Chapter 17 - The Duke's Mansion
A few days later, in the morning, Opal, who had returned to the Duke's mansion in the Royal Capital, noticed the sound of a visitor and went downstairs. She headed straight for the study and knocked on the door. When she heard a voice ask who was there, she answered, and the butler, Romit, opened the door from inside with a suspicious look on his face.
"I have something I wish to ask my husband. May I come in?"
Though he looked reluctant, Romit took a step back and let Opal inside. Hubert, sitting at his desk, also looked up at Opal suspiciously.
"What is it?"
"...Good morning, my husband. It seemed someone visited just now, so I thought I should know if you are expecting guests this afternoon."
Perhaps realizing that he hadn't even offered a greeting, Hubert's face faintly reddened. He must have been ashamed to have forgotten his manners, even with someone he disliked. But Opal's subsequent question made his expression harden at once.
"I have no need to report my visitors to you one by one."
"But I am, for what it's worth, the lady of this house. It is originally my duty to entertain our guests, so you should inform me if someone is coming, shouldn't you?"
"If it were a guest for you, I would naturally tell you. But this time, it is my guest. Your hospitality is not required."
"...Who did you say is coming?"
Even though Hubert continued to treat her coldly, Opal pressed on. Romit, who had been watching, finally left the study, hiding a look of joy behind a blank expression. Hubert, having lost the battle of wills against Opal's persistence, spoke with irritation.
"The person just now was only here to deliver a letter from Omar."
"So there will be no visitors, then?"
"A man named Jonathan Kenjit is supposed to come with another man and some documents. But it only requires my signature and has nothing to do with you!"
"...Are you sure it has nothing to do with me?"
"Oh, right. You were saying Omar was committing fraud. However, I trust him. That is my answer. Now, would you please leave?"
Perhaps thinking he had become too heated, Hubert let out a great sigh and changed to a calmer voice as he answered Opal's question with a sneer. Opal suppressed her disappointment and nodded calmly.
"I understand."
Secretly praising herself for her voice not trembling, Opal left the study and returned to the attic room. As afternoon arrived and the sound of a carriage signaled the arrival of visitors, Opal did not leave her room. She just sat quietly and waited. However, Opal was not called for, nor did angry footsteps approach her room. Eventually, she heard the sound of the carriage again, and knew the visitors had left. She had been prepared for this, yet tears streamed down her cheeks. But Opal would not cry over something like this, and she immediately wiped her cheeks roughly.
That night, when Beth told them that Opal had gone to bed without dinner, the servants rejoiced. The master had finally taken a firm stand, and that intruder had understood her place in this house. Hubert, on the other hand, was feeling ill at ease. Had he not been too rude this morning? In fact, his attitude toward her was unfair. Hubert was troubled as he dined with a cheerful-looking Lady Northem.
And the next day. Opal, with a dignified air as if nothing had happened, went out to her uncle's residence. After receiving the documents from him, her uncle offered her kind words. He told her there was no need to force herself to continue the marriage. But Opal just smiled and shook her head.
"We were brought together by some fate, so I don't intend to separate just like this. I will do what I must."
"Opal... that foolish youngster is not worth you being so generous."
"Even so, I cannot abandon the people of the fief as they are."
"I see... You are very much like your sister."
"I am happy to hear you say so."
As Opal's face broke into a smile, the atmosphere between them softened. From then on, he told her various stories and memories of her mother, and Opal left her uncle's residence in a cheerful mood. However, once in the carriage, Opal's expression changed. She gave a signal to the coachman, Cayve, and told him of a change in destination. Cayve readily agreed.
(I suppose Cayve is the only one in the Duke's mansion who isn't hostile toward me...)
But that too might change in the future. The thought made her sad, but from now on, Opal planned to spend most of her time at the estate in the duchy, so she would no longer be using this carriage. At the estate, she planned to have a new carriage prepared just for her.
When she arrived at her destination, Count Holloway's mansion, her family home, Opal was given a grand welcome. She had not returned to the Count's mansion in the Royal Capital even once since her marriage.
"I'm sorry for being so sudden. You must have been surprised."
"It is a pleasant surprise, my lady."
"How could you be such a stranger, my lady. You have returned to the Count's fief many times, yet you have not shown your face here even once since your marriage."
