Chapter 25
“Let’s not be scared in advance. These curtains have already been washed once before they were put up, so we only need to focus on washing the moldy parts. The rest can just be rinsed. Besides, they’re spring curtains, so they’re much thinner than the winter ones.”
Celia spoke positively, as was her nature, but even if the curtains were just rinsed, they still needed to be wrung out and hung to dry. This was impossible without the help of Celia and Lila.
‘I feel like Celia and Lila are being dragged into this mess because of me.’
But what else could be done?
Edel had always been obedient to Marsha. She respected her as the head maid and swore that she had never once flaunted her status as a noble.
Marsha hated her out of sheer inferiority and twisted pride.
‘It’s not like the past can be erased.’
The breath from her nose and mouth felt hot, but Edel inhaled deeply, submerging the curtains in the tub.
“Celia, Lila, you two should start with the other laundry first. Lady Bohun will likely check that first.”
“But washing 150 curtains is not something you can do alone!”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I can’t even hang them up without your help. And Lady Bohun is surely aware of that too.”
Edel lifted her skirt up to her waist, tied it with a string, and stepped barefoot into the tub. The cold water made her toes feel like they were freezing, but she gritted her teeth and began stepping on the curtains vigorously.
“Lady Bohun will probably come soon to check if I’m washing the curtains. If she sees you helping me, who knows what she’ll complain about next.”
Despite grinding their teeth, Celia and Lila agreed with Edel. They knew very well what kind of person Marsha was.
“We’ll take care of the other laundry as quickly as possible, and then we’ll help you. You don’t seem well today, so take it easy.”
“Thank you.”
Celia took some of the hot water they could barely afford, just a few buckets, and placed it next to the tub. She wanted Edel to come out and warm her feet in between.
Edel felt a little more encouraged by the warm-heartedness of her colleagues, who had grown close to her.
The cold laundry room was soon filled with the sounds of fetching water, scrubbing laundry, and the splashing of curtains being stomped on.
But as time passed, Edel’s breathing became increasingly labored. Her head felt dizzy, and she was losing strength. Every time she inhaled the cold air, her nose and throat hurt so much that it was hard to breathe.
“Edel? Edel!”
Edel, who had been mindlessly stomping on the curtains, snapped back to reality at Celia’s call.
“…Yes?”
“Are you okay? Your face is so pale.”
“I think I’ve been stomping too hard. Whew…”
She tried to laugh it off, but Lila, who was standing nearby, approached with a frown and placed her hand on Edel’s forehead.
Lila’s hand was ice-cold, as she had also been washing laundry in the cold water.
“Lila! Your hand is so cold. Are you okay?”
Lila shouted in disbelief at Edel’s concern.
“Edel! My hand isn’t cold, your forehead is burning up!”
“What? Edel, do you have a high fever?”
“Yes, Celia! It’s not just a little warm; it’s burning hot!”
At Lila’s words, Celia hurried over and touched Edel’s forehead.
“Oh my, this is serious! Edel, why didn’t you say anything when you had such a high fever?”
Edel couldn’t answer Celia’s worried scolding. Celia quickly realized she had asked a foolish question.
“Right, with that spiteful woman around, it’s not like you could say anything comfortably. I understand.”
“But you’re this sick. Surely Lady Bohun wouldn’t push you this far. Wait, I’ll go tell her.”
Lila wiped her hands on her apron and ran towards the main house.
However, Edel was skeptical of Lila’s idea.
‘Lady Bohun gave me this task because she knew I was sick. What if she says something to Lila?’
Even though she was worried, she couldn’t bring herself to stop Lila. She was beginning to feel dizzy, and her vision was spinning.
The hope that the cold water would cool her fever was just a delusion. If anything, her condition seemed to be worsening.
As Lila said, it felt like she was going to die at this rate.
Celia, seeing Edel’s pale face drenched in cold sweat, tried to pull her out of the tub.
“Edel, come out for a bit. Sit down and rest.”
“Let me just finish washing this.”
