The Maid Under the Stairs - Chapter 58

< Chapter 58 >

Vincent Crosby, the lawyer, loitered around in front of William’s office door.

‘It seems his condition isn’t good as it is, and there’s no news to deliver…’

He thought while staring blankly at the folder wedged between his left arm and waist.

With just about three months left until the Prime Minister election, if there are no significant changes, John Burning, who has been steadily leading with the support of House members, will become the new Prime Minister of the UK. He will accept the proposals from the Labour Party and the House of Lords to appoint William Edmundstone as the Chief Secretary under the name of Deputy Prime Minister.

Vincent Crosby recalled another memory. It was a memory with Senator John Burning.

‘There’s more than one thing to proceed with. The European situation is also uncertain, and as Mr. Edmundstone said, soon there will be reforms in status. So, especially at times like this, the administration and the monarchy should get closer to gain more trust from the public.’

Senator John Burning said, rubbing his graying head. Despite being of considerable age, he had a fiercely sharp gaze.

‘It’s difficult to discuss such matters in official settings. So, could you, a friend of Mr. Edmundstone, step forward? There have been absurd rumors circulating about Mr. Edmundstone lately. It would be beneficial for both of us to quell those rumors, wouldn’t it?’

Senator John Burning hinted with a smile-like expression at the end of his words. The fate of his premiership was hanging on William.

With the esteemed name of Edmundstone, highly regarded in politics, and a young politician who monopolized the popularity of all social strata.

Thanks to the cooperation with William Edmundstone, who was like a lump of gold, and their joint effort to push forward social security reforms, he, who was just a House member of the Social Party, was now preparing for the UK Prime Minister position next year.

‘He’s like a magnet for attention. He wouldn’t want to miss out on the popularity gained from the news that Lady Simpson and William might be engaged.’

Vincent mumbled discontentedly.

It was indeed a Mabel how John Burning had gained support even from the House of Lords, who were in opposition to the House, with the news of his engagement to Lady Simpson.

In the House of Lords, composed of nobles, they regarded the policies of John Burning and William, such as status reforms and social security, as thorns on their side. However, the reason they couldn’t openly express their disapproval was probably because the policies were led by William Edmundstone, who belonged to the same House of Lords.

After wandering the corridor for a while, Vincent finally checked his watch and knocked on the office door. Considering William’s tight schedule, he couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

“Edmundstone, or should I say…”

As he opened the door and entered, papers scattered on the office floor were crushed under Vincent’s feet. And behind them, William, dressed in a loosened white shirt, leaned against the window.

“Have you been pulling all-nighters in the office for days?”

William’s usually neatly groomed hair was now tousled as if to attest to the struggles he had been through.

Vincent cautiously passed through the stack of papers and took a seat near the window where William had settled. It was only then that he noticed William’s unusually gloomy expression.

“Edmundstone, is something bothering you?”

“…” 

William, with a melancholic expression, gazed silently at Kensington Gardens outside the window, igniting a new cigarette.

“If it’s because of gossip that the social security bill has been temporarily suspended, don’t you know it’s just a rumor that will soon die down? The scandal involving the maid and the Edmundstone family. Some politicians believe it to be true…”

Vincent stammered. But no matter how much he thought about it, William wasn’t the kind of person to be swayed by such gossip, so the current situation felt unfamiliar to Vincent.

“Crosby, I thought someone like you would notice that it’s more than just gossip.”

William said quietly, puffing out smoke from his cigarette. For a moment, William’s appearance was so strikingly familiar that Crosby stared blankly at him until the smoke dissipated.

“Oh, no, I knew you were interested in Miss Willis, but…”

Vincent replied, now alert. He could roughly guess from the day he saved Mabel from being expelled from Lord Alfred’s mansion or when he bought a large number of magazines with Mabel’s novels that something was going on, but that was all.

‘There shouldn’t be any engagement or romantic relationship like what’s being talked about in the newspapers, right?’

Vincent felt the words itching at the tip of his tongue, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say them. Instead, he got up and fetched whiskey from the cabinet in the corner of the office. It was early, but facing the unfamiliar sight of William, he felt a strong urge for a glass of whiskey.

He placed the whiskey in front of him and started sipping slowly. He would soon regret it.

After smoking silently all along, William finally spoke up.

“Mabel rejected my proposal.”

“Pff!”

Vincent, who was sipping whiskey, spit it out as it was. It was quite a violent reaction.

“W-What… What did you say?”

Vincent, coughing out the whiskey he was drinking, exclaimed.

