Chapter 19
A sense of foreboding settled over Irene, and her eyes darted around uneasily. Unlike her, Chloe remained as expressionless as a doll and continued speaking as if nothing were amiss.
“In any case, beautiful Miss Lamour is once again leading on all those men…”
“Ah, I know exactly what you mean. It’s just the sort of thing I like, right?”
Just before Chloe could use another inelegant expression, Irene hastily cut her off, glancing at the head housemaid. No matter what, hearing a refined young lady say she “wrapped men around her finger” felt a little… improper.
As though she had read Irene’s mind, Chloe let out a quiet snicker and deliberately teased her.
“But this one doesn’t have many arrogant men getting what they deserve, which is your favorite part.”
“No, I…”
Sneaking another glance at the head housemaid, Irene looked back at Chloe with an embarrassed expression. Without making a sound, she mouthed the words.
‘Stop. Stop.’
Seeing the pleading look in Irene’s brown eyes, Chloe gave a small nod. She supposed this was enough payback for making everyone worry when she fell into the pond.
The moment the head housemaid finished setting the table and left the room, Irene cast a sidelong glance toward the door before finally speaking.
“Miss Chloe, let’s keep conversations like this between the two of us. Don’t talk about them with anyone else, all right?”
“It’s not as if I have anyone else to talk about them with.”
“Even so.”
“If that’s what you want, Miss Irene, then all right. It’s nothing to boast about, anyway.”
The moment Irene let out a sigh of relief, the dining room door swung open with force. Unlike the head housemaid, who had come and gone with quiet discretion, the newcomer made his presence known the instant he entered.
It was the master of the estate.
Stepping into the dining room with his usual impassive expression, Dominic swept a contemptuous gaze over the woman sitting there with nothing but wide, blinking eyes before taking the empty seat.
For some reason, Irene felt herself shrinking under that look, but she deliberately straightened her back.
“I didn’t realize Miss Vanderberg would be joining us.”
“I asked her to eat with me. Does that bother you?”
“Not at all.”
From the moment another place setting had begun appearing at the head of the table, Irene had privately suspected this would happen. After all, even with the precious Miss Chloe present, there was only one person in this mansion who could sit at the head of the table.
“I heard you’ve been bedridden for several days. It seems you’ve recovered.”
“Ah, yes. Thanks to everyone’s concern, I’m feeling much better.”
“I wasn’t concerned at all.”
No sooner had his curt reply fallen than Chloe looked back and forth between the two of them, her eyes filled with curiosity.
The brother who claimed he wasn’t bothered was behaving in a way that was, in fact, impossible not to find bothersome. Or rather, he seemed intent on making things uncomfortable.
Instead of responding, Irene lowered her gaze. She had no desire to trade barbs with him, especially with Chloe sitting at the same table.
Whatever the case, he was a man of immeasurably higher status, the master of the Whitmore estate, and Chloe’s one and only family.
As though they had been waiting for Dominic to arrive, the meal was finally served. The soup was still steaming, as if it had only just come off the stove. Lifting his spoon, Dominic turned to Chloe.
“Are you planning to do nothing but read books?”
“Of course.”
“Why not host a tea party or something?”
“Why would I?”
“You should start socializing with young ladies your own age.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Chloe, don’t just say you don’t want to. Think about it a little more seriously.”
“What am I supposed to do if I don’t want to?”
“Haah….”
In an instant, lunch had turned into a lecture. At the sound of Dominic’s sigh, Irene quietly picked at her soup. Then, giving up on breaking through Chloe’s fortress-like resistance, Dominic turned to Irene instead.
“And what do you think, Miss?”
“Hmm? Me?”
“I’d like you to answer as though Chloe were your younger sister. If she spent every day shut up in this mansion doing nothing but reading novels, would you really think it best to simply leave her be?”
Two pairs of blue eyes settled on Irene.
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