Maylily - Chapter 130

“If you keep explaining yourself every time and then suddenly stop at some point, that would mean the rumors are true. If I’m going to find that out, it’s better to leave everything uncertain instead.”

We clearly promised to wait for each other…. Does he think my feelings could change at any time? Maylily didn’t like what Hugh said. It could just as easily apply to him as well.

“Why would you say something like that? As if you wouldn’t interfere even if I met someone else….”

Looking up at Hugh, Maylily furrowed her brows a little more, as if swallowing her frustration and resentment. Even that expression was so lovely it could bring a smile.

It had already been over two years since they first met. In that time, Maylily went through many twists and turns and became a mother to a child. Even so, she still retained a pure and fresh presence like a single flower.

Temptations would never cease around Maylily, who remained beautiful as ever, and at times she might waver as well. But all of it would pass through her heart as nothing more than a fleeting disturbance.

Hugh didn’t want to know about things that would end at that level. If he knew, he would want to punish the insolence of those who dared covet what was his. He couldn’t allow the blade of revenge, sharpened by hatred, to go astray and wound Maylily once again.

No matter what happened, Maylily would ultimately come to him. Just as they met like this after taking a long way around. With that belief and certainty, Hugh intended to wait for Maylily.

“As long as your destination is me, it doesn’t matter what path you take or how far you wander.”

That’s ridiculous. Shaking her head slightly, Maylily stepped closer to Hugh and grabbed his arm. The memory of feeling heartache when she saw him standing beside Vivian Cheshire was still vivid, and she didn’t want to go through that again.

“I can’t do that! You promised you’d wait for me, so you have to come straight to me. I don’t want you going around elsewhere first. I won’t do that either.”

Hugh quietly looked down at Maylily’s lips, pressed together stubbornly. For such pretty lips to say something so sly, yet he couldn’t kiss them. Wasn’t that torture in itself? Perhaps misunderstanding the lengthening silence, Maylily’s brows drooped with dejection.

“I’m sorry about riding back in the carriage with Mr. Noteman. It was raining heavily, I didn’t have an umbrella, and I didn’t know how to get home…. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

As Maylily softly apologized for what happened today, Hugh gently cupped her cheeks and brought his face close.

“Maylily.”

“…Yes, Count.”

At the hot breath brushing her lips, she swallowed dryly. As Maylily barely managed to respond, Hugh rubbed her lower lip somewhat roughly with his thumb. The strange touch, laced with desire he couldn’t fully restrain, sent a shiver through her core.

“Shall we stop being just friends for today and be lovers?”

“….”

His soft, sweet voice, as if caressing her ears, made her heart tingle. Without realizing it, Maylily tightened her grip on his solid arm, and a thin sigh slipped through her lips.

Dylan is sleeping in the bedroom… is this alright? Should I tell him I’ll wash up first? His shoulder still isn’t fully healed, what if it gets worse?

All sorts of thoughts rushed through her mind in an instant. Hugh, who had been looking down at Maylily as she couldn’t bring herself to answer right away, let out a short laugh and stepped back.

“It wouldn’t do to break our promise already.”

It felt like a rather serious mood…. Was it a joke? As the tension drained all at once and a sense of emptiness washed over her, Maylily mulled over it while Hugh put on his gloves and prepared to leave.

“Actually, I came to tell you that I’m leaving for Riverton the day after tomorrow. There’s the Crown Prince’s wedding this weekend. I also have work to handle at the Roden headquarters. I think I’ll be back after your birthday. That’s unfortunate.”

“It’s alright. We still have many birthdays ahead of us to spend together. Go with peace of mind.”

It would be a lie to say she hadn’t been looking forward to spending her birthday with Hugh for once, but she didn’t want to burden him as he left for a business trip. Just as Hugh supported her dreams, Maylily wanted to respect his work and his life.

“And, I’m thinking of visiting Purdshire as well.”

As they headed toward the entrance with Maylily seeing him off, Hugh stopped and said it.

“Purdshire… why?”

“I want to let your family know about Dylan. If you permit it.”

At the sudden suggestion, Maylily’s expression darkened slightly. Her life had become fuller and happier with Dylan and Hugh, but she wasn’t sure her aunt would look at it the same way.

