Chapter 16
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"What a shame."
Dana's eyes flashed open as she searched through the debris. Unlike her shocked stare, he looked eerily nonchalant.
"That's not just any teacup," he said, "it was specially made by Daniel Rauch for my late grandfather, a piece of work that money can't buy...."
Unlike his words, he didn't even glance toward the broken teacup, which was now smeared with tea on the marble floor. Dana hesitantly backed away from the rapidly growing concentric circles.
"You wonder why I do this."
A pair of confused eyes snapped back to Theodore, who leaned leisurely against one armrest and rested his head on his loose fist.
"Now that I'm listening to you, I'm suddenly curious. What would people think if I told them you did all that?"
Dana thought she had misheard him. But the man's face, as serious as ever, said otherwise.
"Especially Edwin Hastings, the one you call master."
Dana froze in shock.
"You look at him like he's some kind of a prince."
Theodore said sarcastically, pulling out a cigarette. The table, once filled with the scent of fruit and flowers, was quickly overtaken by a cloud of smoke.
"Try doing that in front of me."
The man's eyes glowed languidly through the thick smoke. Dana's heart thudded, thudded, spilling hot blood.
"And if you do, I'll make it all go away?"
The husky bass strangled her throat. She puffed out her chest, breathing hard, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get enough oxygen. Theodore took a deeper drag on his cigarette, staring at her as she gasped for air. She had seen a similar look in his eyes long ago. In the black cat that used to wander in and out of Belvida's barn...it had chased a mouse or moth into a corner and played with it. It wasn't hungry, just playfully tormenting its prey, then spitting it out when it was completely exhausted and surrendered. That was the look in his eyes.
Perhaps he thought of her as one of those toys, Dana thought idly through the dizzying puffs of smoke.
Tap. A knock on the door cut through the silence.
"Master, I've done what you asked." It was Celeste. "Belvida's head maid is here as well."
The word 'head maid' struck Dana like a thunderbolt in her foggy brain. Her head jerked to the floor. The floor was a complete mess. The teacup had shattered beyond repair, the leather shoes that had been made to match her dress had long since soaked through the soles... The broken china and herself standing in front of it. She could see how it would look in the eyes of others, how the man in front of her would be fanning himself. She should do something... but her mind was racing.
"...Master?" Celeste called impatiently from the doorway.
“…….”
Unlike the breathless Dana, Theodore remained calm and unaffected. He puffed nonchalantly on his cigarette and glanced at Dana.
"Let's check it out, then, shall we?"
He said, his leisurely pace slowing to a stop at the carpeted door. Before Dana had a chance to talk, the door swung open. Celeste flinched in surprise, not expecting the Master to open the door himself. Then the corners of her mouth curled up.
"The letter you mentioned was delivered to Nordstrom. Nordstrom is just now departing for his home base...."
The cheerful voice was quickly drowned out by the scene before them. So did the head maid who followed.
"Oh, my God!" the head maid exclaimed, grabbing her skirt by the hem and frantically walking toward Dana.
"What... have... you... done?!"
Celeste did the same, standing in front of the shattered teacup in complete contemplation.
"How... did you... do this... and nothing else...." She stammered, then glared at Dana. "I told you to be careful, didn't I?!" Rosi was just as furious. "How could you do this, how could you be so careless, how could you do that to something so precious...?"
Some explanation had to be given. Even if she had no choice, she had to tell the truth and ask for help, at least in front of the head maid.
"...I...I...." Dana’s voice was barely a whisper. "I...."
It wasn't me. The reason she couldn't get the obvious words out of her mouth was because of the ring. From the moment he showed it to her, the classic trick, Dana had been caught in a spider's web... Who would believe her? As soon as they see the broken teacup, they already think she did it…
"I'm sorry. Master. I really..." the worried Rosi began, her eyes darting nervously between Celeste and Theodore. "I really don't... know what to... say... what to do..."
Hah, Celeste sighed instead of answering.
"I'll just... clean it up first," said Rosi, who bowed her head repeatedly and shot Dana a look. "What are you doing, not cleaning up?!"
