After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 26
“I’ll keep an eye on them.”
The servants who followed Sebelia were handpicked by her father and were generally loyal and hardworking. Denisa found them agreeable, but Sebelia didn’t pay them much attention.
“They’re good people. Most of them used to work at the Le Bleu mansion, so they’re skilled.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, just this morning, they styled my Lady’s hair in a way that I couldn’t even dream of.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”
They made efforts not to bother Sebelia. But who would have known that behind their polite and kind demeanor, they might be scheming something deceitful behind her back.
* * *
The weather was sunny, and there was a sweet breeze in the air. After finishing breakfast with Dehart that day, Sebelia returned to her room to relax. Her husband, whom she hadn’t seen in a week, still had a rough demeanor, but there was a hint of warmth in his eyes when he looked at her.
Perhaps things are changing.
Sebelia’s heart was aflutter, excited by the pleasant weather and the exhilarating sense of change. Just then, a blonde maid approached her with measured steps, offering something.
“Madam.”
Sebelia wasn’t surprised; it had been a regular occurrence for the past few months.
“Father has sent another letter.”
“Yes, the jewelry box from the Capital also arrived. It’s from the gentleman you met last time. Shall I arrange for you to meet him downstairs?”
“…No, wait. Give me the letter first.”
As she received the letter, her hand trembled ever so slightly. Sebelia noticed and steadied her hand.
“Father worries too much, even when things are likely going well. Don’t you think so?”
“That’s how much he cherishes you.”
Sebelia smiled softly, and the maid nodded in agreement. The maid, a recent addition to the Wheddon estate and was now in the North, was notably kind to Sebelia. Knowing the basis of that kindness, Sebelia let out a soft yet bitter laugh.
They probably think all the affection I receive comes from genuine places.
The maid looked up with docile eyes, wondering how to interpret her laughter.
“Madam, considering how far you’ve come, even I would send letters every day if my child went so far away.”
“…Yes, that’s true. So, that’s why he’s sending people to look after me.”
The Baron of Wheddon has been sending jewelers and dressmakers to the North, claiming it to be at her convenience at every opportunity.
Every time they did that, I’ve sent them back, thinking it was too excessive…
However, she was party to a pact of cooperation between the North and the Capital. If she appeared to favor only the North, it would undoubtedly pose a political threat. Sebelia, mindful of this, was cautious and maintained a delicate balance.
“This one seems quite thick. I wonder if they’ve included news from the attendants’ families again.”
The envelope in her hand was notably thick. Sebelia gazed at the seal on the envelope, her expression subtly nuanced. Her father had done this from time to time since her marriage, enclosing letters from the servants’ families. And he wanted her to do the same. It was an easy way to improve the Baron of Wheddon’s reputation, and one of the ways to buy the loyalty of his servants.
“Thank you for always caring for us.”
The blonde maid expressed her gratitude somewhat shyly. Sebelia recalled that she had also asked her a few times to write letters to her lover on her behalf.
“Of course.”
Sebelia concealed a bitter smile as she clasped the envelope. Seeing how grateful they were, it seemed difficult to refuse their request this time as well. Besides, it didn’t hurt to feel a little closer to the servants.
I should be worrying about myself.
Sebelia shrugged as she placed the letter on the desk.
What should I write this time to appear as the daughter who misses her father?
She looked up, barely able to contain the sigh. Suddenly, she realized how pathetic her situation was. She had wanted to be loved all her life, and her father had never given her a second of it. It was ironic that now, in this moment, he needed her.
“Ha…”
An ugly rebellious feeling rose up like a seizure. It was tempting to ignore all his letters, but Sebelia knew she could never do that. She found herself reveling in her father’s attention, even as he reached out to her out of necessity. She carefully treasured the letters he sent, filled with news about the attendants.
Perhaps this is what a genuine father-daughter relationship could be like.
They say that the farther apart family members are, the more they realize the value of their bond. Having never received even a scrap of affection from her family throughout her life, Sebelia held onto that small strand of hope. Regrets about family, obsessions with affection—that’s what it was. A stubborn and lingering link that reason alone couldn’t sever.
“Sigh…”
“Madam?”
“Oh, no. It’s just that the sunlight is a bit too intense, giving me a headache.”
Sebelia waved her hand. Immediately, the maid drew the thin curtains over the window.
“I should read the letter when I’m alone. Besides, I can’t keep the jeweler waiting.”
If her father had taken the trouble to send them here personally, then undoubtedly, they must be someone significant from the Capital. If she mistreated such a person, all sorts of rumors would undoubtedly spread.
Sebelia furrowed her brow.
As if the reputation of the North wasn’t bad enough already.
Especially in her husband’s time, the North had abandoned the pacifism they had advocated for generations, receiving even more condemnation.
I have to make up for his shortcomings.
Sebelia made a decision and told the maid, “Tell my husband that I won’t be able to join him for tea today.”
It was the first time she’d ever had tea in the greenhouse, so she was a little excited, but it couldn’t be helped. Sebelia swallowed her disappointment.
“Understood. What should we do with the separate gift sent by the Baron?”
“That…I’ll take care of that myself. I can’t entrust something personally sent by my father to someone else’s hands,” Sebelia said in a hushed tone, behaving like a dutiful daughter.
The maid then withdrew as politely as she had entered. Sebelia stared at the letter for a while, then rose from her seat and descended to the parlor.
“You’re still as beautiful as ever, Duchess.”
Acknowledging the jeweler’s greeting, Sebelia’s eyes rested on one particular object.
It was a silver crucifix adorned with blue gemstones.
