CL Chapter 19

Sophie watched as Charlotte strode away, her posture unwavering, her back straight as an arrow.

 

The moment she disappeared around the corner, Sophie let out a quiet sigh, her shoulders slumping.

 

From the break of dawn, Rosa Castle had been abuzz with the arrival of all manner of extravagant goods, and with them came a flurry of whispers among the servants.

 

The murmurs left Sophie unsettled, uncertain of how to react.

 

“Well, of course. As if Her Highness would ever understand frugality. I saw this coming from a mile away.”

 

It seemed that Rosa Castle had suddenly gained a host of prophets, each claiming they had foreseen this outcome as they eagerly tore apart Charlotte’s character.

 

Only a few days prior, Sophie might have joined them, eager to find fault in the princess.

 

But now, things were different. She was indebted to Charlotte and could no longer simply follow the tide of gossip.

 

More than that, she couldn’t bring herself to believe that the lavish display in the princess’s dressing room was truly the result of Charlotte’s extravagance.

 

During the days she had attended to Charlotte, the princess had barely set foot outside her chambers, save for a brief stroll by the lake the previous day.

 

Nor had she sent Sophie or any other maid to deliver an order to the shops.

 

When informed of the arrival of these goods, Charlotte’s expression had been one of unfeigned puzzlement.

 

She could have demanded an explanation, yet she had shown little reaction at all.

 

Despite the piercing stares of the other maids, who eyed Charlotte with suspicion as they bustled about, carrying in the luxurious items, Charlotte merely let the matter slide, just as she had when she had caught Sophie whispering behind her back.

 

Was it generosity? Or simply indifference?

 

Unaware of the shift in Sophie’s thoughts, the other maids sought to pull her into their circle, eager to hurl fresh insults at Charlotte.

 

Watching them, Sophie saw a reflection of her past self, and before she knew it, the words slipped from her lips.

 

“She’s… not as terrible as you think.”

 

Though her voice was hardly above a murmur, the room fell into an abrupt hush.

 

A dozen sharp gazes snapped toward her, thick with hostility. Sophie flinched, hastily waving her hands.

 

“No, I mean… that’s not what I—”

 

She trailed off, then gathered her resolve and spoke again.

 

“She really isn’t.”

 

The air grew colder, tense enough to shatter. But Sophie pressed on.

 

“Even when I made a terrible mistake, she let it go without a word. And I’ve never once seen her purchase such extravagant things.”

 

With an awkward excuse, she excused herself and left.

 

Whether the others continued to badmouth Charlotte or turned their ire toward her instead, she didn’t know.

 

But now, as she watched Charlotte walk through the halls adorned in all her finery striding straight into what could only be described as enemy territory, Sophie couldn’t help but worry that the servants’ whispers would grow even harsher.

 

Separate from the undeniable fact that Charlotte was breathtakingly beautiful.

 

Not that Sophie could stop her. The princess had made it clear she intended to see the lord, and it wasn’t her place to interfere.

 

“Huh…?”

 

Just as she let out a heavy sigh, something clicked in her mind, and her eyes widened.

 

If Charlotte hadn’t been the one to purchase all those items, then who else could have?

 

There was only one person in Rosa Castle who had both the authority and the means to procure such luxuries in the princess’s name.

 

‘It was the lord.’

 

At last, Charlotte’s actions made perfect sense.

 

With newfound clarity, Sophie decided she might as well grab an early meal, now that her duties were momentarily lifted.

 

The servants’ dining hall would undoubtedly be filled with more chatter about Charlotte, and she had intended to avoid it for the time being.

 

But now, there was no need.

 

Because this time, she had something to say.

 

⚜︎ ⚜︎ ⚜︎

 

It had been twenty minutes since the servant standing guard before the chamber had announced Charlotte’s arrival.

 

Yet, Leo, who had merely told her to wait, had yet to open the door.

 

Even the servant who had initially cast Charlotte wary glances, disapproving of her excessive attire, began stealing uneasy glances at the door, sensing that the delay had stretched too long.

 

Finally, unable to endure the wait any longer, the servant took a step toward the door.

