Chapter 93
Puhup!
Someone at the next table spat out their tea. While the maid hurried to clean up the mess, Nora immediately snapped in fury.
“Are you insane? I told you I would say it—clearly!”
Henry, completely unfazed, was asking the server,
“Do you not have it?”
“We do. There’s a grain tea that’s good for pregnant women.”
“Then I’ll have that.”
Finishing the order with a fresh tone, Henry turned to Nora and flashed a wide grin. He even shrugged, like asking what the problem was. Nora’s face turned bright red—was it from anger or embarrassment?
Hermia, forgetting her manners, pointed back and forth between Henry and Nora with her finger.
“Um… so…”
There’s a pregnant woman here, and it couldn’t be any of us or Henry himself, which means…
“Miss, are you… pregnant?”
Her finger finally landed on Nora Wilson, a 26-year-old woman who had graduated from medical school and become a soldier.
She was bowing her head like a criminal.
“That’s correct.”
Henry answered for her. He didn’t even try to hide his pride, the look on his smiling face said it all without needing further questions.
“You’re the father, Lieutenant?”
“Why ask the obvious?”
Oh, dear. Now Emily sighed beside them. Judging by everyone’s reaction, even the Duke’s staff didn’t know about their situation.
Hermia didn’t know how to react. Having a child was definitely a blessing, something to be congratulated. But Nora looked like she was about to cry, and Henry was smiling, so she had no idea what to say.
“Were you two… dating before?”
“No, we weren’t!”
Nora immediately denied it and raised her voice.
They weren’t dating, but she got pregnant? That was impressive in more ways than one. Just as that thought crossed her mind, Nora continued.
“It was an accident. We were both drunk, too drunk to think clearly, and as a result…”
“A child was conceived. For the record, I wasn’t drunk.”
“We agreed to say that you were!”
“We agreed on a lot of kisses too. And you started that, Lieutenant.”
“Agh!”
Nora pounded Henry’s shoulder with her fists. He just let her, looking like he thought it was adorable. Though it did seem to hurt a bit.
“Does Walter know?”
Hermia, who had been quietly watching them, suddenly asked. Nora paused mid-punch and her face immediately darkened.
That was all the answer she needed.
He doesn’t know. Maybe it was best to postpone the congratulations.
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“Have you eaten?”
Walter gave a slight nod in response to the salutes from his subordinates, whom he hadn’t seen in two months, and took a seat.
By the time they gathered at the tea house again after lunch, four people were seated at the table. Hermia glanced at Henry and Nora, who sat across from her, and gave them a stiff, polite smile.
“I have. What about you?”
“I had a light meal as well. Did the food suit your taste? I heard it’s quite strong in flavor.”
“I liked it.”
‘Though she didn’t.’
Nora had rushed outside after just one bite because of the strong spices. Henry followed her out, and they ended up eating somewhere else before coming back.
Hermia kept forcing awkward smiles, trying not to show anything.
“That’s good.”
Walter finally turned his head toward the two subordinates. Hermia felt even more tense now.
“The doctor?”
“He’s in the holding cell at the nearby police station. Our men stayed behind to watch him.”
Henry answered on behalf of Nora, whose face had gone pale. Walter gave her a quick glance, sensing she wasn’t well, then asked the next question.
“What did you find out?”
“He went all the way to the Eastern front line. He contacted a soldier stationed there, and we took a statement of their conversation.”
Walter quickly scanned the report Henry handed him. His eyes didn’t leave the pages as he asked quietly,
“What’s wrong with Miss Wilson?”
“She’s not sick. It’s just… morning sickness. The food here is really strong in flavor.”
“So I noticed.”
“She couldn’t keep anything down, so I just gave her some fruit.”
“Good. You did—”
His normally composed brow twitched.
Morning sickness? Walter murmured, then lifted his head. At the same time, Hermia’s eyes darted nervously.
“I’m sorry, Colonel.”
Nora, with a determined expression, finally confessed.
“I… I’m pregnant.”
It wasn’t uncommon for such things to happen between nurses and soldiers. But for Nora, who had treated them all, it was a hard truth to admit.
She’d always warned the other women in the unit. Now she’d done exactly what she had warned them against. It was a complete disgrace.
Forced discharge, dishonorable exit, the predicted downfall of a medical school valedictorian.
Worst-case scenarios filled Nora’s mind.
A brief silence swept over the table like a gust. Hermia swallowed hard and looked at Walter.
“Take leave, get married, then return to duty.”
