Madame Marte's Fervent Courtship (2)
When I nodded, Marte entered with her hair swept up in an elegant style and wearing a lavish dress, her timeless beauty on full display as she flashed a radiant smile and strode confidently into the room. Two men in distinctly different attire followed her, and Olmati quietly informed me that they were an architect and a painter.
Madame Marte stopped in the center of the audience chamber, bowed deeply at the waist, and offered a polite greeting. “Have you been well?”
“It’s been a while, Madame.”
Her soft, refined voice remained unchanged. Yet that familiar tone suddenly brought back vivid memories of her naked body panting on the bed and the sounds of her moans. Damn it. With Dana sitting right beside me, what the hell was I thinking?
I forcefully shook off the impure thoughts swirling in my head, put on a smile, and spoke to her warmly. “I was quite surprised to hear you’d come to visit, Madame. If you had sent a letter ahead of time, I would have dispatched someone to greet you properly.”
“I wanted to surprise you, my lord, so I kept it hidden until now. Were you very startled?”
“I was greatly surprised, but the joy outweighs it. Still, what brings you all the way to this distant place?”
“With bandits running rampant everywhere, it’s a dangerous time for a mere woman to undertake a long journey. However, since you have become a lord, I simply couldn’t stay away. I also wanted to see what this place called Lanchester looks like.”
Madame Marte playfully claimed she had carved out time from her busy schedule to congratulate me on receiving a noble title and becoming a lord. At the same time, she hinted at her desire to purchase some land inside Lanchester Castle to establish a branch of the Avignon Leche Merchantry.
The suggestion carried an underlying intention to maintain a close relationship by planting something of hers within my domain. That was why she had brought a renowned architect from the southern region with her today.
She sought my permission to build the branch office and, in addition, hoped to construct a private villa where she could stay during her future visits.
“What do you think? Would you sell me some land?”
“Of course I will. I gladly accept your proposal, Madame. Having a major merchantry like the Avignon Leche establish a presence here will greatly aid the territory’s development.”
It would create jobs within the domain and stimulate the local economy through the spending of the merchantry’s personnel.
Yet Madame Marte seemed unsatisfied with my answer alone and turned her gaze toward Dana. Then she said something she didn’t need to say at all.
“What does the lady think? Would it be all right if I visit here often? Or do you perhaps dislike me?”
In her polite inquiry, I caught a glimpse of something fox-like in Madame Marte. She wasn’t deliberately trying to upset Dana, but I couldn’t fathom why she would ask such a question.
My lips tightened. Dana already knew about my past relationship with Madame Marte, and here the woman was, unnecessarily dredging it up again. Did she actually think Dana would feel jealous and hate her for it?
As I stroked my chin, Dana’s voice broke the silence.
“If my husband wants it, then I want it too. If my husband is happy, I am happy. Welcome to our Lanchester, Madame. I hope we see each other often.”
Dana’s calm reply was the perfect response to an unnecessary question, and it made me smile once more. I let out a breath of relief.
Madame Marte, who had deliberately asked in order to read Dana’s true feelings, softened considerably after hearing the answer. She now knew that Dana did not hate her.
“I cannot express how grateful I am that the lady welcomes me with such a joyful heart. Then I shall take the liberty of visiting often in the future.”
“Well, let’s leave the conversation here. Regarding the land purchase, please discuss the details with Olmati and our financial officer, Kelly. They will cooperate fully and handle everything smoothly.”
I tried to send her on her way, but Madame Marte’s business was not yet finished. There was a reason she had brought both the architect and the painter, and since she was a potential major sponsor who might pour significant funds into the territory’s growth, I could not refuse her special request.
After concluding audiences with the various families who had come from the four villages, I met with Madame Marte again. Her special request turned out to be a painting.
“It is a gift for both of you, and a gift for myself as well.”
The painter she had brought was to create my individual portrait, a couple portrait of me and Dana, and a third painting of the three of us enjoying a leisurely picnic together in a green meadow.
“My lord? Do you perhaps dislike being with me?”
