Chapter 1.4

The wide corridor was dimly lit, with most of the lights off. Strange drafts leaking from closed rooms quickened her steps. After walking for some time, Alexa stopped in her tracks.

‘It couldn’t possibly be this far from the bedroom to the kitchen.’

Suits of armor lined both sides of the corridor, their purpose in a lived-in house a mystery. They smelled of metallic tang and musty dust.

‘Could I be lost?’

She thought she’d learned the layout, but the mansion was apparently larger than she expected. With the lights off, she was confused about which corridor she’d just come from.

Gripping her blanket tighter, Alexa ventured a bit further. There was a faint light at the end of the hall. Whoever was inside, it was probably best to ask for help.

As she quietly approached and peeked into the room from which the yellow light spilled, it happened.

“What are you doing?”

Startled by the voice that came from behind without a sound, Alexa nearly collapsed, her legs giving way. Unable to even scream, she sat down right where she was and looked up.

Raymond Belsmire, wearing a light shirt, was looking down at her expressionlessly. His black hair fell naturally over his forehead, casting a shadow across his face. The boy’s presence was impossible to ignore, and Alexa caught her breath.

Raymond extended his hand, as if telling her to grab it and stand up. Hesitant, Alexa took his hand and rose to her feet. His hand was large and warm.

The warmth lingered for only a moment, disappearing as soon as Raymond let go. Alexa hid her hand, still tingling with unfamiliar sensation, under her blanket. Embarrassed, she tried to explain her situation with a smile, pretending it was all lighthearted.

“I was looking for the kitchen. I wanted a cup of warm milk.”

“You should have pulled the cord.”

“It’s late, everyone should be asleep. I didn’t want to bother anyone. I can warm up milk for myself.”

Raymond wore an expression that suggested he didn’t quite understand, but when Alexa blinked innocently as if asking if there was a problem, he let out a shallow sigh and spoke.

“If you want to get to the kitchen quickly, it’s better to use the stairs on the right. That’s where the servants go during emergencies, so the lights are always on.”

“I see. I must have heard that explanation before, but I must have forgotten.”

Alexa nodded earnestly, even though she had no idea where the right-side stairs were.

Raymond, having shown her the way, started walking ahead. Alexa stood in the light, watching him move away. Then Raymond stopped in place, turned around, and spoke with slight annoyance.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

“Pardon?”

“You said you wanted to go to the kitchen.”

“Oh!”

Letting out a small sound, Alexa quickly scurried after Raymond.

He’s showing her the way himself. Perhaps the Duke’s heir was more kind than she had imagined. The boy’s broad back led the way, making the eerie night corridor seem less frightening.

The two walked silently down the dark corridor for a while. Soon, the lit staircase appeared. Having finished his role as guide, Raymond nodded as if to say she could handle things from here.

“I don’t need to show you how to go down the stairs, do I?”

“Of course not. Thank you for showing me the way.”

After bowing and starting down the stairs, Alexa suddenly thought she wanted to give Raymond something in return for his help, so she climbed back up. Raymond was still standing at the top of the stairs. Seeing Alexa reappear, he raised an eyebrow as if to ask why she’d come back.

“Do you need some warm milk too? I could bring an extra cup while I get mine.”

“I don’t need that. Just hold your blanket properly. I don’t want to hear that the Duke’s daughter tumbled down the stairs in the middle of the night because she stepped on her blanket.”

With those words, Raymond returned to the dark corridor. Alexa watched the cold but gentlemanly boy’s retreating figure for a long time.

After that night, Alexa did her best to get closer to Raymond. Even if they didn’t become as close and affectionate as relatives, she wanted them to at least recognize each other as family living under the same roof.

As summer began in earnest, Isabella started major renovations on the mansion for hygiene and convenience. Telephone lines were installed, the kitchen was remodeled, a parking lot was built in the yard, and modern heating systems were introduced.

Raymond, standing in for the busy Duke, supervised the construction alongside Isabella.

Young Alexa ran back and forth behind the two, taking care of small errands. Her shoes and stockings were often soiled with dust, but on days when Raymond wiped her with a cool, damp towel, she felt as if she could fly up to the sky.

He was a completed noble, beloved and trusted by everyone in the estate—a talented heir symbolizing the bright future of the ducal family.

Raymond was the most dazzling person Alexa had ever seen. Whenever he appeared, heads would turn. Before greeting him, she’d clear her throat out of habit.

But as the summer heat peaked, Raymond’s attitude grew colder. At some point, he began eating breakfast separately from the rest of the family, and when Alexa greeted him in the vast mansion, he ignored her. The maids who witnessed this openly laughed at Alexa, making sure she could hear.

‘She’s so clueless, how dare she.’

It was humiliating. Still, Alexa didn’t feel angry, because she felt sorry for Raymond leaving the breakfast table. Her grandfather always emphasized that family meant gathering around one table, so Alexa felt it was her duty to bring Raymond back to the table.

Meanwhile, some people openly spread nonsense. They claimed Isabella and her daughter would steal all the Duke’s attention from the heir, and that mother and daughter saw Raymond as a thorn in their side.

