The Perfect Bride - Chapter 33

“Pleasure to see you, Miss Daus. I didn’t expect to run into you here. By any chance, tomorrow…”

“My schedule is already full.”

“Then the day after…”

“That day, and the next, too.”

“Then, when might you be free?”

‘Persistent.’

Anyone could tell her answers were half-hearted, but the gentleman was, to put it kindly, determined. Natalie, who had been staring blankly at the wide field, finally turned to the man who hadn’t grown tired of approaching her.

At least this time, his appearance was presentable.

“Let’s see. Maybe after I return to my hometown.”

Still, looking decent didn’t mean he wasn’t a pervert. With that frosty reply, the gentleman had no choice but to step back.

After brushing him off, Natalie turned her gaze to the distance again.

To the east of Nesbell Park lay a broad field. It was one of the best places in Dwan for horseback riding. Gentlemen who must ride every morning and ladies just beginning their lessons were out with their horses from early hours.

Natalie, who couldn’t ride at all and couldn’t even mount a horse alone, felt terribly awkward standing among them.

Her face was covered with gloom. As if to mock her, the weather was perfectly clear, not a cloud in sight—a rare sky in often-overcast Dwan.

Unfortunately, she had just as little interest in sunshine as she did in horseback riding. With only a few scattered trees in the field, she found shade under one and stood there. Thanks to an early morning shower, the earthy scent was strong, reminding her of her hometown Warfield. That part, at least, she liked.

But it wasn’t enough to lift her spirits.

‘I’m not some carriage stop.’

Just when she thought she might find some peace, gentlemen riding with gusto would recognize her and approach with conversation. It was never-ending.

The men who approached her always had impure motives.

Either expecting her to be as lewd as the character from David’s novels, or feeling challenged by the idea that she was being courted by a prince and wanted to test their luck—or both.

In other words, any man who dared speak to Natalie Daus was either a pervert or a scoundrel.

‘What kind of luxury am I hoping to enjoy, coming early like this.’

It had all started because she wanted to avoid Dorothy, who wouldn’t stop talking about how to behave when meeting the prince.

“Mrs. Bate, what time is it now?”

The woman assigned to her by Catherine, Mrs. Bate, pulled a pocket watch from her coat.

Mrs. Bate, who had stayed at the duchy as a governess, now acted as both the annex manager and Natalie’s chaperone.

Now that the baroness had returned to Warfield, the married Mrs. Bate was a suitable companion for an unmarried young lady.

“It’s noon now, Miss Daus.”

Noon meant it was the appointed hour. The prince always showed up a bit late, like a lord making a point. He would likely appear soon.

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Daus. Perhaps…”

“My apologies, but I’m fully booked for this entire season—every single day.”

But yet another gentleman, who clearly thought of Natalie as nothing more than today’s target, reached her first. Faced with Natalie’s uncompromising tone, he turned red and stalked off.

‘Was that… too harsh?’

Just as Natalie quietly second-guessed her sharp tone and glanced sideways to check the gentleman’s reaction—

She spotted two horses galloping toward them from the distance, one white, one black.

Narrowing her eyes, she saw that the rider of the white horse was Prince Ian, and the black was ridden by his aide Marcus.

The flustered gentleman, who had just mounted his horse in frustration, noticed the prince approaching and panicked. With a shout, he galloped off.

‘Honestly… He bolts the moment he sees the prince, but I must seem easy prey.’

Glancing behind her, Natalie saw Mrs. Bate had the tact to stay at a distance. She didn’t know how much the woman understood.

Natalie turned her head again, feeling awkward. By then, the prince was close enough that their expressions were visible.

‘Is something wrong?’

Except for the time he had threatened her at the royal ball, the prince was always smiling. Seeing his blank face felt oddly unfamiliar.

‘And he really did come on a white horse… Honestly, it’s like he’s advertising he’s royalty.’

There was something funny about him arriving like a fairy tale prince on a white horse, but she stifled a laugh because his expression bothered her.

“Quite popular, aren’t you.”

He dismounted and spoke his first words. It was completely out of the blue.

“I honestly didn’t expect flies to buzz around you.”

That was unpleasant.

“So Your Highness assumed everyone would avoid me like waste because I’m so problematic?” Natalie muttered sarcastically.

Ian frowned, as if to say she had chosen a rather crude metaphor. Natalie felt a bit embarrassed.

