Trapped in Paradise

Chapter Three

Grace freezes, staring at the door with such intensity that one might think she is trying to see through it. Grace considers ignoring the door, paying the person no attention, but she remembers quickly that she has absolutely no choice in the matter, since the door was locked. The fact is further proven when she hears a click and the door swings open slowly.

Grace leaps backwards, plastering herself against the wall and staring at the newcomer.

It's a man, old, probably in his late fifties, and he's dressed in a tightly pressed suit, the kind you see on cartoon butlers. Maybe the kind you see on real butlers, but Grace has never seen one before so she's not sure. He has white hair with a side-parting and thick, black eyebrows. He also has a kind face, but she can't let that fool her. He's still an accomplice in her kidnapping.

"Who are you?" Grace asks with more bravado than she truly possesses.

"I am Butler," he tells her in a crisp British accent.

She waits for more, but it doesn't come.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Who are you, and why I am here?"

"I reiterate. I am Butler. I will see to your every need. I work for Sir. He has requested your presence. You are to dress and be ready in one hour. Failure to comply will be less than pleasant." His eyes shine with something that appears sincere and even bordering on begging. "I plead that you make this easy."

With that, he drops a suit bag on the bed and places some shoes on the floor. He turns on his heel and marches out, locking the door as he goes, leaving her with a thousand more questions than she had before he came in.

Who was Sir and what on earth did he want with Grace, of all people? How did they know where to find her? Why does he care what she wears, if she's just a prisoner?

Moreover, why was her first instinct not to try her hardest to escape? Dammit. She easily could have taken the old man. She might not be an MMA fighter, but she's sure she could fight a man old enough to be her grandfather. Maybe.

Grace walks over to the dress bag on the side and contemplates whether she wants to play by the mystery man's rules. The Butler obviously wants her to comply, but who is that making it easier for? Her, or the people keeping her here? She doesn't want to give them the satisfaction of simply doing as they ask, but what was it that her Maths teacher used to say? The quickest way is from A to B? Surely the B here is figuring out why she has been taken?

It wouldn't be complacency. It would be simply playing by their rules while she makes her own. Sure, she can go meet whoever took her, but one there, she can demand to know what's going on and use her time out of the room to discover how to escape.

Feeling rather smug about her decision, Grace picks up the dress bag and unzips it.

What the hell.

Inside the bag is a blue dress with white ribbon trimmings and a lacy underskirt. It's knee-length and looks like it came out of a Victorian private school. She looks down at the shoes and sees that they're Mary-Janes. Does this guy have a weird kink? Grace can't decide. She feels distinctly uncomfortable with it all, though, even if the outfit is adorable. But she's never done well with 'adorable'. She's plain, and that's pretty much as far as people view her. Plain, with a lot lacking. She doesn't show off her body or act in a way that would get anyone's attention. This is how she's always managed to fall between the cracks. She's a nobody as far as nobodies go. This dress won't suit her."

What would come out of saying 'no'? Would they beat her into submission? She's not usually the type to fight anything, preferring to shrug and go than stand and fight. Is there a time and place for the former? Should she act upon the latter for now? Demand answers before she does anything?