To Love A Myth - Book 1: Mr. Higgs and the Maid🎩✔️

11

A couple of weeks went by and the closer it got to Boston's party, the more excited Higgs seemed to be. Merida was happy to see her employer looking so excited and happy for once.

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"Ye seem to be happy to be leavin the house, Mr. Higgs. I didnae take ye to fancy parties."
"I usually don't but it's just that it's almost half the month and I haven't turned into a merman at all. You don't know how much a feat that is, considering the circumstances. I mean, I still turn in the bath but that's to be expected due to water being involved but this is the first time I can recall where I haven't changed due to untoward circumstances like being pushed into a puddle or it raining or something. You don't know how happy I am to just be able to walk around be me! I only get that two months out of the year! Two!"
Merida smiled as she molded some crust to a pie pan.
"Well, I guess being fully human tends to make ye take it for granted."
"It shouldn't be something one takes for granted, but yes, it is kind of like that. What kind of pie are you making?"
"Not sure yet. I was going to go to the market and see what fresh fruits they have down there. Do ye have a request?"
"Cherries if they have them. I haven't had a proper cherry pie in a while."
"Do ye want a pie or tarts? I'm in a baking mood."
Higgs put his finger to his chin. "That's a devilish choice... would you be inclined to both?"
"Cherry pie and cherry tarts?"
"I like cherries."
"I'll see what they have at the market. Since I havenae seen ye turn into it, are there things ye can do as a merman like the way ye were as yer snake and such?"
"There's not much that can be shown on land. I get a black scaled tail though with bright coloring in the light with see through fins at the end. Some of the scales come up my back and around my arms. My eyes tend to get really big and I develop gills on the side of my neck but I can still breathe regular air. If I do go underwater, I can breathe it just fine. I can also talk to fish, but that's neither here nor there..."
"Can ye control them?"
"Not really. I could ask them to do something but they wouldn't make fishing any easier. If someone said 'jump above water and land on that dock up there', you'd see that as a threat."
"Aye, that be true." She said, wiping her forehead. "Well, that's done. Now I have to go to the market."
"I'll come with you."
"Ye wouldnae want to mess up yer streak now would ye?"
"Do you plan on throwing me in a puddle or fountain?"
"No..."
"Then I don't plan on changing. Besides, I need to get you a proper dress for the party as well as some other dresses. I don't think you want to have your dress taken off again, do you?"
"It was kind of fun."
Higgs laughed at her and started to leave the kitchen.
"It's time you had your own wardrobe, Ms. Dunbrough. We can deliver the rest of Gretchen's sackcloth together and dump it in a big heap in front of her employer."
"Oh, that reminds me, I forgot to tell ye that the lady of the house, a Ms. Hinkley, told me to tell ye hello."
"Hinkley?" Higgs looked up, trying to remember the name. "The name sound familiar but I just can't place the face..."
"I couldnae tell ye what or when of it anyhow."
"I'm sure she'll be at the party... Gretchen as well."
"How do these people end up going to these high class events? I mean, I ken what ye're doing with me, but she's a maid."
"No, a lot of the women we suggest out to other homes we suggest at higher wage and better jobs. Governess, head maid, personals... whatever the house chooses. The people of the house can invite them to the party if they so choose and if this Hinkley woman is still unmarried, then her parents will definitely have Gretchen be with her as a chaperone and companion."
"Ah, I see..."
"Either way, we need to make sure you look much better than Gretchen. And if you can find a way get into her room, we can just deliver the sordid lot into her own room where she can rip them into little confetti pieces on her own time and money."
"May I inquire as to how much money ye invested in those cheap dresses?"
"Not much. As I said before, I had a feeling about her, so I made sure not to spend too much on her. She thinks they are made of real silks and such but I asked the seamstress to make it out of a fabric similar. They are experimenting, you know."
"Aye. Well, if we're to go to town then let's get dressed."
"We can take the carriage. I hardly get to. Ooh! And I get to wear my top hat-"
"Please dinnae wear that. Ye look like ye stole if from yer pa and are parading it about. It's too big for yer head."
"Aw..."
"For my sake and yers."
"I'm bringing the cane then."
"What use is the cane if ye dinnae have the hat? Ye cannae look dapper if ye're half dressed. Leave the cane and hat and the monocle. Just go as yerself, Mr. Higgs, no one will care. Besides, with the luck ye're running, something is bound to get ye wet and ye willnae be in yer clothes for long."
"You're not very cooperative this morning."
"I'm just trying to make ye see some reasoning. Go along then."
Higgs made a face at her but left and she smiled after him.
"He truly is only ten and nine summers..." she thought with a smirk.