A mother's worry

When the carriage arrived at the manor, the coachman pulled the reins of the two horses to stop away from the entrance. He got down from his seat and pulled open the carriage door. He didn't bother to keep a stool nor offer his hand to the woman who stepped out of the carriage.

Rebecca helped Eve get down from the carriage, and the very next moment, the coachman closed the door with a light thud.

The little girl stared at the large building and the gardens surrounding it. She had never seen anything like this before, and her blue eyes took in everything that she could see from where she stood.

"Come, Eve," her mother gently spoke to her, holding her hand and pulling her away from the front.

The manor's entrance was only for the family members and not for the servants or anyone who belonged to the lower class of the family. Eve's small feet followed her mother, and they entered the manor from the back of the house.

Their path was interrupted by the butler of the house, who was a man in his late fifties. His grey hair was combed to the back, and his stature was of average height. He wore a black uniform along with a disapproving frown on his face.

"Your room has been arranged in the servant's quarters," informed the butler, though he wasn't particularly fond of speaking to the woman sleeping with his Master. His eyes fell on the little girl with the woman, and he instructed, "Follow me."

The other servants didn't speak a word, but their eyes discreetly followed the mother and daughter.

The butler slightly turned back to look over his shoulder and said, "Master has already told me that you will be living here for two days. And during that time, keep in mind to not roam around the corridors of this manor. You shall not step out of the room, unless you are told to. As you know, the manor has frequent visitors and guests. We wouldn't want them finding out about your existence in this place during my mistress's absence."

"I will bear it well in my mind," Rebecca bowed her head to oblige to his words. She then noticed him looking at her daughter. She said, "She will follow it too."

"Good. Because there's no room for any errors here. I wouldn't like my Master's name being tarnished," the butler's words were curt, holding an underlying threat that didn't go unnoticed by the woman.

Once they were brought to their room, the butler left them as he had other important matters to attend to. As expected of a servant's room, it was small and had minimal things like a lantern, a mat and a bedsheet.

An hour later, Rebecca and Eve were summoned by the Master of this manor, where the butler was the one to get them from their room. When they reached the large sitting room, the butler announced,

"They are here, Sire."

Eve, who was looking at the beautiful objects and the clean floor, noticed a buff man standing a few steps away from her and her mother. She clutched on her mother's skirt when her eyes met the man's.

The man had a rough appearance, his jaws holding a stubble and a shadow underneath his eyes. He commented, "Who would even think that you have a daughter this big. Is she really your daughter?"

"She is my daughter," Rebecca's reply was polite, but her eyes were wary. She noticed how the man's thoughts were moving regarding her daughter's future.

Even Eve, clutching onto her mother's skirt, moved closer, almost hiding behind her mother.

"Isn't she lovely," remarked the man. "I am sure she will grow as beautiful as you. She will fetch you a lot of money. And this line of work is the quickest way to make money, don't you agree?" his lips twisted into a smile.

Though Rebecca had agreed to spend two days in this manor in return for money, she was here because she had a debt to this man too. He knew where she lived. Life wasn't easy for the poor, but it was even worse if someone tried to run away from the debt collectors, who were especially rich and had connections.

The townsfolk believed that Rebecca had conceived Eve by sleeping with one of the men she had serviced. And though it had tarnished the remaining respect in their eyes, she took it. It was better for people to believe that lie than they know the truth and tear her daughter from her.

"What is your name, girl?" The man demanded from the little girl.

"Genevieve," came the small voice of Eve.

"Hmm," responded the man, shifting his eyes at the butler, and he ordered, "Take the girl back to the room. I have business with Rebecca," he smirked.

Rebecca turned to Eve, placing her hand on her shoulder. She whispered to her, "I will be back with you later. Go with the butler."

Eve slowly let go of her hold on her mother's skirt, and she followed the butler out of the room. Before the door closed, she turned to look at her mother, who looked at her, while the man in the room walked toward her mother.

Eve was taken to the room, and the door was pulled so that she stayed there and did not cause any trouble. She sat there alone, staring at the wall while obediently waiting for her mother to get back. Food was provided to the girl on a dented plate, which the servants had overused over the years.

"Mama!" Eve exclaimed, running to her mother and putting her arms around her mother when the woman stepped inside the room.

"You have been a good girl, Eve. Waiting for me patiently," her mother praised her, running her bruised hand on Eve's hair.

"I always wait, mama," said the little girl, fondly looking up at her mother.

Rebecca hugged her daughter, finding the comfort she didn't feel all these hours when she was away from Eve. She bent, kissing the top of her daughter's head.

"Just until tomorrow night, and then we'll go out just as you wanted," she whispered, just so that even if someone was walking past the door, they wouldn't eavesdrop on her. After waiting for two hours, she said to Eve, "I have arranged for your bath, where no one can see you." said Rebecca, and they stepped out of their room.

