Chapter 288: Her Confession
“You’ve mated with him more than once before, right? Who knows? You may already be pregnant...” the duchess said and for a moment she looked genuinely excited.
“I don’t think that is the case...” I replied softly.
“Hmm? How can you be so sure?” she asked with widened eyes.
“Well...” I murmured when I remembered the prince’s warning.
Despite his warnings, I didn’t think that I could talk to anyone about how we went about our intimate duties. It was just too embarrassing for me to voice out loud and that was precisely why I struggled to answer the duchess’s question. Just as I was about to apologize to her for my inability to give her an answer, the sound of her clapping her hand together echoed in the dance studio.
“Wow, I have to say that this is more than a little unexpected. I guess the rumors that I’ve heard about Prince Leonard not wanting to become the next king might be true after all...” she said before she smiled again at me.
I wasn’t sure what the prince truly wanted for his future but what bothered me more at that moment was the fact that I couldn’t quite read what the duchess was thinking or feeling. She had a look that resembled curiosity on her face like a young girl that had just made a pleasant and surprising discovery. If I had to take a guess, the news that she had just learnt did not displease her. Taking into account the fact that she is Prince Florian’s mother, her reaction might make sense. If Prince Leonard truly did not wish to become the next king, then her son might have a better chance of ascending to the throne.
“Aww...that seriously is too bad...” she said with evident disappointment.
For a moment, I thought that her reaction wasn’t real and that she was just acting her part while showcasing some sarcasm. However, the way her eyes seemed to shine slightly less brightly than normal and the way that her beautiful lips smiled quite sadly my way made me second guess my initial reading. The slight stinging pain in the palm of my hands made me realize that I had clenched my hands into such tight fists that my fingernails were digging into my flesh. I wondered what was really going on, but I wasn’t sure if I had the courage to ask the duchess straight on.