The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 49
As the congratulatory greetings poured in, Lady Celsius approached with a young couple in tow, presenting them to the newlyweds.
“Now, introduce yourselves. This is my son and his wife. You might remember my son, Duke Celsius, from your childhood, Your Grace.”
Duke Celsius, who bore little resemblance to his mother, extended his hand with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
“It’s been a long time, Duke Herzen. I apologize for my mother’s rudeness.”
Carius’s lips curved into a perfect smile as he lightly shook the Duke’s hand.
“I owe your mother a debt I can never repay, so you need not worry. I apologize for making you travel such a distance.”
“We didn’t even receive an invitation, but my mother insisted we come. I apologize for the sudden intrusion.”
In truth, Lady Celsius had compelled her son to come by mentioning that Duke Herzen had taken care of the road repairs in front of her shop.
While the two men dealt with their mutual discomfort, Lady Celsius was busy introducing her daughter-in-law to Evelyn. The young Duchess Celsius asked with a mischievous grin.
“So, you’re the bookstore girl my mother took a liking to?”
Evelyn was taken aback, her face turning red with surprise at the fact that even Duchess Celsius knew about that.
“Well, that was….”
The Duchess then took Evelyn’s gloved hand in a gesture far removed from proper etiquette, causing Evelyn to look puzzled. The Duchess leaned in and whispered,
“Oh my God, was it fun? What an adventure before marriage! I admire you so much, Duchess!”
The story was far from the adventurous tale the Duchess seemed to imagine, but Evelyn managed a smile instead of tears.
“It wasn’t really like that… I was quite rude to the elder Lady ….”
“But I heard you were paid a very modest salary.”
Duchess Celsius winked playfully.
“…Pardon?”
Elder Lady Celsius burst into laughter at Evelyn’s bewilderment.
“Minnie, I told you that was a secret.”
The Duchess, addressed by a simple nickname that was surely not her real name, laughed along with the elder Lady Celsius.
The two women led Evelyn around the gathering, introducing her to various guests. As they came from afar there were many she didn’t know but Lady Celsius’s presence ensured that everyone greeted her respectfully.
For Evelyn, the sight of familiar faces caused her heart to race. She had only attended three social events as the Marchioness, including her wedding. And those events were recent.
However, contrary to her worries, the familiar faces avoided eye contact with her.
She stood as the proudly displayed Madam of Herzen, a prestigious family opening its mansion after many years. Her close association with the Celsius family further solidified her influence, merging the interest of East and West.
Even if she resembled the late wife of Marquis Luke, no one would dare voice that. Risking their family’s fortune for idle curiosity was out of the question.
Evelyn was a common name in the kingdom, so it served as a convenient cover, allowing them to pretend they didn’t notice any resemblance.
But when she finally encountered a particular couple, her vision blurred, and she took a deep breath.
A young woman, beaming with joy, greeted her.
“Congratulations on your marriage, my lady. The ballroom is beautiful, but you, my lady, are as stunning as the rare golden peony.”
This woman had golden hair like Evelyn.
The woman, who was younger than Evelyn, seemed blissfully unaware of Evelyn’s turmoil. However, Evelyn took an involuntary step back, forgetting it was rude.
A brazen voice interrupted.
“Wearing perfume doesn’t mask the aroma of Puzkoa.”
Puzkoa was the capital’s most infamous pleasure house. The fourth wife of the Marquis, seemingly innocent, widened her eyes in confusion. Lady Celsius, however, turned on her heel instantly.
Just as she was about to retort, Carius appeared behind Evelyn, firmly gripping her delicate shoulders. Evelyn, who seemed on the verge of collapsing, regained her composure with his support.
Ignoring the curious glances around them, Carius gently kissed Evelyn’s ear. Although he had to clench his fists to resist the urge to devour her lips, no one noticed his restraint.
Seeing Evelyn calm down slightly, he turned to the Marquis.
“….Who are you?”
Marquis Luke’s face turned various shades of red and blue.
The Marquis was old enough to be Duke Herzen’s uncle. It was already an affront for a higher-ranked noble like Carius to disregard him, but for the young Duke to outright ask who he was in front of everyone was a gross breach of etiquette.
This alone was enough to show the host’s lack of propriety. Yet, the Duke, with a serene expression, asked who he was, ensuring everyone could hear.
Marquis Luke gritted his teeth. He couldn’t fathom how Evelyn had survived and ended up here at the Duke’s residence. There was no way the Duke could have accepted her knowing she was his third wife.
The Herzen family was notoriously closed. Despite the dirty rumors of the Duke, who was living in seclusion being mad and depraved with strange hobbies, one would think he had some sense of decorum even if he doesn’t know what’s going on outside in the world.
