An Unexpected Visitor
Aileen asked sharply, but Scrooge merely bowed his head in silence, offering no reply.
Just then, the drawing room door opened and two maids entered carrying a tray laden with refreshments. There was steaming hot black tea and soft sponge cake.
“Let’s wait and see. Chloe must have her reasons.”
Viscount Patrasche was just as furious as his daughter, but he made an effort to remain composed. He couldn’t afford to show agitation in front of mere servants.
At her father’s gesture, Aileen let out a short sigh and sat demurely on the sofa. Though she was seething with rage and barely able to contain herself, every single movement still radiated elegance.
Scrooge stole occasional glances at Aileen. When his eyes landed on the ring on her finger, his brow furrowed deeply.
The ring Aileen wore was one of the keepsakes that had belonged to Lady Maria, the lord’s late mother.
Why does Lady Aileen have that ring?
No matter how foolish the young lord had once been, she would never have simply handed over a ring her mother had worn every day.
He was certain there had to be some explanation, yet he couldn’t help feeling angry.
After Scrooge left, Aileen took a sip of tea and let out a derisive snort.
“Father. It seems Chloe overslept.”
“So it would appear. Still, how admirable. At least she didn’t come out in her nightclothes.”
“Even if she dressed up, it wouldn’t make much difference. She’ll probably appear in one of those tacky dresses again.”
“Weren’t you the one who picked out all those dresses for her?”
“Exactly. Do you know how much effort it took to choose things that wouldn’t suit her at all? It’s hilarious that she wears them thinking they look good.”
“What can you do? Unlike you, she has neither an eye for quality nor the ability to put people in the right positions.”
“True. The fact that she still hasn’t dismissed that old man and keeps him around shows just how foolishly sentimental Chloe is.”
“Leave her be. That’s the girl’s only strength and weakness, isn’t it?”
If Chloe had been a cold or ruthless person, she might never have been allowed into Grace Castle in the first place. Simply because she was the blood relative of her deceased father, Chloe had welcomed them with open arms and relied on them completely. All of this had been possible only because of Chloe’s soft heart.
At her father’s words, Aileen nodded and took another sip of the warm tea.
Though she found this place utterly distasteful, the tea and cake were first-rate, so Aileen decided to enjoy this brief moment of peace.
Pretending to like that idiot Chloe was exhausting enough as it was.
It was more than two hours later when Chloe finally met the pair.
Though Patrasche and Aileen were boiling with anger, they maintained calm smiles on the surface.
“The lord has arrived.”
The drawing room doors swung open wide. Handsome, who entered first, spoke politely to the two people who had been waiting.
Viscount Patrasche studied the young man, who felt both familiar and strangely unfamiliar, before remembering that he had once been one of the servants working inside the castle.
“It’s Handsome, isn’t it? Have you become the butler?”
Patrasche asked, making an assumption after noticing the changed attire.
Handsome was so startled at the viscount remembering his name that he nearly hiccuped, but since the lord was entering right behind him, he forced himself to appear composed.
“Yes. Thanks to the lord’s grace, I have been promoted to butler.”
“Well done. Work hard. I entrust my niece to your care.”
Instead of answering, Handsome bowed deeply. Replying to anyone other than the lord of Grace went against his ironclad principles.
Patrasche frowned slightly at the lack of response, but when he saw Chloe enter right after, his expression shifted to one of even greater surprise.
“Chloe?”
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. It was so early that I didn’t expect any guests.”
Her words were a pointed jab at the fact that their visit time violated noble etiquette.
Originally she wouldn’t have known anything about noble customs, but she had learned it from Delma’s constant grumbling. Visits between nobles were usually conducted between two and five in the afternoon; arriving outside those hours was considered a breach of etiquette. Delma had muttered the entire way here that showing up at such an ungodly hour was a deliberate show of utter disregard for the lord.
Patrasche’s thick eyebrows twitched above his sharp gaze.
This kind of reaction from Chloe was also a first.
The normal thing would have been for her to come running with delight the moment she saw him, yet today she kept her distance and remained guarded.
But what shocked Patrasche even more was Chloe’s outfit.
Instead of the childish, frilly dresses, she wore a calm navy-blue gown that made her look exactly like Maria come back to life. Rather than gaudy ribbons, she wore a ruby necklace and earrings, making her appear far more mature than her actual age.
It wasn’t only Patrasche who was surprised. Aileen approached Chloe and looked her up and down with disbelief.
“Chloe, is that really you?”
“Of course it’s me. Who else would it be?”
Donghee answered in a moderately friendly tone and sat down on the sofa.
“I received the letter saying you would be visiting a while ago.”
