Bambi and the Duke

Leonard had found her but he didn’t know what she was out in the halls, standing alone while looking outside the window.

”Master Leonard, the logs have been stocked,” Vivian’s soft voice drifted across the room interrupting his thoughts. He turned his head again,

”Alright,” he nodded his head as he looked at her cheek that had been smudged by the ash. He wanted to go and wipe it off her face but he didn’t. She was Bambi but that didn’t mean he had forgotten she was one of the servants of the mansion.

Vivian who closed the door behind her felt her heart sink further down.

As the morning arrived, the ground was wet with soil and the clouds hovered over the lands of Bonelake. Vivian was out in the garden, plucking out the weeds from the garden when she heard a carriage enter the gates of the mansion. The brown carriage came to halt in front of the entrance of the mansion, the coachman jumped down from his seat to open the door. Out of the carriage stepped down, Lady Shirley holding her blue gown in the front to avoid herself from stepping on the gown.

Seeing that they had a guest, Vivian made her way inside the mansion to get the pot of tea ready for the lady and the master along with other edible treats. Once the tea was prepared, Vivian went to serve it to them who were in the drawing room. Vivian had come to notice that recently, Lady Shirley’s visit had become quite often to the Carmichael’s mansion. Not to forget that Leonard always went out with the Lady during their invitation to other parties when they were called. She didn’t know why but the person she had come to admire had become one of the people she didn’t want to see around Leonard.

It was when she was offering the Lady the cup of tea did she hear Leonard say,

”I have to thank you, for the lovely sweater she wove for me,” he thanked Lady Shirley.

”Oh please, don’t. I have plenty of time and I am glad to hear that you liked it,” Lady Shirley smiled at Leonard, ”And after all the color of maroon suits you well.”

”I only wish you would have given it to me in person than keep it in my room,” hearing this Vivian’s hands faltered and the hot cup of tea spilled on Lady Shirley’s arm making her cry out suddenly.

”What are you doing?!” Lady Shirley got up from her seat holding her arm which had been lightly burnt as she held her hand, treating herself like a doll that was fragile.

”I-I extremely apologize, milady. Let me go get a cloth to clean it,” Vivian bowed her head in apology while her teeth gritted against each other, hiding the bubbling anger she felt. She didn’t need to guess that it was the sweater she had woven by herself which now Lady Shirley claimed to be hers.

”Yes, if you could do that!” Lady Shirley huffed before looking at her arm.

”Are you alright?” Leonard asked the Lady in concern.

”I think it’s going to leave a scar,” it should! Thought Vivian to herself before Leonard gave her a look of disapproval at her still standing there in the room instead of going and getting the cloth she had spoken of.

On her way, Vivian was struck with disbelief. She had never pegged Lady Shirley to be a liar, to claim something which wasn’t done by her. She closed her eyes to cool her head off, blaming herself for not giving it to him in person. The only reason she hadn’t left a note was that she wanted to surprise him but who knew that Lady Shirley would swoop in to take the credit for something that had taken Vivian hours to complete.

Going back to the room where both of them sat, she caught sight of Leonard looking at Lady Shirley’s arm who flinched a little every time Leonard ran his hand over it to make sure there wouldn’t be a scar as Lady Shirley insisted.

If it was allowed, Vivian would have put the remaining tea from the kettle on Lady Shirley’s arm all over again and this time it would be a deliberate act. Though she doubted her master would be happy about it.

”Give it to me,” Leonard raised his arm and took hold of the cloth from her hand before dabbing it on her arm.

Lady Shirley who once had been polite to the servants of the Carmichael mansion including Vivian, rolled her eyes when her eyes met the maids.

Vivian wanted to tell her out in front of Leonard but she didn’t know why due to the recent change between both her and Leonard, she doubted he would take her side. His glare was evident when he found a mistake done by any of his servants. Vivian being smart steered clear of his scolding, working to her absolute perfection so that no finger could be pointed out at her. It wasn’t that she didn’t follow the same routine before but this time there was no Paul to take care of her mistakes.

There were also times when she felt he was waiting to scold with every housework he gave her.

But in actuality, it was the only way for Leonard to communicate and keep her around him which he would never say to her directly.

During the time of noon, Vivian was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes after both Lady Shirley and Leonard had completed their lunch in the dining hall when a fellow maid came to call her; telling the master was asking for her in his study room.

Washing her hands with water and wiping her hands with the apron tied around her waist, she made her way to the study room. Now that she had poured hot tea on the lady, Vivian wasn’t sure what laid behind the study room. It wasn’t that she was scared because she hadn’t meant it to happen but this was Leonard who had been tending to Lady Shirley with care, his guest.

Taking in a deep breath she raised her hand to knock,

”Come inside,” she heard Leonard’s voice before her hand could make contact with the wooden door, ”Close it,” he said from where he sat behind the table.

Gingerly, Vivian carefully pushed the door to close and turned the knob to lock it.

”I told you to close the door, Vivian. Not to lock it,” Leonard stated and Vivian closed her eyes to reprimand herself. She wasn’t scared but she was definitely nervous to not listen to his words clearly. Quickly she unlocked the door and turned, her cheeks red due to what she did a few seconds ago,

”Care to explain what happened in the drawing room?”