The Fourth Mistress - Chapter 21：The maid's worry

Music Recommendation: The Burning Heart – Hans Zimmer

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After hearing what Lady Viola had to say about the wedding gowns, Louise walked into the corridor. Lady Viola looked as if she had no clue about what she was speaking, not to mention her mother-in-law still looked annoyed that she was wasting her time doing useless things.

If Lady Viola didn’t know about it, Alison and the maid named Emily were the next two possible people. Louise knew what she saw, and she wasn’t ready to believe it to be otherwise. She had never been one to imagine things, and she lived in the present, in reality.

But what didn’t make sense was why would one give away all the gowns to only buy them back again. Did someone from this manor repurchase it? Louise refused to believe in ghosts. Because as Graham said, ghosts were only stories told to the children to get them to sleep quickly. But on the other hand, she was a little shaken at the memory from seeing the decayed hand. Thankfully since she had woken up today, she hadn’t seen it, and she decided to brush it away by blaming it on her fatigue.

Reed’s manor was a new place to her, and Louise was still adjusting to it. With the number of stories that she had heard about this place, her mind must have only played tricks which had now stopped, she thought to herself.

Louise tried to put those things behind her and concentrate on her upcoming exams. By the end of dinner with everyone except for Mr. Wensley as he had gone out on some important work, Senior Mr. Reed said,

“This morning, we received an invitation. There’s a soiree being held at the Edgerton’s manor this weekend. Mr. Edgerton and some of the other families have caught wind about Graham’s marriage to Louise. They are eager to meet her and have invited all of us.”

Lady Viola commented, “I am surprised that this information was kept quiet for so long before being passed to the people in the town.”

“Who is Mr. Edgerton?” asked Louise as she hadn’t heard of this family before. The crowd of people whom the Reeds were friends with were different from hers.

“Mr. Edgerton is a close friend of mine. We studied together before we picked up our own line of businesses,” explained her father-in-law. “It would be rude to refuse and also it wouldn’t be right to hide you here. You will get to meet people outside this manor,” his words were coated in subtle humour, and he offered her a smile.

Alison, who sat at the table, agreed, “It has been a while since we went out together.”

Louise’ eyes slowly moved to look at Graham, wondering if he would turn it down or accept it. In the carriage, when she had mentioned Chloe Walls inviting her to attend the soiree, he had refused it.

“I have to go and meet the architect this weekend. The foundation work is still in progress and I have to make sure they use the right materials,” said Graham, who sat next to her, his words straight that held seriousness in them.

“I am sure you can manage the time, son. You can go sooner and finish it. The Edgerton’s wants to see both of you together and not just Louise,” replied Lady Viola, and Louise questioned how attending the soirees wasn’t equal to any form of distraction.

When Louise used to live with her uncle and aunt, she had often tried to avoid attending the gatherings for many reasons. One of the reasons being she could use the same time on something useful, and the second reason because every time she attended a soiree, her words were taken to be offensive to some of the ladies, resulting in her aunt shaking her head to hint at her to stop speaking more.

“I will see what can be done, mother,” replied Graham.

During the night, Louise didn’t fall asleep as she laid in her bed. The weather was getting colder, and she felt goosebumps forming on her hands before it spread across her body. She started to count how many more days were left for her exam, wondering if she would be able to finish reading all the materials she had collected.

Louise turned on her side to look at Graham, noticing he had fallen asleep. Under his thick eyebrows, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was calm. The articles written in the newspapers were often brutal, twisting and exaggerating the events. Her heart softened for the man who laid in the same bed, he had lost people, and some had spoken ill behind his back.

Unable to resist, her hand reached out for him, and she gently ran her fingers on top of his hair without applying much pressure. But Graham’s eyes snapped open to look at her.

“I am sorry for waking you up,” whispered Louise to him, and she quickly brought her hand back to her side. Graham stared at her and said,

“You don’t have to feel embarrassed about it, Louise. You are my wife now,” said Graham, his voice deep.

Louise wondered if he could see her even in this dim-lit room or if he had wildly guessed the heat that rushed up from her neck from being caught.

