<Chapter 7> Memories of Blue (Part 2)

She had long known James had feelings for her. Though now he’s infamous as a Casanova in society, he wasn’t such a bad guy when he was younger.

It was after Abigail didn’t accept his feelings that he started wandering, seemingly trying to forget the pain of unrequited love.

He acted as if to show off to Abigail, but she left him alone. She was grateful he kept his distance.

He was a man unrelated to her, so his actions seemed all the more pathetic.

The problem was that someone like him dared to covet her. At least he should have been a Marquis to match her.

Suddenly becoming wealthy and rising quickly wasn’t of interest to Abigail. She wasn’t someone who would ruin things and move for mere fleeting affection. Since then, James circled around Abigail, constantly annoying her.

Yet, he was desperate to win her heart, which was absurd.

It was purely because of James that Abigail became wary of Elizabeth.

‘At the last party, Kiern and Elizabeth were having a tryst on the terrace. The atmosphere was intense.’

‘What are you up to this time?’

‘It’s not a trick, it’s true. He glared at me when I touched Lady Lua’s waist. Will you still get engaged?’

Even knowing it was a ploy to ruin her engagement, Abigail was concerned. She was worried that Kiern might be a foolish man like the stupid James and do something stupid because of love.

Those blinded by love easily became foolish. They acted like moths drawn to a flame, burning themselves and even their families.

She worried Kiern might impulsively choose a girl whose only asset was her looks.

To be sure, she probed Elizabeth, and when she acted as if there was something between them, it twisted her insides, leading her to bully her.

Anyway, if he had feelings for her, just bullying the weaker one would torment both of them.

But in the end, being caught by Kiern, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she had been played by James. It was a foolish mistake.

Abigail was convinced. James had deliberately led Kiern there.

Just then, the tea arrived, and Stella spoke.

“By the way, did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“The story that Marchioness McQueen’s death was actually due to her husband’s affair.”

“Oh, that.”

Abigail showed a disinterested reaction as it was a topic she had heard to exhaustion at the meeting earlier. Stella began to speak enthusiastically.

“It’s really foolish. What’s the big deal about an affair that she would take her own life?”

“She couldn’t bear being betrayed by the husband she trusted. Everyone knew how good the relationship was between Marquis McQueen and Marchioness.”

“What about you, Lady Prairie? What would you do if your husband made a mistress and tried to bring her openly into the house?”

Abigail took a sip of her tea before answering Stella’s probing question.

“Well, I don’t know. I’ve never been married, so I’m not sure how it would feel.”

“Indeed, it must seem like a distant story to a lady just about to get engaged. But what would you do if it happened?”

Abigail pondered, holding her teacup, as Stella persistently asked. As Stella mentioned, wherever one went, the scandal of the Marquis McQueen couple was a topic of conversation.

It was because Marquis McQueen had openly brought his mistress into the castle after the Marchioness died. They said he was so infatuated with the mistress that he wasn’t in his right mind. So much so that he brought the mistress in as the legitimate wife before his deceased wife’s body had even decayed.

Abigail thought it was pathetic. She couldn’t understand why one would throw away life, honor, and pride for such a trivial thing as love. She thought it would be better to keep a mistress and leave the position vacant.

Perhaps Abigail would never understand such emotions. She had never met a man who stirred her heart so deeply, and there were many things more valuable to her than love.

“Well, even if that happened, as long as it’s not discovered, it doesn’t matter. Many nobles keep mistresses. There’s no reason for it to be a major flaw.”

“What if it’s discovered?”

“I’d hide it. Thoroughly, so it doesn’t interfere with my life.”

Stella shuddered at Abigail’s cold voice. Abigail smiled as if she had never been serious.

“As long as it doesn’t wander outside the cage and the sound doesn’t leak beyond the castle gates, I would overlook it.”

“I see. Lady Prairie, you are more cold-hearted than I thought.”

“It’s the safest path, so I don’t mind being called cold.”

Stella murmured softly at Abigail’s indifferent reply.

“Lady Prairie, you seem to be the opposite of my daughter. That child would probably want to die if her husband had an affair.”

