If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 40
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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The carriage passed through the lush, verdant garden and came to a stop at the main entrance.
As Agatha stepped out of the carriage, she took Ethan’s waiting hand, just as she had when she had boarded the carriage. The attendants who had come out to greet them stood in a row, welcoming the Lady’s arrival.
“Welcome, Lady Kristin. The Grand Duchess awaits your presence.”
“Having received the invitation suddenly, I couldn’t prepare anything. I hope it does not become a breach of etiquette to the Grand Duchess.”
“Of course, my Lady. Please, come inside. You can follow me.”
Ethan lagged a step behind Agatha, keeping an eye on their surroundings as they walked. It seemed unlikely that anything would pose a threat, considering it was the Grand Duke’s estate. Nevertheless, Ethan couldn’t let down his guard.
The Grand Duke’s estate was magnificently opulent. Upon stepping inside, Agatha realized that Madame de Borre’s dressing room had been meticulously designed to suit the Grand Duchess’ taste. The endlessly high ceilings and marble floors were reminiscent of the dressing room, but here, the columns were adorned with much more elaborate gold carvings.
“Lady Kristin and her party have arrived, Your Grace.”
The attendants announced Agatha’s arrival. The doors opened, and the curtains were drawn. The Grand Duchess sat with several attendants, and Agatha quickly bowed down upon seeing her. Behind her, Liana and the other attendants of the Marquisate bowed one after another.
“Agatha Kristin, meet the Grand Duchess.”
Though Agatha had heard much about Grand Duchess Norfolk, seeing her in person was a first. She bowed her head, trying to hide the nervousness that crept up unexpectedly.
“Rise. Thank you for accepting the sudden invitation, Lady Kristin,” the Grand Duchess said as Agatha stood up, guiding her to her seat.
“Please, bring in the refreshments.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The reception was as smooth as water flowing. The table had been set immaculately in anticipation of Agatha’s arrival. The maid, who had brought in the trolley, raised the teacups and poured the tea gracefully. Agatha observed as the tea followed suit before slowly lifting her gaze.
The Grand Duchess Norfolk, whom she met for the first time, was much younger than she had anticipated. To be more precise, she seemed rather youthful. Considering the age, it made sense.
Boudica Durer, Grand Duchess Norfolk. She was the only daughter of Marquis Durer and now, as the second wife of Grand Duke Norfolk who was nearing forty, she was the same age as Cain. The affection of Grand Duke Norfolk towards his wife was evident, perhaps due to the significant thirteen-year age gap between them.
Boudica’s face exuded a familiar serenity that comes from being well-loved. Has she ever experienced any worries or troubles since her birth? Watching her carefree countenance, Agatha couldn’t help but wonder about such things.
“I heard you’re engaged to Marquis Vernat.”
Even in casual conversation, it was customary to inquire about the other party’s well-being first. However, Boudica disregarded Agatha as she brought up the news of her engagement with Cain.
Inviting her here had the implicit meaning of highlighting the fact of her engagement with Cain. In other words, it implied that without Cain Vernat, she was not worthy of her attention.
Agatha was used to baseless disrespect and condescension. Such minor acts didn’t affect her in the least. With a smiling face, she returned the response.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Boudica raised her teacup. Agatha followed suit, lifting her own teacup. The aroma was delightful, the hint of milk perfectly complementing the fragrance of the tea, giving it a pleasant taste. She took a cautious sip, lifting the tea to her lips.
Boudica observed Agatha silently. Agatha could feel her gaze, but she made a conscious effort not to let it bother her. She had received such scrutinizing looks countless times, especially during the Princess’s birthday celebration. It was when the forgotten Lady from a fallen house suddenly drew attention with her appearance.
Perhaps she had hoped Agatha would open her mouth first and recite her love story with Cain. Boudica remained silent for a long while. However, Agatha didn’t think it necessary to force a discussion that hadn’t been asked for.
In truth, she didn’t have much to say about Cain either, as they didn’t have the kind of romantic relationship that people expected.
“Well, how long has your relationship with Marquis Vernat been going on?” Boudica finally spoke.
“It has been a long time. Since the time when Sir Cain first set foot in the Kristin Knights.”
“When was that? Was it when he first stepped in as a squire?”
“It was before that. It was during his days as a page, so it’s been over ten years now.”
“I understand that Lady Agatha hasn’t been of age for very long. If it was ten years ago, then your relationship has truly been going on for a while,” Boudica nodded, her eyes twinkling as if she was hearing an interesting story.
A couple of steps away, Ethan, who was observing them, had a complicated thought.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Grand Duchess Norfolk had brought the Lady here almost coercing her, out of mere curiosity. While Grand Duchess Norfolk was known to be somewhat naive and prone to making hasty decisions for her age, could she really act without any consideration to this extent?
