Chapter 16
“Please, I’m begging you. You can’t just leave Kalen to handle this all alone.”
Lisa’s eyes were so desperate they seemed on the verge of tears, and before she knew it, Eloise found herself nodding.
“I promise I’ll make sure he learns to love. Don’t worry.”
“I’m counting on you, Lady Moora.”
Patting Lisa gently on the shoulder, Eloise let out a quiet sigh as soon as she was alone.
Why did she agree to something like that?
Lisa slipped her hand out and wrapped it around Eloise’s, her voice suddenly grave.
“I need a favour from you.”
A flicker of unease passed through Eloise as genuine honey-colored eyes gazed up at her.
Whenever those inviting eyes held earnestness, trouble was sure to follow.
“Keep me fully informed about how Kalen reacts to the letters. And his response.
“To you?”
“I can’t just leave him to do this on his own. He might be pretending to read the letters just to keep up appearances since I keep nagging him about marriage.”
“I don’t think the duke is so heartless—or deceitful—as to lie to you like that.”
“He’s my son; I know him better than anyone. His wounds run deep. But whatever happens, you must keep me updated.”
Once again, Eloise nodded.
Leaving behind Lisa’s worried face, Eloise entered the annexe and found herself recalling one of the woman’s words:
“He has wounds that run too deep.”
She was referring to wounds.
If they were wounds deep enough to erase any love interest…
“That means he’s been hurt in love before…”
He has been in love before.
‘That man, whose heart seems only good for pumping blood, has a scar from love?’
The thought amazed her somehow.
Inside the study, Kalen was already seated.
Eloise hurried inside.
“Sorry for being late.”
“No worries. Take your time.”
After hearing Lisa’s words, the considerate tone sounded almost like a ploy to delay the letter reading.
‘No prejudgment.’
Shaking her head, Eloise retrieved the letterbox and sat down.
Picking up the top letter, she cleared her throat.
Just as she began reading the first line, there was a knock.
Unlike Eloise, Kalen’s voice was calm.
“Come in.”
“Brought tea and chocolate. Please take care of the duke today as well, Lady Baroness.”
It was Conrad.
Eloise let out a relieved breath without realising it and thanked him.
The tension was nearly enough to make her faint before even starting.
To spy for Lisa, she’d have to remember Kalen’s every move—and the awareness only made her more nervous.
Sitting up straight, Eloise placed chocolate in her mouth.
The bittersweet aroma spread through her palate, soothing her nerves.
With determined focus, she began to read.
“This is a letter from Lady Wendy’s Edgar to the duke who shines like a star in the sky. Ugh.”
The overly flowery praise in the opening line made Eloise gag without thinking.
She wondered where people dreamed up such expressions.
Curious, Kalen glanced at her.
She rubbed her stomach and grumbled.
“I think my stomach’s upset from breakfast.”
“If you’re not feeling well, you can rest today.”
“No, it’s not that bad.”
She needed the money.
Starting next month, she’d have to give Devon a gold coin—and that meant she desperately needed income.
“I’ll continue. ‘ To the duke who shines like a star in the sky, I am Wendy of the Edgar family. Named after the goddess of beauty by my parents’ wishes that I grow lovely. As you’ve seen my portrait, you must know I am truly beautiful. It’s a pity you don’t appear often in social circles, or you could see my beauty with your eyes.”
Eloise glanced sideways at Kalen.
Surprisingly, he hadn’t asked a single question.
‘So he understands everything?’
The letter continued with self-praise so unabashed it was almost embarrassing to read aloud, making her tongue stiffen.
Still, it was easier without Kalen interrupting.
“My skin shines like pearls from the blue seashore, my eyes are a brilliant blue diamond, and my hair is…”
“Wait a moment.”
Finally, a question.
El braced herself.
She quickly sorted through all the miscellaneous facts she’d picked up over the past few days.
Kalen looked at her with his usual blank expression.
But El noticed it—that faint flicker of discomfort hiding behind his calm eyes.
“We can skip the parts about her appearance.”
“…Agreed. I feel the same way.”
She was briefly thrown off by what turned out to be a suggestion, not a question, but honestly, she was grateful.
Not having to read through that tongue-twisting self-praise felt like a gift.
Over half of the three-page letter was just about the woman’s looks.
No wonder Kalen had been uncomfortable.
Mumbling to herself, El began to skim rapidly down the page.
“Hair is mm-hmm-hmm, long fingers, dainty feet, blah blah blah, whew—okay, here looks like a good place to start again. Despite my dazzling beauty, I prefer a quiet country life. When late summer arrives, I usually spend my holidays at our small estate in Melfield. There’s a wide lake nearby where I often take out a boat and enjoy sailing across the water.”
