Translator: Nox

Chapter 14

The cigar humidor on the shelf was a Millon, and the watch was engraved with the Largo Co. logo. The fountain pen was an import from Langton, the ink was Bodak, and even the handkerchief resting under the kettle was a Hermes product… Every single item was a luxury brand she had only ever seen in Rosalyn and Blair’s rooms. They were the kind of things the twins would beg their parents for, receiving them like rare royal gifts.

No matter how generous a Navy Officer’s salary might be, River Ross seemed to have remarkably expensive tastes.

Maybe they really are all counterfeits. If he were actually that wealthy, he’d be smoking cigars instead of the cheap cigarettes laborers use.

As Vanessa looked around for further evidence of extravagance, her eyes fell upon a worn leather notebook. It was a haphazard collection of papers of various sizes and textures, bound together crudely with string—hardly the craftsmanship of a professional product.

Beside it lay a piece of used charcoal, wrapped in a scrap of paper. As if possessed, she reached out and picked up the notebook.

“Vanessa.”

She whipped her head around to find River Ross standing in the doorway.

Unaware that he had returned, Vanessa felt a jolt of guilt and hurriedly set the notebook back down, her movements stiff.

“I’m sorry for touching it without asking. I wasn’t trying to pry…”

Naturally, as a lady of intellect, she had no intention of rummaging through someone’s private belongings. It was just that the charcoal and the sketchbook intrigued her. She found it fascinating that he had taken up drawing—especially considering the River Ross she knew as a child hadn’t possessed a lick of artistic talent.

“You can look at it if you want.”

“Really?”

“Not right now. We have something to do first.”

He placed a wooden basin filled with hot water and towels on the nightstand, then sat on the bed and patted the spot beside him. Vanessa hesitated before carefully sliding in next to him. Having rolled up his sleeves, he wrung out a towel and took Vanessa by the chin. Seeing her utterly bewildered expression, he let out a low chuckle.

“Do something about that face. Stop staring at me with your eyes wide open like that.”

“I’ll… I can do this myself.”

“Your makeup is smudged. It’s a mess.”

At those words, a wave of unbearable shame washed over her. Of all days, she had clumsily applied a bit of makeup today, hoping to look a little prettier. Vanessa tried to push him away with all her might, but with her face held firmly in his hand, she couldn’t budge.

Flushed red all the way to her hairline, Vanessa met River’s gaze.

“Let go.”

“Why?”

“This is just… too embarrassing…”

“Isn’t it a bit late for embarrassment? It’s not like there’s anything left for us to hide.”

His tone suggested she was making a fuss over nothing, causing Vanessa’s eyes to narrow. His claim that they had nothing left to hide was factually incorrect. At the very least, she had never seen River Ross undressed…

But how could she argue that? Was she supposed to ask why he hadn’t stripped? Or point out that she hadn’t seen his body at all? While she fumbled for words, the damp towel touched her cheek. Startled by the warmth, her eyes went round, and he spoke in a languid voice.

“You should close your eyes.”

As if pushed by his words, Vanessa reflexively closed them. The warm, wet towel gently traced her cheeks, her forehead, and the nape of her neck. He used his thumb to slowly rub away the dirt that had soiled the bridge of her nose.

The sensation was strangely ticklish, causing her upper body to lean back inch by inch. She tilted further and further until finally, she flopped back onto the bed. He plucked a stray leaf from her disheveled golden hair. Then, River Ross leaned over her, bracing himself on the bed.

His large-boned hand brushed against her damp cheek. Vanessa stared up at him, feeling a sense of unreality, only snapping back to her senses when he grasped her calf.

“Wait, wait a minute. I’ll… I’ll really do my body myself.”

“There’s no mirror here, and right now, you’re a mess in places your hands can’t reach.”

Vanessa blinked her pale gray eyes innocently.

“Am I really that dirty?”

“Enough for people to know we were rolling around in the garden. Even your hair is a disaster.”

The lingering scent of his cologne mingled with his clean, natural musk, wafting toward her. As she became conscious of his scent, heat rose in her body once more. River Ross tightened his grip slightly on her waist as she gave a small shiver.

“Don’t waste your strength. You don’t even have the energy to lift a finger.”

After a few half-hearted attempts to push his shoulders, Vanessa stopped her futile resistance. It was as River said. She couldn’t push him away, let alone stop him, with her strength. Right now, she just wanted to go limp and do nothing.

