Chapter 8 (Part 4)

The person Cardin had sent was a professional. Without hesitation, they styled her hair, chose a dress and accessories, and perfected her appearance in the mirror.  

Her once pale cheeks now had a rosy glow, and her lips glistened. Looking at her transformed appearance didn’t evoke much feeling, but she felt a small sense of anticipation at the thought of smelling herbs again.  

Just then, there was a knock at the door. A newly appointed maid peeked her head in.  

“Madam! The Master has arrived.”  

She immediately left the room. Cardin was waiting in the hall below the stairs. He was dressed impeccably, as always.  

His black suit, tailored without a single flaw, hugged his solid frame and exuded elegance.  

When he saw her, he approached and lightly kissed her forehead. His gaze, filled with affection, was unusually expressive. Today, he seemed especially vibrant, as if he had been looking forward to this moment.  

She wanted to meet his expectations, but at the same time, she feared she might disappoint him. Pushing her thoughts aside, she followed Cardin into the carriage.  

It was a four-horse carriage, and it raced along until it stopped in front of a building. The surroundings were bathed in soft light, and the green leaves blended beautifully with the scene.  

As she looked around in wonder, Cardin gently took her hand. Only then did she step out of the carriage with him, drawing the attention of the crowd.  

She had expected only a few attendees, but the scale was surprisingly large. Feeling overwhelmed, she hesitated, and Cardin leaned close to her ear.  

“Just bear with it for a bit. There won’t be many people inside.”  

His breath brushed her ear, sending a wave of tension through her. Pretending to be unaffected, she followed him inside.  

Those who couldn’t enter craned their necks for a better look. Some held notebooks, jotting things down.  

Around her, people called out Cardin’s name. He smiled but didn’t respond, handling the situation with practiced ease, as if he had anticipated this.  

Inside the building, the soothing sound of a harp filled the air. People whispered to each other as they admired the displays of herbs.  

“The Duke of Messerode has arrived!”  

At the announcement, all eyes turned to Cardin and Brienne. The crowd surged toward them as if they had been waiting for this moment.  

“Your Grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been hoping for an opportunity to greet you on such a special occasion.”  

Everyone greeted Cardin. She stood beside him, merely lifting the corners of her lips into a faint smile. Meanwhile, Cardin occasionally glanced at her while exchanging pleasantries with the people around them.  

Many of the faces were familiar. Thanks to Hernes urging her to memorize their names, her efforts had paid off, and she remembered who they were.  

They were all polite to her as well. Compared to the banquet she had attended with Hernes, their gazes were far less hostile. There was a sense of refinement in the air.  

Everyone expressed their gratitude to Cardin, praising the event as a wonderful opportunity, a meaningful gathering, and a great investment, their eyes gleaming.  

Cardin, in this setting, was entirely different from the man she saw at the estate. As the head of the Messerode family, he adeptly led conversations and wielded his influence with precision.  

Yet, even in the midst of it all, Cardin kept an eye on her. The way their gazes occasionally met was striking. At that moment, someone spoke.  

“Your Grace, aren’t you paying a bit too much attention to your wife?”  

A lady laughed as she said this. Cardin smiled lightly and wrapped an arm around her waist. The sudden closeness felt unusually vivid and intimate.  

It had been so long since she had been this close to Cardin that she felt more tense than before. Still, she forced herself to smile. At least here, she wanted to appear as a harmonious couple, just as Cardin had suggested.  

She didn’t want to hear any unpleasant remarks.  

Seeing this, an elderly lady commented with a pleased expression.  

“I’m sure a child resembling the two of you would be absolutely adorable.”  

Her face froze for a moment. Cardin’s gaze turned toward her. His long fingers lightly brushed her waist, loosening the tension in her expression.  

As she exhaled softly, Cardin’s low voice resonated.  

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t bring up children.”  

