Chapter 47: When the Niece Who Opposes Marriage Meets The Fiancée’s Mother
“Madam, My Lord. Don’t you think you two should play a little hard to get as well? You should have said, ‘We’ll think about Lord Kishin,’ before coming here. Why does it feel like we’re the only ones completely on board with him?”
When Anna joked, everyone around burst out laughing. Everyone except Classie looked cheerful.
Everyone seemed to assume that Merran would naturally be of help to Classie.
‘No, I’ve told them so many times that Merran goes around interfering with my courtship. Do they really not believe me?’
Classie couldn’t join in the cheerful mood and slipped away back to her room.
She had thought everything would go smoothly once Merran left. Yet even from afar, Merran’s influence still lingered here.
Classie pressed her forehead against the window and let out a sigh. When she opened her eyes, her breath had fogged up the glass, blurring the view of the scenery outside.
* * *
When Classie had first planned her trip down to her hometown, the schedule she set was for about three months. She accounted for roughly two months for travel and intended to spend a month with her second sister.
But she had no way of knowing what Merran’s schedule would look like. Travel alone would certainly take her two months, but beyond that, it all depended on Merran’s whim.
If she enjoyed herself in their hometown, she might linger there for a long while. If she got bored without Classie, she might come back after only a few days’ rest.
For Classie, whether Merran returned early or late, either way it spelled trouble.
‘She’ll probably come back early, won’t she?’
In any case, Classie predicted that Merran wouldn’t stay long in their hometown.
After all, she had a poor relationship with her stepmother Alice, didn’t get along with her half-siblings, and had always been the sort of child who followed Classie around just to sabotage her.
But Classie’s prediction was wrong.
Merran didn’t return even after more than two full months had passed.
She came back later than Classie’s planned schedule, after three months and a few extra days.
By then, her parents—who had been waiting to see Merran before leaving—had already departed abroad again for work.
It was late March, the weather had grown fairly warm, and flowers here and there were beginning to bloom weakly, just enough to almost bring life to the garden.
When the sound of a carriage drew near, Classie didn’t think it could be Merran.
Only when the carriage passed through the gates and Merran waved at her through the window did Classie finally jolt in surprise.
“Merran?”
“Auntie! I’m back!”
Perhaps she had actually enjoyed her time in her hometown more than expected, because Merran’s expression was even brighter on her return than when she had left.
The moment she hopped down from the carriage, she bounded toward Classie as if dancing and hugged her.
“You missed me, didn’t you? I missed you too, Auntie.”
“You came back so late, I was worried.”
“Since it’d been so long since I’d gone back, there were so many people to meet and places I wanted to go. Anyway, I was busy with all sorts of things. That’s why I got back later than planned.”
As the servants moved her luggage, Merran linked arms with Classie and led her toward the garden, chatting as they went.
“I even saw Aunt Lize’s third baby. Don’t you want to know what the baby looks like?”
“Whether the baby takes after Lize or after her husband—it’ll be one of the two, won’t it?”
Merran, seemingly not tired in the slightest, chattered away for a long while, dragging Classie around the garden several times.
By the third round, Classie realized the real reason Merran had returned late.
“So, when I invited Sir Dernick to our house—my goodness. He said right away he’d come! You should’ve seen Malia’s face twist when she saw him. Auntie, I wish you could’ve watched their reaction with me!”
The reason Merran had delayed her return was because Dernick was there. Classie could more or less guess Dernick’s schedule now.
‘So they must have come back around the same time.’
The thought left her feeling oddly dazed.
She had always wished Merran would marry a good man quickly and leave her side. Yet now, the mischievous girl who had always clung to her heels was showing more interest in someone else, and she felt just the tiniest bit wistful.
Of course, that didn’t mean she wanted Merran to stop chasing after Dernick and start clinging to her again. Not at all.
To shake off this strange feeling, Classie decided to play along with Merran’s excitement.
“Must have felt good.”
“It did! And it felt even better watching Alice’s reaction.”
“Why? What did she say?”
“Since Sir Dernick only wanted to spend time with me, Alice deliberately brought along her two daughters, all sweet and gentle, saying, ‘They’re your sisters, they’re happy their older sister came after such a long time, so please let them stay with you.’ Isn’t it funny? Normally, because of them, I can hardly go home comfortably, but suddenly they were sticking to me like glue!”
This time, Classie sympathized with Merran.
Natalie was the child born between her eldest brother-in-law and his second wife, Alice, not long after Classie’s eldest sister had passed away.
Natalie was the very one Classie’s late sister had referred to when she once said, “My husband has a mistress, and I think she’s pregnant.”
And Malia was the daughter Alice had brought with her into the marriage—just a few months younger than Merran.
She resembled Natalie greatly, but the eldest brother-in-law treated this stepdaughter with unusual affection, even more than Natalie herself.
Because of this, everyone was convinced Malia was also his biological child—conceived only a few months later, while Classie’s eldest sister had still been pregnant with Merran.
—Even if she really were his daughter, what difference would it make? She was born when his wife was another woman, so she’ll always bear the stigma of being illegitimate. She can’t even be listed in the Omel Marquisate’s family register, which means she can’t inherit property either. The Marquis of Omel probably pities her for that, which is why he dotes on her more than Natalie.
People gossiped about Malia in that way.
Classie hated even hearing about people she disliked, so she quickly changed the subject.
“Oh, right. What about the keepsake? Didn’t Dernick say he was looking for something among the keepsakes? Did he find it?”
