Chapter 25 - The Duke Is Here To Meet You

Chapter 25 – The Duke Is Here To Meet You

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But after spending a day, two days, three days, ten days, fifteen days, and finally a month in bed, I was ready to snap. Doing nothing in bed was more mind-numbingly dull than I thought. Even after a month, my family did not allow me to move, nor did Doctor Bailey. I tried to prove to everyone that I was fine, but unfortunately no one believed me.

All the employees in the house, including my family, treated me like a delicate glass vase that would shatter at the slightest touch. In the end, I had to spend as long as a month stuck in my bed. The only activities available to me were talking to Martina or reading a thick book.

Fifteen days after the accident, Martina told me that even outside visitors would not be allowed to see me. The reason was because Doctor Bailey told our parents that until my bones were all set and my body recovered, I needed to remain as emotionally calm and still as possible. I wasn’t a doctor outside the novel world, so it seemed reasonable enough that I couldn’t complain about it. No one would come to visit me anyway.

‘No, there’s at least one person.’

It would be Odeletta, of course, not Dorothea.

Considering the circumstances on how Dorothea and I last parted, she wouldn’t come visit me anyway, not unless she was crazy. If we switched places, I would be the same.

Well, perhaps I might send her a bouquet of flowers to wish her a good recovery.

But Dorothea didn’t even send anything like that to me and I didn’t expect her to do so.

Finally, after staying in bed for two months, I was certain that my body was almost recovered. To my dismay, Doctor Bailey insisted that recovery was still a long ways away and that I should stay in bed for up to three months to make sure I was in full health.

Count and Countess Bellafleur were not doctors and trusted his judgment without question. Even Martina, who spent most of her time with me, believed him and gazed sadly at me when I told her I wanted to get some outside air. She said that stabilizing my condition was more important.

Unfortunately, there was no concept of wheelchairs yet here, so I couldn’t even dare to dream of taking a step outside.

Then finally, I was allowed to have visitors. But unfortunately, no one came to visit me, not even Odeletta, the one person I was looking forward to. In the original story, Dorothea was the only friend that Maristella had.

At least it was better than expecting Dorothea to be the only one to visit me.

“I heard you fought with Dorothea,” Martina said. “Knowing her, she probably won’t send a single flower, let alone visit you.”

The first thing I spoke about with Martina right after the accident was that I had an argument with Dorothea. As soon as Martina heard my story, she said, ‘If you weren’t hurt, I would have slapped you hard on the back because you were doing a really good job.’

“I don’t even expect her to come,” I said with a snort and shake of my head. Even if Dorothea did come, I would turn her down. Her presence would be too uncomfortable, not to mention I was also worried that she might take it as a sign to get back together again. “It would be awkward if she came here. After all, we didn’t part on amicable terms.”

“That’s true,” Martina said with a nod of her head, then made a sound as if she just remembered something. “Oh, Sis. I didn’t tell you, right?”

“I don’t know what it is, but I think you didn’t.”

“I thought so. It’s about the other carriage that got into the accident with you.”

I frowned when I heard that. Technically, the accident two months ago was nobody’s responsibility. Even if they hit our carriage first, it wasn’t intentional. It was truly an accident, but I didn’t feel like talking about it.

“Why are you suddenly bringing that up?” I asked.

“You don’t know who the passenger is, right?” Martina said cryptically.

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know who the carriage’s owner is, right?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “No one told me. Mother and Father seem to be avoiding talking about the carriage accident as much as possible.”

“I didn’t know until recently because Mother and Father wouldn’t tell me either, but I happened to find out about it yesterday.”

“Who?”

“Don’t be surprised. He is—”

Knock knock.

Martina was interrupted by a knock on the door. Her words evaporated and she looked perplexed, and I turned to the door with a puzzled look.

“Who’s there?”

“Florinda here, My Lady.”

“Ah, come in.”

The conversation was cut off, and soon Florinda came into the room with a huge bouquet of flowers in her hands.

“What’s that?” I asked her.

“This is a gift from a visitor for you. Isn’t it pretty?”

“There’s a visitor?” I said. “Who?”

Was it Odeletta? I eagerly waited for Florinda’s answer, when an unexpected name left her lips.

“Duke Escliffe is here.”

“Hmm…”

Who was he again? I was sure I heard his name somewhere, but I couldn’t remember where. I groaned as I strained my memory.

“You already forgot about him?” Martina said in exasperation. “I thought I had told you three months ago.”

Sorry, Martina. Your sister is forgetful.

“It’s a common name,” I defended.

“What an excuse… Anyway, Florinda, is it true that Duke Escliffe is here?”

“Yes, Lady Martina.”

“Oh my god,” Martina exclaimed in wonder, and I looked curiously at her unusual reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Well, sis.” Martina sorted out what she tried to say and then spoke in a calm voice. “First of all, Duke Escliffe is the one I told you before the birthday banquet for the Crown Prince. The extremely handsome and incredibly sweet Duke!”

Ah, her explanation reminded me of it.

“Then?” I asked with a nod.

“And… He was the one who in the other carriage during the accident.”

“…What?” As soon as I heard her, my eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. Oh my god, no wonder Countess Bellafleur used an honorific to describe the passenger in the carriage.

“Woah… That’s amazing,” I muttered with a dazed expression on my face.

The most important fact that I had forgotten was that there was no story of a carriage accident in the original novel. Of course, there was no word that the inflictor and victim of the carriage accident was Duke Escliffe. There was not a single line in the novel that mentioned the point of contact between Maristella and Duke Escliffe.

But as I thought about it carefully, I shook my head as it was plausible. From the moment I had said everything I wanted to say to Dorothea, this story had gone all wrong.

Would it be weird to say the story would go more wrong from here?

“Oh, and he said he wants to meet you,” Florinda said.

“…Me?” I gasped in surprise.

Why me? Was it an apology for what happened two months ago?

With a stunned expression on my face, I alternately looked between at Florinda and the giant bouquet of flowers she was holding. I honestly didn’t know what was going on here.

“Yes, My Lady,” Florinda answered. “Duke Escliffe didn’t want you to exert yourself going to the parlor room, so he said he could go all the way up here. What should I do?”

“Hmm…” I never really thought about this situation, so I naturally panicked. I turned towards Martina, hoping she could help. “Martina, what should I do?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Martina said with raised eyebrows. “Just do what you want. The Duke is here to meet you!” But she immediately added, “But you can’t refuse him since he’s already here, right? Not to mention that your condition has improved a lot and I’m sure the Duke had a difficult journey coming here.”

“Right?”

Fair enough.

Anyway, I heard he was also seriously injured from the carriage accident two months ago. It was difficult to refuse him because of the sincere effort he put in coming all the way here.

I turned to Florinda and nodded. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to see the guest unprepared…so please tell him to wait in the parlor room for a while, Florinda.”

“Yes, My Lady. I will inform him.”

Florinda gave a bow and went out, and the other maids helped me prepare to see Duke Escliffe. They gave me a fresh new dress, neatly combed my hair and applied some makeup to hide my pale face.

Only after I looked presentable did Florinda take Duke Escliffe to my room.

“Lady, Duke Escliffe is here,” the lady-in-waiting announced.

“Let him in, Florinda.”