The likelihood of there being an issue with Lee is very low. For now, I’ll do everything I can on my end, and if it still doesn’t work out, we can discuss it together.

“…I was thinking about the nursery Lady Star recently decorated. It was so adorable. The forget-me-not patterned wallpaper, the white cradle. And piles of dolls, too. They say she made them all herself.”

“Oliver said she put in a lot of effort.”

“It really looked like it. The baby to be born must surely be one specially loved by God, being born to such an affectionate mother.”

Laura spoke in a light, casual tone, careful not to let her husband detect her true feelings. She tried hard to keep any trace of envy from her voice, maintaining a calm demeanor as if discussing something unrelated to her.

It had been a while since she last used her acting skills, but they hadn’t rusted. Even Ian, sensitive to his wife’s moods, was completely fooled.

Unaware of Laura’s true feelings, Ian found his wife’s delight over mere stuffed dolls and pretty wallpaper utterly endearing.

He pulled Laura by the shoulders, kissed her cheek, and rubbed his nose against the tip of hers, chuckling softly.

“Getting so excited over stuffed dolls, my baby?”

Laura let out a small laugh.

“Yes. I’m thrilled.”

He caressed her cheek, planting soft kisses on it.

“Let’s go to town tomorrow. I’ll buy you a mountain of them.”

“One or two would be nice, but what would we do with a mountain of them?”

“Decorate your study with them. And place them wherever your eyes linger—bedroom, dining room, drawing room, hall, gallery, garden, my office.”

“Stop saying such ridiculous things… mm…”

His lips, which had been gently brushing her cheek like warm spring rain, trailed down to her neck. The kisses grew deeper and more intense.

His touch softly grazed the area near her ribs, just above her waist—a sensitive spot. Laura let out a faint moan. An affectionate display meant for the bedroom was, once again, unfolding in broad daylight. Even as her mind grew hazy, Laura thought they should stop.

The carriage window was wide open, and the curtains were fully drawn back. The passenger seat was subtly close to the driver’s, so the coachman would surely notice if anything happened.

Laura barely clung to her senses and grabbed Ian’s shoulders.

“Ian. It’s the carriage. Stop… we can’t do this here…”

With his nose buried in her collarbone, he rubbed his lips against her pale skin and murmured.

“Just a little. Just a little, Laura.”

Even as he said this, his hand slid down her body, caressing her knee.

Laura tried to push his shoulders away, but it was no use. He held her waist tightly, and whenever Ian coaxed her like this, Laura found it impossible to stay resolute.

The moment they touched, her strength melted away. When his lips grazed her sensitive skin, her head spun, and her judgment blurred.

Laura didn’t crave it as often or as impulsively as her husband did, but once it began, she found herself just as happy. Ian seemed to know this, giving her joy every night and sometimes seeking her out during the day to share that happiness. The places varied widely—her study, the library, the glasshouse.

Afterward, Laura would be so embarrassed she’d want to bang her head against the wall, vowing never to get swept away again. But whenever Ian approached, her resolve crumbled as always. Once they began making love, Laura wanted the same things he did and could do nothing but surrender to it.

Ian’s fingertips brushed her slender thigh, encased in stockings. His touch, at first tentative, soon skillfully slipped inward, sweet and melting.

“Ah…”

Ian buried his face in the soft curve of Laura’s chest, rising gently beneath her dress. Laura wrapped her arms around his neck, rubbing her cheek against the crown of his head.

But in the height of her fervor, Laura’s gaze inadvertently drifted beyond the window.

And she was shocked senseless.

The carriage was traveling down a narrow path between turnip fields. It was May, and dozens of farmers and women were out plowing the soil and sowing seeds.

With her keen eyesight, Laura saw it clearly. A few farmers, resting their hoes, were staring at the carriage with wide eyes. Some even tapped their companions, who were rolling tobacco, pointing at the carriage.

In a panic, Laura kicked Ian away.

Caught off guard while eagerly reaping the fruits of love, Ian tumbled backward.

Looking bewildered, Ian pulled himself up from the plush carriage seat.

“What’s wrong, Laura?”

