TMRDWMP CH 14
- Jun 15
- 5 min read
Chapter 14
• ────── ✦ ────── •
Martinel
Martinel was a good child. He was so considerate that Monica felt a twinge of shame for not expecting much from a boy raised in such a wealthy household. He deliberately walked in the shade to keep her cool and even handed her a fan.
“You look hot, Teacher.”
Just as he called Mrs. Mollet ‘madam’, Martinel addressed Monica as ‘teacher’ with the same politeness, even though he knew she was not officially his governess. Martinel was clever enough to understand that respecting others made one appear far more grown-up than looking down on them, and he practised it naturally.
“These trousers make me look childish. Don’t you think?”
Martinel grumbled, pointing to his shorts.
“Well, perhaps they gave them to you because it’s hot today, not because you’re a child. Have you seen the harbour?”
“The harbour?”
“The sailors there wear shorts just like yours while they work.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. Martinel said he had only visited the harbour a few times since coming to La Spezia. Monica told him about the harbour she herself had seen only once.
“I want to go.”
“When you’re a little taller. It can be dangerous there.”
“What’s dangerous about it?”
Instead of answering, Monica tapped her knee. Martinel remembered the injury from a few days earlier.
“Even an adult like me can get hurt badly enough to tear my clothes.”
It was not exactly Monica’s fault, but still. Martinel nodded.
“So that’s why you keep wearing the same dress.”
“That’s right.”
There was nothing especially shameful about wearing the same clothes repeatedly. It was perfectly normal for the common folks. Still, hearing it from Martinel, who changed his clothes three or four times a day, made Monica slightly embarrassed, and she added something she didn’t need to say.
“I’m going to go buy new clothes soon.”
“Do you like buying clothes too, Teacher?”
Martinel asked with wide eyes.
“Madam and my sister like shopping for clothes. Madam likes it more than my sister, though my sister pretends she doesn’t.”
Probably most people do.
“They like the Yellow Brick Dress Shop. What about you, Teacher?”
Monica smiled, wherever it was she probably could not afford such a place.
“It’s my first time in La Spezia, so I don’t know yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”
“Oh, I see! Then you should definitely visit the Yellow Brick Dress Shop. I don’t know much, but Miss Violet said it’s the best.”
“Miss Violet?”
The boy’s cheeks turned red. It did not take long for Monica to learn that Miss Violet was a lovely girl about to turn fourteen, and that this boy was, surprisingly, smitten with someone older than himself. It explained Martinel’s mysterious maturity. Calling his mother ‘Madam’ was also a habit he had probably picked up from Miss Violet.
“It’s a secret from Madam. But my sister knows, though.”
“You must be close with Lady Riella.”
“Yes. But she’s getting married soon.”
“I heard. You’ll be lonely when she marries.”
“It’s alright. I’ll get married too and start a family.”
Regardless of his maturity, hearing a ten-year-old speak about starting a family was rather amusing. Monica tried not to laugh. Boys of this age tend to hate it when someone calls them cute. Pleased that she merely nodded, Martinel’s eyes sparkled as he enthusiastically explained his plans.
He wanted two children, and he would plant lots of blue flowers in the garden because Miss Violet liked them. Monica could not help smiling as she listened.
“The Goldfield family are in the middle class, so they won’t help us much, but it’s still a good match for Miss Violet, wouldn’t it?”
That didn’t sound quite so pleasant. Still, it caught Monica’s attention.
“If my sister becomes the lady of the Soliven family, Madam won’t object much even if I say I like a daughter from the Goldfield family!”
It was a familiar name.
“And if it’s dangerous and I stumble in front of Lord Soliven, won’t he catch me too?”
It was the same name Riella mentioned while linking arms with Lady Mollet. Before she could dwell on it, Monica smiled at him.
“Everyone would be happy.”
That included Monica herself. If Riella married quickly and left the household, then Monica’s work might not be so difficult. By then, the two had walked along the path beside the mansion and entered the garden. As if on cue, under the morning sunlight, a young lady in a white dress appeared tending the garden. A brown-haired woman cutting roses with small pruning shears, while a gardener bent deeply, holding a basket of roses.
“Sister!”
Martinel waved. Riella straightened her back while holding a pink rose in hand, turned towards them, then gave a brief greeting. Monica paused for a moment, then lowered her head when she made eye contact with Riella. When Monica raised her head, Riella had already turned her eyes back to the rose.
“She doesn’t look very happy.”
Is she? She looks perfectly happy to me.
She had heard the Mollet family moved to La Spezia when Martinel was seven to escape the war. While Monica had been cutting bandages for bloodied soldiers in Arvid, Riella had been here, wearing white and cutting flowers in a peaceful resort. It made Monica’s stomach feel a bit heavy.
“Maybe it’s because of her engagement.”
“Engagement…?”
Martinel looked startled.
“It’s a secret.”
“It’s alright. I won’t say you told me.”
Martinel hesitated before whispering.
“My sister’s engagement was broken once. And whenever marriage is mentioned, she gets tense. Ever since I was little…”
Was it because of the war?
“You mustn’t tell anyone. Promise.”
Martinel griped her skirt, he now looked like a ten-year-old. Monica laughed softly.
“I promise.”
She held his hand and pinky promised, only then did Martinel relaxed.
I think I was like that at ten too…
Then Monica stiffened. That was about the age when she had given up adoption to Lizzie.
• ───────── ☽༓☾ ───────── •
She woke unusually early on Saturday morning. After washing Martinel’s face, they set out for their morning walk. Still half-asleep, Martinel soon brightened when Monica found wild summer raspberries. By the time they finished, he carefully held six ripe berries, protecting them from being crushed. As soon as they returned, he ran to Lady Mollet to show them off.
“How adorable.”
The mansion was busy. A large banquet was to be held the following evening at the Mollet residence, for the birthday of a countess who was close to Lady Mollet. Since the Countess’s own villa was under renovation, the Mollets had offered their garden.
Even as five gardeners stood respectfully before her, Lady Mollet happily ate the raspberries her son had gathered.
“It’s delicious, right?”
“Hmm. They may be good for you, but they’re too sour for me.”
Wincing slightly from the sourness, she smiled at Monica.
“I’m sorry, my child asked you for such a troublesome favour.”
“Oh, not at all.”
It was about the banquet. The girl Martinel liked would attend, and he complained that he would not get a chance to greet her if he stayed beside Lady Mollet. Even if Miss Violet greeted Lady Mollet, it would only be brief. Lady Mollet would be with the countess.
But it would look odd for Martinel to approach alone. He begged Monica to help, planning to hold her hand and somehow try to speak to Miss Violet.
“Marty, why not ask your sister Riella to help?”
“No! She’ll just make fun of me!”
He shook his head firmly. The nearby gardeners smiled awkwardly, and so did Monica. A servant attending such an event was unusual in the first place. Lady Mollet tried persuading him several times, but eventually surrendered as Martinel’s face grew redder.
“Let him have whatever he wants.”
Lady Mollet was taking Doctor Mekel’s advice to heart. Lady Mollet sighed and called for Mrs Oran.
“Choose one of Riella’s dresses for Miss Monica.”
“Madam.”
Monica was startled, but Lady Mollet simply raised two fingers.
“Mm-hmm.”
Only two syllables, spoken gently, yet the meaning was clear. Refusal was not allowed. Monica shut her mouth, folded her hands, and bowed her head.
Comments