Resuming the journey back to Barasca, Joanna was again sitting in the carriage with her sole companion, her husband, General Canillas von Rodega.
The wheels of the carriage rattled rhythmically as the carriage was pulled by four black horses, whose sound of hooves echoed through the cold morning air.
Despite the deep talk they had last night, Joanna felt the atmosphere inside the carriage was not far different from prior to the conversation being engaged, which was an awkward one.
However, instead of being caused by the gloomy mood of her sole companion that made her feel like she did not recognize him, as she felt like seeing a different person, this ti it was induced by none other than the intimacy that surprisingly happened the previous night.
The mory of the night was still fresh in her mind. She was not able to brush it off like how she managed to set aside a few thoughts that had disturbed her to face the day. Even thinking of that made the feelings that were perceived by all the senses of her body rush back to wash over her, causing her body to respond like when every touch was being introduced to her body.
Subconsciously, Joanna made a subtle shift in her seat as if to adjust the sudden discomfort that was derived from inside her body.
Joanna wondered why she still felt those feelings even after that mont had passed, for that mont to be part of the mory that was gathered with other occasions that had happened in her life. Therefore, Joanna could not help but feel awkward to face him, and the urge to hide intensified, especially when the bright sunlight that seeped through the window made everything around them, including her mind, crystal clear.
Since she got off the bed this morning, her self-consciousness pushed her to make herself busy, giving an unnecessary helping hand to Bianca and Lucy, who tidied up her belongings before leaving the inn, which ended up making them question her action but did not reveal their curiosity in words.
She also left the room earlier, not awaiting Canillas, who was still in the bathroom. Instead, she asked the Barasca knights, who were still guarding in front of her room, to inform him that she was with her father to have breakfast in the restaurant inn. Until she sat in the carriage, she was aware that she had avoided him, not daring to look him in the eyes.
But then Joanna thought about why she should feel restless to the point she made herself out of breath, doing unnecessary activity vigorously in order to switch her mind to another direction and avoiding the man who was now sitting serenely as if he were not the person who caused her to be in such overwhelming feelings and situation.
Overall, he acted as if nothing happened between them last night.
Was it because it was not a new experience for him, hence he did not feel like how she felt at the mont? But even if it was not sothing new for him, did he not feel like he wanted to subrge himself in cold water to blow out the inferno and refresh his mind? Did he not feel like he needed to reprimand his heart from beating wildly to the point that it made him exhausted and dizzy?
Because it was how she felt every ti she rembered how he touched and landed his gaze on so part of her body last night.
Shifting her eyes from peeking at him through the book that she held high to give enough cover to her face, Joanna glanced at the window to take a look at her reflection. Soon a deep inward sigh was taken by her when she still found the swell and redness in her lips, although it was not as apparent as this morning.
She did not realize that before, and she might have taken longer to realize that if Lucy did not comnt with a panic about the condition of her lips when she and Bianca ca to her room to help her get ready for the day. Not only about her lips, she had also been utterly worried, comnting with a slight rising voice and almost crying when she found there were red marks on so part of her body, which was mainly on her neck and chest.
Lucy thought she suffered from an allergy or certain disease, as she had never seen her lips and skin in that condition, except for the rashes that they witnessed before they went back to Barasca. But to Lucy’s wondernt, the other areas of her body, except for those certain parts, were not affected as they remained smooth and fair.
Even though it was not to the point of being very severe compared to the rashes that she had a few months ago, it was still noticeable, particularly to the people who had attended to her for a long ti.
In stark contrast to Lucy, who expressed her shock and anxiety loudly, Bianca did not say anything. However, in her silence, Joanna sohow felt that Bianca knew the cause of the condition that she suffered, as she noticed there was a red tinge of blush creeping on Bianca’s face, along with so awkward gestures she made that were not usually seen from her.
To respond to Lucy, who was still worried and panicked, which made her almost bolt out of the room to report to her father to call a doctor to examine her, even overlooking Bianca, who told her not to worry about what they found on her body, Joanna tried to make Lucy stop fussing around by saying that there was a bug coming inside her trunk and hid in her nightgown.
She could not say that the bug ca from the inn, as she did not want to create a lie that ruined the reputation of soone’s business. It was also simply that during her ti in the Greymore Inn, she had never encountered such insects or uncleanliness in the room that she stayed in, as the Greymore knew very well how to maintain the quality and class of the inn. Otherwise, the well-known inn would have gone out of business a long ti ago.
As she realized in what condition she was, Joanna kept on pressing her lips once she stepped out of the room where she stayed for the night as she tried to hide the obvious oddity that was not hard to be noticed by others, particularly her father.
anwhile, for the red marks on her neck, Joanna was less worried about that, as it could be simply hidden by wearing a high-neck dress. Fortunately, it was ti for the fall season, when the temperature of the air beca lower and lower with ti. Thus, that kind of dress had beco a must-have dress to be brought and worn anywhere she went outside ho or to stay overnight.
Inwardly, Joanna pondered. She had tried her best not to be late to depart from the inn this ti, for which she thanked her husband, who cooperated with her, not creating such a morning surprise like he did when they slept together in the sa inn for the first ti.
Yet she was faced with the sa occurrence as last ti, where she had to put effort into appearing as calm as she could, hiding her worry and embarrassnt in front of others’ keen eyes that might land on her.
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