“Miss Feilding.”

“Ah… yes?”

Startled, Kyla looked up at Mrs. Hamilton.

“You didn’t hear a word I just said, did you? What’s been occupying your thoughts so completely?”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

They had been sharing breakfast in Mrs. Hamilton’s room, chatting about this and that.

Without realizing it, Kyla had drifted off into her own thoughts.

“It’s all right. It’s not as though you did it on purpose. But is something troubling you?”

“Well…”

Kyla hesitated.

She wanted to ask Mrs. Hamilton for advice, but she couldn’t tell her everything.

‘As long as I don’t reveal that it’s Silas… perhaps it’ll be all right.’

Carefully, she began to speak.

“The truth is… someone proposed to me not long ago. But I don’t know whether I should accept.”

“My goodness! Miss Feilding, congratulations.”

Mrs. Hamilton looked genuinely surprised before smiling warmly.

“Then what’s troubling you? Don’t you like him?”

“I… I’m not really sure. I do like him, but…”

Feeling her face grow warm, Kyla lowered her head.

“That’s not what’s making me hesitate.”

She fell silent for a moment, unsure how to explain herself.

Mrs. Hamilton quietly spread butter across a slice of bread, her gentle expression seeming to say that she would wait as long as it took.

“The problem is… he and I come from completely different worlds.”

“Hmm… Well, since he isn’t just any noble but a Duke, I suppose the difference is rather significant.”

“What?”

Kyla stared at Mrs. Hamilton in shock.

She knew that the man who had proposed was a Duke.

“How did you…”

“How could I not? Who in the Lester household doesn’t know?”

Mrs. Hamilton gave a shrug as though the answer were obvious.

Kyla stared blankly as Mrs. Hamilton took a bite of her buttered bread, trying to make sense of the situation.

“Did… perhaps Miss Riona tell you that the Duke proposed to me?”

“Nothing like that.”

Mrs. Hamilton chewed thoughtfully before swallowing the bread in her mouth.

“To be honest, I only learned that His Grace had actually proposed because you just told me.”

“What?”

“But I’d already known His Grace was fond of you. So naturally, when you said someone had proposed, I assumed it had to be the Duke.”

“Has… has everyone in the Lester household already been gossiping about this…?”

Kyla was utterly astonished.

“Gossip? Whatever do you mean? Hahaha.”

Mrs. Hamilton laughed aloud, as though the very idea was absurd.

“You could tell just by looking. Anyone who saw the way His Grace looked at you would have known. Everyone simply pretended not to notice because he was engaged to Lady Rothermere.”

Smiling to herself, she picked up another slice of bread and laid a thin slice of ham over it.

Kyla’s face burned crimson.

She hastily lifted her glass and drank several large gulps of water.

“I can see why you’re conflicted. Going from the Duke’s piano teacher to becoming the Duchess is no ordinary matter.”

Mrs. Hamilton nodded in understanding.

“Yes… I’m worried that Her Grace may not approve of me. What worries me the most is that Miss Riona might face difficulties because of me when she’s old enough to marry. That’s what worries me the most.”

“I don’t think you need to worry too much about Her Grace, though. She probably already knows everything, and if she wanted to object, she would have done so by now. Even if she did, though, I doubt it would make much difference. His Grace isn’t exactly the sort of man who can be easily swayed.”

Mrs. Hamilton gave a small shrug before continuing.

“As for Miss Riona… I honestly don’t know. That’s still a long way off. Besides, you probably understand high society better than I do. Is there anything else troubling you?”

“There is.”

Kyla looked at Mrs. Hamilton with a serious expression.

“One more thing.”

“Go on.”

Mrs. Hamilton dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

“I’m afraid that someday… His Grace might regret marrying me… And that he’ll come to resent me because of it.”

Kyla forced a smile, but her voice trembled ever so slightly.

“Oh, my…”

Mrs. Hamilton chuckled as she reached over and gently patted Kyla’s shoulder.

“The fact that you’re worrying about something like that tells me you must care for His Grace very deeply.”

“Is… is that really what it means?”

A rosy blush spread across Kyla’s cheeks.

“Of course it does. If you didn’t care about someone, why would it matter whether they came to hate you or resent you?”

Mrs. Hamilton spoke with complete certainty.

“Miss Feilding, think carefully about what I’m about to say. Whether it’s Miss Riona’s or His Grace’s future, those are other people’s futures, aren’t they? We don’t even know what our own future holds, so how can we possibly know what circumstances someone else will face, or how their heart might change?”

“No one… could know.”

Kyla smiled faintly.

“Exactly. There’s no use worrying about things no one can possibly know. So, Miss Feilding… stop thinking about everyone else’s feelings, and think about your own.”

My own feelings…

She had forgotten them.

“Don’t waste your time worrying about what you can’t change. Think about what you can do instead.”

Those were the words her late mother had always said to her.

Kyla felt her eyes sting.

As tears welled up, Mrs. Hamilton moved to the seat beside her and gently clasped her hand.

