Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 22
***
Margaret was excited all morning. She relished the thought of her foolish half-sister being outmaneuvered by a lower servant.
‘Mary must have made a complete mess.’
She imagined Cecilia, with a bomb-exploded hairstyle and tacky accessories, wandering around. Eager to witness it herself, Margaret roamed the corridors of the second-floor guest rooms, a place she usually avoided.
“Oh, Margaret. What brings you to my room?”
Cecilia greeted her younger sister warmly upon spotting her.
“You came to find me first, Margaret? Maybe today will be a good day.”
“I, I didn’t come to find you!”
Margaret stepped back in surprise at Cecilia’s warm greeting, her eyes scanning Cecilia from head to toe.
Cecilia held short leather gloves and a fan, possibly from an outing. Her purple hair was prettily curled and tied low, a style often worn with a short-brimmed bonnet.
Margaret was inwardly outraged.
‘What, she’s dressed up even better than me?’
Her scornful gaze turned to Mary, who was holding an umbrella and a shopping bag, lost in thought and oblivious to Margaret’s glare.
“You, nanny…!”
‘That stupid girl! She never does her job right!’
Margaret wanted to drag Mary away and scold her right then, if not for Cecilia’s friendly suggestion.
“Since you’re here, would you like to have some tea in my room?”
“What?”
Margaret’s mouth fell open, unable to believe Cecilia’s words. She was used to Cecilia avoiding her, changing her path whenever their eyes met.
But now, offering tea?
‘Ridiculous. So ridiculous!’
“Hmph. Phoney.”
Margaret scoffed, and Cecilia suddenly blushed, pretending to be feeling abashed.
“Yeah, I think I might have overspent a bit.”
“It’s not about that, you…”
“Is it not? Thanks. It eases my mind to hear you say that. Shall we go to my room and unpack the shopping bags?”
“…”
‘Did she eat something wrong?’
Margaret was more confused than annoyed.
‘Wait, then the rumor about Cecilia firing her nanny is true…?’
“Come in, Margaret.”
“…”
“Let’s play together. Okay?”
Margaret felt a sudden fear. Cecilia’s innocent face of seventeen was a façade. It couldn’t be her.
The rumors about the new maid’s scary story came to mind.
‘A ghost that enters through open windows at night, consuming a child’s soul and wearing their skin to deceive others…’
‘It must be true! She’s possessed by a ghost!’
Margaret was too scared to enter the room.
“I, I won’t go in! Never!”
“Margaret? …Maggie?”
Cecilia stepped forward.
“Stay away!”
“Why? I’m your sister.”
“Go! I don’t wanna! I don’t wannaaaa!”
Margaret, waving her hands frantically, turned and ran downstairs in fear. Cecilia watched her retreat and turned to Mary, smiling amusingly.
“She’s quite cute, isn’t she?”
“…”
Not at all.
To Mary, both were equally demonic. If asked who was more wicked, she would be able to choose without hesitation.
“Let’s go in, Mary.”
The very person Mary considered undoubtedly wicked instructed her.
She obediently followed Cecilia into the Amethyst Room that Margaret refused to enter.
***
Inside the room, Cecilia changed from her outdoor clothes to indoor attire with Mary’s help.
Mary’s hands trembled as she removed Cecilia’s stockings, recalling how Margaret treated her: hitting, bullying, pinching.
Now that Cecilia had her at a disadvantage, Mary was unsure when she might strike.
Mary braced herself throughout the task.
“Mary Swinn.”
Finally, it came. Mary clenched her eyes and responded.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Today…”
A warning? A threat?
“You did well.”
“What?”
“You searched for me for a long time, didn’t you? Roaming the square in this heat isn’t pleasant.”
A 10 Lis coin fell into Mary’s hand as the maid was crouching at Cecilia’s feet.
“This is your reward.”
“…Thank you.”
Mary was stunned. She had expected to be reprimanded for the day’s events, but instead, she received a reward.
When she thought her fortune had turned with the dress, she suffered; now, when she feared the worst, fortune smiled upon her.
It felt as if Cecilia was manipulating her not only physically, but even worse, mentally.
Yet, with the coin in her hand, enough to buy ten loaves of white bread, it didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.
