Translator: Nox

30 - Chapter 30

“Stop with the vulgar language.”

Philip frowned and snatched the letter from Richard's hand again.

“He said he’s at Lord Stanford’s beloved country estate. He might need a suit since he’s probably spending time with older local dignitaries.”

“He would be, normally. But you remember Ryan’s face when he left? He’s probably holed up in his room with the curtains drawn, unable to get up properly until noon. A meeting with local dignitaries? He’ll probably find someone to do the job for him and wander around where there aren’t people.”

“……”

Richard’s words made sense.

Ryan had looked very precarious just before leaving the capital.

He seemed no different when meeting others, but the two who were always nearby noticed the change in Ryan.

He wasn’t much of a smiler to begin with, but Ryan had lost his expression altogether.

He spoke less, and the time he spent blankly, as if not thinking about anything, increased.

Moreover, when they couldn't find him at the military, they would go to his residence, only to find him asleep with the thick curtains drawn.

How many cups of tea did they have to drink at Ryan’s house because of that? The tea from his butler, who couldn’t even brew it properly!

Anyway, Ryan was rotting from the inside out.

He hadn't been particularly attached to anything before, but to him, his friends and colleagues in the military were one of the few reasons to live.

But now that the war was over and everything he had done to protect them was being denied, he must have felt like his whole life was shaking.

‘Besides, Count Willus went and sat on the Disciplinary Committee to attack him.’

Many nobles took care of their children even if they were illegitimate.

But Count Willus thoroughly ignored and despised Ryan.

He even gave money to young Ryan for his first son, who was born in the same year as Ryan, and sent him to a dangerous place.

So, knowing the relationship between Ryan and Count Willus, the two would utter short curses whenever they heard Count Willus's name.

“Anyway, it seems like our Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Wilgrave is getting some effect from his convalescence. If it had gotten worse, he would have wrapped things up and come back, whether it was Lord Stanford’s recommendation or not, but the fact that he’s still staying there and even asking for clothes to be made and sent means…”

The corners of Richard’s lips lifted as he said that. Philip said in a tense voice at his expression.

“Richard, what are you planning to do?”

But instead of answering, Richard got up from his seat and counted something with his fingers. Then he turned to Philip and asked him.

“Philip, how much vacation time do you have left?”

“Why?”

“Why else.”

Richard looked for the envelope of the letter Ryan had sent. And looking at the address written there, he said.

“Let’s take some vacation time and go there.”

“There, there! Just a little more to the side!”

At Eloise’s words, the workers on the ladder groaned and moved the huge painting a little more to the side.

“Good, there! Hang it up as it is!”

As soon as Eloise’s permission was given, the workers hung the painting on the wall latch as if they had been waiting for it. Then, a bright still life painting was perfectly placed on the wall of the first-floor Reception room, which was covered in light greenish-yellow wallpaper.

“Okay. We’re done here, so let’s go to the next room.”

“Miss Eloise, can’t we take a little break?”

The workers pleaded with Eloise, but she firmly shook her head.

“No! We have to hang at least ten more by noon. Instead, when we’re done with the first floor, Mrs. Parker will give you the new dessert she made. How about it? It’s really delicious. It’s a cream with lots of Vanilla Bean…”

“Yes, yes, we’re going. Let’s go.”

At the mention of Vanilla Bean, the workers shut their grumbling mouths and quickly approached the next painting.

Vanilla Bean was a food that had only recently entered Cambon a few years ago.

At first, people were reluctant to eat it, saying that the black spots in the cream looked like mold or that bugs had laid eggs.

But once they tasted it, they were completely captivated by its soft, savory, unique aroma and flavor.

The problem was that its price was not cheap.

It was only available at Mr. Wilson’s store in Cambon, so the madams of wealthy families bought it all up as soon as it came in.

There was no reason to refuse such a precious thing made into a dessert.

As Eloise and the workers moved to the next room, Ryan entered a moment later.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“There’s plenty! Could you please take all these ornaments off the table? These are the decorations for spring, but they haven’t been changed yet.”

