The Mistress Runs Away

“That room is the Duchess’s room.”

“Well, no one is using it now. My ex-wife has never used it either.”

It was Rowena who stood behind him, looking uncomfortable as if she was sitting on a bed of thorns. He was the man who didn’t touch her whatsoever the entire time they were on the train to Rockford, yet slept at night while embracing her from behind as if she were a pillow.

If he gave her the room next door, he might continue his bizarre sleeping habits. Furthermore, it would be difficult to meet with Damian if she stayed in the room next to his.

Finally loosening her stiff expression, Rowena quietly interrupted him.

“I like the room I used to use. Duke.”

Rowena’s opinion was brushed off. Despite her firm refusal, Killian proceeded with his plan.

As a result, she was offered a bedroom that was twice as large as the one she had previously occupied. It was the only room that was connected to the Duke’s personal quarters through a single door without having to go through the hallway.

In the past, she was allowed to only peek at the inside of the room. Now, she had no idea what it meant to be forced into this room, even if she didn’t want it.

Due to his continued whims, Rowena gave up on trying to understand that man named Kilian Devonshire.

***

She was given not only a luxurious room but also a new maid.

“Hello. You must be Miss Philone. My name is Joanne Jude. Please feel free to call me Joe or Joanne.”

She recalled Melissa, the strange maid who served her five years ago. Rowena nodded to Joanne, who politely finished introducing herself.

“I will be in your care. Joanne.”

“I’ll comb your hair. Miss”

After washing and changing into her sleeping garments, her entire body was as heavy as cotton soaked in water. Nodding, Decrypted by you one and only LRowena sat in the vanity chair as she sank into deep thoughts.

The only sound in the bedroom was the soft rustle of the ivory comb brushing through her magnificent blonde locks and the sound of the crackling wood in the fireplace next to her bed.

Rowena glanced at the clock on the dressing table. Fortunately, she didn’t have to sleep in the duke’s bed today. The reason was that he had returned to the castle after a long absence and had a pile of papers to be reviewed.

Rowena knew his nature well enough to know that he would not let go of what was in his hand until he was done. It’s something that she was grateful for now. Later at night, Genok had promised to secretly take her to Damian’s room while the duke was still away.

The appointment was still a little over an hour away.

The Devonshire servants didn’t speak until their master spoke to them first. Rowena opened her mouth to speak, uneasy at the prolonged silence.

“Where are you from, Joanne?”

“Ah, I’m from Leawood. You probably haven’t heard of it.”

Rowena’s eyes opened wide at the somewhat familiar words. It was a place she’d never been, but it was a name she’d heard before. It was a name she had heard from Melissa previously when she was talking about her hometown.

“Do you know who Melissa is? She’s a girl that used to work here.”

The girl who was proud to work for the duke’s family. The fact that Rowena left and abandoned her without any greeting left a vague sense of guilt in the corner of her heart.

“Ah, yeah, I do…”

Joanne nodded her head slightly. Rowena continued to describe her enthusiastically.

“Brown hair, brown eyes, freckles. She’s a bit talkative, and for age mmm, I’d say she’s a little over twenty now.”

“Oh.”

Joanne, who had been trying to remember for a while, nodded quickly and firmly.

“Yeah, that girl. I heard she returned to her hometown before I started working here.”

“Oh, is that so! How is she? Do you know anything about her?”

Rowena, who became excited upon hearing the happy answer, asked in a hurry. Slightly surprised at how pale she looked, as if her soul had left her, Joanne nodded again.

“Yeah, She’s now helping with her parent’s farm, Ah! She also got engaged recently. When she stopped working here, she was paid a generous sum of money.”

“That’s good to hear! Five years ago, Melissa took really good care of me. If she ever sent any letter to you, please pass her my greetings.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“And maybe….”

Rowena hesitated for a moment at Joanne’s honest reply, then asked.

“If you get a letter from someone named Harriet Dickinson, please bring it to me immediately. She is a close friend of mine.”

She asked Harriet to pass a letter to her uncle, Jeremy Dish. The letter was a brief explanation of her last eight years away from home. It was the best solution for her to listen to Genok and go with Killian, and then with the help of her uncle, she would be able to escape from here.

“I understand.”

Joanne smiled as she casually received the order.