In the Doghouse - Chapter 164
Even though Courtney was feeling deeply upset with Richard, she had to admit one small success on his part—the herbal tea he sent her. Since it was supposed to be beneficial for pregnant women, she drank it before bed, and by morning, she felt wonderfully refreshed.
Despite her downcast mood, her mind was remarkably clear. Early that morning, Courtney sat at the tea table in her bedroom, carefully reviewing the financial report sent by Wigg about the Devon family’s estate. She became so engrossed that her teacup was soon empty. Without taking her eyes off the report, she swirled her empty cup.
“Could I have another cup of tea?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Rebecca replied, approaching with the teapot.
As she poured the freshly brewed tea, a gentle aroma filled the air.
Turning to the next page, Courtney picked up her teacup carefully. But she suddenly sensed someone’s gaze on her. When she looked up, she found Rebecca, frozen in place with the teapot in her hands.
“What is it?”
“Your Highness, I… I have something to tell you,” Rebecca whispered, glancing around cautiously.
Courtney followed her gaze to a maid busily tidying the bed.
Was it something difficult to share? Unsure if it was a personal issue or something concerning her, Courtney set the report down and gestured for the maid to leave.
Once they were alone, Courtney asked,
“What’s going on?”
“Apologies, Your Highness. It’s not easy for me to bring this up…”
“It’s fine. Go ahead.”
Even with Courtney’s permission, Rebecca hesitated for a long time before speaking, her face showing clear discomfort.
“Your Highness knows how much I am loyal to you, right? I’m only telling you this out of sincere concern for your well-being…”
“Understood. Just say it.”
After a few more moments of hesitation, Rebecca finally got to the point.
“Last night, while I was on duty… I saw the Crown Prince leaving the palace.”
“What?”
Rebecca looked as though she was disclosing a grave secret, but Courtney simply felt confused.
“How did you happen to see that?”
“Well, it was… by chance. I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”
It wasn’t a typical practice to wander around alone at night, but it wasn’t prohibited. Courtney, bringing the slightly cooled teacup to her lips, responded nonchalantly.
“You must have been mistaken.”
“No, Your Highness! I’m certain I saw him. It was the chief aide, he was with him! They went through the west gate.”
Rebecca animatedly emphasized her point with wide gestures, and one of Courtney’s eyebrows lifted in mild surprise. If Anton had been there, the likelihood that Rebecca had misseen was slim.
“Is that so?”
“Yes! He was completely covered in a dark cloak.”
A black cloak.
This detail made it almost certain that Richard had indeed left the palace. But Courtney, sipping her tea, maintained a calm tone.
“He must have had some business to take care of.”
“No, Your Highness! He slipped out in such a suspicious manner, avoiding the guards and all… It looked as if he might have left the palace to—”
“Rebecca.”
Courtney called her name in a firm voice, setting her teacup down with a distinct clink. Rebecca, startled and visibly unnerved, replied hesitantly,
“Yes…?”
“I appreciate you telling me this, and I know it’s out of loyalty. But the Crown Prince is not only my husband—he is also the heir to the throne, someone to whom you, as a citizen of the empire, owe loyalty and respect.”
The calm but serious tone Courtney used carried a gravity that made the gentle reprimand even more severe. Rebecca’s eyes widened, and she looked away in visible embarrassment.
“…I’m very sorry, Your Highness.”
“This time, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. But please, be careful in the future.”
“Yes, Your Highness…”
Courtney returned to her report as if nothing had happened, while Rebecca, too shaken to say anything else, quietly backed out of the room. Though Courtney hadn’t scolded her harshly, the warning was clear enough. Next time, she wouldn’t be so forgiving.
In truth, Rebecca’s transgression was significant. A maid had no right to speculate about the Crown Prince’s activities, let alone openly cast doubt upon his intentions. If Rebecca had crossed further into direct criticism, Courtney would have had no choice but to punish her. In a sense, Courtney had just saved her closest maid from committing an even greater offense.
But as Courtney refocused on the report in front of her, her inner thoughts were far from the calm exterior she showed.
Black cloak.
Richard had worn the same cloak when he visited the private shop with her, keeping himself hidden all the way to the top of his head. And just recently, he had also reached for that cloak when they were about to go out to the festival together.
Combined with Rebecca’s testimony, Courtney was almost certain now that he had indeed left the palace.
But what could his destination have been? Though she’d just reminded Rebecca of his royal obligations, Courtney couldn’t help but feel uncertain about Richard’s actions. After all, hadn’t he asked her to visit his chambers just the night before?
After she refused, was there suddenly some urgent need that required him to leave the palace in the dead of night? It wasn’t impossible, but it certainly didn’t feel right.
Feeling uneasy, Courtney tried to shake off the unsettling thought, trying again to focus on her report. She didn’t even notice until much later that the edge of the paper had dipped into her teacup.
“Oh.”
She hurriedly lifted the page, but the damage was already done. The ink had smeared along the water-damaged lines. Courtney sighed and rubbed her hand gently over her abdomen. The tea, which had smelled pleasant just moments before, suddenly tasted bitter.
