4. A Thrilling Morning (Part 3)

A few hours after discussing Stefan and Viscount Fitzwilliam, Alexander sent a letter to the viscount. Shortly after, a reply came through a servant from the viscount’s sister Grace expressing her desire to visit Hamilton House immediately. Of course, Stefan warmly welcomed Grace’s visit.

Whatever the urgency, Grace barged into the Knightley estate the very next day. A modest-looking carriage that was sure to Edward’s taste slid to a stop in front of the mansion. Watching it from the window, Alexander spoke.

“Grace must be here.”

Before the maid could relay the message, Stefan stood up from his seat to greet her. Eirin, who was sitting in the parlor doing embroidery, raised her head at Alexander’s words. It was a slightly tense expression different from her usual cheerful face.

“Eirin, what’s wrong?”

“What?”

“You have a dark look on your face.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

However, as if knowing it was a lie, Alexander shrugged his shoulders. Eirin cautiously spoke up in response to his actions.

“I get nervous when meeting someone for the first time.”

“Nervous?”

Surprised to hear the always articulate Eirin say that, Alexander saw her give a wistful smile.

“I haven’t had much experience talking to ladies, and I’m afraid of what others might think of me. I worry about committing a social blunder.”

“You get nervous?”

“Yes. Surprising, isn’t it?”

It was surprising. If not for the slight tension at the corners of her mouth, Alexander would have thought she was joking. He didn’t expect Eirin, who was usually good at chatting, to think that way.

“Yes, to be honest, it is quite surprising.”

He’d never seen her nervous before. From a young age, she had been delicate but very curious and talkative. As a child, she was too weak to make friends with others, but when she was with her tutor, Victoria, she seemed to be at ease.

“I’m scared of everyone else. Ladies and gentlemen alike.”

“Even me?”

At Alexander’s words, Eirin’s eyes softened.

“You’re Alexander.”

As if asking why he was asking such a question, Eirin laughed softly. Her smile made Alexander’s heart beat irregularly.

His mouth fell open for a moment, wanting to say something, but couldn’t decide what to respond with. Before he could say anything, Grace’s cheerful voice was heard from afar.

“I never knew the Duke I heard rumors about would be this handsome.”

“Nonsense. Everything pales in front of the Countess’s beauty.”

Amidst the usual exchange of common compliments, Eirin stood up from her seat.

“It seems the Countess is here.”

She walked forward. Seeing her slightly bowed shoulders instead of her usual straight posture, Alexander took a step closer and gently held her shoulder.

“Eirin.”

“Yes?”

As she looked up at him, a strange feeling washed over him.

“Grace’s a good person, she’s easy to get along with, you’ll get to know her quickly, and——.”

You’re a good person too.

Before he could finish saying that, Stefan and Grace burst into the room. Alexander hurriedly pulled his hand away and Grace’s colorful dress came into view.

“Oh my, oh my, how delightful to see you.”

As Grace entered, her loud voice echoed through the parlor, causing Eirin to blink in surprise. It was a soft and gentle voice, but due to its volume, it reverberated in the ears. The voice was so deep that it was hard to tell where it came from on her slender body.

“Pleased to meet you, Lady Bennington.”

Eirin gripped her skirt, straightened her back, and bowed slightly. The Countess, Grace, bowed as well, before speaking.

“Lady Bennington? Please, spare me the formality.”

Grace furrowed her beautiful brow.

“We may be meeting for the first time today, but if you’re Alexander’s friend, you’re my friend too. Miss Hamilton, please call me Grace.”

Her voice was hearty, yet filled with kindness. Despite her initially cold appearance, warmth seeped through her beautiful smile. Without exchanging many words, Eirin had already taken a liking to her.

“Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll call you Grace.”

Eirin smiled, the corners of her mouth twitching.

“Please call me Eirin as well.”

“Of course!”

After lightly tapping her palm with a fan, Grace approached Eirin and linked arms with her. Then, she glanced at Alexander.

“We’ve been here for a month, and he knew we were here and didn’t invite us over. What a grumpy fellow he is. I was really bored! I didn’t know anyone here and I was going to go back up north to be with my husband, but I really need to get Edward married this season.”

Grace spoke as if she were talking to a close friend she had met just yesterday. Eirin tilted her head slightly as she looked at her.

“Edward?”

