Chapter 06…
Kevin’s father had told him that he would be “skipped over,” but Kevin believed it would be difficult for his older brother’s daughter to inherit the earldom without him acting as an intermediary.
It was true that one could inherit a title from the age of eighteen, but it would be hard for a young lady fresh out of the academy to face society on her own.
First, she would have to go around introducing herself as the next Countess, getting people to remember her face. Then she would need to marry.
Once she had children, she wouldn’t be able to appear in society for some time.
If she were merely the next in line, that would be fine—but if the Countess herself were absent, someone would have to represent her.
Moreover, with time, their parents would become too old to actively participate in social life.
It would leave a bad impression if, after having Kevin stand in as a representative for years, they still chose to “skip” him.
People would inevitably begin to ask why Kevin himself was not becoming the earl.
His brother’s daughter—named Marianna—might find it easier to assume the title only after she had borne two children of her own.
By then, their mother would be in her late sixties—perhaps already gone.
Thinking about all this, Kevin concluded that his father’s plan to “skip” him was unrealistic.
The person he needed to persuade was his mother, for she was the Countess.
Well, there was no need to rush that conversation.
That’s what he thought at the time.
Four months had passed since Marianna’s birth.
Kevin had hardly spoken with his wife, Catherine, and the distance between them had not narrowed at all.
Almost a year had gone by since his brother’s death.
Since they were now husband and wife, bound to spend the rest of their long lives together, Kevin decided to speak to her.
“Catherine, don’t you think it’s about time you moved into my room?”
She was still using the same room she had shared with his late brother.
Kevin, choosing not to occupy his brother’s old room next door, had taken another one for himself.
The house was designed so that each of them had a private room connected by a shared marital bedroom, so he thought it natural that Catherine should now move into his adjoining room.
“Don’t be ridiculous. What a disgusting thing to say.”
Kevin thought he must have misheard her, but her expression left no doubt—it was one of disgust.
“Surely you didn’t think that just because I’m your wife, you have the right to touch me?”
“We’re married now, aren’t we? Isn’t that natural? Not right away, but I’d like us to have another child eventually.”
What was so strange about wanting to share a bed with one’s wife?
They were newlyweds, after all.
He had refrained from taking any mistress and had waited patiently until her body had recovered from childbirth—
and yet, this was the reaction he received.
