Chapter 11

Being led by the hand, it could almost be mistaken for a somewhat affectionate couple, just by the sight of us together.

He, with his ever-beautiful face, is dressed simply yet remains charming. In contrast, I, his escort, have improved somewhat in appearance, with my attire having been upgraded, but I still look completely mismatched.

Still, as expected of a duchess's maid. She managed to improve my disheveled and ragged appearance to a somewhat better level. Just by tidying my dry hair and applying makeup to my pale skin, I feel much better.

"Well, you seem to have something you want to ask."

"Yes, plenty."

Honestly, I would have preferred to return to my room and indulge in a lazy sleep after that. The futon after a full meal is the best.

However, a problem has arisen.

If it were a problem unrelated to me, I would have ignored it completely, pretending I didn't know.

I understand his intention to lead me gradually in a direction where there are fewer people. He doesn't want anyone to overhear our conversation.

In that case, I'll speak without reservation. Or rather, I must tell this man.

"You knew about that woman's schemes, so why are you letting it be? Could it be that you have a relationship with her?"

As I ask with a half-closed eye, my husband looks down at me with a thoroughly condescending expression.

"Nonsense. She's not the type of woman I would touch. Besides, I didn't invite those women."

"Oh, it was the late Duke, wasn't it? How noble of you to take in the widow of a deceased subordinate."

"My father is soft on women. He is sympathetic to impoverished widows. That is very noble of him."

I understood from his condescending tone. In other words, Lady Miriam was the late Duke's mistress and, because of that relationship, she holds considerable power and authority in this household. My husband is displeased with this, but he cannot expel someone who was taken in out of humanitarian concern. Moreover, from his tone, it seems she still receives favor from my father-in-law.

It would be more troublesome to expel her.

Thinking about it, it might be better to have her taken in by my father-in-law, whose whereabouts are unknown. But then I recall something.

He was, without a doubt, a notorious womanizer. Even I know this, so he must have been quite famous.

In other words, he wouldn't want to take in an older mistress when he already has younger ones. He wouldn't enjoy it, and he would leave it to me to deal with the trouble. If she were just a mistress, he could pay her off and send her away when he's tired of her, but since she holds the real power in household affairs, expelling her could expose the Duke's household to public scrutiny. Moreover, she is a viscountess, even if she has no wealth. Once she was taken in, she can't be expelled unless she does something wrong.

I imagine Lady Miriam knows that her favor is waning. Her immense power until now was due to my father-in-law, the previous Duke. However, with the succession, that influence has diminished. That's why she is planning her next move. And surely, her daughter is also here with the same intention.

Hearing this, I felt as if I had been deceived, wanting to stomp on the foot of the man beside me.

Indeed, my husband had warned me. As a Duchess, there is a possibility of getting involved in some troublesome matters.

I thought it would be due to external factors, but it turns out there are internal issues as well.

Lady Miriam, who oversees the household, clearly wants her daughter to marry my husband. She has been eyeing this goal with great ambition and perhaps even confidence. Yet, he married a woman of unknown origin and outmaneuvered her.

I don't know what kind of person her daughter is, but one thing is clear: I have inadvertently made the queen-like woman of this house my enemy and will be drawn into a fierce struggle for female dominance. Furthermore, I remember that the authority to appoint my personal maid has been handed over to Lady Miriam by my husband.

I have ended up receiving a terrible form of harassment. My husband, knowing everything, has dumped it all on me.

I felt my dream of a decadent life slipping away. And it came crashing down on me as reality.

If you have the time, please support me with a bookmark and a five-star rating below the ad.