***
PLEASE!!
DON'T SHARE OR REPOST!!
***
Chapter 8
"I'm
sorry, Miss. I did lie."
When
I returned to the room, the maid apologized to me. Looks like she's been
waiting for me. I took off my scarf and coat and handed them to her. After
that, I approached the fireplace.
"...Why
did you lie like that?"
I
didn't mean to scold the maid, but I wanted to hear her reasons. As far as I
know, a maid who does something without her master's permission will be expelled
without getting a recommendation. Of course, I don't have the power to do that
and I have no intention of doing it in Duke Arpad's Manor.
"I
was cleaning the window when I saw you with Mr. Adrian. I saw you frown as if
you were angry. So I wanted to help..."
The
maid replied in a very small voice. I sat in front of the fireplace, cupped my
hands, and looked down a little at her. Her hands are dry and cold since she
hasn't taken good care of them.
"Ah,
Miss! I'm sorry! Please forgive me just this once!"
I
tried to grab the maid's hand, closer to the fireplace. But she trembled like a
poplar tree quivering in the wind, terrified to death.
"...What's
wrong with you? I'm trying to keep your hands warm."
"Oh..."
The
maid opened her mouth, surprised. Then she looked at me for a moment, and
without further resistance, she finally stretched out her hand. We both faced
the fireplace.
"It's
warm."
"Right."
It
must not have been the first time or two that she had warmed herself in front
of the fire, but this maid looked up at the blazing fire with a very fascinated
look. I moved away from the maid, walking to a drawer. I took the moisturizing
cream that was in the drawer and returned to the waiter's side. Then I gave the
cream to her.
"Wear
this. You are indeed guilty of lying, but you saved me."
"...Miss?
There's no need for that. It's very expensive."
"Yeah,
it's very expensive. So you have to use it little by little and save it."
"This
is for me...?
The
maid's green eyes glazed over. As she nodded her head, she took the cream in my
hand with trembling hands. Then the maid opened the container of cream and
smelled the aroma then exhaled happily.
"Thank
you. I even forgot when I used such a high-quality cream like this."
"...You
mean, you've tried this before?"
"Oh,
that..."
The
maid couldn't answer that easily. She avoided my gaze as if she was
embarrassed. I lifted my scarf.
"If
you don't want to say it, that's fine. Everyone has a secret or two."
"I'm
sorry, Miss."
"There's
nothing to apologize for."
After
that, we just sat in front of the fire without speaking. The maid slowly
applied the cream to her hands. She seemed to like it. Perhaps because of the
light, her green eyes seemed to glow brightly.
"I
will use it little by little. Thank you very much."
"...No
problem. By the way, what's your name?"
She
was the maid in charge of cleaning my room, but I didn't even know her name.
"I'm
Henrietta, Miss Ophelia."
The
maid laughed while scratching her short hair. Henrietta, "Henrietta."
I tried calling her name softly.
"Yes,
Miss?"
"No,
I just called."
"Ah..."
The
conversation stopped again. Despite the thick carpet, my hips felt cold from
sitting on the floor. I got up and walked to the sofa. Henrietta, who was on
her knees, followed me. "Weren't you scolded by Adrian because of me? Were
you hit?"
I
suddenly remembered the words that Alexander said to his relatives in the
dining room, that's why I asked her. There are many nobles who like to play
hands more than I thought. On the outside, Henrietta looked fine, but just in
case.
"I'm
fine. Mr. Adrian is a little rude, but he's not the type to play hands. I've
been scolded by him several times."
"Is
that true?"
"I'm
sure you've seen it before. In the dining room, Mr. Adrian shouted at me when
he asked me to get some water to wash your hands."
Oh,
so that maid is Henrietta? I've completely lost my mind for not realizing it.
"So..."
Henrietta
laughed bitterly while scratching her neck and said,
"You
don't know, Miss? Of course, why would you remember things about servants and
such."
"...Why
are you talking like that?"
"Miss?"
"Why
are you speaking condescendingly to yourself? Don't do that."
"I'm
sorry. It's become a habit."
Henrietta
apologized to me again. I'm not angry or scolding her, but why is she always
apologizing to me? I can only shake my head.
"Never
mind, it's okay."
"Yes,
Miss. Thank you for letting me warm myself by the fireplace with you. I'm
leaving now. Don't you like being alone, Miss?"
Henrietta
got me a blanket before she left. And just as she was about to grab the
doorknob, again and again, she thanked me. She also said that she would hide
the moisturizing cream so it wouldn't be discovered.
After
she left, I left the sofa and headed to the window. As I walked, the blanket
fell on the floor, but I didn't care.
"......"
I
looked down, behind the frozen window. I could see the garden clearly through
the window. But even so, the distance between this room and the garden was
quite far, there were people walking...
The
gardener passes by with a bucket. I narrowed my eyes to see the gardener's
face. However, it was hard to tell whether his hair color was brown or black,
let alone his facial features.
But
can you see my face from here?
...Henrietta?
***
Previous | Table of Contents | Next
***
What do you think about this chapter?
0 Comments
Post a Comment