My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 86

What surprised me wasn’t just that.

It was a little embarrassing but also pleasing to hear Elodie speak so highly of me. But I never imagined Ethan would nod in agreement so readily.

The Ethan I knew wouldn’t hesitate to deny such claims outright or sneer and make a sarcastic remark.

‘Was he trying to be considerate of Elodie?’

Ethan had always placed great importance on the reputation of Dumont. Perhaps he didn’t want to make disparaging comments about me in front of Elodie, an outsider.

His remark about how it was “only natural for the Duchess of Dumont” seemed to align with that reasoning.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?” Ethan asked, seemingly noticing my gaze fixed on him.

“I’m just surprised. I didn’t know you thought so highly of me,” I replied, slightly teasing.

Ethan responded with his usual calm expression. “Is it a matter of thinking highly or not? I’m merely stating facts.”

“……”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

“It’s true that you’re an avid reader, skilled in embroidery, and beautiful. I don’t know how you act at the orphanage since I haven’t seen it myself, but I have no reason to doubt this child is lying.”

“That’s right. I was only telling the truth,” Elodie chimed in from the side.

This time, I truly had no words, and my eyes darted nervously around the room.

“Well… now that I think about it, I forgot it’s nearly time for lunch. Are you hungry, Elodie?”

“Ye? Oh, no, I’m fine—”

Elodie mumbled absentmindedly before quickly correcting herself, realizing her mistake.

“Oh, yes, I am hungry.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

I grabbed Elodie’s hand and hurriedly led her out. My face was still warm as we exited the library.

***

We returned to the main building and had lunch in the dining room. For some reason, Elodie seemed even more nervous than when she had first arrived at the Ducal Estate.

“Don’t worry so much. Just eat comfortably.”

I repeated this several times, but it didn’t seem to reach her. She appeared overly conscious of table manners.

Every time a new dish was served, Elodie would glance at me to see how I used my fork and knife before awkwardly mimicking me. She was so focused on eating properly that she barely ate half of what was on her plate.

‘She didn’t seem this tense in the original story…’

Perhaps it was because she had already been adopted by that point. Though she was a little intimidated by Ethan’s aloofness, she never seemed this out of sorts.

‘She won’t even get to enjoy the food like this. And I made sure to have her favorite dishes prepared.’

While the main purpose of inviting Elodie today was to bring her closer to Ethan, I didn’t want her to suffer in the process.

‘At the very least, I need to make sure she eats well before leaving.’

As someone who had been a Korean in my past life, ensuring people were well-fed was something I couldn’t overlook.

I put down my utensils and turned to Ethan.

“The weather is lovely today, isn’t it?”

“…What?”

“The weather, I mean. You went out earlier this morning, didn’t you? The sunlight isn’t too harsh, and the breeze is pleasantly cool. It’s perfect autumn weather, don’t you think?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Ethan looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“On a day like this, wouldn’t the food taste even better if we ate outside? It would feel like a picnic.”

“What? All of a sudden, why—”

I turned to Elodie. “What do you think, Elodie? Don’t you think it would be nice to eat outside?”

“Um… I…”

Elodie hesitated, clearly flustered.

I smiled warmly and continued, “Look out the window. The sunlight is so bright and pleasant. Instead of staying in this vast but stuffy dining room, let’s go eat outside. What do you think? I’d love to do that. Would you mind, Elodie?”

“Oh, no, not at all. If the Duchess says so…”

“Right, Ethan?”

“……”

Ethan furrowed his brow slightly but didn’t answer immediately. He seemed to be trying to gauge my intentions.

I blinked at him deliberately, signaling my intent, and emphasized my words.

“Please, let’s do this. It’ll be fine, right?”

“…Alright.”

“Great, it’s decided.”

Smiling brightly, I turned to Anna, one of the maids standing nearby.

“Anna, please go to the kitchen and ask Michel to turn the remaining dishes into sandwich fillings. Also, have them prepare some pies, fruits, and other finger foods that can be easily eaten by hand.”

“Yes, madam. Understood.”

Anna nodded and left the dining room.

I stood up and walked over to Elodie, who was staring at me in confusion. I extended my hand to her.

“Come on, Elodie. Let’s go.”

“Oh, yes.”

Elodie took my hand, still looking a bit bewildered.

***

Camille had the servants spread a thin mat over the lawn in the central garden.

“Now, sit down, Ethan. You too, Elodie,” Camille said with a smile. She removed her shoes and sat down on the mat, her wide dress billowing around her like a puffed pastry.

Ethan knew that nobles often laid out mats during outings to sit or recline upon. However, he had never participated in such an activity himself.

He stared at Camille for a moment before silently removing his shoes and sitting beside her. The crisp texture of the grass beneath him felt strange and unfamiliar.

Soon, a maid arrived carrying a large basket. Inside were ample sandwiches, pies, cakes, and neatly sliced apples and oranges, just as Camille had requested. When they spread everything out on the mat, the setup looked unexpectedly picturesque.

Camille picked up a sandwich and handed it to Elodie. “Here, try this.”

Elodie accepted the sandwich hesitantly but didn’t immediately take a bite.

Camille grabbed another sandwich, holding it in both hands, and took a big bite.

Normally, noblewomen opened their mouths only slightly to maintain elegance during meals. This ensured they looked refined even while eating.

Camille usually adhered strictly to such etiquette. For Ethan, this casual display was a first.

“Mmm, delicious. The meat is savory and tender, the cheese is rich, the vegetables are fresh and crisp, and the sauce is perfect. Our chef truly has exceptional skills.”

Camille smiled brightly, unfazed by the sauce on the corner of her mouth.

It was a peculiar sight. As the Duchess, her behavior might have seemed undignified, yet it didn’t feel unpleasant.

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

“Come on, Elodie, try it. It’s too good to eat alone.”

Encouraged by Camille’s words, Elodie slowly brought the sandwich to her lips and nibbled on a corner.

After chewing for a moment, her eyes widened. “It’s delicious!”

“Right?” Camille said with a radiant smile.

“Yes. I’ve never had such a tasty sandwich before.”

“Take your time and chew thoroughly so you don’t get a stomachache.”

“Yes, Duchess.”

Elodie took another bite, and Camille watched her with a satisfied expression.

Ethan began to understand why Camille had suddenly suggested eating outside.

Back in the dining room, Elodie had seemed uncomfortable with the formal meal. By suggesting a change of scenery and preparing foods she could eat with her hands, Camille had clearly intended to make Elodie more at ease.

Even breaking etiquette herself was undoubtedly to help Elodie relax.

Ethan knew Camille was fond of this girl, Elodie.

But seeing her go to such lengths for a common child was surprising. This wasn’t something done merely out of consideration. Most noblewomen wouldn’t even think of doing such a thing.

How many times now had Camille shown him a side he hadn’t known existed? The surprises were no longer just intriguing—they were almost awe-inspiring.

“Here, Ethan. Have some.”

Camille handed Ethan a sandwich and smiled nonchalantly. Her crescent-shaped eyes sparkled faintly beneath her lashes.

For a brief moment, Ethan felt a strange sensation at the back of his throat.

It was just a fleeting, seemingly meaningless smile. Camille had already turned her attention back to Elodie.

Yet the image of her smile lingered in his mind, like the afterimage of staring directly at the sun.

‘…What is this feeling?’

Feeling an odd flutter in his chest, Ethan instinctively placed a hand over his heart.