Episode 46

“…Please forgive me. It’s true.”

Later that day, after lunch, the niece-in-law was summoned for afternoon tea. With a pale face and clenched hands gripping her skirt, she gave that reply.

At her words, Madam Noskina let out a sigh.

“Good heavens, you reckless girl! How could a young lady, having only just met a man, already…!”

“…”

“I don’t care how rushed the marriage was—this is absurd!”

Elouise stole a cautious glance at her aunt.

In truth, the person she feared far more than the Duchess of Bellona was Madam Noskina. Compared to this aunt, the Duchess was nothing.

It’s far easier to deal with a peer who’s rude and abrasive than with a dignified elder who is both warm and strict, and who maintains a line of authority without ever crossing into cruelty.

And now, Madam Noskina had even said she’d called Elouise alone so it wouldn’t seem like she was gossiping behind her back. Elouise knew well the kind of reverence one should hold toward an elder who remained respectful, even to those younger than herself.

The aunt, oblivious to Elouise’s inner turmoil, rubbed her temple and sighed.

“Marcus… that damn fool didn’t even stop to consider who the hell he was dealing with…”

“…I was selfish. Once again… I apologize.”

Elouise bowed her head meekly. Madam Noskina sighed again.

“Enough. I’d rather tell my brother that his son married an older maiden raising a child on her own than admit he married a woman who was already once wed.”

Then she clicked her tongue.

“Honestly. People can be so vile!”

Her anger was genuine.

Outside the Noskina estate, the people of Cliff were brazenly gossiping about the Hanger couple. Elouise had already been labeled a shameless woman who, blinded by greed, rashly married a man she barely knew.

Her lack of parents, her connection to Juliet—it had all become fuel for the fire. At the mention of Juliet, Madam Noskina nearly exploded.

Truth be told, Juliet might be scatterbrained and hard to manage, but she wasn’t a bad child. And lately, whenever she bumped into the old lady in the estate, she bowed politely just as Elouise had taught her. That, too, impressed the aunt.

Elouise observed her aunt closely, debating whether to say there was something more.

She sensed Madam Noskina still believed Marcus and Elouise simply fell for each other quickly—but that the marriage itself was genuine.

But then—

“What kind of lunatic pretends to get married, for God’s sake?!”

Madam Noskina clutched her forehead and muttered.

So... while the people of Cliff believed Marcus seduced some poor, homeless girl to get close to the Duchess, even that sounded like a stretch to Madam Noskina—just baseless slander.

Elouise hesitated briefly—but her decision came quickly. At least to this old woman, she wanted to be honest.

“He is at your estate, Madam.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Elouise swallowed. Where should she even begin?

She took a deep breath under the weight of her aunt’s startled gaze. Madam Noskina already knew she was that girl from Maine. Now she would have to confess how utterly shallow, petty, and materialistic she had been.

Elouise shut her eyes tightly, then opened them again.

She began with the moment Marcus showed her kindness at the train station, then when he helped her again in the rain—and how relieved and grateful she had felt.

She confessed how her first impression of him had been unfavorable, but also admitted to accepting the diamond he gave her.

Her voice trembled. At times, she had to pause. But she didn’t stop. She told it all.

Because of one reason: the woman sitting in front of her.

When Madam Noskina first heard about the fake marriage proposal and the diamond, her face turned pale in disbelief. But when Elouise admitted she had willingly played along and married Marcus, her aunt's face flushed red with rage.

Seeing that, Elouise realized once again what she had done.

She had deceived everyone. The words coming from her own mouth sounded shameless, pathetic—even vulgar.

“…That’s all there is to tell, Madam.”

When she finished, Madam Noskina sat upright, rigid as stone.

Elouise watched her cautiously. If her aunt decided to throw her out of the estate at this very moment, she would not protest. At least she hadn’t called Marcus in. If she had, Elouise would have dropped to her knees and begged like a slave before an invading warlord.

She would’ve pleaded: I’ll leave today—just please, don’t tell him yet.

Elouise braced herself for her sentence.

“…That damn lunatic of a nephew…”

But the next moment, what came out of Madam Noskina’s mouth was so coarse, Elouise nearly keeled over in shock.

“P-Pardon…?”

To her memory, not once had Madam Noskina broken her aristocratic composure. From chin to toe, she was the very embodiment of elegance. She might look down from above, but never with scorn.

Her bearing was refined, her words always precise and dignified.

But now—

“That damned lunatic bribed a decent young lady with money and dragged her into his damn circus—what utter garbage…!”

Only then did Elouise realize that Madam Noskina’s gaze was fixed somewhere in the void.

