a trip to Europe. We won’t be coming back for at least
six months. While we’re away, you must return to
Cambridge.”
Henry, who had been looking down at the carpet, looked
up. His eyes widened in shock.
Laura continued, “Once you graduate, you shall live with
your other uncle for a while. I’m referring to Mr. Fairfax, of
course. You can stay with him and his wife and try out the
London society. As the future head of Dunville Park, you will
be welcomed anywhere, Henry.”

“I know you don’t like the idea. But unless your surroundings
change, your feelings won’t change either. I would like you to
meet the sophisticated ladies of London. Once you do, you’ll
realize what a shabby and unattractive woman I am.” Laura
smiled and asked, “You’ll do this, won’t you?”
She waited for Henry to nod obediently. But he didn’t
move a muscle. He didn’t even blink once. He only stared at
her, making her nervous.
Henry asked, “Are you saying we should stay apart?”
“Yes.”
“For over a year?”
“The longer the better. I think three to four years should
be ideal.”
Henry slumped a little, biting his pretty lip. Laura became
even more anxious as she murmured, “Henry?”
Her nephew refused to answer. His hands clenched into
fists before his whole body trembled. He shook his head. “No,
I can’t do that.”
Laura became confused because she was certain Henry
would follow her plan. She tried her best not to panic. “Henry,
do you remember what you asked me before? You begged me
to find you a solution. You wanted to stop committing this
sin. So I’m giving you an answer right now. I guarantee you
that this is the only way. A physical distance is the best fix.”
44 ??
“Just trust me on this. Let’s try staying apart for just two
years. I’m sure this will make both of us feel better. This is the
best thing for everyone…”
“Aunt Laura.” Henry looked up, his eyes filling with tears.
“I’m begging you. Please just forget about what I said to you
before. And let me stay by your side as your nephew. I can’t be
away from you.”
Tears rolled down from his eyes like rain, making his
whole face wet. “I know that I’m not being reasonable here.
You’re right that I shouldn’t have confessed my feelings for
you in the first place. But I cannot live without you, Aunt
Laura.”
“Why not?” Laura became genuinely curious. “What am I
to you?”
“You’re my only hope of escaping my miserable past.”
Laura became even more confused. What miserable past
was Henry talking about? Why did he need hope? She asked,
“What are you talking about, Henry?”
 The young man turned a little pale. He lowered his eyes
hesitantly before bursting into tears. “No one knows about
this except Uncle Ian. I haven’t told anyone else. The truth is…
I’ve been living in hell since I returned from Paris. My soul
has been corrupted. It has been ruined and dirtied. Aunt
Laura, I… met a woman there. Her name was Celine and
she…”
Laura listened attentively as Henry told her about the
torture his body and mind endured in Paris. By the time he
was finished, she couldn’t say a word. Laura couldn’t
understand how such a cruel thing could have happened. She
had never heard of such a thing before.
Henry continued, “I used to dream about what happened.
But ever since I met you, the nightmares stopped. Instead,
you appear in my dream, Aunt Laura. I dream about the
moment when we first met under that maple tree. I feel guilty
because I know I shouldn’t feel this way about you. But your
dream doesn’t make me shudder. I feel happy in the dream,
and my soul feels purified afterward. You’re the goddess that
heals my soul. Without you, I would have to return to hell.”
Laura sighed as if she was in pain. She now understood the
torture Henry suffered in Paris. What this woman Celine did
to him was disgusting and cruel. Things were even worse
because Henry was also going through the disappointment of
giving up his dream. Laura didn’t dare to imagine how
tormented Henry must be.
 Henry is seeing me as his salvation. It must be because I’m the
opposite of this woman Celine. Laura was right about her guess.
She and Celine were different species. Laura was strong, but
she didn’t have a cruel bone in her body. She was kind and
understanding, which was exactly why she felt great
sympathy toward her nephew. As his aunt, she wished she
could stay close by and console him.
But what Henry felt for her was inappropriate. She was a
married woman, and she felt nothing for Henry other than
motherly love. If she accepted his presence in her life, she
would be betraying her husband.
“Henry,” Laura said in a heavy voice. “I’m sorry, but I
cannot comfort you. And I’m afraid that I still believe you
must leave.”
Henry, whose face was covered in tears, turned pale. He
looked like he just received a death sentence. Unable to look
him in the eyes, Laura turned away and continued, “I can’t
console you. I can’t heal you either. And I certainly can’t love
you.
“I don’t expect love.”
“Yes, you do. That’s why you brought me that bracelet and
confessed your feelings for me. In your heart, you’re hoping
for… Ahh, I can’t even say it out loud. Ian said you’re an
upstanding young man, so what happened to you?! ”
Laura covered her face with her hands. She really didn’t
want Henry to see how much she was suffering. “Henry,
there’s nothing I can do for you. Now that I know how you
feel about me, it’s impossible to go back to the way things
were. So you must return to Cambridge. I’m begging you.
Her voice turned cold. Laura felt terrible about hurting
him, but there was no other way.
“Aunt Laura, you’re my only salvation. My last hope.
Please don’t leave me. I need your help to get my life back
slowly. Your letters, your worries, and your advice.
Everything about you is healing me and helping me return to
the way I used to be.”
Laura remained quiet and kept her eyes averted. This isn’t
something I can fix on my own. She became devastated. She
realized that she should’ve told her husband the truth. Ian
would’ve done a better job convincing Henry. Laura admitted
that she made the mistake of underestimating Henry’s
feelings.
Just then, the young man suddenly rose. He took a step
forward and knelt before her.
“Henry…!” Laura looked down at him in astonishment.
Henry was no longer crying, but there was intense anguish
in his eyes as he gazed at her. He looked like a drowning man
who just found a lifeboat. His large hands grabbed Laura’s
own.
“Ah!” Laura shrieked and tried to pull away. But Henry
was too strong, reminding her that he was indeed a man. The
uneasiness she felt when she first met him returned. It was
obvious that Henry was very confused and emotional, which
made him dangerous.
“Henry, please let my hands go.”
 Side Story 44

Laura chided him, “I understand how you feel. You’re hurt,

and you need someone who can comfort you. But this isn’t
right, Henry. If you don’t let go of my hands now, you’ll be no
better than Celine.”
Henry looked up. His red eyes were as beautiful as ever, but
the obsession in his eyes couldn’t have been any more
frightening. He begged, “Please don’t go. Please don’t
abandon me.”
Laura’s eyes filled with tears. She felt a mix of anger,
frustration, and pity. “You were never mine to begin with, so
how could I abandon you? And I have no desire to have you
either.”

“The only man I have, and the one I’ll ever want, is Ian. He’s
the only one for me.”
Henry closed his eyes tightly, his heart breaking into
countless pieces. He had always known that his aunt was a
faithful and virtuous woman. This was exactly why he loved
her, and also the very reason why he was destined to be
abandoned by her.
 Only if I had hidden my love for her… Henry regretted his
action, but it was already too late. Besides, he knew that even
if he had controlled himself that day, he would’ve eventually
confessed his feelings for her sooner or later.
His soul had been revived by Laura, but it was dying again
from the guilt. As his love grew, his desire to be close to her
grew as well. He wanted to show her how much she meant to
him. And it seemed that his greed was what destroyed his
chance at staying by her side.
This is all my fault. I know it very well. But I… I can’t be
abandoned like this. If she leaves, then I…
Suddenly, a thought crossed Henry’s mind. It was the
same thought that had haunted him when he gave up
becoming an artist. It was also the choice he considered
making countless times when he was living with Celine.
Henry announced, “If you leave me, I’ll kill myself, Aunt
Laura.”
Laura, who had been struggling to escape his grasp, froze.
Henry continued, “I don’t care if I end up in hell. I’m already
in a living hell anyway. If you hadn’t been there for me, it’s
very likely I would’ve done this already. Anyway, if you leave
me, I’m going to grab one of the guns in Dunville Park and
shoot my head.”
Laura’s hands, which were still trapped in Henry’s,
trembled. A sense of relief brought on courage for Henry as he
buried his face in her lap. He mumbled calmly, “Just stay by
my side like this. That’s all I ask. That’s all…”
 Laura froze when suddenly, they both heard the door open.
Creak.
Laura turned, and when she saw the man who walked in,
she froze like a statue.
“…Ian,” she whispered.
Ian was standing inside the library now. His face was
blank, but she knew instantly that he already figured out
everything. And she could tell that he was enraged. The fury
escaping from his eyes was enough to make anyone faint in
fear.
Ian slowly raised his left hand. When she saw that it was a
pistol, Laura instinctively pushed Henry down away from the
fireplace. Because the young man was crouched awkwardly,
he fell easily.
Bang!
The bullet flew right in front of Laura’s eyes and hit the
sofa. It was the exact angle where Henry’s head was a
moment ago. Laura screamed, but his face still emotionless,
Ian walked into the room. His eyes chased after Henry, and
when he spotted his prey, he raised his pistol again.
Her husband was at the risk of becoming a murderer. Since
this wasn’t a sanctioned duel, Ian was going to be executed if
Henry died by his bullet.
Laura screamed, “Henry! Go behind the desk! Hurry!”
Henry crouched and quickly hid behind the desk.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
 The bullets hit the floor where Henry crawled by. The
casings rolled all over the thick carpet, and the smell of
gunpowder replaced the flowery scent inside the study.
“Ian, please…!” Laura shouted, but it seemed like Ian
couldn’t even hear her. All he did was continue to shoot at the
desk where Henry was hiding.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets got stuck in the desk Ian had custom-made for his
wife.
Click, click.
The sounds of Ian pulling the trigger followed without
further shooting. It seemed that he was out of bullets.
“Dammit.” Ian spat out the words and threw the gun on
the floor. The gun slid across the floor and hit the corner of
the room. Ian calmly walked to the desk. As if he was a wild
animal attacking its prey, he grabbed the back of Henry’s
neck and dragged him out. The young boy was helpless as he
was thrown into the middle of the room.
“Uncle Ian, wait…!”
Whack!
Ian’s fist rammed into Henry’s right cheek. Henry fell on
the floor, but Ian pulled him up before punching him again.
Henry spat out blood and a few of his molars. But it was clear
that Ian didn’t care because he grabbed his nephew’s hair and
kicked Henry’s stomach with his knee.
The gruesome sounds continued to fill the study for a long
time. Ian stopped only when Henry fainted. The young man’s
face was unrecognizably bloody when Ian threw him on the
floor.
Ian’s own face and suit were covered with droplets of
Henry’s blood. With an icy look on his face, he turned toward
the entrance. Ranswick and several servants were outside the
door staring in shock.
Ian pointed at Henry on the floor and ordered, “Get rid of
him.”
Ramswick turned to the two male servants and whispered
an order. The servants hesitantly walked into the study and
hung Henry’s arms over their necks. They silently dragged
him out.
Ramswick, a quick-witted man, hurried the other servants
out even before Ian ordered him. He also made sure not to
forget the gun that was left in the corner.
Clack.
The door closed, leaving the husband and wife alone in the
study. Laura was deathly pale. She froze the entire time when
Ian stormed in, shot at Henry, and beat him to a bloody pulp.
At that moment, Laura was frightened by her husband. Ian
has never scared her before like this.
Splatters of blood on his face, Ian turned to her. “Laura.”
“Yes.” Laura trembled, barely able to answer.
“Did you visit Dr. Mackenzie’s cottage?”
It was an unexpected question, and all she could do was
nod. He slowly walked up to her, reeking of gunpowder,
blood, and violence. It was the kind of smell she had never
smelt on her husband before.
Ian leaned to place his hands on either side of the sofa
where she was sitting. His face was only an inch away from
her as he asked, “Is there anything else you’re hiding from
me?”
He sounded bitter. Laura closed her eyes and stammered,
“I… I’m s…sorry. I’m sorry, Ian…”
“I didn’t ask that question so I could get an apology from
you.” His eyes filled with disappointment as he continued,
“You hid two things you should always be honest about with
your husband. I have no choice but to think that you don’t see
me as your husband at all.”
Laura’s eyes filled with tears. “No, darling.”
“Then what is it?”
“…I… didn’t want to make you worry… I didn’t want to
hurt you…” Tears began rolling down her cheeks, her whole
body shaking uncontrollably.
Ian’s body relaxed, indicating that his rage was gone
followed by sadness. He murmured, “For me…? Yes, I can see
that you might have thought that way. I know you would walk
through a field of thorns for my sake. But…”
Ian wiped away her tears with his finger as he continued,
“…I feel like you’ve just stabbed me in the heart.”
There was despair in his voice as he said each word. “I’m
stronger than you think, Laura. I’m not the kind of man
whose pride would get hurt because of infertility. And I am
also capable of dealing with Henry on my own. If you would
only trust me, I could be the husband you can always depend
on. But it’s clear you couldn’t trust me. You ignored me, and
you tried to take care of everything on your own. Have I been
that unreliable?”
Ian slowly rose. He has never gazed at Laura this coldly
during their entire history. It was as if his love for her had
evaporated completely.
“This is the first time I can’t stand to look at your face. I’ll
keep my plan and visit Leeds now,” Ian announced and
turned around. He walked to the door and walked out without
hesitation. He never looked back once.
When he closed the door behind, Laura became alone in
the room. She began to pant from uncontrollable sobbing.
Ian…
She covered her face with both hands. Everything she had
done was for him. She hid her suffering regarding her
inability to get pregnant so he wouldn’t hurt Ian. She also
didn’t tell her husband about Henry’s unreasonable behavior
for the same reason. Laura wanted to avoid a dangerous
situation, the kind that had occurred just now.
But it turned out that her choices unintentionally wounded
her husband. Ian now felt like she couldn’t trust him.
But you’re everything to me, Ian. You’re my home and my
solace. There was never a moment when I didn’t rely on your
love forme.
 If her husband was here, this was what she would’ve told
him. But Ian was gone. And Laura was afraid that he might
never come back.
She leaned against the sofa and cried. The guilt of
disappointing her husband put her in deep despair.
Please come back. Please forgive me for being foolish. I
was wrong.
Alone in the study, Laura cried and cried. She sobbed until
the fire in the fireplace died down.
 Side Story 45

Ramswick began working as a footman for Whitefield Hall at

the age of twenty. He served the house faithfully for forty
years since then, but it wasn’t just the long time spent that
made him a talented butler. Ramswick understood his job
very well, and he had the ability to accomplish it.
A butler’s basic duty was to maintain the household and its
servants. But there was so much more to it than that. The true
purpose of a butler was to provide his master comfort and
stability. In order to do this, a good butler needed to be smart,
quick, and instinctive. He needed to understand human
nature and be able to deal with it at a moment’s notice.
Mr. Dalton had been unmarried for a long time, which
meant Ramswick’s ability remained hidden. A bachelor’s life
tended to be boring, so nothing ever happened in Whitefield
Hall. The peace continued even after Mr. Dalton got married.
The new mistress was a responsible and strong woman,
filling the house with tranquility and calm. In a household
such as this, there wasn’t much a butler was required to do.
After all, a butler shined the most when trouble occurred.
This was why Ramswick was finally able to show off his true
potential after the shooting in House Dalton.
 When eight shots were fired in Laura’s study, Ramswick
was working on the staff’s salary in his office. He was wearing
his monocle and using the abacus to calculate when he jolted
at the sound.
His first guess was that there was a burglar. Ramswick
quickly grabbed a small pistol and placed it in his pocket
before heading toward Laura’s study. But there, what he saw
wasn’t a thief who came to steal priceless books and vases. It
was Mr. Dalton who was beating up his nephew and Mrs.
Dalton who was sitting on the sofa looking faint.
The moment Ramswick saw the scene inside the study, he
comprehended the situation. The eight shots fired indicated
that what happened was just like a scene from a French soap
opera.
Ramswick didn’t doubt that his mistress was innocent in
all this. He was ready to swear to God that Mrs. Dalton’s
loyalty to her husband was unwavering. It wasn’t difficult to
guess that all of this trouble began with Master Henry, who
had been frequenting Whitefield Hall lately.
But the rest of the world didn’t know Mrs. Dalton.
Ramswick was well aware that people were hungry for ugly
gossip. If what happened today got out, the whole world was
going to believe that Laura Pendleton, born a bastard before
marrying Ian Dalton, must’ve seduced Henry Fairfax.
Ramswick needed to stop this from happening. He needed
to protect Mrs. Dalton and the reputation of the Dalton
family.
 So how do I fix this? Ramswick pondered as he watched Mr.
Dalton beat up his beloved nephew mindlessly. No one in the
house could’ve missed the gunshots. Even worse was the fact
that it wasn’t just Ramswick who witnessed what had
happened. Two servants who were cleaning up the storage
next to the study saw it as well.
Ramswick’s brain worked quickly. He had one purpose
only, and it was to preserve the Dalton name.
Mr. Dalton ordered unconscious Henry to be dragged away.
As if he was a dead mouse, Henry was quickly taken outside
by the servants. Inside the Whitefield Hall, there were two
staircases. One was in the middle of the house and was used
by Mr. and Mrs. Dalton. The other was on the north side and
was utilized by the staff. At the time, Ramswick suspected
that all the servants were in the kitchen for tea time. They
were probably resting, and even the ones who were coming
toward the study out of curiosity would be using the north
staircase per the household rule.
So Ramswick directed the two servants to take Master
Henry out through the middle staircase. He was right in his
decision because they didn’t bump into a single staff member
as they exited the house. The garden was also empty.
Ramswick guided the servants out of the garden and to the
bushy area surrounding the mansion. When they reached the
birch tree forest, Ramswick turned toward the two young men
carrying Henry.
 Tom Moore and Ralph Fandy were sweating profusely
from dragging Henry all the way out here. The two
broadshouldered men were twenty and twenty- two. They
were footmen with less than three years of experience in
Whitefield Hall.
Ramswick turned to Tom first. “Tom, how’s your sister’s
wedding fund going?”
Tom blinked, confused by this unexpected question. This
was certainly not the topic to be discussed while carrying
Master Henry Fairfax who was beaten very badly.
Ramswick explained, “I remember you mentioning it
recently. You said your oldest sister has been engaged for
seven years, so she needs to get married before the end of this
year.”
“…Ah, we haven’t been able to save enough yet. My
younger siblings have gotten sick this year, so we had to
spend a lot of money on their medicines. And our future
brother-in-law’s business went under, so…”
“It must be very hard for your whole family.”
Tom slumped a little in bitterness.
Ramswick turned toward Ralph this time and asked,
“Ralph, did you find a new house for your father?”
“…No.”
“The slums in London are filled with smoke. I know your
father doesn’t have good lungs, so if he lives in places like
that, he won’t last very long.”
 Ralph replied, “I know, but the factory he was operating
went bankrupt. I’m saving up though, so I’m sure I’ll be able
to get him a new home in three years…”
Ramswick shook his head. “I’m not trying to blame you.
I’m just trying to make an offer here. Ralph, I’ll let you rent
one of the Whitefield’s cottages for free. It will be located in
the area with the cleanest air in all of Yorkshire, and it will be
close to a doctor as well. Your father can live in it for free for
the rest of his life. I’m certain that he’ll have a happy thirty
years living in that place.”
Ralph became speechless at such a generous offer. He
stared at the elderly butler, who turned toward Tom.
Ramswick announced, “Tom, Whitefield Hall will take
care of your sister’s wedding. We’ll even get her a wedding
dress made in London, and we’ll plan the reception too. On
top of that, we’ll pay for the three years worth of rent for the
newlyweds.”
Tom’s eyes widened in shock.
Ramswick continued, “There’s just one thing the two of
you need to remember. There was a thief in Whitefield Hall
today. He entered the mansion during the quiet tea time to
steal our priceless paintings and books. But the thief got lost
and ended up in our mistress’s study where Mrs. Dalton and
Master Henry were having tea. Master Henry happened to
possess a gun, so he shot at the thief, who escaped. Master
Henry chased after him, and he was beaten by the thief in the
forest. Do you understand?”
 The two men nodded obediently. Now that they knew what
they would get out of this, they had no reason to refuse
Ramswick’s offer. The elderly butler was just glad that the
servants who became involved in this incident happened to be
two young men with a strong sense of responsibility for their
families.
He ordered, “Tom, you’ll accompany me to Dunville Park.
Ralph, you’ll return home and tell everyone in Whitefield Hall
what I just told you.”
Ralph nodded. Ramswick ordered Tom to bring out the
carriage. While the two men left to follow his order,
Ramswick watched over Henry. Being a small man, he wasn’t
able to support Henry on his own. So the young man was left
leaning against a tree.
Ramswick placed his hand under the young man’s nose to
confirm that he was still alive. He then touched Henry’s ribs
carelessly, which made the young master groan despite being
unconscious.
Tsk, his ribs are broken. But guess he’s going to live.
Ramswick decided without much sympathy. He may have
been just one of the staff, but he prided himself in being part
of House Dalton. Therefore, he couldn’t help but think very
little of Henry Fairfax, who disrupted Mr. and Mrs. Dalton’s
peaceful lives. Ramswick even considered paying Tom and
Ralph some extra money to punch this foolish man a few
more times.
 But knowing that Henry might die from further assault,
Ramswick kept his mouth shut. He couldn’t have Whitefield
Hall becoming a place of murder. He had to be satisfied with
just a gentle whack on Henry’s head.
Soon, Tom returned with the carriage.
After placing Henry inside, Ramswick and Tom sat on the
groom’s seat.
On their way to Dunville Park, Ramswick pondered about
what he should tell Mrs. Fairfax. He had always felt that Mrs.
Fairfax had a strange and ungodly power to see the future.
He was thinking up a plausible story to tell her when Tom
suddenly asked, “What are we going to tell the police?”
Tom continued, “This imaginary thief you created is
supposedly a madman who dared to burgle Whitefield Hall in
broad daylight. He also beat up young master Henry, the heir
to the prestigious Fairfax family. If we don’t report this,
people are going to think it’s strange.”
“That’s a good point.” Ramswick pressed his temples. “I
better discuss what to do with Mr. Dalton.”
“In three days?”
“What?”
“Mr. Dalton left to go to Leeds.”
Ramswick’s head whipped toward Tom. “He left?”
“Yes. I saw him leave when I was getting the carriage. He
looked angry when he got into his own carriage. His groom,
Mr. Dan, told me that they needed to leave right away to make
it to the last train to Leeds.”
 Ramswick thought in worry. I can ’t believe Mr. Dalton left
Mrs. Dalton behind ata time like this. He must be furious.
The elderly butler rubbed his forehead, realizing that his
master’s marriage was in trouble. Ramswick could tell that
this whole situation was no one’s fault. His guess was that
Mrs. Dalton kept Master Henry’s courtship a secret from her
husband. She probably thought this was the best way to
protect Mr. Dalton. Her decision came from love, but there
was no question that she made the wrong choice.
Mrs. Dalton didn’t trust her husband, which must’ve hurt Mr.
Dalton. And knowing that she had caused her husband pain, she
wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.
Ramswick’s wrinkled eyelids drooped. I can certainly
prevent the rumors. The real problem is whether or not Mr. and
Mrs. Dalton can return to the way they were before…
The elderly butler shook his head. The problem between
the husband and wife was well beyond his responsibility.
 Side Story 46

I’m sure they’ll deal with it on their own. Ramswick decided.

This was what made him a great butler. Not only was he good
at his job, but he also had the ability to distinguish what he
should and shouldn’t do.
Once he arrived at Dunville Park, he handed over Henry,
who was still unconscious. He explained what had happened
to Mrs. Fairfax, who frowned in worry but appeared to believe
him.
She asked, “Anyone else hurt?”
No, ma am.
“Laura must’ve been shocked. Please make sure she’s
okay, and ask Ian to drop by when he returns from Leeds.”
After bowing deeply to Mrs. Fairfax, Ramswick left.
By the time he returned home, it was already five o’clock.
There was still an hour left till dinner, but he headed to the
dining room nonetheless. He wanted to assess how the
servants were doing after the incident.
When he neared the dining room, three maids were setting
up the table. Unaware of Ramswick’s presence, Hanna,
Debora, and Susan placed the plates and utensils while
gossiping amongst themselves.
 “Do you think he’ll be executed?” Deborah asked as she
lined the forks and knives.
Hanna, who was folding the napkins, shook her head.
“That would be too much. He didn’t get to steal anything in
the end.”
“But this thief came inside Whitefield Hall. Even if it was
just an attempted burglary, he still deserves to be executed.”
“If Mr. Dalton asks for it from the magistrate, it might
happen.”
Susan, who was born and raised in Whitefield, chimed in,
“I doubt Mr. Dalton would ask the magistrate for a favor.
They aren’t on good terms.”
“They don’t get along?”
Susan explained, “Nope. Along time ago, when Mr. Dalton
was in university, the magistrate had dinner with him in
Dunville Park. Apparently, this magistrate made fun of his
wife, calling her a ‘cow.’ He said that he was almost
suffocated by his wife’s breasts because she fell asleep on top
of him.”
The maids giggled. Hanna joked, “It sounds like he was
bragging.”
Susan continued, “Anyway, it wasn’t something that
should’ve been mentioned at a formal dinner. Mr. Dalton
thought it was shameful, so he scolded the magistrate, who
was over fifty years old at the time. I heard the magistrate still
badmouthes Mr. Dalton to anyone who would listen.”
 Deborah burst into laughter. “Yet he helped Mr. Dalton
and gave a life sentence to Leon. Men are strange.”
Hanna, who came from another village, continued to fold
the napkins and asked, “Leon? Who’s that?”
“The old land agent. His name was Leon Leach,“ Deborah
answered.
“Ah, I think I’ve heard about him. The one who took
advantage of the farmers’ daughters, right?”
“Exactly. He was a miserable man. I hope he’s rotting in
jail.”
The three maids chuckled. Ramswick listened to the
women quietly, relieved that the servants seemed to believe
the story he created.
Nowthen, I better have words with these women so they stop
gossiping so carelessly.
Ramswick believed that part of his job was to make sure
the servants maintained proper conduct. Inside Whitefield
Hall, obscenities and gossip were banned. Ramswick was the
one who set this rule, which meant he wasn’t popular among
the staff. But the butler didn’t care. After all, he wasn’t a
politician or an opera singer who made a living being popular.
Ramswick was about to step into the dining table when
Deborah commented, “By the way, when are you going to tell
Mrs. Dalton?”
The butler paused to listen.
Hanna responded, “About what?”
 “You said you’re sure she’s pregnant. So she should go get
checked out by a doctor!”
Hanna frowned. “I don’t want to get in trouble, so I’m not
going to say anything. I’m sure she’ll go see a doctor when
she’s bigger.”
Deborah protested, “But I can’t wait. My family home roof
is leaking, so I need to send more money this month.”
Susan argued, “But you’re assuming that Mrs. Dalton is
really pregnant. What if Hanna is wrong? That means you and
Hanna need to pay me a pound each.”
Deborah replied, “No way. Hanna is the best at telling if
someone’s pregnant.
You’re the one who better has two pounds ready, Susan!”
Just then, the dining room door opened and Ramswick
walked in. The maids froze at his sudden appearance. They
looked shocked, but after recovering quickly, they curtsied.
Ramswick gave each maid a warning look. He scolded, “You
all deserve to be punished for making a bet about our
mistress. But first things first, are you sure Mrs. Dalton is
pregnant?”
The maids couldn’t say a word. All they could do was
tremble in fear. Ramswick stared at Hanna, who was
responsible for helping Mrs. Dalton get dressed every day. He
asked again, “Is this true?”
Hanna, who looked like she was about to cry, nodded
cautiously.
“And how do you know that?” asked the butler.
 “W…well… Her body has changed a lot, so…”
Ramswick sighed and continued to stare at Hanna.
Although she was an unmarried girl of only twenty-one, her
opinion was dependable. Before coming to Whitefield, she
used to work in a household where the mistress had twelve
children. Apparently, this woman kept getting pregnant
within a few months of each childbirth. Unless the husband or
the wife lost their ability to reproduce, it was likely that they
were going to continue to have more children. They were the
ignorant type who found meaning in life by having babies.
Before the lady of the house was about to give birth to her
thirteenth child, Hanna finally quit. She worked in this
household for four years as a midwife and nanny. On top of
this, she was expected to work as a maid as well.
Ramswick hesitated for a moment before ordering,
“Hanna, after the meal, you must go to Mrs. Dalton and ask if
she’s pregnant.”
Hanna, who kept her gaze down, looked up in surprise.
“Me?”
“Yes, and you’ll report to me afterward. Do you
understand?”
“Yes, of course…”
Ramswick announced, “And regardless of this, the three of
you will be punished for making a bet about the mistress.”
The maids cringed in fear. They were born into poor
families, and they desperately needed this job. They looked at
each other, afraid that they might get fired.
 Ramswick continued sternly, “You shall clean the plates in
the storage during tea time for a month.”
The maids slowly looked up in relief as Ramswick added,
“They are the plates Mrs. Dalton ordered to be donated to the
local charity. You’ll have to clean a hundred plates per day, so
make sure to work diligently.”
The maids sighed and replied, “Yes, sir.”
Thankfully, they escaped being fired. They needed the
money either to send to their family, to their sick mother or
to save to open a small store someday.
Ramswick turned around and headed toward the kitchen.
He needed to check and make sure that dinner was being
prepared on time. He also wanted to give the three maids
some privacy. They were probably going to hug each other in
relief for not getting let go.
But when he walked down the hallway, one of the maids
followed him. He turned to find that it was Deborah. She
whispered, “Sir, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Did you make another bet or something? Perhaps Mr.
Dalton got pregnant too?” Ramswick asked sarcastically.
“Of course not! The thing is…” Deborah leaned toward the
butler’s ear. Because he was small, she needed to bend over a
bit. “Betty drinks.”
There was only one Betty in Whitefield Hall. Berry Rosie,
who worked in the laundry room, was Noel’s lover.
Ramswick asked, “I guess she sips on some cheap wine
after work?”
 Deborah shook her head adamantly. “I wouldn’t be telling
you this if it was just that! I found a bottle she hid under the
ironing board in the laundry room a few days ago, and it was
rum!”
“The spirit the sailors like to drink?”
“Yes, that’s it!” Deborah flailed his fist up and down. “But
that’s not all! She apparently hid the bottles of rum
everywhere including under the pile of hay in the stable and
the north storage attic! She gets drunk with Mr. Noel after
work every day! Half the staff here knows about it!”
Ramswick frowned in displeasure. “Then why hadn’t
anyone reported this to me before?”
“Because of that nasty Betty Rosie. When someone finds
out about her secret, she gives them rum to shut them up.
And if it’s someone who doesn’t drink, she uses their secrets
to threaten them! And if they don’t have any secrets, she uses
Noel’s name! She tells them that she’s dating the master’s
right hand, so they should obey her!”
This was precisely why the servants weren’t allowed to
date each other.
Ramswick sighed. “Alright. I’ll take care of it, so just don’t
forget to clean those dishes.”
“Yes, sir.” Deborah hummed happily and hopped away.
She seemed too cheerful for someone who made a serious
accusation.
I shouldn ’t trust her. Ramswick shook his head. As far as he
knew, Deborah had a crush on Noel. More accurately, she was
one of many women who were in love with Noel. Ramswick
could never understand how the chubby and bald Noel Finch
managed to seduce so many women.
At the moment, Betty was hated by every woman in
Whitefield Hall. This made sense since she captured Noel, the
man every woman desired. But the truth was, Betty Rosie was
hated even before she began dating Noel.
Betty was rude, cold, selfish, and stupid. Every maid in
Whitefield Hall resented her because she never thought of
anyone but herself. The only time Betty turned into an angel
was in front of men in power. For example, she was as docile
as a lamb in front of Ramswick and Noel.
Now that she had broken the house rule and was openly
dating Noel, it was no wonder that the other maids were
furious. There have been similar reports regarding Betty in
the past. Some claimed that she stole, while others said that
she became pregnant. There were many reports of her acting
lewdly with Noel in public places.
But all of these accusations turned out to be false until
now. Ramswick decided that what Deborah reported wasn’t
his priority.
I’ll take care of it after the problem between Mr. and Mrs.
Dalton gets resolved.
 Side Story 47

Ramswick made a list of things to do in his head as he walked

toward the kitchen. He expected to hear the chopping and
boiling as he got closer, but instead, he heard loud laughing
coming from the kitchen.
Ramswick frowned. He could easily guess who was behind
this kerfuffle. When he walked in, he saw Noel as expected.
With a bundle of spinach around his neck like a tie, he had his
hands behind his back and was leaping around the kitchen
like a clown.
Noel shouted, “No courting! No courting! No joking! No
joking! No drinking! No drinking! Whitefield is a sacred place!
It was awarded by Henry VIII! Don’t fool around! Keep
cleaning! Don’t joke around and clean up that horse shit! This
isn’t your work! It’s a monastery!”
It was obvious he was mimicking Ramswick. Philip and the
other cooks laughed their heads off. They should’ve been
working hard to prepare the dinner, but they were clearly
distracted. The chaos infuriated Ramswick.
He yelled, “We’re about to have dinner, so what do you
think you’re doing?!”
 His shout brought sudden silence to the kitchen. When the
cooks saw Ramswick standing at the entrance, they became
confused. All of them looked embarrassed and guilty as they
quickly returned to work.
Noel, however, had finished his work for the day. He was
visiting the cooks for fun, so he didn’t have anything to do in
the kitchen. He only glanced at the butler with an apologetic
look.
Ramswick glared at Noel coldly before leaving. He passed
by the hallway and was walking up the stairs when he heard
hurried footsteps behind.
“Sir!”
Ramswick turned to see that it was Noel. He still had a
bundle of spinach around his neck as he panted.
It’s less than thirty steps from the kitchen, so why is he so
out of breath? Ramswick gave Noel a look of disgust.
Ramswick asked, “What is it, Mr. Finch?”
Noel managed to catch his breath and looked up at the
butler on top of the stairs. He apologized, “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“Sorry for what?”
“For making fun of you. I was just frustrated because you
never left me any rice pudding… B-but never mind. I won’t
make up an excuse. I apologize.” Noel looked genuinely
remorseful.
Ramswick looked at him, reminded again that he hated
everything about this land agent. Noel disregarded the order
Ramswick spent his whole life building. But because the
chubby man was a necessary worker for Mr. Dalton, he was
allowed to stay. It was no wonder that Ramswick resented
him.
But the truth was, what Ramswick felt was jealousy. Noel
Finch had the natural talent Edmund Ramswick had always
secretly admired in others. Noel was a born entertainer and a
man who wasn’t afraid of approaching women. He was funny,
and he was even a good singer. Wherever he went, Noel
Finche was liked by everyone. In a word, he was someone who
knew how to enjoy life.
On the other hand, Ramswick was the opposite. He was
afraid to be rejected by women, so he had never courted a
woman in his life. He felt more comfortable reading or
working in his spare time rather than chatting with others. If
Ramswick had met Noel in his younger days, he would’ve
hated the land agent even more. He might have burned with
jealousy.
But Ramswick was sixty years old now. He was old enough
to be looking for a coffin at this point, and life had taught him
to be satisfied with what he had. He found pride in his work,
so although he was annoyed by Noel, Ramswick didn’t have
any ill feelings toward the man.
Ramswick shrugged. “You failed in mimicking me.”
When Noel blinked in confusion, Ramswick pointed at the
spinach around the chubby man’s neck. Ramswick explained,
“Because I don’t have a green tie.”
 Noel seemed shocked. This was the first time he saw
Ramswick jesting. The elderly butler smirked and muttered,
“You have no sense of humor.”
Ramswick left with a smug grin.
A-A-A-
Whitefield was famous for having windy autumns. The dry
leaves fell helplessly, filling the air with ominous rustling
sounds. The cold wind tormented the vagabonds with their
flimsy coats and the poor with old houses that weren’t
properly insulated.
Despite Whitefield Hall being a well-built home, the wind
still managed to rattle the sturdy wooden window frames.
Those who had sensitive ears found these sounds hard to
bear.
It was seven o’clock in the evening when the rattling of the
window frame echoed in Laura’s bedroom. She was alone, but
she seemed rather busy. It was because, under the bright
lamp light, she was working on her embroidery. Her hands
worked diligently to create a beautiful violet. With her eyes
downcast, she looked calm and industrious as usual.
The wind blew even harder to clatter the window. It was as
if it was determined to break the glasses. Laura’s hands
paused as she glanced at the window. She could see the dark
shadows of the birch trees far away that were also being
tortured by the merciless wind.
Laura was desperately trying to focus on her embroidery
when she suddenly remembered the first autumn after her
wedding. Being a light sleeper, Laura could barely get any
sleep because of the wind. She tried putting pieces of cotton in
her ears and covering her head with a pillow, but none of
these things worked.
Ian was surprised that the wind bothered her. He was born
and raised in Yorkshire, so he never even noticed the powerful
autumn wind.
To help his wife sleep, Ian tried everything. He tried
stuffing thick cotton in the cracks of the window frames and
had her sleep in another room. After trying different things,
he was able to find something simple but effective.
His solution was to drink wine before going to bed.
The two shared a bottle and made long passionate love
every night in autumn. Enjoying the scent of sweet wine from
each other’s lips, neither of them could hear the rattling. All
they could do was share the warmth of each other’s bodies. By
midnight, Laura would fall deeply asleep in her husband’s
arms from wine and pleasant exhaustion.
Ian… Laura’s eyes filled with sadness. She shook her head,
trying to concentrate on her embroidery again. But when she
looked down, her hands refused to move. The color of the
violet reminded her of the wine she used to share with her
husband.
Laura’s lips trembled, and tears began to roll down from
her eyes onto the fabric.
Ian. Deep sadness swarmed her again. She put down the
embroidery frame and began sobbing loudly.
 After her husband left, Laura cried all night until she was
dehydrated. She felt guilty, realizing what a terrible mistake it
was to keep secrets from him. She was so busy hiding the
truth that she never considered how upset Ian would become
when he found out. He must’ve felt betrayed, and Laura
couldn’t blame him. She was being courted by another man
and she didn’t tell her husband about it. This was the
definition of betrayal.
He must be very disappointed in me.
Ian resented lies and plotting. Sadly, he now witnessed
these two ugly qualities in his own wife. It was
understandable that he found her despicable. Hurting Ian
upset her, but what terrified Laura the most was that she had
become a disappointment. She was afraid that Ian might
never love her the way he did before.
What if he hates me? I… I… I can I live without Ian’s love
anymore!
She cried out loud like a child. The thought of not being
loved by her husband made her feel lost. She had nothing
without him. Ian was her whole world.
Knock knock.
She was crying mindlessly when she heard the knock on
the door. It was louder than the rattling of the windows,
which suggested that whoever was outside was knocking
pretty hard. Laura wiped away her tears and walked to the
shadowy side of the fireplace. She wanted to hide the fact that
she had been crying. Despite the terror and despair she
suffered, Laura was still determined to be a proper mistress to
her staff.
“Come in,” she answered in an unusually high-pitched
voice.
Her maid Hanna walked in holding a tray. Hanna was a
sturdy young woman with porcelain skin and golden hair.
Because of the shape of her eyebrows, she looked a little
stubborn. But she was still a pretty girl, and even more
importantly, she was a good worker. This was why Laura gave
her the duty of helping her get dressed.
Hanna announced, “Mr. Ramswick sent these because he
was worried you skipped dinner.”
Laura didn’t feel like eating, but she smiled and nodded.
“How kind of him. Please put it down on the table.”
Hanna began setting the table with thick chicken stew,
salad, wheat bread, and beef sandwich. The room quickly
filled with the smell of steamy food. Laura barely ate lunch, so
she should’ve felt hungry by such a delicious smell. But her
reaction was the opposite.
“Blegh!”
 Side Story 48

Laura quickly opened the window and retched.

