Helena’s lips parted slightly at Alexander’s suggestion.

‘Just how bored is this man?’

For a brief moment, she found herself feeling sorry for him.

Despite the fact that she had done little more than respond to him with polite indifference and a guarded expression, he kept finding reasons to strike up conversations with her.

Perhaps life in the countryside was more stifling for him than he let on.

‘I’ll just play along.’

‘It’s not as though it’ll cost me anything.’

After holding Alexander’s gaze for a moment, Helena let out a small sigh.

“Fine. But if it’s a wager, there should be a reward for the winner, shouldn’t there? Something like granting a request.”

“How traditional.”

At her acceptance, the smile on Alexander’s lips deepened.

He suddenly extended a hand toward her.

“Then I look forward to it.”

His eyes gleamed with confidence.

“Though I’ll be the one who wins.”

“…”

Helena stared at the hand held out before her.

Then, after a brief hesitation, she reached out and lightly clasped his fingertips.

His hand was large.

And warm.

Almost as warm as the summer sun.

Lifting her head, Helena met his eyes.

“Good luck.”

***

Even as evening settled in, the library still held the lingering warmth of the day.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, turning the dust drifting through the air into tiny flecks of gold.

Helena sat at the table with a book open before her.

Yet her eyes kept straying from the page.

Across from her, Alexander was absorbed in writing something.

The steady scratch of his pen against paper echoed softly through the quiet room.

‘What is he writing?’

Helena found herself stealing glance after glance at him.

The sunlight caught the sharp line of his profile, painting it in gold.

His firm jaw.

The faint crease between his brows as he concentrated.

The prominent veins visible across the back of the hand holding his pen.

Under the blazing midday sun, Alexander carried a raw, untamed presence.

But seated here with a pen in hand, he exuded the refined sensitivity of a nobleman.

Though in either case, he looked as though he belonged in a painting.

She had thought so from the moment she first saw him.

He was, undeniably, a remarkably handsome man.

After watching him quietly for a while, Helena picked up a pencil.

Without thinking, her hand began to move.

A delicate line appeared in the margin of her book.

Scratch.

Scratch.

With every stroke of the pencil, more lines gathered together, slowly taking shape as a drawing.

His naturally tousled hair.

The sharp line of his jaw.

The slight tension in his lips as he concentrated.

Even the shadows cast across his strong features.

Without realizing it, Helena had captured them all.

Then—

“If you keep staring at me like that, it’s difficult to pretend I haven’t noticed.”

“…!”

Startled, Helena jerked in surprise, and the pencil slipped from her fingers.

Clatter.

It rolled across the floor.

Slowly.

Relentlessly.

Until it came to a stop right at Alexander’s feet.

Of all places.

While Helena scrambled in embarrassment, Alexander bent down and picked it up.

Straightening, he walked toward her.

“What were you drawing so intently?”

Helena quickly covered the sketch with her hand.

“I-It’s nothing.”

“Oh, I don’t think it’s nothing.”

Mimicking her flustered tone, Alexander leaned one hand against the desk and bent closer.

“I’m fairly certain it was a drawing of me.”

His eyes met hers.

“Am I mistaken?”

“…”

Heat rushed to Helena’s cheeks.

After a brief struggle, she finally relaxed her shoulders.

“I’m sorry for drawing you without permission. You just looked… striking at that moment, and I ended up sketching without thinking.”

With a resigned sigh, she lifted her hand from the page.

Alexander leaned closer and examined the drawing.

“This…”

A subtle flicker crossed his eyes.

The sketch was simple, made up of only a few confident lines.

Yet his features had been captured with remarkable accuracy.

“It’s a little too good to call a doodle.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

Helena looked away, embarrassed.

“That’s hardly true.”

“I’ve been teasing you all this time, but I’m serious now.”

Setting the pencil beside her book, Alexander smiled.

“You have talent.”

His gaze lingered on the sketch.

“Do you draw often?”

Closing the book, Helena answered quietly.

“Only when I was younger. Before I started embroidery, I used to draw quite a bit. After I became an adult… I stopped.”

“Why?”

Why?

The question caught her off guard.

For a moment, Helena’s eyes grew distant.

A memory she had almost forgotten resurfaced.

“I’m not suited for dull, rigid work like this. You know that. I’m someone who’s meant to create. Art is my calling.”

“But don’t forget that you’re the head of the family. Have you forgotten how many people depend on you?”

“Helena, you can help me, can’t you? You’re good at everything. You always learn so quickly.”

The days when she had shouldered every burden of the family in Nigel Schuytz Brandt’s place.

The days when she sacrificed even her sleep, struggling through endless responsibilities.

The days when she had been happy simply because she believed she was helping him.

Naive days.

No.

Foolish days.

“I was busy.”

Helena quickly pushed the memory away.

It had surfaced for only an instant, yet her mood had darkened immediately.

In every possible way, Nigel was a man who had brought little good into her life.

Composing herself, she continued in a calm voice.

“Back then… there were too many things that needed to be done.”

A faint bitterness lingered in her words.

“Even if they weren’t truly my responsibilities.”

“You could always start again.”

“Now?”

Alexander shrugged.

“Why not?”

His tone was casual.

“You’re not busy anymore. And it’s not as though you have any pressing responsibilities.”

His simple suggestion caused Helena’s eyes to waver.

“But I don’t even have any materials.”

“I’m planning to visit the nearby village tomorrow.”

Alexander spoke in a leisurely tone.

“If there’s anything you need, let me know. If it can be found at the market, I’ll bring it back for you.”

“There’s a market in the village?”

Helena looked up.

“Could I come with you?”

Alexander turned his head toward her.

“With me?”

Helena nodded.

“I’d rather choose things myself if possible. And… it might be nice to get some fresh air.”

Alexander scratched the back of his head.

“I was planning to ride there alone.”

“Oh, then…”

Well, there was nothing to be done about that.

Just as Helena was about to withdraw the request, Alexander spoke first.

“I’ll inform the coachman.”

His gaze settled on her.

“Would leaving right after breakfast tomorrow suit you?”

A gentle smile softened Helena’s features.

When she nodded, Alexander smiled back.

“Good.”

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

***

After tying the ribbons of her bonnet beneath her chin, Helena crossed the garden.

Afraid the overgrown grass would stain the hem of her pale blue dress, she gathered her skirt slightly as she walked.

Each step revealed a fleeting glimpse of her slender white ankles.

Alexander subtly looked away and opened the carriage door for her.

“After you.”

“Thank you.”

The carriage was small enough that it was a miracle their knees weren’t touching.

Though that likely had more to do with Alexander’s broad build than the carriage itself.

Aware of the awkward silence filling the cramped space, Helena decided to speak first.

“How far is the nearest market?”

“It shouldn’t take more than an hour.”

Alexander folded his arms.

“The roads are fairly well maintained.”

Then he asked,

“Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

Helena shrugged.

“My father put me on one a few times when I was young, just for fun.”

A faint smile touched her lips.

“But I’ve never ridden by myself.”

Alexander nodded as though that made perfect sense.

“If you’re planning to stay at the Hitchens Estate for a while, it would be wise to learn.”

He leaned back against the seat.

“I’ve heard the coachman is often away during the autumn, helping nearby farmers with their harvests.”

“Ah…”

Helena frowned slightly.

She didn’t expect to travel often.

Still, being unable to leave whenever she needed to would be inconvenient.

‘How has Grandfather managed to live in a place this remote for his entire life?’

Just then—

Alexander, who had been quietly watching her, suddenly spoke.

“I’d like to teach you.”

His eyes met hers.

“Of course, that’s only if you’d like me to.”