Chapter 27
Claude stepped down from the carriage, roughly shaking off his slightly damp hair with his hand. The butler waiting by the carriage was startled by the sight and quickly tilted the umbrella over Claude’s head.
“I’ve already drawn your bath water. Would you like to wash up first?”
“That would be best.”
Claude nodded.
The butler had started to mention that Felice was already waiting in the study for her lesson, but stopped himself, noticing the slight furrow in Claude’s brow signaling his bad mood.
Taking the coat, the butler bowed at the bedroom door. Once his master entered, he planned to return to Felice in the next room and ask her to wait a moment.
“…Butler.”
“Yes, Master.”
Claude quietly opened his pocket watch as he stepped through the door.
“Looks like time has passed.”
“…Yes?”
“The lesson time.”
“Oh… yes. Well… shall I tell Miss Felice to come back to the room?”
“No. If she’s in the study, that’s the room next door. I’ll inform her myself. Tell the maid she’s no longer needed.”
“Understood.”
The butler bowed and sent the maids out after checking the bathwater inside.
When he emerged again, the corridor was already empty.
* * *
Felice sat quietly in the study, nervously moving her lips and glancing up at the noise outside.
She had thought Claude was delayed, realizing he hadn’t arrived home yet. She heard the bustling sounds of the maids and butler.
Though she couldn’t catch the words clearly, soon they came upstairs to the third floor and guided Claude to the bedroom. The steady footsteps were probably Claude’s.
Watching the rain fiercely falling through the curtain slit, she nodded lightly.
Since it was raining, outside affairs seemed to be delayed. Maybe today’s lesson would be postponed.
Felice actually felt relieved, a faint smile playing on her lips as she sat quietly.
Then came a knock.
Assuming it was the butler, Felice stood.
“Yes, butler.”
She grabbed her bag. Since Claude had gone to the bedroom, she expected a request to wait in the room for a moment.
And if the time dragged too late, the lesson would cancel itself.
Just the thought made her smile broadly.
“…”
But it wasn’t the butler who entered, it was Claude.
Felice’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Claude?”
“…Have you been seeing Ben without telling me?”
“Pardon?”
Felice frowned at the unfamiliar name as Claude closed the door and stepped inside.
“The butler.”
He motioned lightly toward the outside.
“Oh, butler… no!”
Felice’s brief thought that the butler’s name was Ben was interrupted as she raised her voice.
“You thought the butler was coming in, you were smiling so brightly.”
“Ah…”
Felice parted her lips.
She couldn’t admit she was glad the lesson was canceled.
“I was just bored waiting, so I started guessing. Haha. I thought of course you’d head to the bedroom and the butler would me the way. …I was wrong! Haha!”
Felice gave an awkward laugh. Claude chuckled softly.
“You must be disappointed.”
“Yes, haha…”
Felice nodded with a forced smile.
“…”
Afterward, silence filled the study. Felice rolled her eyes and noticed water dripping from Claude’s shoulder.
“You’re quite soaked… How shall we proceed with the lesson?”
Claude flicked his hair back.
Water droplets fell from his wet hair. He loosened the tie snug around his neck and unbuttoned his vest.
Felice watched his actions anxiously, wondering if he was starting before even washing up.
She swallowed hard.
“I met a very special person today.”
Claude smiled lightly as he approached her.
With a relaxed gesture, he neatly laid his vest on the sofa and stood before Felice.
“A woman who calls herself a famous love tutor.”
Oh no… He must be thinking of replacing Felice with another tutor!
“But that tutor doesn’t dress like this.”
Claude tilted his head.
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