Why the Northern Duke Wanders the Snowfields - Chapter 57

“Please keep the eye makeup to a minimum, and don’t make the color on my lips too dark.”

The proprietress of the dress shop, who arrived at Count Bellone’s villa on time, swallowed her disappointment and began applying makeup to Aubrianna’s face.

“But you absolutely must wear this dress tonight.”

Since the jewelry Agnes took out consisted of sky-blue pearls set in gold, the proprietress recommended a beautiful sky-blue dress embroidered with gold thread.

Aubrianna nodded and examined the dress reflected beyond her in the mirror.

At the very least, it didn’t expose anything Kaeloc might dislike. The front dipped low enough to reveal a slight curve of her breasts and seemed a little too deep, but she could only resign herself after being told that even young noblewomen commonly exposed that much these days.

Once her makeup was finished, her softly curled hair was pinned up and adorned with pins set with blue-tinged pearls, along with matching earrings and a necklace. Even the proprietress was left staring blankly at how astonishingly beautiful Aubrianna looked.

“It’s true that the makeup we gave you last time was a little too much for you, Aubrianna.”

Once she put on the dress as well, the subtle makeup and clothing accentuated her small, clear face and slender figure, making her look as beautiful as though she stepped out of a painting.

Agnes opened the door to Aubrianna’s room and smiled in satisfaction when she saw her.

“You’re truly beautiful, Aubrianna.”

“Thank you, Lady Agnes.”

After Aubrianna put on shoes decorated with tiny jewels, even the ladies-in-waiting and maids who helped her get ready stared with their mouths open.

“You’re truly beautiful.”

“Your beauty would make even the goddess jealous.”

“You’re so beautiful that it would be difficult to find anyone like you even in the capital’s high society.”

Slipping her hands into lace-trimmed gloves, Aubrianna steadied her breathing and grew embarrassed by the excessive praise.

“Um… what about Lady Lott?”

“She should be nearly here by now. Let’s go out and welcome her together.”

“Yes.”

Resting one hand over the band embroidered with gold thread along her bustline, Aubrianna walked gracefully into the corridor as she was taught.

“Kaeloc.”

His black jacket, lined with gold buttons, appeared to be ceremonial and bore a patch of House Tennant’s crest over the left breast. Lace encircled his neck above a gray waistcoat and white shirt, while his pale cream trousers were loose yet neat.

Kaeloc stood at an angle with his military boots planted on the floor and stared at her.

“Beautiful.”

“Kaeloc, you should study how to describe things more richly.”

At Agnes’s dissatisfied remark, Kaeloc raised one corner of his mouth and whispered into Aubrianna’s ear, “I want to lift your skirt right now and enter you here.”

Seeing Aubrianna’s cheeks flare red, Agnes furrowed her brow.

“The goddess doesn’t favor lecherous men.”

“But the goddess blesses the babies born from their deeds.”

“Kaeloc Tennant!”

Aubrianna quickly grabbed Kaeloc’s arm.

“Let’s go now.”

Lady Aileen Lott would arrive soon. Aubrianna recalled seeing the thick arm beneath her hand escort Lady Lott someday.

Lady Lott was an exceptionally lovely and radiant beauty. So beautiful that Aubrianna would have fallen for her at first sight if she were a man.

She glanced up at Kaeloc. His blue eyes, darkened by the shadow beneath the curve of his brow bone, asked,

‘Why?’

Aubrianna shook her head, but she couldn’t erase the anxiety around her eyes.

‘I know Kaeloc is weak to beautiful appearances and temptation.’

Aubrianna lightly bit the inside of her mouth and rolled her tongue.

She knew she was often told that she was fairly beautiful herself.

‘That must be why Kaeloc succumbed to my seduction in the cabin.’

In an enclosed space, a beautiful woman undressed and bathed before a young man in the prime of his vigor, seducing him.

It was the plan she came up with after lying in bed with a cold and agonizing over how she could seduce Kaeloc.

Aubrianna slowly descended the stairs. Beneath the fluttering lace, her jeweled shoes flashed with splendor every so often.

Tarion stood by the entrance, watching the two of them with pride at how much they improved.

“You look exceptionally beautiful.”

At Tarion’s greeting, Aubrianna inclined her head gracefully.

As she stood before the entrance with a nervous heart, Count Lott’s carriage soon appeared.

The sturdy dark brown wood forming the carriage’s exterior gleamed softly, and the gold ornaments decorating it here and there drew the eye.

