The Mansion Awaits Spring
Chapter 80
The news of April’s arrest spread through high society in an instant.
The word eventually reached April’s uncle, Jeff Morrow, and finally succeeded in drawing him out of his house.
As the doors of the Morrow manor opened, Jeff paused on the steps. His wife, Eleanor Morrow, did not rush him. The mere fact that he had stepped outside was enough to move her to tears.
For the first time in seven years, Jeff had cut his hair and even shaved his beard.
It was only after he had dressed in formal attire to visit the Grand Ducal Residence that Eleanor realized her husband’s face hadn’t changed much from the old days.
She had been grumbling that she was the only one becoming an old woman because her own hair had turned snowy white.
Eleanor chided Jeff as he struggled to walk, leaning unsteadily on his cane.
“What’s the point of shaving? Your body is still that of an old man.”
“If you give me just a month, I’ll quickly… well, I won’t be able to build muscle, but I will recover my health.”
Jeff spoke firmly as he braced himself and made his way down the stairs.
Eleanor glanced at his face and clicked her tongue, dissatisfied.
Rumors had reached as far as the Empire that the men of the Runos family were exceptionally handsome.
When she had actually attended a party in the Grand Duchy, she found the rumors were no exaggeration. While others coveted the Head of the Runos family, Eleanor had been drawn to the second son, Jeff Runos, from the very beginning.
His somewhat frail-looking nature might have been a flaw to others, but to Eleanor, it was his charm.
Still, there had been many rivals. She had gone through much to claim this man for herself, and the thought of him venturing out into the Grand Duchy again rankled her.
She didn’t want to be blunt and say, ’There are too many women there.’
As Eleanor sat in a pout after they managed to board the carriage, Jeff stole glances at her face before speaking.
“Elly, I’m sorry.”
“What are you suddenly sorry for?”
“Just… everything.”
With that, he carefully took Eleanor’s hand.
Eleanor felt her heart soften instantly at his touch, but she kept her expression firm, refusing to show it.
For seven years, he had shut himself in his study with his mouth sewn shut, breaking her heart. Since his silence was caused by his brother, it was only natural that it was his niece who made him open his mouth again, but Eleanor still felt hurt.
She even harbored a lingering doubt that back when they had promised to marry, he had only accepted her because she was the only one who loved him so much.
While the carriage headed toward the Grand Duchy, Jeff, who had been holding Eleanor’s hand tightly, suddenly gave a bright smile and pointed toward the street they were passing.
“Elly, do you remember this place?”
At his words, Eleanor looked out. They were passing the flowering tree-lined path that anyone in the nobility looking for a partner would have visited at least once.
Since the Grand Duchy was the warmest region on the Right Island, flowers that bloomed in spring on other islands would appear here toward the end of the season.
There were days when the trees on this path were in full bloom. The spring of the Grand Duchy was short, which made it all the more beautiful.
Jeff spoke.
“I’m telling you this now… but I was actually pretending to read a book.”
Eleanor whipped her head toward Jeff at his confession.
Smiling at her once more, Jeff continued.
“I was so shy I couldn’t even speak to the lady I liked… so I sat on a bench and made a show of reading.”
The scowl on Eleanor’s face at the mention of ‘the lady I liked’ vanished instantly at Jeff’s next words.
“But suddenly, the lady I liked came and sat down next to me. Since I was only pretending to read, I didn’t know a single thing about the contents, so I was so flustered when she asked me what I was reading….”
“You hadn’t read that book?”
“No, it was a college textbook, and not a single word registered.”
Jeff tucked a strand of Eleanor’s hair behind her ear as he went on.
“I haven’t had the chance to tell you how grateful I am that you gave me a chance.”
“…….”
“Thank you.”
Eleanor stared at him in silence, then said with a surge of emotion:
“You should say things like that while hugging me!”
“May I?”
“Don’t even ask!”
Jeff pulled the fuming Eleanor into a one-armed embrace and cupped her face with his other hand. Then, burying his face in her neck, he murmured.
“I felt sorry toward you, but more than that, I felt I had grown too old on my own. I was afraid you’d find me distasteful.”
Eleanor replied, exasperated by his words.
“The day I find you distasteful will not come until the day I die.”
At Eleanor’s words, Jeff smiled, momentarily forgetting his worries about his niece. Eleanor’s expression, however, turned dark.
Jeff held Eleanor’s hand with one hand and a sword in the other.
In an age where guns were replacing swords, a sword was more of a symbol than a weapon. His bringing the sword was a declaration of his resolve to protect his niece at the very least.
Eleanor hated that this gentle man had to steel himself like this, but it was purely out of her love for him; ultimately, she supported her husband.
The Morrows of Lhasa were also an ancient family, much like the Runos. To them, family naturally came before love.
Soon, the carriage came to a stop at the Grand Ducal Residence.
Noblewomen who hadn’t seen Eleanor in a long time forgot their decorum and came running.
“Eleanor!”
Because Jeff had been holed up in his study, Eleanor had also distanced herself from social circles. There was also the fact that she had to work.
After confirming that Eleanor had gone off with her friends to play bridge, Jeff headed toward the rear garden where Grand Duke Miller Dieus was.
Miller was in a pavilion in the garden, speaking with his maternal uncle, Devin Meyer, the Police Commissioner of the Grand Duchy.
As if they were discussing something sensitive, the guards blocked his path.
“His Grace the Grand Duke has ordered that no one be admitted.”
“Step aside.”
The knight of the guard looked at the sword Jeff was wearing.
Jeff was prepared to engage in a duel right then and there if necessary. Of course, a forty-year-old man who hadn’t moved for seven years could never defeat a young man of the guards. However, even a minor injury to him would lead to a significant problem.
Even if the Runos family had fallen, they were still a prestigious house, and furthermore, his wife was an Imperial noble.
As the guards hesitated, unsure of what to do, Miller eventually signaled for them to open the path after sending Devin away first.
Jeff, walking unsteadily due to his long period of inactivity, came to stand before Miller.
Miller offered a conscious smile.
“Please, have a seat.”
“No need. I won’t be staying long.”
“It has been a long time.”
“Are you in the mood for greetings?”
Jeff’s voice trembled with rage.
Miller poured a cup of tea from the pot a servant had brought and pushed it toward him. He knew Jeff wouldn’t drink it, but the act of pouring the tea was more important than the result.
“I know you’ve come because of April. I am looking into it bit by bit, so do not worry too much.”
“How can I believe that? The Head of the Runos family was dragged away and executed like that, and now I don’t even know the whereabouts of my niece who barely survived. How can you tell me to wait while you ‘look into it’ bit by bit!”
“Was it not a crime to try to kill me and my wife back then? And is it not a crime to use a massive amount of gas without compensation?”
“A crime? After you overturned everything the Imperial Police had already investigated and framed her, you call it a crime?”
“The police say so, so what am I to do?”
“Are you not even ashamed?”
Miller let out a low sigh and lifted his head.
He looked directly into Jeff’s eyes, which were burning with the characteristic fire of the Runos family.
“Yes, I am not ashamed.”
“Your Grace!”
“I do not believe anything I have done regarding April Runos was excessive.”
Miller continued, staring at Jeff with clear eyes.
“Did I ask for much? All I wanted was to be with the person I loved. Whose choice was it to refuse that and fall into ruin?”
Jeff stood frozen for a moment, stunned by Miller’s words.
After a moment, he straightened his posture from where he had been leaning against the table.
Miller was inwardly surprised that Jeff Morrow, who had been in hiding for so long, could radiate such intense fury.
Then, Jeff opened his mouth.
“There is… something I know.”