“I know that,” replied Louise. But instead of showing her growing affections to him when he was awake, she had gone to do it when he had closed his eyes and was sleeping. “I know you are my husband,” she said, looking into his eyes.

Louise then asked, “Do you have trouble sleeping at night?”

“Hm,” Graham responded, and Louise took it to be a yes. “Just some days, but it has gotten better with you here.”

She had never pegged him to be a romantic, but with the words he uttered to her with a straight face, it was hard not to feel her heart skip a beat.

“I am happy to hear that,” replied Louise, a smile appeared on her lips, and she saw the faint smile on Graham’s face.

Graham’s hand reached out towards her face, and he tucked the piece of her hair behind her ear.

“I hope you aren’t upset about my refusal when you asked,” said Graham before continuing, “Newly wed wives often like to spend their time with their husbands, being showered with affections and their husbands giving them time.”

She moved closer to him as if they were sharing a secret when there was no one to listen to them in the room. Louise said, “I don’t mind the time, Graham. I know you are busy with work to do. You compensate them during the weekends to spend time with me. I don’t think I am like those women who need constant attention and adoration.”

“So much I guessed. You are a much stronger and independent woman,” complimented Graham, his eyes staring into hers.

“Graham…earlier, what did you mean when you said you regret something about the past?” questioned Louise.

He didn’t break his gaze away from her, and it allowed Louise to see the subtle change in his expression. “As you know, Lisa was the person who I chose to marry and she wasn’t my mother or family’s choice. My mother wasn’t fond of her, and nor were some of the family members like my uncle and aunt. Staying in the manor and without many people to talk to, it must have driven her to a corner. After some time, she started to speak about things that didn’t make sense.”

“What do you mean?” asked Louise, knitting her eyebrows in question.

“She said a ghost was haunting her. That there was something or someone in the manor, who wanted her out of our previous manor,” said Graham, and he broke his gaze away from Louise. “I told her there was nothing to worry about, but the more time passed, the more scared she appeared. To put her at ease, I even got a priest.”

“What happened after that?” Louise asked, sensing there was more to what happened.

“One day when we went to attend a soiree, we had a fight. She said someone locked her in the powder room, when she went there. It was the last time she stepped out of the manor. Some of them said she was losing her mind. A few days passed, when I was in the manor, Jonas came running to tell me that Lisa had fallen on the floor,” Graham’s voice turned hollow, and Louise placed her hand on his for comfort. “I went to the attic and found a chair, and next to it was her lying on the floor with blood, oozing out from her head and her neck broken.”

Graham then continued, “I hired an investigator to find if Lisa’s words were true, questioning every single person in the manor and the people she had met outside the manor. The investigation went up for almost two months before it was dropped because they found nothing. They concluded saying it was a freak accident that happened one in a million cases. That her body was fragile. I wish I had taken better care of her. If I paid more attention to her that day, and had been next to her, she would have still been alive.”

Louise squeezed his hand and said, “Don’t feel guilty. I am sure you did the best you could at that time.”

“Thank you, Louise,” Graham thanked her.

Now that she had heard from Graham, Louise couldn’t help but question why Lisa felt that someone wanted to hurt her. But the investigator had found nothing.

What if those investigators had been paid to lie? Louise asked herself.

When the day to attend the soiree arrived, Louise had taken the maid Emily’s help in getting her hair done. Graham had left Habsburg two days ago to see if everything in the foundation work of the new building was going well.

“You look beautiful, milady,” said the maid with a smile on her face.

“Thank you, Emily. Back at home, it was usually Poppy who used to help me with my hair or sometimes Aunt Merlin,” said Louise, looking at her hair that had been curled at the sides.

“I am happy to help you, milady,” said Emily, bowing her head. Louise had hoped that Graham would join her along with the rest of the family members to attend the soiree, but it seemed like the construction work was keeping him there longer than they had expected. “Soiree’s are often nerve-wrecking because of the number of people, milady.”

That was true, thought Louise to herself. This was the first soiree she was going to attend after her marriage, and she knew there would be many curious people who would want to know about her. But she wasn’t someone who was easily intimidated by people’s presence, and it was always the other way around. With her head held high, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

“Is there something else you would like me to help you with?” asked the maid before she could take her to leave from the room and go back to continue her work.

