She awoke to a sharp nagging, the sound of curtains being drawn followed by the sun gleaming obtrusively against her heavy-laden lids. She instinctively pulled the cover up over her head. Groaning as though she’d been burnt, Roslyn buried her face between cushions.
“Wake up young miss!!!” urged Estell, pulling the covers from atop her. Roslyn responded respectfully by pelting a cushion at her head, though narrowly missing as Estell jumped to one side, having been expectant of the action several times occurred.
“Why must I be awoken first thing come morn?” she grumbled, though pulling herself from the bed, now an unadorned mattress unfitted for sleep.
“Good lord child, it’s the middle of the day!” Estell pronounced, “I had to lie to your parents that you’d gone off to classes already. What on earth were you doing out so late if I might ask?”
Roslyn grinned shyly, having remembered Estell’s face when she’d arrived in the early morning, bare of books and grinning widely, violet blossoms held in her outstretched arms. Estell had helped to sneak her in, which Roslyn knew, had be good of her. She’d not asked any questions either, merely taken the flowers and grabbed her by the hood. She’d known even then, it had been too good to last.
“If you want my silence you’d had better start explaining. Because, mistake me not, I’ll sooner tell your parents the truth, than have you bedding some man without my knowing it, do you understand?”
Roslyn was shocked at such bold assumptions, and quickly looked to see whether anyone had overheard. On a usual day, there’d be four or more servants lingering about the room, tidying up here and there, only now, she observed dumbfoundedly, there was but the two women in the room. Estell must have urged the servants out as not to attract attention to her whereabouts. They had after all, likely thought her studying in the library with her governess.
Realizing she’d had yet to give Estell an explanation, and that her maid stood there still, hands on her hips glaring menacingly at her, Roslyn took to correcting her vulgar insinuations.
“I’m truly sorry Estell, I was not so purposely late.” She begun, fumbling insistently with her fingers as she spoke, “In fact, the whole way to the bookstore was splendid, and I’d not even the smallest difficulty walking about the bookstore itself. See, the dilemma was in my lingering at the door, I caught the attention of this man and…” Roslyn stopped only to breathe before continuing, however Estell jumped in before she could do so, exclaiming wildly, “A MAN?!”
“Yes Estell.” Roslyn affirmed, growing a tad irritated, “A MAN. Though remember, I myself was also dressed as one, so it wasn’t a hindrance, until that is, he begun trailing me from the bookstore and-”
“MY WORD! Trailing?! I knew I should not have let you to go!!”
“For heaven’s sake Estelle!! Do let me finish the story!” Estelle grew quiet, and retaining the ability to speak, Roslyn went on, “He followed me all the way to the secret garden, and furthermore, in catching up to me, claimed he knew to whose father I belonged AND that he’d no intention of doing anything unjust despite his attentions and vigor to follow me all of but a mile to where I’d went. Curious is it not?”
After a moment of deliberating silence, Estell lifted her gaze from where she’d been staring intently at the window and looked toward Roslyn sternly, any signs of fear upon her features had vanished entirely.
“May I inquire as to his name?” she asked softly.
“He said his name was some Jonathon Wolf, though I’ve not heard of the name in my life. Have you?”
“Perhaps,” she answered, her face drawn in a deep frown.
‘Whatever could she be thinking about?’ Roslyn thought, recognizing the sense of daze in her maid’s face that was all too often reflected in her own.
“No matter,” Estell muttered after a short while, and Roslyn could not help but think that her maid was neglecting to tell her something of great importance.
“You must go to the library.” Estell exclaimed, “I’ve bribed the governess, though only for so long a time, and by now she’s probably gone and told on us.”
The women grinned knowingly at one another, and after a moment of uncontrollable mirth, the two took to the stairs in race to see who would be likely to reach the kitchens first.
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