Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 41

It was only natural. Harzen Castle had been her home since childhood, and the furnishings in Brianna’s room had been personally chosen by Dowager Countess Linares. Still, as she lived here and decorated the place bit by bit, she would surely grow fond of it.

After briefly reflecting, Brianna turned to the head maid to hear more about Michael.

“Earlier…”

But the head maid spoke up, “Miss Adelheid is soon to formally enter marriage talks with the second master of the Carlisle duchy. Master Lucius will likely visit the estate often in the future. Please conduct yourself properly to avoid giving the ducal family any cause for complaint.”

Brianna easily sensed the underlying warning in her words.

“I understand.”

Seeing Brianna accept this without protest, the head maid promptly left the room as if she had no further business. In the end, Brianna hadn’t learned anything about Michael.

Perhaps she’d meet him for the first time during their lesson.

After roughly organizing her belongings, Brianna decided to familiarize herself with the estate’s layout and stepped outside. When she encountered maids in the corridor, she greeted them warmly.

“Hello!”

However, they looked at her with wary eyes, offered only formal greetings, whispered among themselves, and walked past. The other staff she met afterward behaved similarly.

Were they simply unfamiliar with the newcomer? Or was this the cold shoulder she’d heard of?

If it was the former, time would resolve it, but if it was the latter, it could be troublesome.

Suddenly, she began to miss her old home, where, despite windows that didn’t close properly and protruding floorboards, Lily lived next door. Perhaps meeting someone as kind as Lily from the start was the greatest fortune she’d had since coming to Bastogne.

As she sighed, lost in thought, she noticed a maid in the distance carrying a huge pile of laundry, so much so that her face was hidden.

Brianna approached to help.

“Let me help you—”

At that moment, the maid peeked her head out from beside the laundry and gasped upon seeing Brianna.

“…Margot?”

It was indeed Margot, Brianna’s childhood friend who had been expelled from Harzen Castle after being caught trying to steal inheritance documents.

Startled, Margot dropped the laundry, and the clothes piled high in the basket scattered onto the dirt ground.

“How are you here…?”

Margot stood frozen, staring at Brianna, then suddenly snapped out of it and began picking up the laundry.

“Because of you, I have to wash all of this again!”

Brianna grabbed Margot’s arm, helping her up.

“What are you doing here?”

Margot immediately shook off her hand, growling, “I should be asking you that. Why are you here instead of at Harzen?”

Brianna bit her lip lightly. Explaining why she left Harzen and came here would take too long, and she didn’t particularly want to share the details with Margot.

“The Dowager Countess passed away. After much thought, I ended up here.”

“The Dowager Countess died?” Margot looked surprised for a moment, then burst into laughter. “Well, isn’t that great! Serves her right! After humiliating me and kicking me out!”

“Margot!”

Brianna glared fiercely, but Margot just scoffed. “Did you expect me to feel sorry that she died? For the one who kicked me out? I feel like dancing now that that cantankerous old woman is dead!”

“Watch your mouth, Margot. If you insult her again, I won’t stand for it.”

Margot let out a mocking laugh as if she understood. “Ah, I see. Without the Dowager Countess, your position at Harzen wasn’t the same, so you left? Now you realize that you’re nothing without her?”

Brianna let out a thin sigh. “Fine, think what you want about me. But why are you here? What about the ring the Dowager Countess gave you?”

Margot, looking guilty, clutched her empty fingers.

“It’s just a ring, what can it possibly do for me…,” Margot muttered.

“That was the engagement gift the Dowager Countess brought with her when she married. There’s no way it was just some ordinary ring. The Dowager Countess herself said it was enough to buy a small shop and live off it for life.”

“Ugh, I don’t care! It’s all gone now. I don’t have a single penny left!” Margot suddenly broke down, her emotions pouring out in a rush of bitterness. “I met a man when I came to Bastogne. He sweet-talked me into marrying him, took all the money I got from selling the ring, and then disappeared overnight! That scoundrel! I was so good to him, and he just left me with nothing…”

Margot continued to lament, her complaints piling up. Brianna, feeling a headache coming on, pressed her fingers to her temple. She couldn’t listen to Margot’s tirades any longer.

“Alright, I understand your situation. I’m sorry that happened to you. It must have been hard,” Brianna offered, hoping to provide some comfort. But Margot, dissatisfied with Brianna’s words, pouted and then suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, are you the new governess?”

Brianna nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”

“You mean you’re the governess who came here with the recommendation of the Duchess of Carlisle?”

Brianna frowned. “What are you talking about? A recommendation from the Duchess of Carlisle?”

“That’s what all the other maids are saying. They said the new governess has connections with the Duchess. You’re really something, aren’t you? Not just a maid, but a governess—and with ties to the Duchess, no less. How did you manage to get in with her?”

Brianna finally understood why the staff had been whispering about her. Somehow, it had become a rumor that she was recommended by the Duchess of Carlisle.

No wonder they were uneasy around her, thinking she had connections with someone even higher in status than their own masters.

“It’s nothing like that. I just happened to meet her once.”

“And she wrote you a recommendation after meeting you just once? Does that make sense?”

“The Duchess didn’t write me a recommendation—”

“Then how about introducing me to the Carlisle household? You wouldn’t want to work in the same place as me, would you? I’ll find somewhere else to go, just put in a good word for me.”

Brianna shook her head firmly. “Let’s just drop it.”

As Brianna tried to walk away, Margot grabbed her and snapped angrily. “Is it really so hard to introduce me to someone?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that I really don’t have any connections to offer.”

“Just like how you used to say you had no connection with Master Florian, and now you’re saying the same thing? Who would believe that?”

“……”

Margot sneered, her lip curling. “By the way, if you’re so close with Florian, why are you still working as a governess? What, even though you were so close, he didn’t want you as his mistress?”

Her face was full of ridicule. Brianna stared at her, at a loss for words. She could have shut Margot up by mentioning Florian’s proposal, but that would only lead to more trouble later. It wouldn’t do to have her spreading that around.

It became clear that nothing good would come from engaging further with Margot.

“I don’t think there’s anything more to discuss between us.”

“I’m not done talking!”

Margot blocked her path, arms spread wide, glaring fiercely.

“Don’t you dare mention to anyone that I was kicked out of Harzen Castle for stealing. If I get thrown out of here because of you, I won’t let it slide!”

“Are you seriously blaming me for getting kicked out?”

“Are you denying it? It’s your fault! You’re the one who told the Dowager Countess, and that’s why I got kicked out. Or have you forgotten?”

Brianna sighed, almost in resignation. “I won’t say a word.”

“Promise?”

“I’m not the type to gossip. I’ll stay out of your business, so stay out of mine.”

Brianna pushed past Margot and left. She headed straight for the garden, where there were no people.

As she walked among the trees instead of people, she felt as though she could finally breathe again. Slowly, she strolled through the garden, trying to calm her racing thoughts.