Chapter 62
62. Don’t Touch
2022.04.03.
Reina quickly stopped crying and held back the knights.
She told the knights blocking the way between her and Taylor that she was fine and wanted to talk with him, and they quietly stepped aside at her request.
But Taylor seemed even more shocked by the situation itself.
Even the moment he first saw her in a dress, there had been a sense that he was quietly enduring his shock.
The face that had kept its composure up until he greeted her with “Miss.” was now rigidly tense.
After shedding those tears, Reina’s heart had settled considerably, allowing her to notice Taylor’s stiff expression.
“…….”
Taylor wasn’t entirely certain, but he seemed to have guessed the reason for her presence here to some degree and come mentally prepared.
Taylor gazed at the knights with a hardened face.
She couldn’t quite read his eyes.
But she had an idea what he was worried about.
Reina steadied her momentarily hesitant heart.
She had to speak as Lady Christina.
If she spoke honestly as Reina in front of the knights, it would reveal that they already knew everything about her or that she had confessed it all.
Then Taylor would rack his brains trying to shield her from the Marchioness.
She couldn’t drag Taylor and Doctor Lorenson into this…
How should she bring up Grandmother as Lady Christina?
That very moment.
“…….”
Taylor pulled out a fairly thick stack of papers and a pen from his bag as he spoke.
His voice was steady.
“I’m sorry, Miss. It was my first time, so I fumbled a bit. I hope I didn’t inconvenience you too much… Are you alright?”
Reina nodded on reflex and looked at him.
Taylor naturally lowered his gaze and continued.
“…I’ll prescribe the herbal tea in a bit. For now, shall I report on the task you entrusted to me? Is that alright?”
“…….”
Reina’s wavering gaze halted on the papers he had brought out.
Her eyes widened.
【 October –th
Today, Grandmother was in a good mood.
She still didn’t recognize me today, so I reintroduced myself as ‘Taylor Lorenson.’
She nearly tripped on the stairs, so just in case she fell, I laid several layers of soft blankets on the floor to keep her from getting hurt.
…For her meal, she had potato stew and soft bread.
After taking the medicine from the sandalwood fruit I prescribed last time, she seemed to have stomach discomfort,
so I prescribed a milder remedy along with stomach medicine.
Her portions are on the small side, but she’ll eat more if encouraged. On days she eats a lot, though, she feels bloated, so this seems like the right amount… 】
【 September –th
Maybe because the weather was overcast today, she woke up late.
She’s usually an early riser, so it was actually reassuring that she slept in.
She tends to be in a better mood on days she goes for walks, but the wind was chilly today, so we skipped it.
We should consider whether the benefits of walking outweigh the strain of the cold wind.
…For her meal, she had one apple, one pancake, and some egg dish.
She likes the pancakes I make and sometimes asks for them, but I made sure she didn’t have too much maple syrup.
She seems to have knee joint pain, so I prescribed some medicine. 】
What Taylor had brought out was the daily medical log he’d been keeping on Grandmother.
It was unbelievable…
Reina covered her mouth.
She could tell at a glance that Grandmother was doing well.
Reina found herself utterly absorbed in it.
Her chest felt tightly filled with something.
“Thank you for entrusting me with such enjoyable work. She’s always so pleasant with me that I’m happy to do it.”
Taylor spoke calmly, his eyes dropping to the log he’d written.
“For now, this is how I’m looking after her, and as you can see, I’m keeping a record like this.”
Then he began jotting notes in the corner of the log with his pen.
Reina, who had been absently reading the log Taylor had written, found her gaze drawn there reflexively.
Taylor’s hand swiftly scribbled words in the corner.
“?”
【 Cross-shaped scar on the back of the left hand. Pale blue irises, mole on the right side of the neck. If it’s your grandmother, look down. 】
Reina’s eyes widened.
Taylor calmly recited words that had nothing to do with his note.
“Is this alright as is? If there’s anything else you’d like me to record, I can add it.”
【 …Cross-shaped scar on the back of the left hand. Pale blue irises, mole on the right side of the neck. If it’s your grandmother, look down. 】
The ink soaking the paper evaporated and vanished almost as soon as the words formed.
What coated the pen nib wasn’t ink, but water… no, it seemed to be colorless alcohol.
“……!”
The alcohol-written words faded within seconds of being written.
But it was enough time for Reina to read them.
—Cross-shaped scar on the back of the left hand. Pale blue eyes, mole on the right side of the neck?
