DTBBW Chapter 77

Chapter 77

After that, not another word came from Stefan’s mouth. He only gave short, clipped answers to the occasional questions I asked.

“We’ve arrived at the accessory shop.”

At the coachman’s call, Stefan stepped down from the carriage and, being overly polite, guided me into the store.

Unlike our first visit, the accessory shop was bustling and noisy. With an uncomfortable expression, Stefan stood hesitantly near the entrance, unsure of what to do. That’s when we heard Finn’s voice from a distance.

“Please wait in the office for a moment.”

At those words, Stefan’s complexion turned pale. The memory of that unfortunate night clearly made him uneasy.

So I gently shook his arm to calm him down.

“Your Grace, I’m fine. Let’s go to the office.”

“Are you sure… you’ll be okay?”

“Of course. You already gave me a sincere apology, didn’t you?”

“Thank you, Madam.”

Carefully opening the office door, Stefan gestured for me to enter first. He looked ready to run out at the first sign of discomfort on my face.

I stepped inside as if nothing was wrong and spoke to him calmly.

“Your Grace, shall we sit on the sofa and wait?”

“Y-Yes, let’s do that.”

Thinking ahead to when I would be speaking with Finn, I led Stefan to sit beside me. He was so tense, he sat like a block of ice.

Trying to ease his nerves, I placed my hand lightly on his arm, and I could feel a subtle tremor beneath my fingers.

“Your Grace, I’ve already forgotten about that day. You should too.”

“Do you… truly mean that?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

When I offered him a gentle smile, Stefan’s stiff posture relaxed slightly. It looked as if he had finally exhaled a breath he’d been holding.

We drank the tea the clerk brought while waiting for Finn. Thankfully, Stefan’s tension gradually began to ease during that time.

How long had we been waiting?

Looking thoroughly exhausted, Finn burst into the office, panting.

“I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting. My deepest apologies, Your Grace, Madam.”

“It’s fine. We’re here today because I wanted to ask you for a favor.”

“A favor… from me, Madam? What could it be?”

Worried that Finn might turn me down, I took a deep breath and began.

“I’d like to learn about gemstones from you, Sir Aide.”

“You wish to learn from me, Madam?”

Finn’s eyes widened like lanterns as he looked at me, then glanced toward Stefan before asking again.

“If I recall, you said you knew nothing about gemstones. What sparked your interest?”

“I found it very captivating—the idea that you can bring out the unique beauty of a gemstone with your own hands.”

“Hmm…”

“And I really liked how the different stones came together in harmony.”

“That’s quite an idealistic answer.”

I couldn’t tell whether that meant he liked my answer or not, so I added more.

“I was also impressed by how knowledgeable you were about the nature of so many gemstones. Thanks to you, I wear this sapphire ring often.”

I held out my hand to show him the sapphire ring, and a broad smile of satisfaction spread across Finn’s face.

“Madam, you pass!”

“…Pardon?”

Stefan, who had been silent until now, was more surprised than I was and asked loudly.

“What in the world do you mean by that?”

With a proud smile, Finn answered confidently.

“It means I will teach the Madam everything I know about gemstones, starting tomorrow.”

“Oh my, thank you! I’ll do my best to learn, Sir Aide.”

“From tomorrow, please feel free to call me Finn.”

“I will. Then, please call me Rachel as well—”

Just as Finn and I were chatting cheerfully, Stefan suddenly cut in with an objection.

“That’s not allowed. Finn, you are to address the Madam properly.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Your Grace.”

Finn replied with a mischievous grin, which Stefan countered with a long, hard stare. It was clear he hadn’t expected—nor wanted—Finn to accept my request so readily.

At that very moment, Rita was prowling around the ducal mansion as she pleased. Ever since Rachel had arrived, she hadn’t been able to carry out her routine inspections and interrogations of the servants, so she had set out with determination.

The first thing she did was search the servants’ quarters. Using the head maid as a front, she thoroughly rifled through the maids’ rooms under the pretense of rooting out any with sticky fingers.

After the searches, she began individual interviews, led by the head maid. Though she called them interviews, her true aim was to sow discord among them.

Since the duchess had changed, the servants hadn’t faced any surveillance or questioning, and they had grown complacent. Still, there were always one or two who tried to gain favor with the previous mistress.

“So the head maid has become the duchess’s trusted confidante, is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Do you have any proof?”

“No proof, but there’s plenty of circumstantial evidence.”

“Circumstantial, huh… Let’s hear it.”

“The head maid visits the duchess every morning to pay her respects. She reports every little thing that happens among the servants.”

“That’s part of a head maid’s duty.”

“The duchess visits the head maid’s room once a week. No one knows what they talk about, but I’m sure it’s something suspicious.”

“Is that so?”

Rita looked at the servant bowing before her as if she could see right through her. Smacking her lips, she tilted her head and asked,

“Aren’t you Rachel’s personal maid?”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Was your name Mary?”

“I’m honored you remembered my name, Madam.”

“Did Rachel mistreat you somehow?”

“Not at all. It’s just… I’ve set my sights on the head maid’s position.”

Finally, things clicked into place for Rita, and she let out a loud laugh. The thought of these petty girls fighting over a mere head maid’s post struck her as utterly trivial.

“So if we get rid of the head maid, you think the position will fall into your lap?”

“The duchess gave me her word.”

“Oh really?”

Rita gave her a sly smile, then lifted Mary’s chin and locked eyes with her, speaking in a low voice.

“But that alone isn’t enough to get rid of her. I’ll need something like a whistleblower report.”

“Then… what else would you have me do?”

“You’re a quick one, aren’t you?”

“You flatter me, Madam.”

Rita handed Mary a notebook she had prepared in advance. It was a forged ledger, crafted to look like evidence that the head maid had been embezzling the household funds.

“Put this in the head maid’s room tonight. Hide it somewhere deep—where she wouldn’t think to look.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Mary’s gray eyes glinted wickedly, a sight that pleased Rita immensely.

After sending Mary out, Rita questioned the next batch of visitors about both the head maid and Mary. She was trying to figure out who was lying.

Once she had gathered enough satisfying stories, Rita smiled with satisfaction. It thrilled her to think that Rachel—who always acted so clever—would be betrayed by the person closest to her.

‘Rachel, now you’ll finally understand what it feels like to be dragged down by someone beneath you. That’s exactly how I felt when your mother shackled me.’

Rita’s plan was to promote Mary to head maid, then insert a loyal maid of her own as Rachel’s personal servant. That way, Rachel would be entirely within her grasp.

Just then, someone knocked on her bedroom door.

“Madam, the tea maid you asked for is here.”

“Good. Let her in.”

Emily entered, visibly tense, holding a cup of chocolate tea that she had made with Rachel.

“Bring it here.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“This is chocolate tea? Smells just like coffee.”

“It tastes similar too.”

Curious, Rita took a sip and immediately frowned.

“Why not just drink coffee, then? What’s the point of making this?”

“According to the duchess, dark chocolate contains many beneficial ingredients that help with fertility.”

“Is that so?”

Wanting to live a long and healthy life, Rita picked the tea back up and started sipping it again.

“Does the duke drink this tea too?”

“Yes, Madam.”

“So this chocolate tea is good for everyone, young and old, man or woman?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then bring it to me every day. After lunch, leave it in my room. I don’t need to drink it at any specific temperature, right?”

“It’s fine even when cooled. Please enjoy it at your convenience, Madam.”

“Alright, you may go.”

Emily bowed with a faint smile on her lips and left the room.