The Lord Regent took a deep breath. He hadn’t spoken to Mary like this in a long time. He didn’t even know what to say. Mary also felt awkward and couldn’t meet his eyes. But she still took the lead to start a topic, “Father, today Mr. Watson praised your daughter.”
The Lord Regent was angry. He was angry thinking that he had always trusted her Ladyship yet she neglected his daughter like this. She had been treated worse than a servant. He was also angry with Mary. She didn’t care about herself nor did she protest when others mistreated her. Why wasn’t she more like her mother?
Meanwhile he also felt guilty. When he saw that Mary was acting meek again, he got even more infuriated, “Don’t sound so pleased just because you get a little praise!”
Mr. Watson went to Oakley and praised Mary to high heaven in front of him. He compared her to an angel from the sky. This piqued the Lord Regent’s curiosity. When did his fool daughter become a prodigy in Mr. Watson’s eyes?
Mary stuck out her tongue playfully. She was an orphan in her past life and so never knew affection, let alone a father’s love. She could see that the Lord Regent was really worried about his daughter, but he didn’t know how to express himself. Mary felt a sudden pang to know what a father’s love felt like.
“Father, your daughter has something to ask of you.”
“Hmm? Whatever did you want to say?” Was this little girl finally speaking up for herself? The Lord Regent peered at Mary with interest.
“Your daughter started learning calligraphy today with Mr. Watson, but I didn’t want to learn her style of writing. I wanted to learn father’s style of writing.”
Yesterday when they went to the Oakley, Mary’s keen eyes noticed the Lord Regent’s handwriting. It was a beautiful cursive script. Mary was pretty proficient in writing cursive script and clerical script in her past life. If she could learn the Lord Regent’s script and become competent in it, no one was ever going to doubt her again.
Surprisingly, the Lord Regent still was displeased, “You just started to learn calligraphy, and now you want to learn how to write cursive? First practice the regular script and then come to talk about it. Go write some characters to show me.”
Mary opened up her schoolbag in haste. Taking out the pen, ink and ink stone, she wrote her name on the paper and showed it to the Lord Regent. He nodded in satisfaction but said reprovingly, “For your first attempt this is already very good, but your stroke is too sharp and the characters are not up to the mark. You should write like this instead…”
Mary studied closely. She never thought that he could be that dexterous with the pen in the same hand that he used the long sword – he was on par with Mr. Watson.
Sincerely admiring the Lord Regent Mary asked, “Father, I want to ask you for some of your calligraphy works.”
The Lord Regent saw the admiration in his daughter’s eyes, and finally smiled, “You want some of my calligraphy works? Well then, first tell me what Mr. Watson taught you today.”
Mary realized that the Lord Regent wanted a true measure of her skills. Her potential was uncertain at the moment to him. Not only did she recite the entire lesson, but she also stopped from time to time to explain before continuing her recitation.
Just like Mr. Watson the Lord Regent stared at Mary and then sighed. He regretted not taking care of her illness much earlier. His anger towards her Ladyship grew.
“Don’t be greedy or apprehensive; this is a knowledge that must be learned step by step.” Even though Mary was already pretty good, his Lordship still gave her some advice.
Amber had arrived with Seneschal Travis long ago, but they dared not to disturb them. They stood quietly and watched the Lord Regent teach Mary.
Seneschal Travis and Daisy exchanged looks. They were really surprised; they’ve never seen the Lord Regent teaching any of the other girls before. Did fortune finally smile at the fifth lady?
After finishing teaching Mary, the Lord Regent finally noticed Seneschal Travis and Daisy, “Come in, I have orders for you.”
Seneschal Travis and Daisy hurried inside curtsying. The Lord Regent turned serious again and asked Mary calmly, “Mary, which of the yards do you like?”
Mary was stunned, was her yard going to be changed? But how was she supposed to know where all the courtyards were in this palace, she had never explored around. She looked helplessly at Amber, but she didn’t expect that Amber even bothered to give her a glance.
Mary sighed, stammering, “Father, I, I don’t know…”
“What?”
Amber stepped forward this time, “Pardon my lord, the fifth mistress is not familiar with this palace.”
The Lord Regent’s anger rose again. If Her Ladyship was in front of him now, he would have been tempted to run her through with his long sword. After living in this palace for more than ten years, Mary didn’t even know which courtyards were there!
“Forget it, Seneschal Travis make arrangements for the fifth Miss to go live in Planifolia Garden.
Seneschal Travis was stunned. Planifolia Garden was the closest courtyard to the front yard. When leaving this courtyard one can walk through a lane and step across the Moon Gate to reach Oakley in the front yard. Moreover, Planifolia Garden was also very close to the Autumn Hall where the ladies attend classes. Although it is a little far from the kitchen, one can go to the kitchen in the outer courtyard to bring back food. There is no need to go to the main kitchen in the inner courtyard.
The scenery inside the Planifolia Garden was also very beautiful. The reason behind why it was called Planifolia Garden was because it had been planted with plum blossoms. In the winter, the white snow contrasts with the crimson plums, making it look particularly breathtaking. In the other seasons, there were also various different flowers.
