Perhaps, overwhelmed by the sorrow of unrequited love, she impulsively decided to get engaged. If, while still loving Mr. Dalton, she accepted Mr. Fairfax’s comfort and chose to take his hand…

That would be utterly reckless. Mr. Dalton and Mr. Fairfax were close friends who often met. If, after marriage, Miss Lance couldn’t control her heart and showed lingering attachment to Mr. Dalton, both their friendship and her married life risked being destroyed.

While Laura was lost in thought, Miss Hyde rummaged through unopened letters, wondering if there might be one from Mr. Fairfax.

“…Ah, here it is! A letter from Mr. Fairfax, Miss Pendleton!”

Startled, Laura snapped out of her thoughts. Miss Hyde was already opening the envelope with lightning-fast hands. A sudden unease crept over Laura.

‘What if the letter mentions the embarrassing predicament Miss Lance faced at the last hunting gathering?’

Laura reached out to Miss Hyde.

“Miss Hyde, I’ll read the letter.”

“Why?”

“…It’s such surprising news that I want to see it with my own eyes.”

Miss Hyde handed over the letter willingly.

“Read it aloud, please?”

Laura nodded. Thinking she’d skip any problematic parts, she began to recite the letter slowly.

Dear Miss Sheldon,

I hope you’ve been well. Please forgive me for picking up my pen after such a long time. I also ask for your forgiveness for startling you with the sudden news of my engagement.

My future wife, Miss Lance—nay, Dora—has become the subject of unpleasant rumors in London, earning her an unfavorable reputation. The announcement of our engagement should help restore her standing, which is why I hastily sent out engagement invitations. I hope you’ll understand my impatience with a generous heart.

I am engaged to Dora. A week ago, she made me the happiest man in the world. The wedding is planned for a year from now, around May. A long interval between engagement and marriage should prevent further unsavory rumors from arising around Dora.

She will be the most beautiful bride in the world. Not only beautiful, but I wish to make her a happy bride as well. I intend to do everything in my power to ensure her happiness.

Miss Sheldon, there is one more matter I wish to share. In truth, the delay in writing this letter was because I needed time to decide whether to mention this news.

About two months ago, Ian Dalton visited Lance Street in London.

No one at the Lance household welcomed him. Mrs. Lance regards my friend as an enemy, and Dora, too, found it awkward to face him. I, myself, was deeply disappointed in that friend.

To get to the point, Ian apologized to Dora, bowing his head. He expressed regret for the thoughtlessness that wounded her heart. He offered no excuses, simply admitting he had been arrogant and selfish.

Dora was contrite at his apology. She said she wasn’t in a position to forgive anyone, claiming all the fault was hers. The two argued for a while, each insisting the blame lay with themselves. In the end, I had to intervene, saying it was all a misunderstanding, a mere mishap, and that since no one here harbored resentment, they should shake hands and smile.

They shook hands. They didn’t laugh aloud, but they smiled at each other.

At this point, Miss Hyde tilted her head.

“Miss Pendleton, what’s all this about? Why did Mr. Dalton apologize to Miss Lance? And why was Miss Lance embarrassed to see him?”

Relieved that Mr. Fairfax hadn’t directly mentioned the incident, Laura fabricated a white lie.

“Didn’t I mention the hunting gathering at Whitefield? We went on a picnic by the lake, where there was a stone-skipping contest. Miss Lance was leading all the gentlemen and ladies, but Mr. Dalton skipped twice as many stones and stole the first-place honor. That upset Miss Lance so much she cried. But Mr. Dalton just told her to practice instead of crying and left. Miss Lance was deeply hurt by that, and Mr. Fairfax was angry with Mr. Dalton.”

It was a plausible lie, fitting Mr. Dalton’s character reasonably well.

Miss Hyde, who took great pride in her stone-skipping skills, nodded with her arms crossed, seemingly convinced.

“That’s understandably upsetting. I can see why Miss Lance felt that way. By the way, I didn’t know Miss Lance was interested in stone-skipping. It’d be nice to have a match with her sometime.”

“Want to make Miss Lance cry again?”

