Richard Kensington’s private office was located at the end of the mansion’s second floor. Since accepting the secretarial work, it seemed the maids had stopped asking her for other tasks.
Charlotte spent a week working at a desk set aside for her on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from two to five in the afternoon. Considering her capabilities, the secretarial work was less demanding than she had anticipated. It involved simple calculations and organizing requests—tasks that weren’t exactly easy but became manageable with some familiarity.
Between Charlotte, positioned by the door, and Richard, seated with his back to the window, there was a distance of about six steps. For three hours, unless necessary, neither approached nor spoke to the other.
“Miss Hegel.”
“Yes?”
As she looked up from her work, Richard, still focused on a document, pointed to something with one hand.
“Could you check this and put it back in its place?”
“Yes, understood.”
He preferred crisp and straightforward responses when giving instructions. The same went for how work was to be done: it had to be completed without a single error before moving on to the next task.
Just as Charlotte stood to approach Richard’s desk, the door burst open.
“Mr. Richard.”
“…Miss Kiara.”
The person who entered, with striking red hair, captivated attention immediately. She was a beautiful woman with a haughty demeanor, dressed in a bright blue dress that accentuated her figure. Charlotte, stopped in her tracks, watched her enter, while Kiara gave Charlotte a quick glance before breezing further inside.
“I’ve been waiting for 30 minutes. Didn’t you hear I had arrived?”
Richard frowned and glanced at his watch.
“It seems we are past the appointment time. I wasn’t aware.”
Richard recalled that indeed, a servant had knocked on the door a bit earlier to announce a visitor. He thought he had asked the visitor to wait just five minutes ago, yet 30 minutes had passed.
As he massaged his temples, possibly due to a headache from Kiara’s sudden appearance, Kiara leaned on the desk and pouted charmingly.
“I was so bored, I even called Peli.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The earl and his wife aren’t around either, and there’s no one else to talk to…”
Kiara’s gaze then suddenly shifted to Charlotte, who stood silently to the side. After scanning her from head to toe, Kiara turned her head back toward Richard.
“Is this the first time I am seeing her? Did you hire her?”
Her direct question was likely because Charlotte’s attire made it unclear whether she was just a maid or a formally hired secretary. Frustrated by Kiara’s abrupt chattering, Richard replied irritably.
“She isn’t someone you need to be curious about.”
“Oh…”
Charlotte felt each word hit her heart, not because they were untrue, but perhaps because she had mistakenly thought they had grown somewhat closer after working together for just three days.
With a throb in her chest, Charlotte inhaled sharply. The wall clock showed it was past five. It seemed best to leave for the day.
“I’ll be going now…”
As Charlotte made a small bow to Richard and turned to leave, Kiara swiftly interrupted her.
“Oh dear. It sounds like I’m chasing you out. I really don’t want to play the villain here.”
“It’s simply the end of the workday.” Richard interjected in a low voice.
It was a warning not to detain someone unnecessarily.
Kiara quietly clenched and then released her fist. She was not accustomed to being treated dismissively anywhere in Ethelwood. Yet, this man had forgotten their walking appointment, making her wait alone in the sitting room for 30 minutes, and yet he was so nonchalant about it.
She would normally storm out, perhaps even throwing cold water in his face in anger, but the thought of not seeing his face, which she so admired, held her back.
“Just a moment, miss.”
Ignoring Richard’s warning to let her go, Kiara approached Charlotte with a friendly greeting as if she hadn’t ignored her earlier. She extended her hand with a warmth that made one question if she really had pretended not to see Charlotte before.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kiara Spencer. I’m currently staying in Cloverfield; I have a cousin there. What’s your name?”
“…Charlotte Hegel.” Charlotte responded, somewhat reflexively shaking hands.
She had heard of Cloverfield recently. It was the place mentioned by a man named Felix who had kindly escorted her to the kitchen.
Kiara had a faint smile on her lips.
“I see. It’s quite pretty. In Eastern pronunciation, it would also be read as ‘Charlote’*1Charlotte’s name is spelled as 샬럿 in the raws. The name Kiara is referring to in this statement is spelled as 샤를로트. Not quite sure what the difference is, as the phonetic sound is still the same, but it’s spelled differently. I guess the second one has a prolonged and more defined pronunciation..”
