Deceived, Yet Drawn to You - Chapter 147

After finishing breakfast side by side, the Duke and Duchess grew a little busy. They planned to depart that morning for the villa near Borsa.

It was the place Edmund took Blair last winter to shield her, while she was pregnant, from the uproar. Nearly a year later, it had become a cozy retreat they naturally visited whenever time allowed.

Recently, since Blair discovered the pleasure of horseback riding, Edmund had been visiting the villa every weekend for her sake. This outing would include Roger as well, now fifty days old.

“Roger, today you’re going to the villa with Mommy and Daddy.”

Blair hummed as she lifted the baby from the cradle and wrapped him herself in a thick swaddling cloth. Though the townhouse overflowed with servants and even a wet nurse to care for the baby, she insisted on handling most things with her own hands whenever possible.

“Roger will see a horse for the first time, won’t you? The forest and the fields will all be new to you.”

Since Blair took childcare upon herself, Edmund couldn’t simply stand aside. It was only natural for a father to care for his own child, yet at the root of his actions lay a fierce desire to remain as close to Blair as possible every minute and second.

He even felt satisfied taking over the nurse’s place and handling the more troublesome tasks. Each time he competently tended to the baby, he received, as a reward, a sweet kiss from his wife.

“Mom started learning to ride recently. As expected, your father worried quite a bit, but he had no choice since he needed to keep the promise he made last year.”

Edmund, who had been tidying the rumpled cradle, lifted his head. Seeing Blair’s back as she faced away from him, a sudden urge rose to catch her gaze. Whenever he realized that the focus of her attention was not on him, jealousy bloomed despite his reason.

To feel envy even toward his own flesh and blood was absurd, even to himself. But what could he do? Blair would always be his first priority.

“They say your father was surprised at how well Mom handled the horse. And besides….”

“Your mother rides other things well too.”

Edmund, who had been listening quietly, murmured the words. His insinuating voice abruptly intruded upon the peaceful conversation, and Blair flinched and turned to look at him. At last catching her gaze, Edmund let out a languid smile.

“She rode skillfully yesterday as well. Rather than surprised, your father found it exhausting. I spent until dawn struggling to hold onto my composure.”

“Edmund, what are you saying in front of the baby…!”

Blair, her face flushed bright red, covered Roger’s tiny ears. The baby, unaware of any meaning, merely wriggled happily, enjoying the warmth that cupped his face.

What a remarkable little boy. All he could do was roll his round eyes or wave his plump limbs, yet he so easily monopolized Blair’s attention.

“Roger ought to know that his parents share a very special bond.”

Edmund deliberately replied with a double meaning and wrapped Blair in a playful embrace. The fragrance and warmth that reached him were indescribably comforting. He keenly felt that his entire world was condensed into this small body before him.

“You weren’t talking about an ordinary ‘relationship,’ were you? Did you think I wouldn’t understand?”

“I believe interpretations vary depending on the listener, but if you insist on seeing it that way, I will be more careful with my choice of words from now on.”

“Seriously.”

“Come, let’s go. The forest I wanted to show you and Roger is beautifully colored.”

***

When they returned to the family villa that weekend, it remained as peaceful as ever. Surrounded by a winding river and an oak forest, it completely shut out the noise of the world, which was precisely what the two of them loved most about it.

After entrusting Roger to the nurse, the couple headed toward the open field and enjoyed a rare time alone together. Blair personally led the horse out from the stable and looked delighted from start to finish. Whether because riding had grown easier than last weekend, or because she enjoyed the sense of freedom in savoring the autumn air alone with him, the smile never left her lovely face.

“Look at this, Ed.”

Mounted on the dark brown horse, Blair called to him in a slightly raised voice. Edmund, holding the reins below and watching her every movement, immediately understood what had impressed her.

“Doesn’t it feel like I’m walking a little faster than last time?”

“It does. That’s how it looks to me as well.”

She still couldn’t make the horse run, but her walk was steady. The way she pressed her heels down to maintain balance was quite decent. Edmund kept pace at a slow walk beside her, observing her movements closely.

The way her hips moved fluidly with the motion, the way her thighs tightened around the saddle, the smooth curve of her hips. As his gaze traveled over her one by one, a dark shadow suddenly settled in Edmund’s eyes. The desire he had carefully restrained lifted its head with alarming force.

He wanted to praise her improved skill, yet at the same time a dangerous impulse flickered within him, urging him to pull her down from the horse and lock her in his arms.

“You’re using your lower back flexibly in rhythm with the movement.”

“Really? I suppose practicing every weekend is paying off.”

“The strength with which you grip the saddle with your knees is impressive as well. When you tighten like that, anyone would find it hard to endure.”

Blair, who had been about to reply cheerfully, snapped her mouth shut. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked down at Edmund, then pretended not to have heard and continued the conversation.

“It’s thanks to having a good teacher. If it weren’t for you, I would have fallen off the horse already or given up out of fear.”

“It seems playing the teacher suits me.”

“…I suppose it does.”

“Shall we stop riding here and return to the bedroom so I can teach you something else? I know exactly where that excellent grip and flexibility of yours could be put to use.”

“Edmund!”

That gentle woman finally put on a stern expression. But the desire that had swollen obscenely within him showed no sign of subsiding today. Even the reproachful look she cast down at him seemed provocative, and the thought of licking the reddened tip of her ear made it clear he was not in his right mind.

Damn it, this wasn’t what I intended.

“Ed.”

Then her voice came, noticeably softer. Edmund, who had been desperately trying to rein in his desire, met Blair’s eyes. The scolding was gone, replaced by a subtle heat.

“Then shall we… head back to the villa?”

It was a woman’s indirect reply, one who couldn’t possibly be unaware of his untidy longing. Edmund immediately took hold of the reins and turned. It went without saying that his steps toward the stable grew impatient.

After roaming the meadow with Blair until the sun dipped toward the horizon, Edmund finally returned to the villa. After washing up, he pressed kisses in turn to Roger’s soft cheeks, then went to the dining room and filled his stomach with a hearty meal. Having thus exercised perhaps the greatest patience of his life, Edmund waited only for the deep night to arrive.

But Blair didn’t seem inclined to rest.

She had so enticingly suggested they return to the villa, yet even after coming up to the bedroom, all her attention remained fixed beyond the corridor, toward the nurse’s room.

Unable to bear the sight of Blair lingering near the threshold, Edmund crossed the room. Without warning, he pulled the woman, clad in a robe, into his arms. The familiar scent of soap rose warmly between them.

“Why not come to bed now?”

“Ah, well… Roger might look for milk.”

“Mrs. Norris has prepared everything, so there is nothing to worry about. Besides, you saw him fall asleep just a little while ago.”

“Still… he was moving his toes so diligently. I’m worried he might wake.”

Good heavens. It seemed she simply wanted to go look at the baby again, even though he was fast asleep beside the nurse. On any other day he would gladly understand such devoted affection, but tonight he didn’t wish to yield.

It was true that Roger was the second stroke of fortune that came into his life, but he couldn’t permit even that blessing to interrupt the private time he longed to share with Blair.