“How’s the temperature?”
“It’s good.”
Medicinal herbs that were said to be good for the skin were left in the stone bathtub. After releasing the bath bomb, the scent of peach blossoms subtly came out.
When she got out of the bath, other maids who served her awaited. Anna, Daisy, Jane, Neria. On the first day she came to the County, she was introduced to the employees all at once. Her head was spinning as she memorized their names.
Anna brushed each strand of Diana’s hair, applying a sweet scent of flavor. Jane put cream on her hand and massaged her.
After massaging for a while, Jane said, “Didn’t your hands get softer?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! Please look.”
Jane covered Diana’s hands with a warm wet towel and wiped off the cream. Diana raised her moist hand.
“Oh? It really is.”
There was nothing that they could do with the scars, but after a few days of hard massage, the calluses had reduced by a lot.
“Thank you, Jane.”
Jane smiled and bowed her head.
She couldn’t forget the exhilaration she felt when she first received a tribute of gratitude from the Young Miss. Perhaps it was because it was the first ‘Thank you’ Jane had ever heard from her superiors and nobles after entering the Ohrid mansion.
The employers of Ohrid’s mansion weren’t hard people to serve. Mr. Ohrid was picky, and Young Master Senir was hard to understand, but they spent very little time at home, making it difficult to meet both of them.
The Count and the Esteemed Mother were also served by the maids who had served them since when they were very young, so there was no occasion for ordinary maids to serve them.
Except for the strict restrictions on going out and exchanging letters due to confidentiality provisions, there was no better job than here. The salary was higher than any other noble mansion. It was also said that they received more than the court ladies.
The atmosphere in Ohrid’s mansion was that of a silent castle after Lady Philippa disappeared and the Esteemed Mother became sick. The main building, which banned banquets and all outsourced people from entering, was breathtakingly silent. There were days when not a single word was said at all.
However, since Young Miss Diana came, that still atmosphere disappeared. In the silent castle laughter and chatter began to be heard again.
“Young Miss, what kind of clothes would you like to wear?”
Neria pushed in a hanger where several clothes hung. It was a collection of some of the clothes that Young Miss Philippa wore when she was young.
“Young Miss, what kind of hairstyle would you like to have today?”
“What do you think about the belt with the stripe pattern on that dress?”
“How about braiding it using this hair tie? The blue satin will go well with the dress. Whenever the Young Miss moves, the droplet shaped sapphire decorations will sparkle!”
Today, Diana would only walk around at home all day, but they did their best to make it look like she was going to go out right away.
At first, she was very flustered. When she asked if it was necessary, saying that she liked comfortable things and said to go without it, the maids seemed disappointed and their shoulders drooped.
After that, she just let them do what they wanted.
‘Well, it does look much better when they dress me.’
The girl in the mirror was blushing with a lively expression. She even felt as though she looked lovely when she saw herself.
‘Pretty.’
Inside the light sky blue dress, a blue satin was overlaid, making it look rich and colorful. The sapphire ornaments glistened on top of the round hair divided into pigtails.
“Do you like it, Young Miss?”
“Yes.”
“It’d be perfect if you wore a hat. But, that’d be too much, right?”
The maid was holding a hat with a wide brim. Even so, that was a bit…
Diana was taken aback, her mouth slightly opening.
“Of course it’s too much! I’m going to eat breakfast! Who eats with a hat on?”
The maids laughed. Only Anna, who suggested the hat, hung it back on the hanger with disappointment.
When they finished decorating her with all their heart and soul, the milk Diana drank as soon as she woke up was digested. She felt herself gradually becoming hungry again. When Diana got up from her seat, all the maids except Michelle greeted her while organizing her room.
“Young Miss, please enjoy your meal.”
“Please have a safe trip!”
“Please enjoy your meal!”
Diana headed to the dining room with Michelle.
“Are you going to the portrait hallway again today?”
“Yes.”
Dinah nodded and walked forward with light steps.
Currently, Diana’s room was on the right side of the central staircase on the third floor. Passing through the hallway where the morning sun shone brightly and going down two floors through the central stairs, it was the dining room. But, Diana took a small turn.
[Phillipa Ohrid.]
It was to see her mother’s portrait.
The mother in the portrait was much younger and more vivid than the small painting in the pendant. It was not until Diana saw this portrait that she felt it was all real.
It felt like her mom was telling her that she could really stay here, that it really was her family, and that she could trust it.
If you went down to the first floor and crossed the wide hall to the right, it was the dining room. The waiting servant opened the door and Michelle greeted by the entrance. If nothing special happened, except for bringing food, the servings were all eaten up.
