Madam and the Stable Keeper (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
Walter vanished, and not long after, Sophia’s servants handed her a pen and a marriage contract.
“His Lordship signed it in advance before going to fetch you, Madam.”
“…….”
Edith considered whether their words were true or if someone had forged the Viscount’s signature—but then gave up.
What they wanted now was simply the marriage contract itself to show others.
Unable to resist their coercion, she signed only her given name, “Edith,” deliberately omitting the surname “Lowell,” and was then moved by maids to a bedroom in the east wing of the mansion.
On the way there, the maids examined the marks Walter had left on Edith’s body—the red handprints, her disheveled hair, and her face, a mix of despair and gloom.
“You’ll stay here from now on. Please rest comfortably.”
The maids shoved Edith into the room as if locking an animal into its pen, then left. She washed herself with the cold water prepared in the room and collapsed weakly onto the bed.
As she lay there with her eyes closed, she overheard voices from outside the door.
“She’s a filthy woman who brought bad luck—no wonder His Lordship met with misfortune after playing with the likes of her.”
“She really got what she deserved. She must’ve been thrilled thinking her status would soon change, but now His Lordship won’t wake from his coma…”
“She’s just a woman who does indecent things anyway. Everyone in the territory knows about His Lordship’s strange tastes—it’s really quite vicious of her.”
Somehow, within just a few hours, the servants had already spread rumors, believing she was a woman who had deliberately seduced the Viscount—a man obsessed only with voyeurism—to climb the social ladder.
They claimed she’d worked in a disreputable tavern, recognized the Viscount when he secretly visited, and then desperately threw herself at him.
‘Surrounded by the smell of antiseptic, I can’t even remember the last time I drank wine—let alone working in a tavern.’
But what frustrated Edith even more were the other stories circulating.
“The truly pitiful one is Madam Sophia. Because His Lordship brought home such a lowly woman to make his wife, she must be in quite a difficult position.”
“If it were me, I’d have secretly driven out that Edith woman while His Lordship was still in a coma. But apparently, out of respect for His Lordship’s wishes, she’s to be accepted as a member of House Portrion.”
“Madam Sophia really… As a noble lady raised gently, she seems incapable of looking out for her own interests. If His Lordship passes away like this, she’ll have to share the inheritance with that woman.”
“Jane, shh! What if someone hears you?”
After that, the servants lowered their voices, making it impossible for Edith to overhear their conversation.
Edith sighed and sat down heavily on a chair. Ever since her parents passed away, she had honestly supported herself—but she never imagined she’d be treated like this.
Should she just shout out loud that Sophia had another face entirely?
But then her mother’s advice suddenly came to mind.
“Edith. Don’t worry about how others see you or what they think of you. All that matters is what you aim to achieve.”
‘Mother was right.’
Edith quietly suppressed her anger. Given the current circumstances, it might even be better to be treated as a vulgar woman. No one would believe a newly arrived woman if she started gossiping about Madam Sophia, who had managed the estate for so long.
People rarely paid much attention to those they looked down upon. So if she wanted to secretly plan an escape, it was safer to be seen as someone utterly incompetent.
After all, what truly mattered was escaping this dreadful Portrion estate and safely enrolling at the Academy in the capital—the place where she truly belonged.
To do that, she first needed information and someone’s help.
‘Occasionally, patients who used to work at Portrion Manor came to the clinic, but they said they’d fled in the middle of the night.’
She’d heard that under the previous Viscount, the estate had managed decently enough, but after the current Viscount took over, it rapidly declined. As salaries began to go unpaid, many took valuable items and fled in the night.
There were so many runaways that the estate didn’t even bother trying to track them down anymore.
‘If the family fortunes are declining, why would Uncle Philip go so far as to buy me?’
Lost in these thoughts, she suddenly remembered the man who’d left such a strong impression on her.
“Listen carefully. I have no interest in Sophia, her orders, or your body.”
‘That man named Walter… What exactly is he?’
If his fighting skills were truly exceptional, he would’ve escaped this failing estate long ago to become a mercenary or knight. The fact that he still remained suggested it was all just bluster.
