Chapter 26
“…Usher?”
It was Usher. He seemed to have run over in a hurry, panting heavily, but even so, he didn’t forget to place Eleanor behind his broad back protectively.
“What’s going on, Eleanor?”
It wasn’t easy for Eleanor to admit that the man holding her wrist was her father. With a feeling of shame and despair, she bit her lower lip hard and lowered her head.
“I don’t know who you are, but you need to come with me to the police station.”
Usher said coldly to Charles. Charles, firmly restrained by Usher’s strength, opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. Though usually kind to Eleanor and playful with Olivia, Usher was a soldier. Even if he had retired with Logan, his solid build and imposing frame overwhelmed most men—his strength was no exception.
“So you came all the way to Southern and now you’re fooling around with men?”
“Hey.”
“Is that how I raised you? Is that what your mother taught you?”
Charles shouted furiously, wildly thrashing about, though his wrist was still held in Usher’s grasp.
“Yes. I have a man. Which is exactly why I never want to return to Kent.”
Eleanor said, her face burning with shame as she spoke to Charles. It was defiance. At that moment, Usher seemed to understand who the man was, and didn’t say anything further.
“Usher, just… please let it go.”
“Eleanor.”
“So you’re going to ruin yourself by dating some lowlife? The Hudson Viscount family is going to be utterly disgraced!”
Charles burst out laughing.
“Please just go away! If it’s money you want, I’ll give it to you—just don’t ever show up in my life again!”
She was humiliated. Eleanor shouted, her voice trembling, and Charles glared at her with a frozen expression.
“You dare…”
“I’m Usher Fitzman.”
At that moment, Usher dropped Charles’s wrist as if discarding it and interrupted the conversation. Charles frowned strangely and looked up at him.
“Usher Fitzman?”
As if the name sounded familiar, Charles tilted his head—then his eyes widened in realization.
“The second son of the Fitzman Count family…?”
He might not remember his own daughter’s birthday, but he surely memorized the aristocratic directory. When Usher nodded arrogantly, Charles swallowed hard. The look in his eyes changed entirely as he stared at Usher.
“How—how did you and Eleanor…?”
“She’s my lover.”
Usher stated firmly, explaining their relationship. Charles, dumbfounded, blinked rapidly, then suddenly broke into a broad smile.
“I see.”
As if wiping away the shameful scene moments ago, Charles fixed his disheveled clothes and grinned shamelessly.
“Haha, I got a little carried away during our talk. I’m Charles Hudson, Eleanor’s father.”
Watching Charles behave so brazenly in front of Usher made Eleanor want to rip his head off. But unable to do so, she twisted the hem of her skirt tightly in frustration.
“Eleanor, go back to Olivia. I’ll talk to your father for a moment.”
Usher gently caressed one side of her flushed cheek as he spoke softly. Eleanor knew he was trying to let her escape, but she wanted things resolved somehow. She nodded silently and turned away from Usher and Charles.
“Eli!”
Thankfully, Olivia had been waiting patiently. Probably because Logan was beside her, she wouldn’t have been able to run off even if she wanted to.
“You came early.”
“My work ended sooner than expected.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave Olivia alone…”
“No need to explain.”
Logan briefly glanced at Eleanor’s flushed cheek and answered curtly. Tears welled in her eyes. Pretending not to see her tightly shut lips as she tried to hold back her sobs, Logan turned his gaze away. His jaw was tightly clenched.
But that was the extent of kindness he could offer his friend’s lover.
* * *
Eleanor didn’t let her emotions show in front of Olivia, and the little girl quickly forgot her momentary anxiety. But for everyone else, the outing ended unpleasantly. Back at the Clavern ducal residence, Usher borrowed one of Logan’s cigars. Usher rarely smoked even when he drank, so it was an unusual sight.
“How could he insult and hit his daughter, and then talk to me—her lover—with a smile?”
It was a relief that Logan had told him and he had gone to the park; otherwise, Eleanor might have gotten beaten even more. Smoke streamed from his mouth, a visual representation of the fury he couldn’t contain.
“When you look at someone like Cindy Clavern, I guess anything’s possible.”
Logan mentioned another name with a calm voice.
“I didn’t expect there to be another human like that.”
Usher ground his teeth.
