The Maid Under the Stairs - Chapter 12
< Chapter 12 >
The Brontë sisters, female authors, were Mabel’s favorite writers.
Mabel didn’t expect to hear the poetic Emily Brontë’s poetry from Leon, who had criticized her writing.
Without remembering that she disliked Leon, they discussed about the Brontë sisters throughout the club procession.
Leon, like a competent editor of Montaire Publishing, had a great knowledge of their works and English literary history.
The club procession, which began at 2 p.m., reached Cheshire Hall and ended around 3 p.m. From then on, they sat on the stairs of Cheshire Hall and had a lively conversation about the books and authors they had read.
“My idols, the Brontë sisters, as well as Virginia Woolf and Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Who would have known that Mr. Leon de Percy would speak so highly of so many female writers?”
“Speak highly? They’re not writers I can critique. Perhaps readers who admire them might not know.”
Mabel felt pleased with his words. Even if the writing was good, many people were too busy criticizing if it was written by a female author. Therefore, the words of the editor of Britain’s top publishing house were meaningful to her as well.
“If you’re a reader of writings by women, wouldn’t it be difficult to survive in the publishing world as an editor, Mr. de Percy?”
Mabel said teasingly, leaning towards Leon. Sitting on the coat that Leon had laid out for her, Mabel had to admit that she was enjoying her conversation with Leon much more than she had planned.
“No problem. I’m a reader of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.”
Leon also leaned toward Mabel and replied without a moment’s hesitation. His blond hair seemed to sparkle in the twilight of Cheshire Hall, and his mischievous smile made his boyish face shine even more.
At that moment, Mabel burst into laughter unexpectedly.
‘Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell’ were pseudonyms used by the Brontë sisters to hide their femininity.
“I didn’t know you liked to speak like this, Miss. Your nose is turning red because of the cold air.”
Leon thought Mabel’s head swaying in the wind and the cute wrinkles on her nose, when she laughed, were adorable. The intimidating and cold expression he had seen on the first day was nowhere to be found.
“Is Summerhill College the kind of place that welcomes guests and doesn’t even offer hot apple tea?”
It was a remark intended to move to a warmer place for Mabel’s lightly dressed attire, but he seemed to not know how to kindly persuade.
“It’s already past 4 p.m. Ladies are known to love gossip, but Mr. de Percy is surely not ordinary. And in the underground restaurant of Cheshire Hall, there’s not only warm apple tea but also gin and Kentish liquor for the gentlemen.”
“Alright. Let’s go to a warm place before even my other clothes are taken away.”
Leon said so as he draped the coat she had been sitting on over Mabel’s shoulders. Mabel had already experienced a struggle when she refused to sit on his coat instead of the cold stairs earlier, so this time she accepted his coat without protest.
“Irina! Over here! Mabel and my brother are here!”
Mary waved her hand and called Irina on the opposite side of the pub. Irina, still looking bored as she was surrounded by male students from the London School of Economics, glanced around.
Next to her was Robert, Julia’s fiancé, who seemed somewhat out of place with his nineteen-year-old face, resembling the photo on the locket necklace Julia always wore.
“Brother, remember meeting Irina last time? That person over there is Irina’s date, George. And…”
Mary grabbed Leon, who had just entered the pub and began to explain each person in Irina’s group. Apart from Irina and Robert, Mabel didn’t recognize anyone familiar, but Mary, who lived in London, seemed to know some of the male students from the political college and their fiancées.
It was at that moment when Mabel was quietly smiling at them. Vincent, taking advantage of Leon being held by Mary, approached Mabel.
“Ms. Willis, do you know that Mr. Edmundstone has come to meet you today?”
Mabel was startled by his words and almost spilled the warm cider she was holding. Vincent, like Mary, seemed slightly tipsy, but his attitude was still polite and affectionate.
“He said he would escort Miss Willis as soon as the patrons’ tea was over, but I’m afraid I missed my chance to tell her.”
Vincent scratched his head. He had been lingering in front of Mabel’s dormitory from the beginning to deliver this message. He just happened to meet Mary and forgot the original purpose.
“Then where is Mr. Edmundstone now?”
