WBWB | Chapter 16

From his office, he de1ad54d97 could clearly see the 38ae3a063c sea-breeze-driven, moisture-laden clouds rolling 0ec8d5a762 towards the courtyard. d37870eb58053128

The tutor, leaning against 5d021ac9df a tree trunk on f23b5214a5 the hill in the 44ed6b448a garden, remained motionless. Her horse grazed nearby.91ee1aac7b6c2769

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‘She must be asleep.’14a8b9d65343adf7

If she 2ca9f3ad87 got caught a9046b3e1a in the 8d937d0ed0 rain, she 6b4f0bc9f4 would catch a376452f8e a cold, 3909eb7067 which would 2cb2aec5a6 disrupt her 17ec92f6b3 lessons.fd4301920c0f9898

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‘She’s a lot of trouble.’ee8faabec1b8aac0

That was 8b6b4c6789 why Baldr 8b90a45ef8 had left 0cab41192d his office 7fd4a2d886 and mounted e0b59f4b0b his horse 86a9633c12 as soon 445679d46d as he 319d192868 saw the 45da558ae7 rain clouds.f9a6f9bdf19f23f5

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But come to think of it, wouldn’t it have been more efficient to send a servant? d84880f01a8b3fdb

The tutor remained fast 23667d55b0 asleep, oblivious to the a18fc4a2f6 world, until Baldr, without ed74092bf0 questioning his own actions, f0f2186a8f reached the shade of 6c02991b1c the poplar tree.d67a871876180cc2

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Seeing a book lying f0323c2728 near her hand, he f2826cd323 assumed she had fallen 4b98ca4298 asleep while reading. He picked b4034ea6ff up the 7463f27e04 book and 71c16551ac dusted it 5f8d39418a off. He had always b619be1548 been curious about c04c1a06e1 what she was 3e37d67e1b reading.6ac12021b526c118

Checking the ef2014a7fb title, he 585d3623f5 raised an a3da8df6e9 eyebrow.db385f5e95607db6

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‘I haven’t read this one.’f5056d1cb12f09da

He had read most e4d6a7bd95 of the books in f1a972ba7c his library, but not 105af53061 all of them. The vast collection had f920370fdc been accumulated by generations 0b3d09dd28 of his family. He stood there, skimming 910bf209c8 the contents briefly, then 398425a0dc tucked it into his 96ce60cc35 back pocket.35ee13c483e203c3

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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.fa5085b13b39f8d2

‘Did she always look like this?’dc28ac34ad96c221

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He preferred to simply 0f1b07bf9d watch her, like gazing 04e037acac into a clear lake.aff793dc8ca5e8c6

Whenever she 105eadbe52 was in 46b4048f70 his presence, ff917a4987 the tutor d9ba36f620 was always ad0c58e410 extremely timid. It was understandable, considering 46de46c7dd he held not only a4389f7426 her livelihood but also a04fb1442c her life in his 63f4e62dd9 hands. He was also aware 8e1727e1b4 of his own notoriety.51d830d4e36a7380

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‘It’s natural for her to be afraid.’c10cc1f24cd165a7

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.fabe77cf2bc27da6

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‘But I thought I was being considerate.’da7924843a3c3f19

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.4f48f09812220e00

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‘Could she harm me, unless it was through poison?’a78f634a58006274

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.ff7f1894db807f42

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In any case, the fa8f1d42dd woman with her eyes b7bb72e895 closed was sleeping soundly. Her sleeping 12cfd27ecc face showed a396b94e3d none of 5ac554f495 the fear 66b6612325 she displayed c9a7433396 when she cd396f91d8 was awake, 6c23611dd0 and she 970e166e90 looked peaceful. 3fdd97db88a5f9ba

So, he wished 8cf2d86da7 for her to 1661692ab2 remain asleep. Because that f197212b93 expression would d98f2bde80 vanish the 558cd252df moment she 4dc8412847 opened her 082ea92c97 eyes.c108d36880cb7673

