Chapter 98
<98> Hunting Party (1)
The day after sheltering from the rain with Mr. Dalton in the cottage, Laura was having a private afternoon tea with Mrs. Fairfax in her private room when she learned that Mr. Dalton was planning to throw a party. Mrs. Fairfax, who was drinking tea with a fox fur shawl draped over her shoulders, asked in surprise,
"A hunting party? For several days?"
"Yes."
"That's surprising. What's gotten into Ian to do such a thing? Did he fall from that apple tree he's been growing and hurt his head?"
Laura chuckled softly.
"I'm worried. There's no one in that house capable of preparing for a large-scale party."
"Actually, there's something I need your permission for. Mr. Dalton asked me to help with the party preparations. Would it be alright if I went to lend a hand?"
"Oh, did he? Then there's nothing to worry about. Go as much as you like."
Mrs. Fairfax munched on a madeleine and readily gave her permission. It was what Laura had expected. But there was a slightly more difficult permission to obtain. Laura hesitated slightly before opening her mouth.
"And... I received an invitation as well."
Laura immediately added,
"I won't go if Mrs. Fairfax doesn't allow it."
"Why would you think I wouldn't allow it?"
"Surely all the prominent people from London will be there. I think my presence at such an event would tarnish the Dalton family's honor."
"......"
The lady placed the madeleine she was holding on the plate.
"Miss Pendleton."
"Yes."
"You are a very humble and upright person. Sometimes to an excessive degree. You belittle yourself and are wary of everything. I've let it go until now, but now that attitude upsets me. Perhaps it's because I've learned that you are Miss Sheldon's daughter."
"......"
"Twenty years ago, Miss Sheldon visited this place. I thought of her as an angel sent by my deceased mother. Her appearance and demeanor were perfectly suited to the word 'angel.' I believe it was divine intervention that brought her daughter to this house."
Mrs. Fairfax reached out and gently clasped Laura's small hand, which was resting on her lap.
"No one can point fingers at you anymore. The Dalton and Fairfax families will not allow it. You are under the protection of the two most powerful families in Yorkshire. Live with confidence now."
Laura couldn't say anything. Her heart was full.
The lady, who had already treated her more kindly than she deserved, became even more affectionate after it was revealed that she was Louis Sheldon's daughter. As if she were the daughter she had lost.
Laura was feeling the warmth of a mother from Mrs. Fairfax, something she hadn't felt since her grandmother passed away.
Laura nodded.
"Then, what will you wear to the Ball?"
"The brown dress I wear whenever I visit Mr. Dalton's house."
"The Ball will last for several days, and you're going to make do with just that one dress?"
"It's alright. Even during my time in London society, I didn't dress up more than that."
Mrs. Fairfax frowned for a moment and pondered.
"Miss Pendleton, I..."
Knock, knock.
The lady answered, and the door opened, and a uniformed servant approached the two ladies with a silver tray.
"Madam, the mail has arrived."
The lady picked up the letters on the tray and scanned them one by one. Her indifferent eyes sparkled at one of the letters.
"Oh my, a letter from Heartnum Cottage."
Heartnum Cottage was where the bereaved family of the late Reverend Jenfield resided.
"Is someone ill?"
The lady hurriedly tore open the envelope and began to read the letter.
The servant holding the tray leaned towards Laura.
"I have kept the letters for Miss Pendleton separately. Shall I have the maid take them to your room, or would you like to check them now?"
"Ah, I'm expecting some mail. Please give them to me now."
The servant took out two letters from his pocket and handed them to Laura. Laura quickly accepted them.
One was a letter from Ann in London, and the other was from Miss Hyde.
As soon as Laura confirmed the sender as Jane Hyde, her heart fluttered. She had been eagerly awaiting a letter from Miss Hyde lately, wondering if her promotion at the publishing house had been successful.
Laura placed Ann's letter on her lap and took Miss Hyde's letter out of the envelope and unfolded it. The wildly dancing, messy handwriting filled the letter paper.
--------
To Miss Pendleton.
Hello. How have you been? I haven't been able to write back for the past two weeks. Actually, I haven't been in the right state of mind. Miss Pendleton, I'm in a situation where I can't tell if it's reality or a dream. If Miss Pendleton were by my side right now, I would ask you to stab the back of my hand with a fork so I could believe it's real!
As you can see from the envelope, I'm in Bath right now!
--------
Laura was so surprised that she checked the envelope. Above the sender 'Jane Hyde' was the name 'Laurelia Hotel' of the spa town of Bath.
