Chapter 4
“Lady Chloe.” Gilles’s voice called out from behind as Chloe carefully made her way past the gates, leaning on her cane.
She turned to regard him. “What is it, Gilles?”
“Chester bought a horse for me. It’s in the stable right now. I’ve taken it out to the forest a few times already.”
Known for his miserly ways, Chester had likely acquired the horse to extract more work from Gilles. Nevertheless, it was a welcome development for Gilles. Chloe smiled brightly, appreciating this rare display of chattiness with a bright smile.
“How wonderful. Alice has been taking riding lessons as well. Perhaps you two could ride together. She tends to be a bit unsteady, so I would be more at ease with you accompanying her.”
“Lady Chloe…”
“Yes, Gilles?”
Gilles hesitated as if he had something to say. “It is nothing. Please be careful.”
Chloe continued toward the forest. While she was genuinely happy for Gilles and his new horse, she could not help but feel envious. Her leg made it challenging to venture outdoors, let alone ride horses. Her unsteady gait was a constant concern for the servants, and she was reluctant to trouble them further. Her father shared the servants’ apprehension. Unlike Alice, a spirited girl who had seen the wider world from a young age during visits to their relatives, Chloe was confined to a quiet life within the castle walls, her days filled with embroidery and piano practice.
If only I could be of some use…
This desire had only grown stronger since her mother’s passing the previous year. As the viscount’s eldest daughter, the greatest contribution she could have made for her family was to dutifully attend etiquette lessons and eventually marry a respectable, wealthy nobleman. However, given her physical condition, she had long abandoned that prospect.
Chloe made her way through the rustling leaves with the support of her cane, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her disability did not hinder her as much as some might have assumed. Her tutor, Madam Walton, was also a physician, and she had learned a great deal about emergency care from her.
While this knowledge was primarily intended for her ailing mother’s care, Chloe took comfort in the thought that it had also been of help to the soldiers. Though her father’s concerns had cut short her efforts to assist them, she planned to send them off with gifts when they departed the next day.
“Ah, there they are.” Chloe gently plucked leaves glistening with the morning dew and placed them in her basket. When chewed, these herbs had the power to alleviate inflammation and were often used for medicinal purposes. As she gathered herbs for the soldiers, she also picked the occasional wildflower that caught her eye. Since the gardener had been dismissed following her mother’s death, the once-abundant floral arrangements in the castle had dwindled significantly. Chloe had since begun collecting fresh wildflowers during her secret outings and adorning the dining table with a single bloom, a simple act that never failed to uplift her spirits.
By the time her basket was half-filled, her throat had grown parched. Just then, she spotted the small brook hidden within the woods, her customary resting spot during her solitary walks. The small, cold stream flowed consistently throughout the year, mirroring the stars at night and shimmering under the sun in the daytime. Sitting still and watching the water dance over the rocks always had a soothing effect on her.
This mountain belonged to the Verdier family and was off-limits to outsiders, and this particular spring remained a secret known only to Chloe. Yet, there was now an unexpected guest occupying her refuge.
A man stood in the spring, the chill of which could numb one’s fingers even in the height of summer. The water reached only to his shins, but in such frigid weather, standing in it bordered on madness.
What on earth is he doing?
Even from behind, his immaculately tailored attire made it impossible to mistake his identity. Chloe began to retreat quietly to avoid drawing the commander’s attention. Her social standing was far below his, rendering any informal greetings inappropriate, and the time and place seemed unsuitable for introductions. Moreover, something told her it would be best not to disturb him.
She resolved to leave as quickly as possible, but she stumbled in her haste. Although she managed to avoid falling, the sound of the frost-covered autumn leaves crunching under her cane gave her away.
“Who goes there?” His sharp voice felt like a physical blow.
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, then turned around slowly, clutching her cane. Duke Thisse, whom she had observed from a distance the previous night, was even more striking up close. What truly intimidated her, however, was the icy aura that seemed to surround him.
