Page 2 of The Mountain Man’s Unexpected Bride (Mountain Man Sanctuary #5)
Present day
Savannah
I 'm vacuuming the hallway when my step sisters come in from a shopping spree. They have no packages, but I know they were shopping because they made sure to let me know before they left. They go into Masha's room and leave the door open.
A few moments later, Dima pops her head out the door.
"Will you stop making that noise?"
As much as I want to make sure Dima is in a pleasant mood, I can't shirk my responsibilities, so I just keep going. Luckily, she's distracted by the butler coming in with a mountain of bags that must be the result of their little trip.
Once he delivers the bags, he leaves, and the door is closed hard after him.
I continue my task, and when I'm finished with this floor, I prepare to move to my stepmother's level.
I always leave that for last, because she's still scary and is always in a bad mood.
My inner devil, however, loves to make her wait.
She hates it, but I've told her I need to go in order.
Masha opens the door this time and screams out of her lungs.
"Mother! Come see what we got for you."
They always bring her little presents so that she's happy with their trips.
Well, as happy as possible for my stepmother these days.
I hear footsteps approaching and know it's her.
She won't like seeing me without doing anything, so I pick up the duster I carry with me and make as if I'm cleaning around the hallway.
She completely ignores me and rushes into my stepsister's room. She doesn't close the door all the way, and I'm finally able to hear some of their whispers. Hey, I might be their maid, but I've got to get my kicks somehow.
I approach the door, still making dusting motions.
"Girls, I've got great news! That match-making agency is sending a suitor for you. He'll have to choose between the Ivanov sisters, so you need to look your best. You might have to go get a whole new wardrobe for the occasion. He's coming in a few days to meet you."
A suitor? Someone to take them away from this life and give them a better one? My so-called sisters don't need a better life. They live in the lap of luxury and do what they want all day long.
"Is he rich? Where would we live? Will I be able to keep the same quality of life as I'm used to?"
The girls are firing all sorts of questions at their mother, and I'm eager to hear the answers, but the butler is bringing them some snacks, and he frowns at me when he sees me standing near the door.
I lower my face and continue dusting away, then grab the vacuum cleaner and run up the stairs to finish my work.
As I do my work on the third level of the house, I start daydreaming about a life away from my family. I don't really need a rich man. I've lived in rags for the past eleven years—all bought at the thrift store with whatever I've managed to save when my stepmother deigns to give me money.
She won't even let me have my sister's used clothes, saying they’re of too good quality for me to wear. Seriously, I've got to get away from here, but I feel powerless to do so.
I go back to my imaginary suitor. I've gotten some second-hand romance books and imagine him to be like one of the heroes in the books.
Tall, handsome, and imposing. He wouldn't let my family continue to hurt me.
I'm so deep into my little fantasy that I don't realize they have come into the room I'm cleaning.
My father's room, in which Veronika moved in before my father's body was even cold.
"Get out of my room!"
"I'm sorry. I just started…"
"You are snooping around, trying to find something to steal."
She's always accusing me of stealing. I'm pretty sure her daughters are pawning her jewelry when she stops giving them spending money. I can't tell her that, though.
"Should I come back later?"
"Just get out of my sight. I'm going to rest my eyes for a few minutes."
I grab my gear and start going down the stairs. The girls are in the hallway, smirking.
"What did you steal now, Nooni?" Dima says.
"I think it's that necklace mother loves so much," Masha says.
I stop in front of them, head high, and shoulders back.
"I do not steal."
"No, you just borrow. Thinking mother won't find out."
"Stop lying."
"When she realizes what you've taken, she's going to throw you out on the streets."
A chill runs down my spine. Have they set me up? I need to go check my room right now. I run down the stairs with all my cleaning gear in tow and leave it in the laundry room, then I go to my room at the back of the house and search it.
There's nothing here, but they can sneak something in at any time. Veronika took my door down when I turned thirteen, claiming that teenagers do disgusting things if they have privacy. So there is always someone watching me, including the staff.
She's changed the staff over the years, and she makes sure they all hate me or at least fear her wrath and do her bidding. So I have no friends in this household. I sit down on my bed, deep in my thoughts. I feel the tears going down my face, but I do nothing to stop them.
One of my sisters is getting picked to be a bride. I am so jealous. I hate feeling this way. Just when I've resigned myself to this life, there's that whiff of hope. I mean, I'm one of the Ivanov sisters, right? I shouldn't let that information drive me crazy, but it does.
About thirty minutes pass when the butler shows up with a rake and some garbage bags, meaning I need to go clean the yard. I make a face for his benefit, but tending the garden and the backyard is one of my favorite things to do.
Today, the sky is clear, the grass is green, and I was able to fantasize for a bit about a hero who saved the day for me. All in all, a good day, even if my stepsisters are probably going to try to ruin it again later on at dinner.