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( may 1832 )
NEARLY SIX MONTHS PASSED since Corinne began working in service, and in that time, she found that there were many things she liked about it.
For one, she got a glimpse into the life of the bourgeoisie, something that she'd been curious about since she was a young girl. It was a lot less exciting than she thought it'd be— mostly dinner parties and talks of politics that, when she was able to eavesdrop on the conversations, she understood nothing about— but she couldn't complain. Her life was better than most, even if she had to spend much of her time in the company of insufferable bourgeoisie.
On one particular afternoon, the large and grandiose manor was full of life, for the man of the house was currently holding his annual spring luncheon. It seemed as though the entirety of the city was in attendance at what many deemed the largest social gathering of that year thus far.
Servants hurried to and fro. The chefs and kitchen maids were hard at work ensuring that every guest had ample amounts of refreshments and hors d'oeuvres, while the senior valet, Pierre, was spending all of his time in the shadow of Monsieur Guillaume as he mingled with some of Paris's most powerful figures.
Some of the servants, including the housemaids, were pleased to know that their duties didn't come until after the luncheon, when they would be expected to clean up after the guests. Until then, they were expected to follow their usual routines within the home, making sure to stay out of sight of the powerful men and women currently occupying the back garden.
Young Corinne was one of these lucky servants. Although she wasn't looking forward to the mess she would be expected to clean (she quickly learned that the bourgeoisie were some of the biggest slobs she had ever known) she was grateful that she wouldn't have to spend the afternoon kissing the shoes of egotistical Dukes and Viscounts.
The first part of her afternoon was spent tidying up the foyer, which was left with trails of dirt and stray leaves littering the floor after the amount of traffic that had traveled through upon the guests' arrival. Monsieur Guillaume wished for the entryway to be completely spotless by the time the luncheon was over. Afterwards, she moved on to do the same to the mudroom at the back of the home. There, she was able to look out the large windows and into the garden, catching a glimpse of the activities going on outside.
A small band was playing not far from the door. The butlers made their way around the garden with trays of lemonades, whiskeys, and small finger-foods balancing gracefully in their hands. For a moment, Corinne found herself wondering what it would be like to be among the people fortunate enough to attend such a leisurely event, but she was quickly pulled from her thoughts when the back door opened and a butler slipped inside the home carrying an empty tray.