“Yes. Have you been well? I knew you were alone but have been too busy to visit often.”
“It’s all right. I’m not alone.”
Donghee glanced at Delma, Handsome, and Scrooge standing nearby as she answered.
“Still, they can’t compare to blood-related family.”
“That’s true. Family is different.”
Donghee played along appropriately. If she suddenly acted too differently, she wouldn’t be able to discover their true intentions.
“Chloe, you seem a bit different today? What did you think of the dresses I picked out for you?”
Ah, so those tacky clothes were all your doing.
Donghee smiled as if she understood and picked up her teacup. She hadn’t been particularly fond of black tea before, but after drinking it so often, she found it quite to her taste. She took a sip of the hot tea, thinking she should make milk tea with it later.
“Those? I threw them all away.”
“What?”
Aileen was so shocked she nearly dropped the teacup she was holding.
“Why? You really loved those dresses.”
“I got tired of them.”
“Then… don’t tell me you bought new ones?”
Aileen’s tone seemed to carry the unspoken words: With what money?
“No.”
Aileen’s expression grew even more confused.
“Then?”
“I’m going to buy some now. Ones that actually suit me. I’ve already called for a tailor. He should be here soon.”
At Donghee’s words, Patrasche let out a short, amused laugh as if to say, Of course. He had been slightly tense when her appearance and manner of speech seemed a little different, but it looked like his immature niece was simply trying to play at being an adult.
“If you wanted dresses, you should have told me. Knowing your situation, your uncle can certainly afford to buy his niece a few outfits.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Just tell me how many you need. Ah, while we’re at it, why don’t you visit Fron with Aileen and get some dresses made? I’ll send word ahead.”
“Fron…?”
Donghee hesitated because she wasn’t familiar with the place, but Patrasche assumed she was simply too delighted to speak.
He smiled brightly and nodded.
“Oh, perfect. Chloe, my birthday party is coming up soon, so I was planning to get a new dress too. Let’s go together and pick out dresses. I’ll choose a design that will look absolutely perfect on you.”
Aileen said, sitting close beside her.
Donghee recalled the fluttering lace and gave an awkward smile. But Aileen, completely caught up in her own feelings, assumed Chloe was smiling because she was happy.
“By the way, what are all these? They can’t be real, can they? No matter what, you have your dignity as lord. How could you go around wearing fakes?”
Aileen, convinced that Chloe couldn’t afford real jewels, didn’t even examine them closely before scolding her. At the same time, she placed one of the gift boxes she had brought into Chloe’s hands.
“This is a present I brought for you. I thought it would suit you perfectly, so I made sure to bring it. Open it.”
Donghee remembered Aileen mentioning that she would give her cheap accessories as a gift.
But the box itself looked extremely luxurious, so she thought maybe this time was different and lifted the lid.
“It’s a brooch?”
“How is it? Do you like it? Want to try it on?”
What Aileen had brought was an amethyst brooch. The design looked like something only grandmothers would wear.
Donghee shook her head and gently pushed away the brooch that Aileen had hastily taken out.
“Why?”
Aileen looked shocked.
This was the first time Chloe had ever refused a gift from her. She couldn’t believe that the foolish child who used to giggle and rejoice no matter what she was given was reacting this way.
“I’ll wear it later. It doesn’t match what I’m wearing now.”
“…Is that so?”
Chloe had always put on anything Aileen gave her, whether it suited her or not.
Aileen looked around intently, trying to figure out what had happened, but it seemed only she and her father were flustered. The other servants looked perfectly relaxed, as if this were completely normal.
Patrasche now examined the jewels Chloe was wearing more carefully.
Aileen seemed to think they were fake, but to his eyes, they were not.
Those are definitely real rubies. And of the highest quality. How did she get her hands on them? Unless…
After pondering silently for a moment, Patrasche’s eyes widened and he asked in a sharp voice.
“Don’t tell me… you sold land to someone else?”
For a moment Donghee didn’t understand what he was saying. But when she noticed his gaze flick to the jewelry she was wearing before dropping away, she shook her head.
“No. Why would I sell the territory? Especially to someone else.”
At the deliberate emphasis on “someone else,” Patrasche looked greatly relieved. At the very least, it meant there was no chance she would hand the territory over to anyone but him.
“Then where did all that money come from? Those jewels you’re wearing—are they all real?”
At the viscount’s words, Aileen gasped in shock and grabbed Chloe’s arm, lifting it up.
Aileen, who had a great interest in jewelry, had been certain they were fake. Only now did she examine the bracelet closely.
The ruby bracelet sparkling with a deep red on Chloe’s wrist was so beautiful that even she had never owned anything like it.