A new etiquette teacher

When she was done freshening up, Margaret tried to cheer her up as they went out.

"What was it like at the banquet? Did the second miss cause you any trouble?" Margaret whispered.

"It was fine," Evelyn replied simply.

"Oh," Margaret said, knowing she did not want to talk. The two continued to walk in silence.

When they reached the hall, the butler was already assigning duties to the servants. Mr Charles was a cold and stoic man who always wore a no nonsense look. He did his duties well and did not slack. He was always on the look out for lazy servants.

All the servants feared him except for Margaret who was his niece. She slacked off most of the time but since she was his niece, he did not make things too hard for her. Many servants were dissatisfied with this but did not dare speak.

The butler had a strange temper. If they did anything that displeases him, they would be punished severely.

When they arrived, Mr Charles glanced briefly at them and continued assigning the servants what to do.

Evelyn was assigned to clean the west wing with two other servants. Everyone was given a task and they quickly dispersed.

Evelyn got a broom and went to the west wing. She began to clean in silence. The other two servants she was assigned with did not particularly like her so she ignored them.

The two servants did not begin to work. Instead they began to gossip. These two servants were Janette and Beatrice. They were very arrogant, always looking down on the timid looking Evelyn. Although they were all servants, they felt like Evelyn was beneath them.

Especially Janette who always thought that she was the most beautiful girl among all the servants. But when she stood beside Evelyn, she paled in comparison. Many people always talked about this.

This intensified Janette's dislike for her. Evelyn was just a skinny girl with no chest. What right did Evelyn have for her to be compared with her?

Evelyn did not know how she offended Janette who always gave her the stink eye but she did not care. Instead she focused on doing her work. Let those two play around. Don't think that she will clean the whole west wing by herself!

When Janette and Beatrice saw Mr Charles coming their way, they quickly picked up their brooms and began to work. Evelyn raised an eyebrow. They bully the weak and fear the strong. That's how the world was.

Time passed quickly. After working so hard all morning, she began to feel exhausted. She only got time to get something to eat before was given another task.

Sweat trickled down on her forehead. A life of a servant was difficult. Always busy. She arranged the pot of flowers carefully and proceeded to clean other areas.

While she was busy working, a tall woman in her thirties was led in by the butler who looked very respectful. When they passed by the busy Evelyn, the woman gave a disdainful look and continued to walk with her head held high.

Evelyn scratched her head, wondering who the woman was. Still that did not stop her from working.

"Evelyn!" Someone called her.

Evelyn stopped what she was doing and turned her head. A bright smile appeared on her face. "Travis, how are you?"

Travis was also a servant at the Blake family. He was a bashful young man and Evelyn got along with him. At this moment, he was holding a bunch of flowers, blushing like an innocent boy.

"I... I brought you these flowers," he stammered and pushed them into her hands.

Evelyn was surprised. "For me?"

Travis nodded.

"Thank you..." Evelyn began to thank him but he had already hurried off, his ears red. She shook her head helplessly with a smile.

"Travis likes you." Margaret who had witnessed everything walked to her side. "Have you ever noticed the way he look at you? It's like you are his whole world."

Evelyn's lips twitched. "Travis just only sees me as a friend. You are overthinking it."

"A friend, huh?" Margaret smiled meaningfully. Evelyn bumped into her shoulder. "Stop teasing me."

Margaret laughed but still changed the topic. She looked around and whispered. "Did you hear? The eldest miss has been brooding over the engagement since morning. She refused to eat and locked herself in her room."

"It must be hard for her but she will get over it!" Evelyn replied.

At the same time, an angry scream came from upstairs, followed by a loud crash. The two looked up before they exchanged glances. "You think so?"

Evelyn shrugged. Margaret continued. "Did you see the woman who was with my uncle just now? She's Bethany's new etiquette teacher."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, remembering the arrogant woman who passed by just now. "Another new etiquette teacher? Let's see if she can stay around for a long time."

Meanwhile Mr Charles led the woman into the longue room. Lady Rosalie and Bethany were already waiting for her.

"Can I go and play with Evelyn, mother?" Bethany asked.

"Absolutely not," Lady Rosalie refused with a stern face. "Behave! Your new etiquette teacher is coming."

Bethany pouted and looked like she was about to cry. That was when the butler and the woman walked in.

The woman bowed and greeted her. "A good day to you Lady Rosalie." The butler immediately left.

"Mrs Richards, please have a sit." Lady Rosalie smiled politely. Bethany snorted and did not pay attention to this new etiquette teacher.

"A friend of mine recommended you, Mrs Richards. She said you are very hardworking and devoted to your work," Lady Rosalie said.

"Indeed," Mrs Richards nodded.

"Do you think you can handle Bethany?" Lady Rosalie asked. Mrs Richards was popular as one of the best etiquette teachers. She was very stern and could make naughty children obedient.

"Miss Bethany rumored as the 'evil child'. I am quite sure she is not as bad as the rumors say she is," Mrs Richards smiled. She did not believe she could not handle a little child.

This got Bethany's attention. She tilted her head and stared at Mrs Richards. No, she indeed was not as bad as the rumors say. She was worse.

"Then it's settled," Lady Rosalie clapped her hands and stood up. "Then I will leave you two alone."

Lady Rosalie turned to look at Bethany. "Behave."

"Yes, mother."

Lady Rosalie left. As the door closed, Bethany turned to look at Mrs Richards with a smile that sent chills down her spine.

When Lady Rosalie left, she went directly to her husband's study room. She knocked the door and waited patiently. When she was told to enter, she opened the door and walked in.

Leonard Blake was reading reading some documents. "What is it Rosalie?"

Lady Rosalie sat down. "You have been giving me a cold shoulder for several days now. What did I do wrong?"

Lady Rosalie and Mr Blake did not appear to be a couple at all. Instead they were more like superior and subordinate. Ironic.

Leonard did not respond and continued flipping pages of the document he was holding.

"Leonard?"

"All your children are failures. You can't even give me a son to continue my lineage. What do you expect me to say?" Leonard placed down the document he was holding.

Lady Rosalie was stunned. "Are you really blaming me?"

"You only have to children but you failed to educate them well. Instead you spoilt them rotten. You are nothing but an incompetent mother. Because of you, our family is a mess. I keep loosing face. As a noble family, your daughters should be cultured. Look at your daughters."

He raised his voice and slammed his fist on the table, startling Lady Rosalie.

"All they do is to bring shame to to the family," he continued.

"Why do you keep saying 'your daughters'? They are our daughters! And we should discipline them together."

Lady Rosalie's temper flared up. "All you do is to fool around with your mistresses outside. You rarely come back home."

"What does this have anything to do with educating your daughters properly?" He snapped. What's wrong with him having a couple of mistresses outside? Don't all married men have mistresses outside too?

To him, this was normal. After all, which man was fully devoted to his wife? Especially to a failure of a wife.

A heated argument rose.