SPOILERS!!!
Joanna is gradually coming to realize that she was oblivious of some important things. After seeing the painting and Hanon’s proposition, she wonders how her picture ended up in Marigny. Her guess is that Toby bought it for the previous lord, so he writes him a letter.
Toby doesn’t get the letter, but when he pays another visit to Blois, he hears some things that he doesn’t like. So he goes to her house as he wants to know if the rumours are true. People say that she is not only designing Marigny’s garden, but she and Hanon are having a relationship. Joanna gets offended by the question, and Toby is relieved to know the truth. Then there is a lovely moment between them when he finally tells her the whole truth about his origins, and the next day he continues his revelation, even telling her about Eleanor. Nothing happens between them, but I think they silently show how much they appreciated each other.
Toby has to go, and Guillaume returns sick and is bedridden for days. He thinks he is going to die, and he asks Joanna never to leave him. In Marigny Eleanor is upset and out of control. Guillaume went to find Martin, but he only got to see Toby, and when he inquired after Martin, Toby protected his friend, telling him that he had died. So when Eleanor’s hopes to find Martin are crushed, she is despaired. So she threatens Hanon to tell the truth about him. Yet, unluckily when they are fighting, Eleanor trips over a chisel, left by some workers, and she hits her head and dies.
Then Guy approaches, and something in his face reminds Hanon of something. It is the same expression that he has seen in Toby. So now Hanon starts considering whether it is possible for the boy to belong to Toby. He knows that Eleanor hankered after Toby, and he wonders if she might have forgotten her principles and bedded Toby,. That would explain why she accepted his proposal so promptly, and then the boy was born prematurely because of a fall that nobody saw, and even if he was early, he was a healthy boy without any usual problems. Oh my! If Hanon beats this little boy now when he thinks he is his father, I am scared to think what he would do to him if he starts believing he is Toby’s. Hopefully, Guy is not alone; Johanna has returned to Marigny because he is worried about Guy, who she has grown fond of. That is the reason she gives Toby why she is going to return there.
I really hope that Hanon gets his well-deserved punishment. I imagine that Guillaume will eventually die, and Johanna will end up together. There are only just a few pages left for the end, and I am curious to see how everything is resolved.
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