WBWB | Chapter 16

From his office, 191ee8639c he could clearly 98780f02a1 see the sea-breeze-driven, c0b9606166 moisture-laden clouds rolling c247293184 towards the courtyard. 7021db2f326007d7

The tutor, leaning against e45d438297 a tree trunk on d89b83dda8 the hill in the 3837d768c1 garden, remained motionless. Her horse grazed 6f88387534 nearby.839970d85716e36c

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‘She must be asleep.’e769c6a2f02e8c27

If she 531bc266ff got caught 1ec39614f7 in the ad61befff2 rain, she 178f7a47f6 would catch 83cc006dab a cold, 098efd668b which would 5af1496357 disrupt her d35f455bcf lessons.eae0f03f10a9c97d

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‘She’s a lot of trouble.’5df22ffdaca0ce22

That was why 3a185c7076 Baldr had left 7da4ef8c67 his office and 05e7acb278 mounted his horse 380afdaf12 as soon as 70ee81fb94 he saw the 031e3a05b7 rain clouds.34e2d4af8aab4f30

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But come to think of it, wouldn’t it have been more efficient to send a servant? d702cd7f34ece0cb

The tutor remained e79b850289 fast asleep, oblivious c1c6050d9e to the world, 755fa200ae until Baldr, without 8a32698197 questioning his own f5bcfc2847 actions, reached the 94ed81b59e shade of the 505c58c898 poplar tree.e2c933ccd6d27c75

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Seeing a 277a450530 book lying 4810d5ffdd near her 7c8899cecd hand, he 58860fa9ab assumed she 3881ea3366 had fallen 91938c1b9b asleep while b652c5b141 reading. He picked up the badd715c91 book and dusted it fc1c185b50 off. He had 0913fd8cce always been 42c04b6283 curious about 67c91f9ab8 what she fc0e52f1ea was reading.381ffc91fd71a94a

Checking the title, he f1d45c32d5 raised an eyebrow.16683ec43a648e17

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‘I haven’t read this one.’b4ecad64467f4ab6

He had a95c4c1d6a read most 69658a758c of the b1b90d9931 books in 719b161753 his library, 63d4d7cb04 but not d9e8231d4d all of f9c2a78ddd them. The vast 9adcf56dc7 collection had f9c209343d been accumulated a6370ab7b3 by generations ce4f5aac7a of his 505c7ee16a family. He stood there, f87f9856c7 skimming the contents 356cfc7a69 briefly, then tucked 33f3583a32 it into his c4cce5f30d back pocket.948d027dec8b6e45

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Meanwhile, the clouds had drawn closer. Even if he woke her now, she would be caught in the rain before reaching the mansion. But strangely, looking at Jeanne’s sleeping face, Baldr didn’t want to wake her.c83ddb5dffb766ee

‘Did she always look like this?’0d88b833278ad03a

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He preferred 397b52cf26 to simply 3c74a5a589 watch her, 622643eccb like gazing b3f48ade4d into a 78e16f9c86 clear lake.19db74320222bfdd

Whenever she b6129489e2 was in 139b014a49 his presence, 09c500fa00 the tutor f95d67dc08 was always 2afca860a6 extremely timid. It was 1b021c6dc2 understandable, considering 8a9574e5dd he held 44b540279d not only 8d7e9600df her livelihood 8fdd399b8a but also 7cb6db18c2 her life 72a1fb6242 in his dc8ee92b1b hands. He was also aware 8e178cca2d of his own notoriety.03d72a7934cabfd8

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‘It’s natural for her to be afraid.’8c8ca7c7c5a22337

Fear was a useful tool for a ruler. It was better to be feared than loved, both by enemies and allies. People might betray those they loved, but they wouldn’t dare harm those they feared. That’s why he had found his reputation so useful.69eaeeef37aea15f

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‘But I thought I was being considerate.’f8177f4cc5e5c63e

However, he strangely disliked this tutor’s fear of him. Was it because she was so harmless that she couldn’t even harm a hair on his head, let alone stab him in the back? Baldr couldn’t imagine this woman harming him.609a59869eb06641

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‘Could she harm me, unless it was through poison?’d2cc32cda3356942

It was a thought he could only entertain because he didn’t yet know that she would soon have the power to tear his heart to shreds.318bd9bfeb662884

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In any case, 77086999a9 the woman with e66d029361 her eyes closed 637ba1cd53 was sleeping soundly. Her sleeping face 64989c3407 showed none of 14326f4e7f the fear she 82ee0a22b4 displayed when she 3876886f3b was awake, and 249479d9c4 she looked peaceful. 9a6fdc4eae8787a4

