THE DARK LORD'S MAIDEN

Monster at Home!

•1801•

"Oh, Bessie! It bereaves my precious heart to comprehend the purpose for which the King of Denmark put his son through so much trouble to seek vengeance of his brother, Claudius," said Elizabeth in a mimicry of Shakespearean accent to her dear old Bessie.

"Milady, why have you come here to trouble this poor woman's mind? Who is the king of Denmark? Also, who is his brother, Claudius?"

Bessie asked her lady whilst she dropped the wooden dishes she had just washed and put them away neatly, in their place.

Elizabeth gave no reply at first.

The Blythe's family to which Elizabeth belonged was an averagely rich family of four—Mr and Mrs Blythe, Louisa[their first daughter] and finally Elizabeth[their second daughter].

The family also had a sole housekeeper who had served them for nearly two decades; her name—Bessie.

Bessie had served the Blythe's family from when Beth was adopted, or so it seemed, as narrated by her masters...

The master and wife of the house brought home a baby one day so pale and tiny that the master feared that she had a terminal illness and would die in a matter of days.

Then said his wife to him as a clever scheme crept up her sleeves...

"Come now my dear, lest we be held accountable for the death of this twine-like creature, and that our kindness will get mistaken for evil..."

Her spouse had an expression of worry and concern in his countenance no doubt, and he[Mr Blythe] decided to hear what his wife had to say.

"What do you suggest then? Should we return it to where we picked it up?" asked Mr Blythe to his wife.

"Not so, my dear. We'll not! I have a suggestion, and it'll definitely excuse us of blame..."

The witty suggestion of Mrs Blythe had been that the services of a maid should be employed in the guise of a housekeeper and that this woman would be the one to care for the baby she and her husband had brought home that day.

Unbeknownst to the husband, once he had heard his wife's suggestion he had swiftly accepted without knowing the actual ploy behind his wife's suggestion.

Mrs Blythe had suggested such, so that when the baby dies, she would blame it on the housekeeper's carelessness in looking out for the child's health.

However, the child lived and grew into a fine woman with exceptional features; her name—Elizabeth.

——

"Milady, have you been reading again?" asked Bessie as the thought occurred to her. She then gave herself to laughing heartily.

Cutting her laughter short, Elizabeth decided to speak.

"Your suspicions are true Bessie. I read a certain book but in the end it made me sad." Elizabeth said and then began to sulk noticeably.

"Well in that case... It's simple, milady. You just have to desist from reading such books that make you sad." Bessie said with a gay countenance.

Elizabeth then smiled into a smirk and walked closer to assist Bessie with doing the dishes.

"You know, Bessie...if not for two things in this house that keep me happy— studying many books and lately—Mr Pickle... I would have fainted from excessive boredom."

"Shush, milady. Don't utter such careless words. You have a family that keeps you. Not many of us have that luck. And I have shown you the love of a mother these long years. Does that count for nothing?"