The morning in Hope Town was shrouded in a thin mist as Mike boarded the carriage, ready to head to the Hild Estate. His cousin Susan had become the mistress of the estate twenty years ago, and after marriage, she gave birth to three daughters in succession, which was a nightmare. Since the two families lived not far apart, Susan often invited Mike to visit and confided in him, worried that after her husband's death, she and her daughters would be left homeless.
However, this time brought good news. Shortly after summer began, Susan felt dizzy and nauseous, and after a doctor's examination, she found out she was pregnant. She was already forty-three, and Mr. Hild was in his fifties, making this pregnancy their last hope. Upon hearing the news, Mike was both delighted for his cousin and concerned for her health. As soon as he received the news, he wanted to visit her immediately, but the housekeeper persuaded him to wait until the next day as it was too late. He could hardly rest, so he set off early the next morning.
"I might stay there for a while this time," Mike instructed the old housekeeper. "Please take care of things at home."
The old housekeeper had served the Rorschach family since he was young, having watched Mike and Susan grow up. Now that Susan was pregnant, the housekeeper Hughes was also very happy and, despite a sleepless night, was in high spirits. "Yes, sir. Please convey my regards to Lady Hild."
Mike laughed. "Alright, Hughes." He winked playfully at the old housekeeper. Despite being over thirty, he had maintained his skin well, which remained smooth and delicate. Only the slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes betrayed his age, yet the gesture didn't seem out of place.
The coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage slowly moved towards the Hild Estate.
Settling in the carriage, Mike gradually put away his earlier joking demeanor, frowning slightly with worry. He was the younger son of the Rorschach family, with an older brother who had died early without any offspring, leaving the family estate to him. However, when he inherited it, the estate was already heavily in debt. Now, although things seemed fine on the surface, it was just a struggle to maintain appearances.
Susan's parents died early, and she came to live with the Rorschach family at a young age. After Mike was born, his mother was often ill, so Susan took care of him, teaching him to read and play the piano, acting almost as a second mother. She truly loved Mike like a mother, and even after discovering that Mike liked men, this affection didn't wane.
Mike's mother passed away when he was eight, after being bedridden for many years. The family was prepared for it and wasn't too heartbroken. However, Susan had just entered her social season, and with the lady of the house's death, there was no one to guide her. At that time, the estate was still prosperous, and Mike's father was willing to give Susan a dowry of a thousand pounds—an amount he would offer his own daughter. Although several young men pursued her, Susan refused them all. It wasn't until Mike went to Paris to study at the age of twenty-three that his father arranged her marriage to his old friend, Baron Hild.
Baron Hild was already in his thirties at the time. His first wife, a duke's daughter, had been very active and had died in a riding accident. The baron was ordinary-looking, and his belly grew with age. However, his estate was larger than the Rorschach estate, with much higher annual revenues. Therefore, despite his unremarkable appearance, he remained a popular suitor among young ladies. Despite this, Mike was angry that the young and beautiful Susan married such an old man and only reconciled with her after his brother Arthur's death.
Thinking about this, Mike rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. After a while, he opened them again, looking out the window.
The carriage had left the town and entered the countryside. The narrow road was very muddy, making the ride bumpy. Dense, green forests flanked the road, with the occasional melodious bird call breaking the silence.
Past events are over, and dwelling on them only brings sadness and regret.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped.
"What's the matter?"
"Sir," the coachman replied from outside the carriage door, "there's someone blocking the road ahead. It seems they're injured."
Mike got out of the carriage and saw a young man sitting on the road, looking at him with embarrassment.
"Oh, sir, please have mercy and give me a ride," the young man said. His face was smeared with dirt, obscuring his features, but his beautiful blue eyes stood out. He looked at Mike with pleading eyes.
Mike was momentarily distracted by the beautiful eyes. After having the servant help the young man up, he noticed that the young man's clothes were all expensive, and his manner of speaking was very polite, suggesting he was a gentleman.
"Young sir, may I ask what happened to you?"
The young man, leaning on the servant for support, gave an embarrassed smile.
"I thought the weather was nice today and went out riding. Before I knew it, I had wandered here. I saw a bird with very beautiful feathers and couldn't resist getting off my horse to catch it. But it flew away, startling my horse. I failed to hold on, fell down, and the horse ran off."
Hearing this, Mike couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, young sir, I would love to give you a ride, but I am on my way to the Hild Estate." Mike couldn't resist teasing the young man.
The young man's eyes lit up. "You're going to the Hild Estate? Please take me with you. I was planning to visit there in the next couple of days."
Mike initially wanted to continue teasing him, asking if he intended to visit in his current state. But suddenly, he remembered that the Hild Estate had three unmarried daughters, and the young man's intentions became clear. Feeling a bit disinterested, he stopped his questioning. He kindly agreed to the young man's request, had him helped into the carriage, and sat opposite him as they continued their journey.
The young man's name was Luther, the son of a country squire. Luther was very talkative, full of the energy typical of youth. After wiping the dirt from his face with a handkerchief, he revealed a very handsome face, and when his eyes looked over, there was even a hint of fierceness, though it was just an illusion. When Luther looked at Mike with his blue eyes, even though Mike tried to remain composed, he couldn't help but feel his heart race.
Oh, God. Mike silently prayed. He's truly an angel.
Would an angel have such a handsome face, such a tall stature, such blue eyes?
Mike shifted his legs to a more comfortable position, trying to calm his agitated heart. He looked out the window, attempting to distract himself, but the patches of sky visible between the leaves were as blue and bright as the young man's eyes.
His voice was in his ears, his scent in his nose, his leg tightly against his, the warmth transferring over, burning intensely.
Oh God.
Mike silently prayed.