Evelyn was running a jewel-encrusted comb through her hair when she heard the knock on her bedroom door. [i]Finally,[/i] she thought irritably to herself, setting the comb down delicately amongst her other fine things. She took a moment to check her reflection in the mirror, smoothing the golden curls into place. At last she called in a calm, commanding tone, “Come in.”

Her room was one of the finer ones in the entire household, apart from her mother and father’s chambers. It was large, with four enormous windows overlooking the courtyard. On one end of the room sat a massive four-poster bed piled high with silk sheets and feathery pillows. Near the bed, a large marble fireplace crackled and hissed, sending shadows dancing all around the room. Nearly every surface, from the vanity to the bedside table, was filled with gold and silver trinkets, bits of jewelry, precious stone and ivory carvings. They glittered in the firelight like so many winking eyes. 

Evelyn turned in her chair so she could look at the girl as she came in. She wasn’t sure why she was so eager to finally see her. Undoubtedly this new maid would be just as bad as the ones before her and she would have to dismiss her for one thing or another. But the thought of having to endure the kitchen girl’s clumsy fingers on her dress or hair was enough to make her hope that this girl would satisfy her standards. 

“Good, you brought a candle. Come closer so I can see your face.” 

The young mistress slowly crossed her legs and beckoned the other girl forward with a careless flick of her hand. 

“What’s your name, girl.”