“Charlotte.”
Charlotte woke up to the familiar voice. It felt like more time had passed than she had realized. Her body felt refreshed. The first thing she noticed was the soft feeling against her back. She was sure she had fallen asleep in the carriage.
Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a high ceiling. She was lying in a canopy bed surrounded by white curtains. The sunlight touching her feet made her realize they must be at the villa. Charlotte turned her head to the side. Someone was sitting in a chair by her bedside. As soon as their eyes met, she instinctively sat up.
“You’re awake.”
“Mother!”
The voice belonged to Cynthia.
“How did you get here…?”
“That man who’s going to be your husband brought me here a few days ago.”
The man who would be her husband—Richard. But how? When did he manage this?
“If you had a lover, you should have told me sooner. You gave me quite a shock.”
Cynthia smiled faintly at the astonished Charlotte. She reached out her hand, but something seemed off. She was groping the air as if trying to find where Charlotte was. Holding her mother’s hand, Charlotte’s lips trembled as she asked,
“Mom, are your eyes…?”
“Oh, you must be surprised.”
Cynthia, holding her daughter’s hand tightly for the first time in a while, explained calmly.
“I didn’t tell you, but as my health declined, my eyesight also started to deteriorate.”
As Cynthia continued, Charlotte’s face turned ashen. It all made sense now. The times her mother had broken glassware or stumbled in the evenings were because of this.
She had been too preoccupied with Richard to notice.
“I… I…”
Cynthia stroked her daughter’s hand, comforting her as Charlotte struggled with guilt and sorrow.
“It’s alright. I may not regain my sight, but it’s fine. I’m happy thinking about you having a good husband and living well. I felt guilty about being a burden at Mistymoor Hall, but I’m grateful to be taken care of like this.”
“…Do you know who he is?”
Charlotte’s voice trembled as she asked. She hadn’t asked Richard more because her mother firmly believed he had died on a colonial island years ago. She worried about the shock it would cause her mother and felt sorry for Richard, who was treated as if he were dead.
“Of course I know.”
Cynthia nodded brightly.
“He’s Sir Richard Winkle, a trader from Katia.”
‘He has the same name as the young master I once served, which made me feel more affectionate towards him. He seemed polite and kind.’
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“Mrs. Hegel, ma’am, Sir requests your presence for breakfast.”
It was Anna.
The breakfast was simple yet nutritious. Fresh milk, scrambled eggs, bacon, and pudding. Anna attended to Cynthia throughout the meal, considering her poor eyesight.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me, Sir Winkle.”
“Please, feel free to call me Richard.”
“But we’re not married yet, is that really alright…?”
“We’ll be family soon, so I’d prefer if you didn’t find it difficult.”
Charlotte listened to the conversation between her mother and Richard, half in admiration and half in disbelief. From the beginning to the end, their dialogue flowed naturally, respectfully, and with a hint of affection.
She felt gratitude and respect for Richard, who treated her mother with such courtesy. At the same time, she was amazed and slightly bewildered by his perfect facade. Regardless, the man at the head of the long dining table continued the conversation, elegantly slicing his bacon as he encouraged them to eat more.
***
“Charlotte and I plan to take a walk after breakfast. Would you like to join us?”
“No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I’m feeling a bit sleepy today. How about tomorrow?”
“If that’s what you prefer, I won’t insist.”
Cynthia’s cup was empty by then. Anna, always quick to notice, helped the elderly woman upstairs. Richard also stood up and extended his hand to Charlotte. She took it somewhat hesitantly, but his strong grip pulled her up effortlessly.
Despite being a quaint house in the woods, the backyard had a small walking path. The ground was covered with a soft layer of snow over frozen earth. As they walked between the white birch trees, it all felt somewhat surreal.
A secluded, beautiful place where they didn’t have to worry about prying eyes. It felt like stepping into another world.
Each breath turned into a puff of mist in the cold air. As Charlotte rubbed her cold hands together, Richard, who had taken off his gloves, reached out and wrapped her hands in his, then tucked them into his coat pocket. The warmth from his touch spread through her cold skin, causing a gentle warmth to rise from her neck. With her head lowered, Charlotte spoke first.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For taking care of my mother. I didn’t expect you to.”
She wanted to confirm that he had left Corlen Island for that reason, but she kept her mouth shut. Even knowing a small piece of his thoughts wouldn’t let her see inside his mind.