Mabel whispered. William had come. Her heart began to beat faster. Had he come because of her invitation?
“He should be outside the pub by now. There are people outside who would recognize Mr. Edmundstone’s face, so he wouldn’t come in.”
Vincent, looking awkward, wrinkled his face as he took another sip of his drink.
“If Edmundstone’s successor takes an unofficial position before the start of the prime minister’s election, there will likely be a lot of talk.”
She wondered if William had accepted her invitation or if he had come just to see her, but she didn’t ask Vincent.
Mabel intended to bid farewell to Leon and return his coat. Besides unexpectedly enjoying her time, Leon had been very kind to her today, so she wanted to thank him before meeting William.
However, Leon found himself surrounded by the group of people Irina had dragged along. Young political college students eager to make connections with Montaire’s young editor, as well as female students who wanted to confirm the rumors about his dazzling appearance, gathered around Leon under the pretext of Mary’s acquaintance.
Mary, standing beside him, thoroughly enjoyed seeing Leon maintain minimal courtesy with a pained expression, and she loudly called for more people to gather around.
“Yeah, that’s right, Montaire’s youngest editor! He’s single, my brother. Georgiana, come here! Oh, you’re with your fiancé? Then Georgiana, introduce your fiancé and friends there, and greet my brother here!”
Vincent, who had been watching Mary flutter around with a cocktail in her hand without any pretense, chuckled and said to Mabel.
“I think I should help Mary stop bothering Mr. de Percy.”
Mabel reluctantly handed Leon’s coat to Vincent and left the pub.
As she wandered around looking for William, a male voice reached her ears.
“Are you looking for a guest you invited and then forgot?”
It was a mischievous yet pleasant voice to hear. William, wearing a black winter coat and a black hat to match his navy suit that complemented his blue eyes, stood leaning against the railing in the darkness, as if he were in a scene from a film noir.
In the dim evening, his hair was tinged with the colors of the night sky, and his eyes, still bright in the darkness, were fixed on her.
“Mr. Edmundstone!”
Mabel shouted instead, suppressing the urge to run to him. His arms seemed wider today, for some reason.
“The reception was delayed, but it seems Vincent forgot to deliver the message to Miss Mabel. Were you disappointed?”
“Not at all. Mary’s brother, Mr. de Percy, kindly escorted me instead. And Mr. Edmundstone, I invited you without knowing much, but I never thought you’d actually come…”
Mabel wanted to explain that if she had known she should invite fiancés or dates, she wouldn’t have invited William. She wanted to make it clear that when he said he wanted to be friends with her, she never interpreted that as anything more, and she never dared to think of him in such a way.
“I’ve been working as a maid since I was sixteen, so I had no idea there was any other meaning to ladies inviting gentlemen. I hope you didn’t misunderstand or feel uncomfortable. Even if you didn’t accept the invitation, I would have naturally…”
Mabel stammered. William furrowed his brows for a moment, seeming to ponder her words, but soon smiled and replied.
“No, not at all. Considering Uncle Frederick’s situation where he couldn’t move, I thought it was appropriate for me to come as a family representative.”
Mabel’s face turned red for a moment. From William’s perspective, he was only here as a family representative instead of ‘Fake Grandfather’ Lord Alfred, his nephew, but she felt like she was being frivolous alone.
“Of course, I also felt honored that Miss Mabel invited me as a friend.”
He said affectionately once again. It seemed as if he could read her thoughts, reassuring her that he was not just here as a family representative. His warm and gentle voice always had the power to put Mabel’s mind at ease.
“So, about that offer to show me the real Summerhill festival… Is it still valid?”
William’s voice grew languid. His head slowly lowered towards Mabel.
‘Oh!’
Mabel flinched without realizing it at his sudden movement.
‘No way he’s going to kiss me like in Herbert’s…’
Several seconds passed, but as expected, there was no contact Mabel had anticipated.
When the bewildered Mabel slightly opened her eyes again, she saw William bringing her hand to his lips. His blue eyes seemed to watch her every move, never once leaving her for a moment.
With his eyes fixed on her as if penetrating her heart, William kissed her hand with his soft lips that traced a beautiful curve.