With Trita’s company, Simione returned to her room and rested.

She stayed for the

rest of the time in her room, wanting not to associate with everyone, especially since
no one seemed to like her except a few. With everything that was going on, she was
already feeling uncomfortable in the mansion and thought that it was really hard to be
in a place where you knew no one.
The next morning though, Simione woke up late again. She was famished by then and
so she went to Nana Doring to request something to eat. When the old cook saw her,
she was really surprised.
“Madam, why are you here?” Her head formed lines immediately.
“Nana Doring, just please let me stay here in the kitchen. I don’t feel like staying in
other places,” Simione replied without enthusiasm.
“That’s not what I meant madam. I am not asking why you are in the kitchen. Are you
not supposed to be in town today? Today is the bank’s opening ceremony,” Nana
Doring told her.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Simione replied. “But if this is perhaps
something that requires my attendance, I’m sure Tabitha was already there to replace
me,”
“I see,” There was something in Nana Doring’s expression that seemed not pleased
with her answer. “The bank I’m referring to is the first bank that opened in Isla
Sargaus. President Hawk promised the people here that he’ll open up a community
bank and he fulfilled it this time,”
“How good of him,” It seemed that Hawk liked Isla Sargaus as he was putting up a
good effort for its improvement. Well, this must be a very special place for him and
Tabitha too as they both were so dedicated to making sure everything works well for
the island. However, the memory of the two in her head caught some hurt in her heart
as if the pair were giving her a hard time these days.
“Madam….” Nana Doring went closer to Simione wanting to say something. “Please
don’t take this negatively but don’t you think it's time for you to start doing your
duties as the Madam of the house? Miss Tabitha is already loaded and her taking your
role— for me is very improper,”
Simione sighed. “I’ve heard the same sentiments too Nana Doring. Harsher than the
way you confronted me now,”
“Owwww,” Nana Doring certainly did not expect that. So someone already confronted
Simione about it but why was it that she seemed uninterested in it “I’m sorry madam
if I had been a little too much. I know that this is not something I have no right to
speak of but I just really thought you need to hear it.”
“The truth Nana Doring is if you think I am intentionally neglecting my duties, that’s
not true at all. Most of the time, I’m left blind to what’s happening and what I should
do. I do not mean to be irresponsible,”
“What do you mean madam? Don’t you and your husband talk?”
“Not these days. As you see he had not been home for a while,”
“What are talking about? The President had always been here. He was even home last
night,”
“I thought he had been staying in the other town until now,” Simione answered,
appalled. “Did you not mention he had challenges with the rebels in the other town?”
“I did. But…but that was the only time that the President had not been home. After
that, he had been religiously coming home just like he does” Nana Doring got only
more confused about what Simione was telling her. Knowing that some
misunderstanding might have taken place between the couple that’s why they weren’t
talking, she decided to retreat from inquiring more.
Simione on the other hand was surprised to hear that Hawk had been coming home. It
had been days when she had not seen him. Perhaps he was avoiding her, didn’t she
always make it clear she doesn’t want to be with him?
Right then she remembered what the other servants said previously—that Tabitha had
another room cleaned up for Hawk. So, her husband was nestling in another room
now? Should she be happy it was another room and not Tabitha’s?
“Well, madam…” Nana Doring seemed to have understood Simione’s situation. She
does not listen to everything that she heard inside the mansion but judging by how
the madam answered her question, it thus made sense to think that she does not
mean the things that were being accused of her. She pitied her right away knowing
that it must have been hard for her to adjust to a place where not everyone was very
welcoming. “Perhaps you should go and have fun around. You had been staying here
in the mansion almost every day. Isla Sargaus is a beautiful place, you should go out
and get some fresh air somewhere,”
“I’m not familiar with Isla Sargaus. I’m afraid if I’ll leave the mansion, I might be lost
along the way,” Simione expressed. “Besides, Hawk might not approve it,”
“Why don’t you bring Trita with you? She can show you around,” Nana Doring told
her. “I can excuse her from the kitchen chores so she can come with you,”
“Oh no—”
“No madam, I insist,” Nana Doring insisted. “We don’t know until when you are going
to stay here, you should go around the island while you are still here. As per the
President, I don’t think he would mind you going away. You are doing nothing here
anyway and he doesn’t seem to be looking for you”
“You might be right on that part. Well, thank you, Nana Doring,” Simione smiled at
her bitterly. “The mansion to be honest is already suffocating me. Perhaps going
around might help me a lot. I do have an impression that Isla Sargaus is a wonderful
place. I’m kind of excited to see most of it,”
“Come now and eat,” Nana Doring told her. “I’ll go and talk to Trita. Wait for me here,”
“Thank you, Nana Doring,” Simione was grateful. Aside from Trita, Nana Doring was
the only person who was accommodating her. Not even her maids were friendly, nor
did they give her warmth as a company. She even felt like they were watching all her
actions and so she never really felt comfortable with them.