As soon as the ship reached the island harbor, a welcoming party was already there to greet the Earl of Kensington and his family. The group consisted of the couple managing the villa and some porters.
As the Earl stepped onto the island, holding his wife’s hand, the managing couple bowed deeply in greeting on behalf of their employers.
“We’ve been waiting since morning, my lord,” they greeted.
“It’s been a while. You’ve been working hard,” the Earl replied.
“Yes, and it’s the first time we meet the lady,” the manager added, his gaze shifting to the countess.
The Earl smiled and said, “Ah, my apologies for the late introduction. This is Mr. and Mrs. Zennon, our villa managers.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, my lady,” they responded.
“This is my wife, Chloe.”
“I should have greeted you sooner. It’s a pleasure.”
The countess graciously extended her hand for a kiss on the back of her hand, smiling as Thomas Zennon, the husband, complimented, “You are as beautiful as I’ve heard.”
“Oh, thank you,” she replied, his words not flattery but fact. Chloe Kensington, with her silver hair and ash-grey eyes, was indeed near perfection in beauty, aside from her chronic frailty.
Mrs. Zennon joined in with a laugh, “We’ve all been hoping you’d visit the island soon, my lady.”
“Thanks to your well wishes, I’m feeling much better. It’s lovely to see you, Mrs. Zennon.”
It was a polite lie. Ever since giving birth to her son Franz, her condition had worsened, making even short trips difficult. Nevertheless, she had insisted on accompanying them, fearing that she might not be able to try at all next year, according to her doctor’s advice.
As his wife trembled slightly, the Earl embraced her shoulder and tactfully changed the subject.
“It’s quite chilly, we should head inside.”
“Yes, I’ve prepared some warm tea in advance,” Thomas added, leading the way to the carriage he had arranged for the Earl’s family.
Following the Earl and his wife, the servants also started moving. Unlike the men, the maids only had their own luggage to manage, so they boarded the servant’s carriage first. As Charlotte placed her luggage on the carriage and took her seat, she overheard Anna speaking to another maid across from her.
“Did you see? Madam Janice looked absolutely furious.”
“Really?”
“She was clutching her fists so tightly while staring at the Earl and his wife, I thought she might commit murder.”
A warning from the countess’s maid flashed through Charlotte’s mind—hadn’t she said Janice was the Earl’s former lover?
“It’s impressive that Janice even came if she dislikes seeing them together so much.”
“Exactly. She could have just stayed behind.”
Unable to listen anymore, Charlotte turned her gaze out the window, feeling a sharp pang in her heart.
Was her situation any different from Janice’s in her younger days?
“I would’ve taken what I could and left long ago if I were her. It’s not like they’re a stingy family. Why cling to a place where you’re not acknowledged?”
“Who wouldn’t?”
Their words were true. It couldn’t last. The nobility would never accept a woman from the working class. No matter how acceptable he found her. Feeling suffocated, Charlotte closed her eyes.
They had arrived at Seoren Hall, a manor quite different from Mistymoor Hall in its charm. Situated amidst a cluster of villas and uniquely encircled by a forest of white trees, Seoren Hall had the prime location with a view of the sea. Smaller than Mistymoor, but it had a mysterious and artistic aura about it.
The manor boasted tightly stacked marble bricks and tall chimneys, with an emerald-colored roof. From the entrance of the main hall, terraces stretched out on both sides, crowned by walls curving into small turrets, making a grand statement.
“Our servants reside on the hidden third floor,” Anna pointed out as they disembarked.
“It’s different from Mistymoor Hall; here, you can have a single room. But unlike when you were just in the sleeping quarters, you’ll have various chores and also attend to personal needs.”
“Personal servitude?”
“Yes. The Earl and Countess already have their own servants, so you’ll likely be attending to Sir Franz and Sir Richard.”
Originally, even unmarried men of noble status would have personal maids, but the Kensington men were exceptions, a measure put in place by the previous Earl to prevent incidents like that with Janice.
As they ascended the servants’ staircase, Anna continued, “Well, Janice will decide later, but both gentlemen prefer not to be fussed over, so it really won’t be too demanding. It’ll mostly be bringing them washing water and changing clothes.”
“I see,” Charlotte murmured, a faint smile crossing her lips. She hadn’t expected to be constantly by his side; just being under the same roof on this island was satisfaction enough. Just to see him from a distance was enough, and now there was a chance to be closer.
“Unpack and rest up. You’ll need to help with serving dinner later. Here’s your room key, I’ve picked it up in advance.”
