It was late morning. Esperanza's good living habits of waking up at eight o'clock and rushing off somewhere had been completely ruined by the appearance of Cider Claiborne.
Esperanza, who only opened her eyes at half past ten, checked the clock and let out what must have been her umpteenth sigh.
"This is why who you live with matters."
But Cider seemed to have caught Esperanza's habits and woken up early.
No, that's not it.
'He stayed up all night.'
It couldn't be aftereffects from the battle at this point. Was he in the study? She didn't feel like going to find him. Esperanza rubbed her eyes and came down to the first floor.
"Good morning... huh?"
"Good morning, Lady Avondale."
So that's me, but still. Esperanza, nodding a beat late, accepted her tea with milk and sat in her usual spot.
"Lord Sutherland."
"That's right. I am Frederick."
He showed off by bowing nimbly.
"When did you arrive?"
"At night. Everyone was sleeping, so I only greeted Avondale and went to sleep."
"Ah..."
Was that the end of the explanation?
"Gordon used to come and go often. Though he's been confined to military academy for the past few years."
Cider, walking out from inside the drawing room, added. He lightly kissed both of Esperanza's cheeks and settled on the sofa that caught the sunlight well. Judging by the pen and notebook in his hands, he seemed to be diligently writing something again.
"Then he went on deployment too. Anyway, there was nowhere to stay yesterday."
Frederick Gordon, smiling awkwardly, suddenly asked. His eyes were sparkling.
"But aren't you doing shooting practice today?"
"No."
Frederick's shoulders drooped, whatever he had been expecting. Esperanza finished her tea.
Just as the bottom of the teacup was showing, the Humphrey mother and daughter came downstairs.
"Are we the last ones? Oh my, Lord Sutherland."
"Good morning, Mrs. Humphrey. Miss Humphrey."
Sylvia also lightly bent and straightened her knees. However, unlike her dance-like movements, Sylvia's eyes were pitifully swollen.
It wouldn't be easy to remain composed after experiencing something like yesterday. Not everyone could overcome it with firm resolve like Cordelia. Mrs. Humphrey was also smiling as if nothing had happened, but her complexion was a bit pale.
"Both of you, come sit down quickly. Margaret, bring tea for these two."
A kind-looking maid asked about their preferences and prepared tea.
"Was your accommodation comfortable?"
She had become quite accustomed to asking such questions to guests as a hostess.
"Of course. Thanks to you both, we rested very comfortably. In all that chaos, I wonder if we could have found decent lodging..."
"There aren't many places to stay in Avondale."
Most of the distinguished passengers on that train probably failed to secure hotels and went to find acquaintances' homes. Perhaps the Humphrey mother and daughter would have had to seek out her fiancé, a two-hour carriage ride away.
If Count Avondale hadn't been such a figure who kept himself apart from society, Glailly House would be as bustling as a hospital right now... but currently only three guests were staying at Glailly House. Viscount Frederick Gordon of Sutherland, who as Lady Perth's nephew was quite close to the Count and had the nerve to appear in the middle of the night demanding a room. And the Humphrey mother and daughter, whom Esperanza had invited half out of goodwill, half deliberately.
'Right. There was something I needed to check.'
Even without ulterior motives, she would have invited them anyway, but today she definitely had an agenda. Esperanza glanced sideways at Sylvia's puffy swollen eyes. It would be good if she didn't have to deliver bad news before those eyes settled down.
Sylvia accepted the warm cup and inhaled the tea's fragrance. Her expression relaxed a bit more than before.
"Actually, since this is Lord Avondale's mansion, I thought everything would be mechanical. But there's more done by human hands than I expected."
"Really?"
"To be honest, it seems like you use even fewer machines than our father."
Frederick said the same. Esperanza had never met the Marquis of Runford, Lord Sutherland's father, but judging by Lady Perth's dislike of him, she could guess he was quite a cantankerous figure.
"So, for instance, things like bringing letters, everyone uses automatons for that."
"Same with cutting the grass."
Mrs. Humphrey added. Esperanza recalled the lawn-mowing automaton she had seen at the Humphrey mansion. It was rabbit-shaped.
"But I hear the sound of machines running all day long. A home should have more of a human atmosphere."
"Is that so?"
