The Promise of the Dawn

Chapter Thirty-Four: Of Men and Marriage

"Take the biscuits from the oven before they're burned to crisps, for heavens sake!" The head kitchen maid yells at me as I bustle around the kitchen, attempting to look what I'm doing but utterly failing.

I pull the pan from the oven, setting them on a cooling rack, and returning to chopping some vegetables. Or at least trying to. History had proven that I was entirely incapable of producing edible food, and should never be entrusted with it.

It was quite ironic that Aurora had assigned me this job, of all others.

"And try not to chop your fingers off along with those veggies!" She says as she watches me with scrutinizing eyes.

The room is silent when the presence of a certain women enters the room, fashioned in a beautiful flowered blouse and cream colored silk skirt as she makes her way down the last step, entering the kitchen. All eyes are diverted from their tasks, and fixated on her vision of beauty as she enters.

The famous Brianna Blades had returned to her estate.

"Averill? Is there an Averill here?" She asks the kitchen staff.

For a moment, I'm so fascinated by her appearance, that I forget, I am, in fact, Averill.

"Oh! That's me. I am... Averill" I reply, wiping my hands on my apron in an attempt to clean up my appearance.

God, I hope she doesn't recognize me.

"You're the new kitchen maid?" Brianna asks me, taking in my appearance.

As he gaze drifts over me, there's a moment where I think for sure she recognizes me, but somehow, miraculously, she doesn't, and I nod in response to her question.

"A guest of ours talked very highly of you to my mother, and now she's determined to make you a ladies maid. Would you do me the honor of dressing me for tonight's festivities?" Brianna asks me.

I stand there, stock still, glancing around me at the shocked gazes of the kitchen staff as I'm asked this question.

"I-uh... of course, My Lady. I would be honored" I reply.

"Wonderful. You may follow me upstairs" Brianna replies, gesturing for me to follow along behind her.

I finally get over the initial shock of this whole scenario, and follow after her up the stairs, ignoring the gazes of all the jealous kitchen staff members.

"Back from your travels to Arden so soon, milady?" I ask Brianna as we ascend the stairs.

"Ah, yes. My mother requested my presence back at the Estate, seeing as we have an unexpected guest" She replies, opening a door at the top of the staircase that leads into the main Estate.

"Ah yes, the Lord of Aramoor" I respond.

She looks back at me with a soft smile.

"Quite so. It must be a comfort to know you're not the only citizen of Aramoor here" She replies.

"Very much so, milady" I reply.

"Perhaps, should you continue to impress us, Lord Jasper will offer you a position in his own Estate, and you'll be able to return home?" Brianna queries.

"Lord Jasper?" I question.

Brianna turns to me in confusion.

"Your future Duke?" She questions.

"Ah yes, of course. I would be very fortunate, indeed" I reply.

Brianna smiles politely in response and leads me up a nearby staircase, which ends at a large oak door, which she opens to reveal her room. The walls have been painted a light cream color, and a cream colored bed sits at the center of the room, adorned with pink silk blankets and white sheets, accented with pink silk pillows. A beautiful painting sits at the head of the bed, above the headboard, and a round table sits to the left of the bed, decorated with a flowered table cloth, which a gas lamp sits atop. On the other side of the bed is a white vanity, with various products set atop it, and a shiny white mirror.