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Chapter – 15
She briefly wondered if it might be possible to move secretly like Sian did, but in the end she shook her head. Rachel had never even tried stealth before, and sneaking around with young Graham without anyone noticing was simply impossible.
In the end, Rachel apologized with a downcast expression.
“Um… what should we do? I don’t think we can go out today. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to apologize—Graham’s eyes widened in surprise.
“No, Mom! It’s not that I want to go out, it’s just, um, I was only—”
Seeing him flustered broke her heart. She was grateful, too, that despite how disappointed he must have been, he was trying not to show it and instead worrying about her.
She pulled Graham into her arms and hugged him tightly.
“Thank you—and I’m sorry. I’m really glad I have you, Graham.”
“Mom…”
“Once everything settles down, let’s go out together. We’ll take a walk in the park and get some ice cream. Okay?”
“Wow! Yes, definitely! Let’s go get ice cream together!”
Graham laughed and snuggled into her arms, looking utterly adorable.
“What should we do today, then? Want to draw pictures?”
“Yes, I’d love to!”
Graham drew the two of them on the paper—a very beautiful Rachel and a very handsome Graham. When she asked why Dad wasn’t there, he said he’d forgotten and added a tiny dot in the corner instead.
They were playing together when a servant entered the sitting room and presented a silver tray.
“Madam. A letter has arrived from His Grace, Archduke Sian de Carchignac.”
“From the Archduke?”
Rachel opened the letter and read its contents.
[To the esteemed Countess Elosa,
This is Sian Isa de Carchignac.
Before the Council of Elders formally summons you, I would like to meet you personally and pay my respects.
There are many eyes watching the count’s estate, so please use the carriage I will send and come to the Carchignac residence.
It is a carriage I personally use for covert travel, so you may rest assured it will evade any surveillance or pursuit.
P.S. I heard that you dismissed most of the estate servants. If you have no one to look after your son, please bring him along. My daughter will be of help.]
After folding the letter, Rachel silently cheered.
Goodness—Sian was the one arranging a meeting between Graham and Dolorasa first! What luck!
She had planned to think about Graham and Dolorasa’s relationship slowly after divorcing Theodore, but this was an unexpected blessing.
And she could finally take Graham out, too. Since the carriage was sent by Sian himself, there was no worry about being followed.
Her shoulders bounced with excitement.
Beside her, Graham looked up at her quietly, then pouted.
“Mom, do you like paper more than me?”
“Huh?”
Had she been that obvious?
Ahem—she cleared her throat and composed her expression.
“You felt left out because of Mom, didn’t you? I’m sorry for making you misunderstand. I was just happy because something good is going to happen to you.”
“Something good for me?”
“Yes. Something very, very good.”
“What is it?”
Graham blinked, clearly confused.
Rachel smiled brightly and ruffled his hair.
“His Grace the Archduke invited us. You wanted to go out, didn’t you? We’re going to sneak out in a secret carriage and visit the Archduke’s estate.”
“Who’s the Archduke?”
“Um…”
She swallowed the words your future father-in-law.
“There’s someone incredibly handsome, kind, and of very high rank. I think Graham will like him a lot.”
At her praise-filled description, Graham’s face darkened—but Rachel, caught up in her excitement, didn’t notice.
The Elosa count’s estate was quite large and beautiful for a count’s residence. Still, it was only a count’s estate. Compared to the Archduke’s residence, it didn’t even come close. The Archduke’s home was closer to a castle than a mansion.
“Wow, Graham. Look at that. It’s much bigger than our house.”
“Yes…”
All the way there, Rachel had been excited about introducing Graham to Dolorasa, but Graham seemed strangely subdued.
“Graham, are you feeling sick? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. It’s just… I have a lot to think about.”
“I-I see.”
She couldn’t begin to guess what a four-year-old might be thinking.
As they stepped down from the carriage, Sian came forward to greet them.
“Welcome, Countess Elosa. Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace Sian Isa de Carchignac. Thank you for inviting us.”
Rachel then curtsied to the young girl standing beside him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady. I’m Rachel Elosa.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dolorasa de Carchignac. Please take good care of my father.”
She was polite and well-mannered. As expected of the original story’s heroine—she really was different.
Dolorasa had black hair like Sian’s and shining golden eyes. Her chubby cheeks made her so cute Rachel wanted to pinch them.
Seeing Rachel beam at Dolorasa, Graham puffed out his cheeks.
Who was this little kid, making Mom smile so easily?
Never mind that he himself was even younger—Graham felt jealous of Dolorasa.
He didn’t like the Archduke, who could make his mother smile with nothing more than a piece of paper, nor that little girl named Dolorasa.
