If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 32
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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As the apprentice seamstress continued to tidy up, she mentioned that Madame de Borre kept asking numerous questions to match the finicky tastes of the noblewomen.
To decipher the intricate and puzzling preferences of these demanding ladies, one had to throw a hundred words to understand their true intentions. After hearing the explanation, de Borre’s chattering seemed somewhat understandable.
However, she didn’t want to go through this ordeal again.
Knock, knock.
In response to a polite knock, Liana hurriedly finished tying the dress straps and stepped back.
It was the head maid, Izelle, who had knocked on the door. As she entered, Izelle immediately greeted Agatha. She would soon become the mistress of the Vernat estate, so maintaining proper etiquette was essential.
“The Marquis is waiting for you.”
“For me?”
“He has requested you to come to the study. He has some important matters to discuss.”
It had been a while since Agatha thought that she should have a proper conversation with him about their marriage. Following Izelle’s lead, Agatha left the dressing room.
For the past few days since she arrived at the Vernat estate, Agatha’s movements had been confined to her bedroom. It was partly due to the deep wounds that made it difficult to move, but more so because she felt like she didn’t belong here.
Perhaps she had grown accustomed to being treated as an unwelcome guest during her nine years at the Count’s residence.
“The Marquis is quite sensitive to noise, especially when he’s in the study. He doesn’t tolerate any disturbances during that time.”
A plush carpet adorned the long hallway that led to the study. As they walked, Izelle offered unsolicited explanations.
She elaborated on various topics such as why there was carpeting throughout the entire hallway, how particular Cain was about silence while working inside the mansion, and how busy he was, often spending more than half of the month away from the estate.
While her words might have sounded considerate of Agatha, who was newly brought into the Marquis’s household, in reality, it was a warning not to inconvenience her true master, the Marquis himself.
Agatha considered herself far from foolish enough to cause any such trouble.
A polite knock interrupted their conversation.
“Master, Lady Kristin has arrived.”
Izelle remained in her place as if to indicate that her duties were done. She opened the door, and Agatha hesitated for a moment as the sunlight poured in, momentarily blinding her. Soon, the musty scent of old paper inside the open door assaulted her nose.
As she lifted her gaze and surveyed the study, she realized it was much more spacious than she had anticipated, with hundreds of books densely lined on the shelves.
The Vernat Marquisate was a deeply rooted noble family with a history spanning over a hundred years. In his later years, the previous Marquis, who had painstakingly obtained a son late in life, lost him to illness and himself to old age.
The proposal from the Emperor to make Cain his heir was more of a command than a suggestion, despite the pleasant wording.
Of course, he received a fitting reward for his new position. The posthumous appointment as a state councilor was bestowed upon the late Marquis’ son. The title of a government official granted to a deceased person was nothing more than an honorary title with no practical utility, but the Marquis was greatly pleased.
Cain had only seen the former Marquis twice in his life after becoming a part of the Vernat family. Once when he first set foot in the Vernat Marquisate as its new heir, and then when the former Marquis passed away.
“You called for me?”
“Come in, Agatha.”
He used her name again. Agatha furrowed her brow. At some point, Cain had started calling her by her name naturally when addressing her. His affectionate tone and seamless use of her name might mislead someone into thinking they had been on such friendly terms for a long time, which made Agatha feel awkward.
“I waited until you could sit. Your wounds were quite deep.”
He had asked to discuss the wedding promptly, but days had passed without any mention of it. While Agatha didn’t entirely believe that Cain’s consideration towards her was genuine, she also didn’t think it was all an act.
As Cain nodded, the butler, Havel, who had been standing by his side, quickly brought a chair to the opposite side. It was an invitation to sit.
“I summoned you to draft the marriage contract.”
Agatha’s gaze shifted to Havel, who stood attentively by the side. Despite being the butler who oversaw all affairs in the Vernat Marquisate, Agatha doubted whether it was appropriate to discuss such matters in his presence.
Perhaps reading Agatha’s thoughts, Cain added nonchalantly.
“It’s fine. Havel is a devout man, so he understands the importance of discretion.”
“…Yes.”
His gesture of pushing aside the pile of documents that covered the desk and placing a couple of sheets of paper there was nonchalant. In that seemingly insignificant action, Agatha realized that Cain didn’t attach any significant emotional value to this marriage. If this had meant anything emotionally significant to him, he wouldn’t have prepared for it so casually.
Indeed, this marriage was merely a contract entered into out of necessity. There was no other meaning to it. Agatha couldn’t help but remind herself of that fact once again.
