Short, but it was a good place to cut it off. I like the maids. They make me laugh!
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"When you've finished that, get my coat, Riff, we're going shopping."
"Milord?" Riff blinked in surprise as he picked up the tea things. "Shopping for what, sir?"
"Oh…" Cain smirked over his shoulder unwholesomely. "I think you know."
The maid giggled wildly and blushed and Riff spared her a glance and a frown, as he briefly considered the odd behavior of the maids around himself and his lord lately, then dismissed it as irrelevant.
"Lord Cain, how do you expect to explain your- er…" Riff glanced nervously at the maid who was blushing again.
"Sorry, Mr. Raffit, sir. I'll just be going to let you two… talk." Smiling knowingly, she curtsied and left, shutting the door behind her. Cain, beginning to understand, covered a smile with one hand as Riff watched her go with a look of bewilderment.
"About that, sir, the maids have been acting rather strangely today--"
"Never mind them," Cain interrupted, smothering a laugh at his butler's naiveté.
"The whole scheme hinges on this main event, which requires a very convincing performance. Therefore, we simply have no choice. We will send a maid to buy one and have her alter it for me."
"But, well, surely that would raise uncomfortable questions with her?"
"Oh, I don't think we should have any trouble with that. And I suspect that the maids have simply decided to side with us in keeping our activities secret from the doctor." A smirk crossed his face and was gone.
"Sir?" The innocent looked confused.
"Nothing. Trust me, Riff. It will work."
"Ooh!" the girl squealed, remembering her place enough to curtsy and ask. "You want what, milord?"
Cain lounged against the wall with an expression that bordered on mischievous. "A dress, Miss Maddy. Surely you could buy a nice one? I have the money, but I fear I know nothing about ladies' fashion."
Nervously eager to confirm her suspicions, she quickly added, "Is it for a lady friend, then?" waiting in breathless anticipation for a 'no'.
Cain's smile broadened, surpassing mischievous and moving into devilish. "It's a secret…" Leaning forward, he whispered, "It's for me," and leaned back, watching her squeal with a satisfied smirk.
"Oh, Milord Cain!" She shrieked. "How scandalous! May I tell Allie? I should need some help if I'm going to be getting the full petticoats, too."
Go ahead. But remember, we can't tell…"
"Of course not, sir! Allie!!"
The second girl scurried up at her name. What, Maddy? Oh! Lord Cain, sir!" She dropped into a curtsy upon seeing her master. Maddy grabbed her arm and whispered furiously in her ear, grinning hugely at having been officially entrusted with such a scandal. The second girl covered her mouth and shrieked.
Waving a careless hand, Cain added, "Oh, and I'll need a wig and makeup, and whatever else I'll need. I am relying on you girls for these things."
Maddy and Allie looked positively ready to faint with joy.
"Here." The nobleman passed the maids a slip of paper. "My measurements for the dress?" His eyes sparkled. "Riff took them for me."
Allie fainted. Maddy caught her deftly and unconcernedly and she miraculously recovered in time to hear Cain's next, intimately whispered comment before fainting for real.
"And… Riffiel likes black lace." Almost giggling himself with mischievous satisfaction, Cain slipped out of the servants' wing to visit Justine and Dirk.
--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--
Enjoy? Oh, and to my Riff, I know you'll like to picture that dress, love. XD
