Chapter 14
“She came in through a broker, didn’t she? Or not?”
“No, apparently it wasn’t money. I heard her parents sold her to the broker because of a huge debt.”
“So that’s how she ended up with Count Clayde? To pay off the debt and pocket some money?”
As the three exchanged startled glances, Anne blinked up at the ceiling.
“Anne, didn’t you hear anything?”
Cassie asked.
“You were the last one cleaning the party hall. You said you saw Matilda then.”
The question flowed naturally, and Anne recalled the moment.
“Yeah. She told me to go with her and said she’d make me head maid once she became the Countess. Said the salary there is twice what we get here.”
“Whoa, really? Twice?”
“Countess? Hah!”
One maid sat up at the mention of the pay, and another smacked her blanket while laughing at the idea of a ‘Countess.’
Cassie turned to look at Anne.
“Good thing you refused. That place is dangerous.”
Anne nodded slightly, her expression uncertain.
A place full of rumors, where a war might break out any day.
And Matilda had risked her life to cross the border—it must be a place filled with ruthless people.
She needed to leave the Duke’s house, but was there a better place than here?
Anne pulled her blanket up over her head.
The next day, before afternoon tea, Anne went to find Jamie.
After his morning studies, Grey was mostly doing martial training in the afternoons, so Jamie was also at the training grounds.
“Young master is training inside.”
“I know.”
Jamie looked over Anne’s hands carefully.
It wasn’t like her to come empty-handed.
“What’s going on, sis?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
Anne’s eyes were on Grey in the distance, sparring with a knight from the household.
Jamie followed her gaze, then turned back.
“To me?”
“Jamie, you said you want to keep serving Young Master Grey, right?”
“Yeah, for life. There’s no better master than him. Seriously!”
Jamie said it with pride. He truly believed that the young master he served was the best in the world.
Anne didn’t correct him.
“When you go with him to the knight academy, I think I’ll look for something else.”
“Sis?”
Anne’s voice grew quiet, and Jamie responded in a hushed tone too.
No one was around to eavesdrop, but it wouldn’t be good if their master overheard.
“I’m going to leave House Benton, Jamie.”
As soon as possible—anytime.
She would leave this place, no matter what.
Anne had no intention of living and dying as a maid in House Benton.
If she was going to work as a maid for the rest of her life anyway, she’d rather be somewhere more peaceful, even if the pay was lower.
If nothing else worked out, she’d go to Clayde’s frontier territory, save up money, and live a quiet life farming in the countryside.
Being a maid at House Benton was a valuable enough credential to get hired anywhere.
“Why? But there’s no place in the Empire that treats maids as well as here. You know that.”
Jamie whispered worriedly.
She knew. But this wasn’t about treatment or pay.
Anne just wanted to live as a person. And that journey had to start by leaving House Benton.
“Jamie, we can still exchange letters, no matter where I go.”
“But if I go to the knight academy and come back on break, and you’re not here…”
“You’re fifteen. You’re not a child anymore, Jamie.”
“…”
Of course Jamie knew. Anne had started doing odd jobs at the age of seven.
He knew better than anyone how resolute she was.
No amount of whining would change her mind. To him, Anne was his sister, mother, and protector.
He knew that, so he just pressed his lips together in frustration.
“Nothing’s set yet. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
Grey didn’t need to know. But Jamie, as family, did.
Even if Grey found out somehow, it wouldn’t change Anne’s plans.
But unexpectedly, that night, Grey came to the servants’ quarters where Anne stayed.
“Woo~.”
At a maid’s whistle, Anne’s face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from the heat of rising anger.
Of all places, he had to come to the maids’ quarters?
“He wants you to come out to the back garden. Our young master’s so romantic~.”
“Anne Pero! Good luck! Go get him~.”
It was long past dinner, and the duke and duchess were already asleep.
Leaving behind the teasing—whether support or mockery—Anne quickly threw on her coat and hurried to the back garden.
