Chapter 3 – Are you sad about it?

As soon as Mrs. Bailey finished her prayer, Mr. Bailey served a thick slice of meat pie to each of his beloved three women.

“Thank you, Dad.”

Eloise, who briefly expressed her gratitude, picked up the steaming pie with her fingers and took a big bite.

As the savory and slightly sweet taste filled her mouth, a pleasant smile naturally spread across her face.

“Mm! It’s delicious.”

“There’s plenty, so eat slowly. Do you want more?”

“You should use a fork and knife, Eloise.”

The contrasting reactions of her parents made Eloise smile once again.

Beside her, Sarah continued her quiet meal with a gentle smile, embodying the very image of a lady from an etiquette book.

It was a peaceful lunch at the Bailey household, no different from any other day.

Having quickly finished her slice of pie, Eloise looked at her father’s hand as he took her empty plate and then began to speak.

“The Earl of Huntington’s grandson is coming back.”

“Who said that?”

Mrs. Bailey, holding a glass of water with elegant movements, asked indifferently. Her attitude suggested she was inquiring about someone she barely knew.

Eloise lowered her gaze to the pie in front of her and answered as nonchalantly as she could.

“Archie did. I ran into him by chance yesterday.”

Perhaps because of the sweet birdsong outside the window, the conversation between mother and daughter sounded unusually monotonous.

“He said he’s bringing some surprising news.”

“Really? Has he been selected as a scholarship student again or something? There’s nothing much to be surprised about.”

Mrs. Bailey said this and then continued eating her soup as if it didn’t matter.

“…Maybe he’s going abroad again? He’s an outstanding talent, after all.”

When Sarah, who had been silent all along, chimed in, Mr. Bailey, who was chewing on his pie, made a random comment.

“Could it be that there’s a war?”

“What?”

Eloise frowned her fine wheat-colored eyebrows as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“A war all of a sudden?”

“Isn’t he a cadet at the military academy? He would be well-informed about such news. I’m talking about Sir Ansel.”

“Oh, dear! Please swallow what’s in your mouth before you speak.”

Mr. Bailey, who had noisily grabbed his displeased wife’s hand, kissed her white knuckles repeatedly.

Thinking he had managed to defuse the situation, he looked up again.

“From what I hear, the atmosphere over in Berth is quite ominous these days. If a war breaks out over there, our allied nation will inevitably be affected too.”

“Why do you say such unpleasant things during a meal?”

Mrs. Bailey meticulously wiped her hand with a napkin after pulling it away from her husband. Her sharp scolding continued.

“Stop meeting those strange people, will you? It’s those guys who tried to convince you to invest in the munitions factory, isn’t it? It’s obvious, even without seeing them. You ignore your wife’s words and get distracted by such nonsense.”

“Dear, you know. I just want to make you happy again…”

“I’d be happier if you stayed at home. How much more do you have to squander to be satisfied? I can’t bear this anxiety anymore…”

“Would you like some more juice, ma’am?”

At that moment, Mrs. Hearst emerged from the kitchen, smiling kindly, and offered a glass bottle emitting a tangy aroma.

Only then did Mrs. Bailey realize she had raised her voice during the meal. She quietly extended her glass and cleared her throat.

“…Ahem, thank you.”

A brief silence followed. As always, the task of breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere fell to Mr. Bailey and his second daughter.

“Ah! By the way, since the weather is nice, wouldn’t it be great if we all went out for some fresh air?”

“That sounds wonderful, Dad. But where to?”

“We don’t have much time, so we can’t go too far. How about Longfield? It’s been a while since we visited Fairmont House….”

“What? Do you have no sense of shame?”

“Uh…”

It seemed he had unintentionally provoked his wife’s temper again. Every time he opened his mouth, he seemed to bring up topics that would get him scolded.

Feeling awkward, Mr. Bailey spoke in a gentle voice, as if trying to soothe an irate cat.

“Why are you so angry, dear? We do have a connection with the old Earl of Longfield. Here, have some more juice.”

“What connection? Are you talking about the time when the children mingled with his grandson and got embarrassed? Is that it?”

“Embarrassed? Dear, the Earl of Huntington is a kind old gentleman. He welcomed our children several times without any sign of displeasure. I feel he misses the bustling life of the capital. So if we visit…”

“Oh, please, don’t make assumptions. Even if we don’t have much, can’t you live with some dignity, at least mentally?”

