Chapter 13
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13
"I agree."
"To be honest, she was far better than any of our previous guests."
With her colleagues’ approval, Catherine felt at ease as she called Harriet in.
After breakfast, Harriet—who had been on her way to the Soap Workshop—sat before Catherine and Agnes, completely unaware of why she had been summoned.
"Sister Harriet. Thank you for diligently performing your duties at the workshop, despite how difficult the labor must have been."
"It was nothing, Abbess."
Harriet’s modesty lacked the patronizing edge common among other young noblewomen. Nor did she appear servile.
Every time Catherine saw this side of her, her resolve wavered. She would remind herself not to be fooled by hypocrisy and deliberately maintained a stern facade. But now that she had confirmed Harriet appeared upright in the eyes of others as well, Catherine imagined how much her cold attitude must have hurt the girl. Her heart ached with guilt.
To judge someone without truly knowing them... I still have much to learn.
Regretting her hasty prejudice, Catherine decided to correct her mistake.
"We believe you have reflected sufficiently, Sister. Therefore, starting today, you are no longer required to assist with the soap making."
"What? Am I being transferred to a different workshop?"
"No. I mean you do not have to work at all."
At those words, Harriet’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
"Then... what am I supposed to do?"
"You may spend your time freely, just like the other guests."
To Harriet, this was not welcome news. She still had nine months left of her exile, and the only way to kill time was reading.
I can read perfectly well after my daily tasks are finished!
If her entire routine consisted of nothing but three meals and a book, the days would surely drag on forever.
"Abbess! If it is not too much trouble, I wish to continue assisting Sister Sophia. Even if it’s just running errands!"
"Beg pardon?"
This time, it was Catherine and Agnes who wore puzzled expressions.
"You want to... continue working? At the Soap Workshop?"
"It doesn’t have to be the Soap Workshop. The apiary is... a bit scary, but I could help at the Herb Workshop or the Olive Farm...!"
It took Catherine and Agnes a moment to process what Harriet was saying. A noble lady was practically begging for more hard labor. Why on earth? Was she being sarcastic?
"Are you perhaps offended that we made you work in the first place?"
"No? Um, I think there’s been a misunderstanding... I’m saying I want to keep working, Abbess."
Looking at her earnest expression, it was clear she was genuinely serious. Catherine composed herself and asked gravely, "May I ask why?"
"Well..."
Harriet touched her earlobe, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Making things is fun. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was doing something worthwhile, instead of just squandering my uncle’s wealth."
Catherine’s expression hardened. Thinking she might have sounded like she was taking the convent’s work too lightly, Harriet quickly added, "And the convent’s products are truly excellent. I suffered from acne and hives for seven or eight years, but after using the soap and toner here for just three months, they’ve almost completely cleared up."
She had also been using the herb oils and ointments. The hives, which the Listerwell family physician had declared a 'lifelong affliction,' had vanished even faster than the acne. Looking at Harriet’s face now, no one would ever guess it had once been covered in red, angry bumps and flaky skin.
Harriet felt she owed the convent a great debt for that alone.
"Honestly, when I first arrived, I felt such a sense of injustice. I was so lost that I spent my nights crying. But looking back now, I wonder if Lord Yawar guided me here to heal my body."
Catherine lowered her gaze. She could tell immediately that Harriet wasn't just saying what she thought they wanted to hear. Those sparkling eyes were full of sincerity.
For the first time since the convent had become a place of exile for disgraced noblewomen, Catherine felt a sense of professional reward—and, simultaneously, a deep pity for Harriet.
She felt like she was doing something worthwhile for the first time...
The girl had also described herself as a mere burden, squandering her uncle’s money. Would someone who thought of themselves so lowly truly have the ego to cause such scandalous commotions? Could a truly self-centered person debase themselves with such humility?
Catherine decided to resolve the doubts that had been simmering in her mind for the past two months.
"Sister. This may be an impertinent question, but I must ask it. We believe you have been forgiven in Lord Yawar’s embrace, so please speak honestly, without fear or shame."
"Yes..."
Harriet’s shoulders stiffened. Catherine noted her nervous reaction.
"I heard you were involved in numerous scandals, Sister. Why did you do those things? I am curious about the reason."
A look of utter bewilderment crossed Harriet’s face. Then, a wall began to rise—a wall of stubbornness built from layers of distrust, born from the fear that no one would believe her and the sadness of never being understood.
She took a deep breath before speaking. "Do you truly want to know?"
"Yes. Because I genuinely wish to understand you, Sister."
"Then I have one condition. Even if you don't believe my story, I won't resent you. Everyone else has been the same. Just... please listen until the end."
"I will listen attentively."
Empowered by Catherine’s sincerity, Harriet began to unravel the events that made her stomach churn just by remembering them.
"To tell my story, I have to start with my cousin, Bella. She is famous in High Society for her beauty and has been courted by men since she was a child. She is... very different from me."
Catherine recalled what Agnes had mentioned earlier: the rumor that Harriet had impersonated her cousin to lure men.
"Bella is truly beautiful, but she is not the angel the rumors claim. I am not saying this out of jealousy or to slander her. I am speaking as her victim."
Harriet had once been proud of Bella. When the angelically beautiful girl would link arms with her and act spoiled, Harriet felt like she had a precious younger sister. She had gladly indulged Bella’s every unreasonable demand. Every time people said they were 'as close as real sisters,' Harriet had beamed with pride.
However, when Harriet’s parents died in an accident and her uncle John became Viscount Listerwell, their relationship inverted completely.
"Bella liked men. Or rather, she liked being the sole recipient of their affection. I didn't mind that; it was none of my business, really."
But when Bella turned eighteen, John felt the need to strictly manage her reputation. He had decided he could marry his daughter into a high-ranking family.
"One day, my uncle called for me. He said some man was going around boasting that he was Bella’s lover. He claimed Bella was in trouble and asked me to help her."
The man’s name was Julian Faith. Even now, he was a popular socialite known for his handsome features. The two had exchanged letters for quite some time, and Harriet had even acted as their secret messenger.
"It seems Bella replied to his letters a few times because she found his persistence 'cute.' But then he started acting as if he were her fiancé."
"So, how can I help?" Harriet had asked back then.
"Tell them you wrote those replies," her uncle had said. "Say that you had feelings for the man all along, and when letters came for Bella, you intercepted them out of envy."
"What?"
For an excuse made up on the spot, it was remarkably detailed. Naturally, Harriet had refused. She barely knew the man, didn't like him, and had no reason to lie about committing such a disgraceful act.
"Then he told me: 'Is this how you repay me for raising you all these years? I am deeply disappointed.'"
It was then that Harriet realized her entire life was in her uncle’s hands.
"My uncle is my guardian. He is the one who will arrange my marriage. My dowry and my future depend entirely on his generosity."
Harriet raised her desolate eyes to meet Catherine’s.
"So... how could I possibly refuse him?"
Catherine’s face was grim. Agnes, startled, covered her mouth with her hand. But the story was far from over.
"The first time was the hardest, but after that, they became bolder. Bella even began pinning the scandals she had with men she met in person on me."
The Masquerade Ball had been the real problem. A midnight gathering where people engaged in scandalous acts under the safety of masks. For Bella, there was no playground more exciting than that.