Chapter 7

Sunlight from a summer day poured through the window where the curtains had been drawn.

The sudden brightness furrowed Kenneth’s brow. He raised his arm to shield his bare eyelids from the blinding light. Judging by the light footsteps, it seemed a different servant than usual was attending to him this morning.

When he lowered his arm and opened his eyes, he saw a female servant approaching the bedside cautiously with a teacup. She had black hair and a face full of freckles.

Tina, the servant, placed the cup on the bedside table and glanced at her master still lying in bed.

As soon as her eyes met the half-lidded blue gaze staring directly at her, Tina gasped and straightened her back, clasping her hands together politely.

“Good morning, my lord. Starting today, I’ll be serving your morni—”

“Robe.”

The low, heavy voice cut her off instantly. His tone, drenched in irritation, made Tina quickly retrieve the robe hanging nearby. As Kenneth rose from the bed, a broad, firm chest appeared before her eyes. Startled, Tina unknowingly gripped the robe tighter.

Snapping back to her duties, Tina lifted the robe to dress him. But at that moment, a large hand came down over her head and snatched the robe from her with a rough grip.

In shock over her master doing a servant’s job, Tina froze in place, unsure what to do.

“I-I’ll do it for you, my lord.”

“Leave.”

Wearing the robe, Kenneth raked his disheveled hair back with his hand.

When his cold gaze landed on her, Tina finally bowed and hurried out of the bedroom.

Kenneth didn’t even glance at the cup the servant had left. Instead, he walked out onto the balcony.

Leaning against the railing, he let the chilly morning breeze brush against his skin.

“Good morning, huh…”

Recalling the woman who had awkwardly greeted him with a trembling voice, the corner of Kenneth’s mouth curved wryly.

He couldn’t understand why people insisted on saying such things every day—what was so “good” about the morning?

Their morning pleasantries never failed to make Kenneth feel uneasy.

Amid the chirping of birds, the faint sound of hoofbeats reached his ears. A carriage had stopped at the duke’s estate, and a man stepped out.

The man entered the estate with familiarity, exchanging cheerful greetings with the other servants. It was Kenneth’s cousin, Jaden Segrington.

Jaden spotted Kenneth on the balcony and raised his hand, waving wildly.

Kenneth let out a low sigh and returned to his bedroom. He could confidently say that this morning was the worst he’d had in a while.

***

For the first time in a while, the normally quiet dining room of the ducal estate was lively. Jaden, ever attentive, stayed by the former duchess and his aunt, Carindia, keeping her company with cheerful chatter. Anyone watching might easily mistake him for her actual son given the care he showed.

Thanks to this, Jaden could visit the estate without prior notice. Even if they were cousins, it was technically improper, but Kenneth turned a blind eye. As long as Jaden’s presence brought a smile to his mother’s face, Kenneth saw no need to stop him. Jaden was doing something Kenneth couldn’t.

“You look especially beautiful today, Aunt,”

Jaden said, plucking a flower from the vase on the table and handing it to Carindia. She let out a delighted laugh at his playful gesture.

“Thank you for the kind words. But flowers like these should be given to young ladies, not someone like me,” she replied warmly.

“I’ll keep your advice in mind, Aunt.”

When the laughter faded, Carindia’s gaze shifted toward Kenneth, who was silently continuing his meal. As she dabbed her lips with a napkin, she cautiously spoke.

“Any progress with Lady Bellure, Duke?”

Kenneth’s hand, mid-slice with his knife, froze. His blue eyes, which had been idly wandering over his plate, slowly turned toward Carindia. With a face that closely resembled his, she offered a gentle smile.

“If you marry Lady Bellure, she would be a great support to you. The grief from losing your father might heal more quickly with a wise wife by your side.”

Kenneth placed his cutlery down on the table. Though food remained on his plate, he had no desire to eat any more.

“I’ll take my leave.”

After wiping his mouth, Kenneth rose from his seat and left the dining room without so much as a glance back.

“I’ll try talking to him, Aunt.”

“I’d be truly grateful. It puts my mind at ease knowing the Duke has such a dependable family member like you, Jaden.”

Jaden remained by Carindia’s side until she finished her meal, then went off in search of Kenneth. As expected, he found him in the study.

Opening the door right after knocking, Jaden spotted Kenneth at his desk, reading through documents. Though he surely heard him come in, Kenneth didn’t even look up.

It was close to being ignored, but Jaden wasn’t offended. Kenneth had always been curt, rarely showing warmth to those around him. In childhood, he had been bright like other boys his age, but after a major accident, he became the man he was today.

Jaden leaned against the door and knocked once more. Only then did Kenneth finally part his tightly closed lips.

“What.”

“I just wanted to take a walk with you. If you’re busy, I’ll wait over there until you’re done.”

Jaden trudged over to the sofa set on one side of the study. Knowing his presence would be annoying if he loitered too close, Kenneth reluctantly set down the documents on his desk.

The two strolled through the ducal estate’s garden. As they walked ahead, Jaden turned back and said,

“Do you know what the hottest topic in the social circles is these days?”

“……”

“You probably don’t care, but hear me out. It’s about you, Duke Vinzetten.”

Kenneth, who had been staring blankly into space, turned his head. It was a sign to go on—he’d listen for now.

“The biggest buzz is about who will fill the empty seat of the Duchess of Vinzetten. Everyone seems to have a guess, but since there’s been no official engagement announcement, a lot of young ladies are still hopeful.”

“Engagement? I have no intention of doing that.”

“Lady Bellure and others don’t seem to think that way.”

The moment Jaden finished speaking, Kenneth turned his gaze away. If he’d known this was the nonsense Jaden was going to spout, he wouldn’t have even acknowledged him. Regretting his earlier leniency, Kenneth turned his attention instead to the neatly trimmed roses.

“Aunt’s only bringing it up because she’s thinking of you. It’s only been a few months since Uncle passed. She knows you’re still struggling. Maybe that’s why she’s pushing so hard for an engagement with Lady Bellure—she thinks having a wife might help you heal.”

“…”

“If you have no intention of getting engaged, then why do you stay so close to Lady Bellure?”

“Because being with her means I don’t have to deal with the other ladies.”

“That’s all it is? Then what about Lady Bellure’s feelings?”

“She’s the one who foolishly developed them. That’s her fault.”

Jaden shook his head in disbelief. He had confidently told Aunt he’d talk some sense into Kenneth, but now he realized just how difficult it would be to change his mind. Judging by Kenneth’s reaction, another word about marriage might get him kicked out of the estate, so he decided to drop it.

“Well, if you’re not interested yet, just wait a bit. I might be the one getting engaged this season.”

“You found someone?”

Kenneth’s interest made Jaden’s face instantly brighten.

“I don’t know how she feels, but I’ve had someone in mind. Lady Rosalie Cailon. You saw her too, right?”

Kenneth’s hand, which had been gently stroking a rose, paused. The name was familiar enough to bring her face to mind immediately.

Jaden pulled out a letter from his pocket.

“Baroness Whitman, Lady Cailon’s chaperone, sent me this. She said Lady Cailon seems to be having trouble adjusting to the social scene, since it’s her first season, and asked if I could help. You know what that means, right?”

“…”

“I plan to help her with everything I’ve got. So wish me luck, Kenneth.”

Kenneth looked down at the small rose in his hand.

A woman with red hair, as vivid as this rose. A woman who always seemed about to cry, her face flushed with anger every time they met.

When Kenneth closed his hand, the carefully tended rose, nurtured by the gardener, crumbled instantly. All that remained in his place were scattered petals.