The Master of the House

A footman that was riding on the carriage got down and opened the door. Before he had the door fully open, a woman in a navy Georgian style dress jumped out of the carriage. Her skin was a beautiful shade of Amber and her black curls were bound tight on the top of her head. She wore beautiful, silver jewelry. She looked very important. She immediately came over to the line of servants and addressed them individually. When she got to the triplets she hugged them and smiled. As soon as she got to Yana, she did not even stop, she opened a fan in front of her face and continued walking. She glanced over at Delilah and myself, raised an eyebrow and continued walking up the steps to stand with the small boy. Next, the footman held his hand out to assist another woman from exiting. The first thing I saw was her long gloved fingers grab the footman's hand. When she fully emerged, she was a very thin woman in her late twenties or early thirties. She wore a burgundy and white riding dress that matched her red hair. She had a very sour looking face partially covered by a large, black hat. She stood next to the carriage across from the black dog that growled at her.

The last person to exit the carriage was one of the most extraordinary beings I had ever seen. He was tall and built like a blacksmith. He had beautiful, sunkissed tan skin and frightening bright blue eyes. He had black hair and black stubble that covered a very defined jawline. He was beautiful. When he got out, he surveyed the staff and paused in my direction. At that moment I noticed that I was the only person who had not bowed to him, he must be the Master of the house. I immediately dropped my gaze to the floor and blushed so hot I thought I might faint. I glanced up to see the man had turned his attention to the dog waiting patiently. He knelt down and gave the dog a rub on his belly. I was completely transfixed by him.

"My good man!" I heard Harry say. I looked up to see him running over to shake hands with the Master of the house.

"You're still hanging around, are you?" the Master said in a low voice. It sent a chill down my spine.

Harry lost his excitement and dropped his hands.

"Is that how you treat me? It's been years, you've wounded me," Harry said.

"You'll heal," the man said, short and toneless. He seemed to be a little cruel. He stood and walked past Harry towards the house and towards us.

"Are you ready for the party tonight?" Harry called.

"No party tonight, another time. I have business," he said and stopped halfway down the servants line. He paused a few feet from Delilah and myself to turn and look at the red haired woman who slowly caught up to him. They linked arms together and continued walking. As he passed by Delilah and myself, he said nothing, not even a glance. The red haired woman, on the other hand, made eye contact with me as she walked by. Her eyes were brown and her nose was high in the sky. We all watched them walk up the steps of the house when they were interrupted by a girl yelling, "Stop!" It was Yana.

"Stop!" she said. "Please stop!" The Master of the house turned to her as did the woman on his arm.

"Please!" she pleaded before dropping to her knees. "I've waited so long."

The Master broke the arm link he had and walked back out to the woman. For a moment I thought he was going to hit her with ferocity when he approached her. He knelt down and got eye level with her. He sat squatted looking at her for a moment before he helped her up and whispered something to her. He left her there and entered the house.

I watched Yana for a long time, I could see her breaking from within.

"That's the dog and pony show, everyone, back to your duties. Our party will happen tomorrow," Destiny said and we all went our separate ways. I walked back in with Delilah who could not stop talking about how beautiful they all were. I agreed with her that they were some of the most interesting people I had ever seen, but I was too distracted by Yana. I needed to know what she was hiding.

That night the Master and his guests were all upstairs eating and drinking late into the night. After the servants had all gone to bed, I knew I needed to leave my room again, against my better judgment. I waited for the silence and the darkness of everyone going to bed before I headed into the main house. I walked through the hallways into the empty ballroom. Just as I suspected, the terrace door was open and there was a cold air blowing in. I walked to the door and looked out of one of the windows. There she was out in the moonlight, on her knees with her hands out, just as she was the night before. I opened the door and began to step out onto the terrace when someone grabbed my arm to stop me. I almost screamed and whirled around to see Harry.

"Lord Harry!" I said. "You frightened me!"

"Don't go out there, Miss Cassandra," Harry said. His eyes were dark and he smelled like liquor.

"Why Not?" I asked.

"Because," he started and looked around to see if anyone was watching.

"'Because' is not a good enough answer," I said and turned back to exit. Before I knew it, he had wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him.

"Lord H-Harry?" I said as our faces were inches apart.

"Because you owe me a dance," he said and spun me in circles back into the ballroom. I could barely breathe, I was so surprised when he grabbed me.

"This may be the quietest I've ever seen you," Harry joked.

"I-Stop!" I said. Harry stopped and braced me.

"I'm sorry, I am dizzy," I said.

"Miss Cassandra, where's your head?" he asked with a soft smile.

"It's with Miss Yana," I said and pulled away from him. "There are secrets here, Lord Harry."

"Don't go looking for them, Miss Cassandra," he said and moved towards me.

I stepped further away. I didn't know what to say. I felt like I was losing my trust in him. I shook my head and left the ballroom. I headed back down to the servants quarters and to my room.

The next morning, I was very quiet as Delilah excitedly ran around me. She had been told to deliver breakfast to the Master and his guests. I stood and dressed myself. I picked up the pin I had been given to wear and laid it back down on my bed. After last night I was reconsidering even wanting to stay in this house. I went to the kitchen, ate, and Madam Pytha told me I was to start in the library this morning. I grabbed my cleaning things and headed to the library. I opened the door, set them inside and closed the door. I walked over to the large windows that looked over the grounds and watched the sun finish rising. It was one of the most peaceful moments that I had in this house.

"Hello," I heard a voice from behind me say. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I turned and saw the Master of the house leaning on a bookshelf.

"Oh, my! I'm sorry, I didn't know-excuse me!" I said and walked back to the door.

"Wait!" he said. His voice was so commanding, I stopped and turned back.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Cassandra," I said, trying not to look at him.

"And where do you come from?" he asked as he walked over to the desk in the center of the room.

"N-Norfield," I said.

"Norfield? What brought you here all the way here from Norfield? That's quite the trip," he said.

"An ad for house maids," I said softly.

"Who wrote the ad?" he asked.

"M-Madam Pytha," I said.

"That old buzzard? Unlikely. She would never do such a thing," he said.

"She is the one who approved me for the position," I said.

"Approved you? She's putting out advertisements and now suddenly she commands the power of the Master of the house," he said with a lighter tone.

"No, no I didn't mean-" I started.

"I approve of all who work in my home, Miss Cassandra." When he said my name my whole body shook. There was something about him, but also something enticing.

"I did not intend to insult you, your Lordship," I said, fiddling with my fingers.

"You've done no such thing. Now, a proper audition is in order don't you think?" he asked and sat on the corner of his desk.

I blushed.

"I want every book in this room cleaned, every inch dusted by dinner." I nodded and picked up my cleaning things.

"And don't disturb me," he said finally.