The Knight family.

Antoniette changed into a maid's uniform and accompanied Louisa around the house while holding a tray of cakes and tea as she walked through the rooms with awe, sighting the most lavish and sophisticated furnishings that she had seen in her life. She kept reminding herself to close her gasping mouth as the maid beside her whispered in a low tone after leaving the room. "Since you are new here, you must be briefed about the residents of this house and their characters in order for you not to get into trouble. Let's talk a walk down the history lane if you do not mind...."

"The Knight family is the most wealthiest and influential family here in Eastleigh and they have been for many generations before now. The former master died a few months ago and his son has just succeeded in taking over as the new owner of the Knight fortune. His name is Aidan Knight." She pointed to a room at the far end of the corner and lowered her tone in a dreamy state. "It will be very easy for you to spot him as he is the most handsome and gallant man I have ever seen in my life. I am sure not many men here can be compared to him."

"I see." Antoniette reminded herself to not emulate her new friend's behaviour as she had been constantly remembering the warning her aunt gave her before she entered the mansion. She couldn't be bothered by these superficial things, her family was more important.

"Unfortunately, that is where the good traits of the family ends." Louisa looked back and forth to make sure no one was listening to their little conversation before she proceeded to say. "He is the only son but has two sisters who are twins, Lady Evelyn and Eloise. Those women along with his mother are not people to be trifled with if you want to keep this job. You must be very careful when you are serving them, do not let them find any fault in you."

"I will heed your words of warning, my dear friend." Antoniette nodded twice to show her attention and asked her. "Are they the only ones living here or are they any more relatives...?"

"There used to be a second branch of the Knight family which belonged to the former master's younger sister but they were driven out when he died and only the son was allowed to stay per the late master's will." Louisa took the tray from Antoniette's hands and placed it on a table when they entered one of the rooms before closing the curtains in order to block the harsh sunlight peeking through the open windows. It was only when she was done with the task and was about to leave the room before she said. "His name is Finley Knight and he is a renowned womanizer so stay away from him. Although he is also a very charming bloke, he has taken the jobs of so many young maids after taking their hearts and I heard that you need this job badly, my dear."

Antoniette clenched her fists in surprise, growing slightly uncomfortable with the idea that everyone in the house knew about her condition and she was sure that this information could have only come from her own aunt. "That is true, Louisa. I need this job to help my mother and brother relocate to a better town. That's why I will do my very best to keep this job, don't worry."

For some reason, Louisa's eyes softened with pity as she smiled at Antoniette and held her hand to comfort her. "You are not the only one who is in a desperate situation, my dear friend. This work is tough but it keeps my father healthy for one more day even though his illness worsens. He is the only family I have. Without him, I would be alone in this cold, hard world."

The two women shared a bright smile with each other that seemed to contrast with their reddened eyes, sharing each other's lives before they arrived in the Knight mansion. Louisa spotted someone incoming and quickly wiped away her tears and helped her friend to do the same as she whispered something softly. "Lower your head and curtsy immediately. Those two ladies approaching are the new master's sisters, Lady Evelyn and Eloise."

Antoniette cast a brief glimpse on the two approaching figures approaching them and moved to the side to curtsy until they arrived. One of the ladies stopped in front of them and tilted her head slightly to look at her before she ordered her raise her head. She was slightly surprised to see how thin and frail these ladies looked even though she couldn't deny that they were indeed astonishing beauties. One of them had blonde straight hair that was tied in a sleek updo held by several hair accessories and the other had curly brown hair that was styled into a loose but pretty bun that allowed several long ringlets of hair down her face. The one with the blond hair said in a high pitched tone that nearly deafened the poor maids' ears. "Louisa, who is this maid? I have never seen her in the house before."

After receiving a slight approval from her friend, Antoniette stepped forward to introduce herself in a humble manner. "Greetings, my ladies. I am Antoniette, a new maid recruited by the Head Maid. I just arrived this morning."

The brown haired woman commented indifferently as she inspected her nails. "This morning? Poor Lucienda must be suffering if she managed to recruit a new maid a few hours after we fired the last one she brought."

The blonde haired girl whispered to her sister with a voice full of surprise and envy. "Eloise, look at her. She is very pretty, isn't she?"

Eloise dismissed the two maids away and then proceeded to enter her room when her sister stopped her in the tracks once again and whined. "Didn't you not here what I just said? That maid-"

"What are you yapping about again, Evelyn?" Eloise could not hold back from snapping at her twin when she realized that the latter had failed to get the message. She sat down and sipped the tea that was dropped in her room calmly before explaining. "Even if she is as beautiful as a goddess, she wouldn't last a month under Cousin Finley's eyes. We just need to make sure he sets his attention to her and he will take care of the rest."