The bib necklace sparkled in the midmorning light. 'Oh, yes, indeed. I like this one.' She spoke only to her reflection in the dressing mirror as she held the platinum and mine-cut diamond creation over her dress. She considered the fish scale design lent a certain femininity to both the stones and the wearer. 'I deserve this.'
The unexpected turn of the the doorknob caused her to drop the necklace. The master's presence in the doorway prevented its retrieval.
'Where is my wife?'
'Luncheon with Mrs. Talbot.'
'Why are you in my wife's room?'
'Doing a little straightening up, sir. Making sure everything is in place as the Missus likes.'
'Very well. Would you be so kind as to tell cook I'll take my meal in the garden. I assume you are finished in here?'
'Yes, sir.'
As she turned to leave she gave the necklace as swift kick under the bed. The Master waited for her to leave, glanced around the room, and closed the door as he left.
Later on when her mistress' car came up the drive and rushed to the bedroom to put the necklace back in the jewelcase. However, the necklace vanished. The maid recalled the precise spot where the necklace landed on the rug and panicked at finding nothing. She looked in the jewelcase hoping the master spotted and returned the stray piece to the case. No luck.
The butler greet the mistress at the front door as the maid dropped to her knees and with nervous fingers searched the carpet at the edge of the bed. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled under the bed. The maid tried to scream, but all efforts to resist failed.
'Celia? Celia?'
'Madam?'
'Jonathan, have you seen Celia this afternoon?'
'Yes, madam. She came in here as your car approached the house. I assumed to prepare for your afternoon rest.'
'Well, she isn't here. She didn't do anything in here during my absence. Find her for me, will you?'
'Of course, madam.' The butler left closing the door behind him.
The mistress sat at her vanity and took off the earrings she wore to lunch. She opened her jewelcase to put them away. Next she removed her shoes and slipped out of her dress to lie down. As she did so, she stubbed a toe on the solid mahogany bed frame.
'Yeow, Sweet Mother of God!'
A knock on the door preceded Jonathan's voice. 'Madam, are you all right?'
'Come in, Jonathan. I may be maimed for life, but I'm fine. I stubbed a toe on the bed again. Do you think you can get someone to switch this one with the bed in the green room?'
'Of course, madam. After your rest or before?'
'Come back in an hour. I need to get off my feet for a while and let the swelling in this tow go down. Did you find Celia?'
'No, madam, but staff is still looking for her. She can't be far.'
'Send her to me when she is found. You may go now.'
Celia was never seen again. Staff swore to hearing her weep at night, but they never brought this to their employers' attention. After a while, the weeping became one of many night sounds of a quiet house. No one mentioned her name.
The unexpected turn of the the doorknob caused her to drop the necklace. The master's presence in the doorway prevented its retrieval.
'Where is my wife?'
'Luncheon with Mrs. Talbot.'
'Why are you in my wife's room?'
'Doing a little straightening up, sir. Making sure everything is in place as the Missus likes.'
'Very well. Would you be so kind as to tell cook I'll take my meal in the garden. I assume you are finished in here?'
'Yes, sir.'
As she turned to leave she gave the necklace as swift kick under the bed. The Master waited for her to leave, glanced around the room, and closed the door as he left.
Later on when her mistress' car came up the drive and rushed to the bedroom to put the necklace back in the jewelcase. However, the necklace vanished. The maid recalled the precise spot where the necklace landed on the rug and panicked at finding nothing. She looked in the jewelcase hoping the master spotted and returned the stray piece to the case. No luck.
The butler greet the mistress at the front door as the maid dropped to her knees and with nervous fingers searched the carpet at the edge of the bed. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled under the bed. The maid tried to scream, but all efforts to resist failed.
'Celia? Celia?'
'Madam?'
'Jonathan, have you seen Celia this afternoon?'
'Yes, madam. She came in here as your car approached the house. I assumed to prepare for your afternoon rest.'
'Well, she isn't here. She didn't do anything in here during my absence. Find her for me, will you?'
'Of course, madam.' The butler left closing the door behind him.
The mistress sat at her vanity and took off the earrings she wore to lunch. She opened her jewelcase to put them away. Next she removed her shoes and slipped out of her dress to lie down. As she did so, she stubbed a toe on the solid mahogany bed frame.
'Yeow, Sweet Mother of God!'
A knock on the door preceded Jonathan's voice. 'Madam, are you all right?'
'Come in, Jonathan. I may be maimed for life, but I'm fine. I stubbed a toe on the bed again. Do you think you can get someone to switch this one with the bed in the green room?'
'Of course, madam. After your rest or before?'
'Come back in an hour. I need to get off my feet for a while and let the swelling in this tow go down. Did you find Celia?'
'No, madam, but staff is still looking for her. She can't be far.'
'Send her to me when she is found. You may go now.'
Celia was never seen again. Staff swore to hearing her weep at night, but they never brought this to their employers' attention. After a while, the weeping became one of many night sounds of a quiet house. No one mentioned her name.
No comments:
Post a Comment