Maylily - Chapter 27

“If you accept it gladly, Miss Aile, the Count will also be pleased.”

Hugh would care for nothing but to have the woman across from him at the dinner table maintain the dignity befitting his class, but David offered a light compliment to ease Maylily’s burden.

“Then now, should I wear this dress and follow you, Mr. Curren?”

“No. Once you finish preparing to go out and wait, the Count will come at the appointed time to escort you.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Nodding faintly, Maylily lowered her gaze in thought. Then, stroking the dress with a cautious hand as though touching a bird’s feather, she raised her eyes to David.

“Mr. Curren, do you know the Count of Everscourt well?”

Though somewhat sudden, David soon answered cheerfully, “I suppose you could say so, since I have seen him since our childhood days when we ran barefoot through dirt roads. My father was the coachman of the Everscourt family, and I grew up on their estate.”

Understanding someone doesn’t necessarily come in proportion to the length of time one has known them. Therefore, David couldn’t be certain in this matter, but if Maylily harbored some curiosity or questions about Hugh, he thought he could offer some measure of help in easing them. After all, nothing would change the outcome of a game already decided.

“If you are curious about anything, feel free to ask.”

Encouraging her gently, David watched as Maylily fidgeted with her slender fingers before slowly parting her lips.

“Is the Count… a good man?”

What was contained in her question was closer to a wish or hope than a doubt. David, avoiding the clear blue eyes fixed upon him, turned his head toward the window. A flock of migratory birds that had been resting by the riverside took flight in formation toward the sky beginning to glow with gold.

When the birds had completely vanished from sight, David’s eyes turned back to Maylily.

“The Count persuaded the previous lord to support me so that I, the son of a lowly coachman, could attend and graduate from university. When my father hovered at death’s door after an accident, he brought in Riverton’s most renowned doctors to treat him. With such stories, I can only give you a biased answer.”

“It seems the Count must value you greatly, Mr. Curren.”

“I would like to believe so.”

At David’s light jest, Maylily gave a silent smile. Her face seemed somewhat weary.

“I hope the Count will also be such a… good person to me.”

Speaking softly, as if to herself, she closed the lid of the box. Warm light spilled down her delicate profile as David gazed at her quietly.

Yes, perhaps… She was, after all, the only woman so far to have succeeded in drawing Hugh’s interest.

If Maylily faithfully followed Hugh’s will in this revenge play, she might be recognized for her contribution and be promised higher positions and more opportunities as a singer. For Hugh Skaard was a man who calculated debts and favors with precision.

If that came to pass, even her unwanted entanglement with Hugh in this patronage wouldn’t remain as a bitter memory, but might instead become not so bad.

“I hope so too.”

Looking into Maylily’s eyes, where resignation and expectation were strangely mingled, David wished it sincerely. For otherwise, this young and fragile woman, who might already have opened her heart to Hugh, would become far too unhappy.

***

“Ah…”

After struggling for dozens of minutes to put on the dress David had delivered, Maylily let out a long sigh as she noticed the reddening sky outside the window.

“The Count will be arriving soon…”

The satin evening dress, shimmering with a bright luster, was a two-piece ensemble with skirt and bodice separated. The skirt, which gave a modest fullness to her lower silhouette, had been easy enough to wear, but the problem lay with the bodice.

The bodice, with multiple hooks fastened at the back, clearly indicated that this dress had been made for wealthy noble ladies who were dressed with the help of maids.

Judging by the material and design, it must have come from a famous boutique in Aberque…

Though grateful to receive such a fine dress, one that she couldn’t have bought even with several months’ wages as a chorus member, Maylily also felt somewhat bitter that it was a gift given without the slightest consideration of her circumstances.

Having managed to fasten only half of the hooks, she sat down in exhaustion at the vanity, tapping her aching arms that had grown sore from repeatedly straining backward. Soon she stood again, twisting herself before the mirror in an effort to fasten the rest.

“Ah, it’s done!”

