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"No way, were Father and Mother's love story all just an act too? That whole thing about being forced to part ways because of Grandfather and everyone else's opposition, longing desperately for each other, and then reuniting with an embrace in front of the townhouse—are they still putting on that performance even now?"
The love story of Patrick and Camilla, as Letticia knew it, was nothing short of a legendary romance that transcended social class.
Despite everyone's opposition, the two couldn't abandon their love. Even after they were separated, their yearning for each other grew so strong that Camilla fell ill with lovesickness.
And Patrick, deeply worried about his beloved, waited for hours in front of the mansion, eventually melting even the marquess's heart, and was finally able to reunite with Camilla, their union blessed by all.
'Well, it's not like I believed all of it.'
In fact, all the children of Count Sharon's family sensed something fishy the moment they heard the story about Camilla falling ill from lovesickness.
Moreover, when they heard that Patrick had waited for hours in front of the mansion, the whole family once gathered to debate what his real intention could've been.
For reference, Letticia had once suggested, since it was around the time when cameras were first being used, that maybe they were trying to make the story look more convincing visually. That theory had gained the most agreement.
Facing her daughter's suspicious gaze, Camilla didn't bother making excuses and spoke honestly.
"From the middle onward, it really was just for show. Though it's true, my family strongly opposed it at first."
"Surely no one actually came out wielding a sword and making threats, just like in a play?"
"They didn't actually draw them from their scabbards."
The marquess replied in a voice tinged with a slight chuckle, satisfying her curiosity.
When Letticia glared at him as if to ask if that part had really happened, he merely shrugged.
"From your grandfather's perspective, it was understandable. After all, this was a newly risen noble who had bought his title of Count with money from selling jewels, now overstepping, daring to think he could purchase the daughter of a great noble house with his wealth."
"Did it never occur to him that you might've proposed out of love?"
"At that time, the idea of marrying for love wasn't common like it is now. Besides, we weren't some fallen noble house, so for a newly risen noble to dare propose marriage? It felt like he was making a mockery of the Wade family."
The marquess clicked his tongue as he tapped the ash from his cigarette. Back then, he had been furious, thinking Patrick's proposal was just part of a marriage deal aimed at a declining noble.
"Then how did he manage to get your family's permission? And what's this about Father asking him to play the villain?"
"Patrick was really good at talking. He said straight out that he wasn't proposing as part of a deal but because he loved me. He made it clear he wasn't foolish enough to think he could buy the daughter of a great noble house with money. And he said it right in front of your grandfather, who had his sword drawn, without so much as blinking."
As Camilla reminisced, she beamed with a wide smile, while the marquess looked like he'd bitten into something sour. But Camilla paid him no mind and went on praising Patrick's past deeds.
"And then he promised that any harm his status or lineage might cause would be resolved by changing people's perceptions. He said that if Father and my brothers just cooperated, he would bring them new honor. At first, Father told him to stop spouting nonsense, but in the end, he was quite pleased."
"So that's how we ended up getting swindled. We only meant to hear him out for a bit, and somehow that turned into us giving conditional approval."
"Oh, please. Later on, you were the one pestering me, asking when you should give your official permission, remember?"
"Do you have any idea how exhausting it was, every time people looked at me like they were just waiting for me to finally give my blessing? That man was a master performer, he made me out to be the villain while everyone else fell for his looks and bought into his act…"
This time, the marquess exhaled an especially thick plume of smoke. After clicking his tongue again, he looked at Letticia and spoke as if making a request.
"So when it's your turn to marry, make sure Patrick plays the part of the disapproving father at least once. It would finally satisfy me to hear him called the heartless man who tried to tear apart two lovers who couldn't live without each other."
"Well, maybe we can consider that when it's my brother's or Lenny's wedding. As for me, my goal is to have a marriage between two people who care for and love each other."
"Is your generation's first marriage really going to have no obstacles at all? How boring."
"Not everyone can have a marriage like Father and Mother. We have to embrace the diversity of paths."
Letticia replied playfully, and the marquess chuckled before rising from his seat. After all, he had many duties awaiting him with the noble families he knew, so he decided to end the discussion about his niece's love life there.
***
Seraphina had moved into the townhouse of the Marquess of Eskis. She had said she wanted to resume her work related to the orphanage as soon as possible, so the four of them planned to gather and discuss the right timing for that.
