As the time of evening arrived, so did the guests begin to arrive at the Carmichael mansion one after another until the entire large hall that was built for celebrations was filled up with people. There were relatives, few councilmen, friends of the family and others who were waiting to be acquainted with people to build connections. Rain didn’t grace down the lands of Bonelake which made it easier for the guests as their clothes weren’t smudged with mud or dirt. And as guests came in, the servants who had put their effort in setting everything up from the flowers to the food and to the light, three-fourths of them were back in the kitchen room while the maids who were trained were sent out to the hall to serve the guests with food and drinks.
Vivian had never got the opportunity to step into the main hall during any occasion. Like any other, she wanted to see what was in there, how thousands of the tall candles brought light into the room in the presence of the guests. To experience what it felt like to be part of a completely different world.
Seeing Paul setting out plates after plate, she asked standing next to the small window which was opened for air to pass, she commented, “There are many guests today.”
“It is master Leonard’s birthday. It is quite expected to have so many people. Not to forget people who were acquainted with the Lord are also here,” Paul ran his fingers over the plates to make sure there was nothing splashed out, “By the way you did a wonderful job on the cake, Vivi,” she smiled brightly looking at the cake which was all set on the trolley and waiting to go out.
She had begged and begged to Paul to let her prepare and design the cake for Leonard’s birthday. It was something she had been working on and after a lot of requests did Paul agree to let her prepare it but only under his observation as it wasn’t a tea party that could be fixed. Today was a big day and not a try out day. Everything had to be perfect.
“When does the cake go out?” she asked eagerly.
“In ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Can I go?” Vivian asked carefully to see Paul stop what he was doing.
“I thought we have already gone through this. The hall isn’t safe for you,” he spoke in a low voice.
“But you let others go. I won’t break anything there and be extra careful,” Vivian pleaded but the look on his face said that this wasn’t something he would agree to no matter what.
“Keep a look at the pot there. Let me go check if the guests need something,” her shoulders drooped.
Vivian didn’t understand why Paul was extra protective when it came to her. It was true that he was partial when it came to her but the current housekeeper never held back when it came to scolding her. Tapping her leg on the hard ground of the kitchen she bit her lip thinking about slipping into the halls just for a few minutes to look at the celebration taking place in the mansion.
Taking the wooden ladle she stirred the pot and put few drops on the back of her hand to taste it. Not able to decide if it needed more salt, she picked up the jar which had crystal salts in them. All she wanted to do was give the gift to him but too shy to give it in front of everyone, she wondered if she should place it in his room. After what happened in her room between them, Vivian had come to become conscious of Leonard’s presence around her. In ways of feelings where she never felt before. Her heart would start beating suddenly and her cheeks would turn warm everytime their gaze met.
Placing the opened jar back on the slab she said,
“I will be going out for a little while,” she informed the maids who were in the kitchen.
Walking through the corridors which led to her room, she picked the gift and walked up the stairs that led to Leonard’s room. Carefully placing the gift on his bed, she turned to walk away but stopped. Thinking if she should place it elsewhere just in case someone else came into the room she went back to pick the gift and place it under his pillow.
Not satisfied with the placement, she placed it on his desk and was about to leave when she heard footsteps approach the room door. The door opened so suddenly that Vivian hid behind under the desk. Idiot thought Vivian to herself. Not knowing if it was Leonard who had entered the room, she sat there put hoping he would leave the room which he did after opening and closing the closet.
Getting out of the room, she started walking down the stairs when she caught sight of Mr Jerome walking through the passage. Forgotten that Leonard had mentioned about staying away from the man, Vivian greeted him as their eyes met.
“Good evening, Miss Vivian,” he wished her. Before he could take her hand to kiss the back of her hand as a gesture of greeting, the girl raised her hand in front of her chest at the sound of the rain accompanying with the thunder and lightning.
“Good evening, Mr Jerome. Are you enjoying the celebration?” she asked.
“Very much. All of you seem to have done a wonderful job. I didn’t see you in the hall,” he stated, his bright red eyes looking at her with a smile.
“Someone needs to be in the back kitchen to make sure we aren’t out of hands,” Mr Jerome like other guests who had arrived at the mansion had tidied himself up cleanly, wearing a brown suit which didn’t hold a single wrinkle on it.
“You are indeed a hard working person. I really hope you reconsider my offer of working in my house as the housekeeper,” and before she could refuse the man continued to speak, “You don’t have to answer right away as I am in no hurry. Please take it into consideration.”
“Okay,” Vivian’s smile made the man’s heart flip in his chest.
Leonard who had been in the wide hall was swarmed with people around him, wishing him a good health and talking to him about the council work that had been given down by the head counsellor. Having talked enough about work, he stood with Julliard, each of them holding a glass in their hand. Frankly, all he wanted was a small gathering of family and not people who he wasn’t close to but now that he was a Duke thing like these couldn’t be avoided. He looked around the hall, his eyes scanning the floor and not missing any person who walked in and out of the room.
His scanned again this time for a particular dark haired maid. She wasn’t here, thought Leonard to himself. If she was he wouldn’t have missed spotting her in the crowd. Where was she? Though it was his birthday and her duty to get up earlier than he woke up to wish him, he had woken up right after dawn and had gone to her room to find her bed empty.
He raked his fingers through his blonde hair. Taking a sip from his glass of wine which was stronger compared to the one the humans drank, he placed the glass when a maid was passing by them.
“Going to search for her?” Julliard he tilted his head in question, a small smile on his lips which didn’t break through completely.
“I will be back soon.”
Making his way out of the hall he decided to look for her in the kitchen but he didn’t go that far as he caught both Vivian and Mr Jerome at the beginning of the stairs.
