Deceived 17

Chapter 17

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***

Blair blinked, then turned her gaze toward the sunlit waves. She pretended to observe the sparkling scenery, but her eyes betrayed her deep reflection on their earlier conversation.

Edmund found the sight of her biting her plump, full lips pleasing, so he made no effort to break the silence. Besides, it was better not to disturb the woman as she lingered in the afterglow of her realization.

Soon, Blair, who had noticed his presence, glanced up at him. Her faintly smiling face was as lovely as the sunlight-filled river.

"The River Ridgeway grows more beautiful the more I see it."

"I agree."

Edmund added softly, his expression unchanged, a gentle smile on his lips.

"Though I was thinking Miss Twyford was more beautiful."

"...Well, thank you."

“If I were to be more honest, I fear the young lady would slap me.”

“Lord Liberte, I do not care for such jokes.”

"Why do you consider it a joke?"

“Because I don’t wish to make this situation uncomfortable.”

Did she realize that even drawing that line had already taken them into territory with no turning back? Edmund swallowed a chuckle and changed the subject.

“Miss Twyford said that recently. She said she wouldn’t judge others hastily until she’d experienced them herself.”

"I did."

“Does that opinion still hold? Or have you changed your mind?”

Blair narrowed her eyes at the playful provocation.

"It still holds. I believe Lord Liberte is a man entirely 

different from the rumors."

"My honor."

“Therefore, I don’t think you need to use self-deprecating language.”

Edmund, who had been half-teasing Blair, fell silent. The woman often moved as he expected, yet still managed to catch him off guard. Her question about whether the gift for the Duchess had been delivered safely was one such instance. It definitely annoyed him. He had no real reason to hide anything from a woman who knew nothing of his inner workings, but it was true his insides twisted slightly. Perhaps that was why he felt like teasing her with deliberately mischievous words.

Their gazes locked in the air, lingering thickly. As he maintained his silence, Blair's bold stare seemed to soften slightly. Edmund lowered his eyes, casting long shadows from his lashes across his cheek, then met her gaze once more.

"There are only two kinds of gazes that follow me. Desire and suspicion."

And what Blair Twyford felt for him was clearly closer to the former.

"I've yet to meet an exception. I wonder what kind of eyes you have for me, my lady."

Blair, unable to find a reply, pressed her lips tightly together. Her mind was a tangled mess of thoughts, chaotic and noisy.

She hadn't even named the feelings she had for him yet—what could she possibly add? Could she truly claim they were a different color, neither desire nor suspicion?

Contrary to the scandalous rumors circulating, the Edmund she saw was a cautious man. Such a man didn't seem the type to easily open his heart or offer his side to another.

That made it hard to imagine. What would it look like if he reached out to caress someone, cupped their cheek, and kissed them?

In the midst of such a wild fantasy, the moment Blair realized that the woman touched by Edmund's hand was herself, she quickly shook her head to dispel the thought.

Just then, the chimes of the clock tower in the distance announced three o'clock sharp. Turning her eyes toward the sound, Blair let out a sigh.

"Ah."

Only then did she remember the appointed time. Mrs. Norris and Sir Hamilton must be waiting in front of the art museum.

"Should we be going now?"

"Yes. The driver should be waiting in front of the museum."

Unlike her, Edmund showed no sign of haste, merely nodding once.

"Let's walk together."

"It's fine. I'll go on my own."

Blair waved him off, stopping him from following. She couldn't let the servants see her alone with a man who wasn't her fiancé.

Edmund’s gaze, which fell silently upon her, seemed to read her thoughts, but Blair paid it no mind, bowing her head slightly in greeting. She forced herself to ignore the feeling that the spring sunshine, which had lingered on her face all day, had grown noticeably warmer.

"Thank you for everything."

"I enjoyed myself today, Miss Twyford."

"Me too."

Blair turned and quickened her pace. Edmund's gaze lingered long on the woman who seemed to be fleeing.

***

“As you know, there’s nothing wrong. You’re suspiciously healthy.”

Edmund burst into a scoff at Benjamin’s oddly phrased remark and rose from the examination bed. It was the day he’d visited the doctor’s office for his tiresome routine checkup.

"It gets a bit tedious repeating the same thing every checkup."

"Should I deliberately catch a cold and come in?"

“You’ve never even had a cold, have you? Anyway, no need for that. I’d just be grateful if you stayed as healthy as you are now.”

Benjamin smiled faintly, and suddenly, he seemed to be holding back something. Sure enough.

"By the way, did you hear? They say Rufus has returned."

Edmund picked up the shirt he’d taken off and slipped it onto his bare upper body, shooting Benjamin a sidelong glance. An unwelcome name.

"Still unable to escape his fate as a eunuch?"

"They say he went all the way to Rorschach trying every possible method, but it seems it was too difficult. He had to give up and just come back."

"If you can't get it up, no one can."

“…Guess that means I’m a master, huh? That’s a statement ripe for misunderstanding.”

Benjamin propped his chin on one hand while tapping the desk with the other, then pushed the medical records to the side.

"I hear you went down to Eldenvale this time but didn't get to meet the Duke."

"Yes. He had retired to bed early."

"The pain was too severe to manage with just painkillers, so I had to prescribe sleeping pills too. His condition is steadily worsening."

It was the perfect moment for the nagging to start. The predictable nagging about how he needed to find a lady from a good family as soon as possible to inherit the dukedom. Edmund blinked slowly, then changed the subject.

"Did you find the documents I asked for?"

"Not yet. But I found the person involved. Turns out he's a brother of an acquaintance of your father's."

"Where is he now?"

"He's dead. Passed away from illness."

Benjamin stared at him with a look of concern.

“Edmund, why are you searching for a doctor who worked at the Duke’s residence twenty years ago?”

When he had visited Eldennvale Manor not long ago, he had sensed a strange dissonance in the Duchess's words. Isabelle had been furious to the point of fury, so it could have been a careless outburst, but he thought it was a remark with a strange, pointed edge.

"You should have died alongside your mother back then!"

Such cruel words, suggesting the young boy should have died alongside his mother.

"Not even if the heavens fall will your lackey lay a hand on me."

Even Benjamin, his personal physician, seemed suspicious, fearing he might be poisoned.

It might just be a worry, but investigating beforehand wouldn't hurt. Securing the duke's title first would guarantee his safety and ensure any plan proceeded smoothly. Only then would the authority and platform to uncover the truth behind his mother's death follow. In the process, an opportunity to corner and judge Isabelle would also present itself.

If marriage was the condition for succession, he could simply use it as a means to an end. He needed a bride who wasn't perfect, and a suitable candidate had conveniently appeared before him. Her looks were beyond reproach, so she should be able to play well in this ridiculous charade.

Self-mockery slipped out between his lips. Edmund buttoned his shirt one button at a time, shifting the mood.

"I was thinking of seeing someone."

"...What? You? Since when?"

Benjamin, recklessly kicking his chair aside, stood up and pointed an accusing finger at him. But Edmund didn't stop there.

"Getting married would be even better."

"What did you say?!"

The finger pointing at his friend, who had dropped this bombshell, trembled violently.

"Who did you pick? The lady of Archibald? The Howellings? Or surely not Miss Vandergelst?"

"Well..."

Edmund let out a subtle chuckle. Rumors swirled that he was seeing over a dozen women. Even his closest friend hadn't guessed this much.

"No, Edmund. What made you change your mind? You were lukewarm about both the dukedom and marriage, weren't you?"