@ZayZe

Lisa woke up bright and early on a sunny summer day. Today, after a couple days of traveling, she would finally arrive at the manor she was to work at. She threw on the nicest dress she had brought along and braided her hair. Looking at herself in the mirror, she thought she looked presentable. She was filled with nervous excitement as she marched out of the inn she had stayed at through the night and began to walk the last few miles to Studwick's manor.



She was thrilled to start her new life. After being cooped up indoors with no company other than her strict mother for 20 years, she finally was going to put herself to good use and work as a servant. Sure, it wasn't the most exciting job in the world, but it certainly was a start. It would allow her to create friendships and improve her housekeeping abilities. As soon as she saved up enough money to attend university, she would be able to quit. Hopefully she wouldn't despise her time spent at the manor, but on the flip side it was best to not get too attached. For the time being, her mind was set on her aspirations, not her relationships.

Lisa happily strolled through a prairie. A few horse drawn carriages passed by her, and she would always give a polite nod to the coachman.

Things took a turn for the worse when dark clouds suddenly filled the sky. She was only about a mile and a half from the house, so she decided to make a run for it. However, it was too late. Rain started pouring on her at a rapid pace soon after she began running. Lisa held her small bag that contained her belongings over her head and resorted to walking again. Better to show up only wet than wet and sweaty, she figured.

Thunder began crackling overhead as she made her way up the steps of the manor. She was soaking wet. The weather was so perfect the past couple days, why couldn't it have lasted one more? She wondered as she knocked on the wide, wooden doors.

^{(Click Here for hierarchy of servants Mr. Studwick might possess)}

Studwick had been working on some papers that the prime minister had needed. Studwick was in charge of the fiances of the lower part of England. He had recently set up some trade dealing with the United States to make both of the countries prosper as much as they could. England had been the trading hub of the world for years, until the United States had declared their Independence 50 some years ago.

Studwick was always fascinated with the United States. They had always boasted about their freedoms and a free way to practice their religion. It was quite ironic to Studwick that slavery had been abolished just a couple years ago in 1833, while the United States still had a high number of slaves. Where was their freedom?

He shrugged off some of his thoughts as he stopped writing, taking a look at the paper of finances he had been working on. It seemed have to been complete. He folded it up, sticking it into a envelope and sealing it.

A distant thud came from downstairs and the shoes of his servants could be heard against the hardwood floor. Studwick stood up and walked to the door, peeking through the doorway, waiting for the servant to open the door.

He turned the knob opening it, letting in a gust of wind, and droplets of rain. A drenched woman stood before the servant. She wore the clothes of a low class. Studwick shook his head, returning to his office chair, figuring it was the new servant that was to be here today.

The servant that had opened the door was one of the Studwick’s senior servants. He cleared his throat, “Well aren’t you soaked. You must be the new house maid.” He paused a moment, looking her up and down. “I’m the butler of this estate, Ralf Rickard. Welcome.” He said giving a slight bow, “Let’s get you cleaned up right away so you can meet Mr. Studwick. He’s a little busy at the moment.”

The young woman nodded, eager to finally get out of the rain. "Yes, thank you."She stepped inside and followed him down the hallway. Other servants passing by would look at Lisa, some with a gleeful expression and others with a surprised one. She wasn't used to this sort of attention. It made her want to recoil and hide inside a rabbit hole.

They traveled up wooden steps until they got to an attic. It was ridiculously warm up there, but it did help Lisa feel less chilly. An elderly maid holding a towel approached Ralf and Lisa. "I can take it from here, Ralf," she said with a gentle smile and a dismissive wave of the hand. As soon as he returned to his normal duties, the maid handed Lisa the towel. Lisa graciously accepted it and began dabbing it at her soaked hair. As she did so, the maid lead Lisa down the hallway, almost to her room.



"Remind me what your name is, dear?" The elderly woman asked, looking over at the new servant as they walked.

"Lisa Thorne," she replied with a smile. "And you are?"

The elder woman gave a little sigh. "That's a lovely name. I'm Agnes, the housekeeper. Used to be a Lady's Maid until the demise of Miss Studwick, God rest her good soul."

Lisa's eyes widened a bit. She had heard of the Duke passing away, but his wife was a surprise. "Oh, my. I'm so sorry."

Agnes just gave a small nod, ready to move on from the topic of her beloved deceased Mistress. After a few moments of silence, they soon approached a room at the end of the hallway and she opened it. "Here we are, dear. Your new quarters."