“Whoa.”

When the coachman brought the horses to a stop, the carriage door opened and a woman who appeared to be a maid stepped out.

Aileen soon took the maid’s hand and carefully descended from the carriage.

Her reddish-gold hair shone brilliantly beneath the evening glow. The moment her large emerald-green eyes found Kaeloc, they widened even further with delight.

“Kaeloc!”

Nearly running as she held up her voluminous golden skirt, Aileen rushed over and immediately threw her arms around Kaeloc in delight.

“I’m so happy you’re safe!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lott.”

Kaeloc greeted her in a cold, detached voice and stepped back. Only then did Aileen’s expression change.

“That’s right. I heard you lost your memories. I’m Aileen Lott, your fiancée.”

Coming to her senses, Aileen sank into a deep curtsy and greeted the duke with an elegant pose that showed him proper respect, then greeted Agnes in turn.

Kaeloc merely looked down at Aileen with his chin raised.

“Although you lost your memories, I’m truly so, so happy that you returned alive. You have no idea how much I cried when I heard you were missing.”

When Aileen’s maid, Kelly, stepped down carrying her cloak and bags, Agnes called to Aileen.

“Shall we have an aperitif first?”

“I’d love that.”

Aileen smiled brightly and turned toward her maid.

“Kelly, give those things to this….”

Without losing her radiant smile, Aileen pointed a finger at Aubrianna.

“maid. Then you may go rest in the servants’ lounge as well.”

There was nothing awkward about the order.

While Kelly stood there uncertainly, holding the luggage in both hands and looking at Aubrianna with a flustered expression, Aileen linked her arm through Kaeloc’s and began chattering.

“My maid Kelly suffered so much on the journey from the capital. I was in such a hurry after hearing the news of your return that I didn’t even finish packing and brought no maid with me, so Kelly had to do everything. But fortunately….”

Aileen glanced back at Aubrianna again with a smile so sweet it could melt cotton candy.

“There happens to be a maid from the ducal family here, so I’m very glad our Kelly can rest.”

At the sight of Aileen displaying the generosity of a superior while plunging a knife into her rival, even Tarion clicked his tongue and stepped back.

‘She’s no pushover.’

Then again, surviving the brutal social circles of the capital was no ordinary feat.

But Kaeloc was no pushover either.

“I see. I’m sorry, but that woman isn’t a maid.”

Kaeloc stopped, removed Aileen’s arm from his, and extended a hand toward Aubrianna.

“This is Aubrianna Morel, the mother of Theophilus Tennant, who carries the bloodline of the Duke of Tennant.”

At Kaeloc’s gesture, Aubrianna slowly approached and took his hand.

“She’s also my lover.”

With a composed smile, Kaeloc took Aubrianna and began walking ahead. Left behind, Aileen stared at the two of them.

A sharp glint entered her emerald eyes.

“His lover?”

At the quiet sound of Aileen grinding her teeth, Kelly anxiously tried to soothe her.

“My lady. I’m all right.”

“Who said I’m angry because of you?”

At Aileen’s low mutter, Kelly hurriedly moved away from her furious mistress.

“Let’s go inside, Lady Lott.”

At Agnes’s invitation, Aileen composed her gloomy expression, turned around with a smile, and nodded.

“Shall we, Lady Agnes? This is my first time visiting this villa. Could you show me your famous conservatory later? You’ll give me something to boast about when I return to the capital, won’t you?”

It was the perfect language of high society.

Tarion grew excited at the prospect of watching the fascinating battle that was about to unfold.

After ordering a servant to take the luggage from Kelly, he followed behind the two women as though escorting them.

***

“Is that so? I lost my memories.”

Kaeloc cut off the conversation in a stiff voice.

Aileen was raising a crystal glass filled with a bubbling aperitif to her lips when her eyebrows drooped in disappointment.

“Goodness, do you truly remember nothing at all? I’m so upset that you’ve even forgotten all the lovely times we shared.”

With a refined gesture, Aileen took out a beautiful fan and tapped it against the tip of her chin.

“What about the ball held at our estate? You remember the day we were talking on the terrace when it began to rain, don’t you?”

Beneath her sultry eyes, the fan trailed from her chin down her neck and stopped at her deeply exposed cleavage.

“My dress became completely soaked, putting me in quite a predicament. Do you truly not remember?”

Then she looked at Agnes and Aubrianna and giggled mischievously.

“It was an absolutely tremendous downpour. Even my undergarments ended up soaked.”