Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Viscount's Sudden Seizure
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Lady Ilena Lindberg explained with a somewhat weary look.
“I told Viscount Fusili he could choose for himself whether to lose a hand or his head... That's what Duke Carlisle said.”
Juliet blinked quietly. It wasn't surprising that Lennox had pressured the lady. But it seemed the lady didn't want to make a big fuss over it.
Viscount Fusili himself was insignificant, but the person behind him was the problem.
The viscount was a retainer of the House of Marquis Guinness. And Marquis Guinness was the great lord of the south.
If they handed the viscount over to Duke Carlisle, he would obviously lose his life—or suffer something even worse.
That would give Marquis Guinness cause to protest to Lady Ilena Lindberg.
The lady wanted to avoid creating resentment with either Duke Carlisle or Marquis Guinness—two great nobles.
It was just like her to prioritize propriety and face.
Honestly, Juliet hadn't expected much from the lady.
Lady Ilena Lindberg was generous and kind, but on the other hand, she was an old-fashioned conservative who would scold her granddaughters for wearing dresses that exposed their shoulders.
After a moment's thought, Juliet asked,
“You said Viscount Fusili hasn't left yet?”
“Yes. He wanted to see you. But don't worry. If you don't want to meet him, I'll send him packing right away.”
Lady Ilena Lindberg spoke while somehow watching Juliet's expression.
“Actually, he's already packed all his things into the carriage.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Juliet grasped the situation.
The carriage she had glimpsed on her way in must have belonged to Viscount Fusili.
The viscount was surely waiting in it.
“Truth be told, the viscount insisted on seeing you in person to apologize and beg forgiveness.”
“Grandmother!”
“Oh, all right! I'll tell him to leave at once.”
No sooner had the lady finished speaking than the servant standing nearby darted out of the room. He must have gone to deliver the order to leave.
The lady muttered as if making excuses.
“...I figured you wouldn't want to see him, Juliet.”
Hearing that, Juliet let out a quiet, meaningful laugh.
“Yes. There's no need to meet him in person.”
Flutter.
“Huh? A butterfly.”
Emma, who had been grinning, spotted a butterfly of a color she'd never seen before.
But there were no flowers around.
It felt strangely out of place, as if it had appeared out of nowhere.
The butterfly fluttered about for a moment, captivating Emma completely, before vanishing out of the greenhouse in an instant.
“Grandmother! Did you see that butterfly just now? It was so unusual—”
“Oh, come now, what's the big deal about a butterfly in the greenhouse? Don't make such a fuss like a child, Emma.”
Lady Ilena Lindberg scolded her, but Emma couldn't let it go.
“But... didn't you see it, Juliet?”
“Hmm.”
“It was really pretty...”
Juliet smiled brightly and lifted her teacup.
“The tea smells wonderful.”
**
Lady Ilena Lindberg invited Juliet to luncheon. She suggested mingling more with the other guests in the greenhouse and staying for lunch.
Juliet suddenly recalled saying she would return before lunch.
'He can wait if he wants to.'
With all the aides from the northern ducal house having come down en masse, Lennox was undoubtedly busy for a while.
Juliet didn't refuse the invitation. Perhaps because of what had happened the evening before, the lady's guests were strangely kind to her.
And from the start, there was someone else drawing all the attention.
“Hello, Countess Monad.”
A gentle-faced noblewoman with a round face greeted Juliet.
“I'm Charlotte Green.”
Though it was a new face, Juliet understood right away.
“You're Miss Emma's sister.”
She was also Lady Ilena Lindberg's eldest granddaughter. Juliet recalled Emma saying, “My sister Charlotte is having a baby!”
Unlike the lively Emma, Charlotte had a demure appearance and was heavily pregnant.
“May I sit next to you, Countess?”
“Of course. Please, call me Juliet.”
“Oh my. May I? Then please call me Charlotte.”
Juliet found Charlotte's round, swollen belly fascinating. When she stole a careful glance, Charlotte smiled and said, “The due date is in four weeks.”
“Emma talked about you all night. I just had to meet you.”
Charlotte whispered to Juliet.
“They're not saying it outright, but everyone's secretly thrilled.”
