MWLCP 27

Chapter 27

“I want to get married.”

At Usher’s bombshell declaration, the dining room fell silent. Even the servants standing nearby, helping with the meal, froze as if they had turned to ice.

“Shouldn’t there at least be a woman for that?”

But Usher’s mother, Jane, responded indifferently as she continued cutting her food. Not long ago, she had told him to bring a partner to Princess Daphne’s wedding, and he had ended up taking his cousin. Although her son had never said it aloud, that had clearly meant he was rejected.

“There is a woman.”

Jane’s hand slipped. Screeech—the knife scraped against the plate, making an unpleasant sound. It was a noise that practically screamed her shock.

“What? But you went with your cousin to that royal event.”

“That was just due to circumstances.”

“You’re seeing a young lady?”

Usher nodded with a resolute expression.

“Wh-who is she?”

Jane stammered without meaning to. Her heart fluttered with the hope that maybe—finally—this hopeless son of hers would fulfill her wish.

“What kind of young lady is she?!”

“Darling, calm down.”

The Earl of Fitzman gently tried to soothe his overly excited wife, turning his attention to Usher. He pretended to be indifferent, but he, too, seemed quite curious about their second son’s situation.

Instead of answering right away, Usher motioned for all the servants to leave.

“It’s Lady Eleanor of the Hudson Viscounty.”

“Hudson Viscounty?”

Jane furrowed her brows, repeating the name of the family to herself.

“Isn’t that the stodgy Viscount from Kent?”

“That’s right.”

Apparently no longer interested in eating, Usher set down his knife and fork.

“You mean the same young lady the Duke of Claven escorted recently?”

The Earl asked, now more serious, as he studied his son’s face.

“Yes. But there is absolutely nothing going on between them. I can assure you of that.”

Usher replied firmly. The Earl immediately dismissed any concerns. For Usher to speak that decisively meant it truly wasn’t an issue.

But the real concern wasn’t simply whether Eleanor and Logan were romantically involved.

“Mother.”

“That viscount family may have been somewhat well-known in the past, but now…”

Jane wrinkled her nose in clear disapproval. She had told Usher to bring someone—anyone—but she hadn’t expected such a downtrodden match.

“If you don’t give us your blessing, we’ll just marry on our own.”

“…What?”

Jane repeated, dumbfounded. She stared at her son as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard. But Usher remained shamelessly calm.

“My older brother will inherit the earldom anyway. Becoming the son-in-law of the Hudson family and eventually inheriting the viscountcy isn’t such a bad deal.”

It was practically blackmail. Jane found herself gaping at her son, who had just dropped a bomb on the table. Even the Earl of Fitzman looked stunned, as though he couldn’t believe the resolve from his normally gentle son. The shock was so great that neither of them could even think to scold him.

“I asked her to see me with the intention of marrying her.”

“…”

“Father always said that a man must keep his word. So what would it make me if I didn’t keep my promise to her?”

“Hmm…”

The Earl groaned but said no more. Since it was true that he had raised his son with that principle, he couldn’t argue. Besides, their eldest son would inherit the title anyway, so there was no need to force Usher into a prestigious marriage.

Still, he didn’t want to upset his wife either. He glanced over to gauge her expression.

“Have you already proposed to her?”

“Not yet.”

“What?”

He hadn’t even proposed, and yet he was asking for their blessing to marry her? Jane frowned deeply, incredulous.

“I didn’t want to bring Eleanor into the house unprepared and make her face your disapproval.”

He had planned to eliminate any opposition before proposing, so as not to risk hurting Eleanor’s feelings. Jane, realizing for the first time that her son could be so thorough, rubbed her forehead wearily.

From a woman’s perspective, he would be a dependable man. But as a son…

“You’ll give us your blessing, won’t you?”

They say no child goes through life without causing a bit of trouble. Jane let out a helpless laugh.

* * *

The swelling on Eleanor’s cheek had subsided after a day. There was no pain or scar left—on the outside, at least. Inside, she was in turmoil.

