What Remains at the End of Regret - Chapter 14

Perhaps she was the one who loved the sea more than anyone.

“Vivian Mabel, the only daughter of the Viscount. The villa’s gardener is going abroad for his daughter’s wedding and will be away for a month. I’ve heard they found someone to fill in for him, but I still worry about the greenhouse. I think it would be best to ask the young lady of the Viscount’s family. What do you think, Edmund?”

Edmund slowly raised his head.

Vivian Mabel.

At his grandmother’s mention, Edmund recalled the girl who once wandered through the garden with bare feet stained green from the grass.

A smile of mockery threatened to rise, but he held it back by wrapping his fingers around his teacup.

If this was the girl his grandmother wanted near, perhaps he could overlook the impudence she had shown when she got caught.

“I’ll send a messenger to the Viscount’s estate.”

“She might be a pleasant companion during your quiet summer. I think you’ll enjoy her company.”

The same girl who always tried to run from him had apparently found her way into his grandmother’s good graces. She was more cunning than she looked.

Edmund’s hand brushed along the handle of the cup, slow and composed.

The messenger from the House of Lockberg arrived just before noon, when the sun stood high in the sky.

Vivian’s mother, who normally emphasized the elegance of a proper young lady, could not hide the joy in her voice. When Betty informed Vivian that Madam Pourin had arrived for the late morning tea she had arranged, Vivian, unusually slow to move, made her way to the garden.

As soon as she reached the table, she was greeted by two women clearly excited about something.

“Of course you must accept.”

“Absolutely right.”

Madam Pourin took a small sip of her tea before speaking. The Viscountess nodded in agreement, a pleased smile forming at the corner of her lips.

“It seems the Dowager Duchess has taken a liking to you, Vivian, after your last meeting.”

“Your sincerity must have made an impression. That’s something many of the capital’s young ladies, who are often too stiff around noblewomen, don’t have.”

“What are you talking about?”

Vivian wasn’t unfamiliar with this sort of polite tone that gently reminded her of her less graceful past. It was a way of correcting her without scolding her directly.

The Viscountess gave her a quick look before laughing lightly. Still unaware of what was going on, Vivian blushed as Madam Pourin handed her a letter from House Lockberg.

As Vivian opened the envelope and read, her expression froze.

The letter opened with a refined greeting, praising the weather in Faubert and its beautiful sea. But the request that followed was simple.

The Dowager Duchess hoped Vivian would take care of her cherished greenhouse during the summer. She also asked that Vivian keep her company throughout her stay.

Although the letter was written with formality and grace, its message was clear. A noblewoman from the countryside could not refuse a request from one of the empire’s most powerful women. Vivian had no choice in the matter. The answer was already decided.

The night Vivian returned from her unexpected encounter with the Duke, she had received a piece of news that brought her quiet anxiety.

To please the aging Dowager Duchess, the Duke had agreed to spend this summer in Faubert.

For Vivian, that news had felt like despair.

From that moment on, she quietly promised herself that she would avoid the Duke at all costs.

But that promise broke the moment the letter arrived in the heat of midday.

Just one step. That was all it took for despair to come closer.

“What? She asked you to take care of the garden? You, Vivian?”

Hayden’s surprised voice echoed through the quiet bookstore and stirred the stillness.

Len, who had been peacefully reading his newspaper, responded by turning the page loudly. It was his silent way of showing annoyance at the visitor who had disturbed his quiet time.

“Ahem, hm.”
Hayden, who had been so full of energy just moments ago, suddenly lowered his voice.

Len, who had given the young couple some privacy, did not seem entirely pleased about it. The girl, lost in despair, had no idea what Hayden had sensed.

Vivian held her head in both hands and began to worry.

“What should I do?”

The letter had arrived that very morning. With no option to refuse, as the two ladies had made perfectly clear, Vivian had replied that she would visit the Lockberg family’s summer villa. The visit was scheduled for tomorrow.

“What do you even know about gardening?”
“No way. They wouldn’t seriously expect me to manage a garden.”
“This is tricky. Lady Norma asked you herself. You can’t just say no.”
“Ugh.”

