Miss Magdalene, on the other hand, raised her brows with interest. She had been observing Anastasia while Elisabeth spoke and had noticed her frown briefly when Elisabeth made a few mistakes.
It was easy for her to realize that Anastasia was feigning incompetence.
If Anastasia truly did not understand the poem, she would not have noticed Elisabeth's mistakes. Moreover, she had made a total of fifteen errors, more than twice the number Elisabeth had, but none were the same as Elisabeth's.
Miss Magdalene found it intriguing that Anastasia knew how to conceal her abilities. After all, as the daughter of a mistress, if she shone brighter than Elisabeth, she would only invite trouble upon herself.
According to the customs of Nexit, Anastasia should have had the same rights as Elisabeth. However, from the moment Miss Magdalene met the two young ladies, she knew that was not the case.
It was evident from Anastasia's plain attire and the absence of a personal maid that she was mistreated. Yet, the more Miss Magdalene observed her, the more she found her presence pleasing to the eye.
Throughout the class, Miss Magdalene refrained from commenting. She felt that Miss Brice had poor teaching ethics, despite having two students, she focused all her attention on one. If Anastasia could still learn in such an environment, she must be remarkably talented.
After Miss Brice's lesson, the next class was with Miss Ellen, who was no different. She lavished praise on Elisabeth for the smallest accomplishments while scolding Anastasia over trivial matters.
Miss Magdalene quickly realized that both teachers were trying to ensure she formed a good impression of Elisabeth. She now understood why the Queen had sent her to the duke's residence to gather firsthand information.
---
After class, Anastasia returned to her courtyard with Miss Magdalene. She did not attempt to engage in conversation or familiarize herself with her guest. Along the way, they passed several servants who treated Anastasia as if she were invisible.
It was clear that no one recognized her as the duke's daughter. Some cast curious glances before walking away, while others ignored her entirely.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, Rosa was waiting outside.
"My lady, I think the duchess wants to move you out of this courtyard. Do you think she might send you to the servants' quarters?" Rosa asked anxiously. She worried that her lady's already difficult life would become even worse.
Anastasia was surprised by this. The duchess might want to relocate her, but since she always concealed her malicious intentions, making such a bold move at this time would be unusual.
"Did the duchess say that?" Anastasia asked, wondering if Leah had delivered the message to Rosa. However, since Rosa was unaware of her engagement to the crown prince, her concern was understandable.
"No, but Leah brought many maids, and they have been rearranging the entire courtyard. I suspect the duchess is expecting a guest," Rosa explained.
Anastasia smiled. Her courtyard was once one of the finest in the residence, as it had belonged to her mother. However, since her mother's passing and Leah's relentless plundering, it had become a mere shadow of its former self.
Knowing the duchess's calculating nature, it made sense that she would want to restore some of the courtyard's beauty due to the presence of a lady from the Queen'svcourt.
Rosa had been by Anastasia's side for many years and had witnessed the duchess's repeated attempts to expel her mother from the courtyard, all of which had failed. So, her concern was not unwarranted.
"Don't worry. I'm sure the duchess simply wants me to be more comfortable," Anastasia reassured her, tapping Rosa's shoulder.
Rosa remained unconvinced and was about to speak again when she suddenly noticed Miss Magdalene. Embarrassed, she realized she had completely overlooked her presence. Since Anastasia was usually alone, she hadn't thought to check.
"Good day, Miss," Rosa said shyly, offering a small smile. She had no idea who Miss Magdalene was, as she rarely had the opportunity to leave the duke's residence.
"Good day," Miss Magdalene replied with a polite smile.
"Miss Magdalene, this is my handmaid, Rosa. She still has much to learn. I apologize on her behalf," Anastasia said, acknowledging that Rosa should not have ignored Miss Magdalene for so long.
"It's fine," Miss Magdalene responded. She found it refreshing to see a maid who was genuinely concerned for her mistress. To her, this was proof of Anastasia's virtuous character.
Furthermore, Anastasia had not spoken ill of the duchess in her presence, which was another mark of good character.
The duchess and her daughter had been so focused on stepping over Anastasia that they had forgotten the fundamental principle of family unity. Miss Magdalene found their behavior disgraceful. It seemed all their learning had gone to waste.
No matter how talented a woman was, if she lacked fundamental virtues, she was unfit to be a wife.
Although she had only spent a few hours with Anastasia, Miss Magdalene was beginning to believe the King had made a wise decision.
The crown prince was a refined man, but he needed a wife with true virtue. Only then could the palace enjoy peace and prosperity in the future.
"Thank Miss Magdalene for her understanding," Anastasia said meekly.
"Rosa, this is Miss Magdalene. She is a lady-in-waiting to the Queen," Anastasia introduced.
Rosa's jaw dropped slightly, but she quickly closed her mouth. She realized she should not continue embarrassing her mistress.
As Anastasia's handmaid, she needed to compose herself. A servant was a reflection of their master, and she could not afford to appear shallow.
"Miss Magdalene will be living with us from now on. Treat her as half a master," Anastasia instructed.
Rosa frowned in surprise. It was unusual for a lady-in-waiting to reside with them.
"Could there be some sort of contest among the young ladies of the capital?" Rosa wondered.
"Ahh, no wonder the duchess is suddenly cleaning up the courtyard," she thought, realizing why Leah had arrived earlier.
Anastasia saw the unspoken questions in Rosa's gaze but chose not to elaborate.
As the three of them entered the courtyard, Anastasia was surprised by its transformation. The duchess was cunning, she had carefully hidden all the signs of neglect.
"Rosa, did anyone send a bag to the courtyard earlier?" Anastasia asked. Since Miss Magdalene would be staying for some time, it was only logical that she had brought her belongings.
"Yes, a few maids came to drop off some things. I placed them in the small hall," Rosa replied.
"Help Miss Magdalene settle into the free room on the west side," Anastasia instructed. The room was spacious and should be suitable for Miss Magdalene.
"My lady, the kitchen staff sent lunch," Rosa informed her.
"Oh," Anastasia murmured. Things were changing too quickly. She rarely had proper meals, so she was not used to the the kitchen staff suddenly treating her well.
"Miss Magdalene, shall we have lunch?" Anastasia asked.
"Yes," Miss Magdalene agreed. She had noticed from Rosa's tone that lunch was not normally sent to the courtyard.