Chapter 51
****
It was good.
So good, it was almost pathetic.
Louise mumbled through wet eyes, drowning in sweat and heat.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes..................."
Satisfaction pooled in Caius’s eyes. The kiss was ferocious, and the thrusts intensified at the same time.
"Ha................"
His breathing in her ear grew faster and faster.
For a moment, her vision blurred. Her bent knees gave way. Her consciousness melted away. She shuddered and sobbed with a pleasure she'd rather die for, and even through her closed eyes she could feel the man's tear-licking mouth tugging at her own.
***
Louise opened her eyes slowly.
She cautiously glanced over, just in case, but the side next to her was empty.
For a month, Caius had come to her almost every day, but only one day had he shared the bed until morning.
That day alone had been enough to make her sick of the curious stares of her employees, and she had no desire to repeat it. Of course, if the man wished, her opinions would simply be ignored.
As soon as she was sure he was gone, she threw back the covers and got up.
The night with him was still accompanied by pain and fatigue, but not to the extent that it made it difficult to move as it had been the first time.
Today was the day she decided to use her mother's and Miriam's names side by side for her needs. For some reason, Michael's watchful eye was off her.
Caius had probably given her permission without question because it was her first time, so what she planned must be done once and for all.
Just as Pauline was finishing her morning preparations, Miriam arrived with a white bouquet of flowers. She was wearing a chemise that looked just like the ones Louise had just had tailored.
It was a simple design, made of much thicker cotton than Louise's, if the tailor had any conscience and common sense.
"Sister, how do I look?"
"Oh, my God, Miriam. You're so beautiful, like a white butterfly."
Louise exchanged a glance with Miriam's maid, who stood there looking troubled.
"But then you'll be cold if you go outside, and if you catch a cold, you can't go out again, no matter what, until you're better."
"Hmph."
Miriam turned around as if she was in trouble, even though she didn't actually go out that often.
"I'm going to change."
The maid bowed low behind Miriam's back as she scurried away, still clutching the bouquet.
"Thank you, my lady. You never listen to me."
"Well, I'm glad you brought her here, now go and get her dressed."
After Miriam returned from changing, they all went down to the garden.
Louise and Miriam, Pauline and Miriam's maid. The four of them piled into the carriage, and the large carriage seemed to fill up.
"Be careful, my lady."
The maids and other hired help lined up to greet them.
Miriam waved excitedly.
She had been waiting for this day, jumping for joy at Louise's suggestion that she accompany her mother to the chapel.
"What's Melk like?"
Miriam asked, and Louise gave her a small smile.
"It's a very small town, nothing compared to the city of Burg."
"Still, it's nice to meet your mother."
Lately, Miriam had been sneaking in a half-smile whenever she was in the mood. It seemed to be a gesture of affection for family members, so Louise let Miriam's foolishness go unnoticed.
"That's right, Miriam. I'm glad I could show you to my mother, too."
Her mother probably wouldn’t understand what she was about to do today. It didn’t matter. For passing on the pearl had made Louise resent her, too, whether or not her parents had actually betrayed Caius.
She didn’t know about her father, who died when she was young, but her mother should have given her a better explanation for the pearl. Especially if she was going to leave it to her.
She only felt sorry for Miriam, who knew nothing. The happy, smiling girl who had made her baby shoes.
Her mother's urn rested in a small space in the vault.
You must understand, Mother, I can't help it anymore.
Miriam bowed her head at Louise's side as she spoke.
"Thank you for sending my sister to Burg."
Miriam's bouquet was quite modest. Louise watched, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Miriam waited patiently while Louise prayed for her mother.
A few minutes later, as they were leaving the temple, Louise broke the silence.
"While we're here, let's go to the market."
"Really?"
Miriam beamed.
"There's a stall of my favorite wafers at the market. It's different from what we eat at the mansion, but it's a treat in this winter. But I didn’t tell your brother about the street food."
The girl's sea-blue eyes sparkled prettily in the sunlight.
"Miriam, keep the secret!"
Heads turned as the luxurious carriage drove toward the marketplace. The guards escorting them back and forth dismounted in panic.
"Madam, the alley is too narrow. We'll need to get out of the carriage and follow you closely, if you'll allow us..............."
Louise looked at Miriam as she sat in the carriage and asked seriously.
"Miriam, will you honor your promise? If you don't allow the guards to follow you, you won't be able to go out anymore."
Miriam nodded, despite her reluctance, and they all got out of the carriage. The guards followed silently three or four paces behind them.
Louise took Miriam's hand and stopped in front of the wafer stand she and her mother sometimes visited. It was a shop where flour dough was poured onto a greased griddle, flipped, cooked, and rolled into cones.
Miriam's eyes widened. She'd only ever seen wafers served with colorful toppings by the chef at the mansion.
"Are they just plain white? Are they good without toppings?"
Louise giggled.
"This one has a sweet dough."
The four of them grabbed a hot wafer each and took a bite.
"Ah, delicious...............!
Pauline gushed that they were better than the ones she was used to eating back home, and Miriam's maid was quickly left empty-handed as she realized that they tasted better than they looked. Louise bought her another wafer.
Then Louise pointed down the alley.
"Pauline, there's a candy stand on that corner."
"Really? Shall we go there?"
"No, it's too crowded over there, and I think the guards will miss us. Pauline, stay here and watch Miriam for a while. I'll go and get a bag of sweets quickly. Their cornflower candy is so good."
"Uh, ma'am, I'd like some too....................."
"No, Pauline."
Louise stopped Pauline firmly.
"Do you know how surprised I was when Miriam disappeared the last time we were out? You two are holding her together on both sides."
"But..................."
"There's a guard a few steps back, and it's not that far. If you're worried, you can keep an eye on her from here. I know the way here best anyway."
Louise broke away from the group before Pauline had a chance to catch up.
She could feel Pauline's eyes on the back of her head as she walked. The guards followed slowly, but it didn't matter because they were out of earshot.
Louise walked up to the candy stand and spoke casually.
"I'll have a bag of cornflower candies, and some anti-pregnancy pills."
She was nervous. She had to get the pills before Pauline followed or the guards approached.
The shopkeeper turned around and began to rummage through the baskets on the floor.
The candy store was a sideline; the shop's main business, it was rumored, was obtaining and selling drugs that were either banned by the government or too expensive to sell through illegal means.
Of course, the generous Lord of Melk looked the other way.
Louise watched the owner nervously, and realized belatedly that the man next to her had been watching her the entire time.
She turned her head, fearing it might be someone she knew, and there stood an unexpected figure.
“Teacher ..................."
It was Pietro, the eldest son of the Engel family.
Louise panicked. Judging by his devastated expression, he must have heard what she had come to buy.
"Master…."
In her haste to call him by his old title, Pietro smiled weakly.
"I called you the wrong name.................. first, didn't I? I should have called you Countess."
***
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