Episode 4

The story was simple: a thief had stolen the mother’s handbag during the time she and Marcus were speaking.

Marcus felt guilty, and Logan blamed the whole situation on him. But the mother simply shook her head.

“I’m the one who got distracted in an unfamiliar place. I shouldn’t have worried you.”

“But I already did worry."

Marcus spat out. While the mother appeared embarrassed, Logan jabbed him sharply—Marcus gasped in pain while Logan growled.

“Sir, that’s no way to speak to a lady.”

“I was just being honest… However, Miss Starwood, I hope you won’t refuse my offer of help.”

“…I couldn't refuse, even I wanted to."

She smiled faintly.

She accepted his outstretched hand with a brief thank you and climbed into the carriage alongside her daughter.

Thanks to that, the horse, now carrying five passengers, struggled as foam formed at the mouth. "If I had known this to happen, I would have brought two horses," Marcus mumbled.

Earlier, the woman had struggled to keep the parasol open under the awning but was not able shield her shoulder from the rain. Her dress, outdated but of fine material, was soaked.

She's outright drenched.

The parasol also seemed well-maintained despite being outdated. However, it was not built to block the rain, so this was most likely its last outing.

He wondered if the texture would come back to like if quickly removed, shook off of its moisture, and dried.

On the other hand, the daughter was free from a single drop of water, and her clothes were of remarkable quality. He marveled at the prudent care directed towards her daughter.

“May I ask where you're staying?” he inquired.

The woman hesitated. “Near the station… on 56th Street.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Yes... well, we lost the money for the boarding.”

Logan swept his face while in a dilemma. That meant they had no one to rely on.

Cliff was a resort, so aristocrats who visited typically resided in family or acquaintance owned residences. If not, their next best option was the boarding house on 56th street. But this young woman was telling them she had nowhere to go.

Marcus noted her sheer shame, but he remained composed and made no effort to show it.

“May I ask what brings you to Cliff?”

“…Must I provide an answer?”

“If you'd rather not, that's fine. But if you wouldn't mind residing at my aunt’s estate during this visit…”

Logan gave a subtle nudge. Marcus ignored it. Though the Noskina mansion belonged to his aunt's family, the amount of fortune his father bestowed upon them every year was enormous, to say the least. It would be comical if she were unwilling to provide Marcus's guests a lodging.

She blinked in surprise and raised her hands to reject him—but paused, seemingly realizing her dilemma.

“...I’d like to say yes, and I fear I am in no position to refuse your kindness. Though...”

She glanced at her daughter. The girl didn’t respond—she was too focused counting tassels on a seat cushion.

It was obvious what a woman with an unmarried daughter would worry about.

Marcus laughed lightly.

“Don't worry. I’m actually already courting someone.”

“Is that how you introduce yourself? That makes me even more anxious!"

Logan immediately countered Marcus's words. The woman, whose eyes widened at Marcus's previous response, soon smiled lightly. It was a tentative sign of agreement.

Logan sighed in exasperation.

“This person's name is…"

"Marcus Hanger.”

The daughter chimed in, her eyes still glued on the cushion. Logan, startled for a brief moment, chuckled.

“Yes, that’s right—the heir to the Hanger family. And I am Sir Hanger’s aide.”

The woman appeared a bit overwhelmed.

"...Ah, pardon, but I'm not too familiar..."

Logan's brow furrowed every so slightly. Only Marcus could guess what his aide was thinking. Is there anyone in the world who doesn't know the Hanger family? They're even more provincial than I thought.

However, Logan was a skilled valet who greeted and addressed countless people throughout his career, so he continued his introduction with a bright smile.

“In case you didn't know, that is a well-known family in the capital.”

“We’re not nobles.”

Marcus interjected flatly. Logan glared at him.

“What are you saying? The Madam might misunderstand. If she was someone who couldn't bear to associate with non-nobles, you should have made that clear early—”

“No, I don’t have such prejudices.”

The lady waved her hand.

Marcus looked triumphantly at Logan. Logan sighed deeply.

“In any case, though this young master here may seem inconsiderate and rude, he only acts that way toward me.”

“Are you insulting me right now?”

“I'm glad you noticed.”

“I’ll fire you.”

“You won’t. And anyway, I just wanted to assure you that he isn’t the kind of man who would make advances on a young lady who has just come of age.”

Despite Marcus’s interruptions, Logan finished his point and quickly added,

“Of course, if he ever did something like that, I have already received permission from his father to crack his skull, so you can rest easy.”

“…Goodness…”

The lady covered her mouth at the shocking revelation. Marcus scoffed.

“So Father doesn’t trust me that much?”

“Quite the opposite. He trusts you enough to entrust his only heir’s head to a mere aide.”

“Logan. You really have a way with words…”

“If you think I’m so skilled, please give me a raise.”

“You’re the second-best in the country. Let’s leave it at that.”

