Author's note: My best friend Lacey (actresswithoutastage) gave me the prompt of Victorian Brittana where Santana was a servant in Brittany's home. I hope to make it very much a romance novel in all aspects. Please feel free to review and let me know what you think (good and bad, I like to know what I need to fix).
Happy reading!
When the Moonlight Sings
A Glee Brittana Fanfiction
By Danielle Cheri
Chapter One
Santana Lopez carried the pile of linens up to her lady's room. It had been a long, hot day and it was only early afternoon. Summer was in full swing and it was one of the most uncomfortable of her entire life. Her family was originally from Spain, so her mother and father were used to hotter summers. But she'd lived all her life in England. They could handle it. She had trouble. She much preferred winter's chill air on a day filled with so many duties.
She sighed and sat the pile of bedclothes on the trunk at the end of the bed. She went to work stripping the old clothes off the bed and putting the new ones on it. Usually she had another young lady to help her, but she had run off unexpectedly and they were currently looking for a replacement. In the meantime, Santana had to do the work of two people in the amount of time allotted for one.
The door opened unexpectedly and she spun around in surprise. She was supposed to leave the door open, but it must have swung shut behind her. She braced herself for Lady Pierce to berate her and demand she reveal all she had stolen.
But instead there stood the young woman she was now companion to. She'd recently been given the assignment of taking care of all Brittany Pierce's needs and wants. The good thing was that the girl seemed to like being left alone unless it was necessary (helping to dress and going anywhere without her parents).
Santana dipped a curtsy, "Miss Brittany."
The slight blonde smiled. "Santana, hello. How are you this afternoon?"
"Fine, thank you." She kept her eyes averted. Normally she was a bit more sure of herself, but there had always been something about the other girl that made Santana feel uncertain about herself, especially when she wasn't prepared to see her.
She moved around to the other side of the bed. "I'm sorry that you have to do this by yourself." She kindly started to reach for the other end of the sheet.
"No, don't. That's not your place."
"But I want to help. I heard Mama yelling about nothing getting done. She was blaming you, but I knew it couldn't be all your fault." She pulled on the other end and started tucking it under the mattress.
"I'm doing all I can since Rebecca left."
"I'm sorry she's gone." She sounded sincere.
"I'm just glad you don't call me every five minutes like your sister does her maid."
Brittany laughed. "Penelope is far too demanding. She forgets that the servants may work for us, but you aren't our slaves. You're still people with plenty else to do around here."
Santana blushed slightly, "You're the only one in your family who thinks that way."
"I know. And I'm sorry for it. Papa understands a little. He had to work hard for all he has."
Together they finished making the bed. The servant girl gathered the old linens and asked, "Is there anything you need, Miss Brittany?"
The other young woman looked around the room. "Nothing, Santana. Thank you." She walked to the window as the other girl turned to leave. She called suddenly, "Santana, could you have a carriage made ready for us. I fancy a trip to the park for a stroll."
"Yes, miss. I'll be right back to help you change."
She turned, still smiling. "Take your time. I have nothing else to do and you have plenty."
Santana performed the best curtsy she was able to with her arms full and hurried down the stairs.
Brittany leaned against the banister and sighed. She really hated giving anyone orders. She'd spent so much time with the servants in her parents' employ that she considered a great many of them her friends as she really had none outside the house. And they respected her treatment of them a great deal.
When Santana had been assigned to her a few days before, it had changed even more. There had always been a revolving door of suitors for Brittany and her older sister Penelope. But the older girl had seemed more comfortable with it all. Brittany just watched and imitated, feeling very little. Until there was Santana.
She loved to dance, loved it dearly. She jumped at any chance to even do an impromptu reel at an afternoon tea. But she couldn't help wondering lately what it would be like to dance with another lady.
She knew it wasn't something that was done. She knew these thoughts were even more vile than the late-night whispers she and her sister shared about what happened with men when they were alone with women.
And even those simple thoughts frightened Brittany sometimes. She was scared of it. Penelope said that was a normal feeling. And she admitted that she'd done more than just let men kiss her in dark corners.
Brittany was shocked by the fact. And if her sister could…do…that…why couldn't she be attracted to other females?
Of course that wasn't something she could talk with anyone about. Everyone thought it an abomination. It was against nature. There were a man and a woman in that garden, not two women. Two women couldn't create life. And creation of life was all that mattered.
"Think of England." She scoffed.
She sighed again and walked into her dressing room to pick out the perfect dress for a walk in the park.
Santana soon returned and helped her change into a pretty pale blue dress. It was simple, but elegant.
It was as she was trying to decide which parasol to bring (the blue silk or the white lace), that Brittany noticed the odd look on Santana's face. Did she know what Brittany had just been thinking about before the maid's return? Did she think of the same things? Did that mean it wasn't wrong? If two people felt it, it made it right. Didn't it?
She plastered on a smile. "I think the white, don't you? I don't want people to think the only color that exists is blue."
"I agree, Miss. You need to let the dress stand for itself. It's such a lovely shade. And the sunlight coming softly through the lace will make it even more beautiful. If the dress had a pattern already, I suggest the blue silk as the shadows would be too busy. But it will be perfect with this one."
"I believe that's the most I've ever heard you speak." Brittany said with a smile. She picked up the white lace parasol.
"Servants are to be rarely seen and never heard." Santana recited. It was something all servants had drilled into their heads.
"Well, I hope that you and I can become friends, Santana. I know this is a bit of a new position for you. I'll make certain that once a replacement is hired for Rebecca that you will be relieved of most of your current duties. I'd like a chance to get out alone more often."
"Thank you, Miss Brittany."
They walked down the main stairs together in silence. They climbed into the small carriage together and rode along in silence.
"How is your mother these days?" Brittany asked after a while.
"She's fine, thank you."
"I understand she's having trouble with her back."
"Yes. She took a bad fall when she was a child in Spain and it's bothered her ever since."
"Spain? But you've lived here all your life?"
"Yes. I have an older brother who went back a few years ago."
"I remember. He helped out in the stables?"
Santana smiled. "Yes. He loves horses. He loves all animals. Our grandparents have a ranch in Spain. He went back to learn the business and take over."
"Why did your parents leave?"
"I've never been told the entire story. There was a bit of a falling out with my other grandparents, my mother's parents. They didn't want my parents to marry. Her people were a bit better off than simple ranchers. But my parents were in love, so they ran away and came here." She slumped slightly. "I don't know what they were expecting to find."
"Do you ever want to go back?"
"I don't know enough Spanish." She smiled. "I don't really know any Spanish other than 'Te amo.' and 'Me gusta.' Mama and Papa sometimes speak it together, but never taught us. They didn't want us to be punished."
"I heard your mother say something once to your father. I don't remember what it was, but it was beautiful. It made him smile."
"It is. Maybe I can convince her to teach me now that I'm older and know when to should and shouldn't use it."
"If she agrees, do you think you could teach me?" Brittany was a little excited at the prospect. The only languages she was allowed to learn were French and Italian. Her mother had told her on several occasions there were no other important languages. But Brittany silently wanted to learn every language she could. And she had excelled in the other two. She was almost fluent in Italian now had a very good grasp of French.
Santana beamed, "I'd love to."
"And then we could have a secret language no one else around us would know. And if we go to the park we can whisper in Spanish to each other as we make fun of others. They would never know." Brittany giggled.
Santana's smile remained. She'd never had a friend before. Not a real one. She never let herself get close to anyone other than her family. And even they seemed distant most of the time. The thought made her heart soar. Friends. They would be the best of friends.
And Santana would push aside that odd feeling she got in the pit of her stomach whenever Brittany first entered a room.