She had managed to get away from Usher this time. But how long would that last? If her father really wanted to drag her away and force her into marriage, he could. Charles had the will, and the law backed him.

And what was Usher thinking, now that they hadn’t seen each other since? Was she even fit to be his teacher anymore—after bringing him yet another emotional scar under the guise of shared trauma?

“Sigh…”

Eleanor sat at her vanity, burying her face in both hands and letting out a deep sigh.

‘Miss Eleanor, a letter has arrived for you.’

The sender was Usher.

Eleanor hadn’t been able to bring herself to read it. It had sat there, unopened, for days. She couldn’t bear to know what it said. What if he had seen the ugly reality of her family and grown cold toward her?

No… Usher wasn’t that kind of person.

Even thinking that, she couldn’t stop the anxious thought from creeping in. What if the roles were reversed?

“…Why hasn’t he come to see me?”

His absence was both a comfort and a source of unease. The combination of low self-esteem and high pride made her endlessly unstable.

Usher deserved someone better. If things had come to this, maybe it would be better for him to give up before things got even deeper.

But cowardly as it was, she wanted to lean on him. She knew better than anyone that he was the kind of good, kind man who would always lend her his strength.

“Miss Hudson, are you awake?”

A knock broke the silence. Eleanor, slumped lifelessly over her vanity, straightened up reflexively.

“No, I’m awake.”

When she opened the door, she saw George, the butler. It was unusual for him to visit after dinner hours.

“What brings you here…?”

“You have a visitor, Miss Hudson.”

“A visitor?”

She blinked in surprise. No one ever visited her.

“Is it a well-dressed middle-aged man?”

“No, it isn’t.”

Worried that it might be her father, Eleanor asked cautiously. But George immediately shook his head.

“There shouldn’t be anyone visiting me. Are you sure they’re here for me?”

George nodded and said the guest was waiting in the garden. Eleanor, still in her indoor dress, simply threw on a shawl and stepped outside.

A cool wind blew—it was nearly autumn.

“Eleanor.”

The mystery of who her unexpected evening visitor was quickly solved.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw a familiar figure sitting on a bench, waiting for her.

“…Usher.”

It was him—smiling with that same soft, sweet expression as always.

“What do you mean, guest? That’s misleading.”

“I didn’t come to see Logan. I came to see you, Eleanor—so I’m your guest.”

Usher stood and quickly closed the distance between them. With each step, his scent drifted toward her.

“Why didn’t you respond? Are you still not sure about how you feel?”

Eleanor widened her eyes at the unexpected question.

“I wrote in the letter that you could contact me when you felt calm again, remember?”

Ah… Eleanor let out a small sigh. The letter she hadn’t dared to read out of fear held only that?

She felt ridiculous for being so cowardly.

“I’m sorry for showing up before you replied. But I just couldn’t wait any longer.”

Usher quietly reached out and took her hand—the one not gripping the shawl.

“I know it’s sudden, but, Eleanor…”

“…Yes?”

Eleanor barely managed to force out a reply. Her throat felt tight.

“Do you remember when I said I think of you whenever I see something good?”

She nodded silently.

“I always want you to be healthy, happy, and joyful. I want you to enjoy everything good in the world.”

“…”

“But if you can’t do that because of the Hudson name…”

A poor family with no real honor, despite clinging to the idea of it. Yet she couldn’t abandon her name. As long as she was Eleanor Hudson, she couldn’t escape her family’s influence. There was nothing a mere boyfriend like Usher could do to protect her. Not unless he truly had the will to.

Eleanor looked down, bracing herself to be left behind.

“I’ll give you my name.”

What did he just say?

It sounded like nonsense.

She forgot to blink, her eyes flickering in disbelief until they finally rose to meet his sparkling gaze.

“I’ll make sure you get to enjoy the things you want and live a life full of goodness.”

“…”

“Be my wife, Eleanor.”