Escaping The Tragedies Of This Family!

Act 9 - I lost my sidekick

Danielle gasped at the sight before her, a stranger of the streets–on his knee as he pulled out a ring. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he huffed his chest out shoving the ring to her face making sure she saw, "Please marry me!" 

- 

It was a busy day, much like any other at the estate. The sun had barely risen and the air was already alive with the sound of birds chirping. Servants hurried through the corridors, their footsteps quick as they attended to their usual duties. In one room, blankets were being shaken out and washed. In another, the clatter of dishes were being brought back into kitchen to be washed. 

Each person had a task, something to occupy themselves. 

Outside, the gardens flourished under the watchful eye of the gardener, who was busy pruning the hedges, while the stable hands tended to the horses, and in the far east of the estate were knights of the Lovelace family going over their training routines and began sword sparing against each other. Everyone in the manor was absorbed in their daily tasks, yet amidst this bustle, there was one person who seemed out of sync. 

Danielle, Lady Tila's personal maid, had just dropped her second plate that day.

"Danielle! Are you alright?" A young servant rushed over at the sound of the shattering. The girl had dark orange hair that was tightly braided over her shoulder, and she had small green eyes. 

She bent down beside Danielle, her voice laced with concern. "This is the second time today!"

Danielle wiped at her eyes, blinking a little too rapidly, before crouching to gather the broken pieces. "I apologise, Bethany," she murmured, her voice unusually soft. "I suppose my mind's been elsewhere lately."

Bethany placed her hands on her hips, raised a skeptical eyebrow but couldn't hold the expression for long until lips twitched into a cheerful smile. "Out of your mind? You?" she said with a chuckle, squatting down beside Danielle to help clean up. "I've never seen you like this before. You're always so careful, and stern, and stoic, and usually very cold."

Danielle didn't reply immediately. Her hands moved slower than usual, as if weighed down by more than just fatigue. Bethany tilted her head, studying her friend more closely. "Does this have something to do with Lady Tila, perhaps?"

Danielle froze, just for a moment. She glanced at Bethany and pressed her lips into a flat line. Tila certainly had a massive play in her disturbance, but she wasn't the only cause. There were other things, something weirdly exciting in her mind. After a brief pause, Danielle straightened, clutching the broken shards in her hands. She thought to herself, and hesitated whether or not to speak. But something in Bethany's open expression made her feel it was safe to share.

"Yesterday," she began and Bethany looked up expectantly.

"I received a marriage proposal."

Bethany's eyes widened, and she nearly dropped the shards she'd been collecting. "A marriage proposal? From who?"

Danielle moved to the waste bin and gently deposited the broken pieces inside. She took a breath before glancing over her shoulder with a lopsided grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. "A young man by the name of Finley Reed."

Bethany blinked in surprise. "Oh? I don't know the name."

Danielle nodded slowly. "He's a commoner, from the capital. Works hard, though. He's a librarian at Eldridge Library."

Bethany's green eyes sparkled with curiosity. "And what did you say? Are you interested?" Danielle leaned against the counter, arms crossed, eyes far away–she didn't look at Bethany. "I told him I would think about it and reach out before the end of the week."