Chapter 43
“Have you found a woman you like, then?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it? You’ve got me curious—out with it!”
Just like any older brother, Christian took pleasure in making his little sister beg for answers, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.
“Christian, stop teasing me and just say it already!”
“The Baron and Baroness Bercy are getting divorced.”
Lilien sucked in a sharp breath, the sound surprisingly loud.
“A divorce? Why?”
“As for the reason… well, you don’t need to know.”
“What? That’s not fair! Now I have to know—tell me too!”
He waggled his eyebrows, continuing to tease her.
“You’re not quite old enough to hear the reason behind the Baron and Baroness’s divorce.”
But Lilien did eventually find out the truth behind their separation—on a bright afternoon, with sunlight streaming down.
* * *
Late morning, sunlight poured in at an angle as Lilien lounged beneath the shade of the balcony awning, lazily reading Ashburn’s latest novel.
A man’s desire to conquer doesn’t vanish after marriage, she read with interest, propping herself up to finish the line.
For a man, being satisfied with a single wife is contrary to nature. Thus, a generous wife should gracefully accept her husband’s need to sow his seed elsewhere. Only then can peace settle over the household. The wise ladies of the Klatt Empire know and practice this obvious truth. How beautiful!
Lilien snapped the book shut with a light thump, quickly finishing the last page.
The tangy orange juice Matilda had left on the tea table brightened her mood. After thinking things over since last night, she concluded that maybe Victor wasn’t such an odd man after all.
If anything, the fact that he was honest about his desires made him more genuine than those sly men who acted differently on the outside. Perhaps he was preferable.
How does Ashburn understand men’s psychology so well, anyway?
Though no one knew the author’s real identity, Lilien was convinced Ashburn must be a common-born woman. Even some regional newspapers had done stylistic analysis and concluded Ashburn was female.
They’d said the same about Clarice—and since Lilien herself was a woman, it seemed credible enough.
“All right, playtime’s over. Time to be productive, Lilien.”
Trying to motivate herself in the third person didn’t really work.
What started as a hobby became a livelihood, and as writing turned into an obligation, Lilien found the pen heavier and heavier in her hand.
In the end, she gave up trying to write and got up from her chair. She decided to give herself a day off. Grabbing a wide-brimmed hat and her parasol, she prepared to head out.
“Miss, where are you going?”
“Just for a walk! I’ll be back in an hour, and I want to go alone.”
She hurried out before Matilda could insist on accompanying her. By noon, the sun was beating down, making her cough. Lilien, under her dark parasol, strolled around the estate and then headed to the nearby park.
Why did Cairn ask her to kiss him? Was he as flustered as she’d been when she suddenly kissed him? She’d kissed him twice now, but the kisses hadn’t been equal, so maybe he thought things were unfair?
Lost in thought, she didn’t even notice the grass staining the hem of her skirt.
If only Ashburn could explain what was on Cairn’s mind! With no experience herself, Lilien felt hopelessly unqualified to figure out what he was thinking. Especially since he’d always seemed to dislike kissing—his request was all the more baffling.
As she passed a narrow path in the park, she heard people murmuring in hushed voices.
“What on earth is going on? I knew Baroness Bercy had been looking down lately, but to think it would come to this…!”
Lilien froze at the clear mention of the ‘Baroness Bercy’. She knew eavesdropping was impolite, but her curiosity got the better of her.
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