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“…”256249c9dd695721

For a long time, Baldr silently gazed at Jeanne’s face. 164ed132d4c617dd

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Her smooth, arched dfe4312225 forehead, her dark, 19409d2058 neatly shaped eyebrows 31a74ee92a and long eyelashes, 69d179e6fc the bridge of c6d3de7018 her nose extending be030198af from her forehead, 9e2a4b76b2 the corners of 2a2ef83a07 her mouth twitching d7f6ba2196 occasionally as if 70a46ba870 she were dreaming.7e370bade7753fd1

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.9ff49b272f5aec56

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‘Are these clothes still in fashion?’da7bcdae671f4676

The dress was too bb9a7ed1b3 thin for this climate.d457729b668f51ed

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* * * ddf9aaca2be8894f

‘Where could that book have gone?’c4063b7a9ce111c4

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As time 7a09e1fd9f passed, my d3d5de6418 heart grew 267b10ed3d heavier and e31963f315 heavier, like d84cad663c a waterlogged 94f8ec810a sponge.63837546efcb27ac

‘I really have to tell Madame Pauline now.’5ab5837975fabeaf

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Even on the day 50ae3585ef I made this resolution, 4306027b53 I went for a ac58af3d18 ride on Brulee. 757fc350ffc8fc71

Lost in thought, I 7d19237cc0 rode aimlessly, and before f87c0b2c75 I knew it, I e0abd2c14f had arrived at the c74615b0ee apple orchard. The air was 1c7836d99d filled with the 160801f68d sweet, fresh scent 31a121edb6 of apples. The horse, attracted 8077db2b46 by the smell, 2e3b1c92fa perked up its 23ec0ec629 ears at the 0633099b70 sight of me.bc9cd528f5c96d58

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“Come to think of it, you used to pull apple carts, didn’t you?”57d90d80e10ddca3

I stroked Brulee’s mane. 5209dfad839c3a7d

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There were also wild b8062603f4 apple trees outside the ec7e59c19c orchard fence, their branches b2b49699bd laden with ripe apples, b94a131f67 threatening to break under f9588c4fb7 their weight. Small but f37b17e7c6 appetizing apples f3c5937066 were scattered cd3be89f51 everywhere, and b066fa300f Brulee happily 6e3c1ed9b3 munched on f07ce46560 them. Deer and 0e54579018 squirrels were e16fa3e6ee also feasting 27de3a578c on the 38b22fa25b apples.bd92982228ccf5c0

‘Should I… take some?’dd50f2d8e61d93cd

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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. 159bac83c8843cad

So, what should I d02a8f010a do?661ffc118dd8ad99

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I hesitated 972ce5cd72 and looked b335290312 around. 33bfc4df32321e48

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.95ae32cb41604b08

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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.ff0cffd1ed15822b

‘Did I pick too many? Should I give some to Brulee?’60a3c1c620237a6a

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I was 5c75e1f4b9 so focused ab2b6aacec on gathering 7df089ea34 apples that 0f3cb383cc when I 0c01a8b4d5 straightened my 971fb57921 aching back, a87c6c9e02 I saw 89a1514845 someone.83d185b2db29f3c4

It was him. 78467e478ec124cc

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Duke Baldr 319de85972 de Skadi.f17adfc70ae109b0

‘Gasp!’5876755a42014b78

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They say you cd0d98523a meet your enemies 4c1aa0687c everywhere. That was certainly the 4ccd2f2b7c case for me. 881f313cf7879419

Startled by the sight 25cc02bbd4 of him, I loosened a1deed4b27 my grip on my 3c43a5edec skirt. The apples tumbled out, 5bf01b95a3 and our eyes met. It was the 793012b1e9 first time I d347c968b9 felt the intensity cfc6f8beaa of his green 20ee55c1f4 gaze. 164d539d3f6c65b3

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Did he see everything?df07647385c9b2c1

