The Secret of Two

Chapter 3

I'm not an early riser but this morning, I woke up at 8 and immediately rang for Andrea. I didn't ask her to but before she even arrived I could smell a fresh loaf of bread down the hallway. As she opened the door, she struggled to balance the silver tray with eggs, slices of bread, butter and a glass of orange juice. I helped her bring it to the table of my small salon.

I ate for a while and I saw Andrea in the walk-in closet, hanging my few shirts and pants and my numerous dresses, going from a simple blue day dress to extravagant golden ball gowns. I asked her to tell me about her.

She stopped hanging my clothes and faced me without truly looking at me, "I don't have much to say. My life has always revolved around being a maid. My own parents were cooks for your family when Mrs Isabella was a girl. I never worked as someone's maid, Master Darlington doesn't have children."

I swallowed my bite of buttered bread, "Do you want to do something else than serve someone for your whole life?"

"Absolutely not, my lady. I wouldn't have met you if I had left. Less about me if you please. Are you planning any activities today? What would you wish to wear?"

I cleaned my hands on the handkerchief and walked to join her in the wardrobe. "I'm planning to have dinner with the queen," I pulled out a light green dress, "How about this... Actually no, you tell me what should suit a royal dinner."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened in surprise. "If you insist, I would suggest this dress." Her cheeks took a reddish color as she sorted out an ocean blue dress with a skirt reaching my knees. The top was a Bertha neckline with tight elbow-length sleeves. The dress looked elegant and made me look older than my 18 years of age.

"Who knew of your great fashion eye," I said with admiration. Now that I knew she had the same fashion sense as me, I might show her my sketches and ask her which ones I should get commissioned.

She giggled and I could feel her releasing some of the initial tension she had when we first met. She turned around and took one of my black corsets. "Shall we get you dressed? We wouldn't want her majesty to wait for you," she told me as I hurried out and grabbed a piece of fine undergarment.

I put the fine linen undergarment on as she untied the front of the corset. She clasped it at the front and I turned around to take the bedpost as support. Andrea was busy tightening the corset when we heard a knock on the door.

Alex's voice rose from the corridor, "Nini, Chris is here."

I jerked my head to look at Andrea and whispered to her, "It's only 9:40 am. He wasn't supposed to be here for another 20 minutes, hurry up!" She quickly turned back to her job and pulled faster and harder on the strings. Not expecting it, I gasped to him, "Make him wait a little longer, I'm not ready."

"Women," I heard Alex sigh in a barely audible voice and then footsteps moving away towards the staircase.

    Andrea is quick at helping me dress up. She ties my hair in a half updo. I practically ran down the stairs. At the sight of my brother and the prince, I slowed down to appear more elegant. A proper lady is never late, the others are simply early.

    My clicking heels drew attention to me and I could see in his eyes that Alexander was thinking about how cute Chris is. With his dark olive skin speckled with freckles and his curly black hair, I could see it. But Chris did not come to the Darlington Mansion to flirt with my brother. He came to pick me up to meet his detective.

    "Should we go, young demoiselle?" He said half mocking me, half serious.

    "Yes, even if his Highness arrived 20 minutes early and had to pressure the young demoiselle." He put a hand to his heart looking like I'd offended him. I smiled at him and he offered me his arm. I took it and waved to my brother. I winked at him just to tease him. I was the one with the privilege to walk alongside his Highness.