CHAPTER~16
Hoping for Good News
Yvonne hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“……I’ve only read a few medical books. There wasn’t much a sick child could do alone in a room besides read.”
It was a fairly plausible lie for something improvised.
Whether it convinced that man or not, Yvonne wasn’t sure.
She was curious, but she turned away to avoid his gaze.
She didn’t have the courage to look him in the eyes.
If she did, it felt as though he would see through every secret she was hiding.
As Yvonne moved toward Nadia, leaving Cedric behind, she only realized after stepping out of his line of sight.
For that brief moment, her own hand had also been affected by the poison.
The reddened palm stung belatedly.
***
As Yvonne said, Nadia’s symptoms weren’t severe.
But they couldn’t stay in that state, and enough time had passed, so the four decided to leave.
While the servants tidied up, Yvonne stayed by Nadia’s side, monitoring her condition.
Nadia spoke then.
“I’ve messed everything up.”
Yvonne looked at her with curious eyes.
Nadia sighed with irritation, her gaze fixed on Cedric.
“About Sir Cedric. This was a position you worked so hard to create……”
Seeing Nadia fiddling with her reddened hand, Yvonne felt guilty for not mentioning the herbs that could ease her symptoms.
Even if the herbs wouldn’t immediately remove the symptoms and they would still have to leave, it could have relieved her pain for the moment.
“I’ll make the position again. Today, just focus on getting treated.”
“Really? Really? You promise, Yvonne?”
Yvonne nodded lightly.
Nadia’s previously tense expression softened for the first time in a while.
“Miss, it’s time to depart now.”
The servant of the Count Lopez family announced.
Noticing the signal, Cedric and Derrick approached.
After the four exchanged farewells, the Lopez family’s carriage departed first.
Nadia looked out the window.
Cedric was there. Just as remarkable as when she first saw him at the banquet two years ago.
Even under the intense glow of the sunset, Nadia looked at him resolutely.
She frowned the moment both Cedric and Yvonne appeared in her view simultaneously.
That pompous man showed no interest in her.
Not just her, but everyone.
He treated all with moderate kindness and courtesy, nothing more.
There was an insurmountable barrier in him.
So his attitude toward Yvonne was probably no different from how he treated others.
Then why did watching them dance at the banquet bother her so much?
Why, when meeting the three returning from the valley, did Cedric and Yvonne appear first, not Derrick and Yvonne?
Why did his gaze land first on Yvonne’s hand that had taken the poisonous herb, not on her own poisoned hand?
And even now.
Cedric looked at Yvonne.
He hadn’t gazed at her for long.
Perhaps it was merely natural, meaningless eye contact. Most likely, in fact.
Yet why was it so bothersome?
Her heart raced with unexplained discomfort.
She wanted to separate Yvonne and Cedric, but she couldn’t.
For now, Yvonne was the only link connecting her and Cedric.
‘Right. Yvonne is engaged to Derrick Glaston.’
Family agreements didn’t break easily. So nothing would happen.
Nadia dismissed her unexplained annoyance thinking of that fact.
Still, the lingering irritation… probably came from her reddened hand.
***
Since returning from the picnic, whenever Yvonne saw her reddened hand, she thought of Cedric.
“You seem quite skilled in medicine, Miss.”
Had he noticed her secret?
Had fleeing from him appeared suspicious?
For several days, she was plagued by such anxieties.
As her symptoms gradually eased, her reason returned.
Simply visiting the detective agency or knowing about the poisonous herb wouldn’t allow anyone to deduce her identity.
‘So, it’s okay.’
She would still have to be careful, of course.
But first, finding her mother and leaving the city would resolve everything.
This anxiety, that man, all of it.
At the same time, something she had forgotten naturally came to mind.
‘It’s been quite some time since I requested the investigation. Maybe the detective obtained some information about my mother?’
She had told the detective agency there was no need to contact her even if they found news about her mother; she would check occasionally herself.
She was wary of the possibility that the Duke might hear of her movements.
Today was a chance, as she was going to the Glaston estate.
Yvonne boarded the carriage bound for the Glaston estate, feeling the cool spring breeze brush through her hair.
She gazed out the window.
People moved busily, and birds flying over the river leisurely began their day.
The carriage crossed the river, framed by this peaceful scenery.
Watching it, Yvonne realized she was gradually getting used to the big city that had once felt alien and frightening.
As she mulled over the subtle emotions that she wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or sad, the town square clock tower caught her eye.
Yvonne tapped on the window connected to the coachman’s seat.
“Could you stop the carriage for a moment?”
Though she checked the newspaper at the estate every morning, the coachman didn’t know, so he wouldn’t suspect anything.
Soon, the carriage stopped at one side of the square.
Looking out, a few newsboys ran toward her to sell their papers.
Among the familiar faces, Yvonne recognized one from the detective agency.
She took the newspaper he handed her.
“Thank you.”
She pressed a coin and a note into the boy’s hand.
The boy, noticing the note, recognized her and his eyes flickered sharply before he quickly hid it.
He often ran errands for the detective, such as delivering news to Yvonne when she couldn’t visit the agency herself, just like now.
The boy bowed and walked away.
The carriage departed again.
Yvonne looked at him disappearing into the square, silently wishing.
May there be good news.
***
The bridal class mainly focused on marital relations.
How a wife should greet her husband on the first night, what to do to increase the chances of pregnancy, and so on.
The content was proper yet frank, and the frankness filled Yvonne with shame and despair.
So she had to continuously remind herself mentally throughout the lesson,
‘This has nothing to do with me.’
She just needed to find her mother. That would be enough.
“Shall we stop here for today?”
Mechanically nodding while half-listening to the lesson, Yvonne finally snapped back to reality.
Luckily, Catherine hadn’t noticed her lack of attention.
By then, it was four o’clock.
As Yvonne prepared to rise with her, a knock came at the door.
“Mother. May I come in for a moment?”
It was Derrick’s voice.
“Come in.”
Upon Catherine’s permission, Derrick entered the parlor.
“Son, why are you here so early? Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, not at all.”
Derrick looked at Yvonne as he replied.
“I have something to discuss with Yvonne.”
The way he referred to her had changed.
“Oh, I see? Then I’ll leave, Miss Yvonne. Enjoy your time together.”
Catherine left the parlor after smoothing her son’s collar with a gentle touch. Derrick took the seat she had vacated.
On the table lay the sex education book Catherine and Yvonne had been reading moments ago.
The cover was just red cloth with no title, but Yvonne wanted to hide it from Derrick.
Now, however, hiding it would only arouse suspicion.
Derrick stared at the cover and spoke.
“Did you study the lesson diligently?”
“Yes.”
“Then the theory is perfect, and only practice remains?”
Though he hadn’t opened the book, Yvonne was certain he knew its contents.
She could tell from the look in his eyes, as if observing her reaction.
But, as always, she only gave him a subtle, ambiguous smile.
This kind of unpleasant joke delighted him only if she knew what he meant.
