CH 64

Elena was a variable. Even though Gareth wasn’t calling the woman his wife, Lydia could see the way he was treating Elena differently. She needed to find a way to get rid of Elena before Gareth fell in love with her and called her his wife. If he decided to marry Elena, then he would naturally side with Townsend estate for her sake, rendering Lydia’s pregnancy and plan to persuade Gareth useless. He would end up becoming Lydia’s greatest enemy if she didn’t do anything about Elena. Lydia weighed the pros and cons of having Gareth side with her versus Gareth remaining neutral.  As far as she was concerned, trying to persuade Gareth to remain neutral was a back-up plan, in case she failed to make him side with her.

“Ha, you won’t even have to wait four months, Gareth,” Lydia muttered to herself as she decided to finish her plan before then. Lydia pressed hard on her burdensome belly. This wasn’t her first pregnancy; she had miscarried every time she had become pregnant, as she had no intention of giving birth. Lydia had been able to learn from several miscarriages that the smaller the fetus, the easier it was for her body to miscarry the baby. She had then learned different ways to miscarry easily.

‘The day I spill out this irksome mass in my body will be the day Gareth kicks Elena out from this castle.’ With this thought, Lydia beckoned her maids close.

“Are you all spreading the rumors I told you to?” she asked.

“Of course, Your Royal Highness,” the maids answered in unison.

Lydia began to laugh quietly.

* * *

The wind became colder with each passing day, signaling that winter was quickly approaching. Giggs went on multiple trips to other estates for supplies regarding the projects held in the estate, and more people were employed to help dig the moat before the ground froze over completely. Elena spent busy days wandering around the castle and preparing for winter, wearing a thin coat Gareth had given her. Amongst her many chores, she did not forget to sort and dry the mushrooms she had found in the forest based on their uses.

Although Elena kept busy and did her best to help out in the castle, she could sense that something was strange. It seemed that the people inside and outside the castle were constantly talking about her, as they would suddenly grow quiet when she approached them and start to chatter again when she would turn away from them. Elena could also sense that some people would glare at her. What was true was that no one would start a conversation with her. The maids in the kitchen followed Elena’s instructions, but that was all. Sometimes, it even made Elena feel like other people were denying her presence. The unfair treatment made Elena feel as if winter was approaching her heart as well. Nevertheless, she decided she shouldn’t complain about this issue to anyone and only worked harder to forget about the discomfort.

Elena returned to her room as usual after finishing her work in the hall to find that Gareth was sitting on a chair, occupied with cleaning and sharpening his sword. Elena approached Gareth and kissed him lightly on top of his head. Although Gareth’s blunt attitude hadn’t changed at all, he was the only form of consolation for Elena.

Elena looked up, then saw a closet she had never seen before in the corner of the room.

“What is that?” she asked.

“Open it,” Gareth replied indifferently.

Elena approached the closet with a curious expression, then opened the doors. She then let out a quiet exclamation at the sight of the clothes inside it. Elena reached out and touched the dresses one by one. Everything was soft and warm like the dress she was wearing now; they felt perfect for the cold winter she was about to face. Still, Elena couldn’t help but wonder where these clothes had suddenly come from. Gareth had started giving her dresses one by one, and now was suddenly giving her a whole closet.

“Whose are these?” Elena asked. However, Gareth pretended not to hear her and continued to focus on his sword instead.

“Gareth, whose clothes are these?” Elena asked again, remembering how Madel had freaked out when Elena first showed up wearing the dress Gareth had given her.