The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 23

For a while, Paula looked back at the man’s gaze. When the man held out the tablecloth, she came to her senses.

“Oh, thank you.”

She hesitantly approached and took the tablecloth. As she glanced up at the man, their eyes met again. Brown round eyes curled up.

“I’m glad.”

“Sorry?”

Elegance emanated from his soft voice. Eyes tinged with a friendly light were clearly directly towards her.

Paula widened her eyes, wondering what he meant. This time, the man stretched the corners of his mouth and smiled. By the time she felt that gaze lingering on her for a long time, she realized that she could see the man’s face very well. And he could also see very well the state of her bangs, rising upward.

Paula was so surprised that she quickly grabbed her bangs and pulled them down. It was so embarrassing that her face felt like it was burning.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“I had greeted you with an appearance like this.”

It was because I looked ugly. Somebody said it was a sin. I wasn’t born like this because I wanted to, but people judged me based on my face and pointed fingers at me. That’s why I covered my face, but Vincent didn’t care because he couldn’t see.

“You’re pretty.”

“…”

The wind blew past her back. Paula glanced up at the man to see if she had heard correctly. He was still looking at her with friendly eyes. She was taken aback by that gaze.

It was the first time she had heard someone say this. Paula hesitated, not knowing what to say, but she heard Vincent’s voice from afar.

A forgotten existence during that moment came to mind. Paula turned around in surprise. As she followed the direction the tablecloth flew, the distance between them must have widened. Vincent was nowhere to be seen. At this moment, it was rather fortunate. He must be walking with his hands in the air. She shouldn’t show that to anyone.

Looking at it now, she thought there was no one there, but there was someone in the forest. If she was with Vincent, it would definitely be a dangerous moment. She thought there would be no one in this forest, and she was complacent because Vincent told her there would be no one.

Paula looked at the man again. He, too, kept his eyes on the sound.

Paula bowed.

“Thank you.”

And turned around

She walked quickly and folded the tablecloth, feeling a rough texture. When she pulled it out, it was a letter.

‘Letter?’

When she turned it over, gold letters caught her eye.

‘This…!’

Paula looked back. But nobody was there.

As if what had just happened was nothing more than a dream, the man’s figure disappeared completely.

After walking a bit, Paula saw Vincent looking around.

“Master.”

“…”

He walked hurriedly at her call but suddenly stopped. His stern face turned to her.

“Forgive me for being late. But there was someone out there.”

As she approached him, she was about to tell him about the man she just met. Before she could, Vincent grabbed hold of her arm. It was a strong force. Without a chance to become surprised, the hand that tightly gripped her arm pulled her in.

In an instant, she got close to him. The hardened face before her eyes was stained with anxiety.

“Don’t do this.”

“Master?”

“Don’t do this again.”

A low, trembling voice was heard, sounding his message as a warning. He tried to reach his other hand toward her face, but quickly lowered it. Instead, he bent down and put his forehead on her shoulder.

“Don’t leave me alone.”

“…”

A sigh of relief spread in her ears. His hand that had been gripping her arm slid down and caught her hand. A large body touched her in a motion that was similar to being hugged. Golden hair fell over her quivering eyes. The body heat in his hand was hot.

Paula could feel the anxiety, the fear, and the relief tinged in it.

Only then did she realise that what she did was very wrong.

“I’m sorry.”

“Let’s go back now. I’m tired.”

“Yes. Let’s go back.”

Like a lost child, Vincent grabbed her hand tightly and left the forest. Paula looked around halfway through, but luckily no one was following them.

Entering the annexe, she saw Isabella hurriedly approaching from a distance. It was an urgent movement that was not like her. Isabella looked around as if she was looking for something, but when she found Vincent and Paula coming back from going out, she stopped. She looked shocked for a moment, but she quickly feigned calmness.

“Master.”

“What’s the fuss about?”

“That is…”

It was then.

“Vincent!”

It was an unfamiliar voice that interrupted Isabella’s words. In addition, it was a female’s voice… At the same time, someone ran towards them from afar. It was a young woman who quickly approached Vincent, fluttering her long dress. She was the first woman Paula had ever seen that was so admiringly pretty.

‘Who is she?’

Paula opened her eyes wide and looked at the woman. The woman’s gaze turned to Vincent, who was standing behind her. However, she looked blank for a moment as if she had never seen someone in such a position before, and then suddenly began to cry.

“Vincent.”

At that moment, the grip on Paula’s hand grew strong.

The fingertips that held hers tightly trembled. She turned to Vincent. Tension crept across his stiff face. Paula didn’t know why, so she looked ahead again, and the strange woman in front of her opened her mouth with her gaze still fixed on Vincent.

“Vincent, right? Is that right?”

“…Violet.”

Paula was startled by the low voice from behind her.

‘Is this woman Violet? That Violet?’

Paula forgot that her actions would be considered rude and stared at her.