 

“Leave it be. He’ll open it when he sees fit.”

 

Charlotte’s voice rang firm as she halted him, despite being the one most directly slighted by the wait.

 

The servant, caught between duty and hesitation, hesitated for a moment before stepping back.

 

And so, Charlotte waited in silence.

 

Not until a full thirty minutes had passed did the door finally swing open.

 

Without sparing a glance at the servant who bowed awkwardly in greeting, Charlotte stepped forward, entering the space where Leo began and ended his days.

 

Leo was—

 

Charlotte’s gaze trailed slowly across the room before stopping at one point.

 

Bathed in golden morning light, he sat by the window.

 

His attire was slightly disheveled, and on the table beside him sat a teacup, its contents nearly drained.

 

Had he delayed answering the door to prepare for her arrival, the scene before her would not have been so peaceful, so languid.

 

It was this very stillness that made Charlotte accept the long wait without complaint. She had no desire to disrupt such tranquility.

 

Had she intended to challenge his disregard, she would have long since invoked her title to demand entry or at the very least, allowed the servant to knock.

 

“Thanks to you, my dressing room and I are quite the sight to behold now. I thought it only proper to offer my gratitude.”

 

Her heels struck the floor with crisp precision as she approached Leo, each step an excessive display of the fine craftsmanship of the shoes he had gifted her.

 

But before she could relish the effect, Leo had already moved toward her, navigating the space with an ease born of deep familiarity.

 

Coming to a stop within arm’s reach, he tilted his head slightly and reached out.

 

Charlotte had experienced this once before, making it easy to guess what he wanted.

 

She stepped forward just enough for his outstretched hand to reach her.

 

His fingers brushed lightly against the curve of her neck, his touch seeking rather than hesitant.

 

Charlotte clenched the fabric of her dress ever so slightly to keep from betraying any reaction.

 

Leo’s hand traced upward, skimming past the delicate shell of her ear before settling against her cheek.

 

Without a word, he began inspecting her attire, much as he had the night before his fingertips moving over every fabric she wore, testing the texture and weight.

 

Even the shawl she had deliberately draped over her shoulders did not escape his scrutiny. Only once he had finished did Leo withdraw his hand and speak.

 

“Are you satisfied?”

 

Satisfied? After depleting his fortune so freely? Hardly.

 

“If anything is lacking, I’ll fill the gaps myself. You needn’t concern yourself further.”

 

Charlotte masked her true thoughts beneath a tone laced with just enough vanity.

 

For a woman who had accepted so much to still speak of deficiencies, her shamelessness was nearly laughable.

 

Leo’s lips curled in faint amusement, though his voice carried unmistakable derision.

 

“Of course. That is so like you.”

 

Without further remark, he turned back toward the window.

 

His hand found the teapot in one smooth motion, as if recalling its placement by memory alone.

 

A thin stream of tea trickled into the cup, filling the silence with the softest of sounds.

 

A wordless dismissal.

 

Charlotte understood the gesture but chose to ignore it, closing the distance between them instead.

 

“Don’t confuse me.”

 

She had yet to fulfill her end of the bargain.

 

She had already proven herself a woman of excess. Now, she needed to confirm she was every bit the depraved woman Leo imagined her to be.

 

So that he would never again hesitate because of her.

 

“How cold of you. I came to offer something in return, after all.”

 

Raising a hand hesitantly, she then firmly grasped Leo’s forearm.

 

The sensation beneath her fingers was as unyielding as iron.

 

Feigning indifference to her discovery, she pressed on.

 

“A child. We need to make one.”

 

Leo’s head, which had begun to turn away at her touch, stilled.

 

Slowly, he straightened, his sharp gaze locking onto hers.

 

“You said we only meet for that purpose, yet last night, you simply left without a word.”

 

“Did it leave you terribly disappointed?”

 

Leo’s fingers closed over hers with a force that threatened to break her grip.

 

Heat. Strength. A grip far too fierce to be casual.

 

And yet, Charlotte already knew what answer she had to give.

 

“What do you think?”