A Victorian Tale: A Puppet Masters' of Time Novel

10. Secrets revealed...

Calliope entered the house from the servant's entrance. She climbed the stairs to the foyer. She tip-toed, hoping not to draw any more unregarded attention to herself. She had already received several wary and yet suspicious looks from the many servants her Mother had employed on the estate. Calliope wished, lifting her eyes to the heavens, hoping they had not seen Tetros.

"Where have you been, young lady?"

She cringed, they caught her.

"I felt like I needed a breath of fresh air."

"At this time of the evening?"

Calliope glanced over to her father, hoping her expression did not look as guilty as she felt on the inside. "Yes. I rather like how the full moon shines across Moss Landing."

She smiled at remembering the pompous Frederick lying flat on his back as the moon shone on his utter arrogance, mocking him, with its light.

Mr. Worthington had not been ignorant of Calliope's regular walks out to the forest. He remembered her birth mother used to do the same, especially when she was pregnant with Calliope. He worried for his daughter, but he would never say so, for a gentleman always kept his emotions to himself. Yet, he would not excuse her actions that night.

"Do not do so again. Your mother would have a fit."

"Oh, please don't tell her. I..."

"Don't tell me what, Calliope?"

Her father spoke before she had a chance to speak.

"She wished to go out for a walk in the gardens earlier to view the full moon. I had told her she couldn't, but she still did so."

Calliope looked shocked over at her father, he rarely lied to Mother. But it wasn't just that he had done so, but rather the way he did it. He lied enough that she would not have her life changed forever, as she knew it would be if he had told her completely where she'd been, but enough that she'd still be disciplined.

Lady Worthington took in Calliope's look of shock, her lips pursed as her eyes traveled to her daughter's stained hem. "I see."

The lady turned toward the grand steps, about to ascend before once more turning towards her step-daughter, "You begin household training tomorrow at six o'clock sharp with Angeline. I will not have a mother-in-law thinking badly about me later if you were not trained in taking care of and managing the household."

Calliope wished to protest but stopped when she saw her mother's eyebrow raised as if daring her to. She gave a slight curtsy. "Of course, Mother."

"Very well then." Her mother walked toward her father. "I will be in our room."

"Of course, my dear." He gazed reverently after his wife until she disappeared above.

"I do not know why you truly were out tonight, and I do not wish to hear it." He silenced her explanation with the raise of a fatigued hand. "Watch yourself, Calliope. I will not lie for you again. Any more suspicious behavior, and you no longer will have an ally in me."

"Father, I..."

"Good night, Calliope."

The next day Calliope's maidservant opened her curtains to let the early morning light in and opened the curtains to her bed.

Kindly she shook her shoulders, "Miss, miss, it's time for your training."

Calliope shifted in her sleepiness, groaning as the early morning light shined in her eyes as she woke up.