Chapter 40
#40
“Actually, I didn't expect things to turn out this way either.”
Her lips parted very slowly. And Meggy gave an unexpected answer.
“You didn't expect it to turn out this way?”
“A lowly maid who fell in love at first sight with a handsome knight who came down to the countryside knew her place, of course. Even though we were intimate, I knew he was a noble and I was a humble commoner.”
“But Maria was the child of that noble. Why didn't you try to reveal that?”
“At first, I tried to reveal it. Because he was the child's father. But by the time I made up my mind, it was already too late. He had already left for the capital, and after it was revealed that I, a virgin, was pregnant, I was kicked out by my parents without a penny.”
This was a story I was hearing for the first time. This content wasn't in the book.
“I couldn't follow him to the capital either. I found out then that he had a wife and child in the capital.”
At that point, I frowned without realizing it.
To touch an innocent country girl, even though he had a wife and child.
I couldn't help but be disappointed in Lord Wendsbury. I was also disappointed in my own judgment, as I had always thought of him as a gentleman.
“So I raised Maria alone. But I never regretted that fact. That child was truly my joy and the reason for my life.”
A ray of light-like smile flickered again on Meggy's face, which had been miserable until now.
I thought her ever-changing, honest expression resembled Maria's.
“I was going to take that fact to my grave.”
“But you didn't.”
Meggy nodded quietly.
“Why?”
“I thought I was going to die soon.”
“……”
“I look so alive now, but back then, I really thought I was going to die. I had no energy in my body, and I was spitting up blood for days.”
With a bitter smile, Meggy continued.
“Maria looked more and more like him as she grew up. No, she looked like him from birth, but maybe I was trying not to see it. She had his red hair and the same clear green eyes as him.”
Meggy was right.
The reason why rumors spread in an instant that Maria was not just an adopted child but Lord Wendsbury's illegitimate child the moment she appeared in society was precisely because of that.
Lord Wendsbury and Maria looked somehow alike, even though they were strangers. It wasn't just because they had the same hair and eye color.
“So I was going to tell her what she had always been curious about before I died.”
“It seems like it was a kind of will.”
“Yes, that's right. It was something like that. But.”
Meggy shrugged instead of finishing her sentence.
It meant that she had survived like this.
“That child sold the house in Ancheny. It was an old house, so it was very cheap, but it was enough to get me admitted to the hospital for a while. And during that time, Maria went to find him.”
Now the things I was curious about were being resolved.
About why a person named Maria suddenly appeared in my life.
Maria, who had learned about the secret of her birth in that way, went to find Lord Wendsbury in order to cure her mother's illness, or more precisely, to raise money to cure the illness.
I thought that Maria might resemble Lord Wendsbury more than Reintar, who looked exactly like him.
Like Lord Wendsbury, who boldly charged into enemy lines in his youth.
“That child grew up poor and struggling, but she grew up happily. I guarantee that much. I wanted Maria to grow up as she was.”
I believed Meggy's words. The episodes of Maria's childhood that she told me were happy, and they were things that could not have happened if she wasn't a loved child.
Also, it was the same when looking at Maria now.
She was pure, cheerful, and had a bright smile.
If she didn't change as the book said.
“Maria also said that some people dream of becoming nobles, but she wasn't one of those people.”
“I knew it. That's why I hesitated to talk about her biological father……”
“Oh, by the way, aren't you bored just being in the hospital?”
As if trying to change the atmosphere in consideration of Meggy, who had been depressed for a while, I brought up another story.
“No. It's okay. The garden is large, so I take a walk every day, and the chapel is close, so I often go to pray, so I'm not bored. I also get peace of mind, so it's very good.”
“I see. You're still a patient, so don't overdo it.”
“I'm not overdoing it. The walking path is also very well-maintained, and since it's inside the hospital, there are many hospital staff nearby, so there's nothing to worry about.”
“Do you have any inconveniences while you're here?”
“No. Everyone is so kind to me, and my body is getting better, so what inconveniences would I have?”
“Do you have any other underlying diseases?”
“Well. Maybe allergies? But everyone has that much.”