'Why is Miss Hyde, who should be at the London publishing house, in a resort town?'
With a heart pounding with curiosity and anxiety, Laura unfolded the letter again.
--------
Surprised, right? Are you worried that I made a mistake and got fired, so I went down to Bath to squander the money I made from horse racing and gambling?
Not at all. I'm working diligently. I'll tell you how it happened from now on!
It happened ten days ago. I was typing a contract that day, as usual, across from the editor's desk, enveloped in the thick pipe smoke that he was emitting.
But then, without any warning, the office door burst open with a bang. Half-asleep, the editor, who was puffing away at his pipe, fell off his desk chair.
The door was half-fallen and dangling, and a woman was standing in front of the door. She was a small woman with wavy black hair cascading down. She was wearing a neat black riding suit and black boots, and she was standing with a sword cane on the ground.
She looked as dignified as the goddess Artemis from Greek mythology. And she was as beautiful as Artemis. Her black eyes sparkled with radiance, and her tanned skin, nose, and lips were so harmonious. And that slender figure...
Anyway, I just stared blankly at her. The beautiful woman was very angry and panting. She was holding a book in her hand, Mary Rotis's African travelogue published by our publishing house.
She approached the editor's desk. I noticed from her gait that she had a slight limp in one leg.
As soon as she reached the desk, she shouted at the editor, who was still rolling on the floor.
'When did I ever write such a sentence in my manuscript!'
The editor stared blankly at the woman in front of him when he heard those words, then suddenly jumped up as if electrocuted and bowed his head deeply.
'Miss Rotis. Welcome!'
'I'm not well. Didn't you promise me at the meeting six years ago? Didn't you say you would transfer my writing into a book without changing a single word! Say something, Mr. Shellow!'
'Of, of course. That's why the book came out so perfectly...'
'Mr. Shellow!'
'Ah, Miss Hyde. Quickly bring a cup of warm tea.'
I quickly went to prepare the tea. The editor was in a difficult situation, but my heart was pounding. Think about it, Miss Pendleton. How long I've been dreaming of this moment. I've been a fan of Mary Rotis ever since I first read her book when I was twenty. And then she appeared in front of me, bam, no, crash. My hands were shaking so much while making the tea that I spilled more tea leaves than I put in the cup.
I prepared tea and simple snacks and returned to the office. The editor was pacing around the office, and Miss Rotis was sitting in the opposite chair. And she was flipping through a book and examining it. The book she was reading was the most recently published Qing Dynasty travelogue. It was the very manuscript I was proofreading when Miss Pendleton visited!
I placed the tea in each of their places and stood on one side of the office, watching the two of them. The editor was pulling at his mustache and watching Miss Rotis's every move, and so was I. If Miss Rotis, who had broken the door, got angry again, there was no telling what she would break this time, right?
About twenty minutes passed, and Miss Rotis raised her head. And then she slammed the book on the desk.
'So, who worked on this manuscript?'
'The typist who works under me did it. Come here, Miss Hyde.'
I obediently followed the editor's words and went to Miss Rotis. Miss Rotis looked me up and down, then stared into my eyes. That gaze pierced my heart like a flying spear. Her eyes were so intense.
'How old are you?'
I told her my age. She nodded and asked how long I had been doing this job and where I lived. It was somewhat of an interrogation, but I told her everything. I could probably honestly answer even the question of who I hated the most in the world. 'My mom.'
Miss Rotis listened to the answers for a moment, then said with a rather displeased face.
'It's ridiculous that you haven't been able to do what this young girl has been doing until now. I'm having second thoughts about continuing to publish books here.'
'M, Miss Rotis!'
The editor's face turned white as he shouted. But Miss Rotis was only staring at me. I was sweating on my back. It was fortunate that she liked my proofreading, but if Miss Rotis withdrew her contract, our publishing house would surely go bankrupt.
Miss Rotis looked at me, holding everyone's fate in her hands. I looked at her. Her eyes were gray like Miss Pendleton's eyes. The color tone was almost the same. However, unlike Miss Pendleton's gentle eyes, they were shaped like a cat's, sharp. I thought, 'It would be quite eerie to see at night.' But they were eyes I didn't want to avoid. They were very attractive.
For a moment, she and I were looking at each other. She looked at me carefully, then chuckled. Then she said.
'Mr. Shellow. There is a condition for continuing to publish my books.'
Mr. Shellow immediately asked what it was. The next moment, surprisingly, Miss Rotis pointed at me with the black cane she was holding.
'Give me Miss Hyde as my secretary.'
