Chapter 90 – Mr. Rich Sponsor’s Fangirl
Lady Glorissa Montagu-Lexious, daughter of Earl of Conbury, stood stunned before the humble yet creatively decorated booth at a charity bazaar.
More precisely, she was stunned before the modest young woman she had assumed to be a shop maid.
In the Lady’s mind, the schoolmistress who had surely tempted Lord Ashborne with her dangerous fascination for science and her audacious intrusion into the sphere of men ought to possess flawless beauty. Otherwise, Lady Glorissa could not comprehend why Lord Ashborne would even permit the name of an obscure schoolmistress to appear beside him in scientific journals.
Ever since she first learned of this schoolmistress through printed papers, from the printed papers, Lady Glorissa had imagined her with skin paler than her own, a figure more delicate, a face more beautiful, a voice softer and more soothing… She pictured someone like the fashionable courtesans she occasionally saw riding through Gildery Park – elegant, exquisitely dressed, and possessing manners refined enough to rival those of a properly bred lady.
She had always known Lord Ashborne owned a laboratory. He had long been regarded as eccentric, unlike the many gentlemen who spent their leisure haunting clubhouses for pipes, beer, and dices, or wandering discreetly through opera houses and theatres.
She also knew he had once caused considerable controversy through his publication on perfumery safety. That was why she had begun subscribing to scientific journals, hoping to catch glimpses of his name hidden among the dense and incomprehensible language of science.
And that was how she discovered it.
Lord Ashborne’s name appeared within the acknowledgement of several papers – accompanied by that of a woman she had never encountered within respectable society.
A woman outside their circle mentioned beside one of the kingdom’s most desirable future husbands – how could such a thing be possible? And how could Lord Ashborne permit it?
Men, were rarely at fault.*
Therefore, the unknown woman must have deceived him – or so Lady Glorissa believed.
She had been offended when her social network revealed that this woman was merely a ragged schoolmistress. She became furious when she learned that Lord Ashborne had even recommended this same schoolmistress for participation in the charity bazaar organized by the Dowager Countess of Canareith, an old Lady celebrated for both kindness and charitable work.
Lady Glorissa had expected to encounter a beautiful but cunning social climber, a woman eager to secure fortune by ensnaring Lord Ashborne, a gentleman too honourable to recognise such manipulations. She had imagined this woman draped in gifts from him: jewelry, fashionable gowns, delicate perfume, all displayed proudly while strolling through the busy lanes of the bazaar hosted at the Silver Acorn.
Yet the young woman standing before her was nothing like she had imagined.
The real schoolmistress appeared painfully modest.
A slightly worn dress patched with carefully arranged scrap of fabrics, hidden beneath a pinafore apron. A triangular cloth cap curved her hair neatly. And to secure her hair bun, she used a long, plain wooden stick as a hairpin – utterly undecorated, lacking ribbons, flowers, or ornamentation of any kind.
Her skin showed little sign of careful maintenance, slightly rough from daily work. Her waist was ordinary rather than fashionably narrow.
She looked nothing like the elegant courtesans who rode through the park with lifted chins, slender figures, fair skin, and carefully styled curls.
A wave of relief washed through Lady Glorissa.
The sharpness in her expression softened. She withdrew the barbs from her words before they could fully emerge, straightened her back into perfect posture, and allowed herself to stand in deliberate contrast to Jade’s slight bow.
One bright and polished lady.
One plain and unremarkable schoolmistress.
“Greetings, Miss Lysmere,” Lady Glorissa said, her enunciation carrying the unmistakable refinement of noble upbringing. “A remarkably daring approach – seeking attention within the sphere through your science. Not something a proper lady would ordinarily pursue, I imagine. But then, I suppose not everyone is content with the ordinary virtues of her station.”
“You’re too kind, my Lady,” Jade, who would have preferred not to become a target for Mr. Rich Sponsor’s fangirls, answered with practiced humility. “I did not conduct experiments or provide evidence. I was merely grumbling about miscellaneous concerns. Lord Ashborne – our patron and Landlord – was simply kind enough to listen to his residents, and I am very grateful for his kindness.”
Lady Glorissa was surprised, though she concealed it well. “Lord Ashborne listened to you?”
“Yes. Our Landlord enjoys walking through the parish; many people have spoken with him, my Lady,” Jade glanced at the elegant Lady before her. Truthfully, she did not dislike this lady standing before her. If this Lady eventually became Mr. Rich Sponsor’s wife, Jade would have no objection; the lady seemed quite nice, though albeit distant – at least far better than those weird figures appearing in the news. So, Jade even felt inclined to help her a little.
