“If you enter the kitchen, the maids will panic, so let’s not.”
Daymond in the kitchen. The picture was so incongruous that Anne couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile spreading across her face.
Feeling grateful towards him for trying to cheer her up after the distressing encounter with her parents, Anne continued the conversation.
“And what would you cook? You’ve never cooked before.”
“Don’t assume you know everything about me. Your husband is a man capable of anything.”
Anne laughed brightly at Daymond’s playful retort, unaware of the fact that Daymond had once personally visited the kitchen to fetch bread for her during her pregnancy.
Her mood that had been previously heavy, lightened considerably. She leaned her head lightly against Daymond’s sturdy arm and said.
“Then, I’ll look forward to it.”
Though whimpers calling her name came from behind, Anne did not look back. There would be no more weakness in her heart to see them anymore.
Anne and Daymond walked shoulder to shoulder leaning on the warmth of each other and focused solely on this time together.
After returning to the mansion, the day had turned to dusk, and the white rooftops of the mansion were tinted with the pink coral color.
Anne removed her silk gloves and handed them to a maid, then flopped down on the spacious couch near the window. Walking around all day exploring interesting things had left her body sore.
Daymond naturally approached Anne and joined her on the couch. He lifted her legs onto his lap to remove her shoes which must have been uncomfortable after walking all day. It was a gesture that had become a daily routine.
The chief maid, observing the Grand Ducal couple closely entwined on the red velvet couch, spoke respectfully,
“I’ll instruct them to prepare dinner shortly.”
“No need to enter until called.”
With a simple gesture of his hand, Daymond dismissed all the attendants.
He raised his arms on the back of the sofa and tenderly stroked Anne’s hair who closed her eyes lazily. The gentle touch on her head and the comfort from his supporting arms were soothing. Daymond’s long black eyelashes were visible above her line of sight.
“You said you were hungry.”
“We can eat a little later.”
When Anne asked him, seeming he was now at ease despite him saying he was hungry before, Daymond replied as if he didn’t want this moment disturbed.
Perhaps it was just an excuse from the start. So Anne, who was resting comfortably against his broad chest, let out a soft laugh.
Even as dinner time came and went without movement from the couple, the chief maid cautiously opened the door in worry. Only to retreat with a pleased smile upon seeing the peaceful scene.
In the languid and leisurely afternoon, the couple lay closely together, feeling each other’s warmth, drifting off to sleep.
*
The silk curtains danced in the breeze through the open window on a day with a gentle wind.
The salty sweet scent of the sea wafted in, causing Anne to turn her head. Beyond the railing, the blue sea shimmered like gold dust under the scattered light.
Besides exploring the city, Anne had been catching up on her reading. A hobby made possible because her husband, who had kidnapped his wife, had thoughtfully brought a stack of interesting books for her.
Anne comfortably leaned back in a plush rocking chair and listened to the rustling sound of pages turning. Even as her long fingers flipped through the book, she occasionally turned her head to soak in the bright sunlight and gaze at the distant ocean.
“Is he doing well?”
Staring at the tranquil sea, Anne suddenly chuckled at the thought that crossed her mind. Today was the day of the tea party among the nobles of Yantilia, and Daymond was in attendance.
After a dinner at Marquis Phold’s residence, messengers from other nobles have come into contact. All expressing a desire to trade with the North. Daymond’s expressions, contorning in annoyance, was still vivid in her memory.
Daymond was initially resistant and refused openly, but eventually agreed to meet them, under the condition that they should never bother him again after meeting once.
And in the morning, while Anne was preparing to join him, he surprisingly told her to relax at the mansion and went alone.
Worried that Daymond’s temper might ruin the dinner, Anne soon shook her head. Knowing him to be acutely aware of his position as the Grand Duke, she trusted he would handle things well.
Oddly, she had been feeling sleepy more often lately, perhaps because of the atmosphere. After a small yawn, Anne’s gaze naturally moved to the clock on the wall. It hadn’t even been five hours since Daymond had left the mansion. She couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.
She lowered her head again, trying to focus back on her book. Anne realized her concentration had completely scattered. Why was that? Spending just half a day alone without Daymond felt strangely awkward.
Although they were often busy with their own duties in the Grand Duke’s castle, she had never been apart from him for this long since they arrived here. Perhaps that’s why his absence felt especially big.
“Without Daymond, it feels somewhat lonely…”
Anne said to herself, acknowledging a sense of emptiness she felt for the first time. Anne’s gaze lingered on the clock more than usual.
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