Grandfather arrived first today.
“Hello.”
“Welcome. You look so pretty today. Seems like the maids have been excited since the morning.”
Grandfather lowered the newspaper he held and opened his arms. When Diana approached and hugged him, Grandfather hugged back as if trying to crush her.
Then the door opened again and Grandmother came in.
“How was your night?”
“I slept well. The hair decorations look good on you.”
Diana smiled brightly. Both grandmother and grandfather always praised her once in a while. And like that, she could not bear to prevent the maids from dressing her.
‘There’s no Senir today either.’
Diana couldn’t see his face after the dinner with her on the day she entered the mansion. It seemed like since he was Ohrid’s heir, he was really busy.
‘Even so, it would be great if I could see him again.’
When Grandmother sat down, the servants picked up the food on the tray and carried it in. The dishes on the shiny silverware were appetizing.
There were crispy croquettes mixed with roasted button mushrooms, croutons, cream soup with sprout green leaves, mashed potatoes, carrots, and cheese.
She could tell the custard cream on top of the thin bread and the blueberry raw fruit on top of it were sweet just by looking at it.
Fresh salad, egg dishes, juicy sausages, milk, and fruit pudding. There were so many different foods that it was difficult to list them all.
“Pick it up.”
Together with Grandmother’s words, the utensils were picked up.
After finishing the plentiful breakfast, Diana went to play with Sky, who had just woken up.
She went for a walk in the garden with Sky, who now had a plump stomach as the maids took good care of his meals and digestion. However—
“Sky!”
“Sky!”
“Just, until, where, are, you, going.”
Diana, who was running around, panted heavily by the statue. She definitely started searching in the back garden, but she was now at the front door of the mansion. She could see the iron bars that were tightly closed.
‘Because I wouldn’t have been able to go out.’
The garden was so large that Sky disappeared even though she just took her eyes off for a moment.
‘But soon Teacher will come.’
It was the promised time she had to go to the back garden again.
“Diana?”
She heard Grandfather’s voice from behind her. Diana turned around.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was searching for Sky.”
“But Sky was hugged by your maid and they went into the garden?”
She seemed to have suffered for no reason.
As if he found Diana adorable, Grandfather stroked her head.
Grandfather was dressed neatly as if he was about to go out. Grandfather’s appearance of wearing a stylish hat and a fancy cane with large embroidery, was perfect for a magazine that Diana began to see these days.
Diana said with her eyes shining.
“Grandfather is so cool.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Grandfather tried to maintain a solemn and cool appearance by suppressing the corners of his mouth which were rising by itself.
“Where are you going?”
“I was just going to get some air.”
Suddenly, there was a twinkle in Grandfather’s eyes.
“Come to think of it, you’ve never been out since you came to the mansion, right?”
“Right?”
“Hmm….”
Her existence was still a secret.
It would receive tremendous attention if the missing Philippa Ohrid, her death, and the existence of her daughter were revealed.
Grandmother said that after she learned slowly, and got used to the County, they would announce it.
A teacher was hired, and it was a hectic day learning this and that. Naturally, she didn’t have time to go out.
‘First of all, I can’t even look around the mansion.’
Thinking about something, Grandfather shook his head before touching Diana’s shoulder.
“Have you ever gambled?”
“YESS?!”
Diana jumped.
“Gamble?!”
“Yes.”
“There’s no way I have!”
“Is that so?”
“Just why ask that?”
“Then, let’s go.”
“Yes?”
“Get on.”
When Diana, who had been led, stood in front of the carriage, the servant quickly opened the carriage door.
“Hurry up and get on. And you, get off.”
“Pardon?”
There was a person already in the open carriage. It was the person who was usually with Grandfather.
“Gasp. Young Miss? Hello. I’m Renold. I’m working as Mr. Spencer’s aide. Although I have passed by you plenty of times, I believe this is the first time we have properly met.”
“Yes. Hello.”
They greeted each other without knowing why. Grandfather waved his hand as if everything was done.
“Can you get off a little faster? Don’t procrastinate.”
“Mr. Spencer?”
Grandfather grabbed the aide’s arm and pulled him off the carriage. The aide faltered, perhaps because the strength in the pull was too strong.
“Diana, be careful when getting on.”
Then, he held Diana’s hand as if he was handling a piece of glass.
“Young Miss? Mr. Spencer? What is going on?”
“Diana is going out with me.”
“Mr. Spencer?”
“Grandfather?”
The two surprised people called at the same time. Grandfather pushed aside the aide and closed the carriage door. Then he opened the partitions of the horse seat.
“Let’s go.”