Chapter 12

Right before departure, when Alberto appeared alone, most people immediately understood why Rabiana hadn’t shown up—even without a word being said.

A few clueless ones asked for the reason, but he answered flatly.

“My wife is very frail.”

Alberto didn’t elaborate further. For Scarlett, it was actually a relief. She stayed by Alberto’s side the entire way to the hunting ground, chatting as she steered her horse, and continued hovering near him even after arrival.

“My father had invited a guest, and it turned out to be the parish priest. We were so shocked that everyone screamed.”

“…..”

“Oh, and my brother, who just returned from studying abroad, gave me a wonderful sachet. There’s too much for me alone—would you like some, Your Grace? The scent is lovely.”

“I’ll pass.”

But Alberto responded to Scarlett coldly.

Not even glancing at her, he dismissed her by striking up a conversation with someone else—his usual defense since his bachelor days. Yet after witnessing Alberto being so attentive and caring to Rabiana throughout the previous day’s meal, Scarlett found his coldness especially bitter.

“What about giving the gift to the Duchess of Roen?”

As Scarlett brought it up, she secretly wished Alberto wouldn’t react. If he repeated “I’ll pass” with his usual chill, it might soothe her twisted feelings a little.

But Alberto flinched at her words. He paused his conversation and fell silent in thought. That brief hesitation wounded Scarlett.

His next words left her vision blurred, silencing her completely.

“She would probably like that.”

He said it while looking directly at Scarlett—and he was talking about his wife.

The man who couldn’t care less about a woman’s feelings, selfish and arrogant, never once looked back.

Even though the woman beside him, who had been chattering nonstop, suddenly fell silent, he showed not a hint of curiosity.

It only made him seem all the more heartless.

That was the moment something impure crept into Scarlett’s heart.

***

“It suddenly started raining, you know? So Luis rushed to mount his horse, but of all places, he stepped right into a puddle, and water splashed everywhere! It was just hilarious! We all doubled over laughing!”

Having returned from the hunt, Scarlett sat beside Rabiana, recounting the events from the hunting ground.

Caught in a sudden downpour, the group had returned to the estate, changed out of their wet clothes, and gathered in the parlor.

They sat near the fireplace, sipping cocoa or coffee to warm their rain-chilled bodies.

Rabiana had come down upon hearing the voices, only to be caught by Scarlett and stuck listening to her story.

“Scarlett, that’s just mean. You won’t be satisfied until everyone knows how ridiculous I looked?”

Feigning injury, Luis clutched his chest with furrowed brows, playing up the drama.

Scarlett merely shrugged, prompting some in the room to take her side, while others offered Luis sympathetic chuckles.

The only one who couldn’t say anything was Rabiana.

Nothing about it was funny to her. She couldn’t even picture what it looked like for someone to run into a puddle and splash water everywhere. It had been so long since she’d even seen water splash, she couldn’t remember the last time.

“Tomorrow, we’ll continue the hunt we couldn’t finish today. There’s a little wager going on about whether Luis or Alberto will catch the better game. Who would you bet on, Lady Roen?”

Scarlett, deliberately emphasizing Alberto’s name, flaunted her familiarity.

Because most of the people in this gathering had known each other for a long time, it was common for them to speak casually.

Rabiana didn’t even realize the question was directed at her.

Only after the room fell quiet did she notice that everyone was waiting for her answer.

Startled by the silence, she finally stammered a reply.

“Ah, uh, I… I’d bet on the Duke of Roen…”

“Oh my. Do you not even call your husband by name?”

Scarlett’s remark left Rabiana flustered once again.

She was already uneasy for not being able to relate to the story from the hunting grounds. Now, the jab about her not calling her husband by name left her unsure how to respond.

“Exactly.”

The person who agreed with Scarlett hadn’t been there a moment ago—it was Alberto.

With that, he placed his arm around Rabiana’s shoulders.

He had just come down after washing up, but he had heard the entire conversation.

Seeing Rabiana sitting among them with a strained smile and lowered head didn’t sit well with him.

So he purposefully sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.

“He hardly ever calls me by name,”Alberto said, pulling Rabiana close enough that her body leaned into his.

Before she realized it, she was practically in his arms.

Rabiana blinked in surprise. ‘W-what’s happening?’

“I’m always the one begging, you know.”

With that final remark from Alberto, a beat of silence passed—then bursts of laughter and cheers filled the room.

Words like “How adorable,” “I never thought you’d say that,” and “Unbelievable!” reached Rabiana’s ears clearly.

And she agreed with all of them.

She didn’t know much about Alberto as a person, but she could guess why he was putting on the act of a loving husband.

‘Even so, I do value appearances. When my child is born, I don’t want rumors about our relationship spreading.’

Rabiana forced a smile, not wanting to ruin the mood.

But even as Alberto sat right beside her, casually chatting and laughing with the others, he felt far away.

It was like she had been cut off. In this room full of laughter and conversation, Rabiana felt as if a veil had been drawn between her and the rest.

***

The rain, just a passing shower, soon let up. That evening, the group drank and chatted before going to bed early in preparation for the next day’s hunt.

For Rabiana, who had only smiled awkwardly among them, the social effort had been draining, and she ended up oversleeping.

When she opened her eyes, the house was quiet.

Coming downstairs, she was informed by one of the maids that everyone had already left for the hunt. The maid kindly served her a meal.

Rabiana picked at her food, appetite fading, and after half-heartedly filling her stomach, she returned to her room.

Being alone brought her comfort.

When Lawrence began his day, Rabiana had always been left to her own devices.

She hadn’t had friends—there was little interaction, and the maids couldn’t be friends due to the difference in their status.

Loneliness was the only companion she had ever grown used to.

Rabiana fumbled her way to the window and opened it.

‘It’s cold.’

Alberto’s voice, which had briefly crossed her mind, was swept away by the incoming wind.

Rabiana held onto the window frame and closed her eyes.

The sound of the wind. The chirping of birds. The soft thud of snow falling from branches. The scraping sound of someone sweeping snow off the path.

Those were the things granted to her.

Blind and unable to do much, the only hobby she could indulge in was listening.

It was through sound that she felt life was moving, that she herself was still living.

Alberto.

Was he enjoying the hunt right now?

She’d only learned yesterday that he was good at it.

It was to be expected, but still… she found herself curious about what he might be like when hunting.

Not that it mattered—she’d never be able to see it anyway.

“Forget it. What’s the point of wondering,” Rabiana muttered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

Just then, the tightly shut door burst open.

Startled, Rabiana stiffened on the spot.

She didn’t even think to turn around or ask who it was. The sudden intrusion had frozen her in place.

“There you are, Lady Roen.”

“…Scarlett?”

Rabiana turned around, clutching her chest.

Scarlett was approaching, having entered without so much as a knock.

A sense of unease stirred in Rabiana, prompting her to instinctively back up toward the window.

Reaching behind her, she grasped at the air until her hand found the frame again.

Scarlett’s brows furrowed at the sight.

She quickly grabbed Rabiana’s arm and pulled her away from the window before brushing her hand off.

“That was dangerous. What were you doing?”

“Ah…”

Scarlett forced her lips into a smile as she looked at Rabiana’s vacant expression.

If she didn’t, her voice might betray just how much she disliked her.

She had no reason to act friendly toward this woman, but she didn’t want Alberto to find out how she felt.

She didn’t know how close they really were, but they were still husband and wife—for now, it was better to tread carefully.

“Aren’t you lonely, being by yourself?”

“Oh, I’m fine…”

“Would you like to join me?”