Chapter 4 Mother Dear

Anne had learned to move through the manor like a ghost, her steps silent and her presence barely acknowledged by those around her. But the shadows had ears, and in the hidden corners of the vast estate, secrets were whispered as casually like a handshake.

On this particular day, Anne found herself in a secluded corridor, far from the prying eyes of the aristocracy. She was attending to her duties, lost in her thoughts, when a soft murmur reached her ears. She paused, her heart pounding in her chest, and strained to listen.

Two new maids, young and naive, stood a few paces away, their voices hushed but their words cutting like knives.

"Have you heard the rumors about Anne?" one of them whispered, her eyes darting around to ensure no one was listening.

The other maid, equally intrigued, leaned in closer. "Rumors? What are you talking about?"

"They say that maid had an affair with the viscount. That's why she's been here for so long, even though she's just a commoner maid. She's the mother of his illegitimate child."

Anne's heart sank like a stone in her chest, the words cutting through her like a dagger. She had always known that Lady Agatha, the viscountess, held suspicions, but to hear such rumors spoken aloud was a cruel and dangerous.

The second maid gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "An affair with the viscount? But that's scandalous! Do you think it's true?"

The first maid shrugged, a wicked grin on her face. "Who knows? But it's certainly fun to speculate. It would explain why Lady Agatha despises her so much."

Anne's hands trembled, her knuckles white as she clenched the fabric of her apron. She knew that these rumors, whether true or false, had the power to destroy her and, more importantly, Rohan's future.

Silent tears welled in Anne's eyes as she continued her work, her heart heavy with the knowledge that the whispers in the shadows threatened to expose the truth she had fought so hard to conceal.

As Anne's heart wrenched with the weight of the rumors she had just overheard, a sudden presence behind her sent a shiver down her spine.

She turned, her eyes meeting those of a figure that seemed to materialize from the shadows themselves. It was Hannah, the personal maid to the viscountess, Lady Agatha. A personal maid was always someone of high status, and so Anne had always held her head down when facing Hannah.

Hannah's expression remained inscrutable, her eyes guarded as she spoke in a tone as cold as ice. "Anne, Lady Agatha requests your presence."

With a nod, she followed Hannah, her footsteps echoing with the anxiety. Anne wanted to collapse on the spot, to be carried off to the basement and wake up next to her children.

As they walked through the opulent halls of the manor, Anne's thoughts raced. What did Lady Agatha want? Had she heard the rumors that now swirled around Anne's life? The anxiety gnawed at her, for she knew that the viscountess held the power to cast her aside, to reveal her secrets to the world.

They arrived at the door to Lady Agatha's chambers, and Hannah gestured for Anne to enter. The room was dimly lit, the heavy drapes drawn closed to shield it from the outside world. Lady Agatha sat regally at her vanity, her expression unreadable as she regarded Anne.

"Ah, Anne," Lady Agatha said, her voice as chilling as an icy breeze. "You are aware of the rumors that have been circulating, I presume?"

Anne swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she replied, "Yes, my lady."

Lady Agatha's gaze bore into Anne, as if searching for the truth hidden within her. "I trust that these rumors are nothing more than baseless gossip, that there is no truth to them?"

Anne knew that she had to choose her words carefully. She could not reveal the secret she had kept hidden for so long. "My lady, I assure you that there is no truth to these rumors. I am merely a loyal servant, dedicated to my duties."

The viscountess's eyes lingered on Anne for a moment longer before she finally nodded. "Hmm, you are a liar, Anne."

"M-my lady?"

"Don't play dumb."

With her head still down, Anne gazed upward slightly. The viscountess, once the epitome of poise, now appeared disheveled and weary. Her normally impeccable gown was rumpled, and her eyes were clouded with a deep weariness.

Anne couldn't help but notice the empty wine bottles strewn haphazardly about the room in her periphery. Lady Agatha had been drinking.

"I-I'm not, my lady," Anne's eyes were searching.

But before she could utter another word, Lady Agatha's fingers shot out like a viper, gripping Anne's brown hair in a cruel grip. Pain surged through Anne's scalp as she gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

Lady Agatha's eyes, clouded with anger and frustration, bore into Anne's with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "You," she hissed, her grip on Anne's hair tightening. "You think you can deceive me? You, with your secrets and your lies!"

Anne's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to maintain her composure.

"Release her, my lady!" Hannah pleaded, rushing forward to intervene.

But Lady Agatha's grip remained unrelenting, and she leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. "You are nothing, Anne. A wretched commoner maid with delusions of grandeur. Do you think I am blind to your treachery? To the rumors that swirl about you? How dare you covet what belongs to your mistress!"

Tears welled in Anne's eyes as she endured the pain, her voice trembling as she replied, "My lady, I swear—"

But her words were cut short as Lady Agatha yanked on her hair once more, a cruel display of power and frustration.

As Anne's heart raced and her vision blurred with tears, she could only think it was fine if she endured this much as long as Lady Agatha doesn't lay a hand on her children.