“No. I took him both to the Kalashi estate and to the main house and showed him your eldest sister’s belongings, but after carefully checking, he said it wasn’t there. When he asked if there were any other keepsakes and I told him no, he looked disappointed. He even said maybe it was torn up and gone.”
“So the keepsake must be paper. Some kind of document?”
Merran glanced at the ring of Kishin on Classie’s finger and answered serenely.
“Who knows.”
Now that Classie’s relationship with Kishin was certain, it seemed Merran had finally dropped her guard about Dernick.
Since she had only asked out of curiosity to shift the conversation anyway, Classie didn’t press further and moved on to talk about her second sister.
“Lize must’ve been furious, right?”
“She threw an absolute fit. She said no sane man would want to marry you, that he must obviously be a swindler after your fortune. She declared she was absolutely against it and told you to get a grip on yourself.”
“How laughable.”
“That’s what I told her too. Who is she to oppose? Mom’s the one who raised you, and I’m the one who’s been living with you. She’s ridiculous.”
With that, Merran launched again into boasting about how close and affectionate she and Dernick had been together in Greengall City.
They had even visited her eldest sister’s grave, gone sightseeing around the town, and strolled about the busy district—basically, they had spent time together that was very much like dating.
‘They spent more quality time than Sir Kishin and I did. Sir Kishin hardly has time because of work…’
Later, when they gathered for dinner after a short rest, Merran again spent the entire meal chattering happily about Dernick.
By then, even Anna was so worn out she blurted,
“Good heavens, my lady, we’ve heard the same story at least ten times already.”
But Classie listened intently without showing any displeasure at Merran’s endless “Our Sir Dernick…” stories.
It was all for the sake of the Marchioness of Gosville.
* * *
The next morning.
Perhaps because Merran had returned after so long, the head chef served a most lavish breakfast.
Merran, her cheeks still flushed with excitement, chattered on as she ate, still swept up in her “Our Sir Dernick…” enthusiasm.
“As expected, it’s so nice having Lady Merran here. The house feels so much livelier,” Anna remarked every time she passed by.
Only when lemon cream cheesecake was brought out for dessert did Merran fall briefly silent.
Seizing the chance she had been waiting for since yesterday, Classie cautiously spoke.
“You know, Merran… while you were away, parents visited.”
“Really? I thought so. It was New Year’s, and yet they didn’t come back to our hometown. So they came here instead.”
“Yes, and they also met the Marquis and Marchioness of Gosville.”
Merran froze with her fork halfway to her mouth.
“Truly?”
After Classie explained about the meeting, she asked, hoping Merran wouldn’t respond rebelliously:
“So, Merran, if the Marchioness happens to call you in and asks about me… could you speak kindly of me?”
To her surprise, Merran only hesitated briefly before replying,
“All right. I’ll do that.”
“Really?”
Classie asked again in astonishment.
‘Has she gone soft because of Dernick? Why is she suddenly being so cooperative?’
Merran had made it her life’s mission to sabotage Classie’s marriage. No matter how kindly she behaved otherwise, whenever it came to that subject, she would always become impossibly nasty.
So for her to agree so easily left Classie herself dumbfounded, even though she had been bracing for a scolding.
“Yes, really.”
Merran said firmly, then wrinkled her nose and added,
“But in return, once you and Sir Kishin are properly together, you have to help me too. Got it?”
“Oh, right. Did you ever ask your father to put in a word with the Grand Duke of Siwil about a marriage proposal? Did you try?”
“How could I, when I was with Sir Dernick the whole time? But since we dined together several times, Father must have noticed how close we are.”
Merran, who had been answering cleverly, suddenly lapsed into a dreamy expression, her face flushing red as she murmured,
“Maybe Sir Dernick will be the one to propose first…”
* * *
Three days later.
Perhaps having heard that Merran was back, the Marchioness of Gosville sent someone to invite her over.
Classie spent a full hour at Merran’s side helping her get dressed.
“Honestly. Why can’t you be like this more often? Usually you care only about your own clothes and leave me alone. You’re terrible.”
Though Merran grumbled irritably, she didn’t seem displeased.
Once Merran departed in her carriage, Classie curled up on the sofa to wait anxiously, just as she had waited for their parents.
* * *
Merran’s carriage rolled down the Balowal Road, then turned onto Third Avenue in Teiwood Street.
As the carriage entered the Gosville Marquisate grounds, Karen, who had accompanied her, peered out the window at the house and delivered her blunt assessment:
“It’s not quite up to our Omal Marquisate, but it’s a rather fine house.”
As soon as Merran stepped down from the carriage, the butler—who had been waiting in advance—led her to the drawing room.
While Merran sat on the sofa sipping tea, an elegant lady with her hair neatly pinned up soon appeared.
There was a faint resemblance to Sir Kishin in her features, though unlike him, she carried none of his cold impression.
After a brief exchange of greetings, introductions, and some light conversation about society, the mood shifted.
Merran thought the Marchioness of Gosville had a remarkable gift of speech. The conversation, which had begun with talk of the social scene, flowed seamlessly under the Marchioness’s lead until it touched upon family matters.
“Lady Merran, you and Lady Classie live together, don’t you? For the two of you to move here from your hometown all on your own… you must be closer than you are with the rest of your family.”
At last, the Marchioness revealed the true purpose of this meeting. Behind her, even Karen stiffened nervously.
Merran gazed down at the gilded teacup in her hands, then gave a wistful smile.
“We have to be.”
The Marchioness of Gosville exchanged a subtle glance with her maid.
Straightening her posture, she asked again:
“What do you mean by that? Is there some circumstance behind it?”
* * *