Serendipity

Chapter Two

Genevieve.

   Even while in as an incredibly elaborate room as this was, all I could look at was my mother's pale, boney face, bed ridden and surrounded by cushions and bedding. The world did not care for kind people. The saints of this world were not rewarded.
   As I sat there, I contemplated. How little power anyone truly had, no matter how much land my father owned, how large his treasury grew, he would always render powerless to someone, something. How no matter what I did now, Mother would die, and Father's anxiousness to find me a suitor would betray my mother's wishes.

   Maids were always hustling about this miserable room, darting back and forth with fruit and water and tea to which Mother would always refuse. One of them though, always knew what Mother wanted, Maude, she was called. She'd been here quite a long time and was Mother's favourite; resulting in her being ordered to shift all duties to taking care of her. My father objected to this, claiming that we were already short for staff, leaving only two scullery maids, one cook and Father's butler to care for the rest of us.
   "Don't you worry, Sir, my sister's daughter is just old enough to join your services, and she's a fine cleaner and a hard worker, ever since she were a tot, Sir." she had said, "I'd be willing to send word of an open position, I'm sure the lass would be up for the employment, Sir."
   "Very well then, get on with it." one of my father's favourite phrases.
   If Maude was telling the truth, the new maid would be about my age, seen as Father only accepts girls who are around 18.
  "We don't want a bunch of scamps in the house, Genevieve, that simply would not do." his words echoed in my head. I'd not  met anyone my age for a long time. Last time there was a maid that was my age, I'd gotten very close to her and... that was "not at all acceptable behaviour for a young lady like me".

   I was 15, and Lilly 16. She was my best friend. I did not know what the difference between friendship and love was, but looking back I didn't think it really was just friendship. Despite how strange it sounded for a girl to love another girl, I think I really did love Lilly. Although it didn't last long, not after Father found out. I haven't seen or heard from Lilly in three years now, I could only hope that she'd be faring well.

   "Genny, my darling girl," Mother's shill voice guided me back to the present.
   "Yes, Mother? Are you alright?" she hadn't spoken all day, only coughed and winced in pain.
   "Please, go and eat. Don't stay here for so long." her white face turned to look at me, half-dead eyes, the same piercing blue as my own stared in my direction, but failed to find me.
   "But Mother-"
   "Maude, please take Gen to the dinning room," she interrupted, "I'll not have her starve one more minute."
   Maude did as she was ordered, and stepped over to my seat to take me out of the room. She was an older woman, the first hints of silver peaking out of blackness of her hair. Her eyes looked so tired, troubled even, but you could see she was once a gorgeous young woman. Lips perfectly curved, and cheeks plump and round.
   After a moment, I stood up and allowed Maude to take my arm and lead me away from my mother. I'd only just then realised how hungry I truly was as we drifted down the hall ways of the estate, always far too big for us, considering my parents only had two children.

   In the dinning room, my older brother and father sat on one side of the table, not daring to say a word to each other. Malcolm was always spiteful, but now that Mother was sick, he's been even worse than usual.
   "Oh, look what the cat dragged in." his face went sour as he made eye contact with me.
   "Good morning Malcolm, I see you're ecstatic to see me, as usual," all I got in return was an over exaggerated eye-roll.
   "Genevieve, I was wondering when you'd stop moping about in that old room, you really should take better care of yourself if you want to marry well." Wonderful, 9 o'clock in the morning and he was already talking about marriage. I just nodded quietly and took a seat a few places away from Malcolm, one of the scullery maids brought out my breakfast. Fresh berries, three slices of ham and a hard boiled egg.

   "You know, young lady, you will have to marry soon, despite what that old hag says. You're 18 years old, there isn't much time left until you're undesirable. Your mother might have fending them off since you were 14, but she won't be able to much longer." The way my father spoke about the woman he was supposed to love sent chills down my spine. He truly was a wretched man.
   "She'd have to be desirable in the first place to become undesirable," snickered Malcolm, laughing at his own idea of a joke.
   "How very funny, dear brother, it made you sound even more like an idiot." my sarcastic remark earned nothing but a stern frown from Father, and more snickering from Malcolm.
   "You need to learn to control your mouth, young lady! No one will ever want you as a wife if you speak in that manner!" I only nodded and hung my head. The only way to survive in this household is to keep quiet and do as you're told. So we finish our breakfast in silence.