Chapter 41
Chapter 41.
“She’s my husband’s younger sister.”
Vanessa, who immediately understood why Isabelle was by Agatha’s side, greeted her with a bright smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Aratus. Now that you’ve become family with Lady Agatha, I imagine we’ll be seeing each other often. May I call you by your first name?”
“Of course. In fact, I was hoping to ask the same of you.”
Vanessa Beatrix, along with Duchess Kate Eblain, was one of Agatha’s closest confidantes and a prominent socialite who, despite not being much older than Isabelle, commanded her own influence.
While many young ladies from various families had been invited, these two alone would be sufficient to help Isabelle with her social activities and establish a good network.
Agatha, who had also helped Duchess Kate Eblain make introductions, welcomed the ladies.
From Marchioness Iris Domunia and Agatha’s closest confidantes and their subordinates, to those from the neutral faction.
The guests’ attention was undoubtedly drawn to the Aratus mansion, which had been completed with its renovations.
“Indeed. His Majesty lent you artisans from the Imperial Family, and even the small decorations feel delicate and exquisite.”
“The garden is also beautifully landscaped. Lady Agatha, you directed this as well, didn’t you?”
“Isabelle and I put in a lot of effort. Lady Isabelle also provided a great deal of help in decorating the garden today.”
“Oh my.”
Various other topics were discussed, from the tea and desserts, to the latest social news, and the upcoming late summer performance.
Taking a sip of tea, Lady Iris smiled and fanned herself.
“Oh, speaking of which, the Abrum Orchestra, which Lady Agatha is sponsoring again this year, is having its debut performance at Armand Hall, isn’t it?”
“I heard the news. It’s amazing that Lady Agatha is the patron of one of the most acclaimed orchestras in the capital every year.”
“As expected, a foreseen outcome. Will you be attending, my dear? Will you be going with your husband?”
Agatha smiled and nodded.
“Of course. I hope to see many of you there then.”
“We absolutely must go. It’s the Abrum Orchestra’s debut performance. My ears will be delighted after a long time.”
Time flew by quickly. As Agatha entrusted the conclusion of the tea party to Isabelle, the second hostess, she subtly stepped aside.
The butler, Ben, quietly approached and whispered.
“Madam.”
Agatha nodded slightly, signaling him to speak, and a smile appeared on the old butler’s lips.
“The master has arrived.”
“He has?”
Turning her head, Agatha saw a man with a familiar build appear across the corridor.
The moment their eyes met.
Agatha felt a surge of emotion, covering her face with her fan and lowering her gaze. Her heart was a mess of joy, sorrow, and anxiety.
“Brother!”
Isabelle, who was surrounded by guests and experiencing the first salon’s adjustments, reacted first, smiling brightly.
Enoch, who had paused, approached Isabelle and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s been a while, Isabelle.”
“Excuse me, everyone. This is my brother, Marquis Enoch Aratus.”
At Isabelle’s dignified introduction, the nobles smiled and greeted Enoch.
“It’s been a while, Marquis Aratus. Have you come for today’s tea party?”
“He might have come to see Lady Agatha. You two are newlyweds, after all.”
As Agatha, who had quickly composed herself, was about to interject with a smile, a low voice cut through the garden.
“As you just guessed, I have indeed come to see my wife. If you’ll excuse us, may I borrow her for a moment?”
“Oh my!”
The fans of the ladies and young ladies fluttered even faster. Agatha, who had been momentarily stunned, smiled and extended her hand to Enoch.
“So it seems. Everyone, I’ll be back after a short stroll. Isabelle, may I entrust the rest of the salon to you?”
“Of course. Leave it to me.”
Enoch naturally took her hand.
Amidst the hushed gasps of the nobles, Agatha walked towards the garden across the corridor.
‘Why has he come?’
She was happy to see him, though uninvited, but also felt a flicker of anxiety that the man she had been avoiding had suddenly appeared.
Usually, this happened after something had been decided.
“Agatha.”
At the familiar address, her fingertips twitched.
Agatha lowered her gaze, trying to hide her turbulent emotions.
“What brings you here?”
“My aide informed me that a tea party was being held at the Aratus mansion today. I thought it might be appropriate to show my face, as this is the first salon you’ve hosted here.”
