Chapter 20

The conversation from the previous night seemed to have brought Alto and Catherine a little closer. Although her first impression of him had been terrible, Catherine realized that Alto wasn’t as thoughtless as she had initially assumed after talking to him. She decided to forgive him, especially since his rude remark had come out of concern for Henry.

“The dress came out faster than expected. It should have taken a few more days, shouldn’t it?”

However, Catherine still had a long way to go before she could adjust to Alto’s chatter. His endless stream of words made her press her temples and close her eyes. They were on their way to the dress shop in a carriage, having received word that the dress she had ordered was nearly finished and ready for fitting. While Alto had been considerate yesterday, speaking only when necessary to accommodate Catherine’s shaken state, he had returned to his usual self today.

A mouth that didn’t match his large frame, constantly flapping.

Catherine shook her head. She wished Henry would return soon and rescue her from Alto’s chatter.

“We’ve arrived, Madame.”

Lost in her thoughts to avoid Alto’s chatter, Catherine was surprised when they reached the dress shop so quickly. Alto stepped out first and opened the carriage door for her. This was her second outing to the city. As she stepped out of the carriage, Catherine felt her heart race.

Although her previous outing hadn’t left her with pleasant memories, she was still glad to be able to walk outside of her own volition.

“Oh my, I can’t imagine how beautiful it will look!”

Alto, who had been chattering nonstop, now seemed to be imagining Catherine in her dress. He exclaimed about how well the clover-colored dress would complement her fair skin. Catherine, watching his exaggerated enthusiasm, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Oh? Madame, you just laughed.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“But you did! I saw it.”

“No, I didn’t laugh.”

“Madame, you’re even more beautiful when you smile.”

Alto grinned widely, showing his teeth. His unfiltered, cheerful demeanor was both enviable and fascinating. In many ways, Alto was a curious person. It was strange to think that someone so talkative worked alongside a reserved man like Henry. Catherine tilted her head in puzzlement as she stepped into the dress shop.

The sound of a bell jingled as the door opened. The shopkeeper, who had been waiting for Catherine, greeted her warmly.

“Welcome.”

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged woman with a rather full figure. Though not conventionally beautiful, her natural smile had a way of putting others at ease. Catherine returned her smile.

“It’s nice to see you. I came because I was told the dress was ready.”

“I put special care into it since it needed to be finished within a fortnight. This way, please.”

Following the shopkeeper’s guidance, Catherine stepped further inside, with Alto trailing closely behind her. He followed her so diligently, like a large puppy, that it was almost comical.

***

Henry declined the accommodations provided by the royal palace and left immediately for the castle. Normally, he would have taken a short rest at the royal residence to conserve his strength before embarking on a long ride. But today, he seemed to be in a hurry, dragging Greg along to find their horses.

“Marquis, we’ll be riding for half a day. Shouldn’t we rest a bit to conserve our energy?”

“There’s no time.”

Even while speaking with the King, Henry couldn’t stop thinking about the wound on Catherine’s palm. She had refused to tell him how it happened, but Henry was almost certain that Richelle had something to do with it. Moreover, Richelle knew that Henry had married Catherine for the sake of producing an heir.

If she wanted to block Henry’s inheritance, Richelle would need to ensure that Catherine couldn’t fulfill her role. It didn’t take a genius to guess that Richelle might do something harmful to Catherine. Leaving the castle at such a time left Henry feeling uneasy.

“Marquis, if you fall off your horse…”

“When have I ever fallen off a horse?”

“…Never.”

“Then let’s go.”

Henry had grown accustomed to sharing a bed with Catherine. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to sleep deeply without her, he decided to leave as soon as possible. He wanted to bury his face in her embrace and rest comfortably.

Greg, knowing how unyielding Henry could be once he made up his mind, sighed briefly before mounting his horse to follow.

“Let’s go!”

Once he saw Greg on his horse, Henry spurred his own horse forward.

