Translator: Nox

15 - Chapter 15

Eloise took out the apple pie her mother had packed from the basket.

There were three inside. Even thinking about it again, giving her three was too much.

'It's not like Mrs. Parker is that bad at making desserts.'

She must be trying her best to treat the new caretaker well.

She's probably ransacking Blissbury's food storage to make every dish she can.

And yet, he's not eating properly.

'He seemed to eat well at dinner.'

When he came to her house for dinner, Sergeant Thornton ate neatly and well, just like everyone else.

Maybe Mrs. Parker's cooking just doesn't suit him.

'Can't you just eat what you're given? Doesn't a soldier know how precious food is?'

Then Eloise's thoughts naturally drifted to Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave.

Among the various stories about him in the newspaper, she had read a memoir by someone who had been discharged from the 57th Infantry Battalion.

It was common for supplies to be cut off on the battlefield. After all, the enemy often targeted and attacked supply lines at the front.

As a result, soldiers often couldn't get proper meals. But that was only for the lower-ranking soldiers. Even in those situations, the higher-ups in the battalion enjoyed their meals, even bringing their own cooks.

...I can't imagine that happening in our battalion. Once, Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave took all the food prepared for the high-ranking officers and distributed it to us. Even without that incident, we rarely went hungry. That was because of the Lieutenant Colonel's efforts to protect the soldiers' supplies no matter what...

Mr. Serverton, who had read the newspaper with her, chuckled, saying he didn't know if it was a military memoir or a eulogy for Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave.

Of course, Eloise puffed up as if she were a member of Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave's family.

Where else would you find a lieutenant colonel who cared so much about the meals of lower-ranking soldiers!

Other battalions' memoirs often mentioned eating food that seemed like it would kill you, but the 57th Infantry Battalion's memoirs never mentioned anything like that.

Even when food was scarce, Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave shared his own food. When the soldiers noticed that he hadn't had a proper meal for days, he calmly waved it off, saying he was fine.

Compared to such a lieutenant colonel, this sergeant has everything he needs but doesn't eat well.

"Even though they're both Ryans, they're so different..."

Eloise grumbled, stopped her horse, and headed towards the shade of a tree below the hill with the pie.

If she went to Blissbury now, Mrs. Parker would definitely insist she have a meal.

And if she ran into Sergeant Thornton...

Eloise shuddered, closing her eyes as if it were a terrible thought, then opened the basket and took out the apple pie inside.

"Thank you for the food."

Not forgetting to pray to God before eating, Eloise opened her mouth wide and took a big bite of the still-warm pie.

Her mother would be horrified, saying that's not how a lady eats, but who cares? No one's watching now.

Crunch.

The well-baked pie crust made a satisfyingly crisp sound. At the same time, the apple filling inside filled her mouth with sweetness.

She had generously used the apples harvested last fall, wanting to empty the storage before summer came. She had also added plenty of cinnamon powder bought from Cambon.

The unique, deep aroma of cinnamon mixed with the sweet apple filling, creating a captivating scent and taste.

Moreover, when the apple filling became too much, the crispy pie crust cleansed her palate.

Eloise quickly finished one piece and picked up another.

This time, Eloise opened her mouth wide and stuffed the pie in, a happy smile unconsciously spreading across her face.

"Delicious..."

She had thought of just eating one piece and spending some time before going, but at this rate, she felt like she could eat the whole pie by herself.

Picking up another piece and smacking her lips, Eloise looked at Blissbury in the distance and muttered.

"Should I just eat it all before I go?"

Giving away all three is a waste. Maybe she should just force herself to eat both pies and give the remaining one to Blissbury's employees...

"Please leave me a piece."

"Ah!"

Eloise was startled by the voice that suddenly came from beside her and dropped the pie she was holding.

As a result, apple filling was smeared all over her well-dressed clothes.

"My clothes!"

Eloise screamed again and frantically tried to wipe the filling off her clothes with the cloth from the basket, but it was too late.

The brown filling stains were too visible on her cream-colored outing dress.

If Sergeant Thornton hadn't been there, she would have gone straight to the river, rolled up her skirt, and washed the stained area in the water, but she didn't want to do that in front of this man.

Even though Eloise ran around like a wild horse, she knew that wasn't something to do in front of other men.

'The stain will set if I don't wash it right away...'

Still, it was a favorite dress, so Eloise looked around, wondering if there was anything she could do. Ryan, who had been watching her, picked up the cloth she had put down.

He immediately went to the river, soaked it in water, wrung it out, and brought it back to Eloise.

"Use this to wipe it off."

"T, thank you..."

She had thought he would laugh at her mistake and watch, but she cautiously accepted the cloth, surprised by Sergeant Thornton's kind attitude.

In any case, getting rid of the stain was the most urgent thing right now.

Eloise rubbed the stain with the cloth she had been given.

Fortunately, the sticky filling came off when she wiped it with the wet cloth, and the stain also faded.

'I think this much stain will disappear if I wash it once I get home.'

Relieved, Eloise turned her head again, and Sergeant Thornton was standing there, staring intently at the apple pie next to her.

Then he glanced at her again. With a look that seemed to say, 'Why aren't you offering?', Eloise cleared her throat and said to him.

"Would you... like a piece, if you're okay with it?"

Wasn't he the person Mrs. Parker was worried about because he wasn't eating anything?

She thought he would refuse, but.

"Thank you."

He answered and plopped down next to Eloise.

This isn't what she expected...?

Ryan chuckled at her expression, which couldn't hide her embarrassment.

'She must have thought I would refuse and leave.'

That was his intention at first. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone else.

That's why he had quietly hidden behind a tree without making a sound when Eloise came down the hill.

He thought she would soon head back to Blissbury.

But contrary to his expectations, she sat down and took out the apple pie from the basket she had brought.

Then, without a plate or fork, she picked it up with her hands and took a big bite.

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle again at the sight.

Unlike when he first saw her, she was dressed perfectly like the ladies of the capital, but her actions were no different from those of country children.

Thinking that there was no one else around, Eloise diligently continued to eat the apple pie.

Crunch. Crunch, crunch.

Every time she moved her mouth, the sound of the well-baked pie crumbling could be heard.

In addition, the sweet smell of the apple filling with a strong cinnamon scent wafted in the gentle spring breeze, along with the scent of baked butter.

Gulp.

At that moment, Ryan swallowed involuntarily. At the same time, he felt a surge of intense hunger.

His gaze did not leave Eloise, who was enjoying the taste of the apple pie with her eyes slightly closed.

Unaware that he was watching, Eloise continued to eat the pie.

Her expression changed in various ways every time she took a big bite and chewed.

The first bite seemed to be enjoying the scent and texture leisurely, but the moment she chewed again, she seemed at a loss for what to do with the sweetness spreading in her mouth.

And the third time she chewed, a bright smile spread across her entire face.

Watching her, one might doubt whether she was really eating apple pie.

After staring blankly at Eloise for a long time, he got up and went to her side.

He wanted to taste what she was eating so happily.

It was the first desire he had felt since coming to Blissbury.