TLMS 47

Chapter 47

Mrs. McBride, the cook, was in the first-floor kitchen finely chopping onions when I walked in. She was wiping away tears with her apron, pressed to her eyes, so she didn’t notice me properly at first.

“Ellie? You’re still not out yet?”

“Um, well…”

While I hesitated over what to say, Mrs. McBride finished wiping her tears and turned toward me—only to jump in shock.

“Ellie! What on earth happened to you? Did you fall somewhere? Your hair and clothes… Oh my goodness, your neck! Why is it all dark?”

“Well, I went to the wine storage earlier…”

I pretended to sniffle as I slowly, haltingly explained what had happened in the wine cellar. Since most of it was true, it wasn’t difficult to recount.

As she listened, Mrs. McBride looked as though she might collapse on the spot. She was a timid woman. The wine cellar was inside the storage room next to the kitchen, and she seemed terrified that a criminal might suddenly burst into the kitchen at any moment.

After finishing what I needed to do, I trudged back to my room. Ian, who had been waiting outside the kitchen, kept his word and only returned upstairs after watching me enter my room and lock the door.

I had effectively wasted my rare day off, but I didn’t really care. I felt like I had found a clue.

That intruder…

Lying comfortably on my bed, I thought.

Someone who knows the layout of the Plenigan estate… or someone in a position to freely control the servants?

But there was a problem.

If the intruder had always intended to attack me, that would make sense. But no matter how I think about it, he clearly seemed to be targeting Delia.

Delia was the young lady of the house. She mainly stayed in the west wing, and even when she came to the east wing, she only went to the study or guest rooms. She would never go to the pantry or wine storage.

If the intruder truly knew the estate well, he would know that much.

Then there’s no way he mistook me for Delia.

My head began to ache. I had just recovered from the shock, and now my mind felt like it was signaling me to rest.

Or maybe he knew it was me and still attacked? Someone who knows Ian and my identity? No, if that were the case, they could’ve just exposed us in front of everyone. Attempted murder would be ridiculous.

I considered various possibilities, but each one quickly hit a dead end. My eyelids grew heavier, my thoughts more tangled. Eventually, I fell asleep right there without even eating dinner.

News of my attack had already reached the Plenigan household while I slept.

Mrs. McBride, having worked at the estate for a long time and being quite elderly, knew how to distinguish what should and shouldn’t be spoken of.

Spreading rumors like “a criminal is roaming the estate and attacking maids” would obviously cause trouble. With recent funerals already making the atmosphere tense, rumors of an intruder would only spark chaos.

So Mrs. McBride carefully reported it to Helen, who was shocked enough to immediately inform Edward, Thomas, and the rest of the Plenigan family.

I never expected them to worry about me. I only thought they would at least take precautions for the servants’ safety.

But what they were worried about was something else entirely.

“This must not get out! It would be a disgrace to the family!”

That was Edward’s first reaction.

“A stranger roaming the estate in broad daylight? What would people say if they found out?”

“Sister, we must silence the servants first. We absolutely cannot let this spread…”

Even Helen looked around nervously, afraid of public opinion. Thomas, on the other hand, was furious.

“Who exactly is that maid? A criminal appearing inside the estate is suspicious enough already… hmm? She was on leave and wearing outdoor clothes? Ah, I see!”

He spoke excitedly, as if he had figured everything out.

“Those indecent women wearing trendy clothes nowadays! Of course! She must’ve been dressed provocatively. If she hadn’t been, why would the intruder target her? If she had dressed properly, no one would’ve come after her!”

When I later heard this, I was speechless.

What nonsense is that? The attacker is the criminal—why blame my clothes?

What I had worn that day reached just above my ankles, but I didn’t bother explaining to Thomas. It wasn’t even worth it—someone who thought like that would always find another excuse to blame the victim.

In any case, because of the “disgrace to the family” issue, I nearly got kicked out of the Plenigan estate that day.

“Perhaps we should remove that maid to keep things quiet.”

That was Edward’s decision. But Helen objected.

“If we expel her, won’t that cause even more rumors? What if she spreads resentment and talks?”

“We’ll give her a good reference letter and persuade her. We’ll make silence a condition.”

A reference letter was extremely important for servants. Without one, finding new employment was nearly impossible.

Servants without references were assumed to have been lazy, thieves, or troublemakers. Some employers even abused this by withholding reference letters and unpaid wages to force servants out quietly.

“But brother, the situation at the estate isn’t good for dismissals right now.”

Helen explained that two maids had already quit recently due to the tense atmosphere, there were many guests staying at the estate, and they were already short-staffed. The maid in question had been urgently hired to fill a vacancy, had come recommended by Lady Olga, and had caused no trouble so far. It would be difficult to find someone comparable.

Thanks to Helen’s argument, Edward abandoned the idea of firing me.

The family ordered strict security, instructed servants to beat and drive away any suspicious person, and summoned me, Mrs. McBride, and Mrs. Pierce, ordering us to keep absolute silence.

“If any rumor spreads inside or outside the estate, it can only be the three of you. If you don’t want to be dismissed, keep your mouths shut.”

And just like that, the intruder incident was quietly buried. I hadn’t expected much from the Plenigan family anyway, but their obsession with “family honor” left me speechless.

However, Eugenia brought the matter back up again.

She was the reason I even heard the details of what the family had discussed.

“Tell me about that intruder.”

“But Lady Eugenia, I was strictly ordered not to spread rumors…”

“I already heard everything. Don’t worry, I won’t spread it. I just want to know something.”

She wasn’t backing down.

So I sighed inwardly and recounted the incident, omitting a few details.

For example, that the intruder’s target might have been Delia. I had no proof, only suspicion, so I couldn’t say it aloud. And I also avoided giving my own interpretation, as Eugenia was still part of the household.

“Did you see his face?”

“No.”

“Clothes? Anything?”

“Nothing.”

“I see… Then how do you know it was a man?”

I hesitated.

“He was strong… and attacked suddenly, so I assumed…”

“That’s reasonable.”

Eugenia nodded casually, then walked to the door. Before leaving, she turned back.

“Ellie, I’m glad you’re safe. You must’ve been frightened. I apologize on behalf of the Plenigan family. This won’t happen again.”

And then she left without waiting for my reply.

They keep calling themselves Plenigan… but even Edward calls himself Jenkins sometimes.

I thought quietly.

Edward blamed Eugenia’s behavior on Jenkins blood, but maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe the good Jenkins blood is the one influencing Plenigan.

At the very least, among the Plenigan family, Eugenia seemed like the only normal one.