86 - The Duke's Bride is a Warrior from Hell
“I can’t read.”
“Are you crazy?!”
Cynthia, who was next to her, shouted.
Anne glared sharply at Cynthia, who was yelling at her for not knowing shame.
It was the Brenel family that made Anne a shameful person who couldn't even read.
“Cynthia, Lady Alisha is telling us about our mother. Be polite.”
“W-what…!”
Cynthia squawked like a noisy Giant Woolly Cicada.
Anne braced herself for a head-splitting beating when she returned home and mustered her courage.
“Please be quiet, Cynthia.”
Cynthia and the Brenel family's maids were taken aback by Anne's change in attitude.
“You can learn to read.”
Alisha spoke generously, as rumored to be an angel.
“Would you tell me about the book my mother wrote, Lady Alisha?”
“It would be an honor. It's not a good place to talk here, so would you like to come to the Marquis Reine estate with me?”
Either way, all that awaited Anne upon returning to the Brenel family was torment and beatings.
“The honor is all mine. Thank you for the invitation.”
Anne answered without hesitation.
“Lady Cynthia, please give my regards to Lord and Lady Brenel. Tell them I invited Lady Anne to the Marquis Reine estate. The sun is strong, Anne. Let's share a parasol.”
Alisha smiled brightly, glanced at Cynthia, and shared the parasol with Anne.
It was a dazzling afternoon.
Anne was traveling in a carriage with Alisha and Daisy.
The carriage was so cozy that there was no sound of wheels turning.
“Lady Alisha, Brenel betrayed Reine.”
Anne made a quick decision.
She knew that Alisha, the owner of the carriage, had nothing to lose, but Anne wanted to repay the person who had told her about her mother.
“Lady Anne…?”
Anne knew that Alisha, who respectfully called her ‘Lady Anne’ despite her humble appearance, was not just an innocent Lady.
“Brenel chose Mannors.”
Anne decided to denounce Brenel.
Staying on a sinking ship would only lead to sinking together.
Also, this was a realistic revenge that Anne could take.
“Do you have any evidence?”
“There are letters exchanged with the Chancellor in the Lord's study safe. The Chancellor told him to destroy the letters, but the Lord is suspicious and kept them separately. The safe password is the number of years that year and the quantity of Anchor Flowers delivered.”
Alisha nodded.
“Thank you for your courage.”
“I am happy just to be able to see you, Lady. You are truly like an angel to me. I don't know what will happen to me if I return to the Lord's estate… I wanted to let you know before anything bad happened to me.”
Anne said with a bitter smile.
Alisha reached out and took Anne's dusty hand.
“Lady Anne, nothing bad will happen to you. I will protect you. Trust me.”
At Alisha's words, Anne nodded weakly, then nodded emphatically.
“I will trust you.”
Anne didn't want much.
Just to preserve her own life.
If she had the means, she hoped that the gardener and florists in the Anchor Tree garden, who cared for her, would be okay.
In fact, Anne was confident in keeping herself alive.
She had the skills to grow even a dying Anchor Tree well enough to not starve to death alone.
What she realized while being mistreated in the Brenel family was that people should learn skills.
Anne, who arrived at the Marquis Reine estate, took a bath in a tub filled with rose petals.
When she washed her hands in the specially prepared fragrant water, the old dirt that had filled her fingernails disappeared cleanly.
She was ashamed and amazed.
After washing, she wore a dress that Alisha had lent her.
The clothes smelled as good as if they had been sprayed with perfume.
After putting on the dress, she received a jewelry box filled with earrings, necklaces, and rings as a gift.
“Choose what you like, Lady Anne.”
No matter what she chose in the jewelry box, it seemed more valuable than the jewelry that Cynthia would want with fire in her eyes.
Seeing Anne unable to choose because she felt sorry, Alisha and Daisy put things on her and recommended them.
Everything was so pretty.
Instead of Anne, who couldn't choose, Alisha, Daisy, Annie, and Liz decided by majority vote.
Shoes, handkerchief, fan.
Dressing table and cosmetics.
Every moment was like a blissful dream to Anne.
The moments of choosing and worrying about what she liked felt like they would break at any moment.
She was happy and anxious.
The happiest moment was when Alisha read ‘Masquerade’ written by her mother, Patricia.
Anne burst into tears because she was so happy.
She was used to being beaten, tormented, cursed, and despised, so she was not the type to shed tears easily, but she couldn't bear it.
Alisha said it was too early to cry.
She announced that a tough study schedule was waiting for her from tomorrow.
She also warned her not to run away while studying.
“Thank you, Lady Alisha.”
Anne whispered her thanks while crying.
She said that today was the happiest day of her life without knowing shame.
“From now on, you will be happy every day.”
Alisha said firmly.
Her words were as good as done.
Alisha was reading a book.
She heard footsteps approaching from outside the door.
“Is the Lady inside? Daisy.”
“Yes, she is.”
“May I come in?”
Anne and Daisy exchanged words.
“Please wait a moment.”
Alisha closed the book and got up from her seat.
The study door opened, and Daisy came inside.
“Milady.”
Daisy, holding a flower vase, said.
“Lady Anne has arrived. But she came with Lindsay. Shall I let them in?”
“Yes, prepare some tea.”
Alisha answered as she headed to the tea table.
Daisy placed the vase she had brought on the tea table and prepared Alisha's tea first.
Three days had passed since Anne came to the Marquis Reine estate.
