The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 40
Desi’s ears twitched. He groaned, rubbing his face against my leg. The picky and aloof Desi had vanished, replaced by a puppy wagging its tail.
Desi stood up from the floor and lifted me effortlessly. He began to walk slowly towards the bed, his gaze fixed on me the entire time.
I held my breath for a moment and recalled Sister’s words.
Sharing love and happiness. It wasn’t the filthy, shameful thing the governess had talked about, but something beautiful and joyous. My heart pounded at the thought of facing such a sweet moment.
Should I? Is this okay? Though confused, I didn’t want to escape from Desi’s embrace.
“Desi…”
I gently closed my eyes, ready to accept everything and drown in happiness. My body slowly descended, and I felt the blanket touch my back. Desi’s hand brushed my hair aside.
But that was it.
Desi tucked me in. No matter how long I waited with my eyes closed, nothing more happened. I opened my eyes, bewildered. Desi was just staring at me on the bed.
His face was flushed, and his lips curved in a joyful and happy smile. But why was he just brushing my hair?
Deciding to be patient, I waited a bit longer.
After a long while, Desi withdrew his hand from me.
“Goodnight, Seli.”
“…?”
That’s it?
It seemed like that was really it. Desi climbed under the bed and lay on the blanket. I shot up and looked down at him.
Desi tilted his head, confused by my bewildered expression.
“Why?”
“…”
A moment ago, I felt like I was soaring through the sky on a cloud. Now, I felt like a raindrop falling into a muddy puddle.
Feeling utterly dejected, I lay back down on the bed and pulled the blanket over my head.
Was I the only one having strange thoughts?
***
Today was the day Sister’s suitor was coming to propose.
Although Sister didn’t know his face or personality, she was about to receive a proposal.
Father had been busy since early morning, bustling around and making sure everything was perfect for the guest. He was involved in every detail of the dinner menu, inspecting the cleanliness of the mansion and the servants’ attire.
He got furious at a maid for her hair being messy and kicked a servant with a scruffy beard in the shins. Then, pointing at Mother, he yelled about the state of the mansion. Father wanted our mansion to look like a palace.
It had been a hectic morning.
Despite all the fuss, the mansion did look a bit more elegant. The windows and frames sparkled cleanly, letting the sunlight in. The hall floor was so polished it looked smooth, and the soft velvet carpet lined the corridor.
The once scraggly garden was now neatly maintained, with butterflies fluttering and birds singing, making it feel almost like a royal garden.
Father seemed desperate to marry off Sister, who was well past the typical age for marriage. He seemed to believe that getting Sister married off would solve all the family’s problems.
Eldest Brother was already engaged to a 14-year-old fiancée, ten years younger than him. He had been engaged since he was 17, so his fiancée must have been seven when they were betrothed.
Brother planned to marry her as soon as she came of age.
My second eldest brother was engaged to a merchant’s daughter. No noble family wanted to give their daughter to him due to his cleft lip. Still, Father was pleased because she came from a wealthy merchant family.
Father said Sister had to get engaged or married first before I could. Following the proper order was a noble custom.
I sometimes wished Sister would never get married.
A carriage adorned with golden decorations crossed the mansion gates and entered the garden. I had never seen a carriage with golden embellishments before.
Father had a good reason to be obsequious.
“Welcome. Please, come in.”
Father went out to the mansion’s front to greet the guest. Mother and I followed, like decorations. Sister, stubborn to the end, refused to come out to greet them.
We smiled artificially at the guests.
Mother was dressed like an elegant noblewoman in a deep purple dress, with a hat adorned with a duke’s feather.
I wore a bright blue dress, bought from a merchant who had come down from the capital, and it had been very expensive.
Two men stepped out of the golden carriage. One was a middle-aged nobleman, and the other was a young man.
The middle-aged man had deep wrinkles and looked stern. He was much leaner than Father and seemed to care a lot about his appearance.
The young man next to him had a robust build. Despite his red nose, which suggested a fondness for drinking, he seemed much more amiable than the older man.
He appeared to be in his late twenties. I wondered why he wasn’t married yet at his age.
“Nice to meet you. The village roads are barely maintained.”
Without his greeting yet settling, the middle-aged nobleman complained right away.