“Melfield…”
Kalen murmured, and El paused to recall what she knew.
“It’s a village in the north, right? Near Mount Ruki. It must be cool there in the summer—there’s snow on the peaks year-round. Actually, it’s one of the few places where you can eat ice cream all twelve months of the year. With summer coming up, it’d be a perfect spot for a vacation.”
Kalen’s expression turned curious at her explanation.
According to the records, after Baron Moora passed away when she was twelve, El hadn’t left Eienaritn since.
And yet she knew where Melfield was, the mountain, and even the snow.
This young lady knows more than just cabbage, it seems.
“I see.”
“Did you really understand?”
Kalen tilted his head slightly.
There hadn’t been anything difficult about that section.
But El, catching the expression on his face, raised her voice in frustration.
“If you were to marry Lady Wendy, you might receive the land around that wide, beautiful lake as part of her dowry—and get to eat ice cream all year round! That’s what I’m saying!”
“Hm, I see. But… I already have more than enough land.”
“Oh yes, of course. You have enough. No, more than enough. Overflowing.”
El realised she had just said something awkward and probably unnecessary.
Talking about money to a man who didn’t need any?
Ridiculous.
She felt embarrassed and muttered under her breath, irritated with herself.
Trying to shift the mood, she jumped quickly to the next line.
“I’m planning to spend this summer in Melfield again. If Your Grace were to join me, I would be overjoyed. It would feel like floating among the clouds.”
“Floating among the clouds?”
“It’s a phrase used when someone’s so happy they feel like they’re soaring—like their heart’s drifting high above the ground,” El explained quickly, already anticipating the question. She’d come prepared.
But instead, Kalen asked something unexpected.
“Does she mention exactly when she’s going on vacation?”
“You want to go with her? Oh my gosh, hold on—”
El’s eyes widened in surprise as she began scanning ahead.
But no matter how far she read, all she found were elaborate details about her father’s many lands—no dates mentioned.
She answered with a hint of disappointment.
“Sadly, no specific date. Just more talk about how the Count owns land everywhere.”
“I’d like to take a look at those lands she mentioned.”
“Here’s the letter.”
Kalen stood and reached over the desk to take it from her hand, and El gave him a look of praise—genuinely impressed.
They’d gone through quite a few letters together by now, but this was the first time he’d done anything beyond listen and ask questions.
So… he’s interested in Lady Wendy? I mean, she did say she was stunning. Maybe he’s into looks after all. Or maybe… he’s not as indifferent to noble estates as he pretends to be?
Yet as he silently scanned the letter, Kalen’s expression didn’t change. Not even slightly.
What? Is the land that unimpressive?
El watched him closely, trying to read between the lines of his poker face.
He appeared to finish reading at last.
He grabbed a piece of stationery, seemingly prepared to write a response.
El quickly remembered Lisa’s request and opened her mouth in a rush.
“You’re going to write her back?”
“I am.”
“Would you mind if I asked what you plan to write?”
At the gentle, sidelong glance Kalen gave her, El scrambled to add:
“I just mean—please don’t write something like last time. Saying you won’t go on a picnic because you hate goose meat? If you’re not a fan of boat rides, then at least go for the ice cream. Oh, wait—maybe you don’t like sweets? But that can’t be, right? You like chocolate!”
“Do you like ice cream?”
“…Sorry?”
“I asked if you like ice cream, my lady.”
El pouted slightly at the sudden change of topic.
“Who doesn’t like ice cream? Especially in this kind of heat—it’s the ultimate snack.”
“I see.”
He said nothing about her advice and simply resumed preparing his reply, which made El narrow her eyes.
This man—he was impossible to read.
“Let’s move on to the next letter, then.”
Shrugging her shoulders, El picked up the next one and began to read aloud.
“Even when I gaze at the stars in the sky, I think of Your Grace. Even when I see a swan gliding across a lake, my thoughts turn to you. Please, I beg you—read my heart and send me a reply.”
El stumbled through the overly dramatic lines, her tongue tangling more than once as she tried to push through the cringe.
Why are love letters always this cheesy?
Was there some secret agreement among noblewomen to write like children in a schoolyard romance?
All she’d done was sit and read, and yet her breathing was uneven, and tiny beads of sweat had started to form on her forehead.
“That concludes the letter from Lady Ayia Coq. Phew.”
As El exhaled, Kallen silently rose from his seat.
He hadn’t written a reply to this one.
Watching him stand, El stood up too—without quite knowing why.
