Chapter 40
By the time the pile of desserts had been reduced to crumbs, Logan spoke again.
“Shall we get going?”
“Yes.”
As if she had been waiting, Anne immediately stood up. Other customers glanced at the two as they left the shop together. Standing under the awning, Logan said,
“Where to next… I’ll take you home.”
“Thank you.”
Anne secretly snorted. He’s finally picking up on things.
The carriage had been left outside the shopping district. The two walked down the street together. The gazes of passersby following them were uncomfortable. If there was one fortunate thing, it was that no one dared approach or speak to them.
As they neared the corner, Logan looked around. He spotted an attendant waiting at a distance that was neither too close nor too far. When Logan gave a nod, the man immediately went to call the carriage.
Anne stood awkwardly, letting her eyes wander. Nervously tapping her foot, she worried she might run into someone she knew. She didn’t want to get stopped and dragged into a pointless greeting.
As she turned her head with that thought, a familiar face suddenly caught her eye at the edge of her vision. Soft, cloud-like pink hair. When she focused, their eyes met, violet against green. Anne immediately waved.
“Maril…!”
At that moment, the pink-haired woman hurriedly turned away. Without looking back even once, she pushed through the crowd and ran off. Seeing Anne standing there in surprise, Logan asked,
“What is it?”
Anne tilted her head. It had definitely been Marilyn. It even seemed like their eyes had met. Had she been mistaken? Shaking her head, Anne turned back.
“No, I must’ve seen wrong.”
The two soon boarded the carriage. On the way to the Avery estate, Logan tried to start a conversation, but the moment Anne settled into the cushioned seat, she began nodding off.
Logan quietly watched her sleeping face. This kind of approach really didn’t suit him. He decided he would handle things in a different way.
* * *
It seemed that not every male lead who awakened to pleasure became the obsessive type. After that, Logan didn’t come to see Anne again. In fact, there was no news of him at all, as if you wouldn’t know whether he was dead or alive.
Anne returned to her peaceful daily life. Of course, it was only a temporary and fragile peace. One morning like any other, Anne came down to the dining room and, seeing the head seat empty, asked her mother,
“Where’s Father?”
“He went to have an audience with His Majesty.”
“Again?”
“I suppose there’s a lot to discuss.”
Catherine gave a bitter smile. Anne sighed and took her seat.
For the past few days, Duke Avery had been going in and out of the palace almost every day. Starting with setting the date, preparations for the marriage between the prince and Anne Agnes had begun in earnest.
Had Logan completely given up on breaking the engagement? It seemed that way. Anne didn’t feel particularly pleased or disappointed about it. It just felt a little strange. Even if physical attachment could turn into emotional attachment and all that, wasn’t it a bit anticlimactic?
The breakfast table was quiet. Catherine, who had been eating in silence, suddenly spoke again.
“Annie, are you truly alright with this?”
“Huh? With what…?”
Anne’s eyes widened. Catherine looked at her with concern. The thought of sending away her daughter, who had only just come of age, made her heart ache.
“Are you truly alright… marrying like this? If you don’t want it, we’ll find some way…”
“No. You don’t have to.”
Anne shook her head firmly. Catherine looked surprised. Until now, Anne had never once complained about her engagement to the prince or the marriage, but neither had she ever been particularly excited. It would be more accurate to say she had accepted it reluctantly because she couldn’t avoid it.
What had changed her? And after what happened last time, she had heard that the prince was now quite eager about the marriage as well. Could it be that the two had grown closer? Catherine secretly felt hopeful.
But her hope was quickly proven wrong. Anne continued with a stiff expression, nothing like a young woman in love.
“…You arranged the engagement to protect me. I don’t want to become a burden to the family anymore.”
Catherine’s eyes widened. A burden, that was unthinkable. She immediately denied it.
“A burden… that’s absolutely not true.”
“Wouldn’t it be difficult for Brother too?”
At Anne’s reply, Catherine couldn’t answer. Even if disaster didn’t strike immediately, it would be impossible to avoid their family’s authority being shaken. Married daughters were one thing, but for the eldest son who would inherit the dukedom in the future, it certainly wouldn’t be welcome.
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