C18
Bianca wondered if perhaps she had responded too harshly to the maid. Frankly, she should have congratulated her instead of scolding her. It was thanks to the maid, who had explained the situation well to Vincent, that everything had been arranged very well.
Although Bianca regretted her cold response, she had no idea how she should have responded, since it had been too long since she had last engaged on friendly terms with a servant girl. The maid was like a ship that had already sailed while Bianca was left alone in her room. She bit her lip, stifling apologetic words lingering in her mouth, and rested her chin on her hand.
The window glass fogged up from Bianca's breath. She put her hand on the cold wall. The cold draft from the walls cooled the burning heat of her hand.
It wasn't long before the same maid returned for Bianca, but this time with a basin of water and a clean cloth. She smiled awkwardly, unable to draw Bianca any closer to her.
"Ma'am, if you don't want to call a doctor, let me treat your hand with herbal water." She will relieve the swelling and burning of the hand,” said the maid, her eyes round, simple and sincere.
She was perhaps five years older than Bianca, but the maid was still a naive young woman. She stood up as she held the basin, calmly waiting for her approval. Bianca blinked at the maid, whose brown eyes twinkled with concern as she added a silent "Please, ma'am."
—……..
Bianca was speechless, asking herself the same question she had asked herself several times before. Just because? She was aware that she had a cold heart without a hint of warmth, and she was not only lazy and didn't fulfill any of her duties, but she was also a difficult mistress to serve. She also knew that this was the reason why her servants did not want her.
-… Thank you. Bianca said after much difficulty.
She was confused as to why this maiden in front of her was now showing concern for her.
-Of course Miss.
The maid smiled. She let out a sigh and ran a hand across her chest as if she was relieved before stepping forward with the basin. She knelt in front of Bianca and dipped the cloth into the water.
Various unidentifiable herbs floated on top of the steaming water, a herbaceous scent filling the air. After wringing out the cloth, the maid carefully wiped Bianca's palm dry, but as soon as the cloth touched the stinging area, Bianca automatically winced. The maid continued to gently rub the wound, carefully as if she were removing the layer of fat on the milk.
As the maid concentrated on tending to the wound, Bianca gazed dazedly at the top of the maid's head, feeling a dark lurch in her chest. The maiden's light brown hair looked warm and thick, like straw in the sun's rays. Her touch resembled a mother cat's tongue licking at the protective coating of her newborn kitten. The maid's warm actions brought back memories of Bianca's nanny, Jean.
Jean had adored Bianca, following her to Arno's castle, and the latter had always believed that she would never need anyone else as long as she had her nanny. Jean had taught Bianca many things she needed to know, including the reserved and elegant lady that her mother was, what it meant to be the lady of a house, how to embroider, how to calculate and determine the inventory of candles and the number of heads of candles. livestock.…
But such an ordinary life could not continue for long. Jean had succumbed to lung disease when Bianca was 13 years old. Jean had been the one for Bianca, who not only believed no one else could replace her, but she didn't want to go through the pain of losing someone she opened up to a second time.
However, the current Bianca was someone who had lived to be 38 years old before going back in time. Jean's death became a vague memory, and although Bianca had tried to ignore the pain of death, she realized that it was impossible. Her father, her brother, and her husband… They had all died and left her behind.
White was alone. Not because they had all died and left her alone, but because she had become scared and isolated long before her death. That was why she had made the stupid mistake of falling in love with Fernand.
She didn't want such a life; she didn't want to repeat her past life.
Perhaps it was because a person's values and nature weren't easily changed after experiencing death, but Bianca didn't think to change her attitude. She still saw the maids as tools that followed her orders, and she didn't think of being friendly and intentionally cultivating affection for them.
But, at most, something like opening the door should be fine.
Bianca had that courage, at least.
"...What's your name?" she asked, her voice faint as the song of a small bird.
“My name is Yvonne, ma'am.
Yvonne smiled a smile that was neither pretentious nor guileful.
Most of the servants at Arno Castle were unhappy with Bianca, so much so that Bianca knew it. Although there was public disgust that Bianca enjoyed all the privileges of a countess while she abandoned all the duties and responsibilities required of one, they also felt a personal dislike for Bianca stemming from her sharp and ruthless behavior. They didn't question why Bianca treated the people around her so harshly, and would most likely not sympathize with her even if they knew her reason, simply dismissing it as the whimpering of a spoiled lady.
But Yvonne was not part of that majority. She had a younger sister who was about Bianca's age. Her family was far from well off, and even though Yvonne worked as a maid so she could buy food to send to her family, hunger was still a problem for them. Eventually her younger sister married a much older carpenter who lived several houses down to eliminate one more mouth to feed at the table.
"Don't worry, sister. I'll never be able to offer a sizeable dowry, so my marriage prospects are limited anyway. At least I won't starve if I marry him.
Yvonne's younger sister had tried to alleviate some of Yvonne's worry, but it was obvious that her married life would not be exactly happy. But Yvonne could do nothing about it other than pray for her sister's happiness from far away from her in her place at Arno Castle.
That's why Bianca weighed more heavily on Yvonne's heart. Seeing Bianca alone in this huge castle reminded Yvonne of her younger sister, making her uneasy. Besides, hadn't Bianca lost her nanny, who was like a mother to her, only three years ago? The times Yvonne had occasionally seen Bianca standing alone in the hallway and looking out the window, there had always been a deep loneliness on the latter's shoulders.
“Okay, then, Yvonne. Do you think you'd be able to do this again tomorrow? It definitely seems to have an effect.
It was said as a suggestion, but to the listener it felt closer to an irrefutable command. It may have been because of Bianca's pushy behavior that came naturally to him. Her pale green eyes were calm, as if she was sure Yvonne would accept.
But Yvonne could feel the fear of rejection lurking beneath Bianca's stubborn and seemingly unyielding tongue. Besides, hadn't she asked Bianca to treat her hands again tomorrow? Bianca never had the same maid do an exclusive task on a regular basis.
Instead of calling a specific maid to take care of specific tasks, Bianca simply gave orders to a new maid whenever she had something that needed to be attended to. That is why Bianca was considered a demanding and troublesome superior. She didn't even remember the names of the servants. No, from the beginning, she didn't even ask their names.
Sensing the subtle change in Bianca, Yvonne quickly responded in a cheerful tone.
-Of course Miss.
A small smile appeared on Bianca's lips once she heard the maid's affirmative response. It was a very subtle smile, even hard to tell if the corners of her lips turned up or not, but it was enough to cause a scent like blooming violets to waft through the air.
Yvonne blinked, witnessing Bianca's smile for the first time. Her heart swelled, feeling as if she were watching a white fox drop its guard and carefully rub her head against her hand.
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