“Lord Ashborne is very attentive to his tenants.” Jade continued. “I believe if you asked anyone living in the parish, many would tell you they’ve spoken with him at least once.”
Lady Glorissa’s eyes narrowed slightly in scrutiny. “He must have spoken with you rather frequently for such brilliant ideas to emerge in those papers.”
“We discuss school matters quite often,” Jade said with a nod. “He is a very generous man who genuinely cares about children. Though if my lady wishes to meet the person who speaks with our Lord most often, you should speak with our chief clergy. Father Rochester was the one who first inspired our Lord to organise a ragged school.”
The schoolmistress had revealed a side of Lord Ashborne Lady Glorissa had never considered.
She had only encountered him at balls and parties. While gathered among other ladies exchanging opinions on fashion and society, she often noticed him standing apart, lips faintly tightened, speaking only with close acquaintances. He rarely danced.
In all the years she had known him, they had danced together only four times: once at their first introduction, twice at her birthday celebration, and once at her brother’s birthday gathering.
Despite the scarcity of their meeting, her habit of speaking favourably of him in conversation had discouraged many ladies from openly pursuing him, as their status and accomplishments could not rival hers. Yet a few rivals still met her confidence with knowing smiles – those who stood at the same starting line as she did.
Still, Lady Glorissa believed herself superior.
If Lord Ashborne intended to marry, she was certain she would make the best choice.
It was the kind of confidence Lady Glorissa’s background had provided her.
The proud nobleman who ignored most ladies at balls, the wealthy heir to a politically influential family, the gentleman with unusual hobbies yet no scandalous habits… and this commoner claimed the Lord conversed casually with tenants?
Is she telling the truth? Or is she simply weaving some subtle deception I am yet to unravel? After a pause, Lady Glorissa said, “Would you object if I spoke with your lads and lasses and asked a few minor questions?”
“It would be our pleasure, my Lady,” Jade said, stepping aside to make space for the noblewoman.
Lady Glorissa glanced around the booth until she spotted a girl nearby. Her attention lingered briefly on the name tag tied to the ribbon around the child’s neck. “Jenny. Come here for a moment, if you please.”
Jenny – whom Jade remembered as the girl determined to become a servant despite her strong needlework skills – hurried over at once. She gave a curtsy perfectly aligned with Miss Arrowot’s standard and offered a polite smile. “Yes, miss. How may I help you?”
Lady Glorissa asked, “Do you live within Lord Ashborne’s parish?”
“Yes, I do,” Jenny replied. “He is our kind Landlord and the patron of our school, Miss.”
The noblewoman asked again, “And has he ever spoken with you?”
Jenny blinked. She had been trained to answer questions related to the booth and the goods; the inquiry caught her off guard. Still, she handled it very well with a slight bow, “My Lord has never spoken directly to me.”
Lady Glorissa nearly released the breath she had unconsciously held.
But Jenny continued after a brief pause. “He usually spoke with my father. My father herds cattle, and my Lord sometimes passed along the farm path where he worked. My Lord would stop to ask questions. Father always said it was a pleasure speaking with him. One time, my Lord even paid for my father’s medical fees!”
Lady Glorissa’ eyes widened faintly..
Her brother – the heir to an Earl, a man of comparable rank to Lord Ashborne – had never formed such familiarity with tenants. There was meant to be a barrier between nobility and commoners…
Lady Glorissa dismissed Jenny and summoned another boy.
Larry, the summoned boy, offered a similar account, except it had been his mother who spoke with Lord Ashborne. During a difficult period, the Lord had delayed their rent for a week to ease their hardship.
Jade noticed the Lady went silent after that, but could not understand why – well, she got to know more about him, didn’t she? It’s just like you get to know a nice guy, and you look through his social media to see what he is really like, right? Mr. Rich Sponsor was very nice, shouldn’t that make her happy?
Another customer arrived. Clara excused herself to assist, leaving Jade standing alone before the quiet, motionless noblewoman.
“Um, my Lady?” Jade asked softly. After making sure she had roused the spaced-out Lady, Jade asked again. “Is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps some hat accessories?”
Lady Glorissa gave Jade a look she could not interpret before nodding. “I would like a comb. Please show me your selection.”
“My pleasure,” Jade bowed lightly and guided her toward the display.
The Lady’s earlier sharpness had faded considerably. Jade did not know why, but she was glad that she wouldn’t have to deal with any scene of confrontation caused by one of Mr. Rich Sponsor’s fangirls.
Honestly, she hoped all of his fangirls would turn out like this Lady – nice, sane, and not going to cause a dramatic outburst or weird headlines.