Temporary Crown

33 |Excuses given for forgiveness

The servants tensed up once again. They all felt their shoulders heavy as though there were a boulder hanging waiting for them to slip and fall. They glanced at each other looking, observing.

Nesta’s eyes lingered a little bit more. She turned to look around as she felt the heaviness around the atmosphere. Her face remained expressionless. She looked like she was not enjoying it at all.

“I have done an investigations of all the activities happening inside the duchy. Of course, I must fulfill what the duke expected me to do. Upon these investigations, I would like to call upon three special people.”

Three people? All of the servants who heard this glanced and gaze up one another thinking who would be the three people that the lady will name.

“I would like to call the accountant, the head maid, and the valet of the duke.”

Just as the lady had named them, all there looked at each other in a rather tensed gaze and a little bit in daze. They all do not know why they were being called. They tried to scrutinized their brain for that reason. They shuddered in fear but they remained confident for they trust themselves that they won’t be caught.

Right, Perhaps, they have rendered a good service to the lady and they will be given another gift. That was right! They deserve another gift.

Hence, although they were hesitating, they took a step forward to the crowd of servants and gave a little bow of respect to the young lady and the the young lord himself.

“We greet the high esteemed members of the Halstead duchy.”

Nesta nodded. “Introduce yourselves.”

“I am Ellen Reon, my lady.” The head maid introduces herself. The Valet and the accountant took a step forward.

“I’m Thomas Williams, my lady.”

“Andrew Lewis, my lady.”

They all said in a polite voice. Their heads were inching a little bit higher. It perfectly describes their happiness of being called.

However, in contrary, Lucien who was observing his sister flinched the moment he saw the lady’s gaze changed. She had never looked at him like this before. For Lucien, Nesta was always kind and compassionate. She was someone who was open to her thoughts and words. She was a person who was afraid that both him and her would have a misunderstanding.

For Lucien she was the kind and gentle sister.

However, right now, the lady’s deep gaze had turned sharp and dangerous. Sharp eyes with no emotions as though she was the devil herself. Her smile was wide as though she was anticipating something to unfold the longer she waited.

“Do you all know the reason why I called the three of you to step forward?”

“No my lady.” The three of them shook their heads but then, the valet who was a little bit too arrogant raised his head. “Perhaps you wanted to award us my lady?”

“Award?” The lady chuckled deeply. Lucien stayed silent but he eyed the valet like a damn fool he was.

“Yes my lady. We have been loyal and good with our jobs. It’s for our recognition.”

Nesta can’t hold her laugh anymore. Her laugh echoed through the whole room and every servants also chuckled copying their lady even though they do not found it funny at all. As the laughers get louder and louder, it suddenly stop. A heavy and intense silence followed by Nesta’s voice full of disgust.

“the three of you might have been so prideful of your position and standing inside the duke’s mansion, am I right?” Nesta asked in a calm manner. Lucien can’t help but be amaze how gentle she sounds.

“We have always been grateful for the duke’s grace my lady.” The head maid answered.

“We bowed with loyalty and swear to serve him for the rest of our lives.” The accountant then followed not wanting to be behind flattery.

“We are humble persons that think of the duke as their savior, my lady. It is normal to give our best works to the only person who took us in.”

Nesta chuckled deeply. “If that’s the case then, how can you be so hypocritical with me right now?”

“Pardon?” All of them raised their heads.

Nesta tilted her head. “Was it nice stealing money from the duke?” She asked. All of the servants present shuddered and turned to the three servants who had their expression turned into horror.

“I am asking you once again, was it fun to deceived your master whom you were loyal too?”

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In the nobility, the amount of salary being given to a servant was way more than those who had their jobs outside the nobility. Moreover, the servants who were serving the nobility had their fame skyrocketed the moment they spent their whole life serving the nobility.

However, there were those servants who were greedy would always find their ways into the nobility’s wealth like a disgusting rat they were.

Nesta already knew these information the moment she had returned from the past. She contemplated if she should tell the duke about this, but she doesn’t have any concrete evidences to prove their greed. Hence, Nesta waited. She hired someone from the slums whom she knew and had pay him gold pounds for the fee.

