Chapter 132
#<Episode 132>
She was living a fulfilling life in this beautiful city, earning an amount of money she couldn't have imagined before.
And that wasn't all. She was writing a novel.
Back when she was living in a cramped Townhouse, treated like a burden by her family, all she could do was scribble in her diary. Her mind was trapped in a prison, and free creation was an impossible task for a confined soul.
Then, after getting a job and starting to live on her own, she slowly began to write down not only her diary entries but also various ideas that came to her mind. Ideas that could become good stories if fleshed out.
And on the day she met Miss Rotis, she began to write the first page of her novel for the first time.
Three months after coming to Bath, Miss Hyde wrote THE END at the end of her novel. It was last night.
If she showed it to Miss Rotis, she would arrange a publisher. If she showed it to Miss Pendleton, she could get helpful advice.
But Miss Hyde hesitated to show the novel to anyone. Frankly, she wanted to dig a hole and bury it forever. Too much of her inner self had gone into the novel.
Miss Hyde blushed as she recalled the contents of the novel. She fanned herself with her hand and hurried her pace.
"Jane."
She had walked about 100 meters from the cafe when she heard someone calling her from the carriage road. Miss Hyde turned her head.
Miss Rotis, in a hired carriage, was looking at Miss Hyde through the window.
"Miss Rotis. How...?"
"The ground is muddy because of the rain. I came to pick you up."
Miss Hyde smiled brightly and got into the carriage.
"How is Miss Pendleton?"
"She's drinking mulled wine and sleeping like an angel. Poor thing. How did she lose her coat...?"
"Indeed."
Miss Hyde smiled brightly, completely different from when she was talking to Mr. Dalton. Every time Miss Rotis showed her kindness, Miss Hyde felt as if she were floating on clouds.
On the other hand, Miss Rotis looked quite displeased. She took out a cigarette case from her coat pocket and took out a cigar.
"You said you were just going to have a cup of coffee alone. Was it actually a prior engagement?"
"Ah..."
It seemed Miss Rotis had seen her coming out of the cafe with Mr. Dalton. Miss Hyde scratched the back of her neck.
"Actually, it's something that shouldn't be found out. That person is Mr. Dalton. You know, that gentleman who is said to be in love with Miss Pendleton."
Miss Rotis struck a match on the striking surface of the matchbox.
"Why is he looking for you?"
"He wanted to ask about Miss Pendleton's recent situation."
"Aha."
Miss Rotis sucked on the lit cigar. Soon, faint smoke billowed from her red lips.
"He wanted to ask about Miss Pendleton's recent situation? Hmm, I see."
Miss Rotis nodded. However, Miss Rotis's expression seemed more displeased than understanding.
"Is something wrong?"
Miss Rotis shook her head.
"So, how was it when you met him? Is his ardent love for Miss Pendleton still the same?"
"Yes, well. I think so. He seems to be worried sick every day that she might marry Mr. Ashton instead of him."
"You better be careful, Jane. He might propose to you in a fit of pique."
Miss Hyde jumped in surprise.
"What nonsense are you saying...!"
"Men tend to propose to a woman nearby to restore their self-esteem after being rejected by a woman."
"That's the silliest story in the world."
"Why?"
"How could someone who loves such a perfect woman as Miss Pendleton love me? I can't even hold a candle to her."
"So, you're saying you might accept if he proposed?"
Miss Hyde's eyes widened.
"Why is the conversation going that way?"
"You're not saying you dislike him, are you?"
"Whether I like him or not isn't important, I'm telling you. He's not going to propose to me anyway, so why does my opinion matter?"
Miss Rotis frowned and smoked her cigar in silence.
Miss Hyde was dumbfounded. Miss Rotis sometimes acted in ways that were incomprehensible.
It was the same last time. When she found out that a gentleman had proposed to her in London, she grilled her about what kind of person he was, why she had refused, and what she thought of him now. And she didn't speak to her for half a day because she didn't like something.
'She's an incomprehensible person.'
Miss Hyde respected her, but she couldn't relax because of her unpredictable temper.
Miss Hyde sat next to her on her left. And gently massaged her left shoulder and arm. It was because her left arm and shoulder were always a little stiff from using a cane.
Miss Rotis initially tried to push Miss Hyde away. Miss Hyde continued to massage her arm without concern. Gradually, her expression relaxed. When Miss Hyde put her arms around her and rubbed her cheek against her shoulder like a spoiled child, she seemed completely cheered up and smiled.
She lightly pinched Miss Hyde's cheek. As if to a cute relative.
Miss Hyde liked her touch, but at the same time, she felt bitter.
'She likes me. Like a cute puppy.'
She couldn't find any deeper meaning in Miss Rotis. To her, she was probably just a cute, tail-wagging pet.
Miss Hyde was even less courageous to show her manuscript.
