My eyes widened slightly as I witnessed Antyone's blatant rudeness directed at me.
But I said nothing.
When I didn't respond with anger or distress, my silence seemed to unsettle her entirely.
I simply asked, "Who are you?"
The innocence in my question—devoid of any malice—caught her off-guard. Antyone turned to Hannah in confusion.
*Didn't you tell her?* her expression seemed to demand.
Days ago, when Antyone had emerged from Kaian's bedroom and encountered Hannah, she had poured out vicious words. She must have assumed the Vermont woman would be devastated by the revelation.
But here I sat, upright and serene, like freshly polished jade—blinking at her with genuine puzzlement.
Antyone's indignation flared.
"Don't you know who I am?" she demanded, triumphantly extending her hand adorned with the enormous blue diamond. "Can't you tell from this?"
Only then did my composed expression falter slightly.
"Ask your servant," Antyone continued coldly. "She saw me emerge from Kaian's bedroom."
When my eyes fell on Hannah, she appeared embarrassed by the implication. But then her expression shifted—her eyes blazed with anger.
She rose from her seat and moved directly toward Antyone.
"Why did you come? Leave immediately!" Hannah's voice was sharp enough to cut.
The conflict between women had begun.
---
In his office, Kaian was examining items the jeweler had brought.
"This is extremely popular these days," the craftsman explained eagerly, seizing the opportunity after so long without royal patronage. "You may have glimpsed it—it reinterprets Her Majesty Silvia's favored style. Gorgeous, yet delicate and light. Ideal for daily wear."
Kaian's attention focused on a ring and matching bracelet crafted from tiny diamonds and rubies arranged in the pattern of flowering vines. The design was intricate yet refined—bright and luminous despite its delicate construction.
He used to believe that men who selected such ornamental pieces to win women's favor were pathetic fools.
Yet Kaian wasn't seeking to win Claudel's favor through vanity. No—he was simply repaying his benefactor. It was a dignified act on behalf of the Temnes family. At least, that's how he'd framed it to himself.
"I'll take this set," he decided. "Please prepare a matching necklace and headdress as well."
The jeweler's eyes brightened with delight. "Of course, my Lord!"
"When can you visit her to take measurements?" Kaian asked.
"Claudel?"
"Yes. We'll need to measure her fingers and wrist for proper fitting."
"Right," the jeweler said. Then, suddenly, a realization struck Kaian. "The first-night gift—the bezel ring. Can you reduce its size?"
"Of course. Precious jewelry typically passes through generations and is resized to fit each wearer. It's quite standard."
*How did I not know this?*
"How long does the measurement process take?" Kaian asked.
"No time at all. I simply tie thread around the circumference to ensure comfort, then record the measurements."
Kaian stood immediately. "It's nearly lunch. Let's visit together. Butler!"
The butler appeared. "My Lord?"
"Have my meal brought to Claudel's room. Quickly."
As the butler turned to leave, he paused. "My Lord, if I may ask... since you've called the craftsman, should we also have your blue diamond ring resized?"
Kaian blinked. He'd been so focused on Claudel's measurements that he hadn't considered his own heirloom.
"An excellent point. Thank you for the reminder. Make a note of it."
With that, Kaian headed toward Claudel's room with the jeweler in tow.
*It won't be a complete surprise,* he thought briefly, *but at least this time it will fit properly.*
---
When Kaian entered Claudel's bedroom, he found Hannah shouting at a woman with long black hair.
"Why did you come? Leave immediately!"
Kaian's eyes narrowed as he recognized the figure—and immediately spotted her deliberately exposed ankles, adorned with silk ribbons.
Antyone turned at the sound of his entrance. When their eyes met, her entire demeanor transformed.
She looked startled, thrust the bouquet she'd been holding at Hannah, and hastily retreated from the room.
"Antyone," Kaian said coldly, "I told you never to appear before me again."
"I'm leaving, Duke!" she called back, practically fleeing.
"I merely came to visit the Duchess," she added weakly as she disappeared. "I'll take my leave now."
Kaian's gaze fell on the flowers she'd left behind. "Remove those."
Hannah grabbed the bouquet with a bewildered expression and carried it away, depositing it with the castle refuse rather than giving it further prominence.
When she returned, the jeweler was already bowing respectfully to Claudel.
"Lady, my apologies for the intrusion. I am honored to make your acquaintance."
If a nobleman's affection for his wife could be measured by the jewelry he commissioned for her, then Kaian had spared no expense today. He withdrew his measuring tools and arranged them on the nearby table with deliberate care.
"Please be seated comfortably," he instructed Claudel.
She hesitated. She wore day clothes but was still largely bedridden, uncertain if she could manage the distance from bed to chair.
