Chapter 10….
Placing a Bookmark
About ten days had passed since Kevin had taken in Julia. After their last meeting, he told Widow Michely what had happened.
“My, my. That sounds quite difficult. Have you gone to see how she’s doing since then?”
“Yes, a few times—I couldn’t help worrying. Noblewomen are so frail. She can hardly even carry the things she bought herself.”
When Kevin said that, Michely burst out laughing. It was rare to see her do that.
“That’s true. They’re used to having maids and servants around. If she was a count’s daughter, that’s only natural. You, on the other hand, were a knight—so I imagine you can handle household tasks much better than she can.”
That was certainly true.
Back when he was a knight, Kevin had lived away from his family, so he’d learned to do just about everything for himself.
“Say, how about letting that young lady come here? It’s faster to learn housekeeping properly, and she could pick up some simple cooking from my chef too.”
“That would be… a great help. Honestly, I was hoping you might say something like that.”
Widow Michely, despite everything, was surprisingly kind-hearted.
If Julia could learn to take care of herself, maybe Michely would even help her find work.
“Well, since you’ve asked me, I suppose I can’t refuse. It sounds interesting—and rather fun, too. I’ll make sure she’s properly trained.”
Of course, it would be Michely’s servants who actually did the teaching—Michely herself wouldn’t be instructing Julia directly.
Still, Kevin was grateful she had so readily agreed.
“Julia, there’s a place I’d like you to start going to. They’ll teach you all the household basics.”
“Eh? Where to?”
“To Widow Michely’s estate. The lady who was with me at the inn the other day has offered to look after you.”
“Oh—that very beautiful woman. Is she… your mistress?”
Julia knew that Kevin had a wife.
She’d never confronted him about that day at the inn, but it seemed she had guessed what kind of relationship it was.
Now that he thought back, she had looked quite shocked at the time—probably because she’d realized she was witnessing an affair.
“Calling her a mistress might be a bit much. Let’s just say… I’m one of her favorites.”
When Kevin met with Michely, she always paid the expenses.
It was, in a sense, a kind of arrangement—his role was to satisfy her desires.
He didn’t consider it “work,” since no money changed hands, but if someone asked whether he loved her, the answer would be no.
Michely wanted a young, strong, vigorous man who fit her tastes.
Kevin wanted a lover who wouldn’t expect marriage or pregnancy.
That mutual convenience was what had kept their relationship going.
It wasn’t love—but there was comfort in her maturity and warmth.
She didn’t nag him, and she soothed him in a way he hadn’t realized he needed.
Perhaps she filled the void left by his brother’s absence—almost like an older sister.
Well, if she were actually his sister, desire would never enter into it—but it was true that Michely felt closer to him than anyone else did.
