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“You keep secrets between you and Lord Hesse?”

“Of course.”

There was no reason to deny it. Louise wondered if she should add something to her explanation, like that Sir Hesse was bound by a sense of comrades.h.i.+p. But before she could begin, there was a knock at the door.

“Miss?”

It was the careful voice of the maid. A single thought struck Louise's mind.

“Miss, after I finish cleaning the drawing room, would you like me to help you dress into your nightgown?”

She was doomed. If Ian was discovered in her room at this time,  Louise's parents would be called immediately. Perhaps His Majesty the king will come too. Their punishment was sure to be severe.

Louise remembered a horrible punishment she received just four years ago, where Ian, Simon and herself were ordered to shovel soil in the greenhouse from morning to evening. Overturning the soil let out a terrible stench. They might be punished to three days of shoveling this time. Her skin crawled at the idea. She would rather take an extra supplementary cla.s.s from Professor Hewitt than do that kind of manual labor.

“S-stay hidden! Understand?”

Louise's whisper was frantic, but Ian bore the same urgency. Where and how would he hide? Louise wildly looked around until her eyes alighted on her unmade bed, filled with childhood dolls and lots of large cus.h.i.+ons, and shadowed deeply by a canopy.

She pointed her finger at the bed and Ian understood immediately, jumping into the bed without delay and pulling the thin blanket over his head. He also did not forget to grab her beloved rabbit doll Alice, which Louise used to hold as a young girl. Why did he grab Alice! She was thinking of putting her on top of the blanket to hide his huge body! Although come to think of it, it was unlikely that little doll could cover him up. Louise hastily arranged some large cus.h.i.+ons and books over him instead.

“Are you asleep now, Miss?”

“Oh, no, come in.”

Louise answered as she quickly drew the windows curtains shut. The area around the bed was now perfectly concealed. Unless the maid could see a rabbit more than a hundred meters in the dark, Ian's presence would be unnoticed.

“You've darkened the room.”

Louise couldn't very well answer, “Yes, because the Crown Prince is hugging my rabbit doll," so she instead gave a weak smile.

“Shall I light some more candles?”

“I like it like this. Is it too inconvenient?”

“No, if this is what you want… But Miss, please don't stay in the dark if you're feeling depressed.”

“I know. I'm just going to fall asleep. I'm tired.”

Louise changed into her nightgown by the light of a small candle the maid brought. Louise's hair was also released from its braids.

“Thank you.”

Louise lower her head briefly and smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“It's so nice that you don't forget to say such lovely words. Would you like me to make your bed?”

“Ah, um, no!”

Louise sputtered and waved her arms like a fool. Great, she probably looked really suspicious now.

“It's fine.”

Louise tried to straighten her face, but the maid didn't seem to agree.

“I'm not sure. Everyone in this mansion knows that you can't sleep on summer nights. I'll change the sheets and bring you a new blanket. You'll feel much better.”

Louise shook her head furiously.

“Are you sure you're fine?”

The maid's face was pinched with worry, and Louise didn't seem all that right since the funeral.

“It's okay.”

Louise answered sincerely. 

“Then I'm glad you say so.”

Before the maid left the room she insisted that Louise call her if she couldn't fall asleep, and she'll change and air out the sheets for her. The maid was so sweet. Louise smiled until the maid closed the door behind her, then Louise dashed towards the bed.

“You'll be fine now. No one goes in or out when I sleep.”

Louise pulled away the books and cus.h.i.+ons on the bed.

“And don't hold Alice so tight. Hug her gently or you'll squash her.”

There was no reply.

“President?”

“But this bed is so soft.”

She could see him wiggling under the blanket.

“You can't sleep in my room!”

“I can't?”

“Of course not!”

Louise pulled down the blanket in a panic. His eyes were shut, and he snuggled Alice near his heart.

“But you slept in my carriage.”

“We were young then.”

“Don't worry. We're young enough today. “

“How many of us already had their birthday celebration as an adult?”

“It's not like you've suddenly grown up after a certain day. I remember you said that.”

Then he yawned hugely. G.o.d, he really is going to sleep! Louise argued with herself for a moment before pulling the blanket back over her chest. Come to think of it, Ian had said he couldn't sleep for several days. If she kicked him out of here, who knows when he would rest next.

"…Can you please return Alice before sunrise?”

In other words, he should leave before morning.

“Don't worry. If I can't leave on my feet, Hesse will carry me out.”

“Don't bother Sir Hesse too much. He looked very tired.”

Louise recalled Hesse's face before he had leaned on her shoulder.

“You really like Hesse.”

“Of course. Sir Hesse told me that he liked me, too.”

“What?!”

Ian grabbed Louise's hand on the blanket in shock.

“I think I've heard something that I can't easily let pa.s.s, now.”

“You can let it pa.s.s.”

After all, Hesse seemed to like Ian.

“No.”

In the blink of an eye, Ian sat up, grabbed her by the shoulders, then pressed her directly onto the bed. Now it was Louise who was lying down, with Ian hovering above her.

“I can't let that pa.s.s today.”

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