Chapter 5
After her bath, Olivia’s eyes were still a bit red, but her face looked noticeably cleaner as she entered the bedroom more comfortably. Eleanor, who had been waiting seated in a chair, rose to her feet.
“You may leave, I’ll take it from here.”
Eleanor naturally took the towel from the maid, which had been wrapped around Olivia’s head. The maid, relieved to be rid of the chore, left without protest.
“Hello, Olivia.”
Olivia peeked at Eleanor through the mirror, unfamiliar with her face. She seemed to think she was being subtle, but her blue eyes—so much like Logan’s—were darting constantly, examining Eleanor.
“Starting today, I’ll be your teacher.”
“…”
“My name is Eleanor Hudson. You can just call me Eleanor.”
Eleanor gently patted Olivia’s head with the towel. As the towel soaked up the moisture, Olivia’s lips started to twitch oddly. She seemed like she wanted to say something but was holding back. Eleanor didn’t rush her and simply waited.
Even by the time her hair was almost dry, Olivia hadn’t spoken. Her eyes still held a hint of suspicion.
“Since you must be tired today, should we skip the lesson and just say hello?”
Olivia gave a small nod.
“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Eleanor Hudson, and starting today—or rather, from tomorrow—I’ll be studying with you.”
Eleanor calmly reintroduced herself.
“…Ellie?”
“Yes, you can call me that. Can you introduce yourself to me too?”
At Eleanor’s gentle voice, Olivia slowly opened her mouth.
“O-Olivia Claven…”
“How old are you?”
“E-Eight…”
She clearly wasn’t used to talking. She hesitated every time she spoke. Eleanor wondered if she even knew many words. With a heavy heart, she looked at Olivia, who had grown up under a kind of indulgent neglect.
“Today I’ll just observe how you spend your time. Tomorrow, let’s do something you like. What would you like to do?”
Olivia blinked her blue eyes, which looked wet even though she wasn’t crying.
“Don’t you have anything you want to do?”
“…I don’t know.”
Olivia mumbled with a face on the verge of tears. She had only been told what not to do her whole life, so it was no wonder she didn’t know what she wanted to do. What did it matter if she grew up in a nice house? She was no better than a bird in a cage. Cindy had no intention of letting Olivia go beyond the courtyard—or even out of her bedroom.
Of course, it seemed like Logan cared for Olivia. But no matter how much he cherished her, he couldn’t be with her all day. And since she was Cindy’s biological daughter, Logan probably couldn’t intervene in household matters the same way Cindy could.
“Then tomorrow, let’s find something you want to do together.”
At Eleanor’s suggestion, Olivia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Eleanor was reminded of Logan for a moment—his way of measuring her, trying to guess what she was thinking. That expression was exactly the same.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m serious.”
How could an eight-year-old be so suspicious? She must have been lied to a lot. Eleanor couldn’t help but let out a helpless chuckle.
“There weren’t any major problems at the port. The usual power struggle between the two nations, nothing more.”
Usher tossed a shiny apple into the air a few times as he spoke. Logan, leaning crookedly against the tall window, held his cigar between two fingers and exhaled slowly.
“Military supply shipments have increased. Doesn’t look like something we can just ignore.”
It was suspicious—more weapons being moved while everything appeared unusually peaceful. The two couldn’t coexist.
“I’ve told them to keep an eye on it, so they’ll monitor the situation.”
Usher replied lazily and offered the red apple to Logan.
“What’s this?”
“An apology for coming back empty-handed.”
At the playful joke, Logan smirked. He placed the end of the cigar between his lips again and accepted the apple.
“Apology accepted.”
“Try being a little grateful.”
Usher responded with a sarcastic grin at Logan’s amused acceptance. Then, suddenly, his expression turned unsure.
“Actually… maybe I should be grateful.”
He looked distracted—almost foolish. Logan raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend ramble.
“Stopped in Kent to rest on the way up from Dove.”
Was this his way of saying thanks for the break? Logan decided not to expect much from the rest of the explanation.
