Chapter 111: Chapter Hundred And Eleven

The rain poured down relentlessly, blurring the landscape into a blur.

Platter.

Platter..

Platter...

The carriage creaked and groaned under the weight of the rain, the horses straining against the elements as the carriage made its way through the muddy roads, the rhythmic slapping of raindrops against the glass, a soothing accompaniment to the journey.

Inside the carriage, Suzy sat huddled in a corner, her coat pulled tightly around her. She pulled off her gloves, her hands numb from the cold.

"Noah," she said, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. "Find out as much as you can about Baron Carew."

Noah nodded, his eyes filled with respect. "I will," he replied, his voice firm.

"And keep it away from Ryan," Suzy added, her voice slightly low.

Noah nodded, his eyes filled with concern. He doesn’t like getting involved in secret keeping especially in the case of this two couples.

Suzy placed her gloves in her lap, her mind racing. She knew that she had to be careful, that she couldn’t let Ryan know what she was up to.

She looked out the window, watching the rain pour down. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness. She knew that she was getting closer to finding out the truth but the more she’s getting close the more difficult it becomes.

As the carriage pulled up to the castle, Suzy stepped out, her clothes soaked to the bone. She shivered, but she refused to let the cold get to her.

Walking in, she turned to Noah, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. "Get some rest," she said, her eyes filled with exhaustion.

Noah nodded. "Okay your grace , I’ll head back to my quarters," he replied. "Have a good rest."

Suzy nodded, her eyes fixed on the door. She knew she had a lot to think about, and she needed some time to herself.

Immediately, she entered the castle, Noah’s expression changed. He became more serious, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he walked away leaving the castle.

Suzy continued walking down the hallway, her body shivering from the cold. She needed a hot bath and a warm meal.

She entered her room, feeling the warmth of the room as someone had added fire to the fireplace. One question popped up in her head ’ Who did this?’ Whoever it was she was grateful. She dropped her hat and gloves on the dresser and saw someone sitting on the armchair at the corner, far from her.

"Doris?" she called out, her voice filled with surprise and relief.

The figure stood up, walking down towards her. "You are wet, soaked to the bone" he said, his voice filled with concern. "And shivering."

Suzy looked into his eyes, illuminated by the fireplace. "Ryan?" she said, her voice a low whisper.

"Yes, My Duchess," he replied, his eyes staring back at hers.

Suzy couldn’t believe her eyes. What is he doing in her room?

"What... what are you doing here, I thought you were still in the study," She asked, her voice shaking from the cold.

Ryan chuckled. "I came to check on you," he replied. "I knew you would be back soon."

He noticed how soaked she was, her hair and clothes dripping from the rain. He grabbed a towel and started drying her hair.

"Give me the towel," Suzy protested, trying to take it from him. "I can do it myself"

"I know, but I want to do this for you," Ryan insisted, his voice soothing with tenderness. "I know you can do anything by yourself, but sometimes allow me to do things for you too.

Suzy hesitated, confusion taking over her expression.

"You always want to appear tough and capable which I admire" Ryan continued. "But don’t hide your weak and vulnerable self from me. You can trust me, I promise I won’t hurt you."

She paused, her eyes searching his for any signs of lies or deceit. As Ryan continued to dry her hair, the flame from the fireplace made her irises look like gold, and her lips parted slowly from shivering.

He looked at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He hasn’t gotten used to seeing her like this, so vulnerable and beautiful. He wanted to kiss her, to tell her how much he loved her. But he knew that it wasn’t the right time.

He dropped the towel on the bed and slowly unbuttoned her coat, slipping it off her body. Then he proceeded to dragged down her Zipper keeping his gaze on her. "Let me dry you up so you don’t catch a cold." He said in a low seductive voice.

The dress fell to floor revealing her chemise ( a loose sleeveless undergarment). He took the towel and began wiping her body, from her neck to her shoulders to her hands, legs and feet.

Just then, Doris came in with a pail of hot water for Suzy’s bath.

" I’m sorry for the delay milady, Mrs Madelyn caught a cold so I had to boil the water myself." She said,opening the door.

Seeing the scene, Doris squealed, attempting to go back. "I’m sorry for interrupting," she stammered, her eyes wide with surprise. "No, no, no,I mean I shouldn’t have barged in."

Suzy interrupted her apology, still looking at Ryan. "Don’t worry, Doris," she said, her voice soft. "His Grace was actually about to leave."

Ryan returned the stare, a smile playing on his lips. "Yes, Duchess," he said as he brought her right hand to his lips and kissed her palm gently. " I’ll take my leave."

With that, he left the room, his footsteps fading into the distance. Doris watched him go, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Milady," Doris began, but Suzy interrupted her.

"Get the bath ready and prepare dinner for me," Suzy instructed, her voice firm.

Doris nodded. She knew that something was going on between Suzy and Ryan, but she didn’t want to pry. She rushed to do as she was told

The warm, soapy water enveloped Suzy as she soaked in the bathtub. The day’s events swirled around in her mind. Doris came in with a tray of fruits and pudding, interrupting her thoughts.

She finished her meal while soaking in the tub, the warmth of the water soothing her tired muscles. As the minutes ticked by, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep, her mind filled with dreams of love, loss, and the mystery that still surrounded her life.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read