Chapter 104. Ominous Signs
“Is that true?!”
It was the exact moment she was about to turn the corner at the end of the long corridor.
Ludmila’s hand, which had been irritably brushing off her skirt at the loud ringing sound, froze mid-motion.
“Shh!”
A hurried voice followed right behind.
Caught up in that secretive atmosphere, Ludmila tiptoed forward and pressed her body tightly against the inner wall of the corner.
“Ah, sorry, it’s just… I was so shocked…”
“Even so, that’s too much. You heard everything too, didn’t you? If word about that day somehow spreads through the mansion, they said they’d kick out us—who were at the scene first—right away!”
“Yeah… Madam Charlotte did say that.”
That day? Madam Charlotte? As the story grew increasingly intriguing, Ludmila pricked her ears even more toward the other side.
“But is it really true that the Duke is in that kind of relationship with her?”
“Well, I don’t know. The atmosphere back then was a bit strange, wasn’t it? Madam Charlotte said it was because she made a huge mistake and the Duke flew into a terrible rage… but honestly, does that even make sense?”
“Right… it really doesn’t add up. What kind of enormous mistake would make the Duke personally grab a low-ranking maid’s arm and take her up to the second floor himself?”
“Anyway, it’s been suspicious since then, but today in the inner courtyard I saw those two and it finally clicked for me.”
“But you’re absolutely sure you saw it properly?”
“Why won’t you believe what people say? I saw it clearly with these two eyes! The Duke put that Deborah girl in the carriage and they left side by side, looking all friendly!”
Heub—! Ludmila involuntarily sucked in a breath.
So shocked that she hurriedly clamped both hands over her mouth in case the sound leaked out.
‘What on earth is this? Deborah… with whom, doing what?!’
“So I was so suspicious that I looked into it a bit, and guess what—she said she’s staying out all day today. Then isn’t it obvious? The Duke is also absent from the mansion all day today.”
They must have gone on a honeymoon trip or something. Right? The voice sounded extremely triumphant, as if she had just made a brilliant deduction.
“No way… I just can’t believe it. I could understand Robin, but the Duke? Does that even make sense?”
“Well, that’s true—but she does have that somewhat vacant yet strangely alluring look, doesn’t she? Seems that kind of thing excites men.”
“Even so, when he has someone like Lady Constant… is a girl like that even plausible…?”
“If you’re jealous, get reborn in your next life with a face that seduces men like that.”
“Who said I’m jealous?!”
The other person shouted in outrage, and the one opposite her giggled for a long time.
Then she lowered her voice again and began whispering secretive instructions.
“Anyway, this is a story only you and I know. You absolutely have to keep it a secret!”
Only when the footsteps gradually faded and finally disappeared did Ludmila slowly start moving.
Tonight, as usual, she had been stuck washing dishes until late under the nasty head chef Bernard’s orders and was just leaving the kitchen last.
Fuming about her current situation and silently cursing the person responsible with the most vicious words she couldn’t say aloud.
She never dreamed she would overhear such an unexpected secret at the very end.
‘So that vulgar bitch really did have an extraordinary talent for bewitching men.’
The corners of Ludmila’s mouth twisted into a strange grimace for a moment.
She instinctively felt that the opportunity she had been waiting for so long had finally arrived, but she had to wait until the fruit was perfectly ripe.
‘This much won’t be enough…’
Only by pushing her off the cliff at the moment she feels happiest—when she believes she has everything—would the fall feel the most despairing.
Ludmila’s face, visible in the dark empty corridor, looked utterly sinister.
* * *
The carriage on the way back looked no different from the scenery when they had left yesterday.
An extremely quiet atmosphere with no particular conversation.
Ah, there was one thing different.
The place where Deborah was sitting.
On the way there, perhaps because there was still some sense of distance, they had sat facing each other, but now they were looking in the same direction.
Sitting between his knees, nestled deeply in his arms.
Even though she thought nothing would happen inside the rattling carriage, she couldn’t help feeling nervous just in case.
