Elice was seething. She was the one who covered for Amanda when she slipped out to meet her lover. Although it was true Elice did it for a gold coin, she didn’t know that she would be treated this way after protecting Amanda’s secret. Nothing had changed since they returned from the trip. She thought her position would be increased, but Amanda had not given her any preferential treatment.
‘She secretly snuck out in the middle of the night to sneak out to see a man. She’s not afraid that I’m going to reveal her, is she?’
Elice was unable to hold back her anger and roughly hung out the washing. Mary approached Elice with her washing in a basket.
“What’s wrong with you these days?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Aren’t you being too rude to Lady Amanda after the trip?”
“Ha! Rude? Me?”
Elice spat angrily. Amanda couldn’t treat her like this. It was amazing Elice closed her eyes for Amanda just for a single cold coin.
“Mary, don’t talk about things you don’t know. She’s the one that owes me a debt.”
“What? Debt? Like you, I’m the one who’s indebted to Lady Amanda. Don’t act sorry for yourself and behave. I’m saying this for your sake…”
“What do you know? You don’t know about her lover.”
“W-what?”
Elice winced when she realized the words that inadvertently came out of her mouth. However, she wouldn’t take it back. If nothing changed in her current life, she did not have to keep it secret, and if Amanda suspected her, she would just deny it. There was no way to prove that Elice had started the rumor. If the price for the secret had been a gold coin, which she already had, then there was nothing to lose.
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“It was when we traveled to Fiona’s wedding. In the middle of the night, Lady Amanda went out to see a man and didn’t come back until morning.”
“W-what? Really?”
“Why would I lie to you? She told me personally there’s a man she loves.”
“I can’t believe it…”
Elice held a finger to her lips and looked at Mary, who had an incredulous look on her face.
“I’m telling this only to you, so keep it to yourself. Okay?”
“Oh, I see. So she’s been doing this every night?”
Amanda had only left once, but Elice nodded.
“Yes.”
“Are you the only one that knows?”
“Yes, but Lady Amanda doesn’t know that I know, so can you keep a secret?”
“I can’t believe she would do something like that.”
“Again, you can’t tell anyone else.”
Elice had repeatedly warned Mary to keep it to herself, but at the same time she knew the rumors might snowball. Something explosive could happen.
Elice swallowed a smile, imagining Amanda getting trapped in a scandal.
She would pay for neglecting her.
*
*
*
Ching-a-ling–
The bell was used by the nobles to call to the maids waiting outside. Amanda was used to doing everything herself, but it might seem unusual to others, so she tried to use the maids whenever possible. It was crucial habit if she became a princess later on.
However, the usually prompt maid was late today.
‘…What’s going on?’
Finally the door swung open and Mary hurried into the room.
“D-did you call me, My Lady?”
Mary was stammering, unable to make eye contact. Amanda sensed something was wrong, so she spoke in a casual tone.
“What’s the matter?”
“N-nothing! It’s nothing!”
Her strong denial aroused Amanda’s suspicion, but Amanda’s fatigue had been gathering from working on the contract with Oliver during the day. As was routine, Amanda turned her back to Mary so she could take off her dress. Mary hurried to untie the sash on Amanda’s waist, then ventured carefully.
“My Lady, do you…do you have any more plans to go out tonight?”
“What does that mean?”
Amanda turned her head sharply, and Mary shook her head in surprise.
“I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to prepare you for your midnight outing…”
Amanda’s eyes narrowed.
“This is the last question. What happened today?”
“N-n-nothing. There was nothing…”
Mary’s voice withered under Amanda’s steely glare. The maid’s mind was haunted by Amanda’s threat of “the last question”. Amanda was a fairer woman than most aristocrats, but that didn’t mean she was weak-willed. Had Amanda been timid enough for her employees to look down on, it would not have been possible for the Windsor household to have such a solid working system.
Remembering her promise to Elice not to tell anyone, Mary broke into a cold sweat, cursing her blabbering mouth.
‘I’m such a fool…’
Mary was never very good at hiding things, and it was easy to tell when she told a lie. She was trying to find a way out of this situation, but it was obvious that Amanda would find out about the gossip even if Mary sealed her mouth shut. The rumors had already swept through the household in a matter of hours. Words of judgment flew faster than words of praise.
Mary bit her lip then forced herself to speak.
“I heard it from someone else. E-e-every night you go to the bar to meet a man…”
Mary was determined to keep Elice’s promise for secrecy. The maids always tried to be loyal to each other.
“…What? A man?”
Amanda was stunned. She sensed something strange about Mary’s behavior, but she didn’t expect it to be this kind of ridiculous rumor.
Who in the world…!
Soon, however, there was someone who emerged in her mind. Someone who had been getting on her nerves lately, and the was most likely suspect to come up with such an absurd story. When Amanda spoke, her tone was like shards of ice.
