Chapter 50. Helena Lowell
Knock knock—
After knocking on the door, Deborah quickly checked her attire once more.
-“Stop by the private room for a moment before starting work. ”
It was what Mrs. Charlotte had said to Deborah as she left the servants’ hall after the morning assembly.
Wondering if she had made some mistake again… With her face full of tension, pulling at her maid uniform, at that moment, finally, a presence came from inside.
“Come in.”
The voice that always sounded strict, she unwittingly swallowed dryly.
Deborah carefully opened the door and entered inside.
The first thing she saw was the desk placed in front.
Mrs. Charlotte, who had been sitting there, stood up from her seat and approached closer.
“Go over there and sit.”
Following Mrs. Charlotte’s words pointing to the small sofa, Deborah moved her steps there.
As soon as she sat down, Mrs. Charlotte placed what she had been holding in her hand on the table.
“It’s a letter addressed to you.”
“……To me?”
“See for yourself.”
“……”
With a slight nod of her head, at the gesture pointing to the letter with her eyes, Deborah’s gaze turned to the envelope placed in front of her.
A letter to her… Who on earth…
With an anxious heart, after hesitating for a long while, she finally took the letter in her hand.
As she slowly checked the sender written on the envelope’s surface with a tense gaze, Deborah’s eyes slowly widened greatly.
‘Helena Lowell’.
The moment she confirmed that name, Deborah’s expression bloomed like a fully opened flower.
‘Teacher!’
As if news had come from a blood relative whose contact had been cut off, an irrepressible joy appeared on Deborah’s face.
“If it’s Helena Lowell, perhaps the one who introduced you here…”
Deborah’s gaze, which had been fondly rubbing the letter, slowly rose upward.
She nodded slightly toward Mrs. Charlotte, who was staring intently at her.
“Yes, she’s my teacher.”
……That horrific day she never wanted to recall again, after barely escaping, the first person Deborah sought out was Helena.
There was no one else she could turn to.
The only person who had been warm to her.
With her help, she was able to enter as a lowly maid at Elpengreen without anyone knowing.
She didn’t know the exact connections, but because Helena had stepped forward as her guarantor of identity, it had been possible.
Mrs. Charlotte, who had hired Deborah at Greg’s request, also knew about those circumstances.
Hmm, with a low groan, Mrs. Charlotte asked no more.
Deborah, who had been worried about what if she delved deeper, let out a short sigh of relief.
“By the way, how have things been lately.”
“……Pardon?”
“At night, I mean.”
“Ah……”
Wondering what it was about, a short sound burst from Deborah’s mouth.
Sleepwalking. It was asking about that.
“After that…… It hasn’t happened even once.”
“……”
“……It’s true.”
At the gaze staring silently, Deborah added softly that it was really true.
It wasn’t exactly a lie.
……No, exactly once, really just once it had happened……
After realizing the sleepwalking had recurred, Deborah worried about whether it might happen again and confessed only to Hanna about it.
Hanna was startled, asking if such a thing had happened, but soon with a serious face, after pondering deeply, she came up with a good solution.
What if before going to sleep, we drag the dresser in front of the door.
If we put the dresser that the two of them could barely move together in front of it, even if she got into that state, it would be hard to push it out alone, and the loud noise in the middle of the night would wake her up, so wouldn’t that be fine.
She felt a bit sorry for Hanna, but Deborah naturally agreed it was a good idea.
-“Yawn, don’t you remember what happened last night? You had your eyes open, so I really thought you were awake. ”
A few days later in the morning, when Hanna, rubbing her sleepy eyes, told her about the night before, she felt quite seriously depressed…… But anyway, after that, it didn’t happen anymore.
So, it would be better not to bring up that one time, and Deborah cautiously gauged Mrs. Charlotte’s expression.
“By any chance, after that, the Du—.”
“……?”
Mrs. Charlotte, who had been staring piercingly at Deborah’s face for a long while, seemed like her mouth would finally open, but before the words could even be completed, it firmly closed again.
Deborah, who had no idea what it meant, just blinked her eyes.
