-Bella-

The house staff was all up in arms this morning. I couldn't help but feel a little nauseated at Mr Edward's arrival at lunchtime. He is the youngest son of my employers, The Duke and Duchess and had just recently graduated from a university north of the country, somewhere. A different world no doubt to this one, that of determined scholars and complete freedom of spirit, the kind of world that many staff members here would give an arm and a limb to experience. I hadn't been working here long, maybe three months and I had grown accustomed to the rest of the family. The eldest son, and most importantly, the once-heir of this estate, Lord Emmett also possessed his own estate and lands not too far away with his wife, Lady Rosalie and he was a frequent visitor at mealtimes of a night-time. The youngest daughter, Lady Alice was the person I was in charge of. I had, a few weeks ago been requested personally by Alice to be her personal maid, a role in which I was very humble to receive and of course very grateful to presently fulfil. Up until now I was a kitchen's assistant, the head cook; Mrs Dwyer works herself like a packed mule every day. Any helper need not to agitate her in any way unless they want to experience the full extent of her wrath and constant consummation of stress. Until Alice had shown me such great kindness, I found myself thinking there wasn't much hope left in the workplace. That I, was always going to be nothing but a kitchen servant, my hands blistered and sore from preparing food and every one of my limbs hurting from carrying various utensils and the wood for the fireplaces.

I could feel the anxiousness of everyone at the breakfast table downstairs; as much as we did not have such lavish topics of conversation as upstairs every morning, all of us could still maintain it to be a cheerful one. Cheerful that is until the bells start ringing and the family want their breakfasts and morning tea. I didn't have much of an appetite, my closest friend, Esme, the lady's maid to the Duchess kept glancing my way, concerned look in her eyes, she had noticed that my plate was still the same as when I had taken it from Mrs Dwyer. I looked down at the plate and pushed it as discreetly as I could further away from me.

"Isabella, could you and Esme go and check that Lord Edward's room is up to scratch, we don't need to be worrying about anything going wrong on that count for the rest of the day, then?" Mrs Meyer, the housekeeper came in, interrupting the atmosphere in the room. A pleasant lady of course dedicated to her work and I fortunately had no unfortunate experiences with her to name. I stood up, brushing down my apron and the back of my dress. "Make sure you hurry, in case the Duchess and Lady Alice should wake when you are otherwise occupied." Mrs Meyer said before walking out and starting all of the usual jobs she had to complete early in the mornings. I rushed quickly out of the kitchen, Esme in tow behind me and we both silently made our way upstairs careful not to make any loud noises.

I walked into Edward's room, I had only been in here once before, on an errand from Lady Alice. It was strange how I was drawn to it. Every bedroom in the house had it's own unique look depending on whose it belonged to, but there was something very ordinary but comfortable about Lord Edward's. I did not know the man at all, and of course it was never my place to think about the family as anything other than my employers. Alice did feel like more a friend but even she had the power to turn me out into the cold if she wanted to. I snapped myself out of my thoughts and walked toward the window.

"Oh I do wish she wouldn't do this. That Leah she should know better than to leave poxy lavender on the Lord's pillow. He can't stand the stuff, you young girls and your crushes, your hearts will get the better of you one of these days when it should be your head you go with." Esme was cursing to herself when I could only smile. The sun was rising beautifully over the horizon, as much as working here did require a lot of energy we were working in such a breath-taking place, so secluded from any of the hustle and bustle. "Are you listening to me, Bella?"

I turned around to face her. "Sorry I was just glancing at the sunrise."

"Would you care to explain why you have not touched a single ounce of food, young lady? We have a busy day ahead of us; you of all people should know how tiresome it can be." Esme asked her hands on her hips. Sometimes, she was so much like a mother to me, even though there was not that much age difference between us.

"I know that. I just…I have never met Lord Edward before, if he is like Lord Emmett and Lady Alice then I shan't ever find need to complain. I suppose University life must have had some kind of impact on him."

"Oh I hope so, little one. Lord Edward was, and you did not hear this from me, the brattiest of all the children. It's the Duchess's influence, too of course – she mollycoddled him like there was no tomorrow and he grew up believing that all the pleasantries in life could be handed to him on a plate. Being the middle child, he should have been the oddest one but Emmett always went without attention for his younger brother when it should have been the other way around."

"You speak as if you disliked him,"

"Oh I did dislike him, Bella make no mistake about that. However, I am hoping that he will be coming back as…Well…More of a Gentleman. Perhaps with some manners, too." I smiled and shook my head. Esme possessed all of the spirit that I longed for, she always spoke the many things that other members of staff were thinking but could not bear to say for themselves. Working here so long she had become a permanent piece of furniture and, experience was always a benefit to her. I brushed down the duvet with my hands, getting the scent of the lavender briefly before walking out behind Esme into the hallway. Moments later, there was noise upstairs which could only mean one thing.

It's time to start work, officially.

It was my regular routine again as I knocked on Alice's door before entering. There was my Lady, sat in her bed placing her book on her bedside table. Her mother was not fond of her daughter reading such tardiness; I had heard their many debates about the subject. That kind of reading material would not educate her daughter's mind but what the duchess fails to realize is that Alice was born a revolutionary in her own right. As a woman she had more spirit than anyone else I had ever known in my life. It was one of the many things I admired about her, without ever once thinking about her as more as my employer, after all because that is my duty above all others.

"Hello Isabella." She greeted me, I curtsied to her, greeted her 'good morning' and with her breakfast tray in my hands, I walked closer to her bed. "Are you well, Lady Alice?" Alice took the tray from my hands and placed it down on either side of her legs.

"Apart from being relieved at the signal of the ending of mother's crowing over Edward coming home, I am well. How is everyone downstairs? I bet you're all a little flustered…My mother would not want me prying after the servants but she'll be far too occupied with my brother today to notice." I walked over to the tray that another maid had left for Alice to wake up to, I poured her a cup, placing it on a saucer I walked back to her, she took them from me. "Oh listen to me, I must sound so discontented. I love my brother but, I wish I could just lie here in this bed all day."

"I understand, my lady." I drew back Alice's curtains, letting the sun shine in. "I haven't met Lord Edward so I can only go by what all the other members of staff tell me."

"I can comprehend what they are saying and I wish I could say that it wasn't true. My brother was never the favourite with the house staff; he came across as arrogant on more than one occasion. All I can say is, we all have to give him another chance now that University must have changed him. I won't be going to University and Emmett did not have to embark into education. Academically Edward will always show the most promise. Just don't let mama or papa hear that the staff have been gossiping downstairs."

"I won't milady. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I will finish my breakfast and then I will ring the bell when I need you to do my hair."

"Very good." I curtsied once again and made my way out into the hallway, almost colliding with Esme as she hurried towards me.

"Oh Bella, we need to get downstairs, his Lordship wants his breakfast and once he's finished with the valet we can't have an empty dining room. It will be our heads for the guillotine."

I sighed; following behind Esme, picking up the hem of my dress as I descended the stairs; life at work truly never dies.