I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 25

THREE HOURS AGO.

YOUR GRACE, I'VE COME TO ASSIST YOU WHILE LINA CHANGES.

...YOUR GRACE?

I-IT'S ALRIGHT. I CAN CHANGE ON MY OWN.

COULD YOU GO PREPARE MY BATH FIRST?

PARDON? BUT...

PLEASE.

I JUST WANT TO WASH UP QUICKLY.

...UNDERSTOOD.

MELLY, WHERE IS HER GRACE? WHY ARE YOU BY YOURSELF?

...SHE SAID SHE WOULD CHANGE ON HER OWN.

HER GRACE DID?

...DON'T TELL ME YOU DID SOMETHING TO HER GRACE.

AM I IN ANY POSITION TO DO THAT?

WE WERE FOOLISH TO COMMIT SUCH A SHAMEFUL ACT!

I'LL BE WATCHING YOU, SO BE CAREFUL. I WON'T LET IT SLIDE.

STILL, SHE'S TAKING QUITE A WHILE TO CHANGE.

Is she struggling with all the ornaments...?

WHEN SHE REPLIED...

I-IT'S ALRIGHT. I CAN CHANGE ON MY OWN.

HER VOICE WAS TREMBLING.

SOMETHING'S DEFINITELY WRONG!

M-MELLY? WHERE ARE YOU GOING ALL OF A SUDDEN?

I ASKED WHAT'S GOING ON?!

YOUR GRACE! YOUR GRACE!

MAY I COME IN?

YOU AREN'T HAVING TROUBLE WITH YOUR DRESS, ARE YOU?

YOUR GRACE!

HEAVENS, YOUR GRACE!

YOUR GRACE, PLEASE WAKE UP!

YOUR GRACE!

EVEN THOUGH YOU FEARED FIRE SO MUCH YOU WOULDN'T EVEN GO NEAR IT...

WHY ON EARTH DID YOU LIGHT IT YOURSELF-?!

I WANTED TO REGAIN MY MEMORIES.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE...

BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP IT BURIED FOREVER JUST BY CLAIMING NOT TO KNOW.

A WOMAN TERRIFIED TO EVEN LIGHT A FIREPLACE IN THE DEAD OF WINTER SET A FIRE WITH HER OWN HANDS.

ALL BECAUSE OF THOSE MEMORIES...

AND BECAUSE OF ME, WHO DOUBTED AND CORNERED YOU.

EVEN SO, THERE'S NO NEED TO RESORT TO SUCH RECKLESS MEANS.

SO PLEASE, NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN.

YOU WISH TO RECOVER YOUR MEMORIES?

ARE YOU FEELING GUILTY NOW AFTER TURNING AWAY FOR TEN YEARS?

SHE SHOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ANYMORE.

JUST AS SHE HAS BEEN ALL ALONG.

...AND WHAT IF I NEVER REGAIN MY MEMORIES?

THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY.

ISN'T MADAM LORELINE DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN?

AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE YEARS OF LOST MEMORIES WILL RETURN WITH A FEW CONVERSATIONS,

WHILE I CONTINUE LIVING UNDER YOUR SUSPICION?

I... I NEVER WANT THAT AGAIN...

...YOU'RE A PATIENT RIGHT NOW.

YOU SHOULD CALM DOWN AND GET SOME REST.

TERRIFIED THAT EVEN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HERDIN WOULD END,

I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THAT DAY WHEN I SIMPLY RAN AWAY.

I REFUSE.

IF YOU WERE FALSELY ACCUSED, I'LL REGAIN MY MEMORIES AND CLEAR YOUR NAME,

AND IF IT'S TRUE THAT YOU TRIED TO HARM ME, I'LL RESENT YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

I WAS...!

...HEARTBROKEN.

IT WAS PAINFUL FOR ME, TOO.

HAVING TO DOUBT THE BOND BETWEEN MY MOTHER AND SOMEONE WHO LOVED ME SO DEARLY,

FACING THE TRUTH... TERRIFIED ME.

BUT FROM NOW ON...

I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THE DARK, HIDING FROM EVERYTHING JUST BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT AND TERRIFYING.

...IT'S MY FAULT.

I FORGOT THAT OUR CONTRACT WAS FOUNDED ON COOPERATION.

AND THAT SUCH COOPERATION REQUIRES TRUST.

FROM NOW ON, I WILL NEVER DOUBT OR INTERROGATE YOU AS I DID TODAY.

...I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS SOMEONE WHO COULD ADMIT FAULT AND APOLOGIZE SO READILY.

IF ONLY I HAD CONFRONTED YOU BACK THEN, DESPITE MY FEAR...

WOULD OUR ENDING HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT?

WOULD WE HAVE AVOIDED TAKING SUCH A LONG AND WINDING ROAD?

DOES LIGHTING THE FIREPLACE FRIGHTEN YOU?

...GET SOME SLEEP FOR NOW.

YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED.

IT'S NOT THAT CHILD'S FAULT.

BLAIR IS A SWEET CHILD.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON HER MOTHER IS.

DON'T YOU THINK SO, TOO?