Chapter 20
~Chapter 20~
Harriet spoke first.
Cedric looked her over slowly, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Her attire was utterly unlike that of a noblewoman. Only when Harriet’s patience was on the verge of running out did Cedric finally speak.
「I heard the news.」
「What news?」
She asked even though she already knew.
Instead of answering directly, Cedric changed the subject entirely.
「It wasn’t my intention, but I feel some responsibility for what happened. So if you want to become a nun, I’m willing to cover your seminary tuition and living expenses.」
「Pardon?」
「If you want to live as an ordinary person instead, I’ll give you a settlement sum. Enough to help you start a new life.」
Harriet stared at Cedric in a daze at the unexpected offer. He didn’t seem to be mocking or toying with her, but it was still hard to believe. So she asked again.
「Are you serious?」
「Do people joke about things like this?」
「Yes.」
My uncle was exactly like that.
Harriet swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of her tongue, but Cedric seemed to notice the flicker of frustration on her face. He quickly regained his composure.
「I’m not joking. But there is a condition.」
Of course there is. There was no way there wouldn’t be. But the condition wasn’t much of one.
「Just don’t mention my name anywhere else. Including the commotion from the last time we met.」
「Ah.」
Harriet nodded blankly before bursting into a small laugh.
「Is that what you were worried about? That I might go around badmouthing you?」
Cedric’s brows furrowed slightly as he narrowed his eyes, but Harriet wasn’t scared at all.
She knew she should be more careful, considering she might have to return to Genoa soon. But after learning the truth about her parents’ deaths recently, she felt reckless, like someone with nothing left to lose.
「Thank you for the offer, but I’ll decline. Oh, and don’t worry. I won’t do anything to tarnish your reputation. I won’t say a word about you.」
「……Did the condition offend you?」
「It wasn’t pleasant, but that’s not the only reason I’m refusing.」
The smile faded from Harriet’s lips.
「I’m not going to become a nun. Why should I do that for someone else’s sake? No, I’m going back, and I will definitely……」
She clenched her fists tightly. But she didn’t carelessly spit out the word “revenge.” She couldn’t trust the man in front of her, after all.
As she gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her rising anger, Cedric asked, 「Even if you go back to Genoa, you’ll need money to settle down.」
「I’ll manage somehow with what I have now.」
「Miss,」 Cedric sighed.
「Asserting your pride at a time like this isn’t a wise choice.」
Those words set fire to Harriet’s eyes.
「I’ve lived without pride until now. And this is the result. So this time, just once, I’m going to hold on to it. Why? Does it look ridiculous to you?」
Cedric stared at her with a hardened expression for a long while, and Harriet met his gaze without backing down. In the end, Cedric was the one who looked away first.
「I had no intention of wounding your pride. If you’re that stubborn, I can’t force you.」
He rose from his seat as if his business at St. Clarissa Convent was now finished.
After Cedric left, Harriet returned to her room and pulled the blanket over her head all the way. Not because she wanted to cry, but simply because she was cold.
Thanks to the worn socks someone had given her, her hands weren’t freezing, but she still lacked warm clothes.
「If they’d brought a scarf or gloves, I would’ve accepted without a second thought.」
Harriet grumbled as she wrapped the blanket tightly around herself. She’d started out boldly in front of the duke, but in truth, her situation was dire. For even someone who had looked down on her to come offering charity—what did that say?
’Harriet Listerwell is done for’ must be common knowledge by now.
Harriet decided to write a letter to “that person” requesting guardianship.
’I met her once as a child… I wonder if she’ll remember me?’
The person Harriet had agonized over for days before deciding to contact was Countess Trisha Pellan. She was the iron-willed woman who ruled the Pellan family alone and Harriet’s great-aunt.
Whether because her husband’s health had been poor or because children were rare in the Pellan family, the couple had no heirs, and her husband had passed away more than ten years ago.
In the old days, the title would have gone to the nearest male relative right after the husband’s death. But nowadays, there were cases where the wife was granted control of the family after her husband’s passing, ruling as head until an heir was decided. Trisha was one such case.
’Having no family around means I only need to convince Great-Aunt Trisha.’
It would be far easier to persuade one person than an entire household. But the problem was that Trisha was infamous for her difficult personality.
Rumor had it that after losing her husband, she had grown increasingly autocratic and arrogant, slamming the door in the faces of visitors who’d traveled far if they didn’t please her. She was also known for her capriciousness and sharp tongue.
’She might burn the letter as soon as she sees my name.’
Even so, the reason Harriet decided to reach out to her first was a vague memory from long ago.
「Hello, I’m Harriet Listerwell. I’m so happy to meet you, Great-Aunt.」
「Good heavens! Arthur, you rascal! Why did you only introduce me to such a lovely child now? Look at those sparkling eyes. She’s surely a clever one.」
When they first met, Trisha had been far kinder than Harriet expected. In fact, that was almost all Harriet remembered of her, but now she had to cling to that single memory.
Harriet sat up in bed with the blanket still around her and settled at the desk. Stationery and a pen she’d prepared the day before awaited her. Deciding to write the letter had been hard, but putting it to paper was easy.
’Dearest… Great-Aunt Trisha…’
Harriet took care to write as neatly as possible. She couldn’t give any excuse for criticism over something trivial like handwriting.
She began with a polite greeting, expressed concern for her great-aunt in her mid-sixties, and mentioned their meeting long ago to jog Trisha’s memory.
But Harriet knew dragging it out too long might make it seem like she was trying to deceive her. So she got straight to the point.
’…I’ve heard rumors about me spreading in Genoa high society. If you, wise Great-Aunt, have heard them, you may already guess why I’m writing. To be direct: Great-Aunt, would you be my guardian? Two years would be enough…’
She assured her great-aunt that she wouldn’t be a burden. All Harriet needed was food, shelter, and a way back into society. Trisha wouldn’t have to do anything special for her.
Of course, the request itself might leave a bad impression.
’For a niece whose reputation has hit rock bottom due to scandal to suddenly send a letter like this… A normal person would be appalled.’
Or perhaps she’d take pity. Either way, a reply would come soon.
’If Great-Aunt Trisha refuses, I’ll write to Uncle Jeremy and Uncle Daniel next. If even they turn me down, I’ll contact my maternal relatives.’
Her uncles were likely to refuse out of deference to Uncle John. Her maternal side was too distant to hold much hope, but trying was better than nothing.
’I just hope some soft-hearted relative will help, even reluctantly.’
Thinking of relatives whose names were barely familiar made Harriet newly aware of how pathetic her situation was. For a moment, she wondered if she should have swallowed her pride and accepted Cedric’s offer. But she shook her head.
’If I took that money, I could never hold my head up in front of him again.’
She never wanted to live bowing her head to anyone again. She’d had enough of always submitting to her uncle, who had promised a dowry while despising her.
’Some way will come up. If everyone refuses… I’ll go to them in person and beg if I have to.’
Harriet folded the letter, slipped it into an envelope, and sealed it. She vowed not to hesitate at any means, even camping out in front of someone’s house for days. Tomorrow was the day the mail coach came, perfect timing to send it.
The bustling, lively atmosphere of festival week continued through the first week of the new year. During this time, people visited relatives, held small gatherings with friends, and exchanged cards and letters to check on each other’s well-being. The post office was especially busy sorting the holiday mail.
At Pellan Mansion, butler Andre was sorting the bundle of letters delivered by the postman, deciding which to present to his mistress and which to handle himself.
「There are so many letters. Does Madam read them all?」 a maid cleaning nearby asked.
