The Allure Of Love (Sample)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Elizabeth POV

We got home either late that night or very early that morning. Juliana hummed and sang to herself as she walked up the staircase. She was probably still buzzing from her dance with Tim. Or maybe it was all that champagne I saw her sneaking like some saloon girl.

 No one noticed my quiet sulking. They were used to my silence. My mother had embedded this into me as a child. I could practically here my mother explaining that silence was a beautiful virtue in a woman. Within minutes everyone was quietly sleeping in their rooms.

 I walked all the way to the kitchen to get myself some tea. I could hardly see, but I allowed my hands to guide me. I ran my hands over these same tapestries my whole life. The servants were all gossiping and laughing while they peeled potatoes for tomorrow night’s dinner.

 The room fell hushed when I stepped in. My personal servant Lydia came over to me asking if I wished for something. "I would like tea with some honey.”

For a few minutes they talked about the weather and different dishes, but soon they slipped back into gossiping again. I sat on one of the stools in the corner and watched my kettle heat up. I didn’t have enough energy to chastise them for speaking about my class of people in such a manner.

"Ya know I heard that a servant for Jake Dallas was caught with him in the coat room" came the husky voice of the head woman. "Noooo" came every ones reply. Lydia dropped my cup of tea and sent boiling water spraying the floor. 

Lucy the head maid began apologizing to me and poured me a new cup. 

"Lydia perhaps you should retire to bed, you look most ill.” I remarked.

I left the kitchen and could hear the scolding and shattered glass being moved about for a few minutes, and then a hushed silence settled over the house.  Slipping into my bed I realized sleep was the first pleasant thing that was going to happen tonight. Oddly that was fine.