The maid's decision

After the little fiasco, words spread around the duchy, from the maids, to male servants, to kitchen staffs to the knights and other workers.

'The duke did not do anything to the duchess after she insulted the favored second wife.'

Everyone had their version of the story, but the main point is that the silver-cold duchess, who they thought would still be quiet and unmoving, finally showed her claws.

The servants who switched sides and were preparing to switch sides to the second madam did not have any thoughts again.

If the duke did not do anything to the duchess, then doesn't that mean she is still in power in the duchy? That was what they thought.

The second madam might have the duke's love, but she did not have anything else other than that. No background, no power, no influence, nothing apart from the unborn duke's child.

While the duchess has everything, from power to background to influence and the duke's unborn child. Also, she has some influence on the duke, meaning she could make the duke look at her side if she wants to, and the second madam could be abandoned anytime.

Once the servants had a proper view of things, they stood by the duchess's side without hesitation. If they want to live and not want to be thrown like those three maids, they must never anger the duchess.

Speaking of those three maids...Isla did not forget about them. She made sure to have them thrown out of this duchy, as they would be an example for those loose-mouthed servants.

And those maids who did not expect things to be like this immediately hurried to their backup plan, which was Annalise.

But the latter was not seeing anyone, not even the duke, and that extremely worried the maids.

''Miss Olivia, please we want to see the second madam,'' the one who told her fellow maids that everything would be alright was scared. She did not expect the duchess to still have an influence on the duke and now her job has to pay the price for her disrespect.

''My miss is not well so she would not be attending to anyone today...not even the duke,'' Olivia said, sneering inwardly as she knew what these maids wanted to use her miss for. They got in trouble with the duchess and want her to beg the duke just because of her kind heart.

If before, she would have allowed them, but now, after witnessing the duke's behavior, she did not want to look for the duchess' trouble and put her miss in another bad light.

Her words made the maids' hearts tremble. If the second madam does not see the duke, then who says she could see them, the lowly servants?

''Miss Olivia, you have to allow us to see the second madam. She is the only one who can help us now.'' The maid still pleaded as she still had hope that the kind person she saw on the day of the wedding would still be the same after the duchess's warning.

Unlike that day, she called annalise 'madam' because she was confident that nothing would happen. But now it is 'second madam' she used to address the latter.

Olivia stared at the begging maids and sighed frustratedly, as they were making things difficult for her. Whatever she does now represents her mistress, and who knows whether the duchess is watching her through other servants.

'But I could use them.' Her eyes flashed as she thought of a clever scheme. A scheme that would restore her mistress' reputation in the duchy and make the duke hate the duchess forever.

Just as she parted her lips about to talk, Spencer appeared before them.

''So you are here. It seems her grace was worried for nothing.'' Spencer shook his head, as these servants were so stupid. Instead of them pleading for themselves at the time the duchess caught them, they kept quiet, thinking the second madam would help them.

But look at them now, they did not expect the duke to abandon the favored second madam in the garden for the duchess.

''W-what?'' another maid stuttered, a bit lost at Spencer's words.

''Her grace wrote recommendations to other noble families. At least each of you would have money to feed yourselves and your family, but the pay won't be as high as the pay in the hayes duchy,'' Spencer said, revealing three sealed envelopes in his hands.

''Since you feel the second madam would help you, then the her grace's help is clearly not needed.'' Spencer put the envelopes back in his chest pocket and turned around.

''When you are done begging, pack your bags and leave the duchy at once,'' He left with parting words.

One of the maids snapped out of her shock and rushed after Spencer's disappearing back, ''W-Wait, Butler. Please take me to her grace.''

The other also came to reality and frowned at the last maid, ''You said the second madam would help us but look...her grace still had us in mind.''

After her complaint, she also rushed after Spencer to ask for the duchess.

''I-I did not know,'' The maid gritted her teeth and her hands curled into fists. She did not expect things to turn out like this.

''I can help you.'' she turned to Olivia, who was looking at the empty hallway.

Their gazes met and Olivia's lips quirked up with her eyes gleaming with shrewdness. ''But you have to do something for me.''

The maid stared at her for a brief moment without agreeing to anything.

She had a feeling that once she agreed, she could never turn back. She was not dumb and could see that the second madam's maid disliked the duchess. Whatever she intended to do was strike back and make the duchess miserable.

What should she do?

She still had a choice of going to beg the duchess, but who says the duchess would likely forgive them? No nobles would forgive their servants for being disrespectful and the duchess was clearly like that. If the duchess was like before, she might still have a chance, but the duchess now was someone they could never understand her thoughts.

She is now quiet, distant, and intimidating. When everyone thought she would live like a dead rat, she unexpectedly strikes, and instantly everything was just like before.

She even put a distance in the duke's relationship with the favored second madam.

Someone like that, the maid did not want to be near such a calculating person and who knows...maybe the second madam and duke would be as close as before.

With that decision and hope in mind, the maid bit her lower lips, then uttered the words Olivia loved to hear. ''What do I have to do?''

''Nothing much.'' Olivia smiled. She was pleased to have a chess piece that she could use and discard without blinking.

---

Later that night, Amelia mentioned to Isla, ''My lady, they were only two maids who came to you and not three.''

''Spencer said they were with Olivia before coming to me, right?'' Isla looked up after closing the book on her lap. She had been researching places that she could escape to in case the empress's choice might not be where she wants to spend her life with her child.

''Yes, my lady.'''Amelia nodded, then frowned and expressed her displeasure, ''My lady is kind to still help them after they disrespected you.''

Isla flashed a warm smile and said, ''I don't blame them. They are humans, and everyone wants to be on the safe side.''

Since her lady was not angry or dissatisfied with those maids, Amelia decided to let the issue go, and ask about the third maid, ''The what about the third maid?''

Isla did not answer at first as she recalled a scene from her previous life. Olivia, annalise's maid, did something that made the duke reveal his anger towards her who did not know anything. She was just lost on what she had done exactly.

If that clever maid beside annalise, repeats her scheming actions in this life, then she has to be careful and watch out.

''Watch the third maid carefully and also that maid named Olivia.''

>>>Okay, so got contracted today, that's good news. Another good news is that I will be updating everyday, however it will be one chapter a day. School is getting too hectic for me, so, I will be writing a little bit slower than usual. Anyways Vote Vote Vote dear readers.<<<