Chapter 64

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: An Offer She Couldn't Refuse (1)
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“M-Mr. Dalton. That is three times the going rate for a governess. You must reconsider the figure you’ve named. It is your sister who will be paying my salary, after all….”

“The educational instructor we hired for Henry, the eldest, before he entered public school received a similar salary.”

“But I am a governess.”

“Your role will be that of an educational instructor. It would be illogical to differentiate the salary for any other reason when the subjects to be taught are the same.”

Laura could say no more. To be frank, faced with a salary of 150 pounds, she simply could not bring herself to argue against the position.

“My sister has set a deadline, so I cannot give you much time. You must make your decision within three days.”

“…Yes. I will think it over, Mr. Dalton.”

Mr. Dalton nodded and offered her his hand. Out of lingering habit, she placed her own in his. He pressed a kiss to her hand, clad in a simple navy glove, and then departed.

Laura returned to her room, his offer of a 150-pound salary echoing in her mind.

She was alone. She had to earn her own living and prepare for her old age by her own means. No matter how hard she worked, juggling her main job and side work, a governess's salary was far from sufficient to save for retirement on her own.

To someone in her position, the terms Mr. Dalton offered were perfect in many ways. Two boys was an ideal number of students. Five hours a day would leave her with enough time to find side work. And besides, there was a baby in the family. Ian Fairfax, the youngest child, born late in their lives.

By the time the two boys were ready for public school, the baby would need a governess. That meant her employment could be secure for more than ten years.

She was surprised at the speed of the calculator whirring in her head. But what was more surprising was this opportunity, which had arrived like a miracle in such difficult times. In every respect, it was a lifeline of a job, one she desperately needed.

She paced her room for a moment, lost in thought. Should she take this job? But the house was in close proximity to Mr. Dalton. He cared for his sister and nephews. He would surely visit often, and what would happen if her own heart was swayed?

Reality and emotion. She was caught between the two, unable to find her bearings. Whatever she chose, there were problems to worry about.

*Knock, knock.*

How much time had passed? A knock at the door broke through her reverie. She started. *Who could it be? The maid, here to collect the laundry?*

“Miss Pendleton!”

Recognizing the familiar voice from beyond the door, she shot to her feet. She immediately went to the entrance, unfastened the lock, and opened the door.

Miss Hyde stood before the door.

“Miss Hyde! What brings you here….”

Miss Hyde stared at her as if she couldn't believe her eyes, then asked to be let inside. Laura led Miss Hyde into the room. They sat facing each other in chairs by the side table.

Miss Hyde glanced around the room before her eyes fell on Miss Pendleton, looking gaunt in her mourning dress.

“What on earth are you doing in a place like this? You should have come to me if things were difficult!”

“Life here isn't so bad.”

“It’s dangerous. All sorts of people drift in and out of a place like this. What if one of the travelers is a scoundrel? What if he finds out you’re staying alone and decides to break in with ill intentions?”

Laura smiled without a word. In truth, she had been meticulously locking her door precisely because of that possibility.

Miss Hyde let out a deep sigh.

“Come with me to my boarding house.”

“Your boarding house?”

“The landlady will let you stay for as long as you need for about what you’re paying for a day here. She’s short on money these days, with people constantly moving out. Pack your things. Quickly.”

Miss Hyde stood up and urged Laura on. Her concern was certainly justified. This place was shabby, and all manner of people came and went. The men's and women's rooms were also close to each other. It was only natural that she would be in danger staying here alone.

As Miss Pendleton saw it, Miss Hyde’s boarding house was a perfect fit for her current station. Laura promptly stood and began to pack her belongings. Miss Hyde helped her pack.

Together, the two women carried the large trunk out of the inn. Miss Hyde quickly went out to the main road and hailed a passing carriage for hire.

The two sat side by side in the moving carriage. It was only then that Miss Pendleton had a chance to ask how her friend had found her.

“Mr. Ian Dalton came to see me.”

Laura was startled.

“Mr. Dalton? How did he know where you work?”

“He said he heard from Mr. Fairfax. He was the one who told him you were here. He said you had taken up residence in an unsafe area. He asked me to let you stay with me at my boarding house, where you would be safe.”

Laura was speechless. It was an unexpected kindness. To think he had worried about her situation enough to go to Miss Hyde's workplace and make such a request on her behalf.

He must have known. He must have known her lodging was unsafe. But instead of insisting she go with him to Mr. Fairfax’s house, he had sent Miss Hyde. It was a considerate gesture, meant to show he respected her decision.

She had known it for some time, but he was truly a thoughtful man. He could seem blunt and rude at times, but that was merely his exterior. She had always known he was a warm and considerate person. She was lucky to have forged a friendship with him.

If only her heart were not involved, she could have been grateful for this good fortune without any pain.

