Mariella had just finished scrubbing the kitchen floor when Else came trotting
in with a troubled look on her face. "Marie, Mistress Cromwell wishes to speak
with you." Mariella unrolled her sleeves. 'Certainly, let me just dispose of the
wa-" Else cut her off. "No. The mistress said to come immediately." Although
understandably concerned, Mariella rose up quickly and allowed Else to escort
her.

Else led Mariella to the main dining hall where Mistress Cromwell sat at the
head of the table waiting. Mariella remained on her feet until the mistress
motioned for her to take a seat. Obediently, Else hurried out of the room. The
mistress turned and faced her maid. It occurred to Mariella that this had been the
closest the two had ever been before. "My dear Mariella, you have worked for me
for eight years and you have never asked for anything save food and shelter.
Don't you have any aspirations to leave someday with your child and find you're a
husband?"

Mariella answered respectfully, but internally she was on guard. What could
have possibly have brought this on? "No mistress. I only wish to continue serving
your family to the best of my ability." The mistress nodded expectantly. "Tell me
dear, if your fiancé had not died, as you claim, do you believe you still would have
ended up on my door step?" Mariella chose her words carefully. "No mistress. If
he had lived, he would have provided for Tatsumi and I."
As supposedly an afterthought, the mistress asked, "Do tell me, what was his
name?" Mariella did not have time to collect her thoughts. She blurted out the
first name that came to mind. "William." But the damage had already been done.
Her pause and the urgency of her answer spoke volumes. At this time, the
mistress's face became somewhat hard. "Very interesting, but you should know
a Lord Mycan visited me today. He claims that he is Tatsumi's father." Mariella
wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry. She fought to control herself.

"Mistress, I can assure you that I have never heard of this Lord Mycan before
in my life and furthermore, I find it dubious that you would take this man's word
based only on his lordship." Mistress Cromwell stood up and folded her hands in
front of her. "Mariella, this man could describe you in exact detail despite the fact
that you have not set foot outside of this mansion since your arrival. He even gave
the placement of each of your scars, What's more, his eyes are golden just like
your child's."

Mariella quickly lost his composure. "That doesn't prove a thing! Pure and
simple this man is a liar!" There was a tense moment of silence as master and
servant stared each other down. Mistress Cromwell spoke quietly. "Well, you can
take that up with him. He's waiting in the drawing room." Mariella stood up
quickly, accepting the challenge. "Very well."

Mariella followed quickly behind her mistress. Inside, she was boiling. It was
the worst thing in the world anyone could do to her. Nobody knew the awful
truth. Nobody could possibly know the depths of her suffering. When they
reached the threshold of the drawing room, the young maid braced herself for
the impending conflict.

The man seated at the far left of the room was shrouded in shadow. He was
dressed in all black, though one could tell it was of a fine material. His face was
obscured by a wide brimmed hat. The man rose to his feet when the women
entered the room. It was then that he removed his hat and revealed his face.
Although a lord, his face looked rough with uneven stubble peppering his chin.
His hair was a dark brown with an unruly quality to it, despite it being brushed
from his shoulders and tied in the back.

What struck Mariella the most were his eyes. They were indeed golden, but
what was more, she knew them, they had been burned into her memory long
ago. Everything was different except for those eyes. Mariella fell to her knees in
shock and despair. Everything was coming back to her in sickening clarity.