~Chapter 36~
The lady looked a lot like Baldwin. I’d seen her face in the newspapers before.
She was Madam Rosemarlin Constantine.
She was Baldwin’s mother.
After the previous Duke died, she went traveling and never returned to the Duke’s house—not even once, as far as I knew.
My heart was pounding.
I had never met her, so I knew nothing about her.
By the time I grew up, started working at the bank, and began attending social events, she had already been gone for a long time.
I glanced at Baldwin. His face showed no emotion at all.
“Hello, Mother. I—”
“I never imagined I would hear of my only son’s wedding from someone else’s mouth.”
She said this sharply to Baldwin.
Her cold face didn’t match her dark beige dress, which suited late spring.
She didn’t look at me or speak to me at all.
“Well. I suppose it’s enough that I showed up for the party. At least I’m not too late. I hear the last banquet is at the mansion tomorrow?”
She didn’t wait for Baldwin to answer. Her lips kept moving.
“I’ll be staying in the capital for a while. Since you brought in a woman who isn’t suitable, without my permission, you’ll need my help.”
She looked at me with pure hostility.
“Isn’t that right, my son?”
She was purposely ignoring me.
Her posture was straight, and she gripped her ivory-colored gloves tightly in her hand.
She acted calm, but her emotions were swirling.
Baldwin moved his fingers slowly.
I saw the elegant handwriting on the stiff paper.
[There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Madam. Please return to where you were staying.]
It was a clear order to leave. The paper slipped from Baldwin’s hand and dropped to the floor.
Madam Rosemarlin’s lips trembled as she spoke.
“Thank you so much for welcoming me like this.”
She twisted her lips into a crooked smile.
“Well then, I should go say hello to old friends. Since I’ll be staying for a while, you’ll just have to get used to me, Your Grace.”
She finally turned her glittering eyes to me. A soft wind blew, cooling the spring warmth.
But even that wind couldn’t cool her malice.
“I could never stand to see my Constantine destroyed.”
She whispered sweetly.
I watched her back as she walked away from me and sighed. This would not be easy.
Even in the Constantine mansion, I had enemies.
Now that Madam Rosemarlin was back, her presence was felt everywhere—stronger than the arrival of spring.
[Do you remember the promise we made before?]
“…I do have a good memory, but I’ve made so many promises.”
[No matter what Madam says or does, you don’t have to care. Tell me even the smallest thing.]
Baldwin was easily offering his support, as if telling me to hide behind him whenever I wanted.
But just as I didn’t know him, he didn’t really know me.
He didn’t know that I had already stood alone on a battlefield for a long time.
“Don’t worry, Baldwin.”
I already gained so much from Baldwin. This marriage was completely in my favor. I needed it more.
But I also wanted to help Baldwin.
Not all parents in the world are like lighthouses for their children. Just like my parents, Baldwin’s mother could be the same.
The mistakes of parents who cannot be good examples only hurt their children. I was still hurt by my own parents.
“I’ll be fine.”
Baldwin looked at me. His purple eyes were full of color—like the end of a rainbow.
It looked like there was a rainbow in his eyes.
“I will never get hurt. I promise.”
Baldwin narrowed his eyes, trying to guess what I really meant.
So I smiled.
At the very least, I didn’t want Baldwin to get hurt. Just as I promised, I would protect him.
When Baldwin returned to the mansion, he called for Anais’s maid.
Ella bowed her head, looking nervous.
It felt like a cold wind was swirling around Baldwin. Ella tried to lift her head bravely, but she was too scared to look him in the eyes.
‘…They said Miss Anais is a kind person, but how? Where?’
Ella swallowed hard.
Baldwin had already checked everything about Ella—her family, background, friends, everything.
At least, Ella wasn’t the type to betray Anais. She also wasn’t someone who would talk behind her back.
Baldwin pushed down his disgust and forced a smile.
Ella bit her lip.
Even though Baldwin was pretending to smile, his eyes were cold and sharp. It would have been better if he didn’t smile at all. Ella swallowed again.
[I heard you’ve served my wife for a long time.]
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Ella bowed.
[And you plan to continue serving her?]
“If the Duchess allows me, yes.”
Ella made it clear that her real master was Anais, not Baldwin.
Baldwin could see Ella’s strong will. She truly cared about her mistress.
He liked that.
[Good. You know that Madam Rosemarlin has come to the mansion today, right?]
Ella nodded carefully.
Madam Rosemarlin’s sharp looks made all the staff nervous.
‘Tsk. Everything’s a mess while I was away! Look at this decoration arrangement!’
‘Bring new bedding to my room. I won’t use anything that’s been gathering dust for years!’
‘What? Who gave permission to hand over the Emerald Room to her?’
After fussing for a while, Madam Rosemarlin said a few words to Baldwin, then fell silent.
With a cold face, she took the biggest empty room left in the house.
The only staff left with her were the head maid, the head butler, and a few other maids.
The head maid was running around, working non-stop to take care of Madam Rosemarlin’s sudden return.
Ella remembered Madam Rosemarlin and gave a small, awkward smile. She thought to herself, there really weren’t many good masters like Anais.
[I think we can become good allies.]
Allies?
Ella blinked.
[From now on, tell me everything Madam says or does to my wife. Don’t leave anything out.]
Ella’s eyes grew wide.
Baldwin realized that Anais didn’t plan to tell him about anything that happened with Madam.
Of course, Anais was not an easy target, but Rosemarlin had spent her life in high society.
Someone like Rosemarlin would find clever ways to bother Anais. Ella didn’t want to just watch that happen.
“Even the small things?”
Baldwin nodded.
Ella looked around, thinking this order probably helped the Duchess.
‘Would this ever cause trouble for Her Grace?’
Still, blood is thicker than water. After all, Madam Rosemarlin was Baldwin’s own mother.
How long would Baldwin keep taking Anais’s side?
[No need to worry, Ella. Right now, I am making a request for Anais’s sake.]
Baldwin added,
[Madam is like a snake living in the jungle. She hides and then bites. You have to treat the wound before the poison spreads.]
Before the poison spreads…
Ella carefully met Baldwin’s eyes. His mysterious violet eyes shined like glass.
‘He’s serious.’
For some reason, Baldwin truly hated his own mother. It was more than dislike—it was disgust.
As Ella replayed their conversation, she realized something chilling. The whole time, Baldwin called his mother “Madam.”
There was not a bit of warmth in that cold title. It was like talking to a stranger.
But for Anais, he called her “my wife.” As if Anais was his only family.
That difference made Ella lower her guard.
‘Looks like I’m on Her Grace’s side after all!’
Baldwin was the master of the house. It’s only natural for the weak to attach themselves to the powerful.
The strong should face the strong.
Ella decided to make her choice for Anais. It would be hard for Anais to fight the “snake” alone.
No one knows more about how nobles act than the maids do.
Ella nodded carefully.
“Yes, I’ll do my best!”
Baldwin paused at her words. Ella became even more nervous when she saw a true smile appear at the corner of his eyes.
At that moment, Baldwin thought of Anais.
‘I’ll do my best.’
It seemed that master and servant were alike after all.
