The seamstress marked the parts needed, pinned them, and carefully undressed Celia. Ellen helped by the side. The seamstress rolled up the clothes, bowed to Celia, and quickly left the room.
Only after seeing the door close, Celia clicked her tongue and looked at Ellen.
“The competition is going to increase.”
“Pardon?”
“Lord River. It’s going to spread quickly that the Duke has a mind to make Lord River’s son his successor. That seamstress… she’s got loose lips.” added Celia with a frown. Ellen’s face turned pale.
“Could it be that-, could this discussion bring trouble to either Lord River or the Duke?”
“No, I don’t think so. Those two are the focus of the palace girls’ attention anyway. But I heard from Ced that these days, Lord River is only interested in one person.”
With sparkles in her eyes, Celia looked intensely at Ellen. Ellen’s face was burning. She ducked her head and bit her lips, but Celia seemed unwilling to give up.
“Is it serious?”
Ellen hesitated and nodded slowly.
“I think so.”
“Good for you! Lord River is a good man. Besides, he’s the Duke’s brother, so he can come to the palace often, and Lord River is the Duke of Madison’s guard captain. Isn’t that right?”
“Once Lord River will be married, it seems the Duke intends to give him some lands.”
“Well, for the sake of appearance, that would be better. He won’t be able to live together in the Duke’s castle after marrying.”
Celia tilted her head and looked at Ellen, noticing she was lost in thought.
“Is there something on your mind?”
Ellen tried to organize her thoughts, but it wasn’t easy. She couldn’t figure out how to explain it. In the end, she said the first thing that came to her mind.
“Then, the Duke will be left alone.”
Celia stared at her silently. Ellen tried to explain a little more.
“Right now, the two brothers have each other, but when Lord River leaves for his own land, the Duke will be left alone.”
Alone, without a brother to worry about him, no one to think about him, and not even anyone to talk to. She felt her heart sinking at the thought of Ryder being alone in a place with no one around. He, he was…
“Are you worried about that? The Duke seems to be a man who can get along with life even by himself without difficulties.”
“On the outside, I suppose. But he is someone who doesn’t say what he wants. He wants to do something, but he doesn’t ask for what he wants.”
He was the kind to barely catch what he wanted only if it was shoved in his face like bait. That’s why River had done it. He had pushed her in front of Ryder, all dressed up to his taste, to fish him.
Ryder paid little attention to the other women strutting in front of him. He showed no interest either. But as soon as she had called his name, he had rushed to her in a hurry. As if acting like he would never touch her again was all fake.
Yeah, it was all fake. He couldn’t ask for what he really wanted. He backed down because he thought she belonged to his brother.
“What about Lord River? Is it okay to leave him alone?”
Celia asked, raising her eyebrows slightly. Ellen frowned.
“River is the kind of man who will actively search for what he wants. And won’t let it go if he finds it…”
And he wanted her. And had taken hold of her. Whether she panicked, backed down, or got scared, he did not care. He just kept coming at her.
He wanted her.
The realization felt as if it were going through her heart like cold water. What had been hidden so far seemed to be becoming clear. Nothing else but the fact that he wanted her was evident.
“And Lord River wants Ellen. Am I right?
Celia smiled maliciously. Ellen blinked and looked at the Queen.
“And you are worried about both of them. I don’t know much about the Pelbrook brothers, but Ced has often talked about Duke. They studied abroad together for some years. I think the Duke acted as a bodyguard for Ced. Anyway, he told me that the Duke would always say, ‘I’m not letting anyone get hurt by my own mistakes.’ I don’t know what the Duke was talking about, but maybe you do.”
Ellen simply nodded her head. Even if it was with the Queen, she did not want to talk about the Duke’s affair recklessly. Celia continued without question.
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“A wound in the heart is harder to find than a wound on the body. And hard to heal, too. But you cannot lose patience. Men are like grown-up kids, and you have to keep comforting and consoling them until they bring up what they really want. I tell you, it’s hard.”
Celia shook her head and smiled.
“And there’s a lot more to care about when there are two men. Mark my words.”
Ellen’s face blushed again. Celia seemed to know the situation, but she just shut her mouth.
***