Shall We Make Tonight Hot?
"Sh-sharing a bed?! ...Mmph!"
"Do you mean to announce it to every corner of the world?"
The head maid heaved a deep sigh.
Once she confirmed that Melissa had calmed a little, she lowered her hand. The younger maid immediately swallowed hard.
"So Her Ladyship won't be sleeping in her own rooms tonight?"
"It would seem so. Once Her Ladyship finishes her bath, escort her to His Grace's bedchamber."
"Y-yes!"
The two of them sharing a room!
Wasn't this practically the first time since the wedding? Melissa's eyes sparkled at once as she nodded with vigorous enthusiasm.
"Then shall I prepare wine and a few light refreshments as well?"
"He didn't say anything of the sort, but..."
The head maid trailed off, turning the earlier conversation over in her mind.
The Duke had summoned her out of nowhere, informed her only that he would be sharing a room with his wife that night, and then returned to his documents without another word of instruction.
He's always so expressionless.
It was impossible to tell whether he truly meant they would do nothing but sleep, or whether he expected her to prepare everything properly on her own initiative. The ambiguity was maddening.
Still, considering the circumstances—after such a long separation—they might simply want to talk over everything that had happened. The head maid nodded to herself. Both of them clearly had a great deal to say; a light dessert wine would hardly be out of place.
She was the only one thinking that reasonably, however.
"I-I'll prepare it right away!"
The loyal maid, who had already leapt past the idea of a shared bed and was picturing their future children scampering about, shone with bright-eyed determination.
...I think I could sleep if you were there.
"...Of course."
He seemed to have grown even more shameless in the time they'd been apart.
He hadn't been quite this bold before.
Whatever had happened in that single year, he now spoke without the slightest hesitation—saying things anyone might easily misinterpret.
It just makes me feel strange for no reason.
Even knowing he couldn't possibly mean it that way.
When words like that came from a face that handsome, she found herself dwelling on them despite herself.
Riena twisted a half-dried strand of hair around her finger, then finally gave up and rose from her seat.
Just then Melissa entered, having finished the preliminary arrangements for the two of them. The moment she saw her mistress looking ready to leave at once, she asked,
"Where are you going, my lady?"
"I'm getting sleepy."
Riena added a vague remark about being tired, cleared her throat softly, and started walking.
Melissa hurried after her mistress, eyes sparkling as she held her breath.
Th-thank goodness.
She had finished the preparations and stepped out at exactly the right moment.
Melissa clasped her trembling hands together.
She had done her utmost, yet this was the first time she had ever been entrusted with such a task. Anxiety kept creeping in—had she forgotten something?
Riena, however, was every bit as tense.
In the past she had slipped out before dawn on business without her nerves fraying like this.
Simply the knowledge that she would have to share a space—and the same bed—with another person for no particular reason was enough to tangle her thoughts.
After brooding for a while, Riena finally gave a small shake of her head.
There's no need to overthink it.
She was only going there to sleep. There was no special purpose, no deeper meaning.
So there was no reason to be this nervous.
Just go naturally.
Act as if it were nothing, sleep, and leave in the morning.
We've known each other for years, after all.
Herman was an exceedingly gentlemanly man.
That wasn't merely the opinion of someone close to him; anyone could see it. He never slipped even in the smallest point of etiquette. In Riena's view, he was one of the most aristocratic people she had ever known.
He was absolutely not the sort to lay a hand on someone who was asleep.
Having soothed herself that way, Riena nevertheless stood before the bedchamber door with a heart that refused to settle.
She drew a quiet breath and opened it.
Melissa, who had discreetly taken hold of the doorknob, spoke up.
"Please call for me whenever you need anything, my lady!"
"Need anything?"
They were about to go to sleep.
She wondered what the girl could possibly be implying, but a familiar voice drifted through the open doorway before she could ask.
Herman sat perched on the edge of the bed, looking her way.
Riena swallowed whatever she had been about to say and slowly turned.
But the truly awkward moment...
"...Huh?"
...was only just beginning.
Did I...
Was I more exhausted than I realized?
Am I seeing things?
Riena squeezed her eyes shut without thinking, then opened them again slowly.
...The rose petals scattered across the bed, the wine and cheese crowding the table, the lavish floral arrangements—none of it had vanished.
And neither had the man sitting at the foot of the bed, watching her.
"Wh-what is all this?"
"I didn't order any of it."
Herman rushed to explain.
Riena was not the only one flustered. Herman himself had no idea how to interpret this sudden, bewildering scene.
I really did say I just wanted to sleep...
Arranged like this, it looked as though he had been expecting something else entirely.
Worried about needless misunderstandings, Herman stole a sidelong glance at Riena.
She still stood frozen in the doorway, clearly unable to process what she was seeing.
"Th-the maids... must have misunderstood somehow."
"...That does seem to be the case."
Judging by the sheer zeal of the preparations, something had clearly gone awry in the chain of communication.
"Hmm."
Riena carefully crossed the room and took the seat opposite him at the round table.
Herman, still distracted, only noticed the woman sitting squarely in front of him a moment later and gave a startled jolt.
"R-Riena?"
"Do you still have work to do? You used to bring papers into the bedroom sometimes."
"No... I finished everything before I came."
"Then shall we have a glass?"
"Y-you want to drink together?"
"Yes. Why?"
Riena surveyed the refreshments arranged on the table.
Canapés topped with bright fruit, cheese, chocolate—everything.
She couldn't understand why they had prepared it all with such earnest care, but given the pretty dishes they had used, it seemed only polite to eat a little.
Well, none of it is particularly heavy.
Eating this much before bed shouldn't upset anyone's stomach. Besides, the wine they had chosen was a light dessert variety.
With that thought, Riena reached for the corkscrew.
Herman, however, picked it up first.
"I'll do it."
"Ah—yes. Thank you."
Riena smiled faintly and nodded. There was no reason to refuse when he offered.
While Herman drew the cork and poured the wine, Riena found her gaze drifting helplessly toward the bed again and again.
Judging by how meticulously they had arranged everything, the servants might already be under the impression that the two of them would be spending the night together in every sense.
The thought made her cheeks burn.
I'll have to clear this up first thing in the morning.
Such an embarrassing rumor.
It absolutely needed correcting.
And yet...
...It's not entirely a bad thing, is it?
Another thought suddenly crossed her mind.
If they had to play the part of a happily married couple anyway, perhaps this sort of misunderstanding would actually help.
To deceive the outside world,
they first had to convince everyone in this household completely.
If word got out that they only pretended to be close in public while keeping their distance at home, it would become extremely inconvenient.
She needed to remain at Bertis until that man was caught and she received a full acquittal.
"Your Grace... no. Herman."
"What is it?"
Herman, still pouring, lifted his chin slightly.
And in the instant he looked at her—
"Shall we make tonight really hot?"
Glug-glug...
The wine spilled completely over the rim of the glass.