[Duchess of the attic] Ch 5 – At the Duke’s house II

As Romit said, Opal had dinner in her room, and quickly went into the bed and tried to sleep.

However, it wasn’t possible to sleep, and it wasn’t until the sun was rising that she finally began to sleep, and seemed to have slept until noon.

After she woke up, she wanted to ask for some food… but soon she noticed that would not be convenient.

If she called Beth at this hour, she will be looked at in a manner that can’t be helped.

She herself ridicules those who live a lazy life.

Usually, Opal gets up very early, but it’s cumbersome to explain to them, the cause of her awaking so late today.

However, there are a few things that must be done.

-I have to talk to Mrs. Northam once.-  (Stella’s mother)

Opal thought and told Beth about it.

Then Beth leaves the room reluctantly, to comply with the request.

It wasn’t that Opal couldn’t find her herself, but she didn’t like to provoke others unnecessarily, so she waited for the maid to come back with an answer first.

However, after a while, a knocking sound was heard, and when the door was answered, a strange woman came in.

Apparently, this woman seems to be Mrs. Northam.

“I heard that you called me?”

“You are Mrs. Northam?”

“Yes. My name is Talia Northam. Me and my husband were brought up as Hubert’s guardians when Joseph passed away.”

“Oh, I’m Opal. I’d like for you to call me Opal. I just wanted to talk to you. But is it all right now? “

“of course”

In response, Mrs. Northam immediately tried to sit down on the couch and stopped moving according to her position.

Opal encourages her to sit down with a smile.

Opal is sitting on the other side of the couch and asked Beth for tea while the talk started.

“It seems that Mrs. Northam has long been the hostess of this house. Thank you.”

“No, thank you for being thankful. So does this mean that you want me to surrender the role of hostess?”

Until now, Opal has been hated by older women over and over again.

It’s true, she wanted to ask for that, but soon, she remembered Hubert’s words in the carriage yesterday and thought it would not be convenient to ask this now.

“I won’t overdo it. I’m still unfamiliar with being hostess, so I would like to consult with you, madam, if possible.”

“Is that so…”

Opal continued smiling, but was in reality annoyed by Mrs. Northam natural answer.

“The only thing I care about is the master bedroom.”

When Opal dared to say that, Mrs. Northam frowned.

However, Opal continued to stare at this woman, wondering if she could win this fight.

From now on, it’s a true political marriage. Hubert has no feelings for her.

The little left over expectation was crushed yesterday.

However, as she got married and came to this mansion as the duchess, she doesn’t need to stand being treated as a mistress. It’s strange and unacceptable to think that another woman is using the master bedroom. Even if only for formalities.

“I don’t know until now, but I’ve been married to this mansion as the duke’s wife as the duchess. Your daughter Stella is connected to my husband’s bedroom through a door that joins both bedrooms. The master bedroom and her bedroom. She’s currently using both bedrooms. I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

“That child … that child has been living in that room for years. Also, there is no one in this mansion that leaks any information about the private life of the mansion’s people outside! You don’t need to worry about rumors spreading outside that would shake your position as Duchess.”

“But I might speak?”

I don’t seriously intend to do that, it’s just I’m angry. This situation is illogical.

In the first place, there is no reason to tell others about such shameless matters.

However, Beth inhaled deeply, and began to cry loudly.

“That child has been supporting Hubert for a long time! And now, she needs Hubert to continue living! If she is separated from Hubert, she will die!”

How exaggerated… Opal felt sick.

Mrs Northam does not notice such thoughts of Opal, and so, she takes out a handkerchief and continues while wiping her tears.

“That child has a serious illness! I was told that she couldn’t live further than 20 years old, but thanks to Hubert’s caring treatment and assistance, she had been able to continue alive until now.”

After that, Mrs. Northam worsened the loud sounds of her crying.

However, Opal was just stunned at those words.

-No one taught me that she was seriously ill.-

“I’m sorry. I heard from my husband that Stella’s body is weak, but I didn’t know it was so bad. I should have asked you from the beginning.”

Apparently, Opal’s apology does not reach Mrs Northam who is crazily crying as loud as possible.

Opal couldn’t have known from the beginning, if no one said it.

