The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 35
The Duke, who had been away, returned to the estate late at night. It had been ten days since the steward had been anxiously waiting for an opportunity to approach him.
The next morning, the steward finally mustered the courage to visit the Duke’s chambers. The Duke, with dark circles under his eyes, called out in a dry voice.
“Jupe.”
It had been a long time since the master had addressed him by name, making Jupe even more nervous.
“Yes, my lord.”
The Duke sighed, rubbing his forehead.
“The third wife of Marquis Luke… died in childbirth. They say she was young and beautiful.”
The tense steward looked up in astonishment. Why this sudden interest in Marquis Luke? The Duke had never shown much concern for other nobles.
“She was a daughter of the Vyche family. The child was stillborn.”
Finally, a clue for the bewildered Jupe.
“Her name was… Evelyn Vyche.”
Jupe inhaled sharply. He had suspected she was of noble birth but never imagined she came from such a prominent house as the Marquisate.
Moreover, she had arrived at Herzen in the middle of a stormy night, with nothing but the clothes on her back. The journey from Luke to Herzen was not one a newly delivered woman could have walked.
During her stay at Herzen, she had treated the servants with respect and humility, using formal language. He could only imagine what turmoil she must have endured.
Carius’s voice continued quietly.
“The Marquis’s second wife also died in childbirth.”
“…What?”
“Hestina left us the same way, didn’t she? So, is this Marquis merely unlucky?”
Jupe remained silent, unable to respond to the anger in his master’s voice.
The late Duchess Herzen’s situation had been unusual. Poor Hestina had been abandoned by the father of her child during pregnancy, leading to severe depression. She frequently skipped meals and often seemed wanting to die.
If Marquis Luke had lost two young wives in succession, it was indeed an extraordinary streak of bad luck. It was well-known in society that his second and third wives were significantly younger than him. A man so desperate for an heir would not have chosen unhealthy brides.
Just as some nobles discreetly accepted Herzen’s practice of marrying cousins, perhaps Luke family also harbored similar secrets.
The Duke seemed to have reached a similar conclusion. He spoke decisively, as if finally making up his mind.
“We must find her. Before the Marquis does.”
Then, as if confessing his boiling thoughts, he added.
“It doesn’t matter how much it costs or how many people we need to hire. Bring her back. Unharmed… not a scratch on her.”
Jupe immediately fell to his knees before him.
“My lord, I apologize for acting before receiving your orders. However, by chance, I have discovered her whereabouts…”
The Duke looked at him incredulously.
“Evelyn?”
“Yes, my lord?”
“…Where is it?”
“In the central region, in a certain village. It seems she found a job at a bookstore run by elder Lady Celsius, who contacted us regarding our ad….”
Seeing how weary the Duke appeared, Jupe quickly added.
“I’ve already sent an errand boy to confirm. She is indeed there. Perhaps we should send the stablehand to bring her back.”
But the Duke rejected the suggestion immediately.
“Not the stablehand.”
“…Pardon?”
“I will go myself.”
Jupe looked up at his master’s haggard face again.
“Then… shall I prepare a shave first?”
The Duke finally let out a faint smile.
“Yes, do that.”
* * *
“You know, about the ad from the Herzen estate… they mentioned that it doesn’t have to be a wet nurse specifically.”
Evelyn was startled by Hannah’s words.
“Did you actually write to them? No, I can’t go back to Herzen!”
Her voice was so sharp that Hannah became cautious.
“Is there… some particular reason?”
It was then that Evelyn sighed and softened her tone.
“I’m sorry for raising my voice, Hannah… It’s just that I heard you need a recommendation to work at Herzen. I don’t have anyone who could provide one.”
Hannah hesitated for a moment before asking.
“….What if you could get one?”
“What? No, really, there’s no one who could…”
Hannah felt a pang of sympathy for Evelyn.
Unlike herself, who sat in the bookstore out of leisure and for people-watching, Evelyn had her whole life ahead of her. It seemed such a waste for her youth to wither away here.
Since seeing the job ad from Herzen, Evelyn had become as prickly as a hedgehog, defensive and anxious. She didn’t seem to realize that wielding those spikes would only hurt herself.
Because of this, it took Hannah a while to finally bring up the offer of a recommendation letter. With a sigh, Hannah spoke.
“Listen… don’t go telling anyone, no one here knows. But my real name is… Hannaeve Ivy Celsius.”
Evelyn’s blue eyes widened in shock.
The Celsius family, along with the Herzen family, was one of the only two Ducal houses in the kingdom. To think she had been so rude to someone of such high standing all this time.
Moreover, being part of the Celsius family meant she undoubtedly had connections with Herzen. Depending on how Hannah felt, Evelyn’s whereabouts could easily be exposed.
