The Ugly Wife of the Shady Duke - Chapter 74.2
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Although Gilbert wasn’t inherently cold-natured, there was always a peculiar distance between him and Grace. She had always assumed it was because she was the ’embarrassing younger sister’.
The dining table, with Benjamin and what would be a perfect family if she were excluded, was a touch uncomfortable.
Had it not been for the hint Aria gave her on the last night of their journey, Grace might have either thrown up or bolted from this place.
The Lady of the house spoke in a gentle voice.
“It seems our Grace has been happily living in the Duke’s house. We’ve prepared treacle tart for dessert since Grace likes it, but I worry it might be too simple a choice.”
“Not at all. I too enjoy treacle tart, so please don’t be concerned.”
“…”
A treacle tart might be seen as too modest a choice for a banquet. To outsiders, it might seem like she was expressing gratitude for Grace’s prosperous and happy time at the Duke’s house, and preemptively seeking understanding for such a humble dessert.
‘What a choice of words.’
But that comment was meant to hint something to Grace. The ‘treacle’ in treacle tart refers to a sugar syrup, golden syrup.
‘I remember communicating with her during one of those years, but for the other, we lost touch.’
So, the words of Lady Linden could be interpreted like this: ‘What on earth were you up to during that year we lost contact? Considering how poorly you’ve managed yourself, you might want to avoid overindulging in dessert.’
Grace felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
She wanted to brush it off as a kind of paranoia, but having grown up hearing these subtle digs, she couldn’t help but recognize them.
Lady Linden, Grace’s mother, often spoke in these covert jabs.
‘Just let it slide.’
If I make a fuss here, I’ll just come off as overly sensitive. Grace thought as much and tried to move past it.
“It’s been a while since you’ve had dessert after a meal, my lady. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to enjoy it together today?”
It was unclear whether Benjamin understood Lady Linden’s intent, but he spoke with a calm face.
“I’ve only heard good things about the Linden estate, so I’m looking forward to my first dinner here.”
‘He gets it.’
Trying to keep a straight face, Grace could feel her mouth go dry as she watched Benjamin, her husband, seeming to spar with his in-laws.
‘Doesn’t he mean that since Grace always spoke well of them, they should not disappoint?’
Where in the world would you find a son-in-law picking a fight with his in-laws? Grace hoped she was misunderstanding the situation.
“Dinner’s being served now. We might not have a chef as skilled as the one in the Duke’s residence, but we’re quite confident.”
The first dish was a soup, but it had a cool, tangy flavor that felt refreshing.
‘They really made it well.’
It had a slightly sour taste she hadn’t encountered during her stay at the Duke’s residence.
‘But what is this?’
The soup in the bowl was as peculiar in color as it was in flavor, with hints of pinkish hue. It felt like tomato but there seemed to be something else as well.
‘What’s this uneasy feeling…?’
Grace was eyeing a decorative, edible leaf placed atop the soup when she spoke.
“This is a new flavor for me, and I like it. Is it a new recipe?”
“Yes, indeed. We finally managed to harvest a new crop and decided to showcase it first with the Duke’s visit.”
“Hmm.”
Benjamin seemed relatively unperturbed.
‘Even if it’s soup, this level of tanginess could be used in jams or desserts. If it gets popular, the finances of the Linden estate might improve…’
Grace was generally supportive of the idea of her hometown’s advancement. But suddenly, a forgotten memory struck her hard.
“We can’t eat this!”
“…What?”
“Gr-Grace, why are you reacting like this?”
“It’s poisonous!”
The soup contained a plant Grace had once grown.
‘I remember now.’
Ever since she was young, Grace often got light-hearted flak for buying seemingly useless seeds or saplings.
The reason? Everything she tried to grow ended up dying.
However, the reason the plants died every time she grew them wasn’t because Grace lacked practice or talent in gardening.
The Linden estate, being a frequent stopover for smaller merchants, often saw rare and exotic species brought in for trade.
As a child, Grace would occasionally buy one of these unique plants.
‘She thought if she could successfully grow them and there was demand, it would benefit the Linden estate.’
And now, one of those very species she tried to cultivate was an ingredient in this soup.
Grace knew exactly what this ingredient was.
“Please call the chef.”
Grace couldn’t contain her expression.
Her hand, clutching the spoon, trembled.
Benjamin, observing Grace’s reaction, set down his utensils.
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