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 44

What? Uh, that…?

“Ms. Amanda…?”

When I called her, Amanda looked startled and then smiled again, as if flustered.

“I see. To Mr. Curtis too…… He’ll surely be pleased. What are you going to give him?”

Clearly trying to cover it up……

The smile that was genuine until just now is slightly different now, a strained smile meant to show concern for me.

I’m so worried, I can’t help it.

But, why is that… I mean, if you’re preparing a gift for Mr. Curtis, you must be preparing one for my husband too… Did I misunderstand? No way, no way, there’s no way I would give a gift to my employer, the Duke! Me? The only way I can show my gratitude to my husband is through my work…!

“At the bakery where I bought these baked goods, I also bought a set of baked goods for a gift. I was thinking of giving it to you……, um, Amanda-san,”

“Yeah… It’s not something you wear, it’s candy.”

“Ah, yes. I don’t really know what would make a man happy, and since Mr. Curtis seems to like sweets…”

In the past, in the master’s study, Mr. Curtis ate all five remaining tarts that Lady Bracey had brought by himself. To his credit, Mr. Curtis did offer the tarts to the master and even asked me, “Do you want another one?” but I declined.

Amanda, having heard my words, smiled a little sadly again.

“You like sweets, Mr. Curtis. I see… Michelle knows you well, huh? I guess it’s because you’re close. I’m envious.”

“Huh? Are we close…?” “Well, yes, since you’re always with your husband, it’s only natural… um…?”

Jealous?

Did you just say you’re envious?

I stared intently at Amanda’s face.

“Ms. Amanda… could it be… that you like someone other than your husband…?”

At my words, Amanda suddenly widened her eyes. Perhaps she remembered the words she had just let slip.

We both stared at each other in silence for a while. Gradually, Amanda’s face began to turn bright red. Her ears and neck quickly turned as if they were boiling, and Amanda’s mouth started to tremble.

Ms. Amanda…

“Do you like Curtis, Amanda!?”

“Kyahhh!! S-stop it!! Don’t say it!! Don’t tell anyone!!”

At that sudden, terrifying scream, my heart leaped violently, almost jumping out of my mouth. My body jerked up from the sofa.

While Amanda was covering her bright red face with her hands and writhing on the sofa, I made a painful excuse to the fellow maids who came to check on her after hearing the earlier shriek, saying, “A creepy, huge bug I’ve never seen before appeared in the room, but it’s gone now.”

“I see… I had a big misunderstanding…”

For the time being, after Amanda calmed down with a cup of tea, we faced each other and decided to revisit the earlier conversation.

“Uh… I’m so sorry, Michelle. I had no idea you were that concerned…”

While still awkwardly holding her now considerably cooled cheeks, Amanda says.

“It’s the same as how you thought of me. At first, I thought you were a kind person too. When I started working at the Harrington Duke’s residence, I was really nervous… Every time you saw me getting down over even the smallest mistakes, Mr. Curtis, you would gently encourage me…”

While saying that, Amanda’s face turned bright red again, and she covered it with both hands.

“I found myself increasingly drawn to him… but of course, I couldn’t show such frivolous feelings. As time passed and I got used to the work here, becoming quite efficient at it, the opportunities for him to approach me like before have significantly decreased.”

“I see…”

So that’s how it was.

Instead of your husband, seeing Mr. Curtis being kind and friendly to me, Amanda must have been feeling a bittersweet longing…

Why am I so dense…?

When I found out the truth, I felt like I was going to collapse in disappointment.

“Hehe… I never thought Michelle-san would think that I was in love with my husband.”

“That’s right. I never would have guessed it was Mr. Curtis… It was a blind spot for me.”

When I said that, Amanda chuckled happily.

“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Yes! Of course. The love story from the sweets pajama party is a secret just between us!”

While saying such things and laughing together, we reach for the baked goods in front of us.

“So, is it that Amanda hasn’t been feeling well lately because she hasn’t had time to talk to Curtis and feels lonely… is that it?”

When I asked her that, Amanda, who was munching on a macaron, replied with a slightly troubled look.

“Of course, that’s part of it, but there’s something else that’s bothering me. …You know, Mr. Curtis’s birthday is coming up soon.”