Secrets & Scandals

1. A Problematic Crush

"Maddie, I need you."

Madeline Price smiled stupidly, relishing the words as they floated around in her head like a dream. That baritone, that slight, intoxicating rasp – such a voice could only belong to one Ambrose Duncan, a man with dark, handsome features to match. With his serious brow and piercing gray eyes, many in the town of Amity considered him intimidating. But to Maddie, her employer's proud, reserved demeanor only made him all the more intriguing in her eyes.

"Maddie. Maddie," his voice finally yanked her out of her reverie.

"Um, I'm sorry, Sir, what?"

Towering over her at more than six feet, Ambrose Duncan frowned as if well aware that she hadn't been paying attention. "I said, I need you... to run an errand for me."

"Oh, yes, of course." For years now, Maddie had been working in the kitchen of the Duncan residence. Yet, that didn't seem to stop the wealthy family from throwing other errands at her on a whim. Of course, being in their employ, there was nothing she could do but smile, nod and go along with it.

Without this job, Devon and I would have nothing, she thought to herself, a picture of her teenage son's sweet, freckled face in her mind.

"I put in an order at the bookseller's that should be ready today. I need you to pick it up for me. Here." He pressed a receipt into her palm, squinting at her. "You do know the way, yes?"

Maddie nodded mutely. In truth, she had a lot of work to catch up on, but even Mrs Ward, the kitchen head, wouldn't be able to fault her for this one since it was an errand for Ambrose Duncan himself.

"Alright, please go and be back quickly with those books."

"Yes, Sir." She bowed her head and took off, making sure to leave word with her friend Ruth first.

"Lucky you," Ruth sighed.

"I wouldn't call it 'lucky'."

"You get to go outside on this beautiful day while we're stuck here in the kitchen, picking up the slack."

Maddie's face fell at that. "Sorry, I..."

"Nah, it's alright, I didn't mean anything by it. You deserve a break, Maddie. You work harder than any of us here."

"You know it's not a break. It's an errand."

"Yes, for Mr-I-Don't-Know-How-To-Smile Ambrose Duncan, so you'd better not keep him waiting. Now, go. I'll take care of Mrs Ward for you."

"Thanks, Ruth."

Later, Maddie stepped out onto Amity's streets that warm afternoon and realized Ruth had been right. It was a beautiful day, the kind where it seemed like nothing could go wrong. After a few days of gloomy skies and rain, it was exactly the kind of thing to lift everyone's spirits.

Maddie moved briskly, taking in the sights and sounds all around her as she headed for the market. Every so often, she'd call out or return a greeting to workers from other houses or sellers and traders who'd kindly endured her haggling, complaints and gossip over the years.

It made Maddie smile to think of it. Together with her son Devon, who was now fifteen, she had lived in Amity all her life. She loved it here... although she had to admit, she sometimes wondered what life was like outside its borders. She'd never traveled before, only heard stories – most of them about Dyon, the shining capital of the kingdom.

Wouldn't it be nice to go somewhere where I can be Madeline Price, and not just Maddie, the girl who cooks, cleans and everything in between?

One day, she promised herself. Maddie was saving up as much as she could to take a short trip into Dyon with Devon – in fact, if all went well, she'd have enough by his next birthday. It will be good for us both. And I really should do it soon, before Devon gets old enough to not want to be seen with his mother anymore...