Secret Wardrobe of the Duchess

Chapter 34

But there was one person she spoke extremely arrogantly to…

“Hey, pass me the pepper.”

It was Edgar. Although he was steaming, he handed her the pepper container. On her dish was a roasted snipe that had been cooked with too many spices to boast about the wealth of the special day. There was no need to add pepper to it. She had to be speaking like that only to get on his nerves.

Just as he thought, Rubica didn’t bother to sprinkle the pepper. The crowd muttered among themselves at seeing that. The scholars who were inventing weapons under Edgar mostly thought the newly wedded couple seemed so in love.
However, a few comments were more than enough to disturb Edgar.

“She’s got him, she’s got him.”

“He has finally been conquered by love.”

Edgar couldn’t take it anymore and decided to speak to Rubica who was happily enjoying the feast.

“This is way too much.”

“Huh? Too much pepper?”

Rubica replied innocently with wide eyes. Edgar wanted to grab her wrist, drag her away, and tell her to stop ignoring him.

He was Duke Claymore. He knew how to handle those who dared to challenge his power and honor. But strangely, this time, he didn’t feel like jumping on his feet or take Rubica’s wrist forcefully.

No, he wanted to, but he couldn’t. He was going to realize that inexplainable feeling had been ‘fear’ only later.

“… we will talk in private later.”

That was clearly a warning, but Rubica didn’t care. She just tasted the dishes that filled the table as the servants from the kitchen had worked hard preparing food from yesterday morning to this evening.

Of course, they couldn’t make the pie Ann had requested, one filled with live pigeons that would fly away when the crust was cut, instead, there was every possible delicacy, including cream cake in the shape of a castle and chocolate with rum filling.

Edgar was looking less beautiful than usual because he was annoyed, but Rubica decided not to care about him anymore. She then started to examine the guests one by one.

Even though the wedding had taken place quickly, as it was a wedding feast of the duke and the duchess, all of them were wearing fancy clothes.

‘Hmm, he is dressed like a scholar indeed. He is wearing such a huge hat to… cover his bald head? But it looks nice, it matches his face.’

After she looked at the scholars of Claymore, she examined the knights.

‘… that man, he is certainly handsome.’

Stephen was dressed in much nicer clothes than the ones he had been wearing when Rubica accidentally ran into him in the mansion’s treasury. He was the personal guard of the duke. He appeared to be in a higher rank than the other knights. Moreover, the knights around him were most certainly good to look at.
The energy of the warriors’ muscles is so… energetic.

“You are watching them too openly.”

Edgar realized where she was looking at and frowned. Rubica wasn’t even surprised at hearing him accuse her.

“They are the Claymore Family’s retainers. I’m just trying to memorize their faces.”

No, you’re not. You looked them up and down and you just stared at that knight’s chest.

Edgar really wanted to say that, but he managed not to. He didn’t like that she was looking somewhere else.

However, he didn’t want her to know that. He didn’t know why, but he felt like it would let her take advantage of his weakness.

“People might get the wrong idea about you.”

“Ann, can I have more champagne, please?”

Rubica openly ignored him and talked to Ann.

“But wouldn’t a glass of champagne be enough for you?”

Ann was worried about the baby and tried to stop Rubica. She didn’t know what Ann was thinking, but she hadn’t asked because she really wanted champagne.

Therefore, she nodded and drank the water that Ann poured out for her instead of champagne.

“Would you like to drink water as well?”

Ann asked, but Edgar shook his head. Then, he was surprised to see her look at him so happily.

‘You must be jealous.’

No.

Jealous? No, not at all.
Edgar thought it was unfair. However, suddenly announcing he wasn’t jealous would only let people know he was jealous. And his pride was ordering him to shut up for now.

“I don’t want water.”

Edgar drank champagne again. He could feel his face heating up quickly. He probably should take the medicine for the cold quickly.

“Where is Carl?”

“He is right over there, Your Grace. I will bring him.”

Ann left in a hurry to call Carl who was giving orders to the servants.

Rubica thought examining the knights again would only make Edgar blow up, so she started to look at the relatives who lived within the mansion.

They were wearing clothes and accessories much better than those of the other guests. Some of them glared at Rubica, but she just ignored them and went on.
Rubica examined people for some time, but then someone caught her eyes. The girl sitting at the very end of the table.
Unlike the people around them who were dressed in splendid silk, her dress was shabby. She seemed afraid as she kept looking around and eating quietly.

The green hat on her head looked quite funny and was exploiting the beauty of her blonde hair. Her skin was rough, and she was crouching. People would never call her beautiful.