Chapter 44

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅• •❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

The next morning, Grace woke up first before Sally came to wake her up.

Considering what happened last night and the fear that occurred, she should have failed to sleep a hundred times, but strangely, she fell asleep deeply last night without even dreaming.

Maybe that’s why, with a fresh body that doesn’t feel tired at all, Grace woke up and greeted Sally, who came to wake her up.

As always, diligent and attentive Sally entered Grace’s bedroom with a silver bowl of hot water and a light breakfast on an old tray.

Sally, who opened the bedroom door with a slightly coy face, apparently argued with the Alberton mansion’s servants for hours to prepare for the same morning breakfast as she did at Felix’s mansion. She came smiling lightly at Grace, who was already awake and sitting.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?”

“Yes. I slept without even dreaming.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. Honestly, I was worried if I could leave Madam alone and go back to my bedroom yesterday. No wonder, you didn’t look good last night.”

Saying that, Sally observed Grace’s face with a worried gaze. At that friendly gaze, Grace responded with a feeling of warmth in her heart.

“I know. I thought so, too, but strangely, I slept comfortably last night.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Maybe it was because I slept in this bed after a long time, or maybe because I exercised, so I slept well.”

Sally’s expression hardened when Grace hinted at last night’s events like a joke on purpose.

She then frowned and said to Grace, as if she didn’t even want to recall last night.

“It was not a workout, It was almost like a midnight escape.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“I’m not going to ask why you made me lie and make me look like you’re in the bedroom, and for what reason did you run around the Alberton mansion. I’m sure you’ll tell me everything when the time comes. But please promise me you won’t do this again. Do you know how scared I was yesterday?”

“…I’m sorry, Sally.”

“If something like that happens in the future, just ask me to do it. Utilising your subordinates well is one of the great virtues that a Lady should have.”

Sally gave a series of admonitions and raised Grace sitting in bed with an awkward look.

After that, Sally, who naturally led Grace to the old dressing table, spoke to Grace as if to change the slightly heavy atmosphere.

“Then, how should I do your hair today? Should I expose your neck like last night?”

[T/N: I guess the hairstyle Sally is talking about is like braiding all the hair to one side which will expose her neck.]

“Ummm. Well?”

“Just tell me. Even if you say you want your head to be decorated like a fairy, I will follow your wish.”

Grace burst into laughter at the sight of Sally speaking while swinging the comb in her hand like a magic wand.

It was an act that seemed to ease Grace’s mood. She didn’t have to do that at all, but she still did. Sally’s advice a while ago was valid, and Grace felt good enough to accept it.

Is it because she slept well? As of now, Grace was feeling as light and refreshing as the spring breeze.

Why on earth is her mood so pleasant? After thinking for a while, Grace was able to find the answer easily.

“Can you make it pretty somehow? The Duke is coming to pick me up today.”

“Oh, did the Duke say that?”

“Yes. He said he’d pick me up no matter what in two days.”

“Oh my. So, what time did he say he’d be here? Did he say he’d come in the morning?”

Sally, who made a fuss, said, “If so, I should move more busily”. Grace smiled and dissuaded her.

“No, um. He’ll be here in the morning, but I think you will have plenty of time to groom me, Sally.”

“Oh my. Did you two set the time in advance? What time is he going to pick you up?”

Grace shook her head and replied to Sally, who asked her to let her know, too.

“No, it’s not like that, but I feel like it.”

“Is it? Well. So, can I trust your feelings and use my hand a little leisurely?”

“Yeah. Oh, and for today’s dress, I would prefer it to be red. If possible, it would be a dark colour.”

“Oh, you’re choosing a different colour today than usual.”

“Yeah. For some reason, I feel like the Duke will come wearing a blue uniform that is close to black today.”

At Grace’s words, Sally teased the two, saying, “Did you two discuss the colour of uniforms and dresses in advance?”

Grace slightly blushed and shook her head as if she had just started a fresh relationship with her lover at Sally’s teasing attitude. There has never been such a discussion like that. She just had a vague feeling.

What should she say, she felt like a picture of Arthur in a dark blue uniform on a black horse approaching her in a red dress. Strangely enough, it was like that.