Fortunately, even after a long time since departure, the man showed no particular behavior.
Although the hand around her waist occasionally changed direction and touched elsewhere.
“The mansion will probably be noisy for a while starting tomorrow.”
It was the moment she tightly grabbed the creeping hand to stop it from moving.
A low chuckle and the man’s voice dug into her ear.
“For a while?”
At the sudden remark, Deborah’s attention immediately shifted from the hand she was holding to something else.
The Duke’s hand did not miss the opportunity and naturally began moving again.
“Yes.”
“Why, ah… wait a moment.”
A short moan escaped Deborah’s lips as he gently grasped her breast.
Startled by the unexpected sound, Deborah quickly covered her mouth and stared hard at the opposite wall of the carriage.
Her heart started pounding, worried that the coachman sitting beyond might have heard.
Even in that moment, Deborah sharply slapped the shameless moving hand.
Ouch—the man made an exaggerated fuss even though she hadn’t hit him that hard, and Deborah turned her head and glared at his annoying face.
“What do you mean? That the mansion will be noisy for a while?”
She frowned as if telling him to stop the strange behavior and properly explain what he had just said.
At her words, the man looked a little embarrassed, raised one eyebrow slightly, then opened his mouth.
“It’s nothing much—just that the Crown Prince is scheduled to visit in a few days.”
“…Pardon?”
Seeing him shrug as if it really was no big deal, Deborah’s mouth fell open for a moment.
No matter how you looked at it, the Crown Prince visiting the mansion was not “nothing much.”
His expression, treating it as casually as a close neighbor dropping by, felt utterly absurd.
“So, I probably won’t be able to call for you for a while.”
Deborah nodded at the additional words.
Of course.
With the Crown Prince himself visiting the mansion, how could the master of the house possibly have free time?
Of course Mr. Greig and Madam Charlotte would take care of things themselves, but there would certainly be many things he had to handle personally.
He didn’t even need to mention it to her, so the unexpected consideration strangely tickled her heart.
So as not to make the man uncomfortable, Deborah quickly shook her head with a calm expression.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
“…”
She even forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile, yet for some reason a faint crease formed between the man’s brows as he looked at her.
…Why is he like that? Did I say something wrong? The moment Deborah widened her eyes in confusion and blinked.
“You look like you’re in a good mood.”
“…Pardon?”
“No, I definitely thought you’d be at least a little disappointed.”
Disappointed… No, is that something I’m even allowed to feel…?
At those absurd words, Deborah’s long eyelashes fluttered even faster.
“Why would I?”
“Why would you?”
Watching his brows furrow even more, Deborah felt a little flustered.
For a moment she worried her words might have sounded like “Why on earth should I feel that way?”
“No, that’s not what I meant… I meant how could I possibly think that way… that’s what I meant.”
At her hasty explanation, the man’s eyes narrowed as if gauging whether it was true.
After staring for a long time at Deborah’s face, which had stiffened with tension, a big laugh suddenly burst from his mouth.
“…”
The man, who had turned his head completely to laugh, eventually flicked Deborah’s nose—who now wore a dazed expression—lightly with his finger.
“I know.”
“…”
“So, when things calm down a bit, come to me then. That’s what I’m saying.”
“…”
“I waited every night, and you were so heartless.”
Tsk tsk—as the man clicked his tongue, Deborah slowly closed and opened her eyes.
She wondered if he was teasing her again this time, but she still had to ask.
“…You were waiting?”
Raymond gazed for a long time with strange eyes at the golden eyes sparkling like jewels in the sunlight filtering through the carriage window.
Waiting, he said?
At the woman’s cautious question, the past few nights flashed quickly through Raymond’s mind.
Recalling those every single days and nights in the quiet bedroom when even the faintest breeze outside the window had put him completely on edge, Raymond quietly nodded.
“Yes, I was waiting.”
“…”
“Will she come today, or will she come again today.”
At that low, sweet resonance, Deborah’s face instantly filled with excitement.
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