Chapter 6

"An attic room?"

"Yes. Lady Romit called Beth and asked if there was an unused room in the attic, and then had her shown to the vacant servant's room."

"Did she actually say she would live there?"

"That's right. She said that although she would use the room given to her for luggage and a bathtub, she would spend her days here."

"What a spiteful move..."

Without thinking, Hubert muttered and ordered Romit to step back. He supposed that by saying she wouldn't see Stella and by living on a different floor, she was trying to get back at him.

(She'll give up soon enough.)

Hubert, who had been working in his study, snorted and tried to focus on the documents in front of him. However, his hand holding the fountain pen naturally stopped, and he found himself thinking about Opal.

In the morning, after hearing Mrs. Northam's complaint, he had stormed into Opal's room in a fit of anger. First, he remembered how impolite he had been. He had burst into a woman's room without knocking, ignored her greetings, and shouted at her. While he had a reason for his actions, it was still unacceptable behavior. Moreover, everything she said afterward was true.

No matter what kind of life she had led before, the fact was that her dowry had paid off his debts and repaired the manor. Her father's gift money would ensure they wouldn't have to worry about living expenses for a while. This would allow them to pay for Stella's expensive medical bills.

Hubert remembered dancing with Opal three years ago. At that time, she had been very innocent and charming, and he had secretly been drawn to her. However, by then, Hubert had already started accumulating debts and had no time for romance or looking for a bride. Each time he heard rumors about her, he felt disappointed.

While she was enjoying life to the fullest, Stella was becoming increasingly bedridden, and he was frustrated by the unfairness of it all. When he was at his wits' end, the Earl of Holloway, Opal's father, somehow approached him. Hubert wondered if the Earl had found out about his debts, which he had been trying to keep secret, because Opal had expressed a desire for him. This made him even angrier.

But deep down, Hubert knew the truth. His anger towards Opal was mostly a way to vent his frustration with himself.

However, he had to protect Stella from Opal. Stella's life was short, and Hubert wanted to make every moment of it as bright as possible. He owed her a great deal and felt a deep sense of guilt.

Hubert's parents had died when he was just twelve years old. While traveling from their estate to the capital with his family, the carriage wheel came off, and the vehicle fell off a cliff. Hubert was the only survivor. For two days, he was surrounded by the bodies of his parents, the maid, the driver, and the horses before he was found.

The terror of that experience still haunted him, and he sometimes had nightmares. Stella was the one who helped him. After inheriting the dukedom at twelve, Hubert had to sleep in his parents' bedroom and was plagued by nightmares every night. One night, Stella, who was only six, woke up and came into his room, gently comforting him. Even though she was young, she would come to him every night, rubbing her sleepy eyes and singing a clumsy lullaby.

They ended up sleeping together, and the Northams soon found out. However, understanding Hubert's situation and considering their young age, the Northams did not scold them and allowed it. Stella even started sleeping in the room that had belonged to Hubert's mother. Perhaps the Northams had hoped for their marriage, but Hubert didn't know. If they had, he would have married her, even if he only thought of her as a sister.

However, when Stella turned ten, she was diagnosed with a serious illness. At first, everyone thought it was just a cold because she had a fever and was bedridden. But when the fever persisted without other symptoms, a renowned doctor diagnosed her with an incurable disease.

The fever was a distress signal from her body, indicating that her immune cells were fighting a strong pathogen. Unfortunately, there was no known cure for this pathogen. Over time, Stella would likely lose her ability to walk and eventually her heart would stop.

The Northams and Hubert were devastated when they heard this. However, they couldn't let Stella know. To protect her, they all agreed to keep it a secret and took great care of her, including the servants.

Fate, however, was cruel. Before Stella, Lord Northam passed away. He had been managing the estate and finances for the young Hubert and died of a heart attack at the manor during a cold winter day while Hubert was at university. The manor, filled with memories of his parents, became an even more unwelcome place for Hubert.

Ideally, they should return to the estate for the fresh air, but it was not only a place of bad memories. There were no good doctors there, and it would take a long time to get medicine. They no longer had the financial means to station a doctor at the estate.

Four years ago, a flood had devastated the crops on the estate. Since then, droughts and insect infestations had continued, leading to mounting debts. He wanted to sell the land, but he couldn't. As a last resort, Hubert had agreed to the Earl of Holloway's offer.

(She'll come out of the attic room soon enough. Then, we can have a proper talk...)

Hubert, in his arrogance, thought this. He acknowledged that he had been at fault for not explaining Stella's situation. So, he was willing to compromise a little. However, to his surprise, a week passed, and Opal did not leave the attic room.