The sound of Madam Noskina grinding her teeth was clearly audible. Elouise understood that she — no, Marcus — had truly enraged Madam Noskina beyond measure.

There was one thing she did not know: before becoming the wife of Marquis Noskina, Madam Noskina had grown up with her brother in a mining village.

Madam Noskina had just taken a rare trip back to the tough girl she once was in the coal mining town. It was because of that proud and maddening nephew. Perhaps it was the spreading fury, but her grip overflowed with strength, and curses long thought forgotten rose to her lips.

“That vulgar, contemptible son of a dog! Even the scoundrel brother I used to curse never stooped to this level!”

Elouise was dumbfounded, and all she could say was one thing.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Madam Noskina shouted fiercely.

“It should be him who's sorry! He owes you an apology, no less!”

And as Madam Noskina suddenly stood up, she staggered, clutching her head. It was clear a dizzy spell had struck her. Elouise instinctively supported her. Madam Noskina sighed as if about to faint.

“No, it’s that wretched nephew of mine! What kind of trouble does he cause by meeting that lewd and insolent woman?”

Madam Noskina, barely able to stand with Elouise’s support, collapsed onto the sofa. Elouise hurried to call for a maid, but Madam Noskina waved her hand.

“Don’t call anyone! If someone comes now, I might make a mistake without realizing it!”

She pressed her hands to her head and groaned.

“I should have realized long ago that bastard was a devil’s spawn!”

The aunt nearly filled the room with curses. To such an extent that she barely breathed while cursing Marcus, choking so much Elouise had to quickly offer her a teacup. The aunt lamented, “Oh, damn brother of mine, why did you send such a son to me!” before cursing the world almost to tears. Her rage was so fierce that Elouise hesitated before softly saying:

“…But he said he loves me now, Madam.”

Of course, the excuse only backfired. Madam Noskina immediately narrowed her eyes at Elouise and calmly asked:

“He said he loves you?”

Why is it that all the world’s slip-ups only become clear mistakes once spoken aloud? Elouise rolled her eyes sideways, defeated, and said faintly:

“…Yes.”

“That tongue needs cutting out! Good heavens!”

Madam Noskina now stomped around the room, pacing as if unable to contain her anger. The maids peeked in, curious about the commotion, only to quickly retreat at the fierce glare from Madam Noskina. Afterwards, Madam Noskina shouted at the maids not to come near this room for a while.

“The devil with a twisted tongue not only seduces countless women but does this! Poor girl!”

Madam Noskina grabbed Elouise’s shoulder.

“You’re thirty-two, they say? What have you been doing to fall for such a trick? That bastard says he loves you? That nonsense won’t last ten months, maybe ten days if you’re lucky!”

“…”

“What have you seen beside that wretch? That debauched scoundrel, lost to women’s pleasures, yet pretending to marry you — could you really believe those words?”

At that moment, Elouise fully realized what kind of man she truly loved.

Not only was he a man doubted by her, but by the family who cared for her as well. Madam Noskina let go of Elouise’s shoulder and muttered.

“He’ll deceive you with such words and run off to seduce another! What on earth was his plan, lying shamelessly to his own brother that he was married?”

“Well…”

Elouise tried to explain herself to Madam Noskina, but it did not come out well. After all, Madam Noskina’s words felt like the final nail in the coffin, and she was deeply crushed. Seeing Elouise’s eyes grow moist, Madam Noskina narrowed her gaze.

“Don’t tell me…”

“…I’m sorry, Madam.”

At that single apology, Madam Noskina understood everything. She sighed with a soft “Ah, dear…” realization.

Her reckless nephew had stolen even this young lady’s heart! Madam Noskina lamented loudly, “Damn it! The Starwood family, was it? I have no face to meet the ancestors of that family!”

“No, how could it come to this…? No, I won’t ask. Devils always wear the most polished faces to tempt people! That cursed brat — yes, immature girls must find him very attractive!”

Madam Noskina had some knowledge of Elouise’s situation from Cliff’s gossipers but didn’t fully understand. So she calmly questioned Elouise about her character, only to become pained at the unfortunate circumstances.

Elouise appeared to be a refined, elegant, noble young lady, utterly unfit to be matched with a scoundrel like Marcus in Madam Noskina’s eyes.

But Madam Noskina learned that Elouise had lived alone since age fifteen and had never had the luxury to hesitate in protecting the Starwood estate. Moreover, Elouise had no proper chaperone nor social debut with gentlemen.

“Was there no wise madam to advise you, I wonder?”

Madam Noskina wiped tears with a handkerchief.

