Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 16

Since then, he often found himself thinking about the woman. In fact, over the past month, he had thought of her quite frequently. Right after waking up in the morning, during his classes, and even while eating.

He couldn’t understand why she occupied his thoughts so much. After all, they had only met twice. The memories of her deep teal eyes staring down the barrel of a gun at him, her flustered expression when he caught her from falling, and the childlike delight on her face during the fireworks kept replaying in his mind.

Why did he keep thinking about her? Was it because he had heard so much about her from Florian that she felt familiar? Or was there something more? If there was something more, what was it?

Lost in these thoughts, Lucius took out the small package Florian had given him. He unwrapped the paper to reveal the neatly folded handkerchief.

“I told you, Bri’s too kind to keep someone else’s belongings.”

Someone else’s.

If it had been Florian’s handkerchief, would she have kept it instead of returning it? Lucius stared at it for a long while before cautiously bringing it to his nose. The handkerchief had been washed and dried in the sun, but he could still faintly detect her scent. A subtle, pleasant fragrance mingled with the sweet smell of her skin from when he had briefly held her.

Ah…

He hesitated before pressing the handkerchief to his nose and inhaling deeply. The faint metallic smell of blood from her injured knee lingered.

His blood began to rush, pooling in one place.

Lucius loosened his cravat, sighing languidly. But merely loosening his cravat wasn’t enough to quell the sudden surge of desire.

His hand moved down to unbuckle his belt. When he released the already throbbing erection from his trousers, he wrapped it in the handkerchief.

“Ugh!”

A breathy moan escaped him. Low groans and the sound of fabric rubbing against skin filled the carriage as Lucius closed his eyes and envisioned her.

In his hazy vision, he saw the woman sitting across from him, lifting her skirt. Previously, he had been flustered and immediately turned his head away, biting his lip to keep from showing any reaction until the rustling of the fabric stopped.

But now it was different. This was not reality; it was his free imagination.

When she tried to lower her skirt, Lucius reached out to stop her. She gasped softly, meeting his gaze with wide, surprised eyes. He let his hand slide down to caress her slender ankle, so delicate it seemed it could break with the slightest pressure.

“Ah…”

As his hand moved slowly up her leg, she began to breathe heavily, her posture becoming unsteady. Lucius pressed his weight against her, causing her to recline beneath him.

Her soft, ample breasts rubbed against him as their bodies pressed together. Lucius marveled at the sensation, lowering his head to her chest. He kissed along the curve of her breasts over her clothes, eliciting sweet whimpers from her.

Meanwhile, his right hand slid past her knee, touching the soft skin of her inner thigh. His fingers found her damp underwear, already soaked through.

“Oh, Luce…”

Her voice, a soft, breathy plea, pushed him over the edge.

Lucius swiftly pulled down her underwear, and as he positioned his swollen member at her moist entrance, he plunged inside with a deep, shuddering breath.

“Haah…”

White, viscous fluid burst forth, soaking the handkerchief. The once-clean cloth was now sticky and sullied.

In that moment of clarity, Lucius realized the absurdity of his actions. He had just pleasured himself in a moving carriage. And with that realization came another: he had wanted to do this since he first met her.

Feeling desire for a woman he had only met twice, a woman who was his closest friend’s cherished childhood friend and unrequited love, filled him with self-loathing.

“Lucius, you madman,” he muttered to himself in a defeated tone.

***

On the last day of Thanksgiving, a barbecue party was held in the town square. Along with the meat, ample amounts of alcohol were provided, and the square was filled with the lively sounds of the townspeople.

“Brie, you’ve worked hard,” Mrs. Fisher said, placing a generous slice of roast pork on Brianna’s plate. The meat had been cooked to a golden-brown perfection.

“You’ve worked the hardest, so eat plenty.”

Brianna smiled awkwardly, holding her plate. The portion was too much for her alone. She knew that if she mentioned it, she would be met with comments about how she was too thin and needed to eat more. Deciding it was better to share the meat with those who wanted it, Brianna bowed her head.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

The people around her chimed in with their own remarks.

“Yeah, Brie really worked hard this time.”

“Make sure to thank the madam for us. We’re eating well this year because of her.”

Dowager Countess Linares often provided financial support to the Harzen estate whenever it was needed. During lean years, she distributed grain to feed the people, and for celebrations like today, she ensured there was plenty of food.

The townspeople knew that the Dowager Countess used her own money from her family to support them, which made them even more grateful. They understood how difficult it was to share hard-earned wealth with others.

“Want some more meat?”

Brianna took her place among the children, holding out her plate. The children’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Really, we can have some?”

“Of course, I have enough.”

Brianna cut the meat into pieces and distributed it evenly among the children’s plates.

“Thank you, Brianna!” the children exclaimed, beaming with joy.

“Thank you! I’ll enjoy it!”

Brianna watched with a fond smile as the children eagerly devoured the meat like little puppies.

“Eat plenty and grow strong,” she said, ruffling their hair.

As she did, the sound of musical instruments filled the air. Young men and women gathered near the bonfire, dancing with joyous abandon.

One of the children, having finished his meal, grabbed Brianna’s hand and pulled her toward the dancers.

“Let’s dance, sis!”

The boy’s face was smeared with grease and crumbs, but he made an effort to bow elegantly and invite her to dance.

“Would you do me the honor, my lady?”

Brianna couldn’t help but be charmed by his use of a term reserved for noblewomen.

“Of course, Lord Hans.”

She accepted his invitation with a curtsy, and Hans’s face lit up with pride.

“What’s a lord, sis?”

“It’s a title of nobility, like a knight.”

“Wow!”

Hans seemed pleased with the title, lifting his chin with a look of exaggerated importance.

She began dancing with her impromptu young gentleman on the grassy field. Their dance was not a formal step but rather a playful, endless spinning, holding each other tightly.

Despite the chaotic and uncoordinated movements, Brianna laughed throughout the dance.

Above them, the deep blue night sky stretched endlessly, adorned with countless stars that glittered as if ready to fall like the fireworks she had seen before.

“I’m dizzy; I can’t dance anymore,” Brianna said, gently declining further dance invitations after the music ended. Her cheeks were still flushed from the energetic dancing, despite the cool breeze from the mountains.

As she returned to her seat, she suddenly realized that Margot was not among the dancers.

Margot loved dancing from a young age. She was the best dancer among her peers and quite beautiful, making her very popular. It was unusual for her to miss such an event.

Feeling a sense of unease, Brianna decided to look for Margot.