Her face, which had been unable to express her emotions well and had been stiff, was gradually becoming more honest.
She was also able to express laughter and tears outwardly.
In three days, Anne had become a completely different person.
She was changing brightly, as if facing a new world every day.
Anne, guided by Daisy, was spreading a smile.
“Alisha.”
“Welcome, Anne.”
Alisha welcomed Anne, offering her a seat.
“The tea smells really good.”
Anne sat down and refreshed the atmosphere with soft words, as she had learned.
In the few days since coming to the Marquis Reine estate, Anne had really changed.
And Alisha had also changed while spending time with Anne.
Alisha's original plan was to cause internal strife between Anne and Cynthia.
The only heir of Lady Patricia and Cynthia, who grew up comfortably in the Lord's estate.
It seemed like a good picture to break down from the inside if she scratched them lightly while going back and forth between the two.
But the actual state of Anne she met was unexpected.
Anne could not read.
She had been completely cut off from the outside world.
She had not a single piece of self-esteem left.
The direction the Brenel family intended was obvious.
Anne was already an adult.
She was over 20 years old.
The profits from the numerous bestsellers Lady Patricia had left behind were Anne's share.
Lord Brenel had Anne sign documents making him her agent and was stealing Lady Patricia's inheritance.
To do so, he did not teach Anne to read.
Alisha felt sorry for Anne, and she changed her mind at her attitude of reaching out to the person who helped her.
She thought she could change the plan a little.
“Listen.”
Alisha gestured to the teacup.
“I came because I have something to tell you.”
Anne said quickly, taking a sip of tea.
“What's wrong?”
“Alisha, please look at this.”
Anne carefully tapped Lindsay, who was standing next to her.
Lindsay glanced around and rolled up the sleeves of her wrist-covering top.
Alisha had sent Lindsay as Anne's close maid in case something happened.
Anne needed someone to take care of her by her side, and the South Manor residence was isolated.
From Alisha's point of view, she had sent her there for several reasons.
“……”
Lindsay's wrist was bruised blue and black.
Anne urged Lindsay to speak.
“I'm sorry, Milady.”
Lindsay whispered an apology, trembling.
“No, Lindsay, who did that?”
“……My husband.”
Lindsay whispered in a fading voice.
“Lindsay's husband is taking a swordsmanship training course. A swordsman who beats his powerless wife is trash. Also, there are no scars on her face, and he only hit places that can't be seen, so it seems that Lindsay needs the wages she earns as a maid in the Marquis Reine estate.”
Daisy said coldly.
“Lindsay?”
“I'm sorry. I tried to get along well, but he kept hitting me, so it was difficult for me to bear it……”
Lindsay wiped away tears and apologized.
Her trembling voice hurt the hearts of those who heard it.
“You just put up with it when this happened?”
“My husband was introduced to me by the Marquis Reine estate……”
Alisha warmly took Lindsay's hand, who was afraid of causing trouble.
“Lindsay, let's get a divorce from that bum.”
Alisha said firmly.
“Yes? But….”
Lindsay was startled by Alisha's words.
“Don't worry about the Marquis Reine estate. Stay in the Marquis Reine estate for the time being and help Anne as you do now. Daisy, show the doctor the wounds. Ask him to record the wounds in detail.”
Lindsay looked like she was wondering if this was okay at Alisha's words.
“Don't worry, Lindsay.”
Alisha said to her worried face.
“I believed that Alisha would say that.”
Anne, who had been silent all along, said with a face full of trust.
Daisy took Lindsay and left the study.
As she left the study, Lindsay thanked Alisha and Anne.
“Th-thank you, Milady. Thank you, Lady Anne.”
It hadn't been long, but Lindsay seemed to have become very close to Anne.
It wasn't just Lindsay who had become close to Anne.
Alisha and Anne had decided to call each other by their names since yesterday.
At first, what Alisha gave to Anne was to help someone pitiful.
Dresses, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry. Plays, books, songs, paintings.
They were obvious to Alisha, but Anne admired and showed interest in each one.
Every time Anne learned something new and changed quickly, Alisha tried to show her something even more amazing.
As they hung out together, she paid attention to things that she usually passed over indifferently.
She was amazed and enjoyed things that she wouldn't have cared about at other times.
Anne fiddled with the teacup and said carefully.
“I was worried that I might be interfering with the Marquis Reine estate's affairs, but it was difficult to pretend not to know, so I intervened. I'm sorry.”
“No.”
“I thought it would be difficult for others to know if Lindsay didn't say anything. No matter how hot the summer weather is, it's hard for someone who hasn't hidden scars to know that they only wear long sleeves, even if they are thin. I knew because I had been beaten a lot.”
Anne was changing quickly, but she did not deny or pretend not to know her past.
“Anne, I brought the things you mentioned yesterday from Brenel.”
“H-how?”
“I said I would bring them to you.”
Alisha said confidently.
Anne looked at Alisha as if she had seen a god.
The only relics of Lady Patricia that the Brenel family allowed Anne to have were her old dresses.
The twenty-eight dresses were the latest fashion when they were made, but now they were outdated.
Nevertheless, her mother's relics were precious to Anne.
“I brought all the dresses and books from Anne's room. But when I said I would bring things to Anne, someone dug up potatoes from the vegetable garden and gave me three baskets. They said it was Anne's too.”
Anne smiled brightly at Alisha's words.