Unfortunately, I'm an Evil Villainess

Chapter 114 - Aftermath (II)

- - -

Officers surrounded the Bryant mansion. Individually, all the servants, masters, and guests were being questioned in various quarters of the dwelling. Most of the servants did not even know what had happened, except one who did too well, of course.

It was just routine, Mary reminded herself. They had no reason at all to suspect her, and would be all too happy to arrest Lady Catherine, especially after her little push.

"You're Lady Catherine's personal maid, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Describe the scene that took place this afternoon."

Mary obeyed, leaving out, obviously, her own involvement prior to bringing the tea. The officer questioning her, a young man who couldn't have been much older than her, nodded along and wrote down notes. A jagged scar ran across one of his eyes, making him look quite intimidating, though overall he was rather attractive. He seemed familiar, but Mary couldn't figure out how.

"And you're absolutely certain no one went near the tea or the cutlery?"

"How has Lady Catherine been acting lately?"

"Odd, but she's always been an odd little thing. Cries when she thinks nobody's watching but smiles when anyone comes around. Sighs and looks off wistfully into the distance, as 'em ladies tend to do when they're lovesick."

"You have reason to believe-"

"That she's in love with His Highness? Oh, absolutely! I hear her muttering his name in her sleep sometimes, if you'll believe it. She fell completely the very first time she saw him. Talks about how she'd always wanted to marry a prince, she did. I tried to talk her out of it, y'know, and she said she'd try to move on, but I don't think she ever did manage."

"What about her attitude towards Lady Valentina?"

"Started out admiring her. They all do, don't they? Before they realize that they'll never be able to measure up themselves, and that admiration turns into something more nasty. She never spoke about it to me, of course, but I could hear it in her voice. Scared me sometimes. With how innocent she seems, you'd never be able to tell, but I know her, Sir. I don't think anyone's born bad, but whatever she lived through before returning definitely messed her up."

The officer nodded at her empathetic words with quite genuine concern. With gloves, he took out a glass vial from a bag and held it in front of her. It was half-filled with a brownish-green powder and had clear fingerprints on the container. Mary gave no reaction and reminded herself that she'd never seen it before, answering so when the officer asked. He raised an eyebrow and pushed further.

"You fold and put away Her Ladyship's clean laundry everyday, correct?"

"Yes, Sir. The last time I did so was yesterday evening, while my lady was having dinner."

"You did not see this in her undergarments drawer?"

"No, and I can tell you now there's no way I could've missed it, since there was nothing left in there before I put in yesterday's clean clothes. Say, isn't it rather improper for you to be ruffling through my lady's undergarments?"

"Attempted murder is far more improper."

"Fair enough. Say, don't I know you from somewhere?"

The officer tilted his head in that old way she'd seen so many times before, so long ago. Mary gasped.

"God! Freddie?"

Slowly, the officer blinked. "M-Mary?" His voice cracked with incredulity.

The wheels turned rapidly in Mary's head. The chances! Meeting her childhood friend who she hadn't seen for years, especially in such a position... Perhaps all those years of training had messed up her head, but her first instinct was what an amazing opportunity it was.