Chapter 35

Baron Dictron is the most earnest person in the world.

He had to be, while taking care of his widowed mother and raising his younger siblings until they became independent.

Fortunately, Baron Dictron didn’t find his duties difficult. Because his nature was inherently earnest.

Therefore, Baron Dictron did not particularly like banquets filled with fluttering dresses and the overpowering smell of perfume.

Nevertheless, he diligently crossed the thresholds of other people’s mansions during the social season.

There was only one reason.

•  I want to see you settled down quickly.

It was because of his mother’s earnest plea.

Such Baron Dictron stopped attending banquets this year.

For a filial son like him, it was almost like declaring that he wouldn’t fulfill his mother’s wish.

Because of this, Baron Dictron’s mother, Lady Phelan, fell ill.

However, Baron Dictron refused even Countess Napolli’s banquet and stayed secluded.

The only time he came out was for walks.

No one knew why he suddenly refused to marry, but it was easy to find out that one needed to go for a walk to meet him.

Specifically, to the park near the Lavender Lake that he liked.

Catherine is someone with extraordinary initiative.

In the afternoon, the residents of Catherine House and Hugo headed to Lavender Lake.

“We are going to walk around Lavender Lake.”

“There’s nothing better than walking to lift your spirits. But how long are we going to walk, Catherine?”

Hugo asked as he checked the time. He had an important appointment in the afternoon.

He had followed them out because only the ladies were going, but it was hard to spare much time.

“We might return quickly, or we might return late.”

Hugo blinked as if to ask what she meant by that.

Catherine did not say that she intended to walk until she met Baron Dictron.

There was no reason to meet Baron Dictron.

She couldn’t explain to Hugo that Riena and Baron Dictron were destined to fall in love.

“If you’re busy, go back, Hugo.”

Instead, she gave Hugo, who had been checking the time repeatedly, a chance to leave.

It was a very considerate gesture, but Hugo didn’t appreciate it.

“I think I’d prefer if you told me to cancel my appointment, Catherine.”

“Hmm, I don’t want to be a foolish fiancée who asks you to give up work for me.”

“You are already beautiful and excellent enough, so sometimes you need to be foolish.”

Catherine should have been used to Hugo’s sweet talk, but she wasn’t. She blushed and turned her head.

As he watched her reddened cheeks, Hugo remembered Catherine listening to his poem.

She was so lovely as she trembled her lips, trying to hold back her laughter.

Hugo had suddenly written a poem because he agreed with Riena’s words.

It seemed somewhat shameless to express feelings to a woman one is courting by borrowing someone else’s words.

One of the reasons he wrote the poem was that even the famous poet Laga’s poems couldn’t fully capture Catherine’s beauty.

He also recalled the words of an unknown artist who said that a beloved woman is the source of inspiration.

The moment he saw Catherine sparkling in the sunlight pouring in from the window, inspiration struck like a miracle.

Having lived a life far from literature, the rhythm was a mess, and the metaphors were overly straightforward, making it a poor poem, but for a first poem, he was satisfied.

Most importantly, Catherine’s reaction was good.

She listened to Hugo’s poem seriously until the end.

And she even took the poem he had written down. Seeing her fold it neatly and put it in her bag, Hugo felt proud.

At the same time, he wished that it was not the poem but a shrunken version of himself going into her bag.

‘That would make a good poem too.’

Indeed, a beloved woman is a source of inspiration.

Hugo checked the time again, remembering the new inspiration.

It seemed unlikely that he would be able to escort Catherine until the end today.

***

“Is the Duke really busy?”

After Hugo left, Riena asked, looking at Catherine.

“Yes. He received a new estate when he became a Duke. He said he has a lot to take care of because of that.”

Catherine knew this in detail because she attended the investiture ceremony. She didn’t hear everything, but she knew he received a small estate.

“Do you discuss such details already? The Duke must trust you quite a bit, Catherine. That’s wonderful.”

Brooke, interpreting it differently, chimed in. Catherine wanted to correct Brooke’s words, but there was no time.

At that moment, the Baron Dictron she had been waiting for appeared.

Catherine hurriedly tugged at Riena’s collar. Naturally, the other ladies followed Catherine.

