The Maid Under the Stairs - Chapter 35
< Chapter 35 >
Dear Daisy,
Congratulations, Daisy, on your secret engagement to Mr. James Herbert!
After Mr. James is assigned to the ministry, can you officially exchange vows with him? Yes, as you said, Lord Herbert will be furious once this fact comes to light, but I can only hope that he won’t be able to do anything to Mr. James, who is already independent and assigned to the ministry.
What worries me more is whether the people at the ministry will find out about your background or the fact that Mr. James had a relationship with a maid before becoming a minister. I know, you’ll probably tell me to put aside my worries and nagging for now. Of course, right now, I’m filled with congratulations for your engagement with Mr. James!
I’m doing very well on the Isle of Wight. I’ve been having quite ordinary days with Mr. Edmundstone, the unexpected guest.
His insights and perspectives on the world have been a great inspiration to me. Mr. Edmundstone is indeed as intelligent and charismatic as you imagine. Oh, of course, it’s not right to only see him as a polite gentleman just because of his handsome appearance.
For example, last week, he surprised me by organizing a feast with the children of the Isle of Wight.
Listen to this. I often leave wet shoes outside the villa after walking on the beach all day. But one day, when I tried to put on my shoes in the morning, I found a bouquet of fresh coastal flowers tucked into my shoes.
And that’s not all. Sometimes there were even fruits from the elderberry tree or pretty seashells.
When I asked Mr. Edmundstone about it, he chuckled and said, ‘It seems Saint Nicholas came a little early.’ It was only after nearly a week passed that I found out that the children of the Isle of Wight were secretly giving me gifts as if I were a fairy on the island. Haha, such charming mischief!
It turns out Mr. Edmundstone felt sorry for the children who worked hard all day as servants or poor fishermen on the island. So, he came up with simple tasks for them to do for the children. Thanks to that, I receive a little joy every morning.
Mr. Edmundstone often criticizes the exploitation of children under the apprentice system even after the introduction of the Factory Act. Until his summer vacation visit, he was planning to revise the Factory Act and the Poor Law together, calling it the ‘Social Security System.’
It’s a law that allows all citizens, including workers, to take sufficient rest when injured or sick and ensures that children, regardless of their social class, no longer work and can go to school. Isn’t that remarkable?
Of course, knowing the reality of the poorhouses, which are almost the same as workhouses, I also expressed my hope that Mr. Edmundstone’s reforms would succeed.
Now you also understand how special Mr. Edmundstone truly is, don’t you?
Even though he comes from one of the highest-ranking families in Britain, he prioritizes working for people of various social classes. When he comes to the Isle of Wight, he values teaching something to the low-status children of the island or talking with the laborers on ships more than going to resorts or parties frequented by nobles.
Once, he taught the children soccer on the rainy beach, not minding even when their high-end shirts got covered in mud from their clumsy moves. He smiled kindly and interacted with the children.
Mabel smiled as she recalled a conversation with William on the evening balcony a few days ago. It was the day when a kindly old fisherman, who remembered Lord Alfred Lord and his Lady’s annual vacation to the Isle of Wight, gave them a local delicacy called Junket as a gift.
Mabel and William sat on the second-floor balcony, sipping Junket and dessert wine together, discussing the children of Isle of Wight and the state of affairs.
‘After the war, socialist ideas are spreading in debt-ridden Germany and other European countries. If those ideas combine with capitalism, the focus will be solely on national development, even if it means mobilizing children and the sick.’
‘So, Mr. Edmundstone wants to pass the Social Security Act to ensure that the government and capitalists don’t exploit the weak, like workers and children.’
‘The government should exist for public welfare and the protection of its citizens. Even though it may be hard to accept immediately, a welfare state theory like the one we’re discussing now will be essential in times of national crisis.’
William’s expression reflected seriousness and depth. Impressed by his beliefs and observations long ago, Mabel felt an indescribable admiration for him.
William, with sharp insight, was not afraid to observe and raise issues regarding the suffering of the majority of citizens, including the lower class. He wasn’t disheartened by the limitations of the current situation. Instead, he seemed to possess a calm confidence, as if foreseeing a future unknown to others.
Mabel, her mouth full of the rose-scented dessert, suddenly worried if William, with his profound thoughts, might feel lonely like the nighttime sea.
