Chapter Seven

The Mistress of East Eaton

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Happy New Year! I wish all of you a wonderful New Year and hope all your dreams for the New Year come true! Thank you for the great reviews! Now, let's see what happens with Endymion and Serenity arrives at East Eaton. How will Serenity do as the Mistress of East Eaton? Will things be better for Serenity at East Eaton than they were at Diamond's castle? Will Endymion be able to forgive Serenity for his betrayal of his brother? Will the noble Endymion be able to accept someone with an immoral past like Serenity as his wife? It's time to find out. Here's The Mistress of East Eaton. Enjoy!

Hours later, Serenity and Endymion arrived as East Eaton Hall. Endymion stepped out of the carriage. Nathan held out his hand to help her out of the carriage. He smiled politely as she thanked him. Serenity was stunned when she saw the servants were lined up in a single row to meet her. Endymion introduced her to all of them. Serenity followed behind Endymion and shook each of their hands as the women curtsied and the men bowed before their new mistress after Endymion introduced each of them to Serenity.

Endymion said, "This is Williams, the butler of East Eaton and has been in service of my family for twenty-five years. He practically raised me. This is the head housekeeper, Mrs. Bell. She has been with my family for twenty years. These are our maids, Claudia, Kelsey, and Candice. Kelsey and Candice are also the ladies' maids to my daughters, Lady Chloe and Lady Emily. Claudia will be your lady's maid. She has been employed with our family for a little over a year and can help you get situated. These are my valets, Rogers and Stacks. Rogers is my personal valet and good friend since we were little boys. Stacks is the personal valet to my sons, Lord Christopher and Lord Benjamin. These are my footmen, Charlie and Edward. Charlie has been with us for over five years, and Edward recently started two weeks ago. This is our wonderful cook, Mrs. Samson. She has been with my family for thirty years. This is our new kitchen maid, Hannah. She's been with us for a few weeks and is a quick learner. You already know Nathan, my coachman and this man over here is our gardener Liam."

Serenity was overwhelmed and felt way out of her league. From the snobbish way Williams stared at her, she feared he was quite aware. She took a deep breath and put on a brave façade. She smiled pleasantly and said to the servants with her hands clasped in front of her, "It is nice to meet all of you, and I hope we are all happy together." They smiled and nodded their heads at her. Endymion thanked the servants and dismissed them. They separated and went back to their job duties. Williams instructed Charlie and Edward to grab the master and mistress' luggage from the carriage.

Once the servants had dismissed, Endymion dropped his happy façade. He strode into the house with his head bent down checking the time on his pocket watch. Serenity quickly followed behind. She wondered why he did not introduce her to his children. There was no way she was going to ask him. She was afraid he would snap at her and call her his little whore like his brother always did. Like his brother, Serenity realized that Endymion could act civil when he wanted to. He was all good manners and pleasant to her in front of his servants even though he had not spoken one word to her since they left North Lancaster.

Endymion glanced up and was surprised to see his mother had returned home. She stood in the middle of the main entrance hall wearing a black gown with a white lace high neckline. Her silver hair was styled in a bun and her violet eyes very angry. His smile faded when he saw the disgusted manner she looked at him. He slowly approached her. She slapped him harshly across the cheek. Endymion turned his head.

Endymion turned to his mother in shock holding his cheek. "Mother…"

She reproached him outraged and shaken, "How could you? He was your brother!"

Endymion cried out in his defense, "He was responsible for hundreds of people's deaths. He was a monster."

She raised her voice higher and shouted, "He was our monster!" Endymion's eyes widen. "I've always known that your brother was special, but you should have protected him. Your father would turn over in his grave ashamed of you." She looked passed Endymion at Serenity standing in the doorway. She bit out spitefully, "All for your brother's whore." She walked off. Endymion stood in the middle of the floor hurt and shaken by his mother's words. His mother's words had no effect on Serenity since she was used to people treating her cruelly her entire life. Yet, Serenity sympathized with Endymion. He did not deserve his mother's cruel words. Without looking at her, Endymion sprinted up the stairs leaving Serenity standing alone in the grand hallway of her new home.

Word spread across the kingdom that the former Duke of Lancaster was quartered and drawn. His limbs were scattered across the country from coast to coast. Diamond's spies throughout the kingdom was hunted down, tortured, and executed by the order of the king for treason. Endymion retreated to the shadows of his study drowning himself in his sorrow and grief over betraying his brother.

