Lucia was said to be phisically ‘plain/average’ in the beginning of the story, and in some chapters later. But you know what they say… “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.
Then the story also told abt Hugh Taran’s POV about Lucia where he thought “rather than pretty, she’s interesting” (forgot which chapter, but it’s around the time before the two got married). Then after sometime, Hugh thought that his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world (whether it’s baseless opinion or not, doesn’t matter… lol).
Next was David Ramis’ POV in his extreme infatuation to Lucia that for him she was a descended angel or something, which made him so smitten he could burn the whole world just to be with her. (The guy was Queen Beth’s brother that eventually got killed by Roy Krottin because of his scheme to get Lucia).
And then there was Damian, who even since the age of only 8 years old, also thought how beautiful his stepmother was. Not to mention Chris & Bruno who also thought the same, though only explicitly.
I think the sentence abt Jerome’s wife is ‘extremely pretty’ was from Lucia’s own opinion. Though i’m sure that Olga must be quite pretty generally

iirc, in a chapter with dr. Philip’s POV, it’s said that Phillip was quite disappointed with the result of sending women to Hugh Taran. Because in order to get a child (a daughter, from this process) Hugh had to sleep with one woman exclusively for several times. While in the reality, Hugh got bored so quickly with one woman so he went to the next, and so on.
Moreover, the women Phillip prepared for Hugh were commoners (orphaned or homeless perhaps) and easier for him to get & control. But unfortunately, after sometime Hugh (maybe got more confident as he got older) started to find women from higher status (nobles), which Philip couldn’t possibly treated with mugwort without raising suspicions.
And even from Hugh’s relationships with these noble women, Phillip’s thorough investigation (in stalking mode) didn’t find any resulting children.
So i think it’s more possible that Ted was one of the non-noble girls in the ‘orphanage’ front that Phillip managed, rather than a resulting child from Hugh’s relationship (neither also from the former Duke of Taran. Because if Philip found any Taran’s female descendants, there’s no way he wouldn’t try to send that female to Hugh or Damian)