~Chapter 06~
As the carriage carrying El departed, Lisa, who was standing by the large window, asked Lady Peyton,
“Who was that young lady who just left? I don’t think I’ve seen her before…”
“Who? Oh! She’s a distant relative of the Hyem family. Her family… yes, I believe she’s from the Moora baron family.”
“The Moora baron family?”
“They weren’t a weak family before, but after the Moora baron passed away, their fortunes completely declined. So even though she’s a noble lady, she works for a living. Brina helps her a lot.”
“The Moora baron family…”
Lisa’s eyes narrowed.
She had purposely come to the place where the young ladies were having their tea, hoping to meet more noble ladies for Calen’s wedding.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar word in their conversation—Lar Gorge.
It was a story from a novel.
Since it was a popular romance novel among young ladies, even the clever Conrad couldn’t find out.
The young lady from the Moora baron family was close to the person Lisa was looking for.
She decided to find out more about the young lady with the blue-green eyes immediately.
***
After leaving the dress shop, El looked at the 10 silver coins in her hand and smiled happily.
The clothes Brina gave her were quite expensive.
Although she sold her old clothes cheaply, 10 silver coins was a lot of money for her.
She was grateful to Brina, who always helped her.
“For now, I don’t have to worry about buying bread.”
After her father died, the biggest problem was making a living.
But the things she could do were limited—she could tend the garden or sell embroidery.
For her, 10 silver coins was a large amount of money that could cover several months of food if she saved it carefully.
Feeling good, she put the money safely in her pocket.
“John will take some time to come. I’ll quickly visit the library.”
Just as she put bread into her basket and was heading to the library, a stranger blocked her path.
“Are you Miss Eloise Moora?”
The man, dressed quite nicely and middle-aged, looked at her with a faint smile.
“Yes, I am. Who are you?”
She hugged her basket tightly in caution.
The man bowed lightly.
“Madam Elias requests to see you. If it’s not inconvenient, please come with me.”
At the man’s polite words, Eloise froze and looked at the carriage behind him.
Seeing the crossed swords and white lilies on the carriage, she swallowed nervously.
It was the Elias family crest.
Although she had never met Madam Elias, the family was very famous, so she knew the crest.
It seemed true.
Since a noblewoman of high rank called for her, Eloise nodded and followed.
Even after passing through the gate, it took more time to reach the main building.
Passing through a huge garden, the carriage stopped in front of a mansion.
The entrance was high, and the stairs seemed to go on forever.
Entering the magnificent mansion, Eloise unconsciously hunched her shoulders.
The pressure on her whole body was overwhelming.
“Let me take your things.”
A servant took the basket she was holding, and the middle-aged man guided her ahead.
Standing in front of a door with beautiful carvings, the man knocked sharply.
Eloise tensed and hunched her shoulders again.
“I am Eloise Moora, young lady of the Moora baron family.”
Inside the parlour sat a plump lady.
Eloise quietly took a deep breath and politely greeted her.
“I am Eloise Moora of the Moora baron family.”
“I’m Lisa Elias. You must be surprised by the sudden invitation. Please sit.”
“Thank you.”
Eloise sat opposite Lisa, keeping her back straight and slightly lowering her gaze.
Lisa was quite pleased with this behaviour.
She had learnt manners, even though the family had fallen.
Tea and cookies were served, and while Eloise was still dazed, Lisa looked at her gently and said,
“You look even more intelligent up close.”
“Thank you.”
“May I ask, can you read and write?”
“Yes, I can.”
“I heard you are acting as the head of your household. That must be hard.”
Lisa’s questions followed, her voice carrying a hint of sympathy.
Eloise folded her hands neatly and looked straight at Lisa.
It was hard to grasp exactly what she was getting at.
The duchess wouldn’t have invited a poor young lady from a fallen noble family just for idle chatter.
“May I ask why you called me here?”
Lisa smiled at the boldness in the tone.
There had to be a certain firmness to deal with someone as tough as Kalen.
Lisa already liked the young woman, even though they had only been together for ten minutes.
“I would like you to do me a favour.”
“A favour?”
Surely, if the Elias family were looking for an attendant for the duchess, the line of applicants would stretch down the block.
So why had she come looking for her, of all people?
Eloise couldn’t understand.
“To be precise, I want you to read letters sent to my son.”
“Letters sent to your son?”
If it were Elias’s son, it must be the famous Duke Kalen.
A man immensely wealthy, close to the royal family, and above all, strikingly handsome—he was wildly popular among the ladies of society.