“……”
“I wanted to ask if I could escort you to the upcoming debut performance of the Abrum Orchestra.”
His low voice cruelly pierced her eardrums. Agatha raised her trembling eyelashes.
A calm gaze.
His dark, ashen eyes stared at her without wavering.
Agatha’s face contorted slightly.
‘So this is this man’s answer.’
To return to the same relationship as before, as if nothing had happened.
Exhaling a shaky breath, Agatha smiled and tightly gripped the fan in her other hand.
“I see. That’s good. My close maids were worried you might not accompany me.”
The man, whose gaze had dropped, then lifted, his lips moved slightly.
“There’s no way I would let you go alone, is there?”
“I know. But I’m relieved. I was contemplating whether I should ask you to accompany me through the butler.”
Agatha opened her fan with a snap, hiding her face, and took a step back from him. It was difficult to control her expression.
Suddenly, the image of him during their honeymoon flashed through her mind.
—To His Majesty, who said he coveted my wife in public.
—I will gladly cross swords with you.
She had smiled coldly at Fernand’s machinations and kissed her wedding ring.
—I misspoke.
He was the man who had shaken her heart, saying the existence of her ex-husband was no longer acceptable.
And now, at this late hour.
‘I shouldn’t have confessed.’
Agatha regretted it then. She shouldn’t have let her emotions get the better of her, swept away by the mere appearance of her former fiancée.
She felt like crying. If she stayed any longer, she felt she might lash out at the man before her.
“Alright. Then I’ll consider it settled that we’re going to the performance together.”
The man, who had lowered himself, met her gaze and attempted to converse.
“Agatha. I did not mean it as a rejection.”
“I know. You don’t dislike me, but you don’t like me either, do you?”
“Agatha.”
“Please leave now.”
“……”
“Once I’ve calmed down a bit, I’ll make my decision.”
At that, a crack appeared on the man’s face, which had been silent until then.
“What decision?”
“When I’ve finished thinking, I’ll come to see you. Until then, let’s continue as we are. Let’s act and accompany each other when necessary.”
Like a marriage of convenience.
His face, having read the hidden meaning, visibly hardened.
After a long silence, the man opened his lips.
“Will it take long?”
She didn’t know. This was Agatha’s first time experiencing such a thing.
It had been difficult when she realized he was avoiding her, but now that a conclusion had been reached, it felt even more maddening.
Would she, like the nobles in society’s love stories, end up clinging to Enoch?
She knew there was nothing more ridiculous than clinging to someone who didn’t care for you, but.
‘When proposing marriage, perhaps I should have mentioned love, not just respect as a wife.’
Agatha let out a small laugh at the absurd thought. She must have gone mad.
To have such regrets now.
“……I don’t know. You were my first, after all.”
A faint sound of a breath being drawn in came from above her head. Agatha smiled bitterly.
“It’s good that I don’t have to avoid you anymore. Please continue to take good care of me so that rumors of discord don’t arise, Enoch.”
“Agatha.”
“I should go now. Although I’ve left it to Isabelle, it’s her first salon, so she’ll likely face many difficulties.”
Agatha bowed her head slightly and turned away. She knew he had raised his hand and then slowly lowered it, but she didn’t look back.
Her back straight, her chin held high.
She crossed the garden like that, but her heart was in tatters.
Her perceptive lady’s maids and the First Commander, Leon Takran, who had kept a respectful distance, followed her with worried expressions, but she ignored them.
Agatha crossed the corridor and moved to the garden, smiling brightly.
Isabelle and the other nobles were welcoming her.
Visitors were only permitted to view the first floor of the Aratus mansion in the capital.
However, they were not prevented from looking outside through the windows.
Although they could not step into the garden, gazes from the first floor of the main residence were fixed on them.
The lady’s gaze was fixed on the man who remained in his spot for a long time after Agatha had left.
The lady standing by the corridor window had dark hair with a greenish hue and eyes that resembled a blue sea.
As the lady’s steps lingered by the window, those accompanying her on the tour of the mansion approached her.
“Lady Esther. What is out there?”
“What are you looking at? Ah! Isn’t that Marquis Aratus?”
“It seems so. He must have come to see Marchioness Aratus.”
“Oh, my goodness! He seems to be leaving now. What a shame. If we had arrived just a little later, we could have naturally greeted the Marquis.”
