Chapter 11 – Every Household Has A Story

In the quiet room, the nib of Eloise’s pen, filled with pitch-black ink, glided over the faded paper.

「If we had been strangers from the beginning, it wouldn’t have mattered.」

No one would have made an issue if the son of a prestigious noble family in the capital had shown discourtesy to the second daughter of a commoner family.

The situation would have been different if it had been a noble lady.

「……But we were once affectionate childhood friends.

Even though we became strangers in an instant without knowing the reason, I believe the time we spent together was special for him as well.」

In fact, it was not difficult to speculate that Ansel Blaine had his own reasons.

Every family has its own stories. Even Bailey’s family is like that, so how much more so for an authoritative noble family?

It would have been nice if she could have heard an explanation of why he suddenly distanced himself, but Eloise thought that he probably didn’t want to reveal those reasons.

Accepting this was partly because she was in no position to criticize his silence.

She could have easily gone to Ansel and asked him directly. She just chose to hide behind various excuses.

「Even after reappearing like this, pretending not to know about what happened then must be because of the awkward feelings, right? We all laughed together when we were young, but only two promised a lifetime, so the feelings of the one left behind might be bothering him.

Or was I just a means to get closer to my sister from the beginning?

Even thinking that, well, it’s not surprising……」

The pen, which had been writing calmly, gradually slowed down.

Eloise’s neat lips were now trembling weakly.

Suddenly, she recalled his cold, piercing gaze. Her eyes stung as if by reflex.

Even inhaling the musty smell of the old paper deeply to regain her composure did little to calm her rapidly beating heart.

「Honestly, I just wanted to ask everything openly. Why did he suddenly distance himself from us, and why is he acting so unfamiliar with me now?

I can’t understand any of it. Now, I don’t even know if he’s strange or if I am.」

It was the first time she had scribbled in her cherished diary like this.

Eloise, who had thrown down her pen, let out a sigh. Her trembling hands covered her face.

‘If I loved my sister even a little less, I would have confronted him and asked.’

But unfortunately, Eloise loved her one and only sister too much. She didn’t want to ruin anything.

Not this marriage, nor the happiness that would naturally complete itself over time.

She couldn’t become a flaw for Sarah. Not even a speck of a flaw. As the younger sister who knew the burden her sister carried better than anyone, she couldn’t let that happen.

It was already upsetting to hear people talk about an unsuitable marriage, and if a bigger commotion arose, the hurt would fall squarely on Sarah.

Moreover, if it was caused by her, Eloise might collapse under the weight of guilt.

‘When will these feelings finally be sorted out?’

Staying by her sister’s side while harboring such painful emotions was deceitful. It was no different from deceiving herself.

‘Why did I have to fall for him?’

‘After the wedding, when my sister stands beside him as his wife, will I really be able to accept everything then?’

“Get used to it. I have no intention of changing my mind.”

Get used to it. He said it as if it were nothing. His cold voice was like a blade.

His sharp gaze bound her ankles, preventing her from escaping.

Whenever she stood before him, Eloise became helpless.

Even if she tried to resist awkwardly, nothing changed. Facing him brought a flood of thoughts that overwhelmed her, leaving her feeling utterly broken.

‘Would I ever get used to this feeling? As time passed, would I really become indifferent to the fact that he was my sister’s husband? Would there come a time when his cold gaze no longer hurt me?’

“I wish time would pass quickly…”

Her complicated feelings turned into a deep sigh. The upcoming wedding felt only distant.

* * *

After that, Ansel continued to visit the Bailey household nonchalantly.

Whether Eloise’s heart ached or not, he seemed determined to fulfill his duties as a faithful fiancé. His dedication no longer surprised her.

The fortunate fact was that she had become quite adept at avoiding him naturally.

In other words, she had become quite skilled at discreetly leaving when Mrs. Hearst or Sarah opened the door.

However, the problem was that there were times when she had to personally greet this awkward guest.

It was unfortunate that Eloise happened to be near the entrance when he came, as she could not run away ignoring the knock.

Even though the family had already noticed that Eloise was avoiding Ansel, openly pretending not to know him would certainly seem suspicious.

So she had to act naturally. Maintaining the peace in the household was more important than not crossing paths with him.

Of course, facing Ansel Blaine was never easy, no matter how many times it happened.

She was suddenly afraid that she might never get used to him even after becoming family through her sister’s marriage. Fortunately, there was no situation like that day when they were alone together.

Ansel’s routine after knocking on the door was always similar.

