Chapter 030
Cassius spoke first, breaking the silence when I didnāt know what to say.
āSince Iām here, Iād like to spend some time with you today.ā
He held out his hand, and I took it without hesitation, now familiar with his touch.
“Tonight, youāre the star of the banquet, Charlotte.”
Cassius led me down to the ballroom, his firm hand guiding mine. The servants carrying food stopped in their tracks, startled by the sight of us.
Cassius brought me to the center of the floor and said, “Itās been a while since Iāve danced. Would you help me practice?”
It wasnāt just me who looked different today. Cassius, usually dressed in a shirt and pants or a uniform, wore a formal evening suit tonight. His black suit, complete with a vest, gave him the aura of a model.
Almost as if in a trance, I nodded.
“Yes, Iād love to.”
I completely forgot that I didnāt know how to dance. Cassius gestured to the musicians, and they began playing. He moved across the empty floor like flowing water, and before I realized it, I was following his lead.
It was strangeāI seemed to know exactly what steps to take and how to move. As if my body remembered.
I found myself smiling, captivated by his charm and the atmosphere he created. Was this the secret weapon of a male lead?
For a moment, it felt like only Cassius and I existed in this space. It was both thrilling and unsettling, but I convinced myself that just this once, it was okay.
Cassiusās sharp jawline, the faint smile on his lipsāeverything about him felt magical.
Come to think of it, Iāve never been in a relationship before.
***
Cassius himself wasnāt sure what drove him to act so impulsively.
Charlotte looked especially beautiful today, and he felt the urge to do something, anything, for her.
Then, he recalled her words from before:
“Itās so hard just to have one dance with you. Is that really too much to ask?”
The banquet hadnāt even officially begun. Apart from the servants, who were busy carrying food, only Cassius and Charlotte were on the ballroom floor.
“Haah.”
Charlotteās soft breaths sounded louder than anything else to him. Her touch, her gaze, the way her dress fluttered with each movementāeverything left an impression.
Was Charlotte always someone who smiled so freely? Was she always this delicate and small?
Hidden beneath the layers of her grand dress, Charlotte seemed tiny, almost fragile.
Cassius placed a hand on her slender waist, marveling at how easily he could hold her, and spun her around. The skirt of her dress fluttered like butterfly wings, momentarily disorienting him.
The confusion and stress clouding his mind seemed to vanish.
“ā¦Itās too fast,” Charlotte said, her voice soft.
“Ah,” Cassius replied, slowing his pace.
Charlotte rested her forehead against his shoulder, her breath warm and uneven.
Her faint, sweet fragrance enveloped him, stirring something deep within. His fingertips tingled, and his breath caught.
***
“My goodness, Duchess, weāll need to touch up your makeup!”
Chouette, who had gone with Luna to fetch new shoes, fussed over me as she seated me and began fixing my face.
Cassius, on the other hand, seemed to be talking with his assistant as if nothing had happened. I recognized himāit was Giverny, if I remembered correctly.
Giverny spent the most time with Cassius and was fiercely loyal to Lorencia. I recalled hints from the novel that he harbored unspoken feelings for her.
He looked just as described: slightly tousled brown hair, pale skin, tall stature, and cold, gray eyes. Unlike Cassius, Giverny wore his uniform.
“Did he come even though heās busy?” Chouette asked.
“Huh?”
“Lord Cassius, I mean.”
“Oh.”
“Donāt worry, Duchess,” Luna said reassuringly. “Even if heās busy, this is part of his duty. Showing the strength of your bond reassures the people of the North.”
“Thatās right,” Chouette chimed in, gently patting my cheeks. “If Isteria falters, the North will too.”
She was right. The weight on my shoulders didnāt feel so light anymore.
“ā¦By the way, isnāt today the day Theoās tutor arrives?”
“Yes, Duchess.”
For some reason, the nanny had insisted on hiring a tutor for Theo, and Cassius had approved.
For some reason, the nanny had insisted on hiring a tutor for Theo, and Cassius had agreed. I had always thought a tutor would be useful since I had limits to what I could teach. But perhaps I still felt a bit possessive of Theo.
“Iām curious about the tutor.”
“They should be teaching Theo now. The head maid is supervising, so thereās nothing to worry about.”
“Thatās a relief.”
Iād been concerned the tutor might be harsh or forceful, like the nanny. But with the head maid there, I felt reassured.
Iād been worried Theo might be lonely all day, but having a tutor might actually be a good thing.
Though he pretended otherwise, Theo enjoyed learning to read and flipping through books. It wasnāt that he didnāt want to learnāhe just hadnāt had the chance.
Iāll ask him tomorrow what he learned. I hope heās enjoying his studies.
“Now, Duchess, please focus! Part your lips slightly,” Chouette instructed.
“Ah.”
I obediently did as she asked.
***
The head maidās sharp gaze fell on the woman.
āHah. Sheās here to monitor me.ā
Janice hadnāt mentioned this. Janice always boasted about her important position in the Dukeās household. But when the head maid insisted on attending the lesson, Janice had said nothing and tucked her tail in.
āTrusting Janice was a mistake.ā
The womanāLorenciaābit her lip firmly.
Lorencia, who had confidently declared she would become the Duchess, was now just a tutor.
Forcing a smile, she looked down at Theo, whose bright, sparkling eyes made her uncomfortable.
“Theo, letās see how much youāve learned.”
“Yes!” Theo replied enthusiastically.
Theo no longer felt ashamed of not knowing letters. Charlotte had taught him that it wasnāt his faultāhe had been sick, but now he could learn.
Confidently, Theo wrote the letters he had recently learned from Charlotte over the past few weeks.
“ā¦Is that all?”
“What?” Theo blinked, his eyes wide with confusion.
“How old are you nowā?”
“Wait a moment,” the head maid interjected, cutting Lorencia off.
Lorencia clamped her mouth shut and met the head maidās stern gaze. She followed her outside, leaving Theo staring after them, puzzled.
Once the door closed, the head maid spoke in a cold, low voice.
“What do you think youāre doing?”
“I donāt understand what youā”
“I specifically asked you to be careful with every word you say to the young master. He hasnāt had any formal education because of his illness.”
“I was simply asking about the childās academic progress.”
“That didnāt seem to be your intention. Iām reminding you to avoid any language or tone that might trigger his trauma.”
The head maidās tone was firm and unyielding.
She was well aware of how sensitive and fragile Theo was. The only reason he had made it this far was because of Charlotteās efforts.
It was Charlotte who had given Theo the courage to study.
One careless word could undo everything.
“The young master is not yet fully recovered. Your words might reflect the Dukeās wishes, so keep that in mind,” the head maid concluded.
“ā¦Understood,” Lorencia replied through gritted teeth, her fists clenched. She vowed to repay this humiliation one day.
āUgh, how annoying.ā
She despised the child and this entire situation.
