Night of Eden 57

 Chapter 57

***

By the time Dana arrived at the front door of Belvida, the rain had abated considerably.

"Dana, you didn't bring an umbrella?"

Beau, the gatekeeper, recognized the soaked Dana and clicked his tongue. Dana smiled to let him know she was fine.

They pulled into a driveway flanked by landscaping.

Dana dismounted. A gush of water poured from her body as if she were twisting and wringing her shirt.

Unlike the soggy middle of the road, the edges were dry thanks to the trees. Dana huddled close to it and trudged on.

To get to the stables, she had to go around the back of the building, past the fountain. As Dana walked briskly toward the roundabout, she spotted a man and a woman in the distance, getting closer and closer, and stopped in her tracks. She could see them flinch as they recognized her.

"Oh my God, are you...?"

A voice rang out, unfamiliar yet familiar. Dana's heart felt like it was going to explode.

The woman came running. Dana couldn't stand still, so she pulled on the reins to quicken her pace.

"Dana Bordon, right?!"

Her golden hair shone brilliantly under the heavy clouds. Her high cheekbones and cool, dark blue eyes were filled with surprise and amusement.

"Hello, my lady. It's been a long time... Good to see you."

Dana ducked her head quickly. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders and her skirt sagged.

"I almost didn't recognize you, really...."

Liana's eyes widened and she murmured happily.

"When did you get so tall, I thought you were definitely shorter than me?"

Liana stepped in front of Dana, leveling her head. The ruffles at the ends of her sleeves smelled of fresh lime.

"You know brother Theodore? I believe he taught you to write himself.”

Dana quickly bent her knees before he could respond.

"Hello, Master."

She managed to greet him lightly, in a natural voice, without the slightest tremor. It was a miracle of desperation.

Looking Dana up and down repeatedly, Liana noticed the slight tremor and pale lips a beat too late.

"Oh my God, this is not the time to do this. Look at you! Go inside. Go and dry yourself off. I'll see you at teatime after you've freshened up."

"...Okay... Thank you."

Dana bowed graciously, then pushed past them and headed for the stables. Every stall she passed creaked and dripped with rainwater.

Liana stared at Dana's soaked back for a long moment, then looked back at Theodore.

"I thought she was practicing riding for me... On a day like this...."

Her head turned to the sky, the sun peeking through the dark clouds.

"Come on, brother, the rain has stopped and she's here, so have a cup of tea and go."

Liana smiled and tugged Theodore's arm toward the shade of the trees. The man's pupils, nailed to the wet figure, snapped back to the front.

****

Dana squatted by the fire, drying her damp hair.

The dying wood was hot, not warm, but her body was shaking uncontrollably.

Everything was the same as it had been a year ago. The young lady was bright and smiling and spoke to her first.

But Dana found it hard to even stand there; she was so unfamiliar with her that she had to keep moving away.

Woof.

Willow came over and nuzzled her.

Dana looked down at the puppy. The snow-white fur was matted and soft, and her eyes were wide.

"Get some rest, and I'll see you at tea time.”

A cheerful voice echoed in her ear.

"You shouldn't be greeting me like this."

Dana scooped up the dog and headed for the washhouse. She set the pot on the fire and boiled water.

Through the cloudy steam, she saw the image of the man and the woman with an umbrella standing side by side.

How strange.

Her hands and feet felt weak, as if she had been struck by a blow. Dana had to shake her head again and again to war off the strange feeling she was having.

After a while, Willow finished bathing, and her hair was matted again from all the brushing. Dana, who had cleaned herself up to that point, changed her clothes and waited patiently in her room.

Soon, as expected, the head maid appeared.

***

"I was so curious to see how things had changed, and I was excited, but then... It's like... she looked like a drowning mouse."

Liana covered her mouth and laughed.

"Well, it was kind of like that last year. I caught her and a frog in a pond once, and she was soaked to the skin and unashamed of it."

Dark blue eyes filled with laughter suddenly turned to Theodore.

"Have you ever caught a frog before?"

"...No."

The knife-like answer cut through the warm air. Liana turned her head, studying the man’s face.

Strange.

Why does Theodore look so angry?

Did she.. Did she say something wrong?

Liana pulled up the corners of her mouth that threatened to crumble.

"I can't imagine brother Theodore catching frogs, though. If you wanted to catch them, you’d probably just start the car rather than jump in the pond."

The cheerful voice continued.