Vivian let out a deep sigh. Her expression was gloomier than ever.

During her stay in Faubert, she had been tasked with assisting the Duke of Lockberg and his grandmother, the Dowager Marchioness Catherine Anait, without causing them any inconvenience. That was the special duty given to Vivian Mabel.

The opportunity to host such a high-ranking noble from the capital, even for a season, was a rare honor for a town as small as Faubert. It barely qualified as a city, but the presence of the Lockberg summer villa gave it just enough prestige.

Vivian understood what her mother meant when she called it a valuable opportunity. Still, she had mixed feelings.

Her mother hoped Vivian would leave a good impression on the Dowager Marchioness and ensure her future social debut in the capital city, Litten, would be a success. But Catherine Anait, a noblewoman who valued refinement and decorum, never showed open favoritism. She quietly expressed her intentions only through Madam Pourin.

Vivian had learned all the etiquette and manners expected of a noble so that she would never be looked down upon, but she wanted to stay far away from any situation where she had to use them. Her feelings only began to change after someone advised her to consider Hayden.

The Harper family had grown wealthy after signing an exclusive wine distribution agreement with the Duchy of Leman. The longer the wine aged, the more valuable it became, and the nobles were the ones paying those prices. Bender Harper had stabilized the business and expanded into new ventures.

Because the main clients were high-ranking nobles in Argent, Vivian’s role as Hayden’s future wife became increasingly important, including her social involvement.

“What’s so difficult about this? Tending flowers and having a few polite conversations with an old lady. You’re good at both.”

Len had been pretending to read the newspaper while listening to Vivian and Hayden talk. When Vivian sighed for the fifth time, he finally lost his patience.

“You’re hopeless.”
He snapped the newspaper shut and drank his water in one long gulp.

“Grandfather’s right,” Hayden added. “You’ll handle it just fine, just like you always do.”
“Thanks, Hayden.”
“Wait a second. I’m the one who encouraged you first. Why is he the one getting your thanks?”
“Of course I’m thankful to you too, Grandfather.”
“Hmph.”

After hearing Vivian’s reply, Len returned to his newspaper.

Where was I again? Damn it, I forgot everything.
He began flipping through the pages to find where he had left off. Seeing this, Vivian let out a soft laugh without meaning to.

Maybe this really was an opportunity.
Vivian wanted to apologize to the Duke once more, not with the careless and hasty words she had used while running away, but properly this time. She wanted him to know that she had never intended to intrude on the private land of the future Duke of Lockberg. If she could offer a sincere apology with grace and dignity, maybe she could finally let go of the unexplained frustration she always felt when thinking of him.

The day she had been dreading now seemed a little less frightening.

＊ ＊ ＊

“The Dowager Marchioness is expecting you.”

Vivian once again stepped into the Lockberg family’s summer villa.
With Varner’s polite guidance, she entered the grand hall of the vast estate. She tightened her grip on the hem of her dress.

The Lockberg summer villa was still as beautiful as ever.

In the brightness of early afternoon, sunlight reflected off the tall windows, gleaming even more brilliantly than the sparkling waves of the Tannic Sea. The pure white marble and the gray stone buildings, shaped with delicate curves and lines, gave off an atmosphere of reverence. It felt almost like standing before a sacred temple from long ago.

As Vivian climbed the spiral staircase leading from the main hall to the upper floor, a long hallway came into view. Through the wide windows lining the corridor, the vast expanse of the Tannic Sea filled her vision.

At the far end of that hallway was the person who had called for her, the grandmother of the Duke of Lockberg, Catherine Anait.

“You probably know it better than anyone, but isn’t it truly beautiful?”

Vivian had been quietly admiring the calm sea beyond the large arched windows when Varner’s gentle voice reached her. She answered him with a soft smile and a nod.

That single kind sentence from the aging butler helped relax her tense shoulders. It was a small kindness, but it meant a lot.

As she walked slowly, taking in the early summer sunlight and the deep blue of the sea, they finally arrived at the end of the corridor. Varner gave a quiet knock to let the person inside know they had arrived.

“Come in.”

The familiar voice of the Dowager Marchioness drifted out from within the room.

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