Sergeant Ryan Thornton would leave Blissbury when autumn came.

That was the conclusion Ryan had reached.

He had come to know just how peaceful and warm Blissbury and Feltham were.

He also knew how satisfied Eloise was living here.

Unless something significant happened, she would continue to live here—happy for life, surrounded by her loving family and kind neighbors.

And Ryan did not want to become that “significant event” in her life.

Even though he had finally found an answer after so much deliberation, he felt no joy at all.

“How much time do I have left?”

He figured the weather would quickly cool down once this rain stopped.

Thinking that, he went upstairs to the first floor, where Eloise was standing before him.

“Eloise?”

The corridor was dark despite the rising sun, thanks to the heavy rain clouds. For a moment, Ryan wondered if he was seeing a lingering image from his imagination before he called out to her.

“Ryan?”

Eloise’s eyes rounded and she called his name in her pleasant voice.

“Why are you coming up from downstairs…”

“I woke up early and thought I’d have some tea, so I was getting hot water. And you?”

“…Something similar.”

At her answer, Ryan shrugged his shoulders once and spoke.

“Would you like to have tea together?”

Swoosh.

As the two sat in the drawing room, the rain outside grew even heavier.

The rattling of the windows grew louder, and it seemed the summer storm would only intensify, lasting through the day and into the night.

When Ryan put tea leaves into the teapot and poured in hot water, the drawing room filled with the fragrance of good tea.

At the scent, the two looked at each other and smiled.

The tea Ryan was brewing was the same one he’d bought in bulk at Mr. Wilson’s shop when they first visited Camborne together.

After a while, the drawing room was filled with the aroma of tea.

When Eloise judged enough time had passed and reached for the teapot to pour, Ryan stopped her and lifted the pot himself.

At that, Eloise realized again what set him apart from others.

In Albion, pouring tea was usually the women’s role.

Most often, it was the maids who poured for the household, and when the master and guests were present, it was customary for the lady of the house to pour.

But now, Ryan ignored such customs and poured the tea himself.

Eloise wrapped her hands around her teacup. The warmth of the cup melted away the chill in her hands.

She held the cup for a moment, warming her hands, then carefully took a sip.

Was it her imagination, or did the tea taste more fragrant and rich than when she’d had it at Mr. Wilson’s shop?

Eloise took another sip and smiled.

“This is the first time I’ve had this tea in such a leisurely way.”

She’d been so busy with the banquet preparations, and since there was still plenty of the other tea she’d bought before, she usually requested the older tea at teatime.

Even when she did have this tea, she was too busy to enjoy it properly.

Savoring it now, she was reminded of their visit to Mr. Wilson’s shop.

‘Back then, I tried so hard not to get involved with him.’

Eloise glanced at Ryan as he drank his tea.

Had he also slept poorly last night? He seemed a little more tired than usual.

“You look like you didn’t sleep well. Did something happen?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Ryan answered slowly, and Eloise immediately realized he was lying.

After spending months together, she knew his personality well.

If it really was nothing, he would have answered right away and told her what was wrong.

In the past, she wouldn’t have cared if he lied or not, but for some reason, his lie stung her today.

It wasn’t as if he was obligated to always tell her the truth.

Fiddling with her teacup, Eloise changed the subject.

“Your friends must be bored.”

Eloise loved Blissbury, but she had to admit it was a boring place for people from the capital.

It was the biggest estate in the area, but by other standards, it was modest.

The surrounding countryside was beautiful, but it was just endless ordinary villages and hills.

There was nothing for gentlemen from the capital to enjoy. That’s why Richard had gone riding around the area before the rain started.

Now, with everyone stuck inside because of the rain, the guests might start thinking about returning to the capital.

‘If that happens, Sir Osborne might want to leave too…’

Lately, he and Abigail had become close enough that anyone could see it. It seemed they were still figuring each other out, but a confession was only a matter of time.

But if he grew bored and left for the capital, the memories of this place would quickly fade.

And contact with Abigail would dwindle as well.

“Richard might feel that way. But Philip seems to prefer staying in the house. So you don’t need to worry about them.”

Ryan said this as he looked toward the spot where Abigail and Philip always sat and talked.

He clearly knew those two were getting along well.

Swoosh.

By the time they finished their cups of tea, the rain was coming down even harder.

“……”

“……”

Normally, they would have chatted about this and that, but today both were silent.

Eloise’s hands, holding her teacup, couldn’t keep still, as if mirroring her unsettled heart.

Ryan stared at her hands.

Just as she had learned his habits, he had learned hers. When she was hesitating or troubled, she couldn’t keep her fingers still.

‘What could she be thinking now, fiddling with her teacup like that?’

Her restless fingers finally stilled. She must have made up her mind.

Ryan raised his gaze from her hands.

Gone was her usual bold and confident look; instead, Eloise’s face was flushed as she parted her lips.

“I—I have something I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

What could it be, that she was so nervous to ask?

Then, their eyes met.

Ah.

In that instant, Ryan swallowed a sigh.

His instincts told him exactly what question Eloise was about to ask.

“I think once this rain stops, the weather will quickly cool and it’ll be autumn.”

“Eloise, before that—”

Just as he tried to interrupt her question, Eloise pressed on and asked him.

“What do you plan to do in autumn?”

Ryan knew very well what that question meant.

He hesitated.

He already knew the answer, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“I…”

Ryan steadied his voice, which was embarrassingly shaky.

He had never known nerves in his life.

Even when an enemy’s gun was pressed to his forehead, he’d only thought that if he died, the mission would fail. He’d never felt fear.

But now, just speaking seemed to take all the strength he had.

He clenched his fists. The lingering warmth of Eloise, who had made his heart race all week, seemed to crumble between his twisted fingers.

He answered, his voice firmer than ever.

“I plan to return to the army.”

The moment he spoke, a flash of lightning filled the room, followed by a thunderclap so loud it shook the windows.

It swallowed up all the silence in the drawing room.

…

At lunchtime, Richard headed to the dining room.

Normally, there would have been six places set, but today there were only four.

As Richard stared at the table, Mr. Palmer, who was clearing the dishes, spoke.

“Ah, Sergeant Thornton and Miss Eloise said they’d be unable to join for lunch today. Both aren’t feeling well and said they don’t plan on having dinner either. I hope they haven’t caught a cold.”

At Mr. Palmer’s words, Richard glanced upward, then muttered to himself so no one else could hear.

“…So he finally said it.”

Ryan, who had been locked away in a monastery by his own father, had joined the army as soon as he came of age.

For him, the military was his world and the only society he knew.

That’s why, no matter how much he was drawn to Miss Eloise, Richard thought it would be hard for him to leave the army.

And the army wouldn’t let him go easily, either.

‘Still…’

Inside the army, Ryan was always expressionless, acting as if he could die tomorrow without a single regret, but here, even with his hair a mess and sweat pouring down, he had smiled.

That’s why Richard knew the moment he saw it—Ryan had finally found a place he could belong outside the army.

So Richard had deliberately hovered nearby, seizing every opportunity to talk to Eloise or help her, acting friendly.

Every time, Ryan would glare at him, and Richard would wonder if Ryan might actually stay.

But seeing Ryan still hadn’t confessed his feelings, Richard had his doubts.

In the end, Ryan had decided to return to the capital.

He could guess why Ryan made that choice.

‘Because he would have to say he’s Ryan Wilgrave.’

That name carried too much weight. Ryan probably didn’t want Eloise Surberton to bear it with him.

Richard sat down with a sigh.

Even though this was one of the endings he’d expected, it brought him no happiness at all.