Chapter 25
The Creaking Contract (2)
“Ha, but, Grand Dowager!”
Madame still spoke up, not intimidated.
“The Grand Duchess embarrassing Countess Travis that day… how serious an issue that is—”
“Would it only be a problem for the royal household?”
When the Grand Dowager repeated exactly what the Grand Duchess had said, everyone froze.
She sipped her tea and sneered.
“In the first place, a refined lady would never scold a servant out loud. That is the most basic etiquette.”
“But—”
“Exposing a dirty petticoat for everyone to see was even more shameful.”
“But… Countess Travis is twenty years older than the Grand Duchess… she’s the wife of a viscount—”
“If you put it that way, the Grand Duchess is still the wife of the Grand Duke.”
“……”
Madame closed her mouth, stunned.
So this is what power feels like—old and wealthy, and able to speak bluntly without fear.
At that moment, the women who had been quietly listening spoke up.
All of them were married to members of the Lindinis cadet branch, so they wanted to stay in the Grand Dowager’s favor.
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
“Of course! Discipline is important! What Your Highness did was right!”
“Countess Travis did get a little carried away that day…!”
Someone quickly changed the subject.
“Really, the maid was enjoying the salon until she fell.”
“And of all places to fall, she had to do it there. Such bad luck.”
“Exactly. The tea set gifts were lovely… it’s a shame the salon was so short.”
“I plan to ask Your Highness later about the workshop. Maybe I’ll decorate my villa like that…”
Madame Rouard and Angelica exchanged embarrassed glances.
Especially Angelica, who gritted her teeth in frustration.
‘This isn’t the reaction I wanted…!’
Good. It seemed there was still a chance to fix Dolores’s reputation.
‘Lucky, even without doing anything.’
Then she thought she might as well improve her own reputation too.
Angelica gave a polite bow to the Grand Dowager.
“You are very generous, Grand Dowager, to praise my sister, Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“……”
“I will make sure to tell my sister how grateful I am.”
“……That day.”
“Yes?”
“The white shoes you wore at the salon were so beautiful. Are they different today?”
“Yes…? What…?”
Angelica tilted her head, confused, then froze.
Everyone stared at her.
First, at her face.
Then, unconsciously, at the hem of her dress.
Adult women’s dresses reached their feet, so shoes weren’t usually visible—unless they stretched their feet out.
Except for the quiet sound of the servants pouring tea, everything went completely silent.
‘W-what…!’
Angelica opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.
Why was this old woman pointing out her flaw?
What should she even say?
At that moment, Madame Rouard quickly grabbed her hand.
Her eyes gave a sharp warning:
‘Get out of here quickly.’
No words would help.
Better to smile politely and escape.
Angelica forced a trembling smile and stood.
“Ha ha, thank you, Grand Dowager, for complimenting my shoes.”
“……”
“I will just go fix my makeup for a moment. Madame, excuse me.”
She rose gracefully but hurried away across the garden.
The other ladies whispered among themselves as they watched her leave.
“Miss Rochester didn’t even get the Grand Duchess’s help during her debut?”
“Was she pretending to be close to her sister, but really…”
“Was it a mistake? Or on purpose…?”
“What did we say earlier? We should have helped, even a little…”
“Either way, it’s terrifying.”
Madame Rouard bit her lip as she listened.
‘Damn it. What does that girl even know how to do?’
She should have handled it neatly—why show a flaw like that?
‘And what’s this girl thinking?’
Madame Rouard glared at the girl who had shaken the atmosphere.
But the Grand Dowager sat calmly, sipping her tea as if in her own world.
Dolores sat alone in a room of the Lancaster mansion.
The Grand Duke was away at the palace, and Rachel had left for her own duties.
In truth, she was glad neither of them were there.
‘I just don’t have any energy.’
Even believing she had changed her life, the unexpected setbacks drained her.
She didn’t feel confident in keeping a composed smile.
Then the black-haired maid quietly entered.
“Your Highness, shall I prepare afternoon tea?”
“Ah… yes, Nina.”
Dolores nodded awkwardly.
After the salon incident, she had brought the injured maid to recover and cared for her.
‘Her name was Nina Mason, I think.’
Nina quickly regained her energy and eagerly attended to Dolores.
She even remembered Dolores’s favorite teas and dresses depending on the weather—without being told.
‘All by herself.’
Dolores watched as she prepared the tea and finally spoke.
“Nina, how old did you say you were?”
“I’m fifteen this year, Your Highness.”
“Fifteen….”
Dolores muttered, thinking. She was the same age as Alexis when she had died.
‘No wonder she reminded me of Alexis when she cried.’
The angel-faced boy who had tormented her life.
Dolores shook her head, returning to reality.
“Are your wounds fully healed? You shouldn’t overdo it.”
“I’m fine, Your Highness! The mansion doctor treated me, and I’m fully recovered.”
“You’re really brave.”
Dolores accepted the tea from Nina, noting how perfectly brewed it was and how pleasant the aroma.
‘I only helped by chance… and yet I’m the one being comforted.’
She didn’t regret the salon incident. Countess Travis had underestimated the Grand Duchess and revealed her true feelings, and Dolores had firmly corrected her.
Seeing Nina made her even more resolute.
‘Yes. What if that girl had been hurt by the glass shards? Who would take responsibility for her life at fifteen?’
‘So I don’t regret what I did. It’s just…’
Her discouragement came mostly from the Grand Duke’s gaze.
“Don’t feel sorry.”
“I wasn’t expecting anything anyway.”
Those words, that gaze, pierced deeply.
Though the marriage process had been messy, she was genuinely grateful to him.
And even when he spoke harshly, she felt he cared.
“Did it hurt that much?”
“I was controlling the force.”
Just as he had softly rubbed her arm while speaking before.
The memory made her heart sting like rose thorns.
‘…Forget it. Now I need to think about what to do next.’
If she did nothing, she would be discarded as useless.
But since Adrian still stubbornly pressed, she needed the Grand Duke’s protection.
‘I have to prove my worth.’
As she thought, a loud voice came from the other side of the door.
“Your Highness! I’ve returned!”
“Ah, Lady Rachel.”
Rachel had returned from the palace, running quickly.
She had hidden the ring she had ‘borrowed’ from Dolores beforehand.
And she snatched the tea pot from Nina.
“Your Highness! Do you know what happened today?!”
“What happened?”
“At Madame Rouard’s tea party—guess what!”
Rachel lowered her voice, glancing at Nina.
“There are suspicions that Miss Rochester tripped that maid’s foot that day.”
“……!”
“And didn’t the Grand Dowager mention it?”
“What?”
“Yes! And she also praised Your Highness’s actions in the matter.”
Dolores wanted to ask why, but Rachel didn’t know more.
It only strengthened Dolores’s resolve.
“…Good.”
“Eh, Your Highness?! Why?”
“I need to prepare to go out. Nina, bring my bonnet. And have the carriage ready.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Leaving a flustered Rachel behind, Dolores began moving quickly.
There was still time before dinner after the women returned from their tea gatherings.
So what do the city’s nobles do with this free time?
Dolores commanded the coachman:
“To the central promenade! Start near the Lindinis townhouses!”
