Partially corrected MTL Novel
C28
After the cold winter wind blew through the branches, all that remained were bare branches. It had snowed all night, and instead of flowers, the piled-up white snow on the branches welcomed Bianca.
The gardener had cleared the snow from the ground in advance for the Madam, who often went for walks. Thanks to this, Bianca was able to leisurely walk through the winter garden. Some of the snow had melted, leaving puddles of water, but Yvonne skillfully directed Bianca.
There wasn't much to see because it was winter, but Bianca enjoyed the simple and dry atmosphere of the winter garden. In fact, she not only loved winter but the garden itself.
It was comparable to buying luxuries or decorating a room. While all the responsibilities of the lord's wife were delegated to Vincent, Bianca paid great attention to the garden work, but it was something she handled as a "mistress."
Bianca liked gardens like this and would usually walk around the garden as much as she could, but today she ended her walk early without even walking much.
Yvonne looked into Bianca's eyes, worried that she might have been paying attention to her attire. It was ridiculous as a servant that her Madam couldn't do as she pleased because she was too worried about her subordinates. Bianca, who read Yvonne's thoughts, shook her head slowly and muttered to herself.
"I'm tired today."
"Are you feeling tired?"
As soon as Yvonne heard Bianca talking to herself, she asked me. Bianca's complexion had been poor since Zachary stopped by earlier in the day. Worry grew in Yvonne's eyes, not even dreaming that Bianca was making an excuse.
"Yes. I've been busy with many things since this morning. Oh, come to think of it, my hands are a bit sore."
"Now that I think about it, I forgot to apply the herbal water before going for a walk today. What should I do?"
As soon as Bianca spoke, Yvonne made a fuss. Bianca shrugged gracefully and continued to lie naturally.
"Well... I wasn't in the mood at that time. You can do it now."
"Yes. I'll go and prepare it."
Yvonne believed Bianca's words and ran towards the castle step by step. Dirt splattered beneath her shoes, but she ran without caring about the mud.
A smile slipped onto Bianca's lips as she watched her. It's good that someone is desperately doing something for her. An unfamiliar sensation tickled Bianca's fingertips. Similar to the warmth of a stove.
While smiling to herself like that, Bianca made eye contact with Gaspard, who was standing behind her. Fearing to meet the deep blue eyes that were looking at her, Bianca reflexively tightened her lips.
Bianca knew what others thought of her. They whispered that even Bianca's smile could have hidden motives. Gaspard wouldn't receive it well either.
Embarrassed, Bianca coughed loudly, then turned around and hid her face as if nothing had happened. Then she headed towards the castle following Yvonne.
Gaspard silently followed Bianca's steps forward. His face remained motionless, but his eyes constantly swayed with subtle ripples, as if a stone had been thrown into a calm lake.
-----
Shortly after Bianca returned to her room, Yvonne arrived with the same herbal water as yesterday and applied a poultice to her hands. After that, she had a light meal and soaked her tired body in the bathtub. The accumulated fatigue from the daily routine gradually dissipated in the warm water.
In the summer, when the roses were in full bloom, rose petals would have floated, but in winter, flowers were not available, so rose oil or dried citron flakes were used to obtain fragrance. As Bianca deeply inhaled the scent that tickled the tip of her nose, the steam from the hot bath moistened her nostrils.
While Bianca bathed, Yvonne heated the inside of Bianca's bed with a copper stove. The charcoal was placed inside the stove, and when placed under the blanket, the bed would warm up. Since Bianca always feels very cold, her bed was always heated from autumn until early spring.
But it wasn't just that. Bianca's bed had an attached canopy to retain heat in the bed. The thick fabric prevented cold wind from seeping in, and the warm bedding didn't cool down.
Today, Bianca's bedding was a golden silk sheet embroidered with gold thread. It was densely filled with feathers, and the inside of the duvet was lined with a soft and warm fur.
Yvonne sniffed the scent of the sachet at the head of the bed, careful not to set the bedding on fire. The sachet filled with musk, lavender, ambergris, and saffron still emitted a fragrant aroma. So, she wouldn't replace it just yet. Yvonne buried the sachet again in the space between the pillows.
It didn't take long before Bianca finished bathing and returned to her room. Bianca's pajamas were as delicate and transparent as cicada wings, and the neckline and sleeves were adorned with lace and ruffles. The white pajamas wrapped around her slender body and fell softly. It was too cold to wear just a thin nightgown, so Bianca covered herself with a sable fur.
Yvonne dried Bianca's hair. The wet hair appeared darker than usual, resembling the feathers of a black crow.
After finishing drying her hair, Bianca dismissed Yvonne and was left alone in the grand room. She was wearing furs, but her thin nightgown sent shivers down her spine. Bianca trembled and moved to the bed that was supposed to be warm.
Bianca climbed onto the bed with the canopy rolled back, sank into the warm bedding, and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. Lying on the bed, Bianca gazed at the flickering candle, not quite comprehending. The candle placed beside the bed illuminated the room in a dimly discernible manner.
While staring at the brilliant scarlet light of the candle, her heart trembled as if she were watching a sunset. With a sense of restlessness, memories of the past came to her mind, sometimes about today's events, and other times about older and distant days.
Bianca recalled the stroll she had with Yvonne and Gaspard today. Although it was embarrassing that Zachary and the other commanders came for a visit in the morning, upon reflection, the day itself was very pleasant. Bianca involuntarily smiled, remembering Yvonne's face when she handed her the squirrel fur.
Gaspard was more straightforward and less talkative than she expected. Of course, he still had his presence, as his gaze sometimes felt intrusive, but it was convenient as she could immediately rely on him without having to call a servant if she needed his strength.
Tomorrow, she wanted to do some embroidery in her room, but until then, would Gaspard be by her side? Perhaps he would. He was a man who would listen to anything ordered by Zachary. Bianca tossed and turned in her bed, contemplating tomorrow's schedule. Then she heard a sound as if someone had arrived.
Who could it be at this hour?
Bianca blinked angrily.
The sound of unwelcome footsteps was impeccable. In order not to offend Bianca, the maids would muffle their steps when entering her room. Bianca, having a rough idea of her opponent, rose from the bed with a low sigh. The blanket fell along her shoulders.
At the same time, an uninvited guest entered Bianca's room. As expected, the midnight intruder was her husband, Zachary.
Zachary paused as if surprised by the light in the dark room, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Bianca getting up from the bed. It didn't seem like she was sleeping. Dressed in a white pajama, Bianca stood out clearly in the darkness. Zachary spoke to Bianca implicitly.
"Were you sleeping?"
"I was getting ready for bed. Lately, I see you quite often."
Bianca retorted, fully standing up. She was quickly getting cold with just her thin pajamas, so Bianca reached for the fur that had been taken off next to the bed. Draping the fur over her shoulders, Bianca slid off the bed.
Her skirt got caught between the sheets, and her bare legs suddenly slipped out of the bed. Bianca, taken aback by her lack of modesty, hurriedly grabbed the skirt.
But the opponent was Zachary. Her husband.
The person she had to persuade to lie with her. Bianca's hand, pulling the skirt, halted.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)