Guidebook for the Dark Duke

Chapter 31 - The Ambiguous Relationship

When Evan woke up, his whole body felt ill. His throat felt like it was on fire, his brain felt heavy like lead, but more importantly, his back felt like it had been torn open.

Evan struggled to open his eyes, but the sunlight hurt his eyes so he closed them again. He wanted to get up to drink water but found that the only things he could move were his fingers.

Evan exhausted his strength but his fingers only slid across the sheets a few times. Evan’s heart was filled with despair.

At this moment, he suddenly heard a slightly hoarse voice.

“Are you awake?” The voice was filled with surprise and ecstasy.

The voice was very familiar to Evan, his sluggish mind was instantly awake and his previous plans and calculations immediately surfaced in his mind.

“What….” Evan didn’t have the strength to go on. He turned to look at the face that could be regarded as embarrassing, and his heart suddenly felt a lot more at ease. It looked like his bet was a success.

Duke Wilson was ecstatic as he looked at Evan. Excited, he grabbed Evan’s hand that was out of the quilt, “Don’t talk, I’ll call Dr. Hester.”

He stumbled as he ran out, completely unlike the usual cold and arrogant Duke.

Evan squinted as stared at his back, he thought of something in his heart and a complacent smile appeared on his lips. His thoughts were cut short by his thirsty throat and the burning pain from his back. He was really uncomfortable.

A moment later, Duke Wilson ran in with Dr. Hester and some of his servants.

Dr. Hester should have just woken up, his hair was messy and his glasses hung crookedly on the bridge of his nose. He looked quite ridiculous.

“Reverend, how do you feel now?” Dr. Hester quickly exerted the professionalism of a doctor, walked to Evan’s side and asked in a low voice.

Evan wanted to speak but he couldn’t. The experienced Dr. Hester noticed this and immediately spoke, “Go and bring a glass of warm water.”

Butler Chris immediately responded and went out to get the water. The duke also walked to Evan’s side, squatted beside the bed and he looked into Evan’s eyes with eyes soft like lake water. No matter how much Evan regretted it at this moment, seeing this scene, he felt that it was all worth it.

Butler Chris acted quickly and the warm water was quickly brought in. Dr. Hester wanted to serve Evan to drink from the glass of water but Duke Wilson snatched it from him. He put the glass of water to Evan’s lips and said softly, “Is it possible for you to drink this?”

Evan blinked, slowly opening his mouth, he took a few sips. His chapped lips and dry throat were finally moistened with water. He had felt like his throat was on fire but he finally felt comfortable now.

Dr. Hester watched the two people with a heavy heart. Reverend Bruce, such a kind and gentle person, would never have thought that such evil feelings exist in this world.

Unable to bear it, Dr. Hester interjected, “Reverend, how do you feel?”

“I’m okay.” Because he’d drank water, Evan was finally able to speak but his voice was still terribly hoarse, “It’s just that my back hurts.”

Dr. Hester was relieved as he sighed, “That’s good. The wound on your back will slowly heal. Please, eat light food and rest in bed for the next few days.”

Evan nodded with some difficulty and leaned back into the bed.

Duke Wilson pulled the quilt over Evan and tucked in the edges of the quilt, then he turned to look at Dr. Hester. His eyes were no longer as tender as before, but had a cold alienation.

“When will the Reverend’s injury heal?” The duke asked in a low voice.

Dr. Hester was embarrassed as he answered, “Lord Duke, to tell you the truth, the Reverend’s injury this time is very dangerous and I don’t know when it will heal. It depends on how fast his body will recover.”

Dr. Hester felt ashamed, after all, he’s a doctor who couldn’t answer a patient’s question.

Dissatisfied, Duke Wilson frowned but thinking about Evan’s presence, he didn’t say anything, and he just nodded coldly and turned away.

Butler Chris was observing on the side and he understood the duke’s meaning very well. He quickly stepped forward, tugged on Dr. Hester’s sleeve and whispered, “Doctor, please come out first. I want to ask you about Reverend Bruce’s diet.”

Dr. Hester was glad to be relieved from his embarrassment and he hurriedly followed the butler out as if he was grabbing onto a life-saving straw.

When Evan and Duke Wilson were the only ones left in the room, the duke happily twitched the corners of his mouth. Evan was lying on the bed. Although he had regained consciousness, he was still a little dazed because of the pain and everything looked blurry to him.

Duke Wilson looked at Evan’s pale profile and wanted to reach out to touch it like he did the night before but he realised something halfway. With a trace of panic flashing in his eyes, he stopped his hands.

