So the Duchess Disappeared

13. A Crazy Woman

Rachel showed a stronger hand.

The talk of giving medicine and putting to sleep was not something that ladies of common noble families could utter sensibly.

To give a man medicine to put him to sleep… It could be a shameful story for anyone, not just nobles or women.

Judging by the fact that she went so far as to talk about it, either Rachel’s words were really true…

Or she hated Psyche that much. Psyche thought it was one of the two.

“…”

Before the meaning of the words “giving medicine and putting to sleep” could properly sink in, Rachel lowered her eyes and spoke.

“He’s sensitive about his successor.”

“…”

That’s a valid point.

Psyche fell into a strange thought for a moment.

Why is he so fixated on his successor?

But Rachel continued to speak.

“While I did something terrible to him, if he knew I had his child, would he abandon me?”

At those words, Psyche’s hand trembled.

“So. I hope the lady will leave here now.”

It was an audacious, or perhaps insane, statement beyond compare.

‘A crazy woman.’

Telling a duchess to leave her own ducal residence?

Psyche found Rachel’s behavior so absurd that she couldn’t help but chuckle. She had been about to speak but stood still instead.

Suddenly, memories from a night long ago resurfaced. The Duke had once said something similar when he had shared his bed with her in his pursuit to have a child.

‘I cannot touch other women. But you, my lady, are exempt. Doesn’t it feel almost like fate?’

What a romantic notion, she thought at the time. To be the only man someone could touch. It almost seemed like a special connection.

However, the Duke had added with a sense of embarrassment that his obsession was beyond reason. His fixation on this matter was a closely guarded secret known only to Psyche and Alexandros.

At first, Psyche had thought it was an unreasonable quirk. But over time, she learned that it was indeed a reality, and she felt relieved not to have to worry about the issue of other women.

However, she had never realized just how deep Rachel’s involvement in this matter went, and it was highly unsettling to her.

Psyche pressed her fingers to her forehead, extremely displeased. She didn’t want to spend another second with Rachel.

When Rachel, with a resolute expression, began to speak to her, Psyche found her attitude utterly bewildering.

She no longer felt the need to converse with her.

“Leave.”

Psyche issued a decisive order.

She nervously touched her own forehead and clapped her hands together.

“I said, leave.”

She repeated her words as if to emphasize that she didn’t want to deal with her anymore.

But Rachel, as if deliberately ignoring her, remained stationary, as if she were making a statement.

“I told you to leave.”

Psyche asserted herself, with a tone that left no room for courtesy.

However, Rachel remained unfazed.

“You’ll regret this.”

“Regret is your problem.”

As if she couldn’t tolerate it any longer, Psyche got up from the bed and firmly escorted Rachel out of the room.

Yet, her anger had not subsided.

“That crazy woman.”

Psyche sat silently, looking towards the door.

“I don’t understand what she’s thinking.”

If Rachel’s words were all true, then the Duke, who had created such a situation, was more at fault. She couldn’t let it go like this.

She hesitated by the door for a moment, then quickly turned the doorknob again.

Rachel, who had still not left, stood there looking surprised.

Amusing woman.

Psyche singled out Rachel and swiftly looked around, instructing the attending servants.

“Since Mr. Hailston isn’t feeling well, please accompany him so he can rest. Or better yet, take him back to his home.”

Psyche was firm.

“Oh!”

As Rachel attempted to follow Psyche’s words, the servants stopped her. Psyche lifted the hem of her dress and hurried to where the Duke might be.

Since it was now evening, he wouldn’t be in his study.

She redirected her steps from the study towards his bedroom.

As she roamed around in her shimmery attire, holding a lamp without putting on her shawl, the servants were surprised and asked her what she was looking for.

But Psyche ignored their questions, heading straight for the Duke’s bedroom.

It was unusual for her, who usually maintained a dignified and courteous image, so it was natural for everyone to find her behavior perplexing.

She had just reached the Duke’s bedroom.

As the Duke was about to enter, he turned back with a surprised expression on his face when he saw Psyche.

