Chapter 9
I Will Ask for Forgiveness
The social club located on Brooks Street carried the same leisurely atmosphere as always.
In the lounge where white sunlight filtered through velvet curtains, Leonardo lounged against an antique leather sofa with a familiar newspaper in hand.
Considering he was the very culprit behind yesterday’s uproar, he looked remarkably calm.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Fabian slowly swirled his glass of brandy and asked,
“So, did you do that to Lady Rosenberg on purpose?”
Dietrich and Reiner, who had been playing billiards nearby, turned their heads at once.
The feud between Devonshire and Rosenberg was hardly new, but the question was interesting nonetheless.
Leonardo’s eyes paused upon the article he had been reading. After a brief silence, he finally spoke slowly.
“I do feel sorry about it.”
The truth was, he had originally intended to ask Ariel for a dance.
She was the host’s daughter after all, and after seeing her dancing with Lord Cayenne, it had felt awkward to simply stand by and watch.
If Heinz had not appeared at precisely that moment, Leonardo would have gladly taken Ariel’s hand and led her onto the dance floor himself.
The timing truly had been unbelievable.
The displeased expression on Heinz’s face had revealed quite a lot. It seemed the man had only just realized that the person he had been lobbying in hopes of snatching even a small share of the resort business had already completely sided with Leonardo.
And since facing him directly would only provide entertainment for everyone else, Leonardo had chosen to leave quickly.
That was all.
“You don’t look sorry at all. Your words and actions don’t exactly match, Your Grace.”
At Fabian’s teasing remark, Leonardo merely let out an empty laugh.
Why ask when you weren’t going to believe him anyway?
“Don’t act like you’ve got a conscience. We all saw it yesterday. The timing was suspiciously calculated.”
Amid the snickering atmosphere, his friends took turns condemning his trashy behavior.
“Your Grace.”
It was then that Daniel appeared in the lounge.
The moment Leonardo noticed the dark expression on his secretary’s face, his eyes narrowed.
“Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence.”
“You were truly determined to ruin that poor young lady’s future.”
A severe rebuke struck him immediately.
Adelhardt II gazed coldly at the nephew she usually adored so dearly.
“I told you to find a way to reconcile with the Rosenbergs, yet instead you deepen the hostility even further! And in such a creative way too!”
Whether he was reflecting on his actions or simply had no excuse to offer, Leonardo remained silent with lowered eyes.
“Say something.”
Unable to hide her frustration, Isabella joined in.
She had been enjoying a peaceful morning in Chessmore when she read the absurd gossip article and immediately boarded a train to Kelt.
[It seems Ariel von Rosenberg is ultimately no different from the many ladies infatuated with the Duke of Devonshire. Was she perhaps dreaming of receiving an invitation to dance from His Grace? …(omitted)… Unfortunately, exchanging only a few words was not enough to bridge the deep divide between Rosenberg and Devonshire with a dance of reconciliation. The flower of society, left ignored, eventually wilted against the wall. Ah, had there not at least been champagne nearby, she might have dried up completely!]
The satirical article delighted in ridiculing Ariel’s dignity.
But Isabella read something else beneath it.
Leonardo wasn’t usually like this.
First, he should never have attended a ball hosted by the Rosenbergs.
Second, if he did attend, he should have behaved with more elegance and composure than anyone else present.
Yet not only had he ignored both principles, he had even acted in an ungentlemanly manner that publicly humiliated a lady.
That was not Devonshire.
“Leo.”
When her son still gave no response, Isabella called more firmly.
Leonardo, who had been staring absently into space, finally lifted his head.
“Ah.”
The rather absent-minded sound that escaped him caused Adelhardt II’s expression to harden instantly.
She did not even expect genuine remorse. But for him to be distracted at a moment like this!
Knowing her older sister’s temperament well, Isabella suddenly felt chilled.
Usually, Adelhardt II possessed a warm and dignified nature, but once repeated warnings and persuasion failed, she could become terrifyingly sharp in an instant.
It did not happen often.
But when it did, it was frightening.
“I was thinking.”
Fortunately, Leonardo finally offered a reasonable answer.
“About why I behaved that way.”
Smiling faintly, he looked from his mother to his aunt in turn.
“So you mean it wasn’t intentional?”
At Isabella’s question, Leonardo gave a small nod.
Then, with deeply sunken eyes, he lifted the teacup placed before him. As he slowly savored the black tea, traces of contemplation appeared between his brows.