Endymion had not spoken to Serenity since he introduced her to the staff days ago. She ate her meals alone since the master of the house refused to leave his quarters. Serenity spent her days walking along the beautiful grounds of East Eaton or in the library reading from the vast literature of books. Well, she tried. She was never good with school. She said out loud, "The c-cat c-crawled-"

"The cat crawled up the tree. The old spinster became mad, grabbed her broom, and knocked the cat off the tree." Serenity turned behind her and saw a pretty little girl around four or five with long ebony pigtails and deep blue eyes. She wore a pretty black baby doll dress. She sympathized with Serenity, "It's okay if you have trouble reading. I used to have troubled with reading when I was little, but I got better. You have to concentrate. That's what my papa always tells me."

Serenity looked amused as the little girl who perched herself on the seat next to her. Serenity asked, "And how old are you now?"

The little girl unconsciously used her hands a lot to emphasize things when she spoke. "Well, I was three when I started learning to read, but after a lot of hard work and practice, I learnt when I was four. I'll be five in next month. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one. I made my birthday yesterday."

The little girl's eyes widen and her jaw dropped. "Wow! Your birthday was yesterday?" Serenity grinned showing off her pretty toothy smile as she nodded her head. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Mrs. Samson could have baked you a cake, and we could have thrown you a big party."

Serenity giggled. "I did not want to be a bother."

The little girl held out her tiny hand, "I'm Emily. What's your name?"

Serenity reached over and shook her hand, "I'm Serenity."

Emily let go and asked curiously, "Are you my new mother?"

Serenity explained, "Well, I am married to your father now. So I guess that makes me your stepmother."

Emily smiled happily. "Yay! I never had a mother before." She added sadly, "My mommy died two days after my brother and I were born."

Serenity sympathized, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. My mother died when I was little too."

Emily looked at her like something puzzled her. Emily asked out of the blue, "Are you a whore?"

Serenity's eyes widen. "Why do you ask?"

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "That's what grandmamma calls you in front of the servants." Serenity snorted.

Serenity shook her head. "Nah, just Serenity." Emily smiled. She glanced at the thin book in Serenity's hand.

Emily asked, "Would you like me to teach you how to read?"

Serenity smiled. "I'll love for you to." Emily crawled into Serenity's lap. She held the book in her tiny hands.

Emily flipped to the beginning of the book. "I am a great teacher. I taught Mr. Paddington to read."

"Who's Mr. Paddington?"

She said nonchalant, "My teddy bear."

"I see."

Emily pointed to the first page. "Now, you have to sound out the words and break them apart. Like the C makes a ca sound and you add it to at then you combine the two sounds together. Now, let's do it together."

Endymion stood in the doorway dressed in a three piece suit. Williams fetched his frock waistcoat and helped him slip it on. He smiled as he watched the scene of Emily teaching Serenity how to read. He was surprised at how easily Serenity won Emily over. Emily was usually shy when it came to strangers. But she warmed up to Serenity instantly. He placed on his top hat, grabbed his briefcase and left out the front door. Williams smiled at the scene too. He softly closed the door to not disturb them.

"Is she alive?" Serenity heard a little boy said.

"Of course she is alive, idiot." a little girl said.

"She's quite beautiful." An older boy said.

"She looks like mother." An older girl said. Serenity opened her eyes to find four sets of blue eyes on four little faces staring down at her face. They were extremely close to her face. She sat up in bed as they slowly backed away.

The oldest girl giggled as she sat on the side of the bed wearing a white sailor dress with navy blue trimmings and her long golden locks braided into a long single braid hanging over her shoulder. "Don't mind them, mother. They are not used to seeing a mother. I was five when mama died. Chris was only three. And the twins Emily and Ben were only two days old. So you are like a beautiful princess from a fairytale to us."

The little boy asked, "Is it okay if we called you mother?"

Serenity stared at the four children. The oldest son Chris had short blonde hair and blue eyes while the younger two had black hair and blue eyes like his father. The older two resembled their mother, while the younger two resembled their father. Serenity felt sorry for these children being deprived of a mother for all these years. Yet, she had absolutely no idea how to be one. Her mother worked most of the time until the day she died. The children also acted like they never seen another woman before besides their grandmother and the female servants.

She was sure a man as attractive and well-endowed as Lord Lancaster had women parading around him. Yet if he did, it apparently had no lasting impact on his children.

