Chapter 8 – The Unwavering Heart

The summer mornings arrive earlier than any other season.

As expected, her eyes were swollen. Eloise slowly blinked her heavy eyelids. Then, a warm ray of sunlight streamed diagonally across her head.

Her dry lips muttered.

“So it wasn’t a dream?”

Even after waking up, the world remained the same.

The dream-like event that Ansel Blaine, the grandson of the Earl of Huntington and the son of Viscount Monmouth, a knight of the kingdom and a promising talent at the military academy, had gotten engaged to the daughter of the Bailey family, was not, in the end, a dream.

At dawn, because Mr. Bailey and his eldest daughter Sarah had gone to town to buy new hats and shoes, breakfast was set for only Mrs. Bailey and Eloise.

“Can you believe it, dear? That someday Sarah will become the mistress of that splendid Fairmont House.”

The lady, impeccably dressed in an elegant navy dress despite the morning hour, began with a slightly higher tone than usual.

Eloise paused from spreading butter on her bread and replied,

“That mansion would first go to the Blaine couple. I mean, the parents of Lord Ansel.”

“My dear, do you think those people will leave the capital? It was certainly not an easy decision for Ansel to settle all his affairs in the capital and come down here.”

The lady seemed to have already decided to address him by name. Her voice was filled with a proud and delighted tone, as if she had gained a distinguished son.

“Just wait and see. After the Earl passes away, Ansel and Sarah will be the ones managing that estate. They will essentially become the masters of the house.”

“…But my sister doesn’t like that mansion very much.”

Eloise muttered inadvertently, her eyes widening.

“Hmm? What did you say, dear?”

“No, nothing.”

The youngest daughter of the Bailey family smiled faintly. Her half-covered eyes sparkled like gems.

“So, it seems you had an enjoyable time yesterday.”

Eloise took a bite of her bread as she continued.

Normally, a lecture about maintaining her ladylike manners would have come flying, but the lady seemed relaxed, stirring her soup, perhaps because her eldest daughter’s engagement had put her mind at ease.

“I heard you returned by evening.”

“Ah.”

At that moment, the lady put down her cutlery with a short sigh. Seeing the tension in her thin eyebrows, it seemed an unpleasant topic was about to follow.

“We only had a meal there and left. We didn’t even have tea. As you know, the master of the house is rather taciturn, and we were quite tense as well…”

Eloise nodded understandingly.

“After leaving Fairmont House, we went to Mrs. Fulham’s place.”

“To announce my sister’s engagement?”

“Yes. The news will spread quickly, and if we stay quiet, people will surely make up their own stories.”

“Indeed, it’s better to explain it properly, especially to someone like Mrs. Fulham.”

Mrs. Fulham had risen to become a prominent figure in Maybury after marrying a wealthy man from the nearby region a few years ago.

Her mansion was one of the few places in the area that served as a hub for social gatherings.

Occasional balls and tea parties were held there.

“When we arrived, everyone was already gathered.”

“Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Taylor, you mean? Was Grandma Lydia there as well?”

“The Wilsons and their daughters were there as well.”

“Goodness, what an occasion!”

Eloise, with a playful smile, ran her fingers through her cloudy honey-colored hair, pondering.

‘So why was Mother in a bad mood?’

“Since everyone was gathered, we thought it best to announce that our Sarah has received a proposal from the grandson of the Earl of Huntington and will be getting married soon…”

“I’m sure they offered wonderful congratulations.”

“Congratulations? Why, Mrs. Fulham even insulted us! Right in front of all those people!”

“Insulted you? How so?”

“She said that Sarah was marrying into a family without a proper dowry, and that I had a knack for business!”

“What? Is that true?”

Eloise, who had been busily munching on her bread, swallowed it and put her cup down with a bang.

Her pale face had turned slightly red.

“Business? Whatever did she mean by that? So, what did you say, Mother?”

“She was quite out of line. So I said, ‘Your words are excessive. If you are envious, you should just say so, madam.’”

Mrs. Bailey reenacted the words she had said to Mrs. Fulham, raising her head stiffly.

It was a dignified attitude that might have provoked the inherent inferiority complex of Mrs. Fulham, who, though wealthy thanks to her youngest daughter, was naturally frivolous.

“Then she fanned herself like this.”

Mrs. Bailey placed her palm near her mouth and added a word.

“‘Oh my, did I say something I shouldn’t have? Our Susan was in exactly the same situation, she said.’”

“How shameless…”

“She seemed to take delight in hurting our feelings. Poor Sarah was so pale, her lips trembling.”

“If I had known, I would have gone too. To give her some words of comfort…”

Eloise clenched her small hands tightly.

It was obvious that not only their mother, who valued propriety highly, but also their father had been cowed into silence by the tense exchange between the women.

How upset her sister must have been to face such sudden humiliation. Imagining her feelings made her heart ache.

