The Fourth Mistress

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When it was time to leave the Boville's Manor, Louise was more than happy to bid farewell to everyone and express how lovely it was to meet them even though she had spent less than a few minutes with each one separately. Like many others in this town, she had instilled in her the manners required for exchanging the basic pleasantries from a young age.

"You are quite a person, Louise. I am glad that your aunt brought you here," Lady Gianna complimented Louise. The older woman's eyes held amusement as she remembered what happened inside her manor. "I would love to have your company again."

Louise smiled, "Me too, Lady Gianna. Thank you for inviting me," she pursed her lips before adding, "Forgive me for upsetting one of your guests."

"Oh hush, darling." Lady Gianna waved her hand as if it was nothing. "Every day there is something new to learn, and there's nothing wrong in fixing what we know, be it small or big."

Louise was grateful that Lady Gianna was not upset with her or her aunt, and instead, she seemed to be a fair woman who did not take Louise's actions to heart. Their carriage came to stand in front of the manor like many other carriages, and Aunt Merlin was the first one to step inside the carriage. Before Louise could step inside, she turned around, her eyes searching for Mr. Reed, but he was nowhere in sight.

"What's the matter, Louise?" asked her aunt.

Louise got inside the carriage and smiled at her aunt, "I was taking a look."

"It seems like Lady Gianna has taken a liking towards you, which would mean sometime in the future she might invite you for tea," said Aunt Merlin, pulling off the white gloves that she had worn. "It feels so hot," the woman wiggled her fingers.

"I like her too. She seems nice," Louise said this as she opened the window curtains for some fresh air.

She noticed Mr. Reed making his way out of the main entrance with his mother as if they were leaving too. He still had the same haughty yet aloof expression on his face.

Louise had always wondered if it was possible for a person to display two different emotions at the same time. Thanks to Mr. Reed, she no longer had to wonder.

Louise could not stare at the mysterious man for long as her coachman drew the horses' reins, and soon, the carriage left the manor.

"Really, Louise, you need to hold that tongue of yours. Mark my words, it will get you into trouble one day," Aunt Merlin shook her head disapprovingly.

"I was not the one who started it. You heard what the lady said, 'Unfamiliar with places this big.' She made it sound like I came from the streets. Her tone was just not right. Just because she has money doesn't mean she is allowed to look down on others," expressed Louise.

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The wind cause several strands of hair to fall in front of her face. She tucked them behind her ear only for the wind to free them a few seconds later. Still, she did not close the window.

"Oh, dear God, what am I going to do with this child?" Aunt Merlin questioned the skies, concern in her voice.

"Feed her," Louise replied to her in a deep voice while covering her mouth, pretending it was God answer her.

Her aunt narrowed her eyes at her before smacking her with one of the carriage pillows.

"What you said before was not wrong, but there are certain ways to say it. I agree that from where you stand, you are right," Aunt Merlin nodded her head, "And handling people is an art. The same could be told without locking horns. Just like Mrs. Reed," she gave an example, and Louise listened to her aunt speak. "Mrs. Reed coated her words, which were subtle. There was a remark, but there wasn't at the same time."

"The art of subtlety," remarked Louise, and her aunt agreed.

"That's right! Now getting back to the important matter!" Her aunt clapped her hands together with excitement in her eyes. "You saw Mrs. Roland's son? How did you find him?"

"Who?"

Louise raised her eyes as she did not see the one she was supposed to, and instead, her eyes followed another person who was out of her league, not that she was aiming for him.

Aunt Merlin's eyes turned wide.

"The young man with whom you were speaking before we left the manor. The tall, dirty blonde hair, the dream blue eyes, and don't forget those cute dimples."

"Oh, him! Yeah, he seems nice. Polite and a gentleman-"

"Wonderful! I will tell Mrs. Roland that you would like to spend some time getting to know each other! How wonderful! Your uncle will be delighted!" exclaimed Aunt Merlin.

"Wait, what? Aunt Merlin, I didn't mean it that way. If I said this carriage is nice and soft, would you get me married to it?" asked Louise.

"If it has a house and income, why not?!"

Louise looked at her aunt like she was crazy, prompting her to slump in her seat.

"What about the other bachelors who were there? There must have been at least one who caught your attention," said Aunt Merlin with a deep frown. "And you were away from the crowd for a long time. Weren't you speaking to one of them?"

Thinking about her encounter, Louise grinned, "I was reading an interesting book I had not come across until now."

Aunt Merlin held her hand on her forehead and lay down on her side of the carriage, placing her chubby feet on the pillow she had used to hit Louise earlier.

That night Louise lay in her bed, staring at her white ceiling.

The more she tried not to think about the person, the more her thoughts were invaded by the man with olive green eyes.

Her town of Habsburg was not short of beautiful women, and it made her wonder why such a prize was not already spoken for. Perhaps, he had high standards.

Turning to her side, Louise looked out her window. The moon was covered by clouds that gently swept away with time. With the wall clock ticking loudly like a metronome, Louise's eyes slowly shut, and like the clouds, her mind drifted away.

When morning arrived, Louise got ready and stepped out of the house.

"I will be back around three."

"Godspeed, Louise…oh, oh, wait!" shouted Aunt Merlin, rushing outside a minute later with envelopes in her hand. "I need you to go to the town to post these. I forgot to give these to your uncle."

