C77
"That's ridiculous! How could she do that with an escort?"
"Well, it's just my assumption. Or maybe she's having a secret meeting with her escort... he seemed quite dignified."
Celine recalled the massive escort that followed Bianca. She couldn't even remember how big he was or what his face looked like. But she remembered how the outline of his pants looked. It was the perfect size for a secret meeting.
As Celine gestured, the face of Baroness Gildard, with her ash-blonde hair, turned red. Not because she was shy, but because she was too excited about the provocative story. She fervently defended Bianca, but everyone knew she was just pretending.
"If Count Arno finds out, it will be a disaster!"
"But this is the capital. Even a bored young woman like her could dream of romance."
The blonde aristocratic women made a fuss. They weren't really interested in knowing whether Bianca was seeking a secret lover or having an affair with her escort. Right now, in any case, it was important to crush Bianca and elevate their own self-esteem. Catherine was terrified, unable to join or leave this conversation.
"...I, ladies."
At that moment, one of the maids cautiously interrupted them.
It was Catherine's maid, with hair even more beautiful than the three noble ladies who claimed to be blonde. The jealous noblewomen glared at her. Baroness Gildard pointed her finger at the maid, deeply indignant.
"Why are you interrupting? Do you know that your arrogance is tarnishing the honor of Countess Davoville?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be arrogant. However, I know a story that might be of your interest..."
The maid bowed her waist. Each time she did that, the blonde hair hanging on the side of her ears would flutter down and shimmer in the sunlight. Not only was her hair beautiful, but her face was quite pretty as well. The appearance of the maid sent a chill down their spines, but they were curious about what she knew.
The maid was a young girl brought by Catherine. It was customary for the maid not to speak unless the owner, Catherine, allowed it. The eager eyes of the noble blondes were fixed on Catherine. If Catherine didn't allow it, they would insist until she did. Catherine sighed. She didn't have the energy to dissuade them.
"Fine. Speak."
The moment Catherine gave permission in a tone of helplessness, a strange smile appeared on the lips of the blonde women, as if they were trying to hide their joy. It was a smile full of pretense and hypocrisy, trying to cover up their inner filth.
---
When Yvonne encountered the noblewomen in the garden, she felt delighted inside. She had the expectation that Bianca could dispel the rumors by meeting with them.
But things started to get weirder. Bianca's reaction was sharp, feeling disgusted with the young women who were explicitly probing her. Yvonne also knew that the best thing Bianca could do was to offer them the least courtesy.
"But will it really be okay? What if they get offended by Madam's attitude and spread false rumors...?"
Yvonne looked at the noblewomen with concern. Meanwhile, she spotted a familiar figure among the maids behind the noblewomen. Yvonne, realizing who it was, widened her eyes.
"Why is Ante here...?"
After Ante was expelled from Arno's property, no one knew where she went. Perhaps she returned to her hometown, or maybe she went to the house of a nobleman who used to flirt with her. The maids proposed many hypotheses, but nothing was certain.
While only speculations abounded, Ante gradually faded from their memories. Those who had accused Yvonne of being a traitor after Ante's expulsion gradually stopped harassing her, and after Bianca taught some maids how to knit, they tried to impress Bianca once again.
The forgotten woman must have arrived in the capital as a maid to a nobleman. Does she know that Yvonne is among them?
Yvonne made sure there was no one around and immediately called Bianca.
"Madam, Madam!"
"What's the matter?"
"You know, those nobles."
"Yes, yes. Those unpleasant people."
Bianca responded irritably. She didn't want to think about them again.
If it were the usual Yvonne, she would have closed her mouth at this point, but she couldn't because today's matter was important. Yvonne hurriedly urged Bianca.
"One of the maids who were following those nobles was Ante. Remember? That Ante who was expelled after fighting against Madam!"
"Ante...? Who was she...?"
Bianca frowned and tilted her head. She repeated Ante's name and tried to recall the maids who were behind the vulgar nobles she had met before. But she still couldn't remember her. She had many other headaches. Remembering equated to importance. Bianca wasn't relaxed enough to worry about the name of the maid who had been expelled. Bianca shook her head.
Upon hearing that, Yvonne opened her mouth. Still, how could she forget Ante? It has been a while since Ante was dismissed, but only about six months.
Moreover, the fact that Yvonne became Bianca's maid was also related to the matter of Ante. As much as their first encounter was entangled, it was a bit disappointing that Bianca couldn't remember. Yvonne asked again, trying not to show her discomfort.
"Don't you remember? Madam slapped her, so I applied a poultice on her hand."
"Oh yes... I remember you applied a compress to my hands."
Then Yvonne's face relaxed. Although she couldn't remember Ante, Yvonne was touched to hear that she remembered her. To be honest, don't people remember the bad times longer than the good ones?
What Ante did to Bianca must have been more memorable than what Yvonne did to Bianca. Madam is a generous person. Yvonne sighed with admiration and shook her head.
"That's right. That happened. Still, with that temperament, she became a maid in a noble family in such a short time."
Bianca admired. There was even astonishment in her whisper. How did she become a maid with that irritating temperament that only relied on her appearance?
Self-control and perseverance were essential to become a maid who took care of a noblewoman, rather than a servant who helped with castle tasks.
The Ante in her memory didn't resemble that kind of person. She didn't know who the noble was who chose such a woman as a maid among the four, but she thought they had no eye for people.
As Bianca seemed to remember Ante, an excited Yvonne continued speaking.
"I wondered where the rumors about Madam had spread, but now I know why. It's clear that girl spread her loose mouth everywhere."
"Well... she hasn't been like that for just a day or two. But have there been rumors about me?"
"Yes! Very bad rumors! We need to do something about it. Madam's reputation is diminishing day by day. Ah... but don't worry too much. They're not rumors worth worrying about..."
Yvonne, who was indignant at Ante's actions, chattered unconsciously before realizing it a moment later. She shouldn't have told Madam about the rumors. What should she do if Madam worries about them...?
Gaspard sighed from behind. Yvonne glared at him, but she had nothing to say, not even with ten mouths because she was careless. Instead of saying something to Gaspard, Yvonne hurried to resolve it, saying it wasn't a big deal.
Unlike the terrified Yvonne, Bianca was calm. Although Ante had been arrogant in the past, Bianca had forgotten all about it.
What grudge could Bianca hold? She was used to people saying bad things about her. It wouldn't change just because she had arrived in the capital.
As long as she didn't cross the line, she was thinking of overlooking it to some extent without worrying about what Ante was doing behind the scenes. Bianca shook her head as if she didn't care much, and she even seemed relaxed.
"I can't do anything right now. I didn't see her spreading rumors either. I don't even know which family she belongs to. I don't even know which family those young women belonged to who were there."
"Trust me. I will definitely find out."
"Yes... well. If you want to, go ahead."
Yvonne, who boasted that she would find out Ante's whereabouts, seemed enthusiastic. All the motivation that Bianca lacked seemed to have gone to Yvonne.
Bianca, seeing Yvonne insisting so strongly for the first time in a long while, didn't even tell her not to do it and just nodded.
To her, what Yvonne wanted to do was more important than what Ante was doing.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)