Chapter 21
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21
“You can’t possibly read them all, can you? That is why I am sorting them like this.”
Under normal circumstances, Andre would have delivered everything directly to Trisha, but the sheer volume of mail during the year-end and New Year holidays was simply overwhelming.
His system was efficient: letters from familiar names went straight to Trisha, while those from strangers were vetted by Andre first. Only those he deemed worthy of her attention made it to her desk.
The seasoned butler’s hands moved with practiced speed through the stacks until they abruptly froze over an envelope lacking a noble seal.
Harriet Listerwell?
Was it truly an unfamiliar name?
While it was the first time a letter had arrived from this individual, Andre—who kept his finger on the pulse of high society’s gossip for his mistress’s sake—knew the name well. Moreover, Listerwell was Trisha’s maiden name.
Should I present this directly, or inspect it myself?
Andre tapped the letter thoughtfully, hesitating for a moment before finally placing it on the silver tray.
Amidst the elegant New Year’s cards from Trisha’s long-time acquaintances, the humble envelope looked starkly out of place.
“Madam. Today’s correspondence has arrived.”
Trisha, who was seated on the sofa before the fireplace reading the newspaper, gave a sharp nod as Andre approached.
“Just leave them there. I’ll look through them later.”
The elderly woman sat with her silver-streaked brown hair swept into an elegant updo. Her sharply arched brows gave her a fierce cast, but her bright blue eyes shimmered with a keen, piercing intelligence.
Trisha was about to return to the newspaper’s editorial section when she sensed her loyal butler’s lingering hesitation. She turned her head back toward him.
Receiving a look that clearly demanded an explanation, Andre bowed his head.
“Most are New Year’s greetings from your friends, Madam, but there was one unexpected letter. I considered vetting it first, but I had a premonition that it might contain matters I am not meant to see. Thus, I brought it to you directly.”
Trisha raised an eyebrow and extended her hand. Andre quickly retrieved Harriet’s letter and offered it to her.
Upon seeing the sender’s name, Trisha’s brow furrowed in surprise.
“Why would she send me… Ah, could it be?”
She tore the envelope open with a decisive flick and pulled out the contents. The stationery was thin and of poor quality, but the handwriting adorning it was neat and elegant.
「Dear Great-aunt Trisha,
First, I pray that good fortune finds you in this New Year. I hope this letter finds you in good health.
I worry that this sudden correspondence may come as a shock.
I am Harriet Listerwell, daughter of Arthur Listerwell. I visited your villa in Wellhab with my parents thirteen years ago to pay our respects; I wonder if you still remember me.」
The corner of Trisha’s mouth curled upward.
“Of course I remember. You certainly haven't given me the chance to forget you, my dear grandniece.”
Rumors of the Listerwell family’s "scandal maker" were ubiquitous. After Arthur’s death, Trisha’s interactions with the Listerwells had all but ceased, so she had never voiced her opinion. However, she had always found it problematic that John, who was supposed to be Harriet’s protector, allowed the girl to take all the blame.
In any case, once her thoughts reached that point, she could easily guess the letter’s purpose.
Sure enough, the main point followed shortly thereafter.
“She wants me to be her guardian…”
“Pardon? A guardian?” Andre asked, unable to hide his surprise. He, too, had been speculating on the contents.
Trisha let out a dry, short laugh.
“Arthur’s daughter is surprisingly audacious.”
“Was it not widely rumored that she was audacious, Madam? Though perhaps not in this specific manner.”
“Well, I am one of those who believe such rumors are often greatly exaggerated.”
She knew all too well how stories concerning love affairs and romantic scandals were sensationally distorted by the masses.
She must have been an easy target for gossip.
And John Listerwell, despite being Harriet’s legal guardian, had done nothing to shield her.
If a child made mistakes out of a desperate yearning for affection, and the adult in their life failed to guide or protect them, who was truly at fault?
And it seems the child, ostracized from High Society because of that adult, is now plotting something.
The letter, which made a bold request without a hint of a servile tone, piqued Trisha’s curiosity.
“How very interesting.”
Trisha’s eyes crinkled as she finished the letter. It seemed something fascinating was about to disrupt her otherwise dull life.
