Why the Northern Duke Wanders the Snowfields - Chapter 59

Intelligent and shrewd.

From afar, Aileen appeared to be a bright and glamorous count’s daughter. That was why Aubrianna assumed she was somewhat immature and naive about the ways of the world.

But after exchanging only a few words with her, Aubrianna realized she was intelligent, quick to seize upon the smallest opening and clue, and shrewd enough to devise ways of turning any situation to her advantage.

Aubrianna felt despair at the realization that she could never catch up to her, even after dying once and returning to live another life.

Of course she couldn’t. Aileen was born the daughter of a count and lived as a noblewoman from the moment she became aware of the world.

Aubrianna, on the other hand, was merely a fairly pretty girl who became an orphan at a young age and worked as a maid.

‘I’m going to lose Kaeloc again….’

She would lose him to someone else. No, he was never hers in the first place.

Aubrianna narrowed her eyes as her ears began to ring, as though she were underwater.

Aileen said something, followed by the admiring voices of Agnes and Tarion, but Aubrianna couldn’t understand a single word.

She tore her gaze away from the white foot wriggling between Kaeloc’s legs and turned her head.

Before dessert was served, Kaeloc briefly rose from his seat.

“So as not to offend the ladies, I’ll go outside to smoke.”

Taking a cigar from inside his jacket, he stepped onto the dining room terrace. Aileen immediately rose and scurried after him.

Pressing herself naturally against Kaeloc’s arm, Aileen seemed to whisper something into his ear. Then the two of them disappeared behind the terrace curtains, out of sight.

“You haven’t eaten much.”

At Agnes’s concerned gaze, Aubrianna looked down.

The meat, served with an exquisitely flavored sauce, remained almost untouched.

“It was truly delicious, but I think I ate too much before the main course.”

Aubrianna pressed a napkin to her lips and stood.

“I’ll visit the powder room for a moment.”

Aubrianna rose immediately, but instead of going to the powder room, she headed down the corridor to the right.

At the end of the corridor, she slipped into the hall where they practiced dancing during the day and sat before the piano positioned along one side of the spacious room.

Her chest felt tight, but if she went into the garden, Kaeloc and Aileen might see her, so she came here instead.

When she placed a finger on a key, a single note rang faintly and delicately through the room like a hushed whisper.

“Hoo.”

She pressed another key with a long sigh, but no more sounds followed.

‘They looked close.’

She closed her eyes.

The two of them were already promised to be engaged. If Kaeloc disliked Lady Lott, he wouldn’t have attended a gathering like this without a word of protest.

Most of the expressions he directed at Aileen were indifferent, but occasionally, an intrigued look appeared in Kaeloc’s eyes.

He must have wanted to know more. Kaeloc still hadn’t recovered his memories, so it was only natural that he would be curious about the woman his past self nearly became engaged to.

‘What if… he falls in love with her?’

Were her seductions in the cabin completely useless after all?

Her face was dimly reflected in the piano’s glossy, polished surface.

It was time to return to the dining room. If she stayed away any longer, someone might discover her looking so pathetic.

She rose heavily and clasped both hands tightly together. She slowly made her way back to the dining room.

“Oh, my! You missed dessert, Miss Morel.”

She encountered Aileen as the woman was leaving the dining room. Aileen smiled brightly and said, “We were just on our way to the drawing room. Let’s go together.”

Then, as she passed Aubrianna, she murmured under her breath, “You whore.”

Aileen’s lips curved smoothly, her eyes filled with mockery and malice, but it all vanished the instant Kaeloc appeared in the corridor.

“Would you escort me to the drawing room?”

Since she was a guest visiting this place for the first time, it was only proper for Kaeloc or Tarion to escort her.

Unlike when they first met, Kaeloc readily offered his arm to Aileen. Her gold-gloved hand settled on Kaeloc’s firm arm as though it naturally belonged there.

The two walked away, leaving Aubrianna displaced in an instant. She stood there blankly, unable to collect herself.

The corridor lights cast dark shadows across her face.

“Aubrianna. There you are. I asked them to bring your dessert separately to the drawing room.”

She could no longer bear to remain here. Gathering the last of her strength, she put on an unaffected expression and spoke to Agnes and Tarion.

“I’m not feeling very well today. Would it be all right if I went up to my room first?”

“Oh, my. Are you feeling very ill? Shall I send my physician up to you?”

