~Chapter 119~
After Lady Hendrick’s introduction, Bella, who had stepped back, approached again with an embarrassed look on her face and spoke to Jeremiah.
“Oh, Miss Listerwell. What’s wrong?”
“I need to speak with you about something important. Could you spare a moment? It’s related to Duke Kailas.”
“With Cedric? Hmm… Okay, let’s talk.”
Jeremiah kept a smile on her face as she followed Bella down the mansion’s corridor.
There were many people walking by, but no one had courage to speak to Jeremiah.
“What is it?”
At Jeremiah’s question, Bella looked around nervously, as if afraid someone might hear, and then whispered.
“I heard something worrying recently.”
“Not many people have the luxury to worry about Cedric in the empire…”
“The Duke knows about it. I’m just worried whether you know about it, too.”
Bella took a deep breath and looked straight into Jeremiah’s eyes.
“I heard that my cousin Harriet approached Duke Kailas with the late Duke’s heirloom. Did you know about that?”
When the words “late Duke” were mentioned, Jeremiah’s smile froze.
“Rowan…’s heirloom? You mean the ruby brooch?”
“Yes. It seems the brooch was stolen from Duke Kailas, but Harriet somehow found it and returned it to him. Now, the Duke has been wearing it.”
Jeremiah stared at the air as if she was thinking, then turned her gaze back to Bella.
“Go on.”
“The place where she found it… I’m sorry to say this, but I heard it was a very disreputable party. The brooch was part of the event’s prizes, and Harriet was very eager to claim it.”
“Who was the person who made the late Duke Kailas’ heirloom a prize at a disreputable party?”
“I’m not exactly sure. It’s just what someone who attended the party said after seeing Harriet there.”
Bella stepped back a little, but Jeremiah didn’t ask any further questions. After all, Cedric probably already knew, and it wouldn’t be hard for her to find out if she wanted to.
Seeing Jeremiah silent, Bella raised her eyebrows.
“Harriet’s a girl who can’t be trusted to stay in one place. She must’ve asked for something in return. Duke Kailas needed his father’s heirloom, so he probably agreed to her terms. I heard someone saw them together at the Alberman Bank’s picnic.”
“Harriet attended the Alberman Bank’s picnic? But she wasn’t invited, right?”
“I heard she went as someone else’s partner. And apparently, it was with a man with a bad reputation.”
Jeremiah’s lips curled into a half-smile, shaking her head in disbelief.
Bella let out a small sigh at her reaction.
“I’ve been worried because of my cousin, but I thought you should know about this. Please look out for Cedric.”
“Look out for Cedric? Hohoho! Don’t worry about that.”
“Well, I’ll leave now. Sorry to take up your time with something unpleasant.”
“It’s fine. It was interesting. Well… I’ll head in first.”
Jeremiah smiled and waved as she turned and headed back into the banquet hall.
Her smile remained gentle, but her eyes seemed cold.
***
After the banquet, Jeremiah headed not to the Kailas mansion but to the Weaver Count’s mansion.
She had arrived without any prior notice, but the owner of the mansion, Count Samuel Weaver, welcomed her with a gentle embrace.
“Welcome, Jeremiah.”
“Sorry for just barging in, Samuel.”
“That’s like a surprise gift! Don’t apologize, it’s a happy thing for me.”
He was her lover, and they had been together for three years now.
Jeremiah didn’t usually stay in a relationship for more than a year, but Samuel knew that he couldn’t be more important to her than Rowan. He had no desire for anything beyond staying by her side.
He was especially good at sensing Jeremiah’s moods, even when she was trying to hide them.
“You don’t seem very happy. Did something happen?”
“Hmm, you can’t fool your eyes.”
Jeremiah pulled away from his embrace, removed her gloves, and sat down on the sofa in the sitting room.
The servants of the Weaver household quickly brought her a warm mulled wine. Even though winter had passed, mulled wine was perfect for soothing her mood.
Jeremiah didn’t ask any questions but took a sip of the cinnamon-scented drink and savored it.
“I had to hear something very important about Cedric from someone else. And then, on top of that, they told me to look after him.”
“That’s careless of them. Or was there some other intention?”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter. That’s not what’s important.”
As the warmth from the mulled wine spread through her body and Samuel gently patted her shoulder, Jeremiah’s true feelings started to show on her face.
“Cedric… had Rowan’s heirloom stolen.”
“…The past tense means it was returned.”
“Yes. Thankfully, someone found it for him. But I didn’t know anything about it. If he had told me, I wouldn’t have needed to rely on someone else.”
“Maybe that’s why he didn’t tell you. If you get involved, things tend to escalate.”
Although she was called the Duke’s wife, she was still the Empress’s beloved sister.
If she had tried to recover her husband’s heirloom, the imperial power would have gotten involved. And knowing Cedric’s personality, he probably didn’t want anyone talking about it.
“Yeah, that makes sense. But that brooch isn’t just meaningful to Cedric. I gave it to him…”
Samuel, feeling the emotion in her voice, gently wrapped his arms around Jeremiah’s shoulders, offering comfort.
“He must have known that. Maybe he kept it a secret to protect you, afraid it would hurt you.”
“No. He hates me. Well, it’s all my fault anyway.”
“That’s not true. Since Rowan left you the brooch, Cedric must have known that you and Rowan loved each other. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, but Cedric has grown into a fine man, and he’ll understand.”
“He might understand, but he can’t forgive me. That’s why he doesn’t tell me anything.”
When she was still young and naive, Jeremiah hadn’t realized how she took love for granted. She never thought that her childish complaints would lead to such consequences.
Jeremiah took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
“I shouldn’t even expect forgiveness. I’m still so selfish.”
“Jeremiah, you’ve regretted and suffered enough. Rowan knew that, too. He knew you needed someone to lean on.”
Yes, Rowan had known that Jeremiah longed for affection. But he hadn’t been able to give her what she needed and accepted that others would love her instead.
Back then, she thought his indifference was a sign of neglect and felt despair. As he left for the war, he said goodbye with a dry face.
“I don’t care who becomes what as long as you’re happy, Jeremiah. Please take care of yourself. I’m sorry for everything.”
“What do you mean? What are you trying to say?”
“My love was too insignificant… No, let’s not talk about this now. Stay healthy until I return.”
Jeremiah had blamed Rowan for making her reflect on a love that had already ended. She had been determined not to forgive him.
But the day she heard of his death, she realized she had never let go of her love for him. The pain felt like her heart was splitting in two, and she blamed herself for everything.
And at that moment, Samuel had quietly supported her.
“I’m sorry for burdening you, Samuel. I know I can’t feel at ease in my own home because of Cedric.”
“I can endure any kind of hatred. Just don’t ask me to leave you, Jeremiah.”
In his eyes, filled only with love for her, Jeremiah felt a mix of gratitude and sorrow, and she kissed his forehead.
Samuel, skilled at comforting her, knew how to restore her spirit. He knew what she needed to do.
“I can’t help but wonder, though. Who stole that brooch? What was the motive of the person who found it, and why did they tell you about it when it was already over?”
Sure enough, the light in Jeremiah’s bright blue eyes flickered with curiosity.
