Chapter: 25
A Debt Too Great for Confession
Who was Dorothy Vane?
She was the young lady who went about all day with a gentle smile on her face. Even after her engagement was broken, she was widely regarded as a kind and amiable young woman who wouldn’t so much as furrow her brow.
‘And that Dorothy just said those words to Lady Cedric?’
Lady Cedric was known throughout Salbrums as a hub of information. Moreover, she possessed such immense pride that few could meet her gaze directly. Yet here was Dorothy, of all people, standing up to her.
Was she seeing things?
‘Lady Cedric is even looking away.’
Dorothy’s eyes were calm but held a chilling stillness. It was Lady Cedric who flinched first under that gaze.
“To cast aspersions on this person alone, while saying nothing to me, when I too have broken off an engagement…”
Flustered by Dorothy’s unexpectedly icy demeanour, Lady Cedric could only open and close her mouth wordlessly.
“The only conclusion I can draw is that you find me displeasing and wish to drive me away as well.”
“….”
“Why won’t you answer?”
She’s truly angry now, Rose thought.
Though her tone was measured, it was imbued with a clear resolve to refute every single point. And that look in her eyes as she gazed down at Lady Cedric, without so much as a blink.
“If you offer no answer, I’ll have no choice but to take your silence as confirmation.”
“I say, Dorothy!”
Sensing the tide turning against her, Lady Cedric finally spoke. “As I said, I spoke after careful thought. It was meant as a piece of advice, nothing more.”
“Advice? What sort of advice?”
“To find someone who will treat you well.”
“I’m grateful for your consideration,” Dorothy said.
“But tell me, Lady Cedric, in what way have you ever treated me well?”
“….”
“Surely you must have treated me better than this person has, at least, for me to believe your words.”
The implication was clear: who was she, a woman with whom she’d likely never have dealings in her life, to presume to meddle? Reading her meaning, Lady Cedric’s face turned pale.
A snort of laughter escaped some of the onlookers.
“She’s not wrong.”
“T-that’s right.”
“You… you…!” Lady Cedric sputtered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
“Yes? What is it?”
She was defending her. Rose felt a surge of emotion so strong it seemed to grip her heart. Because being misunderstood was what Rose was used to.
In society, she was pointed at and called a wild, unruly filly. Her very nature was exploited. Here in Salbrums, she’d even been whispered about as being not quite right in the head. In the end, she had ended up utterly alone.
Rose knew her personality was a little unusual. But she never thought it was strange. Because, in her mind, it was simply the right way to be. If she saw something unjust, she felt compelled to intervene. Helping those in trouble seemed the most natural thing in the world. What was so wrong about speaking out against wrongdoing?
‘Why did people always point fingers at me?’
They called her a busybody, told her she didn’t know her place, and a host of other things. So Rose had turned her back on the world and run away. If she created her own world, there would be no more people pointing fingers at her.
‘But I can’t bear the thought of Dorothy being pointed at, too.’
She had often thought how wonderful it would be if she had a personality like Dorothy’s. To Rose, Dorothy was also an object of longing. She was terrified that if she got entangled with such a person, Dorothy might become the subject of nasty rumours too. Unable to meet Dorothy’s eyes, she had begun backing away, step by step.
“It’s alright, Dorothy.”
Consumed by guilt, Rose ultimately chose to flee. If I’m by Dorothy’s side, I’ll only be a hindrance. I’ll never leave this house again.
“Wait a moment!”
She heard Dorothy’s voice from behind her, but Rose ignored it. Fleeing into the house, she went straight to her room on the second floor and pulled the blanket over her head.
Dorothy immediately gave chase. She had to talk to her, no matter what.
“My Lady! Lady Rose!”
But perhaps because the bedroom door was locked, Rose didn’t seem to hear her.
‘Well then, is there only one way left?’
Dorothy stared at the bedroom veranda directly across from her own. Though they faced each other, the gap between them was considerable.
‘I’ll just have to cross over.’
Without a second thought, Dorothy prepared to climb across. Just then, her eyes met Rose’s through the window of the opposite veranda.
Rose’s eyes widened in shock.
“Huh? You’ll fall…!”
She started to raise her hand in greeting, but then, in an instant, Dorothy lost her balance and her body pitched backward.
“Waaah! Aaaahk!”
At that moment, the veranda door flew open and Rose shot out like lightning. She grabbed hold of Dorothy’s flailing hand.
“Lady Rose! You could hear me!”
“Hey! Have you lost your mind? You almost died!”
“I wouldn’t die from this height. A broken bone or, if I’m lucky, just a fracture.”
“Ugh, you’re impossible! I’m serious, you’re driving me crazy! You nearly stopped my heart!” Rose yelled.
“It seemed you couldn’t hear me, like last time. So I was just going to come over this way.”
“I closed it on purpose, you know? I locked the bedroom door on purpose too!”
Rose wailed, clutching at her hair. Between you and your brother, is there not a single normal person in my life?
To the fuming Rose, Dorothy asked innocently, “Pardon? Why did you lock the bedroom door? You have absolutely no reason to run away, Lady Rose.”
“No… it’s because I’m… someone like me…” Rose trailed off, gritting her teeth. “Just… just come over here first. I have things to say.”
“Okay!”
Dorothy took Rose’s hand and climbed over from her veranda to Rose’s.
“Listen, Dorothy.”
“Yes?”
“I know I’m a bit strange. My temper’s like fire. I’m rough around the edges. And secretly, I’m a coward… I get hurt by what people say…”
After a brief pause, Rose finally continued.
“So, I’ll try to change. I’ll stop butting in where I’m not wanted. I’ll stop this weird meddling.”
As she spoke, Rose’s face looked utterly forlorn.
“It might take time, but I’ll try. So… you don’t have to stick your neck out for me like that. You might end up getting hurt because of me.”
But Dorothy couldn’t understand what Rose was saying at all.
“I’m afraid I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, My Lady.”
Having listened quietly, Dorothy now spoke in a calm voice.
“First of all, it’s only natural for me to stand up for you.”
“But you could get hurt. It could tarnish your reputation.”
“Would tarnishing my reputation be staying silent while someone insults my friend?”
Dorothy added.
“And why would you change your personality, My Lady? What needs changing about your cute and charming character?”
“W-what? Cute? Charming?”
Rose’s face flushed scarlet in an instant. Fanning herself to cool the heat rising to her cheeks, she continued awkwardly.
“I know, okay? I know I’m hot-tempered and full of flaws.”
“So what if you are?”
“…I mean, I’m just unnecessarily loud.”
“Yes.”
“Bad-tempered?”
Rose still seemed utterly lacking in confidence. Unable to bear it any longer, Dorothy spoke to her.
“You know, My Lady, even if you say you’re full of flaws, I truly, genuinely like you.”
Rose’s eyes flew wide open.
“So please, don’t try to change anything about yourself.”
“But people point fingers at me…”
“What do other people matter when I simply like you just as you are?”
“….”
“So just stay right where you are, My Lady.”
“But I’m a coward who can’t even leave the house, and a fool.”
Finally, Rose burst into tears. Dorothy pulled her close and patted her on the back.
“Truth is, I want to protect you and Brandon, but I’m so scared I could die.”
“It’s alright. Come out slowly, in your own time. You don’t have to force yourself. If it comes to it, I’ll protect you.”
What Rose needed was simply rest. Time to soothe her wounded heart and recharge. Rose wept in Dorothy’s arms for a long time. Dorothy stayed by her side until the sobs finally subsided.
