Chapter 7
“What a surprise to see Miss de Bermore at an event like this. Must be because it’s hosted by Duke Headington’s family.”
Victor Regid’s eyes sparkled as he spotted Lilien fanning herself in the shade beneath a tree.
Victor had long wanted to connect with her, but since Lilien kept to herself, they’d never properly talked. As he mustered the courage to approach, Cairn stepped in to block him.
“Lilien said she doesn’t want to talk to anyone today.”
Victor clicked his tongue in disappointment, pacing in place. When he glanced sideways, Cairn’s gaze was fixed intently on something.
“What exactly are you looking at?”
“Flowers.”
Following Cairn’s line of sight, Victor saw Eisen Frederick laughing and making flower rings with the young ladies nearby.
Pretending disinterest, but clearly distracted by the women, Victor snorted. While Cairn was enchanted by the beautiful Eisen, Victor took the chance to ask a question he’d been itching to pose.
Each time Victor asked before, Cairn had deflected with nonsense, but now that his attention was elsewhere, maybe he’d drop a hint.
“Sir Headington, what does Miss Lilien like and dislike?”
However, Cairn’s brow furrowed as if Eisen wasn’t quite beautiful enough to make him lose his composure.
“I don’t know what she likes, but what she definitely dislikes…”
“What is it?”
“A puffy face.”
Cairn’s lips curled into a crooked smile as he looked down at Victor. Standing nearly a head taller than Victor, far exceeding the average height in Klatt, Cairn’s cold gaze sent a chill through Victor’s spine.
Defeated, Victor shook his head.
“So don’t flatter yourself.”
Cairn’s tone was always low and controlled, even when making ordinary remarks or asserting himself.
“Am I wrong?”
He had never been wrong, and his calm voice made his words all the more convincing. So even the slightest hostility from him doubled as a warning—just like now.
“To be clear: get lost from beside Lilien. Oh, and you too.”
He pointed to the man listening behind Victor.
Would pure-hearted Lilien de Bermore even realize?
That the Cairn who smiled only in front of her was actually a blunt, fearless man who cared little for others’ gazes and often spoke rudely.
Yet paradoxically, he never lost his noble grace.
Cairn’s gaze returned to the flower in Eisen’s hand, sparking a reasonable suspicion in Victor’s mind.
Sir Headington, is it possible you’re truly only interested in flowers, not women?
…Is he a bookkeeper?
* * *
“So… have you ever… slept with a woman?”
Ignoring Lilien’s question, Cairn bent down and plucked a wildflower nearby.
“Hand.”
Like a well-trained dog, Lilien offered her hand.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ve been watching Miss Frederick make flower rings all this time, right?”
“Yes, actually, I wanted to try it.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“If my father found out I touched flowers with dirt on them, he’d have a fit.”
Cairn chuckled softly in agreement. He placed the flower, its stem neatly trimmed, on her finger with more care than expected.
“It’s okay because I did it. He always gives me a free pass.”
Lilien nodded quietly.
Thanks to Cairn’s dependable nature, Count de Bermore was more lenient than usual whenever Lilien wanted to do something with him.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For always being with me.”
Cairn was a man of few words.
So whenever Lilien wanted to escape the suffocating house to do something strange, she sought Cairn’s help—whether climbing trees, training swordsmanship, or making flower rings.
Looking down at Cairn tying the knot, Lilien came to her senses. Cairn had smoothly changed the topic.
“No—Cairn! I asked if you’ve slept with a woman.”
“Lily.”
His stern tone made her shoulders shrink, but she pressed on. Cairn often scared her but never properly scolded her.
“Hmm… Is that kind of intimacy only for married people?”
“Not necessarily…”
His voice trailed off unusually, as if conflicted. He ought to have scolded her for the messy question, but her serious face made him hold back.
“So… does dating mean you can sleep together?”
“So, Lilien, by ‘sleeping together’ do you mean sharing a bed? Like when you used to have nightmares and we’d sleep together on the big bed in the annex when we were very young.”
“Huh? That’s silly. Of course, it means lying close, touching each other like warming up, and gradually hands sliding lower and wetter…”
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