Serenity sighed and smiled at each of them looking at her with warm blue eyes. "If you like…" She laughed when they cheered and jumped on her.

Serenity spent the days playing with the kids and running around the house with them to her new mother-in-law's disdain. The servants found it quite amusing and were delighted that the Lancaster children were happy again and having fun. They ran around the estate. Emily and Chloe helped Serenity with her reading and writing. She was slightly ashamed that a four-year-old was a better reader and writer than she was. She felt herself holding back the desire to apologize to Emily for messing up. Emily always slapped her hand on her forehead and let out a dramatic sigh when Serenity got words wrong and said, "Let's do it again."

Serenity helped Chris learnt how to tie a tie and with his dancing since he had two left feet. He became upset very easily when things did not come naturally to him. He grew frustrated every time he messed up and missed a step and had a temper tantrum refusing to dance again. It also did not help that his sisters sometimes teased him about his horrible dancing. Serenity quickly reprimanded the girls and demanded they apologized to their brother immediately, which they always did. Afterwards, Serenity would always knelt down and remind him that she was not a great dancer either but with practice she became better. He always smiled and nodded at her words of encouragement then they would start practicing again. The twins always found their way into her bed and slept in her warm embrace. Sometimes she would wake up with the twins cuddled up next to her without knowing they had snuck in during the night.

Serenity even took the children into town with Nathan driving them in the carriage. She brought them ice-cream and sweets which their father never let them have. She enjoyed playing with the children and spending time with them. She hardly saw Endymion, and it did not bother her at all. She could happily live her life without seeing him again. The atmosphere of East Eaton was happier and she did not feel scared of being harmed or pretended to be someone that she was not. She felt free and it was great news that Lady Audora had finally returned to her home in the capital city of Noland.

Two weeks had passed since she married Endymion. The children happily joined her for breakfast. They were all surprised when Endymion strolled into the room wearing a dark green three piece business suit. The children happily greeted their father, "Good morning, papa!"

Endymion said happily taking his seat at the head of the table, "Good morning children." He greeted the servants as they poured him his morning cup of coffee and served him his breakfast. Something was different about him. He seemed much happier and at peace. He glanced up across the table and stared at Serenity. "Good morning, Serenity." She was surprised he spoke to her. He usually pretended she did not exist.

Serenity said, "Good morning, Lord Lancaster." Charlie and Edward scoffed as they stood off to the side. Williams stood at attention behind Endymion and cleared his throat at the two footmen. The two young men quickly straightened up.

Endymion teased, "Serenity, you are my wife now. Call me Endymion or Endy. But there is no need to be so formal." She nodded in agreement and looked down and began to eat her breakfast. He eyed her for a few seconds more before looking away and began to eat his breakfast too.

He looked at his children and said, "The circus is in North Lancaster today. Anyone want to go?"

The children's eyes widen in surprise as they stared at one another. They quickly raised their hands in delight. Emily held up both of her hands.

Endymion smiled at his children then turned his gaze to Serenity. Endymion and Serenity's eyes locked as they laughed together at the children. The children began to talk loudly amongst themselves of all the things they wanted to do once they get to the circus. Serenity broke away from his gaze. Serenity did not know what was happening to Endymion and her but she liked it. She liked the warm feeling her body felt around him even though he did not really care for her as a wife or anything else.

After breakfast, Serenity returned to her rooms to find Claudia there. Serenity was confused but Claudia informed her as she led to her wardrobe closet that Master Endymion had summoned her to help Serenity get ready for their outing. Claudia dressed her in a pretty green gown that matched the color of the Master Endymion's suit. It had a white lace high collared neckline and puffy short sleeves. Claudia styled Serenity's hair in a neat chignon and placed on a pretty straw touring hat adorned with dried pink and white roses on a floral wreath with white ribbons on her head. Serenity thanked Claudia, who had instantly become a good friend to her. Claudia smiled and bid her mistress a good trip before leaving Serenity's room. Serenity stared at herself in the mirror. She looked beautiful and looked like the part of a lady, but she did not feel like she deserved this happiness or this life. She should be a maid like Claudia not the Countess of Lancaster or Endymion's wife. Endymion and his children deserved someone much better than her. She sighed.

Later on that morning, everyone hopped into the carriage. Chris and Ben sat next to their father while Chloe and Emily sat on the opposite side next to Serenity. A sleepy Emily crawled on Serenity's lap and fell asleep cuddled in Serenity's arms resting her little head against Serenity's bosom. Serenity softly caressed the little girl's soft hair. Endymion smiled at the gesture.

