Again, I apologize for the late posting and thank you all for your patience. I've been working on three fanfics at once, which is a little strenuous when added to semester finals and Christmas preparations... Hope you all enjoy!

Welcome to the party, AD17! =P Thanks for the review! Thank you everyone, actually, for your reviews! They keep me writing! =D

By the way, I'm seriously suspecting some of you of actually knowing each other in person... I found it funny that, after a day of nothing, I got four reviews in about 15 minutes of each other... makes me wonder if you're passing along the word to each other of a new chapter being out, LOL =P

Chapter Eight

Bright Spots

Sarah was daydreaming, which was nothing new. She had learned that fine art of daydreaming and yet working at the same time… working without mishaps, that is. The acquiring of such an art is rare and not granted to many. And so the scones that Sarah undertook to bake for breakfast fared well.

Alas, not all were so gifted as Sarah and she was suddenly jerked from her own reverie by another who was not gifted with the ability to multitask. Sarah noticed the charred smell along with the black smoke first and hurried to the oven from which aforementioned smoke was pouring furiously.

"Millie!" she cried as she used her apron to draw the pan from the oven. "The muffins!"

With a miserable groan, Millie came running, wringing her hands, certainly more distraught than Sarah had ever seen her before. Ms. Smythe came also, looking like a great black storm cloud in her anger. And she accordingly let her anger burst forth, raining down insults on the unfortunate girl's head.

"You careless, lazy creature!" she cried, glaring at Millie. "How dare you let the muffins burn! We cannot afford such mistakes… it's not like you to not pay attention… it's usually Sarah who has her fool head in the clouds." As she continued, Sarah was surprised to see Millie… arrogant and disdainful Millie… burst into tears.

"Really, Ms. Smythe, anyone can make a mistake," she interrupted quickly, putting an arm around Millie's shoulder. "Don't worry, it won't matter about the muffins. I've made enough scones to feed an army."

Millie laughed, to Sarah's relief and Ms. Smythe's further disapproval.

"You always make too big a batch. But… I'm glad you did."

Once out of ear-range of the ever-watchful Ms. Smythe, Sarah leaned over the scones and spoke to Millie in a low voice.

"Something's wrong, isn't it, Millie?"

"How would you know?" Millie seemed to suddenly turn hostile again but Sarah was not to be deterred.

"Oh, I have my ways of knowing things," she shrugged lightly and turned her attention back to her work. Millie appeared to be contemplating something.

"Sarah… what would you do if you were in love with someone who didn't even acknowledge your existence?"

"I suppose I'd deem him unworthy of my love in that case," Sarah frowned.

"But… but that's not true!" the other girl protested. "I am unworthy of him myself. But I can't help it…"

"Then I would suggest," Sarah picked up her tray of scones, "that you become friends with him first. By and by he may come to find that he's in love with you too." With these words, she hurried off to pass the scones off to the footman who stood in the entrance of the kitchen.

This was daily routine… after the meal was prepared, Sarah usually assumed the task of passing the dishes to the footman who then took it into the expansive dining hall where the royal family waited at table. She never really thought of it and so handed the tray to the footman without even glancing up. Before she could turn back, though, he laughed and her head shot up in surprise. Never before had any of the footman taken the slightest notice of her.

"What's wrong, Sarah? Don't you recognize me? Must be this ridiculous uniform."

"Will! What… what on earth are you doing?" she cried in amazement.

"I've been promoted," he grinned. Before she could say anything more, he vanished through the heavy double wooden doors that led into the dining room. He was back, though, within a few moments, and she was ready with a tray of quiche.

"How on earth…?" she began.

"They needed another footman… one was just dismissed last week when he got married and, unfortunately, I was all that was readily available." and he turned back through the doors again.

"Why is it unfortunate?" Sarah asked when he came back again.

"Because I've got to stand around inside all day like a suit of armor… when I'd much rather be outside…"

"…And besides," he added, returning again. "I have to wear this horrible uniform… and a wig too." He grimaced.

"I think it makes you look very handsome," Sarah grinned as Will blushed and hurried quickly back into the dining hall again.

After that, Sarah claimed the task of passing food into the dining hall as completely her own. Each day, three times a day, was she able to hold this sort of random, scattered conversation with Will. But she was soon to find that was about all she could see of him, except on those rare occasions when he was given a few moments of free time. On said rare occasions, he would spend every moment outside. The palace was rather stuffy, after all, he informed her. And he never missed a chance to rid himself of the wig, which he detested. Sarah usually managed to have some sort of tart or pastry ready for him… he loved her baking.

"Sometimes," she sighed one day as she found him out by the well. "Life seems so mundane." She perched in her old, accustomed spot on the edge of the stone well. She had been feeling rather down that day and so relieved her feelings by melancholy reflections.

"Why do you do that?" Will had yanked off his wig and was frowning at it in distaste.

"Do what?"

"Sit on the edge of the well like that. What if you fell in?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Sarah laughed. "I would never fall in."

"Oh?" Will grinned. Then suddenly and without warning, he pulled her backwards off the ledge. She was too surprised to even cry out.

"See? You almost fell in there. Good thing you landed on the ground instead of down the well."

"Hezekiah Willoughby… what is… what is wrong with you!" Sarah cried. But instead of staying angry with him, she suddenly threw back her head and started laughing. "You are crazy. I suppose that's what comes of making you stay cooped up inside all day long."

"Just learning from you, as always," he bowed with mock solemnity and reached down to help her off the ground.

"If you're not careful, I'm going to seriously regret that apple dumpling I just wasted on you," Sarah brushed off her skirts and frowned at him.

"I have to go back now," Will said absently, grimacing at the wig, which looked a little rumpled already. "I never will understand nobility. Why on earth do I have to wear fake white hair when I have perfectly good hair of my own?"

Even if Sarah had known how to reply, which she didn't, she wouldn't have had a chance anyway, for he was already gone. Yes, life was a little mundane, even though that was an uncharacteristic reflection for her. But at least there were bright spots in it. And she was already feeling considerably more cheerful than she had a few minutes earlier.