“Miss Elizabeth is a romantic.”

“She’s foolish. Why would she want to die?”

Abigail glanced at Stella’s sharp retort. She couldn’t understand Stella’s intention in suddenly bringing up the scandal of the McQueen couple.

Abigail thought Stella was unaware of the subtle tension between Elizabeth and Kiern. If not, she wouldn’t have inserted her daughter, Elizabeth, into such a topic.

At least Abigail knew Elizabeth was too upright to live as a mistress. If it came to that, she wouldn’t endure and would break herself.

Abigail didn’t think Elizabeth was that brazen either.

The problem was Kiern. Abigail didn’t trust men very much. It was common for nobles to secretly have mistresses.

Living by gaining what you can and discarding what you can’t was the most comfortable life for a couple.

Then Stella added in passing.

“Actually, I’m looking for a marriage prospect for Elizabeth these days.”

“Oh, really?”

Abigail asked with a smile.

‘So she went roundabout to bring up this topic.’

Talking about her daughter’s marriage proposal right after the scandal of the McQueen Marquis couple made it easy to misunderstand, whether intentional or not.

Either she was subtly probing or just thoughtless. Abigail thought it was the latter.

“Yes. Thanks to the Duke personally arranging it, I’m relieved. But when I think about sending her off to marry, I can’t help feeling both relieved and sad.”

“It must be so for you, Madame. But if the Duke has carefully selected it, it will be a good opportunity for Miss Elizabeth.”

“That’s why I shamelessly asked to meet you, Lady Prairie, to ask for a favor.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Elizabeth is quite naive in this regard. As you know, the only boy she met before joining the Ingrid Club was Young Master Kiern. So the matchmaking seems very uncomfortable for her.”

“Indeed, Lady Lua seemed particularly awkward in conversations with young men.”

It was a comment on how she couldn’t hide her expression and was appalled by generally bad jokes. Abigail thought Elizabeth, who couldn’t hide her emotions, was pathetic. Then Stella spoke with a flushed face.

“It would be a great help if you could facilitate a natural meeting, Lady Prairie. I’m sure she’d just have a meal and leave, so I want to assist her a bit more.”

“I see. You must have been very concerned, Madame.”

Abigail elegantly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and spoke. She could roughly understand the situation.

Stella must be anxious now that she’s put Elizabeth on the marriage market. Worried that Elizabeth might get involved with a strange man and something might go wrong.

So Stella was asking to use Abigail’s connections to check out the other family. Abigail also didn’t want Elizabeth to enter a wrong marriage.

Otherwise, she might return to Agaphel Castle and settle down there again.

“I understand your intentions. As a fellow club member, I’m happy to help. Let me know the date, time, and place, and I’ll try to lead it naturally.”

“Thank you. I’m glad I came to see you.”

“You’re welcome.”

As Abigail was about to leave after saying goodbye, she turned and asked.

“Oh, does Sir Kiern know about this?”

Stella smiled and answered.

“No. He probably doesn’t know about the matchmaking.”

“I see.”

That was better. If she could take Kiern to the place and confirm their positions, he would know too.

He would see how worthless Elizabeth was, who had entered the marriage market. If she could get rid of Elizabeth, it would be a good thing.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Take care, Lady.”

Abigail left leisurely, as if she had learned everything she was curious about.

Stella sat there, smiling as if everything was going according to her plan.

* * *

It was a day with the sun blazing down. Elizabeth headed to the matchmaking place, unable to resist Stella’s insistence to at least make an appearance.

It bothered her all the way that she ran into Kiern, who was about to go out.

“Where are you going?”

“Just. Going out to get some fresh air.”

“Really?”

She inadvertently lied. There was nothing to hide from him, actually.

She could have just said she was going to a matchmaking, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Perhaps it was because her feelings for him were still strong.

Elizabeth didn’t want him to misunderstand. And she knew better than anyone that those feelings were truly futile.

“Pathetic.”

Did I want to show some pride in front of Kiern, who was going to meet Abigail? Did I have any pride left to show?