Chapter 14
“I didn’t have much social experience, so I mistook you for someone else. I was really grateful at the time.”
Idell's greeting quickly melted away the awkwardness, and the mood soon became warm and friendly. Even if they didn't realize it, people remembered Barbara's kindness instead of the sound of her leg.
Mrs. Radrick's plan to ridicule and isolate Barbara was thwarted.
Barbara, who smiled skillfully in keeping with Idell's lie, noticed why Idell had done that.
"You are very understanding, Miss."
“If I have offended you, I apologize.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Barbara did not offer her thanks directly or act warmly, but young Edel felt proud and relieved that she had helped a lady in her distress.
However, as the tea party progressed, Idil realized how naive she had been.
"Have you heard the news? Mrs. Oberon has finally filed for divorce from her husband!"
"truly?"
What began as a polite conversation at a tea party quickly turned into gossip about recent scandals in the community.
Having been defrauded of his fortune, Lord Oberon faced bankruptcy, but due to his noble pride, he refused to work for money. This does not mean, however, that he was capable of earning anything, apparently.
But with three children and servants, the expenses were staggering.
Finally, when all but one of the servants had been dismissed, Lady Oberon, against her husband's wishes, began working as an interpreter for the Melgar language. She had learned Melgar from her governess when she was young.
“The lady was saying that despite Ms. Oberon’s successful employment, she still had the nerve to ask for a divorce first.”
“That’s right. It seems she has abandoned all the virtues of a lady.”
"She works and earns money. What's wrong with that?"
As the conversation became increasingly offensive, Barbara, who had been quietly sipping her tea, interrupted with a comment.
“I heard that Lord Oberon opposed the offer made to Lady Oberon to work as an exclusive interpreter. Apparently, he found it embarrassing for others to see her at work.”
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Radrick laughed and disagreed.
“Of course, Lord Oberon will be ashamed. It is a matter of pride for him. His wife is leaving household responsibilities and going out to earn money.”
"Then why doesn't he go and earn the money himself? Why does he drag his successful wife down with him?"
“Well, it’s not that simple. A wife working outside the home also undermines her husband’s authority. If Mrs. Oberon signs an exclusive contract, it means she will neglect housework even more in the future.”
In response, Barbara sniffed and looked piercingly at him as she criticized.
“Why should the recognition of an individual’s abilities be condemned? Men get praise for the same thing when they do it, don’t they?”
"Well, that's because they are men. Men do the outdoor work, while women do the housework."
“Did Lord Oberon take on an outside job? Did he work hard to save the sinking family ship, trying to cover its expenses? And then he wants to do better, and have his abilities recognized, what’s wrong with that?”
Her sharp response made people uncomfortable, so they quietly changed the subject.
Barbara delivered a final blow to those trying to change the conversation.
“In a way, my ideas seem to have become more solid than before. The struggle to restore women’s rights, and yet tearing progressive women apart in this way, is ridiculous.”
Mrs. Radrick's distressed demeanor was evident, and while people looked at her, pretending not to hear Barbara's scathing remarks, Edel was shocked by every word Barbara uttered.
She felt as though she was hearing the words she had longed to hear from someone else, but it seemed different to others.
“Honestly, I feel like people see me as a woman who devoured her husband. From Lady Celestine’s point of view, Lady Oberon’s story might have seemed like her own.”
“That’s right. She’s been criticizing her husband’s work since she was little, hasn’t she? No wonder she doesn’t get any love.”
As she listened to Mrs. Radrick's companions talking about Barbara, Edel felt a pang in her heart.
Later, I learned that, like other noble couples, Celestine Forrester and Barbara had a casual relationship, and it wasn't particularly bad. Moreover, when Celestine Forrester was ill, Barbara took on the responsibilities of the household, which actually elevated her status.
Because she knew from her own experience that it was possible to be a “woman,” Barbara supported the Lady of Oberon for this reason.
'She is a very strong person.'
Idell admired Barbara's unwavering composure in the face of gossip directed at her. She even wished she could age gracefully like Barbara.
Idil mustered her courage and asked Barbara to meet.
**
“That’s when it started. That’s when Barbara and I started addressing each other by name and sharing our friendship.”
Despite the thirty-six-year age difference, Barbara requested to be called by her first name. She said that friendship could only flourish if they disregarded titles such as family names or backgrounds.
It was wonderful and charming.
"And she genuinely cared for me."
When Lord Cranmore proposed that Edel marry the Duke of Lancaster, Barbara strongly opposed it.
“Edel. Women have always been about sacrifice. But it’s all just brainwashing by men to control women. You need to be free!”
“But if I disobey my father’s orders, my only path is death.”
“Why are you dying! Run away, Edel. If you decide to, I will support you in everything. Don’t worry about things like livelihoods or a place to live.”
However, Adele politely declined her sincere advice, obeyed her father's wishes, and married the Duke of Lancaster.
It was a naive misunderstanding to think that if she had to endure a few more years until the death of the Duke of Lancaster, she would be free from any harm to anyone.
'And until then, Barbara was right. If only I had listened to her and run away, now…'
Edel laughed as she imagined herself drinking tea and reading books in some rural town.
“The road we didn’t take always looks more beautiful than reality, doesn’t it?” Well, it’s just a meaningless thought.
She focused on following the path laid out before her. I'm not a duchess. I'm just a new maid.
Idell only hoped that Barbara would receive her letter, even if it was their last contact.
"If you think she's going to show such interest, then Lord Crises might be an unexpectedly suitable match."
With this thought in mind, Idil fell asleep.
***
“Madam, a message has arrived.”
Barbara was rubbing her left leg by the fireplace, the one that started to ache with the first gust of cold wind. She took the letter from the servant indifferently, but quickly adjusted her posture.
Laszlo Criscis
The reason was the sender's name.
She had recently heard that Edel had been given to him as a slave, and she could not stand idly by, so she immediately sent him a message.
To be honest, she was worried that he might be upset by the letter and hurt Edel because of it, so opening the letter was fraught with anxiety.
But when she opened the letter, she found a neatly written message from a dear friend.
To the great Marquise Celestine,
I don't know how to express my gratitude for your deep concern and compassion that did not forget this sinner.
As soon as she read the first line, Barbara felt her heart clench.
“Oh, Idil…”
She felt deep sadness as she imagined the feelings of her friend who no longer addressed her with the words “dear, beloved, and worthy of appreciation.”
Barbara clutched the letter to her chest as if hugging it, and closed her eyes tightly. She wished she could meet Edel, hug her like that, and offer her some comfort.
Idil had taught her that “the value of friendship is not measured by the duration of meetings but by the depth of mutual feelings.”
Despite her young age, Idil was composed, cautious, and honest, and she did not hesitate to side with the weak, nor did she follow the words of others thanks to her inner strength.
From the outside, she appeared calm and obedient, but in reality, she was strong and determined.
'Why was I born into the Count Canyon family? Really, even a governor seems indifferent.'
Edel, who seemed incredibly perfect, was only tainted by her family. She was repeatedly horrified by the appalling environment she lived in.