Niamh stood before the mirror, carefully applying makeup to conceal the dark. circles beneath her eyes. She dabbed at concealer, blending in soft strokes, determined to hide the fatigue she couldn’t quite shake off.
Jonathan came in quietly, setting a steaming mug of coffee on the vanity. “I wasn’t sure how you take your coffee, so I asked Hazel to make a regular latte,” he said.
Niamh thanked him, a little surprised by this sudden thoughtfulness. Jonathan had always been generous enough–he’d slip her pocket money now and then, send at gift on her birthday or at Christmas–but he’d never brought her coffee before. Not
once.
She supposed it was just the atmosphere of the old family estate. Here, everyone played their roles a little more carefully, wore their masks a little tighter.
After finishing the coffee, Niamh felt a renewed energy and threw herself into preparations for the birthday luncheon.
As noon drew near, guests began to trickle in, just like every other year. Niamh recognized each face; the guest list hadn’t changed much over time. They all knew her, too–Clifford’s granddaughter–in–law.
The only difference this year was the addition of a new name, someone Jonathan had invited himself.
“Jonathan, I’m not late, am I?” Marina breezed into the hall, her smile radiant and practiced.
She’d clearly put extra effort into her appearance today, trading her usual sweet, girlish style for something more sophisticated: a dusky rose dress with clean, elegant lines, the fabric draping smoothly over her frame. Her jewelry was understated but exquisite, each piece chosen to complete the look rather than
outshine it.
Niamh could tell, at a glance, that Marina had dressed to impress Clifford.
“Grandpa, I brought you a little something,” Marina said, offering a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Clifford, however, didn’t so much as soften his expression. “Hazel, just put that with the others, he called to the housekeeper.
His birthday always brought a mountain of gifts; they were already stacked in the storage room.
Marina’s smile faltered for a split second.
Soon, the lunch hour arrived.
Clifford never cared much for Western food–he always preferred traditional fare, and his friends shared his tastes. So Niamh had prepared all his favorites: homestyle dishes, the sort that filled the house with nostalgia.
“Clifford, your granddaughter–in–law could open a Michelin–starred restaurant with cooking like this,” one of Clifford’s old friends declared.
“I’ve said it before: Clifford doesn’t have many virtues, but he sure knew how to choose a granddaughter–in–law,” another chimed in.
“That’s for sure! Just look at Nia–then look at my own daughter–in–law, who can’t even scramble an egg. What can you do?” The table erupted with laughter and warm–hearted ribbing.
“They say young people these days don’t know how to cook–too caught up with work,” Sprague remarked, shaking his head with a grin.
“Well, that’s because Niamh doesn’t have a job…” Marigold started to say, but her father–in–law cut her off with a pointed look.
“And do you have a job, Marigold? Doesn’t stop you from being lost in the kitchen, does it?”
Marigold’s smile slipped. She knew Clifford had always favored Niamh; he’d been the one to suggest Jonathan marry her in the first place.
“Nia’s always been hardworking, more responsible than most girls her age. That’s what they say: kids from humble backgrounds grow up faster,” Marigold added, her tone suggesting both praise and a subtle dig.
Once, such words would have moved Niamh to tears. She would have felt seen, grateful for her mother–in–law’s approval, believing someone understood how hard
she worked.
But now, all she could hear was the implication–her circumstances weren’t good enough, and so she’d been/relegated to the role of housewife.
“Nia works at The Thomas Group now, too–as Jonathan’s secretary,” Clifford interjected, picking up on Marigold’s hidden meaning and eager to defend Niamh. “Jonathan, isn’t she a great help at the office?”
Jonathan, ladling soup into bowls, replied calmly, “She mainly assists Prescott. We don’t work together much.”