“…What?”
“If you need time until childbirth, just file for long-term leave.”
Walter spoke calmly, without looking all that surprised. The expression of shock had long disappeared from his face.
It wasn’t a discharge. It was a leave of absence. Henry had said it would be, but hearing the official decision from her superior made Nora’s heart swell.
Her eyes welled up in an instant. She bowed her head again and spoke in a small voice.
“Thank you…”
“What about the child’s father? He obviously said he’d take responsibility, right?”
Walter asked, like he’d kill someone if the answer was no.
Hermia noticed something strange, but unlike her, Henry just let out a deep sigh. He’d expected this.
“Of course. I’m going to visit her house first thing when we get back.”
At Henry’s calm response, Walter turned his head with an annoyed look.
“Why would you?”
“I knew this would happen. Because I’m the father. Obviously, I have to take responsibility.”
“What?”
Walter put down the papers. Hermia was shocked to see her husband’s stunned expression.
“Don’t tell me you just found out?”
“You—why, no—how…”
Walter stood up and grabbed Henry by the collar before anyone could stop him. With only brute strength, he pulled the seated man to his feet. His voice, full of rage, came out like a blade.
“You laid hands on your direct subordinate? Are you out of your mind?”
“Walter!”
“Colonel!”
Hermia and Nora stood up in a panic. Henry, who thought he knew his superior well, went pale at the unexpectedly violent reaction.
“W-Wait! Let’s talk, okay? I can’t breathe…”
“Shut your mouth. Lieutenant Nora Wilson, report the truth.”
Walter kept his sharp gaze fixed on Henry as he asked.
“Did the lieutenant use his rank to pressure you? Was there any coercion or threats?”
“No, sir!”
Nora shook her head frantically.
“Lieutenant Henry didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Then did this bastard force himself on you—”
“I made the first move!”
At her even more shocking confession, Walter’s grip on Henry’s collar loosened. As his gaze slowly turned, Nora’s face, red as a beet, came into view.
“I… I ambushed him.”
“I’m the one who seduced her first.”
Henry, rubbing his neck with bloodshot eyes, firmly stood by Nora. She glanced around, trying to check on him with a strained look, holding back tears.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Were you scared?”
“A little, but I’m okay.”
Seeing them take care of each other so tenderly, it felt like Walter had somehow become the villain in all this.
“…Just sit down.”
Hermia gently tugged at Walter’s sleeve, pulling him back down.
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When they returned to the hotel, where the plumbing work had finally ended, the western sky was painted in shades of violet.
Hermia glanced at Walter, who had sat blankly in the carriage the whole way back. She couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
“You really didn’t know?”
“….”
“You’re completely out of it.”
Walter seemed to be lost in past memories, trying to pinpoint when the two had started getting close. He sat on the sofa, deeply furrowing his brows. To her, he looked utterly adorable.
“Well, if two people spend that much time together, it’s only natural something could spark.”
“…But Wilson used to get annoyed just seeing Henry. When did that change?”
“Maybe she’s that kind of person. You know, the type who picks on the one they like.”
She casually stepped closer and started undoing his tie. He didn’t resist. Hermia kept talking while her hands moved effortlessly.
“But what happens if they get married? Will they keep working together?”
“There’s no precedent for this, so it’ll need to be discussed. They’ll probably get reassigned to another unit…”
She unbuttoned two of his shirt buttons, then turned around.
“Can you undo the back of my dress? Why did you leave it like that? Can’t we just stay like this?”
“If a married couple stays in the same unit, people will definitely talk. It’ll get uncomfortable for them too.”
The sound of ribbons being untied rustled softly by her ear. Hermia bit her lip to suppress a smile.
“Do you think it’ll be a boy or a girl? If it’s a boy and he looks like Nora, he’ll be really handsome.”
Imagining a child with strong, sharp features like Nora, she led Walter by the hand toward the bed with soft steps.
He followed without resistance, sitting on the edge.
“If it’s a girl and she looks like the lieutenant, she’d be a real beauty.”
Walter, who hadn’t reacted much when she talked about a boy like Nora, frowned slightly this time. He didn’t seem to like this image.
Hermia nonchalantly tied a ribbon around his wrist and wrapped the rest of the fabric around the bedpost.
“What about our child? Whether it’s a boy or girl, they’ll be stunning of course. But wouldn’t it be better if the first one’s a boy?”
All that was left was to close the terrace door. As she tiptoed over, behind her came a long ripping sound—silk tearing.
