TMWLCP 02

Chapter 2

It took two days by train to reach Southern.

Spending two days in the third-class car, filled with unpleasant smells and noise, was quite exhausting. Eleanor stepped off the train with a somewhat weary face. Southern Station was bustling with people.

“Move! Get out of the way!”

Startled, Eleanor quickly stepped aside as a boy came charging recklessly in her direction. However, the boy was soon grabbed by the scruff of his neck and dragged away by a station worker.

It seemed he had been caught trying to sneak aboard without a ticket. But Eleanor was the only one surprised; the others gave the scene a passing glance and then coldly turned away.

Eleanor glanced around briefly and then turned in the direction the crowd was heading. As expected, the exit of Southern Station came into view.

“……”

Once she left the station, the main street of Southern unfolded before her. A large road with well-paved paths, vendors selling fruits, food, and flowers from the first floors of three-story buildings—everything made for a vibrant city atmosphere. It was a scale that couldn’t even be compared to Kent.

Eleanor barely managed to suppress a gasp of admiration but couldn’t help covering her mouth with one hand. It was irresistible.

“Are you Miss Hudson?”

She came to her senses when someone called her name. Startled, Eleanor turned toward the voice.

“Yes, that’s me. Excuse me, but who are you…?”

“I’m Ash Manderton, the driver for the Duke of Clavern.”

“Oh, Mr. Manderton. It’s nice to meet you.”

Ash gave a friendly smile in response to Eleanor’s greeting. Dressed in a vest and jacket, he felt far too proper to be just an ordinary servant.

“Please, feel free to call me Ash. The lady of the house sent me to pick you up.”

“I didn’t expect them to send someone in advance.”

“Please allow me to carry your luggage.”

Ash took her bags and loaded them into the car. Unfamiliar with automobiles, Eleanor awkwardly climbed in with Ash’s assistance.

As the car began moving, the scenery of Southern flowed by. It felt like everything had changed.

The car carrying Eleanor drove for a while before entering the quiet outskirts of the Duke’s estate. Rows of neatly trimmed plane trees lining a stone path rustled their branches as if welcoming the guest.

Swish—leaves rustled in the breeze. The sunlight filtering through them felt warm and gentle.

“…It’s enormous.”

Eleanor, who had been enjoying the scenery, paused when she saw the massive gates and iron bars surrounding the mansion.

The gate, intricately forged with the Clavern family crest, was impressive. But even more so was the mansion beyond it. A three-story stone building stood with the weight of a mountain, carved and weathered by time into something grand.

“Well, this is the Duke of Clavern’s residence,” Ash said with a smile in response to Eleanor’s murmured words. The car began to slow as it approached the mansion’s entrance. The guards confirmed the license plate and opened the gate.

“Still, the Duke and his family are all very kind, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

The car continued down the long drive leading from the gate to the main building. On both sides of the road were beautifully landscaped gardens, vibrant and lively enough to make the long path feel anything but dull.

It was like living in a different world. Eleanor’s previous home had been enough for her, but compared to this estate, it wasn’t even a guesthouse. The excitement was accompanied by a sense of intimidation.

‘The Madam has instructed that since she will be out with Miss Olivia, Miss Hudson should rest comfortably. A maid will guide you to your quarters, so please relax.’

Just as Eleanor stepped out of the car, the head butler George O’Nell approached and relayed Cindy Clavern’s message.

Eleanor had been worried she might have to meet her employer immediately, so it was a relief. Thanks to Cindy going out with Olivia, she could finally wash up and recover from the two dirty, cramped days spent on the train.

Even the room given to her had an attached bathroom—far better than what she had experienced at the Hudson estate. If things stayed like this, life here could be more than satisfactory.

Of course, that was only if she didn’t get fired.

“Miss Eleanor, your meal is here.”

As Eleanor pondered how best to teach an eight-year-old Olivia, a maid arrived carrying a large tray for dinner. A simple meal had been prepared.

“The Madam hasn’t returned yet.”

