Mrs. Feilding continued speaking about Kyla’s education while keeping her standing beside her.

“As the Countess said, she was already quite grown up, so there was no need for a live-in governess. Instead, I hired teachers who could provide specialized instruction. I’m confident that the education she receives is similar to that received by boys at public schools.”

“My goodness! There can’t be a single girl in Ashton who has been raised with such an education. And to devote that level of care to an adopted daughter… Mrs Feilding, you are truly remarkable.”

The Countess of Rothermere praised Mrs. Feilding’s kindness and wisdom without restraint.

“Oh, it’s nothing so extraordinary. You flatter me too much, Countess.”

Although she appeared embarrassed by the overflowing praise, a smile spread across Mrs. Feilding’s lips.

“Then, would you like to hear the child play?”

At last, Mrs. Feilding’s gaze turned toward Kyla.

“Kyla, play something for the ladies.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Kyla let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least she no longer had to stand there with aching legs, pretending not to eavesdrop on their conversation.

As she sat down at the piano without any sheet music, just as Mrs Feilding had instructed, she heard the Rothermere mother and daughter whispering in surprise.

For a moment, she wondered which piece she should play today. In the end, she chose one of Franz Schubert’s Impromptus.

It was calm yet lively — perfect background music for the noblewomen’s chat, and likely to earn her a few polite words of praise afterwards.

Kyla took a quiet breath and immediately began to play.

The moment her fingers touched the keys, everything else disappeared.

The pitying gazes of the lavishly dressed noblewomen, the ever-gracious Mrs Feilding, and the image of the poor orphan girl all vanished in an instant, like a snowman melting in the sun.

In their place, elegant melodies and shimmering harmonies flowed, as though her ten fingers were dancing lightly across the keys.

***

Like the other residents of Simon Street, the Feildings travelled between their townhouse in Ashton and their country estate in Orland depending on the social season.

Four springs passed during that time.

Kyla grew so tall that she could stand taller than Uncle Andrew when she tipped her toes up slightly.

Meanwhile, Jayden’s university graduation day was finally approaching.

For young men about to graduate from Portsmouth University, May meant the graduation ball — one last chance to enjoy their youth before the nerve-wracking graduation exams in June and the day of results.

Portsmouth’s graduation ball was renowned for its splendid orchestra, the finest champagne, and a dazzling fireworks display. However, the main concern for the young men was choosing a partner.

Of course, as with everything, there were exceptions.

However, for the young Duke of Lester and the only son of the Feilding family, choosing a partner was not a matter of concern. They had both already decided on theirs.

However, on closer inspection, their situations were somewhat different.

One had a partner chosen in advance by his mother.

The other had made his choice entirely of his own accord.

“My ball partner is Miss Feilding?”

Silas frowned.

“Yes.”

Jayden dropped onto the sofa across from Silas with a grin. Lately, he had been coming and going from Silas’s room as if it were his own.

“You invited your sister to be your partner at the ball?”

What on earth was this fellow thinking? The same man who carried that charming smile capable of captivating women wherever he went.

Silas fixed his gaze on Jayden, who looked unusually pleased with himself.

“To be precise, she isn’t my real sister.”

Jayden’s next words were absurd.

The same man who used to boast endlessly about her and call her ‘my sister’ had, at some point, started calling her simply ‘Kyla’ instead.

Only now did Silas think he understood why.

“You’re insane.”

Jayden ignored Silas’s curse and calmly savored his tea.

“So I have a favor to ask.”

Setting his teacup down, Jayden looked at him with a more serious expression.

“At least hear what it is first.”

When Jayden said ‘favor’ for the first time, Silas leaned back against the sofa and narrowed his eyes.

“You’ve seen it yourself — Kyla is strikingly beautiful. I can’t let those Portsmouth fellows swarm around her at the ball tonight. But she can’t spend the whole evening dancing with me either.”

If that happened, they would be the subject of all kinds of wildly imaginative gossip in Ashton’s social circles the next day.

Jayden wasn’t wrong.

During the previous social season, Silas had seen Kyla at a ball, where she had looked stunning.

She was no longer wearing the short dresses intended for young girls that revealed her ankles. Instead, she wore a long gown with a sweeping skirt.

Her thick, chestnut hair was elegantly pinned up, revealing her pale, slender neck and shoulders, as well as the gentle curve of her chest.

She was no longer a little girl.

Men stole glances at her, and despite her ambiguous position as an adopted daughter, she had become the most sought-after young lady at the ball.

Kyla’s remarkable beauty captivated young, passionate gentlemen.

Beyond that, the expectation of a sizeable dowry from the Feilding family attracted noblemen with little more than empty titles to their names.

“So?”

Silas crossed his long legs and slowly raised his teacup to his lips.

“So what do you think? Naturally, I’m earnestly asking our magnificent duke to graciously spare some of his valuable time for his friend’s sister.”

“So now she’s your sister again.”

At Silas’s incredulous expression, Jayden laughed.

“Sorry, but that will be difficult. My partner probably wouldn’t appreciate me dancing with a lady who’s excessively beautiful.”

Silas refused bluntly, but Jayden did not give up easily.

“You don’t seriously think Miss Rothermere would be jealous of Kyla, do you? Miss Rothermere and jealousy—it’s a completely mismatched combination.”

