Episode 19

The following morning, upon awakening, Olivia experienced a throbbing headache and a sense of the world spinning round her. She had no recollection of how they had gotten home the day before.

Leonard was fast asleep beside her, bearing multiple bite marks on his neck and shoulder. She attempted to rise in order to clear her head, but Leonard, feeling her slip from his arms, woke up and encircled her waist, asking:

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted some water."

Getting out of bed, Leonard's upper body was uncovered, revealing bite marks on his chest and arms Olivia had noticed earlier. She also spotted scratch marks on her husband's body, causing a suffocating sadness to weigh heavily on her chest.

Her husband was undeniably handsome, and the thought of another woman leaving marks on him, coupled with his indifference towards concealing them, made Olivia want to weep, but she managed to hold back her tears and said nothing.

Leonard handed her a glass of water. She drank it, placing it on the nightstand, and Leonard inquired:

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, just a bit of a headache. I can't remember how we got back home. The last thing I remember is eating and drinking, and after that, it’s all a blur."

"You got drunk, and I brought you home."

"I'm sorry; I had never drunk before, and I didn't expect to become intoxicated after just a few drinks."

"Don't ever drink again in public."

Olivia lowered her head and responded:

"Yes, I won’t do it again."

"I hope so. Would you like me to call a maid, or prefer to sleep a bit more?"

"My head is really throbbing; I'd rather sleep some more."

Leonard climbed back into bed with Olivia, wrapping his arms around her waist. She blushed at the duke's gesture, and the thought that he might have embraced another woman as he did her brought sadness once more.

She eventually fell asleep and didn't wake up until noon, with the sun at its peak. Opening her eyes, she searched for the duke but he was not in the room. She rang the bell on the nightstand, and Rita and Mari quickly came in to assist her with everything she needed.

They prepared a bath for her and lay out a pair of trousers and a tunic. Once ready, she had breakfast in her room and, still with a headache, reclined on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon. As the sun began to set, Olivia took a short stroll in the garden and encountered the duke; he was practicing with his sword. On seeing him, she immediately hid behind some bushes, not wanting to confront him at that moment.

From her hiding spot, she overheard another man conversing with the duke and saying:

"Everyone at the ball was quite surprised to see you leave early with the little duchess in your arms, but now seeing you, I understand why."

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"I'm referring to the bite marks sticking out from your shirt collar. The little duchess appears so pure and innocent; I never imagined she'd be wild."

"Last night, she was drunk, started biting and scratching until she fell asleep. Normally, she'd never do anything like that."

Learning that she had inflicted the bites and scratches on her husband, Olivia felt an immense sense of relief knowing that he hadn't cheated on her. Then, fear crept in as she worried he might still be angry at her, even though he had shown nothing but kindness and affection that morning.

Deciding to head back before being discovered, she slipped into her room and lay on the sofa until Mari called to inform her that dinner was ready and the duke was waiting in the dining room.

As she went to meet Leonard, she stumbled on the stairs, tumbling to the floor. Fortunately, she was uninjured and quickly stood up, hoping no one had seen. Entering the dining room, she met the duke and another man who she guessed was the man from the garden conversation.

Olivia felt nervous upon seeing him, hoping her misfortune wouldn't cause further embarrassment. As she approached, she paid attention to her steps, curtsied slightly, and said:

"Good evening, apologies for my delay."

Leonard's friend rose from his seat, approached her, kissed her hand, and remarked:

"Do not fret about it, my lady. Waiting for a beauty such as yourself is a privilege."

Seeing Olivia's cheeks flush from his friend's words, Leonard, who was slightly irked by the young and extremely handsome man's presence, stood up, wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, and introduced:

"I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine; this is Duke Alexis Perrat."

"It's an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine, Duchess."

Olivia had heard of the Duke of Perrat, a notorious womanizer, younger than Leonard by a few years, with red hair as striking as an apple and a smattering of freckles on his face. This man reminded her of a girl Leonard had spoken with at the ball, causing her some unease, and she wondered if they were related.

"I hope you're feeling much better today, my lady. I didn't have the chance to introduce myself properly yesterday since you left quite promptly."

Leonard drew Olivia closer to him and reassured his friend:

"She's perfectly fine; no need for concern."

As they sat down to dinner, servants filled the table with delicious dishes. Throughout the meal, the Duke of Perrat ceaselessly shared stories of his travels, fascinating Olivia, who had never journeyed herself. Leonard grew annoyed as Olivia focused intently on Alexis's tales.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***