After arriving at the travelling circus in North Lancaster, Endymion gave each of the children a few gold coins to go off and play games. Serenity and Endymion strolled along the fairgrounds. Serenity looked down when she saw his fingers brushed against hers nervously. He grabbed her hand and tightened his grip. Serenity smiled as she nervously tucked a fallen strand of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes widened when the gust of wind blew her hat off her head. Before she could move, Endymion chased after it. He nearly fell when he bent down to retrieve the hat as the wind was about to blow it away again. Serenity smiled brightly with delight as Endymion picked up the hat and brushed off the dirt with his hand. He strode back over to her. Serenity smiled at him as he placed the hat back on her head and tied the ribbons securely around her face so it would not fly away again. She thanked him. He smiled warmly at her. He held out the crook of his arm for her. She smiled as she slipped her arm around his as they began to walk along the grounds again.

Serenity was amazed as they stood in the crowds at the different sideshows. They watched the overweight, full bearded lady in a cage then the world's strongest man in a black one piece leotard lifting up a two hundred and fifty pound dumbbell with one hand. The crowd erupted in cheer and applauded the strongman. Endymion looked unimpressed and slightly bored until they reached an exhibit and stood in a small crowd watching a beautiful woman with three breasts in a cage do absolutely nothing but sit in a chair facing the crowd like a statue and look beautiful with a deadpanned expression on her face. Endymion applauded the woman as everyone looked at him like he lost his mind. The woman broke character and cracked a small smile watching him. Serenity burst into laughter enjoying this carefree version of Endymion as people stared at the couple like they were nuts. She dragged a feigningly reluctant Endymion away from the exhibit. They went to see a fire breather blowing fire out of his mouth and then the Indian snake charmer hypnotizing a cobra out of a basket with his pungi. While Serenity was mesmerized by the entertainment as she giggled and dragged him from one show to the next, Endymion received the greatest pleasure from watching her have fun and enjoy herself. When he saw the advertisement for the travelling circus in the newspaper this morning, he figured she would like something like this as much as the children would. He turned his attention back to the show as he joined in as everyone applauded the snake charmer for an excellent show.

The children kept running back to their parents asking for more money to go on more rides and play more games. The entire Lancaster clan finally gathered together at the center of the circus and met up with the rest of the crowd to see the show inside the big red and white striped tent. The circus theme music began to play very loudly as soon as the crowd settled in. Ben and Emily and giggled when they saw the little circus monkeys playing the flutes and banging the cymbals together. Chloe sat on the bench next to her father. Emily sat on her father's lap. Chris sat between his parents. Serenity sat with Ben on her lap with her arms wrapped around him. They laughed at the clown family slapping each other around with their big white gloved hands and pulling each other's red squeaky noses. Ben bawled over laughing when water squirted out of the flower on one the clowns' shirt soaking the other clown's face and red curly hair. Everyone laughed as the now angry wet clown grabbed a big rubber bat and began to chase the clown who squirted him around the arena with the bat. A tiny dwarfish clown came out running around on a large rolling ball with a terrified look on his face trying not to fall. Another clown came out riding on a large tricycle as the audience applauded the clown family. The children marveled in delight at how the beautiful lady with flawless hair in a sparkling blue and silver sequin leotard and stockings did acrobatics on top of the elephant. The crowd gasped then applauded when the elephant dropped to its feet and rolled over on its back with the woman still on it. It then rolled on its stomach with the smiling woman perfectly okay on its back with her hands in the air as everyone applauded her. She waved to the crowd with a beautiful smile on her face as she rode out of the arena sitting on top of the elephant. Chris and Ben were amazed when the ringmaster tamed the scary African lion with his whip and the lion jumped through a large ring of fire roaring loudly. Emily pointed out to her father the acrobat family doing flips in the air and catching one another on swinging trapezes high in the sky without any nets. A tightrope walker in a yellow skin suit walked on very thin high wire about twenty feet in the air holding a long balancing pole in his hands. Endymion looked amazed also. He turned to Chloe with a big smile on his face. She was not there. He looked around for her calling out her name. He could hardly hear himself speak because the music was so loud. His smile faded as he started to panic. He turned to Serenity. She saw the frightened look on his face. She saw Chloe was missing. Serenity held onto the children as Endymion leapt off the bench running around the grounds searching for his daughter Chloe. He stopped people asking them if they saw a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. They all told him no. He screamed out her name but he could not see her anywhere.

