"Heeyyyy." Jin exclaimed happily as he extended his arms for me to run to.
I remained still as I stared at the man.
When he saw I wasn't delighted to see him and wasn't going to run to him, his huge silly smile fell.
"Charlotte," he began as she approached me from behind.
"What brings you here?" she inquired.
Before Jin came, Charlotte had asked me to water the flowers while she swept the compound.
He wasn't alone, as usual. He was with the two men we had seen him with the day before, and their attire in general made no mention of him being the lord's son. He appeared to be a commoner with nice appearance. Nothing else!
Jin gave her a sly grin.
"What brings you here?" Charlotte inquired again after receiving no answer to her initial inquiry.
She was annoyed by the man's presence, and I had already deduced that Jin was the one who made the other maidens dislike Charlotte.
It was clear by the way he looked and smiled at her that he liked her.
"I stopped over to make sure you weren't punishing our little niece and to replace the damaged gourds." He replied.
"She went unpunished; you may leave now." Charlotte tried to dismiss him, but the man didn't seem to catch the idea, or if he did, he didn't want to go just yet.
"Are you sure?" he inquired.
"Why don't you ask her?" she says. Charlotte proposed.
Jin's grin widened. I didn't understand what he found comical at the time. Maybe it was the way he nagged Charlotte?
"Little girl, the last time we met, you never gave me your name." He stated this as he approached me and squatted.
"How do I address you?" He questioned as he tried to grab me, but I wriggled free and raced behind Charlotte.
"I suppose that's a 'no talking to me today'." He exhaled a sigh. "Are you still upset with me from yesterday? I know it was all my fault, and I apologize."
He motioned for his two men to distribute the gourds, and as he stood up, facing Charlotte, he took out a little leather pouch with strings at the end that was used as a silver and gold bag.
"This is for any extra harm I may have caused." He said.
"If you believe that handing me silver money would get me off my feet, you are mistaken." Charlotte stated as she surveyed him with her gaze.
"Come on, it's only a little money that you could use to purchase something for your niece if you don't want to spend it on yourself," He proposed.
"I made no request for charity." Charlotte snarled.
"Come on, you don't have to be that mean." Jin stated, but Charlotte strongly advised him to go. She refused to accept his money or the new gourds they had brought.
"How come you turned down the gourds?" I approached her after the men had departed.
"News spreads so quickly in this town, and the last thing I want is a seething Amelia in my property." She responded.
She was definitely doing her best to avoid problems and conflicts as much as possible, just as she had advised me.
"We won't be going out today as planned since I need to make a few more candles; you may play out here if you like. Do not venture outside this compound." Charlotte stated before entering the house.
I could never go out alone again now that I realized how hazardous it was out there.
The wooden fence that surrounded Charlotte's home allowed me to see outside the complex, which wasn't all that horrible.
I missed home and couldn't stop thinking about my parents and all the maiden's children I normally played with.
Later in the day, she had guests who were well-dressed, and it was clear that they were all upper-class members of the society.
The majority of these visitors were ladies, and the high elegant carriages that passed by in front of Charlotte's wooden gate made me feel even more homesick and melancholy since they reminded me of home.
Some of the women that came by were here to place further orders for the candles Charlotte made, while others came to pick up their already manufactured and filled order of candles.
"Charlotte, you make so much money; why don't you improve this place? Make a nicer house, buy attractive clothing and jewelry." One woman stated that she was being escorted out by Charlotte whilst they spoke.
"I would love to," Charlotte said respectfully, "but I don't need expensive things in life to make me more attractive than I already am."
"Oh, or are you accumulating your earnings to depart for the neighboring kingdom?" I've heard that there are many attractive and affluent suitors who exclusively marry wealthy ladies." The woman continued.
"That is not my objective, my lady. Despite the fact that I appreciate your care about my financial situation and life in general." Charlotte spoke out, bowing slightly to the lady.
"All right, when shall I come to get the candles?" The lady inquired.
"All of your candles will be ready, this day and time next week."
"What? That's far too prolonged." The woman spoke out. "I can't possibly wait that long!" Her finely formed brows wrinkled in response.
"My lady, I must notify you that there were people who arrived before you, and I must fill in their orders as well; unless you want me to prioritize your candles, you will need to pay extra silver pieces." Charlotte talked to the woman with her head slightly lowered.
It made me curious about the woman. However, the woman was older, so perhaps Charlotte was expressing her respect to her due to their age difference? Or was it because of this woman's social standing?
I did not know!
"No issue. Silver and gold are no trouble at all," the woman murmured. She remarked this as she motioned to her horseman to get something from their carriage, which was parked just in front of Charlotte's gates.
The man subsequently returned with a big leather bag larger than Jin's, from which she pulled three handfuls of silver without even counting them and gave them to Charlotte.