Chapter : 32
Jacqueline stopped halfway up the stairs.
Windsor, who had been looking down at his tightly pulled gown, glanced down at her from two steps below.
“What is it now?”
“Benjamin.”
“……”
“I need to go see Benjamin.”
At the suddenly mentioned name of his nephew, Windsor slightly furrowed his brow, as if he could not understand why she would need to go to the boy at this hour.
To him, she was still like popcorn—unpredictable, bursting in every direction.
Jacqueline hurried her steps. She quickly passed Windsor, only stopping when she noticed how tightly her gown was stretched.
Then she turned back to him, now standing two steps above, urging him again.
“I said I need to go see Benjamin.”
“……”
She had no intention of going alone.
When Windsor took a step forward, she began walking again.
“Maybe Benjamin is scared.”
“Of this level of thunder? Benjamin is the next heir of the Preston family.”
“As Lord Preston knows, being the heir of the Preston family has nothing to do with fear of thunder.”
“That’s not what I meant. Benjamin has had science lessons. He knows thunder is just an electrical discharge caused by atmospheric instability. If I recall correctly, that was the subject of his sixth tutor.”
He paused.
Jacqueline froze.
Slowly, she turned around. Her voice sharpened instantly.
“Ah, I’d almost forgotten. Lord Preston is someone who is always so precise about everything.”
Windsor could not understand why she was angry. He could not predict it either.
All he could do was adapt to the storm sweeping through.
Jacqueline began walking again, her gown still pulled taut in her hand. She glanced back at him occasionally, as if checking whether the man she was dragging along was truly Windsor Preston.
“Lord Preston, do you ever think about the mysteries of the universe before sleeping? The afterlife? Embarrassing moments from the past? Or maybe becoming suddenly rich in the future? …Ah, you’re already rich.”
She muttered awkwardly, then concluded:
“Anyway, this is exactly the time when a child’s imagination runs wild.”
At that, Windsor raised one eyebrow, still clearly unconvinced.
“That is an inefficient behavior. Bedtime exists for a reason. Sleeping properly during that time is far more productive than wasting it on useless imagination.”
“Ah, yes. I almost forgot again that you’re always so precise about everything, Lord Preston.”
Jacqueline’s voice turned sharp again, then softened suddenly. She raised a finger to her lips.
“Shh.”
They had arrived at Benjamin’s door.
She took a breath and gently pushed the handle.
……
The door opened silently.
A dark room appeared beyond the gap.
Everything was still. Everything was in place. The child lay motionless on the bed.
He seemed to be fast asleep.
“He’s asleep,” Jacqueline whispered, a faint relief in her voice.
“Of course. He must have been tired,” Windsor replied as if it were obvious.
“Good night, Benjamin.”
She offered a gentle goodnight and began closing the door.
At that moment—
Flash.
BOOM—RUMBLE!
The world lit up again. The brief daylight vanished, and darkness swallowed everything once more.
……
Neither of them could look away from the bed.
A small figure was trembling, curled up tightly and hugging a teddy bear.
The child buried his face in Colin, flinching every time the thunder rumbled.
“…It’s okay, Colin. I’m here…”
A fragile voice, close to tears, barely reached them.
Windsor’s expression vanished completely.
He stared at Benjamin as if observing something unfamiliar for the first time.
Jacqueline quietly closed the door again.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Benjamin, it’s me. May I come in?”
“…Yes, Miss Somerset.”
A composed voice answered from inside.
Jacqueline counted to three in her head before opening the door again.
Benjamin sat stiffly on the bed.
RUMBLE.
The thunder roared again. The boy flinched but forced himself to remain still.
Jacqueline walked closer.
“Colin is afraid of thunder. I came to check if he was sleeping well.”
“I’m with him, so he won’t be scared.”
Benjamin tightened his grip on Colin’s hand. It was not an illusion—the small fist was trembling.
“Colin is braver than he looks.”
She paused, then turned slightly.
Only then did Benjamin notice Windsor standing in the darkness behind her.
“Lord Preston said he would stay until morning.”
“…Uncle?”
Benjamin’s eyes widened.
Windsor frowned slightly, looking at Jacqueline.
“Right, Lord Preston?”
“Are you suggesting this is because of thunder? As I said, thunder is simply atmospheric instability—”
“Please, just be quiet.”
Jacqueline cut him off with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
Windsor understood something very clearly: if he disagreed now, a storm far worse than the one outside would follow.
He slowly nodded.
His gaze shifted to Benjamin.
The future heir of Preston straightened his shoulders.
“I’m not afraid of thunder, so I’m fine alone, Miss Somerset.”
Windsor nodded as if he expected that answer.
“Then I am not needed.”
“But Colin is scared, so it would be comforting if Uncle stayed.”
Benjamin quickly added that part.
Jacqueline shot Windsor a sharp look, holding an oil lamp near her face so her expression was clearly visible.
Windsor walked to the chair beside the bed and sat down.
Jacqueline leaned toward Benjamin and spoke softly:
“Lord Preston is here, so Colin won’t be scared anymore. Now, go to sleep peacefully.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset.”
Benjamin slipped under the blanket.
Then he turned slightly toward Windsor.
“…Uncle?”
“Speak.”
After confirming Windsor was still there, Benjamin finally relaxed.
But even after lying down, he kept calling his name.
Windsor didn’t understand why.
Perhaps it was similar to why Jacqueline had held the lamp close to his face earlier.
The child was afraid of thunder.
Had he forgotten everything from his sixth tutor’s science lessons?
He couldn’t find an answer.
Meanwhile, Benjamin’s breathing slowly evened out.
Jacqueline gently pulled the blanket up to his neck.
“Goodnight, Benjamin.”
She straightened up and looked at Windsor.
“Good night, Lord Preston.”
“I believe I will. Tomorrow will likely be a very exhausting day.”
“When Benjamin becomes the next Preston Marquis, tonight will protect him.”
Windsor glanced at the sleeping child.
Jacqueline left the room without hesitation.
As her shadow disappeared, Windsor’s eyes followed her.
The hallway beyond looked like a monster’s open mouth in the storm-dark.
Jacqueline paused for a moment.
Then she turned around lightly.
The door closed behind her.
Windsor watched her approach again, raising one eyebrow slightly.