Chapter 107
"Miss Lance."
"Yes?"
"I'm returning to Dunville Park as soon as the Ball is over. I've already packed and asked the coachman."
"Why so soon...?"
"I'm going to look for another job. I'll be leaving Yorkshire within a week. To a place very far away. A place where it will be difficult to see old friends again."
"Ah."
Miss Lance didn't know what to say.
"I hope Miss Lance will be happy."
"Miss Sheldon, too... I hope you'll be happy."
She smiled brightly.
As she descended the stairs, Miss Lance felt complicated. She was relieved that Miss Pendleton would disappear from Mr. Dalton's life. But on the other hand, she felt a little sorry. Miss Pendleton was stepping aside for Mr. Dalton and herself.
Leaving the two families that protected her, where would she go now? How would she survive?
Passing through the dim staircase, the two walked along the long corridor leading to the ballroom. Miss Lance felt like asking Miss Pendleton about her future plans, but she suppressed the urge. She couldn't help, and shouldn't help. Why should she care about the former mistress of the man who would become her husband?
'And anyway, it's none of my business.'
"Ian!"
The two ladies stopped abruptly at the familiar voice.
The source of the noise was a small side room quite far from the ballroom. The door was open a crack.
Miss Lance recognized the voice as Mr. Fairfax.
'Mr. Fairfax must be with Mr. Dalton!'
Without thinking deeply, Miss Lance moved towards the room. Miss Pendleton quickly grabbed her arm.
"They must have something to say to each other in private. That's why they found such a secluded place. Let's go back to the hall first."
"It's too big and crowded. I've been alone for hours because I couldn't find Mr. Dalton. I was going to meet him here and go in together...!"
"Are you out of your mind! Is now the time to be talking about Miss Pendleton?"
Miss Lance stopped talking.
Mr. Fairfax's agitated voice continued from beyond the door.
"The rumor that you and Miss Lance are lovers has spread like wildfire! All of London firmly believes that the two of you are going to get married!"
The two ladies froze.
Soon, Mr. Dalton's hollow laughter flowed out.
"I've never heard anything so absurd. What have I done with Miss Lance? Anyway, London gossips are very good at twisting things in a vulgar direction."
"This is entirely your fault. I heard that Miss Lance firmly believes you're going to propose to her. You must have misbehaved. What are you going to do? Miss Lance's reputation is about to be shattered!"
"Any rumor will be forgotten. She has a good family and is popular. She'll be able to find a good husband soon enough."
"You don't know society at all. Miss Lance has no chance of meeting a good husband now. You made it that way, you!"
Mr. Fairfax huffed.
"There's only one answer. Give up on Miss Pendleton. Turn your love towards Miss Lance. If you don't take responsibility and marry Miss Lance, this situation can't be resolved."
"Don't be ridiculous. Why should I marry a woman I have no interest in when I have a woman I truly love?"
Mr. Dalton's voice, filled with displeasure, passed through the crack in the door and struck the two ladies' ears clearly.
"Without Miss Pendleton, marriage means nothing to me!"
Miss Lance shook off Miss Pendleton's hand, rushed towards the room, and threw the door open.
Bang!
The sound of the door hitting the wall echoed.
The two gentlemen, who had been standing face to face in the small room, looked towards the entrance. And soon, their expressions became a mixture of dismay.
"Miss Lance!"
"Miss Pendleton!"
The two gentlemen called out the names of the ladies they cared for, respectively.
"Ah, ah..."
Miss Lance looked at Mr. Dalton. His gaze was fixed on Miss Pendleton, who was standing behind her. He didn't care about her, even though she wasn't the only one who had heard what he said.
'This can't be happening...!'
Miss Lance burst into tears and ran off somewhere. Mr. Fairfax called out to Miss Lance and disappeared after her.
Only the two men and women remained outside and inside the room. Mr. Dalton looked at Laura with a distorted face.
"...Miss Pendleton."
He took a step towards her.
"I..."
"Stop."
Laura held out her hand as if to stop him. He stood still.
"I think our friendship is over now."
His face turned pale.
"I will no longer allow you to be by my side. Goodbye, Mr. Dalton."
Laura bowed calmly and disappeared like the wind.
* * *
Miss Lance, struggling to drag a trunk full of luggage, ran into a gentleman. It was Mr. Fairfax. He was standing in front of the room where Miss Lance was staying with her friends, with his arms crossed.
"Miss Lance."
Miss Lance was momentarily conscious of her appearance. Her face was a mess with tears, her hair was disheveled from running, and the hem of her skirt was crumpled from being handled carelessly while moving her luggage.
But the most embarrassing thing was that he was one of the people who had been with her when she was, in effect, dumped by Mr. Dalton.
"What's the matter?"
She asked nervously.
"I was worried about your well-being..."
