"This is a disaster."
Philip stared out the window, his face tense. From Blissbury, only the edge of the river to the south was usually visible.
But now—because the water had risen so dramatically—the turbulent current was clearly visible even through glass streaked with rain.
They had assumed the rain would last two, perhaps three days at most. But today was the fourth day, and it still hadn't stopped.
Even Julia, who had initially insisted there was no cause for concern, now gazed outside in silence and anxiety.
"Will Feltham be all right?..."
Winter was the rainy season in Albion. Feltham lay south of the capital, but it was still cold enough there in winter to produce snow.
When rain turned to snow, the weight sometimes caused old barns to collapse. But since it melted slowly, there was no threat of flooding.
This was the pattern every year, so no one had worried about the summer showers this time either.
At that moment, the sound of crutches on the stairs echoed. Hearing it, Philip immediately turned and headed for the central staircase.
"Abigail?"
She hadn't left her room since the rain began.
Philip had visited her several times, but he couldn't bear to linger long in a sick person's chamber. Moreover, Julia—forced to be present—glared at him each time, clearly hinting he should leave quickly.
"Are you all right?"
"More or less," Abigail said, sounding exhausted.
*How could she be all right when it's still raining?*
Philip, realizing he'd asked a foolish question, quickly took her hand and helped her descend.
"Where is Eloise?" Abigail asked.
Julia glanced up and muttered:
"Still in her room."
Her tone made it clear she disliked the fact that Eloise's "illness"—which was supposed to mean caring for Abigail—had instead given Julia more work.
At that moment, footsteps sounded from above again.
Ryan was descending.
Abigail, with Philip's assistance, approached him.
"Sergeant Thornton. I wish to ask something."
"What is it?"
"Could you send someone to check what's happening in Feltham? I'm concerned—we've never seen such heavy and prolonged summer rain before."
"A good idea. I was about to go myself, as I'm concerned as well." Ryan turned. "Richard! Get ready."
"And why must I— Yes, yes. Understood, Sergeant Thornton."
Richard winced, but meeting Ryan's icy gaze, he clicked his tongue and turned away.
Judging by that look, jests were inappropriate. Besides, he himself felt the need to assess Feltham's situation.
Having ordered the groom to prepare the horses, they changed into riding clothes and went out.
As soon as they reached the porch, such a downpour began that it was difficult even to open one's eyes.
The horses the groom led out were already soaked and kept shaking themselves off.
"Are you truly going? Perhaps you could simply send one of the servants..."
"Then we won't know the exact situation."
Ryan, ignoring the groom's protest, mounted his horse. Before setting off, he glanced at the room where Eloise was.
The curtains in her window were tightly drawn.
After gazing at her room a moment longer, Ryan turned away. Richard, who had been watching him, clicked his tongue and followed.
The rain intensified as thunder rumbled overhead.
---
Even through the roar of the rain, the sound of horses' hooves as they rode away reached Eloise's ears.
Eloise grabbed a pillow and covered her face with it. The sound of rain became muffled. The clatter of hooves could no longer be heard.
After lying there a while, Eloise slowly sat up. The pillow she'd been covering her face with fell and rolled away, but she didn't even have the strength to retrieve it.
*Ha...*
Eloise sighed and ran her hands over her face. She felt nauseated.
*What a pathetic sight...*
*"I plan to return to duty in the autumn."*
Ryan had said this in his usual calm tone.
She didn't remember how she'd returned to her room after those words.
There were no tears. Only shame.
Eloise knew perfectly well that in the marriage market—where everyone was being evaluated and sorted—she ranked at the very bottom.
She had thought it didn't matter, since she wasn't planning on marrying anyway.
But when someone she'd scarcely even spoken to would remark with a smirk, "Miss Eloise is certainly no option. She's like a tree that bears no fruit," it had wounded her.
Over time, as she'd completely exited that market, such hurtful encounters had become less frequent.
And she seemed to have forgotten about it.
She'd had no difficulty interacting with men as friends. So she'd forgotten her situation.
Eloise covered her face with her hands.
"Like a fool... lost in dreams..."
Ryan had simply felt comfortable with her because, as his assistant, she hadn't caused him trouble. But she had mistaken it for affection. Conjured it herself. And been disappointed all on her own.
It was cool outside, yet her face burned.
*I can't go on like this any longer.*
She'd been locked in her room for two days. Remaining here any longer wouldn't change anything. It would only broadcast to Ryan how shaken she was.
At this thought, Eloise stood.
She had been rejected. Clearly and simply.
But she couldn't live with this feeling of mortification forever.
*I need to return to Feltham first.*
All business at Blissbury was finished. She had remained here under various pretexts.
Moreover, she had left Abigail's care in Julia's hands for two days and abandoned the guests.
Realizing how much she had neglected in the past two days, Eloise quickly tidied her hair and clothes and went out.
---
The corridor was filled with the sound of rain. Eloise looked at the ceiling with concern.
Though this was a fine mansion, with such heavy rainfall, leaks were inevitable.
And so it was—small stains were visible in several places on the ceiling. As long as the rain continued, there was nothing to be done. But they would need to remove decorations and roll up the rugs beneath.
*I need to speak with Abigail first.*
If she left, Abigail and Julia would be in an awkward position. They could remain here as Eloise's friends, but if Eloise departed Blissbury, they might be accused of lingering unnecessarily.
*I'll say she stayed because of her health... and I'm returning because I'm worried about my mother.*
It wasn't a lie.
The relentless rain genuinely made her anxious about her mother and Emily.
And she wanted to read the letter from her father that was supposed to arrive.
When Eloise descended, the people in the sitting room greeted her joyfully.
"Eloise, are you all right?"
"Yes. Apparently fatigue caught up with me belatedly."
After answering, Eloise looked around for Ryan. She wanted to tell him as soon as possible that she was returning to Feltham.
But he was nowhere to be found. Nor was Richard, who—it seemed—would never have ventured outside in such weather for fear of ruining his clothes and hair.
Abigail, realizing whom Eloise sought, said:
"Sergeant Thornton and Sergeant Cameron have left for Feltham."
"What? When? Why?"
"Just recently. They only just departed—didn't you hear?"
"Ah, so that sound..."
So the sound she'd heard in her room had been the clatter of their horses' hooves.
"Why did they go to Feltham?"
"They were likely concerned about the heavy rain."
At this point, Julia interjected:
"I told them about the bridge before our village. It wobbles terribly in heavy rain."
"Ah, that one..."
Eloise knew it. There had already been talk in the village of raising funds to build a new bridge.
But a new bridge required stone, which was prohibitively expensive, so no one had dared undertake it. With all this rain, the stream beneath must have overflowed.
Eloise mentally pictured all the roads leading to Feltham. From the west, south, north, and east. Except for the northern road—which ran along the edge of the dyke—all the others crossed shallow streams.
Having considered this, Eloise went to the window and looked toward the river.
Over the course of two days, it had swollen even wider. If the river had flooded so severely, then the streams feeding into it must have overflowed their banks as well.
*If the bridge collapses...*
Due to the terrain, Feltham would be isolated.