Chapter 5 - The Ducal Estate
Opal did as she was told. She had dinner in her room, went to bed early, and tried to sleep. But sleep would not come. She finally began to drift off around sunrise, and it seemed she slept until noon. When she rang the bell for Beth, the maid helped her get ready with an air of reluctance, as if scolding her for living such an idle life. Opal was normally an early riser for a noblewoman, but she found it too troublesome to explain that every single time.
However, there was something she had to do. She needed to speak with Lady Northem. With this in mind, Opal told Beth, who left the room looking as though she was being forced. It was not a proper attitude for a servant to have toward her mistress, but Opal decided to address it later and waited for the lady's reply. After a while, a knock came at the door. When she answered, a woman she did not recognize entered. Judging by her attire, this woman was likely Lady Northem.
"I was told you wished to see me?"
"Are you Lady Northem?"
"Yes. Forgive my late introduction. My name is Talia Northem. I am the cousin of the previous Duke, Lord Joseph. When Lord Joseph passed away, my husband and I raised Hubert as his guardians."
"I see. My name is Opal. Please feel free to call me Opal. To return to the matter at hand, I only said that I wished to speak with you. I had no intention of summoning you. But since you are here, would now be a good time?"
"Of course."
As she replied, Lady Northem moved to sit on the sofa but then, as if remembering her position, stopped herself. Seeing this, Opal gave a wry smile and invited her to sit. Opal sat across from her and asked Beth for tea, then got straight to the point.
"I understand you have managed this household as its mistress for a very long time, Lady Northem. Thank you for your service."
"No, there is no need for thanks. So, is this conversation about me handing over the position of mistress of the house?"
Opal nearly faltered at the rather aggressive remark, but she had grown accustomed to returning the barbs of older women. She wanted to say yes, that was exactly it, but she remembered Hubert's words in the carriage yesterday and held her tongue.
"I would not force you. I am still inexperienced in many ways, so if possible, I was hoping you might teach me a few things."
"Is that so."
Opal kept a smile on her face, though she was irritated by the lady's reply, which seemed to say, 'but of course.' Had she mentioned that Hubert had already spoken to her about this, the lady would have been even more triumphant.
"There is just one thing that concerns me. It's about the master bedroom."
When Opal finally said it, the lady's face twisted into a scowl. But Opal resolved not to lose and continued to look her straight in the eye. She no longer had any particular feelings for Hubert. The small bit of hope she had was completely shattered yesterday. But now that she had married and come to this estate, even if she didn't need to manage it as its mistress, the idea of another woman using the master bedroom was, by any measure, strange and intolerable.
"I don't know how things were before, but I have come to this house as the Duke's wife, my husband's wife. I find it questionable that your daughter, Stella-san, is using the master bedroom, which is connected to my husband's room by a single door. What would the world think?"
"My child... my child has lived in that room for years. But there is no one in this estate who would leak such vulgar matters to the outside!"
"But I might talk, you know?"
She had spoken out of anger, not because she meant it. She would never bring such shame upon herself. However, behind her, Beth gasped, and the lady began to tremble and burst into tears.
"My child has supported Hubert all this time! And now, Hubert is supporting her! If she were torn away from Hubert, she would die!"
How dramatic, Opal thought, feeling utterly weary. The lady, oblivious to Opal's thoughts, took out a handkerchief and pleaded while wiping her tears.
"My child has a grave illness! We were told she would not live past twenty, but thanks to Hubert's devoted support, she has been able to hold on until now..."
With that, the lady began to weep aloud. Opal could only watch in stunned silence. She had never imagined Stella's illness was so severe. No one had told her. They had only directed their hostility at her.
"I do apologize. I had heard from my husband that Stella-san was frail, but I did not know it was so serious. If that was the case, you should have told me from the start."
It seemed Opal's apology did not reach the lady, who was lost in her tears. Opal was not a monster. Had she known from the beginning, she would not have said such a thing. Still, she thought it was wrong for her to be using the master bedroom. Then it occurred to her. Perhaps the reason Hubert had not married Stella, despite caring for her enough to give her the master bedroom, was because of her illness.