Looking around, it was very minimal. A small room, light tan walls, a single bed, and a dresser. But at least there was a window with a pleasant view of the backyard. Agnes looked at Lisa, awaiting her response, but the young woman had no words. She just stepped into it, strolled to the middle of the room, then turned to face Agnes. "I.. thank you for escorting me here. Send my regards to Mister Rickard, as well."



"Will do," Agnes replied politely. "Expect to be fetched to meet Sir Studwick very shortly."

"I'm looking forward to it."

A few minutes had passed since the butler had answered the door. Studwick had begun to work on another project before hearing some footsteps come up the stairs. Once the sound had finally reached the top Ralf had appeared in front of his door, knocking on it twice. Studwick looked up and used his fingers to allow him to come in.

“Sir. The new housemaid was sent to her room and has been cleaned up.” He paused a moment, “Shall I fetch her and bring her to you?”

Studwick nodded his head, “That sounds perfect Ralf.” Studwick picked up some papers reading them right after having said that.

“Sir.” He bowed slightly moving out of the room hastily. Ralf was made a butler for his hard work and dedication to serving Mr. Studwick.

After a few minutes Ralf had found and approached Agnes. “Can you fetch the new housemaid for me? Mr. Studwick would like to see her.” He said fixing the white gloves he had on and making sure his suit was prim and proper.

Agnes nodded, “Of course, right away.” She said turning on her heel, heading over towards Lisa’s room. She had approached the door knocking on it, “Mr. Studwick wishes to see you right away madam.” She said talking through the door. “Meet with Ralf so he can escort you to him. He’s right outside.” She said walking off, the sound of her heels knocking on the hardwood floor.

Lisa had began unpacking by the time she was retrieved. "One moment!" She called out, quickly putting away the nightgown she was holding. A sudden sense of nervousness consumed her. She would be meeting her boss. One wrong word or action, and she could be kicked out. Who knew when the next job opening would be for any other family? She would have no choice but to go back to her family for the time being. Her future plans would be put on hold.

Wringing her hands together, she glanced in a mirror to make sure she looked alright before opening the door. Lisa paraded down the steps and quickly spotted Ralf. He was certainly prim and proper, but also very level minded. Surely he'll be around while I'm meeting Sir Studwick, in case he makes a sudden rash decision? Lisa thought. She approached him, visibly a little nervous but trying to keep her cool. As long as she was herself, everything would be alright.... hopefully.

When did I get so anxious? She couldn't help but wonder. She looked up at Ralf and offered a hopeful smile. "Pleasure seeing you again," she greeted.

"Likewise. Follow me, Sir Studwick is waiting," Ralf returned, starting to walk the short distance to his employer's study. Lisa followed behind him, her heart racing at such a rapid pace she wondered if he could hear it. Within only a few seconds they arrived at their destination and Ralf strolled into the room, Lisa at heel. She looked over at her employer who was sitting behind a plethora of papers. He looked like a busy man.

Despite her nervousness, she forced herself to look confident. "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a curtsy. "My name is Lisa Thorne."

After another couple minutes Ralf had returned knocking on his door letting the new housemaid in. Ralf had walked over to the side of the room, putting his hands behind his back, back straight and still.

Mr. Studwick had been in the military retiring after 4 years. He had seen some combat, and learned what it means to be a leader. It had been a year since his retirement from the military. The discipline that Ralf had shown reminded him of his time in the service, that’s why he had made Ralf butler of the house.

Mr. Studwick looked over at Ralf for a second then looked at Lisa Thorne introduce herself. He stood up from his chair, nodding his head, “Likewise.” He said and sat back down again. “Come closer to my desk.” He said motioning right in front of his desk. He wanted a closer look at her. She was going to be maintaining his estate and wanted to judge her to see if she’d fit his little critique he had in store for her.

He put his elbows on the table, crossing his fingers together. He looked at Ralf, “Close the door please.” Ralf nodded his head, walking over to the door and closing it, then returned to his spot. He looked back at Lisa.

“I’m Mr. Studwick, or Sir Studwick.” He said and paused. “Whichever ever you prefer Ms. Thorne..”

She did as he said and walked closer to his desk. It embarrassed her having her appearance evaluated, but she did her best to not show it. She stood still with her arms casually draped at her sides. Her eyes wandered the room. It certainly was more pleasant to the eye than her simple little bedroom, she thought.

Not that she was devastated over it, of course. She was determined to make it look more homey with some little decorations that she will have to buy at some point. For now, it was to remain as simple as a sheep.