Ignoring Logan’s tongue click, Marcus turned to the lady with a gentle smile.

“How long do you plan to stay in Cliff?”

“…Ah.”

The lady, half-dazed, finally seemed to regain her senses and responded.

“A couple of months, I was thinking.”

“Ah-ha! So you’ve come to enjoy the spring in Cliff?”

“Yes. …Actually, I was hoping to find a suitable match for my daughter…”

Ah. Marcus curled his lips.

The Cliff social scene, being part of a resort town, was fairly relaxed. Even with no connections, women often struck up friendships in the seaside gazebos.

So there were quite a few women who came here in hopes of arranging a marriage during such gatherings.

Though their success rate was notoriously low. And her daughter…

…Well, that wasn’t Marcus’s concern. He considered himself a gentleman, and if he could offer shelter to a mother and daughter caught in the rain, then that was a good deed.

Most importantly, it was partly his fault that the lady lost her bag. So Marcus brightened and responded,

“That’s perfect. My aunt will be pleased.”

“Ah…”

“My aunt has been widowed for quite some time and has no children, so she’s always longed for the presence of a young girl in the house.”

Whether she would actually welcome a complete stranger’s daughter was another matter entirely. Either way, her opinion wasn’t Marcus’s concern. If she didn’t like it, he simply wouldn’t bother to visit her.

Marcus clasped his hands and smiled.

“A couple of months is no trouble at all. There’s a small forest behind my aunt’s estate. I think you’ll find it delightful.”

The lady’s blue eyes trembled slightly. But she had no room for further consideration. She had just admitted she didn’t even have the train fare to return home.

Unconsciously, she stroked her daughter’s bonnet and gave Marcus a nod.

“If you truly don’t mind… may I ask for this favor?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

Marcus gave a charming bow. Logan resigned himself to the situation.

---

Eloise felt as though she were dreaming.

Just a short while ago, while barely managing to avoid the rain under the awning of a coffee house, she had been overcome with despair. All the money she had, including what she needed to return home with Juliet, had been in that bag.

She had considered selling the very clothes she wore to make some money, but her dress was a formal gown that had been used for over ten years. There was no way it would fetch a decent price. Then she wondered how much she might earn from selling Juliet’s clothes instead, but before that, where would they even sleep tonight...? Thoughts like those tormented her.

When Marcus had said it was the Noskina family’s villa, she had expected something like a modest townhouse.

But the mansion revealed through the rain was enormous. Logan had briefly described the Noskina estate as a small area constructed over fifty years ago, but if this was considered a small house, then the Starwood residence was no more than a bathroom in comparison.

The room she had been given after entering the mansion was so splendid that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Eloise felt like she was in a trance.

For starters, the bedroom had a separate sitting room attached. She had expected no more than a small guest bedroom, but the chamber she was led into by the maid bore a small tea table and a sofa that appeared large enough to accommodate six individuals.

“This is...”

“This is the sitting room. Typically, you can keep the door to the bedroom open.”

The maid answered her unspoken question and opened a large door to the side of the sitting room. What lay beyond was truly magnificent.

The walls were covered in jade-colored silk, and a deep blue carpet stretched across the floor. Elouise could tell at a glance that the carpet was incredibly expensive. The small table placed on top of it was no less impressive!

From the table’s legs, carved in the shape of cat paws, to the elegant curves of its tabletop, everything was exquisite. When it came to the bedding—she was left speechless. It seemed like it would take five people to barely fill that bed. It had clearly been considered with the idea of accommodating both her and Juliet.

Elouise continued to marvel at the large wardrobe and nightstand placed to one side of the room.

“Juliet, look at this! ...Juliet?”

“Oh my, young miss!”

The maid, who had opened the window for ventilation, gasped in surprise.

Juliet had opened another door at the corner of the bedroom and was inside, playing with the water.

Wait... that’s a bathroom?

Elouise was in awe.

The bedroom had its own private bathroom. A luxurious layout with plumbing connected to every room.

“Young miss! Are you all right?”

“No!”

Despite Elouise’s efforts to keep her from getting wet, Juliet was now soaked. She continuously pushed away the maid who had picked up a towel to dry her.

Elouise hurried over and accepted the towel from the maid.

“It’s all right. Julie’s a bit sensitive... I’ll do it.”

“Oh, I see. Then I’ll go light the fireplace.”

“Please do.”

The maid was quick on the uptake and headed straight to the fireplace on the side of the bedroom.

Elouise comforted Juliet as she gently dried her golden hair. The towel was soft and made of high-quality material. Yet another luxury item.

Elouise narrowed her eyes and repeated the man’s name to herself. Marcus Hanger, Marcus Hanger. He clearly wasn’t from an ordinary household. She had heard their introduction earlier, but something about it felt familiar...

“…Ah!”

And soon, Elouise remembered exactly where she had heard that name before.

---

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