Chapter 7 – Part 3

It wasn’t hard to spot the unusually tall blonde duke in the crowd. Marcus was carrying on a conversation with the sparkling eyes of those surrounding him. Liese sidled up to him, grabbed his arm, and joined in.

“How’s your friend?” he asked sweetly, pressing his lips to her temple. She responded to the suddenly frequent contact more smoothly than before.

Before long, the party was over. Outside the building, Liese slid into the backseat of a vehicle driven by Marcus and the Duke’s entourage. There was no obligation to talk when no one was watching, so silence quickly settled in.

“Clear your schedule for the weekend.”

A sudden bass breaks the stillness. Liese shifted her gaze from the car window, watching the city fall into darkness.

“This weekend?”

“Yeah.”

Didn’t Madeline say he had the day off and no schedule? Blinking in confusion, Marcus added briefly.

“I’ll take you out to dinner.”

Suddenly, it seemed like there was a place for a partner to accompany him. Without much ado, Liese, seemingly understandingly, nodded her head.

“Okay.”

She turned to look away again, but his voice caught her attention again.

“Is there somewhere you want to go?”

“Me?”

“You keep asking even though you haven’t misunderstood.”

When asked in bewilderment, Marcus bluntly retorted. His face, irritated in a way rarely seen in crowded places, was something to behold.

“I don’t know why you’re asking me, I thought you were trying to fit me into the Duke’s schedule.”

“There is no such thing as a schedule.”

It was an insistent demand. It sounded like they were under no obligation to be partners, so what was the point of meeting?

“Then why did you summon me for the weekend?”

“Do we need a reason to have a meal together?”

“Not necessarily but….”

“Just think about it. Is there somewhere you’ve been wanting to go, even if it’s out of town.”

Liese remained silent for a while. Unlike her, who rarely deviated from a given rule or plan, the Duke was a very spontaneous person. Perhaps this, too, was a suggestion born of his whim.

Marcus spoke quietly, not sure how to interpret the silence.

“I’ll pay you as we agreed.”

“Ah….”

Only then could Liese roughly understand. It was undoubtedly an attempt to spend a day similar to those spent in department stores or upscale restaurants before the social season began, spreading rumors about a woman he was seeing.

It doesn’t have to be a big charity event or a fancy soiree, she concluded, and was met with stares that pressed for an answer.

“I haven’t really thought of anywhere in particular I’d like to go, and Bachmann is still new to me.”

“What about places you used to go to frequently? There must be at least one.”

…Or was he just curious about the lives of commoners? As she hesitantly touched on the subject, a location came to mind.

“There’s an open-air cafe on Bloomberg Street overlooking the river. I don’t go there often, but the food is really good.”

Her voice brightened at the memory of the rustic décor and the clean, delicious home-cooked food. Marcus gave her a wry look.

“Especially the seats by the window are the most popular. It was always fully booked whenever I went.”

“Who did you go with?”

“With a friend….”

Liese stopped speaking as if choking on her words. It was a place she had visited a few times, treating Ian, who was in dire straits. There was nothing good in telling Marcus, who had been obsessively prying into her romantic relationships, about it. Feeling a sense of defeat, Liese cautiously changed the subject.

“However, the restaurant is a bit small. Even on weekdays, it was always crowded, so you might have to wait in line on weekends.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll pick you up before dinner, so you can get ready.”

With that, Marcus turned his gaze away. Liese studied his sideways face, the lines clear even in the dark, and then quietly looked away. Now other thoughts raced through her mind.

It was highly unlikely that she would run into Ian while with the Duke. It was extremely unlikely that she would run into her one and only acquaintance in this vast city.

Still, she had to find a good excuse, just in case. Ian would no doubt be curious about Marcus and Liese’s relationship, so she could pretend it was through employment.

It wasn’t entirely a false statement. The fact that she had worked at the Duke’s estate in the past was undeniable, and Ian was the only person who knew about her side job.

‘The problem is….’

She had no idea what Marcus’s reaction to Ian would be. She was afraid that the eccentric and moody duke would be more likely to rant than to agree.

On reflection, it was best to hope for the best that the two would never meet.

‘Why am I even worrying about this….’

Liese scratched her forehead. She quickly shook her head to dismiss the absurdity of her thoughts.

