Chapter 17

All Rosie could do was clutch her chest and nod.

“I’ll go out first. When Mia brings the clothes, change and come out through the back door. I’ll have the carriage ready for you.”

Theo picked up her packed bag and turned to leave.

Rosie, who had been focused only on her racing heart, suddenly snapped to attention.

“Wait……”

He stopped and looked at her.

She scanned his neat brows, high nose, and red lips, admiring how handsome he was for a moment, then shook her head.

“Am I going alone?”

Theo was silent for a moment.

He really had planned to send her alone. Rosie had been excited, thinking she’d go with him, but her face quickly darkened as she whispered,

“I don’t want that……”

Theo looked at her quietly, then rubbed his forehead with one hand. After thinking for a moment, he nodded.

“I’ll go with you. Don’t worry.”

Seeing Rosie smile brightly again, his lips curled slightly.

“I’ll go out first.”

He left her and exited the room.

His steps toward the back door were careful. Someone might be watching.

When Theo arrived at the waiting ducal carriage, he handed a letter to the coachman.

“Give this to Ruth.”

The letter contained several instructions. Since Earl Deacon was searching for the inside conspirator, Theo would handle things outside.

After watching the carriage depart, he headed for the back door.

Leaving with Rosie hadn’t been part of the plan, but it didn’t matter. She was the most important thing to him.

The carriage provided by Earl Deacon looked ordinary, not drawing any attention. Theo greeted the coachman, who was actually one of the Earl’s trusted knights.

Soon, Mia arrived, her golden hair hidden under a carefully placed hood. Rosie cautiously opened the carriage door and stepped in.

Theo knocked on the wall, and the carriage started moving without hesitation.

Once they were far enough from the Earldom, Rosie removed her hood.

“Ha, it’s stuffy.”

Her wavy golden hair spilled out, shining. Theo, who knew exactly how soft it was, clenched his hands to keep from reaching out.

“So, where are we going?”

Rosie whispered. Theo couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

‘Cute.’

Her blue eyes, framed by long lashes, looked both nervous and excited.

“To the Duchy’s summer villa. No one’s there now, so it’s a good place to hide.”

Her small, plump lips pressed together as she nodded. He thought about how nice it would be to bite those lips.

“Weren’t you scared?”

Rosie peeked outside through the curtain, then looked at him.

“A little. Thinking someone’s always watching me gave me chills. Mia wanted to tell Father right away, but I couldn’t show him the contents.”

Theo nodded silently. Even hearing only the summary had made Earl Deacon furious; if he’d seen the actual letters, he might have fainted.

“So, um, you know.”

Rosie fiddled with her fingers and spoke hesitantly.

“The next day, I went to the ducal residence to apologize.”

She lowered her gaze as if embarrassed, while Theo raised his eyebrows, as if asking why.

“The day you fought with Calvin, I wasn’t taking his side. He just collapsed, and I thought if anyone came, you’d look bad. I wanted to smooth things over quickly. I don’t want rumors about you.”

She took a shallow breath and continued.

“I thought you were upset.”

Even after she finished, Theo said nothing. When Rosie glanced up, he was looking away, as if staring at something beyond the curtain.

Rosie pressed her fingers anxiously.

“We’re still okay, right?”

After a long pause, Theo finally spoke, confirming,

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Since Calvin left for his sick cousin right after the incident, she hadn’t been able to talk to him, so their relationship was still floating somewhere between dating and breaking up.

Suddenly, Rosie realized it was the same for her and Theo. He’d proposed marriage, but never said he loved her. Rosie knew her feelings for him were more than friendship, but she wasn’t sure if it was love yet.

Their relationship was also drifting between friends and lovers.

“Okay.”

Theo sighed deeply. His sigh settled heavily in Rosie’s chest, making her heart ache.

* * *

As expected of the Duchy.

That was Rosie’s first impression of the summer villa.

The villa was located halfway up a mountain, completely off-limits to outsiders. It wasn’t summer yet, but the dense trees were enough to block the midsummer sun. The fresh air felt cleansing. The sound of a stream somewhere cooled even sweat that hadn’t formed.

“Almost everything you need should be here. You can use Mother’s things if you want.”

Inside, Rosie barely listened to him, her eyes wide as she looked around. The Duchy had money, status, and capability, so it made sense they had a villa like this.

“Make yourself comfortable while you’re here. Pick any room you like.”

Rosie nodded, still stunned, and Theo silently followed her as she explored.

Every room had big windows overlooking endless green forest. The sound of leaves brushing each other was refreshingly clear.

Rosie chose a room that felt like being in the middle of a flower garden, since the blossoms hadn’t faded yet.

“This one’s nice.”

Theo, leaning against the doorframe, let out a soft laugh.

“You have the same taste as Mother.”

“Is this the Duchess’s room?”

He nodded and pointed to a door on one wall.

“That’s Father’s. They’re connected.”

“I see.”

Rosie opened the window wide and breathed in the scent of flowers.

“We should give the villa a different name. It’s so nice, even though it’s not summer yet.”

She felt like everything that had troubled her all morning had been washed away.

Theo watched her quietly, then stood up from the doorframe.

“I sent everyone away except one servant, who’s trustworthy. Rest for now. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

With that, he closed the door.

Rosie frowned slightly. Theo seemed to be keeping his distance from her.

‘I thought he’d rush to me as soon as we arrived.’

Maybe he was still upset, like in the carriage. Rosie’s mood felt heavy again as she sighed and flopped onto the big bed.

Everything was too complicated.

The letters, Theo, Calvin.

“I just want a simple life.”

Rosie sighed repeatedly and rolled over. The smooth bedding hugged her skin.

“So soft.”

Who likes difficult feelings? She really hated them. Whenever she didn’t know what to do, she always turned away.

“But I can’t do that with Theo.”

She couldn’t avoid him just because things were hard. She couldn’t lose him.

Rosie realized now was the time to face what she felt. Carefully. And to draw a clear line about things she’d let slide before.

She tossed and turned, thoughts circling endlessly.

“Rosie, dinner’s ready.”

He knocked and entered. Theo was dressed more comfortably than before.

“You didn’t even change clothes?”

He looked puzzled as he approached the bed where Rosie still lay.

“I was thinking.”

He sat beside her as she got up.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll catch whoever it is.”

Theo patted her gently. His hand on her cheek was endlessly tender. The slight curve of his eyes as he looked at her was the same.

Rosie stared at him, and Theo, after holding her gaze for a moment, looked away first.

‘He looked away first.’

Theo had never done that before. Rosie felt as if an earthquake had struck her heart—her chest split in two, her heart dropped and rolled on the floor.

“Stand up, I’ll help you take off your dress.”

She nodded weakly and stood.

Theo calmly untied the knots of her dress, one by one.

The room was quiet. All she could hear was his steady breathing behind her.

As her dress opened bit by bit, the cool air on her skin made her wrap her arms around herself.

Suddenly, his fingers slowly traced up her spine.

“Hng.”

Rosie flinched.

He’d only touched her back, but her whole body seemed to welcome him. His fingers reached her neck and gently stroked the nape. It was as if he was drawing on her body. His fingers slowly moved down her shoulder line.

She felt a tingling sensation in her lower body, even though he hadn’t touched her there, and she was getting wet. He stroked her arm and pressed his lips gently to her rounded shoulder.

She felt his lips so clearly it gave her goosebumps. Rosie’s body started to get excited, ready to welcome him.

But instead of embracing her, Theo straightened up and spoke in a low, calm voice.