Then please, have a good time.
Soon the maids, including Ann and Jennie, left the chamber at once.
When they were all gone and Rubica was alone, she quickly opened the second drawer of the chest next to the bed.
‘Thank the gods, it’s here.’
She put her hand between the gloves piled up inside the drawer, and she could feel Arman’s blue ring. Touching the cold stone made her finally relax.
‘It would be better to get a box or something to put it in. Should I try to find a candy box?’
She suddenly yawned. She closed the drawer and rubbed her eyes. The bed covered with soft silk tempted her, but she didn’t lie on it and headed to the duke’s chamber instead.
‘This will be the first and the last time the wall will be opened, so I should look around here now.’
She fought her own eyelids that kept coming down against her will and looked around the duke’s chamber. Unlike the duchess’ chamber that was decorated splendidly, the duke’s chamber was too simple.
‘Is this the duke’s private study? I think his bedchamber is not directly linked to here. That’s good. Hmm, should I take a look at the study first?’
She took a quick tour around the room and headed to the mahogany desk. He probably worked even when he rested there, as there were ruler, ink, and pen on it. He probably had mysophobia or something. Everything was in the right order, including the white paper. Rubica was about to move on when she spotted a word written on it.
‘Stella.’
One small word was written on the corner of the paper.
What are you doing here?
Hup!
Rubica was startled at hearing Edgar’s voice so suddenly. He was leaning against the wall and was looking at her.
She hadn’t known he would come so quickly. Most bridegrooms drank on and on with the guests till it was late at night. Her hair hadn’t fully dried yet and he was here already?
Just looking around.
Looking around?
I was a little curious…
A corner of Edgar’s lips curled up.
You’re curious about me?
No, of course not!
The corner of his lips went down, a little below its usual place.
I was just wondering at which shop this mahogany desk was made.
Oh.
Edgar shrugged as if saying he could understand that.
Your father was a merchant, I see.
He said that without giving much thought to it.
However, Rubica’s face turned red. Only then did he realize how what he just said must have sounded to her.
‘You’re wondering the price of a piece of furniture the second you arrive here? Typical daughter of a merchant.’
He really didn’t mean that. However, even he himself had to acknowledge that he had no right to think it was unfair because of the words he had said and the things he had done.
‘… I should just not say anything.’
He couldn’t think of a way to escape from the awkward mood, but he knew how not to make it even worse. It was to shut his mouth that blurted out things without much consideration.
With a firm expression, he took off his jacket and vest. Then, he started to undo the buttons of his sleeves.
Ugh! What are you doing!
It was the first time he learned there was a way to make things even worse without saying anything. Rubica pressed herself on the wall and shrieked. It could have made the servants and maids waiting outside come in.
What am I doing? Preparing to take a bath.
Take, take a bath?
Rubica calmed her startled heart and looked at Edgar up and down. He was still wearing the suit he had worn during the wedding, unlike Rubica who had taken a bath and was now in her nightdress.
Then just go to the bathroom and do it there!
You want me to take off my clothes in the bathroom?
Yes!
But there’s no place to put my clothes there.
Edgar innocently replied to her. Rubica was so shocked that she had to take a deep breath. How could he lack so much common sense? But it had to be his common sense.
‘Young master who has been served by others for all his life.’
To think about it, he had taken off his jacket and vest quite awkwardly. His fingers slipped off often as he undid the buttons. Rubica laughed at seeing Edgar, the cold man without blood, behave so awkwardly.
Did you just laugh?
Edgar recovered his coldness and asked her, but Rubica didn’t care. She went up to the bed and grabbed Edgar’s nightwear on it.
Then, she started to explain nicely as if she was talking to a new patient who had just come to the abbey.
Take this to the bathroom, hang it on the hook next to the door, and leave the door slightly open. Take off the clothes you are wearing now and leave them outside the door. It would be even better if you put them neatly on one side after the bath.
What are you…
Oh, and do you know how to turn on the water?
Edgar frowned his beautiful eyebrows. He was mad with Rubica for treating him like an idiot.
… I know that much. I know where the soap is and where my usual perfume is as well.
Oh, good.
Edgar replied angrily, took his nightwear, and went to the bathroom. His shirt and pants were dropped through the slightly open door.
Soon, Rubica could hear the sound of the water.
‘At least he is not completely hopeless.’
She shrugged and sat down on the bed.
The bed was wide enough for five people to lie on it. Whatever it was filled with, it made it so fluffy. She was tired, and she felt sleepy again while yawning.
‘Well, I guess I’ll look around the duke’s chamber later.’
It looked like there was no reason to see it now. Edgar was a busy man. He would probably leave the mansion for meetings and things, so Rubica would be able to use such an opportunity to take her time to look around the chamber.
‘Oh, I must tell him we should sleep separately.’
However, Edgar’s bath was not going to be finished for some time and she was getting sleepier and sleepier. She eventually laid down in the middle of the bed.
Then she fell fast asleep without even thinking of covering herself with the duvet.
She did worry about Edgar still taking the bath, but well, he must have so many women around him, why would he mess up with me? She just thought like that and went to sleep.
Rubica spotted her shabby dress and quickly checked her wrinkled hands. She had come back to reality.
That was the strangest dream I’ve ever had.’
It had been a strange dream about getting proposed by Duke Claymore who practically controlled the continent. How could she have had such a ridiculous dream?
Oh, right. I don’t have time to waste.
She picked up her basket and went to the nearby strawberry bush. Then, she picked strawberries and put them in the basket.
She had found that bush a little while ago. She had come here for Arman who loved strawberries even though she had almost no time to spare. He would be delighted if she returned with a basket full of strawberries.
Rubica.
Then, she heard Arman’s voice who was panting and sweating hard. Rubica was surprised to see him like that.
Arman, has something happened? What…
I had a bad dream.
Arman came to her and hugged her. She dropped her basket and the strawberries scattered on the ground. However, she didn’t want to pick them up again. She just leaned against Arman’s chest.
I also had a strange dream, Arman.
She rubbed her face on his chest. It felt so good. It felt so soft. She had dreamed to be in his arms like that for such a long time.
Listen to me.
Rubica looked up and met Arman’s foggy eyes. He then hugged her even tighter. The sound of the beating heart reached her ears.
She decided to be brave. The thing she had wanted to say so much but hadn’t, she had to say it before it was too late. Maybe she had had that dream because she needed to realize that.
You see.
Rubica was about to continue but then flinched. The position of Arman’s hand was a little strange. It was on part of Rubica’s body that wasn’t her butt but was almost at the start of it.
Arman was a careful man. As he couldn’t see, he had a habit of checking more than once when holding hands lest he touched the wrong part of the other person’s body.
‘Huh?’
It was the first time Rubica was in his arms, but his scent wasn’t unfamiliar. Thinking about it, the hands were thicker and stronger than Arman’s hands which she had known for a long time.
Yes, this fresh scent like that of the forest. This scent belongs to…
‘Duke Claymore!’
At that moment, her closed eyes snapped open.
Then she saw the expensive linen nightwear right in front of her while her head felt heavy.
Someone had his nose in her hair. Yes, the man holding her tightly now wasn’t the Arman of her dream but Edgar from her real life.
And where his hands had reached was…
