Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 27

It was obvious what he had said. To retaliate for the previous incident, he must have fabricated some ridiculous story.

“I can’t risk my reputation by recommending a maid who might cause trouble for another family. However, I will give you severance pay for your service to our household.” She dropped a white envelope on the table.

Brianna picked it up, bowing in gratitude. “Thank you for everything.”

After her farewell, Brianna turned and left the room.

As she stepped out, she found Franz waiting by the door. When she simply nodded and walked past him, he followed her.

“Do you want my help? To get a recommendation letter?”

Brianna kept walking, her eyes fixed ahead, not responding.

“Do you really think you can find a decent job in Bastogne without a recommendation letter? Or do you expect that brat to provide you with a house?”

He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. “I know you’re just putting on a brave face. What job could you possibly get in Bastogne at this time of year?”

“You’ll end up on your knees before me.” His face was full of triumph.

Brianna smiled at him. “I don’t need a recommendation letter, Mr. Franz.”

“W-what? Mr. Franz? What did you just call me?”

“I’ve just resigned from my job here, and you’re no longer my employer.” Brianna looked at the hand gripping her shoulder. “And you should remove your hand. If you want your lies to the Countess to seem credible, you can’t afford to be seen like this by others.”

Franz’s face flushed with anger. Finally, he let go, and Brianna quickly walked away. She ignored his shouts behind her.

When she arrived at the front of the building, a few of her close colleagues were waiting for her. A male servant took her bags immediately.

“Let me take those. I’ll load them onto the carriage.”

“Thank you.”

Mrs. Fisher approached and gave Brianna a warm hug. “Send a letter once you settle down. If things get tough, you can always come back.”

“I will.”

“By the way, did the Countess give you a recommendation letter? You must keep it safe; it’s hard to find a job without one.”

Brianna smiled and reassured her with a nod, despite knowing she had no such letter.

After saying her goodbyes, Brianna climbed into the carriage. She waved at the people who had come to see her off until they disappeared from view. Then, all the worries she had been pushing aside came flooding back.

She had put on a brave face, but could she really find a job without a recommendation letter? It would be hard to secure even a decent maid’s position, let alone a governess’s role.

She felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward Dowager Countess Linares. Though she didn’t have her support anymore, the knowledge that she had some emergency money to fall back on provided a surprising amount of comfort.

Yes, worrying now wouldn’t solve anything. She needed to stay positive.

With that thought, her anxiety gave way to a sense of anticipation for the future. Brianna smiled as she faced the sunlight streaming through the carriage window.

***

In the midst of the cold winter, the greenhouse was a haven of blooming flowers. Lush roses, fragrant jasmine, and even exotic flowers from distant lands filled the space.

While the surrounding space was lush with flowers and trees, the high glass ceiling above displayed elegant green vines cascading down. In the center of the greenhouse stood a white table where four young ladies gathered, chatting amiably.

“Oh, these teacups are simply exquisite,” remarked one of the young ladies with admiration. At her comment, everyone turned to admire their own teacups. Indeed, the teapots and cups on the table were all beautifully and intricately crafted.

“Yes, Charlotte, are these from the Kazak Empire too?” The young ladies’ gaze shifted to the hostess of the greenhouse. Charlotte Kossel smiled with a hint of pride.

“Yes, these are among the gifts my father brought back from his recent trip to the empire. I hear they’re even supplied to the imperial court.”

“Just as I heard. The Kossel family does indeed possess many fine things.”

“How enviable. I heard that many of the flowers in this greenhouse are unique to the Kingdom of Schwerin.”

The Kossel family had long been prominent in the trading business, amassing a collection of valuable and rare items over time. The marquis, in his affection for his daughter, often brought back precious items from various countries as gifts.

“For example, that jasmine. The flower itself is ordinary, but it emits a fragrance that you can’t find in any other bloom.”

“Oh, that must be why there’s such a lovely scent around. Is that jasmine?”

“Would you like to smell it up close?”

At Charlotte’s gesture, a maid who had been standing by brought a sprig of jasmine. The ladies inhaled the scent of the broken flower with delight.

“If you’d like, I can give you some seedlings.”

Her generous offer elicited smiles from the young ladies.

“To grow this flower, one would need a greenhouse like this, wouldn’t one?”

“One can’t very well demand a greenhouse just to grow a single flower, so it’s better to let it go.”

The conversation among the ladies soon shifted to the latest trends in hats and jewelry, and then to recent performances and operas they had found most intriguing.

Eventually, the topic that captured their most interest came up.

“By the way, about Lord Lucius…”

As soon as someone mentioned his name, all eyes turned to focus intently. Among the young noblemen of marriageable age, few met the highest standards of age, status, and appearance, and Lucius Carlisle was undoubtedly the most exceptional.

For the young ladies, who needed to secure the best marriage prospects within a limited time, news about Lucius Carlisle was of the utmost importance.

“Have you heard the rumor that he plans to marry right after graduation?”

One of the young ladies quickly responded, as if she had been waiting for this topic. “Yes, I’ve heard it too. It’s quite common to marry before being posted to a new assignment after graduation.”

“Perhaps that’s why he’s been attending more balls and small gatherings recently.”

“Ah, speaking of which, didn’t Miss Adelheid dance with Lord Lucius at the last ball?”

At someone’s question, all eyes turned to Adelheid Kirchner. She nodded slightly, prompting envious exclamations from the group.

“So, Lord Lucius has already danced with Miss Adelheid several times?”

“Could it be that he’s interested in Miss Adelheid?”

As the admiring questions continued, Karen Brantel, who had been relatively quiet, spoke up.

“To my knowledge…” She set down her teacup and looked ahead. “My mother recently heard directly from the Dowager Duchess that he plans to meet with several young ladies from prominent families. Apparently, Lord Lucius requested this. He’s not very interested in romance and wants to marry someone who would benefit his family.”

“Really?”

The atmosphere shifted quickly. The fact that Lucius Carlisle had such intentions meant that anyone here could potentially become the daughter-in-law of the Carlisle family, given that all present were from influential families.

Politically, the Kirchner family was closest to the Carlisle family, the Kossel family was the wealthiest, and the Schultz family had significant diplomatic influence. The Brantel family, though traditionally aligned with the royalist faction opposing the nobility-aligned Carlisle family, had recently been courted by the Duke of Carlisle in his efforts to win over royalist nobles.

“The Carlisle family might indeed take an interest in the Brantel family. I’ve heard they’ve been putting a lot of effort into winning over the Brantels among the royalist nobles,” said Ellie Schultz.

Karen covered her mouth with a hand, laughing softly. “It seems my father has been deeply contemplating something recently. But I don’t know the specifics since I’m not well-versed in politics.”

“So, there’s some discussion happening, then?”