scented in spring

Chapter 1

1842, London England. A ship finally arrived onshore after months on sea.

Miss Lief Ren and her lady maid pearl  chun are waiting for their carriage to convey them to her Uncle's townhouse.
The uncle she never knew, she heard he is an Earl of such. Her grandparents have longed passed away, according to the letter her uncle_ Malcolm John Clifford, the present earl of saintwood sents years ago.
  Her maid pearl turned to her left and pointed out to the beautiful black carriage  coming their way
"Miss look there. I think that's the carriage coming. Oh such a lovely and exquisite thing."  She kept clapping her hands happily and couldn't keep her joy
" Pearls you are right. In London I see that their culture is really different from ours, for instance the carriage"
"Miss would inside be beautiful as  outside"
"Yes it will be, perhaps the seats will be comfortable and soft. My bum needs to rest after these few months on sea. " She demonstrated removing the imaginary  stress off.
The carriage suddenly came to a stop beside them and the footman came down  to open the door
"Miss your carriage awaits you" he stretched his arms to her
Lief beamed at him and tooled the stretched arms
"Thank you my good sir. If I may inquire what may I call you "
He looked up like surprised, he kept staring at her like she hasn't said anything
"How may I address you"
"Beg your pardon "
" Sir am I scaring you" lief asked
" No, miss I'm sorry can you repeat your question"
" No problem. What is your name" she spoke softly this time. She felt he may be startled because of how she addressed him.
She thought "I need to remember I'm in England not in China"
"I'm Peter Paper Madam,  second footman for the earl of Saintwood"
"Nice to meet you Mr Peter Paper. I'm Miss Lief Ren and this my maid and friend pearl" she spoke
" Miss it's not necessary, you are my superior, no need for introduction"
" Nonsense"Lief stoped him before he altered another word
" Mr Paper no need for formalities between us, we are all humans that means we're all equal. Call me by my name"
"Call me pearl" pearls said also
" You so nice Miss....... Lief. I'm glad I met you ladies"
"We happy to meet your acquaintance" pearls replied
They entered into the carried after Peter  lifted them both.
Once the door was shut. The ladies started giggling.
"Miss how do feel"
"I'm amazing and gland we have gotten to London. My lord, pearl do you know what this means. I have thousand of  things to try." She grinned
"Miss are you sure" she asked for the umpteenth times
"Very sure and no one will hinder my plans. I'm so excited. I can barely sit up straight. My first adventure is to dress up as a man and get into their club" staring at pearl with her dreaming eyes
"Miss you are mistaken. You are not thinking straight"
"My head and heart is at the right place. Pearl don't you understand this has been my dreams for years" she held pearl's hands
"What if masters hears about it" she looked up
"We will keep it a secret. No one knows about my plans but you. I trust you not to tell papa"
"What have I done to deserve this. I can't even imagine what will happen if you are caught. The scandal or master punishment."
"Oh pish posh." Lief snugged . "Nothing will happen I promise"
"Miss please think again don't do it. If you are caught, you will be ruined."
"Pearls Don't be a mother hen and trust me"
"But....." Pearls stammered
"Nothing you say will make me change my mind. I've made my decision". Lief raised her chin up
"Okay . If that what you wants but be conscious. I'm scared. I'll never forget that incidence when you dressed as a trollop and went into a brothel. When your identity was exposed and master discoverd. I was scared." She shivered
"Now you mentioned it. I have never seen papa enraged like that. I feared for my person. But look into the bright side that was the only one he discovered. Without your discretion I was able to disguise I try so much adventures. I see no reason why I can't continue with those disguises. As papa is not here to monitor me. So cheer up" lief pat pearls back trying to lessen her fears
Twenty minutes late, the carriage stopped. The door was opened by Peter with his upstretched hands
"Please my lady"
Lief took his hands and came down and pearl in turn.
They were both wowed by the townhouse
Pearl couldn't hold it anymore so she spoke "Miss the residence is different from Yupin Manor"
"You are right, my dear" she took side glands of it.
They both walked side by side to the front door and was ushered inside by the  butler. They passed a long corridor which has paintings of different men.
Pearls spoke softly to her lady" miss who are these men "
Before lief was able to answer, the butler replied
"These painting are the previous earls portraits. From the first to the tenth earl. Which is the present earl"
Lief couldn't help herself, so she asked "can you point out my grandfather"
So he touched one portrait which was last "this is the present earl" and another next to it " and here is the previous earl,  Your grandfather"
So she kept staring at the portrait and so that her uncle and grandfather lookalike.
to the side saloon by the butler.
They kept on walking each inside their own thoughts. The butler who later disclosed his name to be "John Appleton"
Opened a side door and directed us to the side saloon, where the family were already waiting. Lief was greeted with several pairs of almost identical eyes all standing up. She was hugged first by a beautiful, chubby and older woman. Who she guessed most be the viscountess- her mum older sister.  Before Lief could retain her balance a clear a thick chuckle came from beside her.
" Mary, she isn't going any were. You are squeezing the air out of her"
"I'm sorry my dear. Hope I didn't hurt you. I'm just excited. You look like your mum "she sobs and "I miss her"