Madam and the Stable Keeper (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
“Then let’s just keep up that story until Thanksgiving. If rumors spread that Viscount’s condition is truly beyond recovery, it’ll shake the entire house.”
Sophia said with an elegant yet resolute smile.
The attending physicians, unaware of her true thoughts, inwardly admired the first madam’s composure.
“We shall do as you say. After all, Viscount has no heir…”
Sophia gave a slight nod, ending the conversation. Although the Viscount’s condition was indeed irreversible—no matter how much money they poured in, it would only prolong his vegetative state by a few more days—Sophia desperately needed even that brief time.
‘Of all times, why did this have to happen right before Thanksgiving?’
She disliked everything about it: Nicholas, who’d suddenly taken charge of the house, rushing to propose a political marriage to her just so he could find someone to handle matters in his stead—and then secretly scheming behind her back after their wedding.
She nearly lost her mind when he’d barked at her not to touch some unknown boy he’d brought in as a stable hand.
“Sophia. Even if Nicholas isn’t pleased with you as his bride…” her mother had once comforted her, sending her off to Portrion, “the Portrions have always had a knack for buying low and selling high. He won’t let you go hungry.”
Now, even that reassurance sounded hollow.
‘Of course, the worst part was Nicholas’s damned voyeurism—fearing to share a room with a woman yet collecting wives like trinkets.’
Yet his voyeurism had ultimately helped her in the end.
“Blonde hair, almost golden, and clear blue eyes. Her name is Edith. Search every corner of the estate until you find her.”
Sophia had overheard the Viscount secretly instructing one of his servants to this effect over five years ago.
She didn’t know what past connection existed between Edith and the Viscount, but his obsession with collecting wives bordered on madness.
‘I wonder just how… special their time together must have been.’
Creeeak—
Sophia gently pushed open the door to the Viscount’s bedroom. Inside, Edith stood beside his bed, her expression gloomy.
Sophia had feared Edith might be up to something inappropriate in the room, but she seemed merely sorrowful over the Viscount’s condition.
Approaching Edith, Sophia spoke in a gentle tone.
“An excellent performance, Edith.”
“……”
“Every physician who’s entered this room has said he’ll either linger in a vegetative state or pass away—nothing in between. So acting the way you do is the wisest course.”
She gestured toward the door with her chin.
“Preparing for the Thanksgiving banquet the day after tomorrow will help safeguard everything Viscount has built for House Portrion.”
“I understand what you’re saying.”
Edith apparently thought Sophia was trying to stall for time simply to avoid facing the second and third madams.
Rising from her seat, Edith followed Sophia, the papers she’d copied from the ledger hidden beneath her dress stinging against her skin.
Meanwhile, on the west side of the mansion, Elizabeth and Isabel were heading toward their agreed meeting spot.
“Isabel, what’s happened to your face?”
Elizabeth hid her shock behind her fan. Isabel, though barely in her early twenties, often acted far more childishly—and this was one of those times.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so upset that Viscount still hasn’t awakened…”
Her already swollen eyes grew even redder. Elizabeth looked at her with mild exasperation but handed her a handkerchief nonetheless.
“Wash your face quickly. From the way Sophia protects you, the fourth madam must be quite formidable—imagine if she catches you like this.”
“But…”
“Think about your inheritance rights, Isabel. You know perfectly well that the highborn first madam has her eyes on our share of the estate too.”
“Elizabeth!”
Isabel insisted that the Viscount wasn’t yet dead and that speaking so irreverently about his inheritance would only worsen his health.
To Elizabeth, it all sounded like nonsense.
“Elizabeth… aren’t you saddened at all that Viscount ended up like this?”
Elizabeth answered honestly.
“Not really. Viscount paid my father five hundred thousand gold upfront—and because of that money, my father cast me out and sent me here.”
“But…”
“You aren’t grateful to him out of love either—you’re just grateful he paid for you.”
Isabel slumped further, muttering under her breath.
“Still, you’re far too calm. It’s almost as if you knew this was going to happen.”
“……”
Elizabeth felt caught off guard.
Though Isabel was naive and lacked fortitude, as the only daughter of Guild Master Karckus—who was rapidly gaining influence—she occasionally showed uncanny intuition.
In truth, Elizabeth had known the Viscount would soon be attacked.
She even knew who had carried out the assault. After all, she’d deliberately allowed herself to be sold into this mansion precisely to leak details of the Viscount’s daily routines and movements to the outside world.