“Your heart must be in quite a turmoil…”

“No… It’s just that I was reminded of my mother.”

A tear slipped down Kyla’s cheek.

“I suppose so. If I’d managed to run away with the eldest son of that viscount’s family and we’d had a child together, I might have had a daughter about your age.”

Mrs. Hamilton’s remark made Kyla laugh.

“I wish that had happened.”

“Oh, heavens, don’t say such things. If it were that scoundrel’s child, I’d pass.”

Kyla burst into laughter at the sight of Mrs. Hamilton’s perfectly serious face.

When had she last laughed like this?

Mrs. Hamilton was right.

There was no point in worrying about everything else.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t find any answers.

So she would focus on just one thing.

Did she want to marry Silas or not?

What exactly were her feelings for him?

“But… when did you realize His Grace had feelings for me?”

“Feelings? It wasn’t just interest. He liked you.”

Mrs. Hamilton corrected her with a straight face.

“Hmm… When was it? It’s been so long I can hardly remember. But I think I became certain when His Grace got engaged to Lady Rothermere.”

Kyla’s eyes widened in astonishment.

She couldn’t even close her mouth.

His engagement had taken place in the summer.

Mrs. Hamilton had noticed it all the way back then.

“Then… when we went on that picnic with Miss Riona, and you told me about the man you almost married… was that because you were worried about His Grace and me?”

“Well, partly. And partly because it simply came to mind.”

Watching Mrs. Hamilton smile to herself, Kyla smiled as well.

The tears had already dried.

“Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton.”

“For what? I haven’t done anything.”

“No… You’ve done more than enough. I’m truly grateful to have you by my side.”

Kyla’s heart felt full.

She had no idea what awaited her in the future.

But somehow…

She felt as though she could face anything.

“Oh, that’s enough of that. Hurry and eat. You barely touched your breakfast. Your soup’s gone completely cold. Wait just a moment.”

Mrs. Hamilton generously spread butter over a slice of bread and held it up to Kyla’s mouth.

“Ah, I can do it myself.”

“Just eat first. After that, you can feed yourself.”

“All right…”

Kyla obediently chewed the bread Mrs. Hamilton offered her.

It was soft, and the butter melted across her tongue, filling her mouth with its rich flavor.

“It’s delicious.”

“That’s because it was made with my magic touch.”

As Mrs. Hamilton laughed, Kyla laughed with her.

“You’re right.”

Kyla ate all the bread and ham.

By the time she was full, her mind felt strangely light.

It was as though she had forgotten all about her troubles.

She decided to talk to Silas.

She felt that talking to him face-to-face would help her to finally sort out her feelings and thoughts.

***

Kyla stood in front of the study door, took a deep breath, and knocked twice.

A moment later, she heard a voice from inside tell her to come in.

She opened the door and slowly stepped inside.

Silas was standing beside the large window, gazing outside.

Bathed in the morning sunlight streaming in from the east, he looked even more dazzling than usual.

“Your Grace.”

At the sound of her voice, he turned to look at her.

Silas seemed slightly surprised by her unexpected visit, but he quickly composed himself and walked over to her.

“Miss Feilding.”

The moment she looked up at him standing so close, Kyla’s heart began to race.

“I… wanted to ask you something.”

“You may take as long as you like.”

He said it lightly, his gentle voice carrying a teasing warmth.

“Ah… all right.”

Why was her face growing hot just from meeting his eyes?

Was Mrs. Hamilton right?

Had she really fallen for this man that deeply?

Kyla lowered her gaze.

“I was hoping… that perhaps Your Grace might have some time this afternoon.”

“This afternoon?” he repeated. “Is something the matter?”

“It’s not that anything’s wrong…”

“Perhaps you’ve come to give me your answer to my proposal?”

“What? No.”

Kyla quickly shook her head.

“It’s not that… I just thought… it would be nice if we could have some tea together and talk.”

Now even her ears had grown warm.

Still, she gathered her courage and met his eyes.

She wanted to know what expression he was wearing.

“I see.”

His eyes widened ever so slightly before curving into a gentle smile.

“That sounds wonderful. Are you busy now?”

“I was about to practice the piano… But if this morning is more convenient for Your Grace, I can practice this afternoon instead.”

“I see.”

He frowned thoughtfully for a brief moment before breaking into a smile.

“In that case, go ahead with your piano practice for now. I’ll send a servant for you as soon as everything is ready.”

“Yes. Understood.”

To be honest, Kyla had no idea what he meant by any of it.

Preparing tea only required giving the servants a few instructions, didn’t it?

But the way he was looking at her made her heart flutter and her toes curl.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask another question.

“Then… Your Grace, I’ll take my leave.”

“Very well.”

After receiving his permission, Kyla bowed politely and left the study.

Her heart felt as though it might leap right out of her chest.

But is it possible to die from your heart beating too fast?

Trying to calm its frantic pounding, she headed straight for the drawing room.