Lady To Queen Chapter 47

Chapter 47 – I'm Not A Stranger

He was a tall man with brown hair and brown eyes, and even beneath his clothes, one could make out his broad and strong figure. Petronilla stared at him dazedly, and the man opened his mouth to speak.

“Sorry, My Lady. I believe my horseman made a mistake.”

“Not at all, My Lord. I'm fine.”

She didn't know who he was, but the quality of his dress and carriage indicated that he was a young lord from a noble family.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” she asked.

“I'm fine. And you?”

“Oh, yes, I'm fine too…” Petronilla relaxed when they both confirmed that they were unharmed. “That's a relief. Then I'll be on my way. Good day.”

“W-wait a moment, My Lady,” the man stammered, but Petronilla had already entered the carriage and didn't hear his call.

Her carriage departed, and the man stood frozen on the spot. He was jerked out of his daze when the driver warned him that he might be late, and he shook his head and entered the carriage.

That day, Lucio was busy concentrating on his affairs. He meant to quickly finish his long-neglected work, but he found that some of his efforts were unnecessary. He admired Patrizia's thoughtful diligence, and looked at the Imperial Palace budget documents.

“Your Majesty, Lady Rosemond is here,” a servant announced.

“Rosemond?” He hesitated for a moment, then soon nodded in permission.

Rosemond entered the room, wearing a fancy dress. The beautiful smile on her lips, of course, was a bonus.

“Your Majesty,” she sang in a sweet voice.

“Ah, you're here Rose?”

“You've been busy. I haven't seen you around Bain palace lately,” she pouted.

“I've been bedridden for a while. Sorry. I'll go there later.”

“I'll hold you to it.” She sat on his lap, smiling innocently like a child, then leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. She then revealed the reason for her visit. “Actually, I have something to tell you, Lucio.”

“Tell me? What is it?”

“It's nothing. I'm just going to visit the estate for a while.”

Lucio frowned slightly when she said the word “estate”. The frown deepened when he realized what she meant.

“Are you going to visit Baron Darrow?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Do you mean from him?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She offered an appealing smile. “I need a renunciation of parental authority.”

“Renunciation? What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said. I'll no longer be a baron's daughter.”

“Then what?”

“Duke Ephreney will take me in as his adopted daughter. Then I'll be an Ephreney, not a Darrow.”

Lucio quieted in thought, and Rosemond, who thought that he would immediately embrace the idea, gave him a perplexed look.

“Ah…you don't like the idea of me abandoning Darrow and taking the Ephreney name?”

“It's your choice. I'm just confused why you're saying this now.”

“Ah. Not now,” she corrected him. “I was surprised by the investigation, Your Majesty. I've been through so many things, and now I must stand by your side without a title.”

“I'm scared of the Queen, who's trying to behead me for a crime I did not commit. The nobles express a dislike for me. I don't know what would happen if Duke Ephreney wasn't here to save my life.”

“…Yes.”

“He said he'd like to have a daughter like me. I gladly accepted his request.”

“That's a good thing, right?”

“…Yes,” Lucio answered with difficulty. He told himself she had done nothing wrong this time. He felt wretched, but his expression didn't betray his emotions, and he smiled and accepted Rosemond's upcoming kiss. Abandoning her would be an act of hypocrisy on his part.

Duchess Ephreney was surprised by Petronilla's visit. She invited the young woman inside and guided her to the parlor room, and had a servant bring Keemun tea and strawberry tarts as refreshment.

“I didn't know you would come all this way, Lady Petronilla. I wasn't expecting you.”

“Why should you be? You're in charge of the interior palace affairs, and I am Her Majesty's sister,” Petronilla answered naturally, then handed over Patrizia's letter.

Duchess Ephreney accepted it with a puzzled look. “What is this?”

“Her Majesty's letter to you. She expresses her condolences to your son.”

“Oh my…”

Instead of reading the letter, Duchess Ephreney began to weep. Petronilla was taken aback by her sudden crying, and did her best to soothe her.

“Her Majesty is very worried, Duchess. Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Heug…thank you, Lady Petronilla. Truly…”

Petronilla found herself not knowing what to say. She had always seen Duchess Ephreney as a strict, strait-laced woman, someone who was intolerant of any mistakes. To see the duchess shed tears over her ill son made Petronilla remember that she was human.

Petronilla continued to comfort the Duchess. “Not at all. Her Majesty hopes your son will get well as soon as possible.”

“I did not think highly of Her Majesty. For Her Majesty to do this at a grave time…”

Petronilla decided to take the opportunity to do some digging. “More importantly…who will be in charge of the Ephreney household?”

Duchess Ephreney's sorrowful face suddenly stiffened, and Patrizia realized that she must have touched a raw nerve.

Ah, didn't the Duke have a concubine that was thirteen years younger than him? The concubine was also ten years younger than the Duchess, and the concubine's son just had his first birthday.

Petronilla tried to hide her awkward expression and waited for an answer, while the Duchess became visibly upset.

“I'm worried about that too,” Duchess Ephreney said. “I have to leave the mansion, but since I have no siblings, I have no else to leave the household to. I wish I had a daughter…” Duchess Ephreney looked at Petronilla with a somber expression. How nice would it be to have a daughter like that? Now her adult son was dying of a disease in a foreign country…Duchess Ephreney's face twisted in grief as all her emotions seemed to crush her at once.

Petronilla's voice turned warm and consoling. “It's alright, My Lady. You don't have to hold back in front of me. I'm not a stranger.”

That wasn't strictly true, but under these circumstances, such words were meant to lower the Duchess' guard.

“Heug…”

Petronilla's plan worked. Duchess Ephreney began to cry openly. It was an almost unimaginable sight, given the air of iron strictness she always seemed to hold herself with. However, her emotions were truly vulnerable when it came to her son and the concubine.

Petronilla rubbed the Duchess' back with a look of pity. “It's alright. It's alright, My Lady.”

“Oh…what to do?” she sobbed. “Will my son be alright? Without him, I…”

“It's alright, My Lady. Don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll get better.”

“But even so, I'm worried. What will that shallow-minded thing do when I'm away from the household…” Duchess Ephreney was so upset, she even referenced the dirty laundry she usually never spoke of.

Petronilla did not miss a beat. “I know the Duke has a concubine.”

There was no way she didn't know. Even the illegitimate children of high-ranking nobles were known among society. Honestly, it would be more strange if a man of Duke Ephreney's rank did not have another lover. The insult Duchess Ephreney felt was probably beyond imagination, but she would never react sensitively on the subject.

“You must be worried,” Petronilla pressed on. “A mudfish can cloudy the waters.”

“Even to the point that you don't have anyone you can trust.”

“Lady Petronilla,” Duchess Ephreney said, her voice suddenly unpleasant. Petronilla's expression did not change. “What is it that you want to say?”

“Nothing, My Lady. I was just worried,” Petronilla reassured, and she lowered her head. “It's just that my younger sister, Her Majesty…is also facing something similar…” She gave a sniffle, and Duchess Ephreney's expression changed then. Ah, perhaps she got her.

“Lady Grochester,” Duchess Ephreney said.

Petronilla looked at her with tear-filled eyes. “Yes, My Lady?”

“If you don't mind…” Duchess Ephreney's face was serious. “Can you take charge of the household while I'm away?”

“…What?” Petronilla said, dumbfounded.

“Please, Lady Petronilla. I have to go see my son. He's my whole world. But I don't know what that woman will try to do while I'm away.” Duchess Ephreney's voice was thick with emotion. “Please help me for a moment. I'll give you anything as compensation.”

Chapter end