Chapter 52
52
All Over
Liette von Lindman arrived at the duke’s residence in the late afternoon. Accompanying her were carriages piled high with mountains of luggage for the marquis, who planned to stay in Arbis for the time being.
“Welcome, Liette.”
Elise von Herhardt greeted her with a smile lighting up her entire face.
“It would have been nice if your mother had come with you.”
“Mother is about to leave on a trip soon.”
“She’s planning to spend the winter in the south again this year, I suppose.”
“Yes. She hates the cold so much.”
Liette shared news of her mother with a gentle tone and warm smile.
“Where is Lady Norma?”
“You can greet her later. She’s taking a nap right now.”
Elise von Herhardt naturally led Liette into the drawing room. As Matthias’s cousin and friend who had come and gone from Arbis for years, Liette was someone close to family for the Herhardts. Liette treated them with the same familiarity.
After finishing tea time with her aunt, Liette set out for a leisurely stroll into the Arbis woods. Matthias wouldn’t return until nightfall, and it would take the servants quite some time to unpack the luggage. Above all, she was curious about the girl who lived in the woods. The woman named Leila, who had stirred ripples in the flawless lives of Matthias and Claudine.
Of course, Liette knew of the girl as well, but she had never paid her any particular attention. Just one among many servants. She had felt some pity for her unfortunate circumstances and thought her a rather pretty young lady, but that was all. So when she learned that the woman Matthias had taken an interest in was Leila Llewellyn, Liette’s shock had been all the greater.
Scandals between nobles and maids were commonplace and boring, but it was a different story when the noble in question was the Herhardt duke. Even if it was merely a fleeting desire.
‘The Herhardt duke lied.’
As the gardener’s cottage came into view in the distance, Liette recalled Claudine’s calm words from one evening toward the end of last summer.
‘He lied to keep Leila apart from the doctor’s son.’
Claudine had slowly turned her head to look at Liette and smiled. A terribly serene gaze, with only her lips curving.
‘Matthias von Herhardt lied and schemed just to have some lowly orphan? Can you believe it, Liette oppa?’
Claudine had even laughed gaily. No matter how Liette pressed her, she wouldn’t reveal what the lie had been or how it was done.
‘It would be better if he just took her quickly.’
With an expression as if nothing had happened, Claudine gazed at the horizon beyond the window. The long summer sun was setting over the lands of the Brant countess’s estate.
‘That way, he can discard her sooner.’
Claudine’s low whisper carried the face of an audience bored with a lowbrow third-rate play. There was no jealousy toward Leila Llewellyn at all. Just a touch of disappointment and mockery at the fact that her noble fiancé had stooped to such a thing—and Liette knew that was Claudine’s true feeling.
If Claudine had been jealous and suffering, perhaps Liette could have spoken up. She might have said not to bind herself to a marriage that would make her unhappy. That the one who could make her happy was right here. But the happiness Claudine wanted was still with Matthias. And Liette knew that well, too.
That day, the two of them had tea and chatted as if nothing was amiss. Dinner that evening passed in a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere as well. And the next morning, Liette departed the Brant estate. Claudine stood rigidly in place until the carriage carrying him was out of sight.
Why did such memories linger so vividly, turning into stubborn regrets?
A hollow laugh escaped her as she reached the front of the cottage. The hunter’s cottage had no fence and blended seamlessly with the forest path.
The sun was beginning to set in earnest, but the house inside was dark. Not wanting to have come all this way for nothing, Liette decided to wait a bit. Leaning against the porch railing and tilting her head back, she saw tree branches half bare of leaves.
Liette von Lindman loved a woman who would never be made unhappy by love. Even if her own unhappiness lay right there.
He, who loved a simple and light life, accepted that fact as well. So there was no reason he couldn’t indulge in something even simpler and lighter—a little prank. Especially if it brought him amusement and her happiness.
Just as Liette, growing bored, pulled out a cigarette, footsteps approached from the far end of the forest path. Voices engaged in casual conversation followed soon after.
Liette inhaled deeply on her cigarette, slowly exhaling the smoke as she stared in the direction of the sounds. Before long, a bear of a man appeared, accompanied by a tiny woman not even half his size. Spotting her, the two halted abruptly at the edge of the yard.
Liette approached them with a smile. The gardener greeted her gruffly upon recognizing her, and the woman beside him bowed her head as well.
“Hello, little bird girl of the woods.”
Liette greeted her casually, just as she had the day she saw the girl trudging around sobbing to bury the bird Matthias had killed.
“Ah. Are you a bird lady now? Or perhaps Miss Bird Teacher?”
A flicker of bewilderment shone in the eyes visible through her glasses. Her face scrunched up as if she’d heard the most absurd thing.
