Grace in Wonderland - Chapter 117

117. Malice and Malice

The carriage carrying Grace and Viscount Lovelace had been traveling nonstop for four days, changing horses along the way. Viscount Lovelace had instructed the coachman to head toward the port where a passenger ship bound for Aire would dock.

It took a week by carriage from Lydon to the port city located in the central-western region of Brighton Isle. In other words, they only needed to endure a journey equivalent to what they’d already completed to reach their destination.

The coachman was skilled in every aspect. To avoid pursuit, he frequently changed directions while driving the carriage. He seemed to know all the mountain paths and countryside roads across Ingrint.

The coachman explained that avoiding main roads was a precaution against being followed. When Viscount Lovelace heard this, he found the man highly trustworthy.

Not only was the coachman aiding the Viscount’s journey by land, but he also promised to accompany him aboard the ship and all the way to Aire. All of this stemmed from the boundless generosity of the Countess Spencer.

Viscount Lovelace was not adept at escaping. It would be more surprising if a man born as a noble in a rural estate, ignorant of worldly matters, were good at fleeing. That was why the Countess Spencer had assigned one of her subordinates to assist the Viscount, offering him a tempting proposal he couldn’t refuse.

Moreover, the advance payment alone was substantial. With that money, Viscount Lovelace first ordered a new set of clothes and then indulged in an expensive Gallian wine at a tavern filled with scantily clad women. He was beyond satisfied.

Annabel had ruined his life. His younger sister, who ran away with a married man while pregnant, had made the name “Lovelace” a laughingstock in social circles.

Malicious people would even alter the spelling of “Lovelace” to “Love Race,” mocking Annabel as though her love-driven elopement was a curse tied to the family name.

Because of her, the Viscount had been forced to spend his life confined to his estate. Thus, he was clueless about how the world worked, which made him an easy target for swindlers. Ultimately, his bankruptcy was, at its core, another tragedy caused by Annabel.

Yet, thanks to Annabel’s daughter, Viscount Lovelace had found a way to revive himself. Countess Spencer had promised to provide funds for resettlement, living expenses, and even business capital after the Viscount and Grace arrived in Aire.

Perhaps Grace was more useful than her mother. Annabel had been ensnared by a penniless married man, while Grace had somehow bewitched the heir of a great noble family like Spencer. In many ways, Grace was far better.

That was why the Countess, who detested the idea of her son marrying a woman she deemed unworthy, had intervened. The mission entrusted to Viscount Lovelace was a heavy one. From what he’d heard, the relationship between the Countess and the Young Earl was worse than that of strangers, but that didn’t seem entirely true.

After all, maternal instincts couldn’t be so easily defined. The late Viscountess Lovelace herself had rolled up her sleeves to search for her estranged daughter Annabel, even while clashing constantly with her husband.

“V-Viscount Lovelace.”

Grace, who had been sitting across from him with her face buried between her folded knees, finally spoke for the first time in days. Ever since waking up from the effects of the drugs, her initial outburst toward the Viscount had disappeared entirely. Her voice was frail and on the verge of breaking.

“W-where are we going?”

Viscount Lovelace had no intention of mistreating Grace. Though she held hostility toward him due to their earlier misunderstanding, he believed time would resolve this.

Furthermore, he needed to ensure Grace safely left Ingrint to receive the promised payment from Countess Spencer. Come to think of it, the Countess was remarkably generous. If it had been up to him, he might have ordered Grace to be eliminated.

The Countess had stipulated that Viscount Lovelace must ensure both he and Grace boarded the ship bound for Aire. Her concern wasn’t Grace’s safety but rather her desire to ensure both were eliminated together without a trace.

If Viscount Lovelace were to kill Grace and survive alone, it would be far more troublesome. He might threaten to reveal the secret he had learned, continuously extorting money and valuables from the Countess.

Killing the Viscount outright was also risky. If Viscount Lovelace suddenly disappeared, his creditors would likely request an investigation from the Metropolitan Police to recover their money, which would create unnecessary complications for the Countess.

Given her already strained relationship with Queen Anne, avoiding further attention was crucial. It was better to quietly and discreetly tie up loose ends, even if it meant dealing with some inconvenience.