… Anyway, what I want to say is, that Mr. Edmundstone is someone to emulate, always helping me think in new ways when we’re together. No matter what I talk about, he always listens attentively, making me feel like I’m someone important.
Of course, when I say this, Mr. Edmundstone will probably say something cryptic like, ‘I hope there’s no one more important to Miss Mabel than Miss Mabel herself.’
Through our conversations, I often discover thoughts and emotions from the depths of my heart that I didn’t know existed. Mr. Edmundstone patiently listens to those pieces I used to feel embarrassed and insignificant about, encouraging me to express them more.
So, talking with him feels incredibly comfortable and enjoyable to me. Honestly, every moment spent with him feels incredibly happy. So, I…
Mabel paused for a moment, lifting her pen. Without realizing it, her lips curved up as she found her letter filled with praise for William.
As she reread what she had written, she noticed it wasn’t much different from Daisy’s letter filled with praise for James. Especially the sentence about being happy when spending time together stood out prominently.
Then, Mabel read aloud the last line.
“I… “
Should she follow with words like admiration or respect? But that alone felt insufficient.
‘I… am thankful to have Mr. Edmundstone as a friend?’
It seemed like the most ideal expression to describe the affection Mabel felt for William, but as she wrote it, a sharp pang of unease pricked at her heart.
Three weeks had passed since they had spent time together at the villa. Even Mabel, who was usually reserved with her emotions, had to admit the growing attraction she felt towards him.
Despite initially thinking that no lady would indulge in such lovesickness over someone as unusually charming as him, she realized it wasn’t just his handsome appearance that captivated her. His thoughts and attitude towards the world were as captivating as his outward appearance.
As she found herself unwittingly revealing her innermost feelings only to him, Mabel realized that her feelings for William had reached a point where they could no longer be ignored.
As she got to know him better, the inexplicable longing she felt for him since their encounter at the cliffside only grew stronger, wrapping around her body like the nighttime sea.
So, I… think I like Mr. Edmundstone, Daisy. Maybe, a lot.
Mabel finally completed the sentence. The black ink pierced Mabel’s heart painfully. She quietly continued to write the last page of the letter with trembling hands.
Now, after just one more semester, I’ll graduate and become someone unrelated to Mr. Edmundstone or Lord Alfred. Maybe this is the only chance I’ll ever have to be close to him. So, without thinking about how absurd my feelings may be, I just want to spend time with him freely, at least for now.
Is it my imagination that I can hear you saying, ‘Oh, frustrated Mabel,’ all the way here?
Actually, I’ve been trying to keep my distance from him since the end of last semester. I made excuses like magazines or articles, but maybe he’s been aware of my feelings for him since then. I cowardly admitted it to myself, knowing that if I did, I couldn’t be closer to him. I hid away under the guise of friendship, unable to muster the courage to give up the affection and kindness I received from him under the name of friendship…
But Daisy, once this summer with him, given like a gift, is over, I’ll truly live on, grateful for these excessive memories without any greed or lingering regrets. So, please don’t think of me as foolish.
And please, don’t offer hopeful words like the miracle given to you and Mr. James will also be given to me… Understand?
Truly, truly, this emotion is only allowed for this one summer.
Once again, congratulations on your engagement, Mabel.
Mabel, having put down her pen, took a deep breath and read the letter again. Despite being the one who wrote it, it seemed incredibly unfamiliar.
‘I like Mr. Edmundstone.’
Her heart pounded in her ears.
Was it love that she had fallen into since coming to the Isle of Wight with him, or was it his smiling face as they walked together in the rain that had captivated her?
Mabel closed her eyes quietly.
He had taken care of her when she had a fever. He had driven her to the Summerhill dormitory. He who had quietly guided her on the day they first met at Lord Herbert’s house.
The days spent with him began to resurface one by one in her mind.
William was someone who gave Mabel countless reasons to fall in love. It just took Mabel too long to realize her feelings.
‘Trust your feelings, Miss Mabel.’
William’s words from a few days ago echoed vividly in her ears.
‘Allowing yourself to feel your emotions is very important.’
Once she allowed her emotions, the tension that had gripped her entire body eased. Even if it was an unrequited love, during the time allowed like Daisy, she wanted to fully enjoy her time by his side.
The letter containing her confession was illuminated by the yellow sunlight streaming through the window. As the sound of her heartbeats subsided, the beautiful sound of waves and chirping birds slowly filled her ears.