Charlie

Chapter one - Whitethorn.

It really was huge. A proper mansion! I stroked the cold curved gates, imagining what it would by like to some day own a house such as this! This house must've had about twenty rooms! It was so hard to imagine- maybe this had once been a royal house!

I took one last deep breathe, and stepped onto the pattio of the beautiful front garden. This was it. This was my life for the next ten years, or more!

I remembered Mother's words; "Never forget, you will find us again one day, but until then, never forget us, darling!" She had burst into tears at that point, as I did. Of course I would never forget her, or father, nor my dear dog: Tyler. I couldn't forget Emmy, Annabelle, John or dear Jack either. I hoped that Jack wouldn't find a job too hard, after all, there weren't many good ones around, just a few servant jobs, and maybe a couple of butler ones, but Jack wasn't quite old enough to become a butler.

I hated to leave my family, for years, but of course I would get to see them sometimes, and, of course, I wouldn't want to miss that! But I had to work as hard as I could, every day, we really needed the money, and there were no jobs for Mother or Father, or Jack, since he is nineteen, so I had to take a maid job, which I was not pleased about. But it was our only hope,and the Workhouse sounded so dreadful!
I strode up to the posh steps, up to the door, I had no idea what I should be feeling, angry, scared, confidant, was I really old enough? I knocked on the door all the same, trying to hold my head up high.
A smaller gentleman opened it, obviously new to the business. "Good afternoon, Madame, would you please... Oh blow!" He stammered in a fake grown-up voice. I giggled, he must have been only a few years older than me!
"Excuse me, miss..." He continued. "No, stop!" I said, before I could laugh louder. "I am here for the job I asked for. To become a maid. I suppose you are the new butler!" I said, trying to sound confidant, and older than fourteen. "Yeah, I just got this job! You have no idea how hard it is to not mess up your words like that, at least you weren't somebody important!" He whispered. "What's your name, miss?" "Well, I suppose you should call me a lady next! Are you really meant to call me Madame, and miss? It sounds quite funny! I am only fourteen, too! I'm Charlie!" I whispered back.

"Charlie? Your name is Charlie? Are you pretending to be a girl?" He asked. "Of course not! My family have always called me Charlie, my real name is Charlotte." I said, sounding disgusted at my real name. "Well, you shall be called that here, believe me, I know how annoying it is, I am named Mr. Alldale, what's your last name?" He questioned. "Enright." I replied.

Suddenly, there was a sound of some footsteps coming downstairs.
"Hey, Charlie, pretend I was being professional about this okay?" He quickly muttered. I nodded.

"Mr. Alldale, who is at the door? That new maid I hope! Go on, let her in!" A lady called. "Yes, miss!" The butler boy obeyed.

I slowly stepped in, hoping that my high shoes and long dress and tied up hair would help me look a few years older.
"Ah, yes. Miss Enright. Step this way, young girl, and be quick about it, you are already twenty minutes late!" She said. I did as I was told. The butler boy had disappeared by the time I turned around. "I shall call for Eliza, she will show you around and explain the rules." The lady said, and rang a belle on the wall.

It was then that I noticed the detail of the room. It was a lovely hallway, a beautiful red patterned carpet, and red and back wallpaper. There were all sorts of gold ornaments, and tables.

Just then, a girl a few years older than me came, smiling. "Hello! I'm Eliza! You must be Charlotte!" She greeted me. I wanted to explain that I am Charlie, not Charlotte, but I must get used to the ways of this house.

"Let us start with a tour, and I shall explain the details later! Follow me, now!" She said. She opened a nearby door, which must've been the finessed in the house considering the decoration!
"This is the Drawing Room." She explained. "This must be the finest room in the house!" I exclaimed. Eliza laughed. "That's what everyone says when they see the first room! No, this isn't the best one, it's in quite good quality, though!"she told me.
"Go on! Take a look! No one is in there at the moment, you might as well enjoy the time you have looking around like this, you would normally have to do you duties, and stay in your bedroom!" I looked around at the comfy looking chairs, and sofas. What a palace-like place this was! There was an amazing display of China plates on delicate stands on top of a wooden cupboard, I was sure that no-one ever used them, since they all looked brand new!