“Did Elice tell you that? That I go to see a man every night?”
“Huh? O-oh, no. I heard it from someone else, not Elice.”
“Who is it then?”
“It…it’s…”
Mary couldn’t answer and refused to meet Amanda’s eyes. Before Amanda realized it, a thin sigh leaked out of the corners of her mouth.
‘…Haaa, that’s how it turned out.’
She had suspected that Elice wanted a larger reward and knew she should have addressed the situation beforehand. She had let it go for a while because of various circumstances, but now it seemed the maid caused a whirlwind scandal. If it had been rumored that Amanda left for only one night on the way to Fiona’s wedding, Amanda might have managed it somehow. As it was, there was only one way to move forward.
From what she heard from Mary, Amanda was rumored to be leaving every night to meet a man. That was bad news for a noble lady who was not married yet. No, marital status did not matter in this case either. If any woman got caught up in such a controversy, even a virtuous lady would be criticized. The scandal would never quietly pass by the gossipy members of high society.
Furthermore, Amanda also planned to marry Oliver soon, and the rumor could even be more fatal. Oliver was the crown prince, and this could make a dent in the contract marriage. In order to avoid getting caught by surprise, they had to be as neat as possible.
Amanda rubbed her forehead with her hand, then spoke in a low voice.
“Get Elice now.”
*
*
*
Amanda waited for Elice by a dark storage house outside of Windsor Castle. She still wore her dress, which she had been about to remove before she went to bed, as well as a large hooded cloak. The deep hood shadowed her face and gave a menacing aura about her.
‘Did I make a mistake?’
She could have killed Elice back then to keep her from speaking. Elice, the common maid, would have died, unable to defend herself from Amanda’s sword. No one knew about Amanda’s abilities, so she could not be accused of being a criminal.
However…
She couldn’t always have blood on her hands. She vowed to leap into the pit of hell for the sake of her family, but if she took away the lives of ordinary people who had no direct connection to her family’s deaths, she was simply a murderer. She knew she would have to spill blood to prevent Luke’s rise to power, but it didn’t have to involve the deaths of ordinary people.
So she tried to use money and power instead of murder. But the results were disastrous.
Amanda’s sensitive ears told her several footsteps were getting closer. And with the sound of footsteps, someone being dragged.
“Lady Amanda! I didn’t start the rumor. Mary…Mary, did the bitch say that? It’s all a lie. I’m innocent!”
Elice was already crying in the distance before she even arrived in front of Amanda. But no reply was given to Elice by the other servants who were dragging her, nor Amanda, who was waited with her arms folded. Elice wailed loudly again as she cowered in the oppressive atmosphere.
“Help me! I didn’t do anything wrong. Please, let me live, My Lady!”
The servants who were pulling Elice’s arms did not let go until they arrived in front of Amanda. Elice sank weakly to the ground and collapsed into tears. Even in the dark Amanda could see Elice’s blotched-red face.
“I really didn’t say anything, My Lady. Someone set me up. It must be Mary. She set me up!”
Amanda wordlessly listened to Elice beg for innocence. Elice was completely mistaken. Mary had not said a word against her even until the end.
Amanda knew Elice was vain and often lazy, but she didn’t know it was to this degree. Amanda regretted not disciplining Elice when they returned from the trip. Of course, it wasn’t that Amanda didn’t warn Elice at all, and she had told her not to indulge in unnecessary curiosity.
‘Would it have changed if I had given her a stronger warning?’
In Amanda’s last life, Elice was a maid who worked for the Windsors until their demise. After Amanda fled the country, it was impossible for her to know the maid’s fate. Had she turned a blind eye then?
Amanda said nothing, while Elice continued to speak without permission.
“My Lady, I swear to God I didn’t spread the rumor. Please trust me only this once. Please help me.”
“…I…”
At Amanda’s soft voice, Elice stopped crying and listened to her speak. Amanda slowly continued.
“…I didn’t say I would kill you.”
“Oh, My Lady!”
“Leave. This is the best I can do for you.”
It was no use trying to gather spilled water. She could retaliate harshly against Elice if she wanted to, but even if she killed Elice now, she couldn’t undo the gossip that had spread. However, Amanda realized once again how difficult it was to act alone due to this incident. She needed strength, and she needed it urgently. There was so little that a count’s daughter could do.
“I’m sorry, My Lady. Just one time, please forgive me just one time. It’s cold and if you send me away, I’ll freeze on the streets.”
“I said that this was the best I could do for you. Be grateful that I did not take the gold back. Go find another position. Now that you’ve broken my trust, I cannot keep you in the household anymore.”
When Amanda finished speaking she walked right past Elice. Elice’s cry of anguish echoed long into the air, but Amanda strode forward without stopping.