Once, she had asked Anna in the hotel.
“What about the Earl?”
“Well, I don’t know the details…”
Seeing Anna avoid her gaze, Charlotte had a rough idea of the situation. He had turned his back on his family for her.
It was astonishing. She was curious about what kind of resolve it took for a man who seemed never to let go of his privileges to turn his back on his family for her. To leave behind everything he had achieved and choose her.
Was this all a dream? Like sweet sorbet that melts away the moment you speak of it.
The happiness felt overwhelming, making her both fearful and inevitably joyous. Not long ago, she had been ready to leave him to avoid being a burden. Now, she was thrilled to be able to stay with him without worrying about others’ opinions. She felt ashamed of how shallow and contradictory she was.
“I don’t know how to thank you… I…”
As if reading her complicated thoughts, he gripped her small hand tightly, stopped, and turned to look at her. Gazing down at her innocent eyes, he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. His touch was tender, but his words were sharp.
“Just stop using that useless brain of yours.”
His eyes narrowed. His voice was soft, but his smile was menacing. In the secluded space, the atmosphere shifted dramatically, and Charlotte stiffened. Shh. He silenced her attempts to speak with a finger to her lips and continued.
“I read your letter. You put quite a bit of thought into it before you left.”
To the point of tears. His smile deepened.
“That was…!”
“Were you expecting someone to come for you?”
‘Tell me. It’s all in the past anyway.’
Charlotte shook her head vehemently, his smooth tone almost hypnotic. Despite her pale face, his eyes remained cold.
Another man for Charlotte Hegel? He had turned the place upside down looking for any trace of him. If he had found him, he would have taken her right in front of him and then killed him without a trace.
Thinking of her crying face made him feel a hunger like on the ship. As he reached out, a sharp pain stung his other hand.
“That’s too much.”
Charlotte had scratched his hand with her nails and forcibly pulled her hand away, turning her back on him.
“There was no one like that. How could you think there was?”
Anger and frustration, stronger than the fear she felt moments ago, surged within her.
How could he doubt her chastity?
“Isn’t it you who has many people of the opposite sex around, not me?”
She could list a few names right away.
Kiara Spencer, Louise Denoir, and the woman from the ship.
And the young, pretty noblewomen who came under the Countess’s invitation but kept sneaking glances at him.
“If you’re angry about some imaginary man, then I…”
It was then that she felt an arm wrap around her waist from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace. Startled, she struggled to break free, but it was useless. He was someone who seemed to have been born without the ability to yield.
Eventually, Charlotte gave up and relaxed her body. She decided to respond with indifference. Holding her soft body close, Richard rested his chin on the top of her head and whispered,
“Are you jealous?”
“…”
“There’s one way to fix that.”
She was intrigued. She tried to keep her mouth shut to avoid reacting, but curiosity was tickling the back of her throat. As his broad chest pressed against her back, Charlotte’s face turned bright red. He had unbuttoned his coat and enveloped her in it, making them appear as one to any onlookers.
“Aren’t you curious?”
Richard lowered his head and whispered in her ear. The warmth of his breath made her ear feel like it was on fire. It was cold outside his embrace, but where they touched, it was burning hot.
“What… what is it?”
No sooner had she asked than he grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her heart sank as she looked at his face. Just when she thought she was getting used to it, his beauty still took her breath away.
The white snow surrounding them only accentuated his cold and noble aura. No extravagant words were needed to describe him.
“Mark me.”
While she was momentarily dazed, Richard loosened his tie and exposed his neck.
“What…?”
“Bite, lick, or suck.”
“…”
She was dumbfounded. Just as Charlotte was questioning her hearing, he drove the point home.
“Or all three.”
She wondered if she had heard him wrong. While she was flustered, he calmly presented his neck for her to mark as her own. As she stepped back, he advanced, making her retreat meaningless. Eventually, she collapsed to the ground, and Richard knelt in front of her, tilting his head.
“Or should I do it?”
“…”
“Is that what you want?”
He was the kind of man who would actually do it if she said yes. Realizing this, Charlotte quickly shook her head. Hesitantly, she leaned towards his neck. As if in a trance, her lips touched the cold skin of his neck, and he let out a low, satisfied laugh like a well-fed beast. His hand, which had been wrapped around her waist, slowly moved upward.
🍉🍉🍉
