Chapter 2

Once it was finally over I left the place with most of my skin burning from where tea scalded me or I was forced to check the temperature with my hands as he poured the dozens for cups over them. This happened at least once a week, but it wasn't the worst of the treatment I received from the young heir.

"Isabelle!" I flinched at Naomi who harshly called my name, "that sister of yours is up to no good again!"

I knew what it was and sighed.

My younger sister, Angela, was as beautiful in appearance as her name however, she wasn't the brightest apple in the batch and became smitten with a stable boy whose future was as bright as the coal that burnt to bits in the kitchen.

I didn't despise the idea of her marrying and living happily. I had just wished it would be in the future where I had finally paid off our slavery and Angela would marry an earnest business owner, even a farmer was better than a stable boy...

And of course, since I hadn't bought off anybody's slavery neither mine nor hers, we had a duty to the duke as maids who didn't go to play hooky in the stables.

"I'll warn her again", I sighed, grabbing a mop and bucket which would her first task after I unlatch her from the boy.

I heard them before I saw them. The giggles that echoed through the stables. The occasional naughty gasp of delight that made it necessary for me to drop the bucket and mop to echo a sound loud enough for them to stop.

It worked.

And then began the whispers of-

"Oh dear! We might be found out!"

"It's okay my darling, I'll take responsibility".

"But the rumours!"

Oh ho... there were already plenty of rumours and these two peas in a pod where so naturally stupid it gave me a headache.

"Angela! We have work to do. If you keep dilly dallying then once is going to get flogged" I had a slight goosebump at the thought but it wasn't an empty threat. It happens and it was humiliating.

"Bella!" Angela ran out from a horse pen with a grin, pretending to be alone. She still thought I hadn't any idea, but I knew it before it had even became this serious.

"Naomi said if she catches you slacking another time then it'll be the basement for both us", I lied.

Naomi would never hurt any of the girls, but Angela wasn't smart enough to know that. In fact, she wasn't smart enough to know that half the men in this mansion were smitten with her. She really believed the gifts she received were out of kindness.

"Not you too!" She looked scared at the thought of me getting hurt because of her wrong doings and grabbed the bucket, rushing off to start work immediately.

I smiled after her. So she was a bit slow, that didn't rule out that she had a heart of gold and if any harm came her way I would return it a hundredfold.

"If you hurt her. I will kill you~" I pretended to sing to myself as I left the stables, "if you play her heart, I'll stab yours thrice and rip out your eyes and feed them to you~".

I hoped the boy listened closely because I meant every word.

After our mother, a former maid here had passed, the duchess took us in and raised us to be maids. She grew us up as lovingly as someone with her own blood, along with her son Cain who we were actually close friends with.

I heard a bird chirp and looked up the blue sky, catching the magnificent view of the mansion. It was truly a sight.

I heard a laugh come from my side and turned my head to the source. I almost grimaced at the sight that met me.

Flowing pink locks and gorgeous blue eyes, to match it off was a porcelain face and a body that women envied. Sarah Lemone, the fiancé of the young master.

She was at a distance, leaving her carriage to stand before the entrance of the dukes home. She must be visiting the young master...

Sarah was popular among noble women for being perfect. She was kind, beautiful and came from great backings. They thought our dukedoms was lucky that she was so infatuated with the young master that she wouldn't stop pressing for an engagement and the duke was glad of it since she had the backings of at least three noble houses due to blood relations.

The young master, however, treated her as coldly as he treated everyone else. And although it frustrated her I wish I could tell her that being ignored by him was a blessing.

I shook my head, catching a glimpse of something in the windows above and turned to it. I wish I hadn't looked up.

He was staring right at me. His gaze full of hate and fury.

W-Why do you hate me so much?

I wanted to cry at the sight, but I was a proper maid and a proper maid does not show such a face to her master. I curtsied and made my way back to the kitchens.

My hands shook along the way, heart thudding as I stomped ahead.

In my mind was the voice of a little boy who called me like I was his closest friend. Like he would never hate me.

"Bella?" My March had been interrupted by a concerned Justin who stared at me with worry.

"O-Oh- Justin. Is everything okay?" I didn't want to talk about my own behaviour.

"Yes, I'd rather ask you the same question though", he began.

"-Y-You know there really is no"-

"He really went at it this time, didn't he?" My finger were suddenly grasped and the burning sensation in them made me recall the pain they had been put through with a flinch.

Oh. That was why he was so worried...

An unfamiliar warmth gathered around my chest for a moment. Intensifying when I looked at the concerned eyes Justin regarded my wounds with. And then like a gasp of realisation I shook my head.

What was that?!

I was about to pull my hand away, when Justin lifted my sleeve for a moment and revealed how the red skin from my finger travelled up my arm. Higher and higher until going further would be deemed inappropriate.

"Dear God... he's a monster", he whispered quietly and fearfully. He grabbed my arm, gently and carefully, pulling me along with him, "I have some medicine in my room. I'll share with you".

"Medicine? You can't share that! That's way too expensive" I couldn't pull away from him even when I once again felt the weight of those eyes on me. I hated how I knew he was looking without even turning around to see.

"I don't suppose you have any yourself".

He was right about that.

Unlike Justin and all the other staff me and Angela were slaves. If our mother hadn't died and left us in the hands of the duchy things might've been different, but that was what happened and law stated we were basically duchy property.

If it hadn't been for the late duchess then both me and Angela... A shiver ran through me as we reached Justin's room. His room was located in a separate building near the stables that were used as a servants quarter. He even had his own room, although it was kind of dusty.

He gestured for me to take a seat on a chair which I did and he reached under his bed to pull out a box. With a cheeky grin he turned to me.

"Think I can count on you to not reveal my deepest secrets?" He joked as he opened the box full of his more expensive possessions.

"Can't keep any promises", I laughed. He grabbed a jar of medicine and bought it over to me, but before he could unscrew the lid I spoke up, "you don't have to do this you know. I'm already grateful you even care about this when it happens all the time. Although it is worse this time round, but that's only because the fiancé is visiting"-.

I flinched when I felt a coldness bless my burning hand. He had opened the jar while I babbled and determinedly applied the medicine.

"I think I've known you long enough to do what I want to". It was all he said as he rubbed the soothing balm over my hands, arms and feet. He stopped when he got to my ankles and I noticed a red tinge in his face. "It would be disrespectful of me to go any higher. Apply the rest yourself", he pushed it into my hands.

"No", I shook my head, "that enough. You'll just waste it". I held it back to him and he again pushed it towards me.

"Isabelle" he warned.

"Justin. This is more than enough".

What happened next was what I didn't expect. My leg was suddenly lifted up and my skirt was lifted to reveal my leg. The balm, which had been grabbed away from me by Justin, was being quickly applied on my leg by Justin. His ears tinge red.

My own face had heated up tremendously. I wasn't used to this much touch and when it was finally over I wanted to sigh of relief.

"Thank you", I looked away from him, a bit ashamed and at the same time humiliated. He did after all see the scars I preferred to hide from the world.

"Look I want to help you. I've practically grew up with you guys and buying you is the only impossible option I have. We both know neither of us could afford it", he began, but I held up my hand to stop him.

Once these conversations started there really was no end to them except tears of frustration and curses. And I had too much work before I could afford either of those.

"We have to get back to work before Naomi catches us both slacking and we both end up in the basement", I rushed for the door in a hurry and left the servant quarters as fast as possible. If I start speaking to him there would be no end to it and I hated how vulnerable I became at the mention of our freedom. I hated how much I wanted to breakdown and cry.

I clenched my fist.

Not today.