“I think that was all,” replied Louise. Remembering something, and as they were alone, she asked, “There has been something that I wanted to ask you, Emily.”

The maid held both her hands in the front, waiting for Louise to speak.

Louise questioned, “Compared to the other servants in the manor, you seem to be most scared of Lady Viola. Did she threaten you regarding something?”

“You do not have to be scared, Emily. You can speak to me freely and I won’t say a word about what you tell me,” Louise assured the maid. She hadn’t forgotten how scared and nervous the maid had appeared on her first day here when Lady Viola had introduced Emily with the rest of the servants.

The maid looked tense, her eyebrows slightly drawn together. “I was worried about serving you, milady,” there was a hint of embarrassment as she said it. Louise was surprised to hear this.

The maid continued, “Please don’t mistake my words, milady. It was just that… the last time when I served Lady Lisa, I was blamed for not staying next to her the day she passed away.” Louise didn’t know if the maid was scared that she would pass away too. “Lady Lisa wanted me to get the screwdriver to fix the hangings in the attic and I left to get it. Lady Viola is still angry at me that I let the lady do the work, but I swear I never thought Lady Lisa would get on the chair to try to check it.”

Louise noticed the maid let go of her hands and now clutched the sides of her dress in regret. So Lisa had been eager to fix things by herself, thought Louise to herself.

“It was a bad time, Emily. You shouldn’t blame yourself for it,” said Louise, offering the maid a kind smile. She then asked, “Did the previous Lady ever speak anything about ghosts or being threatened by someone?”

“Ghosts?” the maid’s eyes widened.

“Yes, anything that was worrying her,” said Louise

A thoughtful expression appeared on the girl’s face, and Emily said, “Lady Lisa was anxious during the last few weeks before she passed away. But she never mentioned what it was to me, Lady Louise.”

“I see,” murmured Louise with a nod. “I would like to know more about her once I return from the soiree.”

“I will be happy to assist you, milady,” the maid bowed her head.

“And you don’t have to be scared about Lady Viola, nor me. Nothing bad is going to happen anymore, which is why you don’t have to worry about being held accountable for anyone’s death,” Louise assured the girl.

The day of the introduction, Louise was sure the maid was going to have a nervous breakdown with the way she looked. “Did Lady Viola say anything else?”

The maid looked apprehensive as Louise was still new to the manor, “S-she said, she would withhold my wages and give me no other recommendation to work in other places,” replied Emily. “I have a family to feed,” whispered the girl.

“I will make sure that nothing as you think will happen to you, Emily,” Louise assured her. “You can go and continue with your work now.” The maid bowed her head and left the room.

So it was true that something was bothering Lisa Young. Louise would have ruled out the option that Lisa had a nervous breakdown if she hadn’t seen the rotten hand. While she was still in the room, Molly appeared at the door and said,

“Auntie Louise, it is time to go!”

Catching hold of the girl’s hand, they both climbed down the stairs and stepped out of the manor. Louise saw the two carriages that had been pulled at the front side of the manor. Louise got inside the carriage with Mr. and Mrs. Reed, and Molly, who had decided she would travel in their carriage. Alison, Henry and Mr. and Mrs. Wensley used the second carriage.

The ride to the Edgerton’s manor took nearly an hour for the carriages to reach and stop. Though it wasn’t as big as Reed’s manor, one could easily tell that the Edgerton’s family was wealthy. Louise got down from the carriage, holding Molly’s hand as the girl had not let her hand go free. Louise noticed there were seven carriages apart from their own. The butler led the guests who had arrived at the manor to the backside of the large manor where the soiree was taking place.

When the Reeds family reached the place, Mr. and Mrs. Edgerton were quick to walk towards them. Mr. Edgerton said,

“It is good to see you, Robert and Lady Viola. I don’t see Graham,” the man had salt and peppered hair and beard.

“Graham has some important work to attend to, and we are hoping he will be here unless his work holds him back, Nathaniel,” answered Senior Mr. Reed while shaking hands with Mr. Edgerton. When the man’s eyes fell on Louise, she offered him a bow.

