The Maid Under the Stairs - Chapter 31

< Chapter 31 >

Mabel, who was tidying up the dormitory for the summer vacation, looked around. 

There were quite a few more belongings that had accumulated over the past year. Gifts such as books and accessories from college friends including Mary, notes with feedback from Leon de Percy, and several boxes of letters exchanged with William Edmundstone…

‘I wonder if Mr. Edmundstone is doing well?’

Her mind was as empty as the vacant dorm room she looked around.

Since the last gossip article, Mabel had been constantly feeling like her presence wasn’t beneficial to him. William reassured her that such articles were nothing to worry about, but Mabel couldn’t shake off the feeling of standing on thin ice.

While sorting through William’s letters, Mabel pondered over her thoughts.

After seeing Lady Margaret’s letter, Mabel had been neglecting to reply to William, using busy studies as an excuse. Nevertheless, despite her negligence, his letters, filled with his handwriting, continued to be delivered to her regularly, and Mabel read over his thoughtful words and inquiries about her well-being several times, soothing her longing for William.

Leaning against the sunlit window in the dormitory, Mabel let out a small sigh. With her belongings packed, all that was left was to leave. If she were to spend the summer vacation at Lord Alfred’s mansion as suggested, she wouldn’t feel guilty about seeing her friends, nor would she have to suppress the desire to reply to William’s letters.

Feeling a pang of sadness amid her peaceful surroundings, Mabel read the letter she would soon send once again.

Respected Lord Alfred,

I heard that your health has improved, and you’ve returned to Oxford. That’s great news. How does it feel to be back home?

It feels like I just enrolled at Summerhill yesterday, but it’s already summer vacation. Time flies, doesn’t it?

I attended the end-of-term academic excellence award ceremony last week. Scholarships and awards were given to students who excelled over the past year, and I received an award as an outstanding student in literature, exempting me from next semester’s tuition fees. All my friends were as happy as if it were their achievement.

Mabel’s memory suddenly returned to the day of the award ceremony.

When her name was called, Mabel stood on a stage adorned with the emblems of Summerhill and the London School of Economics. In the front row of the ceremony with the London School of Economics, Mary and friends, as well as boys including Theo, gathered to congratulate Mabel.

‘Miss Mabel, we’re here for you!’

‘Our Mabel is the best! Let’s go!’

‘Is this not a horse race?’

Irritated by Mary and Julia’s lively cheers, Irina grumbled.

Receiving the boisterous cheers from her friends and descending after receiving the award, Andrew, standing next to Theo, handed Mabel a bouquet of bright red roses, visibly overwhelmed. Mabel couldn’t hide her bewildered expression as she received the bouquet, which seemed overwhelmingly extravagant for her alone.

…So, Lord Alfred, all you need to do is assist with my living expenses for next semester. Perhaps you’re aware, but if I manage to graduate early as planned, this could be the final sponsorship. If my next piece of writing sells well, I could even support myself financially.

What do you think? In just one year, it seems the maid under Lord Alfred’s stairs has grown into quite a knowledgeable lady who knows how to cover for me, doesn’t it?

Professor Jane Webster, whom I admire for her writing class, is a promising author who has published several novels and is a graduate of the first class of London’s Summerhill College for Women. Even though she’s a bit over thirty, the writings by Professor are insightful, so I secretly took her as my role model.

When not teaching students, Professor Webster writes about the nature of central Italy. So, since I didn’t have time to write due to studying for exams, I postponed the mid-term work for “Modern Woman” until now. I’m even more grateful to Lord Alfred, who allowed me to use the Isle of Wight mansion during the summer vacation!

Like Professor Webster, I now have a beautiful place isolated from the city where I can focus solely on writing. So, I’ll make sure not to be lazy and write good pieces from now on.

Oh, don’t worry. Of course, as advised by Lord Alfred, I plan to take enough rest at Isle of Wight. Living incognito is not as easy as I thought.

To be honest, I even resented Lord Alfred a little for telling me not to reveal my status even to close friends. However, I soon learned that Summerhill College has rules limiting the status of incoming students.

Only then did I understand Lord Alfred’s advice. It must have been because it’s a place established to educate upper-class women.

