Chapter 12

Despite Sarah’s firm reassurance, Jenin hesitated, clearly worried.  

“But…”  

“It’s fine.”  

After losing her position as the pub’s star to Sarah, Scarlett had been itching to torment her at every opportunity. Seeing that Jenin was about to intervene, Sarah reassured her one last time before checking her hair. Eventually, Jenin gave in and grabbed the doorknob.  

“Let me know if you need help, Sarah.”  

Click, the door closed.  

Now alone with Scarlett, Sarah crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.  

“So, what do you want to say, Scarlett?”  

“What?”  

“There’s no way you’d come here without a reason.”  

Caught off guard, Scarlett’s face hardened. Sarah tilted her head slightly, her arms still crossed.  

“I’m busy, so make it quick.”  

“You stuck-up witch.”  

“Did you come here just to throw insults at me?”  

“No.”  

Forcing a smile, Scarlett stepped forward. The two women stood face to face, with only a step between them.  

“So, what are you going to do now? Your ‘protector’ is gone.”  

“…What nonsense are you talking about?”  

“Oh, didn’t you know? Your ‘lord’ seems to have grown tired of a back-alley singer.”  

Scarlett’s words began to chip away at Sarah’s confident expression. Enjoying the sight, Scarlett continued.  

“Raymond Campbell Somerset’s engagement date has been set.”  

“Oh, is that all?”  

Relaxing, Sarah scoffed.  

“It’s just a formal engagement. Raymond doesn’t have even the slightest interest in that woman.”  

“…You.”  

“And who says the engagement will even lead to marriage?”  

Sarah managed to maintain her composure now, but not long ago, she had spent sleepless nights tormented by anxiety.  

—Are you really getting married, Ray?  

—…  

—Tell me. Don’t I deserve at least that much?  

—I won’t.  

—What if the Earl forces it?  

—Sarah.  

Raymond had wiped away her tears, his voice devoid of any warmth.  

—I’ll never marry or have children.  

—Why not?  

—Because I’ll only end up making them miserable.  

Though he had spoken lightly, as if joking, Sarah knew he wasn’t one to say such things without meaning them. She had felt both despair and relief at his answer.  

—Oh, right, Sarah. Will you come to the engagement ceremony?  

—Me?  

—I’m hiring a band, so having a singer wouldn’t hurt.  

—Are you serious? You’re inviting your ex-lover to your engagement?  

—You’d come if I asked, wouldn’t you?  

His devilish grin, showing his teeth, had made Sarah feel like she was under a spell. If Raymond was a devil, then she was a witch bewitched by him.  

Raymond Campbell Somerset was a man no one could have. No woman, not even her. If she couldn’t have him, no one could—not even Diana or whatever her name was. That woman might have been born into a wealthy family and raised in luxury, but deep down, she was no different from Sarah.  

“Well, I’ve heard enough nonsense. Now, will you leave?”  

“No, I’m not done yet.”  

The tables had turned. Scarlett, now visibly uneasy, blurted out her next words.  

“It seems he’s found another lover besides his fiancée.”  

“What nonsense is that?”  

Sarah, who had been fastening the buttons on her sleeve, raised her head. Her face twisted with fury, and Scarlett sneered.  

“Someone saw him a few days ago in the slums, holding another woman in his arms.”  

“What…?”  

“You didn’t know, did you?”  

Scarlett, emboldened by her apparent victory, took a step back when Sarah suddenly surged forward with a menacing aura. She shoved Scarlett against the wall.  

“Ahhh!”  

“Speak clearly. Who was the woman?”  

“I-I don’t know.”  

“Talk.”  

The intensity in Sarah’s gaze was enough to make Scarlett feel as if her neck might snap at any moment. Swallowing hard, Scarlett stammered.  

“I-I don’t know. A stranger mentioned it, so I don’t have the details. But…”  

“But?”  

“She had reddish-brown hair and was tall…”  

A warning bell rang in Sarah’s mind.  

—Say hello, Sarah. This is my new lover who came to meet me 

—Ray!  

—Who is she?  

—A country bumpkin tutor.  

“That country bumpkin…”  

It had been a mistake to let her guard down, thinking the woman wasn’t his type. Men sometimes craved something different, after all.  

Grinding her teeth, Sarah slammed her fist against the wall. The thin partition wall trembled loudly.  

* * *  

To buy Henry’s birthday present, Raymond took Helen to a toy store over the weekend. The shop was filled with so many toys that Helen’s eyes widened in amazement.  

“How about this, Helen? I think he’d like it.”  

“Isn’t he a bit too old to play with dolls?”  

