Trashes of the Counts' Families || Trash of the Count's Family || OC

69

Breakfast had gone by too quickly for her taste. Lily had been upset, and Basen was quieter than usual. Even Cale did not speak. Violan was looking at her with sympathy, and Count Deruth did not look at her.

She had let Hans pack for her. Her bag was travelling with her on the carriage. She sat there on the lush cushions, Hong in her arms. Only Hong was coming with her so that she might broaden his poison palate.

"Are we going to your house?" Hong asked her, lying on her lap.

She suppressed a sigh. "Yes."

He stared curiously up at her, excitement in his golden eyes. "Is your house pretty? Can I run around? Can I play?"

She patted his head. "The gardens are very big and beautiful, and we have multiple gardeners. And I will take you to a separate garden for poisonous plants." She paused, debating her next words. "Hong, I won't lie to you."

Hong's mood dampened as he stared at her with curiosity. But he held his tongue; he let her speak.

"My house..." Adara trailed off. "My Estate is not safe. It is not a pleasant place. You won't be able to run around outside my room and office, and I don't advise playing outside. The gardens are fine only if you are with me."

Hong looked confused. "But why?" he asked in a small voice.

She continued petting him softly. "My Stepmother does not like cats."

Hong didn't think her answer was sufficient; it didn't answer his question, and he wanted to ask one of his own, but the carriage stopped with a shudder. They had arrived. Adara put him on her shoulder as she got out.

The Estate was as big as the Henituses' Estate. The gates were large, and the walls were high. It was as green as she remembered it, with multiple patches of green, bushes, and grass. On each patch was a sculpture gifted by the Henituses, marble statues of great heroes and the like. Countess Louise hated the sculptures. Each bush had red and black berries, which she knew were poisonous.

But nobody stood waiting for her. The gate had been opened, but nobody was there to greet her. Not even a servant to take her bags.

The chauffeur had disembarked and, seeing the lack of servants, started unpacking her bags. She quickly stopped him. "Unpacking bags is beneath your position," she said, unpacking the bags herself.

The chauffeur stared at her for a second. He was new to the job, having been hired while the Young Mistress was in the Capital. He heard great deeds about her from the ones in the city and also wild rumours, but none of the servants would speak of her except to speak badly.

He had managed to get it out of a gardener that she wasn't well-liked by her family. And he could tell by the lack of reception. The Henituses had waved her off, but none of her family had come to greet her. Not a single servant.

"Madam, it's even less befitting for you to be unpacking the bags," he responded, taking the last bag and setting it next to her.

She didn't quite smile at him, but it was something similar, though without much mirth. "Young Mistress," she corrected. "Madam sounds odd."

He nodded. "Young Mistress it is."

She tried reaching for her bags, but he did not allow her to do that either. He scooped them as she reached them, smiling apologetically. "Forgive me, Young Mistress, but carrying your own bags is also beneath your position."

She huffed softly, feeling Hong nuzzle her cheek. She nodded. "Very well then, let's head inside." She cast a cursory look at the overcast sky. "I think it will rain soon."