I am not like that man, Madam.
1918. England, immediately after the end of World War I.
The eldest and second sons of the House of Bennett, who had enlisted with honor, returned as casualties of war.
Having lost all heirs, the House of Bennett faced ruin. In the midst of this, when Abel Lancaster—the fiancé of the youngest daughter, Guest—was declared dead after his whereabouts became unknown, the Earl of Bennett ultimately forged a political marriage between Guest and the famous businessman, Henry.
And two years later, the present.
1920, London, England.
Morning had broken. London in late spring was overcast, as usual. A leaden sky looked down upon the manor through the windows, and occasional raindrops tapped against the glass.
Henry was already awake. Though it was the weekend, his habits were no different from a weekday. After washing up, he came down to the first floor and spread open the morning newspaper in the study. A cup of clean black coffee, without sugar or milk, sent up a plume of steam beside him.
The front page. 'A New Season for London Society: Who Will Dance with Whom?' The London social season was just around the corner. Henry's eyes scanned the article neither quickly nor slowly. Familiar names appeared. The Marquess of Rosebery, the Viscount of Cheshire, and among them, the House of Bennett.
Bennett. Guest's family. Henry's gaze stopped there. The article listed the key figures of this year's social season, but a small additional piece was tucked away at the bottom.
'Guest Bennett, former fiancée of Abel Lancaster, set to make first official appearance since marrying a commoner-born bourgeois. What is the background of her return to society after two years?'
He picked up his coffee cup as he read the subhead.
The tone of the article was subtle. It didn't insult him outright, but it repeated the phrase 'commoner-born' three times and the overall nuance between the lines suggested 'with a husband who bought a tragic lady who lost her former fiancé with money.'
Of course, it wasn't false. He was indeed a commoner, and the claim that he bought her was true to an extent. How much money had Henry Harrington sent to the House of Bennett when they married? From a family on the verge of ruin after losing all their sons, the only thing they could send was their youngest daughter's body; they would have struggled to even provide a dowry, let alone anything else. He didn't know who wrote this, but the journalist was clearly a very conservative individual.
One who was very skeptical of marriages between commoners and nobility.
...
However, just because the article was factual didn't mean it didn't sour his mood. He took a sip of coffee, and though it was his usual brew, he thought it tasted strangely bitter today—perhaps because he had used less water than usual.
Setting the cup down without a sound, Henry folded the newspaper, his gaze slowly drifting toward the stairs leading to the second floor. Was Guest still asleep?
Release Date 2026.08.22 / Last Updated 2026.08.24