Married To The Mad Vampire Lord-Chapter 144: Bed partner

Belle returned to her given chamber with great reluctance after what they did on the balcony.

Rohan had walked her to the door of the chamber and then held her in his embrace for some moment. After dropping a lingering kiss on her mouth, he watched her get into the room. When the door began to close slowly, Belle smiled at him, which he return with a small pull of his lips to the side, and watched her until the door closed completely.

Inside the chamber, Belle felt her heart ache. She hated these separate arrangements, but since it was a custom everyone had to follow—as it had been held for ages—she told herself to bear with it.

It was only for a few days, and then they would go back home and have all the time in the world again. Because once they were back home, she planned to pay attention to him until he got over the heavy exhaustion she saw in his eyes, like someone who had not slept for many days.

She would make sure he learned to rest and do things properly, and then she would do everything in her power to learn about him and what had happened when his parents were alive. She was determined to help him no matter what, and thus she did not let herself get discouraged by the separation—or even hurt.

"Goodnight," she muttered to the closed door, watching his shadow disappear through the gap as he walked away.

She turned back to the quiet chamber and noticed the two other women were already fast asleep, curled up together in the bed they shared. Her gaze shifted to the other bed, hers and Lady Clifton’s, but it was empty on Lady Clifton’s side.

Belle’s brows drew together in mild curiousity. She wasn’t back yet? she thought. Earlier, she had seen the Lady with her husband when she went to meet Rohan. But on her way back, the couple were no longer there. Belle had assued she had returned to the chamber before her.

Walking carefully to the bed, she took off her robe and climbed onto it. Laying her head on the soft pillow, a sigh escaped her lips as she stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling of the chamber, so completely different from the one she had grown accustomed to in the other castle.

Though even in the other castle she hadn’t often shared a bed with Rohan, she still longed for his presence beside her.

Just this afternoon, she had experienced the beauty of being one with him. She wanted to experience it again, this time to feel it fully, without fear, without hesitation.

Was Rohan back in his chamber? she wondered idly. She wasn’t sleepy at all. It must have been the nap she took earlier in the evening that chased every ounce of sleepiness from her.

Sighing, she tossed and turned on the large bed for a while until her limbs began to weaken. She was just starting to drift off when she heard the door creak open and then close softly. There were the faint sounds of muffled footsteps across the floor, and then the other side of the bed dipped as her bed partner settled in.

Belle opened her eyes when she heard a silent sob escape from the other woman the moment she lay down. Turning slowly, she saw her shoulders trembling, her back facing Belle’s direction.

Belle knew she should mind her business, stay away, and not try to get close to anyone in this castle. But then, the way the other woman was silently sobbing—as if believing they were all asleep and no one was listening—and what Rohan had told her about her losing her unborn babies until she could no longer have any, made her feel for the woman.

Not to mention what Lord Clifton was making people believe about her.

Rohan had not told her to stay away from the woman, and neither did he encourage her to make friends with her.

He hadn’t even said anything about Lady Clifton, he just gave her all the information she asked him for, like he was letting her decide whether she wanted to make friends or let it be. If she were a bad person, he would have cautioned her about it, as he always said he could tell from the heartbeat.

Belle could ignore her and pretend to be asleep, but something in her was being drawn to Lady Clifton. She felt compelled to console her.

Reaching out her hand, Belle touched her trembling shoulder. "Lady Clifton..."

Belle felt her still, and her sobs ceased. She seemed to jerkily wipe off her tears and then turned to Belle with red-rimmed eyes but with a smile on her face.

"Oh, I thought you were asleep, Lady Dagon. I hope I didn’t wake you up with my homesickness? I tend to fall in such state when I am away from my husband. I’m used to laying with him. I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep," she apologized as she used her handkerchief to clean her face and dabbed her nose. freёnovelkiss.com

Belle stared at the red-haired woman. If she hadn’t seen how her husband had pushed her away from him when they passed by, she would have believed she was crying because she missed him. Because Belle also longed to be with her own husband, but she didn’t think it was the same with Evelyn.

Now she realized why the woman had seemed nervous at the thought that they would be meeting their husbands earlier.

"You did not disturb my sleep, I wasn’t sleeping," Belle said softly, so as not to wake the other two. She then reached her hand out and touched Evelyn’s hand.

"I don’t mean to pry, Lady Clifton, but I just want you to know that you can talk to me if you want to. I know I have no experience whatsoever with married life, and I can barely give advice, as I was only recently married but I want you to know that you don’t have to put up with it alone. I’m here if you need someone to listen..."

Belle watched the woman’s lashes tremble before she forced a smile and said, "I don’t know what you’re talking about, My lady. I was crying because I miss my husband... just now."

She gently pulled her hand away from Belle’s, and Belle stared at her, blinking. She could tell when someone was trying to hide their pain behind a smile, because she had once been there herself. She had carried a heavy burden in her chest and still smiled at the world. She recognized the look.

Still, she didn’t want to push the other woman or make her feel cornered. So, swallowing back the genuine concern she held in her heart, she nodded slowly and said with a small voice, "Very well then, my lady. I thought I was helping. I’m sorry."

Belle pulled back and lay on her pillow, turning to the other side. Many women were taught to carry the burden of their marriages alone, though she had heard of some who shared theirs with a friend. But then, she and Lady Clifton weren’t even friends to begin with, so she completely understood if the other woman didn’t trust her enough to open up about her pain.

Belle was about to close her eyes and force herself to sleep when she heard the faint voice of Lady Clifton from behind her.

"Do you know why I spoke to you this evening in the hall, when I’ve been ignoring most of the other ladies?" she asked, and without waiting for a heartbeat, continued to speak.

"It was because I thought your husband was mistreating you and that you did not have a happy marriage, as it was forced upon you. I saw how you sat alone when I came into the hall, looking towards your husband. I thought I knew that look—the look of ’I wish he could be mine and I wish he could love me.’ I thought it was the look I give my husband whenever he pretends I do not exist. So I talked to you."

Belle did not move nor make a sound and listened, as she knew the woman wasn’t done speaking.

"I always wished someone would see through me and figure out I was never happy, and that what they all thought of me was wrong. No one ever saw me. No one ever cared, because they’re too busy being envious of me to see me.

"When I saw you, I thought—I will give you the comfort I never had from people. I will make you not feel lonely like I am admist so many people. I thought we had things in common—cruel partners who make us miserable. Only for me to realize I was the only one."