Chapter 7 – Fairmont House

Fairmont House, situated on the sloping land of Longfield, was truly a luxurious mansion.

The grandeur was beyond words, and the breathtaking sight of the angelic stone carvings and gilded window frames sparkling at sunset was as beautiful as a glimpse of heaven.

Unlike the buildings in the capital, which were constantly undergoing renovations to keep up with trends, this old mansion exuded a profoundly aristocratic charm.

It had a timeless elegance, a dignified stubbornness that remained unchanged over the years.

The fact that the boy they had met by chance in a lost carriage was staying at this mansion was something the Bailey sisters discovered the following year after they had become friends.

It would be a lie to say they weren’t surprised, but the sisters quickly brightened up and begged to be invited to the mansion.

For children who considered pigeon feathers to be treasures, status and dignity were still distant concepts.

Thus, the moment they first set foot in this imposing place remained vividly in their memories.

In front of the expansive garden, which featured endless walking paths, sculptures and fountains crafted by master artisans, and even an artificial waterfall, few could remain composed.

Nevertheless, the mansion was extremely quiet.

Despite its vast grounds, it was solely inhabited by the Earl of Huntington.

Given its size, there were quite a few servants, but they all resembled their master in being as inconspicuous as shadows.

The only guests of Fairmont House were the Earl’s grandson, who visited with the summer.

However, he always stayed quietly, so the servants often forgot there was even a guest.

Today, however, was a rare day when the servants of Fairmont House welcomed actual guests.

Though they were not particularly distinguished guests, the liveliness and excitement they brought warmed the mansion, which had remained cool even under the summer sun.

However, once the brief meal ended and the guests departed, the faint warmth that had lingered in the air vanished without a trace, leaving behind the usual cold silence.

It was nothing out of the ordinary.

The old Earl spent most of his day in the study.

The room, with its distant ceiling adorned with chandeliers, had a certain opulence for a study, but the Earl stubbornly used it as such.

One wall of the study featured a massive arched window that reached the high ceiling, and today, the outside was in the midst of a vibrant season.

The old man was fully embracing the early summer afternoon that poured in through the wide window.

However, in stark contrast to the lively scene outside, a heavy silence pervaded the study.

The only sound was the occasional turning of pages from a book.

There was no conversation between the Earl and his grandson after the guests had left.

The two men were lost in their own thoughts, as they always were.

That was why the sudden question felt particularly peculiar.

“Was there something you didn’t like?”

The deep gaze fixed on the page of the book slowly lifted.

The once serene brow was now faintly furrowed.

“Pardon?”

“You had that kind of look on your face.”

Ansel stiffened, uncharacteristically. It wasn’t just because he rarely spoke with his grandfather; this kind of conversation was entirely unfamiliar to him.

A casual chat like this, that is.

“…No, there’s nothing.”

“You were the one who said it didn’t matter if they weren’t from a noble family.”

“Grandfather, I…”

Ansel paused, taken aback by the tone laced with an inexplicable sneer.

He wondered if perhaps the Earl was testing him.

A rather calm, low voice followed.

“It’s a marriage I requested; why would there be any reason for me not to like it?”

“There might be, if it was something your father instigated.”

But the Earl of Huntington showed no sign of backing down. He even mentioned the Viscount of Monmouth, which was not a good sign.

“Saying you’ll hold the ceremony in just three months—whose idea was that? Do you even understand that marriage is a bond between families?”

“….”

The old man in the wheelchair kept his gaze fixed on the window.

Ansel’s clear eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the unmoving back.

Despite spending every summer together, his grandfather remained an enigma. However, there were a few things Ansel could say with certainty about him.

One of them was that the Earl’s silence signified approval.

This was an unwritten rule at Fairmont House, a truth as good as any law.

The moment the reticent master broke his silence was the moment the mansion’s peace was shattered.

Ansel had come to Fairmont House immediately after receiving permission for the marriage from the Bailey family that morning, and the old Earl had maintained a solemn silence.

So why the sudden change of heart now?

Anset wondered if it was because the old Ear disapproved of dining with non-nobles. If so, he shouldn’t have invited the Bailey family to dinner in the first place.

Despite not wearing a uniform or even a cravat, Ansel felt a tightness around his neck.

