Chapter 1: The Berkshire Family Became Her Lifeline Part 2

The viscountess, with the help of two maids, managed to sit up in bed.

“A new maid you want to hire? What’s her name?”

When the viscountess asked with a faint smile, Marien swallowed dryly and opened her mouth.

“My name is Marien Reed, madam.”

The moment Marien saw the viscountess, her heart sank.

The lady’s complexion was so haggard that she looked no different from an invalid, and it immediately reminded Marien of her mother, who had nearly succumbed to death.

“The embroidery room was short-staffed, and thanks to Lisa’s help, I’ve found a capable girl to recommend.”

“Lisa, that cheerful girl, you mean?”

The viscountess asked wearily, her voice soft and tired. Even in her frailty, her every gesture and bearing radiated dignity.

“Yes. However, since it’s her first time doing maid work, she’ll need training in various things. What are your thoughts, madam?”

“The head housekeeper must have chosen well. Hire her as a maid.”

Marien, her voice careful and her hands trembling, offered her thanks.

“Thank you for accepting me. I’ll work hard, madam.”

“Yes. I look forward to it…”

The viscountess couldn’t finish her words, breaking into a fit of coughing. A middle-aged lady nearby gestured urgently for them to leave.

The head housekeeper and Marien quickly gave their farewells and exited the room.

“Marien, how nervous were you, that your hands are trembling like this? The madam has given her permission, so you can relax now.”

“…Yes. I’m relieved.”

Contrary to the head housekeeper’s assumptions, Marien’s thoughts were elsewhere.

The moment she saw the viscountess, her breathing quickened and her head felt light. Her mother’s image kept overlapping with the viscountess’s figure.

Unconsciously, Marien had found herself observing the viscountess’s every movement as if tending to her mother.

She even silently repeated in her mind that the lady needed to be gently helped back into bed and given rest, just as she had done for her mother.

When the viscountess coughed, Marien instinctively suppressed her urge to rush to her side.

“Don’t cry. This isn’t your fault. You know that, right? Mama just wanted to go to Daddy’s side quickly, that’s all. Come here, let’s promise. We’ll never blame you.”

Marien’s face had now turned pale. Whether she still hadn’t come to terms with her mother’s death or if it was lingering regret, it was hard to tell.

Fortunately, Marien didn’t have the luxury of holding on to that emotion for long. There was too much she had to process.

Marien was assigned a double room with Lisa.

Though she should have shared a room with three others, she received this privilege for the time being because Lisa, as her senior, was responsible for Marien’s overall training.

“I’ll handle the conduct and etiquette training, so Lisa, it’s best if you take charge of showing her around the estate and main building.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she’s properly taught.”

“Then I’ll go report Marien’s employment to the steward.”

The head housekeeper left to find the steward and report Marien’s employment.

In the meantime, Marien washed thoroughly and donned her maid uniform. Lisa, now neatly dressed, led her outside.

“Let’s start with the main building. It’s the most important place.”

Lisa explained each area, starting from the main hall, the dining room, and the kitchen. Marien listened attentively, determined not to miss a single detail.

“When you go up the stairs, use this side. There’s a parlor on the right side of the second floor. It’s the second largest area after the main hall.”

As they entered the parlor, they were greeted by a space adorned with beautifully crafted fireplaces, display cabinets, luxurious sofas, and elegant furnishings, exuding an atmosphere of neatness and sophistication.

Tapestries and paintings hung on the walls, while the floor was covered with soft, plush fur rugs, creating a sense of refinement and coziness.

It was different from the dazzling grandeur of the main hall. Marien gazed around the parlor with wide, curious eyes. Everything was new and fascinating to her.

“The master mainly stays in the parlor. The madam and the young master rarely use it.”

Lisa went on to explain about the members of the Berkshire family.

The master, Ruston Berkshire, and the young master, Tamilan Berkshire, were half-brothers with quite an age gap.

The madam whom Marien had greeted was the second wife of the late viscount and the mother of Tamilan Berkshire.

Normally, when a family head was decided, the remaining siblings would establish separate households, but things were a bit different in the Berkshire family.

The family head had no intention of marrying, so he designated his half-brother Tamilan Berkshire as his successor.

As Lisa suggested they move on, Marien followed her out of the parlor. Just then, there was the sound of footsteps coming from the corridor opposite.

Someone was approaching.

Marien saw the man approaching with a poised, upright posture and dignified steps, and even without Lisa telling her, she could guess who he was.

He looked exactly like the figure in the portrait hanging in the hallway of the main building. It was Ruston, the master of the Berkshire family, who had been mentioned in the parlor earlier.

With his neatly swept back, cool ash-gray hair, the viscount appeared to be in his early thirties and was strikingly handsome. Considering nobles paid great attention to their appearance, he might have been older than he looked.

He had the same blue eyes as Tamilan Berkshire, but the impression they gave was entirely different.

Both were tall and slender with refined features, but there was a difference in the atmosphere they exuded.

