Rosamund Crawley currently hated her mother. Well, not really, she hated the rules of high society, and she hated how closely her mother followed them.
Her brother, Robert, has been married for a year now, and the blind fool finally worked out that he was head over heels for his wife, which took him too damn long in Rosamund's opinion- excuse her language.
It was earlier morning, before any servants were even awake and Rosamund was already dressed. Not in anything she should be wearing, (oh how her mother would faint at the sight of her) she wore a pair of her brothers old black trousers that have a hole that not a single one of the maids could fix and she wore an old, slightly discoloured blouse and a cardigan knitted by a certain someone.
She waited by her open window, her still braided hair sat still, hung over her shoulder, but the hairs that hung loose swayed softly in the wind, falling into her eyes, causing her to swat them away as she stared intently at the door.
That's when she heard it. The all to familiar sound of the scullery maid tripping up the last step. It wasn't too loud but with Rosamund room being directly next to the door, she heard it every morning. That was Rosamund sign to tie up her shoes.
Moments later, Lily the scullery maid walked in, pulling her bucket behind her.
"Milady" She curtsied.
"Good morning." Rosamund greeted with an outstretched hand, palm facing downwards and two coins visible between her fingers. "Not a word to anyone." She reminded her as Lily came forward and put her hand beneath the other girls and the coins dropped in to her hands.
As Lily placed the coins in her pocket, Rosamund climbed out her window and onto a tree which she proceeded to jump off.
Rosamund loved the early morning, it was still dark outside and the wind was crisp, and as she began to run out the Abbey, the wind pushed her forward.
She soon left the Abbey's grounds, she started to walk more normally to the outskirts of town, a small field that was shielded to view by some overgrown trees.
Rosamund weaved her way onto a path with a smile on her face. She emerged, pulling a leaf from her hair.
"Well hello there, My lady" a voice practically smirked and Rosamund turned around to face the voice.
"I implore you to use less formal terms towards me, Kind miss." Rosamund stepped closer returning the smirk.
"I couldn't possibly, ma'am."
"Stop talking and kiss me" Rosamund stepped forward, raising her hands to the smaller girls cheeks, pulling her towards her and she crashed her lips on her partners who gladly returned the kiss.
Rosamund pulled away, "Good morning darling" she final said, dropping the small role-play they had going on, as she spoke with a light smile, holding her partner close.
"Good Morning." Delilah smiled back.
Delilah was a girl of mid height with midnight hair and striking green eyes and a smile that lit up every area she was in. Her fair skin was soft like a childhood blanket you would never get rid of.
Rosamund's hands fell to clasp Delilah's tightly. She stared at the girl in front of her with so much happiness and delight she just felt so weightless, and free.
"Do you want to know something?" She asked and Delilah tilted her head in curiosity.
"I am always willing to expand my knowledge,"
"You are the most stunning human on this planet, in this galaxy even, and I'm lucky you come to meet me every day."
Delilah looked down and blushed in response before looking up at her partner. "You've always had a way with words, haven't you? I thank you for such kind compliments.'
Rosamund bent down to kiss her again, which Delilah happily accepted.
~~~
Quite awhile later, Delilah was pushed against a tree, with Rosamund only just taking her lips away from her partner, their clothes were highly dishevelled and their hair was anything but neat.
Rosamund looks at her watch and panics. "Damn"
"Oh my, you need to use profanity more often-"
Rosamund laughs "As kind as you are, I mean we are late."
"Damn it!" Delilah responds, standing up straight and immediately sorting her hair out.
"Now you are the one sounding incredibly unholy using profanity."
Delilah laughed as the two sorted their clothes and hair out. When the two finished, Rosamund winked and kissed her a final time.
"You look better dishevelled and underneath me." Causing Delilah to laugh as the two took off in different paths.
"Goodbye darling"
"Goodbye My lady" she winked as Rosamund laughed.
~~~
Rosamund arrived back home late, she forced herself up the tree and into her room to her ladies maid, McElroy who just smiled.
"A late night rendezvous malady?" She smirked. She and Rosamund had formed a bond and with the amount to times Rosamund came in late, she obviously knew of her outings.
"More like early morning, McElroy" Rosamund laughed in response, taking her cardigan off and slinging it underneath a removable floorboard as McElroy slightly adjusted the clothes hung over arm.
"You will be late if you spend any longer ma'am."
"Right, thank you." Rosamund allowed herself to be dressed and for her hair to be styled.
"Thank you. You are dismissed." Rosamund told her but she was already half way out the door.
She made her way down the stairs and to the breakfast table, sitting opposite her brother with her father reading the newspaper at the head of the table.
"Rosamund? Why you so late?" Her father asked, not looking up from his paper. Robert on the other hand looked between the two with his mouth still full of toast.
"I overslept, my apologise papa."
Patrick just laughed and put down his paper. "Don't worry, I'm not your mother. It is perfectly alright."
Rosamund smiled in appreciation and Robert finally finished chewing his toast and swallowed it, she began to butter her own slice.
The three ate in silence.
~~~
After breakfast, Rosamund was relaxing in the library, she heard her mother needed to speak to her and planned to go out to the village to meet a certain someone one.
She was staring at the page in her book for over ten minutes before her mother came in.
"Rosamund." Violet walked in, her figure leaving an intimidating
"Mama."
"Are you well?"
"Mama, drop the formalities, I know this is not why you want to speak to me. Could you please get to the purpose of our conversation?'
"If you so wish." Violet sat down, "The season."
"Is in two weeks and this will be my last opportunity before I become a spinster?" This would be the third time they had this conversation and Rosamund was done with it.
Violet looked partially annoyed at the interruption but continued, "I have someone for you to possibly court, you will have to agree to dance, and not stay and talk to the women for the whole night."
Rosamund stood up. "If you wish, mama."
"I can't say I like this man. But with how you have behaved, your options are very slim."
The thought of annoying her mother intrigued her in more ways than she wished. She wished to leave immediately, she had plans after all. "What is his name?"
"Marmaduke Painswick."