Chapter 4

Book I: Chapter 4

“Aunt, how can I see Edwin again?”

“Sir Edwin?”

Lilian’s voice rose a little higher. She stared at Harrieta as if she was trying to understand  her. After some time, she shook her head.

“Forget it, Harrieta.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your heart. Don’t take useless things to your heart.”

It was said with a soft tone, but the meaning behind the words was sharp. Harrieta’s face hardened.

She bit her lower lip. Suddenly she felt stuffy as if someone had covered her face with a pillow.

“What are you talking about?”

“Harrieta, do you think he hasn’t seen women with a face like yours once or twice in his life? Especially ones like you who are as easy to read as an open book.”

“

It meant that it was useless to even think about it. In response, Harrieta looked grim. She once again looked at the place where Edwin had disappeared. It had been long since he had disappeared from the ballroom. Lilian turned Harrieta’s head and made her face her again.

“Harrieta Mackenzie! My dear niece, do you think the Redford family is famous because they’re Dukes? It is true that they are famous for their enormous wealth and fame from birth, but they are also famous for their outstanding abilities. Not only are they good at learning and martial arts, but they are also good-looking and attractive in appearance. You don’t know how many talents the Redford family has produced. People even call the Redfords the Brimdell’s most valuable treasure. The Redfords are the kind of people who make you think life is unfair just by looking at them, and Sir Edwin is the most unique of them all.”

“…….”

“How can you compare yourself with him?”

Lilian asked straightforwardly, Harrieta unable to answer.

Philioche was a small rural village that was not even well marked on the map. The eldest daughter of the Viscount Mackenzie lived there far from wealth and fame. In that small place, it was much easier to find someone you didn’t know than someone you knew in your family.

Lilian sighed when she saw her hesitate.

“Even if we are both nobles, we are not the same. Lesser nobles like you and me are so insignificant that we can’t even exchange words with people like him. For him we are probably not much different from the common people.”

“…….”

“There’s a saying that you shouldn’t look at a tree that can’t be climbed.”

The advice for her niece was a bit harsh. Harrieta’s face turned red. She felt as if the  insides of her stomach were boiling. Slowly, she raised her gaze.

“Aunt, then who am I supposed to have in my heart? Sir Welch, who is so short and ordinary? Or Baron Marlon who is thirty years older than me?”

Harrieta asked in a loud voice.

“If you decide to put your mind to forcefully cherish someone in your heart, is that person really being cherished? If so, can you really say that it’s a sincerity that comes from the heart?”

“Harrieta!”

“Don’t look at a tree that can’t be climbed? However, there are also sayings that you can achieve your goals if you have big aspirations and aim for more than what you want. No one needs anyone’s permission to dream, and to follow that dream.”

“…….”

Lilian looked up at her pitiful niece who was venting her anger and resentment. At first she thought she didn’t look anything like her mother, but now she could see the resemblance between her and her younger sister, Rose, when she was a child.

When Rose was young, she insisted that she would marry a prince of a country no matter what. However, as she grew older, she understood the laws of this world and eventually married a poor Viscount in the countryside.

Lilian, who had been thinking of the old days, softened her momentum.

“Harrieta, I apologize if you’re hurt by my words. I also want you to have great aspirations, and I really want you to achieve more. This is really my sincere wish no matter what anyone says.”

Lilian gently stroked Harrieta’s head.

“As you said, no one can stop you if you want to dream and chase that dream. But unfortunately, there are some things in this world which are impossible to achieve no matter how hard you try and struggle. There are some things that you can never have.”

“… Are you talking about Sir Edwin?”

Harrieta asked with a gloomy face. Lilian nodded.

“Even if the sky falls, it wouldn’t happen.”

The bitter and terrible words shattered her last hope. Harrieta lowered her head. She felt as if she had been sentenced to death.

She looked down at her hand with a yearning look. It was the hand that was held by Edwin a while ago. She could still vividly feel the lingering warmth of his hand.

“But….. I don’t think I can easily forget him.”

Fifteen years. It was more or less short but a long time. In her whole life, she had never been this attracted to someone, never had wanted something this much. And she was sure  she wouldn’t feel like this again in the future.

Lilian gently lifted Harrieta’s head to see her.

“You will forget. The world is big, and there are countless wonderful men in it.”

“Even better than Sir Edwin?”

Harrieta asked, with her head slightly raised. Looking down at her clear eyes, Lilian hesitated to answer for a moment. Her eyes were full of trust and expectations. But after a moment, Lilian reluctantly nodded.

“Of course.”

Fifteen. It was a young age. She hadn’t even made a debut yet. Lilian firmly believed that Harrieta would soon forget Edwin, just like a midsummer night’s dream.

Time went by slowly. It had almost been a year since Harrieta had come to Lavant.

Meanwhile, she had turned sixteen and had made her debut as an adult. A debut was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that all aristocratic women valued. However Harrieta wasn’t very interested in it and was just plain bored throughout the ceremony. She couldn’t even remember the name of her partner who had escorted her.

Nevertheless, there was only one reason why she had attended the ball.

‘Maybe we might meet again today.’

Even though she knew it was impossible, she never gave up. But every night, she was discouraged. She repeated this infinite times, torturing herself with hope.

On their way back home, Lillian clicked her tongue as she watched her niece climb into the carriage, looking very depressed. Even she, a woman with great pride, couldn’t help but admit that her predictions were completely wrong.

Half a year had already passed. Nevertheless, Harrieta still clung to Edwin’s shadow.

Lillian couldn’t understand her niece. No matter how attractive he was, how could she be so crazy about him after just seeing him once? She tried to introduce her to many children of aristocratic families, but it was all useless. Without Edwin, Harrieta showed very little interest.

“Rose sent me a letter. She was wondering when you’ll be back.”

As per the original plan, Harrieta should have gone back to her hometown a long time ago. But after being smitten with Edwin, she refused to leave Lavant. It was really surprising to see how determined she was even when she missed Philioche so much.

“I’ll stay here a little longer.”

Harrieta leaned against the back of the chair and answered helplessly.

“

~Rattle! Rattle! 

The carriage running on the stone road shook rhythmically.

“How much is your ‘little longer’? Do you mean until Sir Edwin leaves Lavant for the capital?”

“…….”

“Sir Edwin is famous for not attending social gatherings. Haven’t you witnessed it already? You haven’t ever met him since that night.”

“That’s not true. I saw him not too long ago.”

Harrieta replied with a sullen look, which made Lillian snort.

“Are you talking about the day you hid and waited in front of Marquis Ritchie Cornell’s mansion?”

“It was a long shot, but……I did see him.”

Harrieta’s voice became smaller and smaller.

Having not seen a single shred of Edwin for such a long time, she trembled with impatience. When she heard that Edwin frequently visited Marquis Ritchie Cornell, she began to visit Marquis Ritchie Cornell’s mansion. Of course, she didn’t know anyone there and couldn’t enter the high metal grate doors. So she could only wander in front of the mansion.

She visited the Marquis’ house like that every day for about fifteen times.  By the time she began to feel deep skepticism about her actions, Harrieta was finally able to see Edwin. When she saw the carriage with the golden lion, the symbol of Redford, approaching, she jumped up and down with joy.