My Husband Lives Inside a Painting Chapter 15

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‘Has it really been a year? This is my first time coming here since getting married.’

After getting out of the carriage, I slowly surveyed the grounds of Agnus Orphanage.

But the moment I spotted a small path branching off beside the building, I unconsciously bit my lip.

‘The place where I first met him.’

My meeting with Camille had begun here, too.

I vividly remembered the season when white magnolia petals were scattered across the ground, and how I had stared at him in fascination, wondering what kind of woman a man like him would marry.

‘Why were you there that day?’

I shook off the fleeting thought and raised my head, only to see gazes pouring in from every direction.

And I met eyes with my father, who was staring at me in shock, unable even to close his mouth.

“You, you…!”

This was my first time stepping into high society since the funeral.

I had casually ignored my father’s letter asking me to ride with him and replied that I would go separately. It had been a calculated move, meant to ensure that I appeared at the most dramatic moment.

‘Remarry? In your dreams.’

No one would see a woman dressed entirely in black and think of remarriage.

At most, they might throw me a little pity.

I walked straight toward where my father was standing.

“Hello. It’s been a while.”

“Oh my…”

“Have you all been well?”

Judging by the exclamations that came before their greetings, it seemed they hadn’t expected me to come.

Ignoring my father, who was trembling as though he might collapse at any moment, I continued exchanging greetings.

“Am I perhaps too late? I hope I haven’t attracted too much attention.”

“Not at all. It’s just that we thought it would be difficult to see you today.”

“My lady, if you don’t mind me asking… Did you come in an Ortega carriage?”

One of the ladies, unable to contain her curiosity, interrupted and asked bluntly.

I naturally responded with a nod.

“Yes. I came today as the Ortega family’s representative.”

“Ah… I see. But I thought the second young master had returned as well.”

“Does Lady Belladonna know about this, too? She’s such a strict person, I’m worried it might cause unnecessary concern.”

How much must they have looked down on me to ask questions so freely?

But I hadn’t expected anything from them in the first place, so I wasn’t hurt.

“Of course she does. Sir Claude is currently reflecting on his actions and unable to attend outside engagements, so I’ll have to stay rather busy for a while.”

“Reflecting on his actions?”

“My lady, I think she means what happened at the exhibition.”

“Ah.”

Leaving the ladies whispering among themselves, I turned my gaze toward my father.

“……”

My father seemed to have sensed that the atmosphere had changed considerably.

‘See?’

I gave him a bright smile, deliberately making sure he understood.

It wasn’t as though I didn’t know.

I knew perfectly well how ambiguous the position of a widow was, especially one who had lost her husband after only a year of marriage without producing an heir.

But, officially speaking, I was still a member of the Ortega ducal family.

Even if I was outside the line of succession, that meant I was not someone they could treat carelessly.

‘For now, maintaining this paltry position is the best option I have, Father.’

Even without saying it aloud, my perceptive father should have understood what I meant.

Then perhaps it was time to start looking for an opportunity to leave.

“I’m truly grateful that you came all the way to the funeral despite being so busy. I was so overwhelmed at the time that I’m only now able to offer my belated thanks.”

I immediately drew the attention of the ladies who had been scattered around, then put on an expression as though I were trying to hide my sorrow.

“It was all caused by my own shortcomings… so I wondered if it might even be improper for me to appear before you ladies like this.”

“Oh my, not at all. How could that possibly be your fault?”

“Exactly. I felt terrible about it myself. To be left alone at such a young age…”

The noble ladies approached me, patting my shoulders, and before long they were wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs and repeatedly sniffing back tears.

Wow. That is some high-level hypocrisy.

I still had a long way to go before I could wear such a thick mask on my face.

Still, it was certainly convenient. The atmosphere had been set perfectly.

“Would it be all right if I simply quietly carried out my duties today and then left? I still don’t have the courage to face people.”

“Oh my, of course.”

“Yes. Rest inside today. Leave the difficult work to us.”

“I sincerely appreciate your kindness.”

I didn’t need to feel guilty about deceiving them.

After all, didn’t they also need time to freely gossip about me to their hearts’ content?

‘Then go ahead and talk among yourselves. I’m going inside.’

“Orb, you…”

“……”

Holding the hem of my dress until the very end, I finished my elegant greeting and turned away with a lightened expression, ignoring my father’s outstretched hand.

Despite its name, Agnus Orphanage was so lavish that it rivaled the mansion of any ordinary noble family.

And the moment I stepped into the center of the hall, I noticed things I would never have seen under normal circumstances.

‘There’s a painting of sunflowers here, too?’

Why here?

Ah. Well, of course.

Come to think of it, where else would funding be more desperately needed than an orphanage?

Just then, I spotted several people talking at the far end of the corridor, accompanied by a dull thud.

“…Did they come here to make a separate donation?”

But the moment I noticed a sparkling brooch on the chest of the person standing opposite the orphanage director, I changed my mind.

“That’s…”

…The crest of House Pistachio.

Just as I was studying the large wooden crates, the conversation between the director and the man reached my ears.

“This shipment…”

“Considering what happened last time… we should be especially…”

‘What are they talking about?’

Hiding behind a large pillar was something I did without thinking.

Then I suddenly felt something tugging at my dress and turned my gaze.

The next moment, I was startled.

A child was staring straight up at me!

“My lady.”

“G-goodness, you startled me.”

Taken aback, I instinctively asked,

“Who are you?”

I quickly looked the child over. He was wearing clothes bearing the symbol of Agnus Orphanage—a little lamb.

But despite his painfully thin body, the gray-haired boy stared at me with a steady gaze from his freckled face.

“Are you on the same side as those men over there, too?”

“Me?”

The child’s gaze pointed toward the place where the workers from the Pistachio merchant company were gathered.

“Hmm… I don’t think so.”

Strictly speaking, as a noblewoman, I could probably be considered to be on the same side as them.

But I didn’t want to be lumped together with them.

“Then please find my sister. My name is Johen, and my sister’s name is Annmarie.”

It was a request delivered with the random lack of context characteristic of a child.

But instead of brushing his hand away, I knelt down and crouched to meet him at eye level.

“All right, Johen.”

“Thank you.”

“But where did your sister go?”

I didn’t feel particularly bothered by the interruption.

I was here under the pretext of volunteering, too.

‘Are they playing hide-and-seek?’

But the scale of their hide-and-seek seemed much larger than I had expected.

“My sister hasn’t been around for several days.”

“For several days…?”

Johen nodded, his expression noticeably darkening.

“But the orphanage director told me to stop worrying about her and got angry, saying I shouldn’t say a word about it anywhere…”

“……”

The smile gradually disappeared from my face as I sensed that something was wrong.

I gently held Johen by the shoulders, met his gaze, and slowly opened my mouth.

“…Johen. Where was the last place you saw Annmarie?”

The child’s small, thin fingertip pointed toward one place without hesitation.

I slowly followed the trajectory of his finger, and then I felt my train of thought abruptly grind to a halt.

“Inside that box.”

“…What?”

It was a wooden crate bearing the unmistakable crest of House Pistachio.