“Yes! Edward. He’s my younger brother. He’s also known as Viscount Fitzwilliam. He’s kind and good, but he has no interest in women and always lives immersed in books. If I don’t push him, he probably won’t even think about marriage.”

The way she spoke was strangely familiar to the ears. It was something she often heard somewhere. Then, Stefan, who was standing behind them, took a step forward and smiled broadly.

“Our Eirin is just like that.”

Ah, so that’s where I had heard it. My brother’s constant nagging. 

Eirin furrowed her brow. Grace’s words were no different from the lectures Stefan gave her every day.

Accustomed to the familiar nagging in her ears, Eirin sighed quietly to herself.

“Our Eirin is also immersed in books, not interested in finding a husband, and doesn’t enjoy going for walks outside. She doesn’t like attending balls either, so I’m not sure what to do.”

“Oh, really?”

What Stefan said was not true.

It’s not that she wanted to be immersed in books alone. As a woman on her own, or with her tutor Victoria, the outings she could manage were limited to little more than walks around town. And even that town she had lived in all her life held no interesting or exciting events, and the people she met were mostly the same.

She wanted to go far away, but unless she was accompanied by Stefan, her options for places to go were limited. So Eirin devoured books. Through books, she could go to Spain or even the middle of the Pacific as much as she wanted.

The same was true for romance novels.

There are hardly any good men, and among them, there are even fewer who show interest in her. Instead of deep love, she couldn’t even find someone to exchange casual conversations with.

But how charming the men in books are. They dedicate their love to the female lead and pour out passionate words. Even their sharp obsession with the heroine seems exquisite.

So, she clung to books because she had no other choice. It wasn’t that she chose books because she lacked interest in the world.

Stefan pointed to a nearby chair and offered Grace a seat. As Grace sat down, Stefan spoke.

“So, I was thinking of hosting a ball this time.”

“A ball?”

“To celebrate your move, I would like to host a welcome ball. Of course, this is only if Viscount Fitzwilliam agrees. What better way for young men and women to meet, right?”

Seemingly forgetting that he was still a young man in his prime, Stefan said. Since losing their parents at a young age, Stefan has behaved like a father figure.

“He won’t refuse. If he does, I’ll beg and drag him here myself. It’s such a wonderful opportunity.”

“Of course, I’ll invite the Countess as well.”

“They’ll make such a perfect pair.”

At the mention of being a pair, Eirin sighed. Even before meeting Viscount Fitzwilliam, she was already beginning to grow tired of the way they spoke of them as if they were a match made in heaven.

Stefan glanced at Eirin’s dress, which was of good quality but slightly out of fashion.

“Since there’s a ball, why don’t you get a new dress made, and buy a new hat as well?”

At his words, Grace seemed excited and gently waved her fancy fan.

“Oh, a dress. How lovely. Eirin, could I go with you to get one? I’d love to get a lemon-colored dress in the latest fashion for myself as well.”

“I don’t need a new dress. I already have enough in my wardrobe.”

Grace smiled slightly at Eirin’s comment and shook her head.

“A lady can never have enough dresses, the more the better, and I don’t know this neighborhood very well. I might embarrass myself by going shopping alone. Eirin, will you come with me?”

The lively smile on Grace’s face just a moment ago had turned forlorn. Her rapid words had Eirin’s mind in a whirl. She knew Grace was setting a trap to take her to the shops, but it was hard to avoid those sparkling emerald eyes.

Somehow, she now understood the men who would melt in front of such a beautiful woman. She didn’t want to cloud those beautiful eyes. She didn’t want to disappoint her.

“Yes… I’ll go.”

Grace was pleased with Eirin’s response, and Stefan chimed in.

“Oh, that’s great! Thank you.”

“I feel reassured with the Countess accompanying her.”

Unlike the reluctant Eirin, Stefan and Grace, who were dreaming of marrying off their siblings, continued their conversation endlessly. Eirin, bearing the throbbing headache, suddenly turned her head as she felt Alexander’s gaze on her face.

He was looking at her with one eyebrow raised. 

Why was he looking at me like that? 

As Eirin tilted her head, asking if he had something to say, his gaze quickly slid away.

It was a meaningful glance. 

Eirin was curious about what it could be, but she couldn’t ask in front of Stefan and the Countess, so she swallowed her words.