Yet she was no sentimental fool. After drying her tears, she immediately pressed Elouise.

“So, what do you intend to do?”

“…I don’t know.”

“I know well you love my nephew. So, will you marry that damn devil’s spawn?”

Elouise carefully gauged Madam Noskina’s expression. Usually, when a match is beneath a family’s standards, elders intervene to break it off. Madam Noskina’s stance was no different. But it was not because she felt sorry for Marcus. Rather…

“That brat sent word to my brother yesterday. My brother, though shameful to say, loves that devil’s spawn dearly. Damn it! Since he gave birth to that devil’s child, I sometimes wonder if my brother isn’t a devil himself, but anyway!”

“…”

“My brother will arrive here tomorrow evening. If you think about his usual ways, it won’t be soon enough to rush over. When that happens, you really will marry Marcus. My brother always gets what he wants. Damn it! Now that I think of it, Marcus really took after my brother in that way.”

Madam Noskina sighed.

“Marcus isn’t exactly an embarrassing match, honestly. He’s far from perfect, but he is the sole heir to the estate and has money to burn. Unlike the worthless husbands who must worry about yearly pensions, he is different. He looks decent enough, and His Majesty the King took a liking to him.”

“…”

“But do you think he’s right for you?”

“…Madam.”

Madam Noskina’s face was marked with plain worry. A pity for the foolish marriage and the uncertain steps of a maiden. Slowly, she continued.

“After marrying into the Cliff family for several years, my late husband went to the capital, fearing I would grow bored. The capital seemed glamorous and beautiful to my young eyes, full of amusements. But in the end, he had to return to Cliff. Do you know why?”

“I don’t…”

“Because madmen tried to drive a wedge between us. The capital’s society was full of fools who regarded morality as a joke. They took cheating and infidelity lightly and mocked fidelity as something to be laughed at. Some may like it, but I did not. Neither did my husband. And I suspect you are no different. Am I wrong?”

Elouise’s eyes trembled. Madam Noskina had seen right through her worries.

“And Marcus spent over ten years at the heart of that society.”

“…”

“His nature is beyond words. That mad nephew will probably openly commit adultery after dragging you to the capital. There might be a chance he loves you…”

Elouise silently lowered her head. She did not even consider such a possibility. The greatest and surest fortune was never hers. Her moist eyes shed tears again, and Madam Noskina’s heart softened greatly.

“Oh, don’t cry, please.”

Saying this, Madam Noskina took her hand. The wrinkled hand was so warm that Elouise squeezed her eyes shut and let the tears fall. She didn’t want to trouble Madam Noskina more by crying here. Madam Noskina sighed.

“Damn it, at least he hasn’t touched you…”

At those words, Elouise flinched. It was a fleeting, slight movement, but Madam Noskina noticed immediately, holding Elouise’s hand tightly.

After a moment of silence, the aunt spoke.

“…It’s an impolite question, I know…”

Elouise nodded silently. Madam Noskina asked again, incredulous.

“…Is it true?”

Elouise’s face flushed red but she could not lie. She nodded again faintly. Madam Noskina’s angry shout echoed through the room.

“Marcus Hanger!”

---

It took Madam Noskina much longer to calm down.

She was torn between summoning that nephew immediately to give him a piece of her mind or restraining herself for Elouise’s sake. But seeing Elouise weep profusely while apologizing made it impossible for Madam Noskina to cause a scene. In the end, she had no choice but to repeatedly thump the cushions of the sofa in frustration.

As Elouise watched the cushions mercilessly flatten and finally managed to stop crying, Madam Noskina’s anger finally eased. She couldn’t say anything to Elouise, who raised her hands pleading like a truly repentant child, murmuring, “I’m sorry, I was foolish…” The aunt rubbed her temples a few times, sighed deeply, then spoke.

“You’ll have to marry him.”

“…Madam.”

“It’s astonishing there’s still reason to be angry, but what can we do now…?”

“Madam, I have something to say…”

Madam Noskina immediately noticed something unusual about Elouise’s expression. She stopped speaking and looked at her, then her face changed.

“You don’t mean…”

“…What you said is all correct, ma’am. I am not someone who could ever think otherwise. A married person lusting after another, such a thing…”

Elouise fell silent, but that one sentence made Madam Noskina realize everything. She was taken aback. In her mind, it was common sense that unmarried men and women who spent a night together should marry. Yet this maiden before her was refusing to marry Marcus.

Young people these days!

Madam Noskina thought inwardly but tried hard not to show it.

After all, everything had happened because of that arrogant nephew, and Elouise’s refusal to endure a painful marriage with Marcus seemed understandable at first glance.