“About what?”
“Viscount Fusili has long been infamous for his wandering hands. Everyone was itching to give him a piece of their mind, and then you send him off like that...”
“Charlotte!”
“It's the truth, Grandmother.”
“Even so, a pregnant woman shouldn't say such things. You must use gentle words. What if the baby picks up on it?”
“He or she will learn that bad deeds bring punishment.”
Lady Ilena Lindberg scolded her sternly, but Juliet immediately took a liking to Charlotte. Despite her demure face, she had a refreshingly straightforward personality.
As they chatted leisurely, a servant suddenly burst in, out of breath.
“Lady Lindberg!”
“What is it?”
“Viscount Fusili apparently had a sudden seizure on his way back to his estate.”
“A seizure?”
The people who had been enjoying a warm conversation in the greenhouse all stirred.
“Um, so his servants are asking if they can return...”
“Hmm.”
Lady Ilena Lindberg glanced at Juliet.
But there was no need to ask her opinion. Before she could even speak, the others protested one after another.
“You're not falling for it, are you, Lady Lindberg?”
“Oh, please, it's all a show.”
“Of course it is. That man's so sly!”
“He's pulling out all the stops to gain sympathy. He was fine before he left!”
Just as Charlotte had said, everyone had been eager to go after Viscount Fusili.
“It's his own fault, but I wonder what's really going on?”
“Indeed.”
Juliet simply smiled at the blue butterfly that had quietly returned at that moment, fluttering down to land on her teacup.
***
Juliet left the greenhouse and walked a short way down the mansion's corridor.
Most of the guests were enjoying tea time in the greenhouse, so the corridor was empty except for a few servants.
“Juliet.”
Until the man who had silently followed her at some point finally couldn't hold back and grabbed her wrist, turning her around.
Juliet gazed down at her captured wrist for a moment before asking,
“I guess it's okay to touch now?”
“What?”
“You always acted so strangely whenever our hands brushed.”
“When did I—”
From the evening before, all the way from leaving the concert hall back to the villa.
Lennox had been a bit off. He would grimace uncomfortably every time their knees touched, staring out the window like an angry man.
At first, Juliet thought it was her imagination and found it odd, but later she felt a bit wronged.
No matter how spacious the carriage was, how could they share the space without any contact at all? At least when they got out, he had offered his hand.
Even then, gloved as it was, he wouldn't meet her eyes.
And then there was that morning.
Juliet hadn't even wondered why he seemed upset.
He had told her to stay by his side for six months, not to cater to his moods like before.
“If you don't like me touching you, just say so from now on.”
“That's—”
Lennox seemed about to say something but hesitated.
“...I've never said I disliked it.”
“Then why?”
“More importantly.”
Lennox blatantly changed the subject.
“I heard that viscount left.”
“Oh, that.”
Word traveled fast.
Juliet wondered how many spies Lennox had planted in the lady's mansion.
“That's good, right?”
Juliet smiled brightly.
Lennox, on the other hand, looked openly displeased.
The moment he heard the report that the banished Viscount Fusili had suffered a seizure, unlike the others, Lennox must have realized it was Juliet's doing.
But Juliet didn't care. After all, Lennox had promised not to lay a hand on the viscount publicly.
'He probably planned to handle it quietly behind the scenes, without anyone the wiser.' But Juliet had no intention of borrowing his hand.
Besides, she planned to keep Viscount Fusili alive a bit longer. He still had his uses.
Sure enough, though Lennox glared at her briefly, he backed off.
“Fine. Let's go.”
“Where to?”
“The gallery.”
“To buy a painting?”
“...You like them, don't you?”
“Who said that?”
“Elliot.”
This time, Juliet panicked and stopped in her tracks.
“I don't really like that painting.”
“...”
She didn't like buying them.
Paintings were an excellent investment.
She actually quite enjoyed looking at them, but Juliet knew well that Lennox had no such hobby.
At concerts and exhibitions, she was used to watching his mood until the boring events ended.
“Damn it. Then what do you want to do?”
What did she want to do?
Juliet was stunned speechless.
Why was this man doing something he never used to?
Forgotten Juliet.