The Maid Under the Stairs - Chapter 5
< Chapter 5 >
In early September, bathed in the lingering summer sunlight, the roses at Lord Alfred’s mansion bloomed their final hues.
Thud.
With the help of the maids, Mabel’s luggage was loaded onto the carriage. The plan was to ride to Oxford Station and catch the express train to London’s Summerhill College for Women, where she would start her studies today.
‘Me, a former maid under the stairs, now going to a prestigious college like Summerhill…’
Mabel reminisced about the day a month ago when Lady Margaret almost expelled her.
It’s said that William Edmundstone, Lord Alfred’s nephew who had bought Mabel some time during her crisis, asked Lord Alfred to read Mabel’s writing during a meal.
By the time Lord Alfred reached the climax of Mabel’s novel, he was weeping in remembrance of his late wife, not even realizing the soup had gone cold.
‘I thought Lord Alfred had dried up both his tears and soul in the past 20 years, but your story seems to have reignited something in him.’
The maid who overheard Lord Alfred’s emotional meal said to Mabel as she headed to college.
True to the maid’s words, that evening Lord Alfred expressed his gratitude to Mabel for rekindling his will to live. As part of that, he became a sponsor, guaranteeing support and finances for the modest girl to attend college.
To think she’d study literature at a women’s college in London and become a writer!
That day, Mabel had to repeatedly digest Lord Alfred’s words in joy and wonder.
‘Of course, without the support of the Edmundstone family, especially as the main sponsor of the college, my admission wouldn’t have been confirmed so quickly.’
Mabel anxiously fiddled with the acorn-colored neck brooch, a farewell gift from Daisy.
That night, William Edmundstone returned to London immediately, only to send Mabel’s acceptance letter to Lord Alfred a few weeks later. If he had read her novel, he would have realized she was the woman he had encountered on the balcony.
‘Not acknowledging me at all… to think, a woman dancing and conversing openly in front of everyone turns out to be a lowly orphaned servant girl. Even I would have been furious. Despite social status, that night, I did nothing but lie all day…’
As memories of the Herbert mansion party flooded her guilt-ridden expression, Mabel watched the handsome coachman unload her luggage from the carriage.
“Um, why are you unloading my luggage again?”
Mabel asked, puzzled.
“The gentleman over there mentioned that the young lady is heading to London on the other side. We’ve already received the fare for transferring the luggage by the carriage.”
The coachman replied in a slightly defensive Manchester accent, as if worried about asking for the fare that had been received.
In the direction his finger pointed, another coachman was seen smoothly transferring Mabel’s luggage to a sleek black car behind the rose garden.
“Oh, no. I won’t be riding that carriage…!”
Mabel tried to stop the coachman. Her eyes caught sight of William Edmundstone, leaning at an angle against the sleek four-wheeler, staring at her.
He was wearing a perfectly fitting beige suit with a light shirt. Under the rolled-up sleeves, well-defined muscular arms contrasted with each other, and a couple of buttons casually unfastened over his firm chest exuded dangerously attractive charm.
“I happened to be passing by. Since I’m also heading back to London, how about we go together?”
William spoke with his characteristic gentle voice. Despite being known as London’s foremost politician, Mabel couldn’t read his thoughts from his voice or expression. Why he reappeared in front of her was a mystery.
“Um, Master, hello. I’ve already called for a carriage, so I don’t want to impose any further…”
Mabel adjusted her cloche hat and approached him, bowing slightly.
“Master? That’s disappointing.”
“What?”
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
William Edmundstone leaned slightly towards her, one corner of his mouth drawing a smooth curve.
“Well, um, Master Edmundstone…”
Mabel managed to reply after a few hesitant attempts. Even though he spoke with a relaxed tone and expression, Mabel still couldn’t figure out what he was thinking from the persistent gaze in his eyes.
His remark about not being strangers might refer to the day he rescued her from Lady Margaret or to the day they met at Herbert’s party. Mabel couldn’t discern which.
“Mr. Edmundstone.”
After several attempts, Mabel finally dropped the title of Master after a few tries. It was the best she could do. Referring to each other by name might be acceptable between lovers, but not in their case.
“…”
William silently stared at her. Leaning against the carriage with crossed arms, he unconsciously tilted his head slightly, trying to meet her eyes. Thanks to this, his black hair swayed around his blue eyes.
“Unfortunately, that’s fine.”
William opened the car door with a subtle expression, holding back either a smile or genuine regret. Inside the car, a luxurious scent of leather permeated.
Mabel, exhilarated by the fact that she was going to college, had been unable to sleep properly for the past few weeks. Moreover, the unfamiliar movement of the car and the tension around William caused her stomach to churn with nervousness, and she found herself nodding off like a sick chick in the passenger seat before long.
William, who had been driving silently, finally turned to look at Mabel with a relaxed gaze. The sun rays streaming through the window gently illuminated Mabel’s face. As his gaze met her relaxed expression, he was once again drawn back into the memories of that day.