“Isabel, honestly—how could I possibly know something like that? I’ve never left this mansion.”
Elizabeth carefully concealed her role as a spy for the capital’s faction as she gave her reply.
Soon, the two entered the dining hall where lunch was being served. One entire wall was made of glass windows, usually drawing the eye first to the beautiful garden beyond.
“Elizabeth, I think that’s her.”
But today, their attention was drawn to a woman looking at them with slight nervousness.
She had thick, lustrous golden hair falling past her waist and clear blue eyes—she looked just like the porcelain dolls noble girls played with.
Elizabeth realized Nicholas Portrion’s taste in women was growing ever more refined.
Where on earth did he find someone like her—and how?
“This is Edith Portrion.”
At Sophia’s introduction, Edith forced a smile. Portrion—the family name of the Viscount, yet carrying no honor at all.
To keep her composure, she recalled what Vivian had told her.
“We haven’t met before. I’m Elizabeth Portrion.”
Flamboyant red hair and golden eyes—the second madam, an illegitimate daughter of a capital-based family, who’d caught the Viscount’s eye.
“Pleased to meet you, Edith. I’m Isabel.”
The third madam—only twenty-one, with bright blonde hair and emerald eyes.
‘I heard she’s nearly been married for two years already… just how lacking in conscience must the Viscount be…’
He absolutely was. No doubt about it.
Seeing Isabel look even younger than she’d expected, Edith felt faint. Perhaps it was a small mercy that the Viscount never touched his wives.
“Then, shall we discuss something important over lunch?”
At Sophia’s signal, the chefs brought out the prepared dishes. Though this formal dining style was unfamiliar to Edith, she quickly observed and mimicked the others with her sharp eye.
Whenever Isabel glanced at her with curiosity, Edith just smiled, unsure how else to respond.
“As you know, Viscount Portrion is gravely ill. My heart feels torn apart each day.”
As Sophia opened the conversation, Elizabeth let out a scoff.
“You don’t look like someone whose heart is torn—you seem to have slept quite well.”
“What do you mean by that…”
Sophia was momentarily speechless, and Edith couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction.
“Look at Isabel here—her eyes are swollen from crying every day. If you’re going to pretend to be heartbroken, at least cry a little, Sophia.”
Slightly irritated, Sophia replied to Elizabeth.
“While Isabel’s honesty is admirable, I was raised by my mother and governesses to believe a noblewoman must never openly display her emotions, no matter the circumstance.”
Once again, Sophia subtly reminded them that, unlike herself, the other madams weren’t of noble birth—but neither seemed particularly offended.
“I’m sure you were.”
“In any case, what I’m saying is we mustn’t show weakness in front of others. Even if Viscount is bedridden, we must prove House Portrion remains strong.”
“How can you say we’re strong, Sophia? The head of House Portrion is Viscount himself.”
This time, Isabel joined in, and Sophia’s face showed fatigue.
“I know Viscount is the master of this house—but for the Thanksgiving banquet the day after tomorrow, I’d like everyone to appear composed.”
Watching Sophia raise her voice yet still handle her utensils with proper etiquette, Edith thought to herself:
‘Now I understand why she went through the trouble of involving even me—to present a false heir for the Viscount.’
Sophia’s control over the other madams was weaker than Edith had assumed.
Her sole authority was managing House Portrion’s finances as their representative.
Partly because the Viscount himself had never bothered to clarify household hierarchy—instead bringing in new wives whenever he grew bored—and partly because Sophia’s parents, being provincial nobles, couldn’t provide her with sufficient backing.
And once the Viscount died, merchants and associates tied to the guilds would inevitably creep in, demanding their “fair share.”
‘So if I use this situation right, I can strike a blow against Sophia.’
Edith recalled the ledger hidden beneath her dress.
She’d scrutinized the household expense records closely—and the number of servants listed was nearly triple what she’d actually seen over the past few days.
If the ledger included payments for non-existent staff to inflate labor costs…
‘It’s embezzlement. Sophia and Butler Whitman must be accomplices.’
According to Vivian, wages were distributed directly by the butler—so the two likely falsified documents together, with Whitman siphoning off the extra funds.
Sadly, Edith had no authority to openly demand House Portrion’s financial records.
That’s why, throughout the meal, she kept glancing at Isabel—the merchant’s daughter, shrewd with numbers, and as the third madam, far likelier than Edith herself to gain easy access to the account books.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
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