I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 24

SADLY, MY ESCORT ENDS HERE.

IT IS TOO EARLY TO START A SCANDAL RIGHT NOW.

ARE YOU A NOBLE?

YOU SEEM VERY WELL VERSED IN NOBLE ETIQUETTE.

IF IT LOOKS THAT WAY, THEN I AM RELIEVED.

THEN I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON, YOUR GRACE.

HAVE YOU RETURNED, MADAM?

WHAT ABOUT HIS GRACE?

HIS AFTERNOON SCHEDULE ENDED EARLY, SO HE RETURNED A SHORT WHILE AGO.

H-HERDIN IS AT THE ESTATE?

AH, RIGHT... HE MUST BE RESTING BY NOW.

HONESTLY, WHAT AM I DOING...

AT THIS RATE, I REALLY LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO HAD AN AFFAIR.

...I WENT TO SEE A PLAY.

I FELT STIFLED STAYING AT HOME.

Lina, go have your meal first.

WERE YOU WAITING FOR ME?

I THOUGHT WE MIGHT HAVE A MEAL TOGETHER FOR ONCE, BUT YOU WERE NOT IN YOUR ROOM.

YOU EVEN LEFT YOUR CARRIAGE AND KNIGHTS BEHIND, SO I WAS WORRIED.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TRUST YOU?

WORRIED?

NOT BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT TRUST ME?

THOSE EYES.

EYES THAT ARE OPENLY SUSPICIOUS OF ME.

YOU ARE SUSPICIOUS OF ME.

BECAUSE YOU ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT BE PLOTTING BEHIND YOUR BACK.

MUST I BE SUSPECTED THIS MUCH OVER A SINGLE OUTING?

BY YOU, WHO DID NOT EVEN SHOW YOURSELF FOR TWO WEEKS...

A PERSON WHO KNOWS THAT PERFECTLY WELL GOES AND ACTS LIKE THIS?

WE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM BACK THEN.

IF YOU HATE BEING SUSPECTED, TAKE KNIGHTS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO FROM NOW ON.

SO THAT I WILL NOT BE ANXIOUS ANYMORE.

I...

...WASH UP AND COME DOWNSTAIRS. YOU MUST BE HUNGRY.

IT ALWAYS GOES LIKE THIS.

WE RAISE OUR VOICES AT EACH OTHER. THEN AT SOME POINT, ONE OF US STOPS AND LEAVES.

IT IS TO AVOID THINGS BEFORE THE RIFT BETWEEN OUR FEELINGS GROWS ANY DEEPER,

BUT IN THE END, NOTHING IN OUR HEARTS IS RESOLVED,

AND THE RIFT ONLY GROWS DEEPER INSTEAD.

I WAS AFRAID THAT IF I OPENED THE DOOR, GRABBED YOU, GOT ANGRY, AND CRIED,

WE WOULD REACH OUR END AFTER THAT CLASH.

THAT WAS WHY I COULD NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR, BUT...

I DO NOT WANT THAT ANYMORE.

WHY DID I REVEAL MY EMOTIONS?

WHEN I CANNOT EVEN PRESS HER FURTHER ANYWAY.

I DID SOMETHING FOOLISH.

WAS IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO CHECK WHETHER ANOTHER MAN'S SCENT WAS ON HER?

IF THERE IS ANOTHER MAN, SO WHAT?

THAT IS ALREADY YOUR FIFTH GLASS.

IF YOU KEEP DRINKING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, YOU WILL UPSET YOUR STOMACH.

IT SEEMS THAT IN YOUR EYES, I STILL LOOK LIKE AN IMMATURE 12-YEAR-OLD.

IF YOU WERE 12, YOU WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DRINK, SO I WOULD NOT BE WORRYING LIKE THIS.

...YOU REALLY ARE A DULL OLD MAN.

YOUR GRACE!

MADAM... HAS COLLAPSED.

...DID I FAINT?

DID YOU DELIBERATELY GO NEAR THE FIREPLACE KNOWING THIS WOULD HAPPEN?

YOU, WHO WERE SO AFRAID OF FIRE THAT YOU WOULD NOT EVEN GO NEAR IT...

WHAT ON EARTH POSSESSED YOU TO LIGHT IT YOURSELF?!

I WANTED TO RECOVER MY MEMORIES.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE...

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN KEEP BURYING FOREVER JUST BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW.