Chapter 24
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Chapter 24
Sydney, my governess, lamented upon seeing the dress I had ruined.
"You took a solitary walk early this morning? And then you tumbled down a hillside alone? Oh, Miss Charlotte!"
Thanks to Leopold's swift embrace, my body had escaped injury. Yet my dress bore the consequences—torn where sharp branches had caught it, and soiled where it had dragged across the earth.
As I nodded quietly, a guilty expression crossing my face, Sydney examined the garment with disapproving clucks.
"With such ominous rumors circulating, why would you venture out alone so recklessly? You're now a lady with several gentlemen to accompany you on your walks!"
At Sydney's words, I asked awkwardly.
"Ominous rumors? What do you mean, governess? If you're referring to Prince Leopold's disappearance, surely he'll return soon enough...."
I stumbled over Leopold's name, the events of last night flooding back into my mind.
'We climbed the tree together and talked. I fell by my own carelessness, but His Highness caught me. And yet....'
Leopold's face bathed in moonlight, the warmth and sweetness of his embrace, and his lips—so temptingly soft and full. My cheeks burned anew.
'What was this feeling I experienced? Surely His Highness felt something different from his usual demeanor as well.'
When I had touched Leopold's lips, his expression had frightened me somewhat, yet it was not mere fear. Rather, it awakened in me a longing for something from him.
'What I desired from him was....'
His perfectly sculpted lips passed before my eyes once more. My body trembled as though I had committed some transgression.
Just then, Sydney's chatter reached my ears again.
"My, didn't you know? Beyond the neighboring prince's disappearance, there's another frightening rumor spreading through Brentwood."
Sydney retrieved a fresh dress for me and whispered conspiratorially.
"There's been talk of a female ghost wandering through the forest near Brentwood in the dead of night. What's particularly unsettling is that everyone who claims to have seen her spotted her right behind the Augusta Estate, in that very forest!"
"A... a female... ghost?"
Charlotte, who had been receiving her dress from Sydney, started visibly and repeated the question. Sydney's eyes grew solemn as she continued.
"That's what they're saying. A child working late at the stables last night claimed to have heard a female ghost's scream coming from the forest direction... Oh my!"
Sydney suddenly seemed to realize something and jumped up excitedly.
"Could it be that Miss Charlotte's stumble during her morning walk was actually the ghost's doing? At dawn, the spirits could still be running rampant, after all. Oh dear, you really must be more careful, Miss Charlotte!"
"What? That is... that's..."
The screams echoing from the forest, the female ghost wandering through the woods each night—Charlotte was certain all of this was about her. As someone who had never been good at lying, she found herself at a loss for how to respond.
"Enough, Governess."
Helena's sharp voice cut through from behind Charlotte.
"Ghosts, indeed. It's obvious people are spreading baseless rumors with the Eve of All Saints' Day approaching."
Helena crossed through the Drawing Room where Sydney and Charlotte stood as she spoke.
"Those spreading such nonsense are surely people like Aunt Elicia, Jane, and Katie—the ones who believe in ghosts. They're the sort who insist that on All Saints' Eve, a Ball of the Dead is held, and that only on that day do the dead return to walk among the living."
Sydney's shoulders shrugged at Helena's crisp tone.
"But it's not just one person—several have claimed to see a female ghost in the forest. Even the taciturn butler of Count Oslo's House spoke of it..."
Helena shook her head dismissively. She clearly didn't believe Sydney's words. Deflated by Helena's indifference, Sydney retrieved a bundle of letters from a drawer.
"In any case, since you're here, do take the letters that have arrived for the young ladies. Miss Charlotte in particular has received quite a number. Most are invitations to social events."
Sydney handed over the bundle of letters with a warm, kind smile. True to her word, since the day following Armand and Philip's successive visits, several letters had arrived addressed to Charlotte.
"This is an invitation to a tea party for young ladies who made their debut in society last year, and this one is for an autumn Ball being held in London..."
Charlotte murmured to herself as she examined the envelopes. Seeing this, her governess Sydney's expression grew pleased.
"The rumor has spread all over Brentwood. They say Count Oslo's son and the Rochefort Baron are competing to find Miss Charlotte."
