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“It was really good that you decided to come together again.”
The first thing she did after receiving the proposal was to let her mother know about it. Helen was more than happy hearing it, and she had expected this a little. As Rosalind seemed to be conscious of it, she was particularly concerned about Kyle. It was good for Leo as well as her.
“It just happened.”
“Now, all that remains is to spend a harmonious newlywed life with the Duke.”
“Newlywed? It’s been a long time since we got married….”
“You’re dying of love, if that’s a newlywed, what is a newlywed? The Duke looked at you with so much affection…”
Rosalind blushed in embarrassment at Helen’s mischievous words.
It was true that Kyle had been monitoring her condition day and night after her kidnapping. While he was dealing with Albert’s matters, he also worked at the Imperial Palace, and when he was done, he returned to check on her condition and stayed by her side.
Even though he was also wounded by the sword, he devoted all his heart to Rosalind without taking care of his own body—as much as the nanny who raised her, maybe even more delicately caring for her—to Helen’s surprise.
“He wondered if you were in any more pain, as if he held you, you would explode or if he blew, you would fly away… He took care of you so much.”
“The Duke was worried about nothing…”
“So, I’m very happy.”
The voice that followed was soft and gentle.
A smile of relief crept across Helen’s lips, whom Rosaline thought was teasing her, and the gripping hands tightened even more.
“I wanted you to always be happy. I wanted you to have a family with someone you love and who loves you. Isn’t it everyone’s dream to have a happy family with the one they love?”
“Mother…”
“You should enjoy your happiness. It seems that the Duke loves you very much.”
…Love.
At those words, Rosalind’s ears reddened a little. The next moment, the voice of the maid came through the door.
“Madam, Duke Spencer is here.”
“Look, am I right?”
Helen shrugged her shoulders.
“Tell him to come in.”
After hearing Helen’s answer, the maid led Kyle to the parlor. Sitting on the wide sofa, he saw Rosalind and Helen getting up.
“What are you doing here, Duke?”
Obviously, she was going to pack up her stuff and go to his mansion, but Kyle came first. He opened his mouth neatly towards Rosalind, who smiled with a slightly puzzled face.
“I thought it might be hard to pack your things.”
“What might be hard? The things are loaded in the carriage…”
…Actually, I really want to see you.
Rosalind felt like bursting into laughter at the words Kyle spat out with the shape of his mouth. She blushed shyly, holding back the laughter that leaked out. Meanwhile, seeing their eyes gazing at each other warmly, Helen smiled happily and she urged the two of them.
“The carriage is waiting outside. If it is too late, the day will be dark and it will be troublesome. Come on, get going. You said you would take Leo later, right?”
Since there was a place to stop along the way, she decided to pick up Leo after moving her things. Anyway, the child was now in a nap without knowing the world.
“I will be back soon.”
“Yes.”
Rosalind and Kyle bowed their heads politely to Helen.
Seeing these two, Helen smiled quietly. They were a beautiful couple that anyone could say looked good together. Not only when they stood side by side, but the way they turned around and walked away was just as sweet as lovers.
After greeting her mother, Rosalind and Kyle made their way through the garden toward the carriage. Although the carriage was already loaded with all the luggage, it was as light as the owner’s simple personality. The disposal of property may also have played a part.
Rosalind, who was escorted into the carriage, gave Kyle a slightly sorry look on her face.
“You shouldn’t bother.”
“I could not wait.”
She finally burst into laughter as she heard the distinctive, plain words that somehow sounded blunt. Then, Kyle gently pulled Rosalind’s shoulder towards him. Even through the thick dress, she could feel his hands and warmth.
It seemed as if all her nerves were focused wherever he touched.
“We’ll be there in a while.”
“I know.”
He moved the hair flowing down with his other hand.
“You must be tired of packing.”
“I didn’t have much to bring.”
“Get some sleep because it will be cumbersome to stop by.”
He then made her head rest on his shoulder. Rosalind’s face turned red here and there, worried that if she put her body this close, Kyle would be able to hear the sound of her beating heart.
“…I can’t sleep for some reason.”
“Why can’t you sleep?”
“I like it…”
Kyle laughed too at the answer that was filled with shame and excitement.
“Why, why are you laughing?”
“I like it, too.”
“Are you teasing me?”
He didn’t say anything and just smiled. Suddenly, a clear voice rang in her ears.
