CHAPTER 61…………………………………….
. Mariana’s Arranged Meeting (1)
Knock, knock.
Just as the Duchess was about to go to sleep, she looked up, puzzled. Had the head maid forgotten something?
“Mother, I have something to tell you.”
But it wasn’t the head maid. Recognizing her son’s voice, the Duchess frowned slightly.
Even as a child, Joseph had been so mature that he rarely came looking for her.
Back then, she had been proud of his maturity—it made her life easier. But now, in her old age, she often felt regret. There were hardly any memories she shared with him as a boy.
She had been too busy attending the endless balls and social gatherings that seemed so important at the time, leaving young Joseph in the care of his nursemaid. Looking back, she could hardly remember what any of it had been for.
I should have spent more time with him.
But time once lost could never be regained. Hearing her son’s voice now, she felt both pleased and uneasy.
For Joseph to come to her at such an hour—something must have happened.
“Come in.”
“The head maid forgot this, so I offered to bring it.”
The Duchess almost burst out laughing at the sight of her towering son holding a dainty teapot in both hands.
“Thank you. But I doubt that’s why you’re here. What is it?”
“It’s about Mariana.”
“Mariana? What about her? Has someone been picking on her again?”
“No, not that….”
After a moment’s hesitation, the Duke finally spoke.
“What would you think about arranging a match for her?”
“A match?”
“Yes. I’ve heard that many young ladies of her age have them—meeting at dessert cafés or pretending to encounter suitors by chance at tea gatherings.”
“That may be so, but the question is whether Mariana would be willing. She still dreams of romantic love.”
“She and I went to the Marquis’s tea party recently. From what she said, she seems to be thinking seriously about marriage now. Besides, I’m concerned about how close she’s grown with Viscount Algernon lately. I’m sure you’ve already noticed, Mother.”
“I recognized him the moment I saw him. He still has much of his boyhood look about him. There were all sorts of rumors—some said he’d died abroad, others that he lived a life of indulgence.”
A faint, bitter smile touched the Duchess’s lips. As a mother herself, she had pitied the boy who had been sent away overseas at such a young age.
She had also been acquainted with the late Empress, which made it all the more personal.
“He was a sickly child by nature. Still, it’s fortunate he’s grown up as well as he has. The late Empress would have been pleased to see him.”
The Empress, frail like her son, had died when Algernon was still very young.
Thinking back, that was when all the misfortune had begun.
After the Empress’s death, the Emperor abandoned his duties and drowned himself in grief. The fifth prince, now the current Emperor, rose to prominence by taking over affairs of state. Then the other princes began to gather power, and a bloody struggle ensued.
As the youngest son of the late Empress, Algernon had never stood a chance among his half-brothers.
“Do you dislike Viscount Algernon, Mother?”
“Oh, my dear….”
With a soft smile, the Duchess lifted her teacup.
“I only meant it’s a relief he grew up well. Whether I like him or not hardly matters. Your father had his reasons for warning us to avoid entanglement with the imperial family. I agree with that sentiment. But I’ve seen Mariana’s face when she’s with him.”
Whenever she saw her daughter’s cheeks flush with happiness, she was struck by how quickly she had grown up.
And yet, she knew she couldn’t leave things as they were. She would have to separate them before the feelings deepened further.
It was an unavoidable decision—for both Mariana’s sake and that of the House of Side.
“I was thinking the same thing myself. If Mariana starts seeing suitors, Viscount Algernon will surely get the hint. He seems perceptive enough for that.”
“Shall I look for a suitable match, then?”
“No, such things are better handled by women. I’ll quietly ask around at tea gatherings. But, Joseph—”
“Yes, Mother?”
A mischievous smile played across the Duchess’s face.
“Are you sure keeping Algernon away is really for Mariana’s sake?”
“…What other reason would there be?”
“Why ask me that? You should know better than I do.”
The Duchess chuckled, recalling what had happened a few days earlier.
She had returned home from an outing to find Anje pressed up against the window, peering intently outside.
Behind her stood Joseph, towering and scowling, practically looming over the girl.
Puzzled, the Duchess had asked the head maid,
“What are they doing over there?”
“Oh!”
The maid had covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
“Lady Mariana and Viscount Algernon are taking a walk in the garden.”
“And?”
“Well, Miss Anje is at the age where other people’s romances are endlessly fascinating.”
“That explains Anje. But what about my son?”
“Well… I’m not sure, my lady.”
The maid had averted her gaze, mumbled something about urgent business, and quickly slipped away.
Since then, the Duchess had seen similar scenes several times. She no longer needed the maid’s explanation to understand what was going on.
The season was turning toward the time when roses and wildflowers bloomed in abundance.
It had been around this time of year that she had met her late husband.
Seeing so much of her husband in her son’s face, the Duchess smiled.
“How is Anje doing these days?”
“Why ask me? You see her every day.”
“Do I? I hardly see her at all lately. It’s as if we live in different houses.”
“……”
“She’s always buried in work, claiming she’s behind on reports. The only time she leaves her office is when you take her out somewhere.”
“…That’s because I need an interpreter for my negotiations with the kingdom.”
“I didn’t say otherwise. I was just remarking.”
Feeling strangely cornered but unable to argue, the Duke frowned in frustration.
“Don’t forget your own marriage prospects, Joseph. I’ll take care of Mariana’s situation, so go and get some rest.”
Joseph inclined his head obediently.
“Yes, Mother.”
* * *
“A suitor for the young lady?”
Anje’s eyes widened. The Duke, glancing at her coolly, nodded.
“Women marry younger than men, so even if we start now, Mariana’s marriage will still take time.”
That wasn’t the point!
Frowning, Anje spoke up.
“But the young lady’s getting along so well with Viscount Algernon right now.”
“If you don’t know the full story, don’t meddle. And stop concerning yourself with Algernon.”
“I’m not concerned about him—I’m worried about Lady Mariana.”
“For someone so worried, you couldn’t take your eyes off Algernon when you first met him.”
Well, that was because he had such an extraordinary aura about him!
But of course, she couldn’t say that out loud. Her lips just jutted out in protest.
“Why do you dislike Viscount Algernon, Your Grace? Is it because he’s of royal blood? Or is it because brothers always get jealous when their sisters fall in love? Or maybe… because he’s handsome?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
The Duke shot her a cold look.
Anje faltered for a moment but pressed on.
“Lady Mariana likes him—really likes him. And from what I can tell, he feels the same. I don’t understand why you’d want to keep them apart.”
“How long do you think that kind of love lasts? Do you imagine it will go on forever, like in those silly novels?”
“Nothing lasts forever. But still, Your Grace—”
Biting her lip, Anje spoke with effort.
“If they love each other that much, shouldn’t you at least let them be for now? Can’t you see how happy they are together?”
“Perhaps for now. They’re young, beautiful, and it must feel like the whole world blesses their love. But you know who Algernon really is, don’t you? Then you also know the Emperor would never approve of a union between the royal family and the House of Side.”
“……”
“The truth is, Mariana’s family fell because of Algernon. Even if this affair hadn’t happened, he already owed us his life. To save him, my father had to offer Aachen-del to the Emperor. And that wasn’t all—several noble houses that aided Algernon’s escape, including Mariana’s, incurred the Emperor’s wrath and were destroyed for it.”
