1 001 The Dead Maid (Revised)

"Chad," Enoch said as he pulled Chad aside and whispered in her ear, "Lord Duke hasn't had his dinner yet today and I'm afraid he's not very happy about it, so be careful later."

Chad nodded, took a few steps closer without making a sound and then asked in sign language, "Why is the Duke not happy?"

Enoch lowered his eyebrows slightly, a little afraid to meet her gaze, "I'm not quite sure..." Chad held the silver tray in one hand while the other squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

She was about to turn and go inside when Enoch suddenly squeezed her wrist again and opened his mouth softly, "Maybe it's because of you."

Chad was stunned.

Before she could answer, Enoch continued, "Anyway, whatever you see or encounter in there, stay calm.

Enoch, who was usually so light-hearted, but now looked at Chad with such seriousness that she was inexplicably alarmed.

She had always followed the rules and been careful. Even in her dreams, she dared not touch what the Duke had forbidden, and even if he allowed it, she would try not to.

The first time she thought about it, she had no father or mother, she was all alone, and she would have had no relatives to cause trouble behind his back, and she had recently done the official work entrusted to her by the Duke, and she had done it perfectly.

Could it be that the Duke of ... had discovered her secret?

No, she'd been hiding it for years and hadn't told anyone, not even Enoch.

Now Enoch patted her on the shoulder, while Chad let out a long breath and tried to calm herself down and exchanged a look with Enoch before stepping inside, head down averted.

Fire in the fireplace in the bedroom of the manor house, the faint scent of pine overpowered the owner's freesia perfume, but Chad was still aware of some another unusual odours.

There seemed to be a rusty smell ... it was blood.

Needless to say it seemed, she was certain that it was blood and she saw it.

There was a woman lying on the solid wooden floor of the lavishly decorated bedroom, lying in a pool of blood, her hair in a low bun, her purple maid's uniform, a feather fan clutched tightly in her hand, the end of it slightly, soaked in blood, as if it concealed some sharp, silvery weapon, but Chad didn't dare look more. 

Chad shouldn't be looking around his bedroom without the Duke's permission, unruly and unseemly, and she needed the job, so she bowed her head in mixed emotions.

Gill was dead.

She had smiled and wished herself a happy birthday this morning, breathing in and out as she spoke, exhaling white mist after white mist.

Frozen cheeks, hot breath, laughter, a life so alive.

Chad's heart felt as if it were fogged over, and it didn't hurt, it was just a trance.

Lowering her gaze, she steadily brought the silver tray of black tea and bacon bread to the mahogany table with the Lancaster crest, and then opened the lid.

The man at the table glanced at the food on the tray and saw that the tea was still steaming white and the bacon bread was topped with freshly cooked slices of beef, garnished with decorative butterfly bean flowers.

"You're still so careful," Orville smiled, "remembering I likes my black tea with sliced meat bread when I has no appetite."

Chad tried to keep her eyes from glancing sideways, but the image of Gill's death was still clear in her mind.

Duke of Orville's gaze passed over her face before he suddenly commanded, "Sit down.

Chad flinched for half a moment, then quickly complied and half knelt at the table.

"Eat the bread."

Chad finally lifted his head slightly and gestured, "But this is for you."

Orville didn't say anything, just stared into Chad's eyes.

The moment she met the Duke's falcon-like gaze, Chad looked away in fear and shifted her gaze to the food on tray, then obediently took a pair of knives and forks from the little cowhide knight's bag she carried and straightened up on her knees to eat the bread.

Chad could feel the sweat gradually rising from her body as the Duke stared at she, her heart beating so fast that a little sweat seemed to seep out of the corners of her forehead.

Chad expected the Duke to say something, but in fact he said nothing, just stared at her without saying a word.

Just when Chad thought Orville would remain silent, he suddenly spoke again, "Do you know that woman lying on the floor?"

She was taken by surprise and Chad's wrist shook slightly as he held his knife and fork, dropping a few basil leaves from the crevice of his fork and spilling some of the sauce onto the table.

Orville frowned slightly and then smashed the steaming cup of tea with his scepter, breaking the fine white china into several pieces of varying sizes and spilling most of the tea on Chad's uniform.

Chad immediately bowed his head, lowered his eyebrows and gestured quickly, "My Lord Duke, I'm sorry, please don't be angry!"

Enoch, standing outside the hall, was shocked to hear the noise and quickly whispered into the room, "My Lord Duke?"

"Shut up."

The Duke bowed his head and picked Chad's chin up with the end of the sceptre, "Answer my question, Chad."

Chad replied immediately, "I do know her.."

"She is ..., the garden maid. I met her by chance three years ago, and she and I are just normal colleagues until now, but I have seen how honest and discreet she has been in the past," Chad said, suddenly unable to contain himself. She can't help but ask in sign language, 'What is her crime, my lord?