Several hours later, he argued with the police, who tried to convince him that she might have run away. Endymion scolded them, "I know my daughter. She is responsible. She would never go anywhere without an adult she could trust. This is not like Chloe!"

The deputy chief constable said, "We have to wait forty-eight hours to file a missing report."

Endymion snarled, "I am the Earl of Lancaster. I run this city. Now, either you do your job and find my daughter or you won't have your job by tomorrow."

The deputy chief constable quickly said, "Yes, your lordship." He bowed and scrambled off with the other two officers.

They were in the bar where Lita and Caleb worked. The bar was empty besides Caleb sitting on top of a table clad in a white club-collared long-sleeved shirt with the top two buttons undone and brown cotton trousers. His arms were folded across his chest. Lita and Serenity were upstairs in the apartment with the children.

Endymion cried out loudly angrily snatching one of the chairs and tossing it violently across the room as the legs broke off once it crashed on the floor, "Damn it!" It was ten hours later and after midnight. He massaged the back of his neck frustrated and ready to explode inside.

Caleb jumped. "Are you sure she did not run away?" Endymion glared at Caleb like he asked a dumb question. Caleb quickly added in his defense, "I mean kids do run away. Maybe she wanted attention or maybe she was unhappy at home."

Endymion said pacing the floor frustrated, "Chloe is the happiest little girl I know. She inherited her happy temperament from her mother. Chloe was happy. She knows not to go anywhere by herself and all the children have been extremely happy since Serenity arrived. They are all in love with her. Chloe did not run away. Somebody took her."

"Do you have any enemies?"

"Not that I know of. There was Diamond, but he is dead now."

"Are you sure?"

Endymion stopped pacing. He turned to Caleb and said in sarcastic manner, "Yes, the king was personally there. My mother wept. Of course, he is dead. The only people Chloe would leave with are my mother and me." He ran his hands through his hair. "How could someone snatch her when she was sitting next to me? I am a horrible father."

Caleb smirked. "You are many things Lord Lancaster, but a horrible father is not one of them."

Endymion smiled sadly. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

The police spent two days searching the city for the whereabouts of Lady Chloe Lancaster and found no traces of her. Endymion even ordered the police to search Diamond's castle, but they searched the place up and down and found no signs of her. No one saw her. Endymion offered a large award. Plenty of people soon brought forth little girls with blonde hair and blue eyes but none of them were Chloe.

After two days, Endymion sent Serenity and the children away to East Eaton without him. He was determined not to return home until he found Chloe. The children embraced and kissed their father before Nathan helped the children into the carriage parked in front of the inn. Serenity embraced Caleb and Lita. Lita kissed her cheek. Serenity moved to step on the steps of the carriage and hop into the carriage. She hesitated when someone grabbed her hand. She looked down then up and saw it was Endymion. He pulled her back down and off to the side. Nathan smiled as he walked off to the front of the carriage to climb into the driver's seat.

Endymion stood in front of Serenity holding both of her hands. He said, "The manor will be heavily guarded. I am aware that you love walking the grounds, but I don't want you to go outside for any reasons. Please watch over my children. They mean the world to me. I love them more than life itself." Serenity smiled.

"I will, Lord Lancaster."

He lifted up her chin with one long finger until she faced him. He smiled down at her trying to make light of the situation. "I told you, it's Endymion." She nodded with a weak smile. He bent down and captured her lips in a simple, sweet kiss. She closed her eyes and he pulled her closer into his arms as their kiss intensified into something more. She began to crumple under his kiss as her lips parted. His tongue delved into her mouth teasing her until she surrendered. She fervidly returned his kiss. He slowly parted from her as they both let out a soft sigh of sorrow. He opened his eyes to see Serenity staring starry-eyed at him.

He said quietly, "Serenity, I know I have not shown it. But you also mean a great deal to me. My fondness of you grows each day so please be safe." Serenity nodded as he helped her into the carriage. Endymion closed the door and tapped the back of the carriage. Nathan drove off. The children all sat on the side that Serenity sat on. Chris embraced a quiet, somber Emily. Serenity comforted a sad Ben with one hand and touched her tingling lips with her other hand. She rested her head against the window as they took the gloomy, silent ride home to East Eaton.