Ch#65
Ch#65
Ch#65
~Chapter 65~
In the early days of the business, Catherine felt guilty about the fact that those who served God were making money.
She worried whether they might be using God for profit and even lost sleep over it.
But when they were able to welcome orphans from Epher with open arms, when they could pay even a small amount to the hardworking friars and nuns as compensation for their efforts, and when they could increase free meals for the poor from once a week to twice, Catherine’s perspective changed.
‘This must surely be the answer to my prayers,’ she thought.
‘God has sent Sister Harriet to our convent.’
Once, Saint Clarissa Convent had been a place filled only with tears in the face of harsh reality.
Now, Harriet and the convent faced each other with smiles.
If this wasn’t God’s will, what was?
“We’ll do our very best too. Above all, we’ll make sure not to be swayed by greed.”
“I believe you.” Harriet replied with a bright smile as she gathered her bag.
She needed to hurry if she wanted to meet Emma and Sophia, the people from the soap workshop, and Marie, the head of the herb workshop.
But as Harriet rose from her seat, the first thing that caught her eye was the snow blanketing the world outside in white.
The surroundings had been so bright that she’d assumed it was just because it was daytime, but now she realized the light was reflecting off the snow-covered ground.
“Hmm… It looks like I might have to stay a bit longer until the snow melts, Abbess Catherine.”
Catherine seemed to have noticed the falling snow as well.
She went to the window, opened it, and held out her hand.
The breeze blowing in wasn’t as cold as she’d expected.
“Hmm… It seems the snow will keep falling all through the night. It will pile up some, but it’ll all melt in about three days, so don’t worry.”
“Does God tell you about the weather too?”
“After living as long as I have, you get a feel for these things. If it was going to snow enough to stop carriages from moving, the tip of my nose would have been much colder than this.”
Harriet decided to trust her.
Spending the night at the convent was comforting to her mind anyway, so it wasn’t a bad thing at all.
When Emma heard that Harriet would be staying the night, she got excited and shot her hand up high, shouting,
“Sleep in my room! I’ll sleep on the floor!”
Everyone could guess what she really meant.
She wanted to chat late into the night.
Catherine chuckled heartily and offered a better solution.
“There’s a guest room with two beds for travelers. Sister Harriet and Emma, you two stay there tonight.”
“Yes, Abbess Catherine!”
Joy was plain on Emma’s face.
And she had no idea how much that meant to Harriet.
‘I thought I’d never have a friend again in my life.’
Emma felt more like a little sister than a friend, but that didn’t matter.
For Harriet, just feeling someone else’s affectionate warmth in her life again was enough to overwhelm her with happiness.
Since it was Holy Festival Week, another visitor arrived at Saint Clarissa Convent.
“Welcome, Your Grace. I hope your journey here was smooth?”
“It’s been a while, Abbess Catherine. I’m sorry for arriving unannounced again, but I’m grateful—and pleased—by your warm welcome.”
Duke Cedric Kailas, who had visited last year and now again this year, was as gentlemanly as ever.
Though he hadn’t sent word ahead, Catherine had already guessed he would come.
About a month ago, one of the retainers from the Kailas family had sent a letter asking,
“What is the most urgently needed item at the convent?”
Since Cedric had already donated 200,000 dirhams for expanding the soap and herb workshops, Catherine had politely sent a reply declining any additional contributions. Still, she had a feeling he would come anyway.
‘A man of power like Your Grace must be flooded with proposals from grand temples everywhere. And yet he still remembers our little convent… It’s touching, but I can’t help wondering why.’
But the arriving Cedric looked utterly at ease, as if coming here was the most natural thing in the world.
After exchanging greetings, he entered the office with Catherine and handed her an envelope.
“Please use it wherever it’s most needed.”
It wasn’t a box stuffed with money like last year, but from the thickness of the envelope, it was clearly a similar amount. It wouldn’t befit a duke to donate less than before.
‘It seems he thinks high-denomination bills are more convenient now.’ Catherine thought, realizing once again how much the convent’s finances had improved.
As she served tea, Catherine expressed her sincere gratitude for his continued support of the soap business.
“Thanks to Your Grace’s additional donation, the expansion of the soap and herb workshops is nearly complete. We couldn’t have handled the surging demand without your help.”
“I only did what was best for me as an investor. The nuns and friars who maintained such high quality under tough conditions and tight schedules are the ones who deserve thanks.”
Not just anyone could invest such a large sum in a business that wouldn’t turn a profit right away. And yet Cedric humbly credited others. Seeing this, Catherine began to feel fondness for him.
‘I still can’t read him completely… but he doesn’t seem like a bad man.’
After all, the reason he’d invested in this business was to ‘help’ the convent in its time of need.
With a heart full of joy and pride, Catherine explained how the convent was currently operating and how they were producing soap and the other products.
Cedric listened quietly, nodding along, then finally spoke cautiously.
“This might sound strange, but I don’t think ‘Saint Clarissa Soap & Herb’ should remain just a soap shop. We need to expand the product line—and perhaps change the name to something simpler…?”
Catherine blinked in surprise and adjusted her glasses.
“That’s exactly what Sister Harriet said. Did the two of you discuss it beforehand, by any chance?”
“Pardon? Miss Harriet Listerwell is already here?”
“She arrived yesterday. Sister Harriet suggested dropping the long shop name and creating a proper brand called ‘Clarissa.’ She said we need to sell more than just soap and skincare products. Something with our own story, I think?”
As Catherine relayed Harriet’s words, Cedric looked genuinely surprised.
‘Am I… a step behind her?’
He recalled that Harriet’s original business proposal had mentioned expanding the product line. But the idea of fully branding it into something with even greater value was something he himself had been planning.
‘Harriet Listerwell… She truly has exceptional business sense.’
Moreover, even though she planned to fully hand over the business rights to the convent once it was on track, the way she threw herself into it as if it were still hers left Cedric in awe.
“What else did she say?”
“She believes that if we manage quality, design, storytelling, and consistency, the ‘Clarissa’ brand will succeed. She stayed up late last night talking with each of the team leaders and touring the facilities.”
“When did she leave?”
He asked out of worry about her traveling alone late at night, but Catherine shook her head.
“Didn’t it snow last night? So she stayed here overnight. We’ll have to wait for the snow to melt a bit before calling a carriage. It hasn’t stopped since this morning…”
Cedric paused for a moment, looking at her, then seemed to realize something.
“So… she’s still here?”
“Yes, that’s right. She might even have to stay another night.”
His gaze drifted to the teacup on the table.
Indeed, the snow had been piling up deeper the closer he got to the convent. His carriage had handled it fine, but the rented one Harriet would call would be different.
The coachmen wouldn’t risk damaging the carriage on slippery roads when the pay wasn’t worth it, so Harriet was effectively stuck until the snow melted.
Cedric’s long eyelashes lifted again.
“Since my carriage is here, wouldn’t it be better not to call another one? It’s dangerous for a lady to travel alone in a rented carriage anyway.”
Catherine gave him a warm smile at his thoughtfulness.
“Sister Harriet will be delighted! Thank you for your consideration.”
“She’s my business partner, after all.”
Shortly after that conversation, Harriet entered the office at Catherine’s summons.
“You called—oh?”
More than anything else, Harriet first noticed the man sitting across from Catherine.
His presence was impossible to ignore.
“If I’d known Your Grace was coming, I would have sent my carriage for you, Miss Harriet.”
“I didn’t know Your Grace was coming either.”
Even if she had known ahead of time, she probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to suggest traveling together anyway.
In that moment of slightly awkward, strange tension, Catherine stepped in between them.
