The Lady and the Stableman

It was dawn when the head butler, Whitman, returned to his office.

In his mid-40s, his body was different from when he was younger, and if he couldn’t sleep, fatigue would overwhelm him, but he had no complaints about overworking.

He didn’t mind staying by Sophia’s side as a butler and her lover.

『 If the Viscount doesn’t wake up…』

Whitman was the only one who knew all of Sophia’s plans. Sophia had grand ambitions and was willing to act without hesitation to get what she wanted.

Whitman, who had no intention of serving the wretch-like Nicholas Fortrion as his master, liked Sophia for not yielding to the viscount.

Since the master was always out, he didn’t take long to develop a secret relationship with Sophia.

『 It would be nice if things progressed quickly.』

Whitman kept in a drawer the affectionate letters he had exchanged with Sophia.

The letters contained detailed plans for a happy future for the two of them when the Viscount died.

As he contemplated whether he should take them out to savor them, he heard a knock.

“Sir, I have something to report to you.”

The voice of the under butler was heard along with a familiar knock.

Waiting until well past midnight obviously meant he had something important to report.

“Come in.” 

The under butler went straight to the main topic after inquiring about the well-being of the butler who had worked late into the night.

“Jane asked me to deliver this letter to you, sir.”

“Ah, thank you. I asked her to do something for me.”

“You mean you asked Jane?”

The under butler asked in surprise. 

Jane was not the type to hide her emotions and was not reliable in handling important matters, and her work was also sloppy. However, she seemed good at serving tea, flattering, and currying favor with Sophia.

“It’s just a simple errand, that’s all.”

Whitman said as he took the letter left by Jane.

╭══════

     Edith has been following Lady Sophia’s orders very well. It was almost embarrassing how well she obeyed.

                                                                                                                                                                                     ══════╯

As expected, Jane’s report did not satisfy Whitman.

『 I sent her to confirm the man’s face…』

Whitman had previously personally monitored Walter and Edith. However, last night, he suddenly realized that he hadn’t confirmed the face of the man who had dealt with Edith in the warehouse.

So, he had asked Jane, who happened to be passing by, for help. Sophia had recently shared some information about Edith with Jane as well.

But it seems that Jane ran out, out of embarrassment.

At first, Whitman didn’t think much of it, but when he couldn’t confirm the man’s face twice, his suspicions deepened.

Was the man with Edith really Hans, acting on Sophia’s orders?

“Tell Hans to stop by sometime tomorrow. I’ll be busy in the morning, so I’d prefer he came by in the afternoon.”

“Of course, sir. And…”

The under butler hesitated to deliver another piece of information. When Whitman pressed him, he finally spoke.

“For some reason, rumors are suddenly circulating around the manor. People are saying that someone is inflating the mansion’s expenses in the accounting books and embezzling the Viscount’s fortune.”

“…” 

Whitman, who knew best about the embezzlement as the main culprit, felt caught off guard for a moment.

“Who is spreading this nonsense?”

“The servants are all talking about it at the same time, so it’s hard to say who started the rumor.”

“…” 

“Maybe it was spread by the merchants. It’s quite coincidental that these rumors are surfacing right around Thanksgiving dinner.”

The under butler, who had no idea that embezzlement was actually occurring and that the butler was the culprit, chuckled.

Whitman thought to himself, letting out a fake laugh after him. 

『 I’ll have to bring the ledger to my office as soon as he leaves. If I pretend to review it and discuss it with Sophia, I can buy some time.』

However, things didn’t go as Whitman had planned.

──────────✿◦•

“Lady Edith, I think you can have the day to yourself.” 

Vivian said as Edith finished her breakfast. It was natural for Edith to question.

“Usually, Sophia watches me very closely. Thanks to that, you’re also having a hard time being careful with your words, and…”

Then Vivian continued, sounding surprised too.

“It’s all thanks to Lady Isabelle. She went to the butler’s office as soon as the day broke.”

“To the butler’s office? Why?”

Although they hadn’t known each other for a long time and hadn’t engaged in deep conversations, Edith felt that Isabelle had an obedient side.

