Chapter 43

To wipe the body, it’s right to undress, but the sudden display of skin made her embarrassed.

Even though she closed her eyes tightly and covered them with her hands to avoid looking at Hugo, the brief glimpse she caught didn’t disappear.

His broad shoulders and muscular body… Catherine blushed.

‘I’m crazy, really. Should I say I can’t do it now?’

Catherine desperately wanted to go back to a few minutes ago.

“Thank you so much, Lady Catherine. I was just wondering whom I should ask to take care of His Grace. His Grace dislikes my touch, and asking the other maids… they said no even with extra pay because he’s too big.”

Seeing Catherine hesitate, John explained in detail why she needed to take up the towel for Hugo.

“When someone is sick, usually the wife takes care of them, and I think it’s such a lovely sight.”

John dipped a towel into the basin filled with hot water and wrung it out thoroughly.

“But unfortunately, our Grace doesn’t have a wife.”

As water dripped down, John touched upon Catherine’s guilt.

“The fortunate thing is, even if the sky falls, there’s a hole to escape through, and that’s having a fiancée.”

John placed the wet towel into Catherine’s hand.

Catherine was about to retort, asking if Hugo’s injury was comparable to the sky falling, but she quickly lowered her head.

If she lifted her head, Hugo’s inverted triangle torso would be in view.

His body, which looked slender when clothed, felt enormous up close, and without clothes, the word “enormous” seemed lacking.

She couldn’t wipe without looking.

Catherine closed her eyes tightly, then opened them and held the towel properly.

She carefully turned her gaze to Hugo’s back.

His muscular torso, as if woven intricately by the god of weaving, was covered with sweat.

Every time he moved, his sleek muscles undulated like the waves of the sea.

It was a more spectacular view than any landscape Catherine had seen.

Hugo’s body was the embodiment of a man’s strength and vitality.

Catherine swallowed hard and gripped the towel tightly.

‘Is the room hot? It’s wet even though the window is wide open.’

Catherine, with strangely suggestive thoughts, placed her hand on Hugo’s body.

“Oh dear. I just remembered I have something urgent to do.”

John muttered awkwardly, and before Catherine could stop him, he dashed out of the room.

Only Hugo, with magma boiling inside him, and Catherine, whose mind was filled with distractions, remained, and the room became inevitably awkward.

“Hugo, I’ll start now.”

With the thought of finishing quickly, Catherine touched Hugo’s upper body with her fingertips.

He flinched in surprise.

“Don’t touch me, Catherine!”

Hugo said sharply. Catherine, startled, withdrew her hand and clenched the hand that had touched Hugo’s body.

“S-sorry. If it was unpleasant, I apologize.”

“Oh, it’s not unpleasant… No, it’s not.”

Hugo, quite annoyed, ruffled his hair.

Catherine, watching him from behind, pouted her lips.

She wasn’t happy with the situation either.

But was it necessary to get angry over just a touch from someone trying to help?

‘Even if I don’t like it!’

Catherine restrained herself from throwing the towel and leaving immediately.

Repeating “Hugo is a patient” didn’t calm her mind, so she had to recall where he got hurt.

‘He got injured falling into the hole I dug.’

Catherine’s anger quickly subsided. Anyway, she was someone who couldn’t express anger even if she felt it.

Considering how much trouble Hugo had gone through because of her, she could endure this level of neglect.

Catherine held the towel properly so that her hand wouldn’t touch Hugo’s body and placed it on him.

“Is it not too hot?”

“Not at all.”

His tone was blunt.

“Hugo, lean forward a bit.”

‘Since it’s come to this, let’s finish it quickly!’

When faced with a difficult task, people fall into two categories.

Avoiding it or confronting it quickly.

Catherine was the latter. She put the wet towel down and tied an apron around her waist. Then she placed one leg on Hugo’s bed.

Hugo, who had been sitting turned away, whipped his head around. For a moment, their eyes entangled. The problem was that the moment felt like an eternity.

There’s a moment when the wind and breath stop. A moment when the other’s scent seeps into the still space, creating the illusion of being embraced even without touching.

Such moments naturally lead to a kiss between a man and a woman.

Hugo was not a man without intuition. Therefore, he knew well what action he should take at this moment.

However, Hugo did not lean forward for a kiss but pulled back.

He decided not to push Catherine.

Hugo clenched the blanket tightly and barely swallowed the words that were about to burst out of his throat, “May I kiss you?”

“Well… I’ll lean forward.”

He suppressed his desire to kiss, but his voice came out choked.

