When I Stopped Being Your Shadow - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

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But then.

 

“Viscount Gott.”

 

A calm voice rang out.

 

It was Mary, Ines’ close maid.

 

Viscount Gott was delighted.

 

“What did the Countess say?”

 

 “The Lord is currently resting.”

 

“What?”

 

The Viscount narrowed his brow.

 

“It’s a rest the Lord barely got while she was so busy after taking over the title. So she can’t see the Viscount, she asked for your understanding.”

 

“No, wait. What do you mean…”

 

“She also wanted to tell the Viscount that the gift you sent was well received.”

 

Mary smiled softly and bowed her head politely.

 

“I am afraid you’re getting hurt by the cold, so the Viscount should also go back.”

 

 “Hey, hey. I must see the Countess’s face this time..… !”

 

“Then I will leave.”

 

After finishing her words, Mary just disappeared.

 

Viscount Gott’s face flushed red with anger.

 

“Sh*t!”

 

Was he really rejected like this?

 

He looked around the mansion for a while, just in case, but the front door showed no sign of opening.

 

In the end, Viscount Gott gave up and got into his carriage.

 

“Let’s go back!”

 

Just like that, the moment the carriage was about to start.

 

“Huh?”

 

Viscount Gott opened his eyes wide.

 

Just in time, the maids came out of the mansion with a trash basket.

 

It looked like they were taking the trash to the public bin outside……

 

“No, no. Wait a minute!”

 

Viscount Gott shook his hands and stopped the coachman.

 

The coachman who was just about to start the carriage turned around with a puzzled face.

 

“Sir?”

 

“Wait a minute!”

 

The Viscount stared out the window.

 

He could hear the maids chattering.

 

“The silk and down feathers that the Lord gave us. Where are you planning to use it?”

 

For a moment, Viscount Gott furrowed his eyebrows and hardened.

 

‘Silk and down feathers?’

 

All the materials were familiar.

 

Because it was the material for the teddy bear that he brought to Ines.

 

The maid answered in an excited voice.

 

“Well, actually, I’ve always wanted a silk handkerchief. It was so expensive I couldn’t even dream of it. So I decided to try making a handkerchief.”

 

“Good idea! So what are you going to embroider on the handkerchief? Flower? Or vines?”

 

“For now, I’m thinking about floral designs.”

 

The maids opened the lid of the trash can and poured the contents of the basket. The Viscount narrowed his eyes and looked carefully at the pouring garbage.

 

‘That?’ 

 

It was far away, so he couldn’t see it clearly, but somehow the trash was familiar to his eyes.

 

The maids who dumped the wastebasket closed the trash can lid with a light gesture.

 

 “Duck down is also very high quality! I’m going to make a new pillow!”

 

“Well, shall I add fur to my winter coat?”

 

“That sounds good, too. I think it’s going to be very warm.”

 

Finally, the maids return to the mansion. Viscount Gott hurriedly ran towards the trash can.

 

He didn’t feel very good.

 

The Viscount, who reflexively opened the trash can lid, widened his eyes.

 

‘Unbelievable!’

 

Inside, the doll he had sent was torn to shreds.

 

To be more precise, there were only a few scraps of fabric left that were once a doll. Eyes made of jewels were nowhere to be seen, and even the high-quality duck feathers that filled the doll’s insides only fluttered away with a few feathers.

 

“What? You said you received the gift well?!”

 

The Viscount couldn’t control his anger and closed the lid of the trash with a bang.

 

And there was someone watching it from afar through the window.

 

“Great.”

 

Ines smiled satisfied.

 

The trashy gift sent by Viscount Gott was neatly processed, and the Count’s maids were also happy.

 

She threw a stone and caught two birds. 

 

‘If it were normal, he would have run like a fool right away, asking how I could ignore the sincerity of Viscount Gott.’

 

 It seemed that he was afraid of losing the investment money. Seeing that he was not able to protest directly to Ines even though he burst out in anger like that. 

 

‘Well, that’s not to say that they won’t have their investment.’ 

 

Ines turned around with a light face. She thought she was going to have a good dream tonight.

 

***

 

Time passed quickly, and the date of her appointment with Enoch came.

