Looking at Richard, who had naturally taken it upon himself to see off the final guest, Ryan made a silent vow.
*I'm not letting this man out of my sight today.*
Richard, meeting Ryan's gaze, flinched. He seemed to realize the atmosphere had grown distinctly tense.
Had they been alone, Ryan would have scolded them immediately and ordered them to follow. But Eloise was still in the hall.
She was beautifully dressed tonight, yet she had been unable to attend the banquet properly.
All because of these uninvited guests.
*She should have been sitting next to me.*
As one of the hostesses, Eloise ought to have occupied the seat beside him.
*Although she seemed more concerned about the seat across the table.*
What difference did it make? The banquet table was quite wide.
It was far more convenient to converse with one's neighbor than with whoever sat opposite.
Therefore, he paid little attention to whoever occupied that distant seat.
If the banquet had proceeded according to plan, everyone would have noticed that he wasn't paying the slightest attention to the women seated across from him.
Instead, they would have seen him chatting happily with Eloise—the woman who had been preparing the event at his side for weeks.
*Besides, all her favorite dishes were on the menu tonight.*
When planning the courses, they had spent several days tasting everything Mrs. Parker prepared, then deciding together.
And every time, Eloise ate every last crumb.
Ryan had enjoyed watching her.
Young women of society, it seemed to him, ate so little it was unclear how they survived at all.
At banquets and receptions in the capital, they consumed only morsels and sipped wine as though it might poison them.
Except for early childhood, he'd had little contact with women, so at first he assumed this was normal.
But before attending a reception in the capital on Baron Stanford's orders, he had accidentally mentioned women's appetites to Richard.
"Did you really think women ate that little?"
Richard had stared at him in disbelief.
Then, clutching his stomach, he had burst out laughing.
"Yes, now I understand—you've never had a single woman in your life! Pffft-ha-ha-ha!"
Richard, laughing until tears streamed down his face, had told Philip—who had just entered—exactly what Ryan believed, and continued howling with mirth.
Even Philip had looked at Ryan with bewilderment before breaking into a grin.
That was when Ryan learned that women ate roughly the same amount as men, but at receptions they deliberately pretended otherwise.
He couldn't understand those who refused to eat when hungry, nor the men who found such behavior attractive.
When Richard and Philip asked if he thought his own mother had eaten a great deal, Ryan had given a bitter smile.
His mother never ate much. Or rather—she had never been given the opportunity.
In any case, having learned the truth, he began to sympathize with women who felt compelled to restrain themselves in public.
---
"This flavor is too strong—it won't pair well with wine."
Eloise ate everything Mrs. Parker brought, leaving not a single crumb.
And not only the dishes, but also bread generously spread with butter. She drank wine constantly as well.
It was the first time he had seen a woman eat so well. As he stared, her gaze narrowed as if to say, *Are you criticizing me again?*
He found it amusing—and somehow pleasant—to watch her eat. He had deliberately asked Mrs. Parker to prepare an even greater variety of dishes.
Fortunately, Mrs. Parker was not only unperturbed but eager to demonstrate her skills. She prepared many dishes she hadn't served at a banquet in years.
Thanks to this, Eloise was delighted.
She not only ate her fill of Mrs. Parker's creations—the cook now aflame with competitive pride—but, under the pretext of selecting suitable wines, drank quite a lot as well.
And so, while feeding Eloise throughout the day, they had chosen the menu together.
Therefore, at the banquet, while observing the guests' reactions, he had wanted to discuss with Eloise how everyone enjoyed "their" dishes.
*Though in truth, Eloise decided everything.*
It wasn't that he hadn't voiced his opinions, but Ryan was not a picky eater.
As long as food wasn't too salty or too bland, everything was edible to him.
Moreover, he no longer skipped meals. Having worked hard during the day, he ate whatever was given without complaint.
So the selection of the exquisite banquet menu was entirely Eloise's achievement.
He had planned to announce to everyone that without Eloise, this banquet would have been impossible to organize—to speak publicly of her contributions...
"Richard. Philip." There was involuntary steel in his voice as he called them. "It's been some time. We need to talk."
They both coughed and followed Ryan. Entering a small sitting room designed for quiet conversation, Ryan closed the door and turned to face them.
"Richard Cameron. Philip Osborne."
His low voice, as though rising from the depths of hell, made both men instinctively put their hands behind their backs and stand at attention.
"What kind of stunt is this?"
"This—"
"I'm not in the mood for jests, so you'd better answer properly, *Sergeant Cameron*."
Cold sweat broke out on Richard's forehead when Ryan addressed him as Sergeant Cameron.
He only used last name and rank when he was truly furious.
"I received summer leave, but I didn't know where to go, so I decided to visit Sergeant Ryan's— I mean, yours."
Ryan chuckled darkly at Richard's response.
"Everything's clear with you, Richard." He turned. "Philip—why are you with him?"
He had thought that compared to Richard, Philip was the sensible one. Why had he agreed to such a reckless visit?
But Philip could only offer the same answer as Richard.
*He's angrier than I expected.*
To be honest, Philip had assumed that upon their arrival, Ryan—though displeased—would simply leave them to their own devices out of sheer laziness.
But judging by his demeanor now, although he had tolerated their presence at the banquet, he would throw them out come morning.
"I won't repeat myself. Return to Cambon immediately at dawn, and—"
*So this is how it ends.*
They tensed, certain they were about to be expelled.
*Knock-knock.*
As if an angel had descended to rescue them, someone knocked at the perfect moment.
Ryan shot them a reluctant glare and opened the door.
Both Richard and Philip saw it clearly.
"Eloise?" His brow lifted slightly. "What is it?"
How Ryan's expression—which had been skewering them with an icy gaze mere seconds ago—transformed in an instant.
Seeing this, Richard nudged Philip as if to say, *Look at that.*
Both of them, witnessing the change in Ryan's face, finally understood why he hadn't returned to the capital. Why he had lingered in this village for so long.
---
Eloise laughed at Ryan's suggestion to give them the key to a barn.
*They must be such close friends to joke like that.*
"You can't treat guests that way—it would be a disgrace to Blissbury." She smiled. "And I heard from Abigail that you both fell into the swamp and had to borrow clothes from the Ogilvys."
At these words, Ryan clicked his tongue briefly.
*Ah, so that's why their clothes don't fit properly.*
"I imagine you'll want to wash up again properly, so I'll have water prepared. And clothes..." She looked at Ryan. "Please lend them something."
"I could also throw them out naked."
Eloise laughed again. *They really are very close.*
She addressed the two men who seemed to be gazing at her with pleading eyes:
"If you don't mind, may I show you to your rooms now?"
"Certainly!"
"Thank you so very much, Lady Severton."
As if seizing their chance to escape, they slipped quickly past Ryan and approached Eloise.
Ryan's glare grew even more ferocious, but they pretended not to notice.
"It's no trouble at all. Oh, and—" Eloise paused, as if remembering something.
"Abigail asked me to convey her thanks to Mr. Osborne. Thank you so much for helping my friend."
With that, Eloise smiled broadly.
Both men froze for a moment, then turned around.
And seeing the expression on Ryan's face, they blinked.
Ryan stood there wearing the most foolish look they had ever witnessed on him.
Eloise, oblivious to the atmosphere, smiled even more radiantly at Ryan's friends.
**"Welcome again to Blissbury. I hope you have a wonderful stay."**