Violet Zerotta’s Hasty Marriage - Chapter 69

Late at night—

Unlike the past, when they had clung tightly together on a narrow bed, Violet now lay sprawled out on a spacious bed and found herself completely confused.

Even after having dinner that Aldrick had personally cooked, taking another walk through the garden, and then bathing, Violet had still thought she hadn’t been mistaken.

Just the two of them in a place where no one else was around—it really felt as if they’d returned to old times, and her heart fluttered for no reason. With her heart pounding wildly, she picked out her nightwear from the clumsily packed luggage Aldrick had brought and brushed her hair.

For some reason, it felt like Aldrick was taking a particularly long time bathing, which made her blush.

What’s he washing so carefully for? This feels just like a wedding night, doesn’t it?

At any rate, Violet sat quietly on the bed, waiting for him. Not on an old, creaky bed like before, but on a large, sturdy one that could easily withstand a night of tossing and turning for two.

How long did she endure that awkward, ticklish anticipation?

Finally, her husband returned, smelling faintly of fragrant soap, and acted completely contrary to her expectations.

“You’re still awake? You must be tired from riding all day. Let’s sleep. I’ll make breakfast tomorrow, so you can sleep in as much as you like.”

He said this cheerfully, then simply lay down beside her, pulled up the blanket, and closed his eyes.

‘….?’

While Violet was still forming a question mark in her head, Aldrick opened his eyes again. There it is, she thought, but again, his next words veered away from her expectations.

“Oh, would you mind turning off the light if you’re okay with it? Thanks. This bed is really comfortable—it’s definitely nicer than the one at the manor. Maybe we should change that one out too. Anyway, good night, Violet.”

Before she could even say anything, Violet found herself lying beside him, caught off guard.

‘What… is this?’

Staring blankly up at the ceiling, Violet tried to interpret Aldrick’s behavior. No, before that, she wondered why she felt so empty and let down.

The very person who had caused this confusion was already breathing evenly in deep sleep.

Violet finally drifted off only much later, after a very long time.

***

‘Was he just really tired yesterday? Or was he being considerate, thinking I was tired?’

The next morning, Violet awoke still lost in confusion. It was something too vague to ask outright, so she didn’t say anything to Aldrick.

Aldrick, waking up, maintained more or less the same demeanor as the night before.

“Did you sleep well?”

After greeting her with a kiss on the forehead, he left the room saying he’d make breakfast. His attitude was, in every way, kind, gentlemanly, composed, and clean.

And yet, why was Violet’s heart so disoriented?

She couldn’t understand why the fact that Aldrick hadn’t acted as she expected had been such a shock.

‘Did he really just bring us here… to rest? Without doing anything…?’

Some time later, Violet finally pulled herself together and went outside. That day, all she could do was watch her husband, who stayed busy from morning till night.

Though he had insisted she not lift a finger, Aldrick himself didn’t rest at all, constantly moving in and out of the house.

Violet couldn’t really find anything to do except follow him with her eyes or trail behind him to silently observe.

“How about reading a book? You never get time to read usually. I think I packed a few—should be in the luggage somewhere.”

When she sat crouched on one side of the garden watching him, Aldrick said this. But Violet shook her head. Somehow, with the way she was feeling, she didn’t think she’d be able to focus on reading.

Seeing her remain still, Aldrick simply shrugged once and quietly began chopping firewood. Though the cabin had been fully prepared, it seemed they were running low on firewood due to cooking and bathing.

With Aldrick’s skillful axe strokes, the thick logs were quickly split into usable sizes. After a few repeated swings, he began to sweat, and soon pulled off the thin shirt he was wearing, lifting it over his head.

Though she’d seen her husband’s body hundreds of times since they married, Violet blushed for no reason. Bathed in bright sunlight, Aldrick’s bare upper body was still as magnificent as ever.