“All done. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Ah—wait, just a moment. I have a favour to ask…”

Henrietta stopped him and brought over the letter she had written. She rummaged in her pocket and took out some money.

“Would you mind delivering this letter to the Schutzman estate? Just find Steward Pierre — he’ll know what to do.”

“As for a delivery fee, I’ve already been paid more than enough. I’ll make sure this letter is delivered safely.”

Despite her insistence, the boy politely declined the money. He bowed respectfully and left the house.

As the empty space filled with warmth and the furniture was put in place, the bleak atmosphere of the house quickly began to change.

‘Why is he going to such lengths for me? Do I look that pitiful?’

These questions arose naturally in her mind.

She tried not to dwell on them, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the corridor at the Schutzman estate.

What had happened when the four of them had met?

Robert’s behaviour and Hendrik’s reaction had both been strange.

He must have figured it out.

The nature of her relationship with Robert remained unclear. Perhaps his kindness was merely sympathy for a woman who had been rejected. Or maybe it was simply a gesture of royal benevolence.

She wanted to dismiss it lightly. But the more she recalled the moment, the more suffocated she felt — for reasons she couldn’t understand.

Strangely, she now found herself not wanting to see that benevolent prince ever again.

Without touching the food on the table or changing into something more comfortable, she crouched down in front of the fireplace.

As the fire crackled irregularly and began to die down, she stirred the embers a few times with the poker.

Watching the glowing red sparks flare and fade, she felt a sense of calm slowly wash over her.

An old but clean rug lay across the floor.

She felt like she could fall asleep right there and be perfectly fine.

“It’s warm.”

There was no Pierre watching her disapprovingly and no maids reluctantly tending to her needs.

Here, in her own home, Henrietta finally felt truly comfortable.

Had she ever felt this way before?

And with that warmth came an image of him:

That royal man with hair black as night and eyes the colour of a cold winter sea.

He had a sharp, indifferent mouth and mischievous, unreadable eyes.

He was a man whose entire palette was made of cold tones.

So why did he come to mind alongside the feeling of warmth?

Perhaps it’s because he’s a compassionate royal with a strong sense of empathy.

“I should get an early start tomorrow.”

It was a late spring night in an unfamiliar place.

‘From now on, everything will change.’

As if making a promise to herself or offering some comfort, Henrietta moved her lips silently a few times.

Then, just like that, she collapsed and fell asleep right there.

***

Henrietta was in a hurry from early morning, knowing she had to return to the Schutzman estate for Grayson’s class that afternoon.

After just one more day, the weekend would begin, giving her three days free of lessons.

She planned to head to Sersenfers, where Hangderhood was located, as soon as today’s schedule ended.

Time passed quickly as she went to the train station to buy a ticket for the last train tonight and picked out items she needed for the new house.

The gifts that the duke had practically forced upon her turned out to be far more expensive than she had imagined.

Selling just three or four of them brought in more than enough money.

She couldn’t say she felt entirely guiltless about selling the gifts, though.

However, Henrietta was determined to become independent, and that meant she needed money.

Besides, the flashy, cumbersome gifts were useless to her — Robert probably wouldn’t even remember giving them.

Henrietta pressed her heels into the ground and picked up her pace, determined to drop off the purchased goods at her new home before hurrying back to the estate.

However, as she neared the alley by the house, she sensed that something was wrong.

She hadn’t seen anything yet, but her heart sank all the same.

People had gathered in the street and were murmuring curiously.

When she pushed past them and reached her house, she saw an all-too-familiar crest on a carriage parked out front.

She wanted to turn around and run away right then and there, but she couldn’t ignore what was happening any longer.

With every step she took towards the house, the colour drained from her face.

‘No… soldiers?’

She had assumed that Robert might send Pierre to get her, but she had miscalculated.

Her small, peaceful-looking home was surrounded by soldiers, as if under siege.

Just as she reached the door, Pierre emerged from the carriage.

Behind him appeared the back of a man she knew all too well.

“Ah.”

Henrietta shut her eyes tight.

‘Why on earth was he here?’

It seemed that Robert hadn’t yet noticed her.

He stood tall with his shoulders squared, surveying the house like a conqueror.

“Find her.”

His voice was cold, as though he were ordering them to capture a criminal on the run.

Henrietta realised she had no time to hesitate.

“Duke.”

Robert’s shoulders stiffened when she called out to him.

‘He really is furious.’

Was it because she hadn’t come back last night?