Reina stared blankly until the words fully disappeared, then startled and lifted her head.
Unthinkingly, she almost nodded at Taylor with bewildered eyes,
but realizing that wasn’t it, she hurriedly “looked down” as instructed.
Then she raised her gaze again.
—It’s Grandmother. It’s our Grandmother.
The motion looked like a nod.
Taylor smoothly covered for her, treating the gesture as a response to his question.
“That’s a relief.”
With his mouth, he quietly spoke about Grandmother’s symptoms and daily routine,
as Taylor began writing secretly.
【 Need help? 】
Taylor lifted his eyes from the paper and stared at Reina.
Her eyes wavered.
【 If you want, I can make you collapse tonight. 】
Reina’s eyes flew wide.
“First, let me tell you about the health of the patient you entrusted to me.”
Taylor nonchalantly continued speaking words unrelated to his hand.
【 If you collapse, I’ll come take care of you. 】
“It’s too soon to judge definitively, but from what I’ve observed so far, she’s remarkably robust for her age.”
And Taylor’s hand wrote something entirely different.
【 If you want it, touch the necklace. 】
Taylor and Reina’s eyes met.
“Even so, given her age, we have to be careful she doesn’t trip or anything.”
Taylor continued quietly.
“The bones of the elderly are fragile, and they recover slowly.”
Reina’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.
Make her collapse tonight?
No, no.
Don’t make me collapse.
Reina finally realized how she must look to Taylor.
She had gone missing.
She was impersonating the lady.
She was under the knights’ watch.
Her eyes were puffy, and the moment she saw Taylor, she burst into tears.
He was worried about her.
Very seriously!
In that instant, Reina was overwhelmed with gratitude and panic, forgetting what to say.
Taylor stared into Reina’s eyes as his hand moved.
“Yesterday, she nearly fell on the stairs… It seemed dangerous, so I laid blankets on the floor.”
His mouth said one thing.
The sentence ‘If you want, I can make you collapse tonight’ slowly faded, and new words quickly appeared below.
【 If you don’t want it, touch the earring. Then I’ll come again tomorrow. 】
He could come tomorrow too?
Reina fumbled with her earring, barely breathing.
Necklace if she wanted to collapse tonight, earring if not.
So, the earring.
She didn’t need to collapse today.
Taylor, you’re thinking you need to get me out of here right away?
It’s okay. Thank you.
But for now, I can’t leave this place.
I promised to talk with those people after meeting you.
“Ah.”
Reina’s eyes twitched, and she blinked.
In her flustered fumbling, the earring caught on something, and her ear burned hot.
Reflexively, Taylor shot to his feet and approached Reina.
But the knights protecting her surged forward in an instant, blocking him once more.
Sharp gazes poured down.
“What’s going on?”
The noble knight with the monocle asked.
Taylor spoke up promptly, though a beat late.
“Pardon me for a moment. There’s blood coming from the miss’s ear. It seems to be from the earring.”
Seeing that both of Reina’s earlobes were red and blood trickling from one side, the knights exchanged glances.
“May I touch for a second? I think I need to remove the earring. If not, please call an attendant maid.”
“…….”
The knight pondered briefly but seemed to judge that calling a maid would hinder surveillance.
After checking Reina’s intent and getting her nod, they allowed Taylor to approach.
Taylor carefully examined her ear and removed the earring without hurting the wound.
“…….”
Reina had never pierced her ears before.
From the look of it, the hole had been pierced once but partially healed from not wearing earrings, only to be reopened.
One side had torn a bit, causing bleeding.
Taylor calmly prepared a dressing.
“…The earring caused a wound. I’ll disinfect it.”
“…….”
Taylor spread a cloth on the table, set down a tray, and laid out gauze, tweezers, and disinfectant.
“It’s gold, so infection risk is low, but this earring is too heavy for a still-healing wound. Use something lighter until it heals. And don’t touch your ear.”
Taylor began the dressing carefully.
Two knights stood close on either side, watching intently.
Reina, feeling awkward and conflicted as she entrusted her ear’s wound to Taylor, suddenly blinked.
…She felt a breeze.
Bang!
The door flew open.
Everyone’s gazes turned toward the door.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Arthur stormed into the room and shoved Taylor aside in an instant.
He placed her behind him and glared at Taylor.
“Don’t touch her. She’s my wife. I only permitted conversation.”
