Chapter 14
Knock, knock.
Someone came looking for him just as he was resting his eyes, staring out the window. He had given instructions not to be disturbed unless it was something special. Hoping it wasn’t bad news, Jered turned his head toward the door. He expected one of his attendants, but to his surprise, it was Stirling, the head butler.
“Forgive the intrusion, Your Grace.”
“What is it?”
“The Dowager Duchess requests your presence for a moment.”
Jered nearly scowled but maintained a dignified expression. He quickly assessed the situation. His mother was currently having tea with the applicants, and she had sent someone to force him into that seat. He had clearly stated he would not attend.
He wanted to refuse, but he lacked a proper excuse. Nor did he wish to cause his mother to lose face or create conflict over such a trivial matter. Thus, skillfully suppressing his irritation, he asked the butler with a smooth face.
“Where is my mother?”
“She is at the Mermaid Fountain.”
“With the guests, I presume.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
He rose from his chair, donned the coat hanging on the rack, and left the study through the door the butler held open.
The Mermaid Fountain was located in the rear garden behind the main building. In the North, where Windberg was situated, winters were long; the first snow usually fell in late October, and heavy blizzards often continued through March. Due to this climate, plants remained sparse for half the year, so the front of the mansion was kept neat with a wide lawn and a few evergreens.
In contrast, the rear garden was lavishly decorated. A masterpiece of the gardeners’ skill, the back garden was filled with flowers every spring and summer. Since childhood, Jered had been more interested in guns than flowers, as was common for boys, and his two older brothers were much the same, so they rarely spent time in the rear garden.
However, the noblewomen and their daughters who visited were always enchanted by it. It was understandable why his mother always chose the rear garden as the venue for her tea parties.
Jered cast his gaze toward the Mermaid Fountain in the distance. Water cascaded down beneath a semi-nude mermaid statue. Beneath a canopy set up nearby, several women sat around a table. They were surrounded by blooms in shades of white and pink—flowers whose names he didn’t know, as he only recognized roses and lilies.
“Oh, Jered. You’ve come.”
As Diane Glenn brightened at his arrival, the women turned in unison and rose gracefully from their seats. Jered approached them and bowed like a gentleman.
Six women curtsied in response. Among them, he recognized the face of Princess Josephine and swallowed a sigh.
‘It’s a good idea, but please exclude the Princess.’
My dear mother. What kind of scheme is this now?
“I happened to run into Princess Josephine. Since our party became seven, we needed one more person. We’ll be taking a stroll in pairs soon, you see.”
“I see.”
“I heard you were in your study and called for you. I’m glad you could join us.”
“Of course.”
After a smooth reply, Jered sat in the empty chair to his mother’s right. It was the seat next to Josephine.
“I was looking around on my own when the Dowager Duchess was kind enough to include me. I hope I haven’t made things uncomfortable for everyone.”
“Not at all, Miss Hayes. Don’t give it another thought.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Your Grace. By the way, the peonies are truly beautiful. The fragrance is so wonderful that I could hardly bring myself to leave this spot.”
Peonies. So that was the name of those flowers. Jered nodded as if he had known all along.
“I am glad my garden could bring a lady such joy.”
“The Duke has no interest in flowers. I doubt he can even tell a tulip from a daffodil.”
“I can certainly distinguish a rose from a lily, Mother.”
“How scholarly of you!”
The women laughed at Diane Glenn’s exaggerated admiration. Jered picked up his teacup, which a maid had just filled, with a smile. Since he was already on stage, he had to play his part.
The affectionate son, the thoughtful host, the perfect Duke.
The women gathered around the table were the same. They, too, were working hard to fulfill their roles.
The elegant lady, the polite guest, the perfect bride-to-be.
Jered took a sip of the tea, which was at just the right temperature, and looked aimlessly over the rim of his cup. His eyes met those of the woman sitting opposite him.
Gray eyes.
The moment their gazes locked, her face came vividly to mind. Though he thought he hadn’t remembered her at all, the face he saw now overlapped exactly with the one in his memory.
Rosalyn Eleanor Fairfield.
Setting aside the name that immediately surfaced, Jered searched his memory. Her father’s rank was Viscount. What was the name of the estate? He soon recalled the proper title to address her.
