Chapter 31
“What happened last night?”
I couldn’t remember a thing. I recalled drinking wine in desperation, unwilling to miss the chance to spend the night with him, but after that, my memory was completely blank, as if cut off. My head throbbed as if it was about to split open, and my eyes were so swollen that even opening them was a struggle.
“Why are my eyes so swollen?”
I raised my hand to press against my temples and check my puffy eyelids. But as I lifted my arm, I noticed it felt oddly bare.
“I was definitely wearing a nightgown over my slip last night…”
Nervously, I lifted the blanket slightly, only to find nothing underneath. Not remembering anything from last night was already unsettling, but being completely naked only made it worse.
“Who did this?”
It must’ve been me. I probably got overheated from the wine and took off my clothes. There’s no way Stefan undressed me, right? He shouldn’t have such a terrible hobby of taking advantage of a drunken woman.
Muttering excuses to myself, I sat up in bed. If I was the one who took them off, my nightgown and slip should be lying scattered on the floor.
“They’re not here! That means someone else took them off…”
Forcing my swollen eyes open, I scanned the room quickly. My nerves got the better of me, and I began biting my nails anxiously.
Just then, I heard the sound of a door opening with a soft click. Through the misty steam, a large figure emerged from the bathroom.
“My lady, you’re awake?”
It was Stefan’s voice. But for some reason, his overly cheerful tone grated on my ears.
“Did you… sleep here, Your Grace?”
“Yes.”
“Did you… sleep in this bed?”
“There’s only one bed in this room, after all.”
“……”
Stefan stepped forward, pushing aside the canopy’s sheer curtains. Unlike me, lying there exposed, he was wrapped in a bathrobe and looked far too satisfied.
“My lady, is something the matter?”
“No.”
“Do you not remember what happened last night?”
“Of c-course I do.”
Not wanting to admit I had no memory of the previous night due to being completely drunk, I blurted out a lie without thinking. But Stefan’s following words were laden with meaning.
“That’s a relief.”
“A relief? Why?”
“I wouldn’t want to keep the hot memories of last night all to myself.”
“Hot… memories?”
“Thanks to your enthusiasm, I had a rather enjoyable and unique experience. I’m truly grateful.”
While Stefan smiled gently, my throat was growing drier and drier.
“Shall I help you bathe?”
“You, Your Grace?”
“On our first night, I was too shy to accept your offer. But now, we’re past that awkward stage, so I believe I can.”
“We’re past that stage?”
“Thanks to you breaking down the wall between us last night, we’ve become closer.”
“……”
Not only did he have a “unique” experience thanks to my enthusiasm, but apparently, I’d even broken down some walls between us. What on earth had I done last night?
I tried my best not to show the anxiety and unease I felt as Stefan gazed at me warmly, but I was failing miserably.
Desperate to escape his sight, I came up with a ridiculous excuse and lay back down on the bed.
“Your Grace, could I sleep a little more?”
“Now?”
“Perhaps I overdid it last night, as I’m feeling very tired.”
“Hmm…”
Stefan’s expression, as if he was holding back something he wanted to say, only made me more uneasy. His unnecessary kindness also seemed suspicious, as though he had some hidden agenda.
“I don’t mind if you sleep more, but it would be better to bathe now.”
“Is there a particular reason for that?”
“Don’t you notice the smell of sweat?”
“Sweat smell? Whose…?”
At the sight of Stefan’s reddening face, my mind went completely blank. His next words made me wish my ears would stop working altogether.
“Your scent is quite sweet, my lady, but it was getting me too worked up. I had no choice but to wash up as soon as I woke.”
“……”
“Don’t be too disappointed, my lady. We have many nights ahead of us. I look forward to tonight as well.”
With a playful remark, Stefan disappeared from the room. Left behind, I pulled the blanket over my head and silently screamed.
“Are you crazy, Rachel? What did you do to him last night?”
***
Later that afternoon, the Marchioness of Cota visited the duke’s residence. I had correctly predicted that her impatient nature wouldn’t allow her to wait more than three days before paying a visit.
