𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗: 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞
Theodore-sama and I began to spend a little time together every evening after dinner.
Not as lovers, but as a tutor, reporting on the day’s events.
We sat on the sofa in the softly lit parlor, spending a relaxed time. Most of our common topics were about the children, but sometimes we gently asked each other about ourselves.
“How about homemade wine? Don’t worry, it won’t get you drunk because it’s boiled with honey and fruit.”
“Then, Itadakimasu.”
When Theodore-sama smiles happily, the maid Nowariya prepares the warm wine. When I held the cup with both hands and drank, I felt my body getting warm.
“When children in this territory catch a cold, they drink this. It’s perfect for nourishing even when you don’t have an appetite.”
“It’s delicious.”
“Is that so. . . I used to drink it with my mother on sleepless nights.”
Theodore-sama, who spoke of his memories, had a very calm face.
While he was looking at the lamp light with a distant look, he switched to a serious face and looked at me.
“I have some bad news for you. . . Your ex-husband’s wife, Owenna, seems to be coming here with her daughter.”
Owenna.
The moment I heard that name, a chill ran down my spine.
“Why is she coming here?”
“According to the letter, she wants to apologize to you for kicking you out. Well, it’s probably an excuse. If it was just an apology, she wouldn’t bring her daughter. She probably wants me to marry her.”
“. . . Speaking of which, there was a girl who was not sent out for adoption and kept with her. Her name is Anne.”
“She probably can’t stand the idea of Miss Chloe, whom she kicked out, being happy in this territory. She must not like the idea of Miss Chloe becoming my wife. And probably in the future, her ex-husband will also visit Heyerdahl to chase her. . . There are various reasons for this. . . Anyway, we have to do something about them.”
He made a stern face and crossed his legs.
I felt my warm feelings from earlier completely cool down, and I gripped the cup with my stiff fingers. I felt as if my happy days in Heyerdahl were melting into a dream.
“Chloe-dono.”
Theodore-sama looked at me intently.
“Are you okay?”
“. . . I’m sorry. The thought of her, who took everything from me. . . My cold husband. . . Disturbing the faint happiness I finally obtained, makes my head go blank. . . And because I came here, I’m causing trouble for Theodore-sama.”
“It’s not a trouble. Finally, I can protect you.”
He shook his head firmly and gently gripped my hand.
It was only when he gripped it that I realized my hand was shaking.
Theodore-sama’s hand, which I touched properly for the first time, was many times larger than mineーーand it was reliable.
“Miss Chloe. Please go along with me until this matter is settled. No matter what I say, I will always respect Miss Chloe’s final decision. I’ve only been with you for about a month, but please trust me and leave it to me.”
I smile at him and nod.
“What’s necessary to trust someone is not time, but sincerity. I believe in your heart, Theodore-sama. . . If it’s alright for me to rely on you, please lend me your strength.”
“Yes. . . Let’s put an end to this, to start our new life together.”
・・・
『”𝙰𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.𝚌𝚘𝚖” – 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚠𝚑e𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 “𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜” 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 “𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜”.』
・・・
