Page 3 of The Time Of Queens (An Afterlife Story #2)

3

MAKING OF A MAID

“ O kay, so I’m not sure this is what I had in mind,” I said, looking down at myself in my long black dress with a thick, frilly, lace white collar and long bell sleeves. The pair of plain black boots were a size too big, which was way better than them being too small and causing me blisters. As for my blonde hair, this had been pulled back either side and pinned into a simple bun at the nape of my neck.

“Why, what do lady’s maids usually wear in your time?” Pip asked, cocking her head to the side like a curious and adorable puppy.

“Well, we don’t have them, as even the rich tend to dress themselves.” At this her mouth dropped.

“Holy smog of London, are you quite serious?”

“I doubt she refers to our King, for he would still…”

I started shaking my head, stopping Adam in his tracks. Then I held up a hand and whispered behind it to Pip, telling her,

“He doesn’t even have a butler.”

“Nooo! Did you hear that, Bonbon?”

“It is a small carriage, my love,” Adam replied, his lips quirking.

“It sounds so wonderfully different,” she hummed, looking out of the window as if trying to imagine it.

“Nearly two hundred years will do that,” I said, sticking my head out of my side window and seeing we were getting closer to the house. Hence why my nerves started to kick in and my heart beat faster.

“Do you really think this is going to work?” I asked, the fabric of my skirt twisting in my hands and my lip finding itself in between my teeth. At this Adam took pity on me and covered my hand.

“Be at ease, Keira, we will do our best to get you home.” At this Pip looked a little sad. As if only just remembering what we were trying to achieve here and that would eventually mean saying goodbye.

Because after Pip had convinced her husband to help me, we had made a plan. Doing so while Pip had helped me clean up my scraped knees, the small cut at my neck, and the larger cut at my palm.

While Adam refused to steal from his King, he had no qualms about Pip stealing clothes from a mortal. Say, like a lady’s maid outfit, along with shoes and stockings. However, I had drawn the line at underwear, telling her I had that covered.

As for the plan, Pip and Adam had been on their way to Witley Court as summoned by their King weeks ago. So, it wasn’t going to look odd them just arriving out of the blue. That was one problem solved, the next was getting inside and remaining unseen enough to search for a coin. Hence why I was now posing as Pip’s lady’s maid, someone she had left at their own home, Ham House in London, south of Richmond.

Just the idea of Pip having maids was mind blowing as I just couldn’t see it. If anything, she would be the one braiding their hair and dressing them up like life-sized dolls. But right now, well, I had a part to play, as it was a sure way to get me inside and unseen. Of course, I was nervous in case I got it wrong about creating a new timeline. Because I discovered we were in fact in the year 1867. A whole sixty-eight years since I left him, which was no more but a single day for me.

Which meant he was either going to recognise me as the girl who left him or as the maid he just met. Either way, this was my only bet at getting a coin. Although, that didn’t make it any less nerve wracking the closer to the huge manor house we travelled. One that was getting bigger by the second.

“You will do fine,” Pip said, then cast unsure eyes at her husband. I didn’t miss the slight shrug of his shoulder, prompting her to pat my leg and say, “Perhaps it’s best leaving all the talking to us.”

I nodded, refraining from commenting about how bad things must be if that was the plan we were going with. Usually, it was Sophia and me saying that line to her.

I saw the servants all lined up outside, ready to receive us, and my breath caught in my throat at the sight of Draven emerging from inside, looking masterful at the top of the stairs. His dark suit wasn’t surprising, neither was how good he looked in it. His long legs were encased in the same style trousers Adam wore, along with the jacket, waistcoat, and cravat. However, unlike Adam, Draven wore no difference in colour to his outfit, and it seemed to match his dark mood.

He was a brooding, handsome sight to behold.

I barely even realised that Vincent and Sophia had joined him, as he stole all of my attention in an instant. But when I finally could tear my eyes away, I saw them both looking far happier than their brother. Sophia looked stunning in her light-peach coloured dress, one I would have called a gown, yet was most likely considered a casual style, despite how big the skirt was.

As for Vincent, he wore light-grey trousers and a blue jacket. Which also meant he was looking as dashing as ever. I wondered for a moment if Sophia was alone and without her husband at the present, that was until he joined them, walking up behind her and whispering something in her ear that made her blush. This was before coming to stand next to her, so he could tuck her hand through his arm. He too looked very noble, with his dark-green jacket and trousers that had a green checkered pattern on them. As if he was ready for a hunt or something.

