Chapter 90

The Sleepless Night of the Maid — Chapter 90

“We were in a difficult situation, so we sold our house and moved here. Nevertheless, I feel so thankful that God protected both of you and led you to me,” Mrs. Leona expressed with gratitude. 

One admirable quality about Mrs. Leona was her ability to find the good and positive aspects, even in challenging circumstances. Sitting across from her, Eva smiled wistfully and took the teacup in her hand. In the past, she would have wholeheartedly agreed with Mrs. Leona, but now a faint skepticism and rebellion had emerged within her.

It would have been better if God hadn’t put me through that hardship in the first place, Eva thought. Or at least had given me some time to rest.

While she believed that there was a reason for everything God did, the truth remained that it had been difficult.

“Ma’am, can we stay with you for a few days? We’ll find a place to live and jobs as soon as possible,” Eva made the request in a soft voice. She had never intended to stay for long, but she wanted to move while she was still mentally and physically stable. However, it would be quite inconvenient for Mrs. Leona to accommodate the two in a small two-room house. It would mean taking away the space where Joy could rest at the moment.

“Oh, it’s alright. Don’t worry about that. First, let’s take a moment to cool down,” Mrs. Leona reassured them.

“Okay. Well, I come home every few days, so you can use my room for now. In the meantime, I will share with my mother.”

At Joy’s words, Eva and Cecil clasped their hands together. Those words calmed their anxiety a little. After talking for a while, Cecil looked at Joy and spoke.

“Oh. Did you say you work for the Duke of Kensington?”

“Yes. I used to work elsewhere, but I changed jobs a month ago. Back then, I could only come home once every two weeks, but here, I can come home every two or three days.”

“Ah. That’s nice.”

“The work is a bit difficult though. Since the wife mainly stays in her room, her daughter, Lady Olivia, is in charge of the household. She’s nice, but she’s a bit strict.”

Joy continued chatting without a break as Eva and Cecil digested the information. It was good that her personality was bright and lively, but after a while, it became draining to listen to.

“Oh! Lily, would you mind working with me for a few days if you need a job?”

“Pardon?”

Eva looked at Joy in surprise at the unexpected suggestion. 

Unless she heard it wrong, Joy said she should try working as a maid for the Duke of Kensington.

Joy didn’t know what was happening, but Eva’s self-esteem was cracking.

“Soon, a grand party will be held at the Duke’s house for a few days. The scale of the event is very large, so they’re looking for temporary workers.

“Oh, I…”

“The Marchioness Anita and the Countess Holland will also attend, so probably all the noble girls of the capital will come.”

“The Marchioness Anita and the Countess Holland?”

Eva couldn’t keep up with Joy’s words. She couldn’t even hear properly, because Joy was talking too fast. Of the few words her ears comprehended, the one that caught her attention was Countess Holland. She was the mother of Edward’s aide, Benjamin Holland, and the younger sister of the deceased Empress Catherine.

“Oh, you might not know who they are. The Marchioness Anita is the Imperial handmaiden, and the Countess Holland is the deputy handmaiden.”

“I see.”

“This time, the Imperial family is openly recruiting a maid. Originally only the girls in connection with the current palace maids could apply, but the Dowager Empress soon opened the competition for girls all over the empire. The Marchioness Anita and the Countess Holland will be the ones choosing the maid. So everyone will be vying to catch their eyes.”

“Ah, so it’s like that.”

Eva barely understood the meaning and nodded her head. She wasn’t very interested, but she did have a question. Wouldn’t working in the palace be hellish?

“An Imperial maid, is that position good?”

“Absolutely. It’s a position that people like us could only imagine to reach. If you get there, you can impress not only the royal family but also other noble families and get married well. In addition, it is said that valuable information is exchanged in the Imperial palace on the daily.”

“Ah…”

Eva nodded and looked at Cecil. Her nanny, who had known her for a lot longer than Joy, was only looking at her with a sullen face. Her eyes seemed to say, ‘I wish I could go there in your place.’

Getting distracted by those eyes, Eva turned her gaze away.

“What do you think Lily? It’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“Well, I…”

“It’s thirty gold a day.” [A/N: 230 dollars]

“Thirty gold?”

Eva, who was about to refuse, asked flabbergasted. Thirty gold was a lot of money for a day. Money that could support her and Cecil for a week, minimum.

“I’m sorry, but Lily is a bit weak, so I don’t think she can do that.”

Cecil tried to hide her displeasure and rejected Joy’s offer. Perhaps she felt insulted. She couldn’t accept the possibility of Eva, once a young noble girl herself, working as a maid for other nobles.

“No, it’s alright. I will do it.”

Eva said to Joy, holding Cecil’s hand tightly. Pride was useless now. What they needed most currently was a steady income for food, shelter, clothes, and Cecil’s hospital bills.

The possibility of running into Edward only agitated her heart, but she wouldn’t be able to see him with all the work anyway. 

So it will be fine. She’ll be a maid for a few days.

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