Episode 14
Martinel was a good boy.
Monica, who had not grown up in a wealthy family and had not expected much from the boy, felt a little embarrassed. The boy walked in the shade for Monica and handed her a fan.
“Teacher, you look hot.”
Just as she regularly addressed Mrs. Mollet as ‘Madam’, Martinel also regularly addressed his mother as ‘Ma’am’, even though he knew that she was not his official superior.
So, Martinel was smart enough to learn and practice the idea that it was much more adult-like to respect others than to ignore them.
“These pants look too childish, don’t you think?”
Martinel grumbled, showing off the shorts he was wearing.
“Well, I don’t think that the maid would give you those pants because you’re a child. It’s hot today. Have you been down to the harbor?”
“The port?”
“The sailors at the port also work wearing the same shorts as you, sir.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. Martinel said that he had only been to the port a few times since coming to La Spezia. Monica told him about the port, which she had only seen once.
“I want to go.”
“If only you were a little bit older, Master. It’s a bit dangerous there.”
“What’s dangerous?”
Instead of answering, Monica tapped her knee. Martinel, who remembered Monica’s injured knee from a few days ago, opened his mouth and said, “Ah.”
“Even an adult like me was injured so badly that my clothes were torn.”
Of course, it wasn’t Monica’s fault, but whatever. Martinel nodded.
“So that’s why you keep wearing the same clothes, teacher.”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t really embarrassing to keep wearing the same clothes. It was normal for most people. But when Martinel, who changed clothes three or four times a day, said something like that, Monica felt a little embarrassed and added something she didn’t need to say.
“I’m going to buy some new clothes soon.”
“Do you like buying clothes too, teacher?”
Martinel opened his eyes wide and asked.
“My mother and sister also like buying clothes. My mother likes it more than my sister, and my sister pretends not to like it, but she actually does.”
Probably most people would.
“My mother and sister love the Yellow Brick Costume Shop. What about you, Maam?”
I don’t know where that costume shop is, but I guess it’s not a place I can go to right? Monica thought, smiling.
“It’s my first time in La Spezia, so I don’t know much. I’ll have to wait and see.”
“Oh, I see! Then you should definitely go to the Yellow Brick Costume Shop. I don’t know much about it, but Miss Violet said it was good there too.”
“Miss Violet?”
When Monica asked back at the name that suddenly came up, the boy’s cheeks suddenly turned red.
Monica soon discovered that Miss Violet was a lovely girl, soon to be fourteen, and that the boy was surprisingly in love with an older woman. It was at this moment that Martinel’s mysterious maturity became clear.
It turns out that calling Mrs. Mollett ‘Madam’ was also a habit learned from Miss Violet.
“It’s a secret between us, ma’am.”
Martinel then added.
“Sure, young master.” Monica answered casually.
“I guess you’re close with Miss Riella.”
“Yeah. But she is getting married soon.”
“I heard it too. If Miss Riella gets married, you will be lonely.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get married and start a family too.”
Aside from the boy’s maturity, it was still funny to hear a ten-year-old boy say he was starting a family. Monica tried not to laugh. Boys of this age tend to hate having someone pet them the most.
As expected, Martinel seemed to like Monica, who just nodded. His eyes sparkled as he explained his plans to her.
It made Monica laugh to hear the story about how he would like to have two children and plant lots of blue flowers that Miss Violet liked in the garden.
However, the story, “The Goldfields are middle-class, so they won’t be of much help to us, but I’ll still be a good match for Miss Violet, won’t I?” his words didn’t sound very good. There were also comments that pricked Monica’s ears.
“If my sister becomes the mistress of the Sollivan family, I don’t think my mother will say anything bad about me liking a daughter from the Goldfield family!”
It was a familiar name.
“If it were dangerous for our family to stumble before Lord Sollivan, wouldn’t she also hold me back from marrying Miss Violet?”
It was also the name that Riella had mentioned as she linked arms with Mrs. Mollet. And… Monica smiled at the boy before his thoughts deepened.
“Everyone will be happy.”
It was a story that included Monica. So anyway, if Riella gets married quickly and leaves this house, then Monica won’t have such a hard time working either.
Meanwhile, the boy and Monica walked along the path next to the mansion and entered the garden.
It was just in time. Under the morning sunlight, a young lady in a white dress was seen tending the garden on the other side. A brown-haired girl cutting roses with a small pair of pruning shears, while the gardener, who was bending over excessively, was carrying the basket of roses.
Riella Mollet.
