Chapter 12
Dorota gave a detailed report to Frederick about Grace’s physical condition, which Annie had conveyed, and her speech and behavior when she first arrived.
“…I think I can guess the situation.”
After hearing Dorota’s explanation, Frederick slowly nodded.
There were several things about Grace that didn’t quite sit right, enough to make one think she was more than just a simple-minded fool.
The way she couldn’t even say who she was when they first met, her face filled with tension; the way she begged for forgiveness with excessive fear after spilling food—it was all strange.
“From her condition, it doesn’t seem like she was treated well by her family.”
“Yes. Most likely…”
“Seems she was abused.”
Grace was like a small animal facing a predator. Every time their eyes met, she tensed up completely.
“This just got more troublesome.”
Frederick furrowed his brow.
If she were simply ignorant and lacking awareness, it would’ve been easier to deal with—less complaining, more peace.
But if her hypersensitivity was due to abuse, then helping her adjust to life here would take effort and time.
“Yes. I heard what happened yesterday in the dining room. I believe… she must’ve gone through many unpleasant experiences at the House of Reinheim.”
“……”
“But thankfully, it doesn’t seem like she has any serious intellectual disability, from what I could tell.”
Dorota continued.
“She seemed to basically understand what we were saying. She just had a hard time expressing her own thoughts in words.”
“What’s her level of speech, exactly?”
“She mostly used individual words or short phrases. And she stutters.”
That wasn’t much different from what Frederick had seen himself.
“Can she read or write?”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“Even if she can, it probably isn’t at a proper level.”
Frederick let out a small sigh.
“Still, wouldn’t she improve with teaching? She’s going to be the lady of this estate, after all.”
“The basics… we should at least teach her.”
Frederick nodded.
“I’ll find a teacher to give her lessons in reading and proper etiquette. That’ll be all for now.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After bowing, Dorota left. Frederick sat back in his chair and looked out the window.
“…Why bother, though?”
He had just said he’d find her a teacher.
Even to himself, the words felt unfamiliar. He was not the kind of man who went out of his way to do things for others.
If a dim-witted woman had entered the household as the duchess, all he had to do was tell the head maid to manage her properly. It wasn’t his place to get personally involved.
“……”
He remembered Grace’s tearful face and the trembling in her voice. After their meal, when she was about to return to her room, she had hesitantly approached him.
“Do you have something to say?”
“I… um…”
Her throat bobbed.
“I-I’m… sor… sorry…”
“It’s nothing serious. As I said, it was cleaned up, and that’s all.”
“Ah…”
“Well then, I’ll be going. You should rest, Lady Grace.”
Frederick had once again cut off Grace mid-apology and left.
She’s a strange woman. She barely speaks, she’s afraid of him—yet she still insists on talking to him.
“…Enough.”
Frederick decided not to dwell on it. It wasn’t like they’d had any important conversation. She was simply the daughter of the Reinheim family, sent here through a political marriage. All he had to do was treat her with appropriate courtesy.
He picked up his pen again and turned back to his work.
Two days had passed since Grace arrived at the Winstaine ducal estate.
During that time, she had walked around the estate with Annie, getting familiar with its layout. She quickly learned where the dining hall, garden, and her room were.
Since dining with the duke on the first day, she hadn’t seen him again. Annie said he’d been busy with work lately. Grace just nodded in response.
“These are the maids who will be serving you along with Annie. Please greet them.”
Grace was then introduced to two more maids.
“Hello, Lady Grace! I look forward to working with you. My name is Rena.”
“Hello. I’m Sally.”
At Dorota’s instruction, the maids bowed. Rena smiled brightly like Annie, while Sally remained expressionless.
“H-hi…”
Grace greeted them with an awkward smile. She was used to speaking casually with Annie, but she couldn’t help the polite words from slipping out.
“We’ll do our best to serve you!”
“Things will get busy from now on. The wedding is only a week away.”
Dorota glanced at Annie, Rena, and Sally in turn as she spoke.
“Make sure Lady Grace is fully prepared by then.”
“Yes, you can leave it to us.”
Annie answered cheerfully. Dorota gave her shoulder a pat and left.
“You heard her, right? Starting today, we’re going to begin special preparations to make you a beautiful bride!”
Annie’s eyes sparkled as she turned to Grace.
“Pre…parations?”
“Every day, you’ll bathe in water infused with rose oil, and we’ll scrub you gently with salt. We’ll treat your hair with flaxseed oil and trim your nails.”
Grace, who knew nothing about weddings, simply found this “special care” that Annie spoke of fascinating.
“And later, the tailor will come to take your measurements for your wedding dress.”
“Okay…”
She didn’t really understand, but she figured she should just follow Annie’s instructions. Grace nodded.
“I’ll bring some refreshments. Please wait here a moment.”
Annie left the room and soon returned with a tray of tea and cookies. She set them on the table where Grace was seated.
“I meant to offer you these yesterday, but the cook in charge of snacks wasn’t feeling well. So today’s the first time I’m serving you tea.”
“……”
Grace stared at the treats.
She had seen her half-siblings enjoy tea time many times. But for her, it had always meant humiliation or beatings, never an actual seat at the table.
Being served refreshments just for herself—something she couldn’t have even imagined before—was now a reality.
“Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Okay…”
Grace gently raised the teacup to her lips and took a sip. The warm liquid flowed into her mouth.
“If the tea tastes bitter, try a cookie.”
Grace put down the cup and took a square cookie, biting into it.
Sweet…
The rich buttery flavor filled her mouth. Since arriving at the estate, the food had been so delicious it surprised her every time—and this cookie was no exception.
After finishing one, Grace picked up the remaining three cookies on the plate and held them out toward the maids.
“Lady Grace?”
“Eat… eat…”
She wanted to share this delicious treat with them. That’s what she used to do with Emily. Whenever Emily brought her snacks, Grace would break them in half and give her a share.
Sitting across from each other and eating snacks together had always been the happiest moments.
“With us? That’s okay…”
“Let’s… eat together.”
Annie flailed her hands in surprise, but Grace didn’t pull her hand back. She didn’t feel right eating alone.
“Th-thank you!”
“Thank you so much, Lady Grace.”
“…Thank you.”
The maids each took a cookie. Even Sally, who hesitated for a moment, accepted one.
“It’s delicious.”
Seeing the smiles on Annie and Rena’s faces, Grace felt her heart warm too.
What… is this?
Meanwhile, Sally’s expression hardened as she watched Grace smile so innocently.
She seems a little slow…
Sally had expected a refined lady from a noble family in the capital. But the woman before her felt completely off. Her speech was clumsy, and her vocabulary was minimal. Even a few words were enough to reveal how different she was from normal women.
This is the person I’m supposed to serve?
She couldn’t understand why Annie and Rena were smiling over a cookie offered by such a lacking woman.
Working in a duke’s estate meant she had no say in who her master was. But if this was the kind of person she’d be serving… she wasn’t sure she could bring herself to like her.
