The Governess of White Stag Hall

Day One

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Morning came too soon and Edith woke to the sound of her bedroom door opening and the clatter of dishes. She sat up and was surprised by the sight of a perturbed-looking maid dropping the food tray onto the little table in the corner.

"Who are you?" she asked, still trying to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

The maid barely spared Edith a second look as she crossed the room to the window, her face pinched in a scowl as she threw open the curtains. "You're meeting the lady of the house this morning," she said.

Edith cringed against the milky, early morning light pouring inside. "When?"

"How should I know?" the maid scoffed.

Edith frowned a little at her tone, but tried for civility anyway. "Thank you for waking me."

The maid grunted, but said nothing more before leaving the room. So much for civility.

Edith sighed. Though she had slept well and couldn't remember waking once during the night, it felt like she hadn't slept at all. That combined with the goosebumps which raised on her arms when the blanket fell from her shoulder made it all the more tempting to bury herself under the covers again. But she didn't have the luxury of long, lazy mornings anymore.

The thought drove her out of bed with a sigh. Rummaging in her suitcase, she withdrew fresh clothing and her toiletries, which were packed neatly in a small, calico bag. Having no idea how long she had to get ready or when she was expected, Edith did not linger too long on her appearance beyond making herself look presentable

Once she finished dressing and grooming, she finally sat down to eat. Her food was already cold, but it didn't matter much to her suddenly ravenous stomach, so she ate without complaint.

Edith was almost done with her meal when there was a gentle knock at her bedroom door. "Yes?" she called.

It was another housemaid, this one much younger and more timid. "Mrs. Pierce would like to see you in the morning room."

The girl turned immediately to leave, but Edith called out to her: "Could you show me where?"

The maid nodded and Edith quickly set aside her tea and followed her.

The maid led Edith to another servant staircase tucked away in the rear of the house. It was closer than the kitchen stairs and every tread squealed and shuddered beneath them, giving away its age and state of disrepair.

Once they reached the ground floor, they passed through a long corridor that abutted the dining room and then into another.

"This way."

They passed several closed doors and took another turn before finally stopping just outside a room at the end of the hall. The maid knocked to announce herself and then stepped aside with a polite nod before hurrying off. Edith watched the girl go, tempted to run away herself, but a voice from within the room broke her concentration: "Come in."

Taking a breath, Edith took the handle and gently pushed the door open.

The morning room was airy and comfortable. There were large windows framed by long drapes and light wood floors decorated with a richly patterned rug. A piano stood at one end of the room and at the other there was a sofa and chairs arranged neatly around the fireplace. In one armchair, sat Mrs. Pierce. She was a very pretty woman, not all that much older than Edith, and even in her simple day dress she was all refinement and poise. She looked up at Edith and gave a sweet, almost beatific smile. "You must be the governess," she said.