*
The news of Daphne Laurel’s broken engagement was the first scandal to set high society ablaze in the New Year. It was no small matter; Daphne Laurel was renowned as one of the most celebrated beauties in the capital.
“Weren’t those two engaged for quite some time?”
“About five years, I believe. I heard they were supposed to wed this year. I wonder what went wrong, tsk tsk…”
“Why on earth would they break it off? Their backgrounds were a perfect match.”
“Indeed.”
Rumors swelled, feeding on speculation and cruel curiosity, completely indifferent to the woman left picking up the pieces.
“Hic… hic… uuuuh…”
“Daphne. You’ll collapse at this rate. Please, you must eat something.”
Countess Laurel was once again attempting to comfort her daughter, who was weeping inconsolably. But Daphne only shook her head, her tears refusing to stop.
How could her parents find peace when their precious daughter—raised with such devotion and coveted as a bride by countless families—had her engagement shattered without explanation?
Count Laurel, who had been pacing the room while casting worried glances at his daughter, suddenly exploded in a fit of rage.
“That damned bastard! To break the engagement now—what is to become of our Daphne?!”
In high society, it was always the woman who suffered the brunt of the blow when an engagement was dissolved on the eve of a wedding. A woman’s history with another man was often viewed as a "stain," usually forcing her to accept a match far beneath her original station.
“My life is over. I can never show my face again. How can I go out when everyone will be whispering about me?”
For days, Daphne had refused food, doing nothing but cry. She was spiraling into a madness of regret.
I should have confronted him the moment I felt something was wrong. No, if only I had called for James immediately the day after Melody came…
She blamed her own indecision. She had been too afraid to confirm the truth, and that delay had invited this disaster.
Daphne cursed her timid nature over and over.
But was it not natural that she couldn't easily believe the betrayal of a fiancé who had once been so affectionate? She had convinced herself it was a misunderstanding. She had waited patiently when he asked for space. She had believed he would return with a clear explanation and a sincere apology.
Instead, all she received was a cold, formal "notice of dissolution."
How could he? This isn't just about us; our families are intertwined…
The broken engagement had severely strained the alliance between the House of Laurel and the House of Cheslow, who were major partners in a massive railway construction project.
James’s father, Count Cheslow, expressed a modicum of regret but claimed he could not sway his son’s heart. Meanwhile, Count Laurel raged, accusing the Cheslows of a total betrayal of trust.
Daphne felt a crushing guilt for her father, who had become a laughingstock because of her.
Please come back, James. If you apologize and say it was just a momentary lapse in judgment, I’ll accept it. Please.
Daphne penned another tear-soaked letter to James. Though her previous five letters had gone unanswered, she clung to the hope that he was simply conflicted.
However, a few days later, an event occurred that crushed even that small, desperate hope.
“Oh, my goodness! Look, isn’t that Young Master Cheslow and Lady Listerwell?”
“Good heavens! It is! So, it was Bella Listerwell who supplanted Daphne Laurel?”
“I heard whispers that those two were seeing each other, and it seems the rumors were true!”
James had brought Bella as his partner to the New Year’s Gala held at Count Cheslow’s own mansion.
Most of the guests found James’s decision baffling.
Even if Bella was beautiful, Daphne was equally so, and in terms of status, the Viscountcy of Listerwell could not hold a candle to the County of Laurel.
However, it was impossible to ignore that James was utterly infatuated with Bella.
“It seems Count Cheslow lost the battle against his son. Well, no parent can truly defeat their child.”
“But the other party is Bella Listerwell. It’s understandable why he’d stray. There must be more than a few men green with envy looking at James right now.”
“Still, to appear with Lady Listerwell so soon after breaking his engagement… it’s disgraceful. What about Lady Laurel?”
While some "understood" James’s lust, others felt a deep pity for Daphne.
Meanwhile, the crowd found Bella’s behavior shocking. No matter how ardently James had pursued her, accepting the hand of another woman’s fiancé was a sharp departure from her carefully cultivated angelic image.
Hmph, fools.
Bella smiled sweetly at Daphne’s friends, who were glaring at her from across the ballroom. Their faces contorted with rage at her smile, but to Bella, they were merely an amusing spectacle.
“Another letter from Daphne,” James had told Bella just yesterday, showing her the envelope with an expression of pure exasperation. “I never knew she was such an obsessive woman.”