Blossoms in the wind

Blossoms in the wind [2]

“Good morning Ms. Julia, I took it that you expected me to arrive punctually...which I did.”

“Oh thank you, Mr. Godfrey. Sir Sinclair will be here momentarily.” Julia announced, checking her rusted watch.

“No need to wait, I am here. Julia, I had left a list of things for you to do in order to receive your privilege to attend the ball.”

“Thank you Sir, I will not disobey you.” Julia curtseyed, watching Sir Sinclair’s green eyes observe her intently.

“Good to hear. Off we go now, eh Godfrey?”

The horse cantered away, leaving Julia at the entrance of Sinclair estate.

******

“Ms. Wellington it is time to go!” Sir Lockwood rapped angrily against the door to the powder room.

“A pretty woman must be prepared. You expect me to wake up in the morning without those god-forsaken wrinkles? Huh?”

Sir Lockwood rolled his eyes in boredom. What a beastly woman. He dreaded the day they would have to get married. As soon as his uncle paid him the money, he would file for a divorce, and take interest to the woman’s sister.

What was her name? Jane? He would marry Jane. He memorized watching Jane muck the stalls the day before.

“Come along now, Sir.”

Sir Lockwood snapped out of his daydreaming.

“We are almost late to Sir Sinclair’s tea! Run along now, off you go.”

Ms. Wellington stood, appalled at her fiancé.

“Excuse me, do not rush me, or I will not marry you.”

“I’d love nothing more than that.” He muttered, grabbing her gloves, as she slid them onto her frail hands.

“Let’s go.”

He followed her out to the carriage…

*****

Scarlet sighed in annoyance due to the fact that her pay had not been fulfilled.

She grabbed Pistola’s saddle, and brought him to the barn.

“Stay here.” She warned, tying him up the fence.

She grabbed a hay bale, and stacked on top of another one; she gracefully leaped to the second story of the barn, and rested onto the blanket lying on the warm hay.

This was her home.

******

Julia made sure to fulfill her duties. Wipe the windows, dust the book shelves, mop the floors, clean the counters, feed the animals, clean the troughs, muck the stalls, cut the grass, organize Sir Sinclair’s croquet collection.

It was not a large amount of work, just an aching, back-breaking job to complete.

She had seen many of the butlers do it. They had all gone to see their family for the holiday. Julia’s family, however, did not like her. She hoped not to see her greedy sister, Vivienne attending the Christmas ball. -With her sleazy fiancé, Sir Lockwood.

He was a pervert. –Always trying to flirt with the maids in the palace. Luckily he had ignored Julia. Much to her dismay, she had felt him staring at her bum when she was mucking the stalls the day before. She guessed the ignorance was over.

She thought of the nicest sister of the two, Scarlet. She was an outcast. Mother constantly worried about her health.  She almost never talked, unless she was forced to say ‘please’, or ‘thank you’ at the dinner table.

She talked to Julia though, often about adventure, reading her stories. She had never seen her again after attending college.  She went her first year, and left. -Disappearing off the face of the planet.

At this saddening thought, she shed a tear. Julia wiped it away. Her family had always been…out of sorts since Vivienne was born. Scarlet and Julia were just fine until their snooty sister was born of her mother, and step-father.

Maybe, possibly that’s why she was so snooty. As was her wretched step-father. William Paul Vincent III.

“What a bastard.” Julia thought.

She went back to her chores, cleaning, and polishing the floors with a mop.