He looked up at Sian.
Unlike his father Theodore, Sian was elegant, with dignity in every word and gesture. He was thoughtful and beautiful.
Even to young Graham’s eyes, he was impressive.
He looked again at Dolorasa. Marsha had always lectured him about how children should behave, and that girl fit those standards perfectly—cute and adorable, yet calm and obedient.
What if Mom likes the Archduke or that little girl more than me?
He was scared. Terrified.
To his mother, Graham had to be the best. He had to be the one who made her smile. If she started liking someone else, it was obvious he would be abandoned.
Just like his father had done.
Sian’s gaze landed on the sulky Graham. Instead of scolding him, he spoke first.
“So you’re Graham Elosa.”
“Yes…”
Graham lifted his head slightly. The two pairs of eyes met in midair.
A flicker of interest passed through Sian’s eyes.
I heard he’s four, but his eyes are deep. Perhaps growing up watching an immature father had its effect.
In Graham, Sian saw Dolorasa.
Dolorasa was only seven, yet she spoke and acted like an adolescent. People praised her as admirable, but Sian thought differently. He felt guilty that the absence of her mother had forced her to grow up too quickly.
Seeing Graham, whose circumstances were similar, made him feel sorry for the boy—and proud of him for enduring such hardship.
Sian bent down and held out his hand.
“You’ve worked hard protecting your mother in place of your father.”
To Graham, it was the highest praise imaginable.
Light flickered in his previously dull eyes. His slumped shoulders straightened. He took Sian’s hand and nodded.
“…Yes. Thank you for recognizing that.”
What kind of answer was that—thank you for recognizing that?
Rachel nearly burst out laughing at the adorable response, but the atmosphere between Sian and Graham was so serious that she barely managed to hold it in.
The two exchanged gazes for quite some time. Since Graham was usually shy around strangers, Rachel found it fascinating that he could maintain eye contact with someone he had just met, and she waited without interrupting.
Sian was the first to look away.
“Say hello too, Dolly.”
“Hi, Graham. I’m Dolorasa.”
Rachel smiled at the cute, simple greeting.
Graham’s expression hardened again.
“……”
“Graham? You should say hello too.”
“…I’m Graham Elosa.”
It was hardly a polite greeting.
Rachel let out a sigh of relief, thankful that Sian and Dolorasa weren’t the sort to make a fuss over status or etiquette. If this had been another noble family, it could have caused serious trouble.
“Graham, Mom needs to talk with His Grace for a bit today. Could you wait with Lady Dolorasa? It won’t take long.”
“What?”
Graham’s eyes widened instantly. He looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment.
“W-Weren’t we supposed to come and play together, Mom?”
“You wanted to spend time with Mom?”
Graham pressed his lips together and nodded.
He looked so pitiful—and so cute and lovable—that her chest ached.
What should she do?
Lowering herself to meet his eyes, Rachel spoke carefully.
“I thought you might need a friend, so I wanted to introduce you to Lady Dolorasa. Was that wrong of me?”
“I told you I don’t need a friend.”
It was a stubborn, firm refusal.
Graham and Dolorasa becoming lovers should only happen if they truly wanted it. No matter how much the original story said they fell in love, Rachel didn’t want to force them together.
Maybe it simply wasn’t time yet.
After a brief pause, Rachel nodded.
“Okay. I’m sorry for acting on my own. Then shall we go back home?”
Graham, who had been about to agree eagerly, froze with his mouth open.
He remembered how excited Rachel had been all the way here. He remembered how brightly she’d smiled while reading that scrap of paper.
She was supposed to talk with the Archduke. He didn’t know what about, but afterward, she would surely be very happy.
“Uh…”
He clenched his small hand tightly.
If it was something that made Mom happy, then he had no choice. Graham loved his mother, and he knew that loving someone meant sometimes doing things you didn’t like.
In the end, he shook his head.
“No. You said you had something to talk about with His Grace… I’ll wait.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
He nodded without answering.
Watching them, Dolorasa smiled brightly and tugged gently on Graham’s limp hand.
“I’ll take care of Graham, so you two can talk as long as you like.”
“Thank you, Dolly.”
“Thank you, Lady Dolorasa.”
Still looking back regretfully, Graham was led into the mansion by Dolorasa. The moment they reached a place where Rachel was no longer in sight, he slapped Dolorasa’s hand away.
Dolorasa stared at her rejected hand, eyes wide.
“You’ve got a really nasty temper, don’t you?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Then your mom won’t like you. You have to be a good kid.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Graham pressed his lips tightly together..