“Ma’am!” Hanna ran to pat Laura’s back. Laura heaved a
few more times, but because she barely ate anything that day,
nothing came out.
Feeling nauseous, she rose and stepped away from the
window. But as soon as she smelled the food again inside the
room, she began heaving again. Laura grabbed onto the
window frame and begged, “Hanna, please… get rid of the
food…”
Hanna hurriedly cleared the table and left the room with
the tray. She returned shortly and opened all the windows to
air the room. The wind caused the fireplace to go out, and the
picture frames on the wall shook, but the wind helped greatly
in removing the smell of food.
Hanna walked around sniffing the air to make sure. After
confirming that the room didn’t smell like food anymore, she
finally closed the windows and helped Laura into bed.
Laura mumbled weakly, “Thank you, Hanna.”
“Not at all, ma’am.”
Hanna quickly relit the fireplace and grabbed a cup of
water so Laura could rinse her mouth. Laura leaned against
the headboard and forced a smile. “I must be coming down
with something. Anyway, I don’t think I can eat. Please send
all the food down back to the kitchen.”
When Hanna looked down at her quietly, Laura asked,
“What’s wrong, Hanna?”
“Ma’am.” The maid sighed. “I think you should eat.”
“It would be better to go hungry than get sick from forcing
myself to eat.”
“But what about the baby?”
Laura stared at Hanna in confusion.
Hanna continued, “I think you’re pregnant, ma’am.”
“I’ve noticed how your body has changed lately whenever I
help you get dressed. Only your breasts and lower belly have
been growing. I couldn’t be completely sure just based on
these changes, so I kept silent. But you’re also experiencing
morning sicknesses, so it’s confirmed.”
“B-but…” Laura stammered. Pregnant?
So much has happened lately that she never even
considered this possibility. She protested, “But I had my
period last month. It hasn’t even been four weeks since it
ended, so how could my body be changing already?”
“Did your last period happen right on time? And how long
did it last?”
“…It happened later than usual… and it ended in just one
day.”
Hanna answered, “It’s not uncommon to have a little
spotting during pregnancy. It doesn’t mean miscarriage. It
happens to healthy women all the time.”
No, this can’t be! Laura still couldn’t believe it. She had
already experienced a terrible disappointment, so she didn’t
think she could take another blow. What if she became
hopeful again only to have the cruel reality crashing down on
her?
But… Despite her fear, Laura still managed to remain
objective. Hanna was a smart young woman, so there was no
way she would make such a claim lightly. Besides,
considering how she used to work for an incredibly fertile
woman in the past, Hanna’s guess was as good as that of Dr.
Mackenzie.
Maybe this is really happening! Laura’s eyes wavered at the
thought. Could it be that there really was a baby growing
inside of her?
Laura gulped audibly. “Please bring me some salad and
bread.”
Hanna returned with two bowls. The smell of wheat made
Laura feel nauseous. The sour scent of the salad dressing
almost made her gag. But even so, Laura slowly cleared both
bowls.
After Hanna tucked her in and left the room with the
bowls, Laura became alone with her thoughts. She looked
back at what her life had been like in the last month. In
hindsight, it was crazy how she never noticed the changes in
her body before. Just as Hanna said, her period was very light
and only lasted a day without any pain. Lately, she also
noticed that she found it hard to endure the smell of food. She
was beginning to sleep later in the morning as well.
There was more. The dresses she used to be able to wear
loosely now were too tight in the chest and waist. She needed
to wear a corset to fit into certain dresses. She thought she
just gained a little weight. But it didn’t make any sense since
she had been eating less than usual.
It’s really happening. I’m really pregnant. Laura patted her
lower belly. It used to be perfectly flat before, but there was a
subtle bulge now. She began crying, but this time, they were
tears of joy unlike earlier.
My baby… His baby… It’s our baby. Laura sniffled. It felt like
she became the luckiest woman in the whole world. I can
finally be a mother.
She could now give birth to a baby. She would become its
mother and raise it with all of her love. She was finally able to
have her husband become a father. She could have everything
she ever wanted.
The sadness from the conflict with her husband vanished.
Her limbs, which became weak from despair, felt strong
again.
The first thing she needed to do was visit Dr. Mackenzie
and confirm her pregnancy. If she was with child, she would
be able to tell her husband as soon as he returned from Leeds.
She would tell Ian that they would become parents in one
year.
 But before that, there’s something I need to do. Laura
continued to pat her lower belly. I’m going to beg for his
forgiveness first. I’ll admit that I’ve made a huge mistake by
breaking his trust. I’ll swear to him that I’ll be honest from
now on. And when he forgives me, I’ll tell him about the baby.
Laura knew that if she told him about their baby first,
Ian’s anger would disappear instantly. But she didn’t want to
use her pregnancy as a weapon to force his forgiveness. She
couldn’t have any unresolved grudge between them. After all,
they were supposed to be together for eternity.
Laura lay down on the bed calmly.
Looking up at the canopy roof over the bed, she whispered,
“Come back to me, Ian. Come home and find out what a
precious gift I have prepared for you.”
***
November 8th at five o’clock in the afternoon
The steam locomotive spewed white smoke as it arrived at
the station. Several dozen passengers left the train carrying
bags and gift boxes.
A gentleman holding a small trunk walked among the
crowd. He was wearing a black suit, gray tie, and brown frock
coat. Under the black hat was a cleanly-shaven man. He
looked around before whistling at someone near the inside of
the platform.
A white-haired man with a handsome white beard and
wearing a flat hat heard the whistle. He walked to the
gentleman and greeted, “Did you have a safe trip, Mr.
Dalton?”
“It went well,” Ian answered.
The white-haired man accepted the trunk and the two
men slowly walked out of the station. Ian asked, “Did
anything happen at home while I was away, Dan?”
“No, sir.”
“Mrs. Dalton has been well?”
“She is very healthy, sir.”
Ian nodded quietly. Dan the groom brought the carriage he
left at the coach station. When Dan took down the steps, Ian
used it to get into the carriage.
With his legs crossed, Ian looked out the window as the
carriage moved. The familiar trees and river filled his tired
eyes. Ian’s heart always warmed whenever he returned to
Yorkshire. He loved his home after all. But today, he looked
unusually rigid.
He rested his elbow on the window frame and touched the
pocket watch hanging on his vest. It has become his new habit
to fidget with it.
Laura… He bit his lip in frustration. It pained him to know
that they parted in the worst way possible. But then, the
situation was so horrific that it couldn’t be helped. When he
found out about Laura’s visit to Dr. Mackenzie, he hurried
back home to see her. But when he arrived at Laura’s study
and was about to knock, he heard her voice. It was
immediately followed by Henry’s tearful protest.
 Ian became dead silent as he listened to their conversation.
He knew instantly that his beloved nephew developed
feelings for his wife.
At that very moment, Ian felt like his brain exploded. With
a surprisingly calm demeanor, he walked to his dressing
room and found his pistol. After loading it, he returned to the
study.
Unfortunately, Ian couldn’t remember anything that
happened afterward. By the time he regained consciousness,
Henry was beneath him bloody and badly beaten. But Ian
didn’t regret what he did. He loved Henry, but the respect
between them was demolished as soon as Henry broke his
trust.
Henry had to know this too. The young man knew what
Laura meant to Ian. She was the only thing Ian was willing to
give up his life for.
Ian couldn’t believe that his own nephew coveted his
woman. Laura had been such a kind aunt to Henry, so this
young man’s behavior was unacceptable. But it wasn’t just his
anger toward Henry that fueled his violence. His
disappointment in Laura had a much bigger part in it.
Laura’s attitude toward Henry was cold, but it was obvious
that this wasn’t the first time the young man tried to court
her. This meant that Laura knew about Henry’s feelings, but
she chose not to tell her husband.
Laura lied to me. I’m her husband, yet she couldn’t trust
me. She took away my chance to protect her.
 Ian swore to God on their wedding day that he would
protect her always. That he would prioritize Laura’s
happiness and safety over everything else. He was honored to
have this responsibility as her husband.
 Side Story 49

Yet when Laura needed him the most, she stayed silent. Ian’s
heart filled with a sense of shame. Has he been such an
unreliable husband to her? He worked so hard to make Laura
happy, but was all of his effort for nothing?
Did Laura even see him as her husband?
Heartbroken, Ian traveled to Leeds.
There, he proceeded with his schedule with vigor in order
to forget his pain. He toured the six textile processing and
parts factories that were owned by his family, and he had a
long conversation with the dean of Leeds Engineering
University. When Ian suggested a significant reform in the
existing curriculum, the dean seemed shocked. However, the
dean showed interest in the idea because Ian was one of the
major donors. The dean also agreed that the improvement in
the university would lead to the improvement of the entire
city.
After Ian looked around the university with the dean and
met with several professors, he could picture a bright future
for this school. Considering the characteristics of this city, it
made sense that the university would continue to specialize in
engineering. But Ian planned to transform it into a well-
rounded school that included an excellent arts program.
To accomplish this, he was going to have to invite a
talented professor. In his head, Ian went through the list of
professors and scholars he met in his Cambridge days.
The dean was showing Ian the university when he
suddenly asked, “That pocket watch must be very important
to you.”
“What do you mean?”
The dean pointed at the pocket watch hanging from Ian’s
vest. “You have been fidgeting with it nonstop.”
It was only then that Ian finally realized he had the pocket
watch in his hand. He quickly let it go. “It’s a gift from my
wife.”
“Ah, I heard that you got married a year ago.
Congratulations.”
Ian nodded and continued to walk. But whenever he looked
down, he saw that his hand was on the pocket watch. To stop
himself, Ian tried to keep his hand behind or put it in his
pocket. He even buttoned his jacket so it would be difficult for
him to reach the watch.
But it seemed that all of his effort was useless. The dean,
who was walking next to him, chuckled. “You can keep it in
your hand, Mr. Dalton. It’s understandable considering
you’ve only been married for a year.
In the end, Ian put the watch in his breast pocket, which
would’ve been an awkward place for his hand to reach.
 That night in his hotel room, Ian stared down at the pocket
watch. This was the gift Laura gave him for his first birthday
after they got married. She had hung it on his vest herself and
said to him, “I’ll stay by your side and try to become a useful
person to you just like this watch. That’s the only way I know
how to show my love.”
At the time, Ian found his wife adorable. But alone in a
hotel room, he suddenly realized how sad her words were. It
seemed that Laura thought being useful equals love. In
retrospect, it made sense that she felt this way. Their
marriage caused quite an uproar, and there was much gossip
regarding how Laura managed to capture Mr. Dalton’s heart.
This meant that she felt the need to prove herself. Laura
probably had to be useful all her life to avoid being criticized.
Her obsession with becoming useful forced her to sacrifice
herself in their marriage too. She felt the need to give rather
than receive.
Being useful to the one she loves is her way of showing her
devotion. Ian stared at the pocket watch, finally recognizing
her intentions. Soon, his disappointment and anger toward
her evaporated.
Laura kept everything secret, but it wasn Y because she didn’t
trust me. It was because she loved me too much. She didn Y want
to make me worry.
His eyes blurred, overwhelmed by his love for his wife. Ian
wanted to see Laura at this very moment. He wanted to
apologize to her, tell her that he was a fool for not
understanding her. But he suddenly shook his head and wiped
away his tears.
Laura needs to know that this isn Y what I want. Ian told
himself.
A wife who hid her pain and served her husband might
have been considered a perfect example of a devoted wife, but
this wasn’t what Ian wanted. He knew Laura would be willing
to sacrifice herself for him, but he refused to find happiness
through her pain.
It was very difficult to break one’s habit. A person who was
used to serving others tended to serve for the rest of his life. A
workaholic found it almost impossible to stop working. Laura
had lived a life of giving for thirty years, and she was
continuing to do so even in their marriage.
Ian decided that he was going to break her habit. Laura
should never compare herself to a pocket watch because she
wasn’t some tool to be thrown away when she lost her
purpose. She needed to know that she saved him from his own
life by marrying him.
I need to be the one who’s giving here. I need to be the one
protecting and seiwing her.
Ian contemplated how he was going to accomplish this.
Should he sit with her and beg her to understand? Should he
write a heartfelt letter? He considered many different ways,
but none of them satisfied him.
Laura cared deeply about her husband’s opinion. But when
it came to her beliefs, she could be incredibly stubborn. It was
going to be a difficult task to convince her that she should
give up her industrious and selfless nature.
Then there is only one way. Ian decided grimly. Laura loved
him more than her own life. She would die without him, so
Ian decided to use this against her. When he returned home,
he would pretend to be still angry at her. This way, Laura
would continue to fear that she might lose him.
And when Laura seemed desperate, he would make her
swear to him that she would always tell him about all of her
troubles. She would have to learn to be protected by him.
Shock therapy was going to be the best method in this
case. To accomplish this, Ian would have no choice but to
become a tyrant. He needed to act like one of those
chauvinistic men who forced a woman to become dependent
on them.
Ian hated these kinds of men, but he was willing to pretend
for his wife’s sake.
While he continued to work in Leeds, Ian diligently came
up with ideas about how he should act in front of Laura. He
decided that they should sleep and dine in separate rooms for
a while. He was going to stop bringing fresh flowers to her
study every morning, and he would stop visiting her at tea
time for a chat. If she came to him to talk, he would send her
away.
The thought of making Laura sad by these actions brought
tears to his eyes, but Ian told himself to be strong. He was
doing this for Laura’s happiness and comfort. This was
absolutely necessary. In the past, things always went wrong
whenever Ian tried to act. But he was determined to make this
plan a success.
Ishis sister Mrs. Fairfax learned about this idea, she
would’ve laughed at him and called him a fool.
During the train and carriage ride back home, Ian
continued to renew his determination. He felt excited about
reuniting with Laura, but he forced himself to remain calm.
The carriage passed by the white birch trees and entered
the Whitefield Hall gate. Laura knew when his train arrived in
Whitefield, so it was possible that Laura might be waiting for
him outside. Ian put on a rigid expression just in case.
The carriage stopped in front of the mansion. When he
stepped down, Ian saw Ramswick standing in front of the
house. It seemed that his butler was the only one waiting to
welcome him home.
Ian glanced at Laura’s study upstairs before greeting
Ramswick, “Have you been well, Ramswick?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ian put his hands in his pockets and ordered, “I’ll be using
the east-wing guest room for a while, so have it ready.”
Ramswick seemed surprised, but he didn’t ask any
questions.
After a quick shower, Ian ate his dinner alone in the guest
room. When the meal was over, Ramswick visited him to
discuss what should be done with the shooting incident. The
elderly butler had already sent Ian a letter explaining how
things were handled, so he could get right to the point.
Ramswick explained, “Master Henry broke five ribs and
suffered a minor concussion. But none of his injuries were
fatal, and he’s able to speak just fine now. The police found
out about this and already paid him a visit. They questioned
Master Henry for the description of the thief. So far, Master
Henry has been refusing to answer them. We must come up
with a way to resolve this. A thief has supposedly entered
Whitefield Hall, so we need to appear strong.”
“We certainly can’t frame an innocent man, so we can’t
give any descriptions. We’ll need a plausible reason for not
filing a police report.” Ian rubbed his temples for a moment.
“Tell them that I have hired a private detective to capture the
thief. But the thief had an explanation for his actions, so I
decided to forgive him. That should do it.”
“That sounds perfect, sir. You’re the victim here, so if you
choose not to pursue legal action against the thief, the police
will have no reason to investigate. You and Master Henry will
have to get your stories straight. Would you like me to send
him a message ?
“No need. I’m going to visit him in person.
When the butler looked at him nervously, Ian grinned.
“Don’t worry, Ramswick. I don’t plan on beating him up
when he’s bedridden.”
“…I hope you don’t take a gun with you, sir.
“There are plenty of guns in Dunville Park anyway.
 “But since you’ll soon be…” Ramswick paused mid-
sentence.
Ian asked, “I’ll be what?”
It seemed that the butler wanted to say something, but he
shook his head. “It’s nothing. Shall I take my leave now?”
“If you have something to tell me, just go ahead.”
Ramswick shook his head again. Ian shrugged. “I know
you would never keep important things from me, so alright.
You may leave now.”
 Side Story 50

Ramswick bowed and left the room. Now alone in the guest
room and sitting beside the fireplace, he looked at the chair in
front of him where Ramswick sat a moment ago.
Normally, Ian and Laura spent most of their evenings
together. She would sit across from him and read, embroider,
or go through the house ledger. She always looked beautiful
to him, but Ian found her most angelic when she sat in front
of the fireplace.
A gloomy look appeared on his face as he walked to the
side table next to the bed. He opened the first drawer and took
out a neatly folded black shawl. He then returned to the
fireplace, placed the shawl on the empty chair, and sat on his
own. The shawl Laura used to wear when she worked as a
governess filled the spot where she would normally sit.
In the past whenever he visited Dunville Park, Ian used to
be envious of this black shawl that adorned Laura’s shoulders.
He imagined himself becoming this shawl so he could hug her
and feel the caress of her hair.
At the time, I would’ve gladly become her shawl just to be
near her.
 When he got an unexpected chance to obtain this shawl,
Ian had to try hard not to show his excitement. He was so
ecstatic that his whole body shook. After that day, he often
buried his nose in this shawl at night, imagining that Laura
was by his side. There were countless times when he practiced
confessing his love for her to this shawl.
After they got married and Laura asked him to throw it
away, Ian refused. He spent so much time with it that he saw
it as a part of Laura. This shawl helped him get through the
tough time when he suffered from unrequited love.
Even now… Ian gazed at the shawl. At a time like this when
he wasn’t able to be with Laura, he deeply appreciated the fact
that he at least had this shawl with him.
I miss you, Laura. Ian smiled sadly at the black shawl.
Knock knock.
He heard the knock at the door. Ian could tell that it was
Laura standing outside just from the sound of the knock.
“Ian, are you awake?” Laura asked from outside the door.
He quickly put the shawl back in the drawer. He would be
so embarrassed if his wife found him with it. His footsteps
allowed Laura to know that he wasn’t asleep.
She asked, “May I come in?”
Ian clenched his teeth. He wanted to see Laura, but he was
afraid his resolve would break if he saw her face. Ian
answered, “I’m tired. We’ll talk later.”
A short silence fell. Feeling thirsty, Ian poured himself a
cup of water and took a sip.
 “Couldn’t you spare me just five minutes?” Laura begged.
Her voice was filled with such sadness that Ian clenched his
hand around the cup.
Laura continued, “I know you’re angry at me. That’s why
you don’t want to see me, isn’t it?”

“Then you don’t have to look at me. You can look away when I
go inside. I won’t get upset by it because I know I don’t
deserve to. Please just let me in the room. Please allow me to
be in the same space as you.”
Ian’s body trembled as his wife begged him. He told
himself silently. I need to refuse her. I should tell her that I don’t
want to see her for at least a few days… That’s the only way…
Suddenly, Ian couldn’t remember the reason why he
shouldn’t see Laura. His brain turned blank except for the fact
that his wife was begging to see him. Ian had no control over
his own lips as he replied, “Come in.”
Ian returned to the seat in front of the fireplace. He then
turned around to stare at the fire. He didn’t feel confident
about acting angry in front of her. There was no way he could
lie to her and tell her that he didn’t want to see her. He could
never tell her that he had to rethink their marriage.
So he decided to not say a word. No matter what Laura said
to him, he was going to continue staring at the fire. As long as
he didn’t see her face, he could remain strong. All he needed
was for Laura to believe that he was upset about her lack of
trust in him.
 With a quiet creaking noise, the door opened and Laura
walked in slowly. Ian expected her to sit across from him in
the chair, but she did something unexpected. Ian was still
gazing at the fire when he felt her warmth beside him. He
turned toward her in surprise, and he flinched when he saw
Laura kneeling beside him. Laura slowly reached to hold his
leg. She then leaned her cheek on his thigh.
“Ian…” Her voice slowly filled the room.
44 T’ ”
I m sorry.
She gently rubbed her cheek on his leg and continued, “I
should’ve asked for your help. I was very foolish to keep quiet.
I thought that the right thing to do was fix the problem on my
own so you wouldn’t get upset. I thought this was the only
way to protect our happiness.”
Laura’s tears began soaking his pants as she begged, “My
arrogance caused me to insult you. I know the truth now. I
know what I did was wrong.”
Her voice cracked. “I understand how angry you must feel.
I’m sure you feel betrayed. But I’ve learned my lesson. I swear
I’ll never keep any secrets from you again. I’ll rely on you for
everything. I’ll be like a geranium in a pot that can’t survive
without you. So… Please…”
Laura hugged his leg tightly. “Please forgive me.”
She began sobbing, her tears making a big stain on his
pants. Her shoulders trembled, and she grabbed onto his leg
as if her life depended on it. Ian placed his hand on her head.
Her head looked so small underneath his large hand as he
patted her.
Laura looked up at him with her eyes filled with tears. Her
face was pale as she gazed at her husband who had been
ignoring her. Suddenly, her eyes widened when she realized
that Ian’s own face was wet with tears.
“Ian…” Laura whispered.
Ian wiped his eyes haphazardly and pulled her up. When
she rose obediently, he had her sit on his lap.
“Promise me you won’t ever do it again.” He wiped her
tears away with his pajama sleeve. “You must never keep any
secrets from me. You can’t sacrifice yourself for me, and if
there’s anything that’s bothering you, you must come to me
immediately so I can fix it. Do you understand?”
Like an obedient little girl, Laura nodded.
“Good girl.” Ian kissed her cheek.
Laura wrapped her arms around his neck. Ian held her
waist and they hugged for a long time. With his eyes closed,
he breathed in her scent and enjoyed her warmth. For the last
four days, he had missed her terribly.
Ian vaguely wondered what would’ve happened if Laura
hadn’t begged for forgiveness just now. Would he have been
able to carry out his plan? Could he really get angry at her and
ignore her?
He knew he would’ve failed miserably. If Ian saw even the
slightest sign that Laura was hurt by his action, he would’ve
given up in a heartbeat. He would’ve been the one on his
knees begging for her forgiveness.
Loving the feel of her in his embrace, Ian began kissing her
cheek. He caressed her back, his body burning for her just like
their first night together.
“Darling,” Laura whispered.
Ian left a trail of kisses along her jaw. “Yes?”
“I have something to tell you.”
Ian searched her dress for the buttons. “Go ahead.”
“But before I do, maybe we can sit down and…”
“I can hear you just fine, so you can tell me.” He found the
buttons and undid them one by one.
Laura sighed quietly. “I’m pregnant.”
Ian’s hands froze. He had his face buried on her neck, but
he raised his face to look into her eyes. There was a faint
blush on his cheeks. His lips slowly opened into a gape. He
seemed more shocked than pleased. He looked like he had just
seen a trainwreck.
“Tell me again,” he whispered.
“We’re going to have a baby, Ian.”
He placed his hand on her lower tummy. “There’s a baby
inside of you?”
“Yes.”
“Our baby?”
Laura answered calmly, “That’s right.”
Ian began to pant roughly as the realization finally dawned
on him. A look of reverence appeared in his eyes as he
embraced Laura. Fresh tears began to fill his eyes again. He
murmured, “Dammit. I’m so happy. I can die a happy man
now.”
Laura’s voice filled with laughter. “But you can’t die,
darling. If you do, what will happen to me and our baby?”
“You’re right. You need me to take care of you, of course,”
he mumbled and rubbed his cheek on her shoulder. “But I
mean it. I have everything I ever wanted in my life. I could die
a happy man.”
“Please stop talking about scary things.
You’re going to scare our baby.”
“Ah, of course. I won’t do it. I won’t do anything you don’t
want me to.” Ian looked up at her. “So when will the baby
arrive? How long do we have to wait?”
“Dr. Mackenzie told me that the baby is about seven weeks
old. We just have to wait eight more months.”
“So after eight more months, you and I will become a mom
and dad?”
“Yes.”
Ian smiled so broadly that it looked like he was crying.
“My angel… You won’t be able to run away from me
anymore.”
Laura touched his cheek. “That’s blasphemy again.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. Even God can’t take you away
from me anymore. After all, you need to be with me to become
our baby’s mother.”
“Do you seriously believe I’m an angel?”
 Ian nodded, making Laura smile. She muttered, “You have
such a wild imagination.”
Her hands gently caressed his face. His warm smooth skin
almost made her cry. She missed him so much during the last
few days. She had been desperate to see him, sit on his lap like
this, and touch his face.
She continued, “Even if I’m an angel, I won’t go anywhere.
Even if God summons me, I’m going to ignore him. Heaven
wouldn’t mean anything if you weren’t there.”
Laura slowly leaned toward him. “My place will always be
by your side.”
Their lips met. They kissed for a long time, confirming
each other’s love as their souls became one.
 Side Story 51

It has been five days since Henry was brought to Dunville

Park in a bloody mess. Olivia watched her brother closely
because it had been a long time since something this exciting
had happened in her home. The last time the house was in
such an uproar was when the two idiots Daniel and George
almost burnt down the entire forest.
The doctor and the policemen visited Dunville Park almost
every day. Olivia, who thrived in dramatic situations such as
this, forgot all about her training to become a proper lady. She
watched Henry through the cracks in the door as he screamed
in pain while the doctor set his broken ribs and stitched his
forehead. She also eavesdropped when the policeman and a
sketch artist dropped by to get the description of the thief.
Olivia couldn’t help but become suspicious when Henry
refused to describe the culprit who attacked him. Nicknamed
Miss Holmes by her mother, she began her own investigation.
Between her piano and French lessons, she read the society
pages of the newspapers her father left on the sofa. She also
hid behind the doors and listened to the servants gossiping
about various rumors.
 And of course, Olivia never stopped eavesdropping on
Henry in his room. He was usually alone or with a nurse, and
all she could hear was him crying quietly from time to time.
Based on all the information she gathered, she was able to
come up with a few possible explanations. And being a
fifteenyear-old girl who loved drama, she decided to believe
the scariest scenario.
I got it! Olivia ran straight to her mother’s room. Mrs.
Fairfax was in front of the fireplace wrapped in a fox fur
shawl.
“Mom, Mom!”
“What is it, Olivia?” Mrs. Fairfax answered without much
interest. She had been feeling depressed lately. She felt
weaker than usual, and she even developed headaches. It was
understandable considering how her eldest son returned
home looking like a corpse.
Olivia clenched her fists as she asked, “What do you think
about Henry not cooperating with the police investigation?”
Mrs. Fairfax glanced at her daughter. “You always ask for
my opinion before saying what you want. I know you don’t
really want to hear what I think.”
Olivia became a little embarrassed. Mrs. Fairfax continued,
“Just spit it out, Olivia. I’m sure it’s another nonsense you
cooked up, but I’ll hear you out. After all, I know you’ll get
sick if you don’t let it all out.”
“I know you aren’t feeling well, but there’s no need to be
so mean, Mom. This isn’t some nonsense. Once you hear it,
you’ll realize that it’s a distinct possibility. You’ll be very
impressed with me.”
Mrs. Fairfax nodded. It wasn’t long ago when Olivia
suffered from the delusion of becoming a princess. But now,
that damn Arthur Conan Doyle’s story turned my daughter
into a detective. Oh well, I guess it doesn I matter.
When her mother seemed willing to listen, Olivia crossed
her arms and lamented, “When you read the society section
of the newspaper, you quickly learn that many bad things are
happening in this world. Assaults, robberies, murders,
prostitution, and frauds, to name a few. England was once a
safe place where honest English men and women could live
peacefully. But as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer,
people have become corrupt. This is a terrible time to live
here.”
“Are you planning to run for office or something?”
Olivia ignored her mother’s sarcasm. “This attempted
burglary in our quiet town in Yorkshire is an excellent
example of the troubles England currently faces. I believe that
Henry has become a victim of this kingdom’s corruption.
Those evil people have ruined him.”
“How dramatic. Sure, I agree that an evil man caused your
brother to become bedridden for the next three months.
Everyone knows that.”
Olivia asked, “So why isn’t Henry cooperating with the
investigation?”
 Mrs. Fairfax became speechless because Olivia cut right to
the core of her worry. The reason Mrs. Fairfax developed a
headache was because she couldn’t tell what her son must be
thinking. Why was Henry not helping the police in finding the
culprit who hurt him so badly?
Henry’s silence was causing his mother’s health to
deteriorate fast.
Olivia continued, “I thought about this for a long time.
Could it be that the thief threatened Henry to burn down
Dunville Park if he said anything? Or maybe it was a group of
thieves, and Henry fell in love with a girl from this group. But
these explanations didn’t make any sense. Our home is secure
enough that Henry wouldn’t worry about a home invasion.
And of course, how pretty could a thief be? Henry has a
gorgeous sister like me, so his standards have to be very high
after all.”
Olivia’s voice became louder. “I was stumped until one
day, I heard the servants gossiping. Apparently, a group of
gypsies has been appearing often near Whitefield. They sing
and dance to gather an audience. They then steal the
bystanders’ wallets and jewelry. They also tell fake fortunes
for money or sell strange herbs and charms. I heard that there
are even some who sell their bodies for nightly pleasure. Not
just women but men too!”
“Men? To female customers?”
Olivia shook her head. “No! Men selling their bodies to
men!”
 “Ah.” Mrs. Fairfax nodded. “I suppose things like that
happen. So what does that have to do with Henry?”
“Don’t you get it? These gypsy men are obviously used to
giving their bodies to other men. That means that perhaps…
No, I’m certain of it! They must’ve fallen for Henry when they
invaded Whitefield Hall and molested him in the forest!”
Mrs. Fairfax’s face crumpled. She seemed more displeased
than shocked. It was obvious she didn’t believe Olivia’s story.
“You’re being ridiculous…”
“Mom, you need to be objective here. Henry is very good-
looking but in a rather feminine way. If he had been born in
Greece in the olden days, countless soldiers and philosophers
would’ve fought to take him as a lover. And remember when
Henry used to live in a dormitory? There was a male student
who tried to do some funny business with Henry. I still
remember how Dad and Uncle Ian rushed to the dormitory in
fury.”
“You were only five or six at the time, yet you still
remember that?”
“Of course. That was the only time when Dad and Uncle
Ian agreed on something. Anyway, I’m sure of my theory.
Henry must’ve been molested by the gypsies.” Olivia became
visibly excited, believing that she had solved this mystery. If
she was right, it meant that Henry went through something
horrendous. But Olivia didn’t seem concerned at all. It was
because she didn’t feel much affection for Henry. She also
didn’t believe men could be seriously hurt by sexual assault.
 Mrs. Fairfax became quiet. It does make sense.
She knew her eldest son very well. Henry was shy and
sensitive. If what Olivia guessed was true, Henry would never
want the culprits to be found or else, the whole world would
find out about what happened to him.
“Olivia.”
“Yes, Mom?”
“I know you’ve been spying on Henry.
From now on, you need to report to me about everything
you see and hear.”
Olivia nodded, ecstatic that her mother took her opinion
seriously. She answered, “The doctor is supposed to drop by
today, so I’ll tell you what happens during his visit too.”
“Don’t look so excited. If what you said is true, your
brother might never get married.”
“No way.”
“When something like this happens, the victim is scarred
for life. Not just women but men too. Especially a sensitive
boy like Henry… He would lose his mind…”
Just then, they heard a horse arrive outside.
“Is that the doctor?” Olivia walked to the window. “Huh?
It’s Uncle Ian! Mom, Uncle Ian is here.”
“I guess he returned from Leeds.”
Olivia checked herself in front of the mirror on the wall as
she announced, “He must be here to convince Henry to
cooperate with the police. Henry listens to Uncle Ian, so
maybe he’ll do it.”
 Olivia hummed and walked to the door.
“I’ll find out what I can and return, Mom!”
The young girl left the room. Left alone, Mrs. Fairfax
sighed quietly. Before Olivia’s visit, she had looked tired. But
now, there was deep worry in her eyes.
No one ever talked about it, but the kind of assault Olivia
mentioned happened from time to time. Being over forty,
Mrs. Fairfax had seen it all. She had known three men who
were sexually abused. Two of them were her childhood
friends while one was a male staff member from the village.
Her friends were molested by their relatives when they were
young, and the male servant was assaulted by a group of
drunk men.
None of these victims dared to report what happened to
the police. They ended up drinking heavily in an attempt to
forget, and one of them even committed suicide.
If something like this really happened to Henry, then… Mrs.
Fairfax’s heart throbbed in pain. She maintained an
indifferent attitude toward her children, but this didn’t mean
she didn’t love them. She tried not to be too attentive because
she knew her body couldn’t handle any stress.
But now, the motherly instinct she had been ignoring was
resurfacing. She looked at the small dresser where she kept
her cards and the velvet tablecloth. But instead of taking them
out to tell her son’s fortune, Mrs. Fairfax clasped her hands
and closed her eyes.
 “…God.” She began a long prayer for her son Henry. At this
moment, she was in desperate need of God’s help.
 Side Story 52