But before that, Seraphina had something she wanted to say, so Letticia found herself stepping into the Eskis townhouse as its first visitor of the season.
"Did your visit go well?"
"…I think I said everything I needed to say. And I got answers to the questions I asked."
Seraphina answered with a gloomy expression. For someone who claimed to have said it all, her face didn't look at ease.
"As Lady Mortimer said, Lady Wallace gave me that Invidia tea simply to make me ill for a little while so I couldn't go up on stage. I suppose her plan was to step forward in the confusion after I collapsed and take control of the situation. I imagine Lady Mortimer and Lady Norton were thinking along the same lines."
"She really thought an allergy would just make you sick for a short time? And just because she wanted attention, she'd do something that could ruin the entire concert? Is she out of her mind?"
"…I was foolish. I didn't think Lady Wallace harbored such deep-seated envy toward me, and I ended up causing trouble for everyone."
"No, don't go blaming yourself. When a victim starts thinking they were at fault too, it's like giving the perpetrator a free pass."
Not everyone with feelings of inferiority makes the same choice as Audrey. Trying to understand what drove her to that choice is one thing, but accepting it as reasonable is an insult to everyone who chose differently in similar situations.
What's more, Letticia felt all the more resentful at the thought that maybe, from the moment they agreed to the joint performance, Audrey had already been planning this.
"But more importantly, did Lady Wallace at least apologize?"
"…No. She didn't seem to have any intention of admitting she'd done anything wrong. Nor did she seem the least bit remorseful."
Seraphina clenched her fists tightly, as if struggling with her frustration. At those words, Letticia erased from her mind any thought of leniency toward Audrey, not that she had really considered it to begin with.
"Lady Norton will probably be arrested as well, and since Lady Mortimer turned herself in, I suppose she'll get a lighter punishment. Shall the four of us make that donation to the orphanage before you return to the west?"
"…That's important, of course. But actually, there's something else I wanted to speak to you about."
Seraphina raised her head and looked at Letticia. The sorrow from earlier was gone, replaced with a serious expression.
"This isn't something I would normally dare bring up lightly, but since it seems Lady Sharon isn't completely unaware of the circumstances, I wanted to consult with you."
"…Is this about Lady Averil?"
"Yes."
Letticia's ominous hunch always seemed to be spot-on at times like this. Seraphina hesitated, as if unsure where to begin, and after much inner debate, finally spoke.
"You know I tutored Lady Averil while I was staying at the ducal house. And since I've asked you things from time to time, I'm sure you have an idea of where she's at in her studies. But…"
"Lady Eskis, please, just say it plainly. If you want to consult me about this, it's better to lay everything out."
Letticia's words lowered Seraphina's emotional hurdle, and after briefly closing her eyes and taking a breath, she opened her mouth again, determined.
"Then I'll speak frankly. If Lady Averil were to meet anyone from high society as she is now, she would surely embarrass herself."
"…But at least her table manners aren't a problem, right?"
Letticia tried to soften the blow, but Seraphina, having made up her mind, didn't hold back in her criticism.
"That part is passable, but she doesn't know the first thing about how to serve tea or receive guests. She's unfamiliar with the rules she needs to follow when visiting other houses, and she has no idea about the proper greetings at social gatherings, or the questions that are off-limits to ask!"
"…Well, we never pointed out such things when she visited our house."
"You should have pointed them out, if you're really her friend!"
"But it's rude to lecture a guest on etiquette…"
"…That's true."
Seraphina rubbed her forehead as if the whole matter gave her a headache. It seemed she was torn between the demands of politeness and the need to help.
"But we can't just leave things as they are. Lady Averil herself is eager to learn and working hard, but her family isn't being very supportive…"
"What did they do this time, those, the members of that ducal house?"
Letticia barely managed to stop herself from blurting out something harsher.
Seraphina, perhaps used to this by now or too preoccupied with her thoughts of Ariette, didn't comment on Letticia's slip.
"…I ran into Sir Alexander Averil while walking in the garden of the annex. He asked me if everything was comfortable for me, and then brought up Lady Averil's lessons."
"Oh, him… And what did he say?"
"He thanked me for tutoring her, but said he wished I'd let her relax at least during dinner."
Seraphina bit her lip, clearly angry.
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