A Mad Lady’s Confession - Chapter 18

The gift sent by the princess was promptly placed before Eleanor the following afternoon.

Eleanor only looked at the small gift box sitting open on the drawing room table. The very person it was meant for hadn’t even touched it, yet Miss Sorelson picked it up without hesitation.

“My, scented oil from Gammelstad. I heard it’s only ever presented to the imperial family!”

“That’s only natural, since the ambergris used as its ingredient is rare. The last time I used it was when the late Empress sent it to me while I was still unmarried.”

Lady Jules’s tone grew softer, as if recalling a fond memory.

“I’ve never seen a perfume bottle crafted this delicately.”

“When something is meant to be presented, even the box is made entirely by the hands of master artisans.”

They passed the finely made glass bottle back and forth, admiring it, completely ignoring its actual owner.

Eleanor watched her own gift in Miss Sorelson’s hands with wide, curious eyes. It was the first time she’d seen something so beautiful and precious. The bottle shimmered with changing colors each time it caught the light, beautiful in itself.

Miss Sorelson rolled the perfume bottle in her hand as if it were her own, then reached for the lid. She almost opened it without thinking, then paused. She was used to taking the best of everything for herself, and that habit remained.

But this was Nielsen. And Lady Jules was present. She spoke, feigning caution, “Madam, may I try the scent?”

It was Lady Jules who had first opened the box from the imperial family. Even now, the bottle in Miss Sorelson’s hand hadn’t so much as brushed Eleanor’s fingertips. Eleanor found that rather unfair.

“…That’s a gift given to me by the imperial family, Miss.”

At those words, the corners of Miss Sorelson’s lips twisted slightly. Watching this, Lady Jules added firmly, “We’re all gathered here, so surely we can at least share the scent. As one in a higher position, showing generosity is always the virtue of the mistress of House Nielsen, Madam.”

Eleanor flinched. Lady Jules frightened her. It wasn’t that she harmed her in any direct way beyond reprimands and strict words, yet Eleanor was afraid of her.

As always, when Eleanor couldn’t say anything more and simply folded her hands neatly, Miss Sorelson suppressed the gloating rising within her.

How foolish. Did you take that position just to end up like this?

Miss Sorelson, Mariette, removed the stopper from the perfume bottle. At the same time, a soft, sensual fragrance slowly spread through the drawing room.

“Ah….”

It was an incredibly captivating scent. It was far deeper and richer than even the finest custom-made perfumes from the capital’s high-end ateliers.

Mariette wanted the perfume. Her bad habit of always coveting the best things stirred, making her desperately want it.

But that was something even Lady Jules couldn’t grant her. This wasn’t just from anywhere. It was sent by the imperial family.

To change the recipient of a gift sent by the imperial family was a grave act of disrespect. Both the giver and the receiver would be outraged. Mariette’s lips curled in displeasure.

Eleanor picked up the perfume bottle that Mariette had set down. Seeing the gift finally held in the hands of its rightful recipient, she smiled faintly. She didn’t even notice the gaze of someone watching her with displeasure.

***

Knock knock, a small sound came at the door. When Matthias gave permission, he heard it open carefully. Thinking it was probably the butler, he took off his jacket.

Even though Matthias was the very model of a nobleman to his bones, he detested bothersome attendance, and one of those things was being helped with dressing.

They weren’t elaborate ladies’ dresses, just trousers, a jacket, a vest, and a cravat, so he couldn’t understand why gentlemen needed assistance with clothing.

The process of having someone dress him and take his clothes off him was quite cumbersome. So even after returning to the estate from going out, he often changed by himself without any attendant. The butler knew that, so he assumed he must’ve come into the dressing room with something to say.

He loosened his cravat and took off the well-fitted vest. Then, when he removed the pristine white shirt without a single crease, a firm, well-built body packed with muscle was revealed.

Matthias wasn’t the type of man to sit in a gentleman’s club, passing time with alcohol or greasy meals.