“……No, it’s nothing. Then, you can go now.”
With a long sigh, Mrs. Charlotte finally signaled her dismissal.
* * *
[ To Deborah,
Deborah, time has already passed like this. Are you doing well?
I’m sorry for sending the letter late.
I knew you’d be waiting, so I wanted to send it quickly, but the surveillance was so tight that I couldn’t find an opportunity at all……
I left you there because it was a reliable place, but still, I’m worried.
I wonder if you’re adapting well to the new environment, how you’re managing in an unfamiliar place…… Your teacher is always worrying about you.
But you’re a kind and strong child, so your teacher believes you’ll overcome this difficult time well.
Deborah, do you remember what your teacher said?
That in life’s important moments, always trust yourself and follow the path your heart points to. Don’t ever forget and remember that always.
Even though it’s hard now, your teacher believes that happy moments will surely come to you.
Oh, and there’s good news.
Recently, the surveillance has loosened a bit, so I think I can come to see you soon.
I’ll decide on the time and place and send another letter at the appropriate time.
Until then, please take care of your health and stay well.
Helena.]
“……”
Was this the third time, or no, the fourth, I think.
With reddened eye rims, Deborah continued to read the letter over and over.
Helena Lowell.
She was the teacher who took care of the children at the orphanage where Deborah had been.
There were a few other teachers at the orphanage besides her, but Helena was a special person to Deborah.
A teacher, a family, a friend.
She had been able to endure those cold and painful moments because she was there.
And…… The one who had saved Deborah from that horrific nightmare was also her.
Even though it was lonely and hard because of that, unable to even see her face, a thread of hope arose at the words that they could meet soon.
“We can meet soon……”
Deborah sniffled and once again gently stroked the letter with her fingertips.
* * *
“Edward, seeing you on a day like today makes me even happier.”
“Ah, no.”
Haha, haha, at the sight of him scratching his head and grinning foolishly, Raymond’s brow furrowed slightly from the seat beside him.
His gaze shifted back to the single red begonia placed on the white tea table, and at that moment, the crease in his brow deepened further.
Tsk, clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction, Raymond brought the teacup he was holding to his lips.
“Cecilia has been so obviously waiting these past few days.”
“Mother, when have I.”
Hide that ear-to-ear grin a bit.
Glancing down at Cecilia pretending to be prim, Raymond let out a low snort.
What the hell is this pathetic nonsense.
He couldn’t help but be baffled at why he was standing in as a prop in such a ridiculous situation.
On a clear day without a cloud in the sky like this, going hunting would be far more productive and rewarding.
-:Ah, this weekend, I was thinking of stopping by briefly, you know. ”
-“……For what.”
-“Well, to see the Grand Duchess, have tea with you…… Killing two birds with one stone. ”
-“…..”
It wasn’t as if he was pretending to fall for such an obvious lie.
Raymond felt emotions he simply couldn’t understand.
Being swayed by every single one of Cecilia’s actions like that.
Instead of bringing a single flower like that, he should just formally propose and take her as his woman.
It wasn’t some childish love play, what the hell was that, tsk.
“Come to think of it, I don’t see Robin.”
After grinning vacantly, had he finally noticed the surroundings?
It seemed he only then realized that the face that always stuck to Raymond like a shadow was missing.
“He took the day off today.”
“A day off?”
The questioning tone was full of bewilderment.
And rightly so, because the Robin that Edward remembered was one of the very diligent aides who moved as one body with his master, Raymond.
Even when he had once joked to Raymond to give Robin some time off and work him to the bone,
-“Even if I give it, the guy doesn’t take it, what can I do. ”
Hadn’t he said that?
But suddenly a day off.
Well, the reason he was so puzzled about something he was naturally entitled to was exactly that.
“Isn’t it the day of St. Morian?”
Eleanor von Chester answered in his place.
“Perhaps he has a lady he likes now.”
With a grin, as the Grand Duchess lifted her teacup and smiled, shortly after, Edward nodded as if he understood, ah.
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By Anna 💓