“How could he strike her face?”
“…”
“That delicate skin…”
His whisper was full of disbelief, layered with anger and disgust. Logan silently agreed. From even a brief glance, he had noticed Eleanor’s cheek was red and swollen—it was obvious she’d been hit.
“I now understand why Eleanor came all the way to Southern to find work.”
Did she ever receive proper treatment under such a father? Even a vague guess would answer no.
“When I asked why he hit Eleanor, he said it was to discipline her behavior.”
“…”
“He said if she had a husband, she’d belong to him and he wouldn’t interfere. But since she has none, she’s still his property as her parent.”
A long sigh followed those words. Sadly, it wasn’t an interpretation far from what was accepted in Redden’s legal system. As a woman and a daughter, Eleanor was considered more of Charles’s possession than her own person.
Using that logic, Charles subtly brought up the idea of marriage between Eleanor and Usher. He even threatened to marry her off as a second wife to some faceless man to make money if Usher didn’t comply.
“Damn it.”
Usher ran a large hand over his face and muttered.
“I can’t take it anymore.”
His fingers trembled as he flicked away the now-short cigar. That, too, was unlike Usher—so was the mere act of smoking one.
“I’m going to propose to Eleanor.”
Logan, who had also just set down his nearly finished cigar, froze. He’d assumed Eleanor and Usher might eventually marry—but not this soon.
“Eleanor might feel pressured by how fast this is happening, but if she becomes ‘mine’ through marriage, he won’t be able to do something like that again.”
“…So you’re marrying her out of pity?”
Usher firmly shook his head.
“No, it’s love. The kind where I can’t bear to see her suffer even for a moment.”
If marrying Eleanor was the only way to protect her from Charles’s abuse, Usher had already made his choice.
“Will the Countess accept it?”
But real-world obstacles couldn’t be ignored. Logan asked quietly, and Usher paused for a moment.
“Even if she doesn’t, I’ll go through with it. Like you said, I didn’t confess to Eleanor with the thought of breaking up after a fling.”
There was no hesitation in his answer. Usher’s resolve to marry Eleanor remained firm—even if his mother opposed.
“Miss Hudson has a good lover.”
Logan murmured. Usher, who had been staring into space, turned to look at him.
“You really think so?”
“A man who isn’t ashamed of her circumstances and wants to protect her in any way possible—how could anyone call that a bad partner?”
Logan spoke as if it were obvious. He didn’t regret not confessing his feelings to Eleanor sooner, because Usher was that kind of man—one who could devote himself completely to his lover. Logan wasn’t sure he could do the same.
“That’s probably why she chose you.”
Logan didn’t speak nonsense, and never said anything insincere. As Usher’s longtime friend, he knew that better than anyone.
“I’ll consider the necklace her wedding gift.”
Logan leaned back in his seat as he spoke. Necklace? Usher searched his memory for a moment before smiling faintly.
“That’s more than enough.”
He realized Logan was referring to the emerald necklace Eleanor wore at Princess Daphne’s wedding. He hadn’t asked for permission when he gave it to her and had expected Logan to bill him later. But Logan had simply gifted it to Eleanor.
“Are you going back now?”
“I need to tell my mother and father as well.”
As if he had finalized his decision, Usher stood up.
“Can I see Eleanor before I go?”
“You don’t need my permission, but… If I were Miss Hudson, I’d probably want to be alone right now.”
Logan gently refused. From what he’d observed, Eleanor’s self-esteem was low, but her pride was strong. Considering that, meeting her now—when she likely hadn’t even gathered her own feelings—wasn’t the best idea.
Usher seemed to agree, nodding in understanding.
“…”
At last, Usher left the residence. Logan leaned deeply into the sofa and lit another cigar. Usher had chosen the best possible path. Logan tapped off the ash from his cigar. His Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.
Marriage. Usher and Eleanor’s marriage.
Maybe it didn’t feel real yet. Maybe the shock of seeing Eleanor accept Usher’s love hadn’t hit him. Maybe it was because he’d already resolved to let go.
But somehow… he felt he could imagine Eleanor and Usher getting married without pain.
…For now.
I’m really impressed with how Logan’s reaction to all of that was written. It was entirely in keeping with his established character, yet still simmering.