“Ann, cancel all the budget on mana quartz.”

“What?”

“We’re not getting it. Let’s find something to replace the sculpture. Let’s just do what other noble families normally do. We should make a huge meat pie, smash it on the day, and give it out to the people.”

“What? But… you might get blamed for it? The relatives will not tolerate it.”

“I don’t care.”

That was what Rubica was hoping for. She got a rebellious spirit. She had tried hard to be blamed, but the outcome hadn’t been that good. She diligently spent money and behaved as she wanted, but what people said about her was ‘our mistress is so great, generous, humble, and wise.’ Now she really wanted to say goodbye to that wise duchess thing. She never meant to become a wise wife and she never wanted to live for Edgar’s honor. She wanted to live as she wanted. She had enjoyed her previous life helping others, but it had to be okay to live as she wanted for once. It wasn’t going to last more than two years, after all.

Also, she just couldn’t understand why so many people had to die for the Claymore’s honor and pride. It would be better for her to get the blame. She would be called a wife who was from a baronet’s family, had no manners and reason, and diminished the duke’s honor instead of the extravagant duchess she had originally planned of, but it didn’t matter. Either way, all she had to do was to be blamed and get divorced.

“Madam…”

Ann wanted to convince Rubica, but she soon gave up at seeing her firm auburn eyes. They had spent a short time together, but Ann already found out Rubica was firmer than she looked and always did what she decided to do.

‘But I can’t let it happen, it will throw her pride to the ground.’

Insults and mocking that followed a noble wife who was thought to diminish the husband’s honor did much more than simply bother the family. They were things that couldn’t be defeated by the name of Claymore. Ann really wanted to change Rubica’s mind, but she was the housekeeper. She couldn’t openly blame her and make her cancel the decision. It would only be destroying the duchess’ honor to save the duke’s honor.

‘I must get some time first.’

First, she had to delay announcing they were not getting mana quartz this year. She smiled kindly and put the abacus she’d been holding in a box.

“I think we won’t be able to take care of expenses related to mana quartz even if we work till dinner. Your Grace, it’s time to take a walk. Why don’t we get some fresh air and do it later?”

“Hmm…”

Rubica suspiciously looked at Ann. She had expected at least two hours of a quarrel with Ann at the spot. Ann had her as the top priority, but only because she was the duchess. It was rather suspicious she was so easily accepting what was going to bring huge changes to the family.

Ann broke in a cold sweat at seeing those eyes that felt like they were looking through her soul. At such moments, Rubica looked more like someone who was decades older than her instead of being the duchess who was much younger than her. Even she had difficulties hiding her true thoughts.

Rubica noticed she was only pretending to accept what she said. However, accusing her now would only cost her dedication and loyalty to her.

‘Well, I didn’t expect her to agree with me so quickly. I’ll just have to persuade her in time.’

Quarreling with Edgar was okay, but Rubica really wanted to avoid fighting with this kind housekeeper. Rubica decided to go along with her for now and find a way to convince her later.

“Okay, Ann. I was getting tired. Let us go.”

There was a need to take a walk at the gardens and be refreshed by trees and flowers. She wore the salmon dress made by Khanna and put on a straw hat decorated with flowers that matched the dress. Then, she put on ivory-colored lace gloves.

Ann helped her to get ready and secretly whispered to a maid nearby.

“Please tell Carl what she just said.”

“Yes, Mrs. Taylor.”

Edgar was the only person who could stop Rubica. Ann knew what she was doing was going to make her lose Rubica’s trust. She had already made a mistake of babbling about her once, but was it really the housekeeper’s virtue to say nothing and obey only because that was what Rubica wanted?

‘I don’t mind if she gets to hate me and not trust me. I must stop her from getting blamed, no matter what the cost is.’

Rubica hadn’t even been introduced to the capital’s society. Ann believed she was more than capable of handling the weight the title Duchess Claymore brought, but what others thought was completely different.

Even she couldn’t guess what would be done to her if she went to the society without properly managing her reputation within the dukedom.