Isabelle regarded handling the estate’s money or organizing its records as the first lady’s responsibility, so she didn’t pay attention to every little thing. She was a person who quietly kept her place rather than thinking about the future even when the Viscount remained unconscious.

But now, why did she have a change of mind and seek out the butler?

“Well, rumors are circulating in the manor that someone is tampering with the accounting books and embezzling money.”

Vivian, who was quick-witted, guessed that it was Walter who had been ordered by Edith to spread negative rumors around the manor.

“Right after dinner was over, Lady Isabelle moved all the ledgers to her room, saying that she would check them herself.”

“Isabelle herself?” 

“Yes, and since high-ranking executives of the Karkus Trading Company are staying at the manor, if Lady Isabelle steps forward, neither Lady Sophia nor the butler can refuse her request.”

“So, she’s currently checking the ledgers?”

“Yes. The Karkus executives are coming and going in Lady Isabelle’s room, and Lady Sophia and the butler’s attention is completely focused in that direction.”

Isabelle’s transformation was astonishing. Just as Edith was casually wondering about the reason behind it, a small pigeon tapped on her window with its beak.

『 Is that Isabelle’s pigeon?』

Edith opened the window and took the small note tied to the pigeon’s leg, unfolding it.

╭══════

     Thank you, Edith. Thanks to your encouragement, I was able to sing in front of the guests at the dinner.

                                                                                                                                                                                   ══════╯

『 I guess Isabelle sang after I left the dinner because of Sophia’s pestering.』

She wondered what would happen if she hesitated and missed the opportunity.

Edith continued to read the note with a smile.

╭══════

    And seeing the people enjoying my singing, I made up my mind. If the Viscount dies, and the situation arises where I have to leave the mansion, I want to go to the capital to become a singer.

To do that, I have to take care of my share instead of leaving it to others, right?

                                                                                                                                                                                   ══════╯

Edith read the note again, doubting her eyes. Meanwhile, the pigeon had flown away to its owner.

Of course, Edith intended to encourage Isabelle to sing.

Even objectively, Isabelle’s voice was purer than that of anyone Edith had ever heard, and she was confident that anyone who heard her singing would be enchanted.

『 So if I gave Isabelle a chance to sing in front of people, she would naturally receive praise. And when she’s in a better mood, I planned to ask her to take a look at the rumored ledgers.』

Before even making the request, Isabelle was already checking the embezzlement rumors herself.

Edith had initially thought of her as an immature young lady, but considering how she was thinking about her security before leaving, she seemed to be a true heiress of the Karkus Merchant Guild.

╭══════

     Thank you, Edith.

                          ══════╯

Isabelle began her note with a thank you, but Edith thought that she should be the most grateful one.

“Then I’ll bury myself in the library and read a book.”

Edith got up from her seat. Last night, while listening to Walter and Helen’s conversation, she had thought of something she wanted to verify through books.

『 Helen has Fortrian blood, and even if Nicholas dies, there will be many difficulties as long as Sophia is still alive.』

The uncertainty is that the finances of the Fortrion Estate might be compromised due to Isabelle unexpectedly exposing the embezzlement case.

So, if Isabelle could dig into that gap and attack Sophia, the pregnancy scheme would most likely fall apart.

Edith walked with determination. Her room was on the eastern side of the mansion, and the library was located in the central part, crossing half of the mansion.

However, after just a few steps, Edith changed her mind.

『 ...I should better go outside and take a walk.』

Most of those invited to the Thanksgiving dinner were still at the mansion. Naturally, they couldn’t take their eyes off the fourth wife, whom the Viscount had been obsessed with until the end.

With the weather outside being pleasant, why bother crossing half of the mansion under their piercing stares?

Edith walked with the intention of taking a light stroll. Then she paused for a moment.

『 Who is it?』

She felt someone watching her from behind. Edith pretended to continue on her way while looking at the reflection in the window glass.

When she confirmed the man’s face, her eyes widened in surprise. Astonishingly, it was a face she knew.

Curly ashen-brown hair and warm brown eyes. Clean skin that was not overly tanned and the glasses he always wore.

『 Benjamin? How did he…?』

-Benjamin Homan.-

He was one of the people who had become her friend after Isaac left. He was a distant relative of the Homan Clinic’s director, where Edith used to work.

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