Chapter 28

“Miss, you’re waiting for His Grace secretly, aren’t you?”

“Um… you caught me?”

It was embarrassing to say she was caught. How could she hide from Bianca, who lived in the same house, and be near the front door at dawn or early morning?

She could have told Bianca to return to the Grand Ducal residence by now, but she hadn’t yet. It was also true that having Bianca around was comforting, and she spoke about Floyd.

It was fortunate this place was a two-story house. No matter how much Floyd wanted to, he wouldn’t climb through the second-floor window.

Elina pushed the chair she had brought into the living room, wrapped the shawl over her pajamas again, and opened the front door.

Perhaps it was expected since she felt no presence. There was nothing at the front door. Only the fierce wind and rain signaling the end of autumn poured into the house.

“Oh dear, Miss, you’ll catch a cold!”

“Just a moment, Bianca… could you help me close the door?”

The wind was strong, making it hard to close the door. Only with Bianca’s help, who kicked off her blanket and ran over, could they finally shut it.

He hadn’t come yesterday morning, so maybe he would today, but with the weather like this….

Elina took off her now-wet shawl and dried her rain-soaked hair with a towel. 

When would I finally see him?

I still hadn’t met the one who silently helped me. Or was he only planning to continue this silent assistance?

“I want to meet Floyd and say what we need to say to each other. Is there no way to convey this to him?”

“Hmm… I’ll try to tell him as best as I can… for now, just think about breakfast. Since it’s raining today, how about I make some warm soup, Miss?”

“Sorry. I’m always like this… mushroom soup sounds good.”

Elina, who had changed out of her pajamas, watched Bianca disappear into the kitchen while she combed her damp hair.

The Earl Valois residence and the Rennes Grand Ducal residence. Her emotional state wasn’t much different then and now. Her body and mind were more at ease now, but regarding Floyd….

“Miss… if His Grace came to ask you to live with him at the Grand Ducal residence, what would you do? Of course, after a formal marriage. With no opposition from the retainers… and no criticism from people.”

Bianca, washing mushrooms in the kitchen, peeked out and asked a very hopeful question.

With someone supporting her, she could think positively. And if she were a much stronger person.

But it was all hypothetical, and if it was about how things would change through Floyd’s efforts, the story was a bit different.

“I still like Floyd, but honestly, I’m not confident. Look at this… I thought I could endure at the Grand Ducal residence, but I ended up running away.”

She knew she was being selfish. In hindsight, it was a light-hearted, irresponsible act driven by the distress caused by Madame Rasiche.

She couldn’t bear all the criticism, yet she still liked Floyd.

Now that she thought about it, what were Madame Rasiche and Reynard doing at the Earl Valois residence after she, the only heir, left?

After deciding to live alone in this house, she wanted to reclaim her parents’ enormous wealth and rights to the family through a trial, but now it seemed impossible.

Just thinking about the issues related to Floyd made her head spin.

“Maybe I should just sleep early today….”

She hadn’t slept much for days, waiting for Floyd, who might come. Elina blinked her drowsy eyes and sat on a chair with a soft cushion.

The critical period for the baby in her womb had passed, so it should be okay. It was no longer early pregnancy.

While thinking about what to do while the soup was being made, Elina started knitting with the yarn and crochet hook she originally bought to make a scarf for the grandmother on the first floor.

But after learning the truth, she canceled the plan to give it to the grandmother.

While knitting the scarf without thinking about anything else, the clattering sound from the kitchen and the savory smell of mushroom soup wafted out.

She didn’t intend to burden Bianca with housework, but Bianca quickly stepped in to handle everything except the simplest tasks, leaving her with nothing to do.

“It’s almost done! If it weren’t for the milk His Grace sent in the basket yesterday, it would’ve been a disaster.”

“You’re not hiding that the grandmother on the first floor is doing Floyd’s bidding anymore.”

“Well… you already know everything. I also caught you waiting for His Grace.”