“Thank you, Anna.”
As Charlotte reached out, Anna playfully tucked the keys back into her pocket.
“Ah, nothing comes for free.”
Seeing Charlotte’s puzzled face, Anna grinned mischievously.
“The chef here is quite kind to pretty girls. I’m feeling peckish; why don’t you go and get us some snacks, eh?”
With a face that looked like it wouldn’t take no for an answer, Charlotte sighed lightly and headed for the kitchen.
“…Maybe I’ll just say I was turned down.”
Arriving at the kitchen but lacking the courage to enter, she hesitated at the door, not daring to touch the handle. Suddenly, the door burst open from the other side, and someone shouted.
“Who’s loitering about so suspiciously!”
“Ah…”
The sharp voice came from a boy who looked slightly younger than Charlotte. Wearing a chef’s hat and apron, he seemed more like a kitchen helper, his untidy brown curly hair and freckled cheeks giving him a cute appearance.
“Oh?”
He also seemed taken aback, his angry expression quickly turning to surprise, then to embarrassment. After a few seconds of silence, Charlotte finally spoke.
“I’m sorry. I was just…”
“…You’re the maid from Mistymoor Hall, aren’t you?”
Before she could continue, the boy interrupted with a sigh of relief.
“It’s good you ran into me.”
Introducing himself as Finn, he then explained that it was like a small initiation for new servants at Seoren Hall.
“The head chef is really scary. Not one or two have gone back with tears. It’s a good thing he’s not here right now.”
“That’s good to know… thank you for telling me.”
As Charlotte responded with a smile, Finn blushed and scratched the back of his head.
“Honestly, if it weren’t for your uniform, I might have thought you were a relative of the Earl.”
At first glance, he had wondered if she was a fairy. With her petite frame, gentle eyes, perky nose, and small, full lips, her black hair simply braided yet potentially stunning if let down, and large green eyes were reminiscent of midsummer foliage, almost mystical in ambiance.
Suddenly, he recalled a chilling tale his brother used to tell at night.
“Don’t rush towards something just because it’s dazzling. Next to every fairy, there’s always a monster lurking.”
While it sounded like something out of a fairy tale, Charlotte knew such creatures didn’t exist and speculated he might be nobility, but his calloused hands and modest clothes soon dispelled that notion.
Her face was as innocent as her voice was soft and kind. Misinterpreting Finn’s bashful reaction as shyness, Charlotte quickly got up.
“I better go. You must be busy with the food prep, sorry for bothering you.”
“Ah, wait!”
Finn jumped up and dashed into the kitchen. Moments later, he returned with something in his hand.
“Take this.”
“What’s this…?”
“I saved some for myself to snack on later. Don’t worry, I have more.”
He handed her a scone wrapped in a napkin. Reluctantly accepting it after catching the sincere look in his eyes, Charlotte thanked him.
“Thanks. I’ll wash the napkin and return it.”
Finn’s face turned a shade of red.
“I live nearby and come here every morning. See you around.”
Perhaps, he thought, during her stay they might become friends.
“Remember, kiddo, if you ever spot a fairy on this island, run. The monster beside them won’t spare you,” his brother’s voice echoed in his mind, fading away.
***
Charlotte felt an intense gaze on her as if someone was boring into her. She struggled as if pinned down by sleep paralysis and only managed to break free after what felt like an eternity.
Gasping, she opened her eyes to complete darkness.
The room assigned to her was clean but far from cozy. Although Seoren Isle was more temperate than Gredel Hill, the faulty window latch constantly rattled, and the straw-filled mattress lacked the softness for a good night’s sleep.
But the real problem wasn’t the room; she didn’t expect luxury. The issue was her unexplainable heaviness after just unpacking and helping prepare dinner, despite having rested on the boat.
Well, it wasn’t quite the rest she would have liked.
Richard, who had slipped into bed beside her unnoticed, was gone by the time she woke from a light doze. It was always like this. Unlike her, constantly anxious about their secrets being discovered, he was ever calm and composed.
“What would you do if I disappeared one day?”
She had asked him playfully soon after they had grown close, throwing the question out lightly.
“Who knows?”
He had just smiled quietly, his answer as enigmatic as always. But ever since then, he had occasionally watched her closely. Charlotte felt his gaze instinctively, like prey sensing a predator.
His look was somber, intense, no longer fiery or destructive but potentially incinerating everything in an instant if mishandled.
Richard always had an uncanny intuition. Surely, he must know she was beginning to contemplate the end of their blossoming relationship.
🍉🍉🍉
