*What am I thinking?*
Ryan winced at his own thoughts.
Realizing what he had imagined, he felt a wave of embarrassment rise in his throat and flush his neck.
He tried to think of something else, but once his imagination had begun, it clung stubbornly to the vision.
Even trying not to look didn't help. His gaze, transfixed, couldn't tear itself away from Eloise holding Andrew.
And yet he couldn't help but wish for it. For the child in Eloise's arms to resemble him a little more. And Eloise. And then for that child to open its eyes and look at him...
Just as Ryan's imagination began taking more concrete shape—
*Bam!*
Along with the sound came sharp pain across his face.
Continuing to stare at Eloise and Andrew, he had failed to notice the open door jutting into the corridor—and crashed directly into it.
*Ah.*
Turning his head, he was finally able to look away out of sheer mortification.
*How foolish—walking without watching where I'm going.*
Then Eloise asked:
"He's so adorable, isn't he? Do you want to hold him?"
She seemed to think he had become so engrossed in Andrew's charm that he'd stopped looking ahead.
He couldn't deny it. In his own estimation, he truly had been mesmerized by Andrew. Besides, the boy really was very sweet.
After a moment's hesitation, he set the wine on the floor by the wall.
Eloise handed him the sleeping Andrew, while Ryan fumbled with his hands, unsure how to hold him properly.
When he accepted the child, Eloise laughed softly, as if amused.
"It looks like this is truly your first time holding a baby."
He held Andrew completely awkwardly—like a man who doesn't know how to handle children and is holding a sack of potatoes. Eloise adjusted Andrew's position in his arms.
Fortunately, the child slept so soundly he didn't even stir.
Only after a few corrections did she nod in satisfaction.
Ryan looked down at the baby now comfortably nestled in his arms.
The boy was much warmer and softer than he'd expected.
He had the characteristically cozy scent of children and a faint aroma of sweat. He had apparently spent the day running happily through Blissbury.
Ryan, without realizing it, pulled Andrew closer and walked on.
---
They reached the room where the nanny was watching over the children.
Many small children were already sleeping there. When they entered, the nanny jumped up in alarm. In her arms was a little girl of two or three years old.
When the nanny rose, the girl in her arms began to whimper, as if she'd just woken.
"It's all right. We'll put him to bed ourselves and leave."
Eloise quietly motioned for the nanny not to rise. The nanny nodded gratefully.
Eloise looked around and walked over to an empty bed.
She assumed Ryan would follow, but when she turned, she found him frozen at the door.
"What are you doing? Come here."
"Ah—yes."
It was only when Eloise called him that Ryan came to his senses and approached.
Strangely, the word *we* that Eloise had said to the nanny still echoed in his ears—though it had been such an insignificant phrase.
Eloise pulled back the blanket to reveal the empty space. When Ryan tried to lay Andrew down, the boy—unwilling to part with him—hugged him tightly around the neck and tried to burrow deeper into his embrace.
This left Ryan frozen in an awkward position, bent over and unable to lower the child.
In the end, it was only after Eloise gently released Andrew's grip on his neck that they managed to settle the boy into bed.
Just moments ago he had clung so tightly—but as soon as they covered him with the blanket, he immediately burrowed into it, as if he hadn't been clinging at all.
Seeing this, Ryan felt an inexplicable disappointment.
Eloise carefully smoothed Andrew's sleeping hair and only then straightened.
Having signaled to the nanny that they were counting on her, they quietly left the room filled with children's breathing.
---
As he walked down the corridor, Ryan couldn't help but touch his chest.
Perhaps because the warmth of the child still lingered there, he felt empty—as if he had left something behind.
"Andrew is adorable, isn't he?"
"Yes..."
To be honest, he had never in his life thought children were particularly endearing.
For him, they had always been simply young and vulnerable creatures who, in the event of battle, needed to be evacuated first among the civilians.
No more and no less.
With a vague sense of regret, he turned and glanced back at the children's room.
Seeing this, Eloise said:
"Perhaps you could play with them tomorrow afternoon? The children would be delighted."