“My lady!”

He widened his eyes, approaching Psyche, who was now dressed in her shimmery attire, with an astonished look.

“My lady, it’s cold outside at night.”

“Yes, it wouldn’t be good for the child.”

Clint, who knew her voice was unusual, quietly asked, “Come in and talk first.”

“Why is Hailston still here and not leaving?”

When she asked abruptly, the Duke seemed a bit flustered and showed signs of embarrassment.

“I thought… “

“Just send her away right now. If not, I will leave.”

“My lady.”

He sighed.

“Recently, the Duchess seems quite sensitive, so I haven’t been paying much attention. I apologize. But Rachel… she has her reasons.”

“Reasons?”

Psyche asked irritably.

“Do you know what she said to me?”

His face contorted even more.

“Well, that woman mentioned something about a… connection with you.”

“My lady.”

He had never cut her off in the middle of her words before.

Psyche’s eyes widened in astonishment at the Duke’s attitude, which was quite different from before.

“Whatever you heard, I’ll handle it.”

Unlike earlier, the Duke, who had lost his previous signs of confusion, now seemed like a different person.

“Since it’s cold outside, please return. I will take care of Rachel’s matter.”

Psyche, who had been quietly listening to him, raised her gaze in silence.

Their once-existent feelings were long gone, so she had no trouble maintaining her composure.

As their eyes met, the Duke fell silent.

“I won’t say it again, Your Grace.”

Psyche looked directly at him and spoke.

“If that woman won’t leave, then I will leave. I made myself perfectly clear. I will leave.”

“But did’nt you left this morning? Please don’t use threats like that.”

While speaking, Psyche winced in pain for a moment.

But the Duke seemed oblivious to such subtle changes in her expression.

“It’s not a threat.”

“It’s late at night.”

The Duke seemed utterly unwilling to listen to Psyche’s words.

She also found his changed behavior quite perplexing.

While she hadn’t completely believed all of Rachel’s words, it was only natural that her words would carry weight if Clint reacted this way.

Psyche decided to remain even colder in response.

“Your Grace.”

She suppressed her emotions and looked at him quietly.

“Clint!”

Then, a sharp voice cut through the silence between them.

The Duke’s face, which had been focused on Psyche, turned toward the source of the sound.

His expression changed in a peculiar way.

It was the first time Psyche had seen him so shaken.

He wasn’t the usual ice-cold figure.

She was a bit surprised at how he could display such a strange change in front of Rachel.

“Rachel.”

However, in contrast to his appearance, his voice was very low and composed, as if he were deliberately concealing his emotions.

It was only then that Psyche realized that he was hiding something from her.

Everything that had seemed strange so far fell into place like pieces of a puzzle, sending shivers down her spine.

Rachel walked toward them with unsteady steps and leaned into the Duke’s arms as if she might collapse.

“….”

She looked at Psyche from within his embrace, and it was clear.

Absolutely clear. She was smiling.

It was an unbelievable sight.

Finally, Clint, who had an angry look, forcefully pushed Rachel away.

Psyche didn’t want to stay there any longer.

She turned away without saying a word.

Her senses were constantly shouting at her to run away.

“My lady!”

The Duke quickly turned to grab Psyche.

She brushed his hand off and continued walking without looking back. Oddly enough, the Duke didn’t follow her any further.

Perhaps it was for the best.

She seemed surprisingly unaffected.

Perhaps it was because she had initially wanted to leave the Duke. She was more composed than she had expected.

She returned to her bedroom without any signs of distress.

Psyche changed out of her soiled Shumizu dress into clean clothes and got into bed.

A well-trained mare had placed a warm water bottle inside the bed, and her body quickly relaxed into a drowsy state, despite thinking she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

When she woke up in the morning, even more bizarre events awaited her.

“…?”

Psyche stared blankly at Marie, who brought her the Duke’s message that he and Rachel had left for a business trip together and would return in about three days.

“Interesting.”

After all the drama yesterday, they were going alone.

It was something she couldn’t understand rationally.