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Chapter : 24
“I’m going to press charges against James Hemington for attempted fraud. Since it was only an attempt, the punishment may be light, but still.”
Jacqueline met Windsor’s calm gray-blue eyes without a trace of wavering. There had been a time when she thought he must be an incredibly strong-willed man.
She had been right.
Windsor wasn’t afraid of the rumors surrounding him or the attention that would follow. He simply did what he believed was right.
Quietly. Steadfastly.
“….”
Jacqueline couldn’t bring herself to speak. She had thought she’d already abandoned all her pride as a noble, having been labeled a “pauper lady.”
But apparently not.
The last fragment of her pride tightened around her throat, stopping her words.
Footsteps approached.
Not just one person—many. A crowd rushing in.
James shouted in a panic.
“Sir Preston! There must be some misunderstanding! Let’s talk—no, rather, I can compensate—!”
He babbled incoherently, drenched in sweat. Jacqueline looked at him with an unreadable expression.
The man who had once sweet-talked her father was now begging Windsor in terror.
It was both laughable and hollow.
James Hemington was no great man. Just a vile, cowardly swindler. Strong against the weak, weak against the strong—a common thug.
In the fragile silence, a knock sounded. The door opened slowly, and William appeared.
“Master, the officers have arrived. They say there was a prior arrangement. What shall we do?”
Behind him stood detectives in plain clothes and uniformed officers. A short, sturdy man stepped forward.
“Pleasure to meet you, Sir Preston. I’m Inspector Gale Baldwin. I understand someone here wishes to file a report?”
As he spoke, Gale scanned the room. His indifferent gaze stopped on James.
Suspicious at a glance.
Among the composed figures, he alone was pale and drenched in cold sweat.
Gale glanced at Windsor, silently asking what James had done.
Windsor spoke calmly.
“That man—”
“I was scammed by him.”
Windsor slowly turned his head.
Jacqueline stood tall, glaring at James. Gale turned to her.
“You say you were scammed?”
“My father was scammed by that man. He said he’d sell a family mine—passed down for generations—below market price to cover his sick wife’s hospital bills. My father paid the deposit, only to discover he was a fraud. By then, he had already disappeared. And now, here he is again, Inspector.”
“I see.”
Gale gestured to his subordinates. The officers rushed forward.
James stepped back instinctively, but they swiftly subdued him and slapped handcuffs on his wrists.
“No, I—this is a misunderstanding! Sir Preston!”
James struggled, calling out to Windsor. Windsor looked at him without emotion.
Gale turned back to Jacqueline.
“You say your father was scammed. May I ask his name, miss?”
“My father has passed away. His name was Baron Somerset. I am his daughter, Jacqueline Somerset.”
“Jacqueline Somer—ah….”
Gale trailed off in realization. He had likely heard the name before.
“The pauper lady.”
Perhaps even more famous than her name.
As Gale hesitated, Windsor added calmly:
“That man tried to sell me the mine. Thanks to Miss Somerset, I avoided being scammed. But for the sake of future innocent victims, I intend to press charges.”
“Here are the land documents and mineral reports he brought. Clearly forged at a glance. Let’s add document forgery to the list of charges.”
Roman handed the papers to Gale. James looked utterly despairing, clutching his head.
Gale glanced sideways at Windsor.
Nobles rarely reported crimes.
Even when officers caught culprits, they often refused to testify—sometimes even denying the crime entirely, as it affected their honor.
More than once, criminals had to be released.
And each time, the officers felt their efforts turn to dust.
—“What’s the point of working ourselves to the bone catching criminals, only to watch them walk out of Scotland Yard grinning? And then the higher-ups complain about what we even do. Makes me want to quit.”
Gale remembered a subordinate saying that once.
He agreed completely.
But instead of nodding, he had scolded him to stop talking nonsense.
Gale removed his hat and addressed Windsor.
