The Fantasie of a Stepmother

Chapter 10

I’ve never had this feeling before.

Even when my husband suddenly collapsed, or when he died, or when the children were ill, or when I was ill... even when I brought “lovers” to the castle, the estate had never put me on edge like this.

“Um...”

I jumped at the sound of a voice from behind me.

“What in heaven’s name?!” I whirled to glare in its direction, only to discover a knight of the house, and relaxed. “What is it?”

Knights rarely ever approached me and spoke directly.

Their jobs were to protect the estate and its masters. All reports and petitions were given to and delivered by the captain to the head of the house.

There were occasional in-person reports, but these were always from the captain or vice-captain. The knights themselves were also careful not to cause any problems.

So what in God’s name could have inspired this young knight to approach me with that hesitant look on his face?

“You... dropped your handkerchief.”

There indeed was a lovely yellow lace handkerchief at the end of the knight’s large hand, stretched toward me.

Instead of taking it, I stared at him. The handkerchief, with such a repulsive design, was not mine.

Few people would blame me if I assumed this hot-blooded young man had fallen in love with me and was making a move. But that wasn’t what I was thinking.

My thoughts weren’t so rosy.

“Thank you.”

With a slight smile, I leaned forward to take the handkerchief. The moment I started leaning back, a whisper grazed my ear.

“The captain requests an audience.”

What? This mystery keeps getting deeper.

If the captain wished to meet with me, the process was simple. He would make a request to the butler, then come find me. So why would he be so careful to make this request in secret? Why doesn’t the captain trust the butler?

My thoughts began to race. I strode to the study.

“Roberto!”

“Yes, my lady? I am glad to see you well.”

“Call the captain of the knights and the head maid here immediately,” I told him. “Make sure as few people as possible take note.”

I knew I could trust the butler, Roberto, and the head maid, Gwen. The knight captain, Alberon, was trustworthy too. If I got them in the same room, I would be able to find out just what was going on.

Roberto seemed to sense something in my tone. He went to carry out his task without another word.

I don’t know how many minutes I spent tapping at my mahogany desk before the trio entered one by one. They were tense. I told them to sit down and closed the door.

Roberto and Gwen exchanged glances of worry and suspicion. Alberon, meanwhile, was watching me silently, trying to read me with his calm blue eyes.

There was a time when his imposing demeanor was enough to scare me, but I knew now that there were few people so honorable.

“Sir Alberon.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Who picked that handkerchief?”

Silence. The taciturn captain said nothing.

I sighed and turned to the other two. “Gwen, Roberto. Is there something you know?”

“Pardon? My lady, I do apologize, but I don’t know what you mean by a handkerchief.”

Gwen and Roberto’s faces told of honest confusion. Alberon glanced at them and hesitated.

I get it. We haven’t earned each other’s trust yet.

“Sir Alberon, I know how honorable a man you are and that your care for this house is sincere,” I began. “If you don’t trust these two, trust me. If your concerns have anything to do with the children, you must not delay in telling me.”

The faithful butler and head maid, whose families had served this house for generations, looked at the captain, aghast. Likewise, the faithful captain regarded me, calculating, for a long time.

“I think you already know about it to some extent, my lady,” he finally spoke.

“Know what?”

“I know this is not within my jurisdiction,” he went on in his deep voice, “but I have hesitated until now because I wondered if your ladyship was looking the other way.”

“So tell me,” I said. “What did you suspect I was looking away from?”

Silence.

“Does this have anything to do with Sir Valentino or Countess Sebastian?” I asked. “I invited them to stay so the children could adjust quickly, surrounded by family. If the behavior of all three of you is any indication, the opposite seems to have occurred. What is going on?”

A strange silence followed. The three exchanged looks.

Alberon finally spoke up, shame in his voice that had not been there before. “The fact is... there have been a few reports from the knights, my lady. As you know, Sir Valentino has been visiting every afternoon to teach swordsmanship to young master Elias.”

Sure. I was the one who agreed to that.

“Pardon me for saying, my lady... but the reports state that Sir Valentino’s discipline toward young master Elias is excessive,” Alberon said. “Of course, I am aware that this is none of our business, but...”

I felt a chill. “Even if this is a matter between an uncle and nephew, it is reasonable for you to express your concern as a vassal of this house. Go on.”

“I apologize, but the young master appears to be receiving severe punishments every day,” he said. “As I am sure you are aware, even the late marquess did not treat the young masters so harshly.”

Is this how it feels for one’s blood to run cold?

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

Calm. Breathe in, breathe out. Let’s calm down for now. I need to cool my head and think.

“Sir Alberon.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I can guarantee my trust in you, but I must point out two contradictions,” I said. “Elias is not someone who would quietly suffer abuse. If this were the case, I would have heard about it.”

“Yes, that also puzzles me,” Alberon agreed. “I don’t understand why the young master has entreated the knights to do otherwise.”

“Entreated them?”

“Yes, my lady. He ordered them not to tell anyone.”

I was astounded. Elias did what? Why would he make such an unusual request? It’s unlike him.

Is it... his pride? What value does pride have? Children are so stupid!

Neither I nor my husband had ever hit the children.

Well, that’s not entirely true. Johan slapped Elias across the face once, but even then, he was a child whose father had never hit him before.

I held my head, which was beginning to ache.

Alberon eyed me carefully, then cleared his throat. “And, my lady. I have an inquiry for my own sake.”

“Hm?”

“I heard a rumor that you might leave soon, my lady.”

My eyes went wide as saucers. “...What are you talking about?” As I gawked, the three of them exchanged looks once again.

Roberto spoke up. “My lady, then, do you truly have no plans to leave?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” I breathed.

“M-my lady,” Gwen jumped in. “Does that mean you will be staying?”

I didn’t have the words for the absurd situation in which I found myself.

Of course, I had thoughts of whether leaving this place would be better, but I had never once said it out loud. If I planned to leave, it would be at the most appropriate moment and not at the behest of anyone else.

“Who in the world...? Wait, wait,” I stammered. “Fine. So you’ve all been assuming that I was leaving?”

They nodded.

Oho.

“And from whom did you hear this?”

“Um... well, the young masters and mistress began to ask questions along those lines.”

“Why has no one said anything about this to me until now? Roberto? Gwen? Sir Alberon?”

There was a brief and icy silence that lasted a few seconds. They all stared at me, dazed, and then all three of them erupted into quarrels.

“I made multiple requests to the butler, saying that I must make an in-person report with your ladyship,” Alberon said. “But over these past two weeks, nothing happened. It’s like all the employees here have been bribed.”

“What, is this true?” Roberto was shocked. “My lady, I never received such a request from the captain. This is also the first I am hearing about this matter with young master Elias. I don’t know what is going on.”

“I apologize, my lady, but I am also on the same page,” said Gwen. “I became anxious learning that you might leave, but I did not want to ask before you mentioned it to me, and then you were also ill.”

I almost snorted. I was furious, yet it seemed only laughter was inside of me.

Everything suddenly made sense. The cautious looks from the head maid and the butler. The strange attitudes from the knights. The ominous atmosphere throughout the estate.

“For now, all three of you must pretend not to know anything,” I ordered. “Roberto, gather all the employees for a meeting during the afternoon rest hour.”

***

“Elias! Hey you, have you seen Elias?”

“N-no, my lady.”

Why was it that, just when I needed them, Jeremy and Elias were not in their rooms?

Would it kill them to stay put for even a moment?

The knights nearly fainted when they saw me. They had been leisurely chatting amongst themselves, wiping their swords, when, after searching the entire estate, I ran over to the drill hall.