The day's proceedings have been exceedingly exhausting. After I agreed to get married, I ended up being told that I had to move to the Duke's house the next morning.
I woke up to my mother's excitement and tears of joy while my step sister looked like she could bury me at any moment. In any case, it took us three days to get to the Duke's residence.
I know, this was fast-paced even for me, but I could not complain or opt out because Jay Jay had refused to leave with his grandpa and come back at a later stage to fetch me after proper discussions between the two families had been made.
Master Evans had urgent matters to sort out, and he needed to leave urgently, and he stated that leaving Jay Jay behind was not an option. So, in the end, I had to leave my new home in the marquess household and move to my in-laws' house unplanned.
The journey was long and very tiring, but that was the least of my concerns. When we arrived at the Duke's residence, the staff was particularly cold and unwelcoming, which was the same as in my past life. However, I did not care about that I just wanted to see something, something I had neglected in my past life.
After my rebirth, I tried to put the pieces together and figure out how I ended up dead for a crime I did not do. Then it clicked,
In my past life, there was one more person who played a part in my death, my head maid, Evelina.
( Charlotte's eyes turn cold with a dangerous glint)
(the door creaks without a knock)
" Miss, dinner is ready." the snobbish servant said haughtily as soon as she entered my room without even knocking or greeting.
" Oh, thank you, but I am not hungry." I stated flatly.
" But the kitchen has made an effort to make these for you, miss. I would suggest you come down and have your dinner." the head maid said. She looked young like in her early twenties but she had a sour face which did not suit her young age.
" Please send my apologies." I said curtly. Why was she forcing me to have the dinner they prepared?
" Miss, you seem to be forgetting that this is not the marquess, nor is it your kingdom? You must follow the customs of our kingdom." the head maid boldly said.
Did I look like a pushover? Was she asserting her authority over the household since they had given her the power to handle certain matters since there was no lady of the house to do so in the past?
I fixed the scarf on my shoulders, stood up, and walked over to where she was standing.
" What's your name?" I asked, pretending not to know her.
" Evelina, miss," she answered, but I could clearly see the reluctance she had when she had to address me as miss.
" Alright, Evelina. I am the new lady of the house, if I do not want dinner then I do not want it. Even though I may not look it, I am the lady of this house. So please address me with the much needed respect." I said to her. I knew that she was behaving like this probably because she knew that the Duke did not want a wife, and he probably wouldn't care less about how the wife would be served by the servants.
This was similar to my past life, Evelina, was apprehensive when we first because she felt that her position was threatened by my sudden appearance. Everyone in the household felt like that and they hated that i was an outsider since i was not a local. So, in the end, to appease everyone, I let her control everything in the household. It was also because I was too scared to take charge, and I wanted as minimal interaction with the Duke as possible. So I told her that she could keep doing what she was doing and take care of all the errands that needed the lady of the house.
However, now that I look back, Evelina betrayed me without batting an eyelid, laughing with me and making me believe that she was loyal. In the past, I even fought with Lily defending her when they tried to show me the type of person she was. However, in the end, it was Lily who tried to save me from the Duke while she teamed up with my step sister and betrayed me. How ironic!