“Melissa. Could you tell Mr. Genok about this?”

“Of course. I will inform him immediately.”

Melissa, smiling, tried to change the subject and brought up a topic she had read in the newspaper published this morning.

“By the way, have you read that article? They’re opening the royal hunting grounds tomorrow. It’ll be open to the public for an entire week.”

“The hunting grounds?”

Damian turned around as the mention of a hunting ground caught his ears.

“Yes, the hunting grounds. It is a vast forest! Not too far from here.”

“Is there such a place?”

Rowena, too, was struck by the unusual topic of conversation. Melissa replied with satisfaction once the heavy air had lightened a bit.

“Yes. I didn’t know about it either, but I heard it’s full of deer and rabbits.”

“Mom! I want to go. Can we go? Pretty please?”

Damian’s eyes lit up with excitement as his interest shifted quickly.

“If you behave yourself, I’ll take you there. You must eat well, don’t whine at the nannies, and listen to what they say.”

“I will! I will! I can do that!”

“Then let’s start by sitting in our seats properly, shall we?”

Nodding vigorously, Damian straightened his posture. Melissa and Rowena exchanged a smile and were content with the peace that had once again come their way.

Suddenly, a carriage stopped midway, intercepting their way, a noblewoman got out and came running toward their carriage. Once reached, she ordered the servant ,who was following her, to knock on the window.

“Miss Philone!”

“Countess Rachel…?”

Rowena froze in place. She didn’t think anyone would recognize her because she was wearing a wig and riding a typical carriage, not one adorning the Duke’s emblem . After Melissa managed to hide Damian behind her, Rowena slowly opened the carriage door.

“Ah, I was right! I thought I saw you passing by, but I wasn’t sure. It looks like I have such good eyesight.” Countess Rachel spoke loudly.

“Oh, yes, you do, Countess.”

“Where have you been? You didn’t even come to my salon in the morning, and I had some important things to tell you. Oh, and you’re wearing a wig.”

“That’s… I felt a little stuffy today, so I decided to take a stroll in the park . I wore the wig too for a change of mood.”

“Oh, I see… Well, there are days like that.”

It was not much of a dialogue, but the Countess’s eyes searched the carriage sharply. While nervous, Rowena was wondering how to end the conversation; a small cough slipped out from behind Melissa. The Countess, rolling her eyes, immediately asked.

“Is there anyone else here?”

“Oh, that’s… I coughed.”

“Jeez. It sounds like a child’s cough. I gave birth to four children. Do you think I wouldn’t know the difference?”

A small foot concealed by Melissa’s figure entered the Countess’s field of vision as she narrowed her eyes at Melissa’s reply.

“Oh, my, my, who’s the young gentleman?”

Simultaneously, a shiver ran down Rowena’s spine. Countess Rachel had been friendly and kind to her, but when it came to Damian, this was an entirely different story.

No one was to know about her son, except for a few people, not even his own father, Killian.

“His Excellency’s-…”

Melissa, who was not intimidated by the tightening air, showed her flexibility.

“He’s a nephew of a distant relative on his Excellency’s mother’s side. He is the son of a foreign aristocrat, but he doesn’t know much of our language and is very shy, as you can see.”

“Oh, really? This is the first I’ve heard of this.”

The Countess, who tilted her head at the maid’s words, turned to Rowena.