A Noble Marriage - Chapter 18
Chapter 18 – Unacceptable Traits (1)
By the time they reached the closest train station in France, the second day had just begun. As winter was also just on the cusps of arrival, the sun took longer to shine down upon them. The air was icy, and the sky illuminated with the barest hints of the stars…
It gave off a cold and lonely feeling.
The moment Anna had stepped off of their train car, each exhale she took came out in white huffs. She was practically shivering, limbs stiff from the cold.
“Are you cold?” Karenin asked.
“I’m alright.” Anna shook her head, blinking her eyes to clear up her head.
The carriage Karenin had prepared was already waiting for them at the entrance. The carriage man loaded their luggage and greeted Karenin. From the way they interacted with each other, she had a feeling that they were old acquaintances.
“I heard that you got married, sir. This must be the Madame.” he greeted with a kind smile towards her.
The carriage man wasn’t tall, but his arms seemed to look very sturdy. From his clothing, it seemed that his household wasn’t particularly well-off, but he was clean and tidy and his smile was not stiff or cautious.
“Yes, Binos.” Karenin answered.
“Hello, Mr. Binos.” Anna smiled as she spoke.
Mr. Binos’ eyes were very large. He smiled as he greeted Anna as well.
Anna and Karenin sat into the carriage. They were heading to a hotel, where they would be staying for a while.
Though it was called a hotel, it was one of the more luxurious ones, quiet, still, and housing many government workers like Karenin. The first layer was the main hall and the club. The second and third layers were the living areas.
The room Karenin had reserved could only be accessed after taking three turns of the hallway. She thought the location was a bit inaccessible, but it was very quiet. She liked the privacy it was offering.
The room was a suite. And though it was not as big as compared to Karenin’s residence, it was still quite spacious for the two of them. The suite had bedrooms and a parlor. It also had separate bathroom facilities.
Karenin tipped the attendant while Anna began to organize their luggage inside the room. Some might find her actions a little odd.
Karenin had yet to witness nor hear a noblewoman who actively organizes their own things, but Anna had insisted she does them herself. She seemed to be enjoying, so Karenin wasn’t complaining.
He watched as Anna hung the clothes on the wardrobe, flitting back on forth from the suitcase to a system she understood. Karenin had offhandedly suggested that they go to eat breakfast. Anna had paused and agreed, and thus they departed the room.
They went to the dining lounge for their breakfast, when Karenin noticed Anna had yet to eat much from what he expected.
“Do you not have an appetite?” he asked as soon as he noticed it.
“A little.” Anna admitted, she just barely managed to finish the fruits before her, leaving the sausage alone on her plate. And she could tell the sausage was delectable from the smell. She felt a little sorry she couldn’t eat more.
“If you can’t eat it, then just leave it. Don’t force yourself, Anna.” he reminded her, almost as if he read her mind.
Anna looked up at him, then asked, “Can I really do that?”
“Yes.” Karenin answered in a matter-of-fact tone. When he saw Anna let out a sigh of relief, he took the food in Anna’s plate into his own and finished it without any trouble.
Anna looked around her. She sighed in relief when no one had noticed them.
“In the future, can I give you everything I don’t like to eat?” She asked with anticipation but received a refusal.
“No. Being picky and being unable to finish are two very different things. The first is a bad habit. The second is unavoidable.” Karenin finished the last bite of cauliflower, looking calmly at his bride with his blue eyes, letting her understand that being picky was unacceptable in the Karenin household.
“Alright then.” She spoke with a hint of disappointment. So much for hoping to avoid eating foods she didn’t find delicious.
“I need to go out in a while. You can rest in the suite.” he told her, picking up a napkin to dab his lips with.
“Do you need to work now?” Anna asked. Karenin slightly nodded but didn’t reveal any more details. “Then when will you return, Alexei?” she asked to prod more details on him.
“If everything goes as planned, then I will finish at around three in the afternoon. If you need anything, you can send someone to find me at this location.”
Swiftly, Karenin gave the name of his destination as he pulled out a card from his breast pocket. Anna took it gratefully, but she was certain she wouldn’t needlessly bother her husband from his work.
“At noon, you can go to the main hall and eat, or you can let them send it up for you.” he informed her.
“I don’t think I’ll need lunch. Perhaps I would take a shower when I return, and then take a nap.” Anna mumbled, her exhaustion showing in the tips of her eyes and brow.
Karenin looked up, then calmly stated, “In consideration for your health, I still recommend that you not skip lunch, Anna.”
“I will try my best to comply with your proposal, sir.” Anna made a mischievous gesture. Karenin slightly raised his brows at this but didn’t say anything else.
After Karenin left, Anna did as she said she would, going to the washing room to take a bath. She felt like her pores were all opened, the steam from the hot water making her relax, almost falling asleep while lying in the bathtub.
When she left the bath, her hair was wet so she wrapped it with a towel.
She laid on the bed, and brought out a book, wanting to wait until her hair would dry before she would try to sleep. However, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep in just under five minutes, the book dangling on her fingers.
Her dreams were strange and blurry. The random dreamlands caused her to be restless in her sleep, but her exhausted limbs made her reluctant to wake.
Unknowingly, several hours passed.