The House of Beardsley

Special Chapter 1

I woke up, as always, before Clo, and then took my time washing myself and braiding my hair and getting dressed.

Since Shuyan's departure five years ago Lord Eugene had hired more workers, more specifically ten female maids and two footmen and three female kitchen staff and one male cook after Otis's death.

I had started looking after Lady Judith, Beth's mother. Frankly, being a lady's maid was a job much more suitable for me, as I was better with my hands and following orders from my lady than cleaning or working with other maids.

By the time I entered her room and she was up already, sitting at her vanity chair with a book, wrapped loosely in an dark purple oriental kimono.

"Good morning, Rhiannon," she said, smiling. She closed the book. "I've finished reading the book you recommended and I was just reading it a second time. It brought tears to my eyes."

"Good morning, Lady Judith. I'm glad you enjoyed it." I opened her wardrobe and took her drawers and a chemise, as well as a corset. "Is there anything you wish to wear today, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes, I would like to wear my brown silk taffeta dress."

"Is today a special day?"

Her reflection in the mirror smiled. Behind her, I could see my frowning face, and quickly corrected it.

"No, only having tea with Rachel, who would be arriving today. I want to have tea with Eugene fiancée, Miss Shuyan, and Beth invited you and Clo to join."

What?

"But Clo and I surely don't have to—"

"Don't be silly, you two are Beth's friends. Of course you have to."

"But what about you?"

Her lips closed, and then wisps of her brown curls fell over her cheeks.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Rhiannon, but it's also time for me to forget about the past. Also, now I'm a member of the Beardsley family, am I not? I should meet my daughter-in-law properly."

"Yes, of course."

"They should be waking up by now. If I may ask, would you also tend to Miss Shuyan as well? She doesn't have a lady's maid as of now."

"Yes, I will tend to her." I smiled. "Either way, I have to wake up Beth."

"Oh, that girl. Clo still can't wake her, can she?"

I laughed. "No, only I can."

When I returned to the room and told Clo of it, she was ecstatic.

"Tea with Shuyan and Beth! That sounds wonderful!"

"But I worry Lady Judith is pushing herself too hard," I muttered. "She only opened up to me recently, too, and it's been five years."

"Oh, Rhiannon." Clo flitted to me, and her hands were on my shoulder. I looked at her close face and dark eyes and felt myself stiffen and I quickly looked away.

"You worry too much. It's kind of you, but you must understand that it's not good to stress yourself out either. We've only just recently found Shuyan, and you searched everywhere for her."

"It's because I had the most time, you have to tend to Beth most of the time while Lady Judith prefers being alone. It's nothing noteworthy."

"I wonder about that." Clo's warm hands left my shoulders and she teasingly smiled. "I also saw the maps and newspaper articles in your books when you were teaching me reading." I sighed.