“Well, something happened.”
Sure enough, it was nonsense. Usher grinned to himself like a man possessed.
“Anyway, why did you suddenly hire a tutor for Olive? Weren’t you going to send her to a public school?”
“Cindy Claven was strongly opposed.”
Logan answered easily, though the change of topic had come from nowhere. There was no reason to hide anything from Usher—he already knew the situation.
“Besides, Olivia isn’t ready yet.”
Maybe he was worried someone might try to hurt the Claven family member. Something could happen where no one could see it.
To Logan, Olivia was just a regular little sister. But to others, she was not. Cindy had used that to convince him. Although, considering how badly Cindy wanted to get rid of Olivia, it was probably not out of genuine concern.
What a troublesome woman. Logan straightened up from the window and flicked his cigar into the ashtray after one last puff.
“So you’ve given up on sending her to school?”
“Depends. If Olivia’s ready within a few years, I plan to end the contract and pay eight years’ worth of wages all at once.”
He hadn’t told Eleanor this, but it was a tempting offer—one no one would refuse. She’d get all the money with less work.
“But how do you know Olivia’s tutor?”
Logan suddenly looked puzzled at Usher. He had never mentioned Eleanor to him.
“Olive made a scene earlier. I found her draping a white sheet over Eleanor’s head like a ghost.”
“…Eleanor?”
“I met her on the train coming from Southern.”
Usher chuckled as he answered. But right after, he flinched at Logan’s stony expression.
“Remember what I’ve always told you.”
Logan had made it clear: don’t mess with the mansion staff. Their family status wasn’t something that could be tied to the Earl of Fitzman. He didn’t want any of the staff hurt. Not even if it was a close friend like Usher.
“She’s not a maid.”
“Are you trying to play word games with me?”
Logan tilted his head and asked sharply. Usher replied with a wronged expression.
“She’s part of the Hudson family.”
That much was true. Eleanor was a little different from ordinary servants. Even if all she had left was a name and empty title, the Hudsons were a viscount family granted nobility directly by the king.
Still, Usher Fitzman didn’t seem like a good match for Eleanor, who had come to a foreign region for work. If she had a fiancé, she wouldn’t have ended up here. And having lived her whole life under her father’s eye, she was probably far from any notion of free love.
“If you’re not confident you can stand against the world for her, don’t even think about touching her.”
If she were to get involved with anyone now, it would obviously be with marriage in mind. But it was unlikely Usher, who had just met her, felt that strongly. And even if he did, there was no way the Fitzman family would openly welcome her.
“Excuse me, Duke Claven—are you secretly related to Miss Eleanor Hudson?”
“I’m her employer. That’s all the obligation I need to protect her.”
Logan answered firmly. If she were a mere acquaintance, that would be different—but she had been hired as Olivia’s tutor. Considering she might be here for several years, he had a responsibility to protect her.
“But it’s nonsense for an employer to meddle in their staff’s love lives.”
Usher protested, as if it were all too much.
“Have you ever seen me carelessly mess with the mansion staff before? To this degree…”
“Fine.”
Judging by Usher’s reaction, he wasn’t going to give up easily. In the end, the important thing wasn’t what Logan or Usher thought—it was what Eleanor wanted. Logan let out a deep sigh and said,
“If Miss Hudson says no, back off without complaint.”
“I’m not the kind of trash who clings to a woman who’s rejected me. I don’t plan to be rude either.”
Usher responded sincerely.
“But honestly, even if you kept objecting, I wouldn’t care.”
He added playfully, a hint of rebellion in his tone.
“I knew it was fate the moment our eyes met.”
As Logan frowned, Usher murmured again. A strange heat burned in his once-gentle violet eyes. Only then did Logan realize that Usher—who had always seemed like an innocent boy—now looked fully grown.
He had gone through the military academy, yet still felt like a child. And suddenly, here he was, a man.
It was the season of youth.
Summer was in full bloom.
Wow, does the poor kid not have a nanny?