Secret Wardrobe of the Duchess

Chapter 71

The maid widened her eyes when Ann looked at her and silently ordered her to stop asking. The maid realized she had crossed the line and quickly shut her mouth. Then an awkward silence fell.

Rubica was weak to such moments. She was very good at listening to other’s complains. She could gravely nod and agree even when the other person was bluffing. However, she wasn’t good at lighting up the mood. For her entire life, she had been someone who listened to someone else’s story, not someone who led the story herself. But now, she had to play that role.

“Oh, right.”

She clapped her hands to change the topic. It was a very unnatural action, but it brightened up the people around her in an instant.

“

Ann, you said I needed a lady-in-waiting, right?”

Her voice was a little higher as she was nervous. She had planned to talk about it when she was alone with Ann, but she had nothing else to talk about.

Moreover, it looked like it wouldn’t be that bad to talk about it now.

“Yes, madam. I’ve discussed the matter with your husband.”

Ann hesitated, wondering if she should talk about all those recommendation letters she had received but not passed on to Rubica.

“I’d like to have Miss Elise Roan de Solana as my lady-in-waiting.”

However, Rubica had already made up her mind. Ann froze for a second to hear that as she didn’t see it coming.

“Oh, it’s…”

She said that only to get some time to think. If it had been anything else, she would have respected Rubica’s will and agreed with her. However, choosing a new lady-in-waiting was different. Hire the right girl and she would become Rubica’s loyal right-hand woman, but choosing the wrong girl could ruin her future.

Ann made many calculations in that short moment and soon reached a conclusion similar to Edgar’s.

‘Although Ms. Solana still has a lot to learn, she is the best option we have.’

Soon, Ann made that cute and warm smile that Rubica liked. The smile that made her grey hair glow warmly.

“Thank you.”

Rubica was surprised to hear Ann say that. She wasn’t saying Elise was the right choice or the right girl. Instead…

“You must have made that decision because you cared about Ms. Solana and her poor family.”

“That’s…”

That was not what it was about. Rubica just wanted to keep her fairy next to her. She wanted to make her stay with her and find every part of her beauty that hadn’t bloomed yet. Hiring her was the only way to get what she wanted, and that hadn’t even been Rubica’s idea. It had been Edgar’s. Actually, she hadn’t given much thought to Elise’s future.

“That’s not it. I just…”

Rubica opened her mouth to explain but then closed it again. Even the other maids were looking at her with awe. It looked like they had been enchanted by the magic of the ‘generous’ duchess again.

Rubica couldn’t bring herself to say to those twinkling eyes that she had made that decision only because she wanted to make Elise pretty. Even if she had said that, there was no way these people would believe her. They would only think it means she cared about Elise and was going to take care of her carefully.