The path from the back door of the mansion to the garden was lined with wide shrubs.
A dim orange lamp cast a soft glow, and beneath it stood Grey Benton, anxiously pacing next to a table and chairs he hadn’t sat in.
“Young master Grey, is something wrong?”
Why was he calling her out at this hour?
He’d never done anything inappropriate before. Was it because he was still young and lacked judgment?
“I heard you’re leaving.”
“…Yes.”
He heard that and came running?
“You said you’re looking for a different job? What kind of work?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Then why are you leaving?”
Grey stepped forward and grabbed her by both arms.
When did he get this tall?
He was already eye level with her.
“Do you not like me anymore?”
“…What?”
Anne looked at him with wide eyes.
Like and dislike? We never even started anything.
Anne had drawn a clear line and consistently rejected Grey’s feelings.
That much was clear from how the head maid had kept assigning her to Grey.
“I’m going to the knight academy soon anyway. I won’t be back for half a year. So you can just stay at the manor, Anne.”
“Young master, I only told Jamie because I might leave if I find a better job. I don’t know what misunderstanding you’ve had…”
Anne didn’t care whether he went to the academy or not.
It was his life. So why was he standing here, looking like a heartbroken boy?
Grey didn’t care how flustered Anne was. He buried his head in her shoulder.
Then came the sniffles.
“Young master…”
Suppressing her irritation, she raised her hand to push him away. But the trembling boy leaned further into her and tears started dripping.
“Anne, I’ll be the one to leave.”
“…What?”
“I’ll go to the academy and never come back. I’ll only send Jamie home for breaks. So please… can’t you stay here?”
He looked up slowly while still holding her shoulders.
Despite how much she’d pushed him away, Grey’s kindness still reached her, and Anne recoiled at it.
“Young master.”
“Anne, I just want to know that you’re somewhere I can find you. So when I miss you, I can at least check and know you’re there.”
“…”
What did I ever do to deserve this?
We don’t matter to each other anymore.
You go your way, I go mine.
Our lives won’t overlap again.
“I like you, Anne.”
Damn it.
A sigh escaped at his confession.
“…”
His face was too close for her to let it out fully. She swallowed it down instead.
The boy’s tearful, red-rimmed eyes were sorrowful. Just like a time long past.
What girl wouldn’t be swayed by the confession of a beautiful boy?
I truly loved you.
I did.
So much that I’ll never love like that again.
Even though I’ve come back in time, I don’t regret it.
I’ll never repeat that love.
Anne slowly opened her lips.
“I don’t like you, young master.”
Should she have added a “sorry” to sound like a proper maid?
Her inner self shook her head.
You don’t need to apologize for not loving someone.
Even the bastard who betrayed me after loving me never said sorry once before he died.
“Anne…”
A large teardrop rolled down his face and dropped from his chin.
“Wherever I go, whatever I do—it’s none of your concern, young master. And please don’t call me out at night like this again. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”
Regardless of whether he cried or not, Anne said everything she needed to and gave a deep bow.
Grey covered his face with both hands.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
His tearful apology tried to pull her back, but Anne didn’t hesitate. She turned and returned through the back door to the servants’ quarters.
After Grey’s confession, Anne’s heart grew more urgent.
I really need to find a place to go—soon.
Ironically, though, the decision wasn’t up to her—but it worked out in her favor.
“Madam is asking for you, Anne.”
She had just returned from running errands for the post.
Anne took off her coat, brushed off the snow and dust, straightened herself, and knocked on the Duchess of Benton’s door.
“My lady, it’s Anne. I came because you called.”
“Come in.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The duchess was sitting by the window, leisurely sipping tea.
Anne bowed at the door, then approached and stopped three steps away.
“Here, take this.”
The duchess handed her what looked like a letter, and Anne respectfully accepted it with both hands.
“It’s a recommendation letter to be head maid at Lord Tegennes’ estate.”
