Grace in Wonderland - Chapter 21

21. A Benevolent Lie

“So, I… I’ve decided to accept the Madam’s proposal.”

“What?”

Richard lifted his gaze. Her large, gentle eyes, with their mismatched colors, were staring directly at him.

She was a woman hard to define. She couldn’t be summed up in a single color, making her all the more unreliable—just like her eyes.

It was difficult to dismiss her entirely as suspicious, yet impossible to fully trust her. That was how Richard Spencer defined Grace Gurton.

“Why?”

“Th-the Madam said it was alright, but… I thought it might be helpful if I… if I could…”

“……”

If he stripped away his prejudices and simply listened, her answer sounded reasonable. It could even be seen as the admirable resolve of a potential adoptive daughter willing to care for an unwell woman out of filial piety.

But who was Richard Spencer? Even with Graham Harold, whom he had known since childhood, he had never fully opened his heart. His emotional armor was as impenetrable as iron.

A Romian-era statue might appear soft and polished, its finely carved folds of fabric and flowing strands of hair seeming ready to melt. But when touched, it was cold and unyielding, resistant to water and fire. Richard Spencer was like that—incapable of naive trust in others’ words.

“So, does this mean you want to be formally adopted into the Montague family?”

“Y-yes.”

Grace Gurton nodded vigorously. It was her way of demonstrating a firm resolve to ease Richard Spencer’s concerns.

From the moment she first met Mary Montague, Grace had sensed her illness. It was an intuition honed through witnessing countless deaths.

The gravely ill exuded a unique atmosphere. For those in critical condition, it was even more pronounced.

Outward symptoms were easier to manage. If that were all, seeking medical attention and ensuring proper care could suffice to prevent further deterioration.

However, the hidden signs were far more troubling—like the way Mary Montague seemed to be preparing for her death.

Mary had returned to Ingrint ahead of her husband, Lord Montague. Under normal circumstances, the couple would have moved together like a pair of inseparable lovebirds. But this time was different.

Upon arriving in Lydon, Mary began methodically executing her plans. She announced Grace Gurton’s adoption—an arrangement she had coerced her husband into accepting—and facilitated introductions with Richard Spencer, ensuring that Grace would have someone to rely on after her passing.

She also finalized plans to introduce Grace to society, hoping she would meet a suitable spouse soon. Most importantly, she arranged for the seamless transfer of assets held in her name to Grace.

To marry Grace into a respectable family would require a substantial dowry. Additionally, even in Mary’s absence, Grace would need enough wealth to command respect.

Though some might deride her beliefs as shallow, Mary Montague firmly believed that money was essential for a woman—even more so than for men. This applied whether a woman was single or married.

Without money, an unmarried woman might struggle to marry or face disrespect during the process. A married woman without money would fare no better. Love from a husband was like a fleeting dream, always at risk of evaporating. In such cases, a few coins in a safe provided undeniable comfort and, at times, the courage to start anew.

Women had far fewer opportunities to enter the workforce than men. Yet, they were expected to purchase luxury items like dresses, shoes, hats, and jewelry more frequently.

In short, they couldn’t earn money, but their expenses never ceased. It was an unfair reality, but that was the world women lived in. Ingrintian society constantly stirred up new trends. For women, money was their lifeline.

That was why Mary planned to privately call Richard during their trip to Bath and transfer shares in her company to Grace’s name. Both Richard and Grace would undoubtedly be shocked upon hearing this.

Unaware of Mary’s intentions, Richard and Grace sat silently across from each other, sipping tea. Richard, his thoughts concealed, continued scrutinizing Grace Gurton. Meanwhile, Grace, who usually looked at Richard with sparkling eyes, couldn’t hide her melancholy today.

“Grace.”

Mary Montague had collapsed during breakfast that morning. She had fallen from her chair and lost consciousness.

Grace, who had been dining with her, was so shocked that she quickly instructed the servants to carry Mary to her bedroom. She then immediately sent someone to the Spencer estate to summon their family physician.

“Please pretend not to know.”

Mary had opened her eyes in the meantime. She gave Grace, who was sitting by the bedside, a faint smile.

“Oh, no. I-I’ve already sent someone to the Spencer mansion.”

“I’ll handle that myself.”

Grace couldn’t understand Mary’s request. The woman was radiating the scent of death as strongly as a black flower, yet she wanted it ignored. It was hard to accept.

“I… I know you’re unwell.”

So Grace mustered her courage. Until a moment ago, she had believed it better not to acknowledge anything unless Mary herself brought it up. But after witnessing her sudden collapse, she couldn’t remain silent any longer.

“You do?” Mary asked, surprised. “How did you know?”

Mary thought she had hidden her condition well. In fact, the only person who knew about her health issues was her husband, Anthony Montague.

“Y-you cough frequently. And… if you look closely, your fingertips are unusually pale.”

Mary Montague relaxed her posture and gave a faint smile. She could lie about the coughing, blaming it on the fickle weather, but she couldn’t explain away her bluish fingertips in the warm summer air.

“You have sharp eyes, Grace. No one else noticed, but you did.”

“……”

“What else do you know?”

“Y-your makeup is too thick.”

At this answer, Mary felt a mix of helplessness and admiration as she looked at Grace.

Her ability to deceive others came from her makeup. Turkan cosmetics, made by drying rose petals into powder and mixing them with oil, could be applied to cheeks and lips to give the appearance of natural vitality.

By layering it generously before appearing in public, she successfully hid her illness. Even Richard Spencer, who scrutinized health matters with the utmost attention, failed to notice.

“If everyone but you was fooled, Turkan cosmetics must indeed be excellent. Perhaps I should start importing and selling them; it’d be a goldmine.”

Mary Montague joked. However, Grace didn’t laugh.

“In any case, please keep this a secret.”

Mary repeated her request.

“P-please don’t do this. Y-you should seek treatment…”

Grace pleaded earnestly. But Mary firmly shook her head.

“I know my body best. I’ve been examined dozens of times by the finest physicians from Turkan. You know Turkan’s medical advancements far surpass Ingrint’s. When they said there was no hope, it meant no treatment exists.”

“Th-then shouldn’t you at least tell your other family members?”

Grace’s mother had hidden her illness until the end. Not knowing anything about it had made her death all the more devastating. Denying the loved ones left behind the time to prepare for such a loss was an act of cruelty.

“Anthony already knows.”

“Wh-What about Richard Spencer, the Young Earl?”

“……”

Mary paused at this question. Pressing her hand firmly against her tightening chest, she finally answered.

“I will find the right time to tell him. So you don’t need to worry about it.”

“……”

“Until then, I ask you to keep silent about this.”

Mary Montague’s expression was stern. Grace hesitated before asking again.

“Th-then what about when the physician arrives? W-won’t the Young Earl hear the results?”

“The Spencer family physician is an old friend of mine. He will respect my wishes.”

“…I-I see.”

“I’d like you to make up a convincing story for Richard.”

Recalling Mary Montague’s request, Grace lied to Richard. Her conscience pricked at her so sharply that she couldn’t even look directly at his kind face.

At that moment, the servant outside the drawing room announced the arrival of the physician, breaking the awkward silence floating between them.

“Young Earl Spencer, the physician has arrived.”