Bab 27: Meeting each other (1)

After Lily left the duchess' room, Isla sighed in bliss as she continued to rub her baby bump.

''It would have been nice if your father was like your grandfather. Celebrating my first kick…'' Isla giggled as she could still not comprehend and imagine her father doing that.

''That makes me anticipate your own, but we might not have a party for that, baby. Instead, your half-brother might.'' Isla turned her gaze to the window. Her gaze was clouded, like she recalled something of her second life.

It was another disgrace that her husband brought to her in this duchy. But on that same day, a beautiful gift came, and it was from the little one in her belly.

''I wonder if it will be on that day..'' she mumbled in a daze. Anyway, as long as her baby finally said hello to her, regardless of any day, she would be happy.

Amelia came into the room just in time to see her lady in a daze. She then sighed as she wondered what to do to make her lady go out from this empty floor.

It had been two months since her lady had gone outside, and she was worried. Her lady does take walks on the floor, but amelia felt it was not enough.

Now that the duke married his mistress, he does not stay on this floor that is for the masters of the duchy. Instead, he sleeps in that mistress's room. The only time Amelia sees the duke on the floor would be when he works in the office. He just passes her by without asking about the duchess, like she is invisible to him.

The servants also treat the duchess the same way.

Apart from her coming to deliver meals, no servants come to this floor again. All of them are always bustling around the mistress like she's the real duchess of the Hayes duchy.

''My lady, since doctor lily said being inside almost all the time, is not be good for the baby, why don't you go out to the garden? The flowers are opening little by little, and who knows...the baby might kick, on their first full bloom,'' Amelia suggested. The baby was her lady's weakness. Hopefully, she would listen to her.

''...Alright,'' she heard her reply a moment later, and she could see her lady smiling.

Overjoyed, she quickly got an outing robe for the duchess to put on and helped her to sit gently on the bed.

Isla chuckled at Amelia's eagerness and commented, ''You are happy that I am leaving this place?''

''Yes, my lady. I hate that people have forgotten the real madam of this place. This is also an opportunity for my lady to establish your influence again,'' Amelia was determined to shut those loose servants' mouths.

''Okay Amelia.'' Adjusting the robe on her body, Isla shook her head with a smile, and they left the room.

Just like amelia's words, there are no servants on this floor, but Isla was not sad about the change as it was the same as her previous life.

It was only amelia with her on this floor.

''The duke has become softer and gentle ever since he married the madam,''

''Yes, I remember that I was a bit scared of serving him when it was only the duchess in the duchy.''

''That's right. It's obvious that he likes the madam and not the duchess.''

''Come to think of it..it's been long since I have seen her grace.''

''I heard she is always in her room without coming out.''

''Don't you know his grace always sleeps with the madam?''

''So no one is not on that floor apart from the duchess?''

Amelia, holding Isla's hands, paused and gritted her teeth at those maids. Again they are talking behind the duchess' back without fear.

''My lady..'' she looked worriedly at Isla.

''It's okay, Amelia,'' Isla smiled at the latter. She expected this from the servants.

Humans are funny creatures. When she was the only one, they were eager to serve her. Even if she did not have the duke's love, she had their trust and respect as the madam and duchess of Hayes duchy. But now another woman came, and they switched sides immediately.

''It seems being loved by your husband is the greatest weapon for a woman to rule in her home,'' Isla muttered as she squeezed Amelia's hand to resume their walk.

''Wow, I did not…''

The chatter stopped as the maids looked wide-eyed at the person they did not expect to come down from her room.

''Y-Your grace..'' They bowed, scared and nervous that the duchess might have heard their words.

The duchess did not say a word, making them think she would not do anything until they heard her soft voice. ''Amelia, after my walk, call spencer for me.''

Isla did not look in their direction and continued to walk, regardless of their hurtful words. '' I think the discipline in the duchy has been too lax that maids could gossip about their unfavoured duchess instead of doing their chores.''

The maids flinched at her sharp and direct words.

''Yes, my lady.''

Once the duchess disappeared from their sight, they lifted their upper body and stood upright.

''Y-You don't think the duchess will remove us as maids?'' One asked, clearly scared, as this was the only job that could sustain her and her family.

''S-She can't do that. W-We said nothing wrong...I can't lose this job,'' another one cried out.

The last one bit her nails in anxiety as she, too, could not lose her job as a maid.

Who knew the duchess who did not make a sound when her husband got married to another woman would come out of her room now?!

She removed her chipped-off nails from her teeth and turned to her fellow maids. ''We have to see Miss Olivia...maybe she could plead to the madam, and the madam could also plead to the duke for our sakes,'' That was the only plan she could come up with in this situation.

''W-Will that work?'' One of the other two asked, hesitantly.

''Of course. After all, what can the duchess do? She does not have the duke's love, and the reason why the duke is keeping her is because of his child in her belly,'' She said, with a hint of smugness laced in her tone.

''R-Really?''

''Yes, just wait and see. After she gives birth, she won't be the madam of this duchy any longer.''

' And I could keep my job as a maid.' She smiled, and her shoulders relaxed, like she was certain about the future.

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Quick announcement guys, the updates now will be two chapters a week, because of a tiny issue. But I would resolve it in no time, so please bear with me, readers. I am so so sorry for this delay.😣