Whether in terms of scenic beauty or convenience, Planifolia Garden was without a doubt the best courtyard. The fact that the Lord Regent went so far as to giving Planifolia Garden to the fifth Miss meant that he was really paying attention to her.
After Seneschal Travis acknowledged, the Lord Regent continued his orders, “You, Amber and Alva will handle the furnishing inside. It doesn’t have to be too lavish but make sure it is delicate and comfortable. If there is a need for anything else, go to my private storehouse in the front yard. After collecting everything register them under the fifth Miss’s name in the records.”
Amber acknowledges, and the Lord Regent said again, “Seneschal Travis, one thousand taels of silvers are hereby given from my private account to the fifth Miss.”
Seneschal Travis started fidgeting, wasn’t this a little excessive?
“There is only one maid serving under the fifth Miss. That is not acceptable. Amber, I am entrusting this matter to you and Granny Gordy. Find a few capable servants for the fifth Miss.”
The Lord Regent kept giving orders one after the other, and Amber and Seneschal Travis complied to them. And after a while, the dressmakers also came and the Lord Regent ordered them to make a few spring dresses for Mary within three days. He ordered Mary to immediately pack her belongings up and go with Seneschal Travis to Planifolia Garden. As for himself he left in search of her Ladyship with anger.
After everyone left, Daisy chirped happily, “Everything is all right now, Miss. We will never be mistreated by others ever again!”
Mary smiled slightly, as she watched Daisy ecstatically go about packing. What is there to be packed? Except for the five copper cashes in the coin chest, they have nothing precious.
Daisy sorted out things for a long time and finally found this awkward situation. Burning with embarrassment she packed up Mary’s a few clothes.
“Mistress, the dresses that the second Miss sent really are so beautiful…” Daisy stroked the clothes longingly, with a look of great regret.
“Daisy, there isn’t any need for them anymore. That awful expression on father’s face today…”
“This maid knows…” Daisy muttered softly.
Mary sighed, “Never mind. If you really like them, you can take them and wear.”
Daisy was so delighted that she couldn’t stop thanking her.
Mary suddenly felt a little sad. With just a few pieces of used clothes she was able to make Daisy so happy like this. In the future, she must remember to get Daisy new clothes to wear.
In the evening, someone came to escort Mary and Daisy to Planifolia Garden.
Planifolia Garden altogether was a small courtyard. There were three main rooms. The central one was for entertaining guests, the one in the west was used as a boudoir, and the one in the east was used as a study. There are three other rooms in each of the east and west, which were the servants’ quarters, and the small one on the back was used as a storeroom.
The rooms were already furnished, and looking around Mary felt very content. Amber already had the new maids stand in attention by the courtyard waiting on Mary to speak.
Mary sat on a beautiful couch by the corridor and motioned Amber to introduce the maids.
According to the rules of the Regent Mansion, every master of the household had four second-class handmaidens, four third-class maids, six other maids below third-class and two married women on night duty, two sweeping ladies. And one older wet nurse.
Mary’s old wet nurse had gone back to her hometown though. They didn’t need the services of one right away. So she didn’t have a wet nurse.
Amber introduced each of the handmaidens one by one. There were the three second-class girls first, the tall and slender one was Angelica who was in charge of matters of management of Planifolia Garden, the short and chubby one was Odessa, who was in charge of the food, and the one with the ever present smile was Scarlet, who was in charge of Mary’s wardrobe and jewelry, the rest of the second-class girls were given to Daisy, who was now in charge of Mary’s finance.
Then there were the four third-class girls, Stacey and Jennifer who followed Mary to the study. Mandy was good with sewing and Linda with making snacks. The six other young girls were Sidney, Bella, Chloe, Emma, Abigail, and Sophia. The two married women were from Lawrence Redfield’s family and Zachary Winchester’s family. Lawrence Redfield was a butler of the Lord Regent, and Zachary Winchester was the accountant manager of the Wales tea shop. The two sweeping ladies were Bethany Lewis and Lily Evans.
Seneschal Travis had planned out very carefully in the boudoir about Mary’s finances and the money that she would be spending. From the one thousand silver taels, seven-hundred taels were 7 coins of one-hundred taels. From the rest 300 would be left, 200 taels could be exchanged for smaller change, to reward loyal servants or for daily expenses. Another 100 taels could be exchanged for traditional coins; they will also be useful for Mary to award people later.
Mary ordered Daisy to bring silver taels which she then rewarded to everyone, who was all grateful.
Mary took the opportunity to say, “As for the person I am looking for – it doesn’t matter if you’re smart, but rather if you are loyal. If you are not loyal to me in the future, then don’t blame me for also not being kind.”
These few words sounded so imposing, that Seneschal Travis couldn’t help but wipe the sweats on his forehead. Who said that the fifth young lady was not smart? The mistress of the household was already establishing her authority.
Mary felt a little tired after giving all those orders today.
The dressmakers haven’t yet finished making the clothes. So she was still wearing her old clothes. She changed out of them and then finished her homework under a lamp. After getting some free time she called Angelica and said, “Tomorrow you will go find out how her Ladyship is doing.”
Angelica was shocked; it seems the fifth Miss was already fighting against her Ladyship.