Letters addressed to such a man?
El tilted her head, confused.
“Are you perhaps talking about letters from abroad? I’m sorry, but I don’t know any foreign languages.”
“No, they’re written in our language.”
Our language?
Then why would he need someone to read them?
That made even less sense.
What kind of letters were these that she wanted a stranger to read for her?
Her voice grew cautious.
“Is there some kind of problem with the Duke?”
Lisa sighed deeply, as if burdened by the weight of the world.
“If the letters can’t be understood even after reading, then yes, that’s a problem. The letters are… love letters.”
“Love letters?”
“Yes. They just can’t make heads or tails of their meaning, so they struggle to read them properly. That’s why I want Miss Moora to read them.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re a literate noblewoman who desperately needs money. And above all, because it’s a secretive task, I need someone trustworthy who can keep quiet.”
Lisa spoke plainly, without beating around the bush.
El took a deep breath.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but it was okay—there was no trace of pity or superiority in Lisa’s tone.
Still, it was not something she could do.
El stood up and bowed politely.
“I’m sorry. I don’t believe I’m the right person for the job.”
Lisa was taken aback.
Surely she needed the money—why refuse?
From what Lisa had gathered about El, she was in desperate need of funds.
“May I ask why you refuse?”
“If it’s serving you, I would consider it, but serving the Duke? I must decline.”
For an unmarried noblewoman to serve an unmarried nobleman carried clear implications.
Though Kalen wasn’t known as a womaniser, who knew what went on behind the scenes?
It was difficult to accept that reading letters was all that was required to do such a favour for a poor noble girl.
Perhaps reading her thoughts, Lisa hurriedly added as she stood.
“It’s not like that. You just need to read the letters.”
“I’m sorry. My mother is waiting, so I must be going.”
El gave her farewell and left.
Lisa wore a troubled expression—things were not unfolding as easily as she’d hoped.
El even refused the carriage Lisa offered and walked home.
***
It was late evening, darkness blanketing everything, when she finally arrived home.
She sighed, looking down at her swollen feet.
“All those rumours about their high status must be lies. To ask a girl to serve the Duke—if a woman is in such need, why not just marry him? Hmph. What? They don’t even understand love letters? Do they have selective dyslexia when it comes to romance?”
Even if she were offered a million gold coins, she wouldn’t do it.
Though her family name was fading, she hadn’t lost her pride as a noblewoman.
She thought she had forgotten about the matter.
Whatever she had done might have been an insult to the Duchess, so she assumed she would never be called again.
But a few days later, the middle-aged man showed up at her door once more.
“My name is Carl. I’m the Elias family butler.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your offer. Please leave.”
Worried that her mother, Laura, might overhear, El hurried into the house and locked the door.
If it were truly just about reading letters, they wouldn’t be this persistent.
It was definitely about serving him.
Laura peeked out from her room and asked,
“What’s going on? That was a really loud noise.”
“Just a salesman. He is not going to accept no.
“…You must always carry yourself with grace, Eloise.”
“Yes, Mother.”
The cold tone she had used with Carl had already softened, replaced by the polished voice of a refined noble lady.
***
A few days later, Eloise found herself at the market, cautiously scanning her surroundings as she sold cabbages from her basket.
Because of the Duchess’s watchful eyes, she hadn’t been able to come to the market for several days, and now her food supplies were nearly gone.
She could have quickly bought only what she needed and left, but with so little money to spare, she couldn’t afford to waste a single coin.
Holding her basket filled with fresh cabbage, Eloise called out to the passing crowd.
“Fresh cabbages! Get your cabbages here!”
Five or six years ago, when she first came to the market, she had been so shy she couldn’t say a word and had simply turned away.
But now, she was skilled enough to even haggle with customers.
“These cabbages were picked just today! Two bronzes each!”
“Are you sure they’re fresh from today?”
“Absolutely! Would you like to try one?”
Among the market-goers, a man who didn’t seem like someone who’d shop at a humble market carefully picked up one of her cabbages with his large hands and examined it closely.
His jet-black hair gleamed as if dusted with stardust, and his sharply defined nose stood tall and smooth like a fly could slide right off.
He had a clear pink lip and a slightly pale face, and he had a captivating quality.
His broad shoulders stretched as far as Wyden Square, and his jawline was sharp enough to cut glass.
He was so tall that it was necessary to tilt one’s head back to meet his eyes.
More than six feet, no doubt.
Wow.
The word formed in her mind all on its own.
He was a breathtakingly handsome man—one who would make anyone involuntarily exclaim in awe!