Soon after, Sir Ethan came to her side. He seemed a bit perplexed. Then, when he found Paula, he waved his hand gladly and gently lowered his eyes. Paula saw Vincent standing behind her. She glanced back at the trembling form she had felt earlier.

“Vincent. Really…”

Violet took one more step towards them. Wetness welled up in her purple eyes full of emotion. The trembling of the clasped hands intensified. Paula pulled herself back. She didn’t move, but Vincent pulled her back.

“It’s you… It’s you, really… I missed you.”

“Violet, calm down for now.”

Ethan stopped Violet from trying to get closer to Vincent. When Violet glanced at Ethan, Paula immediately fixed her gaze on Vincent. In that brief moment when she turned her head for a moment, the desperation on Violet’s face as she tried to get closer to Vincent intensified, worried that Vincent might drift away. Ethan also glanced at her and stopped her. Isabella, standing behind the two, also seemed to be contemplating what to do with the situation.

Concerns spread to this side as well.

“Hmmm, master.”

“…”

She called out to him in a whisper, shaking their clasped hands once. He was startled, but he held her hand tighter. The trembling she still felt made her harden her heart.

Paula moved her eyes up and down once, then side to side once, then grabbed his hands that were trembling with anxiety.

“Run, master!”

And immediately turned around. His face was stained with embarrassment, but she led him and ran to the other side. She heard surprised sounds behind her but didn’t stop running.

She just ran towards his room. Holding onto his hand tightly.

***

The fingers covered by white gloves were long and pretty. The fingertips snagged smoothly on the round cup handle. The trivial gesture of holding a glass and bringing it to her mouth was so elegant and beautiful. The purple eyes that gently lowered and the transparent, long golden hair that matched them drew attention.

It looked like she was made with sugar. Her sweetness was radiating, comparable to putting sugar directly into your mouth.

As she tucked her hair behind her ears, she widened her eyes as she found Paula standing by the door to her parlour. The large purple eyes shone brightly.

“…You’re pretty.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Violet smiled shyly. It was only then that Paula realized that she had spoken out her thoughts. In her embarrassment, she lowered her head and placed the refreshment in front of Violet. Then her own rough hands caught her eye. The bones were sticking out and the hands full of minor scars looked very ugly. Paula hurriedly hid her fingers and got up.

When she glanced up, her purple eyes drooped and thanked her again.

Her name was Violet Marguerite.

She was Vincent’s fiancée.

And this was a sudden visit.

“It is not enough because I did not prepare separately. Forgive me.”

“It’s all right. I’ve come all the way here on my own.”

Even her words were so pretty.

‘Does a person with a pretty face also have a pretty heart?’

Then, there was another pretty face that came to mind, so Paula erased her thoughts. The prettiest woman she had ever known was her sister, Alicia. Alicia’s beauty was so outstanding that the son of the lord of the village expressed his heart towards her. It was only a problem because of her bad personality.

However, the woman in front of Paula showed off her elegance even when she was sitting still. Could this be her aristocratic grace?

“I came here on my own, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Ethan, who was next to her, calmly sipped his tea and added his words. Paula was taken aback by how long he had been gone and how quickly he came back. Feeling her gaze, he rolled his eyes and waved his hand.

“You must be a newcomer this time.”

“That’s right.”

Isabella winked at Paula. She withdrew her gaze from Ethan and bowed.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Paula… Please forgive me for my rudeness earlier.”

“Oh, no. Raise your head.”

Despite her words, Paula bent her back even deeper. A confused voice came from above. It was only after hearing her say that it was okay, that it was really okay, that she straightened her back again. Then Violet smiled kindly and continued.

“Paula, nice to meet you. I am Violet Marguerite. You can call me Violet.”

Anyone who waited on Vincent was someone Violet was grateful for. Then she made eye contact with Paula and smiled softly. Her smiling face was also very pretty. There were people in the world who were so pretty and kind.

“And you don’t need to apologize for this, it’s really okay. Rather, I was too impatient. It’s not Paula’s fault.”

“That’s right. Don’t feel too burdened.”

A smirking voice interrupted from the side. Paula’s sharp gaze turned to him. Ethan was also smiling. He only looked ominous because of what she had been through by this time.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

At her words, Paula looked at Violet again. She was staring at her. At that gaze, Paula unknowingly touched the bangs that covered half of her face. She was worried that she might have seen her ugly face.

“As I heard, you are a kind person.”

She was confirming what she just heard. She was just such a nice person herself.

“Paula, sit down.”

“It’s okay. I will stand.”

“Then would you like to sit next to me?”

Ethan patted the seat next to him. Paula made a face. But Isabella winked again. It meant to sit down. Eventually, she slipped into the seat next to Ethan.

Ethan leaned over to her and whispered softly.

“Nice to see you again.”

“I can’t say the same.”

Paula whispered softly and pushed him away.

***