Though having him wait on her hand and foot like this was taxing for her mind, it was undeniably comfortable for her body.

His touch as he wiped the dust from every corner of her skin was surprisingly gentle for a soldier. Vanessa gazed up at River’s serious face. She wondered if he had decided to be proactive about this situation. Even without any experience with men, she knew that what had happened in the garden earlier wasn’t the ‘end’ of things…

“Vanessa.”

“Yes?”

“Just ask. What are you so curious about?”

He hadn’t looked at her face once, yet he seemed uncannily aware of her frequent, stolen glances. Even though she was the one observing him, she felt as though she were the one being watched. After a momentary loss for words, Vanessa spoke honestly.

“It’s just… because of what you said earlier.”

“What did I say?”

“You said that in the garden, we… well, you know.”

“And?”

“Technically speaking, we haven’t… done it yet.”

“So, was I supposed to just satisfy my own urges while you were unconscious?”

“Well, technically, being unconscious is… not exactly what happened…”

“How else was I supposed to interpret the state you were in?”

Fortunately, the awkward task was soon finished. Having wiped her down thoroughly, he pulled his hands away with a bluntness that left Vanessa feeling slightly dazed.

“Rest. Don’t move around for no reason.”

Picking up the basin and towel, River Ross stood up. Judging by the receding footsteps, he was going to empty the water.

He was treating her like an invalid.

It was somewhat uncomfortable, yet also pleasant. Her condition wasn’t even that bad today. Vanessa stretched, feeling the softness of the bed beneath her back.

River Ross didn’t return immediately. Belatedly, drowsiness began to wash over her. Vanessa, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, suddenly bolted upright. If she stayed like this, she really would fall asleep.

She clumsily fastened the buttons of her rummaged blouse and smoothed out her crumpled skirt as best she could with her hands. There was nothing she could do about her tangled hair, so she simply raked her fingers through it like a comb. It would have been nice to have a mirror… Vanessa held her hair in a bunch and looked around, but eventually gave up and let her hands drop.

She remembered the sketchbook again just as River Ross returned. He seemed to have washed up briefly, as droplets of water clung to his neck and dark hair.

“Want a drink?”

He asked as he pulled out a lukewarm one-pint beer bottle and set it on the desk. A faint scent of sandalwood drifted from him. He was a man who became more difficult to pin down the more she saw him. His cologne, the Navy Officer’s wristwatch he had carelessly tossed aside, and his fountain pen were all clearly expensive, yet the things he actually enjoyed drinking and smoking were of very poor quality.

Perhaps Duke Battenberg treated his subordinates with extreme generosity. Or maybe, rather than being naturally extravagant, he simply received frequent gifts from noble ladies. Then again, with looks like his, anything was plausible. Vanessa shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

“No beer for me. It’ll be trouble if I smell of alcohol.”

“You’re of age.”

“That’s true, but… I’m not in the mood today. More importantly, can I really look at this sketchbook?”

When she asked with eyes full of curiosity, River Ross gave a casual nod. Vanessa felt a small thrill of excitement as she untied the cord. The light of a small lantern illuminated the shed, which had begun to grow dark.

The moment she turned the first page, an exclamation escaped her. It was a seabird with a beautiful long tail. The wings and feathers were captured with such vivid life they looked ready to take flight, and the open beak and outstretched legs were striking. The contrast of light and shadow, created by rubbing the rough lines together, commanded her attention. Even to her untrained eyes, it looked magnificent.

She carefully turned to the next page, making sure not to smudge the drawing. The yellowed paper, roughened by sea winds, was filled with all sorts of things. An octopus crawling through rock crevices, a whale breaching the surface, and deep-sea fish with bizarre appearances she had never seen before… A shark baring dozens of teeth was so intense it felt as though it might tear through the paper and lunge at her.

There were also drawings of sailors winding anchor ropes and maintaining cannons, and a dark sky that looked as if a storm were about to break. Vanessa flipped quickly past the sketches depicting the bare bodies and muscles of men.

As she turned the pages, the subjects moved closer to land. A bustling port, a man waiting for a train, an old woman sewing, a woman holding a child, and servants lighting tobacco. She even saw a sketch of Mr. Ross, the gardener, digging in the earth. And on the very last page…

Who is this?

There were only a few lines, as if he had started to draw someone’s profile and then stopped.