My Maid chapter 3

Chapter 3
Morning came almost as quickly as sleep did. The sun was shining through the large window on the far right side of the room. Alison was already awake and getting ready, humming a happy tune as she went around the room organizing and straightening things. Eva groaned, and pulled the covers over her head to block out the light and mute the perky little princess’s humming.

“Ah, you’re awake!” Alison chimed “It’s about time you woke up. We have a very busy day ahead of us…” she said pulling back the covers. “We have no uniform for you just yet, so you are free to wear anything you like, but you must hurry. Get out of bed and dressed so we can get started.” Eva groaned again and slowly sat up, scratching her head.

“Let me guess, you’re one of those happy morning people?” she grumbled. Alison disregarded her comment and only smiled. “Alright, fine, I’m up...” Eva crawled out of the comfortable bed and looked around. The room, like the rest of the house, was beautiful.  Sunlight glistened and danced on the dark cherry floor beneath her feet. The walls were painted a glorious claret color, and were lined with lined with white trim at the base. On one side of the door into the room was a wardrobe for their clothes, and on the wall opposite of the door were their beds, each with a night stand and a lamp beside it. In the corner by the window, which was more like a door itself, was a solitary reading chair in which Eva assumed was where Alison spent most of her time, based on its tattered condition. Eva walked over to the wardrobe opposite of her bed, where she had put her clothes last night, and got dressed. As she did so, she noticed there was a mirror inside the door. She looked herself over and smiled. Last night’s bath, sleep, and food had done wonders for her complexion. In the background, she could see Alison sitting in the tattered reading chair, staring out the large window, her humming had ceased.

“Okay, I’m ready.” she said, turning around and facing Alison, who seemed startled by the sudden break in silence.

“Oh, okay then. Our first order of business is to get breakfast.” she said, quickly hopping out of the chair and heading out the door. Eva followed, closing the door behind her. The pair headed downstairs to the dining hall, where most of the maids and servants were already there, eating and talking in groups. They both got their food and sat down at an empty table, as others who had yet to find out about Eva’s arrival stared in wonder of who she was, and why she was with Alison. Before they could even start eating, Tony came over, smiling brightly. For the first time that Alison had seen, Tony’s hair was combed neatly away from his face.

“Good morning Eva. I trust you slept well?” he asked, ignoring Alison’s presence entirely. Eva nodded and looked to Alison, who was now looking down at her food and eating quietly. “Why don’t you join me and my friends for breakfast this morning?” he waved his hand dramatically in the direction of the table he was sitting at. “We saved a seat for you.”

Eva looked back at Alison, who remained silent as she ate, then back to Tony and nodded, picking up her food and heading off with him. There at the table sat the same group from last night, only not clinging to each other. Tony pulled out her seat, allowing her to sit down before taking his own right beside her. This kid has a crush on me… she thought, beginning to eat her breakfast.

Alison watched the pair walk away and let out a sigh. Well, at least Tony is getting his act together… She noted, finishing the last of her eggs. She took her soiled plate to a window in the nearby wall, where one of the kitchen hands waited to clean them. “Good morning Mr. Charles!” she said cheerily to the old man standing on the other side of the window.

“Why, good morning my dear Alison!” the old man replied shakily. “How are you this morn-” suddenly, the man burst into a coughing fit that took several minutes to calm. Once the  old man had caught his breath, he smiled to Alison kindly. He was short, with thinning gray hair that grew in every direction. His skin was wrinkled, and seemed to only hang off of his skeletal figure. He stood hunched over, as most old men do, but still managed to have a youthful air about him.

“Mr. Charles! Are you alright?” she asked, after the coughing spell had ended. “You should really go see a doctor about that. I’m worried about you.”  

“I appreciate your concern, but I am quite alright. I may be old, but I’m not dying just yet!” he laughed hoarsely.  “So has that Tony boy given you any more problems lately? Just let me know and I’ll take care of him faster than you can blink.”

“No, not at all.” she laughed “But I do have to take care of a new maid that just arrived yesterday.” she said, glancing over at Eva, who was sitting and laughing with the others around her. Mr. Charles followed her gaze and gave up a smile.

“If only I were a few years younger…”

“If you were a few years younger, women all over the world would have to go into hiding!” Alison laughed, and gave the old man a kiss on the cheek before going back to her empty table.

“Just like your mother…” the old man mumbled before setting back to his work.
****

“So how was your first night with the devil?” one of the maids asked, looking to the others as if that was the sole reason she was called over to sit with them. The conversation had been light and cheerful up until that point. Once those words were uttered the table fell silent with anticipation of Eva’s answer.