Liette’s opinion of Leila Llewellyn hadn’t changed. Certainly pretty, but not some stunning beauty capable of bewitching every man. Still, she vaguely understood what had so captivated the doctor’s son and her noble cousin—something to that effect.
“Anyway. Nice to see you, Leila.”
“Watch out for that Lindman marquis.”
Bill Leamer said gravely, glaring at the end of the table. Leila set the freshly made stew in the center of the table and let out a small snort of laughter.
“That’s not something to laugh off so easily.”
“Uncle.”
“I just don’t buy that lazy idler came all the way out here for a mere stroll.”
Bill tore roughly at the bread in front of him.
“Hanging around you and chattering nonsense like that. Suspicious, all of it. Be careful.”
“Yeees.”
Knowing he wouldn’t stop unless she answered, Leila replied readily. Dissatisfied with her attitude, Bill’s face remained furrowed.
“Listen to me, Leila. Don’t think every noble in the world is as refined and dignified as the Herhardt duke.”
“Yes…… uh, yes?”
Leila’s brow creased as she nodded absently. It was outrageous, but she couldn’t argue. The Herhardt duke, as everyone except Leila knew him, was indeed not that kind of man.
Reluctantly nodding, Leila hurriedly bit into a piece of bread as if to hold back what she wanted to say. But memories of that man—who was anything but refined or dignified—only grew sharper. Recalling his infuriating greeting and the beautiful pen delivered to the school, Leila suddenly choked and burst into a harsh coughing fit.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Finally stopping her coughs, Leila shook her head vigorously.
“I’m just hungry, ate too fast, that’s all.”
She removed her glasses and wiped away the tears that had welled up from the coughing. Bill, who had watched quietly, fortunately burst into hearty laughter.
“You still seem like a kid at times like this.”
His scolding tone was laced with a satisfied smile filling his face.
“Eat slowly, and eat plenty.”
Bill fished out a large chunk of meat and plopped it onto Leila’s plate. Once. Then again. With each motion, the food piled up before she knew it.
“That’s too much!”
Leila exclaimed in shock, but as always, Bill was stubborn.
“You know, Leila? I like girls who eat like oxen.”
“I’m not a kid anymore.”
Leila protested, but Bill’s response was to add yet another chunk of meat.
That was the evening. Not quite like an ox, but stuffed full enough to please Uncle Bill, laughing and chatting through a proper, warm time.
While Bill Leamer fixed the creaky desk chair, Leila cleaned the kitchen. They each poured a mug of coffee and sat side by side on the porch, gazing at the falling leaves in the woods. The wind was chilly now, but both Bill and Leila ended their day there with quiet conversation until winter came.
“Good night, Leila.”
Before heading to his room, Bill tossed out his gruff but affectionate farewell.
“You too, Uncle.”
The soft smile curving Leila’s lips was just like all the countless days before.
“Good night.”
Her voice resembled the light from the outdoor lamp filtering through the curtain gap.
Back in her room, Leila sat in the chair Bill had fixed and graded the children’s exams. She read a bit of the mystery novel borrowed from the library and replied to letters from friends who had become teachers at other schools.
She thought of the pen the duke had given her as she finished the last letter and capped her worn-out pen.
Leila, who had been staring blankly at a meaningless point in the air, opened the desk drawer with a resolute expression. Though she had reluctantly brought it home, the pen remained neglected in its box.
‘I knew it would be like this.’
People would click their tongues whenever Leila made a small mistake or error.
‘A kid raised without parents, what do you expect.’
Such words always carried a hint of contempt and pity.
For a while, it puzzled her that even when she made the same mistakes as other children—or acted far more kindly—she still faced such blame. But as she grew older, Leila came to understand. The world’s standards weren’t applied equally to everyone.
So she wanted to do better.
She might not be perfect, but she refused to live a life where people said they knew she would mess up. Every time she faced the world’s harsh judgments, she resolved and strove to do so. Especially for Uncle Bill, who had raised her with as much love and care as any child could want—she wanted to live that kind of life no matter what.
With her thoughts reaching that point, Leila pulled out the box containing the pen without hesitation. She also grabbed the wrapping paper for the package.
Leila carefully wrapped the box and neatly wrote the address with her old pen freshly inked. The recipient was the master of Arbis, Duke Matthias von Herhardt. For the sender, she wrote the unfamiliar name and address that had sent her this package.
Morning dawned, and Leila tucked the box into her bag for her commute. She had to leave earlier than usual to stop by the post office in the neighboring village.
Returning the gift lifted the weight from her heart, like a stone had been removed.
Leila thought it was all over now. Surely it was.