Though he was smiling, his eyes were chillingly sharp, enough to startle her. The lady blinked rapidly before stepping back and apologizing.  

“My apologies. I spoke without thinking.”  

With that, the conversation shifted entirely to other topics—economics, politics, and the latest popular plays. The subject of children was thoroughly avoided, and no one brought it up again.  

The lively chatter continued as if nothing had happened. Her feelings were mixed. She wasn’t upset, nor was she entirely pleased.  

While she appreciated not having to hear about children, the deliberate avoidance of the topic left her slightly unsettled. She found her own feelings rather absurd.  

At that moment, Cardin leaned toward her and whispered in her ear.  

“Shall we go see the herbs near Romseed?”  

She had been longing to see those herbs ever since they arrived. She wanted to smell them again. When she nodded, Cardin calmly guided her toward the end of the hallway.  

Fortunately, there were only a few ladies in that area, and not many people overall. Two noblewomen were engrossed in their own conversation, seemingly unaware of her and Cardin’s presence.  

The sound of a harp nearby helped mask the sound of their footsteps.  

“The two of them seem to get along well, but they don’t have any children yet. It makes you think the world is fair, doesn’t it?”  

Her eyebrows twitched slightly as she heard the comment. At the same time, Cardin started to step forward, but she quickly grabbed his arm. The two noblewomen had already walked some distance away.  

Cardin turned to look at her. She quietly gazed at the displayed herbs and spoke.  

“They’re not wrong.”  

“Even so…”  

“There’s no need to get worked up. You don’t have to step in for my sake.”  

Cardin looked down at her for a moment but said nothing more. Silence hung between them, and his gaze was unusually calm, almost unnervingly so.  

Deliberately avoiding his eyes, she lowered her head to take in the scent of the herbs. The familiar aroma filled her senses.  

“They’re finally here.”  

A memory suddenly surfaced in her mind. The day Cardin had greeted her with a bright smile, promising to make her a wooden door and chair for the upper cabin.  

Why was I recalling that now, of all times?  

Why now?  

At that moment, she felt his presence close by. He smelled of the forest. Cardin rarely wore cologne, yet the scent was unmistakable.  

“Do you like this scent that much?”  

Cardin glanced at the herb she had been smelling. Then, as if sensing her gaze, he turned to look at her slowly, his eyes unusually tender. Just like when he had warmly welcomed her at the cabin.  

Cardin hadn’t changed a bit. And neither had she.  

She was still thinking of leaving him, still planning to abandon any future with him, just as she had back then.  

Her chest tightened, and she quickly turned her head away.  

Cardin lightly touched her shoulder.  

“Brienne, shall we leave early?”  

Without looking at him, she shook her head.  

“No, I’m fine.”  

Cardin waited silently beside her, as if he understood exactly how she felt.  

Even in unfavorable circumstances, wasn’t it okay to have a little desire?  

Especially now, when Cardin had paid off all her debts and even promised to amend the family laws.  

She took a deep breath and looked at the herbs from Romseed. They appeared unimpressive, yet their medicinal properties were remarkably potent.  

***

When they boarded the carriage, silence filled the air.  

Cardin sat with his arms crossed, seemingly lost in thought, while she stared out the window.  

She mulled over how to start a conversation, how to naturally break the silence.  

It felt like there was so much they didn’t know about each other.  

‘What did we talk about back at the cabin?’  

They had often discussed the weather, especially on rainy days when they needed to prepare thoroughly.  

Outside, the weather was too dark to bring up. The sky was barely visible.  

Feeling disheartened, she was startled by a soft voice.  

“Brienne.”  

Startled, she turned to see Cardin smiling.  

“Why are you so surprised?”  

“Oh, it’s nothing.”  

Cardin hadn’t said anything unusual, yet her heart raced. Perhaps because she hadn’t been expecting it.  

At that moment, the carriage came to a stop.  

The herb exhibition was within Devok, so it wasn’t far from the estate.