Truncumque Lizzy

''Sir Straud, there is a man who wishes to see you, should I let him in?''

''What man? I am not expecting anyone...''

''He did not say his name, though he told me that he has come here to talk about Stephanie, your daughter, but I explained him that you have no daugh-''

''Let him in quick! Why are you still standing here?! I said go and don't let anyone interupt us!''

I got out of the Count's office in a hurry, what had got into him of all the sudden? I walked down the stairs, got to the front door and opened it,

''The Count is waiting for you upstairs at his office'' I said.

The strange looking man stepped in and without speaking a word, he went to the Count's office. From the moment I saw him I thought there was something wrong about him.

I went to the kitchen, downstairs, where I found Miss Katherine, the main housemaid.

''Lizzy, where have you been?'' she told me,

''To the Count's office, he has a visitor today, he is upstairs, this very moment, didn't you see him?''

''Oh no, I was in the kitchen all day. Oh dear, you must go offer the Count's guest some water ... something, quick!''

''But the Count specifically said that no one should interupt them!''

''Nonsense! You get up there now and ask for what the both of them would like to drink or something, you know the job!''

''But Miss Kath-''

''I said now!''

''Alright, I'll go''

And so I made my way back upstairs, reached to the Count's office, entered the office's lobby and stood there for some moments. I froze in place as I tried to make out the words behind the shouts.

- I know, I know eavesdropping isn't good, but I'm just a young maid, it's in my nature. To those now laughing or smiling I shall not let you in what I heard, not yet. I heard enough though-

I tried to close the door without making a sound. ''Monstrous!'' I thought. Imagine the insanity to do such a thing while... but listen! The Count's office door is squeaking, there is someone getting out, unsuccessfully trying to remain hidden, just like I did. He looks like a dark man, dark as his dids. Wait, this is the man to whom the Count was talking to, that strange looking man, but what of the reason to make such a man step on his tip-toes to hide himself behind a veil of silence? As he was making his way through the big hall, to the stairs, where I was hiding myself. Fear was born in my heart. '' I must not be found'' I whispered and ran downstairs, inside the living room, right behind the big library.

I stood still over there till the moment I heard the front door closing. Relief, the feeling that I now have. I went to the kitchen with the desperate need for water. As I was drinking, my thoughts had flown far away from the man and all the worries... Poor me, and imagine that none of this was over....yet. Suddenly, I felt a warmth behind me. I turned around and saw him again, standing before me, holding roughly in his hands a double-blade axe. The glass fell off my hand.... so did the head from my shoulders. What had I done to deserve such a terrible and merciless death?