The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 55
Of all seasons, it had to be summer. In the scorching heat, even sitting still made me sweat profusely. The sun set late, and my body, sapped of energy by the heat, felt sluggish. In a few weeks, heavy rain clouds would cover the sky as the monsoon season began.
I wasn’t a spring bride surrounded by fresh blossoms, nor an autumn bride under a clear sky. I had to be a bride in the sweltering summer. They just had to hold the wedding in the middle of summer, with no consideration for the bride who had to wear multiple layers of petticoats and a dress.
Two sturdy maids tugged at my corset, grunting with effort, pulling as hard as they could to practically split my waist in two.
Before long, I had a waist so narrow it seemed it might snap, completely forgetting its role in supporting my body. The tightness squeezed my breath, and my face turned pale in the suffocating heat.
“Selenia.”
Mother came to see me. She was fully prepared. She called my name with a worried expression, kissed my forehead, and gently stroked my shoulder, sighing sentimentally.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’re marrying into a good family. Just that makes me happy.”
Mother was relieved that I was marrying into a carefully chosen family. The wealth of House Ozr was substantial, and Baron Brant’s character was not bad. Mother believed I would live well after marriage.
“Really?”
“Yes, you’ll live happily. Lord Brent is completely infatuated with you. I’m more worried about your sister, living alone in the capital as a woman.”
“Sister will be fine.”
“I hope so.”
Father hadn’t been able to find Sister. She had hidden herself so well that no noble knew her whereabouts.
Seeing my anxious mother, I smiled like a good child. She advised me to be as wise and gentle as I was now, to hold onto Lord Brent’s heart firmly.
Mother told me how beautiful, lovely, and gentle I was, and how infatuated Lord Brent was with me. She told me how often he sent people to inquire about my well-being. She praised me, saying it was a great fortune to be marrying such a man who loved me so much.
“You must be confused. You’re probably scared. I was too. But you have to adapt. Always act wisely. Live with love.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“And come visit often after you’re married.”
I nodded slightly, and Mother, looking reassured, kissed my forehead again before leaving the room. I watched her retreating figure, then turned my gaze to the mirror. The woman staring back at me had wiped away her smile completely.
A carriage carrying the dowry and the bridal carriage awaited me. I paused briefly before getting into the bridal carriage, looking back at the mansion I wanted to return to but couldn’t.
I took one last look at the faces of my mother, father, and the servants, knowing I might never see them again. On this unbearably hot day, with the sun’s rays stinging my eyes, I had to leave.
“Don’t cry, Milady. You’ll ruin your makeup,” a maid said, hurrying over to dab my eyes with her sleeve.
I smiled faintly and thanked her.
Father, already seated in another carriage, urged me to hurry. He and Brother had dressed splendidly, using my wedding as their entry into the capital’s social circles. Only Mother had dressed modestly and climbed into the carriage.
“Let’s depart.”
“Yes.”
With the help of the servants, I got into the bridal carriage. The dress was so heavy that I couldn’t get in on my own.
Count Ozr had sent an incredibly ornate and heavy wedding dress. The skirt was so voluminous that it almost filled the entire carriage.
Just before the maid who had dabbed my eyes closed the door, she looked at me with a sad face.
“Our dear lady. You’re so beautiful. Please live happily.”
“Thank you.”
Ker-chak—
With a clunk, the carriage door closed. As the coachman whipped the reins, the carriage jerked forward. Leading the way was the carriage carrying my family, followed by the one with the dowry, and lastly, mine.
Feeling stifled in the enclosed space, I opened the window. Despite the heat, my fingertips were cold and pale, as if the blood wasn’t circulating.
As the wind rustled, the weeds in the fields swayed back and forth. Women balanced water jars on their heads, walking along a path, with children running around them, their faces covered in dust as they laughed loudly.
Everything seemed to be flowing peacefully and naturally, except for me. For a moment, my chest felt heavy, but I quickly composed myself. I thought of my lovely groom waiting for me at the end of this road. Thinking of his face calmed my anxious heart.
I had made the choice to give up everything I had. The path I was taking with him was like a road shrouded in fog, but it thrilled me.
