MDIHC 09

Chapter 09 …

The wedding was smaller in scale than I had imagined. I didn’t know much since it was my first time getting married, but compared to the vast garden of the Camellia estate, it felt that way.

On top of that, unlike the bride’s side, which was bustling and noisy with relatives gathered together, the groom’s guests were few in number and all sat upright, serious, and solemn. That contrast made the atmosphere feel even stiffer.

‘If only our Daniel had been the flower girl, she could have brightened things up!’

I couldn’t help but lament inwardly. I had strongly supported “Team Daniel as flower girl,” but was overpowered by Sophia and her group, who were even more strongly of the “the bride must be the star of the wedding” camp. Moreover, when Father and Mother subtly reminded me that technically this wasn’t a second marriage, but if my daughter walked as the flower girl, it would give that impression—I had no choice but to back down.

It wasn’t because of what others might say about me. It was because of the attention that would be poured onto Daniel. She had never appeared in public before. On top of that, her mother’s identity was still unknown.

There were rumors: that she was the daughter of Lord Winchester and a maid from the estate, or that he had fathered her with a foreign woman during the war, or even that she wasn’t his daughter at all but a war orphan he had taken in. But the Winchester family had never made an official statement.

If Daniel had appeared at the wedding, all eyes would have turned to her. People would have whispered, analyzed her features, and speculated about who her mother was. I couldn’t let Daniel be torn apart by that kind of gossip.

“…A husband and wife are lifelong companions who trust and support each other through joy and sorrow. Now then, I ask…”

The long-winded officiant’s speech was finally wrapping up.

“Do you, Lorinus de Winchester, take Neary de Pomorts as your wife, and swear to be with her forever, in joy and in sorrow?”

“Yes.”

As always, Lord Winchester’s response was immediate and without hesitation.

“Do you, Neary de Pomorts, take Lorinus de Winchester as your husband, and swear to be with him forever, in joy and in sorrow?”

“Yes.”

I, too, answered without hesitation. It was a marriage we had already agreed upon.

“Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal it with a kiss.”

…Excuse me? A… a kiss? That part wasn’t in the agreement!

Flustered by the natural flow of the ceremony, I hadn’t expected this.

‘Surely Lord Winchester must be just as startled…? No? He’s not?’

Seeing him calmly turning to face me, I was the one more thrown off.

‘Why is this so natural for him?’

Then, as he gently wrapped one arm around my waist and the other around my shoulder, my panic deepened.

‘Wait, hold on—!’

As his face slowly moved closer, my eyes wavered wildly, and I could have sworn a faint smile crossed his lips at the sight.

‘He’s… going to kiss me…!’

When his features became so close I could no longer distinguish them, I instinctively closed my eyes tightly.

‘It’s warm…’

The unexpected sensation on my lips made all the tension in my face and body melt away.

I had thought it would be cold—just like his icy eyes and blunt, emotionless voice. I’d assumed his lips and his kiss would be the same.

But I was wrong. His lips were smooth, warm, and even… respectful, as if being considerate to a woman he was marrying after only meeting three times.

“Ah…”

When his lips finally pulled away, I felt an odd sense of disappointment.

“Haah… I’m exhausted…”

A sigh escaped me, and a faint puff of breath rose from the warm water in the tub. The reception after the ceremony had been tiring. It wasn’t until nearly midnight that the guests had finally left.

The whole time, I had been anxious, wondering if—like at the last ball—everyone was so busy that Daniel hadn’t been fed again. I had asked Sophia quietly to check on her, but I hadn’t seen her again, so I had no idea what had happened.

“Maybe I should sneak over…”

It was late—any child would be asleep by now. I knew where her room was, so if I just took a peek at her sleeping face, it should be fine. And maybe… check if her tummy was rounded.

“Just seeing Daniel’s sleeping face will recharge my energy.”

The thought of her soft, plump cheeks and those bright eyes that looked at me so lovingly lifted my mood.

“Alright. I’ll rinse off quickly and go.”

I had already washed away the heavy makeup and all the sweat from standing around all day. The warm bathwater was so relaxing that if I stayed in any longer, I might actually fall asleep.

As I stood up, water trickled down my body.

‘Come to think of it, there’s no maid assisting me?’

I remembered how, when I first bathed at the Pomorts estate, a maid had followed me in as if it were the most natural thing, ready to assist with the bath. I had been so embarrassed to be the only one undressed that I sent her away, insisting I could manage on my own.

“Hmm~”

I opened the door. The hallway outside was dark and still, like an early frost before dawn.

‘Daniel’s room should be this way—’

Just as I moved to the right—

“This way, madam.”

A voice came from the left. Though polite, it had the tone of a command. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I spotted a figure that hadn’t been there earlier.

She wasn’t wearing a typical maid uniform in black and white. In the darkness, I couldn’t be certain, but it looked like she wore a modest dress in navy or deep green. A middle-aged woman.

“Who are you?”

“I am Sionne Ferede, the housekeeper. Since this is your first night here, I thought you might not know where your bedroom was, so I waited.”

“Hmm…”

So the head housekeeper knew I was bathing but didn’t send a maid to assist me?

Without saying much, I walked toward Madame Ferede. Under the light spilling from the bedroom she guided me to, I could see her face more clearly.

Unlike Tiffin, the plump, smiling housekeeper of the Pomorts household, Madame Ferede was thin, with a stern and rigid expression. She looked more like a strict dormitory matron at a girls’ academy than a housekeeper.

“Please go in.”

Though she used honorifics and even opened the door for me, somehow everything she said still sounded like a command. Was it the way she held her head so straight? The look in her eyes that said she didn’t see me as the real lady of the house? Or was that just how her face always looked?

“Alright.”

I was far too tired and worn out. I didn’t have the energy to argue with the housekeeper in a dark hallway at this late hour.

“See you tomorrow.”

But tomorrow—after a good night’s sleep—things would be different.

Thinking about what tomorrow might bring, I entered the bedroom. I didn’t relax my lowered gaze meant to convey dignity, my squared shoulders meant to project confidence, or my upright posture until I heard the door close behind me.