My Husband Never Dies - Chapter 35
At high noon, with the sun blazing overhead, Evelyn gazed silently out the window at the unfamiliar garden.
Evelyn Dalebury. Before marriage, the surname given to her had come from this very place. Dalebury was one of the many royal estates, and a place where Princess Rowena had once stayed for an extended amount of time.
The king had said his late sister had loved this place more than any other. Whether that was true or not didn’t matter. The world had long since stopped operating by the logic Evelyn once knew.
“My lady.”
Laura set a refreshing herbal tea in front of Evelyn.
“You haven’t been drinking the Fiolle tea lately.”
At the mention of the tea leaves subtly laced with poison, a bitter smile touched Evelyn’s lips.
“I’m sick of it.”
At the same time, Evelyn no longer brewed her own tea. She had never truly enjoyed the refined hobby of tea drinking, and now there was no longer any reason to make poisoned blends.
“Maybe it’s because we’re in the south… It’s much hotter here than in Brumfield.”
“Is that so?”
Evelyn responded absentmindedly, taking a sip of the hot tea. Unlike Laura, who complained of the heat, Evelyn hadn’t felt it much. Perhaps it was because the chilling presence hovering near her always left her feeling cold.
“Isn’t it too hot for you? Should I bring you some ice?”
“No need.”
Evelyn replied as if everything were a bother, and Laura’s face fell slightly in disappointment.
Lately, everything Laura hoped for seemed to fall apart. She had secretly wished that perhaps her mistress and master might be expecting a child, but the physician shook his head.
Even though they had moved to a new place called Dalebury, her lady remained indifferent. Curious by nature, Laura had eagerly brought word of the midsummer night market and festival in Dalebury, hoping it might spark her mistress’s interest. But Evelyn only responded with a look of annoyance.
“There’s no point in going out.”
Evelyn shook her head, her eyes dry and void of any interest.
“But, my lady! It only happens once a year, and we’ve finally come to Dalebury…”
To Laura’s disappointed protest, Evelyn responded with a mocking smile.
“You think the Duke would let me out?”
“What? The Master?”
Evelyn didn’t answer. She didn’t even want to speak of that man anymore. But to her surprise, Laura said something completely unexpected.
“Of course he would. I’ve already asked for permission through the head butler. We’d need knights to escort us, anyway…”
At that entirely unforeseen response, Evelyn’s lips parted in surprise. Just moments ago she had been utterly indifferent, but now she set her teacup down with a sharp clink and asked urgently:
“What did you say?”
“Pardon? About what?”
“What exactly did you say?”
“I just said… since you’ve seemed low on energy lately, I thought it might be good for you to get some fresh air.”
Laura confessed honestly, startled by Evelyn’s sudden intensity.
“W-Was that wrong of me? Did I… overstep?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Whew…”
Laura let out a sigh of relief.
“Then… would you like to go? It’s technically a night market, but it opens early, so you could return before the sun sets completely.”
Evelyn nodded. She wanted — no, needed — to be anywhere that man wasn’t.
As she stepped out of the Dalebury estate, Evelyn drew in a deep breath. The sweltering air filled her lungs completely.
She didn’t dare think of running away. As if to show off her noble status, her carriage was surrounded by several bodyguards.
Honestly, Evelyn could’ve easily outrun a few guards. She wasn’t fighting off four armed men — just slipping away would’ve been simple enough.
But she knew better. Even if she did escape, the duke would only catch her and drag her back. Experience had taught her the futility of meaningless resistance.
Not that she was in a bad mood about it. Compared to sitting idle like a fool in unfamiliar Dalebury, getting out like this was far better. She couldn’t roam freely like she once had, but still…
“My lady, shall we get off here and take a look around?”
The moment Evelyn nodded, the carriage stopped at the entrance to the night market. As she gracefully gathered her simple dress and stepped down, a small laugh escaped her lips. The girl who once scrambled around in Zelakent was now a proper lady.
“My lady?”
“Ah.”
Evelyn’s sudden laughter drew a puzzled glance from Laura. She simply shook her head in response and stepped beneath the lace parasol Laura had opened for her.
Another bitter smile crept onto her lips. Once, she never would have cared if her face got burned under the sun, but now? Her life truly had been turned upside down.
