Chapter 8

It was the first time she heard this. Helen blinked. 

“The late Madam’s death anniversary?”

The butler nodded and replied, 

“Yes, she was the mother of the eldest Young Master and passed away from illness 8 years ago.”

What followed from the butler’s mouth was a complicated family history.

“Different mothers….”

Helen quietly muttered. The eldest son from the first wife and the younger son from the remarriage. Both had faces that were the spitting image of their father. More importantly, their relationship was so good that she hadn’t noticed.

Thoughts led to more thoughts, and she kept delving into the brothers.

“Teacher?”

“Henry.”

The cheerful voice pulled Helen out of her reverie. He was a considerate child. For the past two days, while she was bedridden instead of teaching, Henry had come to visit her. He kept her company, chattering away about various things so she wouldn’t feel lonely or depressed.

“Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Just this and that.”

Helen smiled faintly as she patted Henry’s head. The soft texture that wrapped around her hand was like satin. At the same time, she thought of hair just like his. No, a bit lighter blonde. Suddenly, Helen’s face turned red, and Henry, watching her intently, asked abruptly.

“Aren’t you tired of being in bed all day?”

“A little. But it’s okay, since today is the last day.”

“Did you use all the ointment I gave you?”

“Yes, it worked well. Thank you.”

Helen reached for the empty tin case on the nightstand and handed it over.

“I heard it’s hard to find these days because it’s sold out. How did you get it?”

“Well….”

Henry hesitated and avoided her gaze. Sensing something was off, Helen narrowed her eyes.

“Henry.”

“I was told not to tell.”

“Are you going to lie to your teacher?”

When she quietly pressed him, his small mouth finally confessed the truth.

“I was told it was a real, real secret….”

“Henry.”

“My brother gave it to me.”

“What?”

She had only expected the butler to have given it to him. While Helen was in a daze, Henry added.

“He told me to pretend it was from me. You can’t tell anyone I said this. Okay?”

“…Alright.”

Why would he do that? Does he remember that day? No, he probably doesn’t. If he did, he wouldn’t have disappeared the next day. 

He hadn’t visited once during the three days she was bedridden. It was surprising enough that he knew she was hurt.

While Helen was lost in thought, Henry, for some reason looking anxious, snuggled into her arms.

“Teacher… please don’t disappear suddenly one day.”

“Henry?”

“Promise me, okay?”

He had been clingy before, but this time it felt different. Helen gently pushed him away and asked calmly.

“Is something wrong?”

“My brother….”

When she asked kindly, Henry’s voice wavered.

“My brother hasn’t come home for two days. After he gave me the ointment, he left….”

Helen’s mind rang with alarm. Two days ago, it was the night they met in the kitchen. And soon, it would be the late Countess’s death anniversary.

“It was like this last year and the year before. He’ll come back this year too, right? He won’t just disappear…?”

“Of course. He’ll come back.”

Helen wiped the tears from the child’s face. She opened her arms and hugged his trembling body.

“Shall I finish reading the story for you?”

“….”

“If you listen well in class tomorrow, I’ll give you candy.”

Henry nodded, his eyes sparkling as if he hadn’t been crying.

* * *

“Here you go.”

The candy store owner handed Helen a paper bag.

“One bag of cotton candy, right?”

“Yes. Here. Keep the change.”

“Thank you. Have a nice day.”

As soon as she stepped out of the store, a boy on a bicycle zipped past her.

Unlike the quiet inside, the outside was bustling. Young ladies strolled arm in arm along the sidewalk, and children gathered to play with spinning tops. Couples in four-wheeled carriages and gentlemen in stylish suits.

Helen looked around, lost in thought. The impression was completely different from when she first arrived. The streets in the early morning were quiet and foggy, but today, being the weekend, it was bustling and lively.

It was a place unlike the quiet and pastoral countryside she was used to. She was absorbed in her surroundings when she bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction.

“Oh!”

“I’m sorry.”

Startled, Helen let out a short scream, and the man who had bowed his head passed by. Watching him disappear into the crowd, Helen checked her belongings. Her heart sank.

“It’s gone….”

Her wallet was missing. She had brought plenty just in case. Since it wasn’t payday yet, it was all the money she had. Helen quickly ran in the direction the man had disappeared. Her mouth was dry, and her hands were shaking.