Her gaze returned to her employer. "Very well, Sir Studwick," she said. Wanting to break the ice a bit, she added, "I hope I am... up to par?" At the moment, she wanted nothing more for the evaluation to end. It was like being escorted to her room for the first time; how the passing servants' eyes were glued to her. Lisa wasn't made for the spotlight. She was a supporter, somebody who stayed in the background.

Absentmindedly, she reached up and rubbed her temples. She could feel a headache coming on. Hopefully it wasn't the beginnings of a cold or other illness, but that wouldn't be impossible. She did walk over a mile in rain and hasn't gotten around to changing out of her damp dress. But it could easily also just be from traveling and the stress of adjusting to a new environment.

She lowered her hands. A sudden compulsion forced her to speak, "I'm sorry about your parents."

Lisa looked at him, tracing over his aging features with her gaze the way he did to her. She kept her gaze gentle and brief before meeting his eyes.

Studwick nodded his head yes when she had asked him if she was up to par. He wasn’t looking at her for a level attractiveness but more for personality. Over the years of his life he found that a lot of the time, you could judge someone’s personality over their appearance and body behavior.

He watched her lift her hands up and rub her temples. He figured she’d be fine with whatever she was feeling.

His eyes focused when she had mentioned his parents. “Thank you. I don’t you to be sorry for me.” He said. It had slightly aggravated him that a housemaid had mentioned his dead family. He had his own friends to help support him, let alone a servant.

He had unlaced his hand and waved off her statement.

“So tell me why you want to work here.” He stated returning his gaze back at her. “Why should I choose you instead of countless others?” He paused for a moment looking at Ralf, then back at her. “Can I trust you with my belongings?”

Studwick didn’t really know what to think of the new housemaid, and hadn’t come to a decision for her. He didn’t like the fact that she had brought up his parents, but perhaps she was just trying to be nice. It wasn’t an appropriate time to say that though.

Lisa looked at her feet as he dismissed her sympathetic statement. Perhaps it was childish of her to bring up such a thing at a time like this. She needed to learn how to keep her mind grounded. She clasped her hands behind her back and briefly looked up and over at Ralf. He beared a neutral expression, per usual. It was almost as if nothing ever fazed him.

She wondered how he felt on his first day here, whenever that was.

The young woman looked back at Sir Studwick.

"I want to work here to put everything I've been taught my whole life to good use," Lisa explained. "I want to save my earnings to pay for university someday. My dream is to become a teacher. That is fairly ironic because I never got the opportunity to attend school, but something about it appeals to me greatly." She smiled. Thinking about her aspirations helped calm her nerves.

Two or three years here, and then she'd be able to live her dream. "You can trust me around your belongings. They are of no use to me. Theoretically, even if I did steal and sell something, it would guilt me for the rest of my life. It's not in my nature to act wrongly. You can trust me."

She smoothed out the skirt of her damp dress. She was starting to feel silly wearing something so unprofessional and unkept at a time like this. If her mother were here, she would have snapped at Lisa before she even waltzed up the steps of the manner to change into something dry.

Something in Lisa suddenly clicked.

She wasn't her mother, so why live by her orderly ways? I'm twenty years old, for God's sake, she thought, if I want to look so unruly at a time like this, then so be it! It was my choice. It's not even that unkept, just a little wet with a few wrinkles. I'm Lisa Thorne, and appearance isn't the most important thing in the world to me!

A little smile spread across her face, which was quickly replaced by a frown.

Who am I kidding. I resemble a clown.

Studwick nodded as she had told him what she had hoped to achieve. “Very well. It sounds like you have some good goals.” He said, looking down at his papers. His job was slightly dull, but he had more money than he could ever want. It wasn’t a bad thing. If he had wanted, he could just hand her some money to pay for the school right away and it wouldn’t affect his budget whatsoever. Studwick didn’t believe in handouts. He believed in hard work and dedication, and he wanted to see if this new housemaid had the muster.

He looked down at her dress, then back up at her, “Did you not have enough time to change into something… dry?” He asked. “Do you think since you’re just a house maid you don’t have to look professional?” He asked slightly scolding the woman. He moved his hand with an open palm, and directed it towards Ralf. “Look at my butler.” He said giving her a second to look over to him, “Does he look professional?” He asked rhetorically as the butler had stood firm in his place looking forward at nothing.

