The Black-haired Noblewoman, Who Disguised Herself, Seems To Have Been Doted On While Serving As The Caretaker For The Duke Who Dislikes Women - Episode 31

That day, my husband was unusually at the mansion. He said he would be finishing up work in the study today. After lunch and once the cleaning of the mansion had settled down, I went to visit him. Recently, it had become permissible to call out to him to gauge the timing for cleaning the study like this.

“Excuse me, sir. Shall I prepare some tea for you?”

“Ah. Thank you. Please don’t touch the desk for a while.”

“Understood. …Is Mr. Curtis out?”

Since my husband was alone in the room, I casually asked him. He looked up from the documents he was flipping through and looked at me.

“Ah. I’ve been asking various errands. They probably won’t be back for a while. …Michelle, sorry, but could you take this over there? …And could you bring the letters stacked in that box over there?”

“Yes, my lord.”

I swiftly carry the handed documents to the back desk and, with the box of letters in hand, move efficiently to my husband.

Regarding the recent matter with Lady Bracey, I felt an even stronger urge to assist you. The lady was angry about not receiving a reply to her letter, which was surely due to your injury. Thinking this, I took the initiative to offer my help and started writing documents that I could handle on your behalf. “Your handwriting is quite beautiful,” you remarked, which surprised me a bit. But my neat handwriting is probably thanks to my parents from the noble class, who taught me carefully since I was young

After helping with various small tasks for a while, just when it seemed like everything was in order and I was about to make some tea, it happened. The steward visited the study and informed the master.

“Excuse me, sir. Lady Bracey, the Marquis’s daughter, has arrived. What shall we do?”

My heart races at those words. …It’s him. He’s come again.

I unconsciously look at my husband’s face. Then he makes a stern expression and lets out a deep sigh. There’s a wrinkle between his brows.

“Again? I thought I asked you to write a letter after hearing about last week’s visit.”

“Yes. I heard you were busy this week, so I was going to send a letter of refusal… But I was told that you don’t want to take up any of your time, so I wanted to convey that.”

Even the usually calm steward seems quite troubled. I watched the situation unfold with bated breath.

After a moment of silent contemplation, my husband sighed deeply once again.

“Let me through here.”

“Is it okay if it’s not in the reception room?”

“We already declined, but you came over anyway. What’s the big deal?”

Understood.

The steward, looking somewhat puzzled, said that and immediately left the office. The master turned to face me.

“Michelle, sorry, but please order tea for two.”

“Yes. Understood.”

I was completely shocked inside, thinking he would surely say, “Take her away.” I don’t want to see that person anymore. However, it seems the master also thought it would be quite rude not to serve tea to the daughter of a marquis. So, I will just act according to the master’s wishes.

Let’s avoid making eye contact with that young lady… With that thought in mind, I began preparing in the kitchenette located in the corner of the office.

After a while, a high-pitched sweet voice echoed through the room.

“Good day, Lord Lloyd. We finally meet. I’m so pleased, even in the office. Hehe.”

Huh? Is that a different person?

As I was preparing tea with my back turned, the stark difference in voice from the young lady the other day made me think so, and I instinctively turned around. However, the person there was not someone else but the genuine Bracey Marquis’s daughter. Yet, her expression was different from the other day; it was gentle and graceful, and she was gazing intently at her husband with an elegant smile. Today’s dress color was a darker Bordeaux compared to the bright red one from the other day

“Lady Bracey. I apologize, but I am very busy. I don’t have much time, but if you don’t mind, please have a cup of tea.”

The master said that without even standing up from his desk. No matter how you heard it, it sounded like he was saying, “Drink just one cup of tea and then leave right away,” but the young lady snorted and, looking pleased, stepped forward in front of the master.

“Lord Lloyd, could you please stop your work? We finally have the chance to meet. Let’s enjoy it together over there.”

Saying that, while pointing to the table in the back, Lady Bracey suddenly glanced in my direction. In an instant, the goddess-like smile she had just shown vanished completely.

“Oh. You’re still here? You.”

And then, with a somewhat lower voice than before, he said to me, “Today, it’s ‘you’ instead of ‘you’.”

When Lady Bracey the Marquis suddenly opened her fan, she hid her face with it and glared at me through the gap.

“……This newly hired maid is also a commoner, isn’t she? Why did you go out of your way to choose her, Lord? If you’re short on staff, shall I introduce you to a few more well-bred individuals? It’s quite careless of you to let her into the office. If you’re going to have someone take care of your needs, it’s safer to use someone from the noble class.”