Surrounded by the butler and housekeepers, Opal felt tears welling up, but she desperately held them back and smiled. In truth, she was happy. It was just that a whirlwind of emotions was swirling inside her, and right now, she couldn't properly convey her joy to everyone in the house. A footman tried to take the bag she was carrying, but she refused. Composing herself, she asked the butler a question.
"Is my father out, by any chance?"
"No, he is at home today. He is working in his study, but he has instructed that no one is to be admitted for a while."
"I see... But it's alright. I'll make sure to tell him it's not your fault."
"My lady!?"
Hearing that her father was fortunately in, Opal headed for the study. The butler, surprised, tried to stop her, but Opal did not stop. She gave the study door a light knock and entered without waiting for a response. Her father, perhaps having heard the commotion, did not look particularly surprised and simply raised an eyebrow in question as he looked up from his documents.
"As you heard, I entered this room against his orders, so there is no need to reprimand anyone but me."
"I am aware of that. So, I assume you have a reason sufficient to convince me? Surely you are not here with some foolish complaint that you cannot bear your married life."
"Unfortunately, I have no such thing as a married life. However, I have come to inform you of something that I am sure will interest you, and at the same time, to ask a favor."
"Oh?"
Opal did not even greet her father upon their first meeting in some time. But her father did not seem to mind. With everything just as it had always been, Opal did not need to force a smile, nor did she need to suppress her emotions with him. She stated her purpose for visiting in a businesslike manner, took the documents out of her bag, and laid them all out on top of her father's work-in-progress.
"As you once said, Father, here is the proof of the Duke's 'softness'. Evidence of the fief land administrator's fraud, the secret ledger. Also, the lending ledger, proof that the administrator was engrossed in gambling."
"I already know that. So, has your husband finally realized it?"
"If he had, why would you think these are here? His Grace the Duke did not believe me when I reported the administrator's fraud. I tried to have Trevor act as a witness, but it seems the Duke thought that we, father and daughter, were trying to take over the duchy."
"--I see. So your husband was not 'soft', but 'foolish'."
"Could you please stop referring to him as 'your husband'? You're the one who chose him, weren't you? It has nothing to do with me."
At these words from Opal, even the Count was surprised. There had been many times he had wished Opal were his son. His daughter, who at first glance appeared to be a selfish girl, was in fact quite intelligent and had grit. He had seriously considered having Opal, rather than his eldest son who was idling at university, inherit his legacy, everything but the title. For that reason, he had had her acquire an education unnecessary for a lady.
When Opal made her social debut, he had no intention of marrying her off to men who were only after her fortune, or to any uninteresting man for that matter. But because of that scandal, she was no longer in a position to choose. The Count was quite angry at Opal's carelessness, but conversely, he thought of something interesting. When Opal and the Duke danced for the first time, the Count noticed they were attracted to each other, and he used a suitable reason to marry Opal off to the Duke. He knew that if Opal married into the ducal family, she would soon notice the problem.
Opal had a harsh personality, but she was also compassionate. At first, she would resist, but eventually, out of necessity, she and the Duke would work together to rebuild the fief. Perhaps something like love might even bloom between them. That was what he had thought, but his scheme had apparently failed. He was intrigued by what the Duke must have done to make Opal speak such cold words, but he did not say it aloud. However, his eyes fell on the last document Opal had placed, and they widened.
"...Are you truly certain about this?"
"I... have stopped dreaming. No matter how long I waited, the prince on a white horse never came to rescue me. So, I've decided to move on my own, even if I have to steal the white horse."
"Did it not occur to you that this prince on a white horse of yours might have simply been held up?"
"Pardon?"
"Never mind... So, what is your request?"
"First, I would like you to store these documents in your safe here."
"Hmm. That would indeed be best. I accept. But it seems there is more?"
"Yes. The other is... if His Grace the Duke should come to you seeking guidance, I ask that you please accept him."
"...Very well. It is doubtful that foolish youngster will come to me even if his eyes are opened, but if he does, I will accept him."
"Thank you. Then, I leave it in your hands."
Opal offered her thanks with a wry smile. Both her father and her uncle referred to Hubert as a foolish youngster. Acknowledging that it was probably true, Opal left the Count's mansion and returned to the Duke's.