His long white hair was tied back, and he was without the tattoo down his cheek. Which also meant that there was nothing to hide the scars that marred one side of his handsome face. I wondered what people thought of him in this time period, and whether or not they were shocked at his appearance. Although, I doubt many would have been brave enough to comment, as he was an intimidating sight to say the least.

“Okay, time to get the mojo a-flowing!” Pip said, clapping her hands and rubbing them together. Then when the carriage stopped and the door opened, she winked at me and said, “Showtime, buttercup.”

Adam got out of the carriage first, stopping to help his wife down. He hesitated then, stopping himself from helping me, as I guess that would have looked odd seeing as I was the hired help. Pip being Pip, didn’t give a shit about propriety and she simply ran towards Sophia as she too was stepping towards her. The joy it brought me to see how they embraced each other was utterly heart-warming. Draven watched this too, showing the smallest reaction, barely a grin playing on his face, there one second and gone the next.

This before he stepped forward, descending the steps ready to greet Adam first. Someone who had his hand out ready to shake Draven’s in return, and then his brother, before offering Zagan the same welcome. Pip and Sophia were chatting as I climbed out of the carriage, a cloak around my shoulders getting caught and making me stumble a step.

“Whoa!” I cried out before I could stop myself. Great, so much for an uneventful first appearance. Well, at least I didn’t fall flat on my face, although it wasn’t like this little comedic arrival act went by unnoticed. The shorter parts of my hair fell in front of my face as I missed a step. Which meant that when I pushed my hair back, I looked up to find everyone now looking at me.

But more importantly…

Draven was now staring at me.

Intensely.

To the point that I quietly gasped and found my hand going to my chest. I could do little but hold my breath as I waited for recognition to show on his face before he swept me up in his arms and called me Catherine.

However, this didn’t happen, as Pip took it upon herself to intervene, telling everyone,

“Oh, that’s right, you haven’t yet met my new lady’s maid. Everyone, this is Miss Keira Williams.”

I didn’t know what to do, so I offered a little wave, thankful for the gloves Pip had given me. As I think by this point a big cut across my palm would have been a dead giveaway. However, it was Pip that made a motion for me to bow, making me stupidly mutter,

“Oh yes, of course.” Then I bowed, making only Vincent and Zagan respond, as they both dipped their head to me.

The more polite Draven brother said, “Pleasure, Miss Williams.”

As for Draven, he seemed to be stuck for words and was yet to act like his brother. No, instead, he simply turned on a heel and strode back into the house without saying a word, leaving all of us to watch in shock at his abrupt departure.

“Forgive my brother, for he seems to be out of sorts this past day or two, but come, let the servants show you to your rooms,” Sophia said, linking her arm with Pip and talking about how she couldn’t wait to show off her new conservatory. Zagan followed silently, grinning at his wife’s back. As for Vincent, he glanced behind at me questioningly before Adam took his attention, asking about some type of business.

Which just left me, looking up at this grand old house and silently asking myself…

What was in store for me this time?

“Well, that went well, I think.” God bless Pip, but seriously?

“In what way exactly?” I asked, groaning as I let myself fall back on her bed and tossed an arm over my head. I felt her do the same next to me.

“He could have tossed you up over his shoulder and ran off with you… I love it when Adam does that to me,” she offered, making me lift my arm up enough so she could see my questioning look.

“He does seem rather grumpy, doesn’t he?” Pip added, and I sighed before sitting up, scrubbing a hand down my face.

“Yeah, just a bit.” The sarcasm was lost on her as she told me,

“I thought he was going to eat you! That look, holy Heavenly heartbeat, but I thought the smoulder was going to burn you alive.”

“No wonder you love it when Batman first came on TV,” I commented, realising now that she had started the whole ‘holy’ thing with the comic heroes well before said comic book heroes. But then, she wasn’t wrong. The look Draven had given me had felt like a weapon cast my way. I didn’t know if he had wanted to flay me alive or rip my clothes off and burn me up another way.

“Bat who?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, patting her leg and getting up from the bed, taking a look around before asking, “So, what do we do now?”

Her luggage had already been brought up and she had helped me put it away in the massive wardrobe. Of course, knowing how odd it would have looked to have come here with nothing of my own, she had also stolen a bag the maid’s outfit had belonged to. Although, I had thought it nice that Pip had at least left some money in her room as compensation. Still, I was just hoping not to find anything too personal in there. Like a picture of a loved one or something, because then I would feel really bad. Yet I did keep having to tell myself that as soon as I was back to my own time, it would all be as if this timeline had never existed.

