The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 33

YOU MUST THINK I'M SOME KIND OF FOOL, ANRI.

HOW...?

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!

THE HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS

A FEW HOURS EARLIER

MY LADY!!

ALBERT, PLEASE PREPARE A GUEST ROOM FOR JEFFREY.

AND SEND FOR A DOCTOR SO TOMORROW WE CAN CHECK HE'S ALL RIGHT.

YOU WERE OUT SO LATE. WE WERE SO WORRIED...

HE WENT THROUGH A LOT TODAY.

HE'S OUTSIDE.

AND WE MUST NOT LEAVE ANAIS ALONE TONIGHT...

LADY CHESTER, I'M SORRY, BUT COULD YOU PLEASE PAY HER SPECIAL ATTENTION?

OF COURSE, MY LADY.

AND HIS GRACE...?

HE WILL RETURN SHORTLY.

WE'VE JUST BUMPED INTO EACH OTHER...

OH, AND IT WOULD BE GOOD IF YOU WERE TO GIVE JEFFREY AND ANAIS A FEW DAYS OFF.

YES, MY LADY.

M-MY LADY, I'M FINE, REALLY!

ANAIS.

PLEASE, DO AS I SAY.

IT WILL PUT MY MIND AT EASE.

...YES, MY LADY.

...AH! THAT'S RIGHT!!

THE PAINT I BOUGHT ENDED UP COMPLETELY RUINED...!

... BEST NOT DWELL ON IT. I'LL THINK ABOUT IT TOMORROW.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A BATH...

COULD YOU PLEASE PREPARE THE WATER?

CERTAINLY, MY LADY. I WILL ACCOMPANY YOU UPSTAIRS.

MY LORD!

WHY ARE YOU STILL AWAKE?

I WAS WAITING FOR YOU.

I, UH... DID EVERYTHING GO WELL WITH THE PEELERS?

SO THAT'S WHY YOU WERE WAITING? JUST TO ASK ME THAT?

THAT WILL BE ALL TONIGHT. YOU MAY BOTH RETIRE.

AH... YES, MY LORD.

MY LADY.

IT'S DANGEROUS TO WALK ALONE IN THE DARK HALLS.

...THANK YOU, ALBERT.

MY LORD!

MY LORD...

YOU WEREN'T HURT, WERE YOU?

WHAT DID THEY SAY WILL HAPPEN TO THE BANDITS?

...THEY WILL NOT GET OFF LIGHTLY.

WHY HAVE YOU NOT YET RETIRED TO YOUR ROOM?

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ON MY MIND.

MY HEART HAS BEEN RACING EVER SINCE...

...AND I'VE BEEN WORRYING ABOUT JEFFREY AND ANAIS.

SO...

...WHY DIDN'T YOU RETURN HOME EARLIER IN THE FIRST PLACE?

DID I NOT WARN YOU?

YOU IGNORE ME EVEN NOW, WHEN I HAVE TOLD YOU TO RETIRE...

CONSCIENCE

...AND INDULGE, CARELESSLY, IN IDLE THOUGHTS OF OTHERS.

YOU MUST THINK I'M SOME KIND OF FOOL, ANRI.

N-NO. NOT AT ALL...

WH-WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY WAS... TH-THANK YOU.

THANK YOU?

THEN EXPLAIN THIS.

...IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE AN EXCUSE,

BUT AT THE TIME, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST WAY.

I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACE THE BANDITS WITH THE RING...

HOW BOLD OF YOU.

THAT'LL BE ENOUGH FOR TONIGHT.

PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR ROOM.

I COULDN'T SIMPLY NOT GIVE THEM THE RING...

I-I HAD TO CONVINCE THEM TO LET US GO, DIDN'T I?

AND IF THEY HAD LET YOU GO, WHAT THEN?

YOU WOULD HAVE ENDED UP ABANDONED—ALONE WITH A HORSELESS CARRIAGE.

...I THOUGHT THAT IF I DIDN'T RETURN,

SOMEONE FROM THE MANOR WOULD COME LOOKING FOR ME.

SO...

DID THINGS TURN OUT AS YOU HAD WISHED?

AH...

...WHEN DID WE GET ALL THE WAY TO MY ROOM?

DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW HOW RECKLESS YOU WERE?

AM I TRULY THE ONE TO BLAME...

WHEN BANDITS PROWL THE ROADS?

SO YOU'RE SAYING, "IT'S NOT MY FAULT"?

I'M SAYING YOU'RE FAR HARSHER THAN NECESSARY.

FROM NOW ON, WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU'LL REPORT YOUR DESTINATION TO ME IN ADVANCE.

WHAT?!

NO—PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BEST TO FORBID YOU FROM GOING OUT ALTOGETHER.

WHAT?!

REST A WHILE IN THE MANOR FOR THE TIME BEING.

M-MY LORD!

I KNOW SHE MEANT NO MALICE...

AND YET, WHY DO I FEEL SO TWISTED UP INSIDE?

IF I HAD ARRIVED EVEN A MOMENT LATER...

THE NEXT DAY

I WILL HAVE THE PAINTS REORDERED ON YOUR BEHALF, MY LADY.

AND SO IT IS...

THAT I AM NOW...

TRULY TRAPPED...!

NOOOOO!!!