Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 33: Taking care of Gooseberry

Chapter 33: Taking care of Gooseberry

Theodore’s Mansion

Late Night, Bedroom.

Theodore came back looking haggard and slightly cold, he had returned home later than he’d ever come but as he had insisted yet much to his surprise he hadn’t met Lydia waiting for him, she was instead lying in bed the way he had left her with a visible dip in the bed, making it pretty obvious to him she hadn’t left the bed since early noon today. He was gripped with unimaginable fear that instant which made him rush to the edge of the bed, forgetting his exhaustion and perhaps blood-stained attire to check if she was well and alive for at least a physician tomorrow.

"Gooseberry" he whispered before touching her face, moving some dark hairs out of her face,

"Mmmm, you’re back"

"That I am, I couldn’t get a physician I could trust, I’d never needed one" he explained quickly, feeling irresponsible and inattentive for not realising what he had been noticing that morning was something serious.

"Oh, Theodore, it’s nothing serious" she countered, her back now pressed against the bed, the outcome of her turning from her sides.

"But you’re still in bed, where I left you this morning and you’ve been sweating since morning"

"Do I stink to you" she sniffed and he knew it wasn’t to feign hurt, she was catching a cold

He withdrew baffled "God no, Lydia you could never stink even if you tried" his swift reply made her cheeks flare

"It’s... What is that ?" her eyes lit up as she caught sight of a basket at the foot of the bed

"Oh..." his head turned to the area her ocean blue eyes were now glued to "A gift" he confirmed

her eyebrows shut up further "For me?" a squeal.

"Yes, Gooseberry, for my wife" he watched her with a blooming smile on his lips until Lydia tried to jump out of the bed, he reflexively held her back by the shoulder with a small scowl

"Don’t get up so fast"

He moved for the basket, so she stretched her hands instead, her back on the headboard, she wiggled her fingers "Hand it over"

"I assumed you won’t be scared of a small creature"

"The one you showed me on our wedding night was a beast, Theodore, I advise you not to do that again"

"I won’t because I’m not getting married again"

"Who said anything about getting marri..."

"You’re smart, never take it to the kitchen"

She frowned "Pardon?"

"Do not even ever go into the kitchen" Shaking her head she ruffled the cat’s long fur

"You’re unbelievable" Her whisper met his attentive ear but he didn’t respond

"It knows you already" she reasoned as the cat was comfortably rubbing its head around Theo

"I should name it"

He bit his lips "Gooseberry I’m sad to inform you that it already has a name"

"It does?" She asked without looking at Theodore, too engrossed in watching the furry creature "What’s its gender?"

"It is a male cat darling, and it’s smart so you won’t need to tutor it somethings" he countered as he shrugged off his shirts, layer by layers

"Alright what then is his name?" She questioned

"Red" the creature made a purring sound

Her head raised to meet his eyes "Red?, It sounds oddly familiar"

"I will clean up for dinner" he moved for the bathroom, his upper half naked, viciously attacking her focus she fought against its effect on her and proceeded, making him turn.

"Theodore?"

"Yes, Gooseberry"

"Thank you"

"Why don’t you kiss me for being such a sweet husband?" She went red, dropping her gaze immediately "Yes, that’d be after finding a place for Red"

"It’ll stay wherever you are" he seemed to think better of it "When I’m not with you" he added

"And if you are?" She retorted her lips puckered

From inside the bathroom, Theodore replied"He’ll know where to be"

"I’m certain that came off suspicious" she reasoned, playing with Red.

"Drop the damn thing" Lydia chuckled, wondering why he suddenly thought she would want to drop the first pet she had ever had in her life.

She was keeping it as close as she could till she could.

Moments later, Theodore stepped out of the place and met Lydia still on the bed now gazing longingly at Red, making his neutral mood sour.

Why is she so fascinated by the damn cat?

"Come along" he interrupted her, to Theodore, her most definitely unwanted thoughts

"What ?"

