Unfathomable Phantom (COMPLETE)

XIII. friendship over?

Chapter 13

Judy and her husband, Jacob are already gone by morning because they have some personal business to attend to. Judy kissed me goodbye and assured me she'll be back as soon as possible.      

"Don't worry, I'll buy you a gift," Judy said just before she left.

"That's not really necessary, Judy," I replied. I am kinda shy to let someone buy me gifts although frankly speaking, I am excited because I have zero clues on how Victorian ladies give gifts.

I mean, letting me wear her beautiful pink ball gown last night was far more than enough. Really.

Half of me is wishing she'll give me a book for I miss reading so much while another half of me is wishing she'll just throw me one of her beautiful gowns for I am growing tired of wearing this boring maid's uniform.

Call me ungrateful but it's just the way I am.

For today's work, Martha asked me if I could clean the living room instead of washing the dirty dishes.

I instantly gulped when I heard her say that being in-charge in the living room means you'll have to pay for whatever fragile things you'll break. Living room is where all the treasures can be found so that the guests would drool about it.

Making sure I'm alone, I let out a loud sigh as I stroll towards the Victorian paintings, clutching the feather-dust hard. Sighing in public is considered inappropriate so I need to watch my actions more carefully.

It perhaps took me about half an hour to finish two enormous paintings, for I cannot stop myself from sneezing because of the dust the paintings had gathered. I replied with a broad smile at the sight of two dust-free landscape paintings.

After the paintings, I proceeded to the hardest yet prominent part which is cleaning the delicately-made vases. I began with the smallest one up to the biggest.

I guess I am so focused on my work to the point I didn't notice someone enter the room and hollered, "Hurry up with those, you dim-wit,"

And since I am really, really easy to scare, I let out a scream and accidentally drop the vase I am wiping.

My eyes widened at the sight of the shattered vase. The horrifying sound it created was the result of maids rushing towards the living room, eager to see what just happened so that they would have something to gossip about.

I look up from the person who spoke to me that made me drop the vase. Standing in front of me is an unfamiliar smirking woman.

I have this huge urge to stand up and scream in frustration for I know Miss Dolores and Martha would be angry at me for this. This single vase probably worth more than my life and my after life. Heck, I don't even know how much my salary as a maid is.

Instead, I kept my eyes on the woman who is responsible for all this. She raised her right brow at me as if challenging me to do something worth-gossiping about. Her arm crossed.

Plus, how dare she call me a dim-wit?

She's wearing the same uniform as mine but I can tell hers is different. It has a touch of superiority like the one Miss Dolores wears. Also, judging from her looks, she's probably around her mid-forties.

I was about to open my mouth to channel my frustration when we heard a loud scream behind us.

My eyes automatically scanned the room to see where that horrifying scream came from. And there it stood Martha, eyeing the wrecked vase in my side.

Dozens of maids are still staring at us, enjoying the show. Most of them began looking at me as if I am an unworthy soul for they began to raise their brows at me, followed by snickers.