'Would she take a novel written by a pet dog seriously? No, she'd probably laugh at it.'
Miss Hyde was discouraged just by imagining it.
'If not Miss Rotis, there's only one person to show the manuscript to.'
Miss Hyde took a deep breath of the pleasant cigar scent emanating from Miss Rotis, pondered for a while, and then made up her mind.
'Yes, let's show it to Miss Pendleton, my manuscript.'
* * *
On the second day of being laid up with a cold, Laura was slowly able to get out of bed.
On the day she walked back without a coat due to a foolish mistake at the Farnese Hotel, Laura ended up in bed with a cold. Miss Rotis urgently arranged for a doctor and a nurse, and Miss Hyde brought chicken ginger soup and herbal tea, which are said to be good for colds, and poured them into Laura's mouth.
Even though a nurse was stationed there, they visited the room frequently. They came to read books to Laura, added more fire to the fireplace, and bought snacks to help with her treatment.
"You're almost better."
Mrs. Rover, the nurse who took Laura's temperature, nodded.
"No chills, no headache. Hmm, you have a bit of a Fever, but it will go down on its own if you rest for a few more days."
"Thank you, Mrs. Rover."
Laura thanked her, her cheeks flushed red from the hot fireplace.
"I didn't do anything. Your friends made such a fuss that the cold ran away, saying it had no place here."
Mrs. Rover chuckled and put on her coat. It was already sunset outside, and it was time to go home.
"Be sure to take the medicine I gave you. Never go out in the cold or move your body too much. Go to bed early. If you have a constitution that is weak to the cold like you, the illness will last longer if you neglect to take care of yourself when you feel a little better. It can turn into serious illnesses such as pneumonia or Fever."
"I'll keep that in mind, Mrs. Rover."
Mrs. Rover left the room.
Laura leaned against the headboard of the bed. And took out a lemon macaron from the macaron box that Miss Hyde had bought from the bakery across from the Mineral Water Hall and ate it.
Laura had received the utmost care for the past two days. It was quite a fresh experience.
She had always been the one to help others. In the dormitory, she helped friends who had difficulty studying, and while living with Lady Abigail, she took care of her grandmother's health, and in society, she helped friends with their weddings or helped needy neighbors at charity events.
By helping someone, she tried to prove her worth. She tried to cover up the stigma of her birth with the modifier 'good person'. So every time she received help from someone, she was grateful but also uncomfortable on one hand.
But receiving help was not a bad thing. It was a happy and grateful thing. In the past, the feeling that she regarded other people's help as debt melted away in the care of Miss Rotis and Miss Hyde. And in its place was a strong affection for her friends.
'I'm lucky to have these friends.'
Laura thought as she took out another raspberry macaron and ate it.
Then, there was a knock, knock.
"Miss Pendleton, are you asleep?"
Laura quickly wiped her mouth, wondering if there were macaron crumbs on it.
"No. Come in."
Miss Hyde entered the room. Her silhouette was wearing a neat white lace dress.
Miss Hyde's attire had become quite splendid since coming to Bath. She must have learned how to dress herself in the sensual atmosphere of Bath.
She was originally tall and slender, and when she wore a beautiful dress on top of that, she looked like a model in a catalog.
She approached Laura with a shy, half-nervous, awkward face. She was holding a bundle of papers in her arms. As precious as if she were holding a baby.
Laura looked at the bundle of papers with a puzzled face.
"Before you go to sleep, would you like me to read you a book?"
"Miss Hyde's reading is always welcome. But, what's that in your arms...?"
Miss Hyde blushed and mumbled softly.
"It's... my manuscript. I wanted Miss Pendleton, not Miss Rotis, to read it first."
Laura was startled, and soon smiled brightly.
"You're finally letting me read it. Have you finished it completely?"
"Yes."
Laura, excited, recommended that she sit on the stool next to the bed. Miss Hyde sat on the stool. Her expression was like a prisoner on the gallows.
"Why are you so nervous, Miss Hyde? I am an absolutely supportive reader of Miss Hyde."
Miss Hyde sighed.
"But Miss Pendleton is someone who has insight into books. My story will probably sound like a silly story written by a 12-year-old."
"That's not true. No, even if it is, so what? Miss Hyde enjoyed writing this novel. A person who can be happy while writing will have a better next book, and the next book will be even better. Eventually, you will write a perfect novel someday. Now, don't worry and read it."
Miss Hyde seemed a little less nervous in the midst of the encouragement, but she still opened the first page with a shy face.
Miss Hyde's reading began.
The novel was a novella in length, and the reading took nearly two hours. Miss Pendleton leaned back in bed and listened to Miss Hyde's story.
As time went on, Miss Hyde's voice became hoarse. But Laura couldn't be aware of it. It was because the story of the novel was beyond imagination.