Jayden snorted.

To be honest, even Silas himself didn’t believe that the elegant and noble Penelope Rothermere would be jealous of the Feilding family’s adopted daughter.

Even if she was, it wouldn’t matter.

As long as she didn’t openly display her emotions and cause him trouble.

In truth, Silas simply couldn’t think of a better excuse to refuse Jayden’s request.

He had absolutely no desire to get involved with Kyla.

Not since he learned that she was Count Snowdon’s daughter, at least.

“Your point has some merit. But ask someone else. I have no intention of doing something foolish like stepping onto a dangerous path.”

“Someone else won’t do. There isn’t anyone in Portsmouth who treats women as indifferently as you do.”

Jayden crossed his arms and spoke with absolute certainty.

“Treat women like stones? Anyone hearing that would think I was some kind of sodomite. I revere a woman’s beauty.”

“Ah, hahaha… Let’s just say that for now. Anyway, even if you can’t spare much time, dancing with her once shouldn’t be a problem, right? Good. I’ll take that as you agreeing to my request.”

Jayden rose from the sofa, chuckling to himself. Without waiting for Silas to respond, he casually waved and left the room.

Silas let out a faint laugh.

He reached for his teacup to drink the now cold tea, but then put it back down again.

What Jayden had said — that he had little interest in women — was not entirely wrong.

To him, a woman’s beauty was nothing more than something that stirred desire. And desire was something that could be satisfied whenever necessary.

Food, pleasure or a woman — it made little difference.

In that sense, Jayden’s choice of him might have seemed appropriate.

However, there was one small detail: Silas had no intention of granting her request.

***

May passed in the blink of an eye and, finally, the day of the graduation ball arrived.

Portsmouth was filled with young men eager to bring their university days to a close in style.

This excessive excitement would eventually cause trouble for those foolish fellows.

From Silas’s perspective, the whole situation started when his date, Miss Penelope Rothermere, failed to appear long after the ball had begun.

Silas was irritated that Penelope had not arrived even after the festivities had begun. Things were not unfolding according to plan.

Rather than standing in the ballroom facing the desperate expressions of the wallflowers while waiting for her, he decided to wander through the night garden.

Of course, there was another reason.

He wanted to avoid running into Jayden and his beloved sister.

A group of noisy men had gathered on the terrace above him, smoking cigars and talking loudly.

He disliked the smell of cigar smoke, but he disliked overhearing other people’s conversations even more.

He was just about to move away when he heard it.

And then he heard it: Her name.

“Ah, that adopted girl?”

“Was her name Kyla? She was stunning.”

“If you like her, why don’t you try to charm her? Heh.”

The way they snickered and commented crudely on every part of her body while discussing her was disgraceful.

Silas knew he should leave.

But his feet felt frozen to the spot.

“You’re not interested, right? If you change your mind later, I’ll kill you.”

“What’s the point? She’s only an adopted daughter. If she were their real daughter, maybe.”

“Who said anything about marriage? I’m just thinking of a little romance.”

“You never know. The Feildings might give her a hefty dowry. If that happens, marriage wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Adopted daughter or not—her face and figure are incredible.”

Such talk was nothing new or surprising. During the social season, conversations like that happened all the time, only with a different woman’s name.

And yet, Silas was becoming increasingly irritated. He decided it must be because of the nauseating smell of the cigars they were smoking.

Turning away, he headed back towards the ballroom.

The moment he stepped inside, he saw Jayden speaking with a gentle expression while Kyla listened attentively, her eyes shining as she looked up at him.

“Silas!”

Jayden spotted him and approached with a bright smile. Kyla, who had been lightly holding Jayden’s arm, came with him.

“Jayden. Miss Feilding.”

“Good evening, Duke Lester.”

A faint smile touched her lips.

Although she was smiling, her gaze was fixed elsewhere.

Did she not want to look at his face?

Whether she disliked him or not didn’t matter to him.

Still, it irritated him.

The sight of her clear face, framed by long lashes lowered over her eyes, bothered him strangely.

“I’ve been looking everywhere. Where were you?”

Jayden asked, slightly furrowing his brow. Though his face was still clearly smiling, as if the frown were only for show.

“I went out to get some air.”

“I didn’t see Miss Rothermere either. Did you two argue?”

“Argue? Hardly. She said she’d be a little late.”

Argue with Penelope?

The idea was unimaginable.

Despite knowing her for years, Silas had always kept his distance. He neither wanted nor needed to get any closer to her.

His mother, however, seemed to have already marked Penelope out as a potential daughter-in-law.

Considering her family background, appearance, and education, this choice was perfectly reasonable.

Silas intended to maintain a polite and mildly affectionate relationship with her — nothing more.

At the right moment, they would become engaged.

At the appropriate time, they would marry.

To Silas, this was the ideal path to marriage.

No foolish desires that shattered reason.

No meaningless emotional waste.

“So until Miss Penelope arrives, it seems you’ll need someone to dance with.”

Jayden smiled mischievously, reminding Silas of the favor he had asked for earlier.

At that moment, a man came over to them.

More precisely, he approached Kyla.

Silas recognized him immediately.

He was the man who had been on the terrace earlier, talking about trying to romance Kyla.