Chapter 128
#<Episode 128>
"Mr. Fairfax, would you visit me from time to time when you have a moment? I won't take up too much of your time. I'd like to hear how Miss Pendleton is doing through you. And also, stories about Miss Hyde."
"Were you close to Miss Hyde?"
"We were only slightly acquainted during my time in society. It's a bit of a shame. If I had become friendly with her beforehand, I could have heard about her experiences as a typist or secretary. I might end up doing that kind of work someday, you know."
Mr. Fairfax smiled wryly.
"I'll tell you instead. I've heard a lot from Miss Hyde. And on my next visit, I'll be sure to bring Janet. I'll show you how awkwardly her fingers fidget on the harp strings."
"Mr. Fairfax, I must reiterate, if Janet visits me..."
Mr. Fairfax interrupted Miss Lance with a rare display of firmness.
"As Janet's guardian, I have a duty to teach her about the right way to live. It is not right to abandon friendships because circumstances are unfavorable, or to despise innocent people because of the world's misunderstandings. Miss Lance is now, and always has been, our dear friend, and we will not leave her alone and lonely."
His voice conveyed steadfast friendship and loyalty. Miss Lance was so moved that she almost teared up.
And for some reason, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart tightened.
"Thank you, Mr. Fairfax. Then please visit with Janet soon. I'll prepare croissants and cheese crackers, which Janet likes."
Mr. Fairfax smiled and kissed the back of Miss Lance's hand. It was a ritual that had occurred dozens of times between them, but for some reason, their contact had a different feeling than usual.
It was still faint, so its true nature was unknown, but with a few more meetings, glances, and a bit of honesty, it was an emotion that could bloom as splendidly as a fully opened rose.
Leaving Lance Manor, Mr. Fairfax felt as if something was pulling at his shoulder. Forcibly tearing himself away from steps that didn't want to leave, he was conscious of his strangely fluttering heart.
Today, he had discovered in a lady he had only ever considered a friend, the ideal woman he had always been looking for. A strong and mature woman he could respect.
* * *
Bath was entering late autumn faster than London.
The scent of fallen leaves was everywhere, and occasionally, freezing rain fell. People wearing cotton coats with fur collars on the lapels began to appear, and in the clothing store windows, mannequins wearing velvet shawls smiled elegantly amidst fake snowflakes made of cotton, tempting Bath's fashion-conscious tourists.
Walking down the street, Laura smiled as she looked at the dry leaves clinging to the bare branches, stubbornly enduring the occasional sharp wind.
She loved autumn. It was good weather for taking walks and reading books. She was helpless against colds, so she had to wear flannel long underwear, but that was a bearable inconvenience compared to the advantage of being able to fully enjoy the unique atmosphere of autumn.
Autumn in Bath felt similar to autumn in London. Perhaps it was because they were both cities.
'What will autumn in Yorkshire look like as it deepens?'
Laura stopped walking. And, without realizing it, she looked back.
There was no one behind her. The corners of her eyes drooped slightly.
Two months had passed since she reunited with John Ashton. Since that day, she had been on high alert whenever she went out, but she hadn't sensed Mr. Dalton at all.
She should be relieved. Being chased by someone was a scary thing. But Laura had developed a habit of looking back for no reason from time to time. And she sadly lowered her head at the fact that the person she was looking for wasn't there.
'He must have left Bath. He's too busy to stay in a resort town he has no interest in, just because of me.'
Laura quickened her pace, trying to shake off her longing for Ian.
She passed by bakeries with sweet smells and gift shops already preparing for Christmas. Turning a corner, a familiar building came into view.
Parnis Hotel.
She had visited this hotel once a week without fail for the past two months. To visit John Ashton in the hospital. At first, it was a visit done out of a sense of duty. In fact, it still was.
But to say it was forced, that wasn't quite true either.
His ribs were slow to heal. The doctor had warned him to please lie down and not move, but he kept getting out of bed.
He would sit his daughter Cecilia on his lap and rock her, or hold her hand and walk around the room, reassuring her that he wasn't very sick. Even while sweating profusely from the pain, he didn't show it to her at all.
Seeing that, Laura was reminded of her own father.