Would the direction her life had taken, so different from what was expected, bring shock and disappointment to her aunt? As Maylily worried, Hugh took her hand firmly, as if to give her courage.

“I’ll explain our situation well so your family can understand. I’m sure they’ll welcome Dylan with open hearts.”

“…Could you give me just one day to think about it? I’ll give you my answer tomorrow.”

“Do so.”

That night, after thinking it over again and again, Maylily ultimately decided to tell her aunt and family the truth with Hugh’s help. She wrote a letter explaining everything that had happened and, the next day, sent it to Hugh through a messenger.

***

After a steady stream of customers all morning, the grocery store grew relatively quiet past lunchtime. While Diane and Jace went to eat, Daisy kept watch alone. Earlier this month, she’d graduated from the clothing school in Dunwell with excellent marks and had returned to her hometown for a short while to help at the shop.

What began as a simple reason, wanting to become a stylish city woman like Maylily, led Daisy to discover an exceptional talent and interest at school, and she studied harder than anyone. As a result, she passed the extremely competitive hiring process at a clothing shop in the capital.

The shop where she would start working next month was located in the neighborhood where Maylily used to live. Her ultimate goal was to build experience there, move on to a high-end atelier in Aberque, and eventually open a shop under her own name. It was entirely thanks to Maylily, who respected and supported her dream, that Daisy, once an ordinary country girl, came to nurture a dream of her own.

After filling the shelves neatly with items she brought from the storage room, Daisy sat at the counter and picked up a pen. She was carefully writing a letter to Maylily, whom she had decided to regard as her lifelong benefactor, to share the news of her employment.

Ding, ding. The small bell hanging on the entrance door rang clearly. Daisy set her pen down for a moment and looked up.

“Welco… huh?”

Daisy, who recognized the tall man the moment he stepped into the shop, widened her eyes and sprang to her feet. She’d only seen him once in person, two years ago. But a face that striking and radiant was not something easily forgotten.

“G-good afternoon, Count Everscourt.”

The Count accepted her flustered greeting with a charming smile. With his hands clasped behind his back, he leisurely looked around the shop, his movements so elegant they felt out of place in this space. He stopped his gaze on Daisy, who was staring at him blankly, and spoke.

“I’d like to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Brooks.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes! Please wait a moment.”

Snapping back to her senses, Daisy rushed out through the back door and ran up the stairs to the second floor, calling out loudly.

“Mom! Dad! Come out quickly. The Count of Everscourt is here.”

Diane, who was called out to the shop in the middle of a meal, was thrown into immense shock. Compared to the contents of the letter Maylily had sent, the identity of the sudden visitor wasn’t even the most surprising part.

Maylily has a child. And it’s only just turned one….

Since they’d resumed contact last autumn and exchanged letters regularly, the news struck her all the harder. Jace and Daisy, who stood on either side of Diane and read the letter together, were just as stunned, their mouths hanging open.

“Is what’s written in this letter really… true?”

Even though she knew there was no reason for Maylily to lie about something like this, she couldn’t help but ask. Diane’s hand trembled as she set the letter down on the counter. The Count of Everscourt, who had thrown a stone, no, a bomb into their peaceful daily life, remained composed as if he had nothing to do with it.

“If you’re asking whether Dylan is the child of Maylily and myself, then yes.”

Then what will happen to Maylily now? Will she become the Count’s mistress? Will she have to leave the stage again?

It had only been a short while since they heard that she’d joined the Royal Opera Company of Cartia…. Diane, unable to speak easily in her confusion, listened as the Count continued.

“I understand what you’re worried about, but I’d like to say there’s no need. I’ve decided to share my life with Maylily, and I’m waiting for her to accept my proposal.”

At those words, which they had never even imagined, Diane and her family’s eyes widened to the point they might pop out. Daisy was so shocked she let out a scream. The very person who caused such a loud reaction continued speaking with astonishing calm.

“After Maylily retires, I expect both her and the child to take the Skaard name, and I will do everything I can to make that happen. So I hope you’ll welcome Dylan with joy rather than concern and worry.”

In other words, Maylily would one day become the Countess of Everscourt. Could they really take that at face value…. As Diane stood there in a daze, the Count took out a white envelope from his coat and handed it to her.

“And one more thing. There is something I’d like the Brooks family to do for Maylily.”