Calumbra 23 - Book 1: The Maid

10 - Meet and Greet

The weeks went on and on but it seemed Delaware wouldn't wake up. After a week of being in the bedroom as punishment, Trinidad couldn't take it anymore. It was absurd for him to be in his room while Delaware could be wasting away from lack of food and water. He didn't like that one bit and so decided that he was going to sneak out and give her the food she needed.
Just as he was about to sneak out of the window, the door opened and he frowned at Angelica as she gave him a look.
"Young master Trin, please get down from there. You'll hurt yourself."
Trinidad cursed under his breath, hoping Angelica didn't hear, and sat on the bed with a huff. Angelica walked more into the room and headed to the closet that was there.
"Your father says that the Lady Olivia Valmont is on her way to Blackwood Manor and is bringing her son with her, Samson. Your father wants you and Tavit to look your best for her and wants you to play with Samson to occupy his time."
Trinidad was not amused by this revelation. He wondered where exactly Tavit was until he head him growling at someone from down the hall. Sullivan walked in, holding his younger brother by the back of the shirt as he kicked and yelled.
"Put me down, Sully! Put me down this instant." He yelled.
Sullivan did as he said and flopped him down onto his bed and Tavit glared at him.
"That wasn't fair!"
"As fair as kicking me in the leg?"
"If you're hurting me..."
"Boys..."
"Right... See you later, Angelica."
Angelica nodded and sighed as she kept looking in the boys' closet.
"Now then... what shall you wear..."
"Trinidad, I don't want a new mummy. I want the old one. Tell Papa not to give us her."
"Hold your tongue, young master Tavit. If your father heard you speaking like that he would have your hide..." she said, looking at two different shirts.
"But I don't want her! If we have to have a new mummy, then I want Delaware to be her." Tavit said with a pout.
Trinidad nodded and Angelica sighed.
"Young masters, Ms. Tate is a wonderful woman but she is a maid. Maids don't marry dukes and lords..."
"They did in that- that one book about with the fairy in it. Delaware read it to us and it said that it turned her into a pretty girl and the prince fell in love with her. Nyah!"
"Cinderella is hardly a basis for real life. In this world, the real world, those who want success must be willing to cut corners and/or be born into high society. You were blessed with that privilege but none of us who serve you are, including Ms. Tate."
"She's immortal." Trinidad said.
"Yeah! The doctor person said that she has lots of money. She just stays a maid to be me more bumble."
"Humble."
"Yeah, that... Whatever it means."
Angelica smiled a little and finally found two outfits that matched for her masters.
"Here you are, youngins. Put these on and meet your father in the drawing room. He needs to discuss some things with you before you meet Lady Valmont."
Trinidad and Tavit sighed as they put their clothes on.

*****************

The boys opened the door to the drawing room as Dominick wrote something down. He looked up when the boys walked in and he stood up.
"Boys... I'm sure Angelica told you that Lady Valmont is going to be coming here with her son, Samson."
"I don't want a new mama, Papa."
Dominick smiled at his youngest son and sat on the edge of his desk.
"I know you don't, son, but it must be done. I am getting very lonely and you would not like your papa to be known as a rake, would you?"
"What's a rake?"
"It is a man who goes out with lots of pretty women. If I did not marry yet had a women with me, then many would think that that is what I was. It would not be good for you all and it wouldn't be good for me. You would not want that, would you?"
"No... But why can't you marry Del?"
Dominick smiled and rustled Tavit's hair.
"Because Ms. Tate is a maid and I am a duke. Status is, unfortunately, a key part in a relationship sometimes."
"But Del has lots of money, the doctor man said so."
"She might but if she wanted to become someone of high society, she would have done so early on in her... life. Think about it, Tavit. Ms. Tate has lived for hundreds of years and not once has she been really suspected or put on the spot. Why do you think that is?"
"Cuz she's smart..."
"That's true but it's because she has kept a low profile. Being of high society would put her too much in the spotlight and too many people would be around her for too many things. Being someone of a lower class helps her to be forgotten in time, so to speak, and have the ability to walk into the future with no threats of being remembered unless she wants to be. She makes impact where she wants it most."
"Are you gonna tell the new mama about her?" he asked, crossing his arms.
Trinidad slid his own golden eyes at his father to hear his response.
"I'm afraid I must. If she's going to live here with us then she needs to know and understand. We can't leave her in the dark."
"Yes we can." Trinidad said softly as he wrapped his arms around his knees.
"Now boys..." Dominick said sweetly. "I know what happened this past month has left you uneasy about who knows about Ms. Tate or not but I assure you that Lady Valmont will not speak of it outside of these walls."
Tavit looked at Trinidad and sighed.
"I just don't want a new mama..."
Dominick chuckled a little and touched under Tavit's chin.
"I know you don't but you'll learn to at least tolerate her. Please try to behave yourselves when she arrives and be nice to Samson. He's a lonely boy."
"Yes, Papa..." Tavit said halfheartedly.
Trinidad said nothing.

************************

Sometime around noon that same day, there was a message sent out that said Lady Valmont and son were about to approach the manor. Dominick got everyone together as they waited outside the manor to wait for the new arrivals.
The carriage carrying Lady Valmont and Samson came up the road quietly, led by two chestnut horses and drove around the round about to stop in front of the manor. Sullivan ran to open the door to the carriage and held out his hand to help Lady Valmont out.
The first thing that caught the boys' eyes was the radiant red hair that was atop the woman's head in thick, tight curls. Her blue bonnet didn't hide them very well and her matching dress brought out her pale skin. Her blue eyes scanned the people before her and Dominick smiled, holding out his hand to her.
"Lady Valmont, it's so good to meet you again."
"Aye, Lord Blackwood, it's so good to be seein ye too."
Tavit looked at Trinidad as they both turned their heads at her strange Irish accent.
"You have brought your son with you, have you not?"
"Aye... Samson!" she hissed back into the carriage.
She smiled at Dominick as he led her off the step into the carriage and onto the ground. There was a movement in the cab and a young boy a little older than Trinidad poked his head out, blonde curls wisping into his face from an oncoming wind from the rainstorm.
"This is my son, Samson."
"Hello, Samson, welcome to Blackwood Manor. These are my sons; my oldest, Trinidad and my youngest, Tavit."
Trinidad just stared at Samson as Tavit waved at him.
"How about you all play nice and get along while Lady Valmont and I do some talking in the parlor."
The three nodded and Lady Valmont gave an air kiss to Samson as she left.
Tavit turned to Samson and turned his head a little.
"You're older than us." He pointed out.
"Yeah. So leave me alone." Samson growled, walking past the two.