Chapter 7

The fact that Lady Kidman wasn’t a woman Edward kept by his side in private was a comfort to me.

‘You shouldn’t expect anything from a political marriage… You know that well, Lirie.’

I pulled myself together.

It was also a warning not to end up like my mother.

I knew better than anyone what happened when you started hoping for something from a political marriage.

“Still, what if Edward and I could be like Lady Kidman and him…”

Earlier, even the butler and servants seemed to welcome her.

If I weren’t from House Scarlett, would they have welcomed me too?

“Sigh…”

Letting out a sigh at the stifling feeling in my chest, I looked out the window.

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, the sun was setting.

“I won’t go out today.”

I was afraid of seeing Edward and Lady Kidman getting along.

I was afraid of being ignored by the other servants in front of her.

“My lady, it’s Betty.”

“Come in.”

Betty entered my room, pushing a trolley with my dinner on it. Thinking about it, it was almost funny.

‘The guest dines lavishly in the dining room, but the lady of the house eats alone in her bedroom.’

For most nobles, it would be enough to make them faint with outrage.

“What is all this…?”

Until I saw the food Betty brought, I’d been able to endure this kind of treatment.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I told the chef you couldn’t eat this, but…”

Betty’s eyes filled with tears of frustration.

“They said it’s what the guest likes… They just wouldn’t listen to me.”

It was childish bullying.

The intention behind it was obvious, and I was left speechless.

Did they really want to torment me this much?

Most of the food Betty brought was lobster and mango. Of course, I couldn’t eat either.

“I’ll go get something else. No matter how bad things are between Winderton and Scarlett, no noble family would ever treat their lady of the house this way!”

Betty wiped her tears as she spoke.

“It’s fine. Even if you go back and ask, they won’t listen to you… I’m not hungry tonight anyway, so just take it away.”

Saying I wasn’t hungry was a lie.

I hadn’t eaten a thing since morning, and of course I was starving.

But I wasn’t foolish enough to eat food that was dangerous to me.

‘Now they’re trying to ignore me with food?’

As if everything else wasn’t enough, now it was the food.

I couldn’t help but feel even more miserable.

“Haa…”

Trying to sleep on an empty stomach, of course, left me wide awake.

When I looked at the clock, it was already deep into the night.

I felt too sorry to wake Betty, who was surely sleeping soundly, so I left my bedroom on my own.

“I’ll just eat some fruit.”

I went downstairs, grabbed a glass bowl of fruit, and was on my way back upstairs when I heard the sound of laughter coming from Edward’s study.

The moment I heard it, I changed direction and headed toward his study instead of my bedroom.

The laughter from inside didn’t stop.

“Ahaha, you haven’t changed at all, have you?”

“Why don’t you focus on work? There’s still plenty to do.”

“Ah, all right. You really haven’t changed.”

Lady Kidman spoke to Edward so comfortably. Edward, though he sounded stiff, responded to everything she said with careful attention.

‘Weren’t they supposed to be talking business…’

I bowed my head.

‘They said she was just a business partner, but they sure seem close.’

Hearing the two of them, I couldn’t help but remember my own conversations with Edward.

I was always the one desperate to exchange even a few more words, while he seemed to want to end it as quickly as possible.

Even with all that, their conversation never seemed to end.

They seemed more like a married couple than Edward and I did, so I turned away.

“Haa…”

Back in my room, I sat on the bed and ate some of the fruit I’d brought.

At least my stomach was full, but I regretted leaving my room.

If only I’d stayed put. Then I wouldn’t have heard Edward and Lady Kidman’s conversation.

***

The next morning.

I woke to Betty’s touch, quickly got ready, and headed to the dining room.

Edward had asked to have breakfast together.

“Your Grace, did you sleep well?”

When I walked in, Edward was already seated, looking well put-together.

The restlessness from the night before was already gone.

I sat to his right at the head of the table and greeted him.

“Yes, did you sleep well too?”

Edward answered, sounding a little annoyed but still asking after me.

Hearing his low morning voice put me at ease.

“Yes… I slept well too.”

I knew it was an improper question, but I answered with a smile.

‘Is he really planning to have breakfast with just me today?’

There was only Edward and me in the dining room.

I couldn’t even remember the last time we ate together, just the two of us.

“What’s the occasion? For Your Grace to actually dine with me…”

“Your Grace, Lady Kidman has arrived.”

Before I could even finish my sentence, my hope was crushed.

The dining room door, which I’d thought would stay shut until the meal was over, opened, and through it stepped a head of pink hair.

‘Ah…’

I watched as Lady Kidman came in, beaming like sunshine in a brilliant dress.

Well, it’s not like Edward would ever dine with me alone.

I was the one who’d forgotten that.

“Oh my! The Duchess is here too? Did you sleep well last night?”

Lady Kidman greeted me in a gentle voice.

“Yes, of course. Did you sleep well, Lady Kidman?”

“Thanks to everyone’s consideration, I did.”

Lady Kidman answered with a brightness that seemed to have no shadows.

The more I saw her, the more I felt she was different from me.

“I’ll have them serve the food.”

As soon as Lady Kidman sat down, the chef and servants brought out the prepared dishes.

But, once again, there was almost nothing I could eat.

‘…I didn’t expect anything anyway.’

I just stirred at my soup. I knew it wasn’t proper table manners, but I couldn’t help it.

“Duchess, why aren’t you eating? Is the food not to your liking?”

Lady Kidman seemed sharp. She looked at me with wide eyes and asked.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

There was no malice in her question, so I forced a smile and answered as if nothing was wrong.

“Is there something wrong with the food?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Afterward, Edward asked the same thing, and my answer was the same.

“If there’s anything you can’t eat, please tell us. It seems the chef isn’t familiar with your preferences.”

“…All right.”

I could only laugh.

Betty must have told the chef about my allergies, but apparently it hadn’t mattered.

Edward probably just thought I was being picky about food—like some spoiled noble girl who’d grown up too pampered.

‘If I don’t eat, will he think less of me?’

My family, especially my father, always saw my allergies as something shameful.

When I was young, they even tried to “fix” me by serving nothing but mangoes and lobster.

They told me to hide my allergies no matter what, since it would be a flaw in the marriage market.

‘Edward’s a noble too, so maybe he thinks that way…’

I knew he was different from my family, but I was still scared he’d see me the same way.

I stared at the food on my plate. I imagined how sick I’d be for days if I ate it.

‘With that look on his face, how can I not eat?’

Edward’s gaze was filled with clear contempt. I gripped my fork even tighter.

“Sigh…”

I let out a small sigh. It was quiet enough that the two of them, chatting pleasantly, wouldn’t hear.

It almost felt like I could hear Betty’s voice in my ear, telling me not to eat it.

‘How can I ignore those eyes?’

A bitter smile crossed my face.

My expression slowly stiffened, and I put a piece of lobster in my mouth.

I shouldn’t have left my room.

I remembered how excited I’d been getting ready, thinking I would have breakfast alone with Edward.