Sad then that Pip wouldn’t remember any of this, as I had a feeling that she would have loved the memories.

“Tonight, we will dine, which means the King will be busy and you will have a chance to search his room,” she told me as I was still taking in her lavish room. One that was far nicer than the inn had to offer. The bed had a high canopy attached to the ceiling, with royal blue and gold drapes hanging down either side that were held back by fancy gold hooks. This luxurious material was a theme throughout the room, as it matched the bedding and the curtains hanging over the windows. The gold tassels framed the edges and complimented the rich gold Fleur de le pattern.

As for furniture, it was a mismatch of pieces, with some items looking older in style than others. Like the chunky carved wardrobe and chest of drawers that didn’t match the marble top vanity dresser in thin spindled legs. There was also a small table by the window with seating for two in case someone wanted to eat in their room. A large, carpeted rug covered most of the wooden floor that looked to be Persian in style and was a kaleidoscope of deep blues, creams, and golds.

“Okay, so that sounds like a good plan… wait, where are you going?” I asked when she got up and smoothed out her dress.

“I must go down for tea, and you must be shown to your room, too, or it will look strange… oh no, don’t look so sad,” she said, rushing over to hold my hands before giving them a little shake.

“It will all be well, trust me, I am usually good at knowing these things.”

I gave her a nod and a small smile before she pulled me from the room, picking up the bag and handing it to me. However, Sophia was coming from her own room, saw this, and now looked at me as if questioning what she just saw. No doubt wondering why we looked so familiar and friendly with one another. Although this was Pip we were talking about, so surely she couldn’t have been that surprised.

“The servant’s dormitory is that way, I believe a room has just been made available for you. I must confess, we weren’t expecting you, as you never usually travel with a companion.” This was aimed at Pip, who laughed in a slightly nervous giggle.

“Yes, I know, but she is new, and I didn’t want to leave her in Ham House. Besides, she loves the country, don’t you, Keira?” I nodded, making Sophia narrow her eyes at me for just a second before commenting,

“Keira, that is an unusual name and, if I may say, an uncommon one at that… prey tell me, was it a family name passed down? From where do you hail, Miss Williams?” Sophia asked, and I knew what this was… an interrogation. However, Pip got in there first, answering Sophia with some place I gathered that, one, suited my accent and, two, somewhere that would have made sense when meeting Pip.

However, before Sophia could reply, Pip hooked an arm over Sophia’s and urged her down the stairs.

“Tea, we must have tea! Or better yet, coffee, so as I may slip something better into it,” Pip added, pulling a flask from the pocket of her skirt, making Sophia laugh. Although it wasn’t enough to stop her glancing back over her shoulder at me.

Great, that was all I needed.

Inspector Sophia Draven on the case.

“Marvellous, Keira, great first impression that was,” I muttered to myself after slapping a palm to my forehead. Then I turned to face the direction Sophia had told me to go, only to find Draven there, coming from the gallery. I was so shocked that I dropped my bag and shrieked.

“Do tell me, Miss Williams, but are you often found conversing with yourself?” he asked, making me realise that he at least remembered my name. After that scorching look, he had given me when I first arrived, I hadn’t been too sure he had heard a single word Pip had said.

I swallowed hard and tried not to let the very sight of him affect me enough that I couldn’t speak. So, I forced myself to raise my head and straighten my back before telling him,

“Only when weary from travel, my Lord. If you will excuse me.” I granted him a quick curtsy and finally gained a nod from him in return. Then I grabbed my bag and hurried past, holding my breath as I did and only letting it out again once there was enough space between us. I reached the door on the left and tried to turn the handle, vaguely remembering the servant telling me which one it was after showing Pip to her room.

However, when it wouldn’t open, I heard him speak again, and realised he was still watching me.

“I think you will find that door locked, Miss Williams, for it is my Steward’s room.”

I released the handle quickly, as if it had stung me. Then I turned to face him, shocked to find him now right in front of me, making me jerk back a step as I inhaled a sharp breath. Then he calmly leaned towards the door on the right and turned the handle, opening it with ease. I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away from him, and he looked to suffer the same affliction as he didn’t take his eyes off me either.

“I believe this to be your room,” he told me, finally breaking the spell and giving me cause to look away first.

I bustled past him into the room, muttering a hurried,

“I thank you.” Then I quickly closed the door behind me, fell against it, and put a hand to my pounding heart.

Wondering now…

Was his heart doing the same?