Ch#38
“I don’t understand what you mean. To my knowledge, my brother had only one child.”
“There is only one child who received the Glan name. Regardless of which one received their father’s love.”
“Sister-in-law.”
“Isn’t it a pity? If that boy had been a Glan, he would be the Duke by now.”
Jerard remained silent at Veronia’s cynicism. She no longer met his eyes. It was just as uncomfortable for him to maintain eye contact as it was for her.
“Have you never thought about that, Your Grace?”
How could he not have? Jerard had, of course, thought about it. He had thought about it until he was sick to death of it. If that boy had been legitimate, if Rosie had been a boy, if even one of his two older brothers had survived. If that were the case, he wouldn’t be standing here. His life wouldn’t have been ruined like this.
But it was futile to imagine things that had already passed. There was no use in ruminating on the things he had done wrong, or the things that had gone wrong through no fault of his own. Jerard had done enough of that, and he had stopped a long time ago.
“Herald didn’t try to hide it from me. He told me before we were married that he had a lover and a son. I married him knowing all of that. Becoming the Duchess was my lifelong goal. My parents and siblings made sure I wanted it that way.”
“…….”
“But now, I resent him sometimes. I wonder why he proposed to me. He should have insisted on marrying that woman instead. Then I, Rosie, that woman, and her son would all be less miserable than we are now.”
However, Jerard knew his eldest brother would never have done that. Born as the eldest son, Herald was a man raised to become the head of the family. He was a man who knew how to separate his love for a commoner woman from his duty as the heir to the Dukedom.
‘At least you should have the marriage you want. At least one of us three brothers should.’
That was why Jerard knew his brother had supported his engagement back then.
“It worked out well for you. This marriage, I mean. I’m saying this now, but that girl was someone who didn’t suit Maxville. She would have been miserable if she had stayed here.”
Jerard’s expression didn’t change when Veronia brought that up. He wasn’t shaken. He merely gauged her intention in mentioning the topic.
“I felt sorry for you because you seemed to have closed your heart after that incident, so I’m glad you’ve finally taken a wife.”
“It’s all in the past.”
“I suppose so.”
Veronia gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod.
When his fiancée had come to Maxville three years ago, it was Veronia who had welcomed her. She had been acting as the temporary mistress of Maxville, having just become a widow. Back then, Jerard had naturally assumed his sister-in-law would stay here with her daughter. If she had, he would have gladly looked after them both.
“The bride is beautiful. You two look good together.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope to hear good news soon.”
“Everyone has been offering such well-wishes.”
“I am praying for it sincerely. Mother will only let go of Rosie once she has other grandchildren.”
“How strategic of you.”
“So please, be faithful to your duties, Duke of Windburg.”
Jerard looked at her without responding. His mouth tightened at the unwelcome topic. Unexpectedly, he was unsettled, and the moment he realized it, his nerves felt sharply on edge.
“He at least had a younger brother, but you don’t even have that. Come to think of it, the new Duchess is in a better position than I was. She has no reason to trust her husband at all.”
Veronia smiled. Jerard immediately understood the underlying meaning. Herald had intended to pass the title to his second brother, Marcus. Therefore, he hadn’t felt the need to have a child with his wife.
“Why do you think it took me six years of marriage to finally have one daughter?”
He could say nothing to Veronia’s self-deprecation.
His sister-in-law had always been kind-hearted. She had never shown her pain even while enduring looks that questioned if she were barren. She had paid all those prices to become the Duchess, only to lose that position in a mere six months.
Now, all she had left was her status as a widow and her young daughter. He felt he finally understood why she was trying to fight the ducal family.
“Good luck, Jerard.”
Veronia stood up. Jerard rose after her out of courtesy for a lady. His mouth remained firmly shut. What more could he say in this situation?
“The litigation process will begin shortly.”
She offered a quiet declaration of war in place of a farewell, curtsied slightly, and walked toward the door.
Jerard stood still, listening to the rhythmic clicking of her heels. Only after his sister-in-law left the office and softly closed the door did he close his eyes and let out a long sigh.
The custody battle was certainly a nuisance, but it didn’t torment him. It was something he had already expected, and all the laws were in his favor. For the past four days, what had occupied Jerard’s mind was neither his sister-in-law nor his niece, but his newlywed ‘wife.’
As time passed, he felt an increasingly strong sense of guilt regarding their wedding night. Every time he saw the woman—and even when he didn’t—memories of that day surfaced. Her trembling body and tearful voice were so vivid that he felt as if he had failed in an attempt to violate her.
When the sun went down, Jerard’s imagination conjured a terrified Rosalyn. A wife huddled in bed, listening intently and worrying if he might come.
So, he only entered the bedroom after the poor woman had fallen asleep first. In the morning, he left the bedroom earlier than usual, leaving only a brief greeting for his wife who had just woken up.
The reason he went to such lengths to be considerate of her was simple. He was not a man so immoral that he could strip his wife again the very next day as if nothing had happened. Like all men who took pride in being gentlemen, Jerard took pride in his own morality. Protecting a fragile lady was a man’s duty, passed down since the days of chivalry.
For that reason, he went through considerable trouble to be ‘considerate’ of her. Playing billiards late into the night with the gentlemen staying at the manor or engaging in long discussions on topics he had no interest in was certainly grueling, but he believed Rosalyn needed time to compose herself, both physically and mentally.
How confused she must be. It must have been horrible to do such a thing with a man she barely knew. Because Jerard believed that, he was considerate of her. Out of a sense of human morality and compassion, he truly believed it.
“You must perform your duties tonight.”
But was that belief, in fact, correct?
“……What did you just say?”
He did not like the conversational habit of asking back what he had clearly heard. Nevertheless, he had to ask. It had slipped out of him in sheer absurdity.
“I asked you to come without being late tonight. I think it would be for the best.”
Rosalyn told him once more in a clear tone. With such a calm, serious face.
Jerard had just come out of the dressing room. He had finished shaving early and changed his clothes, intending to head to his office. His room—this Master Suite that was now a shared couple’s space—required passing through the drawing room to get outside.
The woman was sitting there waiting. Until her husband came out.
To tell him to perform his duties tonight.
Jerard looked at the woman sitting demurely with absurd eyes. Rosalyn was dressed in a blue satin gown, sitting on the couch with her back perfectly straight. After scanning her flawless ladylike posture, he pointedly pulled his pocket watch from his morning coat and checked it.
“I appreciate the advice, but it seems an inappropriate thing to say at eight in the morning.”
“I’m aware, but I had no other choice as there would be no other opportunity. It’s an inappropriate thing to say where others might hear.”
Rosalyn did not back down. She seemed to have brought it up with great determination. Therefore, he had to let her say what she wanted.
“I haven’t seen Your Grace in the bedroom for four days. You return too late and leave too early. Is it perhaps my fault for not staying awake until then?”
Jerard thought as he stood there. It would be wonderful if he could use a separate bedroom from this woman. If only they lived in an era where it was etiquette for a husband and wife to maintain separate quarters.
“I want to fulfill my role as your wife. So if I have done something wrong, please tell me. That day… it didn’t go well because it was my first time, but from now on, I will do my best to endure it.”
Rosalyn hesitated for a brief moment but continued calmly.
“So, I would like you to please come before I fall asleep tonight.”
She was so resolute in her demand that she seemed like a warrior heading into battle.
Jerard was flabbergasted. At the same time, he felt a slight sense of self-reproach. It was laughable that he had intentionally created those exhausting late-night gatherings all for the sake of being considerate of his wife.
A gentleman? Chivalry, my foot. This brave lady was saying she would do her best to endure it.
