Chapter 1.2- Blue, brown and the shades in between

Lord Booth was, himself, fumbling for something to say. It was not often he met servants in his corridors. Apart from his valet and the major-domo, they seemed to be a whole race of invisible people that scurried of like ants every time he approached their domains.

As he struggled for composure, he took in the sight before him. Two girls- couldn't be more than 18 or 19- the laughter he'd heard before completely gone from their faces, replaced by fear. A pair of eyes black as night and a second pair, blue as the summer sky that, to his mind, should be smiling- not worrying. He tried to sooth them
"Don't worry, I don't bite" and he smiled. The girl with the black eyes held onto the hand of the other girl in a gesture of utter fear. But the girl with the blue eyes held fast.

"Beg your pardon, Sir, we did not mean to disturb you... we were just cleaning the fire in this room and... we're sorry Sir" she finished with a sigh. But her eyes never left Lord Booth's

"Lower your eyes, you insolent waif!" Lady Rebecca, appearing as if out of thin air said, barely above a whisper, but her words were like a whip, "Show some respect to your master."

This time, the girl with the black eyes was the only one who found the strength to answer.

"Yes, Ma'am, Sorry, Ma'am, She did not mean anything by it" and she curtsied in a way that had Lady Rebecca cringing.

"Move along, you two, out of my sight! And you, Tess, to my rooms now!" She motioned her chambermaid to follow her.

The two girls nodded their heads and nearly ran towards the servants' quarters.

It was their first encounter with both Lord and Lady Booth, despite working at the estate for almost a year now. It was easy to miss them as servants were only as good as how invisible they managed to make themselves. It was, in Angela's mind, very clear that they were going to be dismissed on account of the incident in the corridor. Her black eyes were filled with tears- as she anticipated what little options they had left.

Temperance took Angela's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen towards the herb garden. When they sat, Temperance removed two apples from the front pocket of her white apron and handed one to Angela. Her blue eyes had worry all over them, but she still smiled in encouragement.

"Come on, eat it. If we're being sent home, might as well eat before we go!" And she pulled Angela into a hug that comforted her friend as much as herself.

Lord Booth knew his wife's ways well enough to know what would be next for the two girls. And though he knew when not to contradict her, this time, he felt he had to keep those two girls around. He longed for that laughter, now he had heard it. He resented that about his life, the lack of laughter, the lack of warmth. He didn't regret his age, nor his life. It was too late for that. A soldier at heart, he had thrived in the orderly, calm life of the soldiers, far away from the armed peace at home, far from the silence. Bud God, how he longed for the laughter and warmth he had just seen, as if he had just found a part of himself missing, a vital part.

He braved into the almost uncharted territory of his wife's rooms. He knocked and didn't wait for a reply to walk in. His wife and Tess, her stern chambermaid looked at him in astonishment. He motioned the servant out of the room with a simple nod of his head. Tess took one final look at her mistress but received no reply. Even Lady Rebecca knew there were some things you just could not offend her husband with. Defy his authority was one of them. As it was, she knew she was getting away with a lot.

"Sir", she greeted in a flat tone designed to keep him at a distance. Theirs had never been a match of love. Or with love. For a long time now, it had become a match full of disappointments and silent recriminations especially for what, to her mind, he had been unable to give her: children, heirs and, therefore, validation as a woman and as an aristocrat.

"My lady! You've been keeping well, I trust..." There were pleasantries to be observed.

"With the grace of God, Sir!" There was a time, Lord Booth remembered, when she'd had a smile in her eyes. The years had been unkind to that smile, though not to her looks. She was still beautiful- if cold and aloof. He moved to the subject that had brought him there.

"What do you intend to do to those two maids?" The sudden direct approach shocked her. She composed herself swiftly.

"They are not good enough, Sir. They are not appropriate for manor duty. Think, I ask you, if, instead of you, it had been a guest." She was certain of her logic and of her right to run the house as she pleased.

"Then I ask you, madam, let them learn how to be adequate servants. It would please me greatly if you kept them at your service." Lady Rebecca knew she could not deny a request- a polite request. She was out of options. Or maybe not entirely. She blamed those cursed books her husband was so fond of reading. He had tried to talk to her about them, about that utopia thing. As far as she was concerned, it was heresy and she wanted to hear none of it.

Then, the thought that there might be another reason for Lord Booth's request formed in her mind. Maybe he had developed a sinful interest in one of them. Or both.

Lord Booth knew his wife well enough to read her thoughts in her eyes He was shocked and offended by it.

"I am too old for that, my Lady. They are but children. And for all it's worth, I've always been faithful to you. I do not intend to be otherwise now!" And he left the room, his eyes burning and his throat tight.

Tess moved to enter the room as soon as her master left. Her mistress was upset, she could see. But it was not her place to offer solace. Though she wanted to.

"Tess, you will ensure those girls learn the ways of this house. It is my husband's wish they remain at our service" Lady Rebecca felt bitter tears of humiliation prick her eyes. And for that those two waifs would pay dearly.

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