“Welcome, Uncle Ian!” Olivia greeted Ian as he walked up the

stairs inside Dunville Park. She was now tall enough to reach
his shoulders, so she very much looked like a proper young
lady.
Ian smiled. “Hello, Olivia. Have you been well?”
“Of course. Is Aunt Laura doing well?”
She sure is. A sunny smile appeared on his face. Last night
after he found out that she was pregnant, they lay in bed and
talked late into the night. They wondered if it was a girl or a
boy. They discussed where they should build the baby’s room
and how many nannies they should hire. They also chatted
about what kind of education their child should receive.
Laura’s face glowed as she rested her head on her
husband’s arm. The anticipation and joy of having a baby, and
the fact that she could share this with her husband, made her
the happiest she had ever been in her life. Her cheeks rosy and
her eyes sparkling, Laura looked beautiful.
They were talking about things very far ahead in the
future, but Ian and Laura could barely contain their
excitement. It seemed that they’d finally obtained perfect
happiness.
 Olivia blushed, admiring how handsome her uncle looked.
His smile at the thought of his wife seemed to bring even
greater beauty to his face.
Ian replied, “She’s well, of course. And I can tell that
you’re in perfect health too, Olivia. Look how gorgeous you
are. Could it be that you’re in love?”
“My first love will begin in London. For now, Aunt Laura
will remain my only love interest.”
Ian chuckled. “Sure, go ahead. You’re the only person I
would ever share my Laura with.”
Ian asked Olivia to tell her mother that he was going to
visit Henry. The two of them parted ways on the second floor.
As Ian walked down the hallway to Henry’s room, the
smile on his face disappeared. When he arrived, he burst into
the room without knocking. The spacious room reeked of
disinfectants while Henry was asleep in his bed. The nurse, a
middle-aged woman, was sitting on the chair beside the bed
crocheting something. The nurse rose when she recognized
Ian Dalton.
Ian ordered, “Please leave the room for a moment.”
The nurse grabbed her things and curtsied before leaving.
Ian walked to the bed and saw that half of his nephew’s
face had turned purple. His head was wrapped in bandages
over the stitches, and his lips were covered with scabs.
Henry’s torso was wrapped in several layers of bandages like
armor to prevent him from moving.
 There was no mercy in Ian’s eyes as he looked at his
injured nephew. He sat down on the chair where the nurse
was sitting. He crossed his legs and waited quietly until Henry
woke up.
About ten minutes passed by when Henry groaned. “I’m…
thirsty…”
His voice cracked painfully, but Ian didn’t get up to help.
“W…ater…” Still in agony from the recent injury, Henry
frowned in displeasure and opened his eyes. He searched for
the nurse who always stayed by his side for his care. But when
he spotted his uncle, Henry’s eyes sharpened.
Ian murmured, “Olivia is outside the door eavesdropping.”
He was telling Henry to speak quietly.
Henry looked defeated as he asked, “…Did you come here
to kill me?”
“If I meant to kill you, you wouldn’t have left the study
alive that day.” His arms crossed, Ian’s voice turned chilly.
“But I’ll admit that I wanted to shoot your leg or arm.
There was no hatred in Henry’s eyes as he stared at his
uncle. Ian was his rival in love as well as his attacker, but it
was obvious the young man didn’t hold a grudge. Henry
whispered, “It would’ve been better if I had died.”
“Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”
“I would rather die than not be able to see Aunt Laura
again.”
Henry’s eyes filled with tears, but Ian watched
indifferently. That day in the study, Ian experienced the
greatest disappointment in his life because of his nephew. Ian
has become apathetic in general after the incident. All he now
felt for his nephew was resentment and feelings of betrayal.
Ian muttered, “I’m grateful to God that my aim was
terrible that day. If I had killed you and received the death
sentence, our baby would’ve grown up without a father.”
“…What?”
“Laura is pregnant.”
Henry looked confused at first. But Ian became shocked by
what his nephew said afterward.
“Congratulations. ”
Ian frowned. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I mean it. Congratulations, Uncle
Ian. Aunt Laura must be happy too.”
Ian couldn’t believe his ears. A burst of fury engulfed him
as he glared at Henry. As a young boy, Ian had raised his
nephew like a son. This was why what Henry did was
absolutely unforgivable. It was outrageous that this young
man developed feelings for his aunt and even spoke of it out
loud. On top of this, there was an even greater disaster that
might have occurred from Henry’s sin. If Laura had been a
fragile woman, she might have suffered a miscarriage from
the stress Henry caused her. Ian believed that their baby was
still safe only because Laura was such a strong woman.
If something had happened to their baby, Ian was certain
he would’ve killed Henry.
 “Henry, your love for her isn’t normal. I’m not even
talking about the fact that you and Laura are legally related to
each other. And I don’t feel jealous of you. I also know that
you didn’t ask her to become your lover. That’s the only
reason why I let you live.” Ian smiled coldly.
“Even now, you’re smiling and congratulating me despite
the fact that Laura is pregnant with a baby that doesn’t
belong to you. All of these things prove that what you feel for
her is nothing more than a fantasy.”
Ian lowered his voice and continued, “You don’t love her
as a woman, Henry. What you feel is a kind of reverence, like
Christians feel for the Virgin Mary or the old Greeks feel for
Athena. What you needed was a savior because of what
happened with that woman Celine in Paris.”
Henry turned rigid at the mention of Celine, proving to Ian
that his guess was correct. Ian added, “It’s unfortunate that
you suffered, but I will never forgive you for what you did to
my wife. Your pain doesn’t excuse you from almost
destroying my family. Henry, you’re no longer my nephew.”
“Uncle Ian, I…”
“Do not ever set foot in Whitefield. If you do, I’m going to
cut off your limbs myself. Don’t try to see Laura again either.
If I suspect that you’re chasing after her, I’m going to take
your eyes out. If you need to be saved, go to the church. If you
need a woman, find someone from elsewhere. I won’t allow
you to interfere with my family ever again.”
 “…Uncle Ian…” Henry became tearful, remembering the
kind way his aunt looked at him. She was such a warm and
honest woman who had the power to save him from his
nightmares.
Henry apologized, “I’m sorry, Uncle Ian. I know I deserved
to die. I betrayed you and Aunt Laura’s trust. But I… I felt like I
couldn’t survive if I didn’t have her. After I lost my dream,
and my body and mind were corrupted, I was afraid I might
kill myself. I felt that I could continue living only if I had a
piece of Aunt Laura’s heart.”
“Every part of her belongs to me,” Ian warned.
“I know how much you love her, Uncle Ian. That makes me
a crazy bastard since I still coveted her. But I didn’t mean to
hurt you in any way. I wasn’t trying to steal your happiness.
That’s why I was going to keep this a secret between Aunt
Laura and me.
“…So you were going to make a fool out of me, huh?”
Lt »
“Not even knowing that I was betrayed would’ve been
even worse. What you planned to do was cruder than openly
challenging me for a duel. Dammit, I can’t believe I have a
nephew like you. If I didn’t have a baby on the way, I would’ve
strangled you right now.”
Henry continued to sob. “Uncle Ian, if I can’t see Aunt
Laura anymore… Then where… can I go from now on? Who
will give me solace and comfort? Aunt Laura was the only one
who gave me a reason to live…”
 “Jesus, do you think you’re Sir Lancelot yearning for
Queen Guinevere? Wake up, Henry. Laura isn’t your queen.
She’s an ordinary woman living a happy life with her
husband. If you continue to worship her this way, you’ll make
her miserable.”
Henry bit his lip. He never imagined that his feelings
would make Laura unhappy. He was drowning in his own
pain, which was why he tried to grab onto her for his own
survival.
Aunt Laura could become unhappy because of me? But all she
tried to do was help me. Henry thought in despair. Laura was
the only woman in his life who ever brought him peace. His
heart was like the dry desert, and the comfort she offered him
was so sweet that Henry threw himself at her. He had nothing
to lose and everything to gain.
While Henry continued to sniffle, Ian told him the real
reason for his visit. Ramswick and Ian had come up with a
story for the police, and Henry needed to be on the same page.
The thief they supposedly found through a private
detective was to be a servant who was let go from Whitefield
Hall many years ago. This thief needed the money to feed his
eight children, and he ended up losing two fingers when
Henry shot him. In the end, the culprit was worse off than
before he tried to steal. If he was reported to the police, the
thief would’ve ended up in jail, leaving his children and wife
to starve to death. So Ian and Henry decided not to pursue any
legal actions against him.
 Henry agreed that this story made sense. The world didn’t
have to know that his uncle shot him after finding out that he
tried to pursue his aunt. This he was the least Henry could do
to spare his uncle and aunt from humiliation.
Ian announced, “It will be impossible for you to forget
about your aunt. Any man who learns about Laura’s value is
forever burdened to yearn for her. You’ll constantly compare
every woman to her, and you’ll realize that no one can be as
good as her. Your life will become torture, which is a fitting
punishment for you.”
“Welcome, Uncle Ian!” Olivia greeted Ian as he walked up
the stairs inside Dunville Park. She was now tall enough to
reach his shoulders, so she very much looked like a proper
young lady.
Ian smiled. “Hello, Olivia. Have you been well?”
“Of course. Is Aunt Laura doing well?”
She sure is. A sunny smile appeared on his face. Last night
after he found out that she was pregnant, they lay in bed and
talked late into the night. They wondered if it was a girl or a
boy. They discussed where they should build the baby’s room
and how many nannies they should hire. They also chatted
about what kind of education their child should receive.
Laura’s face glowed as she rested her head on her
husband’s arm. The anticipation and joy of having a baby, and
the fact that she could share this with her husband, made her
the happiest she had ever been in her life. Her cheeks rosy and
her eyes sparkling, Laura looked beautiful.
 They were talking about things very far ahead in the
future, but Ian and Laura could barely contain their
excitement. It seemed that they’d finally obtained perfect
happiness.
Olivia blushed, admiring how handsome her uncle looked.
His smile at the thought of his wife seemed to bring even
greater beauty to his face.
Ian replied, “She’s well, of course. And I can tell that
you’re in perfect health too, Olivia. Look how gorgeous you
are. Could it be that you’re in love?”
“My first love will begin in London. For now, Aunt Laura
will remain my only love interest.”
Ian chuckled. “Sure, go ahead. You’re the only person I
would ever share my Laura with.”
Ian asked Olivia to tell her mother that he was going to
visit Henry. The two of them parted ways on the second floor.
As Ian walked down the hallway to Henry’s room, the
smile on his face disappeared. When he arrived, he burst into
the room without knocking. The spacious room reeked of
disinfectants while Henry was asleep in his bed. The nurse, a
middle-aged woman, was sitting on the chair beside the bed
crocheting something. The nurse rose when she recognized
Ian Dalton.
Ian ordered, “Please leave the room for a moment.”
The nurse grabbed her things and curtsied before leaving.
Ian walked to the bed and saw that half of his nephew’s
face had turned purple. His head was wrapped in bandages
over the stitches, and his lips were covered with scabs.
Henry’s torso was wrapped in several layers of bandages like
armor to prevent him from moving.
There was no mercy in Ian’s eyes as he looked at his
injured nephew. He sat down on the chair where the nurse
was sitting. He crossed his legs and waited quietly until Henry
woke up.
About ten minutes passed by when Henry groaned. “I’m…
thirsty…”
His voice cracked painfully, but Ian didn’t get up to help.
“W…ater…” Still in agony from the recent injury, Henry
frowned in displeasure and opened his eyes. He searched for
the nurse who always stayed by his side for his care. But when
he spotted his uncle, Henry’s eyes sharpened.
Ian murmured, “Olivia is outside the door eavesdropping.”
He was telling Henry to speak quietly.
Henry looked defeated as he asked, “…Did you come here
to kill me?”
“If I meant to kill you, you wouldn’t have left the study
alive that day.” His arms crossed, Ian’s voice turned chilly.
“But I’ll admit that I wanted to shoot your leg or arm.
There was no hatred in Henry’s eyes as he stared at his
uncle. Ian was his rival in love as well as his attacker, but it
was obvious the young man didn’t hold a grudge. Henry
whispered, “It would’ve been better if I had died.”
“Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”
 “I would rather die than not be able to see Aunt Laura
again.”
Henry’s eyes filled with tears, but Ian watched
indifferently. That day in the study, Ian experienced the
greatest disappointment in his life because of his nephew. Ian
has become apathetic in general after the incident. All he now
felt for his nephew was resentment and feelings of betrayal.
Ian muttered, “I’m grateful to God that my aim was
terrible that day. If I had killed you and received the death
sentence, our baby would’ve grown up without a father.”
“…What?”
“Laura is pregnant.”
Henry looked confused at first. But Ian became shocked by
what his nephew said afterward.
“Congratulations. ”
Ian frowned. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I mean it. Congratulations, Uncle
Ian. Aunt Laura must be happy too.”
Ian couldn’t believe his ears. A burst of fury engulfed him
as he glared at Henry. As a young boy, Ian had raised his
nephew like a son. This was why what Henry did was
absolutely unforgivable. It was outrageous that this young
man developed feelings for his aunt and even spoke of it out
loud. On top of this, there was an even greater disaster that
might have occurred from Henry’s sin. If Laura had been a
fragile woman, she might have suffered a miscarriage from
the stress Henry caused her. Ian believed that their baby was
still safe only because Laura was such a strong woman.
If something had happened to their baby, Ian was certain
he would’ve killed Henry.
“Henry, your love for her isn’t normal. I’m not even
talking about the fact that you and Laura are legally related to
each other. And I don’t feel jealous of you. I also know that
you didn’t ask her to become your lover. That’s the only
reason why I let you live.” Ian smiled coldly.
“Even now, you’re smiling and congratulating me despite
the fact that Laura is pregnant with a baby that doesn’t
belong to you. All of these things prove that what you feel for
her is nothing more than a fantasy.”
Ian lowered his voice and continued, “You don’t love her
as a woman, Henry. What you feel is a kind of reverence, like
Christians feel for the Virgin Mary or the old Greeks feel for
Athena. What you needed was a savior because of what
happened with that woman Celine in Paris.”
Henry turned rigid at the mention of Celine, proving to Ian
that his guess was correct. Ian added, “It’s unfortunate that
you suffered, but I will never forgive you for what you did to
my wife. Your pain doesn’t excuse you from almost
destroying my family. Henry, you’re no longer my nephew.”
“Uncle Ian, I…”
“Do not ever set foot in Whitefield. If you do, I’m going to
cut off your limbs myself. Don’t try to see Laura again either.
If I suspect that you’re chasing after her, I’m going to take
your eyes out. If you need to be saved, go to the church. If you
need a woman, find someone from elsewhere. I won’t allow
you to interfere with my family ever again.”
“…Uncle Ian…” Henry became tearful, remembering the
kind way his aunt looked at him. She was such a warm and
honest woman who had the power to save him from his
nightmares.
Henry apologized, “I’m sorry, Uncle Ian. I know I deserved
to die. I betrayed you and Aunt Laura’s trust. But I… I felt like I
couldn’t survive if I didn’t have her. After I lost my dream,
and my body and mind were corrupted, I was afraid I might
kill myself. I felt that I could continue living only if I had a
piece of Aunt Laura’s heart.”
“Every part of her belongs to me,” Ian warned.
“I know how much you love her, Uncle Ian. That makes me
a crazy bastard since I still coveted her. But I didn’t mean to
hurt you in any way. I wasn’t trying to steal your happiness.
That’s why I was going to keep this a secret between Aunt
Laura and me.
“…So you were going to make a fool out of me, huh?”
Lt »
“Not even knowing that I was betrayed would’ve been
even worse. What you planned to do was cruder than openly
challenging me for a duel. Dammit, I can’t believe I have a
nephew like you. If I didn’t have a baby on the way, I would’ve
strangled you right now.”
 Henry continued to sob. “Uncle Ian, if I can’t see Aunt
Laura anymore… Then where… can I go from now on? Who
will give me solace and comfort? Aunt Laura was the only one
who gave me a reason to live…”
“Jesus, do you think you’re Sir Lancelot yearning for
Queen Guinevere? Wake up, Henry. Laura isn’t your queen.
She’s an ordinary woman living a happy life with her
husband. If you continue to worship her this way, you’ll make
her miserable.”
Henry bit his lip. He never imagined that his feelings
would make Laura unhappy. He was drowning in his own
pain, which was why he tried to grab onto her for his own
survival.
Aunt Laura could become unhappy because of me? But all she
tried to do was help me. Henry thought in despair. Laura was
the only woman in his life who ever brought him peace. His
heart was like the dry desert, and the comfort she offered him
was so sweet that Henry threw himself at her. He had nothing
to lose and everything to gain.
While Henry continued to sniffle, Ian told him the real
reason for his visit. Ramswick and Ian had come up with a
story for the police, and Henry needed to be on the same page.
The thief they supposedly found through a private
detective was to be a servant who was let go from Whitefield
Hall many years ago. This thief needed the money to feed his
eight children, and he ended up losing two fingers when
Henry shot him. In the end, the culprit was worse off than
before he tried to steal. If he was reported to the police, the
thief would’ve ended up in jail, leaving his children and wife
to starve to death. So Ian and Henry decided not to pursue any
legal actions against him.
Henry agreed that this story made sense. The world didn’t
have to know that his uncle shot him after finding out that he
tried to pursue his aunt. This he was the least Henry could do
to spare his uncle and aunt from humiliation.
Ian announced, “It will be impossible for you to forget
about your aunt. Any man who learns about Laura’s value is
forever burdened to yearn for her. You’ll constantly compare
every woman to her, and you’ll realize that no one can be as
good as her. Your life will become torture, which is a fitting
punishment for you.”
 Side Story 53

“It would be a perfect punishment for you.” Ian uncrossed his

legs and slowly stood up.
“Uncle Ian,” Henry called out in a tearful voice. “Please!”
Ian left the room as if he couldn’t hear anything. Henry’s
voice cracked painfully, but Ian felt nothing for him.
Left alone in his room, Henry realized that he had just lost
the most important person in his life. His uncle had given him
so much and loved him unconditionally. But soon, Ian was
going to have his own child. This new baby would fill Henry’s
place in Ian’s life.
But no one would ever be able to fill Ian’s place in Henry’s
life. The pain of losing his uncle was going to be another
punishment Henry must endure.
***
That night, Henry was surprised by his mother’s
unexpected visit. He didn’t welcome it because she wasn’t
someone he could lean on. The nurse left to give them some
privacy. But instead of taking the chair beside the bed, Mrs.
Fairfax sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace. The sofa was
about ten steps away from the bed.
 Henry was staring at the ceiling when his mother called
out, “Henry.”

“Your uncle told me that you decided to forgive that thief.”

“Yes.”
“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
“I won’t. After all…” Henry wasn’t used to lying, so his
voice sounded awkward. He cleared his throat and continued,
“…He was just a poor thief. Perhaps it was my fault for
chasing after him into the forest. I should’ve just let him go.”
After a short silence, Mrs. Fairfax asked, “Then why do
you keep crying?”
During the last five days, Henry was found crying often.
The nurse tried to console him, and the doctor and the police
gave him troubled looks. Even George tried to help wipe away
his tears. But nothing seemed to make Henry feel better.
The moment Henry regained consciousness after being
beaten up, he understood that it was all over. Now that his
uncle knew everything, his relationship with his uncle and
aunt was going to end for good. And his guess was found to be
correct when Ian visited today. Ian announced the end of their
relationship, and Henry lost his friend, father, brother, and
teacher.
This is all my fault. I’m a terrible person. Henry loathed
himself as he spiraled into despair. He cried so much today
that the nurse had to change his pillowcase.
 When his mother asked why he cried, Henry’s eyes filled
with tears again. He covered his face with his hands in an
attempt to hide it. His eyes were so red and swollen that they
stung. His whole body still ached badly from the beating.
“Mother… Please do not ask me any more questions about
what happened. I don’t want to think about it. I have so many
regrets… about what happened that I don’t want to relive it.”
Watching her son sob, Mrs. Fairfax thought about her
meeting with Ian earlier. Ian visited Henry first as soon as he
arrived in Dunville Park. Ian later told Mrs. Fairfax that Henry
refused to cooperate with the police because he was
embarrassed about being beaten by the thief. When Ian told
Henry about the thief’s circumstances, Henry apparently
decided to show mercy.
Knowing how forgiving Henry was, his decision made
sense to Mrs. Fairfax. But the mother’s instinct told her that
there was something more sinister behind this whole
incident. This made even more sense because Olivia later told
her that Henry wailed after Ian left. He cried so loudly that
Mrs. Landen had to plug her ears with cotton.
Unfortunately, Olivia explained that she couldn’t hear
anything outside the room while Henry and Ian talked. Mrs.
Fairfax contemplated for a long time, and she felt that she
needed to have a chat with her
son.
She promised, “Henry, I won’t ever ask this question again
after tonight.”
 Henry had been praying that his mother would leave. He
sniffled and waited, and Mrs. Fairfax finally asked the
dreaded question, “Did someone molest you?”
Henry stopped crying suddenly. He even stopped
breathing, and his silence confirmed her worst nightmare.
“Oh, God…,” Mrs. Fairfax mumbled quietly.
Henry became confused, unable to understand how his
mother found out about Celine.
Did Uncle Ian tell her? No, that can’t be. He may hate me,
but he would never do that.
Although their relationship was ruined, Henry’s trust in
his uncle stayed strong. He was certain that Uncle Ian would
never tell anyone about his painful past for revenge.
Maybe Mother found out about it through her cards. She
gets a lot of things right after all.
Henry has been worried that his mother would find out
about his secrets through her cards. It seemed that he was
right to fear because his mother knew everything now. Henry
couldn’t bear to look at her. He was so humiliated that he
wanted to die at that very moment.
“Mother, please don’t tell anyone about this. I can never
tell you about it either.”
Henry began crying again, and Mrs. Fairfax looked up at
the ceiling. She assumed that Ian already knew everything.
Henry probably confessed the truth to his uncle, and Ian
must’ve made up the story about the thief. It made sense that
Henry couldn’t tell her or her husband about it.
 Mrs. Fairfax understood why Henry kept silent. Since the
moment Henry was born twenty-four years ago, they have
never been close like some mothers and sons
were.
When she gave birth to her first son, she found it very hard
to love him. It was a terribly difficult birth, and she suffered a
dangerous fever afterward. She almost died from the entire
ordeal.
When Mrs. Fairfax finally recovered, she decided to make
an effort to love her child. She dismissed the wetnurse and
breastfed Henry herself. As she spent more time with him,
she began to feel affectionate toward him.
But by the time Henry became a toddler, her husband fell
from a horse and suffered a serious injury. He became
bedridden, and this caused him to become depressed. It was
no wonder since Mr. Fairfax was such an active man.
To cure her husband, Mrs. Fairfax summoned doctors and
healers from all over the kingdom. She also had to run the
household and the businesses of Dunville Park by herself,
which meant that she didn’t have any time to spare for her
son.
By the time Robert miraculously recovered thanks to the
hot springs of Bath, Henry was ready to attend the public
school. He was sent to live in the dormitory, and every time
he returned home for the summer, he was greeted by a new
sibling. Unable to sleep at home at night due to the crying
babies, Henry chose to spend much of his time with his uncle
at Whitefield Hall.
All grown up now, there was an unfillable gap between
Henry and his mother. They were affectionate with one
another, but nothing could make up for the lack of time they
spent during his childhood.
Mrs. Fairx watched her son cry. Henry was a good-hearted
boy. During the difficult time when his father was ill, Henry
was very understanding of his mother spending all of her
time taking care of her husband. Henry never caused any
trouble. He lived quietly, and he did very well at school too.
Yet it seemed that someone hurt Henry in a terrible way.
Mrs. Fairfax felt hopeless, but she was a practical woman. She
decided that what her son needed was a solid piece of advice
instead of blind sympathy. She believed that this was the only
way to save him.
“There’s no need for you to tell me anything, Henry. You
don’t want to talk about it, and I don’t want to hear about it.
You can just stay in your bed and listen to your mother now.”
Henry sighed in relief. He had been afraid that his mother
might question him for answers.
Mrs. Fairfax continued, “I’m sure you blame yourself. You
probably think very little of yourself right now. It must feel
like everything that happened to you is your fault. These are
all normal feelings.
Victims, especially the soft-hearted ones, tend to feel
guilty about these things even though it’s not their fault. But
Henry, you should know that the only thing you’re guilty of is
being good.”
Mrs. Fairfax’s voice remained calm.
“You’re a good person, Henry. You wrote a letter to me
every month when you were in school, and you climbed the
tree to return the baby bird to its nest even though you’re
afraid of heights. You never failed to give money to a beggar
whenever you saw one, and you even got beaten up once
trying to save a girl selling flowers on the street from a thug.
You were, and you always will be, a good person.”
Henry remained quiet while listening attentively. Although
her voice sounded indifferent, he could still hear her worry
and love. She continued, “You probably feel dirty as if your
mind and body have been ruined. You can keep thinking this
way if you wish. But you should remember this. Venus de Milo
may have broken arms and damage all over her body, but
nothing will change the fact that she’s Venus de Milo. It’s the
same for you. You may be broken and damaged, but you’ll
always be Henry Fairfax.”
“No one in this world can escape from being broken and
hurt. That’s how you grow up to be an adult. But if you lose
yourself and your soul, you’ll just be an empty shell. So do not
lose yourself. Even if others used you, this doesn’t mean that
you should give up on yourself. You can’t punish yourself for
what had happened. Do you understand?”
 Side Story 54

Henry didn’t respond, but it didn’t seem like Mrs. Fairfax was
expecting an answer from him. She continued, “From now
on, you must focus on yourself. There’s no need for you to try
to become the head of the family. If you want, you may return
to Paris and pursue art again. You can settle down there and
get married. I know that you’re the happiest when you create
art, Henry. Only happiness can save you. After all, that’s how
God saves us humans.”
Mrs. Fairfax left the room without another word. There
was no goodnight kiss or a consoling hug from her, but Henry
wasn’t disappointed. This was exactly what he expected from
his mother after all.
That night, he didn’t get a wink of sleep. He thought over
his mother’s advice, and he tried to make sure he
remembered every word. It was in his dark room that Henry
finally realized why he wanted Aunt Laura so desperately.
He had been praying for someone to drag out his past
trauma and console him. He needed someone who could give
him the courage to start over again. Until now, Henry believed
that only Aunt Laura could do this for him. But miraculously,
it was actually his mother who gave him what he needed.
 His mother told him that God gave happiness to humans to
save them. Henry admitted that happiness was exactly what
he wanted. He also knew how to get it, which meant that he
had the power to save himself.
The sun finally rose and the nurse arrived with warm
water and his shaving tools. There were dark circles under his
eyes from lack of sleep, but a fire burned inside of his eyes.
Henry greeted, “Good morning, Mrs. Landen. After you
help me shave, could you grab me the charcoal and
sketchbook from the first drawer of my desk?”
***
When the public learned that the burglar who tried to steal
from Whitefield Hall was shown mercy, it worked to boost the
reputation of the Dalton and Fairfax families. Ignorant of the
truth, the public was impressed by the generosity of these two
noble families.
Dunville Park finally found peace and quiet. Mrs. and Mr.
Fairfax had been worried sick about their eldest son’s
injuries, but he began to recover quickly to their relief. Mrs.
Fairfax was especially happy to learn that Henry resumed
drawing. She knew that as long as her son found happiness in
art, he would never give up on his life.
Meanwhile, Olivia was disappointed that the excitement
was all over. But she soon became distracted by something
interesting. Even though Henry was badly hurt, Aunt Laura
never visited him once in Dunville Park.
 Olivia was about to run to Whitefield Hall to find out why
when unexpected news about Laura’s pregnancy arrived.
Laura had been hesitant at first about relaying this message
to Dunville Park in light of what happened to Henry. But she
decided that it was only a matter of time before everyone
found out anyway.
Olivia couldn’t hide her excitement. Mrs. Fairfax had been
the one who was most worried about the future of Whitefield
Hall, but it was Olivia who seemed the happiest by the news.
The fifteen-year-old immediately grabbed a piece of white
fabric. Two days later, an adorable baby hat lined with
delicate lace was created. Olivia lacked sewing experience, so
the seamstress ended up doing most of the work. But Olivia
shamelessly sewed the words “made by Olivia” in the corner
of the hat before wrapping it with a piece of pretty paper.
Olivia took care to adorn herself before heading out to
Whitefield Hall. Her grand scheme to get the new baby named
after her was about to begin. Olivia’s plan was to visit
Whitefield every three days. She was going to look her
prettiest and bring Aunt Laura an armful of gifts at every visit.
She believed that if she became a perfect niece, Aunt Laura
would want to name her daughter “Olivia.”
Olivia was smart enough to know that she only needed to
convince her aunt. Uncle Ian would do anything Aunt Laura
asked, so he didn’t really matter in this plan.
And it doesn’t matter if they have a son. He could be named
Oliver!
 Olivia put on the ruby earrings with a huge grin on her lips.
She already couldn’t wait to meet her future cousin named
Olivia or Oliver.
But unfortunately, she never even got the chance to begin
her plan. When she went to her mother to borrow the family
carriage, Mrs. Fairfax denied her request.
“You want to go to Whitefield Hall? No, you may not go,
Olivia.” Mrs. Fairfax shook her head.
Olivia yelled, “Why not?!”
“Laura’s apparently suffering from really bad morning
sickness. I heard she’s bedridden.”
“Who told you that?”
“Laura’s husband.” Mrs. Fairfax pointed at the letter her
brother sent her that morning. “She’s vomiting not only from
the smell of food but from perfume too. Poor Laura.”
“I’m not wearing any perfume right now. So please let me
go!”
“Don’t be so childish, Olivia. A woman early in a difficult
pregnancy doesn’t want anyone to visit. She wouldn’t want
anyone to see her gagging and vomiting. So, stay put.”
Olivia became tearful as she ran out of the room in
disappointment. Unbeknownst to her was that her mother
was absolutely correct. It was a good thing for Laura that
Olivia didn’t visit her. Although Olivia didn’t wear any
perfume, she used flower-scented water to wash her face that
morning. This scent would’ve certainly made Laura sick.
 Normal everyday scent bothered Laura lately. The smell of
the lotions and makeup the maids wore, the male servant’s
sweat, house dust, and food made her retch. The servants
usually washed their uniforms once a week, which didn’t
seem enough. Laura could smell their bodily scents seeping
into their clothes.
As the mistress of the household, Laura needed to
communicate with her staff every day. But a few weeks into
her pregnancy, she was forced to run out of the room so she
could find a place to vomit. Even Ramswick, whom she
needed to talk to every day, made her nauseous because he
wore a strong cologne.
Some might have been surprised to learn that Ramswick
wears cologne, but he had a good reason for it. When he
entered his mid-fifties, he realized that he smelled like an old
man. This was why he began wearing strong cologne to hide
his scent.
Laura’s morning sickness put the entire household on
alert. The servants were now ordered to bathe and wash their
uniforms every day. It was the dead of winter, so they weren’t
happy about having to wash themselves every day. To avoid
getting the smell of food on their uniforms, they were also
asked to change before every meal. Life in Whitefield Hall
became tiring for everyone.
If these efforts had worked, the staff would’ve been only
too happy to continue. But unfortunately, Laura’s morning
sickness continued. There were almost forty servants
working for her, and it was impossible to control the scent of
everyone and everything.
For example, Ramswick stopped wearing his cologne.
Being the staff who interacted with Laura the most, it made
sense for him to make this sacrifice. But he was mortified to
learn that his effort backfired. His natural scent appeared to
cause Laura to vomit instantly. Ramswick felt guilty for
making his mistress suffer. At the same time, he was
saddened by the fact that he now reeked of an old man’s
smell.
In the end, Laura had no choice but to stay in her own
room for most of the day. The only person who didn’t trigger
her nausea was her husband who was obsessed about his
hygiene. He showered morning and night, and he was the
only person Laura could tolerate.
It was normal for a pregnant woman to become moody. It
was even harder for Laura because she was isolated from the
rest of the world. So, she clung to her husband, crying on his
lap every evening.
Watching her suffer was torturous for Ian. If he had known
that being pregnant was going to be this agonizing for her, he
wouldn’t have been so desperate to have a child. Laura
became thinner every day. All she could tolerate was a few
bites of certain vegetables and fruits.
Whenever Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and
sobbed, all Ian could do was pat her back. Ian’s concern
peaked three months into Laura’s pregnancy. Her arms
turned as thin as a lifeless tree branch. Her face looked
splotchy from vomiting so often.
As he watched Laura sleep every night, Ian worried
silently. She’s losing too much weight. What if she dies?
He shuddered and hugged her tightly. No, I would rather
give up our child.
Ian resented God for his cruelty. Why didn’t he make men
get pregnant instead of women? With his perfect health, Ian
knew he would be able to handle Laura’s morning sickness
much better. It was unfair that women, especially Laura, had
to suffer like this.
His wife was under-weight to begin with even before she
became pregnant. If her condition continued like this, her
childbirth was going to be a dangerous one. Feeling like he
was going to lose his mind from worry, Ian began praying.
God, please help Laura. You must allow her to live. Either take
away her morning sickness or teach me the way to relieve her
pain.
He prayed every night in desperation. It seemed that God
heard him because late one night in her twelfth week of
pregnancy, Laura woke him.
“Darling…”
Ian was deeply asleep while holding his wife when his eyes
opened. “Yes, Laura? What is it?”
Laura mumbled weakly, “There’s something I want to
eat.”
 Ian rose without hesitation. Laura was hungry? He
wondered what it was that she wanted to eat. No matter what
it was, Ian was ready to get it for her. Even if it was a
disgusting dish like an alligator eye soup, he was willing. He
would sneak into the nearby zoo if he had to.
But what Laura asked for was something rather simple.
Laura asked, “Do you remember that stew you made me
for… our wedding anniversary?”
“Of course.”
“I…I want to eat that…”
 Side Story 55