So, Lord Alfred’s advice to hide my status wasn’t just for my convenience, but because of the college’s system. Perhaps if I had known that beforehand, I would have felt more disheartened from the start.

Although I’ve been ignorant thanks to Lord Alfred’s consideration until now, I can’t help feeling embarrassed now that I know about the rules.

Lord Alfred, are you proud of me for completing the year? Are you looking forward to the pieces I’ll write at the Isle of Wight summer mansion? Please say so. Now that I’m burnt out, I’m eagerly awaiting someone’s encouragement, both physically and emotionally.

Mabel Willis, excited by the first sight of the sea.

* * *

Moments ago, despite suffering from seasickness, Mabel, upon arriving at the mansion, shouted with joy.

Lord Alfred’s mansion was situated on a hill away from other buildings. The quaint two-story cottage with two bedrooms had a large window overlooking the serene beach and white sand.

In the backyard adorned with charming flowers and shells, there was a white Victorian gazebo where one could enjoy tea, and on one side, a private staircase led to the beach entrance.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful! I feel like I understand why Lord Alfred and his wife loved this place.”

Mabel closed her eyes and imagined the happy sight of Lord Alfred and his wife spending their honeymoon here. Except for the sound of crashing waves coming from beyond the glass, the surroundings were remarkably quiet.

“If I can’t write good pieces even in a place like this, I can’t call myself a writer!”

Contrary to her recent tired appearance, Mabel’s face lit up with vitality after a long time. She soon rolled up her sleeves and began organizing her belongings in the small bedroom.

Finally, she laid out on her desk the new ink bottle Mary gave her and the dried flower petals Daisy made, and as she stepped outside, it had already become dark.

Creak, creak.

The sound of the cottage’s roof decorations swaying in the sea breeze was heard.

Mabel decided to prepare for her first night at the mansion while looking at the moon hanging over the dark black sea.

It took several hours by train and ferry to get to the Isle of Wight from Summerhill. The long, march-like journey left Mabel’s eyelids heavy, even though it was early evening and she hadn’t eaten yet.

Mabel changed into pajamas and extinguished the oil lamp of the cottage, unlike the city. Then it happened.

Thunk, thunk.

“What’s that sound?”

Mabel’s sleepy eyes widened. It sounded like someone was wandering around the cottage.

‘Who could it be at this hour?… Did they take the wrong path?’

Without opening the window of the second-floor bedroom, Mabel peered outside. Among the dim night air, a dark shadow lurked around the mansion’s entrance.

‘Who’s there? A person…?’

At that moment, Mary’s story about the ghost of the London School of Economics came to mind.

‘They say ghosts of students who died studying wander around the London School of Economics. If someone stays alone in the library late at night, a black shadow approaches and makes footstep sounds…’

It was a story fabricated by Mary and Theo, tired of lecturing Mabel, who spent all day in the library, but Mabel didn’t know that. Her heart pounded rapidly.

Creak…

This time, the sound came from the entrance. Mabel felt a chill down her spine and looked around for something she could use as a weapon.

‘Did someone see me coming here alone? What if they have ill intentions?’

Unfortunately, even in the cozy small bedroom she chose for its warmth, there was no fireplace or even a common fire starter. Helplessly, the thickest book she had, a chemistry lab manual by senior Lorelei, was in her hands.

Creak, creak.

Mabel cautiously descended to the first-floor entrance, holding the heavy book with both hands. It was clear that someone was lurking at the mansion’s entrance, whether a ghost or a person. Mabel was ready to attack with the book if the black shadow opened the door and entered, and she was prepared to shout as loud as she could.

Thump, thump, thump.

At the moment when Mabel stood in front of the entrance, synchronized with the sound of her heartbeat, the creaky old door latch clicked open with a snap. Through the crack in the door, a large, dark shadow stretched out.

“Aaaah!”

Startled, Mabel screamed and, contrary to her plan, threw the book in her hand as hard as she could.

The black shadow, barely entering the mansion after a long journey, reflexively caught the book Mabel had thrown. With a bewildered expression, it looked at the woman still screaming with her eyes tightly shut.

“Miss Mabel…?”

In the darkness, the black shadow’s blue eyes gleamed.