Chapter 23: A Maiden’s Heart

Kara’s POV:

It has been almost three weeks since I had spent that passionate night with Grand Duke Orville. Following his command, Head Maid Martha looked after me with all necessary medicines so that I could heal from the swollen red bite marks Duke had left all over me, after draining all the strength from my body on that night.

Even though I wasn’t sober either, but the night was an unforgettable memory etched in my mind. My mother always used to say, that a maiden’s heart could never forget the one whom they chose to give their virginity, and I think I can realize it vividly well.

Even though I was staying inside the manor, having proper food and sleep, I could sense Duke Orville was spending most of his time outside the manor. Unknowingly my eyes would follow him around whenever he came back. Without even realizing it, I even started paying attention to his likes and dislikes.

But whenever I saw him, every time I was enchanted to realize how could a man be so astonishingly beautiful. Even when I was locked in the slave market, I had seen countless slaves indulge in sexual acts with their owners, but it never made me feel a thing inside.

But now, when I was held by no one other than the dazzling handsome Silver Duke himself, despite the big age gap between us, my heart and soul couldn’t stop reminiscing the memories from that night!

Whenever I recalled his touch, the fragrance of his cedar wood cologne from that night, my body acted wild out of my control and I would start pleasuring myself alone at night. I know it was too shameful to admit, but it often left me wondering…why was my body seeking his pheromones?

Not to mention since that night Arnold has been avoiding me like the plague, not even bothering to make direct eye contact. And for Raphael, I still don’t understand why he got angry with me…or how he knew that Arnold had come looking for me…but I also sensed him trying to avoid staying around me as well.

Along with them, Marquesses Tilin has also been staying in the manor, and sometimes I would catch her glowering at me from a distance. She seemed like a scary woman from our first encounter as if she was ready to pounce on me if Grand Duke hadn’t intervened.

As for her identity, I knew Madam Marquesses was a famous personality as a great pianist. When I was very small, my mother accompanied by her Master, once took me to one of her concerts.

But I didn’t have the slightest clue that she would seem close to Grand Duke. After I left them both behind, on that day I was very bothered by the thought wondering what might be the relation between them?

Not to mention for a week, I have been feeling a bit queasy after waking up since morning. At first, I thought maybe my body wasn’t accustomed to this proper way of living, but soon my sickness started to deteriorate.

I started breaking dishes, and committing mistakes in chores, which made Lady Martha irked with me. After I broke another dish in the kitchen today, I somehow ran away to escape her wrath and sneaked inside Grand Duke’s room with the excuse of dusting all the items of furniture.

As soon as I walked in, my heart was pretty content to smell his scent everywhere around the room.

I didn’t know why did I miss his scent so much.

There was a void left deep in my heart after he suddenly started to stay away from the manor, but now…I felt fulfilled.

I started checking his bookshelf and there were a wide variety of books in it. I picked a Spanish literature book and started reading it while forgetting my work. I didn’t even realize how much time had spent until I heard the sound of big boots behind me.

“You must really like to study, right?”

I flinched at the sudden familiar voice and found it was Duke Orville behind me, gazing with a cryptic smirk on his face. His broad hands were crossed over his chest, and he was still wearing his long coat as if he had just come from outside.

It had been over 5 days when I last saw his face. Now finding him near me thumped my heart so loud that I anxiously dropped that book from my hand. When I was about to pick it up, Duke moved a little closer to me before he asked, “How’s your body? Are you doing okay now?”

“Y-Yes, I am fine now, Master. I…I am sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak inside your room with any other intention. I just came here to dust the furniture here…” Clumsily I pointed my finger at the duster which I had kept quite far from me, like a fool.

“But you seemed very focused on reading the book itself. Tell me, do you like books? I have heard from Raphael that you used to be in the same class as him, but a black slave isn’t granted the right to education. So, how did you do it?”

When he asked me curiously, I couldn’t suppress the smile that lit up my eyes whenever I talked about the time before my life went downhill. “My mother used to serve a kind noble…and that Master had enrolled me to attend school with other noble children. Master knew that I loved studying and he was very kind. He even looked after us diligently…maybe that’s why, I was allowed to live a dreamy life like that…”

When I spoke those words, unknowingly my eyes filled with sadness as if I knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a life like that ever again. My eyes swelled with tears but before I could wipe them off, I felt his broad palm had cupped my side face as he had moved close to me. Gazing intently into my sad eyes, he wiped off my tears and asked in a cold, husky voice, “Do you want to attend school again?”