The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 33
“I’m not a lady, so what’s the point of reading that?”
Evelyn lied, as if she had never been a noblewoman in her life. It made her feel oddly at ease.
Hannah continued to click her tongue but couldn’t hide her concern for Evelyn.
“Don’t accept those offers to be a second wife to some old man. Even if your family isn’t well-off, you’re educated and beautiful. You can marry well.”
Evelyn responded with a playful remark, though she didn’t mean it.
“If you keep nagging like my parents, I’ll run away.”
In truth, her parents had never shown her such concern. They had pushed her to marry any old man who would have her. While insisting it was the only way to save the crumbling Vyche family and repay the debt of raising her.
Hannah shook her head and asked again.
“So, what did ‘The Art of Hunting’ say? That book will never sell, so you might as well keep it. The kind of people who hunt don’t read books.”
“Really?”
Evelyn kept smiling as she replied, but Hannah pressed on.
“So, what does ‘The Art of Hunting’ say? Tell me something interesting.”
“Oh, well…”
Evelyn recalled the book’s contents.
“It says that across the sea, there’s a creature called a tiger. It’s as big as a small mountain, and shooting one with a rifle gives a feeling of conquering the world. That’s why some people go on long hunting trips, seeking that sense of accomplishment.”
“A creature as big as a small mountain? That sounds like pure fiction. Yes, you should definitely keep that book.”
As Evelyn hugged the small book to her chest, she couldn’t help but think of Carius. She wondered if he ever wanted to cross the sea and hunt a tiger.
But then again, he probably didn’t need to. He was already a powerful man who ruled over the western part of the kingdom, without needing to hunt a mythical beast. Surely, he had already forgotten about her.
Her thoughts drifted back to Johanson, worrying if the baby was doing well on just baby food. That was her biggest concern.
While Evelyn continued to read ‘The Art of Hunting,’ Hannah opened a local newspaper.
Hannah claimed she read the newspaper to stay informed about the world, as she was too old to get out and about.
Evelyn found this surprising. If Hannah was too old to move around, what good would it do her to know what was happening in the world? Moreover, Hannah already seemed to know more than enough.
But then again, her poor eyesight often had her asking Evelyn to read things for her.
“Here, read this for me. The print in the job listings is especially small…”
“Let me see. Wet nurse wanted…”
Evelyn’s reading faltered.
Wet nurse wanted.
Seeking a wet nurse for Duchy Herzen.
Highest salary guaranteed. Noble birth preferred.
Hannah urged her to continue.
“Read on. Doesn’t it say Herzen? That’s a prestigious family.”
Evelyn’s head lowered slowly.
“Isn’t that place known to be a bit… scary?”
“Scary? What grand noble family isn’t intimidating? The whole west belongs to Herzen. A place like that would have a strong lady of the house; they wouldn’t deliberately hire an ugly nanny.”
It seemed the grim rumors about House Herzen hadn’t reached the common people. Evelyn herself hadn’t heard the rumor about the Duchess’s death, as the place was notoriously secretive.
Hannah asked.
“Why don’t you try applying? It’s a bit far, but… ah, the ad says they’re looking for a wet nurse. Should I send an inquiry to you?”
“No!”
Evelyn replied loudly, surprising even herself. Seeing Hannah’s startled expression, she added,
“It’s just… my family is too humble to be considered noble.”
Hannah glanced at the book Evelyn was reading, ‘The Art of Hunting.’
It wasn’t an easy read, accessible to just anyone.
Many in the village hunted, yet the book remained unsold for a long time.
Yet Evelyn had read almost the entire book in one sitting and could summarize it for Hannah in simple terms, understandable even to a child.
Hannah gently protested.
“If you can read that book, you’re certainly well-educated.”
Evelyn pretended not to hear Hannah’s words and began to clean. Hannah, noticing Evelyn’s awkward sweeping, secretly pulled out some stationery.
To the Lady of Herzen,
Please forgive the impertinence of this unsolicited letter…
* * *
Beth, the head maid at House Herzen, had been conducting interviews for over a week now.
There were wet nurses who insisted on bringing their own children, and some women claimed extensive experience with noble children despite not producing milk themselves. Some candidates appeared demure, while others seemed lively.
It was a happier dilemma than the days when she couldn’t even conduct interviews due to the master’s whims, but Beth found herself hesitant to make a decision. This was likely because the one and only nanny that had visited the master’s bedroom.
Beth didn’t intend to blame Evelyn for her conduct. If Evelyn’s influence had taught the master even a modicum of tenderness, she was grateful. The Duke of Herzen had always been a unique figure.
She hoped the new nanny would be as refined and delicate as Evelyn. There was always the possibility she might end up in the master’s bedroom too…
Beth frowned at the thought.
