Chapter 21
Unlike the peaceful time Betty spent at the Marquis Prowell’s estate, life at the Duke’s residence was far from easy.
“What’s going on? Such an important person making a trip all the way here.”
“Oh dear. I didn’t prepare your share because I didn’t expect you to come.”
“I’m not really in the mood to eat today, but do you want some leftovers?”
“Oh my, really? Do you think she’d eat this kind of food?”
From the moment Betty entered the servants’ dining room early this morning, she was met with all sorts of cold stares and whispered jabs.
This is exactly why I didn’t want to come.
Though it had seemed quiet for a while, the servants’ envy and jealousy toward Betty had started to resurface recently.
Even if Betty occasionally visited the Marquis Prowell’s place, where no one really saw her, it was different in the Duke’s household.
Vivian’s overly generous attitude toward Betty was clearly evident.
But starving all morning just to avoid such treatment wasn’t something she wanted to do repeatedly.
At least…
When Vivian recently ate in her room, she instructed the servants to prepare enough for Betty too, so they ate together.
However, since Vivian had a habit of sleeping in late, most mornings Betty still had to eat with the other servants.
The problem was, almost every time, there was nothing left for Betty to eat.
If she complained to Vivian, it would surely result in Vivian storming into the kitchen and overturning everything.
But Betty didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble or give Vivian a reason to be talked about behind her back.
Vivian herself would probably say her reputation couldn’t get any worse, but still, some things just weren’t right.
“I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll be going now.”
With no one to stand up for her and only cold responses, Betty could do nothing but bow her head and quietly step back out.
“Let’s just eat some bread.”
Betty sighed as she picked up a large loaf from the basket by the entrance.
It was bread left over from a few days ago, left out to be discarded, hardened and tough to chew — but there was no other choice.
“Where can I go so I won’t be disturbed?”
She thought going back to her room would only make her feel more miserable.
Trying to lift her spirits, Betty decided to hide behind a large tree in a quiet corner of the garden.
“…Tastes awful.”
She sat down with a thud, forcibly breaking off a piece of the dry bread and swallowing it, but the sadness was hard to shake.
She thought of her aunt who used to give her a warm, freshly baked bread every time she helped out at the store when she was little.
Her aunt’s health had apparently improved significantly, and she was running the store smoothly now.
The princess said I’m kind, but isn’t the Duke’s personal physician the truly kind one?
The Duke’s physician, Ian Deivan, came by regularly to carefully check on her aunt’s condition.
Whenever Betty tried to repay the Duke’s kindness, the doctor always said he was only following the Duke’s orders and returned without accepting anything.
Betty was grateful to Duke Deivan but hadn’t expected him to keep such close care.
Sometimes she regretted not being able to write a proper thank-you letter.
One letter wouldn’t be enough to express her gratitude — the Duke’s kindness was a great blessing to Betty.
“Betty.”
Startled by her name, Betty looked up suddenly.
Lost in thought as she tore at the bread, she hadn’t noticed the dark shadow falling over her.
“…Your Grace?”
At first, she thought it was just a fantasy her mind had conjured up thinking of the Duke.
But standing before her in much lighter clothing than usual was indeed Ian Deivan, the Duke.
“Your Grace, please forgive my rudeness. What brings you here?”
Betty hurriedly stood up, smoothing her wrinkled skirt as she greeted him.
He hesitated a moment before replying in his typically calm and monotone voice:
“I was looking for you.”
That sentence was filled with countless questions.
Seeing Betty’s confused expression, the Duke kindly explained:
“They said the princess hasn’t woken yet, so I tried to deliver a message, but you weren’t around.”
“Oh, I see. I’m sorry, it’s just that…”
Even though she tried to hide the bread behind her back, it was no use.
But throwing it away on the grass wasn’t an option either.
The Duke’s gaze also shifted to the problem — the hard, stale bread in her hand.
“I must have disturbed you.”
Her face burned for some reason, and she lowered her head.
She was embarrassed to have anyone see her in such a pathetic state.
“…I stopped by on my way to the palace, but I guess it was too early.”
“Yes. The princess tends to get up late, always.”
“I see. Then tell her I’ll come again tomorrow.”
Surprisingly, Duke Deivan said no more and turned toward the mansion’s entrance.
It was as if he had noticed Betty’s embarrassment and chose not to say anything further.
“…But did he really have to tell me to come back tomorrow through me?”
Betty thought over the message, which wasn’t really a big deal.
Any other passing maid could have easily delivered it.
So why did the Duke insist on finding her?
Wasn’t someone like him’s time more valuable than a mere maid’s?
Maybe he wanted to show how much he cared about the princess.
In any case, the gesture was kind.
Unconsciously, Betty fiddled with the necklace around her neck.
It was the emerald necklace she had carefully kept after redeeming it at the pawnshop, thanks to the gold coin Vivian had given her.
She had even considered leaving it in her room out of fear that others might notice it like last time.
But a few days ago, she found signs someone had hurriedly rummaged through her room, so that wasn’t an option either.
The princess must have been so kind that he expected me to receive something extra.
She had wrapped the necklace in several layers of cloth and hidden it tightly in a corner under the bed.
But there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be found next time.
“Someday I’ll have to return this to the princess…”
Betty had mentioned the necklace to Vivian before and even wanted to give it back right after getting it back.
I accidentally got the ruby ring back too. That can’t happen again. Once I give something, it must be truly yours.
But Vivian had dismissed it lightly, saying she couldn’t take back what she had given her once again.
Still, Betty couldn’t shake the feeling that she was only a temporary keeper.
Like the ring, the necklace should return to its true owner when the time came.
I decided to let go of unnecessary attachments. Let’s stop thinking about it.
With a faint sigh, Betty dusted off her skirt and tidied herself up.
Either way, she knew a moment would come when she’d have no choice, so she didn’t want to dwell on it too much for now.
After reluctantly finishing the last of the bread, Betty was about to return to the mansion when an unexpected person stopped her.
“They said the Duke visited.”
Betty raised her head higher as she climbed the stairs.
At the top stood a blonde man.
It was Felix Sharte, Prince Sharte.
Though Betty had done nothing wrong, a sudden unease washed over her, but she calmly answered.
“Yes. He wanted to see the princess.”
“Making a stubborn and arrogant fellow like that come knocking this early? Not completely useless after all.”
Betty hated how Felix spoke carelessly about the Duke, who outranked him, and how he spoke of Vivian as if she were just an object — but she couldn’t show it.
Yet Felix seemed to see through Betty’s feelings and tilted his head slightly, speaking in a feigned friendly tone.
“It’s a compliment that Vivian Sharte is doing her part well. You should just take it as praise.”
Then Felix started coming down the stairs step by step.
Stopping just a few steps above, his thin smile became more visible.
“By the way, I heard you’ve been going back and forth to the Marquis Prowell’s place these days.”
