Chapter 3

This night was extremely difficult for the Viscount family. The women changed their colorful silk clothing, put on the black veil and black gown. They gathered in front of the warm fireplace and wept their tears sadly.

The Viscountess was crying all night and cursing her daughter-in-law: "You useless woman! You didn't even leave William with a son. I really regret letting William marry you!"

Helena smiled contemptuously: "Why don't you say that I am useless when you use my dowry? It's just a marriage for money. In terms of the money, I haven't treated you badly these years. Everything you eat is paid by my dowry. If it were not for me, your Manor would have been exhausted in debt, and you think you can keep living a luxurious life?"

"What do you mean by saying this!"

"What do I mean? I am a widow now. I have neither children nor the title of Viscountess. What is the point for me to stay here? What going to happen next is I am taking my dowry back home."

"You! You have no right to do this!"

"Right? Of course, I have this right, and it is a right granted to me by law."

Helena smiled and got up and said to everyone: "It's late, everyone, rest early, and prepare for the funeral tomorrow."

After Helena left the room, the Viscountess cried loudly: "What a slut, a mean woman! She can't take our assets back! She can't!"

"Mom, please calm down." The third lady, Catherine, sat beside the viscountess to comfort her, swaying her folding fan to calm the breathless viscountess.

Catherine is a rare beauty. She likes to wear a golden wig to set off her fair skin and light green eyes. Although she is only 16 years old, she is already slim and graceful.

The viscountess cried and said, "What can you do? What do you say? We will go bankrupt, and there will be no heirs. Your father's title will be inherited by the wild boy outside. Once your father is dead, we will be kicked out. Get out of here!"

Viscount Bruce said: "Don't be so pessimistic. According to the traditions, he should marry Margaret or Catherine, and let our daughter become the hostess of Mormon Manor. As far as I know, he is very good at business and should be considered as a rich man."

"No! Dad, I don't want to marry him! Not that ugly humpback!" The second lady Margaret jumped up first, and fiercely opposed: "I have to choose my own husband!"

Compared with the third lady Catherine, the second lady Margaret's appearance is better, but her temper is not as stable as Catherine's, she is very arrogant and domineering.

Viscount Bruce said: "You want to choose your own husband? If a rich and powerful nobleman is willing to marry you, I let him marry you right away. But unfortunately, given that your rich sister-in-law is going to leave, I am afraid I won't be able to prepare even 1,000 pounds for your dowry. Do you think there still are any nobleman willing to marry you in this case?"

"Oh! My goodness! My goodness!" Margaret screamed loudly.

"I will write to him immediately." The Viscount said: "You girls, get everything ready to meet him."

...

It was the first snow since the beginning of winter last night.

Late at night, lying on the chuáng, the cold air surrounds me, so I can't fall asleep for a long time.

My feet are always cold and I can't feel warm, which reminds me of the days when I was hiding and fleeing...

Early in the morning I woke up to the rush of bells and started my day's work again.

According to the order of the butler, Aaron, I came to the stable to inform the grooms: "The Lord Viscount will go out soon, and you guys should prepare the carriage immediately."

Momon Manor has a very large stable, where more than a dozen excellent horses from the eastern prairie are raised for the owners to walk or hunt. At the same time, a group of purebred Beagle hounds were kept here. Before I walked into the stable, these little guys kept barking.

Several grooms greeted me, saying that it might rain later, and they should check the carriage carefully.

Different from the servants who serve in the castle, there are more than a dozen servants, such as grooms, gardeners, forest guards, night watchmen, etc., in the manor. They are not qualified to enter the castle, but live in a row of cabins near the woods. The outside servant is a servant who is even inferior to the low servants in Manor, and sometimes I can order them to do something.

"The valet of the Lord Viscount will prepare a cloak and an umbrella, so don't worry about it," I said.

"Owen, I heard that you went home a while ago." Old groom John asked me.

"Yes, it was on the same day of Master William's terrible misfortune," I said.

"How is your family?"

"Thanks for asking, they are good and healthy."

"I'm going to drive to the city in a few days for purchases. Do you want me to bring you anything?" Old John asked me.

"Oh, no, all my wages are given to my mother, so I don't have anything money spared for it." I said with a smile.

"Young man, you have to be clever and leave some money for yourself." John said, "My niece Betty came to the manor as a kitchen maid today. She is a stupid girl. You can give her a little induction if you have a chance."