At Eloise’s words, Ryan moved immediately.

At first, the workers, who had been watching the new manager, wondering if he would just get in the way, smiled and said that he was different from the soldiers in Cambon, and that not just anyone could become a manager.

Ryan, having finished all the work Eloise had ordered, looked at her as she gave instructions to the workers.

It was a week ago that Eloise had mediated the merchants’ dispute and returned.

And from the next day, Eloise had been coming to Blissbury every day to manage the mansion.

At first, she had only intended to ask more about banquets and the Banquet.

But Eloise, who had come in the morning, went to the Reception room and was horrified after looking around.

<Why are the paintings still there? The decorations haven’t been changed either?>

<……Should they be changed?>

Wasn’t the painting on the wall supposed to stay there?

<Mrs. Parker! Mr. Palmer!>

Eloise immediately called the two. Then she asked if they had told Ryan.

<We told him, but he didn’t say anything.>

The problem was that they had asked when Ryan was not in good condition.

Not understanding what they were saying at first, they must have thought that Ryan would completely replace the decorations when he said, ‘I’ll check later.’

Anyway, after confirming that the replacement had not been done properly, Eloise looked at other places as well.

Ryan had tried his best, but there were still many parts of the mansion that needed attention.

<Let’s take care of the urgent things first, and then do the interior of the mansion.>

Eloise, who suddenly had a lot to do, had a different look in her eyes. Ryan could not say anything other than to say he understood at her determined appearance.

From that day on, Eloise repeated the routine of coming to Blissbury early in the morning and returning late at night.

Of course, Ryan accompanied her when she returned.

Once, they had returned by carriage, but the next day, the two returned on horseback again.

Because there was a coachman, they couldn’t bicker as usual, so the journey was very quiet and boring.

As the morning work was slowly coming to an end, Mrs. Parker came and said.

“It’s lunchtime! Everyone, eat and then continue!”

Saying that, Mrs. Parker handed the workers a basket full of sandwiches.

The atmosphere in Feltham, as well as here in Blissbury, was very close between employers and workers.

But even so, eating together was absolutely impossible.

Half of the workers went down to the servants’ dining room in the basement, and the other half went out to the garden, saying that the weather was nice, so they would eat outside.

Eloise and Ryan headed to the dining room.

The two naturally sat at the corner of the table. It was a seat that had become their regular spot.

Soon, Mrs. Parker brought a tray full of dishes with all sorts of food.

Originally, she had said that she would prepare a proper lunch, but Eloise and Ryan begged her to prepare it all at once because they didn’t have time.

As soon as the food was served, the two busily moved their hands.

“Sergeant, have all the confirmation documents for the things you ordered in Cambon arrived?”

“It was all finished this morning. Oh, the garden manager I called separately said that he would be arriving about two days late due to a family matter, so I think we’ll have to postpone the Warren family’s schedule a bit.”

Both of them were clearly eating, but they continued to talk about work quickly without making any rude slurping noises.

As if they had been working together for a long time, the two were well-matched.

Mrs. Parker smiled as she watched them. It wasn’t just because the work was going well. She was happy to see the two of them eating the food she had made so well.

‘Come to think of it, he seems to have started eating well since Miss Eloise started coming.’

As if the way he had hardly eaten before, which had worried her, was an illusion, Ryan was now a very hungry person.

Thanks to the fact that he started eating as well as a young man of his age, or even more, Mrs. Parker had to bake much more bread and cut more chicken than usual.

Anyway, she was happy.

‘This is more like living.’

With Eloise back, Ryan here, and the workers bustling around, Blissbury was lively for the first time in a long time.

As Mrs. Parker looked at the bread basket, which had become empty in the meantime, and went inside, Eloise said to Ryan as if she had remembered.

“It looks like we’ll be able to finish decorating with the summer decorations and paintings by today… I should go to Cambon tomorrow. I think it’s a good idea to do an interim check once.”