Ch#24
What a dilemma.
.. It’s not like I can rest just because I’m sick….....
Even setting aside the fact that the laundry room was still short-staffed, Marsha would never permit her sick leave.
Edel sighed and sat up in bed.
‘I’ll go to work first, eat lunch quickly, and ask Mr. Marco to buy some medicine for me. She’ll at least allow me to take medicine once I have it.’
Marco Molton, Daisy’s father whom she’d come to know about a month ago during their greetings, had told her to let him know anytime if she needed something bought from outside.
She wanted to avoid owing favors as much as possible, but as a prisoner who couldn’t leave the mansion freely, she had no choice but to ask this time.
Feeling fortunate at least to have someone to ask for medicine, Edel dragged her waterlogged body out of bed like a soaked cotton swab.
Celia and Laila, whom she met at the breakfast table, noticed Edel’s condition at a glance from her face.
*Spoils of war
Duchess
“Are you feeling unwell? Your complexion looks terrible.”
“Seems like I caught a cold. A little medicine and a good night’s sleep should fix it, right?”
“Don’t take a cold lightly. It can turn into pneumonia if mishandled. There’s not much laundry today anyway, so take it easy.”
“Celia......”
As Edel tried to express her gratitude, Marsha appeared leading her ‘personal guard.’
Truly written by Lemon Frog
And upon seeing Edel, she flashed a meaningful smile. It didn’t feel good at all.
“Ahem! Come to think of it, it’s already been over a month since the new year. March isn’t far off.”
At Marsha’s out-of-the-blue remark, everyone paused mid-meal and looked at her quizzically. There was still over a month and a half until March.
However, ignoring the stares, Marsha continued.
“We have to prepare the mansion for spring in March, and scrambling at the last minute would be chaos. Don’t you think?”
“W-well, sure...... I guess.”
2
.
Someone answered half-heartedly, but the servants remained suspicious. It was the same routine every year, and House Criserus didn’t go overboard redecorating just because the seasons changed.
“Ma’am! What are you saying? It’s still so cold out—”
But Marsha pretended to ponder before looking toward Celia as if resolved.
Celia protested on her behalf, but Marsha glared venomously even at her.
“Celia!”
“Yes?”
“Celia. Have you ever washed curtains in hot water before?”
“Today, wash all the curtains for spring. Got it?”
“That’s because we never wash curtains in the dead of winter!”
“What? Suddenly? March is still far away!”
“Dead of winter or midsummer! Washing them uses tons of water—do you expect us to afford the firewood to heat it all?”
Celia’s brows furrowed sharply, but Marsha looked positively delighted.
Marsha sneered about how young maids these days only wanted easy work and lacked sense, then muttered as if to herself.
“Whether today or a month from now, it’s work that has to be done anyway. Might as well do it early. Weather looks good today and tomorrow, so they’ll dry nicely.”
“What’s so pretty about you to give extra firewood? Do something worthwhile first.”
“But even the piled-up laundry alone…!”
“That’s why I assigned extra hands to the laundry room, isn’t it? You and Laila handle today’s laundry, and get the newbies for the curtains.”
Then she resumed eating as if nothing had happened. It felt like a hint to bribe her for any ease.
Edel silently tore her bread. But the fever she’d felt since dawn was worsening.
At the sound, Celia and Laila’s gazes turned to Edel. Eyes realizing Marsha’s scheme.
It’s okay. Soaking my hands in cold water might even bring the fever down….....
“Edel!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Clinging to that faint hope, she forced the bread down her rough, scratchy throat. With her body already unwell, skipping a proper meal would leave her no strength to endure.
“You can handle it, right? It’s almost three months since you started learning—failing at this would make you an idiot or a fool, wouldn’t it?”
Hauling spring curtains from the storeroom to the laundry alone was a huge task, making Edel’s heart race.
Marsha had clearly spotted her poor condition at a glance. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to drag out work still nearly two months away.
“I’ll head out first. Take your time.”
‘No chance of getting medicine now.’
She hurriedly finished her plate, wrapped her pinned-up hair tightly in a headscarf.
Edel realized she wouldn’t even have time to ask Marco. Probably couldn’t finish even skipping meals and slaving solely at laundry today.
“Let’s go together, Edel.”
“I’m fine. I know which storeroom the spring curtains are in.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You know where, but not how many? A whopping 75 bundles—75!”
“Doing your best isn’t enough. Finish it no matter what. And!”
It meant 75 bags of paired curtains—one per side of each window—for a total of 150 curtains Edel had to wash today.
Marsha suppressed her bursting smile and said sternly.
Celia and Laila stuffed the rest of their food into their mouths and headed to the first-floor storeroom with Edel.
“Curtains in cold water, got it? Just warning you since a delicately raised lady might foolishly use hot.”
“Damn wench. Truly rotten to the core.”
.
