A Day at the Marchioness' House

When the sun had risen and woken up the girl from her slumber, she felt that today was a bit different. She has been staying in House Arundel for a couple of days now and everyday she felt as if it was strange for her to be there. But today, she feels that everything around her feels a bit different than the usual strange, or it could be because of the unfamiliar, hurried sounds of footsteps she hears down the hall outside of her room. The house was usually quiet that it seemed that no one lived there. She felt that something about today felt a little different. Curious, she got out of bed quietly and peaked her head out the door. It was quite early in the morning but there were many servants rushing as if they were in a hurry.

"Oh, young miss, you're awake quite early," a familiar voice that belongs to the maiden that served her since the first day she came here drew her attention behind her and saw that she was smiling down at her. "I apologize if you had woken up due to our carelessness. Our lord is preparing to depart the house for a while and we must make preparations to see him off.”

‘The young lord? Mister Louis?’ the girl asked herself. Seeing as the girl had woken up moments before the departure of the house’s master, an idea had struck in her mind. “Say, would you like to see the master off?” The lady asks, crouching down to the girl’s level. The maiden gave her a warm smile to encourage her to answer. However, she was only answered back with an awkward silence. ‘Guess she’s still too shy to speak’ she thought. “Hmm, let’s go see the master off together. As a servant of this house, it would be too impolite to not bid goodbye to the master,” she said, straightening up. She held out her hand and thankfully, although a bit slow, the young girl took it.

Down the decorated hall and the flight of stairs, they arrived just in time as Louis was putting on his coat. “My Lord, please wait.” At the words, Louis looks over his shoulder and a look of surprise immediately took over his face.

“Ah, you’re awake?” He addresses to the unnamed girl. With his body now turned fully to the little girl who barely reaches his waist, he greets a good morning with a dazzling smile. “Were you awake because of the noise?” He looks towards the servants present with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. This was what he feared; that the girl would wake up due to the unwanted noise. “I’d like to apologize for disturbing your sleep.” The servants present shivered in silence, head remaining down as a proper courtesy when a noble is present.

“I’ll be out of the mansion for a while. If you need something, my butler, Ronan, will be here. You can also ask the others for anything,” he said. Although she didn’t say anything, she got the message, her hands tightening around the servant girl that brought her there. “Well, I’ll be off.” With that, Louis turned around and all at once, was bid a goodbye by those at the residence.

Louis hops inside the carriage and rides off in silence. The road was yet to be fully cleared of snow but the path that was accessible was what Louis took to a place where other nobles wished to go to.

-

Sitting by a window that looks over the front gates of the estate, a mysterious young man sat in wait for his guest to arrive. He had overheard the marchioness on the dial who sounded quite excited. Whoever this person was, they gained favourability of the marchioness. The marchioness was a quiet and gentle soul who had only but a small number of close people around her so it wasn’t so difficult for him to figure out who she was talking with over the dial.

Past the window, a horse’s trots were heard and a small smile dresses the young man’s lips. The mysterious guest has arrived at his grand estate. It would be improper as the marchioness’ son to not greet any guest coming into their abode so he makes way to the door, making sure to take his sweet time so that enough time will be given for the marchioness and the guest to speak.

-

“Louis!” Upon arrival, he was greeted by a cheerful voice that belonged to a woman much older than he was. He turns to the butler on standby for him and hands him his coat before looking towards the owner of the voice. “Greetings, Lady Alderson,” he says, bowing down to a ninety degree angle with a hand over his heart-- a proper way to greet a noble lady of whom is much higher in rank. “I do hope I don’t seem improper to be at your door this quite early.”

“O’, you boy, you aren’t a bother at all; you did inform me of your arrival on the dial,” she states. “And please, you know you can just call me ‘auntie’ and cut out the formality. You’re mother and I have been friends for so long and I’ve known you since you were a young child.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, my lady. You are not my biological aunt.” Louis straightens himself up to stare at the woman. The fair lady Charlotte Alderson who married into the Alderson family-- in public, she appeared to be a quiet and gentle soul with a heart of gold that captured the hearts of many men in her youth. However, looking at her being so energetic in front of him, Louis found it hard to picture her in that light.

She huffs. “So what if I’m not your biological aunt? Who is to tell you to not call me that?” She crosses her arms. “And even if they did-- No, I don’t think they will if they know what’s good for them.” She gaves an intimidating aura over a scenario she made up in her head.

Louis sighs. Honestly, for a lady in her thirties, she acts 10 years younger that other noblemen mistake her for a lady in wait. “Lady Alderson, your sadistic thoughts are showing.” Charlotte snapped out of her thoughts. “Ah, is it?” She chuckles awkwardly. “Ahem, if you call me auntie then I promise that I’ll call you my nephew!” She says excitedly. “That is unneeded,” he quickly declines. “So quick..” She feigns sadness.

