Chapter 3

The warmth of the sun had given a new life to the golden-green expanse of land surrounding the Ernest Mansion. As far as the eyesight reached, one could find symmetrically aligned fields adorned with corn, hay and rice. They made perfectly parallel patterns on the virgin land; the hues of blue, shades of green, harmoniously blended with the mighty earth like a brilliantly orchestrated symphony. The cool, summer breeze hastily ran through the orifices within the tightly adjoined bush and hedgerow, making gleeful cries along their way, like little children playing with jolly company. The joys of these sights and merry sounds were completely lost on the one who slept blissfully under a sickly old mulberry tree. From the various gifts nature was showering in abundance, she had settled on inhaling the sweet aroma that rode along the vigorous wind. She breathed in and out with delightful abandonment; she slept with her body curled up on her right side, protectively hugging a month old volume of All The Year Round. The copy had come from the Mansion; Emmett usually gave Elizabeth old newspapers and journals which had already been read and pondered upon and she passed them along to her sister, for Francesca was an avid reader. This particular volume of the magazine held much fascination for Francesca, she had been following a serialized story by the name of Great Expectations for almost seven months now and it was nearing to its end. She felt sorry for Pip, the main character of Charles Dickens' (author) story, she felt he was one of her kin, poor, pitied and submissive. The optimist in her wished that he be united with his love, Estella but so far the prospects of that happening appeared bleak.

"Ahem, Ahem", Francesca's wonderful dreams about Pip and Estella's reunion were rudely interrupted by Rebecca's intentionally audible throat clearing.

Awakened from her deep reverie, Francesca tilted her head upwards to see who had disturbed her, the face was indecipherable due to the backlight from the luminous sun. When Francesca started to shade her eyes and squinted her aquamarine orbs, Rebecca took a hint and started to bend down.

"Miss?!" Francesca's expletive was a shriek of surprise and embarrassment.

"Ah...I see you can finally see me! My, how long has it been Franny! Three years! An awful long time, indeed. How have you been? I see you are all grown up now and might I add also, very beautiful!"

"Miss Rebecca, pardon my sleeping here in such unfashionable manner", Francesca replied blushing profusely.

"Water under the bridge my dear! Besides this tree is a significant distance away from the main house, nobody minds your sitting here." Rebecca replied, smiling sympathetically. Oh, this girl was so youthful and vibrant. Rebecca admired her vivaciousness and spirit. Sometimes she wished she was more like Francesca- more artless and natural. She herself had been trained to walk, talk and act a certain way, though she did it all by habit now it became tiresome occasionally. In Rebecca's mind, Francesca was enjoying a more independent, more carefree life; it made her wonder if somehow she wasn't very satisfied with her own situation, she could never really sort it out.

"Oh thank you miss! I am so terribly sorry!" Francesca was still apologetic. She always wondered about Rebecca, what made her the way she was, so unlike her own master- he was strange and ill-tempered and Rebecca was always friendly and kind; even to help. She was a generous spirit. The acute difference between the cousins made her always think of how any two people are so different from one another, Miss Rebecca from Mr. Ernest, she herself from her sister, she also wondered how she and Emett were poles apart, oh wait where has my train of thought gone, Francesca shrugged her head in surprised amazement and pursed her lips in a grim smile. She shouldn't devote her precious thoughts to a man who was her mortal enemy and will remain so till the day of the apocalypse.

"I told you there isn't a need!" after a suggestive pause Rebecca continued, "Will you tell me what you are thinking?"

"Me...thinking? Oh! I wasn't, I really wasn't" afraid that her face might mirror her soul's secrets to her master's relation Francesca tried her best to cover up her little lapse from the present into the world of her wild and active mind.

"You don't wish to tell me" Rebecca was quick to catch on, she held up her hand when she saw Francesca gearing up for protest, "Relax! Don't let me intimidate you. I am not here to badger anyone, just out to get some fresh air and a pleasant conversation." Rebecca gave her a tender smile, a smile that eloquently informed you can share any and everything with me and I'll promise to give it a patient hearing. The gaze was so compelling, the green ruby eyes were so kind and understanding and Francesca fiercely wished to discuss her situation with someone with a certain amount of say in the Ernest household.

"I am to start working at the mansion!" she expelled the words like a person exhaling volumes of air after a deep intake of large quantities of it.

"Really? You don't say! Whose order was it? Don't tell me it was Mr. Samuel Ernest?" Rebecca reached the conclusion all by herself, she couldn't imagine Emett taking any form of interest in the household affairs so she automatically assumed it was her uncle who had put the poor girl in such misery.

"No Miss! It was actually the young master who ordered me to start working in the kitchen, starting tomorrow." Rebecca saw Francesca's eyes brimming with tears, she knew that the girl was a free spirit and it wouldn't be her first choice to carry on with the family tradition of working in the manor but she had no idea the girl would feel so strongly about it, but she did, which meant that Rebecca had to go to Emett and sort this situation out.

"Oh! Don't you get all teary eyed over this, I'll talk to Emett. You'll be out of this kitchen duty in no time!" Rebecca encouragingly rubbed her shoulder, she could see Francesca calming down a little. She continued, "What I can't understand is, when did Emett start taking interest in such trivial matters? I remember him never paying any heed to household management, he was always inclined more towards his work..."

Now it was Francesca's turn to be on guard. She couldn't very well relate to Rebecca the events that had led up to her being given this unpleasant punishment, "I...well...I don't know. I just don't want to work there Miss!" she babbled on, clawing at secondary reasons and completely sidelining the primary one, "I want to do so much more with my life, I do have my residence here but I haven't myself ever worked for the Ernest family. It is my sister's job and I say this with utter respect for all of you but I really can't continue in the same manner like the rest of my family. I aspire for something better in life."

Francesca hadn't meant to say so much, she was finding it very difficult to remain proper and remember her station, it wasn't her, definitely, it was Rebecca surely. Rebecca's manner was so congenial that it felt as though she was conversing with a friend, a confidant.

"I understand you perfectly! I know you are not cut out for this life, Francesca. I have also always imagined you in a better setting, having a better life. You certainly show promise. I will talk to him, you lay your worries to rest", saying this she stood up, this was the first time Francesca noticed her splendid cream and beige gown. In full length, the fabric had flawless flow and had silken white roses sewn at the hemline. Francesca thought she was her fairy godmother, the floral patterned umbrella- also white, was a magic wand in her hand, she was about to make Rebecca's troubles go away, Emett, the merciless Pharaoh was going to lose.