‘And there are so many ladies who wanted her place…’

There were people who acted as if it had been taken away from them even though it never belonged to them. Ann didn’t know that hatred and blames were what Rubica truly wanted and the reason for which she decided to play the villain.

“Why don’t we have the girls at the annex join us for a walk today?”

“Really?”

“Yes, I think it would be good for you to talk with them and hear gossips and people’s interests.”

“Then Elise is coming too, right?”

“Of course. Ms. Solana had to leave her friends so quickly. They will be delighted to see each other.”

Rubica smiled as if she had been given a box of confectionaries. She really wanted to see Elise taking a walk in that pink dress she had passed down on to her. She would become more confident if her friends complimented her change.

“Good. Let’s send a word to Elise and the annex.”

“Yes, madam.”

The girls had been taught quickly under the new manners teacher. As soon as a maid delivered them the duchess’ message, they grabbed their parasols, hats, and gloves and came to the main building’s porch.

“Your Grace, you look so beautiful!”

“Is that a new dress?”

The teenaged girls were interested in dresses more than anyone else and realized Rubica’s change very quickly. Rubica thought they were just flattering her, but she liked it. She also liked that they looked brighter and happier than before.

‘They will be even more surprised to see Elise.’

Rubica was excited to imagine them praise Elise’s change. She wanted to show the world that she turned Elise into someone beautiful.

‘I wish she would come quickly…’

The lady of the day should be the last to appear, but Rubica couldn’t hide her anxiety.

“Elise!”

She finally came out, and she looked just like when Rubica and her maids had worked on her. The girls called her name, but they couldn’t say anything for a long time.

The new Elise was the incarnation of what Mrs. Shaynie always said a reserved lady shouldn’t do.

‘But she looks pretty.’

‘And she doesn’t look cheap.’

She rather looked as noble as a princess. When her friends stared at her without saying anything, Elise embarrassingly looked down. She wasn’t worth such a splendid dress after all.

The duchess’ and her maids’ compliments had been able to give some courage and confidence to the new lady-in-waiting.

However, it was hard to gain confidence after being suppressed for a long time, and Rubica noticed she was misinterpreting the girl’s gaze and was being afraid. She thought about speaking to her, but it could make the girl think all those praises that were about to be given to her was because of the duchess.

“Have you cut your fringe?”

Then, Kay, who was a year or two younger than Elise, carefully asked. Her friendly blue eyes were sparkling.

“Yes.”

“Who did it?”

“One of Her Grace’s maids.”

“It looks so good. Maybe I should cut my fringe, too.”

Kay touched her hair that was tightly bound just like Elise’s previously. Now she had no choice as her hair was tied and fixed with pins, but it appeared her hair would be in a different style tomorrow.

“That dress really fits you well.”

“Thank you.”

“We couldn’t recognize you at first because you looked so beautiful.”

“And that lip color matches you.”

“Madam has given me some rouge, I can share it with you.”

“Really? Then can I try it too?”

The girls were momentarily dumbfounded by their friend’s sudden change, but they soon got excited and delighted. They started to compliment Elise who didn’t know what to do when surrounded by them, but she recovered her smile in time. She was still half in doubt, but her smile was getting confident. And, Rubica happily watched them.

It felt like seeing one’s daughter get everybody’s attention at her debut in society. She wanted to boast that she had been the one who chose the dress that people said looked so good on her, and she also had her maids do her hair and makeup.

The more the girls were in awe, the more delighted she was.

“Well then, shall we go now?”

“Yes, madam.”

The girls spent a long time at the porch, but they all politely grabbed their skirts and lightly curtsied as soon as Rubica spoke. Each movement was elegant. It hadn’t been a week since the new manners teacher came, but they already knew how to behave as noble girls.

‘I was right to fire her.’

Rubica did feel a little sorry for not writing a recommendation letter, but she didn’t want to let Shaynie easily become the manners teacher of another noble family as huge as Claymore. She needed to reflect on herself.