“I’m just surprised anyone would dare approach the lady I’m courting.”

Oh my. That was truly irritating.

Fortunately, she swallowed the words she wanted to say. It was something only he could say, and the fact that he meant it seriously made it even more annoying.

Natalie muttered to herself, “Gentlemen are far simpler than you think. If a prince is courting you, they figure there must be something there, so they try talking to you. Convenient logic, isn’t it?”

It was a biting remark.

“That’s quite the problem.”

“That’s what I’m saying. A society that generously calls men who toy with women without any intention of commitment ‘flirts’ is part of the problem too.”

“Then what would be better?”

“Off the top of my head, something like—”

“Like?”

What am I doing?

Natalie suddenly stopped herself mid-sentence. She often caught herself casually chatting with the prince before she realized it.

Flustered, she looked at him. He just tilted his head slightly, as if urging her to continue.

‘Come to your senses. We’re not close enough to have a friendly conversation.’

Still, seeing him every day had made her uncomfortably used to him. Awkwardly averting her gaze, Natalie hurried to change the subject.

“A-anyway, are you really going to teach me to ride today?”

“Yes. Marcus.”

Ian turned slightly and called out to Marcus, who brought over the black horse he had ridden.

For some reason, it felt like ages since Natalie had last seen Marcus. Compared to when he first visited her suite, he looked noticeably thinner, or maybe that was her imagination. Either way, she didn’t have time for such leisurely thoughts.

‘Why is Sir Peeble coming toward me?’

A massive, black creature snorted and shook its body as it approached.

Surely not.

“Your Highness—Ian, I…”

Natalie, who had let her guard down since there were four people and only two horses, now panicked and stepped back.

“I wasn’t being modest. I really can’t ride.”

“Perfect.”

“What? Why?”

Her chestnut eyes shook with unease at the ominous response.

“I gave it some thought.”

“What now…”

“I think the reason you’re so tense around me is because you’re not used to me.”

Ian grabbed Natalie’s hand just as she tried to escape.

“If I teach you to ride, we’ll naturally spend more time together. Then you’ll get used to me.”

He gently pulled her toward him.

The sudden motion almost made her bump her nose into his chest. Their faces were as close as when they danced the waltz.

Natalie could never hold his sparkling blue gaze for long. She awkwardly rolled her eyes away.

“I understand, so please let go. Even if we were engaged, this would be inappropriate.”

“Ah, right.”

With a bright smile, Ian playfully released her hand.

“Her name is Monica.”

Receiving the reins from Marcus, he introduced the horse to Natalie.

“She takes after her mother and loves people. Very gentle. Though as her owner, I’m not thrilled about how easily she lets anyone ride her.”

What part of her was gentle?

Monica let out a threatening snort and shook her body again. Natalie could only lower her gaze before the horse’s intensity.

“She’s really gentle. You’ll come to like her. Give me your hand again.”

When Natalie only stared at him with mistrust, he sighed.

“I’m not pulling any tricks. You can trust me.”

It still looked like a trick. Older ladies always warned that men who said such things were trash and never to be trusted.

‘But what choice do I have? If the employer says so, I must do it.’

Natalie shut her eyes and held out her hand. The moment she did, Ian grabbed it and placed it on Monica’s neck, just above the saddle. She had no time to resist.

When his hand covered hers, she instinctively flinched. His hand, as always, was warm.

The sensation was so strong that she couldn’t even feel the horse’s fur. Her trembling fingertips couldn’t tell whether the fear came from the horse or from the man behind her.

Standing close behind her, nearly touching, he spoke in a low voice, “What do you think?”

“Scary.”

“But see? This way, I can naturally hold your hand. Not bad, right?”

His breath brushed one cheek, and distracted, Natalie didn’t even consider that he might not be talking about the horse. He was infuriatingly playful.

Natalie finally lifted her eyelids. She saw his hand extended straight, and her own hand underneath it.

Then a low voice brushed against her ear again. “See? Monica seems to like you.”

Only then did she notice Monica had calmed down. The restless horse now stood quietly, just as he said.

“…Wow.”

A breath of awe escaped her lips.

She was still scared, but it felt strangely moving to see a creature open its heart to her for the first time. She began to think that maybe horseback riding wouldn’t be so bad if it was with Monica.

“Then, Miss Natalie.”

“Yes?”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

He suddenly spoke in a formal tone. Natalie looked puzzled.