Chapter 1 – Windberg (Part 6)

After tea time, Evelyn was shown to her accommodations. It was a room close to the central staircase on the second floor of the mansion. A master suite with a large bedroom, a sitting area, and even a bathroom, just as she had heard about.

In that large and luxurious space, she sat idly for a long time.

She observed the serene scene of the grand mansion, completely isolated from the bustling world, like a temple. She blankly stared at the dense tops of the evergreen forest she had passed through in the carriage a few hours ago. Then she closed her eyes and listened intently. She strained to hear the sound of carriage wheels that were not audible, wondering if Jared might return earlier than expected. After a while, she became anxious and began to pace the room.

A woman with as much sense as a sparrow’s claw. An uninvited guest who had crawled into a place where no one welcomed her. Evelyn tried not to belittle her situation. It wasn’t an easy task, though.

As the short northern day came to an end, and she was almost exhausted from wavering between anxiety and hope,

“Miss Dale, the Duke of Windberg has invited you to dinner.”

A servant, dressed in a black uniform, came to find her. The young man, with his polite demeanor, was an unfamiliar face.

“I will guide you to the dining room.”

“Could I have a moment to prepare?”

“Of course, Miss.”

After sending the servant to wait by the door, Evelyn sat at the vanity. Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the compact she had set aside. In the large mirror, a tense woman looked back at her. Evelyn took a few deep breaths as she touched up her makeup. 

Don’t be afraid, Evelyn Dale. Just act confidently. You haven’t done anything wrong.

The woman muttering to herself paused. Her eyes in the mirror wavered. Her lightly made-up cheeks looked pale.

You haven’t done anything wrong.

She quietly exhaled a long, heavy breath.

The dining room was on the first floor.

“The guest has arrived.”

Evelyn turned her gaze toward the familiar voice. A man with a solemn expression and upright posture, with graying hair. It was Klaus, the head butler.

Having confirmed the familiar man, she adjusted her gaze. There were only two people seated at the long dining table. Both were women, and the head seat was empty. The empty head seat. Evelyn felt a bit disheartened.

“Welcome, Miss Dale.”

Veronia stood up to greet her guest. Dressed in a purple evening gown, she wore her usual faint smile.

“Let me introduce you. This is Madame Diane, the mother of the Duke of Windberg.”

Jared’s mother. Diane Glenn. Evelyn curtsied to the middle-aged noblewoman.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Madame.”

The title “Madame” is often misunderstood as an honorific for a noble widow, but it is actually for the mother or grandmother of a noble. A duchess who, like Veronia, did not bear a son could not be called “Madame” even after her husband’s death.  Without a husband or son, Veronia was simply “Lady Glenn.”

“This is Miss Evelyn Dale, a guest of the Duke, Mother.”

Diane nodded from her seat. Evelyn met the eyes of the woman who appeared to be in her late fifties. The lighting wasn’t bright enough, making her eyes look dark, but her brilliant platinum hair was clear. Hair as close to moonlight as one could get. A trait that sometimes appeared in the bloodline of the Imperial Family.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Thank you for welcoming me.”

Evelyn slightly bowed her head again and headed to the seat the butler indicated. It was across from the head seat. The seat for the main guest was also the farthest from the head seat.

“Is this your first time in the north, Miss Dale?”

“Yes, Madame.”

“How long did it take to get here?”

Evelyn hesitated for a moment. She wondered if she should mention that she stayed at Evergreen Court until this morning. It would probably be better not to.

“Are you asking about the journey from Issen to Windberg?”

“Yes.”

“It took four days by train alone. The north is farther than I expected.”

“Our Empire’s capital is too far south.”

Diane continued with a light grumble.

“I heard your father is not around. So you live with your mother in Issen?”

“No. My mother lives elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere?”

“In the midwest. About two days by train from Issen.”

“That’s hard to understand. A daughter still unmarried, and her mother is so far away?”

Diane tilted her head as if she couldn’t comprehend. Evelyn lowered her gaze. Diane Glenn probably already knew about the unfortunate circumstances of her youngest daughter-in-law candidate. Jared must have told her in advance.

But if she wanted to hear it directly from the person involved, Evelyn had no way to avoid it.

“My mother lost her husband at a young age, but fortunately, she soon met a good man and remarried.”

“So she left her daughter to marry another man?”

Oh, dear.

Diane sighed softly. Evelyn tried not to let a bitter smile show.

“Even so, leaving a grown-up young lady alone. Veronia, I’ve never heard of such a strange thing.”

Diane spoke to her daughter-in-law sitting across from her. Veronia responded with an ambiguous smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her mother-in-law’s words. Sitting at the far end of the formal dining table, Evelyn briefly closed her eyes. 

Calm and graceful. Do nothing that could be criticized. Humiliation only grows when exposed.

