Chapter 8 Trying to Shake Her Up

“The Madam went straight to her room.”

At the butler’s report, Caelan looked up from his documents. When he leaned back in his chair, the papers he had set down fluttered to the floor. Neither he nor the butler paid them any attention, suggesting their insignificance.

Caelan turned his chair while tapping the armrest. As dusk approached, their reflections appeared in the window. Though he had risen claiming urgent business with Bliss, the atmosphere suggested otherwise. Studying his reflection, Caelan noticed the gentle man who had faced Bliss was gone, replaced by one with cynical eyes.

“Anything unusual?”

“Nothing, sir.”

Caelan’s eyes shifted from the window to the butler. The room grew cold under his subdued gaze.

“Didn’t you just tell me she went straight to her room?”

The butler bowed his head at Caelan’s rebuke.

“Isn’t it strange that she hasn’t bothered anyone?”

“But she hasn’t done anything since returning from the ball.”

“Yes, that’s precisely what’s strange.”

Caelan nodded knowingly. Since that day, Bliss had been unusually quiet. She had neither disturbed the marquis’s household nor harassed the servants.

“Perhaps she’s changed because of your kindness, My Lord?”

“What?”

“The Madam has been different since you treated her warmly at the ball.”

Caelan’s eyebrow twitched, clearly displeased with the butler’s speculation.

“And now that you visit her often and smile at her…”

“That’s enough.”

The butler fell silent, but his eyes revealed his unspoken thoughts – that the Marchioness’s changes were all thanks to the Marquis.

“Ha. That’s…”

Caelan closed his mouth, suppressing his rising irritation. He hadn’t intended to treat her that way initially.

At the ball, he had stopped her when she suddenly tried to leave while he was watching. He had expected surprise but pleasure at his appearance; when she showed wariness instead, he had acted on impulse.

The absurd part was that when he smiled at her, she became shy.

How ridiculous.

“They say the Madam has been kind to the servants lately as well.”

Though they remained wary, unsure when she might lash out, reports kept coming in that she wasn’t troubling anyone.

“Don’t you think she might have changed?”

The butler carefully watched Caelan’s expression as he spoke. Though not entirely confident, he had to admit the Madam’s recent behavior was exactly what he had hoped for in a Marchioness. Caelan scoffed at the butler’s hopeful words.

“You harbor such expectations just because she’s behaved for a few days? How pathetic.”

Caelan turned his chair to face the butler.

“You know her true nature. There must be something behind this, so don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ignoring the butler’s response, Caelan’s gaze swept across the desk before landing on the fallen documents – a business proposal from Count Bonita. He had no intention of participating in the Count’s business.

He had accepted the documents for a different reason, wondering if Bonita was behind Bliss’s strange behavior. Yet his instincts told him otherwise.

He clearly remembered Bliss’s expression when he had entered during their conversation. She had appeared thoroughly unsettled, as if sensing something troubling in her exchange with Count Bonita. When the Count mentioned business, she had seemed caught off guard and hastily risen from her seat.

Unlike her previous reckless behavior, she seemed different now – likely prompting the butler’s comments – but Caelan wasn’t ready to lower his guard.

“I think we need to shake her up a bit more.”

The butler stood silently, offering no objection to Caelan’s suspicion. He had merely shared his opinion; the final decision belonged to his master. If Caelan still couldn’t trust her, that was that.

After a moment’s contemplation, Caelan looked at the butler as if he had found a way to provoke a reaction from Bliss.

“Open the rose garden.”

***

The next morning, Jackie’s hands touched the golden hair cascading down Bliss’s back. A cool liquid made contact, followed by a rising fragrant scent.

“It’s rose oil.”

After patting the oil in with a puff, Jackie produced a small bottle about the size of her palm. As Bliss examined the pink liquid inside, she said to Jackie:

“That won’t be necessary.”

Having already applied scented oil, she didn’t want to add perfume. She recalled how the day before, she had dutifully submitted to Jackie’s ministrations before dinner with Caelan, only managing to escape hours later.

The preparation routine had been extensive – thorough washing, changing clothes, makeup, hair styling, scented oil, and perfume. It seemed excessive to spend so much time at the vanity for a simple dinner with her husband.

“Then I’ll bring the jewelry box.”

“That won’t be necessary either.”

Jackie glanced at the jewelry box before lowering her hand without protest. Once her lady had declined, she knew better than to insist. As Jackie stepped back with clasped hands, Bliss’s expression softened. Though adjusting to these small changes would take time, she couldn’t help feeling satisfied.

With the simplified routine, she finished much earlier than yesterday. After Jackie’s departure, Bliss surveyed her room in the mirror. She had plans to explore the mansion today.

While considering where to begin, she also mapped out areas to avoid. Since Caelan would likely be in his office at this hour, she decided it would be best to pass by there quickly.

Once decided, taking action came easily.

‘Adapting to this house is the priority, but it would be nice if I could avoid Caelan.’

His peculiar behavior wasn’t the only issue – her own nervousness around him was equally problematic. Perhaps it would improve once she became more accustomed to him…

Lost in these troubling thoughts, Bliss paused and sighed. The moment she stopped to contemplate her situation, a door opened beside her as if on cue.

She turned instinctively, meeting the eyes of the person emerging.

“This time, you’re the one who suddenly appeared.”

Caelan said, leaning against the doorframe. She knew he was referencing her previous comment about him startling her.

“I was actually about to see you, so this works out.”

Caelan casually positioned himself beside her. Who would have expected them to end up walking side by side? Flustered, Bliss glanced between Caelan and the path ahead, unable to think of an excuse to walk separately.

“You’re up early today?”

Their morning schedules rarely aligned. Bliss usually wouldn’t emerge until she was completely satisfied with her appearance, and Caelan was noting this departure from routine.

“I only changed my dress and put up my hair, so it didn’t take long.”

Bliss matched his dry tone in her reply.

“Is that so? I didn’t know you could get ready so quickly.”

“There are days like today too.”

Implying she wasn’t always so time-consuming, Bliss concealed her trembling hands in her skirts. Though her initial surprise had faded, his presence still filled her with tension.

“Days like today…”

As Caelan thoughtfully tapped his cheek, Bliss attempted to subtly walk ahead, hoping to break their paired stride. However, feeling his intense gaze on her back quickly made her realize this wasn’t the better option.

‘I feel like I’m suffocating.’

This strange accompaniment left her increasingly breathless. She felt absurdly self-conscious just walking beside him.

Pretending to examine the wall decorations, she placed her hand against the wall. She planned to use any resulting redness as an excuse to change direction.

Even without an actual scratch, she could claim her fingertips were burning. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was all she could devise in the moment.

“Bliss.”

At his call, she looked up questioningly. Realizing their proximity, she stepped back, but Caelan reached out as if to prevent her retreat.

“Why…”

Too tense to swallow, she couldn’t meet his eyes. Her heart pounded so hard she feared it might stop altogether – death by proximity rather than the promised necklace.

Then Caelan grasped her wrist and bent down. Bliss froze as he appeared to kiss her hand.