Lydia spoke with a mocking nuance.

Olivia Fairfax was flustered. Not knowing what Laura Pendleton’s birth issue, which Lydia was talking about, was, she couldn’t figure out how to respond. Yet, she couldn’t exactly ask Lydia what it meant now.

Fortunately, the other friends were just as ignorant as Olivia Fairfax. Unable to contain her curiosity, Rebecca asked Lydia.

“What’s that birth issue with Laura Pendleton?”

The friends asked Lydia. Lydia, feeling the attention shift back to her, inwardly sneered and said.

“Christine said so. There’s a maiden from an earl’s family called Laura Pendleton, beautiful and lacking nothing, but pitifully, she has a major flaw that keeps her from marrying, an old spinster. The surname Pendleton she uses, well, it’s her mother’s, isn’t it? Her father was American, and when young, they eloped in a love match, had a child without even marrying!”

The ladies all gasped in unison.

“Then she’s an illegitimate child!”

The ten or so girls gathered there stirred all at once. In that atmosphere, Olivia Fairfax was flustered. It was a story she was hearing for the first time. But what was even more disconcerting was that her friends’ expressions toward her were gradually turning to pity.

“No matter how elegant and learned, she’s still an illegitimate child.”

“How could they hire such a person as a governess?”

The friends voiced their concern toward Olivia Fairfax. The situation was turning in a direction Olivia Fairfax didn’t want. Instead of being an object of admiration, she had become one of pity. Olivia Fairfax racked her brain to turn this around. Soon, she mustered all her courage and held her head high.

She decided to brazen it out.

“That doesn’t matter. Our family hired her for her abilities. Do you know how remarkable she is? She’s a prodigy from London’s top girls’ school. She speaks French, German, Greek, and even Latin.”

Lydia countered.

“But doesn’t it feel a bit off? If her mother was such an immoral person, the child might have that tendency too. Blood doesn’t lie. Won’t you be influenced by being taught by such a person?”

Olivia Fairfax held her head even higher and retorted.

“That’s nonsense. That’s pure prejudice. Miss Pendleton is a splendid lady. Intelligent, refined, and so kind. Plus, she’s very beautiful. I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman.”

“That beautiful?”

Lydia asked in surprise.

“Like an angel descended to earth. They say she was courted by countless men in London? Even if she’s illegitimate, she’s from the great Pendleton family, so she has many friends and wide connections. You know my uncles? Ian Dalton, the master of Whitefield Hall.”

They stirred when Ian Dalton’s name came up. Olivia Fairfax gave a triumphant smile.

The atmosphere among the girls shifted. They all knew Ian Dalton. There wasn’t a woman in Yorkshire who didn’t. He was the heir to one of Yorkshire’s oldest families and the gentleman with the largest land and wealth.

In Yorkshire, no matter how rich or noble, no family surpassed the Dalton family of Whitefield in tradition and land. Since little was known about him, interest in him only grew.

“Really… she’s friends with Ian Dalton?”

“Yes. Miss Pendleton came on my uncle’s introduction. What clearer guarantee of her character is there? So, please refrain from slandering her in front of me. She’s now a cherished member of our family.”

The tide had completely turned to Olivia Fairfax. The girls almost forgot that Laura Pendleton, the governess, was illegitimate. Her angelic beauty, intellect, and the title of being friends with the enigmatic Ian Dalton did that.

Relieved that control had returned to her, Olivia Fairfax spent the rest of the time boasting about how charming and remarkable Miss Pendleton was. By the end of the birthday party, everyone envied Olivia Fairfax for having such a governess and went home.

But on the carriage ride back home after the gathering, Olivia Fairfax’s heart was heavy. The shock was immense. Miss Pendleton was illegitimate. Did her uncle know this?

When the carriage stopped in front of Dunville Park Manor, Olivia Fairfax hurriedly jumped out. She rushed straight to the drawing room. Her mother, startled by Olivia Fairfax’s footsteps, covered the side table where she sat. But through her arms, colorful cards were clearly arranged. She thought she’d been restraining herself lately, but she’d fallen back into her pagan indulgence.

“Phew, I thought it was the teacher!”

Lady Fairfax, realizing it was Olivia Fairfax who entered the drawing room, sighed in relief.

“Olivia, if you’re not busy, can you stand there and keep watch? If the teacher comes, I need to clear this quickly and pretend I’m embroidering as usual. Ugh, what kind of charade is this in my own house? Managing my image in front of my future sister-in-law is exhausting.”