“I asked your name.”
As he emerged from the spring, water dripped from his boots and soaked the dry leaves on the ground. Chloe, who had been staring blankly at the sight, swiftly composed herself.
“My apologies, Your Grace. I am Chloe Verdier, the daughter of Viscount Verdier.”
As she attempted to curtsy, her legs faltered. Just as she was about to fall, the Duke appeared before her, his firm grip steadying her. However, his hold was so tight that her arm began to ache.
“Oh!”
He released her arm. Chloe stepped back, leaning on her cane.
“It seems Lord Verdier’s eldest daughter has a habit of spying on people like a little rat.”
Chloe’s eyes widened at the accusation. His gaze remained unyielding as he watched her struggle to hide her indignation.
“This is the second time since last night that it has happened.”
“I apologize if I have offended you,” said Chloe, her lips quivering, “but I swear on my name that I was doing nothing of the sort just now.”
“Meaning you were yesterday?” A faint smirk crossed the Duke’s face.
Chloe furrowed her neatly arched eyebrows, her gaze directed downward. She had never run before, yet her heart pounded in her chest as if she had sprinted a great distance. Her interactions with other nobles had been limited, given her confinement within the castle. Was such discourtesy common among men of his rank?
“What are you doing here at this hour?”
Finally, a question she could easily answer. She held out her basket filled with herbs and took a deep breath. “I was gathering medicinal herbs. I heard that Your Grace will be departing tomorrow.”
“These are for me?”
Chloe blinked a few times before responding, “They are for all the soldiers heading to battle.”
A soft chuckle escaped the Duke’s lips as he stepped closer, his narrowed eyes briefly skimming the contents of her basket. “How diligent, venturing into this dangerous forest in your condition at this early hour.”
Chloe’s mood soured further, her agitation deepening as the Duke continued with yet another unexpected remark. “It seems Lord Verdier isn’t as naïve as he looks. What an ambitious fellow. Did he instruct you to throw yourself at me in order to seduce me?”
“That is quite absurd.” Chloe’s voice rose in defiance. She looked up, meeting his gaze with wide, quivering eyes. Her feelings of admiration from the previous night had evaporated like the morning mist, giving way to a growing resentment toward the haughty commander.
“Then why else would you have made a show of yourself, treating the rotten, pus-filled wounds of my soldiers? House Verdier may be of low standing, but such work isn’t becoming of a noblewoman. Especially one in your condition.”
Chloe could not bear the way he had appraised her leg as he spoke, but what truly offended her was his baseless assumption.
“I was only trying to help those who had set out for war to protect their families. I did not expect my title to become an issue. My late mother taught us that though our family may be humble in rank, it is our duty as nobles to come to the aid of those in need, for that is the comportment expected of the nobility.”
The Duke’s icy blue eyes resembled the cold light of dawn. Chloe was struck by the thought that she might come to forever despise the sight of the early morning sky.
“You’re being quite earnest, aren’t you?” the Duke said, his perfectly symmetrical lips slowly curling into a smile.
Chloe held his gaze, her eyes wide and her heart pounding as though it might burst. She hated being misunderstood. “I am.”
“I shall trust in your noble intentions, then.”
Chloe struggled to stop herself from retorting that she did not need his trust. Alice might have been less restrained. But remembering that he was the heir to House Thisse, she bowed her head in feigned gratitude. “Thank you.”
The Duke slowly studied her. “However…”
Chloe remained silent, awaiting his next words.
“Has it never occurred to you that trying to do something beyond your abilities is not only selfish, but also a nuisance to others?”
“Why would you say such a thing?” Chloe had always strived to avoid inconveniencing others and could not recall a time when she had acted selfishly. Her lips quivered from the sting of unjust accusations.
“If you had heard the filthy jokes the men told as you hobbled around between them, would you still be able to keep your head held so high and talk about the comportment of a noblewoman?”