Chapter 21
Rosalyn found these clear signs of a proposal suspicious until the very end. Nevertheless, she composed her racing heart and offered a polite smile. She still couldn’t be certain of the Duke’s true intentions.
“Yes, Father, of course. Well then, shall we step out before the sun sinks any lower, Your Grace?”
Only after she asked with the gracious manner of a hostess did the Duke turn his head to look at her.
“Very well, Miss Fairfield.”
Their eyes met for only a fleeting moment—not nearly long enough for her to read the intent behind his gaze. He stood without delay, and Rosalyn had no choice but to follow suit.
The thicket was silent. Since the woods were part of the viscountcy’s private estate and fenced off, there wasn’t a soul in sight. It was a place where one could usually stroll in peace, but today, she resented that tranquility. Because everything was so still, there was no way to fill the awkwardness of being alone with this man.
Rosalyn walked slowly along the trail. She kept a distance of about two paces from the Duke, who walked on her left. He kept pace with her like a gentleman, but he made no effort to soothe the lady’s awkwardness.
The pattern repeated three or four times: Rosalyn would point out a stream, a tree, or a rock to start a conversation, and the Duke would give a brief reply. He did not engage enthusiastically with any topic.
Then, at some point, he spoke up abruptly.
“I would like the wedding to be held soon.”
It was truly sudden, a statement that burst forth without warning.
“I was hoping for the 27th of next month.”
The Duke stopped walking as he added those words. Rosalyn was forced to stop as well. She was so startled that a foolish response slipped out.
“Are you speaking to me right now?”
“Who else is here besides the two of us?”
The man did not even smile as he asked back. It was impossible to tell if his stiff expression was due to a lack of emotion or nerves. What was certain was the fact that he was proposing to her right now.
As the reality finally set in, her heart began to hammer wildly. Rosalyn couldn’t say a word. It wasn’t out of joy, but confusion. Then, she was struck by a second wave of surprise at the fact that she wasn’t happy. Why wasn’t she happy? This was the moment she was receiving a proposal from the Duke of Windberg.
So she just stared blankly at his face. Her mind had gone white, and she didn’t know what to say. The Duke, looking down at her intently, seemed to interpret her reaction a bit differently.
“I am more surprised that you are this shocked. Did you truly not expect that my purpose for coming here today was to discuss marriage?”
He tilted his head slightly. Rosalyn swallowed hard and tried to remain calm. They were about to have a very important conversation.
“It’s not that the thought never crossed my mind, but… it was just a bit sudden.”
“Sudden, you say. I assumed Miss Fairfield naturally expected this situation. You attended the ball I hosted, and you accepted my mother’s invitation to a tea party. Surely you won’t claim you didn’t know we were looking for a lady to become the Duchess.”
The Duke’s words were somewhat cynical, but he wasn’t wrong. Rosalyn had known everything, from the purpose of the ball to the meaning of this walk. Even while thinking the position of Duchess was beyond her station, she had dreamed of it. She had certainly dreamed of a marriage with this man.
And yet, why wasn’t she happy right now?
“Did you not want to marry me, Miss Fairfield?”
The Duke asked. The excessively blunt question pierced through Rosalyn.
“Viscount Andover seemed like a good father. Unless he is the type of man who threatens his daughter behind closed doors and forced you to follow his will, I thought it only natural to assume that Miss Fairfield also desired this marriage. If I am wrong, please let me know.”
His businesslike tone wasn’t necessarily accusatory. Rather, it was so devoid of emotion that it felt utterly dry. Listening to him, Rosalyn recalled the fact that he had originally been a lawyer. Did this man always speak so coldly?
“If by any chance you do not want marriage itself, I will respect that. There must be a reason why you have rejected all your suitors until now.”
“…I don’t recall ever mentioning such a thing, but you seem to know a lot about me.”
“I could hardly decide on a Duchess without investigating that much. I hope you aren’t offended; it simply means I am taking this proposal very seriously.”
The Duke acted as if it were only natural. He was certain his proposal wouldn’t be rejected. That confidence was rooted in fact, and so Rosalyn was forced to remember once again that the power of choice lay with him.
After all, she was just one of the many women who had filled the ballroom that day, one of the candidates waiting to be chosen by him.
Thus, Rosalyn couldn’t help but ask.
“Why me?”
If he took this marriage so seriously, if he had chosen her over all those illustrious candidates, and if he had decided so carefully that he even investigated her background, she wanted to hear the reason. Why, of all people, her?
“As you know, I am not the daughter of a great family, nor is my father in a position to provide a massive dowry.”
“I am not a man who needs help from his in-laws. I am certainly not in a position where I must pick a wife based on her dowry.”
“Of course, I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t quite understand why you chose me, Your Grace. Forgive me.”
The Duke fell silent. Rosalyn watched as those green eyes, which had been fixed on hers, shifted slightly downward. She watched him look into the air as if in thought before returning his gaze to her. She tried to read something—anything—from the movement of his eyes and his firm lips.
“I understand. You are asking me to give a more plausible proposal speech.”
The Duke gave a faint smile. And for the first time, Rosalyn caught a glimpse of his emotions. What flickered within that bitter smile was cynicism, and it scraped against her heart.
“Would it be sufficient to say it is because Miss Fairfield is a beauty?”
The man laughed as he spoke. It was as if he were giving alms. His face, finally revealing emotion, was cold, arrogant, and held a hint of mockery. Rosalyn felt a sudden surge of resentment.
“I am grateful that you think highly of my appearance, but I don’t believe that can be the reason for choosing a spouse.”
“And why is that?”
“Appearance is like clothing. It is enough if it is respectable. I don’t think anyone wants to marry a fine set of clothes. Unless, of course, they have vulgar tastes.”
“It seems Miss Fairfield has never had to deal with someone whose appearance was ‘disrespectful.’”
The Duke’s cynicism deepened. Rosalyn was left speechless by his blatantly dismissive attitude. It was clearly a sarcastic remark, but she didn’t know how to fire back, so she just stared at his face in a daze.
“What is it? Does my face offend your sense of propriety?”
He asked back without a change in his expression.
Meeting his gaze, Rosalyn tried to steady her heart. The Duke seemed very displeased right now, and it would not benefit her at all to continue this kind of argument.
“You, Your Grace, are a very proper man. I’m sure most people would agree with me, so I don’t think I need to elaborate further.”
“I wasn’t looking for that kind of compliment. Nor am I interested in what people think.”
The Duke lifted his chin and corrected his posture. At some point, he had been leaning toward her. As if realizing he had momentarily lost his cool, he turned his head to look toward the stream.
After a brief pause, he turned his gaze back to her.
“Let’s be honest. Beauty is an element that cannot be ignored when it comes to maintaining the dignity of a Duchess. My mother was a beauty—well, she still is—but she benefited greatly from her looks in her youth.”
“Dowager Duchess Diane is a beautiful woman.”
“If you continue to give her such compliments, you will be a daughter-in-law who is even more beloved. My mother believes you possess the kind of beauty that would make us look like a perfect couple when you stand beside me. I happen to agree.”
Having said that much, the Duke shifted his weight to his other leg. It was a silent question asking if this wasn’t enough.
But Rosalyn had gained nothing. It felt as though many words had been exchanged, but every one of them was hollow—nothing but an empty tug-of-war. The Duke seemed to be of the same mind.
“If my proposal is still insufficient, then I’m afraid this is not the right time to bring out a ring.”
