The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 60: The Unexpected Event

"Touch you," Isadora said, her voice barely over a whisper.

She softly gasped as he pulled her to stand as his majestic frame covered her.

"I want to touch you..." Bernard leaned in; his breath warm against her ear. "...and touched by you..." he murmured, his tone laced with sincerity and admiration.

With a gentle touch, he brushed a stray lock of hair aside, his fingers grazing her skin delicately. His voice, barely above a whisper, carries a hint of intimacy as he shares his words, meant for her ears alone.

Isadora felt a shiver run down her spine as his words enveloped her, igniting a spark of anticipation within. Leaning into his touch, she inhaled his scent, a blend of his cologne and the natural scent that is uniquely him (he smelled like the mountains—like the scent of dewdrops resting on the herbs that grow on rocky boulders), drawing her closer to him.

"You have a way of making my heart race," he continued softly, his voice filled with a sense of vulnerability and longing.

"You too," she said, holding his hand. "It’s so..."

Bernard observed her, his eyes naturally drawn to her plump lips; their breath mingled.

Isadora surrendered in his embrace, her heart fluttering with expectations to explore a new frontier of her life.

*Ehem*

The sound of a maid brought them out of their comfortable intimacy. Isadora quickly stepped back. Bernard was not pleased with the interrupting maid and glared at her. The maid rushed out of the hallway.

Isadora smiled, having more understanding of him. Her lady was right. A man who reveals his intent earlier through the courtship was indeed handsome. "I’ll go now."

Bernard nodded half-heartedly. The next time he talked to her, he needed to find a private place so no one would disturb them.

Isadora got inside the room with a skip to her step. Bernard’s smile as he accepted her kerchief stayed in her mind. She knew she wouldn’t forget that moment for the rest of her life.

She entered the room, her heart full of happiness, expecting to share her happiness with the lady who helped her with this. But her heart sank when she saw Jessamyn on the bed with her face buried in the pillow.

She felt helpless not knowing how to help her. She vaguely remembered Bernard mentioning Wulfhart and Lady Jessamyn. She dashed out wanting to know what it was.

Bernard was still standing in the hallway. Seeing her, his face brightened and he walked toward her.

"You mentioned Wulfhart and Lady Jessamyn earlier..." she asked him.

Bernard stopped and slowly let out a breath realizing that she was not there to spend time with him. He understood that the bright red would appear on her face only when it was their private moment. If so, her face turning red was a good thing.

"Yes, Wulfhart prepared a jewel to give to Lady Jessamyn. It appeared that it was not a new one. He had it for a while with him."

"Not a new one?" Isadora was intrigued.

"He has many grand jewels; he gifted the archduchess a lot of exquisite jewels he acquired spending a lot, but the one he chose to give Lady Jessamyn looked simple..." Bernard added. He loved seeing Isadora’s green eyes twinkling. As long as he could see those twinkles in her eyes, he thought he would talk about anything.

"Simple?" Isadora’s eyes lost its luster. Wouldn’t that mean that Wulfhart didn’t value her lady?

She thought she would get a detail to lift her lady’s spirit. But she didn’t like what she heard.

"Do you know why Wulfhart is marrying my lady?" Isadora asked.

Bernard nodded. "Because he owes her his life and wants to spend the rest of his life with her."

Isadora sighed. It sounded romantic, but surely Lady Jessamyn wouldn’t think so. Their circumstances were so different.

With slumped shoulders and a pout, Isadora walked back to the room. But then, she suddenly realized something her lady mentioned earlier.

It was not the monetary worth, but the history between the people decided the worth of anything. That simple jewel might not be worth in the eyes of others, but it might be for her lady considering their history.

When she entered the room, she saw Jessamyn shuffling in the dresser.

"Milady..." Isadora walked to her.

"It started. I have to change," Jessamyn said.

Isadora helped Jessamyn change. For the past three years, her lady had terrible cramps at that time of the month. She had urged her to check with a physician but her lady didn’t listen.

"Shall I bring some soup?" Isadora asked.

Jessamyn nodded and plopped on the bed curling to a fetal position. She needed to eat something. Along with the pain, she was distressed thinking of the meeting she might miss.

Isadora ran to the kitchen to get her lady something. Just as she was turning to the kitchen, she was blocked by someone.

She came to a halt and looked up. "Your Grace," she did a quick curtsy.

"What is wrong with her?" he asked.

Isadora bowed her head not knowing how to explain the ladies’ issue to him. It was not customary in the kingdom to be open with such issues. Most of the men know no details of the natural process a woman goes through each month.

She also didn’t think her lady would appreciate it if she told him the truth. "Milady has a stomach ache," Isadora gave a vague answer.

"Stomach ache?" Jerrick asked.

Isadora kept her head down.

"Is it that monthly thing?" Jerrick asked next.

Isadora gasped. He said it! What should I do?

"Move," Jerrick said. "Come with me to the kitchen."

Isadora blinked at him, not understanding what he meant. Jerrick placed his hand on her back and guided her to the kitchen. The kitchen staff all stood perplexed seeing the lord of the castle in the last place he was expected to be. They were also scared for they remembered what happened the last time he was there.

"Bernard!" Jerrick shouted. "Bring me the jar I keep in my study."

Isadora looked back to see Bernard walking up the stairs and blinked.

What is going on?