That night, Irene laid upright in her bed with a book held between her hands. The atmosphere of the manor had been quiet ever since the Duke left, and it seemed all of the servants were trying to be careful with the way they handled themselves. They were sure that Sarah, Rayvis and Irene were all emotional right now — and they weren't wrong.
When she was going up to visit her mother earlier, Irene saw Sarah crying solitarily in her bedroom, hugging Rudien's pillow. It surprised her, seeing as she was able to stand so tall earlier. But the little girl quickly understood why her mother was showing her emotions only now.
She had to stay strong and uphold her image as duchess — crying would only reveal weakness to those around. That and – she wished to see Rudien off confidently, so that he
