Sinopia reported the Oshens might seek revenge for the land they lost. Dorian didn't care about that. He cared about the family. The patriarch hadn't named an heir, and two brothers were fighting.
That was the weakness.
But the thought snapped when his gaze wandered and found her. The woman who would be mistress of Viridian House. He leaned in close enough to her ear, as he took her hand and placed it on his crossed legs.
"You might want to see the size of the mattress in our bedroom," he murmured. He wondered if she would be willing to make love in every room of the house.
She blinked, suddenly pulled back to reality where the devil, the very root of her irritation tonight, sat beside her. And she had no mood for his tasteless jokes at the moment.
"No," she said stiffly.
Dorian said nothing, just a calculating flash at the corner of his thin smile. Then, his face went cold, as his eyes went to the carriage window.
Outside, Rain, the head guard, stood beside the window. He saw the hand part the curtain and felt those dark, penetrating eyes upon him. He lowered his head.
"Welcome, Your Grace."
He waited for any word.
But none came.
Just a brief, curt wave of the hand.
Meanwhile, from her window, Nyasia saw the streets were quieter, then looked at the large, sprawling house with towering gates. It had an attractive tint of green on its roofs, whitewashed walls, large columns, and a sprawling yard.
She asked. "So, what's my role?"
"Hopelessly devoted lover who can't leave my side," he murmured, smirking.
She frowned.
"Do I really have to stay by your side?"
"You could always check our bedroom and the mattress—"
"Forget it," she sighed, her cheeks turning red, as her irritation returned.
...
VANERY HEARD the faint noise of a carriage arriving at the back entrance. But because the gates towered the view of the road, she had to listen well. She wondered why the backyard was dim, lit by only a few lamps. Behind the hedges she heard the shadows moving.
She moved carefully toward the gates and took a peek through the holes. There were a few silhouettes. A man had just stepped out of the carriage. It was hard to see who it was, because the road was very dim, and the carriage itself was strangely not well lit. But she could tell the man was tall, and he wore what Dorian always wore: dark clothing.
The man stepped into the narrow space just outside the backdoor. He stood there for a moment, as if staring at the door, then touched it. The door slowly opened. The wind carried the scent of expensive cologne, the kind Dorian always wore. So, without hesitation, she rushed toward the entrace and embraced him tightly, afraid to let go.
"Your Grace, I was in the shower at the patio bathrooms. To change clothes." Her voice was soft, broken. "I had an accident at the water fountain, and when I was done undressing, m-my dry clothes were gone. I—I think because I'm a fallen lady, and they can mistreat me. And—" She stopped when his hand touched her bare back. "I'm naked, Your Grace. But I—I trust you."
Geron Oshen thought, confused. This was clearly Vanery Kissell, and she was indeed naked. Did she think I'm the duke?
He had only come to monitor the area and, if necessary, impersonate the duke to avoid suspicion. This was the best place to do it, since the back of the house was only a narrow road. Across the road stood nothing but tall trees. Yet he was surprised to find the backdoor of Viridian House so lightly guarded, with only a few lamps lit.
"Your Grace?"
But when he tried to speak, the sweet, strong scent had helplessly hardened him. Then he felt her hand on him. It seems this woman is not as innocent as they say, he thought. And Brother and the duke like this woman, huh?
So he grabbed her and led her under a tree across the street. He turned her around so she wouldn't recognize her, pressed her hands against the bark, and swiftly pulled down his trousers. Then he claimed her and began to move fast.
"Ah—ah—yes!" she cried.
She hadn't expected the perfume to work this well. Rin said it would work strongly on men in mere seconds, and it did! With every move, she imagined the day she would live in Viridian House, and one day, return to that glorious Varyn Duchy.
*