A Way to Confirm Your Husband’s True Feelings - Chapter 12
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The Estern ducal mansion, located near the imperial palace, was about a thirty-minute carriage ride from the residence Caesar had purchased.
Upon seeing the carriage bearing the Valentin crest and confirming Beatrice’s identity, the gate guards promptly opened the grand gates of the mansion.
The carriage rolled a long way down the estate’s driveway before stopping at the entrance adorned with classic stone ceilings and columns.
News that the youngest lady of the house was visiting the estate for the first time in nearly a year had prompted the household’s longtime head butler, who had served the Estern family for generations, to personally come out and greet her.
Though it had been a while, the familiar and unchanged surroundings helped calm her otherwise tumultuous heart.
“Have you been well, Harrington?”
“I’ve been doing quite well—other than gaining a few more gray hairs from missing you, Young Lady. Ah, this old man has misspoken. You’re no longer a young lady, but a Margravine now…”
“What does a title matter when it’s you calling me? It’s been a while since I’ve heard someone call me ‘young lady’. It actually feels kind of refreshing.”
“Even so, I mustn’t treat a dignified noblewoman like a child. Of course, to me, you’ll always look like the little girl I once knew. And how have you been, Madam?”
“Ah…”
If not for what had happened this morning, she would’ve replied without hesitation that she’d been doing wonderfully—that her newlywed life had been nothing short of bliss.
“I’ve been more than well. I was so happy that I even neglected to write letters to my family.”
But now, somehow, saying it felt like a lie. The unresolved anxiety weighing on her heart made it hard to speak.
“Is that so? I had already heard from the other young ladies, but hearing it directly from you eases my heart even more. The Duke and Duchess are both home at the moment. Please, come inside. Ah, and Miss Regina hasn’t gone out today either.”
“Yes, wonderful. By the way, Harrington, would you happen to know if Sister Freya is in her office?”
Hoping to see her as soon as possible, Beatrice took the old butler’s hand and entered the mansion.
***
“The diplomatic envoy from the Franz Principality?”
“Yes. Their social season must’ve just begun too, so now’s the perfect time for diplomacy. She left just a few days ago, so it’ll be at least a month before she returns.”
After reuniting joyfully with her parents for the first time in ten months, Beatrice now sat down for tea with Regina, the only sister currently at the estate.
And upon hearing the unexpected news from her, Beatrice was deeply disappointed.
She had so badly wanted to seek Freya’s advice, but to learn that she was away for an extended period—it was a frustrating turn of events.
“Hmm. So there is something important you need to talk to Freya about? And here I thought you weren’t even happy to see me. I’m hurt, you know?”
“No, that’s not true, Sister. You saw how touched I was earlier—I was on the verge of tears!”
Beatrice gave an awkward smile at Regina’s teasing, who was the most outspoken of the five sisters.
Even though she was closest in age to Beatrice as the fourth-born, there was still a six-year gap, and so Beatrice had always used formal speech with her sisters from a young age.
Of course, she had no idea that her older sisters found her respectful tone so cute that they teased her all the more because of it.
“Your newlywed life must’ve been wonderful. After all, you only sent me two letters over six months! If you’d written more often, I might’ve been able to tell you in advance that Freya had gone to the principality.”
“I really do regret that. Please forgive your immature youngest sister, Sister.”
Still, Beatrice didn’t think Regina was genuinely upset with her. Just from the upturned corners of her cat-like smile, she could tell her sister was toying with her like a mouse.
“So then? Why would the Margravine, newly arrived in the capital, come rushing to her family home all alone instead of with her beloved husband? And why were you so desperate to find Freya the moment you arrived? Suspicious, don’t you think?”
Unlike her other sisters, who had completed their education through private tutors, Regina had graduated from the academy and was now pursuing a scholarly path, which made her particularly sharp.
It was precisely this quality that made Beatrice find her both lovable and more difficult to deal with than her other sisters.
“Sweet little Betty. Did you really think you could hide such a worried expression from me? I’ll admit Freya is the best counselor among us, but tell this sister of yours first. That way, I can decide whether I need to go wring Margrave Valentin’s neck or not.”
Her lips were smiling, but the gleam in her blue eyes was a little frightening. At this point, hiding her concerns from Regina was impossible.
With Freya away for the time being, it didn’t seem like a bad idea to seek advice from Regina. After all, she was family too.
“Sister, the truth is…”
