The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 73.2
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Grace couldn’t comprehend why he was so excited about a small outdoor greenhouse, but she led the way outside nonetheless.
The greenhouse outside looked even more dilapidated up close. It reminded her of the grand greenhouse belonging to the wife of Marquis Charles she had visited before, making hers look all the more pitiful in comparison.
‘Will it even open still?’
When she touched the door, a slight rusted friction sound echoed, but it opened easily.
Grace knew more about this mansion’s greenhouse than anyone else. This space had been nurtured by her grandmother.
‘To put it grandly, it’s a greenhouse maintained through generations, but that lineage seems to have been broken.’
The reason? Grace herself.
Grace wasn’t particularly adept with plants, and she never really grew beautiful flowers.
‘In short, it was doomed once it fell into the hands of someone inept like me.’
This greenhouse, cared for by Grace’s grandmother, was directly inherited by a young Grace.
‘I can’t remember why, but it doesn’t seem like a wise decision in hindsight.’
With a heavy heart, Grace surveyed the interior of the greenhouse.
It had turned into a veritable jungle.
“It’s quite embarrassing to show…”
“Land left untended can’t be helped. Still, the vitality here is quite striking.”
‘He’s giving a compliment even seeing this mess? That’s impressive…’
As Grace tried to laugh off her efforts, Benjamin, with curious eyes darting around, asked her,
“Which part here did you cultivate?”
“Although it’s quite deteriorated now… it’s that section over there.”
Benjamin nodded immediately and, without hesitation, headed in the direction Grace had indicated.
“Um? My Lady, come over here.”
“Did you find something?”
“You said this greenhouse hasn’t been touched by anyone, right?”
“Yes.”
“…Then something’s amiss.”
With the tip of his shoe, Benjamin gently tapped a certain spot.
‘What’s this…?’
“There are signs of human activity.”
Traces of recent disturbance were evident in the greenhouse.
“Do you by any chance remember what was here?”
“Um, no.”
Even if her memory was sharp, recalling every detail of a part of the greenhouse she hadn’t seen in two years was something very difficult.
“Well, even if you did remember, we couldn’t be sure if what’s missing was something you grew.”
“Would someone really take my plants? There’s no reason. They must have had a different motive.”
“It’s still concerning, given that it’s your greenhouse that was tampered with.”
‘Can I even call this a greenhouse anymore?’
This place, overgrown with weeds, felt more like a jungle than a greenhouse.
Benjamin was examining both the disturbed section and the rest of the area. As Grace watched him, a sudden idea struck her.
“There might be a way to find out what used to be there. Although it’s been some time, so other things might have grown over.”
“…! How so?”
“Records. I should have them in my room.”
Grace Felton, known back then as Grace Linden, had always had an intense passion for keeping records.
⋆★⋆
Grace’s room was located at the very end of the corridor in the east wing on the second floor. It was a place where few ventured, feeling somewhat eerie to some.
‘It’s well-maintained.’
One might have expected that, due to the shortage of rooms, Grace’s quarters would be immediately repurposed as storage or for another use once she left. Surprisingly, the room’s furniture arrangement remained just as it was before she left.
However, all the books Grace had read were gone. They seemed to have been sold, donated, or perhaps discarded.
‘No, she probably took them when she got married. That’s the usual practice, right? Yes, that makes sense.’
Grace quickly corrected her assumption that she’d casually left everything behind and shook her head vehemently.
Benjamin was looking around Grace’s room.
“It’s quite empty.”
“I probably took a lot with me when I got married. Still, it’s surprising to see the furniture untouched.”
“Your family must have felt lonely.”
“…Do you think so?”
Grace was the first in the Linden family to marry. Although her older sister is now married, at the time, she didn’t even have a fiancé.
‘Everyone seemed so shocked back then.’
It was a feeling unique to Grace, not present in the original story. With her vague memories, she could still sense it.
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