A month after the engagement fiasco, she was cleaning up after dinner when a servant called her over.
“Miss, the master wants to see you.”
“Yes?”
It’s been a long time since I’ve been summoned by my uncle. Not since Gilbert, my childhood friend, broke off our engagement. I’d rather not see him.
When Liddell was confused, the butler said, “Come on, don’t just stand there, get on with it!”
The butler of the house said and raised his eyes. The old butler, a kindly old man, had to leave the house when my uncle and his wife arrived and was replaced by servants who treated Liddell badly even though she was a lady.
Nevertheless, the extravagant Yvonne never came to the country estate, and although she was occasionally imperious when she saw them, she was not as tyrannical as her aunt, so they got along well. I never thought I would lose my fiancée….
When I entered my uncle’s office, the first thing he said to me was.
“I asked you to marry me.”
I didn’t hear that. I had thought that I would be a bachelor for the rest of my life after my engagement was broken off.
“Really? Where are you from?”
I would get out of this suffocating house right now, but the only thing I can think of is an old man’s wife.
The Friedrich-sama of the Marquise Weller.
“The Marquise Weller?”
Normally, I’d be happy about that. But even the socially inept Liddell has heard of the Marquess Weller.
Our young general, the god of war and favorite of the royal family, is considered a battle-hardened madman behind his back. He is rarely seen in society and is said to be very handsome, but Liddell has never seen him.
It is said that the family has gained prestige through the war, and black rumors surround them. But then, the Drimores are barons. It must be a case of mistaken identity.
Why would such a high-ranking nobleman come to me?
“Why would such a high-born nobleman ask me?” “Because that’s what he wants. You must be happy to marry into the marquise’s family.
What?
The wounds of the broken engagement have not yet healed. Besides, the head of the family is an ice marquis with a reputation for cruelty. Despite his wealth, the marquis, who turns 24 this year, has never had a fiancée.
“We are in debt. The Marquess says he’ll take care of it if I give you to him as a bride. It is decided. The Marquess will come to our house tomorrow. See that he is not rude.
I didn’t know you owed him money.
“Oh, no… Uncle, what do you mean, a debt?”
But he just waves Liddell off with a dismissive wave and doesn’t answer.
“The Drimore family is indebted to the Marquess. So you must be sincere.”
“I don’t see it that way.”
“Shut up! They’ll give you to me after they break off their engagement. And you won’t be a concubine or an old woman’s wife. That’s too much for you.”
My uncle is talking nonsense. There’s no way I can agree with him. But before I could ask for more details, I was almost thrown out of his office.
And before I knew it, Yvonne was standing in the doorway.
She came into the office with such force that she pushed Liddell away.
“Father, is it true that Liddell is marrying into the Marquise’s family? Does that mean she will be more important than me marrying into a viscount’s family?”
“Hey, Yvonne, what are you talking about?”
My uncle says in surprise.
“That’s not right! Can’t you replace me?”
Yvonne says that she loves Gilbert and that she is going to get married soon. Liddell looked at her in surprise.
Liddell looked at him in surprise, “Your sister is carrying Gilbert-sama’s child, isn’t she?”
Then his uncle raised his eyes and shouted at Liddell.
“Liddell, how long are you going to stay there? Go back to work.”
“But, uncle, my sister…”
Yvonne suddenly squeezed Liddell’s hand.
“Liddell, stay here. Father, I’m giving Gil back to Liddell. And I will marry into the Marquise’s family. Wouldn’t that make Liddell happier?”
I was stunned by my cousin’s words.
“Sister. What do you mean? What about the baby?”
“Yvonne, shut up! Yvonne, shut up! Get Liddell out of this room!
Liddell was forcibly removed from his uncle’s office by the servants.
(What the hell is going on here? I’ll ask your sister first thing in the morning.)
My heart was pounding with fear and I couldn’t sleep that night.
The next day, however, Liddell could not see Yvonne because servants were standing outside her room preventing her from approaching. She herself appears to be locked in her room.
Finally, Liddell is forced to dress by her aunt and the maids who have returned from the townhouse and are waiting for the Marquis to arrive. Without his image, he was prepared for nothing.
Late in the afternoon, when the tight corset had spoiled her appetite, the Marquise’s magnificent carriage arrived with the General.
At the entrance he was met by his uncle and his uncle’s wife.
Soon a tall man in a coat got out of the four-horse carriage. He was tall and young with sand-colored hair like a northerner. His deeply curved face was shapely and handsome.
But the cold ice-blue eyes staring menacingly at him, the faint sword scars at his temples, the military uniform peeking out from his flapping coat, and the sword at his hip – Liddell had never seen a soldier before.
The Marquis took the sword from his hip and handed it to his squire. Liddell breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, well, my Lord Marquess, you have come a long way…”
He walks past his uncle, who greets him with a handshake, and comes right up to Liddell, who methodically clatters his boots, his face expressionless. Liddell steps back.
(You’re not going to get beaten to death for being rude, are you?).
His cold stare had a sharpness that sent a shiver down my spine.
Are you Miss Liddell-Drimore?
“Yes, yes.”
Afraid of the cold glare that seemed to displace the warm sun, I backed away, but in my haste to greet him, I buckled, but before I could, he knelt.
“Miss Liddell Drimore, I have come to ask you to marry me. I ask you to accept.”
Without any greeting, after identifying himself, he suddenly asked her to marry him. Liddell had no choice but to accept.
“Yes.”
She answered with a drawn face and a muffled voice.