“You proposed to M-Miss Mabel Willis?”

Vincent asked, rubbing his eyes, which were stinging from alcohol and cigarette smoke. If it were true, it would be a scandal of epic proportions, as the heir of the Edmundstone family, boasting a tradition older than the royal family, and a maid from under the stairs…

‘Wait, but she rejected your proposal?’

Vincent’s gaze quickly turned to William. When he saw William’s face, everything became clear.

He had seen that expression somewhere before, during his boarding school or college days. The pitiful sight of a young suitor rejected by a lady. It was a pitiful and crestfallen state.

William Edmundstone, the man of the hour, was now in a state no different from his peers back in the day.

“Crosby, I can’t go on without her now.”

William sat back at his desk again. Looking out the window, he spoke with a tone of self-reflection.

“Brushing aside her hair as it dances in the wind is a more sacred ritual than anything else, and when she speaks, my world finally gains clarity. So, now that she’s rejected me, everything seems to be in black and white.”

William let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. The cigar in his hand burned silently, like his heart.

Vincent now thought of Mabel, whom he had seen several times before. She wasn’t someone driven by ambition; rather, she was careful to the point of being frustratingly considerate of others. He could vaguely guess why Mabel had rejected William.

‘Perhaps Miss Willis’ rejection was due to her status. It’s something inevitable with her love and beliefs alone. It’s an ironic situation, much like William’s political predicament.’

Vincent thought about William’s position, presenting policies for the lower class while belonging to the aristocracy.

Although the name of Edmundstone was a background that any politician would covet, in practice, from the perspective of a reformist like William, it often became a hindrance. Criticisms arose from the nobles who had never touched a lump of coal in their lives, saying, ‘What does a young lord from a noble family know about creating policies for the lower class?’ Most of these stories came from provincial assemblies.

‘It’s only because of the pressure from noble families like Edmundstone that issues centered around the lower class can even be addressed in Parliament…’

Vincent looked at William with pity, realizing that his reputation had become an obstacle to his beliefs and love.

“What kind of certainty do we have about the passage of the social security bill?”

Vincent pondered over William’s sudden question.

“It seems it will be decided before Parliament goes on Christmas break this year. Regardless of Mr. Burning’s election as Prime Minister, we anticipate it will pass on our side. But why the sudden interest…?”

At that moment, unease flashed through Vincent’s mind.

“Surely you’re not…”

‘Is it because Miss Willis rejected you due to your status that you’re considering rejecting the Deputy Prime Minister position and leaving politics altogether?’

Worried that his melancholic friend might make a hasty decision, Vincent spoke with an urgent tone.

“Listen, Edmundstone, no, William. Even if you decline the Deputy Prime Minister position and leave politics, you’ll still be Edmundstone’s successor. So, it’s only natural that your name would be burdensome not just to royalty but to most ladies. Miss Willis wouldn’t see you any differently just because you’re a politician standing in the void.”

William listened quietly to Vincent’s words, his blue eyes filled with firm resolve.

“Crosby, if I loved her even a little less, I wouldn’t have been able to let her go like this. But…”

William spoke in a subdued voice.

“If there’s even the slightest chance that she might consider me again, I’ll do anything.”

“What if Miss Willis learns that you left politics because of her? How would she feel about that?”

Vincent threw a question of retrospection, seeing the determination in William’s eyes. He inwardly chastised himself for coming here to push forward the engagement with Lady Simpson but found himself contemplating how William and the maid Mabel could be happy together.

“I promise you, that won’t happen.”

“What do you mean? By giving up the Deputy Prime Minister position, aren’t you forfeiting the highest position and opportunity you, as a noble, could aspire to?”

Vincent spoke, showing his lack of understanding.

While the Prime Minister was officially appointed by the monarchy, in practice, the position came from the elected members of the lower house of Parliament, the Commons. It was also the most significant political power in the UK.

On the other hand, nobles like William, with their titles, often operated as members of the House of Lords, known as the nobility, overseeing the Commons. Occasionally, some ministerial or deputy ministerial positions were appointed from the House of Lords to maintain balance in the cabinet.

Therefore, William’s rejection of the Deputy Prime Minister position was akin to him voluntarily giving up the opportunity to exert the greatest influence as a noble politician.

“Mabel accepted me because my beliefs resonated with hers. But there’s no way I’m letting go of that with my own hands.”

William chuckled. But behind that laughter was a stubborn emotion too palpable for Vincent not to press further with any more questions.