Though Eleanor was to work as a governess, she was still technically a guest who had not yet met her employers. Since no member of the household had formally invited her, she couldn’t be served in the dining room, and she wasn’t of the same status as the servants either.

So Butler George had ordered the meal be served in her room.

“Thank you.”

At Eleanor’s polite thanks, the maid smiled awkwardly and quickly left the room.

Even though society had changed a lot, a noblewoman working as a governess was still considered an isolated figure. It was a job seen as suitable for unmarried noblewomen who didn’t want to work as maids but had no inheritance to live on. They earned a living like other employees, but with the airs of the upper class. Just like that, they were caught between two worlds.

Still, Eleanor wanted to escape the Hudson family. Kent was too small and never changed. Living with Charles, who was constantly drunk, was more than tiresome—it was suffocating. Most of all…

‘Do what you want to do, Eleanor.’

Even if it was just an excuse, she wanted to go to university, as her late mother had wished. Charles insisted that a woman’s future depended on marrying a rich man, but Eleanor, who had grown up watching him, thought otherwise.

She didn’t want to rely on a man’s wealth. She could earn her own money. She was sick of men like Charles controlling her life.

“So I need to make money.”

As much as possible. In that sense, this governess job at the Clavern estate was perfect. The Duke’s family spared no expense when hiring staff for their mansion.

The girl she would be teaching, Olivia, was only eight. With another eight years until adulthood, Eleanor could save up quite a bit if she managed not to get fired.

“Don’t get emotional, Eleanor.”

Determined, Eleanor began her meal. It might not have been as luxurious as what the Duke’s family ate, but compared to the stale, tough bread from the Hudson estate, it was heaven.

Perhaps because of that, she ate more than usual. Feeling uncomfortably full, Eleanor decided to take a walk to ease her stomach. She hadn’t been told she couldn’t wander, and surely no one would scold her for just strolling through the garden.

“The weather’s nice.”

It was technically summer, but still early enough in the season that the weather remained cool. Moreover, Ledden’s summers weren’t humid. Eleanor walked leisurely along the lamp-lit path, taking deep breaths of fresh air that cleared her head.

Hic.

She paused at the sound of a small sob. At first, she thought it was an animal, but the repeating sound was unmistakably a child’s cry. Eleanor looked around carefully and then walked toward the sound.

It was strange enough that a child—not a servant—would be in the garden alone. But more than that, the fact the child was crying alone didn’t seem normal.

“Is someone there?”

At her voice, the rustling of leaves stopped abruptly. Eleanor pushed aside a low-hanging branch and looked beyond the neatly trimmed bushes. Startled, a small, dark figure was flailing around in panic.

Thud!

The child bolted like an animal and collided with Eleanor. Though she stumbled slightly, the girl fell flat onto the ground.

“Waaaah!”

The girl’s wailing was loud enough that Eleanor didn’t notice the sound of a heavy gate opening or a car entering the garden.

“Are you okay?”

Eleanor rushed to help the girl up, dusting off her now-filthy dress and checking her condition. Despite her messy hair and tear-streaked face, her dress was clearly expensive.

“I wasn’t trying to scare you. I heard someone crying and came to check…”

As Eleanor awkwardly tried to calm the sobbing girl…

“Olivia?”

A car had stopped halfway down the path leading to the mansion, and a man in a neat suit stepped out. At the deep, commanding voice, Eleanor turned toward the source.

As her eyes adjusted to the headlights, she could make out his features clearly. He was a head taller than most men, with a sturdy frame and long limbs. The atmosphere around him was so commanding that his suit looked like a military uniform.

“Logan!”

The crying girl ran to the man and clung to him. Unfazed, he easily lifted her and patted her back.

Eleanor blinked, trying to process what had just happened.

The child hiding like a wild creature in the garden—her name was Olivia, clearly not a servant. And the man with chestnut hair and cool blue eyes, who had comforted her…

“Duke Clavern.”

There was only one possibility.