Side Story 55
Ian rose and headed toward the kitchen without a word. It was
late at night, so there was no one there. But the place was
filled with plenty of fresh ingredients. Ian grabbed the things
he needed and began chopping expertly.
As the pot began to boil, Ian prayed silently. Please make it
edible. Please help Laura not to throw up after eating this.
Once the stew was reduced enough, he filled a pretty bowl
with it and took it to his bedroom. As he walked inside, his
hands shook nervously. I really hope Laura can eat this.
He walked to his wife who was still in bed. Normally, Laura
would’ve begun gagging from the smell of food, but she
seemed okay today for some reason. As a matter of fact, she
seemed excited to see the stew in Ian’s hands.
Ian sat next to her and offered her a spoonful of the stew.
Laura opened her mouth and accepted it willingly. She
swallowed it easily, and she ate a few more spoonfuls
afterward. Before long, the bowl was empty and to Ian’s
shock, Laura didn’t retch once during her meal.
Looking at the bowl hungrily, Laura asked, “Ian, could I
have some more?”
 At that moment, Ian knew that God truly existed.
Since that night, the list of things Laura wanted to eat
grew. She asked for cookies, sorbet, and roasted duck
sprinkled with basil, which were all the things Ian made her
on their wedding anniversary. Ian was only too happy to make
these dishes personally and feed Laura himself.
Soon, Ian was able to relax about Laura’s health. As he fed
her, he joked, “Was our anniversary meal that amazing?”
Chewing on a juicy piece of barbeque, Laura nodded.
“Yes.”
“How is that possible? I’m obviously an inexperienced
cook.”
Laura smiled. With a little bit of weight on her, she looked
much better. She answered, “Because you make it with love.”
“So, are you saying my love is the cure for your morning
sickness?”
“Exactly.”
“Aha, is that so?”
Since that day, Ian began reading various cookbooks to try
different recipes. He made things like potato soup, rice
pudding, chocolate cake, and chicken stew. He was new to
cooking, but after some practice, he was able to make decent
dishes.
Just as Laura said, Ian cooked with love. She enjoyed
everything he made. Feeling more confident, Ian declared
that he would be responsible for all of his wife’s meals. He
purchased Mrs. Beeton’s Victorian Cookbook and studied its
recipes and different methods of preparing ingredients.
When Ian began showing interest in cooking, Noel took it
upon himself to take care of the majority of the business-
related tasks. Knowing how in love Ian was with his wife, Noel
knew he would lose his job if he interfered with Ian’s cooking.
Because Noel was a meticulous worker, all Ian had to do was
read over the important reports. This allowed Ian to spend
most of his time in the kitchen.
Ian studied different types of fish and meat, spices, and
fresh ingredients to learn about their tastes. Along with Mrs.
Beeton’s Victorian Cookbook, Philip became a good teacher for
Ian. Being an intelligent and instinctive man, Ian’s cooking
skills made rapid progress. He created beautiful dishes every
day to feed his wife.
Every time Ian took the food upstairs, the kitchen staff
sighed in relief. Their master’s devotion was touching, but his
constant presence in the kitchen was causing many problems.
It wasn’t just Ian and Laura’s food that was being cooked in
this kitchen. Every staff including those working in the stable
and garden was fed by this place. The kitchen staff needed to
work in constant and loud communication amongst
themselves to cook for thirty-six employees of Whitefield
Hall.
But with their master in the kitchen, no one dared to raise
their voice. Afraid that they might bump into Mr. Dalton or
annoy him, they all walked and worked slowly. It became
much harder for them to make meals on time, and the quality
of their food diminished.
But the staff didn’t dare to ban Mr. Dalton from the
kitchen. He was the master of the entire place and their
employer. In a sense, he was like God to them.
The kitchen staff begged their head cook Philip for help,
but Phillip shook his head. He had decided to live the rest of
his life in Whitefield, so he couldn’t risk angering his
employer. He scratched his chubby cheek and muttered, “I
can’t afford to be fired. I just bought a herb farm, so I need
this job.”
***
Whoosh.
The cold winter wind blew harshly around the birch trees.
All the leaves had already fallen, but the wind continued to
shake the trees incessantly.
But there was still an area of fresh greens in Whitefield. In
the west of Whitefield Hall was an evergreen forest of spruce
and pine trees. The winter wind persisted in bullying these
trees too, but the evergreen leaves refused to fall.
The same wind tormented the villagers too. The servants
of Whitefield Hall often grumbled from the cold weather.
They wore flannel shirts and fur vests, but they couldn’t help
but shiver every time the wind blew.
But there was one person who welcomed the chilly air, and
it was none other than the mistress of Whitefield Hall Mrs.
Laura Dalton.
 She was reading a book in her bed with the windows wide
open. The freezing wind caused the fire to go out from the
fireplace, and it even shook the candles from time to time, but
she didn’t seem to mind.
Laura loved the sweet scent of evergreen. She had been
stuck in her room for over a month now, and the smell of the
forest was one of the few connections she had left with the
rest of the world.
She made sure to keep herself warm, of course. She didn’t
forget to wear her thick flannel gown and cover her legs with
a heavy cotton blanket. With a winter cardigan over her
shoulders, Laura actually felt a little too warm despite the
cold temperature.
But I need to keep warm for the baby. Laura patted her lower
belly. Even with her thick clothes and blanket, it was visibly
swollen.
She hummed happily. Because of her pregnancy, Laura
was unable to leave her room, and she could only eat what her
husband cooked. But even so, she couldn’t stop her
excitement whenever she thought about her baby. She felt
like a little girl the night before going on a picnic.
Her baby was the greatest gift in her life. She couldn’t wait
to meet her child. She was excited to kiss the creation she and
Ian made together. She looked forward to breastfeeding her
angel.
Laura put her book down and began singing quietly. She
could now understand why Mrs. Starr played the piano and
sang for her unborn second baby. It was every mother’s
instinct to want to shower her baby with love even before it
was born.
She was busy singing her baby the Greensleeves when she
heard her husband’s upset voice.
“You’re doing it again. Why do you keep the window open?
What if you catch a cold?”
Laura turned with a broad smile, spotting Ian walking
toward her frowning and holding a tray. He placed the tray on
the bed and caressed her face. “See? Your face feels so cold.”
Laura continued to smile even as her husband nagged. She
loved being nagged by Ian because it showed her how much
he cared.
Laura protested, “But it felt stuffy. I need the window open
so I don’t feel like I’m in a prison.”
“If it was spring or summer, it would’ve been fine. I
wouldn’t even mind it if it was autumn. But it’s winter now,
Laura.”
“But I dressed so warmly.”
“That doesn’t help since you’re breathing in cold air.”
“Cold? But I haven’t noticed that…”
Ian gently tweaked her nose. “Just how long have you been
in this cold? You’re so naughty, Laura.”
Laura giggled, making Ian smile as well as he poked her
dimple.
She’s too adorable. Ian thought happily. But being a strict
guardian, he quickly closed the window.
 Laura groaned childishly. After she got pregnant, she
became very much dependent on her husband. When she gave
him a mock frown, Ian felt his heart throb. Geez, she’s too cute.
Ian suppressed his smile and returned to bed. He placed
the tray in front of his wife. He began opening the silver
covers one by one to reveal roasted beef with red sauce, warm
butter rolls, plum cake with cream, and rice pudding.
Laura’s face quickly brightened at the sight of the food.
She spread the napkin over her lap and picked up the utensils.
Sitting beside her, he felt full just from watching his wife eat.
He had always enjoyed feeding Laura, but after she began
experiencing morning sickness, his happiness grew even
more every time she ate.
I love cooking for her. Ian filled her glass with water and
placed more food on her plate. These were things a maid
would normally do, but Ian enjoyed serving her.
Laura wiped her lips with the napkin and folded it neatly
on the tray. When all the plates were empty, Ian removed the
tray from the bed. He then returned to her and patted Laura’s
lower belly.
He asked, “Did you enjoy the food, baby?”
Laura answered quietly, “Yes.”
“Good baby.” Ian continued to caress her belly and kissed
Laura’s lips. Gazing at his wife, Ian whispered, “My beautiful
baby.”
 Side Story 56

Side Story 56
“Are you talking to me or our baby?” asked Laura.
“Both.” Ian kissed her cheek and ear.
“Both you and our child are my babies.”
“The baby’s going to be confused if you treat me like a
baby. I’m supposed to be its mother, aren’t I?”
“Well, our baby will have to get used to it because I’ll
always treasure you like a baby.”
Ian kissed Laura’s face a few more times before hugging
her. “I’m so relieved that you don’t feel nauseous when
you’re with me. If my scent made you gag too, I would’ve had
to stay away.”
Laura leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder. “That
means that I would’ve had no one to take care of me. I
would’ve become a helplessly abandoned plant wilting away.”
She hugged him tightly. “You have no idea how safe I feel
thanks to you, Ian.”
Ian chuckled. He could never get tired of his wife’s
compliments. He caressed her hair, enjoying the smooth
texture and the color of the sunset. He kissed her tenderly,
grateful to have his wife thriving under his care.
 “Laura.”
Her voice dreamy, she answered, “Yes, darling?”
“Should we try staying in that cabin? Just the two of us?”
Laura looked up at him. “The one we spent our wedding
anniversary in?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
It seemed that Ian put a lot of thought into this suggestion
because he readily listed his reasons.
“Firstly, you’re stuck in this room because there are too
many servants in this mansion. Secondly, my constant
presence in the kitchen is interrupting the staff’s meals.
Thirdly, we have Ramswick and Noel, who are excellent
workers. We’re free to stay away from the mansion thanks to
them, yet we’ve felt the need to stay here because we take our
responsibilities too seriously.”
A soft smile appeared on his face as he added, “But most
importantly, this is finally my chance to follow you around
and serve you all on my own.”
Laura blinked and teased, “It sounds like the fourth reason
is your main goal.”
“As a Christian, I must be honest. Therefore, my answer is
yes.”
Laura burst into laughter. Loving the faint blush on her
cheeks, Ian patted them and asked, “So what do you think,
Laura? We could be all alone in our love cabin.”
 She gazed at her husband quietly. Laura gave up on
running the household for a while now, so her presence
wasn’t necessary in Whitefield Hall. Knowing Ian to be a
dutiful man, she wasn’t worried that he would ignore his
responsibilities even if he was away from home.
But what mattered to her the most was the fact that Ian
wanted to go. She answered, “Have you forgotten that I’m
your geranium?”
Looking up at him with innocent eyes, she added, “The
houseplant must always go where her master goes.”
Ian’s eyes curved into a pretty smile. “I guess I forgot that
I married the prettiest geranium in the entire world.”
Two days later, their luggage was loaded in a carriage. But
instead of their normal buggy lined with golden trims, they
took a two-seater carriage led by a single horse. Ian grabbed
the reign, and Laura sat next to him bundled in warm winter
clothes. The servants watched in relief, envy, and joy as Mr.
and Mrs. Dalton headed toward the cabin.
The carriage passed by the beautiful birch tree forest and
two springs to climb a hill. When they crossed the chestnut
tree forest, they finally arrived at the familiar cabin. Holding
Ian’s hand, Laura stepped down slowly. They walked by the
two rocking chairs on the porch and entered the cabin.
The inside looked exactly as Laura remembered. The
forget-me-not flower wallpaper adorned the walls while the
sofa was piled with plush cushions. Bundles of dried
wildflowers hung upside down on one wall, and the sturdy
wooden furniture filled the cozy living room. There was
already a fire going in the fireplace, and the thick carpet felt
comfortable underneath Laura’s feet. It seemed that Ian had
already sent the servants ahead to clean this place because it
was spotless.
As soon as they walked inside, Ian asked, “Is there any
smell you don’t like in here?”
“None.” Laura shook her head. The house was only filled
with clean scents of fresh wood and flowers.
After Ian had her sit by the fire, he began moving the
luggage inside. Laura looked around, loving the tiny but
pretty cabin. She had lived in a giant mansion for over a year,
so it felt very different to be here.
During her childhood in the Pendleton house, she often
hid in the attic to hide from her angry uncle. There, she liked
to read and eat cookies she saved secretly. This attic was like a
safe hideout for her, and the only good memory from her
past. Here in this cabin, Laura felt the same cozy feeling she
hadn’t felt in twenty years.
Ian returned to the living room. Instead of his usual three-
piece formal suit, he was wearing a plain shirt and a pair of
cotton pants. Pouring peppermint tea into her porcelain tea
cup, Ian asked, “Are you cold?”
“No, it’s really warm here. At this rate, I might fall
asleep.”
“You can. Do you want to go to bed?”
“No, I want to stay here.”
 Ian tucked a cushion behind her back and left. He headed
to the kitchen, and Laura soon began hearing chopping and
boiling.
Leaning against the cushion, she looked at the clock. It was
five o’clock, which was the time things usually got hectic in
Whitefield Hall in preparation for dinner. She assumed that
Ian wanted to continue following the same routine.
Before she became pregnant, she usually changed into
another dress for dinner. But here, she left the cooking to her
husband and remained seated on the sofa while drinking her
tea. Although they were following the Whitefield Hall
schedule, they weren’t obligated to continue any formalities.
Laura found it a little strange to be so informal. She had
always been surrounded by servants and guests, which meant
that she was constantly aware of other people’s eyes on her.
Although it felt odd to be alone, it felt so incredibly
comfortable. It wasn’t long before she began dozing off.
Laura didn’t know how much time had passed when she
was gently shaken. Ian murmured, “Hello, sleepy head. You
need to eat first before going to bed.”
Laura rubbed her eyes, her senses being awakened by the
smell of freshly baked bread and delicious roast. She asked,
“What time is it?”
“Six.”
Ian unbuttoned her coat and helped her get it off. He then
took her to the dining table where seafood salad, steaming
potato stew, and roasted grouse greeted her. With every bite,
Laura couldn’t hide how impressed she was.
“Ian, how do you manage to get better at cooking every
day? This tastes exactly like the one Phillip made.”
Ian grinned. “Cooking is like a form of art. Vegetables and
meats are like paint.
Knives and fire are like paintbrushes and palettes. It’s as
interesting as art.”
After the meal, Ian brought her a bowl of custard pudding.
According to him, this was the best dessert he ever made.
Laura tasted it, and she found it to be brain-meltingly sweet
and smooth.
It tastes amazing. Laura closed her eyes to enjoy the
heavenly dessert.
“That’s the expression you make only in bed,” Ian
murmured. When Laura opened her eyes, she saw that he was
resting his chin on his hand and studying her.
Realizing that she must have a dazed look on her face,
Laura blushed.
Ian continued, “I understand that my food must taste
incredible, but please don’t make a face like that. Until our
baby is born, we’re supposed to abstain.”
Laura nodded obediently. After the meal, Ian cleared the
table. Laura tried to help, but Ian insisted that she stay on the
sofa. “Just keep yourself warm, Mrs. Dalton.”
Ian disappeared to the kitchen with the dishes. Laura
basked in the warmth from the fireplace and looked at the pile
of stuffed animals on one side of the sofa.
There was a rabbit, horse, dog, and elephant. Among
them, she also saw a doll of a little girl wearing a flower dress.
It was about the size of a newborn.
Laura looked at it for a moment before picking it up. Let’s
try to remember how to hold a baby.
She searched through the memories she had of other
mothers. After supporting the doll’s head and bottom, Laura
rocked it as if she was consoling a crying baby. A slow smile
appeared on her lips.
Ian returned from preparing her bath upstairs when he
saw Laura playing with a doll. He burst into laughter. “Do you
like that doll, Laura?”
Laura nodded. “It’s the perfect size to practice being a
mom.”
“Oh, are you practicing taking care of a baby?”
“Yes.”
“Geez, you’re too hard-working.”
Ian carried Laura upstairs along with the doll in her arms.
As he climbed the stairs, he insisted, “Don’t even come close
to the stairs without me.”
“Are you really going to carry me up and down the stairs
every time?”
“Of course.”
“Goodness, it looks like you’re really going to spoil me,
Ian.”
“That’s exactly why I kidnapped you to this cabin.”
 Laura laughed and hugged his neck. Could there be a
kidnapper more romantic than Ian?
Her husband washed her in the warm bath he prepared.
When he cleaned her swollen breasts and belly, his eyes
turned tender. He wiped her dry afterward and helped her put
on a pair of flannel pajamas. While he dried her hair, Laura
continued to hold the doll. Imagining it to be a real baby, she
tried carrying it in different positions.
Laura’s behavior came from her desire to be a good
mother. Ian’s eyes filled with love as he gazed at her.
Continuing to dry her hair, he asked, “What should we
name our baby?”
She was practicing breastfeeding the doll when she
answered, “I don’t know. Do you have any ideas?”
“I do for a son.”
“What is it?”
“Louis.”
“Louis Dalton.”
 Side Story 57

Ian looked at his wife’s reflection to see that there was a sad
smile on her face. Laura murmured, “My father’s name.”
“You don’t like it?”
Laura shook her head. “I do. I think it will make me happy
every time I call his name.”
“Good.”
“What should we name her if we have a daughter?”
“You should name her if it’s a girl. You have a little girl
doll in your arm right now.”
Laura looked down at the doll for a moment. It didn’t take
her long to suggest a name that was possibly the most
common name in England. But it also happened to belong to
the most extraordinary woman.
“Jane.”
Ian asked, “Jane?”
When Laura nodded, Ian thought for a moment before
remembering one particular lady. It was the woman with
beautiful brown hair who beat him in the stone skipping
competition. He asked, “You mean after Miss Hyde?”
Laura nodded. “Our child will be living in the twentieth
century. If it’s a daughter, I want her to become a capable
woman befitting the new world. Just like Miss Hyde.”
“That’s a good idea. But what if our daughter crosses the
ocean and leaves us as soon as she turns eighteen?”
“All parents must say goodbye to their children sooner or
later.”
“I already feel sad about it.” Ian turned gloomy as he
began brushing her hair.
When he finished drying her hair, Ian hugged Laura from
behind. He ended up embracing his wife as well as the doll.
The reflection in the mirror showed a loving family of three.
Ian murmured, “I don’t care if it’s Louis or Jane. I can’t
wait to meet our child.”
“Me too.” Laura turned to kiss her husband’s cheek. “I’m
certain you’ll become a great father, Ian.”
“Not as good as you, I’m sure.” Ian took her lips before
taking her to bed.
***
After the first snow in the middle of November, Whitefield
became covered in snow for the rest of the winter. It was an
unusually snowy year, which made traveling almost
impossible. The farmers grumbled about having to shovel the
snow, but no one could deny the fact that the whole village
looked magical.
Children played outside until their faces turned bright red.
The dogs followed them around with their tails wagging.
Countless snowmen appeared all over the village, boasting
orange carrot noses. Christmas passed by, and the chilly
weather continued into March.
The chimney of the remote cabin in the chestnut tree
forest never stopped smoking all winter. Ian insisted on the
fireplace going at all times in order to keep Laura warm.
Laura spent most of her time on the first floor. She sat on
the comfortable sofa in front of the fireplace and knitted
clothes and socks for the baby.
The time she spent in the cabin was the happiest period of
her life. Her husband carried her up and down the stairs every
day. He made her delicious food for every meal and made sure
she didn’t lack anything.
One of the biggest reasons why Laura was so happy in the
cabin was because her husband looked happy as well. Ian kept
busy with cooking, cleaning, chopping firewood, and
shoveling snow, and she saw him humming often.
Ian was much happier living in this cabin than in the
mansion. He was ecstatic that he was given a chance to live
with Laura alone all winter. He was able to bathe her and
brush her hair, and he was free to kiss her whenever he
wished. Their life in the cabin felt like a second honeymoon.
They often sat in front of the fireplace in each other’s
arms. Ian liked to keep his hand on Laura’s belly. Their child
swam inside of her freely every day, and Ian loved to feel the
baby’s movement. As Laura’s belly grew, he felt more and
more expectant to meet his child soon.
 “Say ‘Daddy.’ Try!” Ian often acted silly and whispered to
Laura’s stomach. It made her laugh, which in turn made him
happy. Ian, Laura, and their unborn baby were already a
perfect family.
He hugged her and whispered, “I wish we could live here
forever.”
Laura put her hand on top of his. “Me too.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
The two of them smiled sadly, knowing that it was an
impossible dream. Their stay in this cabin was just a
temporary vacation. They had to return to Whitefield soon
because as the master and mistress of House Dalton, they had
obligations. They loved Whitefield Hall too of course, but it
could never be as peaceful and private as this cabin.
Burying his face in his wife’s neck, Ian sighed. “It
would’ve been possible if I was a carpenter.”
“You a carpenter? That would make me a carpenter’s
wife!”
Ian played with Laura’s hair. “Would you still have
married me if I was an ordinary carpenter? What if all I had
was two old axes and this small cabin?”
Laura pictured her life as a carpenter’s wife. She would
wear a shabby cotton dress and a handkerchief over her head
every day. She would have to clean the cabin herself and raise
chickens in the backyard to sell their eggs in the market. She
would spend the afternoon making simple stew and wait for
her husband’s return.
Laura knew that she would be perfectly happy with such a
life as long as Ian was her husband. She answered, “If you
were a carpenter, I would’ve married you in less than a
month. I would’ve loved to make your shirts and dinner every
day.”
“Dammit, why did I have to be born as the head of the
family?” Ian muttered mockingly, and the two of them
laughed. The crackling of the burning fire filled the cabin as
they kissed.
Just as they knew, their simple but happy life couldn’t last
forever. After all, they were Mr. and Mrs. Dalton of House
Dalton. One day in April, when Laura was seven months
pregnant, Ramswick visited the cabin.
The Whitefield Hall staff visited the cabin from time to
time, but only if they had important matters to discuss.
Ramswick and Noel did their best to resolve most problems
on their own in order to not bother their employers.
Unfortunately, Ian was away to get groceries from the
market when Ramswick visited. Laura was knitting in the
living room when she greeted the elderly butler. Opening the
door, she supported her back with her hand as she smiled at
Ramswick. “It has been a long time, Ramswick. Please come
in.”
Ramswick was shocked to see Mrs. Dalton’s enlarged belly.
Then suddenly remembering that his scent bothered his
mistress, he took a step back in a hurry.
Laura smiled and reassured him, “If I was going to get
nauseous, I would’ve felt it already as soon as I opened the
door. I’m better now.”
She ushered him inside. Ramswick hesitated for a moment
before entering the cabin. Thanks to the blazing fireplace, it
was warm inside. Ramswick was freezing from having to ride
a horse here, so he welcomed the heat.
As if she was a carpenter’s wife, Laura asked the butler to
sit down and brought him peppermint tea. Ramswick felt
honored to be served by his mistress.
Laura groaned as she sat down. It seemed that it was
getting harder for her to move around due to her growing
belly. Ramswick didn’t have much experience with pregnant
women, so he glanced at her curiously. Laura picked up her
needles and began knitting again on the sofa.
She looked very different from before. Her hair, which
used to be always hidden neatly underneath a hairnet, was
tied into two long braids. Instead of her elegant satin dresses,
she was wearing an oversized checkered dress adorned with
lace. Her cheeks looked much plumper, and there was a
relaxed air about her. It was very clear that Laura was very
happy with her life in this cabin.
Laura announced, “Ian will be here in half an hour. He’s
never away for more than two hours.”
“Of course, Mrs. Dalton.”
 Continuing with her knitting, Laura asked leisurely, “So
did something happen in Whitefield Hall?”
“Well…” Ramswick took a sip of his tea with an awkward
expression. “Mr. Finch took a leave of absence, ma’am.”
Laura’s hands paused. “Noel? Why?”
“He was injured.”
Laura’s eyes widened. “Did he get hurt badly?”
“His life isn’t in any danger.”
“How did he get hurt?”
When Ramswick hesitated, Laura asked, “Is it a secret?”
“No, it’s just that what happened was so horrific.”
Ramswick looked at Laura’s large belly in worry.
“Ramswick, I didn’t lose my baby even when my husband
burst into my study and shot several times. You can tell me.”
Ramswick wet his lips, deciding that she was right. Mrs.
Dalton was a strong lady and the mistress of Whitefield Hall.
She was going to find out the truth sooner or later.
He explained, “Betty Rosie injured Noel Finch.”
“…Noel’s lover Betty Rosie?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Bettie Rosie hasn’t said a word, and Mr.
Finch hasn’t been able to make a statement yet.”
Laura put aside her knitting. “I’m sure Betty wouldn’t
have been able to hurt a grown man badly with her bare
hands. Tell me what happened.”
 Ramswick gulped audibly. “She swung a chef’s knife at
Noel’s stomach. The sharp one the cooks use to gut fish. She
was also drunk on rum at the time.”
“Goodness.” Laura rubbed her forehead. “…I should’ve
listened to you and let those two go.”
Ramswick shook his head. “Mrs. Dalton, this was purely
my fault. I received a tip a few months ago that Betty Rosie
has a drinking problem. I didn’t think much of it, so I just
gave her a light warning. After this happened, I did my own
investigation and learned that Betty Rosie’s father was an
alcoholic who killed a man and was executed for it. I
should’ve done my homework before hiring Betty Rosie. It
was my fault for not being careful. I would understand if you
want to fire me, ma’am.”
Laura frowned and smiled at the same time. “And where
will we ever find an excellent butler like you, Ramswick?”
 Side Story 58

The relaxed wife of a carpenter was gone, replaced by the

mistress of Whitefield Hall. She reassured Ramswick, “Don’t
blame yourself, Ramswick. Let’s focus on the situation at
hand. Did anyone else get hurt?”
“Thankfully no. It was fortunate that Deborah was nearby
and tripped Betty.”
“Good for her. So, I assume Betty was safely transported to
the police, right? When will the trial be?”
“W…well…” Ramswick wet his lips again. It was a habit he
presented whenever he became troubled. “Mr. Finch doesn’t
want her to be prosecuted.”
“…He doesn’t?”
“No.”
Laura sighed quietly. “I guess it was a lovers’ quarrel.”
“I’m afraid so, ma’am.”
“Then you must go find out the details of this incident,
Ramswick. We need to figure out exactly what happened so
we know who to let go.”
“Yes, Mrs. Dalton.”
The two of them drank their peppermint tea quietly. It was
a refreshing drink, but it tasted bitter to her at the moment.
With Noel bedridden, there was no one else to take care of the
finances of Whitefield Hall. Ian had to return home as soon as
possible, which meant that there was no reason why Laura
should stay here. It seemed that their peaceful life in the cabin
was over.
The dried flowers, forget-me-not wallpaper, and her hair
Ian braided himself. It was time for her to say goodbye to all
of these wonderful things.
Goodbye, my peaceful life. Laura thought sadly.
Clack, clack, clack.
Just then, they heard the sounds of boots being wiped
outside. The front door opened soon after as Ian entered
holding paper bags in both hands.
“I’m back, little lady… Ah, Ramswick. What brings you
here?” Ian announced.
Ramswick couldn’t say a word, shocked by the endearment
his master used. But what shocked the butler even more was
Ian’s appearance.
Mr. Dalton wore a coarse green coat stuffed with wool, a
blue sweater, and a wool hat. He looked like an errand boy
working at the grocery store. The blue sweater he wore was
made by Laura. It took her a whole month to make it for his
birthday, and it was one of the most treasured items in Ian’s
possession.
Ian passed by Ramswick and walked to his wife. He took
off his wool hat and kissed her cheek. Laura in turn caressed
his chin affectionately. Their loving greeting ended shortly
because Laura announced in a clear voice, “Darling, we must
return to Whitefield Hall.”
“Why?”
Laura glanced at Ramswick. Ian turned to glare at his
butler as he asked, “What bad news have you brought us,
Ramswick?”
***
Clip clop, clip clop.
The carriage passed the muddy forest and was running on
a paved road. Wearing a fitted brown suit and his hair slicked
back, Ian asked, “So Betty Rosie got drunk on rum in broad
daylight and went down to the kitchen to swing a knife at
Noel during tea time?”
It had been only a day since he returned home from the
cabin, but he was fully back to being the master of Whitefield
Hall.
Ramswick, sitting across from his employer, nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“Jesus, I can’t believe it. What lovers would have a fight
like that?” Ian shook his head. It was ironic considering the
fact that Ian had a history of threatening to kill himself if
Laura didn’t marry him. But although Ian could be very
passionate, he could never imagine hurting the one he loved.
Ramswick murmured, “Perhaps we’ll be able to
understand if we hear the whole story from Noel.”
Every time the carriage hit a bump on the road, the
glassware in the basket Ramswick held rattled. He hugged it
tighter and continued, “The best thing would be to convince
Mr. Finch to sue Betty. Despite his faults, Mr. Finch is still an
honest land agent, which is very hard to come by in England.
His work in accounting and organization is also flawless. We
need to emphasize his innocence if we want to continue his
employment in Whitefield Hall.”
Ian rubbed his forehead. “I don’t care about keeping him,
Ramswick. What I want to know is the truth. If he did
something unsavory in my own home, I will never forgive
him.”
Ian couldn’t help but wonder if Noel had gotten Betty
Rosie pregnant and refused to take responsibility. Or perhaps
Noel extorted money from the young woman. As the master
of Whitefield Hall, Ian refused to tolerate any form of
mistreatment toward women. If Noel did anything untoward
to Betty, Ian planned on kicking the land agent out of
Yorkshire.
But Ramswick didn’t doubt that Noel was innocent. Noel
was a rather shallow man, but there wasn’t a single evil bone
in the chubby man’s body.
Ramswick replied, “If Noel Finch didn’t do anything
wrong, it would be too cruel to fire him. I believe his only
mistake was to date the wrong woman. We can’t have him get
injured and jobless on top of that.”
Their carriage finally entered the village. It seemed that
every house in the area had at least one snowman in their
yard. Some had eyes made of buttons while others were
wearing old scarves. Under the bright sunlight, all the
snowmen were smiling. They seemed oblivious to the fact
that their fate was doomed with the warm spring weather just
around the corner.
The carriage stopped in front of a tiny house Noel rented.
Ramswick and Ian got off and knocked on the door. They
heard footsteps from inside.
“Who is it?” a young man’s voice asked.
Ramswick answered, “Mr. Dalton of the Whitefield Hall is
here.”
The door opened, revealing a young man with brown hair
and glasses. Looking flustered, he bowed, “Welcome, sir.”
“Who may you be?”
When Ian asked, the young man answered nervously, “I’m
Noel’s brother-in-law Billy Hill.”
Both Ian and Ramswick looked confused. They had no idea
that Noel was married. Noticing their shocked looks, Billy
quickly explained, “Ah, please don’t misunderstand. My
sister, Noel’s wife, passed away fifteen years ago. After my
sister died, I didn’t have any family left. So, Noel took me in
and raised me.”
Ramswick nodded. “Ah, I see. That makes sense. So can we
go inside…”
The young man quickly stepped aside. The walls inside
were washing in white, and the furniture looked shabby and
worn. But it seemed that the place was being kept clean
because it wasn’t dusty. The air smelled clean too.
 Billy apologized, “I’m sorry the house is a mess. Mrs.
Longmen, the housekeeper, quit recently, so I have been
taking care of the house.”
“No worries. We came here unannounced, so we should be
the ones apologizing,” Ian replied, pretending not to notice
how none of the furniture matched.
Ramswick handed the basket to Billy. “Our cook Phillip
made this rice pudding himself. This is Mr. Finch’s favorite
dish, so I’m sure it will help him feel better.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ramswick.”
“Ah, how did you know my name? Do you know me?”
Billy explained, “Of course. Noel told me so much about
you. He said that although you’re small, you do the work of
three butlers. He said that I should be just like you, a virtuous
man who is dedicated to his job.”
Ramswick was secretly shocked. He never imagined that
Noel would ever say anything kind about him. After taking the
basket to the kitchen, Billy escorted Ian and Ramswick
upstairs.
The young man knocked on the bedroom door. “Noel, are
you awake?”
“Yes, Billy,” Ramswick answered from inside.
“Mr. Dalton and Mr. Ramswick from Whitefield Hall are
here to see you.”
Sudden rustling and groaning sounds were heard from
inside before Noel answered, “Please come in.”
 Ian and Ramswick followed Billy into the room. Noel was
in his pajamas and sitting up on his bed. There was
newspaper left haphazardly on the bed nearby, and Noel
pushed his messy hair back as he greeted, “Goodness, sir. You
must be very busy, so what brings you all the way out here…”
Ian walked to the bed. “I always have time to visit my
employees. How are you feeling?”
“Much better. It wasn’t a serious injury to begin with. I’m
afraid I can’t stand up to greet you, sir. I had to get some
stitches, and I can’t have them rip…” Noel looked apologetic.
Betty Rosie’s attack left him with a long gash on his
stomach, but thankfully, it was a shallow cut. As long as he
kept it clean, it was going to heal soon. If Betty hadn’t been
drunk and she was more serious about hurting Noel, the
chubby man would’ve died on the spot with his guts spilled
out over the tea table.
Billy dragged two chairs from the nearby table for Ian and
Ramswick to sit. The young man bowed respectfully before
leaving the room.
Ian asked, “So you live with your brother-in-law?”
“No, Billy works as a scribe for a small freight company in
Shropshire. Well, I suppose he did anyway. When he heard I
got hurt, he quit and came here. What a reckless boy he is,”
Ramswick muttered, but he sounded proud of the young man.
“If you raised him, it’s understandable that he wants to
pay you back,” Ian replied.
 “He raised himself. All I did was send him to school and
help him with homework from time to time. To be honest,
Billy brings me such comfort. As you know, I don’t have
children of my own.”
“If you have a brother-in-law, you must have a wife too. I
had no idea you were married. “
Noel laughed. “I forget sometimes too. It happened so long
ago, and our marriage only lasted three years before she
passed away. If she was still with me, we should’ve had
children of our own.”
“How did she pass away?”
Noel answered, “During childbirth.”
Ramswick, who had been quiet, flinched. He quickly
glanced at Ian and saw that his master’s face turned rigid.
 Side Story 59