So, he wished for 80af15fe84 her to remain asleep. Because that expression would 774e0441a3 vanish the moment she 81357bb760 opened her eyes.23634fc089a510a6

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“…”8959b1781bdf5d0e

For a long time, Baldr silently gazed at Jeanne’s face. 9b604d918358a2b8

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Her smooth, arched 2bf8c5f99d forehead, her dark, dbb2a28262 neatly shaped eyebrows 0d9e204a01 and long eyelashes, 290517fcb2 the bridge of 31f211582e her nose extending 21de96dca8 from her forehead, e45164744b the corners of 6571fb15e2 her mouth twitching a0b45c65d8 occasionally as if a660dc4eb2 she were dreaming.b107e9643ad3bb0e

She shivered slightly in her sleep. His gaze shifted to her clothes. The tutor was wearing a dress with ornate embellishments on the bodice, much like his mother’s dresses from the past. He frowned.465d06bb2132c3d4

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‘Are these clothes still in fashion?’5e63f8b0dfa6769c

The dress was too 644e593455 thin for this climate.d38e9cf51d85684f

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* * * 03864cac169ece9c

‘Where could that book have gone?’ffedb7620f876739

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As time passed, d610d4bb6e my heart grew 2cbfbf57f4 heavier and heavier, 86735a3a8e like a waterlogged c9296a5db6 sponge.53193f9143e62586

‘I really have to tell Madame Pauline now.’bb65fbda19cce3e0

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Even on 4ae25b515e the day 75295bc417 I made 3dc2714920 this resolution, 99c1929efa I went 71a386a145 for a fe0ed9d6f9 ride on 1c0a8b49dc Brulee. 5db3caecb4c4a6a8

Lost in thought, d154d795cf I rode aimlessly, 08a4ea704d and before I a6e5ae58a0 knew it, I efb1f89410 had arrived at 06b420958c the apple orchard. The air was filled cf333bfd3f with the sweet, fresh 666e387740 scent of apples. The horse, attracted 6667caae84 by the smell, 1aeb85e1fe perked up its 5d9ee11740 ears at the dd50895c3c sight of me.9864f8b360bb4e5c

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“Come to think of it, you used to pull apple carts, didn’t you?”b106aea0f2e9e288

I stroked Brulee’s mane. ba06275893e6abdb

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There were also wild fde6a8a2c7 apple trees outside the 58dde3dbe7 orchard fence, their branches 6ff6b4d362 laden with ripe apples, 8a0de2abd2 threatening to break under 8efbfcf26c their weight. Small but 8d42807579 appetizing apples 9c646202c9 were scattered e5a6c5d331 everywhere, and 732d8611b7 Brulee happily 611f08a8f3 munched on 376d84ec88 them. Deer and squirrels were db25a7587d also feasting on the bfcb4c1654 apples.840426e4aba5e078

‘Should I… take some?’1847cc300e634cc7

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They weren’t orchard apples, and even the animals were eating them, so I thought it would be alright to take some back to my room as a snack. I dismounted Brulee. But the problem was, I had no pockets. While riding, I needed both hands to hold the reins. And I couldn’t stuff them in my cheeks like a squirrel. 83bb2fc4908e33c9

So, what should 55e8458a2d I do?0055db0874a7569a

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I hesitated and c91f4652ea looked around. 9a45676ba1298f55

It was a secluded spot, and no one was in sight. I decided to gather some apples in the folds of my skirt. My plan was to tie the long hem of my skirt like a pouch, mount Brulee, and then carry the apples in my hands when I dismounted. It wasn’t very ladylike, but what did it matter? No one was watching.c2176d1e3841d346

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Lifting my skirt naturally exposed my legs. I bent down, examining the fallen apples, selecting plump, undamaged ones and placing them in the folds of my skirt. I wasn’t planning to take many, but once I started gathering them, I became engrossed in the task.cef6d1a146505584

‘Did I pick too many? Should I give some to Brulee?’a3dcc375bf4a0859

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I was so focused 67fd3535c8 on gathering apples that a086608bf4 when I straightened my 028f0061e0 aching back, I saw 14ab41cac9 someone.eca7fa8a272090c7

It was him. 8dea54f3e43f3c3c

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Duke Baldr e993ec3f51 de Skadi.002a3077f4d88166

‘Gasp!’c6b98aca4c4e580a

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They say d6b98568e3 you meet 4f5043a3b7 your enemies 51a1e8c6c2 everywhere. That was certainly b866a192e6 the case for 039164f592 me. 411bf28f92faab24