Sydney whispered to Charlotte with a sly smile.
"A future countess, or perhaps the lady who will finally settle down that philandering baron's son—everyone has become curious about Miss Charlotte."
"Really? That's not the sort of relationship I have with them at all... My goodness...."
Charlotte protested as though it were absurd, yet she couldn't deny that seeing the thick stack of letters addressed to her stirred something pleasant within her heart.
'I've never received invitations on my own before. I always had to tag along with my sisters' invitations....'
Beautiful Jane, Helena, and Bianca, who had just made her debut in society this season—the Augusta sisters were always invited to various social events, but direct invitations to Charlotte were exceedingly rare.
Then one letter caught Charlotte's eye: a brilliantly colored purple envelope.
"Oh, this letter... it's from Armand, isn't it?"
Charlotte murmured softly as she opened the envelope.
To my dear Ugly Duckling,
I have new information regarding Leopold. It would be too risky to convey my findings by letter, so I think it best we meet in person.
But here's the thing....
Are you aware that society has already begun pairing us as lovers, merely from my single afternoon visit to your home?
At first, I thought my own popularity was simply so high that my every move drew attention... but it turns out there are quite fascinating rumors about the "black sheep among white lambs, the wildflower among sunflowers—the third daughter of the Augusta Family." People are abuzz with talk of you finally finding suitors, and moreover, that two sons from the Count's and Baron's houses are competing for your affections.
According to the gossip, I'm apparently the baron's son who has fallen for a spirited young lady and abandoned his dissolute ways.
So here's my proposal: the Rochefort Family hosts a small musical recital every week. It's a gathering where musically accomplished nobles showcase their talents, and the Rochefort Family, being great patrons of music, covers all the performers' expenses. It's quite a splendid affair.
Why not attend the recital with one of your sisters? At a social gathering, it would be perfectly natural for us to converse, and we wouldn't draw undue attention.
Until the recital then, quack quack.
Your swan friend, Armand.
Charlotte clicked her tongue as she watched Armand end his letter not with a proper salutation, but with "quack-quack"—the very sound a duck makes.
"So you really do intend to call me the Duck Lady from now on, don't you?"
Charlotte muttered to herself in exasperation, though her eyes soon drifted away from his playful handwriting to search for Helena.
"Helena, there's to be a musical soirée at Rochefort Manor soon. The Baron has invited me and one of my sisters. Won't you come along?"
Helena, who had just received her own letter from Sydney, replied curtly.
"...No."
Helena regarded Charlotte with a cold expression. Charlotte tilted her head in confusion at her sister's icy refusal.
"But why? You love music, don't you...?"
Yet before Charlotte could finish speaking, Helena was already ascending the stairs toward her room.
Charlotte was taken aback by Helena's behavior. But an unmarried lady could hardly attend a musical soirée at a baron's residence unaccompanied. Katie was far too young, and Bianca would have no interest whatsoever in a musical event where nobility dressed in their finest. She would likely prefer the company of Collin and the other servants.
"Helena, wait a moment!"
Charlotte called after Helena as she climbed the stairs. When Charlotte appeared on the landing, Helena—just about to enter her room—turned with a deeply furrowed brow.
"I absolutely must go to London tomorrow. Do you realize you've kept me from London for two weeks now?"
Helena seemed to be referring to the time she'd forgone her London trip to stay at Rochefort Manor because of Charlotte's headache, and the day a few days ago when Armand's sudden visit had prevented her from going.
Charlotte was startled by Helena's unexpectedly hostile demeanor.
"Going to London is merely for browsing the shops. Surely you can't be angry with me simply for missing a few outings, Helena?"
"..."
Uncharacteristically for the usually rational Helena, her face had flushed crimson. Charlotte sensed something amiss and lowered her voice to ask again.
"Tell me, Helena. What on earth have I done to make you so angry with me?"
Helena stared at Charlotte for a moment, then released a heavy sigh and spoke sharply.
"I'm not going to London merely to browse shops. I don't live as simply and naively as some people do."
"What do you mean, Helena?"
Charlotte furrowed her brow in confusion, and Helena bit her lip.
"In London, I..."
Helena's chest heaved as she whispered softly.
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