The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 51

“It’s… not easy.”

 

When Frederick visited during tea time and asked how things were going, Grace shook her head with an awkward smile.

 

People often said she learned quickly since coming to Winstaine, but physical activities seemed to be an exception. Dancing was truly difficult.

 

“Shall we try dancing together?”

 

“…What?”

 

“I figured it might help if we practiced together.”

 

Grace stared blankly at Frederick.

 

“Are you… good at dancing?”

 

“Well, I’ve learned the basics at least.”

 

He didn’t exactly give off the vibe of someone who’d be good at dancing. Still, Grace stood up from her seat as he suggested. Frederick held out his hand.

 

“Hold it the way you were taught.”

 

Grace took his right hand and raised both arms slightly, recalling her lessons.

 

“This one needs to go a bit higher.”

 

As Frederick spoke, he swiftly lifted her right arm.

 

“And your posture’s a bit tilted.”

 

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed it down.

 

“You need to hold my shoulder more firmly. If you hold it this loosely, it’ll slip.”

 

Grace adjusted her grip on his shoulder, following his instructions. His shoulder was much broader than her female instructor’s, making it harder to hold.

 

“Now, try the steps.”

 

“Okay…”

 

Grace, slightly nervous, began to move her feet. Frederick matched her pace.

 

“I think you stepped with the wrong foot. Try again.”

 

“Oh—yes. I’ll do it again.”

 

He corrected her immediately when she made a mistake. Grace reviewed what she had learned and began to adjust.

 

But she couldn’t fully concentrate. She was acutely aware of how close she and Frederick were—practically touching. It was a feeling she never had when practicing with her female teacher.

 

Phew…

 

Why am I acting like this? We sleep in the same bed every night. Grace tried to calm herself down.

 

“Turn around now.”

 

When Frederick instructed the next move, Grace missed her timing.

 

“Did you not learn this part yet?”

 

“No, I did… It’s just…”

 

It was fine when she practiced with her instructor. But dancing with Frederick made her feel oddly nervous. Grace lowered her gaze.

 

“Is it awkward because I’m teaching you myself?”

 

“No, not really… it’s just…”

 

I’m embarrassed. Grace hesitated.

 

“It’s just… we’re really close. So…”

 

“What?”

 

Frederick was dumbfounded by Grace’s flustered reaction. She had confidently confessed her feelings before—yet now she was embarrassed just because they were dancing closely?

 

Women really are impossible to understand.

 

“At a ball, you’ll be dancing with men other than me. You can’t get embarrassed every time, so you need to overcome it.”

 

This guy…

 

Grace was momentarily speechless at Frederick’s typically straightforward remark. But she couldn’t find anything to argue with.

 

“There you go—just like that.”

 

Frederick now sounded like a proper instructor, correcting Grace’s form step by step. As she earnestly followed his instructions, her feet got tangled.

 

“Ah—ahh!”

 

She lost her balance, but before she could fall, Frederick caught her around the waist and pulled her close. As a result, Grace ended up nestled in his arms.

 

“……”

 

Neither of them moved. It wasn’t planned, but they stood there holding each other, feeling each other’s heartbeats.

 

After a moment, Grace slowly stepped back from his chest and spoke.

 

“Thanks to you, I learned a lot today, Frederick.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

Frederick answered a beat too late—and his ears were noticeably red. Grace barely stopped herself from laughing.

 

So this is how Frederick shows he cares.

 

He wasn’t the most emotionally expressive man, but strangely, she didn’t find it annoying or frustrating. Because she knew he was trying his best.

 

He made time to visit her. He patiently taught her clumsy steps. He held her for a long time when she stumbled into his arms.

 

All of it was his way of expressing his feelings.

 

And that made her happy.

 

 

Grace took a deep breath as she stood at the entrance of the Sertil Marquis’ estate.

 

“No need to be so nervous,” Frederick said gently.

 

Still, Grace couldn’t relax her expression. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing at the thought of meeting his noble relatives for the first time.

 

Frederick, watching her pale face, extended his hand.

 

“…Here.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

Grace took his hand. As his warmth reached her, her tense heart seemed to ease a little.

 

“Feeling a bit better?”

 

“Yes… I think so.”

 

A man in formal attire approached them at the front gate. Seeing Frederick and Grace, he bowed politely.

 

“Good day, Your Grace. My lady.”

 

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

 

“I have, sir. Allow me to introduce myself to the Duchess. I am Paulo Sanct, steward of the Marquis’ household.”

 

After introducing himself, the man took the lead.

 

“Please follow me. The Marquis and the former Duke are already waiting.”

 

The parlor was at the end of a long hallway. After knocking and waiting a moment, Paulo opened the door.

 

Standing there was a middle-aged man with golden-blond hair.

 

“It’s been a while, Frederick.”

 

“How have you been, Uncle?”

 

Frederick shook his hand. A middle-aged noblewoman then approached.

 

“Pleased to meet you, Your Grace. And this lady must be the Duchess.”

 

“Yes, Aunt.”

 

“Hello, I’m… Grace.”

 

“I’m the Marchioness of Sertil. It’s lovely to meet you, Grace.”

 

Grace curtsied, lifting the hem of her dress. Frederick guided her further into the room.

 

At the far end of the sofa sat an elderly man.

 

“It’s been a while, Father.”

 

“Hello, sir.”

 

“So this is the young bride I’ve heard about.”

 

The former Duke of Winstaine looked almost exactly like Frederick—just older. When Grace saw a portrait of him and his wife in the gallery, they had looked nearly identical too.

 

“I’ve been curious about what kind of person you are. I’m glad to finally meet you.”

 

Just as she’d heard, his complexion was pale, likely due to poor health. But his sharp gaze still carried authority—he didn’t seem like someone easily weakened.

 

“You’ve married a truly graceful and decent young lady.”

 

“Thank you, sir…”

 

“Can’t you just call me Father instead? I’d rather not be addressed so formally by my daughter-in-law.”

 

The former duke laughed at Grace’s formal tone.

 

“Ah… y-yes… Father.”

 

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t come naturally yet. You’ll get used to it in time.”

 

When Grace awkwardly smiled and complied, he waved his hand lightly, brushing it off.

 

He seems like a good person…

 

His down-to-earth demeanor helped Grace relax. The tension inside her slowly melted away.

 

 

The meal was extravagant—enough to make the table seem overloaded. Unsure where to begin, Grace started by sampling the dishes closest to her.

 

“Is the food to your taste?”

 

“Yes… It’s delicious.”

 

The Marchioness of Sertil asked kindly, and Grace nodded. Everything tasted wonderful. Many dishes were made with ingredients different from those in Winstaine, offering unique flavors.

 

“I’m glad. I told the chef to make an extra effort for our guests today.”

 

The Marchioness smiled brightly.

 

“I can’t believe our duke brought home such a lovely bride. Somehow I feel so proud—like he found the perfect young lady and is living happily ever after.”

 

“Ah… thank you.”

 

Grace was flustered by the flood of compliments.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t attend the wedding. The former duke’s condition wasn’t good at the time, so we couldn’t leave his side.”

 

“Oh, no—it’s okay.”

 

In fact, Grace was glad she met them now instead. Back then, she could barely speak properly and wasn’t good at dealing with people. If they’d met her then, she wasn’t sure what impression she would’ve left.

 

“So, how is life with my son, dear daughter-in-law?”