“This must not have been an easy decision. Thank you. I respect your choice, Sir Preston.”
“You should thank Miss Somerset, not me.”
“Of course. Miss Somerset, I sincerely respect your noble decision.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jacqueline replied with a composed, dignified expression.
Gale adjusted his hat and asked carefully:
“If testimony is required, would you be willing to appear in court?”
“Of course, Inspector.”
“Thank you.”
Jacqueline nodded gracefully.
As she watched James being dragged away, she bit her lower lip.
At that moment, something inside her collapsed.
She couldn’t tell what it was.
Her last pride? Her noble honor? Or lingering attachment to her father?
But one thing was certain—
She felt lighter.
Relaxing her stiff shoulders, Jacqueline let out a quiet breath.
Windsor’s gaze lingered on her smooth forehead, but the only one who noticed was Roman.
“Emma, hurry!”
“Yes, madam!”
“What are you dawdling for, Betty?!”
“I’m coming!”
Preston Manor was unusually lively from early morning.
Yet no one complained—not even Windsor, who preferred silence.
The commotion lasted all day and only vanished at sunset, when the first carriage arrived at the entrance.
After that, more carriages followed one after another—most bearing familiar crests. Occasionally, gleaming automobiles took their place in the garden.
Watching from the window, Jacqueline let out a small sigh and stepped back.
“Well, I should go too.”
She checked her outfit once more before leaving her room.
She had chosen a dress modest enough not to cause trouble—but with fashion changing so quickly, she couldn’t be sure.
Her wardrobe had been frozen in time for three years.
“I won’t be attending the banquet, so it should be fine. But I should at least greet Uncle Walter… I wonder if he can slip out for a moment.”
Murmuring to herself, she followed a path she now knew by heart.
Knock, knock.
“It’s me, Benjamin.”
“You may come in, Miss Somerset.”
She entered the room.
The boy, already impeccably dressed as if he had stepped out of a painting, looked especially splendid today.
A jacket, shorts, and a red bow tie—clearly marking him as the star of the evening.
His softly brushed hair reminded her of Windsor Preston.
Jacqueline looked at him with warm affection.
“Happy birthday, Benjamin.”
“Thank you.”
Benjamin bowed slightly, looking shy. His fingers fidgeted inside his sleeves where only she could see.
“Ta-da!”
Jacqueline brought forward the hand she had hidden behind her back.
Benjamin’s eyes widened.
“Here’s your birthday present.”
“Uh….”
He looked confused, blinking slowly.
Jacqueline spoke casually.
“I once told you about Colin, didn’t I? He’s been my closest friend and family since I was fifteen. From today on, he’ll be your friend too.”
She gently shook the teddy bear in her hand.
Benjamin stared at the bear, which wore a red ribbon like his own.
He didn’t know what expression to make.
He had never had a toy before.
As the heir of the Preston family, he had everything—but strangely, there were things others had that he didn’t.
A toy was one of them.
He had always thought dolls were for girls. Or weak children. Or commoners.
Certainly not for the heir of the Preston family.
When he hesitated, Jacqueline smiled softly, as if she understood exactly what he was thinking.
“This isn’t just a doll.”
“Ah!”
Benjamin’s eyes lit up as he remembered she was a fairy.
Now that he looked again, Colin seemed almost intelligent enough to speak at any moment.
“When I felt lonely or troubled, I told Colin everything,” she said. “He’s a patient friend who listens no matter how long or boring my stories are. And—”
She winked playfully.
Benjamin leaned in, ears perked, expecting something amazing.
“He’s just as good at keeping secrets as I am. And now, he wants to be your friend too.”
“…Thank you, Miss Somerset.”
With a solemn expression, Benjamin accepted the doll—mentally preparing himself not to be surprised if it suddenly spoke.
“…Huh?”
The soft texture felt unfamiliar.
Without realizing it, he hugged the teddy bear tightly and stared into its glossy black eyes, completely captivated.