“…You can’t sleep?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“You used to sleep well next to me.”
“At that time, because I used too much energy.”
As she replied, she suddenly remembered that day. The night he proposed to her, he lusted after her and slept with her over and over again.
Rosalind’s cheeks were burning like they were on fire.
“Then you use your energy, will you be able to sleep?”
“That’s right…”
She stopped her words.
Kyle’s hand, which had been wrapped around her shoulder, was gently gripping her arm before it went down more and more and started groping near her thigh. Unlike Rosalind, who was taken aback by the sudden hand movement in the carriage, he had a casual face. His remarkable neatness seemed to be too deft at a moment like this.
“You don’t want to?”
“To play such a prank on the carriage…”
“Really? I like it.”
“I’m afraid the coachman will hear it.”
Rosalind shook her head, imploring.
“My troubles have been piling up because you were away from me for several days, packing your things.”
As he said, it was only a few days. She opened her mouth to say that it had only been four days, yet his low, clear voice pierced her ears ahead of it.
“It’s because of you.”
His hand was now rolling up the dress.
“It’s because of you that I’ve been so troubled.”
She hurriedly grabbed Kyle’s wrist. Rosalind knew that no matter how hard she tried to stop him with her own hands, it wouldn’t work. She never hated having a relationship with him. Still, this was inside the carriage.
“We can when we arrive…”
“When you arrive, you will be in a hurry to organize your things.”
“If I leave it to the servant…”
“Even if you say that, you won’t leave it to the servant.”
“Even so, I can’t leave it all to the servants, and if I can’t even organize my belongings…”
“Then, the time will pass quickly. Isn’t it?”
In the end, Rosalind lost her will and energy to speak. Since Kyle wasn’t wrong, it was difficult for her to refute.
Because she was originally the Duchy’s mistress, she tended to take care of all the little things in the house by herself. It had started out with her greed to help at least a little bit, while as she did, she became excited to do something with her own hands and worked harder.
“Do I have to be in trouble like this until things are settled?”
“How long will it take?”
“It will be the same here.”
In a while. Hmm?
Then, he whispered softly into Rosalind’s ear.
The voice was sweet, fatal, and seductive—like poisoned fruit. As he asked, “Hmm?” in a comforting way, it felt like her heart melted without a pulse. Just as the sugar in hot tea seeps into the temperature, it felt like her body and mind were easily torn apart with just one word from him.
When they see something like this, do people often say, ‘I’m dying of joy’?
“Still, the carriage…”
“Would you like to sit here?”
Kyle, who noticed Rosalind shaking, spoke as if digging into the gap. His fingertips were pointing above his knees. To sit on the man’s lap, the thought made her face heat up and Rosalind hesitated.
However, Kyle pulled her hesitant body and sat her lightly on top of him. She was surprised by what had happened so quickly, but for a moment, she felt ashamed and embarrassed that she was sitting on his thigh, and her whole body seemed to stiffen.
“You’re doing well.”
“You forced me to sit down.”
“..Did I?”
Kyle grinned at her. The next moment, he wrapped her waist in his arms and buried his face between her neck and shoulders.
A faint scent wafted from the nape of her slender, white neck.
“I missed you because I haven’t seen you in a few days.”
“Actually… me, too. I missed the Duke a lot.”
Rosalind had a little courage because they weren’t facing each other.
“Since we’re going to live together soon, we can see each other every day now. That’s what I thought, but why did I keep wanting to see you and getting nervous? I must have been so impatient.”
I don’t even want to remember how I got through the last four years without you.
Her heart ached as he continued, and Rosalind turned her head to look at Kyle. She smiled at him reassuringly before she opened her mouth.
“Now, we will live together for a long time. We promised back then. To be together forever, until death separates us and puts us in the arms of God.”
“Do you want to be with me forever?”
“Of course.”
When he asked in a soft voice, she answered without any hesitation.
“Why?”
“What?”
“There must be no reason. What is it?”
But, Kyle asked again, showing that there was an answer he wanted. The moment when she just blinked because she didn’t know what kind of answer he was looking for…
“…Because you like me?”
Rosalind quickly laughed at his words. Was that what he wanted to hear? He looked a little cute for some reason.
“Answer me. Do you like me?”
“Yes. I really like you.”
Kyle grinned as if he was satisfied with her answer.
“I like you, too.”
Saying so, he kissed the nape of her neck.