He enjoyed using his body in rough activities like horseback riding, hunting, and polo, and on his estate he would often cross swords with knights. That was why his broad shoulders and well-shaped physique stood out as particularly masculine.

He had fully exposed his upper body and was unfastening the top buckle of his trousers when he sensed someone behind him and spoke naturally.

“I’ll be sending a letter to Gammelstad tomorrow afternoon. Even if there are no separate instructions, be ready to dispatch someone at any time, and tell them to make preparations since I’ll be returning as soon as summer passes.”

When he spoke and turned around, his movement froze.

Instead of the white-haired butler, a flower-like woman with pink hair was standing there.

Within her wide-open eyes, he saw shimmering light green irises. As if captivated, his gaze stayed fixed there.

In that instant, his mood soured. The unpleasant feeling he’d felt earlier in the study flashed through his mind. Which square had she marked off today, he wondered.

As he relaxed the tension in his stiff shoulders, the dazed woman startled and spoke.

“I, I’m sorr—”

“What is it?”

Matthias asked casually as he looked at the woman who was about to hurry out. For some reason, he didn’t want to let her leave like this.

“What is it you need?”

“Ah, that is… well….”

He stepped closer to the woman who was flustered and didn’t know what to do. Ignoring the way the hem of her dress flinched, he stopped two steps in front of her. As always, there was a scent of apples.

He looked down at the small woman who didn’t even reach his shoulder. Her eyes wandered here and there, as if she didn’t know how to handle the view filled with bare skin.

“I detest hesitation.”

To him, the woman’s shyness looked like a mask laid over something else.

“Didn’t you already see this when you were fulfilling your duty as a wife?”

At the mention of duty, the woman lifted her eyes. Under the dressing room light, her eyes gleamed like jewels.

“…From the imperial family, Princess Daphne sent a congratulatory gift for our marriage. I think I should offer my thanks, but I’m not very familiar with such things….”

“Why didn’t you ask my aunt?”

“….”

Seeing her press her lips together and avoid answering, a faint laugh slipped out of Matthias.

You didn’t want to hear her nagging, did you?

“Were you afraid she’d tell you to copy the etiquette book again?”

The woman carefully changed the subject.

“I heard it’s a very precious gift. Something only a few bottles are made of in a year…. So I want to send a return gift that would please the princess. Could you perhaps give me some advice?”

At the woman’s earnest expression, Matthias tried to recall what Daphne used to like. He could remember what eight-year-old Daphne Fram liked, and what she liked at fifteen or sixteen, but he couldn’t tell what the current von Bernstorff might prefer.

“….”

Looking at the woman’s eyes filled with expectation, Matthias’s brows drew together slightly. As if confirming something, he asked, “Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Princess Daphne and I were once engaged.”

The woman blinked her eyes. Like a doll whose lashes fluttered when laid down and raised, her expression remained calm. Seeing that calmness, something in his heart stirred oddly.

“Most women feel displeased when they hear about their husband’s former fiancée.”

“Should I be jealous?”

The cautious question sounded as if she would willingly do so if that was what he wanted.

“As if.”

The woman smiled, looking somewhat relieved.

“Ah, if it’s something like that, then please don’t worry. I don’t get jealous.”

“….”

That answer strangely grated on Matthias.

A vague, inexplicable discomfort crept up along his neck. He swallowed the words that almost slipped out, words even he didn’t understand, and instead gave a different response.

“I’ll take care of the return gift, so don’t concern yourself with it and leave.”

“….”

“Or are you planning to help me take off my trousers?”

At the sudden shift in his attitude, Eleanor hesitated for a moment. Her lips parted as if to speak several times, but in the end, she quietly withdrew.

Even the faint sound of her steps disappearing as she tried to move as quietly as possible irritated him.

The woman kept gnawing at a corner of his mind.

Like a rat sneaking in and out of a storehouse.