[I almost forgot for a moment.]
[Exactly...This bastard has turned into a real bastard!]
Adaline reluctantly admitted: [she has the memory of a goldfish.
Although, to be honest, it was not only her fault.]
[Who even allowed him to smile so happily?]
[Stick to her, pretend to be worried, forbid her to drink because of her temperature.]
[Hug, kiss - tenderly, carefully, and in all seriousness declare that “he won’t do anything else.”]
[That's his kidnapper style, right?]
[Of course, it was stupid to act as if she had completely forgotten that she had been kidnapped and threatened.]
“If you're done, would you like to walk a little?” - Shane suggested.
“Do I have a choice?” - she snorted.
He didn't answer, just gave her a warm, completely serene smile.
Several days passed.
It has been raining since morning in Delmez.
Small, incessant.
When it ends, the real cold will begin and winter will come.
The city, which until recently was buzzing with rumors about the Saint’s miracle, resurrection and ducal wedding, has now, like the weather, calmed down.
True, it was not just the rain.
[Since Genevieve performed the wedding ceremony, nothing significant has happened.]
[The fire goes out if you don’t add more wood.]
[The same daughter of the marquis, who was considered resurrected, has not appeared anywhere since the wedding.
So does the Duke of Blanchard.]
As if they had announced in advance: [We left for our honeymoon and disappeared within the walls of the mansion.]
[The social season had not yet begun; there were almost no balls or receptions.]
And, to rare invitations, the butler responded with a soft but decisive refusal.
Curiosity began to grow in the silence.
“Do you think they’ll show up at Sunday service?”
“The Duke of Blanchard was not particularly religious before.
I rarely came to church.”
“But now the service will be conducted by the Holy One instead of His Holiness...”
“Do you still believe these rumors?”
“Yes, there was definitely something between them.
No wonder everyone is talking about it!”
“They are both married.
Spreading gossip will cost you more."
The young priest shushed his friend, looking around cautiously.
Then he leaned closer and lowered his voice:
“Did you hear?
At the ball, someone was rude to the Duchess, and the Duke..."
“Killed?!” - the interlocutor gasped.
“Not really...
Almost killed.
He remained alive, but was barely breathing.”
“Well, it’s almost the same!”
"No.
Almost doesn’t mean after all.”
"Brrr..."
“So watch your language.
The newspapers, which had been sarcastic about the wedding, suddenly fell silent after it.
His Lordship has dealt with them.”
“Where do you get all this from?”
“From the newspapers.
Read more carefully."
“I read too!”
"You read, but don't think..."
The priest, who had spent the entire conversation checking the chatterbox, disappeared into the corridor.
“I didn’t kill anyone.
And I didn’t do anything special.” - Shane said suddenly.
“...I didn’t ask you.” - Adaline muttered and pulled her hood deeper.
[The decision to get out of the house turned out to be extremely successful.]
She was sure: [if she had been caught, it would have ended in more than just a scandal.]
[This world in many ways resembled Earth: the same weeks, months, and Sunday was a day of rest.]
[Adaline was never particularly religious, and that hasn't changed.]
[But the locals are the opposite.
Their faith in the deity was not only deep, it seemed unshakable.]
[Therefore, both church services and masses were taken seriously here.]
When Genevieve wrote that she would conduct the Sunday service instead of the Pope, Adaline decided to go to the temple, but not on the day of the service itself.
[In case Shane decided to stop her, she was even ready to lie down on the floor and refuse to get up.]
[But, to her surprise, he agreed without any conditions.]
“I didn’t forbid you to go out.” - he said.
“You said you shouldn’t leave alone.”
“That's it.
Alone."
"..."
“And with me, you can go anywhere.”
“What if I need to go without you?”
"That won't happen." - Shane snapped.
Adaline wanted to ask why he even thought that he could control other people’s decisions, but she remained silent.
The answer still wouldn't satisfy her.
[Shane didn't really leave the house.
At all.
He was always there.]
[At first it made her angry, as if she was locked in.]
But a few days later, Adaline was forced to admit: [Damn...but it’s so convenient for me!]