“No. I think it’s only because I didn’t sleep well. If I go to bed early tonight, I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

As Agnes examined her face with a worried expression, Aubrianna asked her to give Kaeloc and Lady Lott her apologies, then began climbing the stairs.

***

With a maid’s help, she removed her beautiful clothes and changed into her nightgown.

Once she was alone, Aubrianna took her mother’s ruby necklace from the jewelry box, put it around her neck again, then went to bed and lay on her side.

“You whore.”

She bit her lip tightly, but Aileen’s single remark left her feeling as though a huge hole had opened somewhere inside her.

‘I know that too.’

When a relationship contained an enormous gulf in status like the one between Kaeloc and her, insults would inevitably be hurled behind her back.

‘The problem is that I’m the one being insulted.’

Her gloomy gaze wandered across the window and walls as Aubrianna reflected on her position as the weaker one emotionally as well.

“The Duke’s mistress! Aubrianna, that’s incredible!”

Lien’s fussing was undoubtedly meant as praise.

It was a good opportunity to escape a life of working as a maid, marrying a man of similar status, and giving birth to children who would belong to the ruled class.

Aubrianna also thought of the possibilities first. She was overjoyed that she no longer had to endure the grueling work of a maid.

‘But….’

Turning over, she extended a hand and stroked the soft bedding. The broad bed felt empty and lonely.

***

As usual, she was tidying the room, which was completely cluttered with books.

Just as Aubrianna was about to pick up another book, she sensed the atmosphere in the room change.

‘Gasp.’

Clutching the book, Aubrianna froze. When Kaeloc returned from training, suffocating tension rose all the way to her throat.

Tap.

The toe of a black military boot nudged a book.

“I’m sick of this.”

At the low, grating voice muttering as though to himself, Aubrianna squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

Her lips trembled.

“Are you the only maid working here?”

That wasn’t the case. But Aubrianna was the only maid in the annex who knew how to read.

Unable even to raise her head beneath the stinging gaze against the crown of her head, Aubrianna trembled.

“I-I’ll leave as soon as I finish putting these away.”

With a small sigh, the man strode across the room and sat on the bed.

“What are you doing?”

At his rebuke to hurry, Aubrianna hastily began organizing the books.

It was the first time she saw the duke in several months. Shortly before the long winter began, Kaeloc returned with news of victory in the war against the Carnu tribe, and Aubrianna turned twenty.

She had no way of knowing what he was so sick of, but Aubrianna knew the duke disliked her.

‘How could I not know when he’s always frowning and glaring at me?’

Aubrianna shelved the books quickly while holding her breath as much as possible. She worried that even the slightest sound of her breathing might offend him.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of him.

Unlike the previous duchess, who punished even the smallest mistake without mercy, Kaeloc was relatively lenient and found being waited on bothersome.

She could still feel the man’s gaze as he sat with his long legs crossed.

Aubrianna secretly wiped her sweaty palms against her apron.

‘Why do I become so nervous whenever I face that man?’

And why wouldn’t he take his eyes off her?

She swallowed dryly just as she placed the final book on the shelf.

“Aubrianna!”

Ethan entered the bedroom with a bright smile. When he spotted the duke, his face turned deathly pale and he bowed deeply.

“Your Grace, I-I’m sorry.”

The man’s icy gaze slowly moved from Ethan to Aubrianna.

“What is it?”

“W-Well….”

Ethan stiffened, his face plainly flustered.

“Speak. What business do you have with her?”

Unable to disobey the command, Ethan lowered his head and stammered, “I heard they’re holding a victory celebration in town for the defeat of the Carnu tribe, so I came to ask Aubrianna to be my partner.”

Ethan’s face twisted. He intended to ask her discreetly.

“You heard him.”

As though he didn’t care, Kaeloc jerked his chin at Aubrianna, telling her to answer.

Aubrianna sighed and started walking.

“Let’s talk outside, Ethan.”

Bowing to Kaeloc, Aubrianna continued, “If there’s nothing you need from me, I’ll take my leave.”

“What if there is?”

“Pardon?”

Her red eyes widened in surprise and turned toward the duke before she came to her senses.

“What would you like me to do?”

She wished the hesitant Ethan would simply leave, but seeing him still standing by the door made her feel stifled.

“You need to tell him whether you’re going to the party.”

His voice was so gentle that she almost missed the meaning of his words.

“Pardon?”

“Can’t you see he’s waiting?”

When Kaeloc crooked a finger toward Ethan, Aubrianna startled so badly she nearly stopped breathing.