“I didn’t think I could hide it….”

“But I won’t tell you anything else… His Grace asked me.”

“There’s nothing that’s not Floyd’s request from start to finish.”

Bianca’s personality was the same as when she was at the Grand Ducal residence. A person who spread bright energy to those around her.

And when Elina persistently asked if she knew anything about Floyd, she eventually began to reveal bits of the truth.

“It’s okay to wait for His Grace at dawn or whenever, but please don’t overdo it. He’ll show up soon… I’ll be out now!”

“Please, when is that ‘soon’ and why… oh, already?”

With those words, two steaming bowls were placed on the table. The scarf she was knitting was barely half a hand’s length from completion.

Still, she could finish it today. Elina thanked Bianca for making the mushroom soup from scratch in the morning and took a sip.

“How is it? Is it edible? I was worried since there are many foods you can’t have….”

“It’s fine. I think you did well….”

The baby in her womb wasn’t as picky as before. But it didn’t taste particularly good, so she stopped after a few more spoonfuls.

She felt sorry for Bianca, who had worked hard, but the taste reminded her of the soup from the Earl Valois residence, not the Rennes Grand Ducal residence, which upset her stomach a bit.

“If it doesn’t suit your taste… have the meal when His Grace sends the food basket later. It’s prepared by the chef at the Grand Ducal residence, so it should suit your taste.”

“What? Everything so far was made by the chef at the Grand Ducal residence?”

“Oh… I ended up telling you… yes, it was.”

She had suspected, but to think the chef at the Grand Ducal residence had been sending the food. His dedication was indeed impressive.

And recalling the brief notes he always wrote in elegant handwriting made her feel a little melancholic.

「Go to bed early today.」

「Dress warmly as it’s cold.」

「I want to visit soon….」

He seemed to have no intention of hiding his identity anymore. Though she wasn’t sure, it seemed Bianca was continually relaying messages to him.

Elina stood up and reached out through the only window in the house. Outside, the cold rain was still falling.

“Even though he’s so concerned… Bianca, really tell me now. What exactly is Floyd doing?”

She wanted to go out, but the fierce rain made it difficult. She wanted to catch Floyd today.

It had been weeks since she first saw Floyd drinking in a building she visited while out.

If he cared so much, he could just show up, but she still hadn’t seen his face again. Bianca seemed a bit hesitant at Elina’s words.

She had already admitted that Floyd always sent food to her taste through the grandmother on the first floor and acknowledged that Floyd had been secretly visiting the house.

“He’s sorting out the reasons you had to leave the Grand Ducal residence… it’s a bit intense, so he’s not coming to you directly. Just wait a little….”

“Floyd really wants to marry me formally….”

“I told you. His Grace likes you as much as you like him, Miss.”

It wasn’t entirely unexpected. It was just surprising because it was such an ideal reason.

When lunchtime came, a basket full of delicious food arrived for Elina, who couldn’t settle her restless heart after listening to Bianca.

Inside the basket, delivered by the grandmother on the first floor, was another letter from Floyd in his elegant handwriting, but the content was different from usual.

「I’ll definitely come to see you tomorrow.」

The letter said Floyd would finally come to meet her. It was truly tear-jerking. Or perhaps she was so happy that she actually cried.

When she immediately showed the letter to Bianca, she seemed a bit surprised.

She said she had conveyed Elina’s wishes to His Grace but didn’t expect him to decide so quickly.

Though there was no certainty that meeting him would mean being with him, she still wanted to meet. She wanted to see his face and talk about anything.

Having heard his assurance, she would definitely wait for Floyd today. After eating the lunch he sent, Elina went to bed early, unlike a few days ago.

And in the early morning, before Elina could wake up, she heard the front door open. The meow of the kitten, too.

“Shh. Mom’s sleeping.”

It was definitely Floyd’s voice. Elina could wake up immediately at that sound. It was the voice she so desperately wanted to hear.