“Sister!”
Martinel waved. Riella, holding a single pink rose and straightening her back, looked at him with a start, then gave a small greeting.
Monica paused for a moment, then lowered her head as her eyes met Riella’s. When Monica looked up, Riella had already turned her eyes back to the roses.
“My sister doesn’t look very happy.”
So what? When she saw me, she seemed incredibly annoyed. Monica held back the thought of answering indifferently.
Monica had heard that the Mollet family had come to La Spezia when Martinel was seven years old. Lord Mollet had evacuated his family to escape the war. Of course, Riella was with them.
Monica turned her back and looked at Riella who was cutting roses. When she thought of Riella cutting the bandages of the wounded soldiers at Arvid’s hospital, she felt a little sick at the thought of Riella wearing white and cutting flowers in a peaceful resort.
“Could it be because of my sister’s engagement?”
“Engagement…?”
When Monica turned to look at the boy at his words, Martinel made an “Ah” face.
“This is a secret.”
“It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone that you said that.”
Martinel, who had been rolling his eyes, stammered and confessed.
“My sister has already had one broken engagement. And she gets nervous every time the topic of marriage comes up. Ever since I was very young…”
Is it because of the war? Martinel added before Monica could continue her thoughts.
“You can’t say that to anyone. Okay?”
Monica laughed as the boy who was holding onto her skirt and asking earnestly finally looked ten years old.
“I really won’t tell.”
When Monica took the boy’s hand and swore, Martinel finally felt relieved. His face was like a child’s. If Riella had heard it, she would never have believed it.
‘I think I was like that when I was ten…’
Monica’s face hardened as she thought about that. She remembered that she had been around the same age when she had given Lizzie up for adoption.
—
On Saturday morning, Monica woke up unusually early. She went to Martinel’s room, washed the boy’s face, and started her morning walk briskly. Martinel, who followed along with sleepy eyes, soon sparkled at the sight of the summer berries that Monica had found.
At the end of the walk, Martinel had six ripe raspberries in his hand. He had held them carefully, lest they be crushed, and as soon as he returned to the mansion, he ran to Mrs. Mollet and showed them off.
“You’re really cute.”
The mansion was bustling. There was going to be a big banquet at the Mollet Mansion tomorrow evening. It was supposed to be the birthday banquet of a countess who was a close friend of Mrs. Mollet. The countess’s mansion was under renovation, so they had decided to borrow the garden of Mollet Mansion.
Even as all five gardeners bowed respectfully before Mrs. Mollet, she eagerly put the wild strawberries her son had picked into her mouth.
“It’s delicious!”
“Hmm, it might taste good to my son, but it’s too sour for me.”
Mrs. Mollet, who had been smiling while frowning, smiled at Monica.
“I’m sorry, my child asked you for a bothersome favor.”
“Oh, no.”
Monica waved her hand. It was about the banquet tomorrow evening. The lady on whom Martinel had a crush on was coming to the countess’s birthday banquet. Martinel grumbled that if he stayed with Madame Mollet, he wouldn’t have a chance to meet Miss Violet.
That’s right. Even if Miss Violet, came to greet Mrs. Mollet, still it would be a brief exchange of glances at most. Mrs. Mollet would surely be with the Countess.
However, it was too strange for Martinel to go and greet her alone.
Martinel begged Monica for help, saying that at best he would be the center of attention and a laughing stock for the adults. So he wanted to take Monica’s hand and go near the girl to try to talk to her somehow.
“Marty, why don’t you ask Riella for help?”
“I don’t like it. I’ll get teased!”
Unexpectedly, Martinel shook his head vigorously. The gardeners nearby laughed awkwardly, and so did Monica. It was absurd for a servant to go to such a place in the first place.
Mrs. Mollet tried to tease Martinel several times. Although she was close to the countess, it seemed that bringing a tutor was a different matter. But in the end, Mrs. Mollet gave in to Martinel, whose face was getting redder.
“What I’m saying is, let him do whatever he wants.”
It seemed that Dr. Meckel’s words were no exception to Mrs. Mollet. Finally, Mrs. Mollet sighed and called Mrs. Orange.
“Please choose one of Riella’s clothes for Miss Monica.”
“Ma’am.”
Monica was taken aback, but Mrs. Mollet raised her index finger. “Uh-huh.” It was only two syllables, and the tone was soft, but the meaning was clear. It meant that she would not tolerate rejection. Monica closed her mouth, clasped her hands, and lowered her head.
—