How great the pain when someone you once loved dearly no longer loves you.

Madam Noskina had never experienced such a thing in her life, but she recalled how agonizing it was when Lord Noskina had passed. The absence of someone who loves you carried the same weight, and perhaps the former was even more unbearable.

“What do you intend to do? My nephew's love may cool with time, but my brother won’t be so forgiving.”

“…I intend to leave.”

“To Maine? That would be difficult.”

Elouise hesitated. She was unsure whether to mention Evenia Bellona, whom Madam Noskina detested. While Elouise hesitated, Madam Noskina’s thoughts drifted, then she sighed deeply.

“Travel somewhere other than Maine for a while. I’ll provide the funds.”

“…Madam! I cannot accept that. I don’t want to trouble you…”

Flustered, Elouise waved her hand, but the aunt was resolute.

“If it’s trouble, my nephew has caused hundreds of times more! Think of it as alimony. I keep cash in the bank, not much, but I can at least give you a million shings in jewels.”

Even in rich Cliff, a million sings was no joke. Elouise refused multiple times, but Madam Noskina gave her a steely look and commanded.

“I’ll convince my brother to hand over the money.”

Her tone was harsh, and Elouise eventually gave in and nodded. The aunt calmly continued.

“You can’t leave with just the dress that brat bought you. I’ll send them to the Starwood estate. I’ll send a steward as well. Don’t worry about the house for now.”

“To such lengths…”

“It’ll all come from my brother’s pocket. Don’t bother yourself.”

Madam Noskina waved her hand as if disgusted, then suddenly looked up.

“But there’s a child… What will you do? It will be hard to travel long with Juliet. Besides… she needs stability, doesn’t she?”

She did not call it strange or unusual. Her worry was simply warm and genuine. Elouise fought back tears again. Could she deserve such kindness? She cautiously spoke of Abigail and Evenia. Madam Noskina frowned.

“That combination of all things… I’d rather find someone and have you ride my carriage…”

But there was no time. Madam Noskina had only one carriage, and no driver to help with a long journey. And sending just two women by stagecoach or train with those enormous jewels was impossible. She pondered briefly.

“…Stay with them only until the halfway point. That woman’s detestable, but she is still a duchess. Wherever you go, your safety won’t be at risk. The north has fewer people, so you won’t stand out.”

Madam Noskina took a thoroughly practical approach to what Elouise had agonized over repeatedly. Even if a woman was detestable, if she could be useful, then use her. When Elouise hesitated, the aunt spoke firmly.

“Don’t waste time on pointless worries. Think only of yourself. Be selfish.”

“…Madam.”

“Discard what you don’t need, use what you do. You’re not alone.”

Though she meant the child, at that moment Elouise felt her aunt’s words were a shield protecting her. If she had a mother, would it feel like this? Elouise sniffled and nodded.

“Madam. Why are you so kind to me…?”

Madam Noskina sighed sadly at the question. Her next words were gentle but stern.

“I am kind to you, but in the end, that foolish nephew is the family I love.”

“…”

“I’m just trying to handle what that brat has done out of human decency.”

Elouise remained silent.

“A man like my brother will believe Marcus to the end. Even if he knows Marcus is no good, he will cling to hope and try to coax you. If not Marcus’s love, then at least with money. But that’s the naivety unique to men — closer to foolishness.”

Madam Noskina’s gaze drifted toward the window with a look of regret. The sun was beginning to set.

“They say there’s no eternal love in the world. Many women waste their lives deceived by men’s sweet words. And you’ve already wasted two months. I hope you don’t make any more foolish choices.”

“…Yes…”

“Leave early tomorrow morning. Soon I will pack Juliet’s things and entrust them to a steward. I’ll send word to Duchess Bellona. You can write a letter if you'd like.”

There was nothing more to say. Though the time between Madam Noskina and Elouise was brief, the aunt looked as if she had aged a thousand years. Elouise bit her lip and bowed. She could not express enough gratitude.

At dawn that day, four women vanished from Cliff: Evenia Bellona, Abigail Rependers, and Lady Hanger with her daughter.

Of course, few knew they disappeared simultaneously. The Duchess Bellona excused herself from the estate for about a month, citing illness, then returned north. Lord Rependers, indifferent to Abigail, only assumed she had gone to her family three hours away by carriage, and a week later turned Cliff upside down.

And Marcus Hanger was dragged to the capital by his father, grabbed by the collar. People in Cliff naturally assumed Lord Hanger had accompanied his son lovingly to the capital.

And so, the spring in Cliff ended helplessly.

Volume 2 Fin

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