Feeling that Catherine might see through his hidden desires, Hugo quickly averted his gaze.

The muscles on his back moved like the surface of a lake touched by a gentle breeze.

Catherine also snapped out of the dreamy atmosphere.

Despite his blunt tone, Hugo moved as Catherine requested.

He raised his arms when asked and leaned forward when told, acting as if he would comply with whatever she asked.

Only Catherine’s one-sided demands remained, and the conversation between them disappeared.

Catherine’s hands moved busily. Occasionally, she paused her hands and breath.

She couldn’t help it. It felt like she would burst into tears if she made any sound.

Hugo’s back was full of small scars. Marks from being cut by swords or hit by arrows.

Seeing the traces of the wars Hugo had to go to after marrying her was painful for Catherine.

If she hadn’t turned back time, if she hadn’t divorced quickly, there would have been more scars.

Thinking about it was unbearable.

She wanted to erase even the memory of his pain on the battlefield.

‘If only I could.’

I want to cut out all your painful memories.

I want to prevent you from being dragged to the battlefield.

Catherine’s desire was solely for Hugo from beginning to end.

***

Catherine’s visit continued in the afternoon.

This time, it was not alone but with a group, and the destination was Baron Dictron’s house, not the Edward family, which was different from the morning.

Catherine took Brooke and Lillie to visit Riena at Baron Dictron’s house.

As stated in the letter, they brought plenty of things good for the bones.

“Catherine, come quickly!”

Having received Catherine’s notice in advance, Riena was waiting at the entrance.

After handing over the luggage to Baron Dictron’s servants standing next to Riena, Catherine hugged her.

“Riena, you look well! It seems Baron Dictron is taking good care of you.”

As Catherine said, Riena was brighter and her skin glowed more than when she was at Catherine House.

It wasn’t because of quality meals and a comfortable bed. It was the power of love.

Riena’s cheeks flushed. Catherine pretended not to notice and stepped back.

“When will you return?”

Brooke squeezed between Catherine and Riena, cheek to cheek with Riena, and asked.

“When I’m fully healed…?”

“You seem fully healed. You have no trouble with daily life.”

Brooke pointed out the reality, but Riena pretended not to hear and approached Lillie.

Seeing Riena’s actions showing she didn’t want to return home yet, Catherine laughed.

Her mind, complicated by Hugo, gradually improved while being with the young ladies.

“Lillie, thank you for coming.”

“You look like the owner of this house, Riena.”

Lillie spoke without much thought, but Brooke, listening beside her, frowned.

Catherine told Lillie to lower her voice.

Because behind them was the actual mistress of the house, Baroness Dictron.

Baron Dictron’s mother!

Saying someone else seems like the owner when the real owner is present could be interpreted in various ways.

For example, implying they should give up the house and move to the back room, or that they’re old, or that they don’t suit being the house owner, in very negative meanings.

Lillie just spoke what came to mind, but as the ladies in the social circle dissect every word to create meanings that weren’t there, it’s better to be cautious with every word.

“Have you been well, Baroness Dictron? It’s the first time since I saw you at Countess Napolli’s party last year.”

Catherine stepped forward and greeted the three.

Baroness Dictron, with a hooked nose and a stern impression, greeted them.

“Coming all the way to this humble place is an honor for Dictron House. I’ve heard frequent news about you, Lady Catherine. Many good things are being said. How is the Duke?”

Baroness Dictron greeted Catherine.

Contrary to Catherine’s concern, she didn’t seem to put much meaning into Lillie’s words.

Baroness Dictron was looking intently at Riena, not Lillie. Riena stepped back under her cold gaze.

The real house owner had appeared.

Riena, who had eagerly come out to greet Catherine’s party, realized her actions had upset Baroness Dictron and became intimidated.

“The Duke is doing well.”

“I see. I should pay my respects sometime.”

“I’ll let the Duke know that you wish to see him, Baroness Dictron.”

“That would be appreciated. Please come in. The tea we recently acquired has a wonderful aroma.”

Baroness Dictron led the four into the drawing room.

Baroness Dictron was polite, but Catherine couldn’t shake off the feeling of being an uninvited guest.

She felt rejection in her cold gaze and gestures.

Catherine looked back at Riena, who was following behind. Riena, meeting her gaze, smiled awkwardly.

In a short time, Catherine could fully guess what kind of treatment Riena had received at Dictron House.

‘Baroness Dictron doesn’t seem to like Riena. She doesn’t even try to hide it.’

Catherine closely observed the subtle tension between Baroness Dictron and Riena.