Here's to Books

"Oh! Miss, I...I'm sorry. I thought..." The pounding of my heart overshadows the laughter coming from Victoria. I turn around with my back to the two lovers and stand straight as I wait for my orders of what I should do because honestly, I have no idea what to do.

"Good bye darling, I hope to see you again?" Victoria's singsong voice comes from behind me and I hear the bed rustle as her 'companion' leaves. 

"Of course, my dear." The door opens and the deep voiced male leaves the room. My face is a crimson color as I slowly turn to see Victoria still in bed trying to mask a small smile. Her curly blonde hair halos around her face and her cheeks are a soft pink. Her ice blue eyes pierce me and she holds my gaze for a moment before she begins to laugh.

"My goodness Mae, you look as if you're about to catch fire!"  I stand in my spot and try to calm the burning of my face. "Grab my robe." She points to the divider where her robe is carefully draped across the top. I grab it and bring it over to her and step back as she wraps the silk around her. I wonder what it would feel like to have silk around you, to be wrapped so tightly in cloth so fine. 

"Mae, it would be a shame if you were to mention this to anyone. I wouldn't want to lose my favorite little servant." She pinches my cheeks as she walks past me, but her eyes hold a warning I wouldn't dare contradict. Victoria is known for her cruelty, having fired her last three maids I stand to be the longest lasting one. I would like to say she has a liking towards me, but with Victoria, you never know what she thinks. 

"N-no ma'am." 

"I mean I truly would hate if Liz lost her position, it would be a shame." My chest begins to burn with anger and I try to push down the fury that rises. Victoria always knows the soft points of a person, what matters most to them. She walks behind the divider and drapes her robe over the top again. I see her silhouette slide into the warm water. 

"A shame, yes it would be." I repeat.

"Ah, yes. I'm glad we see eye to eye on this situation." I roll my eyes and walk over to the closet to begin to pick out her dress for the day. Her closet is the largest in the country holding over three hundred dresses. How they fit them all in here, I have no idea. It's a true masterpiece of packing in my opinion.

"Mae, I would prefer to wear a blue dress today. Scott loves blue, he says it compliments my eyes." I guess Scott is the man she was with this morning. I walk over to the blue section of the closet and begin to sort through them. My heart constricts with jealousy as I look down at my drab outfit consisting of a tan skirt and white blouse with a white apron. 

"Miss. Mae, which would you prefer? The green would compliment your eyes, but I think this soft pink would really go well with your figure." My maid walks out from the closet bearing two dresses, each a plain color but elegantly designed. 

"Whichever you think would look best I shall wear." My maid smiles and goes to put the green one back in the closet. After a few minutes of pulling and straining, the pink dress is settled on my frame. I stand before the mirror admiring the way it caught the light and fell across the floor. I look tall and slender in the soft blush color, and it causes my brown eyes to warm.

"Oh! Miss. Mae, you really do look beautiful."

"Mae! Would you come here with my dress!" Victoria's shouts are never ending and I rush over with a deep blue dress. I find Victoria waiting behind the divider.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I couldn't decide which one. I think Scott will enjoy this one."

"Don't you dare say his name." She hisses as she pops her head around the divider, "Consider yourself lucky that you even have the position you have after what you're father did." I allow myself to stand taller at the mention of my father, only Victoria knows what truly happened, how she found out I am not entirely sure. 

"Sorry, ma'am." I mutter as I begin to help her into the dress. 

It takes Victoria roughly an hour and a half every morning to get ready for her day. We start at six and end at seven thirty which is thirty minutes before breakfast. She stops in front of the tall mirror admiring the way the A-line dress hugged her figured and caused her blue eyes to pop. She then leaves through the front entrance to her room without a word. I stay behind to pick up the mess that was made from the morning, and last night. I was surprised to find Victoria with another man in her room. She is an awful person, but the shame she almost brought to her family I never thought she could be capable of. Some people just never understand the limits.

Once the bedroom was in order I head back downstairs to see if Liz has any work for me to do. I find her sitting next to the fire reading a book, which is strange because usually she is always doing something.

"Liz, I was wondering what needed to be done." I stand before her trying to decipher the front of the book.

"Mae, it's a Tuesday deary. It's market day. I was thinking you could go for me today, me old knees can't 'old out anymor. I would stop by the stables, if I were you, and see if Stephen 'as a 'orse you could use. 'E usually doesn't but ya never know." Liz never once looks up from her book as she talks. My heart flutters as she continues to read. The market, never have I been to the market by myself. Come to think of it, I've never left the estate without Liz. I run up to my room and grab my long coat off the hook, the only one I have. I rush downstairs and out the back door.

"Wait deary! I 'ave a list!" I rush back and grab the list from Liz and head towards the stables. Once there I find Stephen sleeping on a pile of hay.

"Come on Stephen, you can sleep when you're dead. I have to go out today and I hope you have a horse that could help me." Stephen slowly sits up rubbing his eyes and looks at me with a puzzled look.

"You, going out? Are you sure you can handle that? You're not going to...you know..." He looks off into the distance with a blank expression on his face, his eyes widened as he tries to mimick the expression I normally wear.

"Oh stop Stephen, I won't day dream if that's what you mean. This is a time I want to actually remember. Now, a horse please." I laugh as he bows low,

"As you wish your highness." He disappears into a stable and brings forth a white horse with black spots on its belly. I watch as he attaches a saddle and harness to the horse.

"This one is the best-behaved one we have, never had any problems with her." I watch as the horse calmly waits for Stephen to finish up and then I have the reins in my hand. The horse stands still as I mount it and begin to ride off.

"Bring me back an interesting story!" Stephen shouts as I kick the horse to take off. I only allow a little laugh but my heart pounds as I rush off into the morning fog hoping that today is the start of something grand.