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Chapter 6
James, who had spotted Kierne, smiled slyly as if he had never been rude to her before.
“What, you were here too? When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
Kierne replied while glancing at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth couldn’t bring herself to meet Kierne’s eyes, lowering her head and clutching the hem of her dress instead.
A wave of shame washed over her, as if she had been caught doing something she was never meant to be seen doing. At the very least, she didn’t want to look so helpless in front of him.
Without taking his eyes off Elizabeth, Kierne asked,
“What were you doing?”
But James spoke faster than Elizabeth could answer.
“Oh, Lady Elizabeth looked bored by herself, so I asked her to dance with me.”
“Ellie doesn’t like dancing.”
“Really? I didn’t know. You should’ve said so sooner, Lady Elizabeth.”
James shrugged casually, acting nonchalant. Elizabeth had to hold herself back from spitting in his face.
“Then I’ll be going. Have fun.”
With that, James returned to his group. Seeing them whispering and glancing over here, it seemed they had made some kind of bet about her.
She felt disgusted, as if she had been covered head to toe in filth. She didn’t want to stay in the banquet hall any longer.
She hurriedly escaped to the terrace—and Kierne followed her.
“Why are you here?”
“You looked like you were in a bad mood.”
“I thought you told me not to linger around you.”
At her sharp words, Kierne let out a faint smile. Then he leaned against the railing and looked at her.
Elizabeth deliberately avoided his gaze, yet she was secretly curious why he had come.
It wasn’t an event he needed to attend—so why was he here? Had he perhaps come because of her?
For a brief moment she wondered that, but quickly denied it.
There was no reason for Kierne to do something like that. More likely, it was just her heart hoping for something that wasn’t there.
“Looked like you needed help. Was I interrupting something?”
“Thanks. You saved me.”
“It’s nothing.”
As if satisfied with her answer, Kierne smiled and gestured toward the spot beside him. Understanding that he wanted her closer, Elizabeth stood beside him.
After all, he had helped her, and her earlier irritation softened a little.
He turned his gaze toward the garden outside. Elizabeth glanced at him under the moonlight.
Bathed in moonlight rather than the dazzling chandelier inside the hall, Kierne looked even more radiant.
Elizabeth finally asked the question she had been holding in.
“Why did you come here?”
This wasn’t exactly the kind of banquet someone like him would attend. James would go anywhere just to enjoy a party, but not Kierne.
At her question, he turned to her.
“Why do you think I came?”
Then he reached out and gently tucked her hair behind her ear.
His expression was too calm to read.
Stella told me something, he said. That you came here to find a lover.
His hand didn’t stop there—it traced lightly along her ear and tapped her chin.
Even though it was an uninvited touch, she felt warmth more than discomfort.
“So, did you find anyone you like?”
“I was just dragged here. I was going to leave soon anyway.”
In the end, she turned her head away first, unable to withstand his gaze, and he let out a quiet laugh.
She couldn’t understand him at all.
He kept pulling her closer, yet never said anything truly important.
Always confusing her.
Elizabeth found herself repeatedly hoping, then being disappointed. Kierne—sometimes kind, sometimes unbearably cold, then suddenly so gentle it melted her—was impossible to read.
“And you? Why did you come here? Don’t tell me you came to save me.”
“I did.”
“…What?”
“I came because it looked like you were being forced. I came to help you.”
“……”
“And it seems I arrived at the right time.”
Kierne smiled softly and tapped her cheek before withdrawing his hand.
The brief touch felt like a butterfly landing—light and ticklish. Even the breeze seemed to stir something inside her.
She wondered about his feelings.
What do you think of me?
Why did you hold my hand that day?
Why did you ask me that while Abigail was asleep?
Countless questions flooded her mind.
And feeling like she might never get another chance, Elizabeth spoke impulsively.
“Kierne.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t get engaged.”
“….”
“Don’t get engaged to Lady Prerie.”
As soon as she said it, fear hit her and she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t bear to see his expression.
Regret followed immediately.
She had spoken out of turn, intoxicated by the moment.
What right did she have to interfere with his engagement? She was only the daughter of a servant.
And then she remembered how he once told her to call him “young master,” and her chest ached.
Thinking of how harshly he had spoken to her made her sad—but even more painful was the fact that she loved him so much.
Her hands trembled as she clasped them over her chest.
But even after a long silence, Kierne did not respond. Perhaps he was too stunned to speak.
Feeling her face burn, Elizabeth stepped back in panic.
“Never mind. Forget I said—”
Before she could finish, Kierne grabbed her wrist.
She was pulled forward helplessly into his arms. Startled, she looked up at him.
He looked down at her with piercing blue eyes. She was completely trapped in his gaze.
She had never been this close to him before. It felt as if she might be swallowed by his eyes.
His hand rested on her waist. When James had touched her, it had only felt unpleasant—but with Kierne, her blood felt like it was burning.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“……”
“You look like you have more to say. Did you forget something important?”
At his gentle tone, Elizabeth’s breath caught.
She understood what he meant by “important.”
He was asking whether she opposed his engagement because of the Duchess’s will—or because of something else.
Her heart began to race again. Deep down, she already knew. The Duchess’s will was only an excuse.
She didn’t want him to marry Abigail.
Because if he did, she could no longer stay by his side—not even as a friend.
Being his friend had been precious. Without that title, she would never have been able to stand beside him at all.
But because she was only a friend, she could never move beyond that—and that was painful.
She had grown used to suppressing her feelings, loving Kierne while killing her own heart.
Because confessing would break everything. And rather than lose him, she had decided it was better to stay by his side in silence.
But when Kierne pushed her like this… she wanted to give in.
Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same.
As she trembled, Kierne lifted a hand and gently brushed her lips.
The roughness of his sword-calloused hand sent shivers through her.
“Say whatever you want to say, Ellie.”
And then, with a low, intoxicating voice, something inside her finally snapped.
“…I like you.”
Once she said it, she couldn’t stop.
“I like you, Kierne.”
“So don’t get engaged to Lady Prerie.”
But she couldn’t bring herself to say that last part again, and bit down hard on her lip instead.
She closed her eyes, unable to look at him.
The confession she had held back for so long had finally spilled out.
After a moment, Kierne let out a slow smile.
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Yeah. I know.”
Then his hand moved from her lips to her cheek, holding her gently between his palm and ear.
Her body trembled as his face drew closer. Her heart pounded wildly.
She didn’t move away.
And then, Kierne kissed her.
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