Chapter Fifteen
Nothing.
Her mind said nothing.
She couldn’t even form a sentence let alone a thought, her mind went completely blank.
Time seemed to have stopped in it’s tracks.
What…? Why…? How…?
Slowly Jessica’s mind ticked into action and like opening a floodgate all the questions began to rush all at once.
Why has this happened, how has this happened, what could possibly have happened to allow this to happen? Had David talked to the agency and arranged it or somebody else that she knew? Or could it be that it was all a coincidence?
Then it struck her.
The position she was filling was to assist the masters’ new wife. Was it possible that David had arranged a maid for her.
It was probable, but he hadn’t known that he’d be asking until just a short while before he did, and if he had had enough time, why hadn’t he cancelled the help, or told his head of house even?
What was going on?
A hand gently shook her arm, “Miss Faileas?” Ms Moore said, evidently not for the first time. “Miss Faileas, are you feeling alright?”
Jessica took a deep breath through her nose and looking sharply to the woman and attempted a smile, “Yes, yes, I’m sorry, it’s just… I was a little taken back… it’s just, the master, you see…” a thought came to her, “he looks so much like my Great Uncle Eustace when he was a youth, it caught me by surprise, that’s all.”
Ms Moore looked far from convinced but did not push the matter. Instead she told Jessica, “This is, in fact, the master of this estate, David Jacobs. A good, deserving man if I ever knew one. Seems like he’s fallen head over heals for, what I’ve been told, the most beautiful woman in the world.” She smiled to herself, “This, of course, has yet to be seen.”
Jessica felt the blood rising to her cheeks, “I expect it’s probably the rose tinted glasses effect. How long has he known her?” she asked in a nonchalant manner.
“Only just a month.”
Jessica raised her eyebrows in feigned surprise, “a month! My word.”
“Yes,” replied Ms Moore, as though she were answering a question, “My words weren’t quite as simple, but it was that same gist. However, he is a sensible man, he would never do anything so rash before looking at it from every angle and thinking about it thoroughly.”
“Well it sounds like their meant for each other, if they’re both so ready to commit to each other after so little time.”
“Indeed,” commented Ms Moore, “again it will probably remain to be seen.” She cleared her throat, motioning for them to continue, “From what the master’s told me, she sounds like a very strong, friendly, young woman. This way.”
They continued on through the rest of the house, which as stunning as it was, all past without particular notice on Jessica’s behalf.
Ms Moore speculated a little more on the character of the new mistress as they walked but in the end, came to the conclusion that, “You yourself will probably be closer with her than any of the rest of us, and their arrival is only little more than two weeks away, so we’ll all find out soon enough.”
At length they came to a stop. The route they had taken had lead along the length of the building, up a flight of stairs, equally as elegant as those that she had seen in the main entrance, and then back half the length of the building.
Had she been aware of her surroundings, Jessica would have realised that they were directly above the main entrance, Ms Moore informed her that she had taken them via a long route so that Jessica could see around a bit.
However the past twenty minutes had been nothing but a furrowed brow to her. As they stopped, she forced herself to focus of the woman before her.
“This,” she said, patting the door they stood at, “is the masters’ private set of rooms, they are the only place on the entire grounds that anyone, save myself, are not permitted to enter.”
“So I’m constantly reminded,” Jessica murmured under her breath once Ms Moore had moved off.
“This next door leads to, what will be, your mistress’ room” she said passing the next door, and moving swiftly onto the third, she called to Jessica, “and if you’ll catch up to me,” she waited whilst Jessica hurried forwards, “this, will be your room.” She took out a key drive, and giving it to her, motioned, “go ahead.”
Jessica aimed the drive at the scanner lock on the door and, with a satisfying click the door swung open.
Gazing in to the sunlight room, her face adopted a confused position, “are you sure that this is the right room? This one is far too grand surely.” At Ms Moore’s amused expression she tried to backtrack a little, “that is, is this room not used for visiting family members and guests and the likes?”
Ms Moore’s expression of amusement had spread into a full blown smile, “Yes, it is a rather lovely room, it is also you room.” A pair of raised eyebrows lead her to continue, “All of the staff are kept in comfort and closer to where they’re needed, not to mention that the rooms aren’t exactly ever occupied.”
“I see,” she looked again around the room, taking in the simple beauty that presented itself; pale cream sheets and curtains, cedar-wood floorboards, furniture and bed frame, not to mention all of the subtle silverware; candlesticks, light fittings, mirrors, perfume and drink decanters…
If this was what the staff member’s rooms were like, what would the master bedrooms be like?
“Well,” declared Ms Moore, with a slightly impatient tone, “I’ll leave you to get settled, feel free to become acquainted with the grounds, your key drive unlocks most doors on the estate that aren’t private.” She turned to go, “Oh yes, we will be sitting down to dinner at seven o’clock, in the main dining hall, that’s just to the right when you enter via the rear entrance.” She nodded towards the desk, “There’s a communication devices on the desk there, keep one with you at all times. If you get lost today just give a shout out, my channel is 2, Trevor’s is 5 and the public channel is 7, at all other times you’re to keep it on 8, that’s your own personal channel.” She gave Jessica a sympathetic smile, said, “I hope that you have an easy time settling in, and welcome to Cridhefield Estate.”
Closing the door behind her, she left Jessica alone.
