In the Doghouse - Chapter 166
In the room, only Courtney and her two attendants remained. Isabella carefully broke the silence, noticing Courtney still sitting quietly after the attendant had left some time ago.
“Your Highness, what would you like to do about dinner?”
“Oh? Oh… No, it’s fine. I don’t have much of an appetite anyway.”
“But you really should eat something.”
Isabella lowered her gaze respectfully. Courtney understood the implication behind her words—this wasn’t just about her own health but for the baby’s sake, too.
Every day, Isabella urged her to call for a physician and get a proper examination, but Courtney kept putting it off. Because of this, Isabella was still the only one who knew about the pregnancy.
Courtney glanced down at her own body. Was she really carrying a child? Her stomach showed no sign of change, and with her loss of appetite, she had even lost a bit of weight.
As Courtney stayed silent, Isabella gently offered again,
“I’ll go down to the kitchen myself and bring up something easy for you to eat.”
“Alright.”
Courtney nodded slightly. Just as Isabella turned to leave, Rebecca, who had been tidying the dressing table, interjected.
“Your Highness, you can’t just sit idly by like this. It’s strange for His Highness the Crown Prince to be acting this way.”
“Acting how? He must have something keeping him busy. He might be dining with the ministers and discussing state matters.”
Courtney tried to sound nonchalant. She couldn’t blame Rebecca’s attitude of casting doubt on the Crown Prince. After all, she herself felt similarly, even if she spoke differently.
“At this time of year, when over half the noble families have gone to their estates for the winter? I’m telling you, something is definitely going on!”
“Rebecca, that’s enough!”
Isabella’s sharp voice cut in. Normally gentle and composed, she raised her voice, and Rebecca was so startled that she immediately fell silent.
The back-and-forth between the two attendants gave Courtney a headache. She placed a hand on her forehead, and Isabella, visibly upset, continued,
“Why do you keep bringing up such strange things? Her Highness is already in a sensitive state…”
“Isabella.”
Courtney, who had remained silent, stopped her. She didn’t want anyone else to find out about the pregnancy. If her two closest attendants acted out of the ordinary, everyone in the palace would find out in no time.
Isabella lowered her head, looking chastened.
“…I apologize, Your Highness.”
But Rebecca, still visibly frustrated, muttered in a small voice,
“If you don’t believe me, please go to His Highness’s chambers tonight. I won’t say any more since it’s troubling you.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I understand, so let’s leave it at that. It’s time to eat.”
The commotion finally settled. Isabella shot a sharp glance at Rebecca before turning to head to the kitchen. Not wanting Rebecca to stay behind and potentially say anything else, she called to her before leaving the room.
“Rebecca, come along.”
“Huh? Me too?”
“Yes, Rebecca, go with her,” Courtney added.
Seeing that Courtney agreed, Rebecca had no choice but to follow Isabella, though she threw Courtney an anxious glance before leaving, unsure if she had done the right thing.
With a soft click, the door closed. Alone, Courtney let out a sigh. Perhaps, as an outsider, Rebecca had noticed something off about Richard’s behavior.
But just because he was acting differently didn’t mean she should jump to conclusions. Given how she’d acted toward him recently, it was only natural that he’d be feeling confused.
Still, she couldn’t shake off Rebecca’s final words.
Richard’s chambers… Was there really something there? Did she want to confirm it, or was it better not to know? She wasn’t even sure of her own feelings.
* * *
Late at night, Courtney tossed and turned in bed before finally sitting up. No matter how hard she tried to stop herself from thinking about it, Rebecca’s words kept coming back to her, one by one.
She had said she couldn’t just sit idly by. Did that mean Rebecca genuinely thought Richard was involved with someone else? She didn’t believe he would do such a thing, yet Rebecca had implied she’d seen something.
It might be better to go and see for herself. At least then, she could put any misunderstandings to rest. Courtney threw on a night robe and quietly left her chamber.
The corridors were dark. She chose not to call for a servant to light the wall lamps, taking only a small lantern as she walked alone.
The closer she got to Richard’s chambers, the more uneasy she felt. If he asked why she was there, she didn’t have a good excuse. But it didn’t take long for her to realize her worries were unfounded.
Two attendants stood guard outside Richard’s door. Noticing Courtney approaching, one of them quickly lowered himself in a bow.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
Caught off guard, Courtney greeted them awkwardly. She hadn’t expected anyone to be there. Were they always stationed outside his door like this? Feeling self-conscious, she reached for the doorknob, but before she could open it, one of the attendants spoke.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is not currently inside.”
