Madeline couldn’t help but shake her head, already feeling cold, and rubbed her checks
She said, “I’m going inside to warm up. It’s freezing out here.”
With that, Madeline turned and headed into
nto the house.
“Come on Let’s see the priests. They look as exquisite as figurines. Aren’t you interested?” Harper tugged at her hand. Handsome men are common, but handsome priests are rare.”
Madeline had worked up a sweat climbing the mountain and now felt tired and cold.
She said. “Go see for yourself. I need to sleep. Otherwise, I won’t be able to get up for the sunrise with you tomorrow.”
Harper pouted, “But it’s just the afternoon.”
“The clothes he’s wearing are called vestments, she continued with a smile. “The priest’s vestments change through the various seasons. Each piece of clothing and each color has a different meaning”
“Since when are you so cultured?” Madeline asked, confused.
“I just googled it. I’m curious about what he’s wearing. If it’s high grade, he’s less likely to return to normal life,” Harper reasoned.
Madeline listened but was uninterested and headed straight to her room to sleep.
Looking at the disappointed Harper, she advised, “You worked hard climbing the mountain. Since they’re praying, you should hurry up and
“I’m going to sleep now. Be careful on your way back. The mountain isn’t like the city”
Harper sighed and left.
Madeline used to seeing handsome men all day but felt indifferent to them now
What an enviable annoyance!
Madeline fell asleep quickly, almost as soon as her head hit the pillow,
The guest room was average, with a hard bed but clean and hygienic, allowing her to sleep deeply
After some time, she woke up with an itchy, sore throat and felt feverish.
She was extremely thirsty
Weakly. Madeline climbed up to drink half a bottle of mineral water, but her discomfort persisted.
listen.
She thought anxiously, Probably because I sweated too much during the day and the temperature dropped quickly here in the mountains. The sudden change might mean I’m catching a cold!
Spring was a time when colds were easy to catch
Madeline hadn’t brought anything with her, let alone cold medicine.
She grabbed her phone to call Harper, but there was no signal, and the room was dark.
Getting out of bed, she decided to go for some hot water and asked someone if they had any cold medicine.
Bundled in thick clothes, she shivered as she stepped outside.
The ground was slippery, probably because it had iced over. After all, the in
temperatures dropped below freezing at night,
Madeline exhaled, sering her breath in the cold. “I shouldn’t have come up the mountain. It’s pure torture”
Her head felt fuzzy, and her thoughts were unclear.
After walking for a wluk, she realized she might be lost
“Hey there, are you okay? Noah approached, looking concerned.
He was about right years old with bright eyes and adorably naive.
Im trying in get some hot water, but I seem to be going the wrong way. Madeline said, wrinkling her nose and feeling hot and flushed.
DI
Chapter 225
“You’ve indeed gone the wrong way. This is our inner courtyard, Noah pointed out. “You should go outside. But you look unwell Do you want the to get Mr. Bennett to help”
Madeline felt despair. She’d have to retrace her steps
Her legs felt weak, and her bones ached. She felt like she was freezing to her very core.
Teeth chattering, she replied, “I just have a cold. Can you give me two cold pills?”
“Noah, what’s wrong?” a clear voice interrupted.
“Mr. Bennett, you’re here. This woman seems to have a fever, Noah said, bowing
Madeline felt embarrassed and lowered her head. “Sorry, my mind’s a bit foggy, I took a wrong turn.”“
Now, the
parish priest from the chapel had arrived.
How could she, a woman, trespass into their inner courtyard?
Madeline said awkwardly, Tll leave now,”
Aiden uid. “Wait”
Madeline looked up, her eyes slightly red, feeling as if her head had been hit with a heavy object.
She paused upon seeing Aiden, finding him oddly familiar.
Tall and slender like bamboo, he wore a vestment and his striking good looks shone through
His entire vibe was incredibly restrained.
He lowered his eyes, conveying a cold yet compassionate detachment, with a small mole under his eye. Dressed investments, he seemed unattainable, though he likely had a more lustful aura beneath.
“Noah, fetch hot water and bring her to my r room,” he instructed.
“Ah? Mr. Bennett Noah stammered, “It might not be proper to bring a woman to your room at night.”
Alden smiled faintly, reminiscent of flowers blossoming, with a hint of arrogance. “With a clear conscience, what could be improper!”
Noah scratched his head, reflecting that Aiden was indeed eccentric. Everyone claimed his wisdom was profound, making him incomparable. Turning to Madeline, Noah said, “Please wait here a moment”
Madeline watched Aiden disappear into the night, pondering why he resembled Ethan.
Yet Ethan was a reserved, wealthy gentleman. How could be be a priest in this remote mountain?
It seemed unlikely. She must have been mistaken-
Noah returned with hot water, greeting Madeline and guiding her to Aiden’s rooms.
She found his politeness excessive. “Thank you, Noah.”
“You’re fortunate. Mr. Bennett usually keeps to himself and rarely goes outside, Noah said, sticking out his tongue. “He’s so handsome that if he went out, tourists would swarm him.
“Master says that’s improper and sets a bad example,” he added. “That’s why he rarely ventures out. If he does, he wears a bucket hat and a veil to conceal himself!
Madeline found this sarewhat exaggerated, but considering how handsome Aiden looked in his vestment, she couldn’t help but smile, imagining how striking he must be in secular life
she couldn’t help but press her lips together is
in a smile and said, “That makes sense”
Before the chapel, maintaining a pure heart was essential. It was inappropriate for everyone to cover Aiden’s face.
