Web Of Lies

"That lady is too much i say!" The maids started to surround their head maid as soon as she came out, "she is too bold with her words and actions."

Greta gritted her teeth and snickered as her hands held her dress tightly.

"She must be trying to show authority but it did not come with empty words. Her web of lies would be noticed sooner than she thinks." she snarled but then as if reminding something, she stared at the maid with penetrating eyes.

"But who among you dared to give her the map of the palace?" she asked in a cold voice when the maids flinched.

"We did not, lady Greta. We didn't even know that she was going to visit. We swore that none of us know her." said a few at once and others nodded their heads when the look on the face of the head maid only turned uglier.

"Ha! So you think she guessed all the names and her ways to the rooms as if she had lived here for a decade or the ghost of the previous duchess entered her body?" there was no way this much could be learnt perfectly in a day or two. The spy must be working here for a long time and sending her information about everything! That must be it.

"I am telling you. If you still confess your crime, I would hide the matter from your highness. If not, I am going to convey everything in detail once the lady leaves. Then no one would be able to save you." she threatened when all the maids stared at each other as if waiting for the other to come forward and confess their crime but no one came.

Greta could not bear it anymore as her patience was warning out.

"Fine then! Do not complain later that I did not give you a chance." she spat as she turned to walk back to the room. Only god knows what that fool would be doing alone in the room.

"And prepare her dinner in the chamber of the young lord too. She is going to stay here tonight." she instructed without turning back when the maids stood there and kept staring at each other for a minute before scurrying away and continuing their work.

For them Greta was a kind woman. She was stern and strict but she had never meddled in their fear as long as it did not affect the working of the palace and she was lenient with small things. Many maids had learnt to take freedom of it after the death of the duchess and support Greta in her things in exchange.

Their previous duchess was a meek and kind woman. But the presence of the new lady was threatening.

When Greta returned to the room, she was hoping that Ana would have learnt her lesson and would be ready to walk out of the room but she was surprised to see her noting down things on a parchment paper. She still consoled herself that the girl must be acting or she must be confused about what was important. So, she must be noting everything.

She walked with an assured smile on her face.

"My lady, if you need any assistance, I can help you with it." she said with a hint of arrogance in her voice but when Ana raised her head, there was no worry or sweat on her face as Greta had expected.

In fact, there was a slight frown as if she was displeased because she was disturbed with her work.

"You should learn to knock countess. I did not like it when anyone entered my office without permission. I would not accept it again." her office! But her stern and authoritative voice forced Greta to bow her head again.

"I.. I apologize for being rude, my lady." she said, swallowing a curse on her lips, "but I was worried that you would be having difficulty in understanding the long list and calculations. So i came back to help you as soon as i could that i did not noticed the minor detail.'' Though she apologize, she cleared that it was not her mistake and she could not be blamed for caring about the new duchess.

But Ana only narrowed her cold eyes further.

"Not only are you rude countess but you also look down on others without any reason!" she leaned on her chair and then gave her a look that said., "who do you think you are to help me?"

"What made you think that I need your help?" she continued as she pressed the file in which she was writing points. "Anyways i did not want to waste my breath on a person who did not understand her own mistakes even when she was told so many times." She stood up and took the file and two papers in her hands.

"Is Cassian back?" Greta was fuming with rage. Her voice just did not come out as she was sure it would be loud and cold.

She took a deep breath and tried her best to still be polite with this uncouth and presumptuous woman.

"Yes, he just entered his study when I was coming back." she would have lied to Ana on another occasion so that they would not meet but now.. She wanted Ana to go and meet Cassian. So that he would know that she entered the office of duchess without his permission and show Ana her right place.

Then she would see who would look down on whom!

"Shall I guide you there, my lady." she asked in a sweet voice when Ana smiled. For a second, the snickering look on the face of Ana made Greta feel that she was being seen though. But she soon shook her head at the possibility. She had done nothing so far to be suspected. The girl just did not know respect.

"Yes, that would be appreciated."