"I don't mind. Who are these written to?" asked Louise, taking hold of the envelopes and putting them in her side bag. The main town came on her way to Mr. Winkle's office, and she could deliver it on her way back home, thought Louise to herself.

"They are to your grandmother and distant Uncle Jensen. I hope they are doing well. Your uncle said he would be here last season, but this season is already changing and moving to the next. I wonder when the war will end," sighed Aunt Merlin before patting her niece's back. "Now go, have a good day at work, Louise."

Louise nodded her head, and then walked on her way, a walk that took nearly forty minutes from her home to Mr. Winkle's residence. Of course, the route was much shorter if one made use of the carriage, but time was plenty for young Louise, unlike the older women who gossiped about how her time was running out. Taking the peaceful route that was away from the intrusive and questioning eyes of the villagers and the townsfolk.

Reaching the two storey building, she heard the board swing and creak that had the name 'Winkle's legal guidance' written on it. The paint on it had been washed out, and the metal had turned somewhat rusty red in colour.

Pushing the door, the small bell that was attached to the door tinkled and Louise entered the building and placed her bag on the chair. The above floor was filled with files that had details about Mr. Winkle's client histories that he had won and lost. The ground floor consisted of the front or welcoming room where Louise stood. There was another room that was used by Mr. Winkle to meet and discuss matters with his clients, who appeared once in a blue moon because the man had retired, and only people who came here were the ones who wanted his guidance.

"Is that you, Louise?" came the tired voice of Mr. Winkle.

"It is me, again," answered Louise knocking on his door before stepping inside the room, "Good morning, Mr. Winkle."

"Good morning, dear," replied the old man. It was told that when Mr. Winkle was in his prime age, he was a stern person. His then black hair had now turned grey and his once straight back had hunched, but the man still held the same sharpness in his eyes as before. "You know why I keep you around even though you speak a lot? You're always on time. One should always know the value of time."

Louise offered her smile to the elderly man. People found it to be rather surprising that she still worked here, not just because she was a woman, but because she worked for Mr. Winkle. Before her, more than fifteen people had been thrown out of their job, and a lot who had applied for this job had been rejected within one glance.

"I learned it from you, Mr. Winkle. How has your morning fared so far?" inquired Louise. Walking in, she picked up the folders that had papers in them that were on the table in her arms, and placed them in order, knowing how exactly the man wanted it.

"The boy who delivers the newspaper is a bumbling fool, throwing the newspaper against the window as if he wants to break the glass. When I asked he said he didn't do it," Mr. Winkles shook his head. "I warned him if I find him doing that again, I will charge him to be my sweeper and be working here with me."

"I am sure he wouldn't do it again," replied Louise, placing the last stack of files on the desk. "Is there anything in particular that you would want me to do?"

Mr. Winkles waved his hand, "Just do the regular ones. We don't have any new clients and it gives us some time off. But yes, just see if the right side of the room at the top has its windows closed."

"Yes, Mr. Winkles," Louise nodded her head, and left his room.

Hours passed until it was time for Louise to leave her work place. Wishing Mr. Winkle for the day, she started to head towards the town where the post office was located. Reaching the post office, Louise's hand dug in her bag for the envelopes that her aunt had handed her to mail, and she handed them to the mailwoman.

"Good evening, Mrs. Dormer. How have you been?" asked Louise to the woman with whom she was familiar.

"Very well, Ms. Evardon. Here to deliver letters from your aunt I see," noted the woman, taking the envelope in her hand and taking a note of the sender on the backside of the letters. "They will be sent out this Saturday from here. We are short of staff as two of them have gone out of town."

"That's fine. I don't think Aunt Merlin is in a hurry. If you have any letters that need to be delivered around where I live, I would be more than happy to help," offered Louise.

"Really? There's one letter that came in today, it is for Mr. Humphries. I wouldn't want to impose on you," said the woman, and Louise shook her head, giving the woman a polite smile who returned the smile to her.

"It's totally fine. I will drop it at Humphries on my way back home. You don't have to trouble yourself." The woman pulled out the letter from one of the drawers, and handed it to Louise.

"Thank you, Ms. Evardon. If I didn't have to get back home early, I wouldn't have," thanked the woman.

"It is no trouble. See you around Mrs. Dormer," wished Louise, putting the envelope into her bag.

"You too, Ms. Evardon. Have a good day," and upon the woman's words, Louise picked up her non-existent hat and tipped it.

When she turned around, ready to walk, her eyes caught hold of a man whom she had least expected to catch sight of today. It was Graham Reed who walked out of his building and his eyes fell on her. When he looked away, Louise sighed. Somewhere she was relieved, but at the same time, she frowned at his actions, wondering if he was cross with her for speaking back to his mother.

With her work done in the town, Louise decided to head out of the town as quickly as her legs could carry her. While walking on the left side of the road, carriages passed by her side that belonged to the wealthy families. One such carriage pulled back to come to a halt, a few steps ahead of her.

When the coachman jumped down and opened the carriage door, Louise's footsteps slowed down and she expected for someone to step down, but no one did. Walking closer to the door, she saw the owner of the carriage sitting inside.

"Mr. Reed," Louise greeted Graham and he offered her a small bow from where he sat.

"Ms. Evardon," Graham greeted her. "Are you on your way back to your home?"

"Yes," answered Louise. Did he stop the carriage to ask her that?