The Goliath heiress

Chapter 2- January 2nd 1921

Chapter 2- January 2nd, 1921

Juniper woke up before the sun rose and began to get ready for the uncertain day ahead. She thought about her new life at the manor and dreaded the moment she might mess up in front of the family and bring shame to her mother and father. She brushed her hair and put it into a ponytail with a red ribbon, allowing her perfect dainty facial frame to be seen by anyone who gazed at her. She then slid a white dress on and put on her dark black unscuffed flats on her small petite feet that fit perfectly into the tailored shoes. After she washed her face and brushed her teeth in her bathroom she began her journey towards the dining room for breakfast. Her usual one minute walk to breakfast at the old house was now a five minute walk in the giant house every morning. She had to walk down two flights of stairs and through countless hallways and doorways just to get to the kitchen and one of the many dining rooms in the house. The children were made to memorize their way through the manor during their studies to prevent them from getting lost or walking into a room that is 'off limits to them while they are at the manor. Juniper began to think about how much the forced memorization was coming in handy now that all of the children were now allowed to live at the house with the rest of the family. Juniper would have moved to the house in a year anyways due to her age, but it still did not change the feeling of fear and despair Juniper felt in the house at all times.

"Good morning cousin" Said one of her younger cousins, Lenox, as Juniper walked into the family dining room. Once everyone arrived the different branches of the family all sat down one by one at the giant table and waited for the head of the house to begin eating.
"Family, before we eat and start our busy days I have a few announcements for the children. Children, all of your belongings from that were left at the old house are on their way to the manor as of this morning. You will also be excused from your studies for another few days so you can settle into the manor and spend some more time with the family. After that you will pick up on your studies where you left off with your new private tutors I've hired for every single one of you. I wish not to see anyone in my office today, if anyone needs to speak with me tell Elinor my head servant" said Mr. Goliath in his big booming, cruel voice. He then began to eat from his plate that had food piled onto it and soon after so did the rest of the family. Juniper had always had a very bad relationship with food. She had been taught at an early age never to over eat and to stay under an amount of calories a day by her nannies. Many times when she was younger she would be physically punished for eating too much or starved for days. Clause and her other cousins would always help her, bringing her extra food and say she needed to eat more so she did not wither away into dust and bones. Now all of her cousins sat chairs away from her with aunts and uncles in between leaving her to sit silently and take small bites from her plate.

After breakfast, Juniper walked back to her room to wash up and read some more of her book before she began her day. She was four more chapters deep into her book when she heard a loud sturdy knock on her bedroom door.
"Who is it?" Juniper asked, raising her voice enough to carry through the door. No one answered.
"Hello?" Juniper said, allowing her voice to get louder than before.
Still no one answered. Juniper set her book down gently on her nightstand and walked over to her door. When Juniper opened the door she was suddenly face to face with a smiling Clause boasting with confidence as usual.
"Why hello my dear cousin, I have two invitations for you" Said Clause walking into the room uninvited.
"One from me to go on a walk around the Manor to "explore" the area, and the second one is in this envelope." Clause said, handing her a thin white envelope.
"Who is it from?" Asked Juniper plainly.
"I'm not sure, maybe it's to a debutante or a ball. Word has spread fast to every family within 100 miles of here about Grandfather's decision to bring his grandchildren here and to introduce us into "society"." Clause said, almost rolling his eyes in annoyance of the gossip around their family. Juniper opened the letter, making sure not to rip the envelope as she unstuck the seal. When she opened it fully she pulled out a small white paper and read it.
"I'm not one to pry but might I ask what it is for?" Clause said, watching his cousin read the tiny piece of paper.
"It's from the Abbotts. They're holding a ball this spring and want me to attend." Juniper said looking up from the paper with the same solemn expression she always had painted on her face.
"Oh good, so now I know what mine says without having to read it, I'm sure grandfather will make us go so we can begin to do business for him." Clause said, pulling a piece of paper with his name written in cursive lettering out of his pocket and holding it up into view. Juniper just stared at her cousin and blinked in silence until Clause interrupted the silence and said,
"Well are you going to accept my invitation to walk with me today Juniper?" Clause said coldly.
"I suppose" Juniper replied just as coldly back to mock her impatient cousin.