She huffed in frustration, looking as if she was about to deliver a slap. Theodore, who'd been watching, stepped in.
"What's all the fuss over a broken teacup?" Both women's heads turned to him at once. "Where did you learn to make such a big deal out of things without checking?"
With that, Theodore stepped in front of them. It was a gesture to protect Dana from the two angry women.
"If you're going to hold someone accountable, you need to get the facts before you make an innocent man look guilty."
Celeste's brow furrowed, but she understood a beat too late and looked surprised. So did the head maid.
"So... is that..." they stared at the broken teacup in disbelief, then back up at Theodore.
"Oh my..."
"My... thoughts... were... brief... I... just... didn't think... that you would do that....," Celeste mumbled, her voice still filled with disbelief.
Dana stared blankly at the broad back of the man in front of her. Shuddering with fear, she realized one more terrifying fact: There was not only a gap between them, between the commanding and the obeying. He could inflict, and she could not escape. If Theodore MacMillan was going to do something, she was going to suffer for it.
* * *
"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding," Celeste said stiffly. "But... you ought to have said it straight away, you know, because who wouldn't misunderstand if you stood there with that blank look on your face?"
The head maid had said the same thing just before they climbed into the carriage. "Why didn't you say no right away? You know you can say no...."
The head maid shook her head as if Dana, who had turned pale, was a little strange. But she continued eagerly.
"Being careful and being nervous are two different things. I don't want you to be too nervous in front of the master."
"Don't forget. He’s the young lady's fiancé. Despite what the rumors say, he's a very generous and gentlemanly man. He is also a kind man who gives you clothes and educates you just because he likes you."
"I hope you will continue your education until the lady comes. Do not forget that you have won a great fortune that every maid in Belvida can only dream of."
With that, the head maid said, and climbed into the carriage. Even though she had been gone for a long time, words like "generous" and "great fortune" were still buzzing in Dana’s ears like a swarm of bees.
"Here we go."
Celeste stopped walking and held out one arm. As was the case in most noble houses, the Shore's maids' quarters were in an outbuilding. It was on the grounds of the main house, but with landscaping everywhere, you wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it.
"Go in."
Inside, it was not much different from Belvida. There were four six-person dormitories on either side of a narrow hallway, each with three bunk beds, a partition, and a small closet and chest of drawers.
"This way."
Celeste led Dana down the hall. The maids they encountered bowed politely to her and gave curious glances to the ones behind her. Dana didn't even look at them. No, "couldn’t" would be more accurate.
"This is your room." Celeste opened the door. It was a single room with only one bed. "Don't be fooled into thinking you're getting special treatment. You will have the same schedule and do the same work as the other maids here."
Dana nodded diligently, though she heard most of what was said.
"You will eat your meals in the hall. I've told the chef to add your share, so just go and ask for it. Your maid's uniform is in here, so take it out and change...."
Celeste opened the closet door. There were two pairs of ultramarine blue uniforms and aprons, all of which were a blur to Dana's eyes.
"In the morning, you will work as usual. Your formal personal maid training begins at three in the afternoon. For a week, you'll learn to blend and serve tea. Report to my room in the main building in time."
"...Yes."
Celeste glanced down at Dana's small shoulders as she replied blankly.
"You should get some rest, you've been through a lot."
With that, the door closed behind her. The footsteps faded away. Dana stood there, slowly looking around. It was the first time in her life she'd ever had a room to herself. It was a luxury she had never dreamed of. But she wasn't happy at all. She couldn't be happy. ...What am I going to do now?
Dana sat up in bed, rubbing her arms over her shivering body. Something had to be done, something had to be done. There was no way she was going to end up in jail, framed as a ring thief by that man. She thought... she thought... but her mind went blank, as if her soul had been drained.
The spacious room felt like a prison without bars. The trees cast ghostly shadows into the darkened room. A chill ran up the cold floor. ...I'm scared. Dana pulled her knees to her chest, seeking warmth. Tears welled in her eyes as a hot lump formed at the base of her chest.
"Grandpa...." Dana buried her face in her knees. The sobs she fought to hold back were useless, soaking the soft fabric.
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