“Excuse me. Sorry.”

Desperately pushing through the people on the sidewalk, she chased after the man. Scanning the area anxiously, she spotted the pickpocket’s back in the distance. He was entering a small alley. Helen reached out and followed him.

“Hey! Hey…!”

She followed him frantically for quite a while. As the alley became narrower and darker, she realized she had ventured too deep.

There were homeless people in shabby clothes, drug addicts with unfocused eyes, drunks reeking of alcohol, and half-n*ked prostitutes. Realizing it was a dangerous place, she quickly looked for a way out, but someone grabbed her shoulder.

“New girl?”

“L-let go of me!”

It was a man with a lecherous expression. Terrified, Helen shook his hand off. She looked for the way she had come. As she stumbled, a woman in ragged clothes grabbed her skirt.

“Please spare some change, Miss.”

“I’m sorry.”

Without even looking at the woman’s face, Helen hurried her steps. As she walked, the ominous gazes from around her were all focused on her. Her spine tingled. Desperately searching for an exit, she saw the man who had grabbed her approaching with two large men.

It happened in an instant. Before she could escape, the three men surrounded her.

“Lost your way? Shall we take you somewhere?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry. We’re not bad people.”

“Come with us.”

“Eek!”

The moment her wrist was grabbed, she thought it was over. Just as she squeezed her eyes shut, a familiar voice spoke.

“Excuse me.”

“Mr. Raymond…?”

Helen froze, her mouth agape. Without a glance, Raymond approached and twisted the arm of the man holding her wrist.

“Ack! Who, who are you!”

Before the man could resist the sudden pain, Raymond applied more pressure, making the man scream sharply.

“Come closer, and I’ll break his arm.”

“W-what…?”

The men stared at him with wide eyes, and his chilling voice fell like a blade.

“I’ll give you three seconds.”

“What?”

“Get lost. All of you.”

“….”

The atmosphere changed in an instant. Helen, lifting her head, realized why the men were frozen in place.

It was a gun. With a blank expression, Raymond aimed the barrel at them, and the ruffians froze.

“One.”

Raymond blinked slowly and released the safety.

“Two.”

His icy blue eyes were chilling. Looking at their pale faces, his calm hands loaded and cocked the gun. Just before he could shout “three,” one of the terrified men ran away.

“R-run! He’s serious!”

“Aah!”

As soon as one man turned away, the group fled as if they had planned it. The breath Helen had been holding burst from her lips.

“Miss Godwin.”

He turned around. His fierce gaze bore down on her from above.

“What were you thinking?”

Just as his cold voice was about to erupt, a gust of wind blew his hat away. Without thinking to retrieve it, Helen touched his cheek and asked.

“Are you okay?”

The subtle scent of grass and flowers. The warmth on his cheek. As she touched his frozen face, her small voice asked again.

“Are you okay?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Raymond froze, and Helen’s legs gave way as her tension released. Instead of answering, his strong arms easily caught her staggering body.

“Oh…!”

Raymond held her in his arms like a princess. Flustered, Helen stammered.

“Put me down. I’m fine….”

“Helen.”

His cold voice softened. Changing his tone, Raymond quietly suggested.

“Your legs still hurt, don’t they? Just stay still. I’ll put you down once we’re outside.”

Raymond removed his hat and placed it on her head, then began to walk.

As he moved, the hat tilted and obscured her vision.

Seeing nothing, she felt the careful hands supporting her shoulders and beneath her knees.

Helen wrapped her arms around his neck.

***

Cradled in his broad arms, they emerged from the dark, damp alley onto the bright main street. Throughout the journey out of the sinister place, Helen kept her mouth shut. Raymond did the same.

Only once they were completely out of the shadows did he set her down.

“Don’t come here again. It’s dangerous.”

“I really didn’t know. Thank you for helping me.”

“Thank you? I’m the one who should apologize for my rudeness last time.”

Helen’s mouth fell open at his response. Her head spun.

“That rudeness, I mean….”

“That evening.”

Apparently, getting thoroughly drunk didn’t make one forget everything. Watching Helen’s face turn from pale to bright red in an instant, Raymond added with amusement.

“When will you put on that leash? I’ve been waiting patiently.”

“Cough…!”