Bab 57: Shared Bath (3)

Miss Celia reflected on the conversation she had unintentionally eavesdropped on between Madam Isabel and the Marchioness.

The married couple had been put together through an arrangement, so naturally, Miss Celia had expected them to be as distant as peas in a pod. But as she observed their recent interactions, it seemed like they weren't as cold from each other as she thought.

'Things are maybe not as bad as they appeared.'

Wrapping up her duties and closing the bathroom door, being the last one to leave the room as the other servants filed out, Miss Celia made a mental note to reassure Madam Isabel about her son's marriage life.

She figured it would be a good idea to let her know that things appeared to be shaping up pretty nicely between the Marchioness and her boy.

While her responsibilities occupied her contemplation, Miss Celia made her way down the corridor with her steps thoughtful and slow. Little did she know, eyes were watching her, oblivious to the presence of another figure tracking her every move from the shadows.

In the corner, the person waited patiently, biding her time. She let the head maid go on her way before she began to move towards the door.

…

Inside the bathroom, the flickering flames painted seductive, swaying shadows on the walls. The sensual allure of the scene grew more intense as Nicolaus' bare form sat in the pool while Mikael's nightgown clung to his silhouette, accentuating every curve.

Caught off guard by the request, Mikael's raised eyebrow revealed his puzzlement while the golden light played upon his features. He could not help but question, "Why don't you just call one of the maids to do this?"

Nicolaus flashed a mischievous grin and retorted, "Well, I'd much prefer my lovely 'wife' to be the one taking care of my back," injecting a hint of endearment into their playful banter.

Reluctantly, Mikael let out a resigned sigh and convinced himself that he had no choice but to comply. He made his way over to where Nicolaus was, each step fueled by coercion and his attempts to convince himself it was the right thing to do to get the benefits in the deal.

Mikael kept reassuring himself that he had to give in, his inner conflict evident as he inched nearer to where Nicolaus sat, feeling the heat emanating from the bathwater.

Amid Mikael's growing annoyance, Nicolaus, with a grin that bordered on exasperation, added, "Wait, start with my chest."

Mikael was clearly getting a little annoyed at this point.

Mikael's frustration was mounting, but he couldn't muster the words to object. Instead, Nicolaus seized Mikael's hand without warning, placing a towel in his palm. He pressed a soft kiss on the back of Mikael's hand, guiding it to his chest gently.

Their eyes locked, and Nicolaus' expression softened as he quietly pleaded, "Please?"

Mikael's resistance finally crumbled, and he gave in to Nicolaus' request, beginning to wash his chest as he had been told. The warm water, mingled with soap, flowed from Mikael's fingers as he scrubbed.

While dutifully brushing, Mikael's gaze wandered and landed on droplets of blood that had found their way to Nicolaus' neck. As he continued to clean, he soon realized that the blood wasn't oozing from any injury on Nicolaus.

A thick silence hung between them, growing more uncomfortable by the moment. Unable to bear it any longer, Mikael hesitantly broke the quiet with a hesitant question, "...What's happened?"

Nicolaus, with a teasing grin, responded, "Are you starting to get worried now? How adorable."

In response, Mikael couldn't help but roll his eyes and let out an exasperated huff, shooting a mock glare at Nicolaus.

But Nicolaus casually added, "Someone's just playing games with me. I'll handle it."

In a fleeting moment, Mikael could not help but catch the momentary growl of temper in his voice, though he tried to keep it in check.

Once again, silence settled between them, an uncomfortable quiet that made Mikael feel like he was sinking into quicksand.

In an attempt to change the subject, he blurted out, "Anyway, Madam Isabel gave me the keys to her office. She passed me her position as the lady of the house."

Nicolaus offered a nonchalant "Hm" in response, his attention fixed on the task at hand, diligently washing his back.

Mikael then made a suggestion, "You should pay a visit to Madam Isabel soon."

Nicolaus agreed, saying, "I'll do that, maybe tomorrow. She's probably asleep by now." He then changed the topic and pointed out, "Hold on, you missed a spot."

As he playfully pointed out the missed spot to Mikael, Nicolaus couldn't resist teasing him further. He guided Mikael's hand down to his abs, causing Mikael's eyes to widen in surprise.

Mikael shot a questioning look at Nicolaus, unsure of how to react. But Nicolaus didn't stop there; he playfully led Mikael's hand, even lower, down to his abdomen.

"Stop it!" Mikael exclaimed, his face flushing with embarrassment as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Nicolaus, however, couldn't resist and burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the bathroom, leaving Mikael feeling both embarrassed and somewhat irritated by Nicolaus' teasing.

Mikael, "Can you stop doing that?"

Nicolaus, still chuckling, caught Mikael's shoulder and turned his back to him. Still chuckling, he replied, "Okay."

Mikael's voice took on a more serious tone as he expressed, "I don't appreciate it."

Nicolaus, nonchalantly taking the towel from Mikael's hand, replied with a casual, "Yeah, yeah. Just take off your nightgown."

Curious and a bit anxious, Mikael glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Huh? W, Why, though?"

"It's your turn. I'm going to wash your back."

Mikael, eyes widened in surprise, questioned, "You?"

With a casual shrug of his shoulders, Nicolaus replied, "If you don't take it off, then I'll do it for you."

Mikael hesitated, his eyes flickering towards the bathroom door. He paused, wrestling with his thoughts, before finally expressing his unease, "Wait, my lord! Someone could burst through that door any second!"

Nicolaus, with his brows furrowed, wore an air of confidence as he reassured Mikael, "They won't."

Mikael, however, was still hesitating, his reluctance clear the way he kept glancing towards the door, clearly worried about potential intruders.

"Are you feeling a bit shy?" Nicolaus prodded further, "Come on, I've seen you naked before."

Mikael gave his nightgown one final clench, gripping the drenched fabric, and mustered the courage to comply, carefully removing the soaked garment.

He peeled off the nightgown, letting it slip from his body. The fabric clung to his skin before it was finally shed, leaving him exposed to the warm water.

Nicolaus took the discarded nightgown and casually tossed it to the side of the pool, where it landed in a soggy heap.

Not stopping there, Nicolaus pointed out, "And move your wig. It's getting in the way." He motioned to the wig that had stubbornly clung to Mikael's head, its damp strands framing his face.

Mikael pulled his long wig to one side, the strands glistening with water droplets. He could hear the gentle splash of water as Nicolaus' finger parted the wet hair on his back.

'This felt… weird.' Mikael thought, awkwardness creeping over him like an unexpected chill.

The strange feeling settled in, making him increasingly uncomfortable. The Marquess, playing the role of the devoted husband, was causing Mikael to feel like he was in a rather odd situation.

Nicolaus tending to his back was something he never imagined, and it left him feeling somewhat out of… place.

And while Nicolaus resumed the task of washing Mikael's back, the sound of a towel being squeezed resonated through the bathroom. The fabric brushed against Mikael's skin.

However, an unexpected noise grabbed his attention. It was as if a sudden shift in the air had set his instincts on high alert.

Nicolaus swiveled his head suddenly, his attention snagged by the door. An eerie feeling clawed at him, as if some observer hovered on the other side of the door, maybe even attempting to overhear their conversation.

It startled him, causing him to momentarily pause in his task of washing Mikael's back.