‘Writing to me is like self-hypnosis, convincing myself that something will happen.’
Mabel murmured under the moonlight, her shadow reflected on her pale skin. Unlike her worn-out dress, her expression was full of vitality, like someone dreaming.
From the beginning, there was something different about her among the people filling the ballroom. Her fidgeting in the ballroom and her solitary gaze outside had all caught his attention.
Was it merely pity? He had offered to help more than necessary, with unnecessary interference. But behind her frightened expression, he saw a bright smile and vitality hidden within, which stirred something deep within William.
How arrogant he was to pity her for a moment. She possessed a light that only those with dreams could have. A woman filled with an unreachable light.
William realized he couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. Her clear and pure face and her delicate nose combined with the moonlight looked so beautiful. He felt an irrational fear that the moonlight might envy her radiance and snatch her away into the darkness.
That’s why he pulled her towards him.
And the desire to touch her soft lips and feel her presence washed over him.
‘Mabel…’
William silently repeated her name, a name he had only just learned.
The woman who disappeared into the cool darkness of the summer night, as if she had read his desire. The shy yet warm hazel eyes that had stirred William’s heart.
When he saw her at Lord Alfred’s mansion after searching for her, anger overshadowed his joy. Not because of her leaving him behind, but because of the situation she was in. Yet, seeing the fear and shame mixed in her eyes directed at him, he decided to create an opportunity to bring her back to him.
As the car passed through Birmingham, Mabel finally woke up from her sleep. Soon, she had to face the fact that not only had she never dared to rebel, but she had also comfortably fallen asleep beside William in his car.
‘Oh, my goodness, come to think of it, I went up to refuse his offer of a ride in his car but ended up accepting his help and getting into the car.’
Mabel panicked as she thought of him smoothly opening the car door for her. Glancing at William in the driver’s seat, she noticed his enchanting profile, complemented by his masculine jawline and the frosty shirt that suited his solid physique.
Leaning against the window, she observed his serene expression and relaxed demeanor that seemed out of place for someone in London’s political circles, known as a battlefield.
‘Does Mr. Edmundstone not recognize me? Or is he perhaps angry at my lies?’
Mabel wondered. When they danced together at Lord Herbert’s, he was gentle, kind, and passionate. But when he dealt with Lady Margaret, he was polite yet as cold and indifferent as can be.
And today, dealing with her, William seemed to embody something in between.
‘If I hadn’t run away that night, would we have kissed…? Was that night just another forgettable day for him, with no value to remember?’
Amidst all her thoughts and speculations, Mabel’s expression was complicated, unlike William’s serene face, devoid of any torment.
“Are you feeling alright?”
William, realizing that Mabel had woken up, asked quietly.
“Um… yes?”
Mabel didn’t quite understand his question.
“Are you not feeling well, tired, or anything like that?”
William added, glancing at Mabel.
“Oh, no, I’ve always been healthy…”
As Mabel absentmindedly answered, she recalled the conversation they had at Lord Herbert’s.
‘Could he remember my lie about not attending parties due to illness? No, judging by the question, even if he does remember, he probably isn’t sure if I’m the woman in question.’
“Thank goodness.”
From his fleeting glance, she couldn’t gather anything other than a brief response. It was better this way. If he didn’t recognize her anyway, she was determined to keep her identity hidden. It was better for his honor and herself.
“Girls like me, who come from humble backgrounds, have to be very tough. We deal with all sorts of unpleasant tasks. I dozed off earlier, but that’s because I couldn’t sleep properly due to the excitement of going to college. I mean, who would even imagine that a person like me, born into poverty, could go to college?”
Mabel, feeling her feet numb, passionately explained with all her heart and soul. Their car was now entering the outskirts of London.
“Moreover, I have, absolutely no experience mixing with the upper class and engaging in long conversations, unlike Lord Alfred’s wishes. I’m afraid, contrary to Lord Alfred’s consideration, I might not be able to hide my background for long and lead a normal college life.”
She said this to drive a wedge into William’s doubts, but as she spoke, she began to genuinely worry.
College was a prerogative of the upper class or the successful capitalists. So even if she entered college by hiding her background with Lord Alfred’s help, she realized that her actions and speech would inevitably reveal her origins.
“Of course, I’ll do my best to repay Lord Alfred’s kindness, even if it means leading a very lonely life if my background becomes an issue.”
In Mabel’s mind, the image of herself walking alone quietly behind the beautiful ladies gathered together vividly appeared.
“You won’t be lonely.”
William, who had been silently listening to Mabel, spoke in a gentle and kind voice imbued with warmth. His words were convincing, making her want to believe him.
“…Since we found each other, we’ll see each other often.”
William added cryptically, but Mabel didn’t catch his last words amidst the sound of the car turning.
He turned the steering wheel with his arms encased in the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, and the car found its way onto the path leading to Summerhill College.