After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 313

“Do as you like.”

With a sullen grumble, Dehart turned away, looking for all the world like a sulking child. Sebelia’s heart dropped. Was she too harsh? She fiddled nervously with the ring in her pocket, then quickly moved to his side.

“We’ll get the clothes made together, right?”

A faint smile tugged at Dehart’s lips as he met her eyes, as if to say, What are you talking about?

“You mean I can get a matching set with you?”

“And why not?”

“You don’t even know my taste.”

Sebelia instinctively frowned, about to deny it, but then realized he was right.

Their relationship, though smooth sailing now after so many hardships, still had many uncharted areas for two people who’d once been married. Without meaning to, Sebelia’s expression grew a bit downcast.

“Well, that’s…”

“I wasn’t trying to scold you.”

Dehart said bitterly, intertwining his fingers with hers. Bowing his head slightly to meet her gaze, he smiled softly and whispered.

“Actually, I like that there are still things I don’t know about you.”

“…”

“It just means we have a lot of days ahead of us, and so much more of each other to discover.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her clasped hands and beamed. Beneath the wisteria’s pink blossoms, smiling as though he had the whole world, he was so lovely that Sebelia completely forgot about the jewelry box he’d promised her.

* * *

The next day, just as she was considering posting flyers to find the bracelet’s owner, Lady Doreen—Rosalyn’s friend—visited the estate. Sebelia decided to focus on the matter at hand for now.

Fortunately, Lady Doreen turned out to be someone with a very generous heart.

“Thank you for understanding what my mischievous cat did.”

“It’s fine! She’s just a baby kitten.”

With her green hair and blue eyes, Lady Doreen had a lively spirit. Not only did she readily accept Rosalyn’s apology for the lost bookmark, she even scooped Maya onto her lap to play, putting the nervous cat at ease.

“Kittens are supposed to cause mischief. It wasn’t anything important, so there’s no need to go through the trouble of finding it.”

She’s awfully big for a kitten, though.

Sebelia thought, glancing at Maya melting under Doreen’s touch. She asked carefully,

“But I heard it was something you’d used for a long time. Are you sure it’s okay? If you’d like, I can try to get you another one just like it.”

“Oh, no, really, it’s fine. I have plenty of bookmarks at home. My brother just tossed that one at me as a souvenir from one of his trips, so I was never particularly attached. You can imagine how little it mattered if I lent it out and forgot about it. And besides, it’s kind of an honor that cute Maya played with it as a toy—my brother would be thrilled.”

Though her manners could use some polish, Doreen’s openness was actually a relief for Sebelia, who was never comfortable with noble small talk. At least she didn’t have to worry about every word being dissected.

The two chatted happily while waiting for Rosalyn, who had gone to fetch the book.

“Sorry for losing your bookmark, Doreen. Here’s a little gift to make up for it.”

So that’s why Rosalyn had been gone so long. She returned carrying both the book and a small pouch, which she handed to Doreen.

“I told you, you didn’t have to do that!”

Doreen tried to refuse, but Rosalyn insisted until she gave in, opening the pouch. The room soon filled with the cheerful sound of laughter, as bright as birdsong.

“Hey, it’s just what I wanted! You remembered?”

“Of course…”

Rosalyn sheepishly ran her hand through her hair, while Doreen let out another big laugh and teased.

“I guess I’ll have to lend you something even more expensive next time—so you’ll have to outdo yourself with the return gift.”

Caught off guard by Doreen’s blatant materialism, Sebelia was a little taken aback. Sensing it, Rosalyn quickly linked arms with Doreen and stood up.

“Don’t say things like that, Doreen. Come on, let me show you my room.”

“Great! Mind if I look around the estate on the way?”

At her eager tone, Sebelia found herself offering a tour. In truth, she was still feeling a bit guilty about the lost bookmark.

“If you have time, I’d be happy to show you around.”

“Oh? Really?”

Doreen spun around with the excitement of a fish who’d just taken the bait. Sebelia was startled by her enthusiasm, but quickly realized why.

The Inverness estate was practically a legend among the nobility. Since the Duke’s arrival in the capital, almost no one outside the imperial family had been invited inside, which only made its reputation grow.

And now, with the mistress of the house offering a tour herself, of course Doreen was thrilled. Sure enough, her blue eyes sparkled with delight.

“Can I really see every nook and cranny? I’ve been dying of curiosity since I walked in the front door, you know.”

Her cheeky, unfiltered request made Sebelia burst out laughing.