The maid was left alone (3)
***
- I can't! I can't do it anymore!
Alicia, who had previously expressed her dissatisfaction, pulled the scarf from her head and threw it on the floor. I looked at her and went back to my work.
I sold my ribbon to a baker and for several days we lived on the five most expensive loaves of bread of my life.
(Editor's note: The chapter before talked about three loaves. Apparently, we managed to negotiate for two more.)
In the meantime, I was lucky enough to find a job again. It involved cleaning up the crap in the shed. I took it on without even thinking, and dragged Alicia with me to earn at least a coin more, but she behaved like that.
- I can't!
“Then do nothing and starve.”
-...
The solution was simple. Alicia stared at me. I didn't even look at her as I collected animal feces in front of me and put them in a wheelbarrow. There were a lot of animals in the big barn and they defecated a lot. No matter how much I shoveled, the end of the work was not in sight. And they smelled just awful. After a whole day of cleaning, their smell ate into my clothes.
The foal came up to me and started defecating. Alicia was horrified, and I carelessly put a shovel under him. Every time I shoveled a bunch of shit into the wheelbarrow, Alicia pretended to be sick.
- Why do you bring me here every time?
– Because this is the only job that was offered to us.
“Don’t lie to me, I know there are better options.”
“But it’s the only thing you can handle.”
– Are you kidding me? I can't do this kind of work with my beautiful face and body.
- Your head is empty.
I ignored Alicia who was yelling at me asking what I meant. It’s already hard for me, but she’s also annoying. I wasn't going to argue with her as I went back to work, but she grabbed my hair... again. I'm already used to this burning pain.
- Say it again! Come on, tell me! - she shouted.
- Let go.
- How dare you ignore me! You creature!
- I said let go!
But Alicia still didn't loosen her grip. I sighed and calmly pointed the shovel in her direction. The feces on the shovel tilted and fell onto it. Alicia screamed and let go of my head.
- A-ah-ah!
She stumbled backwards, gasping, and fell backwards into a pile of manure on the floor. She screamed again and tried to shake it off, but the feces were already on her. Alicia, whose hands, clothes, and everything else was covered in feces, looked at me and screamed.
- Stupid, vile creature!
“Then don’t meddle with this stupid, vile creature.”
– I’ll show you again!
- OK. Now with that determination, go and get to work.
With an empty shovel, I scooped the manure back into the wheelbarrow, deliberately carrying it next to Alicia. The sister screamed and ran away. I thought it was funny that she flinched back like it was so scary. I shrugged and went back to cleaning up the crap.
I had been shoveling for some time when something caught my attention. In the pile of feces lay a torn piece of newspaper. It was a newspaper with a large photograph fluttering in the wind. My eyes widened when I accidentally read the title.
I quickly pulled out the newspaper and read what was written in it. When I reached the last word, my hand dropped and my eyes stared aimlessly into space.
“The princess announced her engagement. Is the future groom Count Bellunita?”
That was the title of the article I just read. A man and a woman stood side by side, hand in hand, in the large photograph below. The picture was taken from afar, but the man’s pale face was familiar to me. No wonder. Five years ago I saw this face all day long.
"Vincent Bellunita."
A name I haven't spoken for a long time.
The man I missed.
This was the first news about him in five years.
* * *
I knew that he and Violet had broken off their engagement. In the bakery where I worked, the workers often gossiped about the aristocrats, and the townspeople also came in to exchange news. There was very little news from Bellunita County, but the one I heard was that Vincent had broken off his engagement.
I always wondered if these were rumors, but now I have seen with my own eyes that they are true.
I stared at Vincent. His face was blurry, so I couldn't make out his exact expression, but he seemed to be smiling. And I was wondering what his eyes look like now.
I wonder if he got his sight back. I think they told me that surgery could be done, but I wonder if Vincent ended up doing it or if he was left blind. But at least he's definitely not locked in his room anymore. I don't know anything else, but I think he's doing well.
“I will bring you back. I promise".
- All these are just words.
Bastard, is he really that good?
He is engaged to the princess. He must be happy. I crushed his face. Then I stared at the wad of paper and straightened it out again.
- I'm glad you're doing well.
Honestly, it's not for me to be angry. It wasn't a bad relationship, nothing to shout about. I was his only maid because no one else wanted to work for him. The disappearance of such an unknown servant meant nothing. He simply sent me to another place, but I disappeared halfway, so there was no point in looking for me. Perhaps he even knew why I disappeared.
– Still, when you are a man, you must keep your word. You said that you would stay with me, that you would protect me, and that you would not leave me. But your words mean nothing. Aristocrats get away with everything.
Finally, I said the words that people I worked with used to say: “Aristocrats get away with anything.” I took another deep breath as Emily opened the door and her eyes widened.