He tried a smile "Let’s get you cleaned up" Lydia paused her movement on the cat

"You’re making it more obvious you think I smell bad, Theodore" Her scowl made him chuckle darkly

"Lydia, You will, if you stay like this till morning"

She pouted, looking at the cat "Red, Your Father is being mean to his wife"

"I’m sure it’s not regret I feel for being generous with this thing" he sounded disappointed in himself.

She giggled smoothly "Theodore you can never make mistakes when it comes to generosity"

"I don’t know where you got that from, definitely from your head"

"Stop teasing me, I’m bleeding!" She exclaimed exaggeratedly, dropping the cat back into the basket

"Come here" he opened his arms for her to walk in, she tried to think it was okay, and a lot of men stayed half naked but she couldn’t, she hadn’t seen a half-naked man before and Theodore wasn’t just any man.

He is her husband.

She stood up slowly and approached him with calculated steps,

"You’ve become a really..." he trailed off, tracing her jaw with his index

Her eyes closed "What ?"

"Really important part of my life, Gooseberry" The ocean blue orbs snapped open, her gaze affectionate

"Where are the maids?" Theodore asked, mainly to divert his mind from the uncontrollable urge to kiss her till she couldn’t breathe, till her lips dwell, until she clings to his arms becau...

His train of thought shattered when she replied later "I asked them to leave the mansion as they kept staying around me"

His eyes held a smile, she didn’t want to put off "You must have been moody"

"They were being noisy" she complained

"Now we’d have to set up warm water for ourselves" he acted disappointed

"It’s fine, I do it a lot back home, there was once, the first time I was woken up in the night to heat water for Father, he had come back late and they didn’t have the energy to go get a maid, I spent hours before the fire steadied, and when it was ready I waited by the door for Mother to come to get the water, but I think they both slept off" her voice had drifted from cheerful to gloomy as she ended the story, her head down as she tries to avoid his gaze

"Gooseberry, you’re with me now, you’ll never have to go through anything like that again, not unless I am dead" he declared

"I think I like it here" she whispered

"Oh Lydia, the things you do to me" his head dropping to her neck until her question paused him

"Why did you come home late?" She asked, as her palm gingerly dropped on his bare arm

"Rebels" he said simply, dropping a kiss on her jaw "Not at heart, actual city rebels"

Home, why did you come home late?

"You look exhausted" she noted, her left palm on his cheek, he drew her closer

"So do you, I didn’t know this makes women sick, I would have been prepared" he confessed

"Oh, this is nothing compared to some other ladies, Mira goes through hell every month" she reasoned

"Perhaps, it’s a tutorial for her soon-to-be home"

"Theo..." she burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking and her eyes drawing close, he watched her before dropping a kiss on her lip.

"There’s already warm water in there, get ready, we should get you something to eat" he released her of his firm hold

"Theo..."

"I know, I’m the best husband" he claimed

"That you are" she giggled as he directed her to the bathroom where he watched her stand in front of the mirror before shutting the door and heading for the kitchen.

Maximally, an hour later, Theodore dragged Lydia out of bed again as she had taken a bath, felt like a baby and lay back in bed, he convinced her and guided her down the stairs and she almost gave up reaching the kitchen, she was too sleepy and wasn’t exactly hungry to eat.

"Gooseberry, if you wanted me to carry you, all you had to do was ask"

"I just wish the stairs were easier to travel" Her comment ended with a squeal as he picked her up swiftly into his arms, it turned into a giggle as he gently took them downstairs, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into his neck.

They both enjoyed dinner, with Theodore mostly feeding Lydia and tapping her to stay awake throughout the process, he made her sit in front of him on the same seat, till she couldn’t take any more food, and with much persuasion and kisses, she agreed walking back upstairs was better for her as she had just eaten to avoid indigestion. She fell into bed the minute they got upstairs and Theodore covered her up before joining her, he drew her to his chest, placing small kisses wherever his lips met.

"Goodnight Theodore" she whispered, eyes closed

"Goodnight Gooseberry" he wished back, his own voice thick with drowsiness.

They slept tightly in each other’s arms, their very own world holding their content and happy souls, Red didn’t leave the room that night as he watched over them till morning.

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