“Then what about this? It could be useful during lessons.”  

“He already has a globe in the study.”  

“Oh, this one! This is perfect!”  

“That’s a bit much. Maybe if Henry was twelve.”  

After being repeatedly vetoed, Raymond started to look increasingly forlorn. Helen found it amusing and chuckled inwardly. She wondered if they were shopping for Henry’s toy or for his older brother’s.  

“Try picking something Henry would like, not something you like.”  

“Have you picked something, Helen?”  

“I’ve already paid for mine.”  

“Already?”  

Raymond, who was at least two heads taller than Helen, pouted like a child. He left the store without choosing a gift.  

“There are plenty of other stores. Let’s take our time.”  

“Sure. It’s lunchtime anyway. Shall we grab something to eat?”  

“…I’ll pass on the place we went last time.”  

“The place last time?”  

Instead of answering, Helen pointed to her cheek. It was the day he had been slapped—the day they first met. Raymond laughed brightly in response.  

“I know plenty of places.”  

The snow had melted slightly, leaving the streets clean.  

The two turned onto a side street and settled at a terrace in a brunch café. Raymond ordered pancakes with honey, two coffees, and some fruit. He removed his gloves and placed them on the table. Helen noticed a few passing women sneaking glances at him.  

He really was handsome—so much so that it was almost blinding. Helen thought about it again, marveling at her situation.  

Just yesterday, she had been a nobody from a remote village, and now, here she was, sitting across from an impossibly handsome man on a leisurely weekend afternoon.  

“Did they catch the pickpocket?”  

Lost in thought, Helen was startled by his sudden question. She shook her head.  

“Not yet. I reported it, but it seems unlikely.”  

“If it’s difficult, I could help.”  

“Would that be possible? My salary is generous enough, so it’s fine.”  

Generous was an understatement. For her first month, she had received nearly double the usual pay. Raymond was an excellent employer—hands-off yet generous. It was a wonder he had hired her when he could have easily found a better tutor.  

Their food arrived. Raymond spread butter over the steaming pancakes and changed the topic.  

“Choosing a gift is harder than I thought.”  

“What did you give him last year?”  

“We went on a short trip together. That’s what we usually did.”  

“Why not this year…”  

Helen trailed off, stopping herself from asking why they weren’t going on a trip this year. She remembered the maids mentioning his engagement. That must have kept him busy. Helen took a deep breath to compose herself before Raymond noticed anything strange.  

“If you’re still unsure about a gift, why not think about what you liked at his age? What was your favorite?”  

“Hmm.”  

Raymond set down his knife and closed his eyes in thought. The warm sunlight streaming down on him made him look like a painting.  

“There wasn’t anything.”  

“Nothing at all?”  

“Nothing.”  

“You must have received something.”  

“Of course I did.”  

He opened his eyes and smiled faintly, though his gaze seemed oddly cold.  

“Money. A lot of it.”  

“Money…?”  

“My mother passed away the following year, and I was sent to a military boarding school when I was twelve. I stayed there until I was fifteen.”  

“…Ah.”  

It was the first time Helen had heard about this. One word stood out to her—military school. Even someone like her, with no connection to such places, had heard about its infamy.  

It was a school that trained children to become perfect soldiers, teaching them obedience. Admission was strict, and graduates were guaranteed high-ranking military positions, but the school was notorious for its harsh discipline. Rumors said the number of dropouts was nearly equal to the number of admissions.  

“I transferred to Carlton when I was sixteen. It just didn’t suit me.”  

“I see.”  

The tense atmosphere from his story didn’t last long. Raymond shrugged lightly, as if brushing off the heavy topic.  

“I learned to appreciate good food like this. Here, Helen, try some.”  

He placed a piece of fruit on her plate and smiled warmly. Helen accepted it hesitantly, and he suddenly changed the subject.  

“By the way, has the ghost incident settled down?”  

“Oh.”  

“Henry was so excited about it, but he hasn’t mentioned it lately.”  

“It seems so. They say it usually appears around this time and then disappears.”  

“It always does.”  

After a brief pause, Raymond smiled. His expression was unreadable, but Helen didn’t dwell on it. The light conversation continued intermittently as they ate.  

When they were nearly finished, Helen set down her utensils first.  

“Thank you for the meal.”  

“No problem.”  

Raymond raised his hand to signal the waiter. As the waiter approached with the bill, Raymond paid naturally from his seat. Then, standing up, he pulled Helen’s chair back for her. His manners were so natural, as if ingrained in him.  

Helen, unaccustomed to such treatment, hesitated slightly before taking his arm to stand.