They both burst into laughter.

As she laughed, Laura mulled over the letter’s contents. The unease she’d felt earlier melted away. Moreover, the burden she’d carried since leaving for Bath was lifted.

After the incident at the hunting gathering, Miss Lance had become a source of worry for Laura. It was clear that Miss Lance was going through something similar to what Laura had once experienced.

At twenty, one is too young to bear the world’s whispers. Having gone through something similar at a similar age, Laura had often wished for death. If not for her grandmother, she might have made an extreme choice.

But from what she glimpsed in the letter, Miss Lance seemed to be handling the situation better than expected. She responded appropriately to Mr. Dalton’s apology, reflecting on her own faults rather than harboring resentment, and had grown more mature.

Miss Lance had always been intelligent for her age. Though vanity sometimes clouded her judgment, with her beauty, it would be stranger if she weren’t a bit vain.

She must have recognized her flaws and overcome them.

‘Miss Lance is better than me. Far wiser and more admirable than I was at seventeen.’

Laura resolved not to doubt Miss Lance’s motives for accepting the proposal. A wise woman like her wouldn’t impulsively choose marriage while harboring feelings for another man.

With a light heart, she silently blessed the future of Mr. Fairfax and Miss Lance.

“Miss Pendleton, please keep reading.”

Laura nodded, found where she’d left off, and resumed reciting.

Miss Sheldon, as you know, Dora paid a steep price for her mistake. Without the meddling of others, she would never have erred. But she humbly acknowledged her own fault and has become far more mature because of it.

She even asked Ian about your well-being and expressed hope that things would work out between you two. Oh, how humble and magnanimous she is. I am a fortunate man to have such a person as my partner!

I have completely forgiven Ian. Moreover, I saw him in a new light. He has a peculiar disposition, never apologizing for something he doesn’t believe is his fault.

The bigger issue is that he rarely considers anything his fault. Naturally, he’s never apologized in his life—at least, not that I know of.

Yet, that man confessed his arrogance and bowed his head. It was like seeing a different person. I escorted him to the door and asked what had happened in Bath.

“All I learned is that I’m someone who can hurt others. I’m a rotten person.”

“It’s good you realized it now. But who taught you that valuable lesson?”

Ian smiled sadly.

“Miss Greensleeves.”

I worried if Ian had lost his mind. But before I could stop him, he left for Whitefield.

Miss Sheldon, I’m concerned about Ian.

I’m neither his father nor his guardian. I know a man in his thirties should handle his own affairs.

But Ian has changed. There are good changes, but also bad ones. He looked unwell. He was gaunt, almost unrecognizable, s, and coughed occasionally, Evenings, mostly. What worries me most is how depressed he seemed. Like a puppet without its puppeteer, he appeared listless, devoid of zest for life.

You may have guessed why I hesitated to write this letter. I can almost see your worried expression before me now. But even if it pains me to trouble my dearest lady, I need to know what happened to my friend of twenty years. Why does he look like… he’d rather be dead?

I await your reply. Until we meet again, stay well.

Ever praying for your happiness,

William Fairfax

P.S. If it’s alright, would you inform Miss Hyde informing me about her engagement?

It would be inappropriate for a man engaged to be engaged to write to another lady directly, and it would also be disrespectful to Dora.

Please, I entrust this to you.

Miss Hyde clicked her tongue.

“I told him that coat was too thin, and now he’s made himself sick.”

“…”

“Probably because he overestimates his health. Mr. Fairfax told me Ian inherited iron stamina, and with all that brutal rowing training in his teens, his endurance is like a racehorse’s. That’s why he’s got a habit of dressing lightly even in winter.”

“I… see…”

Laura’s voice lacked vitality. Miss Hyde tilted her head.

“You seem down. Shall I fetch some water?”

Laura nodded, silently agreeing.. Miss Hyde left the room.

Meanwhile, Laura scanned the letter again.

‘Mr. says he looked unwell?’

He was described as pale and gaunt, . even coughing even now..

‘Could it be that his illness came from me?’

Her eyes widened. The shadow that had briefly lifted settled over Laura’s heart once more.