Okay…so finally, finally, FINALLY! I finished the very belated fourth chapter of Maids.
I think the biggest reason as to why is because
I've been mondo busy with my regular life,
and I didn't really have much of side plots going on.

But-now I do. =]

Ch. 4: Think Twice Before You Jump

"Anyone else sense the melancholy in the air?" Phoebe sighed wantonly while taking part in the weekly leave raking. Sadly, the garden staff is short this week, and they cannot finished on their own.

"The Autumn season makes me feel so languished." She began raking after taking a short break, "It gets colder, and everything dies."

"You can't think of it in the sense that things die." Prue walked up to the two of us, "Think of it in more of a sleeping fashion: everything must sleep at one point correct? Autumn is the earth's preparation time, and Winter is its sleeping time. Spring: the earth awakens, and in the Summer it has fun…per say."

"I see you are a romantic as well?" Phoebe eyed her as if she had solved a complex mystery.

"Come ladies, aren't we all supposed to be working?" Troy came upon our group as well, "I don't particularly see your rakes raking."

"Well, I think he's right." I agreed, "Let's get back to work." While raking, it didn't take me long to deduce that he was mimicking my path parallel to me.

"Was there something you wanted Troy?"

"Not particularly." When he looked at me, I almost guessed what he said next, "You just look exquisite this morning."

"You flatter me too much kind sir."
"I only flatter those I believe deserve it."

..:….:..

"Jane!" I was surprised in seeing her after turning from dusting the statues on the third floor, "I something the matter?"

"I think…Edward has been possessed of sorts." She leaned in closer, "He requests to see you in his chamber's immediately."

I sighed, "I wonder what I've done to upset him now." She shrugged in answering while following me to his quarters.

"Enter." He called after I knocked; I went in alone.

"Yes sir?"

"I wish a favor of you." He turned from examining a painting on a far wall, "I have, in my possession, tickets to tonight's opera. And I'm fresh out of girls to ask to accompany me."

"You can't be serious."
"I am perfectly."

He crossed over to me; I would be lying to say that he wasn't attractive. But I know he uses his only talent for power, and I feel it slowly working on me. His eyes are so mesmerizing…

"Why would you want me to accompany you? We share an equal amount of hate towards each other."

"Because." His face edged dangerously close to me, "Charlotte…you intrigue me." He placed my hand in his, and softly kissed it. I pulled it away before he became too enamored.

"Because no one else treats you realistically?"
"Because you're exquisite-there's an air abut you."

I cleared my throat, and stepped towards the door; he mentioned that Jane will lend me something suitable to wear, and to be presentable at 6:30 sharp. The worst part of the whole exchange was that I couldn't say no.

..:….:..

"Look, I know that this seems like such an outlandish idea, but-" Jane smiled while hugging me lightly, "Try to have fun."

"I can barely breathe…"
"That is the proper use of a corset."
"Is it…too downsizing of me to say I prefer being poor."

"Not if it stays within the corners of your mind dear." Jane smiled while brushing stray lint off the side of the most ravishing lavender dress she dressed me in, "I think you look absolutely divine…"

I smiled, "You're too kind."

She smirked playfully, "One of us in the family has to be. Now, go meet him in the parlor before he bites someone's head off."

While pacing myself in bow-tipped matching heels, I attempted to remember to breathe. On a wall nearby, a full length mirror hung, I caught my reflection:

The dress: lavender, flowing, accenting my bust favorably due to the tightness of the corset. A cream knitted shawl wrapped around my shoulders, lace gloves, painted face, flowing hair. On first glance you could not guess I was, in actuality, a poor maid.

"My God…" As I descended the stairs, I realized that I wasn't the only one who caught on to my game. Edward himself stood at the bottom, slack jawed and in lust.

"You'll catch flies with that mouth of yours child." The Mistress smiled in approval, "Why do I not find it surprising that you look divine in regular clothing."

I simply shrugged while following the Mistress, the eldest Austen daughter, and Edward outside to the awaiting carriages.

"Good luck." Prue whispered while handing me a lavender draw-string bag, "You'll need it."

..:….:..

"You honestly think I can here under the pretense of you actually conceiving a chivalrous thought?" I eyed Edward accusingly, "You must think I'm a fool."

He sighed in displeasure while uncomfortably shifting in his chair at the opera house. The seats were plush, red leather, and the building itself seemed marvelous; if only I wasn't here with him.

"I'm just trying to decipher why my mother is so fond of you." He kept his eyes locked on her silhouette from across the room. The two of them had their own private box seats, and as of this moment-from across the theatre in a separate box-I've realized Edward invited me on the pretense of playing Sherlock Holmes.

"Could it quite possibly be because she just…does?"

"No…you two speak quite a bit since you've started working here." His eyes began to shift to another box next to the Mistress', "Has she shared with you all of our dark secrets? Are you blackmailing her to keep your job?"

"Are you clinically insane?" I rolled my eyes, and also took a good look at the box next to the Mistress, "Oh my God…"

"What." He turned towards me.

"The dark-haired girl in the box next to your mother's." I smirked, and figured my detective deducing to be top shape, "You didn't ask me to come because you're 'intrigued' by me: You want to make the poor girl jealous."

"And what would make you think that?"

"You've been staring at her box since her and her companions sat down. Don't tell me you're fond of her."

When he hesitated in his response, my lips curved into a smile, "I don't believe it; you are capable of love?"

"Of course I'm capable…I just-"
"She was the one that said no."
"…Yes."

The lights began to dim; the curtain rose.

..:….:..

"What are your plans then?" I eyed Edward as we rode back to the manor by carriage.

"Plans for what?"
"To win her back."
"I want nothing to do with her."
"Why?"

He stared at me in the strangest way; almost as if the next statement to leave his mouth was serious, "I wasn't lying before."

"Meaning?"

"You…enchant me Charlotte Evans." The caramel pools of his eyes glimmered in the faint moonlight shining through the window, "…I-I don't know what it is, but-"

"Stop."
"Why?"
"I don't-"

In the next moment, my eyesight went dim. He leant forward and placed a chaste kiss upon my lips.

=]]]]
Bringing in romantic drama for this dying book. XD
So yes-please review, and I'll attempt to make the
chapters longer and posted more often.