Should I speak to him first?
Maylily quickly realized that, given her status, she had no right to take the initiative. That thought eased her nerves just a little. She quietly stepped up beside the table.
“Would you like to place your order?”
She kept her eyes on her notepad, doing her best to ignore the steady gaze fixed on her face and the fresh, subtle scent that seemed to surround him.
“Cottage pie and a beer.”
“The kitchen is really busy today, so your food might take some time. Would you like your beer first?”
“Whatever you prefer.”
Without discussing it, both Maylily and the man acted as though they were strangers. It felt like a scene from an awkward play.
Maybe he just walked in by coincidence, passing by on the street. But if that were true, why would he ask for her by name?
Was he waiting for an apology? Did he think she had already paid enough for her refusal?
Even as she moved through the dining area, taking care of other customers, the tension he brought with him would not leave her.
When she placed the food in front of him, she glanced at him a few times. After their eyes met two or three times, she began to avoid looking his way on purpose.
What if I lose this job too?
The thought made her stomach twist with anxiety. But until she placed the check on the table and stepped away, the Earl said nothing.
She cleaned off a recently vacated table, took another order to the kitchen, and finally looked back toward the window.
He was gone.
She felt a little embarrassed. Maybe she had overreacted.
Still, she was relieved it ended without trouble.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Maylily picked up an empty tray and walked over to the window table. The cottage pie, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, had barely been touched. The beer was nearly full too.
He could have at least eaten a little more, considering how much effort went into making the meal.
He could have at least eaten a little more, out of respect for the effort that went into the meal.
Thinking of how the chef, who took great pride in his cooking, would feel when he saw the mostly untouched plate made her feel uneasy too. With a faint sigh, Maylily shifted her gaze to the bill holder. Her mouth fell open in shock.
Inside was not only enough cash to cover the meal but also a check written for a sum far larger than her monthly wages.
“This can’t be real…”
She whispered to herself, stunned, as she picked up the check. Beneath it, she found a piece of crisp, smooth paper. It was a business card, with the man’s name and office address neatly printed.
Finding the location written on the card was not difficult. Maylily had passed by that building dozens of times during her half-year working at the Roden Opera House. It was also one of the most well-known landmarks in Averk.
She stepped off the carriage that had brought her from her boarding house in the Cryer District and stood in front of the building that always took her breath away.
Even on a street lined with large and beautiful buildings, this one stood out for its luxury and grandeur. The sunlight reflected off the metallic letters on its front, making the name “Skaad Hotel” shine brilliantly.
Hugh Skaad, Earl of Everscourt.
There had been a hint in his name.
Still, she had never connected him to this hotel. The man who sat at the top of Averk’s world and a woman like her, barely holding her place at the bottom, could never share the same space. The idea had never even occurred to her.
Maylily tilted her head back so far it almost hurt, just to see the top of the building. She let out a deep breath and straightened her posture.
Even in her brightest outfit and the shoes she saved for special occasions, she felt small in front of this towering structure.
As she walked near the granite fountain that added to the hotel’s elegance, she opened her handbag to check that the check was still there.
After staying up the entire night thinking about it, she had come to a conclusion.
This check was not a gift. It was a warning. Maybe even a threat.
Nothing about her service the day before could possibly deserve that amount of money. At best, she had provided average service. That kind of tip was too much to be a simple thank you.
If it had been meant as an apology or a gesture of goodwill, he wouldn’t have left without saying a single word.
To someone like the Earl, a month’s salary for her was something he could give away without a second thought. It felt like he had left the check not just to flaunt his wealth, but to remind her that she would never be his equal.
Or maybe it was an attempt to change her mind by showing her just how much power he had.
Whatever his reason, one thing was clear. If she ignored this signal, things between them would not end here. There was a real chance she could lose her job at the restaurant, or even be forced out of her boarding house.
Worry piled on worry, and she had not slept a single minute. As the sky began to lighten with the first signs of dawn, she made up her mind.
She would return the check, face him directly, and offer a sincere apology. She wanted to end this cleanly, once and for all.
She could not live in fear forever.
Drawing in a breath as if to gather courage, Maylily finally stepped toward the hotel’s main entrance with a determined heart.
Inside, the lobby was even more extravagant than she had imagined. Marble floors, deep red velvet, exotic plants with wide, glossy leaves, and a crystal chandelier that spilled colored light across the ceiling.
As she moved through the crowd of elegantly dressed guests, she looked around carefully. To the right, past a series of paintings and sculptures tastefully arranged on the wall, she spotted the front desk.
Two of the three staff members were helping guests, so she approached the one who was free.
“Hello. Could you tell me where I can go to meet with Lord Everscourt?”
The receptionist, her hair styled high in the latest fashion and her lips painted with bright red lipstick, looked Maylily over without hesitation. In a single glance, she judged her and showed a hint of scorn behind her professional tone.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Not exactly, but the Earl gave me this card…”
Maylily quickly pulled the business card from her pocket. The receptionist gave it a quick glance, sighed, and began to speak.
“You cannot meet someone like the Earl just because you have a card…”
Her voice was sharp and annoyed, but then she stopped mid-sentence as if something came to mind. She took a closer look at Maylily’s face and hair.
“What is your name?”
“Maylily Aile.”
The receptionist gave a small nod in place of a response. She flipped through a notebook beside her, checked something, and then stepped out from behind the desk.
“Follow me.”
She led Maylily down a hallway that stretched in the opposite direction from where she had come in. At the end of the corridor was a room with metal bars on the front. It was narrow, just large enough to fit five or six people standing close together.
“Seventh floor.”
It was only after stepping inside and standing beside the woman that Maylily realized the words were meant for the man already inside. He wore a navy uniform and gave a silent nod before sliding the metal door shut.
A sudden jolt made the floor shake beneath her feet.
Is this an earthquake?
Startled, Maylily looked around, but the others seemed completely calm. A moment later, she noticed the view outside the door was slowly moving downward. No, she realized, the hallway was not moving. The room was going up.
As the confusion cleared, she realized she was inside an elevator, something she had only heard about before. Just as she adjusted to the sensation, the elevator came to a stop.
With a soft clanking sound, the door opened. The man inside spoke.
“Seventh floor.”
Maylily stepped out and followed the receptionist into the office area, where she was greeted by the Earl of Everscourt’s secretary.
“Welcome, Miss Aile. We met briefly at the opera house. I am not sure if you remember, but I am David Curren, the Earl’s secretary.”
“Hello, Mr. Curren. I remember seeing you outside the director’s office.”
David smiled kindly, as if unaware of everything that had happened since then. Maylily could not bring herself to return the smile. Instead, she lowered her head politely.
“You remembered me. That is very kind of you. May I ask what brings you here to see the Earl?”
“I came to apologize for my behavior the other day. I also have something to return.”
“I see. The Earl is in his office right now. I will check if he is available to meet with you. Please wait a moment.”
“Thank you.”
David gestured toward a small table nearby, and then left. As she waited, Maylily removed her scarf, folded it neatly, and checked to make sure all the buttons on her coat were properly fastened.
Not long after, David returned.
“The Earl will see you now. Please come with me.”
“All right.”
I have to get this right. No mistakes this time.
Maylily took a deep breath to steady herself, then stood up. Her heart was pounding as she followed David down the hall, each step heavier with nerves.
