Scarred Roses

Chapter 9 - Same House, New People

  Nancy watched the woman in strange clothing with an awed fear. "M-Milady?"

The blonde immediately swung around to face her and watched her with narrowed eyes. "What do you want?" she grumbled curtly.

"His, uh-" Nancy swallowed. "His Grace instructed me to take care of you."

The blonde rolled her eyes and huffed. "Did he now?" she mumbled.

Nancy had been around many ladies that had come here to visit the late Dowager, with their exquisite beauty and their expensive tastes, but none could bring up the awe that she felt for this one. "My, uh, name is, uh, Nancy, Milady..."

Katerina had the urge to snap but stopped herself when she saw the frightened face of the small woman. She calmed herself with a deep breath and said gently, "My name is Katerina Greene. My friends call me Kat."

Nancy eyed her up and down, unsure.

Katerina gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you, Nancy." The maid looked over her attire, perplexed. Kat examined her outfit and then the maid's mourning attire, understanding her puzzlement. She stated awkwardly, "If you are wondering about the black I'm wearing, I have been to a funeral recently myself."

Nancy's mouth twitched into a sympathetic smile. "I, uh, understand, Miss."

Katerina took a step forward and held out her hand. "Again, I'm sorry." Nancy glanced between her face and her hand. "Friends?" asked Katerina earnestly.

Nancy again glanced between the other woman's face and hand. Cautiously, she reached her own hand out and took hers. Katerina gave her a smile and shook their joined hands.

Nancy came to enjoy the smile and then smiled back timidly. "Friends," she confirmed in a small voice.

Katerina let go of her hand and then rubbed her own forearm, saying, "Ok, right now, I have one really important question." Nancy waited, visibly bracing herself. "Do I really have to wear a corset?"

Nancy's eyes widened and she suddenly burst out laughing. "I a-apologize, M-Miss," she stuttered through bouts of laughter. "It's just that the last time someone asked me that, that someone was a child." The maid bent over laughing.

Katerina smiled, a blush covering her cheeks. "It's all right," she said, feeling a little embarrassed, and then bit her lip.

After a minute or two, the maid straightened her stature and breathed deeply. "I'll tell you exactly what I told the child: 'I'm afraid you do.'"

Katerina pouted playfully and then smiled. "I don't think I'll be out of this bedroom for a while, Nancy, so why should I need a corset?"

Nancy's doubts of her being anything but from the norm vanished and she answered, "Our master is stern, but he does try his best to be a good master. I don't think you'll be stuck in here for long." Katerina stole a glance around the room and then looked at the floor. "But you still need to wash. I will find some clothing for you. Proper, mind," she confirmed with a smile.

The maid made a move for the door and stopped when she heard Katerina's quiet, "Thank you." She looked over her shoulder and smiled, big and genuine.

Kat then focused on the room confining her. Cool whites and blues painted the walls, the furniture and the materials. The bed was carved with curlicue design, and so were the chairs, the tables, the wardrobe, quite a few of the ornaments and even the doors. It was definitely a feminine room. Everything was as she remembered it to be. And this was her favourite room when she was a child. It went along with her dreams of being a princess. Her father would be at work from dawn till four or five in the evening and during the day, her mother would take her up to the museum and show her the locked-away rooms.

Kat sat down on the floor in the middle of the great room and leaned back on her hands. She smiled as the memories came back. The room she remembered didn't have as much ornaments as she saw now, and the colour was more radiant. But her mother had always said that she kept all the rooms clean.

She looked at the ceiling; paintings of tiny cupids watch her, some pointing their love arrows, others hiding behind clouds, peeking their tiny heads over the fluff.

The same morning light glowed like the one day that will always be imbedded in her memory. The clouds had dispersed nearly completely and the morning sun that summer glowed brilliantly over the hills...

The golden wheat swayed in the breeze. The trees rustled as the wind carried over the ranges. The eight-year-old ran ahead of her mother toward the great house at the top of the hill.

Her mother followed her, smiling at her daughter. A single strapped bag looped over her shoulder, a few books and two LP's stacked snug into its depths.

Kat smiled excitedly as she jumped up and down at the staff door, once used for the servants as she had recently learnt.

Monique let her shout but prohibited running. She got Kat to hold her hand and then led her to the entrance hall. "There's a gramophone in the entrance hall. And I brought a few things to play on it."

Kat grinned and began skipping instead of walking. "What's a gramophone?"

Monique smiled down at her daughter. "A gramophone is like a CD player but bigger and older. You need big discs called LP's to play on it too."

Kat nodded in understanding. "Can we go to the blue room?" she asked excitedly.

Monique laughed the way a mother would laugh at an adorable child. "You mean the Moon room. Yes, we can go to the Moon room."

Kat squealed excitedly. The marble beneath her feet sent squeaky sounds echoing through the halls whenever her soles came in contact with the ground. Sitting on a table on the far side, was the gramophone, her mother spoke of.

Kat, now stuck in the past, closed her eyes and let the memory take her. The LP her mother had put in was now always been one of her favourites: the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Kat found herself swaying to the memory of the song Hungry Eyes.

She remembered running up the stairs, careful to avoid the fragile things: the paintings of lords and ladies watched her with cold eyes as she smiled and waved. She quickly pushed open the faded white doors and her face glowed with happiness at the sight of her favourite room.

Monique turned up the music to the highest volume allowed and the song Hungry Eyes echoed in the halls. Wanting to make sure her daughter didn't disturb anything in the hall; Monique made her way quickly to the Moon room. And there she was. Kat was in the middle of the room, the morning rays glowed through the windows, outlining her small figure, and she was moving from foot to foot, swaying.

"Hungry Eyes..."

Kat stood and went to the bed as she hummed to herself. She unlaced the left boot first as she sat down on the bed and then worked on the laces on the right boot before pulling them both off.

Just then, the door opened, and Nancy gave her a reassuring smile before starting her routine to pour the bath. Kat watched her pour the water and another few maids followed; very young-looking ones too. They eyed her warily. Tales had already been told amongst the servants of her and younger maids were stereotyped as gullible and superstitious. As soon as they were finished, the maids quickly exited the room, not sparing a frightened look at the strange woman. Nancy set the towels on the table. "If you wish, I will leave you."

Although embarrassed that she would bathe without the barrier of a bathroom door, as she was used to, Kat called out suddenly, "Wait!" Nancy's hand stopped on the door knob and looked around at her. "I... uh... which product do I use?"

Nancy smiled and her hand left the door knob. "There is soap bar for you there in that little basket. Will that do?"

Kat smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Nancy."

"I will give you some privacy."