“Be careful not to exhibit unnecessary behavior, like arguing in front of the guests during the Thanksgiving dinner.”
As the meal finished, Sophia spoke persuasively, and then rose from her seat.
As she was about to head to her office to deal with related documents, she subtly gestured to Edith.
『 Follow me.』
However, Isabelle, who had witnessed Sophia’s actions, quickly spoke up.
“Oh my, Sophia. You’re looking at Edith as if she’s a maid.”
“…When did I do that?”
“You were glaring at her as if telling her to follow you. If you don’t intend to manipulate Edith as if she’s your puppet, why not leave her alone?”
“…”
Sophia left her seat as she was. She didn’t have the energy to argue with Isabelle, who had the powerful backing of the Karkus Merchant Guild.
Following Sophia’s lead, Elizabeth also left her seat, while Edith, who appeared to have been waiting, turned to Isabelle and asked.
“Isabelle, do you know where the entrance to the central garden is? I’ve heard that the Viscount has a particular fondness for that garden.”
In fact, Edith mentioned the central garden because she had heard about it from Vivian.
⋙“Whenever Lady Isabelle has something to attend to in the central part of the manor, she always takes a moment to appreciate the central garden before leaving. She really likes that place.”⋘
As expected, Isabelle was pleased to have someone to explore the garden with.
“Just follow me. Since I don’t have anything to do at the moment, I’ll show you around.”
Isabelle led the way, giving Edith a tour of the beautiful central garden.
『 Sophia said that Edith is so precious to the Viscount that he is willing to search for her.』
Isabelle thought that if she got a bit closer to Edith, she might uncover the nature of the relationship between the Viscount and her.
After hearing about the Viscount’s accident, she had been feeling down, but Isabelle naturally had an outgoing personality and missed having conversations with people.
“You wouldn’t believe how vibrant the garden was last spring, Edith. With the Viscount’s permission, I planted many flowers with unique colors.”
Isabelle said with a slight sulk.
“Of course, I don’t know if I’ll be able to plant the same flowers next year. Sophia is so frugal with money…”
Edith was able to learn a surprising fact.
Isabelle secretly believed in Sophia.
『 If Sophia talks like she always takes care of Fortrion Manor, they’re under the illusion that she’s meticulous with the ledger.』
Edith, who had already glimpsed at the ledger and noticed something suspicious, considered that Sophia’s meticulous behavior might be a clever move to prevent being suspected of embezzlement.
“Shall we take a brief rest there? It’s a place where the fountain and the garden come together in one view.”
“Sure. It was starting to feel a bit chilly outside.”
Edith replied. Isabelle left her maid waiting outside and led Edith into the greenhouse at the heart of the garden.
“For some reason, I felt like having tea here today. I had asked for hot water in advance, but I didn’t expect to be here with you.”
Isabelle skillfully poured two cups of steaming black tea, using the still-warm teapot thanks to the magic tool with a warming effect.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you, Isabelle.”
Edith accepted the tea, finding Isabelle’s warm and friendly smile quite lovely.
“It seems that you love this greenhouse.”
“Yes, that’s right. Actually, the Viscount gave me this greenhouse as a wedding gift. To be precise, he told me to tell Sophia to get whatever I wanted as a wedding gift, but…”
While Sophia’s tone when addressing the Viscount lacked any trace of affection, Isabelle was different.
“Isabelle. You must love the Viscount very much.”
At those words, Isabelle’s fingers lightly toyed with the tea cup handle as she gave a slightly childish smile.
“Is it love…? Well, it’s already well-known that the Viscount buys his wives with money. I just feel very grateful to the Viscount for helping my father’s business grow.”
Isabelle giggled at Edith’s determined expression and continued.
“But if you were to ask whether I have no feelings for the Viscount at all, that’s not true. He was the first person to tell me that he enjoyed listening to my singing.”
“Singing…”
“I love to sing, Edith. My father wanted me to dedicate myself to the family, but the Viscount promised to make me a singer. That’s why I accepted his marriage proposal.”
“…”
Edith couldn’t find the words to respond.
In Isabelle’s eyes, there was a spark that couldn’t be brushed aside as naive or something an ignorant child would say. It was a light that only someone who knew exactly who they were and what they wanted could possess.
『 It’s understandable if she was deceived by those obvious words due to her innocence. However, on the other side of the mansion, there’s a person who would use a kidnapped woman to pretend she has an heir to deceive others.』
Edith concluded that she also didn’t dislike Isabelle.
However, Isabelle sighed deeply, as if she loathed her past self for making such a pitiful decision.
“In the end, instead of keeping his promise, the Viscount returned unconscious. It was obvious from the beginning that he merely married me for my father’s support…”
Isabelle chuckled with a self-mocking smile. After a moment of contemplation, Edith spoke to her.