Ramswick quickly changed the subject. “By the way, why

don’t you want Betty Rosie prosecuted, Mr. Finch?”
Noel, who seemed cheerful just a moment ago, turned
serious. “Where is Betty right now?”
“In the temporary lockup.”
“She’s still there? But I told the police many times that I
don’t want her prosecuted…”
Ramswick replied, “Listen, Mr. Finch. She used a knife on
you in broad daylight, so there’s no way she’ll be allowed to
go free.”
“But I’m the one who got hurt, and I don’t want her
punished,” Noel insisted.
“Why not?”
“Because…” Noel hesitated.
Ramswick crossed his arms and asked, “Did you get Betty
Rosie pregnant?”
Noel shook his head adamantly. “No, of course not. I’m
very strict about birth control.”
“Then did you extort money from her? Are you refusing to
sue her because you did something wrong?”
 “Are you crazy?” Noel gasped. “Why would I do such a
thing to an adorable woman like Betty? As a matter of fact, I
felt terrible because I couldn’t lend her a lot of money…”
Ramswick was in disbelief. “So, you lend her money, yet
she did this to you? Just what happened between the two of
you?”
“…Well…”
Noel scratched his head. “I tried to introduce another man
to Betty…”
Ramswick’s eyes widened. Ian, who had been keeping
quiet, seemed shocked too. Ian asked, “Another man? What?”
Noel mumbled, “Betty has been demanding me to marry
her lately. I told her many times that I could give her
everything except marriage. But Betty was insistent. She
claimed that if I continued to refuse her, she’d hit me in the
back of my head to make me unconscious and drag me to the
altar. Betty is a sweet and lovely girl, but I don’t doubt she
would do it.”
“So, you introduced her to another man to get rid of her?”
Ian was flabbergasted.
“Yes, sir. This is the best way to get rid of a woman who
gets too attached to you. Unlike men, women easily forget
their old love if a better man appears. Only men cry over their
old love. Women are much colder and more practical.”
“I disagree.” Ian pictured his faithful wife.
Noel answered, “This is just my humble opinion, so you
can ignore it if you wish. Anyway, I made a list of young men
in Whitefield Hall who are in love with Betty. I carefully
considered them, and I saw that Roman, one of our footmen,
would be a perfect husband material for her. I told her that
although he has an ordinary face, he doesn’t have parents or
young siblings he needs to support. He saved up a lot of
money, and he’s a very responsible young man. I even offered
to walk her down the aisle since she doesn’t have a father.”
“Jesus,” Ian groaned. Ramswick covered his face and
sighed deeply.
Noel argued, “But sir, I only did this for Betty’s sake. She’s
a pretty young woman, so what would happen if she married
an old man like me? By the time she turns thirty, I’ll be
needing a cane just to walk around.”
Ramswick gave Noel a look of pity. “Don’t you think that
you shouldn’t have begun a relationship with a young woman
like that in the first place? This could’ve been all avoided.”
“W…well… That’s a separate matter…”
“What do you mean?” Old bachelor Ramswick asked.
Noel explained, “Mr. Ramswick, God sent me on earth to
please as many women as I can. My poor Barbara didn’t know
this, and she ended up dying a terrible death by marrying me.
It was all my fault for going against God’s wishes and getting
married. So, I decided to never make the same mistake again.
I’ve indulged in romantic relationships but never got married
again. Romance is my second job, sir. You can’t blame me for
that.”
 Ian commented sarcastically, “So that means Betty Rosie
stabbed the man sent by God. I guess she’s going straight to
hell.”
“I’m sure she’ll be forgiven if she sincerely repents. She’s
not a bad woman,” Noel replied.
“Yes, she is,” Ramswick, who has known Betty for the past
two years, said without hesitation. Unfortunately, Noel
couldn’t deny the butler’s claim.
Ian sighed again and rubbed his forehead. “Noel, you’re a
very useful person. That’s precisely why I turned a blind eye
to your romance business. But as a result, an assault occurred
in Whitefield Hall’s kitchen. I was told that it was practically a
bloodbath.”
Noel slumped in shame, and Ian continued, “I won’t allow
any exceptions from now on. If you continue to seduce the
maids, I will fire you.”
“…I understand, Mr. Dalton.” Noel looked upset, but he
nodded. Whatever he believed his purpose was on earth, he
still needed his job. God may have given him the duty of
pleasing women, but he never gave Noel wealth to live off of.
Whitefield Hall offered high wages and good working
conditions, so Noel couldn’t afford to lose his job.
Noel was contemplating where he could find his next love
when Ian added, “One more thing. You must ask Betty Rosie
to be prosecuted.”
“…I do?”
 Ian’s cold silence was an answer enough, and Noel became
troubled. Although he was bedridden from being stabbed by
her, he still felt affectionate toward her. In his head, Noel
knew that what Betty did was wrong, but they had spent
many nights together after all.
Ian announced, “I refuse to show mercy to someone who
assaulted another human in my own home. If you don’t sue
Betty Rosie, I’m going to fire both you and her.”
It looked like Noel was about to cry. He didn’t want Betty
punished, but he had no other choice. It was difficult for a
lord to find an honest land agent, but it was even harder for a
land agent to find a decent employer.
Noel covered his face with his hands and groaned. “I told
her so many times to stop drinking…”
Ramswick tried to console Noel. “She won’t be able to
drink in prison at least. Since she didn’t commit murder, she
will be released in less than ten years, I’m sure. Since the
prison is a correctional facility, she’ll change into a new
woman by the time she’s free.”
Noel sighed before nodding. “Alright, I’ll do as you wish,
Mr. Dalton.”
Ian rose. “Let me know when you’re ready to return to
work.”
“Yes, of course. Please return home safely.”
Ian turned around. He and Ramswick were about to leave
the room when Ian
turned toward Noel again. “Noel.”
 Noel, who was still slumped, looked up.
Ian asked, “How old was your wife when she passed
away?”
“She was thirty-two.”
There was no overt change in Ian’s face, but Ramswick
could tell how his master’s lips tightened.
***
Even with a thorough cleaning, the blood stain refused to
disappear from the wooden floor of the Whitefield Hall
kitchen. It was a constant reminder of the horrific event, so
Deborah, Susan, and other diligent servants rubbed it with
sand a few times a day. It took days, but the faint remnant of
bloodstain was finally gone. The incident was eventually
forgotten, and peace reappeared in Whitefield Hall.
But there were some minor changes in this household.
With Noel’s absence, the servants’ lives became a little
boring. The staff, however, became entertained by the fact
that Ramswick began visiting Noel every week with a basket
of Philip’s rice pudding.
It was a well-known fact that the butler didn’t like Noel,
which made this change very curious. Only Ian and Noel knew
the fact that Noel praised Ramswick a great deal to his son-
in-law Billy.
What Billy said made Ramswick smile often. Although the
elderly butler acted like he didn’t care what other people
thought of him, he was still human. He was easily touched by
other people’s kindness toward him, and he secretly wished
to be liked.
In order to make up for being so petty in the past,
Ramswick visited Noel faithfully with rice pudding. Billy was
polite to the butler every time he came by. Being a kind young
man, Billy loved and respected Noel. This meant that he was
always happy to see Ramswick, a man his brother-in-law
praised often.
But Noel on the other hand seemed unsettled by the
butler’s visit. It was very true that Noel often told Billy to
learn from the old butler. Unlike Noel, who was a clown and a
flirt, Ramswick was a decisive yet quiet man with an
incredible work ethic. Billy was like a son to Noel, and Noel
wished the young man to grow up to be someone like
Ramswick.
But this didn’t mean that Noel felt comfortable around a
man like Ramswick. After what had happened with Betty
Rosie, Noel assumed that the butler was here to scold him.
However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that Ramswick
wasn’t the musty old man he expected. Instead of lecturing
Noel, Ramswick told the land agent about the news of
Whitefield Hall and read newspapers to him. The elderly
butler even fed Noel rice pudding personally. Secretly being a
warm-hearted man, Ramswick took great care of the injured
man.
Noel couldn’t help but be touched by Ramswick’s
kindness. The truth was, Noel never hated the elderly butler.
They were two very different men, but ironically, Noel
preferred people who were the opposite of him. In fact, his
late wife Barbara used to be a quiet and sophisticated woman.
Noel fell in love with her because she was different from him,
and he began to feel affection toward Ramswick for the same
reason.
Slowly but surely, the two very different men began to
form a lovely friendship.
But the biggest event that occurred in Whitefield Hall was,
of course, the return of Mr. and Mrs. Dalton.
 Side Story 60

One April day, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton returned to Whitefield Hall
in a two-seater carriage. The staff waited outside the
mansion, and they were impressed by the size of their
mistress’s belly. It seemed that she grew huge over the
winter.
Among the maids, Hanna’s eyes especially widened with
shock and confusion. Mrs. Dalton was barely eight months
pregnant, yet her belly was bigger than that of a woman about
to give birth. Hanna kept her mouth shut, however. She
almost got fired once for speculating about the matter of Mrs.
Dalton’s pregnancy, so she chose to be silent this time.
Mrs. Dalton was as diligent and systematic as ever. She
ordered spring cleaning on her first day. She also took out the
remaining dried ingredients that were stored for the winter.
She asked the cook to use them up before they went bad. The
nursery, which hasn’t been used since Mr. Dalton was a baby,
was redecorated as well.
This being her first baby, Laura paid close attention to
Hanna’s advice. With Hanna’s help, Laura ordered all the
things needed for the baby. As well, she took basic lessons
from the experienced maid about practical things such as how
to hold a baby and how to breastfeed.
Laura enjoyed every moment of her pregnancy. Whitefield
Hall wasn’t as cozy as the cabin, but it had its own beautiful
and elegant charms. She was proud of her home, which was
filled with wonderful and priceless art pieces. She knew that
her baby would grow up to love art just as much as Ian.
Patiently waiting for the day her baby was born, Laura
took good care of her home and filled the baby’s room with
necessary items. Within two weeks of her return, Whitefield
Hall became spotless.
Ian was buried in work, but he took time to visit the
nursery often. More accurately, he visited his wife in the
nursery as much as possible.
“Darling, what do you think?” asked Laura while sitting in
a rocking chair and holding the doll she brought from the
cabin.
Wearing a dark green suit, Ian leaned against the door and
looked around the nursery. It was adorned with lily wallpaper
with an ivory background, a white canopy, hanging mobiles
of various colors, and a small but sturdy crib.
He answered, “It looks even more comfortable than when
I spent my childhood here.”
“Really?”
When his wife looked happy, Ian nodded. “Aren’t you tired
from working so hard?”
“Not at all.”
 “You’re still keeping your promise of not overexerting
yourself, aren’t you?”
Laura nodded, making Ian smile. He walked up to her and
kissed her forehead. “Good girl.”
His lips traveled down her nose to her lips. The way he
looked at her was filled with such tenderness. He licked her
lips before caressing her cheeks. He mumbled, “My lawyer
came for a meeting.”
“Don’t you have to hurry and go see him then?” Laura
remembered her husband’s family lawyer who worked for
House Dalton for a long time.
“Whenever he comes, he leaves so much work behind that
it takes me at least half a day to look over them. So, I came to
see you before I got stuck in my office.”
“That cabin was like a paradise, wasn’t it?”
Ian chuckled. “It was.”
Laura said encouragingly, “I’ll prepare all of your favorite
dishes for dinner, so work hard, darling.”
Ian’s eyes and lips curved into a gentle smile. “I’ll see you
at dinner, my love.”
He kissed Laura’s forehead and walked toward the door.
“Ian.”
He turned around. “Yes?”
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to our child?”
“Ah!” Ian returned to her and leaned toward her belly.
“Have fun playing, Jane or Louis.”
 He patted her belly a few times before leaving the nursery.
Left alone in the room, Laura hugged her doll tightly. She
wondered. Why is he acting like that?
Lately, Ian has been behaving a little differently. He was
still just as affectionate toward her, but oddly, his interest in
their baby had disappeared. When they were living in the
cabin, Ian caressed her belly often. Every morning when they
woke up, he leaned to say good morning to her belly. He also
placed his hand on her stomach any chance he got in hopes of
feeling the baby’s movement. Every night, he never forgot to
read the baby a book.
But lately, Laura noticed that Ian never spoke to their baby
unless she asked him to. It was also very rare for him to touch
her belly.
Is it because he’s tired from work? Laura asked herself. With
Noel gone, Ian was burdened with all the work, which
included reading and replying to hundreds of letters sent
from the family businesses all over the kingdom. Ian was also
now needed to make even the smallest decisions involving the
family finances.
Laura became gloomy, knowing that these things were
beyond her capability. She rocked the chair lightly back and
forth.
After we returned from the cabin, I’ve been neglecting Ian. My
body has become so heavy, and there is so much work to do for
me too. But my priority should be being a good wife to Ian. Laura
sighed. From now on, I better take better care of Ian. I should pay
more attention to his menu and tell him how much I love him
more often. After all, that’s all I can do right now.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Mrs. Dalton, may I enter?” Hanna asked from outside.
When Laura answered, the maid walked in carrying a box.
Hanna explained, “A gift arrived. It’s for the baby.”
“Goodness. Who is it from?”
Hanna read out the name of the sender. “It’s from Mrs.
Anne McGill.”
Laura burst into laughter, realizing that it was from her
old maid Anne whose maiden name used to be Steel. Last year
in spring, Anne Steel married a lawyer named Oswald McGill
and settled down in London. Because of the distance, Anne
and Laura haven’t been able to see each other much. Instead,
they kept in touch through letters.
Just as Ian mentioned in the past, friendship tended to
dwindle when it became a long-distance relationship. But
although Anne lived far away, Laura still felt very close to her
friend. She never forgot how Anne took her side and helped
her when she was in trouble.
Mrs. McGill’s gift box had the Harrods department store
label. When Laura opened it, she saw a small rattle made of
silver. She was surprised because it was obviously an
expensive item. Oswald McGill was known to be a capable
lawyer in London, but he came from a poor family. Laura
knew that Anne and Oswald lived humbly, which meant that
Anne must’ve purchased this gift beyond her means.
 Laura picked up the letter inside the box.
***
Dear my beloved lady,
Hello, Miss Laura. Ah, I heard Mr. Dalton doesn’t like me
calling you Miss. He said that since you’re married, you should be
addressed as such. But I still love calling you Miss Laura. Just
make sure Mr. Dalton doesn’t see this letter!
Are you ready to welcome your baby angel? When I heard that
you’re pregnant, you have no idea how excited I became. In just
three months, your baby is going to be born into this world. I’m
certain he or she will be perfect. I’ll bet your baby will be
absolutely adorable!
And he or she will get to live in such a wonderful land. When I
visited Whitefield for your wedding, I realized that it had to be the
most beautiful place on earth. I always feel proud that you can
call that place your home, Miss Laura. I remember how much you
loved nature. You used to prefer Hyde Park over Harrods
department store.
You ‘ll invite me to the baby’s christening ceremony, won’t
you? I look forward to receiving your invitation.
Always praying for you and your baby,
Mrs. Anne McGill
P.S. My lovely husband Oswald led a huge case to victory and
he received a handsome fee recently. So please don’t feel
burdened by this silver rattle.
***
 Laura carefully folded the letter and returned it to its
envelope.
“Hanna, do you have a handkerchief?”
When Hanna handed her a clean handkerchief from her
pocket, Laura wiped her tearful eyes. Hanna asked, “You must
be very close to Mrs. McGill. You cry every time she writes to
you.”
“Mrs. McGill has always been my ally. She took such good
care of me, almost as good as Ian.”
Hanna closed the gift box and stored it in the nearby
drawer in the nursery. The drawer was already filled with
gifts from Laura’s other friends including the Fairfaxes,
Mortons, and Macleans.
Afterward, Hanna began sweeping the room. It was
another maid named Annie’s responsibility to clean this area,
but Hanna always grumbled that Annie didn’t do a good job.
“Hanna,” Laura called out.
Hanna was frowning at the amount of dust she collected.
Her eyebrows couldn’t have looked any angrier as she looked
for a dry rag when she turned toward Laura. “Yes, Mrs.
Dalton.”
“When the baby is born, will you take over the nursery
duty?”
Hanna blinked. “M…me?”
“Yes. There’s no one better than you at taking care of a
baby.”
 Hanna hesitated. She left her previous job because she was
sick of taking care of children. It seemed that she might suffer
the same fate in her new job in Whitefield Hall.
Laura smiled. “Your wage will be doubled, of course. What
do you think?”
Hanna quickly curtsied. “I would be honored, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Hanna.”
Hanna tried her best not to grin too widely as she
continued to clean the nursery.
Laura relaxed and smiled, knowing that she could count on
an experienced nanny like Hanna to take good care of her
baby.
“Umm, by the way… Mrs. Dalton…”
Laura was busy practicing holding a baby when Hanna
approached her. She continued, “As the new nanny, I think I
should tell you this. It would be best if you purchase another
crib.”
Laura blinked. “Why?”
Hanna glanced at Laura’s belly. “Because I think you’re
carrying more than one baby.”
 Side Story 61

Not just one…? Laura became dazed.

She asked, “Are you saying I might be having twins?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
Hanna answered, “I’m not a doctor, so it wouldn’t be my
place to be sure. But to be honest, I’m pretty certain about it.
You can usually tell by the size of the belly.”
Laura’s lips trembled. Unable to hide her excitement, she
hugged her doll even tighter. If she squeezed it any harder,
the cotton inside of it would’ve popped out.
Her eyes filled with tears, Laura exclaimed, “Goodness,
twins?!”
Hanna smiled in joy. Twins meant that she would have to
work twice as hard, but it warmed her heart to see Mrs.
Dalton’s reaction. Of course, Hanna was also still enjoying the
news that her wage would be doubled.
Laura ordered, “Hanna, go to Ramswick and ask him to
order another crib.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Hanna curtsied and left the nursery.
Alone again, Laura’s body shook in excitement. Ah, I can’t
believe this. Only a year ago, I was so anxious that I could have a
baby. And now, here I am having two babies all at once!
As usual, the thought of her husband popped into her
head. I wonder how happy Ian would be!
Laura imagined how Ian would react to the news. Just like
her, he would be confused at first before bursting into
laughter. She pictured him caressing her belly like he used to
and talking to their children. She believed that her husband
would be ecstatic by the news. This would bring him the kind
of happiness she could never give him on her own.
Laura whispered, “Thank you, my babies. You’re already
helping your mommy a great deal.”
She hugged her belly as if it were a huge gift box.
After dinner and a shower, Ian was standing in front of the
fireplace to dry his hair when he turned toward his wife.
“What?”
Laura sat on a comfortable armchair by the fireplace and
smiled up at her husband. “I said that I think we’re having
twins.”
“…” Ian blinked. His eyes lowered to her belly before
looking away. “Ah.”
He seemed contemplative. When an awkward silence fell,
the smile on Laura’s face disappeared at her husband’s
unexpected reaction.
She wondered. Is he not happy?
Laura looked down at her belly. There were two lives
growing inside of her at the moment. After she heard the
news, she cried for an hour in happiness. She then spent the
rest of the afternoon in the rocking chair, wondering what her
children would look like.
Any parent should’ve been excited by the news. Laura
certainly was, and she expected that Ian would feel the same
way. But her husband’s reaction was the opposite. He seemed
surprised, but it looked like he just heard unwelcoming news.
Soon, Laura heard Ian sigh deeply. Looking into the fire,
he mumbled in a displeased voice, “As soon as your
contraction begins, I better summon Dr. Mackenzie.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s the best doctor out there in the field of
childbirth.”
Laura forced her voice to sound cheerful. “I don’t think
he’ll come. He’s officially retired after all.”
“I’ll drag him here if I have to. I don’t care if he sues me
later.” Ian rubbed his index and middle fingers, which
became a habit whenever he was upset. “We can’t do this
without Dr. Mackenzie. We’re really having twins? Dammit.”
Laura was shocked, but not because her husband decided
to kidnap Dr. Mackenzie. After living with him for a while, she
had gotten used to his impulsive behaviors. What upset her
was the fact that Ian didn’t seem happy about the news of the
twins. In fact, he seemed annoyed.
He must not want the baby anymore. Laura’s heart fell. He…
must’ve gotten tired of the baby already. But he still loves me, so…
Why?
 In the past, Laura would’ve hidden her feelings and
changed the subject. But lately, she has become used to
expressing her feelings to her husband. The hormonal
changes from her pregnancy didn’t help either.
Ian hates our babies now. Laura’s eyes blurred with tears.
Ian was deep in thought while stroking the fire when he
heard her wife sniffling. He turned to see that Laura’s face
was buried in her hands as she sobbed.
“Laura!” Ian quickly walked up to her. “Why are you
crying?”
There was no answer from her. She only continued to cry,
causing Ian to turn pale. He knelt on one knee before her.
“Laura, tell me. What’s wrong, darling? Did I do something
wrong? You don’t want me to kidnap Dr. Mackenzie? Are you
worried that I might go to jail?”
Laura shook her head.
“Then what is it?” Ian became anxious when she didn’t
answer. He forced her hands away from her face, realizing
that her face was bright red from crying. Tears continued to
roll down from her gray eyes, making Ian’s heart ache.
“Ian…”
“Yes?”
Hiccuping badly, Laura asked, “Do you not love our baby
anymore?”
When a guilty look appeared on Ian’s face, Laura began
wailing even louder. She decided that her worst nightmare
was finally coming true.
 Ian protested, “N…no, Laura. Why would I not love our
baby? That’s not true at all!”
“Liar. You aren’t even interested in our babies
anymore…!” Laura covered her face again and continued to
sob. Ian tried to console her by hugging and caressing her, but
it was useless.
But that’s not true. Ian felt like he wanted to cry too. How
could I not love our children…? That could never happen. Our
children mean that we’re going to be a family. But it’s just…
Ian bit his lip, remembering Noel’s late wife Barbara
Finch. He had never even met this woman before, but the
thought of her had been haunting him for a while now.
Barbara died during childbirth at the age of thirty-two.
She was the exact same age as Laura.
Ian couldn’t believe that he never thought of this before.
Childbirth was a dangerous process. Women risked their own
lives to bring children into this world. Ian had sworn to spend
the rest of his life with Laura, but he never realized that
pregnancy and childbirth could take everything away from
him.
After acknowledging this fact, Ian’s love for their baby
diminished. If he lost Laura during childbirth, he knew he
would resent their baby for the rest of his life. Ian decided
that he needed to emotionally distance himself from their
unborn child. If it came down to choosing between Laura and
their baby, he would choose his wife without hesitation. But if
he came to love their baby too much, his guilt at giving up on
the baby would follow him forever.
This was why Ian decided to detach himself from the baby
until it was born. It was a logical decision on his part, but it
seemed that his action had upset Laura.
I can see why. Ian admitted his mistake. Laura had worried
about having a baby for a long time. When she finally became
pregnant, she couldn’t have been happier. She already loved
her child with everything she had.
Ian waited patiently for her to stop crying. Thankfully,
Laura wasn’t a stubborn baby who had no control over
herself. Soon, her sobbing stopped and she began wiping
away her tears. Ian helped her with his handkerchief. When
he asked her to blow into the handkerchief, Laura obeyed. Ian
was relieved because it seemed that she was calming down.
There was regret and embarrassment in her eyes. She
must’ve felt ashamed of acting so childishly. Believing that it
was finally time to explain himself, Ian opened his mouth.
“Laura.” He held her hands. “I swear to God that our baby
is the second best thing that happened in my life. The first
was marrying you, of course.”
Laura gazed at him in silence. Her eyes were red, and her
face looked a little swollen. Finding her adorable, Ian smiled
up at her. “When our children are born, that day will be the
third happiest day of my life. Just as I can give up my life for
you, I can guarantee you that I’ll feel the same way about our
children. We’ll spend much time together, and I’ll shower
them with love like their father.”
Laura nodded. She trusted him completely, but there was
still an unanswered question.
Ian continued, “I’ll strive to be the perfect father to them,
so Laura… Would you allow me to stay a little detached from
our babies until they’re born?”
“…Why?”
An apologetic smile appeared on Ian’s face. “In order for
me to love our children, I need to be sure that they won’t take
my wife’s life.”
Laura gasped, quickly realizing what had been worrying
her husband. She protested, “Why would you think that way?
I’m telling you that nothing’s going to happen. The world is
full of women who are perfectly fine after giving birth to
children.”
“I’m certain nothing will happen to you. You’ll give birth
to our babies in less than three hours. I’m sure you’ll walk
right out of bed in three days afterward.” Ian fidgeted with
his wife’s hands. “It’s just that I’m a coward. The thought of
losing you… makes me feel like I’m going to die.”
More tears fell from Laura’s eyes. A moment ago, she cried
from sadness. But now, they were tears of love for her
husband. Even though she was crying, Laura looked relieved.
“Darling, think about it. I’ve gained so much weight
thanks to your wonderful cooking. And we’re good people,
aren’t we? I know you’re planning to kidnap Dr. Mackenzie,
but you won’t hurt him, right?” asked Laura.
“Of course not.”
If Dr. Mackenzie got hurt, who would help Laura with her
childbirth? Therefore, Ian would never use violence against
the talented doctor.
Laura continued, “So neither of us has ever committed a
big sin. We’re both hardworking and faithful. So, I’m certain
God will protect us from misfortune. Stop worrying, Ian. We
are fated to be happy.”
 Side Story 62

Ian smiled, noticing what an optimistic person Laura had

become. She was just like the way he was before he got
married. In the past, Ian was naive enough to insist that there
would be only happiness after marriage. It seemed that his
romantic nature had rubbed off on Laura, who used to be an
absolute realist. She used to find it hard to accept the concept
of fate and destiny. But now, she believed in it with all of her
heart.
Ian loved this change. One of his dreams was to fill Laura’s
life with joy and hope. And just as he wished, Laura looked
like a young artless girl who was happy with her life.
It wasn’t just Laura who changed. Ian was born a dreamer,
but he learned to be more realistic. He was now able to accept
the possibility of a pessimistic future. And he decided that it
was his duty to endure whatever life threw at him so that he
could keep his wife safe.
I should be the only one who worries. I won’t have Laura be
concerned about her future. I can make all the necessary
preparations, and all she needs to do is be happy.
Ian gave her a relaxed smile. “You’re right, Laura. There
will only be happiness in our lives. That’s our destiny.”
 Laura smiled. It seemed that she believed she successfully
convinced her husband. Ian caressed her belly and
murmured, “Forget everything I said just now. It was silly of
me to worry. Now, shall I say hello to the twins?”
His hands patted her belly lovingly. “So, there are two of
them, huh? That makes sense. I thought the movements in
your womb were unusually vigorous. I guess they’ve been
fighting because it’s so tiny in there!”
When Laura burst into laughter, Ian rubbed his cheek on
her belly. “I can’t believe we’re going to have two babies all at
once. I must be the luckiest man in the world. Thank you,
Laura.”
Her husband’s kind voice and gesture brought such
happiness to Laura. She told herself silently. I guess I was
being silly. There’s no way a loving man like Ian would fall out of
love with our children. I was being nervous for nothing.
Laura caressed her husband’s hair. It was dry now, and it
felt as smooth as silk. She suggested, “We might end up
having sisters or brothers. We should think of another name
for each gender.”
“This time, you can come up with a boy’s name. I’ll think
of a girl’s name.”
Laura asked, “Did you already have something in mind?”
“I can think about it now. Hmm, what about your mother’s
name? Dolores?”
“That sounds adorable.”
 “Good, now how about…” Ian suggested a few more names
that popped into his head, and Laura liked all of them.
Late in bed and resting her head on Ian’s arm, Laura
contemplated different boy’s names. She mumbled names
like Alex and Paul, and Ian patted her belly and listened. He
tried his best not to let on that he was still worried about her
childbirth.
Ian whispered to the unborn children in secret. My babies,
please don’t hurt your mom. If you come out easily, I’ll love you
with everything I have.
He felt the babies kick from inside Laura’s womb. It was as
if they were reassuring him that everything was going to be
okay.
The golden sun shone on Whitefield one May day. The
warm breeze melted away all of the snowmen and spread the
wildflower seeds all over the fields. With the arrival of the
spring, the roads dried enough for easy travel. Everyone
welcomed it, but not as much as the young blonde lady of
Dunville Park Ms. Olivia Fairfax.
With Laura’s severe morning sickness and the heavy snow,
Olivia hadn’t been able to visit Whitefield Hall for months.
But finally, she was free to see her beloved aunt.
All throughout winter, Olivia couldn’t hide her frustration
at the fact that her plan was ruined. She had hoped to have
her new niece or nephew named after her, but things weren’t
working out the way she wanted. To make up for the lost
time, Olivia put much effort into making baby clothes and
toys.
She made baby hats, pants, pajamas, dresses, socks, dolls,
and hair ribbons.
When Olivia first attempted to make a baby hat, she
needed help from the family seamstress. But after sewing all
winter, her skills have improved greatly. Now, she was able to
make a baby’s shirt with her eyes closed.
In addition, Olivia went through the department store
catalogs and purchased every baby item she saw in them. She
used up all of her allowances, and by the time she got her
mother’s permission to visit Whitefield Hall, she had two
trunks full of gifts for Laura.
Wearing her best jewels and silk dress, Olivia ordered the
servants to load the trunks into the carriage. Soon, the
carriage crossed the field of heath grasses to head toward
Whitefield Hall.
There were less than two months left till Laura’s due date,
but Olivia planned on doing everything she could to make her
plan a success. She was going to shower her aunt with gifts
and visit every day to keep her company.
Olivia knew that Aunt Laura had many important friends.
She heard Mrs. Morton was the daughter of a member of
Parliament while Mrs. Maclean was the wife of Judge
Alexander Maclean. Olivia learned that it was her aunt’s
matchmaking that helped these ladies find love.
 And of course, there was also beautiful Aunt Dora who
became friends with Aunt Laura even before she got married.
It was obvious that Olivia had a lot of competition. She needed
to become Aunt Laura’s favorite in order to defeat the names
Elizabeth, Rosemary, and Dora.
Olivia checked herself in the mirror. She was satisfied to
see that she looked like a yellow rose just about to bloom. It
was worth the effort to focus on her skincare during the long
winter. She felt certain that her beauty would impress Aunt
Laura. The young girl knew very well that just like men,
women felt more favorable toward beautiful people too. After
all, Olivia fell in love with her aunt for her looks as well.
Aunt Laura was surely going to fall in love with her. Olivia
was going to visit her every day, and eventually, she expected
her aunt to beg her to stay in Whitefield forever.
When she was sure Aunt Laura was smitten with her,
Olivia planned on casually asking about the baby’s name.
Olivia couldn’t wait to hear her aunt say the following.
“I’m going to name my baby after you, of course, Olivia.
There’s no one else for me.”
Just this thought made Olivia shudder in delight. She
covered her mouth with her hand in a silk glove and giggled.
The carriage passed by the gate and stopped in front of the
front entrance. As if she was the great queen, Olivia stepped
down elegantly.
Ramswick was informed of her visit in advance. He was
waiting for her outside, and when he saw her, he greeted,
“Welcome, Miss Olivia.”
“Hello, Mr. Ramswick. It has been such a long time,”
Olivia replied cheerfully. Her eyes quickly darted to the
orange handkerchief in the butler’s chest pocket. As long as
Olivia could remember, Ramswick had always only worn dark
and boring colors.
Noticing her curious look, Ramswick shrugged awkwardly.
“It was a gift from a friend. I didn’t want to disappoint him by
not wearing it.”
“It looks good on you, Mr. Ramswick.” Olivia gave him a
thumbs up.
Ramswick bowed politely. “Thank you, Miss. By the way, is
everyone in Dunville Park okay?”
“Of course. George caught a cold from playing in the snow,
but he recovered in only a few days. Since the weather got
warmer, my mother finally escaped being buried in a fur coat.
Henry has fully recovered as well. Lately, he has been going to
the forest to spend hours drawing there.”
Ramswick’s smile wilted a little from the mention of
Henry, but he replied calmly, “I see. Mrs. Dalton is in the
nursery waiting for you. She wanted to come down to greet
you, but Mr. Dalton doesn’t like her going up and down the
stairs.”
“It’s alright. Ah, there are some gifts in the carriage, so
please move them to the nursery, Mr. Ramswick. All of them.”
Ramswick became busy ordering the servants. Olivia
entered the house and climbed the stairs. She was moving a
little too fast to be ladylike, but she couldn’t wait to see her
aunt. If Hermes loaned her his winged sandals, Olivia
would’ve flown up the stairs without hesitation.
Before entering the nursery, Olivia checked herself once
more in the mirror. After straightening her dress, she
knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Laura answered from inside.
Olivia entered and saw that inside the newly decorated
nursery, her aunt was reading while sitting in a rocking chair.
Olivia was incredibly happy to see her aunt. But she couldn’t
hide her shock at the size of Laura’s belly. It was much bigger
than she anticipated.
Laura was already eight months pregnant, but her belly
was unexpectedly enormous. It was even more surprising
because the rest of Laura’s body was still very slender.
“Welcome, Olivia.” Laura smiled brightly. Her colors
looked healthier and her cheeks were chubbier. Olivia thought
her aunt looked much prettier than before she became
pregnant.
The young girl walked up to Laura slowly. “Have you been
well, Aunt Laura?”
“Of course. It has been too long. I’m so happy to see you.
Please have a seat.” Laura pointed at the small stool next to
her rocking chair. Olivia sat down quietly and stared at her
aunt’s belly.
Laura asked, “Are you very surprised, Olivia?”
 Olivia couldn’t help but nod. Laura giggled and added, “I
didn’t know I would get as big as a whale either.”
“You look like you’re about to give birth right now.”
“That makes sense. It’s because there are two babies
inside of me.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes.”
Olivia clapped. “Congratulations, Aunt Laura.”
“Thank you.” Laura chuckled and leaned back. “You have
no idea how heavy my body feels now. I feel sleepy all the
time, and I’m eating so much.”
“Well, it’s no wonder since you have two babies. You still
look so pretty even though you’re bigger, Aunt Laura.”
Laura smiled leisurely and patted Olivia’s cheek. “Thank
you, my pretty niece.”
Olivia blushed, her heart pounding as if it was about to
burst.
She called me pretty! Olivia loved how sweet her aunt was to
her.
 Side Story 63

