FOR A PERFECT YOUNG MISS (7)
Raw provider: Tsalispark
Translator: Rhyme_Bean
Editor: SilverAndGold
Claire had learnt nothing from the lessons the Viscountess gave. Today morning, rather than staying beside Claire , Beth stood aside at the gate and waited for the Viscountess to arrive. Today too, without fail, a familiar carriage arrived and a familiar person came out.
The Viscountess believed herself to be the most magnanimous to the lower class people than anyone else – a kind and just person. Truly, she was a highly narcissistic person.
The Viscountess looked paler than usual and her face seemed hollow, as if she brooded over what happened yesterday, without sleeping. Beth called out for the Viscountess and when she turned and looked at her, Beth bit her lip and walked towards her.
“What’s the matter?,” the Viscountess asked.
“I am not sure if a commoner like me should say these words…..”
“Say, I am giving you permission.”
“Respectable madame, unlike before, your body seems unwell. I am worried.”
Like petals fluttering in the wind, the warm and gentle tone of Beth, just like the spring breeze sweetly entered the Viscountess’s ears. Her heart also moved slightly because of the term Respectable.
Actually, because of the words spoken by the Countess yesterday, she was nervous all day long and had a breakdown.
“I look unwell?”
“Y… Yes…. The worries never burdened madame’s face, always looking graceful and dignified…. Did something happen today? Did Madame drag your sick body for the sake of our Young Miss?”
Beth looked at the Viscountess with respectful eyes which she faked as much as possible, as there was not even a gram of respect she held for the Viscountess. Beth paved a way for the Viscountess, though she was well aware of the truth. The Viscountess who didn’t know the truth cleared her throat for no reason and said.
“It’s that. . . It’s my duty to teach your Young Miss.” Saying those words the Viscountess turned towards the mansion.
“When I was first asked to teach young miss Claire I was taken back, since I have never taught a half-bake. But I tried to teach her as best as possible. How is it the child’s fault to be born like that?”
Bullshit.
She was fully aware that from the start, the Viscountess didn’t have any intention to properly teach Claire. But when she saw the Viscountess make out a way for herself, Beth just felt awed.
“But it seems it was too much. In any case….. you know, right?”
What does she mean by saying I knew? Beth rolled her eyes. The Viscountess looked at Beth with a glimmer of expectation in her eyes.
Aha.
The Viscountess expected Beth to agree with her to cut down the Countess. Beth was an employee of the Earl Mansion. So in front of her, she couldn’t directly swear at the Countess. So what she meant was Beth to become her accomplice.
Though Beth saw through what was going inside of the Viscountess, she acted ignorant. She answered in a small voice, “The Countess loves her family very much.”
It’s an open secret that the Countess doesn’t think of Claire as her family. The Viscountess smiled softly as she deciphered the meaning behind Beth’s words, “Yes, she was always like that. I know her better than anyone as I have known her for a long time. Though she is bad at expressing …..”
“The madame should have understood Madame Viscountess’s heart.”
Beth surmised that at present, the one the Viscountess was most close with certainly was Countess Gordon. Since that was the case, if she came to know that she would not receive the invitation from the Countess….. No, in truth it was that she wasn’t able to receive the invitation.
If she was faced with such a truth, then her pride would be wounded a great deal. Seeing that the Countess did not invite the Viscountess implied that their relationship meant nothing to the Countess. The Viscountess would be the only one obsessed with this relationship.
The Viscountess was eager to let all know that she was noble among nobles. So for that, one of the things that she was obsessed with was the connection between the ladies. That might feel like your most trusted axe cutting your own throat.
“.….. The Countess is very thoughtful and a very affectionate person. Seeing the Madame Countess noticing our Young Miss’s insufficiency and waiting for her to realize it herself….”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Correct, my ass. I want to throw a punch.
“If Claire only pretends to understand just by listening to others’ words, will she learn anything? The nature of knowledge is realizing it oneself. If one learns because of others’ words, there won’t be any gain.”
As she heard the Viscountess’s long verbose of bullshit, she glared as if she wanted at the back of that desirous human. If stares could kill, she would have left the world long before.
“Whether knowingly or unknowingly, how I feel…. Countess Gordon very much…. No, nothing.”
“Not at all Madame! How much the Countess cares for madame!”
“Do you think that’s the case?”
Originally, maids should not be raising their voice, but the Viscountess did not look like she took offence.
“Of course. Everyday the Countess waits for the time of Madame’s arrival? Also she tries to make Madame spend an enjoyable time everyday.”
“Oh my, Really?”
“Yes, certainly!”
As if she liked Beth’s words, her mouth fluttered. “The Countess also commented that the Viscountess is the more sweet mouthed than anyone else.” She had said such nuance words before too, though the meaning was absolutely different. It might be at that time when they leisurely had their dessert after dinner.
When the Countess was having pineapple, she made a remark that the Viscountess must also like this fruit. So, the Countess said that she would pay a visit to the Viscountess and gave her pineapples herself….