I was stunned for a while when I heard the name Betty, I had forgotten her for so long...

At noon, I saw the little girl frantically in front of the oven, and that was Betty. She was criticized by several older kitchen maids, and I can tell that she was about to cry.

I put down the tray in my hand and walked over to comfort her: "You are old John's niece, I am Owen, he asked me to take care of you. Don't be too nervous, they will scold you the most, but they won't beat you, or send you back home. Don't you think so?"

Betty's face back to vivid, and she smiled at me. Maybe it is not easy to look up at me because I am tall, she quickly dropped her eyes and writhed with her hands on her apron.

"Okay, boy, don't bother my girl." A fat kitchen maid rudely pulled Betty away from my sight.

Simon walked over and winked at me and said: "Your lucky dog is so charming. Look at the girl just now. I suspect that if you look at her again, she will be flushed to faint."

I smiled awkwardly: "Don't talk nonsense, she is just very introverted."

Simon said, "Hmmm, if I had your pretty little face, I would have never been a subordinate footman. Maybe I could become the beau of some noble lady."

I ignored him, picked up the tray, and walked out of the kitchen.

I didn't refute him because, once, I was that self-righteous too.

My mother gave me a good look. I have a tall and well-shaped body, blonde curly hair, a tall nose, deep eye sockets, blue eyes, and a defined face that looks very handsome to everyone. I remember that when I just turned 14 years old, there was a dissolute woman in the village who seduced me, trying to have a good time with me, for which she was even willing to offer me money. I agreed and kissed each other in the haystack and pulled off each other's clothing. However, when I saw her fat body, I ran away in a panic. There were many red spots on the woman's body, densely packed. I feel nauseous. And this year I am 18 years old. Compared to when I was 14 years old, I am more ripe and handsome, and women fancy me more. They always talked about me quietly, and then burst out chuckles. Wherever I go, their eyes follow me. All this gives me blind confidence and makes me think that all women will fall in love with me in my previous life...

The housekeeper Selena told me to bring coffee and desserts to the small living room.

Professionally trained footmen must present elegant etiquette, especially when carrying things. When holding a tray, you must keep your head high and not squint. The small tray can only be held firmly with one hand underneath, and the other hand is against the waist behind. You walk at a steady pace, not slow or slack.

It must be elegant and balanced. It is difficult for ordinary people to do without long-term training. So when the butler Aaron found out that I can catch it almost immediately, he was surprised and exclaimed that I was a natural-born excellent footman. I can't tell him that in my previous life I did this kind of training every day. I walked back and forth with a book on my head, stood against the wall, and stood for a whole day.

Today, Momon Manor has guests.

Lady Judith came from Wiklton in a carriage with her little daughter Delores. They arrived a little late because the funeral of Master William was over. Lady Judith cried out of breath and looked very sad. Of course, we don't know whether she is as sad as she looks. Because she still combed her beautiful hair, painted exquisite makeup, and wore all kinds of expensive and gorgeous jewelry, the only thing that was different from usual was that she changed into a black dress.

At this moment, she was angrily talking to the Viscountess: "That slut actually left like this!" The viscountess shook the fan vigorously. Her waist was tied so tightly that she could not breathe well, so she said quickly, "As soon as the funeral is over, she got on her maiden's carriage and left."

"Oh, mom, you must have suffered, and you have to be angry with such inferior women. We shouldn't have let the businessman's daughter into the house for a little dowry." Judith said arrogantly.

"Now is not the time to think about that woman," the viscountess whispered.

Judith showed a thoughtful look and put down the folding fan in her hand: "So, will he come?"

"I don't know, we had a bad relationship back then..." the Viscountess said worriedly.

I can hear the conversations between the masters clearly, but I have to pretend to be an invisible person. My job is to bring the food in and give it to the senior footman. Then I stand by the wall and wait for instructions like a statue.

The senior footmen are responsible for serving tea and refreshments to the ladies and the misses. They are attentive and graceful. When they walk, they walk elegantly like cats.

The second daughter, Lady Margaret, was whispering to the footman Jason, and the third daughter, lady Catherine, was more solemn. Although she smiled softly at the servants, she never bothered to say a word to us. I think she despised us from the bottom of her heart, but it was a pity that I was lost in the swamp of her beautiful smile. I never found this kind of disdain to servants under her smile, and even believe she would fall in love with me...