Chapter 1 – The Intruder
Her ears were pricked to the sweet sound.
The jingle was barely audible, but Marie was trained well enough to the sense the call.
She fumbled as she quickly tossed aside her magazines and leapt off her bed, bounding into the corridor and swiftly down the stairs.
Her chunky platforms slapped the hard wood rhythmically as she dashed and her heart followed at the same pace,
'My Master needs me! My Master needs me!" She chanted to herself.
Pausing outside the door to the study, she puffed up the ruffles of her dress and made sure her hair ribbons were straight before knocking on the door.
"Come in" said a faint voice from within.
Taking a deep breath, she entered and faced her master.
Helena Douglas was perched at her desk, skimming through an assortment of papers and files.
"Ah Marie." She said, raising her eyes to meet an enthusiastic pair staring right back,
"It's about time for coffee don't you think, my dear?"
"Of course my Lady." She said, summoning all of her effort to keep her voice down.
Helena was always one to scold her when she raised her voice.
Walking over to the coffee machine in the corner of the room, she prepared a fresh cup of rich black brew.
"Would you like a snack to go with it My Lady?" She purred, hoping she would indulge in the almond cookies she had baked that morning.
"No, just the coffee is fine thank you."
"As you wish" she said, squashing her disappointment.
She placed the drink on the table and tried not to stare too much as she watched Helena take the cup in her slender hands.
"Marie" she said suddenly.
"My Lady?"
She took a sip and put the cup down.
"I'm worried about you."
"About me?" She echoed, both confused and flattered at the same time.
"Indeed" she said, "Whilst working at this mansion you aren't exposed to other people your age as much as you should be."
"Ohh..."
Marie only had only 4 or 5 things she truly cared about and socialising with uncultured young people wasn't one of them.
"I'm very happy here, My Lady" she insisted. "I have all I could possibly want."
"Even so I have made arrangements."
"Arrangements?" She said, dread creeping up her slender back,
'She's sending me away!' She thought.
"The other day when I was out in town an older gentlemen approached me," she explained, "I believe his name was 'Genfu'. He is a master of Chinese martial arts."
"I see." Said, Marie as she recalled Helena also practiced those arts.
"He claims to have a student who would benefit from working at this mansion for a few weeks."
Marie's confusion prompted a small smile from Helena.
"His name is 'Eliot'. He'll be working as my butler."
This time Marie was unable to disguise her distain and shrieked loudly, before holding her hands to her mouth.
"I thought I was your personal servant..." She muttered between her fingers.
"Of course you are, my dear. Eliot will not work alone. You must show him the proper way to do things."
She took another sip of coffee.
"I hope you two will become great friends."
Marie composed herself and nodded politely.
"Is that all My Lady?"
"Yes."
She left the room and stood in the empty hallway, biting her lip so hard she could draw blood.
"This 'Eliot' better sleep with one eye open ..."
~
The day drew on slowly as Marie sulked in her room. Her gloom was interrupted by the brief excitement of tending to her master in her various duties.
At around 5 in the afternoon there was a brief knock on her bedroom door.
She opened it to reveal another one of the maids standing in the hallway.
"The guests are here Miss Rose. Our Lady requests that all servants assemble in the lobby."
Marie nodded and made her way downstairs, trying not to drag her feet too much.
'Guest?' She thought, 'there's an intruder in this house'.
The employees arranged themselves in perfect single file , facing inwards and framing a route from the front door all the way up the staircase.
Marie took her position at the head of the line as Helena's favourite servant.
The Master of the house stood in front of the door, magnificently draped in a gorgeous white dress.
Two butlers proceeded to open doors allowing the so called guests to enter.
The first was a Chinese man of advanced years.
'This must be the Master Genfu that My Lady mentioned.' Thought Marie as he greeted her Master.
"Master." She said, bowing in the traditional Chinese way.
"Welcome to my home."
He returned the courtesy with a small smile,
"And what a beautiful home it is too!"
Marie's attention was immediately drawn to the second guest.
A young man around her age stepped into the lobby.
He wore a blue kung fu tunic with a bright red sash around his waist.
Long black, fingerless gloves hugged his arms up to his biceps which bulged slightly under the fabric.
Surprisingly, he sported short, straw coloured hair and blue eyes, a contrast to his heavily eastern outfit.
He glanced in amazement at the decadent surroundings before finding Marie's critical eyes.
Unprepared to make eye contact so soon, she looked away quickly with a brisk 'hmph!'
"Marie." Said Helena, "This is Eliot"
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Rose." He said, extending a hand.
"Likewise." She lied, shaking his hand reluctantly.
"Master Genfu and I will retire to the lounge to have a chat. I want you to escort Eliot to his new room."
She placed a gold key in the centre of Marie's palm.
"Afterwards you may fetch coffee for us. Instruct Eliot on the correct way to do it."
"Yes My Lady" she purred, forgetting her stubbornness in the presence of Helena's regal tone.
When she was out of view Marie crossed her arms and faced Eliot
"Alright first things first. Don't speak to me unless it's absolutely necessary, never enter my room, don't you dare steal my snacks and don't wander into My Lady's study unless she calls for you."
She searched his eyes for defiance but was annoyed to observe a pair of calm blue eyes staring back.
Eliot blinked and then nodded politely.
"As you wish."
"Follow." She said as she twirled towards the stairwell, relishing the delicious taste of authority.
To Be Continued...