Knock, knock.
Ramswick announced from outside, “Miss Olivia brought
gifts for you, Mrs. Dalton. May I enter?”
Laura turned toward Olivia, who hid her sneaky plan by
chatting innocently, “I just got you a few baby things. I
prepared them little by little during the winter.”
Laura straightened her back. Her body was so heavy that
she needed help from the armrests to sit straight. “Really?”
When Olivia blushed and nodded, Laura smiled brightly.
“Thank you so much, Olivia. I would love to see them.
Ramswick, please come in.”
Under Ramswick’s order, several male servants carried
two giant wooden trunks inside. Laura had a pleased smile on
her face, but it quickly turned into a look of confusion. The
trunks were too big. They were so big that they made the
nursery look small.
Laura hid her confusion and exclaimed, “Uwah, you got
me so much, Olivia.”
Ignorant of Laura’s discomfort, Olivia hurried to the
trunks. “This trunk is filled with boy stuff, and this one is for
a girl. I made all the clothes myself. Umm, I think the prettiest
one is…”
Olivia opened the trunk and began rummaging through
them. Among the pile of clothes and toys, she managed to
find a purple dress with snow-white lace trims.
“Oh, my goodness, that looks so adorable.” Laura was
genuinely impressed. She caressed the dress, but her hands
suddenly paused. “Wait, isn’t this lace the one you got as a
birthday present last year?”
“Ah, that’s right,” Olivia answered cheerfully. Laura
remembered very clearly that this lace was given to Olivia by
Mrs. Dora Fairfax. It was an expensive lace that cost over ten
pounds per foot.
“M…my goodness. That’s so generous of you, Olivia,”
Laura stammered, making Olivia smile.
“I just wanted my future niece to wear pretty things.”
“But what if I have two sons?”
“Well, I don’t think it matters. Babies don’t know what
they’re wearing, right? You can just have the boys wear them
too,” Olivia replied nonchalantly before showing Laura other
clothes. There were also dolls, rattles, pacifiers, mobiles, and
picture books on top of the clothes. Laura guessed that there
had to be several hundred things in the trunks.
Laura was troubled by Olivia’s gifts. She already had a
closet full of baby things given by her friends. With the things
she made herself, Laura had more than enough for twins. She
appreciated Olivia’s kind gesture, but her gift was too much
especially since Whitefield Hall was already so cluttered.
But this just shows how much Olivia cares about her cousins.
Laura told herself as she kissed her niece’s cheek.
Meanwhile, Olivia became certain of her success.
It worked! Olivia thought in excitement. She decided that
she now had her aunt’s approval. Being a materialistic girl,
Olivia believed that a pile of gifts was what was needed to
make her aunt fall in love with her.
Feeling impatient, Olivia couldn’t wait any longer. She
murmured, “Umm… Aunt Laura… Do you think you’ll have
girls or boys?”
Laura shrugged. “Who knows?”
“Which would you prefer?”
“It doesn’t matter to me.”
Olivia fidgeted. “Then… What about their names…?”
Just then, the nursery door burst open. Ian walked in, and
when he saw the two trunks, he mumbled in confusion, “Who
put coffins in the nursery?”
Olivia rose and curtsied. Ian looked at her in surprise and
asked, “Olivia, did you bring these here?”
“Yes, Uncle Ian.”
Ian looked over the gifts and exclaimed, “Goodness. We
won’t be able to use them for more than two years, so why did
you bring so many things?”
Olivia blinked hesitantly, but Ian seemed oblivious. He
continued, “We already have too much because everyone gave
us so many gifts. What will we do with all these?”
Olivia turned toward Laura, who looked up at her husband
warningly. “Darling!”
“Yes, Laura?” Ian was eyeing a baby dress before turning
toward his wife.
Laura shook her head, and Ian asked, “Why? What’s
wrong?”
Laura sighed. Although Olivia wasn’t the most thoughtful
child, she wasn’t stupid either. The young girl wondered in
worry. Do they not want my gift?
Olivia felt like she wanted to cry, realizing that her gift was
unwanted. From the beginning, her plan was ruined because
of Aunt Laura’s morning sickness and the snowy winter.
Olivia’s last hope was her gifts, but it turned out that they
were unwelcome.
Noticing how disappointed her niece looked, Laura patted
Olivia’s shoulder. She said in a kind voice, “Ian’s being silly.
We need all these things here for the babies.”
Olivia shook her head weakly. “It’s okay. You can just
donate my gifts to the charity.”
“How could I do that?! You made them for your cousins,
Olivia!” Laura caressed the young girl’s cheek affectionately.
“I want to have at least five more children. If things work out
according to my plan, we’re going to end up using all of your
gifts, Olivia.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
 Ian interrupted in an indifferent voice. “I’m against
having five children.”
Laura shook her head at her husband, who shrugged.
Turning toward her niece again, Laura promised, “I’m going
to use your gifts first above all the others from my friends.”
Olivia brightened a little. Feeling relieved, Laura
continued, “You’re most beautiful when you’re happy. My
lovely niece, will you smile for your aunty?”
Flattered by Laura’s compliment, Olivia’s mood lifted
instantly. She smiled, and Laura pinched her cheek
affectionately.
Turning toward her husband, Laura asked, “Darling, do
you have a lot of work left to do?”
“No, why?”
“Why don’t we have tea in the rose garden? It has been so
long since we did that.”
“But you need to go down two flights of stairs to go there.
It’s too dangerous.”
“It won’t be dangerous at all if you help me, Ian.”
Ian didn’t seem pleased about the idea, but he could never
say no to his wife. The three of them left the nursery and
walked to the stairs. Before Laura knew what was happening,
Ian lifted her and carried her downstairs. Laura gasped in
shock, but she kept her arms around his neck the entire time.
Following them from behind, Olivia smiled quietly. There
was a time when she wondered how wonderful it would be if
her uncle married her governess. And now, her governess was
pregnant with her uncle’s twins.
Olivia spent a lovely time with her uncle and aunt in the
rose garden. It was a nice warm day, and Olivia enjoyed
watching her uncle doting on his wife. She listened
attentively about the time her uncle and aunt spent in the
romantic cabin in the forest.
Olivia didn’t mention the baby names again. She didn’t
want to make her aunt feel pressured. Olivia also knew that
her gifts didn’t work to impress her aunt. She was afraid that
if she begged for one of her cousins to be named after her, it
would disappoint Aunt Laura.
The sun began to set in the garden, and it was time for
Olivia to return home for dinner. Laura couldn’t walk her
outside because Ian was against the idea. It seemed that Ian
was afraid Laura might trip and fall. So, Laura kissed Olivia
goodbye before returning to her room.
Olivia and Ian walked outside together. After helping her
into the carriage, Ian asked, “Olivia, I received your mother’s
letter. I heard Henry has recovered fully. Do you know what
his plan is for this year?”
“Ah, that reminds me.” Olivia clapped. “Goodness, I
almost forgot. Henry asked me to give you this.”
Olivia rummaged through her purse to find an envelope.
She handed it to her uncle. “Henry was adamant that I give
this to you when Aunt Laura isn’t around. Does he think I’m a
spy or something?”
 Ian accepted the letter without a word. A gloomy look
appeared on his face.
Olivia asked, “What is this all about, Uncle? Why couldn’t I
give this to you in front of Aunt Laura?”
“I guess I’ll know once I read it, Olivia.”
“Maybe he wants to borrow money from you.”
Ian flicked the young girl’s forehead lightly. “Stop making
silly guesses and go home, Miss Holmes.”
“Tsk.” Olivia clicked her tongue and ordered the groom to
start the carriage. Before it left the gate, Olivia stuck her head
out the window and yelled, “But Uncle Ian, make sure not to
give Henry any money, okay? He has been exchanging letters
with his friends in Paris. What if he gives the money to those
poor beggars?!”
“Goodbye, Olivia.”
Olivia’s carriage disappeared out of his sight. Ian looked
down at the envelope that was addressed to him.
 Side Story 64

An icy expression appeared on Ian’s face. He turned toward

the garden and began walking toward it as he opened the
envelope. Inside, a short letter could be found. Under the
orange light from the sunset, Ian began reading.
***
Uncle Ian,
I hope you’ve been well.
It has been almost six months since we last met, Uncle. I hope
that time has lessened the displeasure I’ve caused you.
I have recovered fully. Now, I plan to return to Paris to find my
dream. Unless the rest of the world sinks and only England
remains, I’ll never return. I only have one path ahead of me now. I
am going to dedicate my life to art. Even if I die of poverty, I think
I shall be happy.
I hope you have a wonderful life with your wife and children.
You and Aunt Laura deserve to be happy.
Please take care.
Henry Fairfax
It was a brief goodbye letter. It seemed that Henry decided
to obey Ian’s order to leave Yorkshire and never appear in
Whitefield again.
 Henry was going to leave the country very soon. Ian once
loved him like a son, but Henry had become a problem now.
Ian was relieved that his troublesome nephew was out of his
life for good.
Good riddance. Ian thought calmly and placed the letter in
his pocket. He looked up at the sky to see that it was slowly
turning dark. The mysterious mix of red and purple adorned
the sky, and enjoying its beauty, Ian pondered about Henry’s
decision.
I guess he’s following his destiny after all. Ian thought
quietly. Henry could never become the head of the family.
More accurately, he would’ve been very unhappy if he became
one. Serving the family and enjoying his passion as a hobby
suited Ian just fine, but it wasn’t the right life for Henry. Ian
knew that his nephew would’ve died inside slowly from the
burden of never-ending duty.
Going to Paris and pursuing his dream was the right
decision for the young man.
Ian kept his hands in his pocket and walked the garden. He
reminisced about the time when he was about Henry’s age.
There was a time when Ian had the same dream as Henry. As a
young man of twenty-four, he wanted to go to Paris as well
and dedicate his life to art as well.
Paris was the city of love. To be surrounded by eccentric
but talented artists and to spend every waking moment
drawing would’ve been a dream come true. To have the right
to call himself an artist like Rembrandt and Vermeer would’ve
been the greatest honor in his life.
Ian had told Henry that he didn’t regret choosing to
become the head of the family. Ian meant what he said, but
this didn’t mean it was easy for him to give up his dream.
Even now, he fantasized about the life he could have had. It
was a part of him he kept hidden deep inside as an impossible
aspiration of his youthful days.
But even as he thought of his beautiful dream, he never
forgot how exquisite his current life was. Instead of the
extravagant Paris, Ian had Whitefield. Instead of artist
friends, he had family and neighbors. Ian also found great
meaning in preserving and improving his family.
He could draw whenever he wished. He didn’t have to feel
pressured to catch up to the greatest artists like Rembrandt
and Vermeer. He also wasn’t required to starve himself and
suffer while desperately trying to get recognized and sell his
work. To him, art was a hobby, not a job.
And there’s one more thing, of course. Ian paused and slowly
turned around. His eyes filled with the mansion made of
white marble. Whitefield Hall, the place where he was born
and raised, looked like a snow castle.
Ian eyed the fourth window from the end on the second
floor. It was the dining room, and it was lit brightly. There,
Ian knew his wife was waiting for him to have dinner
together.
 Laura. A slow smile spread on his lips. If he had gone to
Paris, he would’ve never met her.
I know I made the right decision. Ian began walking back
home. He couldn’t wait to talk about mundane things with his
wife over a candlelit dinner.
***
After her first visit in May, Olivia began frequenting
Whitefield. She was always welcomed by her aunt and uncle.
After all, Olivia was the least troublesome child in the Fairfax
family. On top of that, she had also helped Ian and Laura end
up together.
In a way, Olivia held a special position in Whitefield Hall.
But of course, this was kept a secret between Olivia and her
uncle. No one could find out the fact that Olivia and Ian made
a secret pact to make Laura the new Mrs. Dalton. Both of them
were afraid that if Laura found out about it, she would
become disappointed in them. Olivia’s greatest joy in life was
her aunt’s love, so she refused to jeopardize it.
Every time Olivia visited, she spent at least half a day there
and never left Laura’s side. Olivia was an expert charmer, and
Laura enjoyed her company greatly. Thanks to her niece,
Laura laughed more often. She found it a little odd that
Olivia’s eyes glowed in excitement whenever she saw Laura’s
growing belly, but Laura didn’t think too much about it. She
assumed that Olivia was just excited about getting new
cousins.
 It was not surprising that Laura didn’t know about Olivia’s
big dream. After failing to impress her aunt with her gifts,
Olivia became more cautious about proceeding with her plan.
It was no wonder that she was Ian’s niece. She was a talented
schemer just like him. For love, Olivia was willing to fool even
God.
Olivia continued to act like an innocent fifteen-year-old
girl who was excited about the arrival of her new cousins. But
in truth, she was dreaming of becoming an elegant lady
traveling Europe with her twin cousins Olivia and Oliver.
June arrived, bringing the beginning of summer with it.
Laura was now nine months pregnant, and Hanna kept busy
preparing the delivery room and searching for the midwife
who could help with the birth.
No one could doubt the fact that Laura was pregnant with
twins now. Hanna was once again proven to be a sharp
woman. She advised Laura that stamina was going to be very
important for childbirth. Laura shouldn’t be stuck in the
nursery and reading books all day.
Hanna explained, “It would be great if you go out to the
garden from time to time and take a walk under the sun. I
know the stairs can be dangerous, but having a baby without
any muscles in your body will be even riskier.”
When Ian heard about Hanna’s advice, he made Laura
promise him that she would ask for his help every time she
needed to go up and down the stairs.
 Since that day, Laura began spending more time outside
than inside in the afternoons. It became a common sight to
see her wobbling in the garden holding Olivia with one arm
and supporting her back with another. Oftentimes, the staff
could hear them giggling together.
One day in the middle of June, Ian was looking out the
window at his wife from his office. Laura was sitting on a
bench with Olivia, and the young girl was gesturing
animatedly to explain something. Laura laughed loudly, and
based on Olivia’s motions, Ian could tell that George must’ve
broken something at Dunville Park again.
Ian quietly gazed at Laura’s belly. She was wearing a vivid
purple summer dress. But because her belly was so big, it
looked like she was bundled up in winter clothes. A shadow
appeared on his face. He was worried, but he refused to let it
on in front of his wife.
I’m sure it will all work out fine. He tried his best to remain
optimistic, but every time he saw her belly, he couldn’t help
the terrible thoughts. Ian looked away, deciding to get back to
work. Focusing on something else was the best way to stop
his imagination from going wild.
Ian sat in front of the desk where over thirty business
cards from various law offices in England sat neatly like
uniformed soldiers. Last winter, Ian’s lawyer Mr. Thompson
announced his retirement. He had decided to move to a
peaceful countryside. Because he was almost sixty and
suffering from terrible gout, Ian didn’t have the heart to ask
him to stay.
Mr. Thompson planned on moving to Bath this fall, so Ian
needed to find a replacement as soon as possible. This was a
rather difficult task because finding a skilled yet ethical
lawyer was just as difficult as finding a good land agent.
Mr. Thompson recommended his only son who took over
his father’s business. But Ian refused. Mr. Thompson was
born to a poor fisherman, and he worked hard to become one
of the best lawyers in England. The problem was that Mr.
Thompson spoiled his only son rotten. Ian knew his son to be
selfish and unskilled.
This was why Ian had been busy interviewing countless
lawyers. But so far, none of them has caught his eye.
 Side Story 65

“Mr. Dalton, the Barnsley refinery company has sent you a

receipt,” Noel, who was sitting on the desk across from Ian,
announced. Noel returned to work last week because the
wound on his stomach was almost healed. He was finally able
to make a living again.
Mr. Dalton replied, “Calculate the number of lumbers used
and their cost, and make up a report.”
“Of course, sir,” Noel answered confidently and grabbed
the abacus.
The rattling abacus marbles and the scratching of the pen
on the paper rang inside the office. From time to time, Laura
and Olivia’s laughter could be heard from the garden below.
It was a peaceful afternoon. Ian looked down at the
business cards and contemplated all the different lawyers he
interviewed recently.
“Sir.” Noel flicked an abacus marble and opened his
mouth. “Do you have something you’re worried about
lately?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because you’ve been sighing often.”
 “Why would I be worried about anything? I’ll be a father of
adorable twins very soon.”
“That’s true. I felt the same way when Barbara was close
to giving birth.”
Ian narrowed his eyes. Why would he bring up his dead wife
right now?
Based on Noel’s tone, it was clear he didn’t mean any ill
intention. Ian could tell that the land agent was just saying
whatever came to his mind to carry on the conversation. But
Ian couldn’t help but become upset by the mention of Noel’s
wife who died from giving birth when she was the same age as
Laura.
A silence fell in the office only to be interrupted by Laura’s
laughter from outside.
“Noel,” Ian said calmly.
“Yes?” Noel had his nose buried in some paper while his
hand kept busy on the abacus.
“How much did your wife suffer because she passed
away?”
“I can’t even describe it. She was tortured for two full days
before dying.”
Two days? Ian thought in shock. He asked, “Did the baby
get stuck in her pelvis or something?”
“Not her pelvic, but its own umbilical cord. The cord got
tangled around its neck and strangled it. It was already dead
inside of her, so Barbara was tortured for nothing. She lost
five buckets of blood before dying. We should’ve given up on
the baby.”
Noel’s hand paused as he looked up. He murmured, “I
hope she’s happy with our child up in heaven.”
The bald man sighed before returning to work. But his eyes
suddenly caught his employer, who seemed like he was about
to vomit.
Noel suddenly realized his mistake. Mr. Ramswick warned
me to be careful of what I say.
When Noel was ready to return to work, he invited
Ramswick for dinner to show his appreciation. There, the
butler requested that Noel should never mention his wife
Barbara again to Mr. Dalton.
Ramswick explained, “After Mr. Dalton heard about your
story, he has been terribly depressed. He fears that Mrs.
Dalton might face the same unfortunate fate as your wife.
When you’re in Whitefield Hall, you must forget about Mrs.
Finch. If you want to talk about her, come to me and I’ll listen.
Okay, Noel?”
At the time, Noel nodded obediently. He wished he could
smack his own head for his foolishness right now. What
should I do? I can’t make up some lie now that my wife didn’t
actually die of childbirth.
Noel tried to come up with something optimistic to say.
“M…Mr. Dalton, I… I made the mistake of using the wrong
midwife. It was an old woman who had no knowledge of
medicine. When the baby refused to come out, do you know
what that old woman did? She chanted some incantation at
Barbara’s belly. I was such an idiot. Even as I watched the
whole thing, I didn’t do anything. If I knew that I know now, I
would’ve run out to get the farmer who helped countless cows
and horses give birth.”
Unfortunately, this didn’t help Ian relax. He bit his lip in
worry, so Noel continued hurriedly, “Compared to that, Mrs.
Dalton is in such a safe environment. She has Dr. Mackenzie
nearby after all. He may curse you for dragging him into this,
but I heard that Dr. Mackenzie isn’t shy about doing anything
and everything to save the mothers. I’ve even heard that he’ll
ask for help from the devil if God ignores him. If Barbara had
someone like him, she would’ve…”
Just then, Ian put his index finger on his lips. He was
asking Noel to be quiet, and the bald man obeyed. It didn’t
look like Noel managed to help his employer feel better. But
Ian at least didn’t look like he was about to throw up
anymore. Instead, his forehead was furrowed, his chin looked
tense, and his hands began to tremble.
Noel became anxious, realizing that something had
changed. It didn’t take him long to notice that he could no
longer hear Mrs. Dalton’s laughter. Soon, the hurried
footsteps rang in the hallway outside. The office door
suddenly burst open and Ramswick barged in.
The butler announced, “Mr. Dalton, Mrs. Dalton has gone
into labor.”
 Wasn’t her due date next month? Noel thought in shock and
glanced at his employer. Mr. Dalton was already putting on
his hat as he asked, “Where’s Hanna?”
“She helped Mrs. Dalton to the delivery room.”
“Get Dewy saddled.”
Ramswick ran out. Ian looked rigid, but there was no panic
in his eyes. He looked perfectly calm as he walked outside.
“Jesus.” Noel put down his quill and walked to the
window. In less than five minutes, the healthy gray horse
Dewy appeared. With his riding gloves on, Ian accepted the
whip from the butler and got on top of the horse. When Ian
kicked the saddle, Dewy rushed forward and the two
disappeared in seconds.
Unable to control his curiosity, Noel shouted out the
window, “Mr. Ramswick! Where did Mr. Dalton go?”
Ramswick looked up at the window. “He went to Dr.
Mackenzie’s cottage.”
“He didn’t order one of the servants to get the doctor?”
“Dr. Mackenzie wouldn’t come unless the mother-to-be is
dying.”
Noel nodded. “Ah, so I guess Mr. Dalton went to convince
him to come?”
“It would be wonderful if convincing is all it takes,”
Ramswick answered while shaking his head.
Noel wondered. What does he mean by that?
Before the land agent could ask any more questions,
Ramswick returned to the mansion. Noel scratched his head
and leaned against the window.
Will Mr. Dalton drag the doctor here by force if necessary?
Noel burst into laughter. But this isn’t even an emergency. That
man is such a doting husband.
Noel’s smile slowly turned into a bitter expression as he
remembered his late wife, Barbara. He was about the same
age as Ian when Barbara died. It was their first child, and Noel
was just as much in love with his wife as Mr. Dalton. But as his
wife’s delivery date approached, all Noel did was get excited
and nothing more. He made no preparations, and as he
watched Barbara die, he couldn’t do a damn thing.
Noel felt ashamed because he should’ve protected his wife.
He remembered the black carriage that carried his wife’s
coffin away. He also remembered Billy crying in his mourning
clothes. They walked behind the carriage to the graveyard
together. That day, Noel knew that he would never get
married again. He would never have his own children or
family.
I’m sorry, Barbara. I loved you, but I wasn’t a good husband.
A few minutes later, Noel returned to his desk. Unlike the
noises outside, the office was filled with the quiet rattling of
the abacus. Noel had great respect for a man who protected
his family. He decided to do the only thing he could for Mr.
Dalton. Even if the world ended tomorrow, Noel was going to
make sure that the ledgers were all updated to perfection.
Being a good land agent was the best thing he could do for his
employer.
 ***
Mr. Dalton returned in less than two hours. Dr. Mackenzie
was riding behind him while holding his doctor’s bag. There
was a furious expression on the doctor’s face as if he wanted
to kill anyone who crossed him the wrong way. Ramswick
needed to muster up enough courage to talk to the doctor.
“Please hurry, Dr. Mackenzie,” Ramswick greeted.
Dr. Mackenzie grumbled, “How much faster do you think I
can go?”
The doctor trudged into the mansion, and Ramswick
ushered him to the delivery room. Ramswick apologized,
“I’m sorry, Dr. Mackenzie. I misspoke. I’m just very happy to
see you. I hope you know how much we appreciate your help.”
“Your appreciation means nothing to me. Dammit, I swear
I will never deal with anyone from House Dalton again.”
“Please don’t be angry, sir. Once Mrs. Dalton delivers her
babies safely, Mr. Dalton will pay you triple your normal fee.”
“And get the most expensive bottle of wine you have here
ready too. After I’m done, I’m going to get drunk and destroy
Ian Dalton’s living room. Then, I’m going to throw up on his
face.”
 Side Story 66

Dr. Mackenzie grumbled even as he walked up the stairs.

Ramswick couldn’t imagine what Mr. Dalton did to bring the
doctor here. By the time they reached the third floor where
the delivery room was located, they could hear the screams.
Dr. Mackenzie’s steps instinctively became more hurried.
“Has the birth canal opened?” asked the doctor.
“Yes, but I was told the baby’s head couldn’t be seen yet.
And she’s a month earlier than expected, doctor,” Ramswick
answered.
“A month is fine.” Dr. Mackenzie knocked on the door.
When Hanna answered and opened the door, the warm humid
air rushed out from the darkened room.
The doctor asked, “Is her breathing normal?”
“Yes, but her pain is so severe that she can’t seem to
understand anything I say.”
“Haa… I can already see this is going to be a long one.” Dr.
Mackenzie turned toward Ramswick and requested, “Until
the babies are born, make sure Ian Dalton doesn’t enter this
room. I won’t be able to concentrate if the man I want to beat
up is around me.”
“Of course, doctor.”
 Dr. Mackenzie and Hanna disappeared into the room.
Ramswick sighed in relief, believing that there was nothing to
worry about now that the infamous doctor was here. Dr.
Mackenzie was known to never let down his patients. There
was a good reason why he was nicknamed the Hippocrates of
Yorkshire.
Ramswick wiped his forehead with the light pink
handkerchief Noel gave him as a present. Suddenly, he heard
footsteps approaching him from the far end of the hallway.
He turned to see that it was Mr. Dalton who was rushing
toward him. It seemed that he washed his hands because he
was rolling up his sleeves, revealing his bulging muscles.
Mr. Dalton asked, “How is it going in there?”
“The birth canal is open, but they can’t see the head yet.”
“She has to give birth to two babies, so how could they not
see even one head yet…?!”
Just then, the two men froze at the sound of the piercing
screams from the room. They were the wailings of the
mother-to-be who was fighting for her life. Laura’s screams
continued, oftentimes mixed with Dr. Mackenzie’s shouts
and Hanna’s consoling murmurs. But the screams were so
loud that the doctor and the maid’s words could barely be
heard.
Ian immediately reached for the door knob. Ramswick,
who had been looking dazed, grabbed his master’s arm.
When Ian turned to him, the butler explained, “Dr.
Mackenzie asked not to let anyone in.”
 “Why not?”
“…He said it was for Mrs. Dalton’s own safety.”
Ian gritted his teeth, his chin trembling lightly. He pulled
back his hand even as the screams continued. It was the
sound Ian had never heard from Laura’s lips. He turned pale
and his arms began to shake. He had to lean against the door
for support, and Ramswick became worried that his master
might collapse.
The butler suggested, “Mr. Dalton, why don’t you wait in
the bedroom or the office? I’m sure it won’t end in an hour or
two. I’m sorry to say this, but you won’t be much help even if
you stay.”
“Laura’s in there.” Ian’s voice sounded lifeless. “She’s in
pain because she’s trying to give birth to my children. She’s
doing it all alone…”
Ian leaned his forehead on the door. His broad shoulders
shuddered. “Why couldn’t I suffer instead…?”
When Ian began panting, Ramswick realized that he was
never going to convince his master to leave. It was obvious
Mr. Dalton wanted to be the one in pain, so asking him to wait
in a comfortable place would be an insult.
The butler offered, “I’ll bring you a chair, sir.”
Ramswick left. Alone in front of the delivery room, Ian
mumbled the prayer he had been secretly saying for months
now. “…God… Please allow my angel to stay by my side”
Ian began to sob, his wife’s agonized screams stabbing his
ears.
 ***
The twins arrived at 10:25 P.M. They were fraternal twins
of a boy and a girl. The boy was born two minutes earlier. The
strong cries of two babies echoed throughout the mansion. All
of the staff sighed in relief, including Noel, who stayed
beyond his work hours and was smoking a cigar in the garden.
The kitchen staff and Philip, who had been trembling in
worry, cheered happily. Ramswick, who was praying in his
office, shed quiet tears of joy.
Ian heard the babies too, of course. He had been waiting on
the chair Ramswick got him with his face buried in his hands.
He slowly looked up, his face gaunt with sweat and tears. He
looked like he was a hostage who had been tortured for many
days.
The delivery room opened, and Dr. Mackenzie walked out
while wiping his bloody hands on a towel. He muttered, “You
look like you just had the babies yourself.”
The doctor continued, “Anyway, congratulations. You’re
now the father of a son and a daughter. Most men need to do
this twice to get two babies, but you did it in one. I suppose
your aim was true.”
“What about Laura?” Ian’s voice cracked.
“She’s safe. Just prepare a bouquet for her.”
Ian rose and passed by the doctor to enter the room that
was lit with only a few candles. The room was filled with the
smell of blood. In one corner of the bed, Hanna and the
midwife were cradling the babies wrapped in clean towels.
 Hanna smiled brightly when she saw Ian.
“Congratulations, Mr. Dalton. The babies look just like you
and Mrs. Dalton. It’s so rare for the babies to look this pretty
when they’re first born.”
Hanna chattered happily, but Ian couldn’t hear her at all.
He slowly walked to the bed where Laura was lying. The
blanket was covering her up to her neck, and as he got closer,
he could see how terrible she looked. Laura was so pale that it
looked like there was no blood left inside of her. Her face was
splotchy from popped blood vessels, and her lips were
cracked badly. Her eyes looked gaunt, and her hair was
disheveled.
She looked like a corpse.
“Laura?”
Her eyes opened slowly when Ian whispered. Her eyes
were reddened as she looked at him. She replied, “Darling.”
Her voice was hoarse, making Ian’s eyes fill with tears.
Laura forced a smile on her lips and mumbled, “Please don’t
cry. It didn’t hurt that much.”
Ian knelt beside the bed and put her hand on his cheek.
“Laura… Thank you…”
He was so grateful that she was alive. Laura’s hand became
wet with her husband’s tears. She caressed his cheek tenderly
and murmured, “Looks like Jane and Louis’s father is a
crybaby.”
Laura’s teasing helped to relax Ian. He began sobbing
openly as he hugged her. Someday, Jane and Louis were going
to find out that although Ian would be a loving father, he
could never love them more than their mother. His children
would always be precious to him, but Laura would always be
the missing piece that made him whole.
***
A month after his children were born, Ian went to the
registry office in Yorkshire to report the twins’ births. As he
wrote the names Louis and Jane Dalton on the paper, his
heart pounded wildly. His fear of losing his wife was now long
gone, replaced by the realization that he was a father.
Whenever he saw his twins in the cribs, watched his wife
breastfeed them, and held them in his arms, Ian’s heart
screamed in joy.
When he walked out of the registry office, Ian looked up at
the sky. The bright blue color appeared to be congratulating
him and cheering for his family’s future.
Ian placed his hand on his left chest, enjoying the
thumping of his heart. Still looking up at the sky, he prayed
silently.
Thank you, God. Please watch over my children, and help me
do my best to love and take care of them.
Feeling overjoyed, Ian returned to Whitefield Hall. The
first place he visited when he entered the mansion was the
nursery. His impatient footsteps rang in the hallway when he
heard the baby’s crying.
Ian sighed. Impressive. Jane’s voice is the loudest I’ve ever
heard.
 Jane was a crier. Even when she was held, hugged, fed, and
changed, she continued to cry. When she was told to stop
crying, Jane cried even louder. It took hours of cradling and
begging for her to stop crying. Jane was slowly getting the
reputation of being very difficult.
Thanks to her daughter, Laura hasn’t been sleeping well
lately. Their bedroom was quite a distance from the nursery,
but Laura’s ears were sensitive to her babies’ cries. Even
though it could be heard only faintly, she always managed to
wake up. Hanna slept in the nursery, but Laura couldn’t help
but head to her babies even in the middle of the night.
One positive thing was that after giving birth, Laura was
recovering remarkably well. For the first few days, she could
barely walk because of the pain. But after good meals and
rest, she was able to move freely in about a week’s time.
As Ian walked up the stairs, Jane’s cry became louder. He
clicked his tongue, picturing Hanna and Laura trying their
best to calm her down. When he entered the nursery, Laura
and Hanna were with Jane looking exhausted as expected.
 Side Story 67

“Jane Dalton, that’s enough.” Ian walked to his daughter and

picked her up. Jane’s face was bright red and covered in tears
and snot. A bubble formed at the end of her nose, and it got
bigger and smaller as she breathed.
Ian scolded, “You were crying so loud that I could hear you
all the way from the registry office. Stop crying!”
Jane couldn’t understand her father, of course. She
continued to cry, but thankfully, Ian knew an effective way to
stop her.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!” Ian raised her up and down quickly.
When he did this about ten times, she stopped crying. She
stared at her father with a confused look.
Ian sighed and held his daughter quietly. He was used to
taking care of his niece and nephews, so he carried his
daughter rather expertly. Gently cradling Jane, Ian turned
toward Laura. She was sitting on the rocking chair with a tired
smile on her face.
She commented, “Jane must not like the world just yet.”
“It will get better. Olivia used to be just like her, and she
became docile after two months.”
 “So, we just have to survive one more month then.” Laura
leaned on her chair. There were dark circles underneath her
eyes from having to breastfeed both children and soothe Jane
constantly.
She asked, “Did everything go well at the registry office?”
“Yes, it was simpler than I thought. Both of our children
are now officially English citizens.”
Laura smiled. “They were in my belly just a month ago.”
Ian smiled as well. “Indeed.”
He looked down at Jane, whose head was covered with
thick black hair. Her gray eyes, which resembled those of
Laura’s, looked up at him curiously. She was wailing just a
moment ago, but she looked perfectly innocent now.
Ian got the pacifier from Hanna and nudged it against
Jane’s lips. The baby took it without hesitation and began
sucking on it. Peace returned to the nursery, but everyone
knew it was only temporary.
Ian put Jane down in her crib. The little girl stared at the
mobile hanging from the ceiling with a dazed look.
Ian couldn’t help but grin. “She’s such a little devil.”
After kissing her forehead, he walked to the next crib
where his son, Louis, was sleeping soundly. Louis had the
same black hair and gray eyes, but he was an unusually calm
baby. Even when his sister cried her lungs out, Louis
continued to sleep peacefully. He fretted from time to time, of
course, but he always had a clear reason for it. As soon as he
was fed and changed, he calmed down.
 At first, Ian and Laura became worried that Louis might
have a hearing problem. They summoned a doctor for an
exam, and thankfully, the little boy turned out to be perfectly
healthy. Louis was just born a tranquil baby.
He’s serene just like Mr. Sheldon. Ian kissed his son’s chubby
cheek.
“Darling.”
When Ian turned around, he saw his wife smiling at him.
She asked, “Aren’t you going to kiss me too?”
“Ah, I forgot. I have one more baby I have to take care of,
don’t I?” Ian grinned.
He walked up to her and kissed her forehead. He then left a
trail of kisses down her cheeks, nose, and lips. Hanna
pretended not to notice. She was so used to their display of
affection that she no longer blushed at the sight.
Laura hugged her husband tightly.
Looking down at his wife who hung onto him like a cicada
on a tree, Ian chuckled.
“Ian.”
“Yes?”
“When should we have the children’s christening
ceremony?”
Ian patted Laura’s head. “Let’s do it after Jane becomes
more docile. If we do it now, she’ll end up hurting everyone’s
ears in the church even before Oliver gets to pour holy water
over her head.”
 Laura grinned. “Allegra was a fussy baby as well. I’m sure
the pastor will understand.”
“You want to do it soon?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Laura hugged her husband tighter and rubbed her cheek
on him. “I want to show off Louis and Jane to our friends.”
Ian could hear fatigue and gloom in her voice. She must be
exhausted.
It was no wonder that Laura was tired. Unlike other ladies
who had their nannies take care of their babies and only
looked in on them from time to time, Laura chose to be a
hands-on mother. She wanted to put all of her effort into
raising them.
But Laura didn’t have unlimited stamina. Unable to sleep
much or have any social life, dealing with the twins every
minute of the day had to be wearing her out. Ian looked in on
their children often, but he couldn’t spend as much time with
them as his wife.
Ian realized that Laura needed something to cheer her up.
He suggested, “Let’s do it next week.”
“Really?” Laura looked up at him expectantly.
“Of course. It won’t be difficult to arrange.” He caressed
her cheek. “Let’s invite all of our friends and have a big
party.”
A broad smile spread on Laura’s face.
Ian asked, “Are you that happy about this?”
 “Yes, I am.” Laura pulled on her husband’s jacket and
added, “We’ll invite everyone we know. Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax
from London, and Miss Janet too. Ah, it will be summer
vacation soon, so Daniel should be able to come too!”
“I doubt that. There’s going to be rugby training sessions
during the summer.”
“Ah.” Laura looked disappointed. In less than six months
after Daniel entered Eton, he was recruited to join the school
rugby team. It was unusual for a freshman to be selected, but
because he was such a big muscular boy who was as big as the
senior students, the coach made a special exception.
“I’m disappointed,” Laura murmured.
“Don’t be. He probably became a sweaty animal by now.
Well, I guess he was like that before too.”
Laura chuckled at her husband’s sarcastic comment. She
replied, “I know you miss him too.”
“I don’t. Why would I miss a troublemaker like him?”
Ian answered nonchalantly, but he was secretly upset that
Daniel hadn’t returned home once because he was enjoying
his school life too much. Laura knew very well how much her
husband missed his nephew.
She fidgeted with his jacket button. “I miss everyone from
Dunville Park too. Margaret, Robert, George, and Olivia… That
reminds me, why hasn’t Olivia been visiting us lately?”
Ian blinked. “Hmm, I don’t know.”
The moment Laura’s contraction began, it was Olivia who
ran to get Hanna. As she followed Laura and Hanna to the
delivery room, Olivia insisted that she was going to help with
the birth too. The young girl thought that holding her aunt’s
hand and wiping her forehead would be all that was required
of a midwife. Ramswick was barely able to convince Olivia to
return home.
Immediately after Laura gave birth, Whitefield Hall didn’t
accept any guests for about two weeks. But even during this
time, frequent letters were exchanged between the Daltons
and the Fairfaxes. Ian and Laura kept Mr. and Mrs. Fairfax
well informed of the twins’ conditions and asked for advice
regarding child-rearing.
The two families became closer during this time. Because
Laura didn’t have her own family, she considered the Fairfax
family her own. Olivia had been a great source of joy for Laura
during her pregnancy. Laura missed the young girl terribly.
Although she hadn’t been able to pay much attention to her
since the twins came along, Laura never forgot to be
appreciative of Olivia.
Laura announced, “I want to show our children to
Margaret. I want to see Olivia too.”
“Should we visit them before the christening ceremony?”
“Can we?”
Ian caressed Laura’s chin. “We can go as soon as
tomorrow.”
Another smile appeared on Laura’s face, and Ian kissed her
tenderly. He announced, “We shall have lunch and tea at
Dunville Park tomorrow, my love.”
 ***
“Uwahhhhh, uwahhhhh!” Jane wailed.
She never stopped inside the carriage and in Dunville Park.
She continued when her aunt and uncle held her. She even
cried when George tried to entertain her and little Ian tried to
play with her.
Mrs. Fairfax looked aghast as she stared at Jane. “My ears
are hurting. I’ve never seen a baby like this.”
“Olivia was just like her when she was little, Margaret,”
Ian pointed out as he cradled his daughter.
“Olivia whined a little, but never like this.”
Ian protested, “It just means Jane’s healthy. She’s a strong
girl.”
It was true that Jane’s crying was a problem, but Ian
refused anyone to criticize his daughter, not even his own
sister.
“As I expected, you’ve become a helplessly doting father.”
Mrs. Fairfax clicked her tongue.
Mr. Robert Fairfax, who was playing with docile Louis on
his lap, laughed. “We were like him when we had our first
child too, weren’t we, Margaret?”
 Side Story 68

Mrs. Fairfax retorted, “I don’t remember that.”