The four of them moved together to a large tree’s shade. A tree that must have been at least 200 years old hid the four of them in its shade.

“Catherine, are you being chased by a debtor?”

Lillie asked, placing her hand on Catherine’s shoulder.

Catherine bent her upper body and clung to the tree. She was constantly watching Baron Dictron’s movements.

“Unfortunately, I have no debts, Lillie.”

“Then why are we hiding here?”

Catherine regretted bringing the curious Lillie along.

It was a necessary choice because it would have been odd to bring only Riena.

Catherine straightened up. Then she looked at the three women.

“Let’s make sure we came out to lift our spirits. Shall we play hide-and-seek?”

“Hmm? Hide-and-seek? The kind children play?”

Lillie, who disliked running, shook her head vigorously, but Brooke was delighted.

“Great! Who’s ‘it’?”

“Riena, would you be ‘it’?”

“Shouldn’t we decide with rock-paper-scissors?”

Brooke argued that it was unfair and insisted on rock-paper-scissors, but Catherine ignored her.

This game was solely to leave Riena alone in this forest. The rest of them, including Catherine, would disappear.

“I really want Riena to do it.”

When Catherine spoke firmly, Brooke no longer insisted on rock-paper-scissors.

“Catherine, I don’t want to. I’ll be ‘it’ instead.”

“Lillie, could you listen to me? If there’s a chance, I’ll take you to the horse races where Brian goes.”

“Choosing Riena as ‘it’ is an excellent choice, Catherine.”

Catherine had already mastered how to handle Lillie.

Lillie stretched her neck like a meerkat, scouting where to hide.

She was quick to change her stance.

Catherine smiled and turned the dazed Riena around.

Catherine positioned Riena with her hand on the tree trunk and her forehead on it, then whispered in her ear.

“Count to 50 and then find us. We won’t leave this forest. See you later, Riena.”

“Got it, Catherine. Um, yes. Um, one, two, three…”

Leaving the bewildered Riena counting, Catherine gestured to the other two.

It was time for the uninvited to leave.

***

“…forty-nine, fifty. Are you all hidden?”

There was no response to Riena’s question. Of course not, Riena muttered and turned around.

Suddenly playing hide-and-seek was confusing, but since it had come to this, she decided to find them all!

Determined, Riena walked around Lavender Lake.

“Catherine! Lillie! Brooke! Where are you hiding?”

She had walked quite far from the tree where she had counted, but there was no trace of the three.

How far could they have gone in the time it took to count to fifty?

Riena wondered as she walked diligently.

Then, as if by fate, she got lost.

“Where am I?”

A dense forest, the same scenery no matter where she turned. Naturally, finding her way seemed impossible.

Riena had learned what to do in such situations. Stay still and wait for someone to come.

Riena believed Catherine would find her.

Hide-and-seek where the seeker is found, Riena thought it was funny and laughed.

Her clear laughter mixed with the sound of the wind.

Riena brushed back her hair, disheveled from walking so intently, and looked for a place to sit.

She saw a rock not far away. She rummaged through her pockets for a handkerchief but gave up.

She remembered leaving all her belongings in the carriage.

“Even if it’s cold, it’s not wet, and there’s no other choice.”

She was reluctant to get dirt on the expensive Ermei dress Catherine had made for her, but it was hard to keep standing while waiting for Catherine, who might come at any moment.

Still, to get as little dirt as possible, Riena blew on the rock.

Flap, a handkerchief fluttered beside her face.

Riena turned her head to check the handkerchief. It was a high-quality fabric with initials embroidered in blue thread.

“D,T,R…”

Whose is it?

Riena looked up.

She saw a man’s hand with thick knuckles, the sleeve of a neatly ironed shirt, a vest that fit perfectly, and a man’s face that suited his slightly wavy hair very well.

Riena quickly straightened up.

Blinking rapidly, Riena hesitated, and the man smiled awkwardly.

“You seemed to need a handkerchief. Was I wrong? Ah, I’m not a strange person. I’m Baron Aaron Dictron.”

Baron Dictron smiled.

Baron Dictron’s skin, bathed in the setting sun, turned a reddish hue, and his smile painted Riena’s heart red.

It was the moment Riena’s heart malfunctioned.