The sight felt strangely unfamiliar despite being so familiar at once.
Isabella observed her son carefully.
Though she now lived quietly in Chessmore, she had once ruled high society herself. She confidently considered herself exceptionally skilled at reading the subtle currents between men and women.
Still… she would need to watch a little longer.
“If it truly wasn’t intentional, then resolve the situation before it’s too late.”
In truth, Adelhardt II cared little about Leonardo’s motivations.
Her only concern was restarting the railway construction project that had been abandoned for more than half a year.
To the queen, whose patience had nearly run dry, Leonardo willingly gave the answer she wanted.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Count Rosenberg must be grinding his teeth in fury after seeing his only daughter humiliated.”
Probably.
Quietly agreeing with her assessment, Leonardo found himself thinking of Ariel.
Was she very angry? Had she soaked her pillow with tears from how upset she felt? Would she glare at him with beautifully reddened eyes the next time they met?
Whatever the case, Leonardo fully intended to offer her a sincere apology.
The issue was simply when and how they would meet.
Just as he had rearranged his schedule in Chessmore to attend the Rosenberg-hosted ball, perhaps there was another appointment he could adjust—
While mentally ranking the importance of countless meetings and engagements, Adelhardt II pressed him harder than before.
“Take this opportunity to meet with the count and reach an agreement immediately.”
“As for that matter, I have already proposed an alternative.”
“And yet the matter still stands on the verge of becoming a legal battle?”
“Count Rosenberg refuses to accept it. There’s little I can do.”
The moment he finished speaking, Leonardo set his teacup sharply onto the saucer.
Clink.
The rough sound seemed to reflect his state of mind.
“Your Majesty. Through the railway project, Rosenberg cannot be allowed to gain greater profits than Devonshire unless the count invests more capital than we do.”
The root of the problem lay in altering the branch line’s route.
Heinz wanted the golden railway line to pass through Milton Abbey, which currently lacked a station. If successful, his territory would enter an entirely new golden age.
Increased transportation of goods. A rise in tourism. Additional jobs.
Considering all of that, the economic benefits Rosenberg would gain were astronomical.
From Leonardo’s perspective, there was no reason to agree so easily.
Though there was no need to sabotage it either.
In the end, the issue was money.
Nothing came for free.
Taking the opportunity to repay the humiliation of losing control over the bank, Leonardo began calculating.
Then he presented Heinz with a bill covering the entire construction cost of the railway route.
Naturally, Heinz protested furiously, insisting the route was not even becoming longer.
And thus began the prolonged standoff.
“So you have no intention whatsoever of backing down.”
“Unfortunately not.”
At the unwavering answer, Adelhardt II fell silent.
Watching the tense exchange anxiously, Isabella tactfully changed the subject.
“In any case, you do intend to apologize to Lady Rosenberg, don’t you? Perhaps we should arrange a day to invite her over.”
“There’s no need for Mother to involve herself.”
Leonardo smiled smoothly.
“I’ll meet the young lady personally and ask for her forgiveness.”
Naturally, it would be better for a young man and woman to meet alone than have an old woman interfering between them.
Arriving at that conclusion, Isabella lifted her teacup.
“That must have been absolutely dreadful.”
At someone’s remark, the young ladies gathered for tea all nodded sympathetically.
Over the past few days, Ariel had been extremely busy.
Visiting friends. Attending every gathering she was invited to.
Thanks to her active social schedule, she had managed to gather many allies around her.
All Ariel did was offer a faint, pitiful smile in agreement, yet the ladies surrounding her eagerly added comments of their own.
“I actually saw Duke Devonshire approach you first.”
“To hold a lady’s attention only to disappear at that exact moment—”
“He acted as though he would ask you to dance. How cowardly!”
That was simply how the world of women worked.
The more often someone appeared around you, the more they became “your person.” And to defend one’s own people, criticizing someone else became effortless.
And absent people made the easiest targets for gossip.
Leonardo fulfilled every condition perfectly.
“I don’t think he did it intentionally… but it’s impossible not to feel hurt.”
The moment Ariel spoke in a discouraged voice, the young ladies became even more passionate.
“It was obviously intentional.”
“Considering the relationship between the two families, it’s hardly surprising.”
“But his methods were terribly ungentlemanly.”
“Lady Ariel did absolutely nothing wrong!”
Together with the lavish refreshments, the gossip ripened deliciously.