 

It was still early in the morning. Ines, lying on the bed, sighed deeply and looked up at the ceiling.

 

‘This is one, I completely lost my sleep.’

 

It was only to finish the portrait work, but she couldn’t understand why she was so nervous and excited.

 

As a child, she felt as if the long-awaited picnic day had arrived. The fact that she was going to meet Enoch kept her heart beating faster and faster.

 

‘No, wait.’

 

At the same time, Ines narrowed her forehead and jumped up from her seat.

 

‘Do you want to keep thinking useless thoughts, Ines?” 

 

In this case, it would be best to take a bath in hot water.

 

By letting the water flow, she would also erase her thoughts.

 

Ines resolutely headed to the bathroom. But sadly, all her efforts she had made were to no avail.

 

The more she tried not to think about the Duke, the more she thought about him…

 

As she returned to her bedroom after taking a bath, Ines shook her head sullenly. And then.

 

Knock. Knock.

 

A knock sounded.

 

“Come in.”

 

Mary entered the bedroom and her eyes widened.

 

“Lord, are you awake already?”

 

It was understandable that Mary was surprised because Ines made a request yesterday before going to sleep. ‘Don’t let me oversleep and wake me up in time.’

 

“Well, somehow, I woke up early.”

 

Ines, who smiled awkwardly, sat down in front of the dressing table. Mary asked a question as she dried Ines’ wet hair with her skillful touch.

 

“How do you like your hair done today?”

 

“Can you raise it up? And a headdress…… … .”

 

Ines, who had opened the jewelry box without thinking, fell into deep agony for a moment. 

 

‘Should I use a ruby ​​pin? Or is this pearl better? Well, or else I’d rather have a neat headdress…’

 

Ines, who was carefully examining the inside of the jewelry box, began to pick up and put down the accessories.

 

Was that all?

 

She even picked up several ornaments and put them all over her head, making all kinds of decorations.

 

Mary, who was looking at Ines like that, suddenly opened her mouth.

 

“Lord, you look very happy.”

 

For a moment, Ines flinched.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes. Above all…..”

 

Mary spoke in her affectionate voice.

 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you care so much about your decorations.”

 

Since marrying Ryan, the smile gradually faded from Ines’s face.

 

“What’s that outfit? When you become a hostess of a family, you should know how to be frugal.”

 

Because of all the nagging, it was difficult to dress properly because she was always looking at Ryan’s eyes.

 

But now to watch her get dressed in such excitement….

 

‘Now it feels like I’m back to the original master.’ (Mary)

 

Not the Countess Brierton who was oppressed by Ryan, but the happy Count of Brierton.

 

Mary asked again with a happy face. 

 

“Who are you going to meet?”

 

“Ah…… He is an important person.”

 

Ines, who hesitated for a moment, shook her head hurriedly.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Lord?”

 

“Hey, I don’t think hair ornaments are necessary. Just… .”

 

Ines hesitated for a moment, but then concluded the conversation resolutely.

 

“Please make it as simple as you can.”

 

“Yes? Since you’re going out now, isn’t it better to change your mood and go out prettier?”

 

“No, you don’t have to.”

 

Ines turned down the advice at once.

 

Mary, startled, abruptly nodded her head.

 

“Ah yes…… .”

 

“You have to make it look like I didn’t care about my look. Understand?”

 

Ines repeated it again.

 

Mary was bewildered, but she couldn’t force her to dress up as Ines said so.

 

While brushing Ines’s hair with such regret, Mary’s eyes became round.

 

‘Oh?’

 

Ines tried to pretend to be calm, and was sitting with her back straight. But Ines’ ears and the nape of her neck was already dyed bright red.

 

‘Aha.’

 

In an instant, Mary realized.

 

Perhaps Ines did not properly notice her own feelings.

 

But, in Mary’s opinion, at least.

 

‘I don’t know who you are meeting today, but I think the Lord is looking forward to it!’

 

Mary resolutely grabbed the hairbrush. At the same time, Ines narrowed her eyes and looked at Mary through the mirror.

 

“Mary, why do you have such a mischievous expression on your face?”

 

 “Mischievous?”

 

Mary looked at her with a smirk.

 

“Lord, just relax and leave it to me!!”