The Dragon Duke's Wife - Chapter 13
Ancia quickly covered her body, marked with bruises and bite marks, with the sheets. Her face turned a deep red.
“Please leave it there. I’ll change….”
“I came to assist you with your clothes, Madam.”
Laura replied calmly.
“I thought you might not be accustomed to someone helping with your personal care, so I came alone. Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
“Ah, well…”
Ancia hesitated, sensing something was leaking from her lower body. She paused, and Laura turned her head away, gathering the undergarments for her.
“If you’re feeling shy, please wear this first.”
“Could you… give me a cloth, please?”
Without a word, Laura turned away and handed her a menstrual cloth.
“If you’re bleeding, use this.”
Laura’s words were true. When Ancia checked, she saw blood on the sheets. There were also bloodstains on the inside of her thighs.
Ancia was startled. Could it be from the intensity of last night, causing her to bleed? She thought the stimulation had been excessive, but she also realized she needed to conceive within six months. It now brought a wave of anxiety.
Turning around, Laura spoke softly.
“Don’t worry too much, Madam. Not everyone bleeds, but sometimes it happens for a day or two. It could also happen from a small injury during the act. Since it was your first time, it’s not so unusual.”
“Ah, I see.”
Ancia responded, her face turning even redder.
She put on the undergarments carefully, and Laura turned back to face her. The clothes she had brought were a few outfits from Ancia’s bag, along with an elegant purple velvet gown that Ancia had never seen before.
“What is this?”
“It’s one of the late Duchess’s belongings. It’s the only type of clothing that can fit, regardless of size. You may not feel comfortable wearing something that belonged to the late Duchess, but….”
“Oh, no. It’s not that.”
“Please, speak freely, Madam. I’ll be scolded by the master if you don’t.”
Ancia took a small breath. It wasn’t easy, but she reminded herself that this was part of managing the household.
“Right, Laura. Anyway, I’ll be staying quietly at home, but I don’t think I need to borrow such an extravagant outfit.”
As she spoke, Ancia selected a simple indoor dress from her own clothes. The purple gown was striking, but since it belonged to the late Duchess, she felt she shouldn’t wear it. She was still just a temporary contract wife, after all.
Laura spoke again looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Actually, there are guests waiting.”
“Guests?”
“Yes. The master told me to make sure you rest well, but it seems you should decide whether or not you’d like to meet them. The relatives from the extended Velados family have arrived.”
“What did the butler say about this?”
“He said to do as you wish… The family council is not something a mere servant should interfere with.”
Ancia was concerned that she might do something against Khalid’s wishes. However, if meeting the guests was truly something she should avoid, the servants would have been forbidden from passing on any messages or even blocking her from seeing them.
If it was acceptable to meet them, then perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea. After all, as the Duchess of Velados, family relations were important. Yet there was one significant problem.
“So that’s why you brought the late Duchess’s clothes…”
She sighed softly as she murmured.
Her own clothes were far too inexpensive to be considered Duchess-level attire. At least if she still has the ruined chemise gown from last night, she could layer something on top to make it look better, but it was already beyond repair. She found herself blaming Khalid in vain.
“If you’re going to wear that, would you prefer to wear this underneath?”
Laura pulled out a cream-colored blouse and a pleated skirt from Ancia’s clothing. It wasn’t a proper dress or even something meant for outings; it was a garment designed for wearing under a nurse’s uniform.
“You’ll be covering it with the gown, so what’s underneath won’t be seen. The collar is designed to be worn underneath, so it should go well with the gown.”
Ancia hesitated before finally deciding to follow Laura’s advice.
The late Duchess’s gown was truly beautiful, and even the cheap blouse would look more refined with it. Laura combed through Ancia’s hair and styled it with a natural, slightly messy look, then took the tiara from the table and placed it on her head.
“You look very elegant, Madam. Please don’t worry. I’ve been helping with the late Duchess’s wardrobe since I was sixteen.”
“A gown like this surely isn’t appropriate to greet guests…”
“This is your house, Madam, and all the visitors are family.”
“I suppose that’s true…”
She sifted through her memories, recalling how her maternal relatives would dress when visiting each other. In a close family, this level of attire would be acceptable. Even if the visitors were somewhat distant relatives, it would still be fine to greet them in simpler clothes.
In addition, since the guests had arrived without prior notice, there was no need to rush into meeting them.
