(SPOILER WARNING:) If you and I both read the same novel, I heavily disagree. I love Claudine but there are countless times she tries to humiliate and mentally abuse Layla in the novel as a means to "put her in her place." I think her behaviour is mostly caused of her mom's fear of being abandoned but she constantly wants Layla to be a shallow mistress who knows her place and doesn't aim for a higher position. She purposefully puts Layla in situations that aim to either embarrass or humble her, like when she forced Layla to become her maid in front of a group of people despite Layla having no exprience and clearly not wanting to do it. She admits that she never really liked Layla but she does feel bad for her. But her pity isn't completely geniune, it comes from a place of someone looking down on someone else, as if they are pathetic. The time where Claudine finally thinks of actual apathy towards Layla's situation is after she confronts her about the affair and Layla leaves. But even after, she still didn't like her. She only frames herself as a kind person because she wants to uphold her status as a kind and considerate noblewoman when in reality, she isn't as kind to Layla as she makes people think she is.
No Claudine was greedy yes but never wanted to hurt layla for real she never order to poison her or kill her she never asked someone to hurt her or her uncel also never told her to leave or caused something to make her leave..
She just wanted her place as the duke's wife cuz that what was told since when she was a child she has been told that this place belong to you and she accepted her fate.
She was a wise woman who chose her position on her love ( the duke cousin)
She grew up knowing that she'll marry him and nobody else but then layla came and she was pretty and Claudine knows and she saw how Matheas got attracted to her little by little but she didn't do anything just one time when she called her to the garden and she dropped her necklace and asked layla to get for her and when layla tried to Claudine stepped on her hand.
Well Claudine didn't want the rumors to go out cuz she's engaged now and she thought that this will end soon.
If you but yourself in Claudine shoes you'll understand that she was betrayed by everyone, her mother, her father, her Her fiance.. Even the author betrayed her lol when she finally decided to let go all of this and to marry the one she loves he died like why? Why didn't she live happily at end I feel so sofort for her
Come on Clodin wasn't so bad in the novel... She knew everything but never tried to hurt layla..