“Lord Duke, what’s the matter with you?” Of course, Evan could see the duke’s intentions. Originally, he wanted to pretend it didn’t happen, but with such a large range of motion, he was not blind. He thought about it and he wanted to tease the duke.

Duke Wilson felt like he had been hit by something and his mind was instantly filled with the panic of Evan knowing his intentions. He felt overwhelmed but from the outside, he just looked stiff, like there was nothing wrong.

Evan didn’t urge him and just looked at him with a gentle and non-aggressive look with a hint of doubt.

“I…. I’m fine.” It took a long time for Duke Wilson to find his voice but his voice was hoarse.

Looking at Duke Wilson’s vulnerable appearance, Evan didn’t pursue it further. This man was still too thin-skinned. It would not be worth it if he became angry. So, he just smiled and said, “That’s good. Thank you for taking care of me.”

Speaking of this, Duke Wilson’s heart felt more and more complicated. He frowned and looked at Evan with a very complicated look in his eyes.

“No, I should say this, it was you who saved me.” Duke Wilson’s tone had a hint of solemnity, “Reverend Bruce, you saved my life. My gratitude for your noble act cannot be described in words. If you need anything from me, just tell me, I can’t refuse.”

Duke Wilson’s were very official but the tenderness in his eyes could not deceive anyone, and Evan inwardly became more and more happy.

“Lord Duke, you’re being too serious. I just did the right thing.” The way Evan spoke was simple and peaceful without a trace of flashiness. But it is such plain language that made the duke’s heart surge.

What a noble personality this is. Even in such a crisis, the first thing that comes to mind is to save others.

“Reverend.” Duke Wilson’s tone was somewhat sluggish, “You, you make me feel very ashamed.” Unconsciously, he leaned in Evan’s direction.

This is a subconscious action but to Evan, it is of great significance. Duke Wilson has finally opened his heart to him.

Evan laughed silently in his heart, seeds of evil took root in his heart. He was getting closer to his goal.

But on the surface, Evan’s smile was like that of a saint, with a halo of compassion, “Sir, please don’t say such things again. We’re all fine now, this is the best ending.”

Duke Wilson was speechless as he stared at Evan. Naturally, it was good for both of them to be fine, but at that time, he had thought that Evan was going to die. The feeling of despair and pain still enveloped his heart and his heart had still not completely calmed down.

Both of them sat silently like this, as if the air in the room was stagnant, but for some reason, the atmosphere between both of them was not awkward at all but was filled with warmth.

Duke Wilson looked at Evan tenderly while Evan looked sideways into the void. The sun shone in through the curtains, casting a shadow on half of his face, as if he was sitting in a place where light and darkness intertwined, and he had a mysterious beauty.

After a long time, the warm atmosphere between the two was broken by the noise outside the door. Evan heard that it was the duke’s guests and the duke heard it too but his face was not really looking good.

With a cold look on his face, he walked over and opened the door, looking at the brightly dressed men and women outside the door. He had an irritable tone as he spoke, “Don’t some gentlemen and ladies know the most basic etiquette as a guest?”

Duke Wilson’s voice was not high but the annoyed tone in it made everyone present shut their mouths. In the end, Count Martin was the most courageous.

He smiled as he spoke cautiously,”Sir, are you alright? We are all worried about whether you’re injured.”

Duke Wilson just pursed his lips and said, “I’m fine, the injured person is someone else. This hunt is over, someone will send you back tomorrow.”

The duke’s words were very rude but these people also understood that it would be strange to be in a good mood after experiencing such a thing, but looking at the duke’s unscathed look, the guests had different expressions.

The Duke was too impatient to deal with these scheming people, so hu just waved his hand and Butler Chris, who had been in a dilemma at the side, immediately stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please go back to your rooms first. Breakfast is ready.”

Butler Chris’s invitation was undoubtedly a good step and every one present followed his instructions and left.

After the people receded like a tide, the duke returned to Evan’s room. He closed the door and turned around, only to find Evan looking straight at him. Duke Wilson’s heart skipped a few beats.

“What’s wrong with you?” The duke asked with some uncertainty.

Evan seemed to have come back to his senses. Embarrassed, he smiled and said warmly, “I didn’t expect that you’d still have this side.”

“This side?” Duke Wilson looked at Evan with some playfulness, “What do you mean by ‘this side’?”

Evan blinked and looked at Duke Wilson mischievously, “I always thought you were a gentle and elegant person, but I didn’t think that your face could be quite scary.”

When he heard this, Duke Wilson’s smile instantly stiffened.