"I'm safe."
Miss Lance passed him, dragging her trunk along the corridor. He followed Miss Lance.
"Are you going back to London?"
"Yes."
"Please reconsider. Everything will be over by tomorrow morning. It's better to go back with your friends, Miss Lance."
"No."
"It's dangerous for a lady to take the night train alone. Besides, if you ride in a carriage in this outfit, you'll definitely catch a cold..."
"I said no!"
Miss Lance turned her head sharply and glared at him.
"My friends firmly believe that I'm going to receive a proposal from Mr. Dalton! What would they say if they saw me like this now? What would I say to them?"
"..."
"Even if I make excuses to my friends, it's a problem. If I show up at breakfast tomorrow with a swollen face, everyone will whisper. Miss Lance has been abandoned. The person he likes... must be another woman..."
Miss Lance bit her lip tightly. Tears welled up in her pale blue eyes.
"I... I need time to sort things out. Time to cope... Time to think about what happened to me..."
Mr. Fairfax nodded.
"I understand. Then, at least allow me to escort you."
"..."
"I won't interfere in any way. I will accompany you like a shadow. Please, just let me make sure you arrive safely at the Lance residence. I beg you."
He bowed his head. He looked almost abject, like a debtor bowing to ask for a postponement of payment.
Miss Lance's heart wavered slightly. In fact, she was a little scared to take the night train alone.
Miss Lance nodded slightly. He politely expressed his gratitude and immediately took off his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her shoulders. It was a consideration for her, who was wearing a dress that exposed her shoulders.
Then he took Miss Lance's trunk. The luggage she had struggled to drag looked as light as a small gift box in his hands.
He was truly like a shadow. He walked three steps behind her all the time, and didn't say a word. He quietly called for a carriage and loaded the luggage. He lowered the footstool so she could get into the carriage seat, and he sat on the cold driver's seat himself.
When they arrived at the train station, he bought the tickets, moved the luggage, and guided her to her seat. Then he sat in the seat across the aisle and left her alone.
Although she was in a daze, Miss Lance was aware of Mr. Fairfax's consideration. She was just a slightly close lady to him, but he took care of her this much. Men call themselves gentlemen all the time, but there wouldn't be five real gentlemen like William Fairfax even if you searched all of England.
Miss Lance felt grateful to him, and she knew she had to express it. But now she was so tired and depressed, and she was overwhelmed with sadness that she couldn't do anything. And above all, she was so ashamed.
Until she got on the train, Miss Lance denied reality. She thought she had misheard. That everything was a misunderstanding, or that he was hiding his feelings.
But the reality she had confirmed with her own two ears prevented her from rationalizing it.
'Don't be ridiculous. Why should I marry a woman I have no interest in when I have a woman I truly love? Without Miss Pendleton, marriage means nothing to me!'
That cold, ruthless voice.
'Ah, he didn't love me!'
Miss Lance had cried and cried again in the carriage earlier. By the time she arrived at the train station, she had cried so much that she couldn't even step off the carriage onto the footstool without help.
The train puffed steam and left the station. Miss Lance looked out the window with bloodshot eyes and a swollen face. The scenery she had looked forward to a few days ago was bidding her farewell, soaked in moonlight.
As the sadness and tears subsided to some extent, Miss Lance, who was reasonably bright and aware for her age, began to think straight.
'Why did I make such a mistake?'
When she thought about it, he hadn't exactly courted her. It was just the kindness that a gentleman shows to a lady in society, nothing more and nothing less. But she firmly believed that he had fallen in love with this Dora Lance. Why?
She traced back her memories. She carefully examined the detailed situations and circumstances as objectively as possible.
And as the train was about to cross the border of Yorkshire, she faced the truth.
'Because people around me were saying that Ian Dalton had fallen for me. And... I wanted to believe it too.'
Her face turned as red as a tomato. She felt so pathetic that she wanted to kick herself.
'I'm an idiot. A fool. How could I have been fooled by other people's words and made such a ridiculous mistake? Mr. Dalton had no interest in me from the beginning. He never asked me to waltz, he never gave me gifts, and he never made any flirtatious advances that crossed the line. Ah, what am I going to do now? Everyone in London firmly believes that I'm in a relationship with Mr. Dalton!'
She wanted to open the train window wide and throw herself out. But Mr. Fairfax wouldn't let her. He must have offered to accompany her because he was afraid she would do something like that.
'Ah, if I had been a little more aware, things wouldn't have turned out this way. I could have stopped the kids from talking about me and Mr. Dalton, and I could have kept him away so as not to be misunderstood by the people around me. If my mother hadn't given me false hope, or if there had been even one person to give me the right advice...'
At that moment, someone came to Miss Lance's mind. The only person who had indirectly advised her to be careful about the rumors with Mr. Dalton.