Kaian solved the problem directly. He lifted the blanket covering her legs, gathered her gently into his arms, and settled her into the chair.
The jeweler extended thin white silk gloves. "Please wear these."
Claudel put them on slowly. The gloves, despite being slightly elastic, hung loosely on her impossibly thin fingers—so delicate that even the craftsman looked taken aback.
"This is... well, I've never encountered such slender hands," the jeweler said, glancing at Kaian uncertainly. "I'll need to measure without the gloves to ensure accuracy. May I...?"
"No," Kaian replied flatly.
The jeweler froze.
"Tell me the method. I'll do it myself," Kaian continued. "Can't I simply use string?"
"Ah—yes. Yes, that would work perfectly."
The craftsman handed Kaian a pre-cut length of string. Kaian wrapped it carefully around each of Claudel's fingers and wrist, tying gentle knots before cutting them loose at precise points.
Within moments, he'd completed all measurements.
"I will do my utmost," the jeweler said, preparing to withdraw. "My Lord, my Lady—I shall return when the pieces are ready."
"Wait," Kaian said. He turned to Claudel. "I need to retrieve something."
He rose and retrieved the bezel ring from her hand—the one that had started this entire situation.
"I didn't consider this carefully," he explained. "I gave you something that didn't fit as your first-night gift."
Claudel's eyes widened at the mention of that gift.
"The jeweler can resize it," Kaian continued, observing her troubled expression with keen attention. "My mother was quite tall. I should have realized the ring wouldn't suit your proportions."
"...The ring," Claudel murmured softly, making no move to relinquish it.
Kaian felt a flash of frustration. He had limited time—work awaited in the afternoon—and the jeweler's presence was eating into every moment he might have spent alone with her.
"Hurry and give it to him," he said somewhat curtly.
"It's alright," Claudel replied quietly. "You don't need to resize it."
"What?"
She met his eyes. "I'm hungry. And quite tired."
Kaian paused, then nodded. "Of course. Let's leave it for another time."
The bewildered craftsman hastily gathered his measuring tools and departed.
Moments later, the butler appeared, leading servants carrying lunch trays for both of them.
"I'm told you've been eating much better recently, my Lady?" the butler said pleasantly as he arranged the dishes. "I've informed the kitchen to prepare whatever you might desire. Simply ask."
"Thank you," Claudel replied.
Kaian's gaze drifted to where Hannah stood near the doorway. The maid watched Claudel with such fierce devotion that she rarely left, even during meals, wanting to ensure her mistress was cared for properly.
*Where did she go just now?*
Kaian realized Hannah had briefly absented herself during the commotion with Antyone, which explained how he'd been able to enter and manage the situation without immediate interruption.
"Eat," he instructed, lifting a spoonful of soup that had cooled to the perfect temperature and bringing it to Claudel's mouth.
"...Excuse me," she said softly.
"Hmm?"
"I don't know if I should say this..."
"Say it."
She hesitated. "My hand didn't hurt."
Kaian regarded her steadily. "I know. Your injury was your leg."
"Then why..." Claudel's confusion was evident. "Why do you keep feeding me?"
Even Kaian couldn't fully articulate his reasoning.
Initially, she'd been confined to bed and could barely manage eating on her own. The doctor had grown increasingly concerned, warning that without proper nutrition, recovery would be impossible. When left to her own devices, she barely touched her meals. So he'd begun feeding her, insisting she swallow what he offered.
But somewhere along the way, it had become more than necessity.
It was strangely satisfying—to have her accept his care without resistance, to watch her quietly comply with his words. How wonderful it would be if she listened to him in all things.
"Your body is still too weak," he said instead. "If you don't eat properly, recovery will be impossible. Eat."
Claudel obediently swallowed what he fed her.
"You're difficult to manage," he continued, though without real anger. "If you ate properly without my intervention, I wouldn't need to come here."
*Not that I want that at all,* he thought privately.
When eating, at least she didn't argue or complicate things. She simply accepted what he offered—a strange comfort in the chaos of his days.
Claudel set down her spoon. "I'll eat properly. You're busy. There's no need to come here on purpose."
"You have a long recovery ahead."
"It doesn't even hurt anymore," she protested. "I bathed yesterday, and this morning I practiced walking."
She did look better—her skin had regained some luminosity from his care and feeding over recent days. The white of her features had deepened into something almost healthy.
"Are you truly recovered? No pain at all?" he asked, studying her carefully.
"Yes." She clenched her fists, nodding firmly. "I'm fine now."
Kaian leaned back, a subtle smile touching his lips.
"Then tonight," he said quietly. "Don't sleep. Wait for me."
---