During the journey back to his mansion, the Duke wanted to hold Joanna.
He wanted to hug his daughter, who looked pale with a bloodstained white handkerchief wrapped around her neck while her body was covered by the tailcoat of her husband as if it were there not only to warm her body but also to protect her from others' eyes.
He had never seen her in that situation before. The daughter that he treasured with all of his heart and life to be in such horrible condition made his heart squeeze.
However, he could not do that. He could not hold his daughter, as her husband, who put her on his lap and embraced her tightly, putting her head to lay on his shoulder, seemed to be sunk in an abyss with her, not caring about anything, even seeming to forget about his presence in the carriage.
The Duke also sensed that the General would not let anyone hold his wife, ready to bite those who dared lay their fingers on her. Yet such protective action put warmth in his heart.