Eloise would lower her gaze, bend her knees slightly, and say, ‘I’ll call my sister.’ Then he would nod lightly.

If she hurried upstairs before he could speak and sent her sister down, she could be alone again.

And in that empty room, Eloise would stand there numbly for a while, with a tingling feeling in her fingertips and toes.

It’s okay, he’ll leave soon as always.

Even as she sighed in relief, the absurdity of this abnormal situation sometimes made her let out a wary chuckle.

In any case, no incident occurred after that day. It was a relatively peaceful period.

But Eloise overlooked the fact that her heart was slowly breaking and crumbling during those repeated events.

It was for that reason that Sarah caught her crying.

“Eloise, you are…”

Startled by the sudden voice, Eloise froze, curled up.

She had been caught by Mrs. Hearst a few times before, but this was a sight she absolutely did not want her sister to see.

Feeling dizzy, Eloise quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve and stood up.

“It’s a cold, sister. I’ve caught a cold…”

“A cold?”

Sarah asked with a puzzled tone. Her bright blue eyes were rippling with concern.

“Yes.”

Eloise finally realized how nonsensical her answer was.

No matter how hastily she made up the excuse, the idea of secretly hiding and crying due to a cold was… Moreover, it was the heat of summer now.

“I should go wash my face.”

Eloise, with her reddened eyes, gave a bright smile and resolutely left the room. It was a clear attempt to escape.

Although it might seem strange, she couldn’t calmly converse with her sister in this state, so it was best to remove herself from the situation for now.

‘…I’m sorry, Sally.’

In the early afternoon, the lazy sunlight, stretched like cheese, was warming the house.

The old wooden stairs glistened, soaking in the gentle afternoon rays.

“Elsie, don’t feed the ducks! I’ve already done it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Obediently responding to Mrs. Hearst’s request, who was mending some fabric near the stairs, Eloise promptly headed towards the front door.

She never actually intended to go wash her face.

In truth, what Eloise needed to wash away was not the tear-stained face, but the complex thoughts swirling in her mind.

“Wow…”

As she stepped outside, a blessed ray of light poured down from above her head.

It was an exceptionally sunny day. Eloise considered briefly letting the ducks out, but shook her head.

‘When you have a lot on your mind, rather than playing with the ducks…….’

A quiet stroll would be better, after all.

Eloise, shading her eyes with her palm, looked up at the bright blue sky.

The gentle flutter of her light brown eyelashes danced in the pleasant glare.

Slowly stretching, Eloise set off with a relaxed expression. It was a day when tears would dry up quickly, even if she cried buckets.

The summers in Maybury are a season without a dull moment.

Her heart was filled with the verdant scenery, teeming with sparkling and fresh things.

With every step, her love for this season grew more vivid, like the lush foliage.

She liked it. Walking silently for a long time, feeling the gentle breeze, and realizing she had wandered farther than expected.

“I really need to get a grip.”

But she herself didn’t know why she had ended up walking towards Fairmont House.

Encountering the dense forest, Eloise stopped in her tracks, feeling a strange sensation.

What on earth was I thinking, coming this way? As if I was anxiously hoping to run into someone by chance…

“Ah, I don’t know.”

The forest stretching between Maybury and Longfield was a shortcut leading to the Earl of Huntington’s estate.

It was also a place where the Bailey sisters had spent much of their childhood.

How many times had they gotten lost here? They had even fallen asleep in the woods, causing a commotion in the peaceful Maybury.

Naturally, it was a place filled with memories.

‘Wait, Eloise. You’re hurt.’

‘I’m fine… Mother will treat me.’

‘I’ll carry you. I’ll take you home.’

If she crossed this forest, the grand Fairmont House would soon come into view.

The fact that she had habitually come here saddened her, but Eloise had no intention of going any closer to him.

However, her legs ached, and she couldn’t simply return home without a rest. The long distance she had walked without a break had taken a toll.

‘So staying here a little longer doesn’t mean anything else. Absolutely not.’

With a rather solemn expression, Eloise plopped down in the shade of a nearby oak tree.

A sigh of relief escaped her as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“The weather is nice, the breeze is fragrant, and there’s no one around.”

Closing her eyes while listening to the rustling of the leaves in the wind, Eloise murmured softly.

Leaning against the tree, she found it quite comfortable. Now, she could cry in peace. The moment such a foolish thought crossed her mind.

A voice rang out, contradicting the silence like a lie.

“Eloise.”