Weird Stranger

Eunice walked hurriedly down the streets of Berkshire in an expensive-looking cloak. Though it was expensive, it was one of the numerous outfits her mistress had given to her as a gift.

Before leaving the Stuarts' mansion, Eunice had made sure to change out of her faded blue working dress and was now wearing an aqua blue dress, which had a silver flower embroidered at the bottom, just as her mistress had always told her.

One look at her now, and she looked nothing like a maid who served Thomas Stuart's family but like the daughter of a rich family herself. The sky-blue cloak she wore over the dress was tied around her neck and its hood lowered to fall over her back. She had made her hair into a waterfall braid.

Eunice clutched the letter that she was supposed to deliver tightly. She prayed in her heart that she met Sir Amos and could deliver the message her mistress sent to him directly. This was not really an issue; if she didn't meet Sir Amos, she could easily wait until he got back. The issue was whether he had gone to London already.

The heavy downpour from the previous night hadn't shown the town much mercy, as there were puddles of water here and there. Though the sun was up and the sky was clear, very few people walked the streets of Berkshire, and even the shops that lined the streets were just beginning to open up for the day.

An expensive-looking carriage, dragged by two sturdy-looking horses, sped past Eunice in full force, running over the water puddles beside her and splashing water all over her face and dress.

Eunice closed her eyes as the dirty water spilled over her. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but she couldn't say much. The carriage didn't stop, nor did it slow down. Since it was looking expensive, she could only pull out a handkerchief and wipe her face and dress while cursing the coachman in her heart.

Someone not far from where she stood was busy laughing at her ordeal, and she was forced to shift her glare from the carriage to the man.

She looked him up and down. He didn't seem like much. He had grey-hazel eyes and thick dark hair that was sleeked backward. He grinned and walked towards him. His outfit of a chocolate waistcoat over a white linen shirt and light brown breeches seemed like something an average man would wear because he was looking at her and laughing. She frowned and walked towards him.

"Is there something that amuses you, my lord?" She asked with a frown as she tilted her head upward to look at him.

The man stared into her own brown eyes as he tried to control his laughter.

"In fact, yes, there is my lady," he said as he folded one of his hands across his chest while he brought the other over his mouth to conceal his laughter, making only a chuckle slip out.

The man was pretty good-looking. Eunice could see that his jawlines were too exquisite for an average family, but his outfit seemed too ordinary. If it was on another day, she would have allowed herself to admire his handsomeness, but today, she was really angry. How dare he laugh at her?

"Pray to tell, my lord, what might that be?" She asked with a frown and the man busted into a laugh. He was struggling to keep control.

"Your face! You should see your face!" The man exclaimed as he laughed, and the anger on Eunice's face quickly turned to worry.

Was there something on her face?

She turned to the nearest store owner, a fat woman, who was busy setting up her goods for the day's business, "Ma'am, do you by any chance have a vanity?" Eunice asked.

The woman looked at her, her outfit, and then the goods she was setting up, which were fruits, and forced a smile. The woman said, "My lady, this is a fruit shop. We do not sell vanity here," making the man laugh louder. She then went back into her shop.

Eunice frowned. The woman had actually said that because she thought she was a girl from a wealthy family. If she had known that she was but a servant, she would have hurled worse insults at her, but then her face.

Eunice touched her face frantically, but she couldn't feel any dirt on it, so she turned back to the laughing man.

"My lord," she called gently as she put on a fake smile, "could you please tell me what is on my face and where it is? "It isn't polite to laugh at people when you can help them," Eunice scolded, but it only made the man chuckle.

She frowned. "I never said there was something on your face. I meant the look on your face when the water splashed on you," the man said quickly with a good-natured smile, but it only infuriated Eunice.

She turned around and quickly began to stomp her feet towards the post office, while also insulting herself for being stupid enough to stand around listening to the antics of a crazy man.

Her mistress was desperately counting on her. How could she allow herself to get distracted? Who even cared what was on her face? Was she not here to deliver a letter? She asked herself as she hurried towards the post office.

She heard someone catch up with her, and she turned around, shocked to find the man from earlier following her.

"Is there a problem, my lord? Why are you following me?" she asked, not stopping. She had her mistress's matters at the top of her mind now.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was very rude of me to laugh at a good-natured lady such as yourself," the man said, and Eunice raised a brow.

She could see that he was a sweet talker, so she gave him a sweet smile.

"Do not mention it, my lord, there is no offense taken," she said and hurried off.

"Oh! But I think you're angry!" The man said and hurriedly caught up with her again.

"My lord, can you stop following me?" she said wearily as she hastened towards the post office, which was two blocks away.

She saw Sir Amos loading boxes into his carriage; it was obvious he was going to London.

Holding the skirt of her dress firmly, Eunice rushed to him, totally forgetting the young man who seemed to have no other business than following her.

"Sir Amos!" Eunice called as she came to a stop in front of Sir Amos, bending a little to catch her breath as she looked at him. Sir Amos saw her and smiled sweetly.

"My, my, isn't it Eunice? How are you today, young lady?" The short, plump-looking man greeted him cheerfully, the smile on his face covered by his large beard and moustache, while the black frock coat he wore was pushed forward by his large belly.

"Very well, kind sir," Eunice said with a smile of her own. "Are you going to London now?" she asked.

"Yes! I have a quick delivery to make the day after tomorrow," Sir Amos explained.

"Oh then, please allow me to trouble you. Could you take this letter along?" She said as she stretched it out to Sir Amos.

Sir Amos smiled and collected it, "the usual address?"

"Yes, my lord, the usual address, except this time, you have to give it to Sir Gerim yourself. My lady said to tell him specifically that it is very urgent and that he should read it," Eunice relayed and Sir Amos nodded thoughtfully.

"And also, if you do not mind, Sir Amos, before coming back, can you also go to his residence and find out if there is a letter he would like to deliver to my lady? "Please, my lord, my lady is counting on that letter for her survival," Eunice pleaded earnestly, and Sir Amos nodded.

"Such a loyal servant. You are very loyal to your mistress, I see. Don't worry, I will do as you have asked, "he said as he tucked the letter into his frock coat.

Eunice stretched out the coins she had been given as payment to him. "This is the payment," she said, but the old man smiled.

"Never mind, I would deliver this letter for free since your mistress's survival depends on it," Sir Amos said with a wink, as he got into his carriage.

"Thank you, kind sir. God's speed!" Eunice said with a smile as she watched his carriage set off.

She turned around and was about to leave when she suddenly saw the man who had been following her standing a few feet away as if he was waiting for her. He smiled when he saw that he had gotten her attention, and Eunice felt her heart racing.

She shook her head swiftly to push crazy thoughts away, then hurriedly ran the other way.

The man, who was surprised by her fleeing, immediately followed her. He chased her for some time but lost her around an alley when a carriage rode past in front of him.

He walked slowly into the alley. He knew she was hiding around there somewhere, but he also knew she didn't want to have anything to do with him, so he decided not to force her.

"I just wanted to know your name, my lady. My name is Stephan. I hope you can call me by my name when we next meet." He said it loudly with a smile and left.

From her hiding place, where she crouched behind an old bin, Eunice softly tried calling the name Stephan to see how it sounded.