“When he was very young, his father passed away in an accident, and some time later his mother went to live with her parents in a distant foreign country on the pretence of recovering but she never came back.”

“……I’ve heard that story before.”

Rowena murmured in a small voice. The butler, who had heard her reply attentively, gave a slight smile.

“He was a bright young man, so he grew up well even when he was left alone, but there were many people who wanted to take advantage of the young heir. There were also those who tried to gain his favor and use him for their own gain, and he received numerous death threats and he has come to the brink of death a few times. Perhaps in the process he became more and more keen and sharp in his relationships. Even if everyone envied that person, I couldn’t help but to pity him over and over again.”

Every word he said sounded sincere as Rowena continued to quietly listen to his words.

“When he brought you here, Miss Rowena, I wasn’t expecting much. Because I did not expect anything, so I didn’t have to have a face-to-face confrontation or be honest about my thoughts with you Miss.”

“Butler…”

“But.”

The butler, his voice filled with emotion, brightened.

“Now I see hope. Looking at the two of you from behind, I am sure that a wonderful change will take place. The Duke is gradually changing as well.”

Changing? Who? Killian?

Rowena, who had been listening carefully to the story of Killian’s deep past, which she was hearing for the first time, lowered her gaze instead of shaking her head. Wondering how to interpret her reaction, the butler concluded his words politely.

“When he look at you, Miss Rowena, I can’t believe how soft the look in his eyes becomes, even after having served him for so long. So I am really grateful to you, Miss Rowena, for making the change in that person. I just wanted to say that.”

The butler smiled in embarrassment and bowed deeply. Then he quickly left the study before hearing a response.

After that, Rowena continued to deal with the rest of the work. A few moments ago, the words in the paper before her began to dance and intertwine with each other in her head. It was not that her determination was now shaken or her mind clouded. But all of a sudden, her heart was rustling at the story she had just heard. She couldn’t concentrate at all, and as she came back to her sense, someone knocked on the door of the office.

“Miss Rowena.”  Jenok’s voice came to her ear.

Upon receiving permission,  Jenok opened the door and walked in.

“Ah, was today the day for getting measurements?”

“It is, but…”

Jenok guided her to the sunny patio. There was a rosewood  chair under the large elm tree and a small table, on which a lace fabric and fruit were set out for her. The painter sitting at his easel stood up and greeted Rowena, who was suspicious of something familiar yet unfamiliar.

‘Welcome. Please take a seat over there.”

“What …… is this?”

Rowena, asked Jenok with questioning eyes. Jenok pointed politely toward the  chair and began to explain.

“We will be working on your portrait today, Miss Rowena. The Dukes of Devonshire have a long tradition of hanging portraits of members of the family in the corridor.”

A memory came to mind when he mentioned the corridor. The portrait Benedict had shown her, a portrait of Killian’s late fiancée, who looked just like her.

“Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

As Rowena’s face paled, Melissa and Joanne, who had been waiting on standby, approached her.

“If it’s too much for you, we can start doing it tomorrow ….”

“No, I’m fine.”

Shaking her head, Rowena sat down in the chair. It was a beautiful day. The wind was rustling softly and the leaves were fluttering in the breeze, making a pleasant sound, but her heart was in the middle of a stormy sea.

“Are you sure you’re alright? I’m going to fix your makeup for now.”

Melissa, kneeling in front of Rowena, put down a box of cosmetics beside her.

“I’m fine. Really.”

“Then please hold on for a moment.”

Reassured by the gentle smile, Melissa applied a layer of light-colored lipstick to her lips. Similarly, when she applied blush to her cheeks to add a touch of life, her otherwise pale face was instantly transformed into one that was full of life.

“Since this isn’t an official event, I’m not going heavy on the makeup; I just fixed it up a little bit.”

As Melissa explained, Joanne held a hand mirror up to her. Rowena stared at the woman’s reflection through the mirror. She looked so much like the girl in the portrait that it gave her goosebumps, this made her feel uncomfortable enough to make her feel actually sick.