The Echanting Duchess

Chapter 41: Official Authority

After their last conversation, both the duke and the duchess came back to their usual busy routine.

They were just able to dine together for a few times due to their conflicting schedules.

However, their relationship seemed to be better than before.

It could be because both were now aware that they hold a certain affection to one another, thus they both subconsciously started treating each other in a much better way than before, without too much awkwardness and friction between them.

Duke Calex kept being busy. If he was not swamped with paperwork in his study room, he was outside dealing with monsters and other external and official businesses while Atallie was also busy dealing with her own matters, including her newly acquired lady-in-waiting.

Lizbeth Dorris, the new and one and only lady-in-waiting of Atallie, had to act as a personal assistant to the duchess.

Her duties and responsibilities included but not limited to assisting the day-to-day activities of the duchess, attending to the personal matters of the duchess, accompanying the duchess, running errands, delivering messages, and organizing correspondence.

Currently, Lizbeth was going through the few letters sent to Atallie. They were left unattended by Atallie for several days already. Neither Leonor or the four maidservants sorted them out before, as per advised by the duchess herself.

Thus, Lizbeth was sorting them out. The few letters in a silver tray were left untouched at the far corner of Atallie’s study table. Those letters were either invitations for a tea party or birthday banquets of some of the curious and probing nobles and aristocratic families. They were not much, but should still be considered, given that Atallie was not just a noble but a higher noble who held a title just next to the royalties.

Hence, this was the only current task of Lizbeth, for now, considering that the duchess was not holding or performing any household managing responsibilities for some reasons. Lizbeth just had to sort them out, conduct a research on those families and the event they were hosting, then select which among them had to be attended.

Not that she was certain whether the Atallie would attend. But Lizbeth just had to do it as per Atallie’s direct command.

Lizbeth, up until now, though she could still not fully believe that the Duchess of Kargaz of the North was under the protection of the formidable and mysterious Mistress of the Blue Ray Wizard Tower, she could only sincerely serve and follow the duchess and her commands as it was the arrangement of the Mistress.

Meanwhile, Atallie was currently tending to some of the flower beds and herbal pots inside the inner room of the greenhouse.

No one was allowed inside aside from her. Thus, Lila and Greta were just waiting outside with snacks and freshly brewed tea always ready whenever she would go hungry or get thirsty.

It was around lunch time when Atallie came out from the inner room.

When Lila and Greta finally saw their duchess emerge from the room, they hurriedly approached her and reported.

“Madame, Head maid Leonor arrived an hour ago and informed us that His Grace would like to have lunch with you,” Lila spoke in a hurry.. She was already anxious that Atallie would not be able to make it to lunch time.

Thankfully, Madame didn’t come out late.

“Oh, is that so?” Atallie asked as she picked up the wet towel offered by Greta to clean her hands.

“Yes, Madame. It’s just about lunch time now. Should we go back quickly to your room for a change of clothes?” Lila asked as she scan Atallie from head to toe.