Chapter 41
Several days had passed since the matriarch had returned to her true self.
The servants expected her to drive Eleanor out, but Eleanor was still staying in the main residence.
There was no punishment for having given birth to an illegitimate child, nor was there any humiliation.
Eleanor lived comfortably with her baby, almost as if she were a welcomed guest.
This caused another round of gossip among the people in the mansion.
“What on earth is going on? Could it be that the matriarch actually accepted her?”
“As the grand duke’s consort? No way. If that were true, the matriarch would have introduced her officially.”
“Come to think of it, the grand duke didn’t bring her as a wife either. He said she’d be the tutor for the young lord. Maybe the whole illegitimate child thing was just a misunderstanding?”
“But I heard that Master Teddian called her ‘sister-in-law.’ And the maids say she stayed in the annex before moving to the main residence… Why would a tutor stay there?”
Whether Eleanor’s child was illegitimate or not hadn’t been clarified.
The matriarch’s ambiguous attitude forced the servants to act cautiously.
Among those dissatisfied with this situation was the third Cornelia.
“They’ve all lost their minds,” she muttered.
It was a blazing hot afternoon.
She was having tea in the ducal family’s glass greenhouse with a close friend.
Outside, the heat made even standing still sweaty, but inside the greenhouse, the magic stones kept the temperature pleasantly cool.
Sipping her fragrant black tea, Cornelia voiced her discontent.
“I thought mother would scold our brother as soon as she came. That shameless woman should have been kicked out of the duke’s mansion immediately.”
So Cornelia had waited patiently and quietly until the matriarch arrived. Only the matriarch could beat Duke Mathias.
“But instead of scolding her…”
“She’s still in the mansion?”
“Yes!”
And she wasn’t just staying there. She was living very well.
The matriarch not driving her out and the growing rumors that she might actually become the duchess irritated Cornelia.
The servants treated Eleanor politely.
Cornelia did not like this.
“I can’t stand it that our brother is letting this happen. This is a disgrace to the ducal family.”
“Did the matriarch say anything to you personally?”
“She told me to trust that our brother hasn’t truly lost his honor. But after having a child… what honor is even left?”
Cornelia frowned.
“Is she really planning to marry him or what?”
Her companion’s expression darkened at this.
“You mean… the duke might marry her?”
“Oh no. That will never happen. I won’t allow it.”
“But if the duke hasn’t lost his honor… and there’s an illegitimate child… then marriage seems like the only way to preserve it, doesn’t it?”
“That can’t be.”
“That seems to make sense, Cori.”
“Oh, Grace.”
Tears welled up in Grace’s eyes.
Cornelia held Grace’s hands tightly.
“Don’t cry. I’m sorry. I feel ashamed to look at you.”
“No, this isn’t your fault,” Grace said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and giving a faint smile.
“It’s the duke’s will. Just because I like him doesn’t mean we can marry.”
“Why not? I’ve always wanted you to be our brother’s wife. Who else could be as kind and gentle as you?”
“Thank you for your kind words, Cornelia.”
“No, really. And our mother cares for you too. She always says you’re proper and pretty, just like Lady Margaret.”
Grace was the daughter of Lady Margaret, a personal maid of the matriarch.
Because of this, Cornelia had grown up with her inside the ducal residence.
That made it all the more infuriating.
To think someone who has been with them for so long could be so easily replaced by a woman of unknown origin.
“Don’t worry, Grace. The woman who’s sticking her butt into the main residence now doesn’t even know shame.”
She gave birth before marriage, thinking it would make her the duchess easily. That attitude infuriated Cornelia.
“Our brother’s wife will be you. Not some woman who just appeared out of nowhere, but someone tested and proven by all of us over many years.”
“Cornelia…”
“Wait. I will make sure everyone sees the truth about that woman.”
Stabbing the fluffy cake with her fork, Cornelia’s determination burned bright.
A few days later, Eleanor received an unexpected invitation from Cornelia.
“Cornelia invited the mother of a baby… no, Miss Eleanor, to a tea party?”
“Yes. It’s a regular tea party with peers, and she said she really wants you to come.”
As usual, Eleanor informed Mathias, who had come to see her, about the invitation.
Since the matriarch had scolded him, Mathias had changed the way he addressed her, now calling her “Miss Eleanor.”
‘To call an unmarried girl a mother… How rude.’
It was considered impolite, and constantly referring to her as a mother only fueled the servants’ misunderstandings.
“Strange…” Mathias muttered, stroking his chin.
“I didn’t think Cornelia had accepted you.”
Ever since Eleanor and the baby began staying at the ducal residence, she had maintained a cold attitude.
‘My brother has the leisure to meet women and have children? Then let him handle all of this.’
Yesterday, she had offloaded a pile of estate documents to Mathias.
During breakfast today, she hadn’t even acknowledged a request to pass the pepper.
“You were angry with me yesterday and today.”
“I don’t think the princess is genuinely welcoming me… but…” Eleanor sighed.
“She invited me to the tea party, so how could I refuse? I have to go.”
“You could have given an excuse and refused.”
“That would only make her dislike me more. It’s fine. I’ll just go.”
At most, she would be made to sit among the others and be mocked.
Eleanor shrugged it off lightly, but Mathias still looked concerned.
He asked her,
“When is the tea party?”
“In two days.”
“Two days? That’s too soon.”
“If I’m going, better to go quickly, right?”
“Miss Eleanor, are you the type who prefers to face trouble first? Then what about your outfit for the tea party?”
“I’ll just wear something from my wardrobe, I guess?”
“The gloomy one?”
Eleanor tilted her head in confusion.
Gloomy? They were fine—neat and decent. Though all the colors were navy or black.
“That’s enough.” Eleanor said casually.
“I’m not going there to show off anything.”
However, Mathias seemed to think otherwise.
Frowning deeply, he paused for a moment before saying,
“Miss Eleanor, are you free this afternoon?”
“Yes, the young lord has no lessons today, so I am.”
“Then get ready. We’re going out. I’ll take you to buy an outfit for the tea party.”
“Eh?”
She widened her eyes in surprise.
“Out?”
“Yes.”
Mathias picked up the jacket draped over the chair.
“Let’s go outside the mansion.”
