Walter and Lady Steinhouse did not stay long at their gathering in the palace. As it was only a handful of trusted people who attended, people only heard of the handsome new Lord Steinhouse but many did not know what he looked like. Walter had received Lady Wickshire's gift to him from Shilla, who had attended the ceremony and was told to only open it when he was ready to see her. She did not say he was to come immediately, but Walter wanted to handle other things so he could meet her. He had always wanted to ask some things, but he had not to been summoned. Now that he had a chance, that was all that was on his mind.
Arriving at the Steinhouse residence, Walter was tired from his thoughts. This was not an immediate summon, but one left completely up to him. Still, he wanted to go as soon as possible, but this was not the time. His heavy thoughts caused him to completely ignore the servants bowing in welcome and the words from Lady Steinhouse's lips. He only returned to himself when she said; "The entire household, I will manage it well. When you are ready, I will show you around the properties,"
"Don't be so quick. You handle things just as has been. There are things I need to do. I may not have the time," he said and she nodded, then led him to her chambers. It had been completely redecorated and no longer looked like a lady's chambers.
"This is your chamber now. I have taken another, but I will mostly sleep here," she said shyly but he remained silent. When he did not answer, she started getting nervous.
"My lord," she addressed him formally, causing Walter to look at her with a complicated gaze.
"You are from the Ligrel clan. Why are you pretending to be a widow with no family?" he asked and she stiffened.
"I'm not a widow, my lord. You are yet to die," she said.
"That's not what I asked you," he frowned.
"If you know, what does it change?" she asked but his frown deepened.
"You refuse to answer?" he asked.
"I don't want to talk about such distasteful things," she said.
"Or you don't want to answer me. Why did you marry a man on his last breath? What are you hiding?" he asked but she remained silent. She silently changed from her wedding dress into a light transparent wear and climbed on the bed without much of a word.
Walter remained seating for a while before he got up and changed into a loose-fitted shirt and simple trousers before he silently laid down and went to bed. When he had not answered her for a while after lying down, her eyes started to water and she started to cry. This was supposed to be her wedding night, yet Walter just went to sleep. She had not even been married a day, yet she had angered her husband.
"I'm sorry," she said sitting up beside him, sniffing.
"It's not that I don't want to say it but, I get really angry any time I think of such things," she said but he had not turned.
"I'm not angry. I have things on my mind. It does not matter if I hear it from you; my guess is, tomorrow I will get the answers I need," he said without turning.
"I'll tell you. I don't want you to hear it elsewhere. I just..." she said, only then did he turn.
"When I ask you a question, Helen, I expect an answer. Do you understand?" he asked and she nodded.
"My father was the first son of the chief of the Ligrel clan. He was called blood king Jin Ke. I was told when he was alive, people would shiver to say his name. He met my mother when she was taken hostage during the war of the five states. It was after all, well known that my grandfather doted on his daughter, my mother, a lot.