My Lady Chef
Chapter 87: Linda's Day Out - Part 2

Linda's POV:

I got Nina back to the main mansion and found Milford to relay that the letter has been delivered to the lawyer of the Lorax family.

"Did he give you a hard time?" Milford asked me when I found him at his office writing letters.

"He actually saved us. The Lady Lorax was there and saw the letter first. We were pushed out of his office when she started....voicing her displeasure." I said tactfully. He took notice of me, his gaze was concerned and paternal.

"Did she hurt you? Lady Lorax has a habit of vocally and physically adept at making messengers uncomfortable."

"We got away before we got seriously injured, Sir."

"Hmmm. I'll have an errand boy go to Doctor Hunt's residence to give you and Nina a check-up after dinner. Thank you for your report, Linda. You did well." He smiled at me.

As I took my leave, I noticed that for all his formal and stiff ways; he does seem to care about the staff a lot. Calling a doctor for a couple of maids is usually unheard of but the Aisenburg household is said to care for their people very well.

More than most of the aristocrats who usually treat their servants like ghosts or expendable fodder.

One of the reasons why I am slowly warming up to this place.

Life without Lady Alaina left me with more time to keep track of Mrs. Yates' actions while she was gone.

Ever since my lady gave me an important task, I have been keeping track of the head maid's actions and her secret meetings with Lady Lorax diligently.

What I have found out was particularly disturbing.

My investigations led me to converse more with the main housemaids and I found out that they don't have a good opinion of the dour older lady.

The more older maids have said that she used to hold the position of the dowager duchess' maid. Similar to mine before she passed away and that embittered her when the duke kept her around as head maid But none of them could tell me what motive she has that led to her drowning Lady Alaina on her wedding day.

I also found out that although she hated the duke, she still stays here to work for the man she does not like.

Makes no sense.

Until one night.....

I was going down to check and spy on her when she came out of the main house in a hurry.

Where is she going?

I pulled out a talisman charm and concealed myself. Fox beastmen have been taught concealment magic and charms from the time they can speak.

This makes us very adept at espionage and information gathering.

With the charm activated, The head maid won't sense me even if I were in front of her.

This is how I have been getting dirt on her.

Let's see what she has been up to.

T-this is.....a gambling house?

I was shocked at first. Most of the common people who gamble often have more debts than winnings.

Because most gambling houses make you lose more than what you win but they make it seem like you could win more, it is what sustains their business.

After hiding, I saw the dour head maid's expression change to one of excitement as she played card games and used the roulette often betting almost a month of her wages. Something is fishy here.

"Seems like she won't be budging from here." I threw a smaller charm at her and it landed on her back.

This will warn me if she leaves this place. For now, time to investigate and see who this place belongs to.

I went upstairs where the manager's office was and snuck inside.

To my surprise, I found out that this place is owned in secret by the Lorax family. Nobles are not supposed to own houses of ill repute such as this.

If word gets out that Lady Lorax owns a gambling den, it would cause a big scandal.

I had managed to put the documents I read back inside when the door opened. My heart went to my throat as my concealment charm began to hear off so I hid behind the drapes concealed by a huge potted palm.

"The duke has ceased doing business with us, Father. We have no choice but to rely on our gambling houses for a while until I can charm of few of the noblemen who are vying for my attention." That voice was Lady Lorax.

"Margaret. What did you do to alienate the powerful duke Aisenburg? His fortune and support alone could have made our business prosper. I could have purchase more children as slaves to my factories if his support had continued."

This voice belonged to an older man. The intimate way he called Lady Lorax must mean he is a close relative?

"You don't understand it, Father. But if Ezran found out that his investments to our so-called "charity organization" and "respectable textile business" go to our factories and gambling dens, he will end our house!" Lady Lorax's voice looked irritated. "I had hoped that I could have seduced him into marriage by now but he went off and ended up tied to that nobody from the North!"

"Careful daughter. That nobody is slowly gaining popularity because she is rumored to be as kind to the common folks like her husband. She also seems to have charmed the Crown Prince and a few of the nobility."

"Bah! She is a nobody who got lucky but I'll have the last laugh." The sly voice of hers caused a chill in my spine.

I peeked from my hiding place and I saw that she was staring at the window which overlooks the vast gambling floors down below.

"I have a mole in the Aisenburg household and she is a chronic gambler. The more losses she has every time she comes here; the more hold I have over her. She thinks she can pay back her debts with the very money she is getting for betraying her household, she was dead wrong. Such a gullible bitch."

"How are you sure Mrs. Yates is not reporting everything to the duke?" The older man came into view and I realized who he was.

I have seen him in the newspaper once or twice about nobles who engaged in trade. He was Lord Homer, the Baron of Kiez but he is currently the acting Lord Lorax....until her daughter bears an heir to the Lorax title.

"Because my other spy in the house caught her doing something that would result in her death." A nasty laugh came out from her. "She would not dare to go against me."

"I see. So far. Has she gotten any information about the current Lady Aisenburg?"

"Only that she is a recluse and would rather rump around the forests like a wild animal than interact with humans. Her father is a mere border baron who protects the North from any invading elves, beastmen, and fey. For now, I aim to use this seemingly harmless information to tear down Lady Alaina while she is at Guthrie. Won't she be surprised when she comes home?"

The malice in her voice made me clench my fist as they left the office and I left after a few minutes.

I watched Mrs. Yates exhaust her month's wages the rest of the night before following her back home.

I went to retire to my room at the culinary house, feeling exhausted at what I discovered.

I must write to my master tomorrow and let her know.

Being a spy for my lady is pretty exciting but kinda exhausting at how despicable some human women can be.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

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