Her mind said nothing.
She couldn’t even form a sentence let alone a thought, her mind went completely blank.
Time seemed to have stopped in it’s tracks.
What…? Why…? How…?
Slowly Jessica’s mind ticked into action and like opening a floodgate all the questions began to rush all at once.
Why has this happened, how has this happened, what could possibly have happened to allow this to happen? Had David talked to the agency and arranged it or somebody else that she knew? Or could it be that it was all a coincidence?
Then it struck her.
The position she was filling was to assist the masters’ new wife. Was it possible that David had arranged a maid for her.
It was probable, but he hadn’t known that he’d be asking until just a short while before he did, and if he had had enough time, why hadn’t he cancelled the help, or told his head of house even?
What was going on?
A hand gently shook her arm, “Miss Faileas?” Ms Moore said, evidently not for the first time. “Miss Faileas, are you feeling alright?”
Jessica took a deep breath through her nose and looking sharply to the woman and attempted a smile, “Yes, yes, I’m sorry, it’s just… I was a little taken back… it’s just, the master, you see…” a thought came to her, “he looks so much like my Great Uncle Eustace when he was a youth, it caught me by surprise, that’s all.”
Ms Moore looked far from convinced but did not push the matter. Instead she told Jessica, “This is, in fact, the master of this estate, David Jacobs. A good, deserving man if I ever knew one. Seems like he’s fallen head over heals for, what I’ve been told, the most beautiful woman in the world.” She smiled to herself, “This, of course, has yet to be seen.”
Jessica felt the blood rising to her cheeks, “I expect it’s probably the rose tinted glasses effect. How long has he known her?” she asked in a nonchalant manner.
“Only just a month.”
Jessica raised her eyebrows in feigned surprise, “a month! My word.”
“Yes,” replied Ms Moore, as though she were answering a question, “My words weren’t quite as simple, but it was that same gist. However, he is a sensible man, he would never do anything so rash before looking at it from every angle and thinking about it thoroughly.”
“Well it sounds like their meant for each other, if they’re both so ready to commit to each other after so little time.”
“Indeed,” commented Ms Moore, “again it will probably remain to be seen.” She cleared her throat, motioning for them to continue, “From what the master’s told me, she sounds like a very strong, friendly, young woman. This way.”
They continued on through the rest of the house, which as stunning as it was, all past without particular notice on Jessica’s behalf.
Ms Moore speculated a little more on the character of the new mistress as they walked but in the end, came to the conclusion that, “You yourself will probably be closer with her than any of the rest of us, and their arrival is only little more than two weeks away, so we’ll all find out soon enough.”
At length they came to a stop. The route they had taken had lead along the length of the building, up a flight of stairs, equally as elegant as those that she had seen in the main entrance, and then back half the length of the building.
Had she been aware of her surroundings, Jessica would have realised that they were directly above the main entrance, Ms Moore informed her that she had taken them via a long route so that Jessica could see around a bit.
However the past twenty minutes had been nothing but a furrowed brow to her. As they stopped, she forced herself to focus of the woman before her.
“This,” she said, patting the door they stood at, “is the masters’ private set of rooms, they are the only place on the entire grounds that anyone, save myself, are not permitted to enter.”
“So I’m constantly reminded,” Jessica murmured under her breath once Ms Moore had moved off.
“This next door leads to, what will be, your mistress’ room” she said passing the next door, and moving swiftly onto the third, she called to Jessica, “and if you’ll catch up to me,” she waited whilst Jessica hurried forwards, “this, will be your room.” She took out a key drive, and giving it to her, motioned, “go ahead.”
Jessica aimed the drive at the scanner lock on the door and, with a satisfying click the door swung open.
Gazing in to the sunlight room, her face adopted a confused position, “are you sure that this is the right room? This one is far too grand surely.” At Ms Moore’s amused expression she tried to backtrack a little, “that is, is this room not used for visiting family members and guests and the likes?”
Ms Moore’s expression of amusement had spread into a full blown smile, “Yes, it is a rather lovely room, it is also you room.” A pair of raised eyebrows lead her to continue, “All of the staff are kept in comfort and closer to where they’re needed, not to mention that the rooms aren’t exactly ever occupied.”
“I see,” she looked again around the room, taking in the simple beauty that presented itself; pale cream sheets and curtains, cedar-wood floorboards, furniture and bed frame, not to mention all of the subtle silverware; candlesticks, light fittings, mirrors, perfume and drink decanters…
If this was what the staff member’s rooms were like, what would the master bedrooms be like?
“Well,” declared Ms Moore, with a slightly impatient tone, “I’ll leave you to get settled, feel free to become acquainted with the grounds, your key drive unlocks most doors on the estate that aren’t private.” She turned to go, “Oh yes, we will be sitting down to dinner at seven o’clock, in the main dining hall, that’s just to the right when you enter via the rear entrance.” She nodded towards the desk, “There’s a communication devices on the desk there, keep one with you at all times. If you get lost today just give a shout out, my channel is 2, Trevor’s is 5 and the public channel is 7, at all other times you’re to keep it on 8, that’s your own personal channel.” She gave Jessica a sympathetic smile, said, “I hope that you have an easy time settling in, and welcome to Cridhefield Estate.”
Closing the door behind her, she left Jessica alone.
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