Though not as severe as his father, conversing with the stern old Earl was never comfortable. Let alone such an extended conversation.

“Of course, it was my idea, Grandfather.”

Suppressing his thoughts, Ansel straightened his broad shoulders and spoke in a low tone.

“I chose the earliest date that would allow enough time to prepare what is necessary….”

“Were you that eager?”

“….”

Ansel stopped speaking.

He detected a subtle but unmistakable anger in the Earl’s voice. At that moment, one thing became strikingly clear.

The Earl’s silence on the already decided marriage had not been a sign of agreement but rather…

‘Was it the minimum courtesy for the Viscount of Monmouth?’

Thus, the Earl was now urging his only grandson to cancel this marriage himself. Quite forcefully, too.

Though he now lived in seclusion due to his limited mobility, the Earl of Huntington had been a seasoned warrior who spent his entire life as a soldier.

This meant he was well-versed in extreme measures.

It also meant that it was unwise to provoke him.

“Answer me, Ansel. Was this sudden marriage truly your intention?”

“It was indeed my intention.”

Ansel closed the book with a sharp sound. The old man’s thick eyebrows twitched.

“You’re being reckless. Is it because this is the last summer you’ll spend here, so you think it doesn’t matter?”

“How could that be the case? After the marriage, I plan to come down here to live.”

“…There is no military unit nearby, though.”

“I never intended to join the military. Unlike you, Grandfather, I am inexperienced in many ways.”

“…….”

Although this place was far from the capital, news of his only grandson excelling at the Royal Military Academy had surely reached him.

It wasn’t just the academy. Ansel had also distinguished himself in military studies at private schools and university.

As the grandson and son of soldiers, it was only natural.

Even if it was an effort to uphold the family’s honor, it had likely become the defining aspect of his life.

“From now on, I will visit you regardless of the season, Grandfather.”

A marriage worth abandoning what had been his entire life.

“It is your freedom not to become a soldier. The world has changed, after all. But I cannot understand why you would choose to leave the capital, where you’ve lived your entire life.”

“Isn’t it for a harmonious family? I mean the Bailey family. Though it is something I do not have, I hope all the more that their bond remains unbroken.”

His grown grandson was on the verge of graduating from the military academy, his final hurdle.

Now, like the scenery outside this window, only a bright and free future awaited him.

Ansel had not yet experienced anything that would make him so disillusioned with the people in the capital that he would willingly turn his back on it.

Yet he claimed he would leave the capital, which was like his roots, to live in the desolate Maybury. Moreover, the reason he gave was so sentimental that it felt almost insulting.

“Unless you want to imitate a retired officer, stop with the wordplay.”

The Earl’s mouth twisted.

“You’ve ignored all those marriage proposals. What sudden wind has blown that makes you want to ruin your own reputation?”

“It’s not some whim.”

“…….”

“I have, for a very long time….”

“Are you saying you’ve been in love with her? With that eldest daughter?”

With that question, the Earl finally turned his head. The emotion in his gaze was indescribably heavy.

“Yes.”

In the profound silence, Ansel closed his eyes and then opened them again.

His pale lips parted.

“I know who you see when you look at me.”

Eyes unwavering and straight as an arrow. How could they not overlap? They were the same eyes, as if by some miracle.

Even the intense gaze, seemingly calm yet hot, was enough to revive long-buried memories.

In the strange sensation of time rewinding, the old Earl found himself at a loss for words.

At that moment, Hellen’s child spoke.

“Please come out now. You’ve been in there too long.”

“…….”

“When Mother passed away, I also lost the most precious person in my life that day. I know the sorrow that can’t be filled. But it wasn’t Father who caused Mother’s death.”

A heavy silence followed. The old man cast his gaze out the window again without a word.

The pale green afternoon was still dazzlingly bright.

This marked the end of their conversation.

Ansel quietly rose to leave the study.

He had no intention of disturbing his grandfather’s resumed contemplation.

“Mother….”

So it was an uncharacteristic impulse to add a word as he passed through the doorway.

“She must have been happy until the very end. I am certain of it.”

The Earl did not turn around. It was no surprise.

Without hesitation, Ansel left the study. The sound of his neat footsteps faded away.