Just as quick of her being moody, she composed herself just as fast. “Ahem, well, why don’t we go to the parlour? I’m sure it has been an exhausting and cold trip all the way out here.” She performs her duty as a host and leads Louis away from the front door, but before she could lead him fully out of the room, another resident of the house made an appearance.

“Heh, I thought I’d be seeing you today.” On the other end, a boy who is similar in age as Louis, coolly and calmly makes his way towards the two. A somewhat tanned skin, brown hair, and bright green eyes that was often the trademark of the noble family. He stood now just a meter or two away from them, a face of smugness. Despite this, Louis showed no change in his blank expression. “Well, aren’t you gonna say anything?” There was a good few seconds of silence before Louis parted his lips to speak. “Good morning, my Lord.” Louis does the same greeting he did to the marchioness, bowing down out of politeness. “Owen, what is with that attitude?” Charlotte asked forcefully. Despite the levelled-tone, the marchioness looked quite upset. “We are the host and he is a guest. I’m sure I’ve taught you proper manners.”

Owen had always been not too fond of the current head of the Arundel estate for reasons that he, himself, only knows so seeing that his mother has taken side of Louis made him furious. When Owen had not said anything in a while, Charlotte opened her mouth to say something. But, before she could, Louis spoke, “It’s okay, Lady Alderson.” Louis looks at the boy with unreadable eyes that made Owen uneasy. Those deep, blue eyes that were often hard to be read; many young ladies found it charming but they could not deny, like the others, that it always seemed scary to look at. It felt like you were staring at the uncharted parts of the ocean where creatures not known to man lie. Creatures of the dark.

“Louis..” Seeing Louis calmly reassure her made her feel even worse. “Anyway, don’t you have something you wish for me to have?” Seeing him change the topic, Charlotte could do nothing but go with the flow. “Right. Now where were we?” Charlotte led the both of them to exit the main hall, leaving the young master of House Alderson alone. She made a mental note to scold her only son later when Louis had left.

On the other hand, Owen didn’t expect Louis to react that way. He thought he would be able to finally be able to see Louis bow down to him-- well, he did, but it felt more of a mockery to him. The eldest son of the marquess and marchioness who has yet to exceed his parents expectations. Rowdy, rebellious, improper-- he knows what the other nobles say about him when they think he’s out of an ear’s length. People wonder how the graceful Lady Alderson ended up with a child like him; some are led to believe he was adopted.

When he looks at Louis, he is everything that he wasn’t. Opposite of him. People praise Louis, unlike him where he was looked down upon. Owen could sense the difference of superiority between himself and Louis and today, he got a proper look at it.

-

“I’m sorry about my son, Louis,” Charlotte says yet again ever since they arrived at the sitting room that overlooked the back of the house. “Lady Alderson, I am fine, so there is no need to apologize so much.”

“Anyway, I don’t believe my stay here will be long. As I said on the call, I wish to give you something. They’re actually presents in return for the gifts you brought over to my estate a few weeks back. I’ve only seen them when I came back to the city a few days ago; I’m sorry I couldn’t deliver a reply sooner.” He ushers over a butler of Charlotte’s that had been following them whom he entrusted the gifts to earlier before she appeared. “Oh! There’s no need for them!” She exclaims. “I would have loved it if you just sent me a letter.”

“That wouldn’t be right of me.” “O’ you’re such a proper young man, Louis,” Charlotte smiles but with a bit of melancholy. “You’re the same age as my son but you seem to have grown up so fast. You’re even running the house all by yourself now.” She reaches over the table for his hand. “But you know, it’s okay to take a break once in a while and act like a child..”

Louis looks at the hand that covered his, his dark blue eyes showing no true emotions despite the compliments he has given. He sighs but smiles at the lady. “If I were to take a break now, just after the passing of my father, I don’t think the Alderson name can go on any longer.”

“But I can support you--” “My lady.” Charlotte stiffens at how monotonous he refers to her and slowly removes her hand away. “I am no longer a child. And I am at an age where I should be ready to lead the Arundel name.” She bit her bottom lip, not knowing what to say that can refute him.

“Anyway, my lady, isn’t there something you wanted to give me?” She had almost forgotten about the letter she was supposed to give him, but looking at Louis right now, she isn’t sure if it was good of her to give it. “Ah, I.. I don’t.. I’m sorry to have made you expect something.”

“That’s fine. Then, I shall be leaving now. There’s no need to escort me out. ” he stands up and bids her goodbye. Looking at his back, it felt so long ago that she was talking to a young boy; a child. However, in truth, it hasn’t been long. It’s just that things don't go smoothly and the way people want it. This can be said for Louis. After hearing his father’s death two weeks after the funeral was held, he was never the same boy. He was much quieter and more aloof than what he already was. More importantly, he was much more mature than before.

She wished she could go back in time and get a doctor before severe signs of an illness appeared, but God forbids such a thing to come true.