-Still, I think it’s strange for her to use the master bedroom. –

-So the reason why Hubert didn’t get married was because Stella was sick. And so sick, that he had to share the master bedroom…-

-But even if it’s real, it doesn’t mean it’s correct. It doesn’t mean, I as the wife, can be supporting or protecting such shameless matters.-

Opal turned cold as an incredible idea crossed her mind suddenly. She stared at Mrs. Northam, who was crying.

Then, after a while, loud footsteps approached.

(Oh, again)

The moment I thought so, the door was opened again without knocking, and Hubert, who turned red with anger, entered the room.

“How terrible you are! You forgot what you said yesterday !?”

“Good morning, husband”

“What’s good! A woman who really has no blood or tears, telling Mrs. Northam to leave the master’s seat and then tell Stella to get out of the master bedroom!”

“There is a misunderstanding about that story.”

“Where is the misunderstanding! In fact, not only Mrs. Northam but also Beth testified, and I was listening to!”

“Is that so…”

Opal became colder as Hubert became angrier, her mind and heart turned ice cold about this husband and this marriage.

With Opal’s attitude, Hubert is increasingly angry.

“Why did I agree to marry you ?! Not just a slut! but a cold woman!”

“… So why not take the marriage invalidation procedure right now? Then you’ll be back to bring peace to this mansion. However, please return my dowry and the congratulatory money you received from my father.”

“Wow !?”

“Thank you husband, for asking that question –Why did I agree to marry you-. I’m sure you’ve got married with me, because you’ve got the money you wanted doing so. You are now able to return your debts safely, but why should I be treated like this, and why should I have to support the servants who don’t respect me. It’s not surprising that there is another woman in the master bedroom. But I wasn’t told about it, and if I say a word, I’m blamed for this, why? In the first place, I didn’t want this kind of marriage. My father ordered me to marry you.”

“You didn’t…want to…?”

“Yes, it can’t be helped. He ordered me to marry you. Or did you think, is it because I fell in love with you and asked my father?”

-Hubert was red after pointing out his false beliefs. –

-Apparently, he thought so. –

-Laughter comes after learning about his foolishness. –

“I’m not needed in this house. All you need is money. If so, why not kill me?”

Hubert sighed… and his face turned blue.

-I don’t know, but maybe this reaction seems surprising. –

“I’m sure it will work for you. It’s just one day I’ve been married, and I’m very disliked by the servants. You can just say… I never arrived to the mansion?”

“Don’t say stupid things!”

“Yeah, I’m really stupid. I had a little hope for this marriage. I thought you would respect me a little more, even if for the money you received from me. I really don’t like it. It seems like I’m a disturber in this house. “

“what……”

“As you, my husband, said yesterday, I will live quietly in this attic and not to meet the important Stella. Of course, when I go outside, I will inform Beth in advance. Are you satisfied?”

-To be honest, I didn’t mean to say so far. –

-However, since yesterday, the anger that had been piling up since my father ordered me to marry him had exploded. –

-Even if speaking turns the situation worse for me, I will do it again. –

This is the Opal’s character from an early age, and it was often said by her close people that it was foolish to speak your thoughts upfront.

But even then, she was stubborn and unwilling to mask her thoughts and intentions.

Hubert didn’t think he would be argued so far, he couldn’t even squeeze a word out and just listened.

However, once Opal finished speaking, he returned to his selfish and fool mind.

“If you don’t bother us, just do as you like!”

After leaving those words, Hubert closed the door violently and left.

As expected, Opal exhaled, thinking that the current sound could be heard up to the master bedroom.

He must have surprised the important Stella.

Opal who approached the window while thinking so knew that it was an extra worry.

In the garden overlooking the window, a pretty woman sitting in a wheelchair was accompanied by Hubert, while looking at the flowers.

When Hubert, saw Opal at the window, he was angry again, and so Opal tried to leave the window.

But the woman suddenly raised her face and met her eyes.

The woman smiled, very meanly and provocative.

Opal blinked.

She left the window, thinking that it may be because of the light or the angle that it looked that way.

Then, she ringed the bells to call Beth.

She intended to do so, from now on.

Really long until this one.. well, the next ones will come sooner..


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