Instead of keeping watch, Olivia Fairfax plopped down beside her mother. She tugged at her mother’s dress, who was focusing on her cards again.

“Mother, Mother, Mother.”

“What?”

“Did you know?”

“What?”

“That the teacher is illegitimate!”

Lady Fairfax looked at her daughter.

“Who did you hear that from?”

“From Lydia. Lydia heard it from her cousin. So it’s reliable. They say her parents eloped in a love match, had a child without a wedding, and Pendleton is actually her mother’s surname!”

Lady Fairfax looked at her daughter silently. Olivia Fairfax tilted her head, finding it strange that her mother wasn’t surprised.

Lady Fairfax sighed. She glanced at the drawing room entrance to check for others and said in a low voice.

“Don’t tell anyone about this. Not your siblings, your father, or any of the servants.”

Olivia Fairfax instantly realized from her mother’s demeanor.

“You knew too!”

“Yes.”

“Who told you?”

“Your uncle.”

Olivia Fairfax covered her mouth in shock.

“Before Miss Pendleton came here, your uncle told me everything. He said she has such circumstances and asked us to take good care of her.”

Olivia Fairfax mumbled, still covering her mouth.

“My uncle knew everything… and still, he’s planning to marry her?”

“That’s not a big obstacle for your uncle.”

Olivia Fairfax was speechless. During the ride back, she thought there was no way her uncle could know. It was a fatal flaw in anyone’s eyes. How could the head of the Dalton family, over 400 years old, marry an illegitimate woman?

But her uncle reportedly knew everything. Everything. Olivia Fairfax shook her head.

“That’s absurd.”

“That’s not for you to judge.”

“Why aren’t you stopping him, Mother? He’s going to marry an illegitimate woman. And her father was American. American. He’s planning to marry a woman with American blood.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Mother!”

“Goodness, my ears.”

“You should stop him. Tell him it’s absolutely not allowed, that you can’t support it! Mother, no matter how much Whitefield needs an heir, this is ridiculous. He’ll surely regret it.”

“Olivia.”

“If you won’t stop him, I will. I’ll go to the teacher and tell her not to even dream of marrying my uncle…”

“Olivia.”

Olivia Fairfax looked at her mother. Her mother was frowning at her.

“If you do that, Olivia, you’ll ruin your uncle’s happiness forever.”

“But Mother, he’s making a wrong decision. What will people say? It’s not just the Dalton family. It’s a great disgrace to our family too. When I get married, the groom’s side will surely ask about our family. What do I say?”

“Say honestly that your uncle married a beautiful illegitimate lady.”

“Mother, really…!”

Olivia Fairfax was angry at her mother’s casual attitude, even about her own marriage prospects. But Lady Fairfax found her daughter’s attitude more amusing.

“You always have such an imagination. To marry a man so great that he’d care about your in-laws’ lineage, you’d probably need to snag a royal. With your vanity, you’ve probably thought about that possibility more than once, maybe several times. Imagination is free, but should your uncle give up the marriage he wants because it might hinder you marrying a prince?”

Olivia Fairfax flinched.

“I-I never thought that!”

Seeing her daughter stammer, Lady Fairfax smirked. She was a laissez-faire mother in upbringing but a sharp one who knew her daughter inside out.

Olivia Fairfax’s face reddened with embarrassment at having her inner thoughts exposed. As her mother said, Olivia Fairfax had secretly dreamed of entering London’s high society and marrying royalty. Once, no, several times. She knew it was a foolish dream but couldn’t always suppress such thoughts.

Lady Fairfax spoke sternly to her embarrassed daughter.

“Even if you’re only thinking of your uncle’s happiness, it’s the same. His choice is his to bear. It’s absolutely not your place to interfere. Your uncle loves Miss Pendleton. And Miss Pendleton is flawless in character, health, and all else. She’s diligent, intelligent, and strong. That’s enough.”

“But, Mother, are you okay with it? He’ll surely face gossip. His children will be called the offspring of an illegitimate woman. The Dalton family will be tarnished.”

Lady Fairfax looked at her daughter quietly.

“Olivia, didn’t you tell me recently? You didn’t want to admit it, but honestly, the teacher is a good person. Maybe your uncle didn’t choose the wrong woman after all. Right?”

“…”

“You’re not going to deny what you said yesterday, are you? I hope not. I don’t want to live with a daughter who changes her words depending on the situation. You’ve started to judge the teacher fairly. But now you’re treating her like a worm that crawled into the house, just because her father was American and her parents didn’t become husband and wife before a pastor.”