153: The Demolition of the Annex
It took about half a day by train to return to Myrtle from Coil.
Upon safely returning to the main residence of the Duke of Lancester, Avril was greeted by the mistresses who lived in the annex.
“Lady Avril, you’ve gone through a lot! Are you hurt? Oh no, your face is scratched!”
“I heard about what happened, how pitiful… Now, please sit here. I’ll prepare some tea.”
“Lady Avril, you seem a bit absent-minded and distracted… You must’ve gone through something harrowing…!”
“N-no, this is just how I am.”
After receiving a series of welcomes and words of appreciation, someone pointed out that she lacked tension. When Avril inadvertently remarked that, she saw Chris burst out laughing from the side.
Dylan had been away from the main building for a week. As the former duke’s name was on the client list of a human trafficking organization, Dylan had been busy cleaning up after him. He left Avril in Chris’ care. Even after returning, his schedule was extremely hectic.
“Because of this incident, it seems like the former duke will no longer have any say in the demolition of the annex. In fact, the destinations for everyone here have already been decided. Their consent has also been received.”
“When did this happen?”
Lucy, the leader, smiled gently at the surprised Avril.
“We’ve been preparing for this from the beginning, so it’s only natural that Brandon’s mistake would hasten the dismantling. I’ve been here for about seven years, and I’ve grown quite fond of Brandon. He might be the worst, but it’s been a surprisingly fun seven years…”
“Lady Lucy…”
“I’ve been appointed as a tutor in the royal capital. Perhaps I’ll have another chance to meet Lady Avril.”
After Lucy spoke, everyone told her their destinations one by one.
“Actually, I’ll also be working in the royal capital, too. When I told Dylan that I wanted to work there, he introduced me to a great trading company. They mainly do women’s clothing, so I think I can be of help.”
“I’ve been hired as a maid to the mistress of a certain marquis’ townhouse. It’s all thanks to Lord Dylan.”
“After completing my etiquette apprenticeship at a noble’s house in the royal capital, I’ll be returning to my parents’ home. I hope I can find a suitable man by then and get married.”
T-they’re all going to the royal capital…?!
While she was delighted to hear that each of them had ended up with a satisfying position, her past anxiety was revived.
“If you’re going to the royal capital, does that mean you’ll be living in the townhouse of the Duke of Lancester? Will I be able to bring everyone together? Will Lord Dylan be able to cherish everyone equally?”
“How can that be?”
Hearing Dylan’s exasperated voice, Avril realized she had blurted out what she was thinking again. Also, since when had Dylan arrived?
“Lord Dylan! Weren’t you working in the main residence?”
“A guest wanted to see Avril, so I brought her here.”
“A guest?”
As Avril tilted her head, Clarissa appeared from behind Dylan.
The woman was no longer flushed and sickly. Instead, she wore a ladylike dress and stood tall. Then, she bowed.
“Lady Avril, I’ve come to apologize and thank you once again. I never imagined that you would become the next Duchess of the Lancester… Even though I was supposed to be your servant, I’m truly sorry that you had to be the one who assisted me instead.”
“No, it is nothing to worry about at all. Clarissa, how are you feeling? Please don’t overexert yourself.”
“I’m completely better now. I returned to my parents’ house and we’ve been discussing about what to do from now on.”
After the Victoria arrived at Coil’s port, the women in the hidden room were rescued. Clarissa was the first to contact her family.
The same day, Clarissa was picked up by her parents, the Limingtons, and immediately returned home.
At that time, Avril had been told that Clarissa would be employed as a servant at a later date by the Duke of Lancester. However, that day, Clarissa was empty-handed. She didn’t have a single large bag that a live-in servant would bring.
As if sensing Avril’s doubts, Dylan told her.
“Clarissa Limington will be retiring during her probationary period. It can’t be helped, since she’s getting married.”
“She’s getting married…?!”
Leave a Reply