But being by her side isn't the only way to support or protect her.
Opal's thoughts grew cold as she watched Beth step past her own mistress to console the weeping Lady Northem and lead her from the room. A short while later, the sound of heavy footsteps approached.
Oh, here we go again.
Just as she thought it, the door opened again without a knock, and Hubert, his face red with anger, stormed into the room.
"How cruel a woman can you be! Have you already forgotten what I said yesterday!?"
"Good morning, my lord husband."
"What good morning! First you demand Lady Northem relinquish her position as mistress, and next you tell her to kick Stella out of the master bedroom. You truly are a woman with no blood or tears!"
"There is a misunderstanding regarding that matter."
"Where is the misunderstanding! Not only Lady Northem, but Beth, who was listening nearby, has testified to it!"
"Is that so."
The angrier Hubert became, the colder Opal's mind and heart grew. Her attitude only fueled his rage.
"Why did I ever agree to this marriage!? Not only are you promiscuous, but such a cold woman as well!"
"...Then why do you not proceed with an annulment immediately? That would surely restore peace to this estate. However, you will have to return my dowry and my father's wedding gift."
"Wh-!?"
"Regarding your earlier question, my lord, you married me for my dowry, did you not? And you received the money you desired. You were able to pay off your debts, and the ducal family's honor was preserved. So why must I be treated in this manner? The servants show me no respect. Is it not natural to be surprised to find another woman in the master bedroom? Yet I was not told the reason, and if I say a single word, I am rebuked like this. Why? I have done nothing but reward you, the ducal family, so what crime have I committed? I never wanted this marriage in the first place. I only came here because my father ordered me to."
"Ordered you..."
"Yes, ordered me. Or could it be that you thought I had fallen in love with you and begged my father for your hand?"
Hubert's face turned red at her jesting words. Apparently, that was exactly what he had thought. The sheer absurdity of it made her want to laugh.
"I am not needed in this house. Only my money is. In that case, why do you not simply kill me?"
Hubert gasped at her words, his red face turning pale. It was impossible to tell if his reaction was due to genuine shock or because the thought had, for even a moment, crossed his mind.
"I am sure it would go smoothly. In just a single day, I have become so despised, even by the servants. They would all get their stories straight for you, would they not?"
"D-don't say such foolish things!"
"Yes, it is foolish. I had some hope for this marriage. That you would respect me a little, not just my money. But now I understand perfectly. I truly seem to be a nuisance in this house, so you are free to consider me as if I do not exist."
"What..."
"Just as you said yesterday, my lord, I will live quietly in my room so as not to see your precious Stella-san. And of course, I will inform Beth beforehand whenever I go outside. Will that satisfy you?"
Honestly, she had not intended to go this far. But the anger that had been building since yesterday, no, since her father had ordered her to marry, had finally exploded. If you get hit, hit back. That had been Opal's nature since she was a child, and the people at the estate and her childhood friend, Claude, often told her she was far worse than a tomboy. They also called her stubborn and headstrong.
Hubert, who clearly had not expected such a rebuttal, could barely get a word in and simply listened. But once Opal had finished speaking, he seemed to come to his senses. He pressed his lips together tightly for a moment, then declared.
"As long as you do not bother us, you may do as you please!"
Leaving behind words that sounded like a sore loser's excuse, Hubert turned on his heel and left, slamming the door violently behind him. The sound was likely loud enough to be heard in the master bedroom, Opal thought, and let out a sigh.
She had probably startled his precious Stella. Thinking this, Opal went to the window, only to realize her concern was unnecessary. In the garden below, a delicate woman sat in a wheelchair, attended by the lady, admiring the flowers.
If Opal were to be found here, Hubert would surely vent his anger on her again, so she started to move away from the window. Just then, the woman happened to look up, and their eyes met. Instantly, the woman smiled. The smile looked incredibly malicious, and Opal blinked. It might have been a trick of the light, or perhaps the angle from which she was looking up, she thought, and moved away from the window. Then, she rang the bell. What she was about to do was a matter of pride.