The children who had arrived for the summer celebration had initially been shy around the young man who had replaced Mr. Severton this year. Though their parents had instructed them, they had been too timid to even greet the stranger properly.
But it hadn't lasted long. Soon enough, many children had been milling about, casting glances at Ryan that seemed to hope for his attention.
Their interest stemmed not only from the fact that he was Blissbury's new manager, but also because he was a soldier who had fought in the war. His striking appearance played a role as well.
Had he not been busy receiving guests, the children would likely have been swarming him.
"Just don't play war games. Mothers despise that," Eloise added sternly, as if demanding a promise.
"Understood," Ryan replied eagerly. He seemed to be looking forward to it even more than the children.
---
While talking, they returned to the corridor where he had left the wine.
Even more cheerful music drifted from the distance. The wine he had brought for the guests needed to be delivered promptly, but Ryan was in no hurry.
He glanced to the side and saw Eloise gazing toward the banquet hall, lightly tapping her hand against her dress in rhythm.
"Are you going to dance?" Ryan asked.
Eloise shook her head.
"No. It's difficult to find a suitable partner."
Unlike at the beginning of the ball, when one could dance with everyone in turn, at such a late hour it was customary to find a partner to one's liking and dance with them until the end.
"Of course, I *could* find one, but I'd prefer not to listen to all the gossip afterward."
Therefore, those without partners at this hour asked either relatives—with whom rumors would not arise—or people with a significant age difference. Or they sat to the side, watching the dancers and conversing with others.
Eloise always chose the latter.
One year, overcome by the urge to dance, she had accepted the invitation of a gentleman from Cambon.
The problem was that afterward, the gentleman's wife had returned to her parents—which was effectively tantamount to divorce.
Though it was said their relationship had been troubled before, rumors began spreading that Eloise had interfered in their marriage.
It even reached the point where people claimed the man intended to divorce and marry Eloise.
Later, when his secret meetings with a woman from another village became known, mentions of Eloise ceased.
But even if the rumors died, the emotional wounds did not heal.
From then on, Eloise never danced at this hour.
---
At that moment, Mr. Palmer, the butler, approached from the banquet hall.
"Oh, that's my responsibility," he said, swiftly taking the wine from Ryan's hands.
"It isn't proper to take my duties, Sergeant."
At his grumpy tone, Ryan released the bottles with a smile. He couldn't very well become an employer who stole a worker's tasks, could he?
When Mr. Palmer departed, they were left alone in the corridor.
Eloise coughed softly and said to Ryan:
"Thank you for all your work."
"And you as well..." Ryan paused. "I believe the summer celebration proceeded so smoothly—even without Mr. Severton—only thanks to you, Eloise."
These were simple words of courtesy on the occasion of a successful conclusion, but Ryan answered with unexpected seriousness, which left Eloise somewhat flustered.
At that moment, Ryan extended his hand to her.
"So, Miss Eloise Severton."
He bowed with a grace and perfection that surpassed any gentleman she had ever seen and said:
**"May I have this dance?"**
"What?"
Ryan took the surprised Eloise by the hand and led her deeper into the corridor, toward the source of the music.
Everyone was in the banquet hall. There was no one in the corridor except the two of them.
"Here we needn't worry about prying eyes." His smile grew even gentler. "And... isn't it a pity that we, who worked so hard, can't enjoy ourselves a little?"
*We.*
That word brought a smile to Eloise's face as well.
They had argued for quite some time, but in the end, this year's summer celebration had been a triumph.
The fact that everything concluded so well—even without her father—was partly due to her efforts, but also thanks to Ryan's active involvement.
She had assumed that, being a temporary manager, he would not invest himself deeply. But he had acted like the true master of Blissbury, checking everything carefully and thoroughly.
"You're right. Well then..."
Eloise, looking into his eyes, lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied gracefully.
**"Shall we enjoy ourselves together?"**
The moment she took Ryan's hand, the music in the hall shifted to something even more lively and spirited.
In the empty corridor, holding hands, they began to dance.
**And they danced until the music stopped.**