“Thank you.”
Being in the same room with people she had never had any dealings with before made Charlotte’s head throb. She thought about checking on her mother’s condition and administering her medication when she got back, but then Kiara made an unexpected suggestion.
“Since we’ve met here, why not go for a walk together?”
It was getting dark, and going for a walk at this hour was unheard of. Confused by the suggestion, Charlotte just blinked until Kiara insisted again.
“I’ve been a bit lonely since I’m the only woman here. Let’s go together, Miss Charlotte, shall we?”
***
Unlike the damp and chilly air that usually enveloped Gredel Hill, the weather today was clear and mild.
Accompanied by three servants carrying oil lamps, a picnic blanket, and a basket with wine and glasses, the group of four made their way to a deserted hill.
Just a short distance from the gloomy mansion, they came upon small hills dotted with wildflowers and raspberry bushes. Under a broad-leaved horse chestnut tree, the maid chose a flat spot to spread the picnic blanket.
The blanket was large enough to comfortably fit six people. Charlotte and Kiara, along with two seemingly reluctant men, took their seats spaciously.
Kiara quickly cozied up to Charlotte as if they were close friends and, linking arms, whispered as if she was sharing a secret.
“You haven’t been here long, right? Just wait, Miss Charlotte. You’re in for a surprise.”
“Don’t feel pressured, Kiara. I’m sorry for making you come out here.”
Kiara’s cousin, indeed, was Felix. His behavior, typically blunt, was familiar yet apologetic towards Charlotte. When their eyes met, Charlotte smiled faintly, reassuring him. It seemed pointless to be grumpy now that she was here, especially since Janice had agreed to take care of Cynthia’s medicine.
“Oh, what are you saying? Coming out here was your decision, wasn’t it, Miss Charlotte?”
“That’s right. I was feeling a bit suffocated, but it’s refreshing to be out here. Thank you, miss.”
Charlotte responded appropriately to Kiara’s pretentious remark and turned her gaze downhill. Richard, seated diagonally below, had been mostly silent, merely nodding occasionally to the conversation between Felix and Kiara.
The talk mainly revolved around politics, society, and arts—topics mostly beyond Charlotte’s understanding.
***
Unable to join the conversation, Charlotte quietly took in the scenery around her. Her gaze, lost for a moment, landed on the profile of Richard.
His nose was like a sculpture, and his lips tightly closed. In the sunset, his light brown hair appeared a deeper shade of blond. Startled by her own blatant staring, she was about to turn away when their eyes met.
She felt like an artist irresistibly drawn to their own creation. Like a butterfly pinned in place, Charlotte forgot to breathe. In the surreal setting, the man seemed impossibly perfect, almost as if he shouldn’t or couldn’t exist—a figment dragged out of imagination, too compelling to look away from.
“Miss Hegel.”
Startled by his call, Charlotte snapped back to reality. Unlike the other two who had addressed her casually, he had always used her last name, maintaining a distance that was undoubtedly formal and somewhat cold. Charlotte shrank a bit under his icy gaze as he continued softly.
“Look ahead.”
As if under a spell, Charlotte turned just in time to witness a breathtaking scene.
“Wow…”
An exclamation slipped from her lips unwittingly.
Dozens of fireflies, whose arrival was unnoticed, now surrounded them. The scene was more dramatic and beautiful than any meticulously staged play.
“How can there be such a spectacle…”
Overwhelmed by a sight she had never seen before, Charlotte couldn’t close her mouth as Kiara grinned triumphantly.
“See? It was good that you followed me out here, wasn’t it?”
***
The magical display by the fireflies was brief, but it left an indelible mark on her mind.
Soon after, the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, and darkness settled around them. After a glass or two of wine, the four of them were ready to leave.
As they started down the hill, Kiara, pretending to be drunk, leaned on Richard’s shoulder. This naturally positioned Felix next to Charlotte.
“Ah…!”
While carefully descending, Charlotte stumbled over a sharp stone she hadn’t seen in the dark. Kiara clapped her hand over her mouth.
“Eek!”
“Miss Charlotte!”
🍉🍉🍉
