Love's Unexpected Awakening Elowen's Choice novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32 A New Form of Stimulation

He turned and left without another word.

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Vivian felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head. Her entire body went cold.

After a long moment, she mustered the strength to chase after him. “Your Highness, I have something urgent to report. It concerns the Duchess of Duskmoor!”

Alaric’s foot was already on the carriage step. At those last three words, his movement froze mid-air. He turned his head, his gaze locking onto her. “The Duchess of Duskmoor?”

His voice dropped low, edged with a possessiveness he probably didn’t even notice.

Vivian caught her breath. She’d gambled right!

Suppressing her frantic heartbeat, she drew closer. “Your Highness, please follow me.”

A short while later, Alaric stood by the stable door, watching a boy in the distance. The lad wore a pained expression, reluctantly gathering armfuls of hay to feed the horses, muttering curses under his breath.

“That boy ruined a rare, expensive quill,” Vivian explained in a hushed tone. “By rights, he should have been flogged to death. But the Duchess took pity on him. She made an exception and kept him on. At first, I merely thought her kind-hearted. But after seeing Your Highness today, I realized her motives might not be so pure. This is serious. I didn’t dare hide it from you.”

With these words, Vivian neatly absolved herself of all responsibility.

As she spoke, she sneaked a look at the Crown Prince’s face.

She figured he’d blow up and scold the Duchess of Duskmoor.

That would at least vent some of her anger.

To her surprise, he showed no anger. Instead, a faint, knowing smile curved his lips, his eyes holding a glint of knowing pleasure, as if to say, “I knew it.”

Vivian was stunned.

Even as the Crown Prince departed, and even when Cora arrived with guards to bundle her into a carriage and send her away, she still couldn’t fathom what that expression had meant.

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Chapter 32 A New Form of Stimulation

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With the bangle snatched by Alaric, Elowen still needed to prepare a birthday gift for Maerwyn.

However, after mid-month, having taken over the management of all Duskmoor Manor affairs, she was swamped from dawn till dusk. There was no time for another outing.

After some thought, she asked Edith for help with the selection.

Edith had served in the palace. Her taste was a sure thing.

Since witnessing Edith’s formidable slap, Mira had become her fervent admirer and formally asked to learn from her.

Elowen, understanding her maid’s desire, arranged for her to accompany Edith.

Edith had no objections, and Mira was thrilled.

The day was particularly hot, so Elowen told them to wait until the sun had set before heading

out.

She herself remained in the chamber, sorting through the account books.

Bran entered with a washbasin and bowed. “Your Grace.”

Elowen didn’t look up at first. “Come to tend to Cassian again?”

Bran chuckled.

Elowen was about to tell him to go ahead when a crucial memory struck her. Her head snapped up. “Wait!”

Last night, driven by curiosity about that prominence, she had tugged Cassian’s robe aside. Later, overwhelmed by embarrassment, she had simply hidden under her own covers to sleep. She hadn’t fixed his clothing!

Bran, knowing nothing of this, stopped and turned. “What is it, Your Grace?”

Elowen feigned calm. “The task of washing him might be better left to me.”

Bran blinked. “You?”

He grew flustered. “Have I done something wrong?”

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Chapter 32 A New Form of Stimulation

It’s not that you

did anything wrong; it’s that I did. She couldn’t very well say that.

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Putting down her quill, she looked up. “You’ve done perfectly well. It’s just… I am his wife now. He is my husband. Such intimate matters are more fitting for me to handle.

Bran protested, “That won’t do! You are the Duchess, a noble lady. This chore is best left to a servant like me!”

Seeing she couldn’t persuade him, Elowen grew increasingly anxious.

But desperation breeds ingenuity. A sudden inspiration flashed in her mind.

“…Didn’t the royal physician say that if Cassian received regular stimulation, it might help him wake?”

“He did…”

“Think about it. You always wash him. He’s grown accustomed to it; it’s no longer a stimulus. If I do it today, wouldn’t that be a new form of stimulation?”

Bran’s

eyes

widened slightly. “That’s true! How clever you are, Your Grace!”

Elowen forced a laugh. “Ha, yeah.”

The matter settled, Bran placed the basin and cloth on the bedside table. As he left, he very tactfully closed the door behind him.

Silence descended upon the room. A nervous tension slowly seeped into every part of Elowen.

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