IN the meantime, Ethan’s elder brother and his wife became valet and nursemaid to the young Lord Stuart. As for Ethan and myself, I don’t think it was pure chance that brought us together. His family had served the Drewett marquises as stewards and butlers for generations, and I was the right age to nurse Lady Katrina’s second child. So yes, luckily, I happened to have feelings for him. Fate worked well in our favor, and everything turned out as I had wished.
That Rodney and Master got along so well was doubly lucky, and I raised him like my own alongside my biological son. Unfortunately, as he matured, his experiences with other nobles in the royal capital left him disillusioned, and he grew to dislike being around women. That was truly frustrating to witness, yet I knew it hurt Lady Katrina so much more than it hurt me.
When he earned a title and established the Noel viscountcy, he asked our family of three to join his new household. That necessitated a change of allegiance for the Kofi family, and I saw it as a way to further support the Drewetts and Lady Katrina. I said yes.
And after several years, our lady married into the household.
“Tabitha?” said Lady Katrina once. “How should I say this?”
At first, she was shocked by the lady’s free spirit and attempted to strictly guide her to become a more acceptable noblewoman. But that day, as she watched me carefully arrange a suitable portion of food for the viscountess, she just seemed perplexed.
“That child is making me realize that not everything needs to be forced to a certain standard…”
It took all my effort not to burst into laughter, for my life had also been drastically changed by my lady’s presence. Yes, I guess that’s how it is.
✦ ✦ ✦
SERVANTS form their own network of rumors and news, and the poorer the noble family, the looser the servants are with information. Some families also treat their staff poorly, though that isn’t true of the Drewett and Noel households, of course, which increases the likelihood of gossip. We servants so often hear of noblemen taking a second wife and neglecting the children from his first marriage that we’ve become immune to such scandal. Thus, my lady’s story garnered nothing more than passing interest from most.
To say that the lady had gone hungry for many days when she knocked on the front door of the Noel mansion that night is probably no exaggeration. She wore an old, ill-fitting dress, and her dull red hair was long and tangled. Her limbs were twig thin, and her cheeks sunken, yet her eyes were large and bright, giving her an uncanny appearance.
She was cheerful as she offered her name: “Good evening! I am Abigail Longhurst! I’ve come from Longhurst to become your master’s wife!”
As the head housekeeper, I was planning to leave chores like bathing her to the maids. She looked so pitiful, however, that I couldn’t help but linger to check for injury. I was relieved to find no visible scars.
The following day, I rubbed ointment into her small hands. The skin on her bony fingers was cracked and peeling. Vertical ridges ran the length of her nails, and I couldn’t stifle my sigh at the evidence of her poor nutrition. Even a washerwoman had better skin.
Her golden eyes had widened in surprise when I first touched her, then slowly softened as she relaxed. “Wow, Tabitha’s hands are nice and smooth. And so warm…” she breathed. “So this is human skin… How soft…”
Her strange choice of words, mumbled in a groggy, dreamy voice, intrigued me. It was also upsetting, the thought of her never having touched another person, and I felt a renewed sense of purpose to help her skin and hair regain their original shine.
✦ ✦ ✦
“IT tastes like milk! And what’s this fluffy aroma? Is it bug—”
“It’s risotto.”
“Risotto!”
I watched the lady carefully as she worked through her portion. Her small feet tapped a happy rhythm under the bed tray, and I remembered with fondness how Rodney and Master used to do the exact same. But bugs? Why would she think it normal to put bugs in food…?
✦ ✦ ✦
“A stroll? Can I go outside to the garden?”
I’d been slowly increasing the lady’s serving size to stretch her stomach, and at last the doctor had indicated that she could safely exercise.
She appeared surprised at my suggestion of a walk, and I recalled how impressed she was to learn that she’d receive three hot meals a day. So, in addition to being denied food, she had been imprisoned in the house as well. I added the discovery to my mental list of Longhurst’s mistreatment, vowing to report it to Master so we could prepare for a chance at revenge. He was already completely in love with the lady by then.
But for that moment, I watched her squinting in the soft sunlight. I relayed her enjoyment to Master later, and he immediately instructed the gardener to rework the garden to the lady’s preferences.
✦ ✦ ✦
“TABITHA, Tabitha, I’m great at cleaning!”
The lady insisted she would work for food even as I took the mop from her. Her face was devoid of emotion as usual, and despite all evidence of her mistreatment, she lacked the emaciated look that most malnourished children have. In fact, her voice was strong and proud whenever she spoke.
✦ ✦ ✦
“TABITHA, Tabitha. My lord gave me his strawberry today. A whole one. He may be a nice person!”
Master tends to alienate those around him due to his serious and strict nature, which he inherited from his father, yet he’s always had a kind and caring side to him, even as a child. Unfortunately, his bluntness on the first night of their marriage caused him to speak foolishly to his wife, although she didn’t seem to take it to heart, thankfully. I hoped that their relationship would continue to deepen, though the lady did need to improve her ability to judge character. To pleasantly accept everyone at face value isn’t safe.
Regardless, she’d received a proper lady’s education from a tutor, so her manners were good. She was still slightly awkward and childish, and said things a normal young lady wouldn’t say, albeit politely. I figured that was because she simply wasn’t used to speaking to people. Which wasn’t the main reason, as we discovered, but was certainly a major factor.
The conversational skills of a noblewoman extend beyond mere choice of words to topic, eye contact, and other subtleties. That is true for commoners as well, but nobles have refined elocution to an art which can only be acquired through practice. Because she wasn’t accustomed to using her facial muscles, the lady’s face lacked the necessary emotion. Yet I could sense rich waves of feeling inside her, evident in the sparkle of her rare golden eyes and her bright if faltering speech—and sometimes in other ways.
“My lady.”
Blancmange had just been served for dessert. Hearing my disapproving tone, the lady stopped bouncing in her chair and straightened, bringing her feet together beneath the seat. Master hurriedly turned away, shoulders shaking. As for Rodney… I had to teach him how to better hold in his laughter.
The lady isn’t picky in general but does have her favorites. She prefers meat to vegetables, and a well-cooked stew to simple grilled steak, though she does like aged beef very much. She likes only slightly sour or spicy food, nothing too strong. And her love of sweets. If we catered to her every request, she’d definitely overeat, so we’re very careful about the portions we serve her. The gardener and the head cook are the worst! They let her sample dishes and share their plates with her when I’m not looking! I had to make it clear to our entire staff that they must inform me of everything she consumes.