‘He seemed to dislike Sophia—maybe he’s loyal to another of the Viscount’s wives. Or perhaps…’
Just as Edith was pondering these possibilities—
Knock knock—
“Madam Edith, it’s the maid Jane. Madam Sophia has ordered me to attend to the Fourth Lady.”
“…….”
Edith instinctively recoiled at the title “Fourth Lady.” Moreover, wasn’t Jane the very maid who’d just been badmouthing her?
‘Since she was sent by Sophia, I dislike her even more.’
When Edith didn’t respond, Jane opened the door, saying, “I’ll come in.” She had no choice—Madam Sophia had ordered her to attend to Edith whether Edith liked it or not.
‘She worked in such places, so there’s surely no one here who knows me… She did say her status was commoner.’
Sophia, whom Jane had originally served, was born to noble parents. Though just a maid, Jane had considerable pride and resented having to serve a woman of common birth like herself.
And even more so if that woman had tried—and failed—to improve her fate with her looks alone.
“Would you like to eat, Madam Edith? If there’s any dish you particularly enjoy, please let me know. Our chef is quite skilled at recreating street food.”
A perfectly polite smile adorned Jane’s lips as she subtly reminded Edith of her lowly origins. Yet her eyes were filled with contempt and disdain.
Edith, who had been listening quietly, met Jane’s gaze directly. She might play the part of a vulgar woman, but she had no intention of being an easy mistress to handle.
“Jane, why don’t we ask the kitchen to prepare some street food, then share a meal at the same table? Since it’s our first meeting, we could exchange greetings as well.”
‘Is she out of her mind? Talking to a maid like this?’
Even without noble upbringing or formal education, everyone knew it was unheard of for a mistress and maid to share a meal.
Jane felt embarrassed for having shown this woman—who clearly lacked even basic knowledge—any courtesy at all.
“I’m sorry, but as a maid, I cannot share a table with you, Madam. Our statuses are clearly different, and you should lower your manner of speech accordingly.”
“Oh, really?”
But Edith’s soft, knowing smile—delivered as if she’d been waiting for just those words—made Jane realize too late what she’d walked into.
From the very beginning, Edith had been waiting for Jane to say those exact words—to force the maid herself to acknowledge her lowly position after having just pointed out Edith’s humble origins.
“Now that you mention it… You’re right. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
Edith beamed innocently, as if she’d had no ulterior motive, leaving Jane with a bitter, twisted feeling inside. She’d looked down on Edith as someone ignorant, yet this woman was clearly her superior.
And instead of pointing it out herself, she’d made Jane say it with her own mouth—definitely not someone to underestimate.
‘How infuriating. She only rose in status by pandering to the Viscount.’
But as a mere maid of House Portrion, Jane had no right to voice such thoughts.
She’d just declared with her own words that the gap between mistress and maid was so vast they couldn’t even share a table—making it even more impossible.
“…I just remembered I forgot something in preparing your meal. I’ll be back shortly.”
Grinding her teeth inwardly, Jane bowed her head. Her pride simply wouldn’t allow her to stay and serve Edith until she finished her meal.
After Jane closed the door and left—
‘Just how worthless do they think I am?’
Edith leaned back against the chair’s backrest with an impassive expression. Dealing with all sorts of difficult patients at the clinic seemed to have cultivated her composure—she even let out a small laugh.
It was the first genuine laugh she’d let out since being dragged into the estate—not one born of absurdity or relief from danger, but a real, spontaneous laugh.
Realizing this, she felt a deep yearning to return to her old life, where she used to smile several times a day.
‘I really hope I can get back to the clinic soon.’
Just as she was scheming ways to slip out of the mansion, someone politely knocked on the door.
“Madam. I’m Vivian, sent to attend to you in Jane’s place. May I come in?”
“Vivian?”
It was a common name, yet it sounded familiar somehow. The polite knock and the lack of mockery in the voice felt oddly comforting.
“Come in.”
Edith, awkwardly softening her tone, stared intently at the maid who entered after opening the door.
The rich brown hair and eyes shimmering simultaneously with green and orange hues felt familiar. The gentle curve of her eyes and the neat line of her lips—
It was definitely a face that existed, however faintly, in Edith’s memory.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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