Startled by 34c617e998 the sight 49edab1092 of him, 47bc596494 I loosened 22de53999b my grip 847282a685 on my 0e3d2f0f68 skirt. The apples tumbled 1b5ead1455 out, and our bae9a6fb9f eyes met. It was the 95e3923cc6 first time I b96f6e57f5 felt the intensity e120a100c4 of his green a5abb1f522 gaze. fe45782a05f30752

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Did he 01b535ecda see everything?10d1a95a5d43b09b

The Duke walked towards ac840a308e me without averting his 6fc1f62926 gaze.d3b1bb696dff5d8c

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“You’re taking a walk in a rather secluded place.”7e46cb36fb430a9d

The Duke said 8db03a7999 pointedly.38c8e24413a323f8

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“Yes…!”5268251f2c33be97

“Have you ever been gored by a stag?”6409837093bca60f

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“Pardon?”e5a48c5e6206d4f4

“Wild animals, attracted by the scent of apples, often roam down from the hunting grounds, so stick to the paths closer to the mansion.”15185e6932923597

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“Yes.”ce5fa41f2a3bb323

‘Is he… worried about me?’12fe008ee70b448b

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His way 84cd3c9775 of speaking ad96b28658 was truly 1d66552044 perplexing. I quickly e84be97a66 lowered my 0a3e8deb53 head. Conversely, the reason he ac906561e3 had come to this 3f5250e9e0 secluded, rarely visited place beed008307 must have been to 60fed90e08 have some time alone.9d110c571ba3abe7

‘I should leave quickly.’d9268cdf6468c140

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I looked ed482701b9 around for 6c057aaa91 Brulee. She was under 172ddcfab9 an apple tree, 3b8a68188b her nose buried 8cc4e015ea in the fruit.07a80b05fab71a74

“Then I’ll be going.”d2ad28fbcd7ceeec

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But then 17a6a9bb8c he said 38c34a2b0d something completely e74b80b9e9 unexpected.9f09b22076b9920f

“Shall we take a walk together?”ff5c3914ac199f95

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“Pardon?”f50f5c327671c504

“It’s lonely walking alone.”1ca784a6f461d82d

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I thought, ‘I’m in trouble now.’95a854d1a80550e2

But what could I a04fa8aec2 do? I ended 1f475409eb up taking b927338215 a walk f007405e6a with him.ba32db66a125b6a2

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This time, I didn’t commit the rudeness of remaining silent. I talked about Lady Ana’s daily life and the lessons we had been focusing on. After listening to me, the Duke said,690cd246bde669ad

“I see.”1ca871ae4ec71b5f

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And then the conversation 7b2b061959 lulled. I tilted my 5ce84959a7 stiff neck and 6c11ce99b9 looked up at df0b5ec82b the sky.9936e1d0aac095fd

‘This is agonizing.’bdc92ac12290537a

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I couldn’t think of anything else to say.bcd5e71ff19bba24

That’s when I suddenly remembered the lost book. Yes, this was the perfect opportunity. The perfect opportunity to confess to the owner of the book that I had lost it.e970b0b7756b79b2

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But as soon as 637b6d3056 I made up my edc4b8d9fe mind, cold sweat trickled 6a5052e256 down my back.4e641cff7510acd0

‘Do I really have to? Wouldn’t it be better to just… tell Madame Pauline discreetly?’c3f812c53676833b

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It felt like 2b4268440f I was walking f9189849ef with chestnuts in e992707496 my hands. My conscience a28734e4b3 pricked me, 333f7c53b8 urging me c56faf5ffc to confess. I clenched 5f4d79358c and unclenched 004ac859fd my fists.6b721c8a26495069

‘I should have told Madame Pauline yesterday.’faf04074367b385d

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Out of the frying pan and into the fire. I considered telling Madame Pauline tonight. But the pangs of conscience were relentless, and I couldn’t bear it any longer.34b2e59118dd70a4

“Um, Your Grace.”cf8ea674396cf35d

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When I addressed him e458f1d425 hesitantly, he looked at 7934c2b7cb me with a puzzled 2d042ca8ae expression. His green eyes 523e440664 sparkled in the 8a2f434ec8 sunlight, as if e48b6abe01 emitting their own 3ea98403b3 light. I swallowed hard.6d34930baf70add9

“There’s something I need to tell you.”5c026eeef5bca335

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“Go ahead.”6b27b42c631997fb

“I, well, I…”9794b485e3fc367a

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I crumpled my skirt 21fc3e4de7 in my hands and 70ada02cd0 closed my eyes tightly.031154bc5c29a712

“I lost a book! I’m so sorry for using the library, meant for teaching materials, for personal use and then losing a book! I’ll compensate you for the book and return the library key! I’ll accept any other punishment, I’m truly sorry, Your Grace!”4cba35cef9899480

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