Perhaps the short rest had been effective, for one hook that she thought she could never fasten on her own finally caught with a click. The very next moment, at the sound of the knocker at the front door, the smile blooming on Maylily’s face vanished in an instant.

…The Count?

Should she change again? Undoing the hooks would also take a long time…

As she fumbled in confusion, the faint sound of the front door opening followed by the leisurely steps of polished shoes reached her ears. Without a doubt, it was the Count of Everscourt. The instant she realized it, Maylily’s heart pounded like a drum.

Step, step. The clear sound of footsteps stopped right in front of the bedroom door, and at the same time, a low, smooth voice came from beyond it.

“Maylily.”

“W-Wait just a moment! You mustn’t come in.”

At the flustered voice from inside, Hugh let go of the doorknob he had been holding. Though it irritated him that she had been inside the house yet made him enter by his own hand, he silently stood and waited for her to come out.

In the meantime, faint sounds that could have been sighs or groans occasionally seeped through from beyond the door.

“Is there some problem?”

Hugh furrowed his brow slightly and knocked lightly as he asked. After a brief silence, the narrow door creaked open and Maylily’s flushed face peeked through.

“Hello, Count.”

“Your way of greeting is unusual today.”

“Th-that is…”

At his remark pointing out her impropriety, Maylily bit her lip in embarrassment before lifting her eyes with a pleading look.

“I haven’t finished putting on the dress…”

At those words, Hugh’s gaze dropped to her neck and traced down the line of the dress. When he tilted his head slightly, Maylily pressed a hand firmly over the front of her bodice and added softly.

“The back is… not yet done.”

“I’ll gladly assist you.”

At Hugh’s calm offer, made while removing his gloves, Maylily startled.

“N-No! If you would just give me a little more time…”

“If you haven’t managed it until now, you won’t succeed even if you spend the rest of the day.”

“……”

“Will you keep me standing here all day?”

Perhaps realizing herself that there was no hope, Maylily finally let out a resigned sigh and opened the door wide.

“…Please come in.”

Even after letting him into the bedroom, Maylily hesitated, shuffling backward, reluctant to turn her back. Hugh, however, seized her shoulders, placed her before the vanity, and stood behind her.

Sweeping her long braid over her narrow shoulder, the unfastened gap at the upper back of her dress was revealed. Only then did Hugh understand why she could not put on the dress alone.

This had not been anticipated.

A soft laugh touched his lips as his gaze drifted to the white corset’s pink ribbon and the delicate protrusion of her shoulder blades above it, finally resting on her pale, slender neck. The sight of a helpless woman, forced to bare herself so defenselessly before him with no one else to rely upon, was exactly to Hugh’s liking.

Almost as if aware of his gaze, her neck trembled faintly. Placing his hand upon that slender neck and sweeping down the soft skin was a purely impulsive act. At her flinch beneath his palm, Hugh’s eyes shifted to the mirror, to Maylily.

Her face, red to the point of bursting, was turned down with eyes squeezed tightly shut. Like a feeble creature unable to resist even as its predator’s teeth sank into its throat.

As he had no wish to frighten her before their dinner, Hugh drew his hand away.

“Posture. Straighten.”

At the low command, Maylily opened her eyes slightly and glanced at Hugh’s jaw reflected at the top of the mirror. Slowly blinking, as though gauging where the bluish-gray gaze that never appeared in the reflection was fixed, she lowered her head at an angle, lowering the hand she had kept pressed to her chest.

Hugh’s eyes lingered for a moment on the irregular curve drawn by the tips of her golden lashes before fastening the hooks one by one from the bottom up. Unlike the looseness around her waist, her chest was tight. Hugh pulled the fabric firmly with both hands.

“Hhh…”

A small moan escaped Maylily’s lips as her body swayed from the sudden force. Startled by the sound she had made herself, she covered her mouth with her hand. Watching her through the mirror, Hugh gave a dry order.

“Lower your hand, Maylily.”