MY POINT OF VIEW…
Chapter One
The advantage of being a servant… (Not just any kind of servant, there is the high class servant and the lowly class servants…well, I fall into the former category...thank God!) is that you get to see life from a very colourful perspective…well, speaking for myself entirely since some very disagreeable servants do not see from my point of view probably because they are without sense if I may say so. They tend to see life as grey and dull which I fervently disagree with. Tonight is a very special night…well; almost every night is special here, what with the balls and all. But today was special special. The daughter of Lord and lady Withbourne was finally being introduced into society…with all the fuss, you will think she had snatched up one eligible victim to get married to…not that the victim won’t be lucky to be snatched, since Annabelle’s dowry was quite a sizable amount. I adore Annabelle, most of the time anyway when she doesn’t think that I will be better off moaning into a man’s ear than by her side. I am her companion after all and she is my best friend. She also had this crazy idea in her head about being my legal guardian once she is married…umph...she is just twenty-two, a good three years older than me. “Olivia….Olivia!” I saw Annabelle bearing down on me with all the air of a mother chicken whose feather had been pulled out. “Yes, Annabelle” I answered slowly, too slow. We already dispensed with the formality years ago since Annabelle insisted I call her by name. “Why in heavens are you dressed like a milk maid when the ball will kick off in about two hours” Annabelle said indignantly. I signed…oh Lord give me patience. “The ball is not for me obviously. It is your debutante ball Anna. Balls are not for me especially this one and I plan on remaining a spinster” I answered her. Apparently she did not hear because she continued. “Nonsense! You have been reading one of those detective books again, haven’t you? I suppose you have. I have asked Rosy to lay out your gown and mine” Annabelle said matter of factly. “Gown? What gown, no gown I own is fit to be worn to one of your balls Anna” I answered her narrowing my eyes at her. “Why, the one I ordered sewn for you from mademoiselle Sophie, that gown” she answered airily. Suspicions confirmed. “You ordered a gown sewn for me? Whatever for?” I asked alarmed. “Olivia Elizabeth…do not tell you do not know what a gown is used for!” Annabelle said outrageously. I ignored her. “But I can’t go to the ball, I have never been to one before” I pleaded. “Good. Let’s have that little problem fixed now my dear. You will be just fine trust me” Annabelle said happily dragging me to her room. I let her drag me as I apprehensively welcomed the impending doom.
I stared at the very beautiful lady in the mirror, why I have never seen her before. I looked back to check on the new visitor. With alarm I noticed that the lady followed my exact movement. What a silly trick! A beautiful lady pretending to be me…well I gave up looking pretty a long time ago when I realised that it was of no use at all. “You look stunning Liv! All those gentlemen will not know what hit them” I look stunning? Bah! A silly joke. Passable…yes…stunning, certainly not! “Anna, there is something wrong with the lady in the mirror, she won’t stand still enough for me to look back, she just keeps imitating my movement like a bloody clown!” I snapped annoyed already. Anna just stared at me as if I had sprouted a second nose. Then she giggled. “you have been reading to much books again, I swear if I see your nose buried in one of those silly books, I will burn them” Anna announced. I looked at the mirror again…I really looked now. She had my blue eyes, my small nose and….that’s is my hair surely! As annoyingly red as ever. I stared at my reflection…me! But what if I get there and I don’t fit in? What if nobody asks me to dance? It will be shameful and disgraceful, that is sure. Then I will never even dream of coming out to society again. “We shall use your given title Livvie to announce you”. Lady Olivia Elizabeth Mortez of Bristlewood. Well, I never! So I am a lady! Hang me for keeping my title a secret. It is shameful to claim a title when the story surrounding that title is disgraceful. My father was a baron. A bankrupt one! He practically gambled all the money before he died. There was no hope. My mother had moved to the country as a recluse hiding from the world. It was scandalous; a bankrupt estate left to a woman who had no idea how to take care of it. So I had come here to withbourne seeking for a job and I had gotten one. I had had to remove that horrible stain from my name- lady- so that I will not be receiving snide remarks wherever I went. What a mess. “They might recognize me immediately, which will be awful Anna, please do not make me go through with this” I pleaded desperately. “They will be too dazzled by your charm to remember some stupid scandal, put on your gloves, I can hear the orchestra already” Anna answered. “Besides I will be there, so you will not need smelling salts to revive you when somebody recognises your name” Anna joked. She opened the door and I followed her hoping she was right. “Anna” I called. She stopped in her tracks to look at me. “Thank you” I said. She smiled brightly at me and pulled me to the top of the staircase.
Anna gave the butler our names. I moved towards the staircase with trepidation. The staircase had never been so scary till now. It looked like a pile of stairs to doom not to the beautifully lit ball room. I looked down at the ball room; I haven’t been noticed yet-good. It was filled with beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen. I guess they were still introducing them self. A lady moved in my line of vision. She was being introduced by one of the highest class members of the ton to a gentle man. She simpered…ugh! Is that what ladies use in trying to charm a man these days? Was that esteemed gentleman simpering right back at her? He was…eww! Why, this place must be filled with simpering idiots who care nothing about them selves save for the fat purse they will get. “…and Lady Olivia Elizabeth Mortez of Bristlewood” I heard the butler announce” Anna nudged me and I responded automatically following Anna’s lead.
