“―Before we start with breakfast, there is a person I wish to introduce… Come in.”
At the same time when the person on the other side of the door heard the Count, she opened the door to the dining hall. The young lady, who became her direct master from yesterday night onwards, gracefully stepped into the room and smoothly transitioned into a bow.
“She is my daughter, Anrietta.”
“… I am Anrietta Pola ―. Pleased to meet everybody.”
She lowered her head in sync with the Count’s introduction.
Standing behind her, the maid felt only strong satisfaction from her clear voice and elegance. Last night, when she heard that the head of the family, Count Pierre Simon Cartan, had reunited with his long lost daughter and brought her back, she was greatly shocked. She was so shocked when she was told that she would be her attendant, that she forgot her manners and responded with a single “Huh?”. What boggled her mind the most was the alluring beauty of this young lady.
Her delicate skin was lily-white and her large emerald eyes looked like jade. Together with her well-shaped cherry blossom lips and her straight nose, she was so beautiful that one might consider her to be from a painting or a statue that came alive, rather than an actual human being. She looked pale from exhaustion last night, but now that she had somewhat recovered from her fatigue and put on make-up, she looked absolutely dazzling.
(I heard that she was born from the mistress, but oh my, who would have thought that she would be this much more prettier than her mother.)
There was a saying that one could perceive the looks of a mother from looking at her daughter. A wife as jealous as her would never leave out any possibilities.
The butler and waiters, and of all people, her half brother, appeared to be captivated by her. Other maids like her were either feeling bitter at the difference in their beauty, hiding their faces in embarrassment, and some even had eyes of longing.
The only exception was,
(Wow… as expected, it wouldn’t work on the madam…)
Madam Joséphine’s face went pale and started shivering in fright. She heard that the Count, who was accompanied by Lady Anrietta, took a later carriage to return home last night. Her husband, who had been so overjoyed at reuniting with the child of his mistress, stayed behind. The humiliation she felt must have been unimaginable. And to add on, she was the person that instigated the whole scandal of kicking the mother and child out 11 years ago. Everybody who worked in the residence knew that as a fact.
“I know some of you already know, but she had been unfairly implicated in her mother’s wrongdoing. However, she will probably be proven innocent by a second trial by the High Court of Justice, which will happen soon, and we will officially welcome her into the family then. Some of you might think it may be too hasty, but please, treat this child well.”
It was as though Count Cartan’s words were rubbing salt into the Madam’s wounds. It was the same as declaring that what she did in the past was wrong. It should deeply hurt the pride and authority of the first wife. Clearly, such an insensitive act would rekindle the jealousy of the Madam.
(I only hope that my mistress would not be dragged into this fight, though.)
First of all, her wish was likely futile. When Joséphine expelled her mother, she listened to nobody and framed her with adultery. This was the daughter of the woman she hated so much, and this time, her daughter had both youth and beauty. There was no way that such a jealous wife could control herself.
Since she was now Anrietta’s attendant, she could not pretend it was somebody else’s business and felt uneasy.
“Well then, how could we let you keep standing like that. Have a seat, Anrietta.”
“Yes… Father.”
In the instant she said that, the Count’s dignified look vanished and loosened.
While it was unbecoming of a person of his age, she felt that it was impossible to control one’s emotion when called like that by a cute daughter. After all, he had lost his daughter before she grew to independence. To react with a wide smile was more or less normal.
Yet, was it actually possible for Madam Joséphine to ignore that, despite her obvious flushing and swelling of eyes?
She kept her thoughts away and helped Anrietta take her seat by pulling the chair out for her.
“Since it is breakfast, I usually wouldn’t ask to raise our glasses… but let us at least celebrate the return of my daughter.”
And with the Count’s cue, breakfast began.
Oddly, breakfast was quiet. Not even the traditional grumbling of the Madam and clearing of the throat by the Count. The Count was bashfully gazing at his daughter having breakfast, while Madam Joséphine appeared to be looking around to find an opportunity to say something.