Trembling with embarrassment and panic, Laura yanked the curtains shut. She adjusted her disheveled appearance and glared at Ian.

“Why do you keep trying to do this outside the bedroom?”

“Because I love you…”

“How can you love me and ignore me like this?”

“But you enjoy it too.”

Laura’s face flushed crimson. She couldn’t deny it.

“You made a promise, and you should keep it. Earlier at the parsonage, and now… how can you be so careless about our reputation? You know all eyes are on the landed gentry. If we ruin our reputation, it won’t bode well for our family’s future.”

Ian ran a hand through his disheveled hair.

“Of course, I know I sometimes embarrass you. But I don’t do this in front of people. Sure, I might hold your hand in public sometimes, but that’s different. Have we ever been caught making love by anyone? Even in the library, we stopped before the servants noticed.”

Laura muttered, her face on the verge of tears.

“We were caught.”

“…What?”

“The farmers in the field saw us.”

Ian blinked.

“I saw it. They were looking at our carriage like they’d seen an elephant. One was so shocked he dropped his sack of turnip seeds. They saw us… in the carriage…”

Laura’s face grew redder, and tears welled in her eyes.

“Now the whole village will whisper about what we were doing in the carriage. They’ll call us scandalous and depraved. We won’t escape the gossip for five or six years. I can’t even go to church anymore. I’m so… humiliated!”

Laura covered her face with both hands and began to sob.

“Laura!”

Pale with concern, Ian grabbed her shoulders. Laura tried to shake off his touch, but he didn’t care and pulled her into his arms.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t think anyone would see… damn it, I should’ve closed the curtains…”

“That’s not the problem!”

Sobbing, Laura pounded his chest with her fists.

“Every night until midnight, and still you’re not satisfied, doing this outside in broad daylight! You fool, you idiot! I married a beast!”

He grabbed her wrists tightly.

“Stop. You’ll hurt your hand with that ring on.”

Unable to resist his strength, Laura cried, her wrists held fast.

Ian waited until she calmed down. Soon, her sobs subsided, and her ragged breathing steadied.

Ian let go of her hands. He pulled a crisp gray handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently wiped her tear-streaked face.

After drying her tears, he held the handkerchief to her nose.

“Come on, blow.”

Without much resistance, Laura sniffled and blew her nose. Ian neatly cleaned around her nose, folded the handkerchief, and tucked it back into his pocket. Then he pulled her into his arms again.

“I’m sorry.”

He kissed the crown of her head.

“I know. I know I embarrass you. I want you too often, anywhere and everywhere, and I know it’s hard for you. I guess I thought you’d always give in because you love me. I won’t do it anymore. I promise. I really won’t.”

His large hand gently stroked her small head. With that simple touch, Laura’s anger melted away as if it had never been. In its place, a deep, unshakable love filled her heart—a love so profound she felt she could carve out her own heart with a stone knife for him.

Laura rubbed her damp eyes against his ash-gray spring jacket, faintly scented with cigar smoke.

“I’m sorry too. For kicking you and getting angry.”

“It’s fine. I’m not hurt.”

Her heart fluttered at his tender whisper. She reached out and hugged Ian tightly.

“What about the gossip? The carriage has our family crest, so they’ll know it’s us…”

“Don’t worry. They were probably just surprised by our new carriage. A carriage with gold-trimmed edges is rare around here. No one could see what was happening inside.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. Even with good eyesight, that’s impossible.”

Laura was convinced. Now that she thought about it, the distance between the farmers and the carriage seemed quite far. And since they hadn’t lit a candle inside, it would’ve been hard to see anything. His guess that they were shocked by the new, luxurious four-wheeled carriage felt plausible.

Relieved, Laura nestled her cheek against his chest for a moment.

“Shall we walk back?”

Laura looked up at him. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and whispered.

“This time of year, wildflowers bloom all over Whitefield. It’s like a divine exhibition of every color in the world. Perfect for a stroll.”

Laura caught his intention. He was trying to lift her spirits. She was already at ease, but grateful for his thoughtfulness, she nodded.

The two stepped out of the carriage. After instructing the coachman to return ahead, they linked arms and began to walk.