By now, the car had reached the mouth of the sloping road that led to the orchard. Marcus was the first out of the car, opening the door and holding out his hand. Liese took it cautiously and glanced at him. The affectionate smile he’d given her time and time again at the banquet was washed away.

“I’ll go ahead.”

Thinking he might follow her into the orchard again, she quickly interjected.

“Please be careful. You don’t need to escort me to the door.”

“I wasn’t planning on it. You go in first.”

Unenthusiastically, Marcus replied shortly. Seeing him standing still after letting go of her arm, there seemed to be no sign of him following her.

Whether it was because Liese was changing into her dress outdoors or because she didn’t want to bring him into the orchard, it was fortunate that he didn’t insist.

As Liese hesitated for a moment, exchanging glances, she quickly turned and walked away at a brisk pace. Watching her disappear into the darkness until she could no longer be seen, Marcus got back into the car.

Liese pressed a hand to her throbbing chest as she listened to the car move behind her. It was an inexplicable feeling.

***

The sky over Bachmann was cloudless and sunny that weekend morning.

The bright sunshine and dry breeze that blew through the air suggested that today’s weather would be perfect.

Standing in front of the chipped mirror, Liese felt a strange sensation.

Ever since they’d made their deal, whenever she went to see Marcus, she’d always worn makeup and adorned herself with expensive jewelry and dresses. She’d felt obligated to be a partner worthy of the Duke, down to her every gesture, but today was not one of those days.

A makeup-less face, a simple dress, and a simple meal with the Duke. Liese scanned her reflection in the mirror with a wary eye before getting ready.

Her loose, half-tied hair fell down her back and she wore a lace-trimmed hat. The hat, which matched her light linen dress, was something she’d always worn, and it was perfect for hiding her face from anyone she might encounter. It wouldn’t be of much use inside the restaurant, but it couldn’t hurt to have it.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Liese glanced back at the closed door. She had sensed someone pacing the hallway for quite some time.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Mrs. Joanna, who had been strolling down the hallway, stiffened in surprise. She didn’t have a broom in her hand, so it didn’t look like she was cleaning.

“Nanny, is something wrong?”

“Oh, no!”

Mrs. Joanna replied in a new voice, throwing up her hands.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”

“Of course!”

It was an unusual response, but Liese didn’t probe further.

“I’m going out again today. Are you going to visit Grandpa with Charlie as planned?”

“…Alas, yes, yes. I suppose so. It’s a weekend, and you’re leaving early, aren’t you? You always seem to be out past dinner time….”

Liese smiled warmly as she rambled on.

“It turned out that way. But just in case I’m late, don’t wait up and go to bed.”

“What about next weekend?”

Next weekend? Liese tilted her head. She was puzzled by this uncharacteristic response from Mrs. Joanna, but then she remembered the schedule she’d heard from Marcus. A charity auction was scheduled for a slow night.

“I have an appointment later that evening. Is there something else on your mind?”

“No… It’s just an old woman’s worry. I hope you always come back safely.”

As she stared at Liese, concern was evident in her eyes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be with Ian, whom you trust.”

Joanna smiled at her deft lie, though it was a somewhat bitter smile.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Go ahead.”

With a wave of her hand in farewell, Liese left the house. She felt bad that she’d been so busy since the start of the social season that she hadn’t given her family the attention they deserved.

‘I hope we can all gather together soon.’

Viscount Brennan’s discharge from the hospital seemed like a distant memory. Aside from the practical concerns, it was hard not to be happy that her grandfather was returning home. She planned to bring gifts and throw a small party to celebrate.

As she walked out of the orchard, Liese stopped in her tracks. She spotted Marcus leaning against a black car on the sloping road.

The tall, imposing man stood out from the crowd, basking in the afternoon sun, waiting for her. Fearful of being seen, Liese glanced back at the path she’d taken.

Marcus, who had been about to light a cigarette, put it back when he saw her.

Though he was neatly dressed, it didn’t feel particularly formal. The smooth blonde hair that usually revealed his forehead, slicked back with pomade for events, now fell naturally.

But given his undeniably clean-cut and handsome features, it didn’t seem to matter whether he wore a suit or bangs. Liese shook her head in surprise, realizing that she’d unknowingly been appraising Marcus’s appearance in a positive light.

It wasn’t like her to be so flippant about the duke’s appearance. The day had been too good.

“Hello, Your Grace.”