In Victorian England slums, the oldest and quietest girl of four trying to keep a roof over her family's head accepts a job with an odd staff and mysterious employer. Until she finds out all the maids before her are dead and she must face a mystifyi...
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The silence of the night and even a peace to it had us all at ease or it was the drink for Mr. Howard and I could guess what they would be up to since all those to put space between them were asleep yet we remained at the table and I shook my head smiling at their small escape.
"Shall we?" Mr. Howard said waiting for me to continue the game and I put down the Queen of Hearts, Mr. Howard followed it with a King of Diamonds and I ended it with an Ace of Hearts.
"You were born to rule over the likes of male minds," he lowered down both his queens.
"Or maybe two queens is simply not enough to win the game," I replied to taunt him to see if he would approach the subject again or tell me who the lady who had won his heart was.
"Perhaps three oughta do it," he knew what I was doing so he kept me from moving on.
"They say lucky at cards unlucky in love, so where do you consider yourself to be lucky?"
"If that was true how would it apply to you? Have you not found triumph in both?"
"I certainly have not found luck in anything but cards," this caught Mr. Howard by surprise, my honesty.
"Well I cannot claim to pity your soon to be husband for not being loved by you," I did not know if he was pretending to misunderstand me but I could not have been more direct.
"Then what do you claim yourself to be? Lucky or unlucky in cards?" The question left him almost speechless for a time he shook his head put the cards back together smiled though not at me and then answered.
"I believe my luck is of my own making, and that is all I have to discuss with you Lady Alice," he was mad I had even attempted to question him and when I was about to say something else Martha walked back in the drawing room and Mr. Howard was already on the other side of the room.
"Well I guess it is time to go dear friend," Martha said and I nodded defeated by the way tonight had gone.
"Yes of course."
"And who won?" Martha asked as Arthur walked in behind her brushing his hair back.
"Mr. Howard always win unfortunately leaving me and all the rest as the fatalities in his wake," I joked just to make sure he got the message and he turned around to smile for them.
"Well one day we shall triumph over you yet but for now let us collect the bodies and call it a night or day as the sun is rising," Arthur complained and I bent down to get my shoes.
"Let me get mama then," Martha said then while Mr. Howard stared back at me as to demand I stay away from him.
But I was right from the moment we kissed he would be the one to take me down, this man was going to be my undoing and how could he go on with this? To change his mind about marriage from one day to the other? The one thing which even Mrs. Hall said she did not expect him ever to get himself into and if this grand commitment was made what did it mean for us? Was this the proof I needed in order to hate him? To understand how I had been of so little consequence in his life, in his heart? But I did not hate him, I hated what he did but not him though I wished to, it seemed no stone was heavy enough to break my love for him even if I should despise myself for it.
