Ashes of Lost Love

Chitchat of the maids

     Rhoswen felt as frozen as one of the statues in the royal garden. Her vocal chords seemed unable to function. Suddenly, her frayed nerves started to turn to steel. She calmed down and took a long hard look at the inquiring brunette. The dark haired girl was unnerved by the cool stare directed at her. Rhoswen deduced that this girl was fatuous and spiteful; and she would reply in the language that this bimbo understood best. She mentally referred to the girl as a bimbo, holding the belief that the maid, like all slightly pretty maids who had passed their fifteenth name day held her slight attractiveness in high regard and proceeded to mate with every stableboy within a five mile radius. Girls of such easy virtue deserved none of her respect. Rhoswen drew herself up to her full height and said with sangfroid, "That is absolutely none of your business. I don't believe I am under any obligation to discuss these intimate issues with a person I have known for scarcely ten minutes. Kindly learn not to stick your nose in the affairs of others."

       The girl was livid and her hazel eyes were incandescent with ire. She truly struggled to keep her composure and she answered with the coldest civility. "I was merely inquiring out of a necessity to know the situation of our new lodger. Such impertinence is completely uncalled for." She held her nose in the air and walked away, pride bruised. The other maids quickly followed suit, not bothering to help the newcomer with her baggage. Rhoswen struggled with the clothing and felt them being lifted from her arms and found herself looking into the frank, hazel eyes of Ivette. She gathered the clothes into her arms and beckoned Rhoswen to join her as they went down the stairs to the maid's quarters. "I'm sorry about them. They're rather like chickens. They don't accept newcomers that easily and they peck the one that's different." Rhoswen struggled to keep pace with Ivette who took long strides, very unlike the fashion in which women took dainty steps to make themselves desirable. "And what would you know of chickens? Your stride is like a peasant's, yet your bearing and demeanour tells a different story." Ivette was determined to ignore the impudence in Rhoswen first statement and laughed. "What you say is indeed true. I have never tended to chickens in my life. And the reason for my unmaidenly stride is that this load sits heavily in my arms and I wish to be rid of it."

     Rhoswen had suspected it. Ivette was probably a distant relation of her mistress or the daughter of a well off family who had sought for a post in which their daughter could be comfortable and learn refinement. Lady Lockwood did not have the luxury of such a choice. There was no suitable girls from her husband's family and the wealthy families wanted nothing to do with the Lockwood, fearing the villagers' rage. At last a beleaguered Lady Lockwood had called upon Rhoswen's residence. Her Ladyship had known that Rhoswen was literate, could sew, and cook, and had an amiable temperament. Knowing that Rhoswen was the only option, Laudine Lockwood had accepted her into the household. She had been treated with all outward politeness yet she was treated with a sense of inferiority. 

       Ivette and Rhoswen reached the servant's lodging quarters and as soon as they entered, Ivette flung the stack of clothes on top of a clean bed, much to Rhoswen's horrror. Rhoswen looked around the room. It was clean but space was limited. It felt rather like a more comfortable army camp, with beds right up against each other. Ivette sat down and motioned for Rhoswen to follow suit. The other maids clustered on the other side of the dormitory, no doubt  aimlessly gossiping. 

Ivette's voice was steady and calm. "You need to know a couple of things or you won't  fit in. They are just like chickens, they peck the one that's different. So you need to blend in. You're one of the youngest here so that's another thing they'll hold against you. There is a very strict hierarchy here. Maids serving better off families naturally rule the roost. And you need to accept that. Though they're stupid, spiteful and cruel, they must be obeyed." Rhoswen nodded, though she felt like rolling her eyes. Something Alys would do. Rhoswen suppressed  the thought immediately.