“But why did she deliberately provoke like that? Mrs. Fulham was in the same situation, so she was practically insulting herself.”

“It’s not the same situation at all.”

Mrs. Bailey let out a faint sigh, a hint of a smile in her breath.

“Ansel is a noble. How common is a marriage between a noble and a commoner? Moreover, the youngest daughter of the Fulham family became the second wife of a man more than twenty years older, but Ansel is a fine young man who shares the same feelings with Sarah. Love, Eloise!”

Though there was nothing wrong with her words, Eloise’s heart ached inexplicably.

To chase away her thoughts, Eloise shook her head lightly and rested her chin weakly.

“But that lady values wealth above all. More than status or love. Thanks to her daughter, she became connected to a great rich man and became rich herself, so she shouldn’t be particularly jealous…”

“Oh, I didn’t mention this,”

“What?”

“Ansel’s family is much wealthier, Eloise. How can you compare a local wealthy family with a noble rich family from Brightnum? The Longfield mansion is just part of the property he will inherit.”

“…He is also rich? Of course, I didn’t think he was poor, but…”

“The day he visited your father, he talked about all the assets his family owned. I didn’t realize it was to that extent!”

“So, you told Mrs. Fulham about it?”

“I did. She was glaring and asking…”

Eloise nodded quietly. She perfectly understood why Mrs. Fulham had been so agitated.

* * *

The news of the Bailey family’s eldest daughter’s engagement had stirred up the peaceful town of Maybury.

Not only because it was a marriage that transcended social status, like something out of a novel, but also because Sarah’s fiancé, Ansel Blaine, was an exceptionally outstanding young man.

The young master of Fairmont House, who had suddenly appeared one day, was a beautiful boy.

He, who only appeared in the summer, seemed more like a fairy living in the forest than a boy.

But for some reason, from the time he first appeared in Longfield, he was already acquainted with the Bailey sisters.

Was he a distant relative of that family?

People murmured, but that was not the case.

There was no way they would not know if the Bailey family had a noble relative.

So, they must have become close by chance, but unfortunately, he did not open up to anyone other than the sisters.

It was the stubbornness befitting the only grandson of the elderly Earl.

No one knew why those sisters were the exception. At that time.

The young man grew more handsome with each passing year. The delicate features of his youth were replaced by sharper, more defined ones.

By the time he reached the end of his boyhood, there was not a woman in the area who did not eagerly await the arrival of this summer guest.

But when Ansel returned after over two years of study, he no longer interacted with anyone in the area.

He must have found a lady in the capital. Or perhaps his grandfather had commanded him to distance himself from those of lower status.

In any case, as he became separated from the Bailey sisters, the ladies of Longfield and Maybury could not help but harbor hopes.

Even if it was a vain hope, it was inevitable.

Ansel Blaine was a perfect gentleman with an appearance and elegance that naturally drew admiration, and it was hard not to adore him.

But then he proposed. To the eldest daughter of the Bailey family!

So, he had loved Sarah for a long time.

The fact that he had never spent time alone with her, always bringing along her younger sister and a young servant, must have been out of his shyness towards the delicate Sarah.

What a romantic story!

People were deeply moved by the story of the two.

Of course, there were those like Mrs. Fulham who were jealous, but most blessed Ansel and Sarah’s engagement.

There was no one who questioned that the kind, beautiful, and delicate eldest daughter of the Bailey family, like a pink rose, had captured the heart of such a fine gentleman.

Naturally, laughter increased noticeably in the Bailey household.

While the fundamental reason was that their long-standing worry had disappeared, Eloise could confidently say that if Sarah did not want this marriage, their parents could not have been so happy.

It was clear that the Bailey couple took this opportunity to proudly boast about their eldest daughter, but it was an incredibly happy event nonetheless.

During the most dazzling summer days, Eloise gladly shared in her family’s joy.

However, when alone, the agonizing emotions would inevitably return.

She certainly loved her sister and wished for her happiness, so there was no reason to be sad, yet her heart often ached as if cut by something sharp, and she would cry.

Eloise was confused. Every day was a struggle to hide her perpetually unsettled heart.

Sometimes, the keen-eyed Mrs. Hearst would catch these moments, like today.

“You’re truly upset, aren’t you?”

The downy hairs on the back of Eloise’s neck stood on end. Her trembling lips parted in bewilderment.

“Pardon?”

“They say it’s a perfect match, but in the end, your sister will be living separately in three months’ time.”

“Ah…”

“Thinking about you waking up alone in that room makes my heart feel empty too, Elsie.”

Eloise clenched her shaking hands and replied.

“…Yes, I’ve already been shedding tears over it.”

But of course, the reason she would occasionally hide away to cry was not solely due to her sister leaving the home soon.

Eloise hated this part of herself. It felt as if she was strangling her own inner turmoil.

Still, she had a shallow belief that she could somehow endure it. At the time, she truly believed that.