"But there's no harm in trying something new, and I'll warn you, it's hard to catch one with your bare hands, so be sure to wear gloves. Dana taught me how to do it, and I succeeded, so maybe someday I'll catch one for you, too."

Liana paused, waiting for a response. But still he remained silent.

Puzzled, her eyes sneak up to his face.

She had seen a similar face before.

In Peron's museum.

A sculpture of a mythical king of the underworld looked just like that. An emotionless inanimate object, marble itself, uninspiring.

“But, Liana, that's how most Macmilan men are. His father was like that, and Joe's father was like that, and they were both completely different after they married.”

Liana recalled her mother's words.

"It's not always easy to win Theodore's heart, so it's best to take your time.”

Liana composed herself and turned to Stan.

"But when is she coming, and why is it taking so long?"

Stan checked the time.

"She's been grooming herself, I think. The head maid said she had to make herself pretty to show you."

Liana's mouth made a huffing, puffing sound.

"I've already seen her."

She forced the corners of her mouth to hide her disappointment.

How much had she expected to see her first handmaiden transformed into a refined, elegant doll?

But the Dana she'd seen earlier, far from transformed, was as crumbling as rain-soaked mud.

Her face kept contorting.

Liana didn't want a clumsy, ugly child as her handmaiden.

Since when?

Probably shortly after the engagement was sealed.

As she began to follow the Duchess of Macmilan to the famous salons, she suffered from a strange sense of inferiority.

Like a frog in a well, she always thought her family was the best. The family's history and traditions were always lauded, and people always treated her with respect and honor, calling her the "Princess of Hastings" and the "darling of the family.”

But as time went on, other things started to come into view.

Virtues such as austerity and frugality were seen as old-fashioned, and the position of social hostess was always occupied by someone else.

Whether it was Archduchess Lombardi of the Duchy of Fitz, Lady Christina, or a certain soprano singer who had never been knighted but had recently become one of the most popular stars in the world, there was always someone else who was popular and in the spotlight.

The one thing they all had in common was the fact that they had maids of honor who were as beautiful and sophisticated as they were, and they carried them around like dolls.

Liana wished Dana could be one of them. She didn't want to be laughed at for carrying around an unworthy maid.

But then...

Another sigh escaped her as she remembered Dana, soaking wet from the rain and wearing a tacky hat.

‘No, don't be disappointed. She had a pretty face when I saw her last year, and she wasn't as stupid as some of the other maids... she’ll be much better once she’s changed her clothes.’

After a few moments, she heard a chuckle.

"Looks like she's here."

Liana glanced back at Theodore and smiled broadly.

With a click, the door opened.

The first thing she saw through the crack was a pair of hands clasped together.

From wrist to elbow, the skin was so smooth and fine. She wanted to touch it.

Liana's gaze traveled up the graceful curves, stopping at the tempting mounds that pushed out from the floaty chiffon fabric.

The buttons that fastened the bust were too tight. The silhouette of her waist and hips beneath the sheer fabric was that of a woman, not a child.

So erotic...

Liana thought idly, her eyes searching for a familiar face.

The real shock came at that moment.

...Who is that? Where did the drowned mouse go?

Her shiny, blue-gray pupils dilated intensely.

Her loose hair had a sweet glow, and her coral-colored powdered lips were plump as ripe fruit.

This was the same woman who had turned sexy….

In front of the doll that had been transformed into something beautiful beyond her expectations, Liana completely lost her smile like a capricious child.

Woof!

The sound of a dog barking rang out like an alarm bell.

Woof! Woof!

She snapped back to reality.

"Oh, my God!"

Liana quickly ducked down, hiding her face, which had hardened in an instant.

"You must be Willow?"

She needed time. Time to get rid of this unpleasantness that had risen up out of nowhere...

One, two, three...

Liana pretended to focus on the puppy, counting slowly inwardly. Her dilated pupils stabilized, and the muscles in her cheeks slowly relaxed.

Slowly setting the puppy down, she took a deep breath and straightened up again.

"Yes, Dana!"

She grinned broadly, scanning Dana from head to toe.

"I'm glad I pestered my brother, because I told him to dress you in your best clothes. Do you know how you look now? You look like a lady, not a maid!"

"My dear, a lady, a lady!"

Rosi, standing beside her, raised her eyes.

"If my lady knew, she'd be appalled."

"Okay, okay."

Liana smiled and clapped her hands.

"Now, make me some tea. You learned it from Celeste, not anyone else, so come on, Dana, show me your skills."

Dana slowly walked over and stood in front of the tea tray.

****

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