Chapter 6

"Hello, Great Aunt. Thank you for inviting me today."

A house with a green roof, a few minutes' walk from the castle.

Alexis knocked on the door and entered, greeting with a blank expression that seemed to suggest he didn't really appreciate being invited.

I followed him into the house and saw an elderly woman sitting in a rocking chair in the back of the living room.

She is Margaret Stapleton, the great aunt Alexis referred to as his "troublesome relative."

Her late husband, Mr. Stapleton, was a wealthy merchant who expanded his business not only in Sheafield but also in the surrounding areas. Now, she lives quietly in this house with her maid.

Though her life seems modest, she is actually the shadowy power behind Sheafield, often resolving disputes in the region with her word.

That's why when Alexis's parents died of illness and he inherited the title at a young age, she helped him in many ways. However, she also insisted that "this land cannot be entrusted to a young man who hasn't even married," which led Alexis to hurriedly get married.

Margaret, with her wavy white hair beautifully tied up and wearing a blue dress that was both elegant and loose, with a bow, was reading a letter in her rocking chair. She turned her face, etched with many wrinkles, toward us.

Despite her advanced age, or perhaps because of it, her gaze seemed to pierce through one's soul with just a glance.

Her skin, though wrinkled, was still lustrous, and her makeup was bold, with bright red lipstick.

"Oh, Alexis, you finally came. I thought you would keep your bride locked away in the depths of the castle and not show her to me."

"Very funny. Great Aunt, this is my wife, Serafina."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Stapleton. My name is Serafina. Please call me Sarah."

She scrutinized me with her green, slightly slanted eyes before putting down the letter and pointing to a sofa.

"Welcome, Sarah. Please sit there. You can call me Margaret."

"Yes, Mrs. Margaret."

"Elsie, is the tea ready yet?"

As we sat on the sofa, Margaret called for her maid.

"Madam, I apologize for the wait!"

A maid named Elsie quickly brought in a tea cart from another room. She was a lively red-haired girl, about sixteen or seventeen, who efficiently prepared the tea.

However, she seemed a bit clumsy and accidentally spilled tea on my hand, exclaiming, "Oh!"

"Sarah!"

Alexis, his face changing, quickly pulled my hand and wiped it with his handkerchief.

"Are you okay? Did you get burned?"

"N-no, I'm fine."

"I-I'm so sorry!!"

"It's fine. It wasn't that hot."

As I answered both Alexis and Elsie, my cheeks grew increasingly warm. Alexis was still carefully checking if my hand was burned, and Margaret was watching the scene intently.

When Elsie hurriedly wiped up the spilled tea, Margaret's red lips curved into a smile.

"It's good to see you two getting along so well. Alexis was called the 'Ice Earl' and might have remained a bachelor for life."

"…Great Aunt."

Alexis's expression turned grim.

The air in the room became tense, but Elsie, oblivious to this, chimed in innocently.

"True! The Earl didn't care for any woman except Lady Rosie."

With those words, the air in the room became even more tense.

…Lady Rosie? I've never heard of her. Who is she…?

"Oh, and Lady Rosie is said to be bedridden again. It's worrying."

Upon hearing Elsie's words, Alexis stood up abruptly.

"…I apologize, but I must take my leave today. Sarah, you can stay and relax."

"Wh-what? Ah… yes."

Alexis left like a gust of wind.

The room fell silent, and the sound of a crow's "caw" echoed somewhere.

Margaret sighed.

"…Oh dear. I thought he would settle down a bit after getting married…"

"He's still infatuated with Lady Rosie."

Margaret glared at Elsie.

"Elsie, have you finished cleaning?"

"I'll do it right away!"

Elsie darted out of the room.

With only Margaret and me left in the room, an awkward silence fell.

If I were to behave properly, I should try to make light conversation to ease the tension.

But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Lady Rosie, whom I had never met or heard of.

…Even the great aunt's maid knows that Alexis is infatuated with her.

She must be a lover of lower status, acknowledged by everyone.

Because of their different social standings, Alexis couldn't marry her, so he was forced to marry me.

That's why our marriage was a "white marriage."

I should have known this from the beginning, but it felt as if the world had turned dark before my eyes.

"Sarah, the handkerchief Alexis was holding earlier—did you embroider the initials on it?"

Margaret suddenly asked, and I managed a weak smile.

"…Yes. I embroidered it and gave it to Alexis."

Last night, I immediately went to the sewing room and started embroidering.

I embroidered an "A" on a man's handkerchief I found in a cabinet. It turned out quite well, so when I showed it to Alexis this morning and he asked if I would give it to him, I did.

Of course, the "A" was meant to be Alexis's initial, but I didn't want to seem pushy, so I didn't say it outright.

I was happy that he accepted it and even used it right away.

…But perhaps it was just his politeness.

Seeing my spirits dampen again, Margaret said,

"You like embroidery, don't you? Do you have any other items you've embroidered?"

"Yes. This handkerchief is one of them."

I took out my handkerchief, which had lavender embroidered in the corners, and Margaret took it, examining it seriously.

Her green eyes sparkled.

"…Oh my… How skillful you are!"

"Thank you. Do you like embroidery, Mrs. Margaret?"

"Me? I prefer other crafts, like simmering things in a pot."

"Simmering… Do you make jam?"

"Hehe. Something like that. Sarah, would you make a handkerchief for me?"

"Of course, I will."

The crow cawed again.

Perhaps it was perched on the roof.

As I drank tea and chatted with Margaret, my troubled heart gradually calmed down.

However, when the tea party ended and I returned to the castle, and even at dinner time, Alexis was nowhere to be found.

That night, Alexis did not return to the castle at all.