Chapter 313 - Step Two - Completed!
Once dinner had come to an end, the news about the Madam and Young Miss's travel plans had spread throughout the Mansion.
When Butler Limo heard this news from his Master, he was told that the preparations for the journey would now be on his shoulders.
The carriage used on that day, the guards assigned for the safety of the two Masters, their comfortable journey, and their safe return.
These tasks belonged to the Butler and it was his duty to see that everything was prepared before the weekend arrived.
The old Butler accepted the tasks given to him and started assigning them to various servants according to their capabilities.
He would also have to communicate with the management of the inn where the St. Claire's would be lodging during the day but that was a task for tomorrow morning.
Right now, he was speaking to the Kitchen staff about the preparation of the meals for tomorrow as well as informing them that their Mistress might ask them to prepare something special for the Young Master on the weekend.
"Don't you worry, Butler! I know everything that the Young Master likes to eat!" The head chef thumped his chest as he declared with pride apparent in his words.
He had been cooking their family meals for years now and was well acquainted with their likes and dislikes.
Hence, no matter what their Madam instructed him to prepare, he could do it with ease.
Butler Limo chuckled at his actions and nodded as he did not doubt these words.
However, hidden behind this smiling facade was a man who was racking his brain trying to think of a way to accomplish the task that he had received from the Young Miss.
The old Butler remained silent as he watched the Kitchen staff wrap things up for the night as the Masters had all retired to their rooms after dinner.
Just when he was about to leave, his eyes caught sight of a figure entering the Kitchen with her head held high and chin raised in the air.
Having found the person he had been looking for, he pretended that he hadn't noticed her arrival and decided on his next move.
"Chef, you will have to please the Young Master with your cooking skills this Sunday." He reminded him while patting the man's shoulder.
The maid who had entered the large area designated for the Kitchen and halted her steps when she heard these words.
The two men continued conversing as though they had not noticed her entry because they were not associated with her.
Paula regained her composure as she walked to the maid present there and gave her a few instructions which the other woman had accepted with a nod.
While this maid was rushing about to finish the task, Paula stood at the side with her back turned to the two men but her ears were focusing on their conversation.
When she was on her way to the Kitchen, she had heard the news that everyone was discussing eagerly but she had only gained bits and pieces of it.
However, now she was getting the entire scoop as Butler Limo was narrating what he had heard from the Master himself.
Paula's eyes widened in surprise when she heard what he had said but there was no one to witness this scene as she was facing the counter, away from everyone's sight.
While her mind was thinking of what she could do with the information she gained just now, the maid from earlier returned with a tub of water.
"Here you go, Paula." The older lady handed over the tub and went about her job, not paying her any more attention.
Having accomplished her purpose here, she could no longer stick around without a valid excuse and hence had to carry the tub filled with water as she stepped out of the room.
Unaware of the fact that Butler Limo had spilled the beans to the chef on account of her presence, the maid mulled over this matter as she walked back to the place where her services were needed.
For the past few weeks, Paula did not have a moment's rest during the day and the only person whom she had to blame for this was her Mistress.
'Asmodeus alone knows what has gotten into her!?' She sneered as she carried the heavy tub filled with warm water.
Just like today, for the last few weeks, she was assigned tasks that were below her station.
'I am her personal maid, for Asmodeus' sake! Yet she continues to hand such ordinary tasks to me!' She glowered in anger at the lady who was the cause of her sore back each day.
According to her, her Mistress had lost her mind, and thus, each day she gave her new tasks and overworked her.
The maid had not caught onto the reason why her Mistress was giving her heavy chores which were too much for her to bear as she was too confident of herself.
She still believed that other than the pesky Butler, no one else had figured out her inner thoughts.
However, she was wrong!
Two others had caught onto her unusual thoughts.
Her Mistress could not shake away the nagging feeling in her heart whenever she found her maid glancing at her husband.
This was the reason why she subconsciously tried to keep them away from each other at all times.
While the Mistress's daughter was well aware of her wicked thoughts yet acted as though she was oblivious to the matters concerning the adults.
Paula's thoughts came to a halt when she reached her destination.
Placing the tub on the floor, she knocked on the door and entered when she received permission.
Raylene sat before the large mirror, still in her gown, and glanced at her maid who had entered.
"Fill the tub." She instructed and continued to gaze at her face in the mirror.
As Paula stepped from the door to the bathroom where her Mistress had asked her to fill the tub, her eyes fell on their reflections in the mirror.
One beautiful lady seated before the silver mirror with her copper hair cascading over her shoulders which she languidly twirled around her finger.
There was a subtle smile on her face due to the events that had taken place over dinner which only displayed that she still retained her youthful face even after bearing two children.
Then looking up, Paula gazed at her own reflection which appeared behind her Mistress.
Forehead drenched in sweat, her bland brown maid's uniform crumpled and creased, the tiny wrinkles that were beginning to appear at the corner of her eyes and finally her hunched over back as she carried the tub.
The stark contrast between the two reflections in the mirror reminded her about the distance in their social statuses.
Not wishing to look on her face any longer, Paula lowered her head and hurried towards the bathroom.
She prepared the bath as per her Mistress's wishes and invited her inside when she was done.
"You may wait outside." Raylene instructed as usual which was answered with a bow as the maid walked out of the room.
Once outside, Paula gazed at the door which she had shut to give her Madam some privacy and narrowed her eyes.
'We are of the same age, we grew up in the same household, we arrived at this Mansion together but look at how we are right now.' She gritted her teeth at the vast disparity in their present situations.
One was a proud Mistress while the other a lowly slave.
She liked the Master just as much as her Mistress so why was she never given the chance to prove her worth in this household?
Was all she was worth here was to be the servant who watches the two grow in love as they age together?
Just the thought of not having a chance to prove herself to her Master gave her an ache in her chest.
She turned her head and gazed at the door on the other side of the room.
'We are separated by just a single door but I am helpless and cannot do anything!' She lamented as she knew that the man she desired was in the room next door which was adjoined through this door.
She could walk through this door and reach him but she knew that she would not even get the chance to look at him before she would be thrown out of the room.
Lowering her head, she averted her gaze from the door and to the wardrobe next to the mirror.
She would have to put out the clothes her Mistress would wear for bed and so she decided to finish that work before the lady returned from her bath.
Opening the door of the wardrobe, the plethora of different dresses which were only meant for nightwear appeared before her eyes.
Once again, the green-eyed demon of jealousy awakened in her heart.
'I wear this horrible uniform every day but she never bothered to buy something prettier for me.' She scowled as she snatched the first dress she found.
She was forgetting the fact that no matter how well her Mistress treated her, she was but a mere servant and had no right to have such high expectations from her.
But as always, Paula conveniently forgot about this part of her job description.
Tossing the nightgown on the dresser, she glared at her reflection in the mirror once again.
She had had enough of this wretched life where she needed to wait for his Mistress to show pity and do something good for her.
'I want a better life and I want it now!' She declared as her eyes glinted in menacing resentment.
Unbeknownst to her, she had just completed Yvonne's 'Second Step' of the plan.
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