The painter sat at a distance, sketching, while the three of us posed on a mat spread across the grass, chatting casually. That was when Madame Marte suddenly spoke.
“The way you look at me makes me feel like an intruder.”
“Haha, that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“I don’t like cold expressions. Even though I am older than the lady and my figure is less pleasing, I would appreciate it if you treated me with the same warmth.”
“Please don’t say such things. You are very beautiful as well, Madame.”
I smiled on the surface, but inside I flinched. As expected of the head of a vast merchantry, her perception was sharp.
It wasn’t that I disliked Madame Marte, but having her present in a space with Dana did feel awkward and uncomfortable. After the unnecessary remarks she had made in the audience chamber earlier, I was anxious about what else she might say in front of Dana.
I forced a bright smile. “I’m simply happy to be seated between two beautiful women. And it feels wonderful to breathe fresh air outdoors like this. A rare moment of relaxation.”
The sunset burned crimson as it slowly sank toward the horizon.
I casually asked Madame Marte how long she intended to stay.
“Since the two of you plan to marry soon, I thought I would attend the ceremony. Until then, I intend to enjoy a leisurely vacation while overseeing the establishment of the branch and the construction of the villa.”
“I see. Thank you. Hahaha…”
It was true that being around Madame Marte felt uncomfortable because of a past mistake, but she was clearly an ally and a patron. I held no dislike for her, nor any intention of pushing her away. On the contrary, I was grateful.
She had traveled all this way to help develop the territory and had even brought a famous painter to create portraits that would be passed down through generations. Where could one find a better person?
My only anxiety was the fear that she might say something inappropriate in front of Dana—perhaps competing with her over me, for instance…
Fortunately, so far both women maintained peaceful expressions.
“Master?”
Haida had approached.
“Are you not feeling peckish? I brought some wine and cake with Evynee, just in case.”
“I was actually craving something sweet. Perfect timing.”
Madame Marte smiled brightly. Dana’s eyes sparkled at the mention of cake.
“Bring it over.”
“Yes.”
Haida called to Evynee, who had been standing behind the seated painter, watching the sketch with curious eyes. The girl came running over.
“It feels so pleasant when something sweet enters the body.”
Madame Marte seemed thoroughly delighted. As we ate the cake that melted softly in our mouths and sipped the wine, conversation flowed freely. Dana occasionally exchanged a few words with Madame Marte, and the discussion between myself and Madame Marte grew warm and animated, time slipping away unnoticed.
Fortunately, nothing I had feared occurred before the sketching session ended. It became an opportunity for Dana and Madame Marte to grow familiar with each other, and it was genuinely an enjoyable time.
When darkness fell, I assigned Madame Marte a guest room so she could rest comfortably. Returning to the bedroom, I locked the door and immediately moved toward Dana.
They say that during the honeymoon period, a mere glance is enough to overturn the dinner table in favor of lovemaking. We were exactly like that. And today, especially…
Perhaps because I had met Madame Marte after so long, the thing between my legs throbbed with even greater urgency. I wanted to release everything I had held back throughout the day.
But contrary to my expectations, Dana refused.
“Today is tiring. I can’t.”
It was a shock. This was the first time she had ever rejected my touch.
Could she be angry because of Madame Marte?
“Why? Are you that tired? Too tired to manage?”
“Yes. It feels too difficult.”
Dana answered without meeting my eyes, as if apologetic, but I did not give up. After we changed into our nightclothes and lay down together, I tried again. This time I used actions rather than words to seduce her.
Yet the moment my hand touched her breast, she seized my wrist and pushed it away.
“I can’t tonight.”
She spoke firmly, then coldly turned her back to me and faced the wall.
I sat frozen in surprise for a long while, stunned. To be rejected so utterly. Was it really because of Madame Marte?
“…All right. I won’t touch you. Sleep well.”
There was nothing else I could do. Tonight I would calm the excitement in my chest and sleep quietly. I couldn’t be certain what had upset her, but I had no desire to provoke her further and make things worse.