It had been three days without Mrs. Shaynie’s tiring visits and Rubica was at peace. She met relatives she hadn’t met in the morning and talked with them, and she took strolls in the afternoon. She dropped by at the seamstresses’ room to see how they were making Khanna’s dresses but soon left in a hurry because she thought her presence was only slowing them down.
‘Oh, I’m a little bored.’
That’s what she thought as she ate breakfast. Now she even looked forward to the time with Edgar even though they kept fighting.
‘No, have we been fighting less these days?’
They were not so tense toward each other now. Edgar had been asking if anyone had been bothering her and if there was anything uncomfortable. It looked like someone had reported to him about Mrs. Shaynie.
Rubica didn’t talk about what had happened with her to Edgar. He was a proud man and was weak to provocation. He got mad very easily, so it was better to say nothing and enjoy the mood. Making a comment could rather make him get mad.
Plus, it was quite fun to pretend to ignore the fiercely handsome man glancing at her. Edgar looked quite cute then.
‘No. Him, cute? Impossible.’
Rubica shook her head. It had only been three days of peace and quiet. Had it been too boring? She was getting all kinds of weird ideas.
Your Grace, are you not content with your breakfast?
A servant asked as he poured juice into an empty glass. Rubica had sat down at the table long ago, but more than half of her food remained on the dish. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get used to having breakfast with so many people watching her. She really missed the time she used to eat hot roasted potatoes with the many people sitting with her at the abbey.
No, I just have a poor appetite.
The servants were worried when hearing that. The duchess hadn’t eaten breakfast properly for more than ten days now. They had done everything they could, like changing the ingredients and recipes, but Rubica was eating less and less each day. They didn’t know that it was only because she was eating alone.
Who are today’s visitors?
In the end, Rubica finished eating and asked Ann who bowed as she came into the dining hall. Maids were supposed to take a day off every three days. Serving the mistress at her side all day wasn’t easy, so noble ladies normally kept two or three maids.
As they couldn’t hire anyone as maids, Ann had worked hard without resting till now. But she couldn’t keep on doing that. Rubica had ordered her to go rest yesterday and she could only leave worriedly.
Things didn’t go well when she was gone as Rubica hadn’t received the list of today’s visitors this morning. When she asked last night, all the maids and servants said they hadn’t been told about it and nervously sweated.
Ann was also worried about how things were proceeding without her. Despite Rubica’s order to rest and come after noon, she got up early and got ready. She wanted to come for Rubica’s morning preparations, but it might make Rubica think she was ignoring her goodwill. So, she waited and waited then came in the dining hall when Rubica was about to finish her breakfast.
Haven’t you been reported?
Ann sounded surprised, but Rubica was even more surprised to hear her surprised.
Reported?
Just as she had thought, the other maids had failed to fill her place properly. Ann regretted taking a break.
Yesterday was the last day of meeting the close relatives and discussing matters of the family. As the scholars and students working with His Grace are busy, it would be better for you to visit the lab later and talk to them than to have them come here.
So, there will be no more visits from relatives?
Yes, those who live far away must take a long journey to come, so they said they will come when the farming season is over.
Rubica couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her fairy had been on the table for the Claymore relatives. People who were seated near the fairy had come to meet Rubica on the second day. They were all the retainers and dependent lodgers who lived in the annexes.
As the wedding had taken place quickly, relatives who lived far away and peasants hadn’t come at all. The fairy must have come to Rubica by now unless she had been only part of Rubica’s imagination.
‘Maybe…’
Had something happened to the fairy? What if she was so sick that she couldn’t come to visit?
Rubica’s patience snapped.
She couldn’t just sit and wait anymore.
Get my gloves and hat.
Yes, madam. Are you going to take a walk?
No, I’m going to visit the annexes.
Ann was surprised that Rubica was so suddenly going to the annexes, but she helped her prepare without saying anything. There was no place in the mansion that Rubica couldn’t go.
Rubica went across the garden and headed to the annexes. The Claymore Family was a ruling family with great power, and its mansion was practically a palace.
The main building was for the duke and the duchess, and the annexes were for retainers and scholars. The east annex was for the dependent relatives of Claymore.
‘Thinking about it, girls of her age haven’t come to meet me, not even one of them.’
The eldest son of a noble family inherited a great fortune, but in return, he was responsible for the relatives’ livings to some extent. Great families like the Claymore Family tended to sponsor poor relatives and talented children from poor families. Boys were educated according to their talents, and girls were taught basic liberal education. They were also trained to be maids and tutors if they wanted. The family wasn’t losing at all. Those children were very likely to work loyally for Claymore.
Your Grace!
When Rubica entered the building, those who had been talking at the front gate greeted her in surprise. Rubica nodded to them then tried her best to speak with dignity.
I came because I wanted to know the living condition in this building, so please don’t mind me.
But…
I don’t want to disturb you with your work. Please go on.
Rubica said that with a sigh. People glanced at her and returned to the documents they had been looking at.
Most of them had already visited Rubica.
‘He’s a lawyer, he’s an accountant, and he said he recorded books.’
They probably had something to talk about the family’s budget or its financial condition. Rubica went past them and checked each part of the building, starting with the basement storage and maids’ rooms.
Your, Your Grace.
They hadn’t expected the duchess herself would come. They acted like they were seeing a ghost when they saw her.
What brought you to this humble place?
One even asked that while sweating hard. It was Mr. Williams who handled religious events in the Claymore domain. He looked so serious that Rubica couldn’t say she had just come to visit or had come to find a girl she had seen at the wedding feast. Say the latter and the relatives wouldn’t leave her fairy alone for days once she was gone. Say the former and they wouldn’t believe her and make a fuss for days to find out the true reason of her visit.
Someone innocent but with a weak heart could be accused of providing that reason and be attacked.
‘Well, I can’t do as I want even when I’m the duchess. Do I need to become a princess to do that?’
Rubica silently complained to herself. Actually, she could do as she pleased, it’s just that she wasn’t that kind of person. She wasn’t going to do as she pleased even if she became the daughter of a peasant who had nothing to be responsible for. Only Rubica didn’t know that fact.
I came to have a look at how you are living here in the annex.
Could there be a more appropriate answer to that question?
Using inspection as an excuse would let her look around the building as much as she wanted. She was pleased with the answer she had come up herself.
We didn’t know you even cared about our living conditions. Oh, I don’t know what to say.
William looked deeply moved. The other relatives and servants who had been paying attention to the duchess’ sudden visit also murmured among themselves. They were all thinking what William was thinking. Even Ann looked deeply moved.
It’s nothing much, but the water pipe froze and burst in the winter and now the water flow is very weak. It’s not a huge problem, so we didn’t report it… we can wash our face with it, but we must wait for a long time to take a bath.
William glanced at Ann and stammered as he spoke, but Rubica was momentarily shocked at hearing that.
‘Huh? I said I would look around. I didn’t ask what kind of problem they had.’
However, the people, including William, looked so hopeful. Even Ann seemed to believe Rubica was about to say she would have that fixed.
‘Well, it’s not like I am going to lose anything to have that pipe repaired. All the better for me, I’ll get to spend some money.’
She decided to repair every problem in the building as it would let her spend a fortune.
She smiled warmly.
I will have it fixed. Is there any other problem?
William immediately brightened up at hearing that.
I don’t know how to thank your generosity. Just caring about us this much is enough for us.
No,
Rubica shook her head. Then, she asked something to the man next to William.