“It was okay.” she responded, almost nervously. “She’s actually kinda nice…”

“That’s what you think now, but after today you’re going to see what she’s really like.” Tony chimed in. “It should all start in about fifteen minutes…” he said, looking up at the clock on the far wall, and then back at Alison’s lonely table. “Every day at exactly seven thirty, Alison announces what everyone is expected to do, and divides them into groups, depending on the task. It is at seven thirty that you will see exactly why she sits by herself.” Eva looked down at her empty plate and began to think of how Alison might be feeling.

“Are you telling me she sits by herself every morning?” she asked, looking up at Tony.

“Yeah, and every night at dinner… I don’t think I’ve ever seen her down here at lunch.”

“Wow…” she said sadly, looking back at Alison. Now I really want to know what is it that makes everyone hate her so much, to the point that she’s always alone… she thought as she stood up to take her plate up with the others. From what I have seen, she’s nice... There’s no way she could change that much from just starting work… she tried to convince herself.

“You’re the new maid right?” the man at the window asked. “I’m Mr. Charles Richards, it’s nice to meet you.” he said, extending an old and shaky hand to her. Eva gently shook it, and handed him her plate and utensils. “There is a favor I would like to ask you, seeing as you will be rooming with Alison.” he started, looking up at Eva with old and wise eyes. “Please be a friend to her… She has been through more than anyone in this house understands.” he finished, releasing her hand and taking her plate. The old man said nothing more as Eva stood there, almost dumbfounded by his boldness and selfless request. She smiled and nodded, before turning back to find that Alison was no longer sitting at her lonely table, but was standing on a chair in the center on the room. Eva glanced at the clock to find that it was already seven thirty.

“Today is the day.” she began. Her voice resonated in the cafeteria-like room and all other conversation ceased. “There is a great deal to be done, and little time to do it. We must be fast and efficient! The first order is to make this house spotless for tonight’s ball. That means clean everything. No half-assing!” she said, looking around the room. Her voice was authoritative and hard, almost to the point of being cruel. “As well as cleaning the house, the ballroom floor needs to be waxed and dried before two o’ clock this afternoon.”

Alison began to call off names and place them in groups. She then sent each group to a certain area of the manor to clean, and make sure everything was in order. As she ordered the groups, they hurried on and to their designated assignments, until all that was left in the large empty room were a demanding Alison, and a very shocked and scared Eva.

She just became a totally different person from what I saw last night... I didn’t think it was possible. Eva thought back to last night’s Alison, and tried to compare her to this one but nothing matched. Last night, Alison was kind, sweet, and very soft spoken, but this Alison was like a military commander and had all the sweetness of a lemon.

“Now, you and I will be monitoring the progress and help when we are needed.” she explained, the sweetness returning to her tone. Eva watched Alison change from military commander to sweet, innocent little girl many times throughout the day, as they hurried back and forth setting tables, waxing floors, shining glass, checking on the kitchen, and making sure everything was done perfectly. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, and they all had to get ready to take their positions for the ball. Almost all at once, maids and servants began going upstairs to clean up and don their evening attire. The men wore their tuxes with little black bow ties, and the women had long black dresses with a rose brooch to top it off. During the day, the lord or lady must have delivered another one to Alison and Eva’s room, because on Eva’s bed lay a work uniform, and a dress for the ball.

“Now, for the first half of the ball, we must perform regular duties, such as greeting people at the door, taking their coats, serving drinks and such.” Alison explained, as the two of them got dressed. “But during the second half, we are permitted to join the fun. Then if everything goes smoothly, all the staff gets the weekend off and can go down into town to spend the money they earn.”

“Money? You mean we get paid?!” Eva looked at her in disbelief.

“Yes, the lord and lady make enough that they pay the staff as a reward for their hard work.” she said, looking in the mirror and fixing her hair. The smile on Eva’s face grew wider at the thought of finally having money to spend. “Oh, our assignment is to greet people as they enter so it’s good you’re smiling.” she chimed as she headed out. “I’ll see you at the main entrance.”

Eva finished getting ready, and hurried down to the front door to help Alison, who was already greeting people and directing them to the ball room. Eva took her place on the side opposite of Alison, welcoming a tall young man with slick brown hair. His hazel eyes shone against his evenly tanned skin, and his arrogant smile matched his fine suit, made from the highest quality materials money could buy. Upon looking at him, Eva fell silent and seemed to glare at the floor.

“My, my, he certainly does have cute ones here…”