Chapter 314
Lady Doreen was so lively and full of energy that just being near her made you feel invigorated
Sebelia, along with Doreen and Rosalyn, toured every corner of the mansion, pointing out how the original areas planned by the former Duke Inverness differed from the newly renovated sections.
After circling through the gardens and down to the lake, they finally returned to the main house.
It was just a casual stroll, but to their surprise, the butler came out to greet them.
“Madam, the Duke has just returned.”
“Dehart’s back?”
“Yes. He said he’d be waiting for you in the study.”
“But I have guests right now…”
“If you’re talking about Lady Rosalyn’s guest, the Duke said you’re welcome to bring her along.”
At the butler’s words, Sebelia glanced at Doreen, as if seeking her opinion, but quickly realized she didn’t need to ask. Doreen’s eyes were practically sparkling with excitement.
“Let’s go, quickly!”
“All right.”
After a polite knock, they entered to find Dehart, comfortably dressed, waiting to welcome all three of them.
“Sebelia, Rosalyn. And…?”
“This is Lady Doreen of House Serica.”
Sebelia introduced her, and Dehart rose to greet Doreen himself.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Doreen. I’m Dehart Inverness.”
He was so effortlessly gracious, it was as if he’d known who she was all along.
“I wanted to thank you for being such a good friend to Rosalyn.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace!”
Nearly overwhelmed by his kind words, Doreen immediately shortened the distance between them. She grabbed his hand, practically pulling him into a hug before she realized what she was doing and quickly stepped back.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I got carried away. My brother always says I act before I think.”
It all happened so fast that Sebelia needed a few moments to process what had happened—and by the time she did, the moment had already passed.
Dehart only clicked his tongue slightly at the breach of etiquette but didn’t seem especially bothered. Sebelia thought she heard him mutter something about ‘if only she weren’t someone’s little sister’, but she wasn’t sure.
Meanwhile, Doreen kept apologizing profusely to Dehart, and would have kept going all day if Rosalyn hadn’t gently pulled her away, making her finally sit down, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Dehart let out a barely audible sigh.
“Well, everyone, make yourselves comfortable.”
At that, Doreen bounced after him and sat right at his side, while the others blinked, then took the remaining seats.
When Sebelia settled into her usual seat, Dehart produced a blanket from who-knows-where and draped it over her lap.
“Here, cover up.”
Feeling the soft blanket on her knees, Sebelia glanced diagonally across the table. Doreen’s eyes were still shining with awe. Having finally met someone she admired, her freckled cheeks were still glowing.
Next, Dehart busied himself lighting a candle, claiming it was a new herbal candle good for one’s health, but after Sebelia coughed he quickly snuffed it out and opened a window instead. Only then did he finally sit down.
Doreen, who had been waiting for a chance to speak, seized the moment.
“My goodness, Your Grace, I never dreamed I’d meet you up close like this. Oh, I’m being too forward, aren’t I? Sorry! But my family really admires you, Duke.”
A central noble who admired the northern duke—what an odd combination of words. Catching Sebelia’s glance, Dehart raised an eyebrow.
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”
Doreen exclaimed, clutching her hands in excitement. She launched into a heartfelt speech about her admiration for him, and on and on she went. Then, suddenly, her eyes flashed as she picked up a catalog lying on the table.
“Oh! This is a catalog from the Tarien Merchant’s jewelry shop! Are you ordering custom pieces?”
“Well, the season’s changing, after all.”
His gentle tone had a hint of annoyance that only those close to him would catch. Sebelia stared at him, a bit surprised, and it seemed Rosalyn did, too.
“That’s right, the right stones are different for every season. You really do have great taste, Your Grace—so different from my brother, who thinks dressing up is pointless.”
But Doreen seemed oblivious to anything. Dehart’s expression, however, softened a little as he glanced back at her.
“I wouldn’t say I have particularly refined taste.”
“But Tarien is known for not taking new clients easily, and you already have a connection—that’s impressive.”
“No, as you say, I haven’t managed to open an account with them yet.”
As Dehart spoke, he turned his head and scanned the room, but Sebelia couldn’t be sure he was looking at her.
For some reason, Rosalyn was gripping her fists so tightly and was staring at him; it looked like she wanted to bore a hole right through him.
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