As it was night, most of the servants had stopped working on the first floor of the manor. Rebecca made sure that no one saw them, tip-toeing carefully with Eve before entering the guest room at the end of the corridor. The woman was quick to pour salts into the bath so that Eve could soak in the tub.

Once wrapped and dressed, the mother and daughter stepped out of the room. They reached the end of the corridor and used the stairs to get down, only to face the butler.

"What do you think you are doing here?" Questioned the butler, his shrewd eyes staring at the insolent woman. "Don't you know that these floors are for the family's guests, and not for a servant, less a woman of the streets to take a stroll?"

Rebecca let out an internal sigh of relief, thankful that the butler hadn't arrived when they were stepping out of the room. Bowing her head, she apologized,

"Forgive me, for I wasn't aware about it."

The butler's eyes narrowed at their backs, and he then turned to look at the stairs from where they had come. He wondered what they were doing up there. Though the woman said she was exploring this side of the manor, he didn't believe it.

His eyes fell on the woman's hand, and he demanded, "What is that you hold in your hand? Did you steal something from the rooms?"

Rebecca's eyes widened at the accusation, and she shook her head, "I didn't steal anything." She hid the jar from which she had poured salt into Eve's bath earlier.

"Show your hands!" Came the firm words of the butler, who wasn't going to let her leave without inspecting her.

Eve's eyes widened on hearing the butler's voice move one octave higher as if to frighten them. She saw her mother stare at the man and then stretch her hand to show the empty jar.

The butler snatched the jar from Rebecca and looked at the jar that looked old. He asked, "What is this?"

"There were biscuits that I had brought from home," replied Rebecca without losing her composure because there was no way one would know what they were up to.

Not convinced, he turned the top of the jar and stuck his nose inside it.

"It smells like salt," he pulled the jar away from his face and handed it back to the woman. "See yourself back to the servant's quarters. We have guests in the manor, and we wouldn't want them to see you both," the butler glared at them.

Rebecca closed the jar and hurried to the servant's quarters, holding Eve's hand.

While her mother was pulling her, she caught sight of something shabby at the top of the stairs, but she couldn't see what it was. When they reached the room, her mother locked the door and let go of her hand. The woman leaned against the door, placing her hand on her chest as if to calm her heart.

The little girl stared at her mother.

Rebecca only hoped that they would be able to leave the manor day after tomorrow without any suspicion being raised about them. She wondered if she should take Eve for the bath at midnight tomorrow, or maybe it would be better to leave the manor in the evening, she thought to herself.

"Mama scared?" Asked Eve, and Rebecca sat on her knees on the floor.

The woman pressed her lips on her child's forehead, "Never." She would not appear weak in front of her daughter, and she would be strong for her daughter's sake. "I am just glad you are safe."

"Me too," came the small voice, and Rebecca smiled.

"Do you know how precious you are, Genevieve?" Asked her mother. "You are mine and your father's sweetest child."

"Papa too?" Asked Eve, and Rebecca nodded.

"Yes, your father's too. He loved you very much, before you were even born," replied Rebecca, pushing the baby hairs back on Eve's forehead.

Eve's eyebrows furrowed, and she asked her mother in sorrow, "Why won't he come meet me?"

Rebecca's heart sunk in her chest. She didn't know how to explain to Eve about death. "Your father… he's somewhere far. It is difficult for him to come, but that doesn't mean he loves you less," she assured Eve. "Come, sit here with me."

Picking up Eve, she placed the girl on her lap, who laid her head on her chest.

"Never feel that your father didn't want you. He was looking forward to meeting you. He would talk to you everyday. Telling you how much he loved you. To be brave, to never give up, and to believe in yourself. He loved us a lot, he wouldn't want you sad. Remember what I told you?"

"No tears," replied Eve.

"That's right," answered her mother, putting her arms around her. "Aren't you the most understanding child. Remember that after every night, you have morning to look forward to."

Rebecca sang a lullaby to Eve that quickly put the little girl to sleep.

The next day was no different to the previous day. Where Rebecca was summoned to provide her company to the Master of the manor, while Eve was left in her room. Hours passed, and the little girl continued to wait even after evening passed to night.

Eve's mother turned to look at the clock in one of the rooms. She had tried to leave, but the man had stopped her from leaving the bed.

She requested the man, "I should go now. My daughter might be frightened as she hasn't seen me for such long hours, Sir."

The man took hold of her hair, playing with it, "What's the hurry? It isn't like she's living somewhere else, but under my roof. Don't worry, my butler will make sure to feed her."

But that wasn't what worried her. It was getting late, and she had to take Eve to the bath.

Her chest started to drown in anxiousness with every second that passed by with the thought of her daughter being exposed.