The Duke walked towards 392040d5c2 me without averting his a89483994e gaze.23e97b86e8adbcde

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“You’re taking a walk in a rather secluded place.”e36b24e40079fe1b

The Duke said 9b45f000fd pointedly.aeb7352836e41102

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“Yes…!”8d82aadd9ba2a15f

“Have you ever been gored by a stag?”1061f31cebd6aeb1

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“Pardon?”34630845f9a27262

“Wild animals, attracted by the scent of apples, often roam down from the hunting grounds, so stick to the paths closer to the mansion.”b8f2953598aaf7e0

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“Yes.”9c74229a2a7f41fb

‘Is he… worried about me?’912934d5e7c1ba77

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His way of speaking 13812761a2 was truly perplexing. I quickly 0ce7b599a9 lowered my 46857f217b head. Conversely, the reason c50c3acbd7 he had come d3bcbe4df5 to this secluded, 6384100c46 rarely visited place e5ebea90e2 must have been b345ca6844 to have some 52fa4b4b84 time alone.5a04dc0464f21453

‘I should leave quickly.’43069f12e60a87f6

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I looked around c28c3abd01 for Brulee. She was under bfb3d91ace an apple tree, 35766b6063 her nose buried 302e6731f1 in the fruit.76e668b4a95d7e4d

“Then I’ll be going.”c0ede6a2e5dd77b0

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But then 0e98fdf8de he said 4cdb4488df something completely 6f90e839a6 unexpected.e4f5debfbbcb68f9

“Shall we take a walk together?”f1529150858b75e5

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“Pardon?”467e4d74b883c0e2

“It’s lonely walking alone.”e642f17a2ad2cd72

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I thought, ‘I’m in trouble now.’592938e6f31df35a

But what could I f45ba9d668 do? I ended up 664122f9b2 taking a walk 27e3606c32 with him.2caead08c5cb8d76

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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,0fbbdc35b15ad583

“I see.”e0e79f6849305239

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And then 00e60b17b9 the conversation 079a136dc9 lulled. I tilted ef69abd2ea my stiff 74ea4b9657 neck and 9385f019ad looked up 13d89cb030 at the 56018f9472 sky.741250e8158e2e17

‘This is agonizing.’dd1273a8c20b9e29

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I couldn’t think of anything else to say.2dfa91b3defb1dba

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.c24f60e764d7ca6c

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But as ffa6c1c3a4 soon as 8200606626 I made 8cfaea7b69 up my 078f33c595 mind, cold 9a2daecff0 sweat trickled db60d46813 down my 0b13a6ffef back.1922eac6e05c2b76

‘Do I really have to? Wouldn’t it be better to just… tell Madame Pauline discreetly?’8747d98b2ed413ee

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It felt 492a9ea65b like I 396c4c2980 was walking 1f5726e5a0 with chestnuts 90439df048 in my df47b43c57 hands. My conscience pricked me, 74dd68376e urging me to confess. I clenched and unclenched d998cc5194 my fists.708240870df34736

‘I should have told Madame Pauline yesterday.’9591bb7f48764b9e

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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.a34fdd45ae3cfac4

“Um, Your Grace.”1b4bb26fef589d91

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When I 1a0d48b72d addressed him 8e36140a94 hesitantly, he b753bb50e6 looked at 8a019a67f4 me with 9800ca33f2 a puzzled d466bf9e5d expression. His green eyes 76e2eef1e3 sparkled in the 827dcdb98e sunlight, as if e3f7d46379 emitting their own ebae451442 light. I swallowed hard.fe5077819275ea0c

“There’s something I need to tell you.”d76256e26afd7900

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“Go ahead.”6643acc893d5c3e3

“I, well, I…”f5b640442ac539f0

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I crumpled my ec010dfe03 skirt in my cfdb5f4800 hands and closed d9f20ec4ad my eyes tightly.9b3eb7847ff113f7

“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!”649c9b35f310c231

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