“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t alone, Madame. I attended boarding school. After graduating at eighteen, I worked as a live-in tutor. I’ve been living on my own since reaching adulthood, and it hasn’t even been four years yet.”

The additional explanation sounded quite calm and natural. However, the way Diane looked at her was cold. The young woman, whose status was much lower than her own, had spoken without being asked, which seemed displeasing to her.

“Then how do you manage your finances?”

“I have an income from working.”

For a moment, a smile appeared on the noblewoman’s lips. To Evelyn, it looked like a sneer. An income from working, indeed. How much could she earn writing novels?

“I also have some inheritance left from my father. Fortunately, it’s not too lacking for living alone.”

The added words were a bit of bravado. When her mother remarried, she had liquidated her late husband’s estate for her daughter, but it wasn’t much after covering three years of boarding school fees. After graduating, Evelyn had gradually used it for living expenses, so now the money left was hardly enough to call a dowry.

To be more honest, if she couldn’t marry Jared and had to return to Issen, it was uncertain whether she could continue to afford the expensive boarding fees in the capital.

So it would be good to end this topic here. As Evelyn smiled, pretending to be unaffected,

“The Earl and Countess of Benford have arrived.”

The head butler, Klaus, announced.

Sitting with her back to the entrance, Evelyn couldn’t see them. She only saw Diane glancing indifferently and Veronia smiling as she stood.

Evelyn also rose from her seat. An unexpected dinner company, the Earl and Countess.

“Oh, Belle. If a widow is so beautiful, it only makes my heart ache more.”

“You’re kind, Countess.”

“I meant it sincerely.”

Evelyn watched the two women exchange warm greetings. The Countess appeared to be in her mid-thirties, dressed in a wine-colored frock. A sophisticated yet somewhat bold dress adorned with black lace on the sleeves. 

Who could she be? 

Judging by her casual demeanor and speech, they seemed close. Once again, Veronia took on the introductions for the curious Evelyn.

“She’s the Duke’s cousin. The gentleman is her husband, Earl Benford. This is Miss Evelyn Dale, a guest of the Duke.”

The Earl and Countess simultaneously turned their heads toward Evelyn. The man spoke first.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Dale.”

“The honor is mine, Earl.”

Earl Benford, standing about three steps away, slightly bowed his head. Evelyn curtsied in response and greeted the lady beside him in the same manner.

“Countess.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Miss Evelyn. I’m Victoria.”

The Countess of Benford, Jared’s cousin, replied with a smile. Her smile was much more refreshing than her husband’s.

“That’s Madame Diane, my aunt, over there.”

Victoria added cheerfully, then glanced at the empty head seat.

“Is Jared not here yet?”

She asked lightly while taking her seat at the butler’s guidance,

“Is our noble Duke of Windberg not back yet?”

She corrected herself, glancing at Madame with a somewhat playful tone.

“Why have you come again? Should the Earl be leaving his estate so frequently? How many days has it been since you visited for the funeral?”

“Oh, Aunt. How could we not come when Jared, I mean, the Duke of Windberg, personally invited us?”

“My wife is right. An invitation to Maxville is always welcome.”

“Besides, it’s only two hours away. There should be some perks to living close to cousins. How pitiful must our dear Jared, I mean, the Duke of Windberg, have found his cousin trapped in the Earl’s residence, running in circles!”

Victoria said theatrically, reaching for her water glass. As she took a sip to wet her lips, Diane cast a disapproving glance her way.

“I hope you’ve hired a strict governess for your daughters, Earl. Make sure they know their mother isn’t a model lady. Daughters must be raised very strictly from a young age. Only then will they grow up to be graceful ladies.”

“How well my aunt knows, despite never having raised a daughter herself.”

Victoria sneered, and the Earl laughed out loud. Veronia also lowered her head slightly and smiled. Diane Glenn looked at her niece’s laughing face with an incredulous expression.

Evelyn smiled faintly, just enough to be polite to Madame, matching the mood. However, in truth, she wanted to smile more brightly. Something was slowly swelling in her chest, tickling her heart.

Jared’s intention to invite his cousin to this gathering was clear. To keep his mother in check and make the atmosphere more relaxed. He had thought it through to make his fiancée a little more comfortable.

‘The only person who might make you uncomfortable in that mansion is my mother.’

So it felt almost as if she was turning back time.

Evelyn sees him again. The man she sat across from in the breakfast room of Evergreen Court before all this happened. Jet-black hair. Emerald eyes. The man who had seemed so far away was suddenly close enough to touch again.

Jared Glenn.

‘My Eve.’

Her Jared.

At that moment, the dining room door opened behind her. She knew it was him the instant it opened. The familiar sound of footsteps reached her ears a little before the butler’s announcement.

“The Duke of Windberg has arrived.”

Her heart began to race. Her hands clasped together under the table tightened. Evelyn tried hard to maintain a neutral expression.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I see everyone is here.”

It was him. Finally.