“Well, dear, I’m not a noble, so things like dignity…”

“Our children will soon get married! Our Sarah’s wedding is really just around the corner. Really, aren’t you worried about being laughed at by the other family?”

Around that time, Eloise, who had been busily using her fork, quietly put down her utensils. Sarah was also wiping her mouth at that moment.

Naturally, the sisters’ eyes met.

“Sister, shall we go for a walk?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

The Bailey sisters quietly stood up to avoid disturbing their parents’ intimate moment.

* * *

As they walked endlessly through the pale green fields, inhaling the fresh scent of roses carried by the wind, they found themselves quite far from home.

Sarah and Eloise were lost in their own thoughts.

It was rare for the sisters to walk this far without anyone speaking, and it was Sarah, the older sister, who first noticed this peculiar fact.

“The breeze is really fragrant today, isn’t it?”

Although it was just a casual remark, Eloise hesitated to respond.

What came back was not an answer, but a question.

“Hey, do you believe it, sister?”

“Believe what, Eloise?”

“The fact that we are no longer girls.”

At that moment, a cool breeze blew.

Sarah quietly took a breath, waiting for the wind to stop. Then, gently holding her sister’s hand, she asked again.

“Really? You still seem like a girl to me. Why did you suddenly think that?”

“Well, we’ve started talking about marriage so casually.”

“Elsie, are you afraid of marriage?”

“…Sometimes, you feel more like a mother than a sister.”

At those words, Sarah smiled softly, took a deep breath, and answered in a low voice.

“Elsie. Marriage is a very important matter. Especially for our family… But if you feel burdened to marry someone you don’t want because of the family, you don’t have to. I’ll take care of everything. Okay?”

“…”

Eloise didn’t have the courage to look at Sarah’s face as she said those words.

She couldn’t even begin to fathom what it took for her sister, who was only two years older, to say something like that. Her chest felt tight and heavy.

“Sister, I didn’t mean to have such a serious conversation… I was just thinking about the childhood days we can’t return to. When we were young, it didn’t matter whether we were boys or girls…”

“You still get along well with Archibald, don’t you?”

“Not really. Everything has changed since we were kids. The only reason I could stay friends with Archie is that he’s not a noble.”

‘…And because I have no feelings for him.’

While lost in those thoughts, Sarah approached a nameless wildflower blooming at her feet and stopped.

Naturally letting go of her sister’s hand, Eloise could only blankly watch Sarah’s slender figure gently sink to the ground.

“Do you miss it?”

“Every day has become so dull. It’s just a repetition of playing the piano, doing embroidery, writing in my diary, and going to church. Running through the forest or swimming in the lake is something I can’t even imagine anymore. The only time I feel like I’m still a girl is when I’m feeding the ducks.”

“…”

“I miss our childhood, Sally.”

“Yes, you must miss it a lot. So much that it still appears in your dreams.”

For some reason, the voice saying that sounded strangely distant. Eloise couldn’t hold back any longer and asked.

“Don’t you miss it, sister? He was special to you too. You and he…”

“Eloise.”

Sarah stood up at that moment.

Her hands, which had seemed to be caressing the flower petals for a while, were empty, not even stained with the color of the grass.

“I don’t miss the past. The present is more precious to me. The everyday life we live now, cozily together with Father, Mother, and you. Do you understand?”

“…”

Her voice was as faint as the color of the wildflowers blooming at her feet. 

‘Was I being childish? Instead of understanding the burden my sister carried…’

“Sister, I didn’t mean to…”

At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened. The shadow of clouds silently gathered over Eloise’s face as she gently looked up at the sky.

When she realized that the wind was damp, Sarah took hold of her sister’s cold hand.

“Let’s go back, Elsie. It looks like it’s going to rain.”

Her voice was as gentle as always.

“Yes, sister.”

Soon, the two began to walk side by side.

The sky was quickly darkening, but the sisters continued their unfinished conversation as they walked.

There was no need to worry about getting a little wet.

They would soon arrive at the warm house where their loved ones awaited.

On the path home, Eloise had this thought.

‘My sister is right. We should cherish the present, not the past.

Sadly, the time we can remain as the daughters of the Bailey family is truly running out.

We have grown so much that it wouldn’t be surprising if my sister became someone’s bride as soon as tomorrow.’