Trouble tended to surround Avril, and Dylan was always running around taking care of the aftermath for her. On top of that, Lawrence had made an unreasonable demand of Dylan, the head of a duchy, who had to manage his territory. Furthermore, she could tell that Dylan was trying to cherish her in his own way.

Nevertheless, even Avril knew that children weren’t brought to couples by stork simply from living happily together.

As she was thinking about this, Dylan’s kisses grew deeper. Feeling short of breath, she instinctively pressed against her husband’s chest, and just like that, her vision flipped.

“…Huh?”

Underneath her back was a soft, fluffy bed. She was now staring at the ceiling. Then, she saw Dylan’s pale blue eyes. They were so clear they just seemed to draw her in. She was a bit surprised by how the atmosphere had changed from usual, but this was something she had expected since the day they married.

“Avril.”

As she braced herself amid the faint sound of rain, closing her eye to that whisper of a voice, feeling the warm breath brush against her—

While having such thoughts…

Don, don, don, don.

A firm knocking came from the door.

“…Looks like we have visitor, don’t we?”

Avril had the soft bed at her back and was looking up at her husband, when she turned to the door.

The Duke and Duchess’s bedroom was spacious, divided into a sitting room and a sleeping chamber. The sound seemed to be coming from the door on the sitting-room side, from the adjacent room facing the corridor.

“…Yeah….”

The dim room made seeing clearly difficult, but something in Dylan’s tone conveyed irritation. Regardless, he quickly stood up, adjusted the loosened collar of his nightwear, and went toward the sitting room. Just then, Grace’s voice could be heard.

“—I’m terribly sorry. I wish to request an audience with the Duke and Duchess of Lancester.”

What could be the matter?

Not too long ago Grace had declared she wouldn’t be returning after she finished helping Avril prepare for bed and had gone back to her own room. For her to have come now meant that some kind of emergency had arisen.

Avril got up from the bed and relit the lamp that had just been extinguished. She slipped on her indoor shoes and made her way to the sitting-room where Dylan was. Once Dlyan had confirmed that Avril had finished getting herself together, he opened the door.

“What is—?”

“Your Grace, Lady Avril…!”

Samuel stood there, accompanied by Grace who looked awkward and uncomfortable.

Samuel, perhaps soaked by the rain outside, was drenched and had a bath towel draped over himself. Carefully held within his arms, as though it were something precious, was a gray little ball of fur.

“I sincerely apologize, my lord. Lord Samuel has taken in a cat from this rain.”

Following Grace, Samuel bowed.

“I’m sorry for coming at such an hour, but this cat seems to be in poor condition, and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Avril was surprised to see the usually composed Samuel so flustered and turned her gaze toward his arms. The ball of fur, soaked just like Samuel, slightly squirmed and let out a feeble “myaan.”

“Just where did you find a kitten in the middle of this rain…?!”

“My room is on the ground floor, and I heard a cat crying outside… I couldn’t ignore it, not with the rain as it is, so I went to check and found the little one.”

Perhaps due to being battered by the rain, the kitten in Samuel’s arms looked listless and limp. Seeing that, Dylan gave instructions to Grace.

“Call a veterinarian immediately. Grace, prepare a bath for Samuel.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Grace rushed off to make the arrangements. Avril, having watched her go, peered at the kitten in Samuel’s arms.

Dark gray fur and clear blue eyes, its trembling was likely because Samuel, the one holding the cat, was shaking.

Avril draped her own outer garment over Samuel’s shoulders.

“Shall I light the fireplace? It’ll take a little while, but please come over here.”

“Isn’t preparing the fireplace a servant’s job? …Lady Avril, you are able to do that as well?”

“Of course. I amthe duchess, after all.”

Behind her, she felt Dylan chuckling softly as he walked away. He was probably going to call for a servant skilled at handling fire. It was unfortunate that, due to poor timing, tonight, they once again wouldn’t be able to sleep together.  Surely, though, there will be any number of opportunities in the future.

For now, I must ensure that Samuel doesn’t catch a cold…!

With such thoughts in mind, Avril placed her hand on the fireplace which had only just passed through summer.

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