Meggy tilted her head.
“Actually, I was healthy before I collapsed. A woman has to be strong to raise a child alone.”
Meggy laughed as if it were nothing. She didn't seem to know that her laughter made my heart ache even more.
She had to be healthy not for herself, but for her child.
“Bianca.”
Meggy called me in a different tone than before and carefully took my hand.
“Thank you so much for treating Maria well.”
“It's nothing.”
“And please take care of her in the future too.”
There was earnestness in Meggy's eyes as she held my hand tightly.
Seeing her worry about her child even after sacrificing her youth and health to raise her, my heart also welled up.
“Yes, I will.”
Only after hearing my answer did Meggy finally release my hand with a bright smile.
“I'm also looking forward to the scarf.”
“Yes. It may be early in the season, but winter always comes back.”
“I've also prepared a small gift.”
“Oh my, you didn't have to bring anything!”
“It's nothing special, I bought some cookies for you to eat when you're bored. I'll have a servant bring them to you later. Maria also liked them, so I think they'll suit your taste.”
“Thank you so much, Bianca.”
Meggy's face, smiling brightly, really didn't look like someone who was about to die.
Inside the carriage on the way back, I was lost in thought alone.
How does Meggy die?
And why does Maria think my fault is her death?
I couldn't understand.
First of all, the hospital was very perfect. Meggy's illness was getting better, and as a result of looking around today, there were no threatening factors.
The garden where Meggy took a walk was very flat, and if she collapsed, there were nurses all around who could rush over.
She didn't have any major underlying diseases either.
She didn't know anyone in the capital, and no one visited her except Maria.
I asked indirectly just in case, but there was no one in Meggy's life who hated her enough to want to kill her.
'Isn't it possible that she might not die?'
The thought that finally came to mind was this.
Besides, this was a setting that often appeared in books.
Everyone thinks she's dead, but she's actually alive!
'That's not it.'
But I soon abandoned that thought. In the book, Meggy was just a supporting character.
Her death was the decisive reason for Maria's change, but it was never mentioned again after that.
Even if she didn't die and secretly went down to Ancheny for some reason, the result would be the same anyway if Maria thought Meggy was dead.
'Someone must have murdered her.'
I came to the conclusion I had thought of before meeting Meggy again.
If it was an accident, there was no way Maria would hate me so much.
Someone must have killed Meggy and framed me for it.
If that wasn't the case, there was no way Meggy, who was regaining her health, would suddenly die, and Maria would think that I was behind her death.
“Panya.”
“Yes, young lady.”
Panya, who was sitting across from me and dozing off slightly, answered hastily.
“When we get home, tell the Butler to come to my room.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I thought I should pick two useful Military personnel and send them to the hospital. So I thought I should tell them to guard Meggy's hospital room.
No, I should tell them to protect Meggy herself.
The hospital director or Meggy might think it's strange, but I can make up an excuse appropriately.
At least it would be better than something happening to Meggy.
“Ah, and Panya.”
“Yes, yes!”
Panya, who was dozing off again, was startled and answered loudly.
“Don't go straight home, we have to stop by Angela's Confectionery.”
“Ah, are you talking about that confectionery from last time?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to order again?”
Panya asked with slightly widened eyes.
Considering the amount of orders at that time, her reaction was understandable.
What I took to the Count Cornwallis's family and what I gave to Panya as a gift was just one box, but what I gave to the orphanage children was the entire daily production of that confectionery.
Since all the work was directly managed by a master craftsman from the selection of ingredients to the finished product, the confections at Angela's Confectionery were expensive and the production volume was not that high.
“Yeah.”
“Should we order the entire day's worth this time too?”
“No. This time, order one set of madeleines and one set of almond bonbons.”
My mother liked to eat moist and soft madeleines with tea.
And my father liked to eat almond bonbons while reading a book.
I had given the taste of Angela's Confectionery to other people, but I hadn't given it to my most precious people.
They were my parents, who wished for my happiness more than anyone else and protected me even if it meant sacrificing everything they had.
I vowed to spend a friendly time with my family on the day I picked up the madeleines and almond bonbons.