- Did something happen?
- Oh no. Nothing.
- This is...
Her gaze fell on the crumpled newspaper in my hand. I made a grimace and quickly smoothed it out. Seeing here again the same article as in that tattered newspaper that I found in the barn, I suddenly realized that all this was real. That’s why she crumpled up the newspaper in anger, and now she regretted it.
- Sorry, I'm very sorry. How can I make amends?
- It's okay, it's an old issue, but be careful. Have you finished copying?
- Yes, here it is.
I handed her the letter, she read it and smiled with satisfaction, praising my handwriting. I smiled shyly and turned around.
In this ordinary family home, I make a living by copying texts. Sometimes I rewrite books, sometimes love letters, and sometimes newspapers. Knowing how to read and write is so useful. Thanks to this, I can work safely under the roof of this house.
- The girls are so cute. They ask you to rewrite letters for them because their handwriting is not very good.
- It's clear.
– Have you ever received a letter?
Emily grinned. I fiddled with the pen, trying to avoid her gaze.
– Yes, but it was not a love letter.
- Oh-oh. From a guy?
- Yes. The guy sent them.
- Fine.
Emily patted me on the shoulder. I didn't answer. I remembered those golden letters. They were so ordinary that I couldn't tell if I liked answering them. It was only when I looked back that I realized the feelings contained in those insignificant letters, and I felt sad.
When I remembered this, my mood dropped again. And the newspaper that I read was also to blame.
I shook my head, driving away unnecessary thoughts.
– Oh, I have a lot of work lately, so I hired a new person. Now you will work with him.
- Yeah.
- He should come soon.
She smiled happily and went downstairs. The sound of the door opening was soon followed by noise. I looked out the window, listening.
The two people's footsteps moved closer, and then the door opened. My gaze instinctively turned to the door.
- Here, say hello. This is the person who will work with you.
-...
-...
Emily introduced the newcomer in an animated voice. But I had no opportunity to return her greeting. My interlocutor and I froze in place as soon as we noticed each other.
- Um... Hey?
-...
- Hey, hey! Are you listening to me?
-...
I lowered my eyes and calmly twirled the pen in my hands. My answer replaced the sound of a writing pen.
After a few more words, the guy finally gave in and snatched the paper from me. I sighed and looked up at him.
- What the hell? – I asked.
“You keep ignoring me.”
- Because you are ill-mannered.
- Hey!
- Don't be crazy. Do you want to get hit again?
I waved the feather I was holding in my hands and warned him that if he didn't stop, I would poke him with it. The guy who had already been beaten by me once flinched. I noticed a bruise under his eye.
(Editor's note: Paula swung a shovel at this guy in Chapter 57.)
- What a woman. Every time...
- What a man. Too persistent every time. You better learn to give up when people tell you no. Not only your feelings are important, you also need to take into account the girl’s feelings.
-...Did she tell you that she doesn't like me? You're just lying!
“Yes, she hates you, and this time it’s true.”
- This time? So you lied last time?
-...
I jumped to my feet and he crouched down, covering his face with one hand. There was an expression on his face that said, “Come on, come on.”
I snorted, leaned over and snatched the newspaper from his hands. Then she sat back on the chair, and he straightened up.
- Is it true? Does she really hate me?
- Um...
- Why? Because I'm poor?
“And because you’re an ugly little guy.”
- Hey, that's what everyone says about you!
“You're not good enough for her.”
-...
The shocked guy stared into space. I looked at him.
I didn't expect to see him again. He was the same guy who was in love with Alicia and begged me to introduce him to her. The other day I hit him with a shovel and here he is again. I couldn’t understand how he could say, “It’s love at first sight,” when he only saw her face from afar.
The guy was about my age and a terrible dirty guy. His face and his whole body were covered in dirt and ash. It was as if he hadn’t washed his clothes at all, and there were eternal black stripes of dirt under his nails.
If I were him, I would never have confessed to Alicia in this state. No, not only will she turn her back on him, but other girls will too.
“If you like her so much, try to clean yourself up a little.”
- What's wrong?
-You're dirty. Your face, your clothes, your hands. Look what's under your nails!
- It's... It's just hard to clean...
He examined his nails and muttered darkly. God, what is he thinking? It is impossible for Alicia to please someone like him, because a neat appearance is very important to her.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to rewriting. When I stopped speaking, he picked up the pen, his face becoming gloomy.
The sound of chirping echoed throughout the room. I rewrote the book, and he rewrote the newspaper. A quick glance showed that his handwriting was not bad. The hand holding the pen was dirty, but the ink from the tip of the pen showed beautifully on the paper. His face was serious as he copied.
-You write beautifully.
I expressed my admiration without realizing it.