A few months of waiting, Nesta had already claimed the proof she wanted. However, she can’t still move for her hands were still tied. She was just an adopted daughter of the duke, if she would exercise her right, she would be mocking and challenging the authority of the duke. Hence, Nesta waited even more.

Now, after few months of waiting, she finally can exercise her right.

She hasn’t told Lucien about this. There were few reasons why but the main one was she was trying to avoid Lucien’s suspicions of having a spy inside the Von Stein mansion. As Nesta go through these thoughts on her mind, the three who were specifically called shuddered in fear as their expression turned distorted.

They felt an in-explainable pressure surrounding them. “My lady, we do not know-” Before the head maid could finish her sentence, a sound of papers being flip and thrown were heard. All heads turned to looked at the air.

Like rain, Their eyes widen with disbelief seeing the papers flying and falling on the ground. Some of the servants opened their hands to catch the falling papers.

One maid was able to catch one. She who was able to read and write frowned the moment she read the first sentence.

“Fraud and embezzlement. Evidences of the three servants belonging to the duke of Von Stein had been caught in their illegal acts with the intention to deceive their master.”

The maid who had read the sentence widen her eyes. Her gaze had fallen immediately to the three who were in front of them. She wasn’t the only one. Most of them gasped the moment such words were heard. Heavy gazes turned to the three who were shuddering the moment the lady had asked the question.

“Are you calling me a liar when the evidences are there?” Nesta said. There were pressure in her voice. “How dare you!”

Lucien’s gaze drifted as he felt hostility to the three servants who were nervously shaking. Nesta continued her words. Everything changed quickly.

“I would give you a chance to redeeming your life when you all deserve death. I would give one chance to explain yourself.” Nesta had the expression like she was waiting for their excuses. “The best excuse would have their lives spared.”

Lives spared! I will be spared!

“My lady!” the head maid took a step forward.

She had been in horror the moment the lady had mentioned their sins. She thought that she had been doing well hiding her tracks but there was a person who was able to see their movements. How could she knew when the duke himself hasn’t notice at all?!

Reasons! Reasons! Reasons! She needed reasons!

She wanted to live. “I am innocent my lady!” she immediately said.

The head maid named Ellen pointed fingers on the two, the accountant and the valet. “I am an innocent woman dragged by these two who were greedy for money! I have a family. I have a daughter and a son! They entice me like the devils they were!”

“How dare such hypocrite!” The valet took a step forward. His expression can’t be painted. His chest were going up and down as he breathe heavily. From the looks of it, he was also looking for excuses.

“You were the one who had given us ideas! You were the one who initiated to take the duke’s money!”

“That’s right my lady!” the accountant took a step forward this time.

“I have always been loyal to the duke who were so kind to me. I have always ensure that the excess money will be given to where they belong but these thieves had managed to go behind my back and frame me for all of their sins! I am innocent my lady! Please believe me!”

“How dare! It was all of you two were the one who entice me! I was only a head maid trying to give lessons to the servants!” The head maid insisted. Her eyes burned as tears started to fall from her eyes. She looked so pitiful and hopeful at the same time.

“No!” The Valet took his stand. It was rare for people to see a man cry but this time, this Valet, Thomas was crying. “You were the one who told me to give this idea a try since the duke was being neglectful to his duties! You were the one who had caused this demise on me. I am only innocent man!”

“My lady!” the Accountant, Andrew Lewis was already kneeling on the floor. Forehead touching the ground. “I am a man who had given his loyalty to the duke himself. I am an innocent man who did not commit any sins but I was neglectful and had these thieves eyed on the duke’s wealth. Please forgive me just this once my lady. I will prove to you my worth.”

Both the Valet and the Head maid who were pointing fingers immediately changed expressions and copied what the accountant was doing. They knelt down and they begun expressing their regrets. Their excuses kept filling up but Nesta did not say any words.

She stayed there watching like everything in front of her was a play and soon she will be the judge of their demise.

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