“Still, please continue to sing, Isabelle. When I was touring the western garden of the manor, I happened to hear you singing.”
“Really?”
Isabelle’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes. I asked the person guiding me through the garden, and he said it was you who sang. The servants wait to hear you sing all the time, and then they go to eat their dinner.”
Upon hearing the praise, both of Isabelle’s cheeks turned red.
“It’s not just the Viscount who appreciates your singing. I’m sure of it.”
As Edith said confidently, Isabelle’s eyes moistened.
“Thank you for saying that, Edith.”
“I’m just stating the truth.”
Isabelle smiled brightly. It had been a while since she had received compliments for her singing, and her heart was fluttering. She couldn’t help but like the woman before her.
“Edith, let’s meet often from now on. I’ll send you messages occasionally. My father gave me a small dove as a gift.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If you ever need to ask me for anything, just leave a note on the window anytime.”
Edith gave her a small nod, accepting the offered kindness from Isabelle. The first note she would send to her would probably be about Sophia’s embezzlement.
──────────✿◦•
“M’lady, I apologize for suddenly appearing during your conversation. Lady Sophia was causing quite a scene.”
“It’s alright. I’ve already heard the important things from Isabelle.”
While Edith and Isabelle were in a conversation, the maid Sophia had ordered to find Edith in the greenhouse turned out to be Vivian.
She led Edith to a secluded spot and began speaking.
“By the way, it’s quite puzzling. It started with Jane being entrusted with watching you, but Lady Sophia seems to consider me as her closest maid.”
Could it be that Vivian gained Sophia’s trust the day she brought a piece of Edith’s underwear as evidence of the day she was kidnapped and taken to the manor?
However, even if that was not the case, Edith thought it was only natural that the capable Vivian, skilled with her hands, would gain her trust.
“You have worked very well, and clearly, you are entrusted with important tasks.”
“I’m quite pleased that M’lady has acknowledged it.”
Vivian smiled proudly and slowly looked around her.
Beyond the eastern garden, there was a warehouse. They seemed to have arrived exactly where Sophia had ordered Vivian to take Edith.
“Please go inside, M’lady. I’ll be taking a walk around the area for a while.”
Vivian’s expression wasn’t dark when she said this, so Edith felt reassured and opened the door to the warehouse.
As expected, the man leaning awkwardly against the warehouse wall was not the one Sophia had sent, it was Walter.
“Seeing how happy M’lady is, it’s worthwhile to keep the others quiet.”
With his arms crossed, he made eye contact with Edith, his grin evident. Perhaps because of the relief that it was him and not another man, Edith felt like time was passing a bit more slowly.
“Thank you for your hard work, Walter. There’s something I want to show you.”
“What do you want to show me?”
Walter gazed at her face with interest. Edith beckoned to him, thinking of him like a child tugging at her hair and playing tricks on her.
“Turn around for a moment.”
As Edith adjusted her skirt, Walter retaliated with a smirk.
“I’m quite curious about what you’re about to show me. I’m a diligent servant of this manor.”
“…”
Seeing Edith’s sulky expression, Walter reluctantly turned around.
“Speaking of which, the butler taught me something. It’s also loyalty to help the master change clothes even if they only show signs of discomfort with their outfit…”
Walter, who was about to continue speaking, suddenly forgot what he was going to say. It was because he had just noticed the dusty glass window, capturing Edith’s reflection like a mirror.
She raised her right foot onto a low stool. As she bent over, her voluminous blonde hair spilled down, revealing a slim neck and white shoulders.
Edith gently lifted the skirt that covered her right leg. In an instant, her thigh was exposed.
It was a bold action, as if she had never imagined even in her dreams that he was watching her.
『 What is…』
Walter swallowed hard.
Edith retrieved several pieces of white paper from the stockings that were held up by a garter belt. Her skin had turned red from the paper’s friction, apparently because the papers had been hidden there all along.
“…”
Walter’s mouth, which had held a mischievous smile, hardened. Suddenly, the blood vessels throughout his body seemed to expand to their limits.
Edith, unaware of what was going on inside him, hastily adjusted her skirt and then handed the papers to Walter.
“Thank you for waiting. Can you please check this for me? I copied some of the account ledgers that were in the Viscount’s room… Walter?”
Edith, unsure if he was lost in thought, handed the papers to Walter, who was oddly stiff. She then smoothed her skirt, adjusting the wrinkles in her dress.
Walter brought the papers she had handed him closer to his face and unfolded them. The scent emanating from her skin completely overwhelmed his sense of smell and reason.
It was unbearably sweet.
If she weren’t a woman who knew about his memories, he might have devoured her a long time ago.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
