What Remains at the End of Regret - Chapter 19

The idea that he found joy in humiliating her felt unbearable.

Vivian was sad, but more than that, she was angry.

She thought back to how hard she had worked to become a proper lady. She remembered the first time she had sensed a wall between them, the kind that made her painfully aware of her own shortcomings beyond social class. That moment with the Duke had pushed her to cling to etiquette more than ever before.

She believed she had grown. As a woman, as a noble. She had started to think that maybe she had caught up to him in some small way. Even Madam Pourin, who used to lecture her constantly, no longer found fault with her manners. That had made her believe they could finally meet as equals.

She hated herself for thinking that.

She was still afraid of the Duke. And he seemed to enjoy hurting her because of it.

Those thoughts circled in her mind again and again until she suddenly realized she had arrived at the entrance of the villa. Taking the coachman’s hand, she stepped into the carriage and sank into her seat with a heavy heart.

He is cruel.

The summer she loved so deeply was being ruined by him. And it had only just begun.

Vivian fought to steady her spinning thoughts.

She felt foolish for hoping he would forgive her. She had thought of Edmund Lockberg as the perfect noble. At least, that was how the younger version of herself had seen him.

He had once spoken gently and led conversations with ease. She remembered that dinner, where his warmth and kindness made everything feel safe. But now, what was this cold and cutting version of him?

Where had it all gone wrong?

Was it the day she ran from him at the beach, when he first arrived in Faubert? Or was it when she confessed honestly at the mansion?

She had no way of knowing what had upset him so deeply.

Her breath came in short gasps. Dry tears clung to the corners of her eyes, never fully falling.

And this might not be the last time. Would she have to go through this again and again throughout the summer?

She had to find a way.

If she did not, she truly might fall apart.

＊＊＊

Edmund had sent away his attendants and made his way to the glass greenhouse alone.

When he reached the entrance, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The air inside was warm and slightly heavy. The ceiling sprinklers had just finished, leaving behind a cool dampness in the air. The greenery around him glistened with moisture.

Without pausing, he walked toward the center of the greenhouse, where the daisies were in bloom.

At the far end, he saw a large pile of wilted flowers that had been trimmed and collected. The flowerbeds looked thinned out in places, showing that real work had been done. It was clear now that she had not lied about doing her best.

He gave a short breath of laughter, thinking back to her flushed face, scolding him while still dusted with soil.

He remembered the bits of dirt tangled in her clean hair. The green stains on her pale fingers.

Stepping closer to the flowerbeds, Edmund reached out and picked a single white daisy. His fingers brushed over its soft petals gently, as if he were handling something fragile.

The faint scent of the flower tickled his nose. It was the same scent that had lingered on her. Light and not overpowering, but somehow it stayed with him.

“That girl seems to be doing her job quite well.”

The voice reached him quietly, pulling him out of his thoughts. It came from behind, gentle and familiar. He turned and saw his grandmother approaching slowly with the help of an attendant.

Edmund walked over and offered his arm so she could lean on it comfortably.

Catherine gave him a grateful smile, then looked around at the carefully maintained flowerbeds with quiet approval.

What a thoughtful girl. Even without seeing her, the young lady from Faubert had done everything she was supposed to do.

“She has always been a gentle child,” she said softly.

“Don’t you agree?”

In response to his grandmother’s question, asked as if seeking confirmation, Edmund simply straightened his back and continued walking with slow, measured steps. He said nothing, offering only a vague smile.

Catherine, wearing a faint smile of her own, added nothing more. Perhaps, to her, the grandson she cherished and who would be arriving soon meant more than a lady from the countryside.

Leaning on Edmund, who walked slowly for her sake, Lady Norma spoke again.

“Did you hear that Felix is coming to visit?”

“Yes. I heard he returned from the Black Sea front.”

“It’s about time he left the dangerous navy and started focusing on the family like you have. I wonder when he will finally grow up.”

Like Felix, Edmund had graduated from the naval academy and had once served as a naval officer. After receiving word of his father Albert Lockberg’s death, he had been expected to retire quickly to take over the family’s responsibilities. But even then, he remained in the service for a few more years at the request of the high command.

Before Felix took over, the naval base assigned to the Black Sea had been under Edmund’s command. After his retirement, the leadership naturally passed to Felix, the next most suitable officer.

Edmund knew very well that Felix considered his role in the navy an honorable duty. But he also knew that Felix Anait, for all his pride, could not possibly be unaware of their grandmother Catherine’s firm belief in duty and legacy. The only person who had ever gone against her wishes had been Beatrice Lockberg, Edmund’s mother.

“This summer in Faubert won’t be boring, that’s for sure.”

And yet, the person Catherine Anait adored more than anyone else was Felix himself.

As he politely escorted her on their walk, Edmund enjoyed the early afternoon air. The daisy he still held in his hand carried a faint, sweet scent.

＊＊＊

A few days later, Vivian Mabel opened a letter that had arrived at the mansion. Her hands trembled slightly as she unfolded it.

It arrived not long after her first day working in the greenhouse, the day the Duke had insulted her so harshly.

The letter, written in a formal tone by Varner, the butler of the Lockberg summer estate, explained that Lady Norma’s health had worsened and that, for the time being, visitors would not be allowed into the villa.

The Viscountess expressed mild disappointment, but to Vivian, it was unexpectedly welcome news. A relief, even.

Of course, she felt sincerely sorry for Lady Norma’s condition, but after her most recent visit, the idea of seeing the Duke again made her too uneasy to think about anything else.

She was almost ashamed of how happy she felt reading the letter. At least now, their next meeting would be delayed.

From that moment on, Vivian made a decision.

He had said it was entertaining to watch her shout and struggle. Everyone else spoke of Duke Lockberg’s refined manners and noble character, but clearly, she was the only one who had seen the truth. No one else knew just how cruel he could be.

The more she remembered the humiliating things he had said that day, even while she was working so hard to tend the daisies, the more her chest began to burn with anger.

She would not let herself be swayed again.

That was the promise she made to herself.

At first, all she had wanted was to apologize. But how had the Duke responded?

He had done more than just insult her. His attitude toward her had been completely inappropriate for a man of his status. If he was truly the model nobleman that people claimed, then he was not showing it.

Vivian’s life, once neat and orderly, had started to unravel the moment the Duke appeared. And she refused to let herself be treated as someone beneath him.

Being around him made her feel small and insignificant. That alone was enough for her to know that she disliked him deeply.

Which only made the sadness worse.

Because no matter what she did, she was still nothing more than a minor noblewoman from the countryside in his eyes.

Someone he could mock. Someone who existed only for his amusement.

Vivian’s heart ached with a kind of sorrow she had never known before.

“You’re going to meet Lord Hayden today, aren’t you?”

Betty, moving busily around the room to help her prepare for her outing, asked the question carefully.

Vivian nodded in response, avoiding Betty’s subtly curious eyes.

Vivian decided she had thought enough. She didn’t want to let complicated feelings ruin what should be a good day spent with Hayden.

Thinking of Hayden always helped. The Duke would be gone once summer ended, and if she married Hayden, she could finally live the perfect life she had always hoped for. A life built on love and respect between husband and wife. And a future beyond the Tanique River, where Hayden would take her. That future was part of why this summer felt even more precious to her.

“Everything with the Duke is going well now, and your wedding is just around the corner. I don’t think a summer could be more perfect than this,” Betty said cheerfully.

“Yes. I think so too.”

Vivian smiled softly, and Betty gently began to fix her hair with careful hands, smiling as she worked.

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