So Grace deliberately chose a red dress that she usually doesn’t wear to match her pleasant imagination.

Sally is genuinely delighted with the change in her frugal owner, who always insisted on wearing similar clothes. And dressed Grace in a red dress that she thought was a little glamorous, saying it was good to prepare in advance.

After that, she put on the necklace of Duchess Felix, which Arthur presented her, turned her hair high and decorated it with an emerald butterfly pin. Finally, after finishing her light makeup, Grace looked at herself in the old silver mirror for a moment and got up.

For some reason, her heart raced as if she shouldn’t sit like this. As if she had heard the news that Arthur was arriving soon.

“Sally, let’s go.”

“What? Where?”

“In front of the main gate of the Alberton mansion.”

“Oh, yes. I’ll take you.”

Grace urged Sally to go outside quickly. It was a time when Sally was rushing to grab her light coat as she got up first and went in front of the closed bedroom door.

Knock knock—

Someone knocked lightly on the bedroom door. At that sound, Grace stopped opening the bedroom door and glanced at Sally who was standing next to her.

Sally quickly shouted at the person outside the door.

“What’s the matter?”

“Duchess Felix, are you inside?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Oh, that’s… …A little while ago, Duke Felix was seen coming through the main gate of Alberton Castle to the mansion.”

“Oh my goodness.”

“So I thought it would be better to let you know in advance, so I took this liberty.”

The voice she heard was that of the attendant taking care of the annex.

Grace looked at Sally, delighted by the news of Arthur’s arrival. Somehow, she has been wanting to go out for a while. Wondering if it was for this, Grace smiled shyly.

‘I guess I missed him a lot.’

[T/N: Awww… Yes, you did. o(*////▽////*)q]

She has only been away for a day, but she didn’t know she’d miss him so much.

Grace wanted to leave quickly, so her heart was impatient. As if recognizing that feeling, Sally quickly responded to the servant outside the door.

“Okay. Thank you for letting us know.”

“Yes, then I’ll get going. Excuse me first.”

The moment she finished greeting with such an answer, the servant outside the door seemed to have turned around and set to walk away.

Soon after that reply, the footsteps of the attendant gradually moved away as if they had gone, and she could no longer hear them. Grace said to Sally, who stood next to her.

“Let’s go, Sally.”

“Yes. I’ll take the lead.”

Sally quickly opened the door, and Grace walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway.

Last night, it was quite different from how she was attending her sister Marianne’s Bridal Shower Party, just like a prisoner being dragged to the prison.

Grace headed straight across the garden of the annex to the main gate of the Alberton mansion. She soon found Duke and Duchess Alberton, who had been there first, and her sister Marianne, mixed with the aristocratic wives who were at the party last night.

They also found Grace and cooled their already hardened face.

She fixed her bright complexion at their cool gaze that was focused on her, and slowly approached them and greeted them.

“Good morning. Father, mother.”

“Yes. Was your bed comfortable last night?”

“Yeah. Thankfully, I was able to sleep very comfortably because you never touched anything since I left the mansion after marriage.”

Duke Alberton’s question about whether she had slept comfortably last night didn’t sound very good, so Grace deliberately replied like that with a smirk.

Upon hearing this, Duke Alberton’s expression frowned slightly. The awkward smiles of Duchess Alberton and Marianne standing behind was a bonus.

Grace deliberately stood in front of them, pretending not to know the uncomfortable air created by her words. Of course, they could feel the cool gaze from her back, but they also pretended not to let Grace know.

Then, the main gate of the closed mansion opened, and there was a sound of several horses running towards this side from afar.

Grace felt her heart pounding at the sound. Far away, she thought, ‘I wish my most wonderful husband sitting on it would get closer to me as soon as possible.’

Like Grace’s wish, horses adorned with saddles engraved with the coat of arms of Duke Felix ran faster towards the Alberton mansion.

❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅• •❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

T/N: Hi readers! How are you all doing? I hope that you have an amazing day!

o(*￣▽￣*)o

The story is progressing greatly, and the end of this chapter…. The way Grace’s wish came true is so beautiful. Right? (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨❁୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨❁୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨❁୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°