Alexa only wanted to prove those rumors were lies.

One summer day, when her efforts had shown little effect, Alexa spent an unpleasant tea time with other young noblewomen. As soon as they left, she stormed out of the mansion.

The noble young ladies treated Alexa like a talking animal. Whenever she spoke, they laughed as if praising a pony for eating carrots they’d given her. She pretended to be fine so as not to trouble her mother, but couldn’t help feeling hurt.

Swinging her arms as she headed toward the woods, Alexa spotted the glass greenhouse. Remembering her mother’s request to bring some flowers for the study, she postponed her trip to the hideout and turned toward the greenhouse.

Entering through the open door, Alexa stopped after a few steps. Across a table filled with flowers in a metal bucket, the gardener and Raymond were talking.

Raymond stopped speaking as soon as he saw her. The gardener, too, eyed Alexa warily, then bowed politely only to the heir.

“I’ll do as you said.”

With those words, the gardener left the greenhouse. Breaking the awkward silence, Alexa cautiously approached the harvested flowers. The closer she got, the stronger the scent of fresh blooms. Raymond watched her with an unreadable expression.

Alexa deliberately put on a bright voice.

“I didn’t expect you to be here.”

The process of becoming family from strangers was never easy. But she couldn’t remain strangers with Raymond forever, so she had to approach him bravely. Alexa believed the way he guided her through the dark corridor was his true nature.

“It’s true what they say about Blainefield having excellent gardeners. Every single flower is beautiful.”

“The servants working in the mansion are all diligent and sincere. They’re worthy of respect.”

Alexa smiled slightly at Raymond’s words.

He, too, seemed to understand the value of work. Strangely, she felt reassured.

“The flowers in the drawing room are always so beautiful that I asked the housekeeper who arranges and places them. I was so surprised when she said it was you. Did you pick these yourself too?”

She wanted to praise Raymond’s talent, so she asked the question. But Raymond, who had been lowering his gaze as he held a nearby blossom, suddenly looked at Alexa with an expression she’d never seen before.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

His voice was as sharp as shards of broken ice. Alexa’s eyes flickered with anxiety at his unexpected response.

“Do you think everything happening in this mansion is some kind of exciting adventure?”

“…What?”

“Wandering the corridors at night in just your nightgown, learning table manners by watching other people’s hands, inconveniencing the servants with your silly consideration…”

Raymond pointed out Alexa’s shortcomings one by one, and she paled.

“You think all of this is just fun and games.”

Raymond tilted his head arrogantly. The white flower in his hand was crushed by his grip.

“I just came to get the flowers my mother asked for.”

“You could’ve kept your mouth shut and just taken the flowers. Do I have to serve you since the gardener’s gone?”

“I never thought that. I heard you’re interested in flowers and trees, so…”

“Are you trying to chase me out of the greenhouse too?”

“No!”

“In fact, I think I finally understand your and the Duchess’s intentions.”

As Alexa’s blue eyes trembled, Raymond placed his fingers on the metal bucket nearby. Desperate to clear up the misunderstanding, Alexa failed to catch his movement and approached the desk.

“Quietly, secretly. You want to make room for a new son to be born.”

“Raymond, Mother said she could never replace your place with anyone else. We respect you as the heir.”

“Be honest. To you, Belsmire’s principles and traditions are like an old book filled with indecipherable writing, only useful if torn up and used as firewood.”

“I don’t mean to disrespect the life of nobles. I’m just struggling to adapt because it’s still unfamiliar.”

“Unfamiliarity is a convenient excuse.”

Alexa’s shoulders stiffened under the barrage of criticism. As Raymond watched her reaction with unflinching eyes, he pushed the bucket of cold water and flowers toward her without hesitation—right where she was standing.

The metal bucket hit the floor with a loud crash. Water splashed everywhere, and the white lisianthus petals scattered miserably across the floor. Alexa’s dress was soaked below the knees.

“What are you doing!”

Alexa crouched in a panic, gathering the flowers without even thinking to fix her skirt, shouting as she did. The stems and petals, now covered in wet dirt, were too dirty to use. She stuffed them into her arms without cleaning them, making a mess of her hands and clothes.

Why would he do this? She was confused and upset. This wasn’t like Raymond at all. He was the kind of noble who never spoke harshly even to the youngest maid in the mansion. This side of him was shown only to her.

Fighting back tears, Alexa glared at Raymond.

“These flowers were carefully grown by the gardeners.”

“These are flowers chosen by the Duchess. In a few years, you’ll be the one choosing them. Perhaps with your younger brother.”

However, Raymond’s next words sank Alexa’s anger deep below the surface. All that remained was the miserable acceptance of realizing why the other despised her.

Alexa lowered her head weakly. Raymond’s black shoes cruelly crushed the blossoms she hadn’t yet picked up. Left alone, Alexa slowly gathered the scattered flowers with trembling hands.

After that day, it was no wonder that Blainefield House felt even less like home to her.