“Ah, really? Anyway, that’s how I felt. All of our children
looked so adorable when they were babies. I got disappointed
when they grew up.” Mr. Fairfax poked Louis’s chubby cheek.
“Babies are so great. Having one on my lap makes me feel so
much younger.”
“Stop talking like you’re a grandfather, Robert,” Mrs.
Fairfax replied.
“Well, I guess we’re only in our forties. Margaret, how
about we have another baby?”
Ian, who finally managed to put Jane to sleep, glared at his
brother-in-law. “Don’t even joke about that, Robert.”
“But I’m not kidding. I’m the healthiest forty-something
man I know. If I tried, I’m sure I could make ten more
babies.”
“Sure, but my sister isn’t healthy. You know that.” Ian
sounded angry.
Mrs. Fairfax waved her hands to calm down her brother.
“Don’t take him seriously, Ian. He likes to babble obscenities
like that. I’m sure he’ll try to prove to me how healthy he is
tonight”
 Ian looked disgusted. His sister was much older than him,
and he saw her as his mother. Whenever he imagined his
brother-in-law having relations with his sister, Ian felt upset
as if he witnessed his mother sleeping with his stepfather.
Ian muttered, “There are children here, so be careful of
what you say, Margaret.”
“The children don’t know what obscenities mean. Only
you, me, my husband, and your wife know about it.” Turning
toward Laura who was sitting next to Ian, Mrs. Fairfax asked
in a much kinder voice, “Did I make you upset, Laura?”
Laura took a sip of her tea and shook her head with a smile.
Frankly, she wasn’t paying much attention to the
conversation.
Laura asked, “Umm, I haven’t seen Olivia today.”
“Huh? You’re right. Where is she?” Mrs. Fairfax looked
around indifferently as if she was talking about a missing
candle.
Ian asked, “Margaret, didn’t you tell her that we’re
visiting today?”
“Of course, I did.”
“This is unexpected. Olivia is Mrs. Dalton’s biggest
admirer,” Ian mumbled just as indifferently as his sister.
They soon returned to the topic of the babies. It seemed
that it was only Laura who was concerned about Olivia. Laura
thought that she would be able to see her niece as soon as she
arrived in Dunville Park. But it seemed that Olivia refused to
leave her room.
 Laura wondered. She can’t be sick, is she?
She put down her teacup and excused herself. “I’m sorry,
but may I be excused for a moment?”
“Why?” Mrs. Fairfax asked.
“I’m going to go see Olivia in her room.”
Ian commented, “She’ll come down for lunch soon, so
why don’t you see her then?”
“I can’t wait that long. I really want to see her right now.’
Mrs. Fairfax laughed. “Laura, make sure to tell Olivia.
She’ll be so happy that she’ll dance on the roof.”
With a small smile, Laura curtsied before leaving the living
room. She followed the familiar hallway to arrive at Olivia’s
room.
After knocking, Laura asked, “Olivia, are you inside? It’s
Aunt Laura.”
No sound was heard at first. But soon, there was scuffling
inside the room.
She’s inside. Laura became even more confused. She was
certain Olivia heard her, yet the young girl refused to answer.
Laura asked, “Are you sick? Or did I upset you in some
way?”
“…”
“I really missed you, Olivia. I want to hear your voice, and I
want to know what you
must be feeling. Couldn’t you open the door?”
When Olivia didn’t answer, Laura became worried and
confused. She opened her mouth to try to convince her niece
again, but she decided against it.
If she’s angry at me right now, trying to convince her might
make her feel pressured.
Laura decided to leave Olivia alone. Olivia would speak to
her once she was ready. Laura couldn’t understand why the
young girl was acting this way, but there had to be a reason.
Laura said quietly, “I hope you come down for lunch. I
want to introduce you to Louis and Jane. I’m sure they would
love to meet you.”
She turned around to go downstairs. But when she took
several steps, she heard the door creak open. It was followed
by a few rushed steps. Laura turned and saw that the door was
ajar now. It seemed that Olivia had given her permission to
enter.
Laura walked in, greeted by the familiar lacy bed and
lavender wallpaper. She had been invited to this room often
before.
Olivia was crouched on the bed under the blanket. Laura
slowly walked toward it. It was then that she heard Olivia
sniffling.
Is she crying? Laura felt troubled, but she kept calm. She
gently sat down in the far corner of the bed and asked, “Is
something wrong, Olivia?”
 The young girl continued to sniffle without an answer.
“Olivia, did I do something wrong? Or is there a secret you
want to tell me but can’t?”
“Please tell me, Olivia. Seeing you cry makes me sad too.”
Her eyes filled with tears, Olivia peeked at her. When she
saw the sad expression on her aunt’s face, she came out from
under the blanket.
Olivia looked a mess. Her hair was usually styled into
pretty curls by her maid, but today, they looked disheveled.
Her chiffon dress was wrinkled, and her face was red.
Laura offered her handkerchief, which Olivia used to wipe
her face.
“Aunt Laura…” Olivia finally opened her mouth.
Laura, who had been waiting patiently, nodded. “Yes?”
“…Why did you name your daughter Jane?”
This was such an unexpected question. Laura felt
confused, but she explained her reason calmly. As Olivia
listened, an even gloomier look appeared on her face. She
whimpered, “…You named your daughter after a lady who
crossed the ocean to go to Asia? Someone who isn’t by your
side anymore?”
“…Umm, yes.”
Olivia looked displeased, which caused Laura to become
even more confused.
“Aunt Laura, how much do you like this lady named Jane
Hyde?”
“A lot.”
 Olivia’s lips trembled. “You like her a lot?”
“Y…yes.”
Laura could tell that her niece was getting worked up. But
because she didn’t know why, all she could do was answer
honestly.
Olivia asked, “How much is ‘a lot’?”
“…Olivia, that’s impossible to answer. You can’t measure a
person’s feelings after all.”
Olivia shed pearl-like tears. “…More than me?”
“Pardon?”
“Do you like Miss Jane Hyde more than me?”
Laura became speechless at such an odd question.
Olivia continued, “Did you… name your daughter after
Miss Hyde instead of me because… you like her more than
me?”
The young girl appeared to be overwhelmed. She bit her lip
to try to stop herself, but she ended up bursting into tears in
the end. “Aunt Laura, why… couldn’t you name your daughter
after me? Am I… not good enough? I… I really thought you
would name your daughter Olivia…!”
Laura finally realized why Olivia was so upset. Laura had
no idea, but it turned out that her niece had wanted her to
name her daughter “Olivia.”
Olivia sobbed. “Having your daughter named after me was
the greatest wish I’ve ever had… It was something I wanted
even more than becoming an elegant lady… But your letter
said that you and Uncle Ian named your children Louis and
Jane… I couldn’t believe it…”
Even though Olivia was crying, she managed to speak
clearly. It seemed that she was making a great effort to relay
her message. “Only if you didn’t have such terrible morning
sickness! If it hadn’t snowed so much last year! If your babies
were born a month later! Then I could’ve spent more time
with you and made you like me more! More than Miss
Hyde…!”
Olivia began wailing even louder. She cried for a long time,
and for some reason, Laura didn’t try to comfort her. She also
didn’t try to explain her reasoning.
Even as she cried, Olivia began to feel worried. She had
been devastated when she first heard the names of her
cousins. She was disappointed and angry. Even though she
knew it didn’t make any sense, she couldn’t help but feel
betrayed as well.
Olivia had decided to never see her uncle, aunt, and new
cousins again. She was going to make her debut in London
next year, and she thought she would end her relationship
with the Dalton family.
But when her aunt visited her in her room, her resolve
weakened. Olivia could hear how worried Laura sounded
outside the door. Just the fact that Aunt Laura was worried
about her melted away Olivia’s disappointment.
Olivia wanted to express how she felt to her aunt. She also
wanted Laura to comfort her. She wanted Laura to apologize,
telling her that she had no idea. Olivia secretly hoped that
Laura would beg for forgiveness and ask her to love her new
cousins nonetheless. This would’ve been more than enough
to make Olivia happy again. In truth, Olivia was dying to meet
Jane and Louis Dalton, who apparently had gorgeous black
hair like Uncle Ian and gray eyes just like Aunt Laura. Her
uncle’s letter described the twins as the most beautiful babies
in the world, and Olivia couldn’t wait to meet them.
 Side Story 69

Olivia was surprised that her aunt didn’t console her. She
wondered. Is she disappointed in me?
The young girl began doubting herself, which caused her
heart to fall. She glanced at her aunt furtively and saw that
Laura had her eyes lowered as if in deep thought.
What am I going to do? I think Aunt Laura is angry. Olivia
forgot all about how upset she was. Did I act too childishly? Was
it too presumptuous of me to assume she’d name her children
after me? Ah, maybe she’s furious that I dared to count myself
more important than Miss Hyde. If she really likes Miss Hyde, it
makes sense that she would feel upset.
The possibility of her aunt disliking her brought on a fresh
set of tears. But Olivia hurriedly regained control over her
emotions. Refusing to blow her nose on her aunt’s
handkerchief, Olivia sniffled constantly.
The young girl became extremely anxious at the thought
of losing her aunt’s love. Only a few hours ago, Olivia had
decided to never see Laura again. But that thought was long
gone.
Olivia was glancing at Laura nervously when Laura called
out, “Olivia.”
 “Yes, Aunt Laura.” The young girl nodded quickly.
“We can’t change the name now. Your uncle already
registered the twins’ names yesterday. And to be honest, I
have always wanted to name my daughter Jane. Miss Hyde is
the bravest woman I’ve ever known. I respect her greatly. I
doubt I’ll ever meet another woman I can respect as much as
her.”
Olivia became gloomy. Respect was something her aunt
would never feel for her. Olivia knew very well that although
she was pretty, talented, and fashionable, she could also be
immature, vain, and indecisive. She was confident she could
seduce any man, even the prince, once she made her debut.
But to a perfect lady like her aunt, Olivia knew she was
nothing more than a cute young girl who had many faults.
Part of the reason why Olivia adored Laura came from her
insecurities. Olivia saw herself as a shallow girl, and Laura
made a perfect role model for her. The young girl was
desperate to become thoughtful, logical, cautious, and
prudent just like her aunt.
How perfect is Miss Hyde that she won the respect of a woman
like Aunt Laura?
Olivia never met Jane Hyde before, but she felt a sudden
burst of jealousy toward her.
Meanwhile, Laura calmly continued, “But Olivia, I need
you to know that I love you very much. During the last month
of my pregnancy, you visited me almost every day in
Whitefield to entertain me. And even before I became
pregnant, you have always loved me with all of your heart.
You are one of the reasons why I’m so glad I married Ian.”
“Me?”
“Yes, because if I hadn’t married your uncle, I wouldn’t
have gained a niece like you.”
Olivia felt touched. Laura began fixing the young girl’s hair
and added, “I want you to grow up to be a great lady. Of
course, you’re already kind and smart. Someday, you’ll fall in
love and get married. By then, my children will have become a
young boy and a young girl. I truly hope that my twins will
come to respect you, Olivia. I would love for you to become a
dependable and trustworthy woman.”
Laura gently touched Olivia’s cheeks and asked, “Can you
promise me that you will?”
Olivia hesitated. A dependable and trustworthy woman?
She was certain she could become the most popular lady in
London society. But what her aunt was asking now seemed
like an impossible request.
Even so, Olivia still nodded. It wasn’t because she was
desperate to appease her aunt. Olivia truly wanted to become
a trustworthy person who others could rely on. She wanted to
be just like her aunt.
Laura smiled softly. She looked elegant and perfect in the
young girl’s eyes.
“Then Olivia, can you do me one more favor?”
“W…what is it?” Olivia became nervous. Laura’s first
request was going to be hard enough to fulfill. She became
anxious that she might be asked to do something else that
was impossible.
“Please become Louis and Jane’s godmother.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “M…me? But how could I…”
Laura laughed. “Because you just promised me that you
would become a trustworthy woman.”
“But the twins’ godmother should have a title and have a
lot of money… She should also be famous… And you have
many friends who are more qualified to take this role.”
“But I want you, Olivia. I don’t think anyone could love my
children the way you would.”
Olivia’s lips trembled. Becoming the twins’ godmother
meant that she would become responsible for them alongside
her aunt and uncle. Such an honor required an even greater
trust than just becoming a namesake.
Aunt Laura loves me. She believes in my future!
Olivia hugged Laura tightly. She cried out, “Yes, Aunt
Laura! I’m going to become a good godmother. I’ll grow up to
become someone the children can respect!”
Laura patted her niece’s back lovingly. “I’m sure you will,
Olivia. I don’t doubt it.”
Olivia cried for a long time while holding her aunt. She was
sobbing uncontrollably, but she had never been happier in her
life. By lunchtime, the two walked to the dining room hand in
hand.
Laura introduced Jane and Louis to Olivia. Olivia was
delighted to see that just as her uncle claimed, the twins
looked like angels with black hair and gray eyes. Although
Jane’s face was red and swollen from crying, she still looked
adorable.
Olivia kissed the children’s cheeks one by one. She
instantly fell in love with them, and her joy was followed by a
heavy sense of responsibility. She knew she needed to become
someone who could protect these babies. Olivia was
determined to keep her promise to her aunt.
That day, Olivia took a step closer to becoming the dutiful
and mature woman she wished to be. She learned things that
no books or high society could ever teach her.
***
The day of Louis and Jane’s christening ceremony arrived.
The Whitefield church already had an unusually large
number of members compared to other churches in
Yorkshire, but on this day, it became even more crowded.
Laura and Ian invited many of their friends, and most of them
rushed to attend the event. Over thirty out-of-towners
arrived to celebrate the twins’ christening.
The first floor was normally big enough to hold all of the
villagers. But today, the pastor needed to open the second
floor to accommodate all the extra guests. The visitors from
London laughed as they climbed upstairs. They thought the
second floor was like the terrace seats of the opera. From this
floor, they could see the entire church at a glance.
When the church members and the guests took their seats,
Pastor Starr appeared in his white gown. The entire church
turned silent as his beautiful face and the pure white gown
created a holy atmosphere.
The service began. After five hymns, Pastor Starr began his
sermon. By the time he finished his interpretation of Matthew
and the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Starr turned toward
where the Dalton family was sitting.
The pew where Mr. and Mrs. Dalton normally sat alone
every Sunday was now crowded with the Fairfax family.
Robert, George, Olivia, and Mrs. Fairfax in her gray fox shawl
sat together. Even Daniel skipped his summer training to
attend this event.
Ian and Laura sat among them with their twins. Laura was
wearing a calm brown dress while Ian wore a light gray suit.
With a joyful smile on his face, Pastor Oliver Starr
announced, “Today, we have two children who are our
newest members and the future servants of God. Please come
up to the front.”
Laura and Ian walked to the pulpit. Behind them,
Godmother Olivia followed in a long lacy dress and the
diamond necklace she borrowed from her mother. William
Fairfax, who had been chosen to be the children’s godfather,
walked beside her.
The associate pastor brought the holy water and anointing
oil bottle. Pastor Starr smiled proudly at the chubby twins
who were fast asleep in their parents’ arms. As the pastor
applied the holy water and oil on the babies’ foreheads, he
announced, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Everyone in the church murmured, “Amen.”
The service ended with more hymns and a prayer. Pastor
Oliver Starr asked God for the children’s health and future.
His prayer was both long and loving. When the ceremony
ended, everyone in the church walked out slowly. Most of
them didn’t head toward their home but to Whitefield Hall
instead for the party Ian and Laura planned.
Some traveled by carriage while others by their horses to
cross the birch tree forest. It was an unusually sunny day in
July when Ian and Laura’s friends and family gathered to
celebrate.
 Side Story 70

About twenty tents were set up in the front yard of Whitefield

Hall. In every tent, there was a buffet of food that included
barbecued pig, beef tongue, salad, seafood dishes, fruits, and
pudding. Round tables were set for the guests.
An orchestra of eight musicians performed Vivaldi’s
Summer while Laura and Ian greeted each guest personally.
William and Olivia carried each baby to mingle and introduce
them to the guests. All of Ian and Laura’s friends were
impressed by such beautiful babies.
William was certainly enamored by his new niece and
nephew, but his feelings for the twins couldn’t compare to
those of Olivia. The young girl was head over heels in love
with Jane and Louis who resembled their parents.
Olivia was also proud of being given the duty to showcase
the babies instead of her uncle and aunt who were too busy
hosting this party. If she could, she would stand on top of one
of the tables and scream that she was the babies’ godmother.
Olivia wanted everyone to know that she was the trusted niece
of Ian and Laura Dalton.
But Olivia remained perfectly in control of her excitement.
She showed herself off in another more subtle way instead.
 Whenever a guest praised Jane, who was in her arms,
Olivia would put on her prettiest smile and thank them. Many
people became smitten with Olivia’s beauty, and they
remembered how she was standing behind Mrs. Dalton
during the christening ceremony.
Whenever asked about her relationship with House Dalton,
Olivia replied with an elegant smile, “Ah, I’m the twins’
godmother. I’m also Mr. and Mrs. Dalton’s niece.”
But Olivia’s proud moment ended as soon as Jane opened
her eyes. When the baby girl saw that it wasn’t her mother
who was holding her, she burst into tears. Olivia jolted in
confusion.
Laura rushed forward when she heard Jane’s cry. After
praising her niece for taking good care of Jane, Laura took the
baby and left the tent. Looking as if she was going to cry too,
Olivia followed her aunt and asked, “Did I do something
wrong, Aunt Laura? Did I hurt Jane?”
“No, of course not, Olivia. You know how easily Jane
cries.”
Laura stood under an apple tree that was located near the
tents. Consoling Jane who continued to wail, she suggested,
“Olivia, you must be hungry. Why don’t you go have a bite?”
Quickly realizing that her aunt didn’t have the time to
console her too, Olivia shook her head. “I want to stay here
with you. I tightened my corset so much that I don’t feel
hungry at all.”
 “But that won’t do. It will be dance time soon, and if you
have an empty stomach, you’ll feel dizzy. If you don’t want to
eat food, at least have some lemonade.”
“But I can’t leave you alone, Aunt Olivia. It will be too hard
for you to take care of Jane alone!”
Laura thought in secret. Having you here makes it even
harder, Olivia!
Hiding her thoughts, Laura smiled and replied, “But you
need to dance a lot in order to make this party a success,
Olivia.”
“I do?”
“Of course. You’re known to be the most elegant dancer in
all of Yorkshire. To be honest, I organized the dance floor
with you in mind. It would help my twins to have a godmother
who isn’t only pretty but also a great dancer. It will improve
their reputation.”
Olivia hid her grin with her gloved hand. She answered,
“T…then I’ll go get some lunch. I better have the energy to
participate in every dance.”
Olivia waved goodbye to Jane and returned to the tents
where her parents were. Laura finally sighed in relief.
Soon after Olivia left, Ian arrived. “Our Jane is finally
awake.”
He was still greeting the guests when he heard his
daughter’s cry. Laura was so happy to see her husband that
she almost cried. After all, Ian was the best at making Jane
stop crying.
 Ian used his usual trick to raise Jane up and down. But for
some reason, this method failed to work today. The baby
continued to wail loudly, so Ian held her and began patting
her back. He murmured, “My Jane. I guess you want to
trouble your mom and dad today, huh?”
Turning toward his wife, Ian suggested, “Laura, you
should go eat something.”
He could tell that this was going to be a long battle, and he
remembered that Laura didn’t eat much for breakfast that
morning. He gestured for her to return to the buffet.
“I’ll go when she stops crying,” answered Laura.
“But that means you won’t get to eat anything until
dinner.”
“…But…”
“Starving yourself won’t make Jane happy. Go eat and
come back later. It would be amazing if she stopped crying by
then, but that would be such an unexpected miracle. You need
to eat in order to take care of her.”
Laura shook her head, a troubled look appearing on her
face. She felt hesitant to leave Jane when she was crying so
desperately. Laura didn’t think she would be able to eat at all.
Ian sighed. “Where did my logical and cold Laura
Pendleton go?”
“When have I ever been cold?” Laura blinked.
“Don’t you remember when you refused my marriage
proposal?”
 Laura sighed. Her husband mentioned their past like this
from time to time even though it happened so long ago. Laura
protested, “That was before we got married. As you said, I
was Laura Pendleton back then. And now, I’m Mrs. Dalton.”
Ian grinned. “I love the fact that you’re Mrs. Dalton now,
but I want you to remember your firmness from your maiden
days. Leave Jane here and go eat. You must learn to love her a
little less.”
Love her less? That was an impossible task for Laura. Even
if Jane torments her, she will always love her daughter more
than life itself.
It seemed like the argument was going to continue when a
quiet voice greeted them from behind.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton.”
Ian and Laura looked down when they heard the familiar
voice. They saw that Pastor Oliver Starr’s son Harry was
standing behind them. Being only six, he barely reached
Laura’s waist. But in his boy’s suit and his elegant posture,
Harry looked like a scholarship student from Cambridge.
“Goodness, hello! Thank you so much for coming,” Laura
said the greeting she had been repeating all day like a parrot.
“Thank you for inviting me. Whitefield Hall is such a
beautiful place.” Harry sounded like a true gentleman. Jane
was still crying, but Laura still burst into laughter. It seemed
that Harry had become an even more solemn boy than before.
Laura asked, “I suppose Alegra couldn’t make it today?”
“No. Mrs. Rosetta is taking care of her at home.”
 “Is she doing well?”
“Yes, thanks to you, Mrs. Dalton,” Harry answered. “Her
tantrums have lessened significantly, so it’s much more
peaceful at home now.”
“It must’ve been so hard for you too, Harry.”
“I’m alright. She was difficult only when she was first
born. Nowadays, she smiles a lot and eats well too. She brings
such joy to our parents. I truly believe that Alegra was a huge
blessing to our family.”
Laura patted the young boy’s head. “Mrs. Starr is so lucky
to have a son like you.”
Suddenly, Ian called out, “Laura.”
When Laura turned toward her husband, she jolted in
shock. She hadn’t noticed it because she was talking to Harry,
but it looked like Jane had stopped crying. The baby was quiet
and staring intently at Harry.
Laura smiled in relief and wiped Jane’s snot-covered face.
Ian smiled at Harry and murmured, “Jane is a crybaby just
like Alegra, Harry.”
Harry gave Ian a sympathetic look. “Good luck to you, Sir.
I’m sure Miss Dalton will pass this phase very soon.”
Ian and Laura exchanged an amused glance when Harry
addressed Jane as “Miss Dalton.”
Ian answered, “Thank you, Harry. You should go have
some lunch too.”
Harry bowed in the most elegant way Laura had ever
witnessed. But when he took a few steps away, Jane’s face
crumpled before crying. Confused, Ian and Laura began
comforting the baby again without success. Jane was acting
like the world had ended as her eyes chased after Harry
desperately.
Laura’s instinct kicked in. She yelled, “Wait, Harry.”
Harry obediently returned to Laura and Ian, and to their
surprise, Jane became quiet. Ian and Laura looked at each
other, both of them coming to the same conclusion. In order
for them to eat lunch today, they needed Harry by their side.
Laura asked, “Harry, won’t you join us for lunch?”
The six-year-old gentleman Harry looked very happy by
the request. He put his hand on his chest and bowed. “That
would be an honor, ma’am.”
“Let’s go then.”
The four of them, Laura, Ian, Jane, and Harry, headed
toward the tents. After greeting Pastor and Mrs. Starr and
explaining to them that they wanted to have lunch with
Harry, Ian and Laura ushered Harry to their table. There,
Laura made a formal introduction between Harry and Jane.
Jane was sitting on her mother’s lap and staring at Harry.
The young boy commented, “What an adorable baby Miss
Dalton is.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Alegra was an ordinary baby just like any other. But
Mother believes that she’ll grow up to be as beautiful as Helen
of Troy.
 “Thank you for your compliment, Harry. Oh my, Jane’s
raising her hand. Would you give her a handshake?”
Harry obliged, and Jane squeezed the young boy’s finger
hard. This made Harry smile a little wider.
 Side Story 71

Laura was touched by Harry’s boyish smile. He always acted

beyond his age, so it was rare to see him like this. She asked,
“Harry, I heard that you’ve been studying Latin lately.”
Harry was entertaining Jane when he looked up. “Yes. I
want to read my father’s books.”
“It feels like it was only yesterday when your mother was
so proud of you for reading French essays fluently. I can’t
believe you’re learning Latin already too. What a smart boy
you are.”
“I’m flattered, Mrs. Dalton. I’m just doing it for fun.”
“Do you enjoy learning languages?”
“Very much so.”
Laura asked, “What do you like the most about it?”
“The fact that every time I learn a new language, there are
more books I can read. At first, the letters of a foreign
language just look like strange scribbles. But when I learn
them, I can read them and know the meaning behind them. It
makes me feel like I’m decrypting a secret code.”
“I can relate. That’s definitely the best part of learning a
new language.” Laura nodded.
 Harry commented, “I heard that you’re an expert in many
languages, Mrs. Dalton. You can translate German essays, and
you can read the Iliad and Odyssey in its original language. It is
my dream to become just like you, ma’am.”
Harry gazed at her with admiration. Laura was surprised
because although she had known Harry to be a smart child,
she never realized he had such a deep desire to learn. It was
the same lust Laura had for education, and she felt much
closer to the young boy.
She asked, “So how are you learning Latin?”
“My father has been teaching me for thirty minutes after
dinner every day.”
“Only thirty minutes?”
“Yes, because he’s busy with his church. And he also
teaches the farmers’ children who want to get higher
education later. As you know, the farmers can’t afford to hire
tutors for their children.”
Laura already knew that Pastor Starr was providing
lessons to children from poor families. The pastor himself
was born to a poor farmer’s father, and he had to work hard
to enter Cambridge. It was no wonder he felt passionate about
teaching the children from the village. The fact that he was a
pastor made him feel even more responsible for the children
of his community.
What a great man Pastor Starr is. That must be why God gifted
him with such a wonderful son like Harry. Laura thought
quietly.
 Just then, Ian returned with two plates full of barbecued
pork and salad. He put one in front of his wife and the other in
front of Harry. Ian asked, “What are you guys talking about?”
“Aren’t you going to eat too?” Laura asked as Ian took
Jane from her.
“You eat first.”
Once Jane left her lap, Laura became free to eat. She
smiled. “Thank you, darling.”
She began cutting up the meat while Harry placed the
napkin on his lap. Even in her father’s lap, Jane couldn’t take
her eyes off of Harry. She was mesmerized by the boy.
Ian commented, “Jane is captivated by Harry.”
Laura wiped her lips and replied, “It’s love at first sight.
It’s not a surprise because Harry is handsome just like his
father Pastor Starr.”
Harry, who was politely eating his food, blushed. Laura
was accurate in her description. Harry did resemble her father
who was a sophisticated beauty. And with Mrs. Starr’s
porcelain skin, Harry was a remarkably pretty boy. He was
adorable, and there was no doubt he was going to grow up to
be a gorgeous man.
“I see that my daughter is a shallow girl. But I’m pretty
decent looking too.” Ian turned his daughter’s face toward
him. “Jane, look at your dad. Look at your handsome dad.”
Jane began whimpering again as if she was angry. She
didn’t appreciate being interrupted from enjoying Harry’s
face. Ian chuckled in disappointment before letting Jane
return to gazing at the pastor’s son.
Ian muttered, “Ungrateful girl.”
Laura laughed and offered a piece of barbecue to her
husband. “Jane might not agree, but you’re the most
handsome man in the world to me, darling.”
Ian accepted the meat and gave his daughter a
disheartened look.
Soon, Laura and Harry finished eating. Laura took Jane
from her husband, and Ian left the table to get his own plate.
Meanwhile, Harry played with Jane, who giggled and reached
out to him. Harry gave his hands to her and quietly sang the
folk songs his mother taught him.
Now that Jane was no longer crying, Laura felt like she was
in paradise. Feeling relaxed, she looked around the party in
leisure. William Fairfax was still carrying Louis to show him
to the guests. Various different guests tried holding Louis, but
the baby didn’t make a fuss. He only sucked on a pacifier and
remained docile the entire time despite the noises and
strange faces.
Laura watched Louis proudly. She was so relieved that at
least one of the twins was a quiet baby. If Louis was difficult
like Jane, Laura didn’t think she would’ve survived
motherhood until now.
Laura turned to study other guests. She spotted the Fairfax
family from Dunville Park in the next tent. Olivia was holding
her earrings with her hands. The diamond earrings were
probably so heavy that they hurt her ears. With his usual
appetite, Robert Fairfax was clearly enjoying his barbecue
while Mrs. Fairfax was pointing at her daughter and laughing
at her.
Besides Mr. Fairfax was Daniel. When Laura saw the young
boy that morning for the first time since he left to go to
school, she didn’t recognize him. Daniel was as tall as her
now, and there was a hint of beard on his face. His voice was
much deeper as well. The strict rules from school must’ve
worked because Daniel behaved much calmer.
But when he smiled at her, Laura could still see the
adorable little Daniel in him. It seemed like it was only
yesterday when young Daniel Fairfax brought her a handful of
wild berries in the forest.
Because Laura was so busy hosting the christening
ceremony and the party, she didn’t get the chance to talk to
Daniel for long. But she could tell that Daniel still
remembered her as his old governess Laura Pendleton.
I wonder what Daniel will grow up to be. Laura became
curious. She was told that Daniel was a talented rugby player,
and he was doing well academically as well. But at that
moment, she saw him threatening George with his fork to
defend his cake. Being with his younger brother seemed to be
bringing out his feral habits again. Laura supposed that
Daniel wasn’t going to grow up any time soon.
She smiled at little Ian wobbling around for a while before
turning toward another tent. There, she saw the results of her
matchmaking days in London. All the couples she invited
from the city were either pregnant or already had children of
their own. They all looked very happy.
Laura felt proud. These couples were her greatest
accomplishments from her life in London. She didn’t realize
it at the time, but Laura now knew she had been miserable in
the city. This was why she worked so hard to help her friends
find happiness. She didn’t want them to be as unhappy as her.
Laura never thought she would get to experience the
happiness of a perfect marriage. Her past experiences have
taught her to be pessimistic. She had been tired of her life
before. She believed that happiness was a luxury she couldn’t
afford.
Then one day, a man appeared in her life. She met him
toward the end of her life in London, and he changed her
views of the world. He also taught her what true love was.
This man called her an angel, but Laura believed him to be
the real angel. Ian was the angel sent by God to bring her
happiness.
Soon, Laura’s angel returned with a plate piled up with
barbecue. He sat close to her and announced, “I visited the
tent across from here, and they’re having trouble with a
crying baby too.”
“Which baby?”
“Laura Morton. Mr. and Mrs. Morton’s daughter.”
Laura sighed. “I wonder what Miss Laura Morton is upset
about. Maybe she doesn’t approve of this garden party.”
 “If this party isn’t good enough for her, she better be sent
to Buckingham Palace. She’s the granddaughter of the
parliamentary minister, so I’m sure Her Majesty would be
happy to see her.”
Ian muttered sarcastically before looking down at Jane,
who was still busy gazing at Harry.
“Hmph.” Ian turned away and began cutting up his meat.
He’s pouting. Laura tried her best not to laugh at her
husband. It was obvious Ian was jealous of Harry, a seven-
year-old boy. She didn’t voice her thoughts, but she found
her husband adorable.
After finishing his meal, Ian wiped his mouth. “By the
way, I haven’t seen Mrs. McGill yet, Laura.”
Patting Jane’s soft hair, Laura sighed in disappointment.
“I don’t think I’ve seen her either.”
“I guess she couldn’t make it?”
“Maybe. I hope everything’s okay. She sent me a letter that
she would come. She sent it by express mail too.”
Ian could tell that his wife was disappointed. He rose and
announced, “I’ll go see if she’s in another tent. Harry, would
you like some cake?”
“Uwah! Yes, please!” Harry perked up and nodded. Laura
was once again reminded that although he acted very mature,
Harry was still a young boy.
Ian searched the entire party, but he didn’t see Mr. and
Mrs. McGill even when all the desserts were served.
 Side Story 72