While Tamilan Berkshire felt like a calm and reserved winter lake, Ruston possessed both gentlemanly elegance and cold authority.

As the viscount came close to the parlor, a rich musk scent subtly filled the air. He seemed the epitome of the aristocratic image Marien had imagined.

When Ruston’s gaze met Marien’s and Lisa’s, both of them bent their knees to greet him.

“Hello, my lord.”

Just as he was about to pass by without much interest, Ruston suddenly paused, grabbed Marien’s arm, and swiftly pulled her toward him.

Marien couldn’t hide her surprise. The look in the viscount’s eyes was so intense it felt like it could pierce her.

It was not a kind gaze. If anything, it seemed to harbor hatred, and Marien instinctively shrank back.

“Who are you?”

The low voice was imposing, and the grip on her arm was so firm that she couldn’t move. Lisa, who was watching the situation from the side, spoke up on Marien’s behalf.

“My lord. This girl is the new maid who joined today. Just now, the head housekeeper went to report to the steward.”

Despite Lisa’s answer, Ruston’s deep blue eyes remained fixed on Marien.

“A maid, of course. What’s your name?”

He released the grip on her arm but continued to scrutinize her with his eyes.

“Marien Reed, my lord.”

“Reed…? Hm, Reed, you say.”

Ruston’s brow furrowed slightly, causing Marien to lower her gaze and bite her lip.

What if he doesn’t like me?

If I’m expelled from here, I’ll have nowhere to go…

With an anxious expression, she cautiously lifted her head, and their eyes met. Ruston’s hardened expression softened, and a faint smile formed at his lips.

“Did I scare you, perhaps?”

Unable to say yes, Marien shook her head.

“No, not at all.”

“That’s good. I’d like to hear what brought you to Berkshire.”

She had heard that maid hiring was entirely left to the madam and the head housekeeper, but for some reason, it felt as if she were facing a third interview with the viscount.

“I applied to be a maid at Berkshire through a friend’s recommendation.”

“I see. What is your mother’s name?”

Why would he want to know about my mother?

Marien looked up at him with a puzzled face.

“Jane Reed.”

As she answered and glanced at Lisa beside her, she saw that Lisa appeared quite flustered, as if the situation were unusual.

“Jane… so it’s for such a trivial reason…”

Upon hearing Marien’s reply, Ruston muttered in a low voice. It didn’t seem to be a question, so Marien didn’t respond.

Before long, Ruston’s lips curled into a lazy smile. If his previous smile had been meant to reassure Marien, this one flowed from a sense of satisfaction.

“What did your parents do? It would be good to hear where your hometown is, too.”

“Both of them have passed away. My hometown is Middelheim.”

At Marien’s answer, the viscount’s expression briefly showed confusion, then darkened.

“When was that?”

“My father passed away from an epidemic before I was even born, and my mother passed recently…”

“…….”

A moment of silence passed after Marien’s reply.

Ruston exhaled deeply and slowly brushed his hand down his face. Even that gesture carried a solemn grace, making Marien wonder if all nobles were that refined.

However, she couldn’t understand why the master would react this way to her parents, whom he had never met. Still, she didn’t show her thoughts.

After composing his expression, Ruston gazed intently at Marien once more. If it wasn’t her imagination, his eyes now held a hint of sympathy.

“So that’s your story. It must have been quite difficult.”

As the viscount’s oppressive demeanor vanished, Marien felt a sense of relief, though his change in attitude struck her as odd.

He lowered his authoritative bearing and, with a gentle face as if offering comfort, reached out and stroked her hair.

Startled by Ruston’s unexpected gesture, Marien flinched and shrank back.

But his large, warm hand softly brushed her hair a few times, and Marien looked up at him with a strange expression.

The act of stroking her hair was unfamiliar to her—but not unpleasant.

To be honest, it felt rather nice.

It was a little embarrassing, but it also felt as though it gave her strength.

Her cheeks flushed pink.

Her mother had expressed affection by pinching her cheeks or through hugs, but never like this.

Would it have felt like this if she’d had a father or a brother?

Marien couldn’t understand why the master had suddenly grown kind, but she decided to take it positively. At the very least, it seemed she wouldn’t be expelled.

That was what mattered most to her right now.

“I hope you’ll do well at Berkshire.”

The sweet, low voice settled gently on Marien’s shoulder.

“Yes, my lord. I will work hard to contribute in any way I can, no matter how small.”

As Marien answered politely, a middle-aged man was seen ascending the stairs.

The viscount raised a graceful hand and called to the man on the stairs. As his gaze shifted to the man, Marien finally let out a relieved breath.

Ruston turned his body toward the middle-aged man with a dashing mustache. It seemed to be a gesture indicating that his business with the maid was over, so Lisa and Marien took a step back.

“Master, there you are. I have something to report…”

“Philip. Call the head housekeeper to the parlor. I’ll hear the report inside.”

Ruston cut him off and fixed him with a steady gaze. Philip glanced briefly at the maids nearby.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

After hearing his reply, Ruston turned and entered the parlor.