Chapter 26 – Again, Scandal

“Alright, let’s go inside first. We’ll talk after we go in.”

Gérard wiped his damp eyes and took Rosalie’s hand, leading her inside. Angela, who had been holding Rosalie’s face in both hands and inspecting her closely, stepped back a little.

They passed through the short hallway and entered the living room. Perhaps because it was late, Theo and the nanny were nowhere to be seen. Gérard seated Rosalie on the sofa.

“…Ha, where should I start?”

Gérard, sitting on the sofa opposite, picked up a half-empty glass of liquor from the table. Bang! White dust rose from the glass as he set it down.

“Let’s start from here. So, where have you been all this time?”

“Where I’ve been…”

By now, Rosalie had no choice but to admit the sense of strangeness she’d felt ever since Hystein’s mansion.

Whenever she asked about Gérard’s messages, Hystein would always change the subject. And now Gérard and Angela were reacting as if someone who had died had come back to life.

Rosalie fell silent for a moment, thinking over the reason. Hystein hadn’t informed her family of her whereabouts.

But why?

And if they didn’t know where she’d been, how would they react upon learning she’d been at Hystein’s mansion?

“Answer me, Rosalie. You have no idea how much chaos broke out in Rodin after you disappeared. Even the officers were telling us what to do in case you’d died.”

Would it be better to tell the truth? She ought to, for their sake.

But somehow, she hesitated. The thought of disappointing her family again made her heart sink.

Just then, Angela raised her voice.

“Enough, Gérard. She almost died just last night. The shock hasn’t even worn off yet—how can you interrogate her like that?”

“But we need to know what happened…”

“There’s no need to rush. Rosalie’s come back safe, and from the looks of her, she doesn’t seem to be hurt. Let’s leave it at that for today.”

Angela grabbed Rosalie’s hand and helped her up. As her sleeve slipped down, the marks left from being tied with rope were revealed, making Angela gasp and wrap her arms around Rosalie’s shoulders.

“In the morning, we should let the guards know you’ve returned. You’ll do that, Gérard.”

“Of course. Don’t worry about that. But why did you…”

“We’ll talk about it later. Come on, Rosalie. Don’t you want to wash up?”

“It’s fine. I’m just tired and want to rest.”

Gérard watched her, but Angela hurried Rosalie upstairs. They left the living room and walked through the dark hallway, without turning on the lights.

When they reached Rosalie’s familiar bedroom at the top of the stairs, Angela gently whispered.

“You can tell me what happened when you’re ready. Gérard is impatient, but if I talk to him, he’ll understand.”

“Thank you, Sister. But it’s not something I can’t tell you.”

“…Are you sure? Aren’t you scared?”

“Of course I was scared. But…”

At the same time, Rosalie had been quite happy. Hystein had personally washed her, shared meals with her—days that felt like a midsummer night’s dream, something she thought she’d never experience again.

In the end, she’d foolishly lost control and reached out to him, shattering everything like glass.

Ah, what had she been so mistaken about then?

“Tomorrow, the officers will come looking for you. If you don’t want to talk about what happened, you don’t have to. No one will force you.”

Angela, half-hidden in the darkness, looked at Rosalie with sympathy. Her swollen, tearful eyes showed just how much she’d suffered, despite her dry cheeks.

She must be curious—what Rosalie had done and where she’d been. Unable to bear the guilt, Rosalie decided to tell Angela the truth.

“Angela, actually I…”

“No, Rosalie. You don’t need to force yourself to talk.”

But Angela quickly interrupted her and urged her to rest. She sent Rosalie into her bedroom and quietly wept as she turned away.

***

The next morning, Gérard went to the Rodin guards to report Rosalie’s safe return. As a noble, he went himself since there was no servant to deliver the message.

“Rosalie, you should eat breakfast.”

“It’s alright. I’m not hungry yet.”

Wearing her usual old dress, Rosalie sat at the table, conscious of Gérard’s absence. Angela stopped chewing her tough bread and took Rosalie’s hand.

“You’ve been through a lot. You need to eat.”

“Angela, I’m really fine. Besides, I was treated to delicious meals for three days straight.”

“Where have you been all this time… No, never mind. Tell me when you’re ready.”

Angela was still cautious with Rosalie. What was she misunderstanding?

Was the man who kidnapped her still missing? Did they think she’d been imprisoned by him and just returned?

“If so, I’ll tell you now.”

Feeling thirsty, Rosalie took a sip of tea. Angela pushed aside her plate of bread and waited.

Squealing, Theo played with his baby spoon until the nanny took him out of the dining room. Rosalie smiled softly at the scene and began to speak.

“Actually, I was at the Duke of Vallière’s mansion.”

“What, what? Did I hear that right?”

“You didn’t mishear. The day I was dragged off by that strange man, the Duke saved me. And he nursed me back to health at his mansion.”

“…The Duke of Vallière, is that the one I know…”

“Yes, that’s him. The one I met in the past.”

Angela and Gérard only became a couple long after Rosalie’s incident with Hystein. Angela only knew of Hystein through Gérard’s explanations.

Angela had recognized Hystein at the boutique because of his portrait in the newspaper and Rosalie’s reaction.

“I can’t believe it. Why would he…”

“I don’t know either. But I was treated with great care. So, Angela, there’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“Really? I’m so glad you didn’t go through anything terrible…”

Angela finally relaxed her serious expression and smiled gently. She was happy, but tears welled up as well.

Rosalie felt both sorry and grateful to her, and held her hand.

“Don’t cry, Sister. It feels like I went to the Duke’s house for a retreat. And the food was so good. See? Doesn’t it look like I’ve gained a little weight?”

“Now that you mention it, your face does look a bit rounder.”

Angela’s tear-filled eyes curved into crescents. But soon, her smile faded and she gripped Rosalie’s hand tighter.

“Who else knows about this? If word gets out you were with the Duke, that could be a huge problem.”

“As far as I know, no one. Even when I came home yesterday…”

Hystein had sent her back in a common hired carriage. And since it was late at night, there was no one around when she got off.

…Hystein must not have wanted to leave any trace of their connection. Rosalie realized this only now, through her conversation with Angela.

If rumors spread that the two main figures in an old scandal had reunited, neither she nor Hystein could handle it. He was wise.

“Madam, the master has returned. And the officers are with him.”

Rosalie felt a little lighter after telling Angela everything. Angela’s face turned serious again, but when the nanny peeked in through the door, she snapped out of her thoughts.

“Those must be the officers who handled your case. Oh, what should we do? If they find out where you were…”

“It’s probably best not to tell them. You said no one would force me, right?”

“But they might misunderstand, just like I did.”

“Then should I say I was saved by a villager?”

Rosalie bit her lower lip and waited for Angela’s opinion. Angela, nervous, paced the dining room before turning to look at her.