Chapter 4 – Merry Stern (Part 6)

With a question that didn’t sound like a question, he bent his head lower. His warm breath scattered over her neck. His nose and lips traced her skin. Breathing deeply in that position, he embraced her. Completely trapped in his firm arms, Evelyn couldn’t move.

Slowly, his lips delved inside the robe’s collar. Feeling ticklish and strange, Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. She glanced toward the window where the light poured in. White ripples sparkled on the deep blue sea surface.

Standing like this in the middle of the reception room on such a bright morning felt inappropriate.

“I should change my clothes first.”

Evelyn said, slightly turning her shoulder. It wasn’t an excuse to escape from the man’s embrace. No matter if it was next door, it was still his space. She couldn’t go there dressed like this.

Bryant lifted his head from kissing her neck. She met his calm blue-gray eyes. Eyes that had regained their color in the sunlight. Long, drawn-out eyelashes. The suffocatingly rich scent of cologne and warmth.

She couldn’t believe she was doing this with him in the morning, not at night.

“If you wish.”

He obediently let go of her and released her. Evelyn, feeling a bit awkward, walked through the open door of the bedroom. As she did so, she thought about how natural he seemed. 

Was this all really nothing to him? Was it not awkward or embarrassing for him? How could that be? Was this also a cultural difference?

With these thoughts in mind, she stood in front of the wardrobe. She picked out a wool dress from the clothes the maid had ironed. She also took out a corset and stockings to wear underneath. Although the surroundings were dim like dawn, it wasn’t difficult to distinguish the familiar garments.

Unlike the bright reception room where sunlight streamed in, the bedroom was dark. This was because the thick curtains covering the windows hadn’t been touched yet. 

Did he draw the curtains so I could sleep in late? 

That thoughtful gesture tickled her heart belatedly.

However, when Evelyn, with a slight smile, took off the robe she was wearing, she was startled to see the man standing by the bed. 

What are you doing here? 

She looked at him with questioning eyes, and he answered.

“I’m here to help.”

What does he mean by help? Surely he doesn’t intend to actually tighten my corset? 

She was flustered by his overly attentive consideration.

“No, it’s okay. I can do it myself.”

“How?”

He seemed genuinely curious. But Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to explain that there are various types of corsets, and today she would wear one that fastens in the front. Just standing face to face with a man, discussing undergarments, was already embarrassing enough. Not to mention being in this fluttering chemise. This white and thin undergarment.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“I’m used to it, so it’s fine.”

“I wish you could be more comfortable.”

He muttered, seemingly dissatisfied, and approached her. Then he gently grasped her shoulders with both hands. His large hands completely enveloped her arms. They were incredibly soft yet overwhelming in size. Evelyn knew how strong those hands could be. She had already experienced the grip that she couldn’t escape from if he didn’t let go.

For a moment, the conversation paused.

In the dimly lit space. In front of the large bed, the man and woman faced each other. A black morning coat and a pure white chemise. The sturdy fabric of the coat and the fluttering material of the undergarment. A large, solidly built man and a small, delicate woman. It was a perfect contrast in every aspect.

Bryant lowered his head and kissed the woman’s cheek. First, a light kiss, then another, and slowly he moved downward. Evelyn slightly bit her dry lips inward. Her bare feet in the slippers twitched.

“Don’t wear it.”

He whispered as he kissed down past her chin to her neck. 

You’re beautiful. Just as you are. Even without this. 

Each time his lips brushed her skin, his deep, low voice scattered. The man who had bent down to kiss her chest lifted his head. When their eyes met again, Evelyn knew she couldn’t stop now.

“Sorry, but I need to intrude a bit.”

Bryant spoke as he gently pushed her onto the bed. His voice was a bit urgent.

“We only have 25 minutes left.”

He covered the woman’s upper body, who had been pushed onto the bed, as if pouncing on her. Evelyn, half laid down in an instant, heaved her chest. A deep kiss began immediately. The man’s hands caressed her relentlessly over the thin chemise fabric.

After sufficiently relaxing the woman, he moved his body down toward her legs. He removed the slippers from her feet and clasped her instep. He was kneeling on the carpeted floor. Thanks to the high bed, his eye level was exactly aligned with the woman’s knees.

His large hand caressed her instep, moving past her ankle. Slowly, it slid up along her calf. Evelyn felt his hands and lips kissing her legs. Past her knees, up her thighs, she felt the hand pushing up the hem of her chemise. She quietly accepted the man’s gentle and tender caresses until her legs were softly parted.

