"If Camille had intended to confront me about this, she would have come to me already. But her not doing so means that she understands her situation well. She knows that I cannot completely refute my suspicions about her. Moreover, tracking her down is to protect her as well. That's what I told you from the beginning, right?"
“……”
Jack remained silent, his lips pursed.
Ethan's words were very sincere.
If it weren't for Ennis, Jack wouldn't have suggested stopping the surveillance.
Despite everything, Camille is Ethan's wife and Duchess Dumont.
Under the social system, the common people were in an extremely vulnerable position before the nobility, powerless to resist or object to any mistreatment. This was a reality beyond Jack's trust in Ethan as an employer.
In addition, the details of Camille's involvement with Gerard were still vague.
Given the risks to Ennis's safety, Jack had to consider the worst possibilities. However, as Ethan pointed out, stopping the monitoring was not an option.
I'll have to pursue her myself for a while, Jack decided.
If he had to, he would have to be more vigilant than ever to avoid getting caught. Given the uncertainty of what Camille might do to Ennis, observing her directly seemed like the perfect option.
***
The next day, Camille went out again, this time also without a maid.
It is customary for a woman of her stature to be accompanied by at least one or two maids wherever she goes. Not being there could mean she's up to something.
Jack kept a great distance and followed her more cautiously than usual.
He also ordered two of his subordinates to remain at a safe distance in case of any emergency.
Camille's destination was the city's shopping district, an area filled with boutiques and jewelry stores frequented by wealthy nobles.
It is a place Camille used to visit in the past.
The Duchess shopped diligently, going from store to store.
Unlike before, when she used to buy enough to fill her cart for each trip, today she buys much smaller quantities.
Camille's next stop was the home of Viscountess Grandbert.
She asked the housemaids to carry the items she had just bought, which represented about half of her purchases.
“Were those gifts?” Jack asked. Camille rarely gave gifts to anyone, mostly because of her lack of friends.
Jacques recalled that during a previous visit to Grandbert's mansion, she had brought with her a lot of gifts, though he carefully examined them to make sure there was nothing suspicious. This time, he didn't get the chance.
Camille stayed at Grandbert's mansion for about two hours, most likely to have lunch. Jack waited outside, eating a sandwich, until Camille came out and returned to her stroller.
“Find out what they were talking about inside,” Jack ordered one of his men.
“Yes sir”
Previously, Jacques had bribed a maid at Grandbert's mansion to gather this information. He left one of his men behind and continued pursuing Camille's car.
As he followed the carriage, Jack felt a growing sense of anxiety.
'Impossible...'
His instincts, honed by years of experience, rarely led him astray.
His fears were quickly confirmed when Camille's vehicle stopped in front of his house. She entered, unexpectedly, with all the remaining things which she had previously given to the Viscountess Grandbert.
Jack paced back and forth, filled with anxiety.
He only wanted to break into the house, whatever his mission.
Logically, he knew that Camille was unlikely to hurt Ennis in such an open way.
If she meant harm, she probably would have assigned someone else to do it in a more discreet location.
Camille stayed at Jacques's house much longer than at Grandbert's mansion. And when she finally came out, Ines was with her.
“I had a wonderful time today, Duchess,” Ines said, smiling cheerfully.
"I'm glad to hear that. I had fun too. If you don't mind, I'd be happy to come back for tea. What do you think?" Camille asked.
“Oh, I hope so. But are you sure it's okay? I mean, someone of your status spending time with someone like me...”
"What are you saying? True friendship knows no social classes. I sincerely want to see you, so don't worry," Camille reassured her.
“Duchess...” Ines said, her eyes full of emotion.
“Okay, take care of yourself,” Camille said as she prepared to leave.
“Yes, Duchess. Safe return journey,” Ines answered cheerfully.
Jack watched the scene with frowning eyebrows. Although a part of him felt relieved, his confusion was more severe than anything else.
After that, Camille returned directly to the palace.
Jack instructed his subordinate to continue monitoring in case the Duchess left again, then hurried back to his house.
“Hey Jack, I came home early today!” , Ines greeted him, her cheeks still a little red.
She was busy opening the gifts she received from Camille.
There were jewelry, fabrics, tea, and even books.
“What is all this?” Jack asked, looking at the items.
“Well, you wouldn't believe it. The Duchess visited me before,” Ines replied enthusiastically, then tilted her head in confusion. “Don't you look surprised?”
"I'm...surprised. But why did the Duchess come here?"
“She said she wanted to have tea with me.”
“That's it?”
“Yes. At first, I was very shocked and nervous, but the Duchess said that she rarely finds someone she feels comfortable talking to. Most people only care about her title as Duchess Dumont, and don’t see her as a person.”
“……”
“She told me that she thought I seemed like a really pure person, who looked at her without any prejudice. She added that she wanted us to be friends regardless of our social standing.”
Jack couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It was surprising.
I always thought that describing Ines as “pure” was the most accurate description of her.
Thanks to his specialty, Jack was familiar with the dark sides of human nature. When he first met Ennis, he was convinced that there was some hidden flaw in her. He thought that the innocence of her behavior could not be her true nature.
When he realized that he was wrong, he had fallen deeply in love with her.
Now, he can't imagine life without Ennis.
But...did the Duchess realize that? Jack couldn't believe it.
Is this really possible?
Most nobles did not view commoners as human beings.
To them, they were just tools, like a hairbrush or a cart.
Of course, Ethan was an exception. He recognized Jack's skills, paid him a fair wage, and treated him with respect. That's why Jack was so loyal to Ethan.
But Camille was different. Or at least, it was.
There were many servants who resented her whims and temperament. Can anyone change in this way?
If that were true, it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
It was much better than the idea of Camille approaching Ennis to threaten Jack. However, Jack couldn't let his guard down yet.
Quietly, so as not to notice Ennis, Jack swallowed a moan.
He was very confused, not knowing how to deal with the situation.
***
According to his subordinate's report, Camille's conversation with Viscountess Grandbert was not exceptional.
They discussed familiar topics that noble women talk about.
It made sense; Camille knew she was being followed.
You will not undertake any suspicious activities at this stage.
If it weren't for Ennis, Jack wouldn't be so alert and nervous.
The problem was that he couldn't remain completely objective when it came to his wife.
The next day Camille went out again, alone and without a maid, just like the day before.
She mentioned that she recently felt like she was being watched in the palace...which is why she didn't bring a maid with her.
I thought her life was all luxury and comfort, but she seemed to have her own struggles, as Ines had said the day before.
Jack thought about whether to take those words seriously.
Was Camille telling Ennis the truth, or was she inserting information that she knew Ennis would pass on to him?
He couldn't tell if he was being suspicious or not.
“This is exhausting,” Jack thought, rubbing his eyes.
At that moment, something caught his attention.
Camille suddenly got out of her car in the middle of the street, and began walking quickly in a specific direction.
Jack did not believe his eyes for a moment, but he quickly gathered his courage and began to follow her cautiously.