Chapter 5: Inner Turmoil
* * *
Having given her word, Lyra knew she had to change. Though inner healing would take more time, she tried not to show her struggles.
Gradually, the household atmosphere shifted back to normal.
Lyra went to the lesson room at the same time every day, hoping Mrs. Beightle might have a change of heart and teach her again. Holding onto this belief, she devoted herself to solitary study.
She read the poetry collections Mrs. Beightle had given her, familiarized herself with famous art songs by ear, and never neglected her vocal exercises and reading practice.
Despite being labeled tone-deaf, she still sang occasionally. As a result, strange sounds increasingly emanated from the lesson room.
One day, Letty and the other maids came en masse to watch her. As their visits grew more frequent, her initial embarrassment gradually faded.
They even seemed to have relocated their afternoon tea time to the lesson room, eventually bringing in tea and cookie sets.
Her heart swelled when they would applaud at the end and gracefully exit.
Another time, while she was singing with all her might, Kaylon walked in. Though Lyra panicked, his gesture to continue left her no choice but to finish the song.
She was so distracted by stealing glances at Kaylon sitting on the sofa drinking coffee that she could barely remember what she was doing.
When one verse ended, Kaylon drained his remaining coffee in one gulp and left abruptly, leaving behind a single comment:
“A new song? Well, keep up the hard work.”
That one remark cut deeper than Mrs. Beightle’s complaints, and she finally decided to give up singing. If he couldn’t even recognize such a popular art song, it was clear she had no talent.
“I’ll just stick to what I’m good at…”
She picked up her books again. Memorization was her one strength, even acknowledged by Mrs. Beightle. So she focused solely on memorizing everything she didn’t know.
Though her eyes occasionally drifted to the piano, she deliberately ignored it.
Another week passed like this. While she was engrossed in studying social circle genealogies, the lesson room door opened. Lyra, who hadn’t noticed anyone entering, suddenly looked up at the familiar voice.
“Straighten your back. Your posture is slumping.”
“Madam!”
Lyra jumped up and ran to Mrs. Beightle. Having waited so long for this moment, joy overwhelmed her. She took the elderly lady’s wrinkled hands in hers and shyly squeezed them.
“I’m so happy you came.”
Mrs. Beightle looked down at their clasped hands, her face flushing as she raised her eyes, then gently withdrew her hands.
“There’s nothing to be so pleased about.”
Moving to her seat, Mrs. Beightle placed a white paper on the table and continued.
“Today, we’ll evaluate the results of your self-study.”
While the elderly lady wore a slight smile, Lyra’s face instantly turned pale.
* * *
“Those worthless creatures.”
Mrs. Beightle could barely contain her fury. As if reliving that day’s memories every night wasn’t bad enough, now those wretches had taken to camping outside the main gate at all hours, causing disturbances.
Though they were keeping it quiet so the girl wouldn’t notice…
“Haah.”
Her chest burned with anger, remembering how they’d only left today after being doused with a bucket of water.
And that wasn’t all. Watching that child force bright smiles while surely burning black inside from unwanted circumstances made her rage increasingly turn toward those creatures.
“They don’t deserve to be parents.”
She kept muttering. She had to release the anger somehow. But somehow it only seemed to build.
“That man can’t possibly be her real father. I won’t die before teaching those people a lesson.”
The elderly lady’s steps through the city streets were rough. Though she nearly tripped on occasional protruding stones, she didn’t slow her pace.
“How dare they cause such trouble on someone else’s land?”
Taking House Lianton lightly had its limits. Her face brightened as she spotted a familiar signboard.
「Kevin Beightle Law Office」
Where her only son worked—the son she always felt guilty about.
“Mother.”
A middle-aged man emerging from the single-story building greeted Mrs. Beightle. He smiled gently at his mother’s timely arrival.
“Yes. Have you been well? You look healthy.”
Despite her sharp tone, the man just chuckled.
“You haven’t changed.”
Though not as many as hers, fine wrinkles had appeared around his eyes. Mrs. Beightle gently patted her son’s back as she walked ahead.
“Don’t say that. They say sudden changes in people precede death.”
“Indeed. Please live long, Mother.”
“I will.”
A bell tinkled as the door opened. Mrs. Beightle followed her son into the office.
She immediately noticed the spacious area he could use without paying rent. After their family’s fall, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t proud of her son’s achievements. She looked away from his slightly hunched back.
“Still busy these days?”
“Same as always. And you, Mother?”
In one corner sat the withered congratulatory plant she’d sent years ago for his office relocation. While everything else seemed discarded, that alone remained, catching her eye repeatedly. She finally tore her gaze away as she sat down.
“No different than usual.”
“That’s good. But what brings you here?”
Kevin asked as he poured tea. After a moment’s hesitation, the elderly lady carefully opened her lips.
“I’m sorry to ask this favor, but there’s something I’d like you to look into.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about a young girl…”
Kevin watched his mother uncharacteristically draw out her words, gently prompting her with “Go on.”
But the words wouldn’t come. She kept glancing at the plant that drew her attention from the corner before finally speaking with difficulty.
“Could you find out if the child has a different birth father?”
“Who is this about?”
Mrs. Beightle pulled a paper from her bag and placed it before her son. Kevin immediately unfolded it and read the personal information.
“Lyra Norris? I’ve never heard this name. Who is she?”
“Well. That’s what I’d like to know. Just know that she’s currently staying at the Duke’s mansion.”
“…”
“Will it be difficult?”
At her careful question, Kevin, who had been lost in thought, spoke.
“You suspect this Norris isn’t her real father?”
“Yes. He seems to doubt it himself. Apparently he thinks the child’s mother had her with someone else.”
“And the birth mother is deceased?”
“That’s what I heard.”
“Hmm…”
Kevin’s eyes remained fixed on the paper. With so little information, it was hard to draw conclusions.
Moreover, paternity verification procedures were extremely complicated. They’d need the Baron’s cooperation first, and even with that, test results weren’t always accurate.
Even if he wasn’t the father, it was still problematic. How could they possibly identify the lover of a woman already dead?
Kevin’s brow furrowed slightly. Seeing this, Mrs. Beightle sighed quietly.
“It seems difficult. Have I asked too much?”
She’d hoped to somehow separate that poor thing from the shameless Baron, but it seemed unlikely.
“Forget I asked. I’m sorry for taking your time when you’re busy.”
Mrs. Beightle had no choice but to stand up almost as soon as she’d sat down. What was she doing, bothering her busy son like this? She’d come here in anger, but thinking about it, it wasn’t really her place to interfere.
‘Kaylon will handle it appropriately.’
She came to her senses when she realized she might only complicate matters by getting involved. At least she’d gotten to see her son’s face after so long.
“No, Mother. I’ll keep this, just in case. Contact me if you need anything else.”
“Yes, do that.”
Mrs. Beightle patted her son’s shoulder and reluctantly turned back toward the mansion.
