~22~ The Secret that Charlotte Discovered

Charlotte just dragged Louis to the place she knew well, which will leave him in awe. The way she imagines things while holding Louis' hands as they run to the place made her laugh a little. By then, Charlotte stopped running and made Louis — immediately let out a sigh

'Sure, Milady has been hyper these days - but she's not like any other day I've seen - so far she went in here yesterday. However, I couldn't see the inside as I was prompted to buy another ingredient at the market. But this time she already shows me. Is this related to how the maid spoke to me earlier? I hope not'

Louis could only shake his head, his lips already curling up the moment he'd seen a smile creep up to Charlotte's lips. He didn't know it yet - but every time he sees the lady happy, his lips already do it without him realizing it

"Here, this is the secret place I discovered recently, Louis!"

As she showed Louis the location, Charlotte's hand, which was holding one of Louis' hands, dropped until that very hand showed him the location, which Louis just giggled at, causing Charlotte's eyebrows to scrunch up.

For the most part – she expected Louis to widen his eyes as she showed him the way. In Charlotte's mind, Louis' expressions were inexplicable.

Like he had those eyes that make Charlotte smile and that mouth that opens wide just so he can see the place - when Charlotte was suddenly dismayed at what she was seeing.

She had a feeling that she was also the one surprised by what Charlotte had seen on Louis' face. Instead of surprising Louis - she was already tied up by the way - Louis giggled while holding the back of his hand to his lips.

His eyes, previously fixed on Charlotte's back, had adjusted to a smile as he took in the surroundings around her, leaving the sweet, nostalgic golden flakes of sun engulfing Louis' entire body - almost enclosing the entire body Charlotte's cheeks suddenly flushed, and so on, his hair billowing from the gentle touches of the breeze, how his silver hair became one with the swaying leaves, and how Charlotte's ears heard only that sweet and harmonious soft chuckle from Louis' mouth.

Everything – as if time just stood still for the two of them, Charlotte felt like she was the one tied up instead. Stunned by their soft, quiet giggle Louis - her heart comes pounding non-stop and sets out to capture the sound that should be coming from the soft giggle

Yet Louis - has finally figured out what Charlotte wants him to see, and it's nothing more than what he's been doing in his spare time. When Charlotte took his private lessons from her old tutor, he would always come into the garden and arrange the design for everyone.

As if a born gardener, he could exemplify such qualities as a real one. Therefore at the very end of the garden - he had made it like a work of art.

'So that's what the lady wanted to show me? Well, I guess I've already burst their bubble knowing I was the one who set up the garden as it was very important to me. It was the time when the duke was roaming around here when he saw me. Instead of throwing myself out just to be punished - he asked me to be your butler and all - I'm so grateful to him that the only way I can repay it is by changing the lady for the better.'

Having thought of these - Louis was already looking intently at Charlotte with eyes that were already piercing the ladies but were meant to be the kind of lips curled up as if they were built that way in the first place.

But Charlotte - she felt like her whole body was paralyzed - like she couldn't move even an inch. She stayed there - stuck in her position - until she saw something unexpected that made her already wide eyes widen in surprise

"Milady - if what you are showing me is the back garden, then I am not at all surprised."

Louis walked close to Charlotte, he immediately knelt in front of her and immediately - however - gently grabbed one of her hands that were already at her sides.

So once in the long days that had passed, the very thing that made Charlotte's heartbeat twice as fast happened. Louis just knelt in front of the lady while he was already kissing the back of her hand.

'I hope it has eased my lady's tension. However, if their real purpose was to see me surprised, then I think I burst their bubble - which is adorable and funny.'

Those deep thoughts made him chuckle between his gentle acts for the lady, thinking she would at least calm her down.

However, the moment he stood in front of the lady when he had already released his grip on the lady's hand, was when he had seen the lady's face flush, which made him want for a second to pucker your eyebrows

It took Louis to do what he normally does, just checking the lady's forehead and that is aligning his forehead with her to know if she's feeling a little out of the sunny weather they're currently having had felt warm.

Already laying his forehead against hers - while both his hands rested on her cheeks - he saw them flush, but he didn't even feel the temperature rising from the lady.

So it makes him curious before he could close his eyes to feel the lady's temperature - Charlotte's legs were suddenly shaking, the way she felt her legs shaking made her suddenly feel her body again.

Because of those things — Charlotte immediately stepped back — it took her two steps back, with shaking hands already in the hair in front of her — her eyes swayed, her legs still shaking — but managed to move away from Louis and her eyebrows raised together further.

All Charlotte did was a silent reaction to Louis, causing him to raise an eyebrow at Charlotte - who was trying to avert his gaze

She knew that before she met Louis, it was already too abnormal for her to feel something that wasn't there at all. As time passed, she realized that Louis already had most of the attention — from the way he moves, the way he acted, and the way he always came up to her and said the words "milady."

She knew all this – but she kept silent, knowing that it was only natural for her to turn her attention to the butler, just to watch him closely.

But as time passed - her heart was already beating differently - sometimes it was wild, sometimes it felt some nostalgia, and sometimes - it wanted to come out of her body - just by looking at Louis.

From the moment she had her conversation with Harriett - knowing that what she felt for Louis was only her great admiration - she was certain that she admired him only as he admired his work as her butler performed.

But from that moment on, she felt like she couldn't understand herself anymore

The way her heart doubled, the way she felt heat all over her body when Louis kissed the back of her hand, and the way she acted oddly — everything she felt she left on Harriett's words doubts she believed was how she currently feels about Louis

'Wait, that doesn't look like me. What's happening? Why do I feel like something is wrong with me? I think that's not admiration at all! How ko------'

But before Charlotte could finish what she was thinking, Louis had already asked her what made her swayed by the tone of her voice he currently has

"Milady, are you all right?"

After hearing those words, she realized where she stood

'No! I am the lady of this household! Why do I even care about this and even these feelings? You're only distracting from my plan! No, I can't let it take over me. I can't let these control me! I have to find a way to avoid this! So pull yourself together - yes, Charlotte Carlile! You are one of the bosses in this household, so you should act like one!'

Having these thoughts, Charlotte closed her eyes and slowly inhaled until he had already calmed down. The pounding of her heart had been stable before, as had her trembling legs.

As soon as she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Louis, and his eyebrows furrowed until Charlotte let out a sigh and said something that made Louis give her a serious nod

"M-I'm fine, Louis. I just wanted to show you this place - but it seemed like you weren't surprised at all!"

She acted like her normal self - Charlotte whimpered like a child in front of Louis, who just shook his head, a small smile already creeping onto his lips

"Well, do you want to know the reasons, my lady?"

"For heaven's sake Louis!"

To Louis, Charlotte looked like a whimpering child who secretly made him laugh before answering

"I'm the one who arranged things here, my lady. So I guess I'm not surprised at all. But - if you wish to surprise me, there is only one thing you must do, my lady."

A teasing voice echoed through Charlotte, causing her to shift her sights to Louis - she swallowed to hear the next words while nodding obediently like a child

'Look at my lady - she's adorable as a bunny. Alright - I think this will push them to hone their talents for something.'

"Milady - learn gardening and show me your art. Then I will be surprised"

A tone of excitement for Charlotte made her eyes widen

"B-but how?"

"Well, that is no longer a question, my lady. You have me."

'Is he joking with me?!'