Chapter 46

In the gently swaying carriage, Mary was looking at the postcard she had received from Anna.

The postcard, Anna said, was sent by her father from where he worked away from home.

The paper had deteriorated, and the landscape depicted was faded, with the address and text barely legible.

The quality of the paper, which could hardly be called good, and the ink used, which was also not of high quality, had likely contributed to its rapid deterioration over a few years.

Moreover, the storage conditions had not been good.

According to Anna, her mother had kept this postcard tucked away.

But, why would she treat a postcard from her husband so carelessly?

"Perhaps she didn't want to see it," Mary muttered.

The postcard in her hand bore a date from long ago, around the time Anna was born.

If her hypothesis was correct, she could understand why Anna's mother had hidden the postcard.

"Big sister, what's wrong?"

Her skirt was tugged, and Mary, who had been staring at the postcard, suddenly came to her senses and looked up.

Anna was watching her with concern. Not only her, but Alicia and Patrick also looked at Mary curiously, and Adi asked what was wrong on their behalf.

"It's nothing, really. I was just thinking," Mary said.

"If you're not feeling well, perhaps you should return to the Albert household and rest," Alicia suggested.

"I'm fine. I'm fine... really, don't stuff the cushions in the gaps!"

Mary shouted, "It's too tight!" and pulled out the cushion that had been stuffed in.

Upon closer inspection, it was a new cushion she didn't recognize. She learned that it had been bought at the flower field's shop they had visited earlier. She hadn't expected it to multiply during the journey.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "No more cushions!" and threw the one in her hand at Alicia, who was sitting opposite. A high-pitched "Kyaa!" echoed as Alicia tried to catch it, but Patrick intercepted it just before it hit her.

"Mary, if you're not feeling well, I think we should take a break. The journey might be longer than planned," Patrick said.

"Patrick, you're worrying too much," Mary replied, frowning.

"Given your position, you shouldn't push yourself even if you can't do anything about it."

"Exactly," Patrick pressed, and Mary furrowed her brow.

What did he mean by "position"?

Patrick's observational skills and sharpness were something Mary respected. He might have already noticed her pregnancy.

Mary huffed and glared at Adi, as if to say, "You gave it away!"

"Truly, Patrick. But I have my own position to consider, so please keep it to yourself," she said.

"I understand. It's not something you can announce publicly."

Patrick's understanding was commendable.

Alicia, who was looking at Mary and Patrick with curiosity, seemed completely in the dark. "What's going on? What are you talking about?"

But Patrick wouldn't spread the news. He wouldn't throw a party or a parade. He understood Mary's position and influence and would likely cooperate if needed. It was a relief that he was the one who found out.

"Don't tell Alicia, even if she tries to pry," Mary warned.

"Keeping secrets is cruel. I have to get it out of Patrick... I'll use my secret move now!"

Alicia declared confidently and approached Patrick.

Mary and Adi watched, wondering if she would use charm or seduction. Adi, who had his hand on Anna's head, seemed ready to cover her eyes if Alicia used seduction.

Patrick, unable to be stern with his beloved wife, smiled wryly and said, "Go easy on me."

Everyone watched as Alicia took Patrick's hand in hers. Her slender hands enveloped his strong, masculine ones.

The beautiful couple gazed into each other's eyes. Patrick's dark blue hair swayed, enhancing the shine of Alicia's golden hair. What a beautiful scene.

They gazed at each other for a while...

"Alas, Alicia, I'm not going to fall for chocolate," Patrick sighed, his shoulders drooping.

In his hand, a small package lay.

"Impossible! My secret move failed!"

"Indeed. I thought you were going to do something more... Anna, do you like chocolate?"

Patrick smiled gently and offered the chocolate to Anna.

It was a cute pink-wrapped chocolate. Anna happily accepted it, opened the wrapper, and popped it into her mouth, her face lighting up.

Seeing this, Patrick and even Alicia, who had failed with her secret move, looked pleased.

Alicia probably expected her move to fail and for Patrick to give the chocolate to Anna. She might have planned to use this to get closer to Patrick.