The Madam probably wanted to make some snide remarks if Anrietta made any discourteous behaviour. Unfortunately for her, she used her tableware flawlessly and even drank without making a single sound.
She heard that she worked as a maid for an aristocrat before her reunion with the Count, so perhaps she remembered the proper manners from then? Her flawless conduct could only be described as admirable.
On the other hand, the eldest son, the heir, made clinks and clanks while handling the fork and also loudly slurped the cold-served soup.
“… Cough, cough.”
“S-Sorry, Father.”
Finally, he was startled by his father, whose good mood was ruined. One might not be able to tell who was actually the child that was just brought into the house.
She wondered whether it was right to pamper a child, even if it was a child who the Madam gave birth to in her late childbearing ages. The person in charge of his upbringing was none other than her master, Madam Joséphine. Being highly strung up and overly protective, she let him constantly pick up bad habits, so much so that everybody now refused to take on the role of teaching him.
And what they were witnessing now was the result of her overzealous parenting. The maids who were often ridiculed by the Madam, did not go as far as to smile in such a situation, but there were darting glances at each other.
However, now that she is Anrietta’s maid, she could not feel that way. That was because the Madam would now be using the master she now serves as an outlet for her humiliation and frustrations.
Finally, as the meal approached its end, Joséphine fired the first volley.
“......Anrietta”
“Yes. How may I help you, ma’am.”
Way to go, she thought. As the trial had yet to occur, she was still not yet considered innocent. She was not of status to address the first wife of the Count as “stepmother” before obtaining approval to do so. There was much thought in Anrietta’s reply, but surely, the Madam would take it the wrong way and think she was being impertinent.
In any case, it wasn’t like she could please the Madam either. What the aging old lady wanted was to nitpick and find ways to condemn her.
Sure enough, the Madam twitched her brows.
“Honestly, it is quite surprising that you are such an elegant lady.”
“I am most thankful. But, surprising?”
“Indeed. With only your face as the exception, your manners are completely different from your mother’s. She didn’t seem to know how to sit on a chair.”
“... Joséphine!”
Count Cartan couldn’t help but intervene after she made such an improper remark. What Joséphine was referring to was probably that one time when Anna Marie was expelled. She heard that when the Madam accused Anna Marie of committing adultery with another man, she was so shocked that she fell off her seat. If the incident was entirely fabricated by the Madam, then just falling off her chair would be considered a light reaction in comparison to the the accusation she faced. If it was her, she might have fainted or even have a heart attack.
But really, the Madam’s jealousy and arrogance was hardcore. To think she could utter such words to the daughter of her husband, who was recently brought back home. No matter how much confidence she had in her status as the first wife, couldn’t she have at least controlled herself until the Count was no longer in sight?
Still, Anrietta was impressive. She did not even flinch at the outright insult at her mother.
“For the sake of my mother’s name, I wish to contribute as best as I can to the family.”
Such was her reply. She showed modesty, defended her mother, and even retaliated against the insult on her mother’s name in a single sentence.
She could hear many gasps in the dining hall. With this, many of the family members would probably no longer see her as simply an illegitimate child, but as a well-refined lady. The other maids in charge of her were also amazed.
When the maids met her for the first time last night, she looked worn out and did not say anything before shutting herself in her room. Most of them must have had expected her to be unable to fight back against the Madam since she looked so timid, but to think she could stand up against her like this now. Their worries from last night were unfounded as they found themselves in admiration for her all morning.
At this juncture, she would think it is far better to back down, but Joséphine wouldn’t do so. In the Cartan’s family, as long as one was female, Joséphine would often corner that person with her authority as the Count’s wife. If she had her eye on you, the only way to soothe her anger would be to prostrate before her and beg for forgiveness.
“......Aren’t you one with a clever mouth.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Is this how you were disciplined in the previous house? …...The second son of Oubeniel.”
The surrounding people were roused up by the name she stated.
“O-Oubeniel!? T-The second son!!?”
She almost couldn’t control herself and forced her mouth shut.