Could it be true that Catherine’s grandfather had tried to send her to the King as his tenth concubine?

Though he pretended otherwise, Henry couldn’t stop thinking about what the King had said. Graham and Catherine were likely about twenty years apart. Graham already had more than five sons with the Queen.

Would the Duke have pursued a marriage with Graham despite the age gap because of some significant benefit?

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. The Duke’s family was already wealthy, and Graham had too many sons for Catherine to aim for the throne.

The image of Graham licking his lips as he spoke about Catherine’s beauty made Henry feel sick. How could Graham say such vulgar things about Catherine, who was now Henry’s wife? It was clear to Henry that Graham lacked the qualities needed to sit on the throne.

Did Catherine know what kind of person Graham was? 

If she had been aware of the marriage proposal between Graham and her family, Henry wondered how much of her own will had been involved. He secretly hoped that Catherine had disliked the idea of marrying Graham.

For now, he needed to return quickly. Although he had left Alto behind, Henry was anxious about what Richelle might say to Catherine in his absence.

***

The dress she tried on for the final fitting fit her perfectly, with no adjustments needed. The graceful curve from her full chest to her slim waist was stunning. The dress, designed to make her slender waist appear even smaller, had a voluminous skirt. The shopkeeper’s earlier claim that it was the best design for drawing attention at a party didn’t seem like an exaggeration, and Catherine felt pleased.

“Oh my, there’s no need for further adjustments. It fits perfectly.”

Still wearing the dress, Catherine looked at herself in the mirror. As Alto had said, the clover-colored dress complemented her skin beautifully.

“If you pair it with this diamond necklace…”

Before Catherine could protest, the shopkeeper placed a dazzling necklace around her neck. The sparkling jewel on her slender neck made her look breathtakingly beautiful.

“Madame! My goodness, you look absolutely stunning.”

Alto clapped his hands as he approached her. Embarrassed by his enthusiasm, Catherine covered her mouth and smiled softly.

Trying on a new dress, wearing an expensive necklace, and receiving compliments on her beauty—these might have seemed trivial to others, but they were special to Catherine.

The new dress and jewelry filled her with excitement, something she hadn’t even experienced during her debutante. Catherine grabbed the hem of her skirt and twirled around. The reflection in the mirror felt unfamiliar. For someone who had always worn plain clothes and gone without makeup, this glamorous look was like stepping into an unknown world.

Whenever Catherine had needed a new dress, the Duke would give her one of Stella’s. Since they were mother and daughter, Stella’s dresses fit Catherine perfectly without any alterations. It was only after trying on her mother’s dresses that Catherine realized how much she resembled Stella. Unable to remember her mother’s face, Catherine had spent countless nights secretly shedding tears, longing for her in this small way.

“You must have plenty of dresses, Madame, but nothing beats the thrill of a new one, right?”

The shopkeeper noticed the blush on Catherine’s cheeks and understood her excitement. Embarrassed that her feelings had been discovered, Catherine smiled shyly and turned to the mirror again. The way the skirt flared out every time she turned was utterly elegant.

“You’re so beautiful, Madame. The Marquis will surely be delighted when he sees you.”

“The Marquis?”

The mention of the Marquis made the shopkeeper’s eyes widen. As far as she knew, there was only one Marquis in the area. Curious to confirm her guess, the shopkeeper’s expression turned hesitant.

Catherine assumed it was because of the rumors surrounding Henry. Tales of a demonic knight with an unbearable appearance who killed indiscriminately always followed Henry’s name.

Before meeting him and getting married, even Catherine had believed Henry to be a cruel man with a monstrous appearance.

“Yes, she is the wife of Marquis Leonard.”

Alto answered proudly.

“Oh, the Marquis’s wife…”

The shopkeeper’s once affectionate gaze turned pitying.

There’s no need to pity me.

Catherine smiled at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was likely thinking, ‘How unfortunate to live with such a hideous man.’