Thus, the Countess Spencer’s ultimate plan was to stage an accidental death at sea for the two of them once they boarded the ship. Naturally, the ship they boarded had to be one registered in Aire.

With the passenger ship being of Aire nationality, it would be beyond the reach of Ingrint’s legal system, making an immediate investigation impossible. By the time an investigation began, their bodies would have long since been consumed by fish.

Therefore, Viscount Lovelace and Grace had to board the ship first. Once their names were listed on the passenger manifest, the arranged coachman would ensure that they “fell” into the sea in the middle of the voyage. The execution was to be flawless.

Unbeknownst to Viscount Lovelace, the fake identity he had been given was entirely worthless. The trusted coachman would handle the boarding process, using the real names of Viscount Lovelace and Grace on the paperwork.

“You and I will live in Aire from now on, Grace—specifically in Galway, where you once lived with Annabel.”

Completely unaware of the Countess Spencer’s dark intentions, Viscount Lovelace was lost in a swelling dream. Throughout the journey, he pondered what kind of business he could start in Aire with the funds provided by the Countess.

Galway, a fishing village at the end of the world, seemed like an ideal location. After proposing a passenger ship business to the Countess, he even considered asking for her investment. The impoverished people of Aire often sailed to the New World in search of food. Building a harbor and launching ships could bring immense wealth.

“A-Aire? W-why would we go there?”

“Grace, from now on, listen carefully to me.”

Viscount Lovelace began speaking in a subtle tone as he watched his niece shake her head.

“What do you think will happen if you marry Richard Spencer?”

“……”

“Many people don’t want Annabel’s daughter to become part of the Spencer family. If you become the Young Earl’s wife, they’ll do everything they can to slander, vilify, and bring you down.”

“……”

“At first, Richard Spencer will stand by your side. But imagine if this keeps happening. Won’t he grow tired of it? He might start wondering if marrying an ordinary woman would have been a better choice—one without such complications.”

“……”

“Men are all the same. Right now, he might seem interested in you, but in the end, he’ll regard you as less valuable than a piece of baggage.”

“……”

“Think about James Spencer, the Earl. He’s abandoned his wife and children in Lydon and spent over twenty years with his mistress. It’s only natural for a son to take after his father.”

“……”

“Even the Countess Spencer, who was once royalty of Ingrint, suffered the same fate. And you—you’re just the daughter of Annabel Gurton. Do you think it would end with mere abandonment?”

Viscount Lovelace was a smooth talker. Living among swindlers had honed his skills. The more his forked tongue moved, the more Grace’s lips quivered downward.

“T-the Young Earl would never do such a thing,” Grace whispered. It was all she could manage to say, though her voice carried no conviction.

Four days had passed since the carriage began its journey. Grace, unable to eat or drink the food and water offered by Viscount Lovelace, had spent the entire time collapsed inside the carriage. Throughout, she could only hope that Richard Spencer would come galloping to her rescue.

Whenever they stopped at a relay station to change horses once or twice a day, Grace would instinctively crane her neck, scanning her surroundings. Although closely monitored by the Viscount and the coachman, she couldn’t abandon the hope that Richard might appear.

Even as the carriage sped along winding roads, her heart raced whenever another carriage or horse appeared in the distance. Yet no one had stopped their carriage so far.

If they reached Aire, if they made it to Galway… would Richard Spencer still come for her? Or was he even looking for her now?

Anxiety often lies buried like a mustard seed in the human heart. Just as love grows silently, hidden in the soil until it suddenly blooms, so does anxiety. Even a few drops of doubt sown by Viscount Lovelace had sprouted, sending tendrils of fear and despair curling through her heart. If this continued, disappointment, frustration, and hopelessness would feast on the fruits of her anxiety.

“The sea is in sight. Why not enjoy the view? And don’t entertain any foolish thoughts, Grace.”

Viscount Lovelace’s voice brightened noticeably. Just as he said, the distant sea was visible beyond the window.

The carriage raced precariously along the cliffside at a rapid pace. Grace clutched at the few decorations left on her dress, closed her eyes tightly, and prayed.