The carriage made its way through Fleet Street, a bustling commercial district dense with publishing houses and newspaper offices of all sizes. Soon, residential homes began to appear sporadically among the streets once filled with offices, and the carriage came to a stop before a residential area lined with three-story houses.

Despite Laura’s protests, Miss Hyde insisted on paying the fare herself, then stepped out of the carriage first to retrieve the luggage from the back.

She led Laura up the steps of one of the houses, one with a red door. She took hold of the metal knocker and rapped on the door.

*Knock, knock.*

Presently, a middle-aged woman wearing a charming lady's cap appeared.

“Miss Hyde, you’re back. Oh, and who is this with you?”

“She’s a friend of mine, Mrs. Keron. May we come in? I can explain inside.”

Mrs. Keron let the two ladies in.

“This is my friend, Miss Laura Pendleton. She is a very respectable and wonderful person. She’s looking for a place to stay temporarily before she finds a new governess position.”

Mrs. Keron looked Laura up and down. She had an air of nobility about her, but her attire was quite shabby.

“Miss Hyde. You know our rules. Guests are not permitted to stay….”

“She’ll stay with me in my room for the duration. I’ll pay as much as my own board if you’ll just take care of her meals and laundry, nothing more.”

“We always welcome a respectable lady in this house. Please, stay as long as you like, Miss Pendleton.”

The two went up to the second floor. Once in the room, Miss Hyde took Laura’s hat and cape and hung them on a coat rack, then went downstairs, saying she would bring something to eat.

Left alone, Laura looked around the room.

The room was spacious and well-appointed. It had a small fireplace, a plush sofa and bed, and a bookcase and desk. She recognized the books packed tightly onto the shelves as the very same ones that had been stacked in layers in a corner of her small room back when she lived with the Hydes.

Laura thought of the room Miss Hyde had lived in with her family. A cramped and bleak room. This room was three times the size of that one, and it was furnished with everything she needed. What pleased Laura most was the fact that Miss Hyde’s room had a proper desk.

She approached the desk. Papers and pens were scattered across its surface. Miss Pendleton’s eyes were drawn to a stack of manuscripts on the desk. Laura picked up the stack to examine it.

It was a manuscript written by someone named Mary Rotis.

Mary Rotis. Laura had heard that name before. She was a travel writer who had visited the entire European continent, America, and Africa, all on her own.

Curious, she gazed at the manuscript. But no matter how hard Miss Pendleton tried, she couldn't read the words. It was messy with ink blots, and the lettering was a disaster. The script was a strange, meandering scrawl, and for some reason, the pen seemed to have slipped often, leaving a sea of letters where the strokes of upper and lower lines overlapped.

Miss Hyde entered the room, carrying a tray with simple refreshments, including cookies and tea.

“This is Mary Rotis’s manuscript, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Have you read it?”

“No, I can’t. Is it some kind of code?”

Miss Hyde smiled and set the tray of refreshments on the table. Laura put down the manuscript and went to the table. The two sat side by side, drinking tea.

“There are some writers with truly atrocious handwriting. The kind who scrawl the alphabet like hieroglyphs, giving their editors a splitting headache. Among them, Mary Rotis is in a league of her own. Her handwriting was already bad, but they say it got worse from always writing on ships and in carriages.”

Miss Pendleton realized why Miss Hyde was able to bring the manuscript of the famous writer Mary Rotis all the way home.

“You can decipher it, can’t you, Miss Hyde?”

Miss Hyde chuckled softly.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I’m not particularly good at deciphering handwriting, but if I just stare at Mary Rotis’s writing for a while, the meaning becomes clear. Thanks to that, I’ve been put in charge of all her work. The writer is always traveling, so they can’t ask her about every little thing, and I suppose the editors are in a hurry. It’s more work, but it means I get to be the first to read her writing, so I suppose I’m lucky.”

“That’s amazing, Miss Hyde.”

“No, the amazing one isn’t me, it’s Miss Rotis. My daily routine is just sitting in an office adding proofreading marks to what she’s written, while she goes everywhere—mountains, seas, you name it. A woman, all by herself. Isn’t that incredible courage? And her writing is magnificent. Travelogues have become fashionable lately, but Mary Rotis’s prose is solid, fluid, and beautiful. She’s a true wordsmith.”

When evening came, dinner was brought up. A generous spread of veal stew, oatmeal, bread, and fruit jelly was served. It was delicious. After days of eating strange food at the inn, Laura felt like she was having a proper meal for the first time in a long while.

After eating, the two sat on the sofa and talked. About what she had been through since leaving the Pendleton household. The difficulties of finding a job, life at the inn. Those first few days of independence—shabby yet peaceful, anxious yet free.

Miss Hyde empathized with it all. And she encouraged Laura, who had not yet found a suitable position. Laura gained confidence from Miss Hyde, who had struck out on her own before her and built a stable life.

It was as if the seeds of kindness she had sown for Miss Hyde months ago had quietly grown into a bountiful harvest, now returned to her.