By the time the sun began to set, the party ended. The guests
who needed to catch the train left by the carriage. The
neighbors living nearby left one by one as well. The last ones
to leave were the Fairfaxes from Dunville Park. Originally,
they planned on staying the night at Whitefield Hall, but Mrs.
Fairfax suddenly felt too tired. She insisted on returning
home, so all of her family got into the carriage.
Leaving the twins sleeping in the nursery, Ian and Laura
walked the Fairfaxes out.
Laura said quietly, “Thank you so much for coming. Please
get home safe.”
Mrs. Fairfax was too tired to reply. Leaning against her
husband weakly, all she could do was nod.
Olivia was still wearing her heavy earrings even though
her ears were swollen now. But she seemed oblivious to this
fact as she chirped, “It was a great party! The food was
delicious, and the music was amazing!”
Her voice sounded shrill, suggesting that she must’ve
taken a few sips of wine.
Laura answered, “Thank you, Olivia. You were a great
godmother today.”
 Olivia’s head fell back as she giggled.
The carriage left as the sky began to turn dark. Laura and
Ian return to the mansion hand in hand. Ian wasn’t used to
hosting a large crowd, so he felt his head throbbing from a
long day. But he didn’t regret anything because he could tell
how happy this party made his wife.
Holding her shoulder, he asked, “Did you enjoy yourself?”
Laura patted his hand. “Of course. It has been such a long
time since I saw my friends. It was nice to have everyone
admire our babies too. They were all raving about the food. I
was asked more than once who our chef was.”
“I guess they found out about our secret weapon. They’re
going to want to steal Philip from us now.”
“Oh no! What if Philip wants to work for someone else?”
“Don’t worry. He already borrowed his severance pay from
me to buy a herb farm. He won’t be able to escape Whitefield
Hall until Louis is old enough to take his own bride.”
“Louis’s bride… That seems so far away,” Laura
murmured.
“Indeed.”
The two of them changed into more comfortable clothes
and had a light dinner in the small tea room connected to
their bedroom. They chose to have just a few cucumber
sandwiches before going to bed.
Laura and Ian had so much to talk about. They were both
surprised by how Daniel’s voice began to change, and what a
beautiful young lady Miss Janet Fairfax had become. They
agreed that Mr. and Mrs. Morton’s daughter Laura resembled
her father more than her mother. They also decided that the
best couple on the dance floor was definitely Dora and
William Fairfax. They both then wondered why no one
stopped Olivia from drinking.
Laura commented, “By the way, Harry is amazing. I can’t
believe he already began studying Latin at such a young age.
He’s doing it completely voluntarily too. It seemed that
Pastor and Mrs. Starr actually wanted him to slow down a
little and enjoy being a boy.”
“Harry is just like his father. When Oliver was young, he
wasn’t allowed to attend school during the busy farming
seasons. He needed to help his family. So Oliver would study
by himself every night using the Latin bible he borrowed from
his pastor. I remember his father beating him with a broom
for wasting the candles.”
“I’m so glad Harry was born to a family that can afford his
education. He’ll attend public school when he’s older, won’t
he?”
Ian nodded. “I heard Harry can’t wait till he gets to go to
school. Being able to study every day would be like heaven to
that boy.”
Laura remembered how Harry entertained Jane at the
party. She thought for a moment before suggesting, “Darling.
I want to have Harry over here from time to time so I can
teach him Latin.”
“Harry?”
 “Yes. Pastor Oliver is apparently too busy with his church
to teach his son.”
Ian looked reluctant. “You’re already translating, running
a household, and raising two babies. You want to take on the
tutoring duty as well?”
“I only have to translate four hours a day, and Ramswick
helps out so much with the running of the household. And I
have Hanna for the babies. Most importantly, Jane won’t cry
as much if Harry visits often.”
Laura emphasized the last reason. This was in fact one of
the biggest reasons why she wanted to have Harry over. Ian
seemed interested in the idea now. He knew better than
anyone how hard it was to comfort Jane the crybaby.
Ian offered, “I’ll talk to Oliver and his wife tomorrow.”
Laura nodded and ate the last piece of the cucumber
sandwich. Wiping her hands with the napkin, she asked,
“There should be some chocolate cake left in the kitchen.
Should we each get a piece?”
“You have one. I’ll just take a bite of yours.”
Laura flirted, “And should I feed you that bite myself?”
“That would be lovely.” Ian laughed.
Ian summoned a maid to ask for a piece. Soon, the cake on
a plate with a vine-shaped trim arrived. The chocolate cake
even had a whipped cream on top. When the maid left, Laura
gently sat on her husband’s lap.
She scooped a small piece of the cake with her fork and
offered it to him. But Ian gazed at her and requested, “Can’t
you feed me with your mouth?”
Laura rolled her eyes. “That would be dirty.”
“Not a single part of you is dirty.”
“Liar. You bathe twice a day, so you can’t say that.”
Ian caressed her back seductively. “I mean it.”
“I just can’t understand your idea of hygiene, Mr. Dalton.”
Ian chuckled. “It has been so long since you called me by
that name.”
Laura touched her husband’s neck with her free hand.
“Mr. Dalton, our children were baptized today.”
“Hmm, how shocking. I didn’t even know we made babies
together, Miss Pendleton.”
The two of them chuckled. Laura whispered, “I know we
shouldn’t be doing something like this on such a holy day.
Forgive us, God.”
Laura took a bite of the cake and pulled Ian closer for a
kiss. The sweet cake melted in their mouths as Ian held her
head steady. He used his other hand to pull her body closer
while Laura wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed
him back ardently.
It took only a moment for the chocolate cake to disappear
from their mouths. After a long kiss, the two of them pulled
back a little. Laura was panting while her husband gazed at
her with dark desire.
He caressed her cheek. “It’s a little too early to go to bed.
You shouldn’t have done this, Mrs. Dalton.”
“You’re the one who started it.”
 “We were heading this way the moment you sat on my lap.
Didn’t you know that?” Ian teased.
“I had no idea that your lap was such a dangerous place.”
“You must’ve forgotten since the last time we were
together was a year ago.”
“Hmm, a year is such a long time. It’s no wonder I forgot.”
Laura giggled and pushed back a few strands of stray hair on
his forehead.
Ian grabbed her hand for a kiss. “A husband and wife must
make love on a day like this. We must end the christening day
in the most divine way.”
“That’s a strange logic, but I’ll go with it, Mr. Dalton.”
Ian rubbed her hand on his cheek and laughed. “You
should stop calling me Mr. Dalton. It makes me feel like I’m
taking unmarried Miss Pendleton to bed out of wedlock.”
“Does that make you feel guilty?”
“Yes,” Ian replied even as he blatantly groped his wife.
Laura put her lips on his cheek. As she kissed his soft skin,
she whispered, “Ian, I need to confess something.”
“What is it?”
“When I was still a maiden before we got married, I
wanted to do these things with you.”
Ian’s hands paused on her body. Laura continued, “When
we were in that cabin on that rainy day, I wanted to hug you
like this. You should know that I was never as ladylike as you
thought.”
 Ian’s breathing turned rougher in excitement. His hands
moved more urgently as he replied, “So I wasn’t the only bad
person then.”
“You wanted this too?”
“You have no idea how much. I’ve imagined it a thousand
times.” He managed to find the buttons on her dress. He
unbuttoned them slowly. “Doing this… In my home… Taking
your clothes off like this.”
Laura enjoyed her husband’s panting while rubbing her
cheek on his neck. Once over thirty tiny buttons were undone,
her dress dropped, revealing the corset. Ian expertly began
undoing the knots. It had been a year since he took his wife to
bed, but his hands still remembered how to undress her.
The corset was almost loosened when they heard the
knock.
“Mr. and Mrs. Dalton, some guests have arrived for you,”
Ramswick announced from outside
Ian’s face crumpled into an ugly frown. He gritted his
teeth, trying very hard not to swear. Laura covered his lips
with her hand and answered, “Who came to visit?”
“Mr. and Mrs. McGill, ma’am.”
Laura looked at the clock in surprise. It was almost eight
o’clock, and she wondered if she put the wrong time on the
invitation. But who would think that a garden party would
take so late in the evening?
Laura ordered, “Please escort them to the first-floor
reception hall.”
 “Yes, Mrs. Dalton.”
Ramswick’s footsteps disappeared. Laura took her hand
off from her husband’s lips. Ian looked furious about the
unwanted guests, and Laura regretted the situation as well.
But at the same time, she was happy that Anne was here. It
had been over two years since she last saw her friend, and
Laura had been missing Anne terribly.
 Side Story 73

Laura rose from Ian’s lap. “We have guests, darling. We must
go greet them.”
Ian clicked his tongue. “Anne Steel acted absurdly before
she got married, and she’s just as troublesome after she
became Mrs. McGill.”
He rose with a displeased look. “Turn around, Laura.”
When Laura showed him her back, Ian began tying her
corset and buttoning her dress. He tried to quell his
frustration at having to dress his wife when he successfully
got her almost naked a moment ago.
When he buttoned the last one, he turned her around. Ian
straightened her crumpled dress and pushed her stray hair
back. In just a few minutes, Laura returned to being a neatly
attired noble lady.
“You were much prettier a moment ago,” Ian grumbled.
Straightening his shirt, Laura promised, “You’ll get to
enjoy me all you want again later tonight.”
“Alright. That makes me feel a little better.”
Ian and Laura walked downstairs together. When they
entered the reception hall, Mr. and Mrs. McGill rose hurriedly.
Mrs. McGill was wearing a purple silk dress while her
husband was garbed in a dark brown suit. They were clearly
dressed for the christening ceremony and the garden party.
“Miss!” Anne rushed to hug Laura.
Laura burst into laughter and hugged her old friend
tightly. “Anne! It has been two years since we last saw each
other. No, has it been longer?”
“Yes, it has!”
After the hug, Anne turned to Ian and curtsied. “Good
evening, Mr. Dalton.”
“Good evening to you too, Mrs. McGill.” Ian nodded
politely, doing a fair job of hiding his annoyance.
Anne’s husband, Oswald McGill, greeted Laura and Ian as
well. Oswald was a beautiful man with reddish brown hair and
blue eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses. He was a rather tall
man, and because he stood so straight, he looked even taller.
His manners were impeccable, but there were no traces of a
smile on his face.
The four of them sat on the sofa together. Holding Anne’s
hand, Laura asked, “So how did you arrive here at this hour?”
Anne sighed deeply and began explaining.
Anne and her husband currently lived in London. In order
to attend the christening ceremony, they headed to the King’s
Cross Railroad Station to take the earliest train. The train
headed to Yorkshire arrived right on time, so Mr. and Mrs.
McGill didn’t doubt that they’d arrive on time.
But around the time the train left the London station,
someone sitting next to their seats began screaming. They
turned to see that it was a middle-aged man standing in the
aisle pointing his finger at a couple.
It turned out that the angry middle-aged man was there to
catch his wife having an affair. The woman, his wife, froze on
the spot while her lover, a much younger man, turned deathly
pale.
The middle-aged man seemed to have lost his mind from
rage. When his wife’s lover tried to escape, the husband took
out the gun and shot the younger man’s shoulder.
Anne and Oswald, who were watching with interest,
became aghast at the sudden turn of events. Fortunately, the
shooter was restrained by the ticket checkers and arrested at
the next station. But as the witnesses of the incident, Mr. and
Mrs. McGill were requested to visit the police station to make
statements.
After listening to the whole story, Laura couldn’t hide her
shock. “So did the man who got shot die?”
Anne shrugged. “Who knows? The bullet hit his shoulder,
so I doubt it was fatal. But perhaps he bled to death afterward.
He deserved to die, of course. Anyway, we had to repeat our
accounts of what we witnessed over and over again to the
police. By the time we left, it was past noon. We thought that
if we hurried, we might make it to the party at least. But
because it’s Sunday, it took a long time to find a coach. That’s
why we’re so late. I’m sorry, Miss.”
Laura squeezed Anne’s hands. “Don’t apologize, Anne. I’m
just so thankful that you came at all. Especially after
experiencing something so traumatic on the way.”
“I couldn’t give up coming here just because of some silly
incident.”
Laura gazed at Anne’s pretty freckled face and smiled. She
kissed Anne’s cheek affectionately and turned toward Oswald.
“Thank you so much for coming, Mr. McGill.”
Oswald, who had kept quiet beside his wife, shook his
head. “It’s our honor to be allowed to congratulate the new
members of House Dalton, Mrs. Dalton.”
His voice was humble, but his rigid tone almost made him
sound indifferent. Despite this, Laura still looked at him
warmly. Based on Anne’s letters, Laura learned that Oswald
McGill was a workaholic and a man who was terrible at
expressing his feelings. He was raised by a mother who was
cold as ice, which meant that he didn’t know how to show
warmth. He also served in the military from the age of sixteen
to mid-twenties, so he lacked softness. In a word, Oswald was
a difficult man to befriend.
Even now, he remained as rigid as ever. Whenever he
attended social events, Oswald didn’t make an effort to smile
or give empty praises to gain someone’s favor. But Laura
could still tell that he was a just and warm man.
Laura felt certain of her impression of this man because
she knew how Anne and Oswald first met. Their first
encounter proved what a good man Oswald McGill was.
Before Anne got married, she used to visit a cheap pub on
her payday every month to join the poker table. Since she first
began working when she was thirteen, Anne always divided
her wage into three parts. She saved the first third and sent
the second third to her parents back home. She only kept the
last third for herself, but despite her frugality, this wasn’t
enough to support herself. She could barely buy underpants
with this money.
Anne was lucky enough to work for a lady as generous as
Miss Laura, but she couldn’t ask for a raise. After all, she was
already getting paid the highest wage among the maids on
Grosvenor Street. Anne contemplated before remembering
how she used to win every card game with her sisters.
Fearless as usual, Anne walked straight into the nearest bar.
Most players at the poker table were men, but some
middle-aged women liked to join from time to time. They
were usually the bar owner’s wives or middle-aged widows
who had lots of cash and confidence. But there has never been
a young woman like Anne who came to play like this.
Anne managed to clean the table at every game. She was a
born gambler, and with her intelligence, daring nature, and
perfect poker face, Anne often left with double, or even triple,
the money. She never even batted an eye at the risk of losing
everything.
Most players were boisterous men who were there for fun,
so they didn’t mind a young girl like Anne taking all of their
money. This was why Anne chose this method to supplement
her income.
 But although Anne had talent, she lacked wisdom. A true
gambler was never supposed to clean her opponents out
completely because there was no way of knowing what
someone might do if he had nothing more to lose.
About a year after she began this side hustle, the butcher
who lost four months’ worth of his wage to Anne began
acting violently. The bar owner tried to stop him, but the
butcher knocked him down and picked up a broken piece of
bottle.
The butcher grabbed Anne, who was less than half his size,
and threatened to cut her face if she didn’t return his money.
At that moment, Anne pondered if she should give his money
back or kick his crotch and run. The latter option seemed
much more attractive to her.
Anne was about to attack the butcher’s groin when she
heard a loud noise.
Whack!
Anne was suddenly freed, and she realized that it was
thanks to the man from the corner who was drinking alone
quietly. This man began beating up the butcher, and it wasn’t
long before the butcher fell to the ground unconscious.
This was how Anne first met Oswald McGill.
To show her appreciation, Anne bought him a drink.
During their conversation, she learned that Oswald McGill
had been watching for her for the past year. Oswald was
suffering from a severe migraine due to an injury
 during his army days. He didn’t have much money at the
time, so he couldn’t afford proper treatment. Oswald could
only get some sleep with help from alcohol. This was why he
came to this cheap bar close to his lodging every night.
It was one of these nights when Oswald noticed Anne, a
tiny woman with a freckled face and large eyes. He saw how
she bought a single glass of beer out of respect for the bar
owner and sat at the poker table. Every night, it didn’t take
her more than an hour to win all the money on the table
before leaving.
Oswald became worried for her. The bar wasn’t a safe place
for a young woman like her. But because he didn’t know her,
he knew he had no right to lecture her. This was why he came
to the bar every night and watched the poker table. He was
ready to protect her if anything unfortunate happened.
Even after Oswald’s migraine was successfully treated
after meeting a talented pharmacist, he continued to visit the
bar. He kept watch over Anne silently until the day he saved
her from the butcher.
 Side Story 74

When Anne found out everything, she couldn’t help but fall in
love with Oswald. It was a romantic love story, but their
marriage was even more beautiful. Oswald McGill had the
demeanor of a hardened soldier, but Anne didn’t mind. In
fact, she managed to bring out the warmth from his heart.
Oswald loved her, and he became the most doting husband to
Anne.
Laura had learned much about Oswald through Anne’s
letters, and she approved of him.
Ian and Oswald were a few steps away from the women
when Ian asked, “Mr. McGill, do you still work at Jayden &
Madds?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“One of the business cards your office sent belonged to
you. Are you working tomorrow too?”
“Yes, we’re going to take the night train to return home.”
Ian suggested, “You should take a day off tomorrow. You
can send a message to your boss that House Dalton has
requested your legal advice.”
When Oswald looked confused, Ian explained, “My wife
loves your wife too much, so if you leave like this, she’ll get
upset. Stay the night in our guest room. You should leave after
lunch tomorrow.”
Laura blushed. Oswald turned to his wife and saw that
Anne seemed happy about the idea. He quickly nodded.
“Thank you. We’ll accept your kind offer, Mr. Dalton.”
“Well then, we all had a long day, so we should retire for
the night.”
The two couples left the reception hall. Laura asked
Ramswick to prepare the best guest room in the east wing on
the third floor. Guessing that Anne and Oswald probably
hadn’t eaten much that day, Laura made sure a warm meal
was sent up to them as well.
Before going upstairs, Laura suggested to Anne that they
should go for a walk the next morning. They promised to
meet each other at six in the morning in front of the
grandfather clock.
After bowing to Laura and Ian, Anne and Oswald followed
Ramswick. Laura and Ian slowly returned to their own
bedroom.
“Thank you for being so kind to Mr. and Mrs. McGill, Ian.”
Ian replied nonchalantly, “You like them, so it was my
pleasure.”
“Even so, I know you don’t like Anne very much.”
Ian grinned. “That’s true.”
Ian found Anne annoying in many ways. From the first
moment they met, Anne acted defiant toward him. Even on
the day of Ian and Laura’s wedding, Anne came up to him and
said, “It took you long enough to marry her. Well, good luck.”
Despite the fact that Laura was married now, Anne insisted
on calling her “miss.” Laura knew that all of these things
bothered her husband. But there was something Laura wasn’t
aware of. It was that Anne helped Ian a great deal in his
courtship. If Olivia was Ian and Laura’s cupid in Yorkshire,
Anne took on this duty in London. This meant that Ian owed
Anne a great debt.
But Laura can’t find out about this, of course. Ian thought in
secret.
He asked, “Where are you going to stroll tomorrow
morning?”
Laura seemed excited as if she was planning a picnic. She
thought out loud, “Hmm… Firstly, we’ll tour the garden so I
can show her the apple trees. Then, we’ll go see the fountain…
It would be nice to walk down the new path to enjoy the
wildflowers too.”
“You should take her to the violet field too.”
“Ah, good idea. It should look really pretty around this
time of the year,” Laura exclaimed.
“The lake is nearby too, so it would be perfect.”
Laura smiled brightly. “Anne would love it.”
The two of them entered their bedroom. Ian pulled his tie
loose as he murmured, “So you’ll be walking at least three
miles tomorrow morning.”
 “Indeed. Maybe I should take some food with us.” Laura
smiled and walked to the chair by the fireplace. It was their
routine to spend some time sitting in front of the fire before
going to bed.
But before Laura could reach the chair, Ian lifted her. She
gasped and looked up at her grinning husband. He
announced, “We need to finish what we started earlier, don’t
we?”
Laura blushed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He
kissed her forehead and slowly began walking to the bed. He
promised, “I better control myself. If I try to satisfy all of my
pent-up desires tonight, you won’t be able to walk down the
stairs in the morning let alone reach the garden.”
Laura pulled his tie loose and whispered, “Please be slow
and gentle.”
He placed her on the bed. Caressing her cheek, he
answered, “Don’t worry. I remember exactly how you like it.”
They kissed deeply.
***
“Uwah! It’s a duck. There are ducks over there, Miss!”
Anne pointed at the water. Under the golden sunlight, a
mother duck and six ducklings were peacefully gliding on the
lake.
“Indeed,” Laura replied, trying her best to sound
interested even though she saw this scenery every day. She
looked around to find a spot to sit, and then she saw a large
tree stump. It was just big enough for two slim ladies to sit
close together.
They placed their handkerchiefs on the stump and sat
down. It was a little after seven in the morning. The air was
fresh and the sun was warm and bright. The wind from the
valley felt cool to their skin.
The two of them gazed at the lake in silence. An hour ago,
Anne and Laura met in front of the grandfather clock as
planned. They walked around the garden in leisure before
entering the forest. They walked over the small arch-shaped
bridge to cross the stream and find the new path among the
beautiful birch trees.
Anne and Laura enjoyed their time together. They studied
the clouds in the sky and sang the summer folk songs they
both knew. When a giant honey bee appeared, they ran away
from it holding hands. The two of them looked more like
schoolgirls instead of the wives of successful men.
Anne admired the endless field of violets. She picked a
handful of them to take to her husband. Laura asked, “Does
Mr. McGill like flowers?”
“Very much so. But I think he likes receiving flowers
rather than the flowers themselves. Before we got married,
there was one time when I picked a wildflower from the street
and put it in his jacket pocket. He told me later that this was
the moment he decided to marry me.”
Watching Anne holding a bouquet of violet flowers for her
husband, Laura could feel how much her friend loved her
husband.
“Miss.” Sitting on the tree stump and looking out at the
lake, Anne murmured, “What a wonderful life you must have
living in a place like this.”
Laura’s heart filled with love and pride for Whitefield. She
smiled and replied, “I do, Anne.”
“Miss.”
“Yes?”
“Are you happy?”
Laura turned toward Anne, who was smiling expectantly
as she showed off her dimples.
Laura asked, “You’re always worried about my happiness.
You’ve asked me this many
times in your letters too.”
“I can’t help it. I must know.”
“Why?”
“Because you weren’t very happy when you were in
London.”
“…”
Anne explained, “You were a perfect employer. You were
kind, generous, and logical. But an idealist like you is always
so hard on yourself. I hate to tell you this, but you were very
cruel to yourself, Miss Laura.”
Anne had never mentioned this before, so Laura was
surprised to hear it. But Laura was aware of this fact, so she
agreed without an argument. “I know, Anne. I didn’t realize it
back then, but it’s very clear to me now. I was too harsh on
myself.”
“…”
“It’s difficult to objectively evaluate one’s past, especially
if it’s filled with mistakes. But I’m not afraid to admit it
because I’m very happy now. It’s as if I’m a completely
different person from before.” Laura smiled. “Does that make
you happy, Anne?”
Anne nodded. “Miss.”
“Yes?”
“You had such a strong sense of responsibility. And you
were too cold to yourself. But that was why I respected you.
You were someone who was kind to others but stingy to
yourself.”
“So, you respected me yet worried about me for the same
reason. That’s ironic.”
“You’re right.” Anne held Laura’s arm and continued,
“But it’s the truth. You deserved to be respected. Not the kind
of respect one must give to someone with money, but a real
one. You have no idea how many servants missed you after
you left the townhouse. The day you left, I knew that I would
never be lucky enough to serve another lady as good as you.”
“…”
“But my sadness didn’t matter as long as you ended up
being happy. And now, it makes me very happy to hear you
say that.”
 Laura looked out at the lake. She thought in silence. Anne
doesn’t know that she’s a one in a million too. When I left, I knew
I would never be able to meet a friend like her again.
Anne stood by Laura’s side for over eight years she spent
in the London townhouse. Anne was a diligent maid who was
always helpful to Laura. But this was only a small part of what
Anne meant to Laura.
Anne was one of those rare maids who tried to repay
Laura’s kindness with respect. Anne worked hard to show her
appreciation, and she took great care of Laura. On top of this,
Anne was incredibly empathetic. She was willing to share
Laura’s sadness, and she became furious whenever Laura
faced injustice. Anne also was the happiest when good things
happened to Laura.
 Side Story 75

Side Story 75
Just as you respect me, I love you so much, Anne. Laura thought
in silence. She felt too shy to voice her true feelings, so
instead, she pulled Anne closer.
Laura murmured, “I must’ve done something right to hear
a praise like that.”
Anne answered by rubbing her cheek on Laura’s shoulder
affectionately.
“What about you, Anne?” Laura asked, “Are you happy?”
Laura expected her friend to give an enthusiastic yes.
There was no reason why Anne shouldn’t be happy. She
married the man she loved, and although they began humbly,
they were now wealthy enough to have two servants of their
own. In addition, both Anne and Oswald were young and
healthy. They had everything anyone would ever want.
But for some reason, Anne didn’t answer. Laura leaned to
check her friend’s face and saw that Anne looked a little
dazed.
“Anne?”
Anne closed her eyes, making Laura’s heart thump
nervously. Laura asked, “Is something wrong?”
 “…”
“Tell me, Anne. If it’s something I can help, I will.”
“…Miss.” Anne tried to hide her face by burying it on
Laura’s shoulder. “There’s something I didn’t even tell my
own family. My mother, father, and sisters don’t know about
it.”
Something she didn’t tell her family? What could it be?
Anne sighed deeply. “I keep having miscarriages.”
Laura’s heart fell. She remained quiet, and Anne
continued, “It was okay at first. Even the second time was
endurable, but… when we lost our third baby too… I couldn’t
help but think that perhaps I’m unable to have children.”
Laura’s hands shook as she held Anne’s hands. She said
encouragingly, “But you’re still young, Anne.”
“That’s what the doctor told me too, but… Forget it. I
shouldn’t have told you. I’m fine.”
Sadness fell over Laura’s heart. Anne was naturally
cheerful and daring. But a miscarriage was something that
would hurt even the strongest woman.
Laura insisted, “You should’ve told me. I might not have
been able to fix this problem, but I could’ve comforted you. I
suffered too because I couldn’t get pregnant for a long time.”
“If I had told you, our pain would’ve grown twofold. A
woman who keeps having miscarriages and a woman who
can’t have a baby… Both of us would’ve been so miserable. We
would’ve grown even sadder every time we exchanged
letters.”
 Deep sorrow overwhelmed Laura. When she informed
Anne about her pregnancy, Anne’s reply was filled with
genuine happiness. Laura had often complained about her
morning sickness in her letters, and Anne was always
comforting and encouraging. Anne even picked out a baby toy
herself from Harrods Department Store.
But it turned out Anne did all of these things for Laura
while going through miscarriages herself. Laura tried her best
not to burst into tears. Squeezing Anne’s hands harder, Laura
whispered, “I’m sure it will work out for you in the end. I’ll
pray for you every day.”
“Really?”
“I promise. I swear that your baby will come to you very
soon, and it won’t leave you. I’ll beg God so hard that he
won’t be able to refuse me. I’ll cry my eyes out in front of the
cross.”
Anne didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled beautifully like the
blooming sunflower. She exclaimed, “Thank you, Miss.”
Anne hugged Laura tightly. Laura patted her friend’s back,
trying her best to convey her love. Half an hour later, the two
women left the field of violets and returned to Whitefield Hall.
Anne’s footsteps were just as light as when she left for a walk
that morning. But there was deeper love and trust between
Anne and Laura now.
They crossed the front gate, and as they got closer to the
mansion, one of the apple trees nearby caught their eyes.
They noticed this particular tree because their husbands, Ian
Dalton and Oswald McGill, stood underneath it.
Laura and Anne were surprised to see their husbands
together. The two men were having a conversation, and
although it was impossible to hear them from afar, they were
clearly talking about something serious.
Laura quietly wondered, but Anne refused to be ladylike.
She roared, “Darling! My love!”
Oswald, who was leaning against the tree and nodding to
what Ian was saying, turned toward his wife’s voice. He
yelled, “Anne!”
Carrying a bouquet of violets, Anne ran to her husband and
jumped into his arms. Oswald smiled and hugged his wife. He
asked, “Did you have a nice walk, Anne?”
“Yes, I did. And I got these flowers for you.”
“Goodness!” Oswald admired the flowers. Then suddenly,
their eyes locked before Anne and Oswald began kissing.
Ian stared at the blatant show of affection. He glared at
them in mild annoyance before turning toward his wife.
Laura waved at her husband. “Good morning, darling!”
Walking toward her, Ian answered, “It certainly looks like
a good morning for Mr. and Mrs. McGill.”
When he got close enough, Ian gave Laura a light peck. He
asked, “Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t bring me any flowers.”
 Laura burst into laughter. “I just got too used to receiving
gifts from you, I guess.”
Ian whispered, “To be honest, I don’t need the flowers. I
already got the best gift from you last night after all.”
“Hush! What if they hear you?!” Laura slapped Ian’s
shoulder. But she had nothing to worry about because Mr. and
Mrs. McGill were too busy in their own world. It was obvious
they weren’t interested in what kind of gift Laura gave her
husband last night.
Laura asked, “By the way, what were you talking about
with Mr. McGill?”
“It’s a secret.”
When Laura stared at her husband in silence, Ian asked,
“Are you curious about it?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Laura rolled her eyes, but Ian persisted, “You’re lying,
aren’t you?”
“Fine, that was a lie. I really want to know.”
Ian chuckled boyishly and turned toward Oswald. He
requested, “Oswald, would you announce the agreement we
just made to my wife?”
Laura tilted her head in confusion. Oswald? When did they
get close enough for Ian to address Mr. McGill by his first name?
Mr. McGill, who was enjoying the scent of the violets,
turned toward Laura. “Mrs. Dalton, Mr. Dalton has just hired
me as House Dalton’s private lawyer.”
 Both Laura and Anne were surprised. The two women
stared at Ian, who wrapped his hand around his wife’s waist
and smiled. He announced, “It’s true.”
Laura covered her mouth with her hand. Being House
Dalton’s private lawyer was considered a great honor. It was
considered a life-long job, and it paid very handsomely. For a
young lawyer like Oswald McGill, this was a sure path to
success.
Anne clapped her hands. “Goodness! That means that
you’ll be visiting Yorkshire often! Can I accompany you?”
“Of course, Anne,” Oswald answered without hesitation.
Anne jumped up and down in joy. She was acting a little
too childishly, but it was nice to see her so genuinely happy.
Ian said to Anne, “I’ll count on you accompanying your
husband on every one of his business trips, Mrs. McGill. I
hope you’ll make a good companion to my wife.”
Laura could barely hide her excitement. “I’ll always have a
guest room ready for you, Anne! You must come as often as
possible.”
Anne dashed toward Laura and hugged her. She exclaimed,
“We don’t have to communicate just through the letters
anymore, Miss Laura!”
Laura hugged her friend back, her eyes filling with tears.
She was just as thrilled as Anne, but it wasn’t only because
she could now see her friend often.
I’ll get Dr. Mackenzie to examine Anne. Laura decided
quietly. If Anne could visit Yorkshire often, it wasn’t going to
be difficult to take her to see Dr. Mackenzie. Laura felt certain
that the elderly doctor should be able to figure out why Anne
kept suffering miscarriages. He would help her deliver a
healthy baby.
Although Dr. Mackenzie could be cranky, he would never
turn away a patient in need.
Laura suddenly began crying. Anne jumped in surprise
because there had been only a few times when she saw Laura
cry. But Ian was used to seeing his wife’s tears. He offered her
his handkerchief and teased, “Geez, you cry as much as Jane
nowadays.”
Laura smiled and accepted the handkerchief. She
protested, “I’m not as bad as Jane.”
Ian and Anne smiled as Laura wiped her face. When she
stopped crying, Ian announced, “Then we shall have lunch
now. The ladies must be starving from their long walk.”
The two couples headed back to the mansion. Laura
promised, “Mr. McGill, you should look forward to the food.
Our cook is the best in the kingdom.”
“Ah, I can’t wait, Mrs. Dalton.”
Anne chimed in, “That makes sense! I could tell that you
look so much healthier now, Miss Laura. It must be all thanks
to your cook!”
Ian teased, “No, it’s all thanks to her husband’s love, Mrs.
McGill.”
The four of them chatted amicably as they walked
together. The usually quiet Whitefield Hall soon filled with
laughter. With the chirping of the birds from the surrounding
forest, there was no doubt that Whitefield Hall was a place of
peace and happiness.

The End