“Why are you so stubborn? You could rest for a while and just pretend to work when we hear any noise.”
“…Lady Bohun will definitely notice.”
Hearing that, Celia pounded her chest in frustration.
“She’s just a maid too! Why do you worry so much? Plenty of people have quit because of her temper, but they’ve all found other jobs and are doing fine!”
Celia’s words were said without malice. After spending several months together, she had come to see Edel as just another maid like herself.
Edel forced a smile.
“Celia, I’m a prisoner. I can’t just leave if I want to, so it’s better for me to maintain a good relationship with the head maid.”
Celia’s hand, which had been pulling Edel’s arm, froze in place.
“Oh….”
“Thank you. I’m always grateful that you treat me like one of your own.”
Despite her burning eyelids that felt like they would cook her eyeballs, Edel smiled as she continued to stomp on the curtains.
She was thankful that, since the curtains had already been washed once, the water in the tub wasn’t getting dirty no matter how much she stomped.
Around that time, the laundry room door suddenly burst open, and Marsha stormed in.
“What? Sick?”
“Yes, I told you! She has a severe fever, and if she keeps going like this, it’s going to be really bad!”
Lila had probably been trying to persuade Marsha on the way, but there wasn’t a trace of sympathy in Marsha’s eyes.
“What are you talking about? She’s working just fine.”
“No, go touch her forehead! It’s burning hot!”
Thinking this might be a good time to ask for a favor, Edel stepped out of the cold water. Her feet were already so numb that she couldn’t even feel the coldness of the laundry room floor.
“Lady Bohun, I’m sorry. I’ve had a fever since early this morning. Could I possibly take a half-day off…?”
“Hmph! Don’t be ridiculous.”
Marsha’s voice cut her off abruptly, and there was even a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
“Maybe you were pampered enough to want to lie down over a mere cold, but new maids are not allowed to take any time off for the first year, no matter the reason!”
That couldn’t be true. Edel had grown up in a count’s family, had been the mistress of a household, albeit an empty one, and was aware of how other households operated.
Whether they were new or not, servants were entitled to one day off each week, and they could take two additional days off each month. Generous masters would even grant those two days off with pay, and they certainly wouldn’t force someone who was ill to work.
Of course, Marsha likely knew this but was choosing to ignore it.
“I don’t know how you managed to get Celia and Lila to conspire with you, but this kind of trick won’t work on me!”
“What are you talking about? She’s sick, and you think this is some sort of scheme?”
Celia’s outburst only served to further provoke Marsha.
Marsha glared at them with fierce eyes and commanded, “That’s enough. Celia and Lila, go inside and help the other servants bring in the firewood. And you, Edel, finish all the laundry by the end of the day.”
“Lady Bohun!”
“Now!”
Marsha seemed worried that Celia and Lila might disobey her orders, so she opened the laundry room door and called out to the other maids in the main house.
“Hey! Come and take Celia and Lila to help with the firewood!”
Maids who followed Marsha quickly rushed over and dragged Celia and Lila away. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Now, only Marsha and Edel were left in the laundry room.
Edel couldn’t tell if her dizziness and mental fog were from the fever or from the anger she felt toward Marsha.
Normally, she would have kept quiet, but with her body weakened and her mind clouded, her mouth began to move on its own.
“What more do you want from me?”
“What?”
Marsha seemed taken aback, not expecting such a question from Edel.
“I’m curious why you hate and torment me. I’ve never defied you or acted rebelliously, so what more do you want from me?”
“Are you out of your mind? What are you suddenly talking about…?”
“Don’t dodge the question. Answer me directly, and stop trying to drag Celia and Lila into this.”
Marsha, feeling cornered, began shouting and hurling insults.
“You wretched little beast! Finally showing your true colors, huh? After saving your miserable life, now you’ve got no fear? How dare a criminal look at me like that?”
Marsha’s voice echoed in the laundry room, making Edel’s head throb even more.
In a moment of impulse, Edel retorted, “You talk as if you’re a noble yourself, Lady Bohun.”
