The Great Escape

Chapter- 5

A/N: Double updates today! :)

"I apologise for making such a mess." Lady Kiara bent down to take a hold of the tray with pastries. "I will help you out with this. One of you should come with me with the other tray."

Misty and Ada were quick to stand up, "My Lady! No! You can—"

"Oh shush, let me be of some help." She smiled at them, her big, brown eyes shining as she flashed her pearly teeth at them.

"Now be quick, the tea is getting cold."

The maids looked at each other, then sighed, giving in to the Lady's persuasion. She was walking away with the tray, anyway.

A rare moment of mutual understanding between the two maids and Ada went ahead to wipe the floor of the hallway while Misty accompanied the Lady to the hall.

After she was done, Ada put the mop inside the bucket and went to the supply room. She dumped the water in a small tank made in the backyard of the mansion on her way out.

Placing the mop back securely in its designated place in the supply room, Ada reached the kitchen to find a sulky Mrs Smith standing near the stove.

"Ada, you brought the lamps to the guest rooms in the old wing?" She questioned upon seeing Ada.

She bowed. "Yes, ma'am."

"Come along, then, you have another chore." The grey-haired woman swiftly moved out of the kitchen like a ghost. Ada threw a quick glance at Misa and then stumbled behind the old lady.

They manoeuvred their way to the guest rooms upstairs, passing through the stairs located near the backdoor. The servants often used this as the noble family did not like the idea of servants and maids using the main hallways and staircases.

The stairs opened into a small storeroom, which was located at the furthermost corner of the first floor. Ada stepped out from the room, following Mrs Smith closely and then turned left. Passing three doors, Mrs Smith finally stopped in front of a mahogany door and pushed it open to reveal a big guest room.

Ada was generally not allowed to work in any of the floors upstairs. She was assigned to wash clothes, help in the kitchen, iron clothes, mop the floor downstairs.

Regardless, that did not stop her from making her way upstairs to explore the mansion in the middle of the night to gain as much familiarity as possible in case of any emergency. It was a lesson her grandmother had taught her and repeated it from time to time.

"Wherever you live, know the doors to enter. Figure out the ways to exit. No place is safe. Safeguard is only an illusion." She had heard her grandmother's voice in her head the first time she had entered the mansion, hot on the heels of the Young Master.

The numerous stories her grandmother had narrated to her about the Dukes and Princes to Counts and Warriors, even Gods, losing their lives; or worse, the battle against the evil, only because of the tempting facade of security: they always kept playing in her head like a loop of memories.

This paranoia resulted in her nightly ventures. She almost got caught red-handed once, but Mrs Smith had saved her hide. She got an earful after that, however.

But, she had not been to any of the rooms— except for that of Countess Monroe's— where she always had her eyes trained to the ground in the fear of invoking the rage of the fiend.

Ada sucked in a sudden breath at the sight of the lavish room. It was spacious with a big bed situated in the middle of it, with lush scarlet blankets settled on top of it.