“No. . . no. Having conversation with the Countess is so enjoyable that my throat will turn dry even before finishing any of those saccharin fruits.”
Ah, it’s different, different. Without even realizing herself, her suspicion towards the Countess rooted in the Viscountess’s mind.
At first the Countess was relieved to get someone to talk to, but those sweet words made her mind dizzy. Did she mean well by those sweet words? This dim-witted maid that was following her up, could she understand its meaning…. No, it’s certain.
Could it be that the Countess was happy only because she complimented only her? Thinking till there, those disappointing incidents that were just grazed by all these while came into her mind.
When I first met her, even though their eyes met, she just left even without greeting. But from some point, the Countess became close with her. It also happened that the day they promised to get the fitting for the hat, the Countess suddenly dragged her into the jewelry shop saying that she wanted to buy a necklace.
She also brought the ruby pendant that I secretly desired out of the blue and bragged about it. Other than just these, there were also many suspicious incidents.
In truth, there were not even few among these incidents that the Countess did on purpose, but in the eyes of the Viscountess, she already wore the coloured glasses of suspicion. Her suspicion began to slowly stretch out to such a degree that, even if a crow flew before her, she would suspect the Countess planned it on purpose.
Beth was able to see all these clearly. She had once done a part-time job as a counsellor in A/S Service Center for two months, but had to quit it after being noticed by a strange guy and was stalked. Anyway, it was not one or two days, she confronted those honored guests, who thought themselves to be smart and got in a battle of wits with the staff as they pleased.
In those two months, that one can be said as short, those fights Beth fought with Aunties and Uncles… even with grandpas – were not a joke. So for such a person, these types of aloof and detached nobles wives were not hard to read.
“.……”
Thinking of that, she really could not understand the thoughts of Kedrick. Was it because he was a swindler that he was too good at hiding his thoughts?
Thinking about that slimy mug faced guy, her eyebrows wrinkled and lips pouted before she realized it. Though she erased it before other employees saw it as there was almost no need to put on a discontent expression, an unfamiliar feeling crept over her.
Usually the Viscountess would go to visit the Countess before meeting Claire. But today, she didn’t go to visit the Countess, rather she went straight towards the drawing room where Claire waited for her.
“The young miss Claire, now seems slowly accommodating the volition of education… it’s not bad to start the lessons.”
It must turn out like that when one becomes beautifully crazy.
Isn’t these the sort of people cases referred to – to be crazy one must be nicely crazy. The Viscountess who seemed to be crazy but still continuously spat in a gentle tone. Beth shook her head.
But even if it was for a short duration of time, rather than being taught by a self-taught commoner like herself, it’s more advantageous for Claire to be taught by an aristocrat. When such thoughts flashed through Beth’s mind, without any hesitation, she followed after the Viscountess.
When Claire came to know that the Viscountess came for her, she felt it odd. When the class was about to start in full swing, Claire’s bewildered eyes wandered all around the room. Claire felt surprised for the second time, as she saw Beth still in the room, when the Lesson was about to commence.
Originally, the Viscountess was supposed to be right – Claire couldn’t adapt to it. The Viscountess didn’t like the half bake Claire, so she didn’t bother to teach her even once. But seeing the well-mannered Claire, she felt taken back.
And at the same time, her discontent emotions towards the Countess burst out. She also felt sympathetic when she saw that Claire was tormented. But leaving all this out, how much did the countess try to isolate this kind and young child? The Viscountess cursed the Countess in her mind.
The Viscountess thought that she was too good-hearted that she was deceived by a bad person. She believed it to be the clearest truth and didn’t doubt it at all.
Towards her such transparent thoughts, Beth felt a bitter taste in her mouth. In truth, it was not that she was good at reading others’ thoughts, it’s just that the Viscountess was way too transparent….
* * *
That afternoon, the Countess called for Beth.
“Where is Viscountess Effie?”
Beth blinked her eyes which glazed with a mysterious glint and she bowed her head and answered, “The Viscountess went back to her residence.”
“What?”
She felt disappointed as the Viscountess didn’t come in the morning to visit her, but she waited and wondered if something had happened. Because if it was as usual, she would have come to meet her as soon as she arrived, but today she didn’t show her face even for once.
She waited for such a long time, but the Viscountess just went back to residence after the lesson?
Was she unable to meet her because she was busy or got some important things to do? She pressed hard no to show her restlessness. With a calm voice she asked Beth, “Was there not any other reason?”
“Yes…..”
“No, why is there nothing? What is such a pressing matter for her to leave without even a note of message?”
“Only….”
“Only what?”
The Viscountess felt the shabby maid who stood before her and hesitated whether to say it or not. The Viscountess gestured her head as if asking her to speak out.
“Her eyes looked brutal….. I didn’t even dare to look up.”
But she didn’t forget to stutter out the words. Even with such bloodshot eyes, the Viscountess stood staring in the direction of the madame for a while before she returned.
The Countess tightly clenched her teeth and ground them.