However, at some point, she was so startled that she had to spring up.

“Mr. Clifton.”

It was almost a scream. Evelyn spat out the words, her face incredulous. The man, addressed formally, chuckled slightly. And he returned the polite reply.

“Miss Dale.”

His lips touched again. Evelyn tried to pull her body back, but it was already difficult. 

Wait, wait a moment.

Holding the frantic woman, he lifted his head. A low laugh.

“You said it wasn’t your first time.”

“…”

“You said you were quite skilled.”

When did I ever say that? 

But even that complaint couldn’t escape her lips. Evelyn truly didn’t know what to say. The man kneeling between her legs, dressed in the finest morning coat, was shocking enough in itself.

“This, this is my first time.”

The woman, barely managing to express her feelings, looked as if she was about to cry. The man lightly lifted his eyes to look at her face. His gaze was thorough. In that gaze, Evelyn saw a clear smile.

“You really,”

A voice mixed with a sigh sounded leisurely. Long fingers gripped the woman’s thigh a little more.

“Don’t know anything.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, he lowered his lips again.

*

The breakfast table set up in the cabin looked quite nice. By the time the two arrived, the staff who had set the table had already left. Although they were a bit late, fortunately, the food hadn’t gotten cold.

Evelyn eventually had to go there in her loungewear. The man, who had made sure she couldn’t wear her corset, seemed secretly satisfied. He was dressed impeccably in a morning coat, vest, and silk tie. The slightly tousled front hair was the only change, but even that looked more natural and better.

Sitting across from him for breakfast was something that was hard to describe in one word. Even though Evelyn swallowed food as her hungry stomach demanded, she couldn’t focus solely on the meal. Her gaze and attention were so drawn to the man sitting across from her that it was almost distressing. The large hands handling the cutlery. The movements of those hands and fingers. The broad shoulders and solid arms. Most of all, the lips moving with a sheen.

The lips lightly biting and releasing the fork’s end. The lips gently parting as food was placed inside. Every time her gaze unintentionally landed there, Evelyn had to stop chewing several times, fearing she’d choke.

“I have something I’m curious about.”

The man, after taking a sip of water, set the glass down and looked up. Evelyn cautiously met his gaze.

“Were you planning to pretend not to know?”

The meaning of the question wasn’t hard to grasp. But the right answer didn’t come to mind. Of course, she hadn’t planned to pretend not to know. She was going to suggest they forget about it. Evelyn smiled ambiguously, avoiding a direct answer. Her thoughts on this matter weren’t entirely sorted out yet. Everything was too sudden and still awkward.

“You’re heartless.”

“…”

“I went to the trouble of preparing breakfast.”

Bryant feigned a wounded expression. Evelyn responded with a forced smile.

“And I even brought flowers.”

He gestured to the center of the table with his eyes. A single red rose was placed in a tall, slender vase. The white porcelain vase and the rose complemented each other beautifully. Even a single flower was sufficiently splendid.

“I’d love to serenade you, but regrettably, I have no talent for singing.”

He joked with a smile. Evelyn immediately understood what he meant. A single rose for you. He remembered the song she liked. Trying to suppress the inevitable feeling of satisfaction, Evelyn deliberately responded in a joking manner.

“That’s a shame. Breakfast would have been even more wonderful with music.”

“I should have brought a violin if I had known.”

“Do you know how to play the violin?”

“It’s definitely better than my singing.”

Bryant laughed. Evelyn imagined him playing the violin. It was hard to picture, but it seemed like it would be impressive.

Music is considered an important and basic cultural refinement. Even middle-class families hired piano teachers for their daughters, and in families with a bit more leisure and interest, men were also expected to handle at least one instrument. Evelyn had learned to play the piano at boarding school. She had no talent, and it had been so long that she couldn’t even remember how to read sheet music.

Piano. She suppressed old memories and looked at the flower. A flawless, perfect, and luscious rose.

“Just so you know, I like yellow roses.”

Evelyn said this and smiled at the man. He met her gaze, which was mixed with shyness and playfulness, and nodded. 

Yellow roses. 

His voice murmuring as if confirming it was pleasant to hear.

“I’ll remember that.”

He smiled. His lips formed a pleasing arc. Evelyn, looking at those lips, once again felt unnecessarily bashful and slowly lowered her gaze.