“You must be Graham’s wife. Lovely isn’t she, Gladys?” he asked his wife, who was exchanging pleasantries with the other females of Reed’s family.

“Indeed,” said Mrs. Edgerton, watching Louise up and down, made her wary. “You seem to have selected a beautiful girl for Graham. If I may say, the best until now,” said the woman with a smile. She turned to Louise and asked her, “What is your name?”

“Louise Evardon, Mrs. Edgerton. It is good to meet you, thank you for the invitation,” replied Louise, giving out her full name that she had carried with her all these years.

Mrs. Edgerton’s eyebrows raised, and so did Lady Viola before it turned into a frown on her face, “You didn’t take your husband’s last name?” asked the woman in curiosity.

“Not yet, milady. I decided to change it after two months. Once I have completed my exams,” Louise replied in a polite tone. She had applied for the exams with Louise Evardon, and she wanted to continue with it to avoid any confusion.

Mr. Edgerton nodded his head. “I heard you have planned to work as a legal counselor,” he then turned to look at Robert and said, “I thought you would pick someone who would stay in the manor, someone who can take over Lady Viola’s position as it might be hard for her in the future. No offence, Louise, but most of the girls who go to work never get the work done. Because managing both family and the work outside is hard.”

Before Mr. or Mrs. Reed could answer that, Louise said with a smile, “I think that depends on both the people’s perspective who are married, Mr. Edgerton.”

“And how is that?” questioned Mr. Edgerton.

“It is very simple,” said Louise, feeling people’s eyes on her and hearing what she was going to say. “All these years, women have been looking after things in their home, while men have been working outside. If the same can be split and distributed, both of them would have equal opportunity.”

Mr. Edgerton’s lips twisted at her answer, “I look forward to seeing women steal the men’s jobs.”

“Even I am looking forward to it,” replied Louise, her words already making the women of her family purse their lips.

“How about we take a seat under the shade,” proposed Mrs. Edgerton, inviting Lady Viola to sit with her and the men and the women parted ways to sit at different tables. While Louise was making her way, she caught sight of a familiar face, and the woman smiled at her,

“Lady Gianna, I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” and Louise bowed and offered her greetings.

“It is good to see you here, Louise. Why don’t you come and join me next to my side,” offered the woman. It was in Lady Gianna Boville’s manor Louise had first met Graham. She pulled the spare chair and sat next to the woman while missing the little glare her mother-in-law passed at her for leaving her current family without a word. “Congratulations on your marriage. I never knew you and Graham liked each other,” said the woman with a smile on her face.

“Oh, that…” Louise didn’t know how to explain that part, so she only smiled. “How have you been, Lady Gianna?”

“Living one day at a time while spending time attending the soirees. How is your aunt Merlin doing?” inquired Lady Gianna. “I’m sad that I missed seeing you in a white gown.”

“My apologies, Lady Gianna. It was a small wedding,” replied Louise softly.

“I did hear that. I am sure you must have looked lovely,” complimented the woman. “If I knew you were going to be attending this soiree, I would have brought you a wedding gift.”

“You don’t have to do that. I am happy with your blessings,” responded Louise.

“Lady Viola,” Lady Gianna addressed Louise’ mother-in-law, who was talking to Mrs. Edgerton. “You are fortunate to have Louise as your daughter-in-law. If I had a son, I would have turned her into my daughter-in-law. She is a special young lady.”

Mrs. Reed offered Lady Gianna a small smile and replied, “That she is.”

While Louise continued to talk to Lady Gianna, she caught sight of two young women who made their way to the table. Her eyes met the two women’s eyes whom she had met at Mr. Winkle’s office. Chloe Walls smiled at her and said,

“Good afternoon, Lady Louise. It is good to see you here.”

Louise returned the smile, “It is good to see you too, Lady Chloe.”

“Oh, have you met my niece already, Louise,” remarked Lady Gianna, and Louise turned slightly surprised.

“Your niece?” she asked the woman.

The world was truly small, thought Louise to herself.