A Marriage of Convenience /The Marriage Business

Ch.44

"...Madam?!"

"Oh, sorry for being noisy, madam. Please forgive us."

As soon as Bianca called them, the maids stood up in contemplation. Then, they bowed to apologize to Bianca and quickly escaped. It was as if Bianca would scold them if they showed even a small crack.

She knew they wouldn't welcome her, but still, Bianca, who was taken aback by the unexpected reaction, watched the maids disappear with a perplexed expression.

Bianca quickly set aside her embarrassment. She straightened her expression and sighed.

Yvonne, who was beside Bianca, panicked and looked at her anxiously. She couldn't say anything because she was contemplating whether to offer comfort or if it was the right thing to do.

Bianca tried to smile as if nothing happened and spoke to Yvonne to hide her discomfort.

"It's a big problem because I had something to ask them."

"W-What is it? I'll answer everything I know."

Yvonne also smiled awkwardly. The atmosphere, which had been tense for a while, seemed to disappear in an instant with her high-pitched voice.

"About the black-haired maid from earlier..."

"Bianca."

As soon as Bianca began to speak, her name was called from behind.

Bianca's body stiffened at the sudden call. There is only one person in this castle who can call Bianca by her given name. Bianca's efforts to pretend to be calm shattered in an instant.

He must have seen it. He probably saw it.

Thinking that Zachary had just seen the maids avoiding her, Bianca's face darkened. It was embarrassing that the lord's wife couldn't guide the maids.

Bianca groaned in distress, as she never wanted to be caught in such a way. At the very least, she felt the need to bury her flaming face in the snow piled up in the garden.

But instead of bowing her head, Bianca raised it even more rigidly. Breathing and pretending to be calm, she slowly looked back when she thought she had composed herself.

As she turned her body, her face returned to being as smooth and cold as porcelain. It was hard to believe that she had been trembling with embarrassment just a moment ago.

Bianca's eyes met Zachary, who was standing at the end of the hallway. He, who blocked her path like the guardian of the gates of hell, approached Bianca as soon as she turned around.

When Zachary approached, Bianca tensed up from the tension she felt. It was as if a huge beast was prowling towards her.

Her escort, Gaspard, was the largest man in the Arno castle. He was taller than Zachary, and no one could match the thick muscles in his shoulders and forearms.

Having dragged Gaspard from the corner of her eyes every day, she thought she had gotten used to big types, but when she saw Zachary in front of her, she realized that her thinking was wrong.

He had an intimidating presence that was enough to fill the gap in size with Gaspard.

The dignity as a lord and count flowed over him, so anyone could tell how much he had struggled to rise to such a position.

Bianca tried to remember the first time she and Zachary met. It had been a long time, so she didn't remember it well, but the way he dressed was uncomfortable and unattractive, so the feelings of dissatisfaction were clear.

She still remembers crying in the arms of her nanny Jean, saying that her father had sold her to someone poor.

Zachary approached Bianca. Bianca had to tilt her neck to the limit to make eye contact with him, as he was more than a head and a half taller. Bianca was annoyed because she felt like she was losing for nothing.