“Congratulations, young lady. I was really surprised when I received a letter about your getting married. So, is it okay for you to return here so quickly? What did the Duke say?”

After a warm hug, Marcia’s usual chatter made Opal laugh as she cried.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I missed you so much Marcia! The Duke was busy so he didn’t mind it, and there’s an important thing I wanted to check out, so I’m now here. I was supposed to return here after the season, but as I got suddenly married, I had to fulfill my obligations as a bride and delayed my coming here. I missed everyone so much. I really wanted to come with the Duke, my husband, but that would have to be left for the next opportunity.”

Opal, who after entering the mansion uttered only lies, hated herself.

Still, there was no way to keep everyone from worrying without a lie, as the situation was terrible.

And they can’t do anything about it.

“Is Trevor here right now?”

“Yes. Will you see him later?”

“Yeah. I’m going to rest today and see him tomorrow if possible. It’s important. I’m really tired now so I’d like to take a break, but please ask Trevor to give me some of his time tomorrow. Can you ask him about tomorrow’s schedule?”

“Understood young lady”

Opal asked the butler Alton to guide her to her room.

The room was already ready for use, and Opal exhaled deeply, as if breathing for the first time in months.

“Welcome young lady!! Oh, must I say now… Duchess?”

“Stop it, Nadja. It’s fine to call me as before.”

The maid Nadja, who came out of the bathroom, saw Opal and her face shone with happiness.

The innocent Nadja is often reprimanded by Marcia for being rude, but still she’s loved by everyone.

Opal is one of those who loves her, at the same time that she is pampered by Marcia.

Opal felt as if she had lost all strength after coming back to her true home, and sat down on a chaise lounge.

“You’re tired, young lady. The bath will be ready soon, so please wait a moment.”

“Thank you, Nadja”

Nadja was already preparing the bath as soon as she knew that Opal returned.

-I’m so happy that I can forget about my tiredness. – Opal thought to her insides.

However, the words that followed left Opal sad.

” I’m glad the young lady came back. Everyone was missing you. Of course I was too surprised when I heard you got married to the Duke. I thought there was…. “

“eh?”

“Well, because a smart and careful lady getting married in such a hurry…. Is not something well seen? Anyways, the Duke was so cool that you couldn’t wait, right?” (TL: I don’t know if that’s the correct way to express it… she wanted to say that ladies, were badly seen if married in a hurry… like… something happened that’s why she’s getting married… and that tarnished the families honor.)

“Yeah, yeah.”

“What kind of person is the duke?”

“I met him for the first time three years ago in a ball and we danced one time. The duke didn’t really like socializing and he rarely came out to socialize, so I was already surprised by the fact that he danced with me.”

“Oh dear!”

“So, a long time passed after that… and when we reunited again… I realized we were married.”

“Wow! How passionate!”

Opal tried not to lie to Nadja, which seemed to misunderstood her answer and became extremely happy.

Nadja was excited as if she heard a truly romantic story and ran out to check the bath.

While feeling guilty, Marcia came in with the tub of hot water, as she was wondering what to do next time when Nadja asked Opal a deeper question.

“Isn’t her questions bothering you, young lady?”

“She’s a romantic dreamer… but it doesn’t bother me so much.”

“Marcia, why should it bother the young lady if I ask about the romantic story of her marriage?”

“No! Go do your duties!”

“Marcia doesn’t know a girl’s feelings.”

“Carry in the hot water!”

“Yes…”

With no signs of being angry at Marcia, Nadja walked out of the room with light steps.

Opal giggled at the usual conversation that brought back the good memories.

This is truly my home.

“I’m sorry to have come back without making contact first, Marcia. I’m making everyone busy.”

“What are you talking about, young lady? Even if you don’t contact me, you can come back any time. Even if you’re married, this your house young lady.”

“Oh, this is my father’s house.”

“It’s your house young lady.”

Over the years the Count has not returned to the territory once, so Marcia laughed off my words as a joke.

Marcia then fills the empty tub with water as she remembers.

“Yes, that’s right. According to Alton’s message, Trevor will be in his study tomorrow afternoon. We informed him that you wanted to see him young lady.”

“That’s right, thank you, Marcia.”

While discussing tomorrow’s schedule, Nadja and another maid appeared to help Opal bath.

After Opal took a bath, she was a lot lighter than before. She was brought dinner and ate slowly.

She never thought she would be so grateful for the treatment she had always taken for granted.

-I think I was really blessed to have been able to leave Hubert. I don’t want to go back…-

(I left like running away …)

Opal, who was disliked from the start by people who never have seen her before, was becoming increasingly frustrated and angry at them.

“Escape without fighting.”

(How do their sick minds work to hate a person who paid their debts and only ever benefitted them? Why do I have to be treated like that? Don’t that angel’s medical expenses come from my dowry? They’re using me and mistreating me.)

(It is a pity that maliciousness is incurable. Their attitudes are terrible.

I don’t want them to bow down to me and thank me, but just to give me some respect.

They say that I bought the duke with money but didn’t the so innocent duke know of his bankruptcy and accepted on his free will to marry me, in exchange for paying his debts?

Nevertheless, the attitude of those servants is the same as their master.)

(How much you are unwilling to do this. That’s right!)

Opal unconsciously beats the cushion. Many times.

Then her anger subsides a little. Breathing in and out, she relaxes.

She seems to have been quite stressed, probably because she stayed in the attic.

She decided to go horse riding tomorrow morning, and so she went to bed early.

(Well, anyway, now I can understand my father sayings. Only depend on yourself.)

Sighing, Opal wrapped herself in a fluffy blanket and closed her eyes.

She was tired, and fell asleep quickly, without thinking more.

Translated by djurasico (dot) home (dot) blog