The question came not from Sylvia, not from Mrs. Humphrey, and not even from Frederick. Cider, holding his pen and only lifting his head, was waiting for Esperanza's answer. Flustered, Esperanza readjusted her grip on her teacup.
"It is a bit noisy."
Though I wasn't saying it for you to hear. Though it wasn't particularly bothersome either.
"I was inconsiderate. I didn't realize since you slept well even on the research room sofa. I was thinking of adding more soundproofing anyway."
It probably wasn't about soundproofing materials. Esperanza was about to say that habitually, then opened her eyes wide. She had fallen asleep last night and hadn't even brought up the story about Sylvia's fiancé to Cider. So she had no choice but to hope he would pick up on the cues, but was this also picking up on cues? Did it just happen to work out by coincidence?
But she couldn't let this opportunity slip.
"Sylvia, Sir Arthur Powell's mansion is also noisy because of experimental animals. It might be good to build soundproof walls."
Sylvia waved her hands dismissively.
"I don't go there often, and we're still just engaged."
"Still, it's not proper for Sir Arthur to make guests listen to animal cries every night while entertaining. Don't you think so?"
It was quite rare for Esperanza to interfere so strongly in others' affairs. Cider's eyes narrowed. His pen tip lightly tapped the notebook. Should he intervene, or let it be?
Just then, their eyes met. For just an instant.
Cider smiled broadly.
"Having experimental animals in a mansion, that's quite an interesting story. What did you say your fiancé's name was?"
"Oh, I didn't mention it. Sir Arthur Powell, Baronet. He lives near here in Riton Province..."
"I haven't met him."
When Cider cut him off definitively, disappointment flickered in Sylvia and Mrs. Humphrey's eyes. Though neither Count Avondale nor Baronet Powell were the type to put effort into socializing, they had thought there would at least be some acquaintance.
"But I think I've read his papers."
"Was it memorable enough for Lord Avondale to remember? It must have been memorable in a good way?"
"I suppose we should see it that way."
"You read magical pharmacology papers too?"
Cider, who had no idea that Baronet Powell's field of expertise was pharmacology, quickly manufactured a smile. Frederick tilted his head. There seemed to be some scheme.
"Magical engineering intersects with various fields."
"That makes sense!"
"I didn't know Baronet Powell lived in Riton. Inviting you both to Glailly House..."
At the sensation of Esperanza's hand quickly brushing across the back of his hand, Cider quickly changed his words.
"An invitation would be difficult for the time being."
"Because we'll be doing soundproofing construction. But if the Baronet were to invite us, I think we could gladly accept."
"We're not that close yet, but I'll mention it once. I'm sure Sir Arthur would readily agree if he heard it was the Count and Countess of Avondale."
As she spoke, Sylvia seemed to find Arthur Powell intimidating. Unlike Cordelia, who spoke her mind, or the sociable Lucinda, Sylvia was cautious and demure among them.
'She's not likely to badmouth her fiancé in front of Mrs. Humphrey either.'
Cider perceptively took Mrs. Humphrey and Frederick Gordon toward the billiards table. He seemed to have grasped the situation roughly. At least to the extent that Esperanza was thinking of investigating Arthur Powell.
"Didn't you used to say you wouldn't deal with things like billiards?"
"Someone who deals with them appeared."
Frederick whipped around to look at Esperanza.
"Does Lady Avondale play billiards too?"
"Her skill is considerable. Not as much as shooting, but still. But she won't play with you."
"What's wrong with me? My interest is purely innocent."
I know. If it weren't, Frederick Gordon wouldn't have been allowed to set foot in this mansion. After grumbling briefly, Frederick looked at the billiards table and immediately brightened.
"But Avondale, do you know how to play? Mrs. Humphrey, I was the billiards champion in my unit. So why don't you two team up?"
Cider, trying hard to hide his bored expression, gave a look. Esperanza nodded.
"Shall we go get some ice cream? Usually it's only eaten for dessert, but since we have guests today."
"Esperanza, limit yourself to one cup."
"Yes, yes."
As the door closed, Esperanza grinned mischievously.
"I'm going to eat two cups."
Sylvia burst into laughter. She looked much brighter than when she first came down to the drawing room.
"I'll keep quiet, so give me two cups too."
A good start.