Her legs felt heavy, weighed down by the thoughts swirling in her mind. But whatever the reason, it was too late for regrets now. Besides, hadn’t she sent a letter saying that she wouldn’t be coming back?

As Pierre had said, it made no sense for soldiers to be dispatched over something as trivial as a governess staying out late.

Henrietta steadied herself and walked towards him.

Meeting Robert made her anxious every day, but this was the first time he had ever seemed truly frightening.

“What brings you all the way out here?”

Robert slowly turned to face her.

When he saw her, he lifted his chin and took a deep breath.

She couldn’t tell what emotion was running through him.

Then he suddenly strode over and grabbed her arm as though snatching her away from someone.

The things she had been holding tumbled to the ground with a loud clatter:

A flowerpot, candles, stationery, a small dish and fork, a teacup and even the two plush dolls intended for her bedroom.

“Come.”

“I need to clean this up first.”

When Henrietta stood her ground, Robert stared silently at the scattered items.

With just a glance from him, everything that had seemed precious a moment ago now felt cheap and insignificant.

“Get in.”

His grip on her wrist hurt, but Henrietta didn’t make a sound.

After they had walked a few steps, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Then, like a hawk snatching its prey, he grabbed her arm and pulled it upwards.

Her bare, white wrist came into full view.

“What happened?”

“What?”

“The bracelet.”

‘Did he know?’

Was it the only gift he had ever given her that she had kept with her?

He glared at her accusingly and she bit her lower lip, avoiding his gaze.

After staring at her for a moment, he practically dragged her into the carriage, detaining her more than escorting her.

As soon as they were both seated inside, the carriage began to move.

“Did you throw it away?”

Robert, who had been staring at her silently with a burning gaze, finally spoke once the carriage had reached a steady speed.

“I… lost it.’

She forced herself to meet his gaze, unwilling to shrink away any further.

“Where?”

“…”

“No, never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’ll just buy you another one.”

She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t necessary, but she couldn’t find the words. The matter wasn’t important to either of them anymore.

‘He hadn’t slept at all.’

Others might not have noticed, but Henrietta could tell right away that he hadn’t.

His insomnia wasn’t her fault, yet she felt responsible for it anyway.

“You came all the way here just to find me?”

“…”

“I sent a letter to the steward yesterday saying that I wouldn’t be returning to the estate. Didn’t you get the message?”

Henrietta tried to explain the situation calmly.

However, as her words began to sound like excuses, Robert’s brow furrowed deeply. It was as if he had been stabbed in the back.

“Duke.”

At the sound of her voice, he exhaled softly and closed his eyes. Only once his piercing gaze had lifted did Henrietta finally manage to breathe.

“I did receive it.”

“…”

“Yes, I did. I just couldn’t believe it, that’s all. I thought you might have been trying to buy time.”

“What do you mean?”

His words were so unexpected that she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Then she finally understood why he had come in person with soldiers.

Robert had thought she might run away.

‘Why would he think that?’

Henrietta clenched her hand tightly around the edge of her sleeve.

“I’m not running away.”

“…”

“Did you hear me? I said I’m not running away. I have no reason to. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ll keep my word until the end of the contract. And when the contract ends, I’ll say my proper goodbyes and leave.”

“No, that’s not how this ends.”

“Do you even realize what you’re saying right now? Yes, even if everyone in the Schutzman estate—or rather, as you said, everyone in Haytesfield —knows that I’m your mistress… that only holds true until you’re engaged.”

“Why?”

“I have absolutely no intention of becoming that, so forcing me into the carriage as if dragging me away in front of all those people was a mistake on your part, Your Grace.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. The only reason I went along with your little secret game was because you despised me so thoroughly.”

“Whether it matters or not isn’t for you to decide.”

“No, Rietta. The decision is mine.”

Henrietta realised that arguing with Robert was pointless. He was too angry at that moment. Pushing him further would be foolish.

With that thought in mind, she pressed her lips together tightly and sank quietly into her seat.

Looking out of the window, she saw that spring had arrived in all its glory. Sunlight shimmered on the surface of the recently thawed River Porus. The streets and the smartly dressed people passing by were so beautiful that she almost lost herself in the view. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.

This moment was like something from a scene she had once imagined, but never dared to believe could happen: riding in a carriage with Robert through the heart of Haytesfield.

However, her journey to the Schutzman estate with Robert was nothing like she had imagined.

The drowsy warmth of the sunlight, the heavy scent of flowers filling the carriage and the beautiful man sitting with such elegant poise were now irrelevant.