Mary couldn't help but smile at the heartwarming scene.

They would surely be kind to their own children, perhaps even dote on them like their own.

"Since it might be useful, I might help a little," Mary said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Adi smiled wryly, understanding her unspoken intentions.

The carriage jolted to a stop in the middle of their conversation.

No one knew why, and they all peered out the window.

"Miss Mary, are you here?"

"Ah, Robert."

Robert's face appeared at the window.

He seemed to have caught up with the carriage with new information, but it didn't seem to be good news. His voice was lower than usual as he said, "I need to speak with you."

He glanced at Anna, indicating that the information was not for her ears.

"Anna, let's take a break outside. Come with me to the back carriage, and we'll surprise the two who are chasing us."

Alicia invited Anna with a mischievous smile.

Anna nodded eagerly, seemingly unaware of the serious atmosphere around Robert.

Once Alicia and Anna were out, Robert climbed into the carriage.

Mary comforted him and asked what information he had.

"We've found out about Anna's background. She's from Silvino."

"Silvino!? That's across a country!"

"Yes, her determination is impressive. It makes the domestic escapes of Lord Lang and Lord Lucian seem mild in comparison."

"They're not children, but... I can't say anything, given that they're following us."

"I've asked them to stay at the manor and handle the business."

Robert's eyes narrowed, and his anger was palpable, though not visible on his face.

He seemed ready to chase after them if Mary gave the order.

Thinking about the consequences, she refocused on Anna's situation.

"Anyway, why do you look so troubled? Silvino is far, but we can reach it by tomorrow morning if we push the carriage."

"About that..."

Robert's expression darkened as he spoke.

The news was even more harsh than Mary had anticipated.

Anna had lived in a certain region of Silvino.

Her father had left to find work before she was born and occasionally returned with news and visits when she was a baby. However, he disappeared a few years ago.

According to Robert's investigation, the father had wandered from place to place, met another woman, and started a new family. He never returned or contacted Anna and her mother again.

Mary gasped at the story. Abandoning his family to start a new one was so heartless.

"So that's why Anna's mother hid the postcard..."

"Raising a child alone must have been difficult without any support."

"And she must have collapsed from overwork, leading Anna to seek help from her father... The child still believes her father is working for their sake."

It was a harsh reality to face, especially for a young child.

Perhaps Anna's mother had hidden the truth to protect her daughter.

"From the investigation, Anna's father had rust-colored hair and eyes. She must have mistaken Adi for her father based on the description in the last postcard she received."

Robert's theory made sense.

It was a logical but heartbreaking conclusion.

Adi, in particular, looked pained, staring out the window.

Anna, playing with Lang and Lucian, seemed oblivious to the situation. Her laughter was innocent and joyful.

A young girl had been searching for her father, who had turned his back on her, even across a country.

She must have been desperate to help her sick mother. Thinking about it, tears welled up in Mary's eyes.

As an adult and a future parent, she couldn't abandon the child.

"Let's go to Anna's home. We'll talk to her mother and support her if needed."

"Are you sure, Miss?"

"Of course. Anna isn't Adi's child, but I can't just send her back home now!"

Mary declared, and Adi looked relieved. Patrick and Robert nodded, saying, "That's Mary" and "As expected, Miss."

But Robert interrupted, "However, there is one problem."

"Problem?"

"The area where Anna lived. The security is poor. It's essentially a slum."

He spoke in a low voice, as if the words were hard to say.

Mary and Adi gasped. Patrick added, "I've heard of this. Silvino leaves most of the land management to the lords, leading to extreme wealth disparity in some regions."

"So that's why Anna's father had to work away from home? That's unacceptable!"

"Even if it's unacceptable, it's another country, and we can't interfere without causing problems. Plus, it's across a country."

The situation was complicated. Mary thought about it.

She visualized a map in her mind. Her country and Silvino were indeed separated by another country.

But that country...

"If we can't interfere, we can get someone else to do it."

Mary said clearly, and in her mind, a crying lady opened her arms in welcome.