“Welcome, Marchioness.”
“Did I come too soon?”
“A wise bird doesn’t miss the chance to claim its prey.”
“What a fitting analogy, hohoho.”
The blue feather on her hat swayed wildly as the Marchioness laughed heartily. Her attachment to hats was proof of her complex about her appearance, especially concerning her hair.
“Let me escort you to the parlor, Marchioness.”
“Why don’t we talk in the rose garden instead? It’s such a lovely day.”
“If that’s what you’d like, I have no objections. And please, feel free to call me Rachel.”
“Then you must call me Dorothy.”
“Of course, Dorothy.”
I gently linked arms with Dorothy and smiled warmly as we headed outside, while Mary opened the large doors of the mansion wide. Fresh air flooded in, and I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom.
It was different from simply standing on the terrace with the window open in the bedroom. Having not stepped outside the estate since the wedding, this felt especially moving.
As I took in the soft, early summer air, the sweet scent of roses filled my lungs.
‘To think I’m this excited just to walk in the garden… I’d probably be overjoyed if I ever left the mansion.’
Smiling silently to myself, I led Dorothy to the rose garden. The roses were in full bloom, making the garden even more beautiful than it had been on our wedding day.
Several gazebos were set up near the fountain, which had been running since noon. Mary quickly rushed into the most beautiful gazebo and began preparing the space. Although the garden was likely spotless from the daily work of the groundskeeper, her dedication in personally attending to where we would sit was appreciated.
To give Mary more time, I suggested to Dorothy that we take a stroll.
“Dorothy, shall we walk for a bit?”
“Yes, let’s, Rachel.”
As Dorothy casually looked around the rose garden, she brought up Rita in conversation.
“To build a rose garden not for her daughter, but for her son’s wedding… that’s so like Rita Edmond.”
“…She’s someone who cares deeply for His Grace.”
“Whether it’s out of love for her son or just a desperate attempt to keep him from being taken by his bride, time will tell…”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It seems to me she’s already lost him…”
“What?”
Confused by her words, I asked her again, and she gave me a playful smile.
“Looks like last night was just as eventful as your wedding night.”
“W-What do you mean…?”
My face flushed red despite my best efforts, and I quickly brought my hands up to cover my cheeks. If she noticed my blushing, it would be like admitting that last night was as intense as she implied—even though I had no memory of it.
“I might seem a bit forward bringing this up, but you can tell me anything. If you’re curious about something, just ask.”
“……”
With nothing to say, I simply blinked. I wanted to tell her about how Stefan had made a mockery of me from our first night together, but I didn’t know how or where to start.
“The Duke of Edmond must be more of a philanderer than he seems.”
“That’s not… really the case.”
“Was your wedding night difficult?”
“A… a little…”
“Taking on such a large man is no easy feat. And tormenting his wife for three nights straight is hardly considerate.”
I had been the one who asked for us to share a bed for three nights, so I couldn’t really argue. But how did she know we’d spent two nights together already?
“Do… Do I look like it?”
“Any married woman can see it right away.”
“S-see what?”
“That you’ve been tormented by your husband all night long.”
“……”
As soon as Stefan left the bedroom in the morning, I called Mary to help me bathe and clean myself thoroughly. I even applied ice packs to my swollen eyes and the faintly sore cheek. So what exactly was she seeing?
Embarrassment and shame surged through me, making my hands and feet tremble. I began to seriously consider staying hidden in the mansion after the end of this three-night ordeal.
“Rachel, what happened last night for you to cry?”
“C-cry?”
“You can’t fool my eyes. It’s clear you’ve been crying all night.”
So that’s why my eyes were so swollen. I had thought it was either from the slap Rita had given me or from drinking too much wine.
But what did it mean to cry during an intimate moment with my husband? Was it from too much pleasure? Or too much discomfort?
Dorothy’s next question pierced through my muddled thoughts, making me almost scream.
“Was the Duke of Edmond’s performance so amazing that it made you cry?”
I hope you enjoyed reading it.❤️