When she was a thoughtless child, Laura, who was always alone, would often crawl onto her father's lap as he was engrossed in his paintings whenever she was bored. Then her father would put down his brush without a hint of annoyance. And he would give her a piggyback ride or go out to pick flowers with her.
For a man to stop his livelihood was something that could make him irritable, and it would be especially true for an artist. But her father prioritized her above all else. He sacrificed a lot to not let his only daughter feel lonely.
Laura, the daughter of Louis Sheldon, couldn't completely hate a father who was devoted to his daughter. Even if that was John Ashton, who had betrayed her.
Laura slowly entered the hotel.
She passed through the lobby and went up the stairs. Reaching the sixth floor, Laura walked down the hallway with the familiar red carpet and stood in front of a guest room.
Knock, knock.
Soon, a servant opened the door. She walked into the room.
Entering the living room, she saw a child sitting on the sofa. Red hair neatly braided, a small frame wearing expensive custom-made clothes, and a pale face filled with elfin, cute features.
"Aunt Laura!"
The child put down the book she was reading next to her and quickly ran to Laura.
"Hello, Cecilia."
Cecilia hugged Laura tightly around the waist.
"I missed you."
Laura stroked the child's hair. The child purred happily like a contented cat, rubbing her face against her waist.
Laura smiled softly at the child's unreserved expression of affection.
Visiting once a week, Laura had become very close to Cecilia.
Laura hadn't intended to become close to Cecilia from the beginning. Laura was someone who liked children very much, but considering her and John's awkward relationship, she thought that even if she became close to Cecilia, she wouldn't be able to continue the relationship.
Cecilia always sat on a stool next to her father's bed whenever Laura came to visit. The child, with her quiet personality, would silently listen to their conversation.
One day, Cecilia grabbed Laura as she was about to leave. And she suddenly asked.
"Auntie, are you going to remarry my dad?"
Laura was horrified and vehemently denied it. But Cecilia couldn't shake her suspicion.
"My dad always said that. That he needs a stepmother, even for Cecilia's sake."
"But I'm definitely not the right person for that. Because, um... I'm not good enough to be your father's partner."
"You don't seem not good enough."
"No, I'm very not good enough. I'm actually... a huge glutton."
"A glutton?"
"Yes. Do you know someone named Erysichthon in Greek mythology? A person who was cursed to eat endlessly and eventually ate himself. I'm that kind of person. If I marry your dad, we'll all become beggars because of feeding me."
"Then why are you so thin?"
"That's also God's curse."
The child nodded as if she understood and let go of Laura. Laura somehow felt that Cecilia seemed disappointed by her answer.
When she told Mrs. Chelsea that story, the woman looked understanding.
"The child is almost always alone. She's often sick, so her nannies quit often, and she can't go outside, so she hasn't made any friends. That child must have been secretly hoping that she would get a stepmother. She didn't receive much love from her biological mother, so she wants a kind stepmother."
Only then did Laura understand. Cecilia's question of whether she would become her stepmother wasn't a question that came from wariness, but from expectation.
Laura felt sympathy for the child. Even if she hadn't particularly loved her, she had still lost her biological mother, and her father, who could be called her only friend, was lying in bed sick. She was in a very lonely situation at a young age. Just like herself in her childhood.
After that, Cecilia took a great interest in Laura. A lady who was a big eater like Erysichthon. It was enough to pique a child's interest.
The child asked Laura all sorts of questions every time she visited. How much do you eat? How often do you eat? Do you eat things that aren't food? Laura had to make up lies while sweating to satisfy the child's curiosity. Before she knew it, she had become a woman who even chewed on table legs when she was bored.
Laura was afraid that the child might tell her to eat the table in front of her, so she quickly changed the subject. She tried to get her to talk about Cecilia's interests.
The child said that she liked books and playing the piano. It was similar to Laura. The two talked about their favorite books and sheet music, and before she knew it, Laura was invited to Cecilia's room and became the only audience member at pianist Cecilia Ashton's solo recital.
Cecilia quickly fell for Aunt Laura, who was kind, pretty, and even had a mysterious curse. Laura also grew fond of the child. She was an innocent and affectionate child.
She was worried about the sadness she would have to give the child when they parted ways, but she still decided to be the child's friend. Her mother had passed away not long ago, and her beloved father was lying sick. She wanted to fill the child's heart until John Ashton got out of bed.
