Chapter 41

The person who appeared through the door the maid flung open was a stranger. Blair tilted her head in confusion.

“Hello. May I come in for a moment?”

“…Excuse me, but who are you?”

“My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Benjamin Jensen, the ducal household’s attending physician. I’m here under His Grace’s orders to conduct a basic examination.”

The attending physician? He looked far too young for that.

“Please, come in.”

Once she permitted him entry, he stepped into the bedroom carrying a medical bag. The slender man had a gentle impression, but his eyes behind the glasses were strikingly clear, making him seem more like a scholar than a doctor.

“If you don’t mind, could you leave us alone for a moment?”

As Benjamin laid his instruments out one by one on the round table, he spoke to the maid. When the maid quietly moved to leave, Blair hesitated, then spoke up.

“Do we really need to be alone?”

“It’s best to conduct examinations in a quiet setting. It’s less uncomfortable for the patient as well.”

It was a brief explanation, but it made sense. As the maid left the doorway, Blair found herself alone in the spacious bedroom with an unfamiliar man. She watched Benjamin closely, her guard fully raised.

“You look rather young to be the ducal household’s attending physician.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. For what it’s worth, I graduated top of my class from Longwood Private Medical College.”

Benjamin replied easily, then corrected himself as if something had just occurred to him.

“On second thought, the top graduate of Longwood’s sixty-eighth class wasn’t me, but Edmund. I finished second by just a few points.”

“You know Lord Libert… no, Edmund?”

“He’s a close friend. Please, have a seat.”

He smiled and gestured toward the chair across the table. Blair sat, but she didn’t take her eyes off Benjamin.

“To be honest, the examination is only a pretext. It’s true that I came under His Grace’s orders, but I also know you’re not someone who needs to go through a pregnancy confirmation. So wouldn’t it be enough for us to simply exchange greetings today?”

He’d phrased it tactfully, but it was clear that Benjamin was close to Edmund and knew at least something about the agreement between him and her.

Blair found that she quite liked the physician’s manner, which wasn’t overly formal. His careful yet considerate way of speaking hinted at a serious character, and it helped ease her tension a little.

“Then I feel much more at ease.”

“You seem to have been nervous.”

“Yes. Not because of you, Mr. Jensen, but just in general….”

Blair didn’t continue. She didn’t feel the need to bare her thoughts or circumstances. As Benjamin studied her quietly, he asked, “You look pale. Did you have trouble sleeping last night?”

“A little.”

“In Eldenvale, most people have difficulty sleeping for the first few days. Did you know it’s nicknamed the estate where time stands still? It’s because of the dark, damp air unique to this place.”

Instead of answering, Blair nodded. She’d felt it the moment she set foot here. The heavy, clammy air pressed down on her constantly. If that was the case, what must it be like for someone who’d grown up here?

“If the insomnia continues, let me know, and I’ll prepare a simple medicine for you.”

“Does my fiancé also have trouble sleeping here?”

Benjamin, who’d been answering readily, paused and parted his lips slightly. He lowered his gaze as if choosing his words, then looked back at Blair. His gentle eyes blinked behind the glasses.

“I’m not sure ‘having trouble sleeping’ is the right way to describe Edmund. He’s lived in this house for a very long time.”

“He always looks indifferent.”

“He’s grown numb from familiarity.

Benjamin gave a light laugh.

“In any case, even if I come by under the pretense of a regular checkup, please don’t be startled. If there’s anything uncomfortable, let me know at any time.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be on my way, then.”

After gathering his bag, Benjamin bowed politely and left the bedroom. The maid who had been waiting in the corridor returned and finished helping Blair get ready, then informed her that breakfast was prepared. Blair was about to follow the maid when she stopped without thinking and cast her gaze out the window toward the conifer forest shrouded in thick fog. She stared at the ashen air that looked as though it might overwhelm her at any moment, then moved her feet again.

***

Edmund sat alone at the breakfast table. It was a relief, since she’d been wondering if she’d have to face the entire family again, like at last night’s dinner. Feeling reassured, Blair approached him.

Edmund, who had been reading the newspaper with his back relaxed against the chair, folded it up when he saw her. As Blair took the seat across from him, she made a point of not letting her eyes drift toward the daily paper.

“You’re here. Did you sleep well last night?”

“…Not bad.”

Edmund glanced up and swept his eyes over Blair’s face. Only then did she become conscious of how pale she must look after a restless night, but he made no comment on it.

“It seems the whole family doesn’t gather for breakfast.”

“That’s how breakfast usually is. I can’t stand noisy settings, so this is much better, just the two of us.”

“….”

“Don’t you think so as well, Miss Blair?”

“…Yes, I do.”

As the attendants brought out the meal, the conversation paused. In front of them were mushroom soup, an omelet with spinach, buttered bread, and raspberries, foods that were easy on the stomach.

“In case you were wondering, the wedding preparations are proceeding smoothly.”

“I see. I didn’t get a chance to ask, but where will the ceremony be held?”

“There’s a chapel in the rear garden of the estate. Every head and heir of the Libert family has been married there.”

“So you’ll be following the family tradition?”

Edmund didn’t reply at once and stared straight at Blair. Gray eyes like the murky air that had kept her awake the night before. Meeting his gaze, Blair quietly steadied her breathing.

“Of course.”

Silence settled over them. Unable to read any thoughts from the man, Blair lowered her eyes. Only the soft clink of cutlery echoed.

Whether it was because the silence was hard to endure or because of the thoughts that had filled her mind all night, Blair couldn’t stop the voice that slipped past her lips against her will.

“Edmund.”

Even knowing it might offend him.

“If it’s not too rude, may I ask why you don’t intend to have an heir?”

That was what he’d said when they first discussed the contract at Regent Central Bank. That he had no intention of continuing the line and only needed a justification for inheriting the ducal title. That he simply needed a woman.

But what if a child became an essential condition? What if the Duke of Libert’s will was so firm that he declared he’d only hand over the title if there were an heir? In reality, the duke had taken a mistress even with Isabelle. Wasn’t the man sitting before her living proof of that?

“Miss Blair.”

What came back was a firm voice that left no room for consideration.

“I don’t believe I’m obliged to explain that to you.”

He set down his cutlery and quietly poured himself some water from the carafe. Unwavering gray eyes. An indifferent attitude that, for some reason, left her feeling hurt.

“As long as this contract benefits you, I’d like my private matters to remain outside the scope of consideration.”

“…All right.”

Blair didn’t press further. What conversation could she possibly have with a man who adhered so thoroughly to a businessman’s logic? When Edmund occasionally showed that side of himself, she disliked how strangely unsettled she became.

“But.”

Blair, who had been poking at her omelet with her fork, lifted her head.