SECOND FAMILY

"YOU MUST be feeling awkward."

Eclaire wanted to deny it, but she wasn't good at lying. "A little, Your Grace," she said politely. "I didn't expect that Your Grace will be this welcoming."

She still called the duchess by her title because it was awkward for her to call her 'mother' when her eomma was still alive.

Thankfully, the duchess didn't pressure her or anything.

[Anyway…]

The duchess wanted to talk to her in private.

Hence, right now, the two of them were having tea in the duchess' private tearoom. Only the two of them were there, so she was feeling a little awkward.

[I wish Rekker stayed, at least.]

But her brother seemed a little scared of his mother.

Duchess Aileen smiled softly. "It's not like I don't understand your feelings, Eclaire. But I really don't have any reason to be mean to you. After all, I look up to your mother."

Now that got her interest.

"Your Grace, are you close to my mother?"