The Duke's Reluctant Bride

Chapter 6: Beneath the Petals

The gardens of my manor were bursting with greenery. Crocuses bloomed brightly, grass sprouted everywhere, and the trees stood tall majestically. Strangely, a variety of unfamiliar flowers dotted the soil, ones I was pretty sure I hadn't ordered to be planted.

I stood at the front of the garden, scanning the scene thoroughly.

"So, Clara did this?" I asked, keeping my voice calm.

I glanced at the gardener beside me, who looked as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"Yes, Your Grace. As the gardener, it should be my job to tend to the garden, not young Lady Clara's! I'm so sorry!" His voice trembled, with just a hint of panic.

Hm? Did I say something wrong?

"That's unnecessary," I said, waving him off. "Unlike Clara, you can't make a garden explode with greenery in such a short time. Besides, I didn't even order you to clean up yet"

The gardener seemed to relax slightly.

"Now, please, I'll leave the rest to you," I ordered.

He looked even more relieved. "Of course, Your Grace... I'll get right on it."

He quickly excused himself, practically heading toward the garden.

I sensed a presence behind me and turned to see the other gardeners standing there, looking at me nervously.

"Go ahead," I said, trying to sound less stern.

"Yes... Your Grace," they replied in unison, hurrying off in perfect sync.

Maybe I should work on softening my expression next time. Oh well, it doesn't matter.

I took a glance at the garden, taking in the vibrant scenery.

"It's beautiful," I mumbled to myself.

Is Clara trying to impress someone? The person arriving tomorrow is only Adeline, so maybe it's for her. The fact she is doing this means...

Does she really think we're a couple who loves each other? It's true our marriage is real, but it's all just for political reasons. Kids have such innocent minds. It might be good to explain it to her, but I'd rather not shatter her innocence with the harsh reality.

Standing alone in front of the garden, lost in my thoughts, I was suddenly jolted by a little green fox landing on my right shoulder.

"Hm? Ivy? What brings you here?" I asked, glancing at the small creature.

Ivy didn't respond with words, of course, a familiar doesn't speak.

She tilted her head toward me, gesturing for me to follow. With a graceful leap, she jumped off my shoulder and darted toward front path of the manor.

I sighed with a little smile. "Clara is there isn't it?" I mused, setting off after Ivy.

Following Ivy through the winding paths, I soon found Clara kneeling beside a vibrant bed of flowers. Her golden eyes sparkled as she tenderly tended to the plants, her hands moving with care and precision.

"Clara," I called softly.

She looked up, her face lighting up with a warm smile when she saw me. "Uncle Lucien! Did Ivy find you?"

"She did," I replied, crouching down beside her. "She's quite the messenger."

Clara giggled as Ivy nuzzled against her, the mossy fox clearly proud of her work.

"You've done an incredible job in the garden today," I said, admiring the blooms around us. "It's beautiful."

Clara's cheeks heated up a little, her eyes dropping shyly to the ground.