Rose of royalty

IX

One hour into the flight and we were due to land at Glasgow airport, it was now 8pm at night and I let everyone else get off before me so the plane was less crowded. When the plane was half empty I got my bags from the over head locker and walked down the aisle way to the front of the plane walking of and through the tarmac. I walked nervously out passing all the terminals na seeing other people either board or leave their gate. I walked through texting mum and she said that a man named Sebastian and a girl named Tamika would be waiting.

I walked out and past the baggage collection area seeing a girl waving at me, I walked over and she ran up to me with an excited smile on her face. "Oh my god lady Catherine it is so nice to finally meet you" she squealed with a quick bow, "nice to see you my lady" a tall slim man said as he respectfully bowed. "You must be Sebastian?" I asked and he gave a single nod, "yes ma'am" he said as he reached for my bags. "Oh I can carry them" i said and he shook his head, "no please ma'am I insist let me carry them" he said and I didn't protest I let him carry them. "My lady it's so nice to finally meet you" Tamika said with the biggest smile, "I hope you enjoy your stay my lady and I'm at your service" she said clapping excitedly. She was so cute and very young for a lady's maid, "it's very nice to meet you" i said to Tamika and she seemed very eager.

We walked to the car and I sat in the back with Tamika and Sebastian went in the drivers seat, "what does my lady like to do in her spare time?" Tamika asked as she sat calmly with her hands clasped in her lap. "Watching movies, reading and walks" i said and she was very intrigued, "that all sounds like fun" she said as she opened her window a tiny bit. "Tamika darling perhaps give miss Catherine time to settle in and go help your step father in the kitchens" Sebastian suggested. "Okay" Tamika said in a whisper seeming embarrassed, "nothing to be embarrassed about Tamika" I said showing her a smile and she looked you at me smiling back.

We drove up a secluded drive way with trees surrounding it and it spiralled upwards until it reached a mansion. That stood on acre's of land white brick victorian house that looked to be built in the eighteen hundreds. The roof was an olive green and the gardens looked well maintained and tended to. The car pulled up onto the pavement and I saw an older man with four servente behind him. Two female and two males servants standing respectfully, the door opened and Sebastian assisted me out of the car. "Ah my my beautiful niece, how are you?" My uncle James greeted and hugged me as he asked pulling away looking at me. "Had better days" i said and I looked at the servants respectfully curtsying or bowing, "I see you've met Sebastian and lady Tamika" my uncle said smiling at them. "Yes uncle" I said bowing my head, "Tamika will show you to your room and Tamika if you'd like to show my niece around" uncle James insisted and she nodded walking up to me.

"Oh my bags" i said turning around and uncle Jackson placed his hand on my shoulder, "I'll have the servants bring them to your room for you" he said and I went to protest but he held his hand up. "Come on my lady" Tamika said eagerly grabbing my hand and taking me inside, we walked in the main hall and I was looking at the different paintings and decorations. "It's so modernised yea elegant" i said looking at the brass framed mirror, "over here is the grand staircase" I heard Tamika say and I looked up seeing the many steps branching off. "I'm so unfit for this" i said looking at the stairs and I heard Tamika laugh beside me, "do you wanna see the fancy stuff first or the not so fancy stuff?" She asked.

"We'll I am quite hungry but I could do with something simple like a sandwich" i said and she squealed hurriedly and excitedly taking me to the kitchen. He walked through a side door leading to a smaller set of stairs and Tamika grabbed a flash light from the wall and turned it on, "usually there's light but it's in the middle of being fixed" she explained. We made our way to the kitchens opening the door to the left seeing few people by the stoves and working on the counters. "Mum" Tamika called and an older lady turned around opening her arms allowing Tamika to run up to her and hug her. I tried to keep a smile not showing how much pain I was in from having a drug induced mother and the childhood I had.

"Mum this is lady Catherine" Tamika said holding her hand out to me, her mum curtsied greeting me. "Hello my lady my names Alexandria" the older lady said introducing herself, "it's nice to meet you" i said with a smile. "Where's Stephan?" Tamika asked as she looked around behind her mother, "getting things out of freezer honey" Alexandria told her. Tamika ran towards the freezer as an older man emerged and he hugged her lifting her up as she hugged him tightly. I looked at Alexandria as she watched on seeing her daughter hugging her father, "Stephan is her stepdad" Alexandria said and I looked over at her surprised. "You got remarried?" I asked and she shook her head.

"It's a long story" she said still smiling at her daughter and husband, "I was once a lady in waiting" she said and I sat on the kitchen counter. "Really?" I asked intrigued and Tamika came running over as Stephan tickled her. "Mum where's the bread and toppings?" Tamika asked as she came running. "The big pantry sweetie" Alexandria said and she made a run for it, "Catherine what was your life like?" Alexandria asked as she passed me a glass of water. "Normal I had a job and worked and you know paid bills and lived a quiet life" I explained and she seemed impressed. "So this must be a big adjustment?" She asked and I nodded taking a sip of the water she gave me.

"It really is but please I'm happy to help here, I love being kept busy" i said and she smiled, "not all the time though" she said smiling. "Well at least sometimes" I said and she nodded agreeing, "here you're Catherine" Tamika said as she came running with a plate with a sandwich in her hands. "Thank you" i said and took a bite of the sandwich enjoying the simple food yet so tasty. I looked seeing Tamika eating a sandwich of her own, "you girls enjoy yourselves" Alexandria said as she left the kitchens.

"After we eat we can go see your room" she said as she drank a glass of cordial.