The young lady of Andover was wearing a cream-colored dress today. A cameo brooch pinned to a lace collar that reached up to her neck caught his eye. Decorated with pearls along the edge, it was an accessory perfectly suited for a noble daughter.
Cameos and pearls.
Elegant, and tedious.
“Now that I think about it, Miss Fairfield’s name means ‘rose,’ doesn’t it?”
At the Dowager Duchess’s words, the woman turned her gaze. Only then did Jered realize their eye contact had lasted quite a while. He naturally set down the teacup he had held to his lips for longer than necessary.
“Do you like roses, Miss Roselyn?”
“Of course, Your Grace. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like roses, but if you have such an experience, please do tell me.”
“That would certainly be a rare experience.”
Diane Glenn nodded with a laugh. She seemed to like the young lady’s polite yet bold answer. She’s earned some points. Jered felt a faint sense of aversion and pulled back the corners of his mouth.
“Wouldn’t the Duke be one of those rare people? Since he said he has no interest in flowers.”
It was Josephine who picked up the conversation. Since she had singled him out, it was Jered’s turn to respond.
“Excellent insight, Miss Hayes.”
He turned his head to meet the eyes of the Princess of Mendel sitting to his right. The eighteen-year-old woman’s face showed hints of curiosity and intelligence, and Jered felt a sense of goodwill toward that innocence.
“It is true. I do not like roses.”
“See! I was right!”
Josephine laughed aloud. Jered smiled along and turned his head back to the front. He didn’t know why he wanted to check the expression of the woman sitting across from him. Did he want to see a look of offense? Or did he want to see how well she could hide it?
As expected, the young lady of Andover was smiling gracefully. Toward that perfect poise, Jered sent a cold sneer disguised as a smile.
“To think such a rare person was right here. Miss Roselyn, from now on, you can tell people you’ve had that experience.”
“You’re right, Your Grace. Thanks to you, I have another anecdote to catch people’s attention in the social circles.”
“That is always a welcome thing. It’s an asset for life.”
The women laughed again. The atmosphere at the tea table was harmonious. Everything was bright and beautiful—the sound of the fountain, the scent of peonies, and the May sunlight filtering through the canopy.
The sound of laughter and the scent of perfume drifted through the air. Amidst it all, the scent of rose water was strangely irritating. All the women seemed happy. It appeared Jered was the only one feeling unpleasant.
The tea party proceeded smoothly. The Dowager Duchess, the host, offered cakes and cookies, and the guests enjoyed them. As the teacups began to empty one by one, a maid began to circle the table with a pot. That was when the commotion occurred.
“Oh, I am so sorry, My Lady.”
By the time Jered turned his head, everyone was already looking. A maid who had spilled tea on the dress of the young lady of Andover was at a loss. With a calm face, the young lady picked up a napkin, and instead of wiping her own clothes, she held it out to the maid.
“Is your hand alright?”
“I am fine, My Lady.”
In that moment, a very brief silence swept over the group.
“Oh, dear. I apologize on her behalf, Miss Fairfield.”
“Not at all, Your Grace. It is only tea.”
The woman continued with a face that was nothing but polite.
“May I be excused for a moment? I believe I should wash it with water to remove the stain.”
“Of course. Return to the main building and use one of the lounges on the first floor.”
“Thank you.”
“Jered. Won’t you escort the lady?”
At the Dowager Duchess’s words, the young lady of Andover looked flustered. Seeing that face where emotion briefly showed, Jered said nothing. Since a guest was inconvenienced by a servant’s mistake, it wasn’t excessive for the host to show consideration. Thus, he had to follow his mother’s suggestion.
“Certainly.”
As the Duke rose from his seat, the guests at the tea party exchanged awkward glances.
They likely wished they had spilled tea on their own clothes as well, but it was a futile hope. The servants of Maxville were not amateurs who couldn’t fill a single teacup properly. Therefore, it stood to reason that this was a planned commotion.
And so, Jered became intrigued. The person his mother had in mind.
It wasn’t the Princess, but this woman?
“Shall we go, Miss Fairfield?”
He prepared to escort the lady who had met with misfortune. He pretended not to see the reddish tea stain on her white skirt. The owner of the dress would likely be just as indifferent to its fate.
For she must be very pleased with this stroke of luck that had befallen her.