The military had drilled into him, a professional appearance is a must, unless you are out in the field. He had basically kept that mentally as he had come back into the civilian side of the world. Being a noble made that perception even more solidified into her personality.

Studwick wasn’t trying to harass the young woman, just stiff arm her into treating this as a serious deal.

After he had questioned her, he said, “There will be other high class nobles coming through these doors, and I need to you prepared.” He took a breath in and looked at her, “You said I could trust you, so I’ll be holding you to it.” He said folding his hands together once again.

Lisa listened to Studwick as he criticized her attire. "...Yes, there was time to slip on something dry. It would have been a fast change but it was possible." Her shoulders slumped a bit, realizing that she should have done what her mother and everybody else would have expected of her.

Yes, she was old enough to make her own decisions.

But at the same time, she should have known better.

It was only her third day away from her family and she already made a noticeable mistake. A faint blush painted her cheeks. She was embarrassed. "My sincerest apologies, Sir. I realize why you disapprove of my attire and I... I agree. You will never spot me looking so disorderly again." She tucked a loose lock of hair back behind her ear and glanced over at the door. It was perhaps rude of her to desire to leave the room, but she didn't want to bother him any longer. The sooner she could leave, the sooner they could both forget about this incident and move on.

"Listen, I know we have not gotten off on the best foot, but I just want you to know that I've meant everything I've said. Everything. And even though I look like this, even though I don't know a damn thing in this world besides what I managed to learn cooped up inside a dump, I value this opportunity to be here. Even looking around this one single room takes my breath away. One day, I want to be content. Fully, undeniably, one hundred percent content. This is my first step to achieving that goal." As Lisa went on that little tangent, the blush faded away from her face and she regained her confidence. She sighed. "..Pardon my language there, Sir. Will this be all?"

Studwick figured at least she was honest with her answer. Having some integrity could go a long way.

“That sounds good to me Ms. Thorne." He said when she had explained that she wouldn’t look disorderly again. He listened to her little spiel.

“That's good.” He said nodding his head, “I’ll give you a couple extra shillings if I see that you’ve done some hard work around the house every so often so you can get out of here quicker.” He said giving her a small smile. He felt as if she wanted to leave quickly, when she had asked if that’ll be all. He almost wanted to take back his generosity in that short amount of time.

He waved his hand when she had asked if this will be all, “Yes, get out of here. That is all.” He said slightly disgruntled. ‘Was she trying to dismiss herself?’ He thought to himself looking down at his papers before he could see her reaction to anything.

“Right this way.” Ralf said opening the door and leading her out of the room.

After being dismissed, she curtsied again and strolled out of the room, giving Ralf a polite nod as he opened the door for her. She was relieved that the meeting was over. More than anything, she hoped she at least made a decent first impression. She knew that was unlikely, given how he spent ninety percent of the time criticizing her, but at least she didn't get fired. It would be wretched to get fired before even starting work.

Upon arriving back at her room, she saw somebody had stopped by and draped the uniform across her bed. Unsurprisingly, it was clean and ironed. Not one speck of dust or tiny wrinkle could be found on it. Seems like the other maids knew full well how nitpick-y their employer could be. Lisa trailed her fingers across the delicate material, admiring it. It looked exactly how she expected it to; the classic French style. It was one thing seeing others wear it, but this one was hers. She loved it.



Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke, "Ah, I see you found the uniform."

Lisa jumped a bit at the sudden voice, but quickly calmed upon seeing it was just Agnes. "Oh, hello, you startled me for a moment there!" Lisa exclaimed teasingly, obviously not intending to make her feel bad. "Yes, it was hard to miss considering it was laying across my bed."

Agnes chuckled. "That is what you're required to wear while you work. While you're not working you are allowed to wear whatever you wish... within reason, of course. You are to be a simple house maid. In other words, you do whatever I or any other person in a position of authority asks you to do."

Lisa nodded understandably. "Very well, when shall I begin work?"

Agnes hummed. "If my memory serves me right, you are to start at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Report to me before starting anything. You have the rest of the day to unpack and explore the manor."

"Lovely! Thank you, Agnes," Lisa said. The elderly woman smiled in return then left Lisa alone to finish unpacking.

After finishing a few papers Studwick got up from his desk. He walked out of his office in the living room. Ralf had come around the corner, knowing it was about the time he had always finished his work and came downstairs for a small break.

"Your scotch sir." He said sticking his hand letting Studwick grab it. "Thank you Ralf." He said, taking a sip of his and sitting down on his chair that had faced a fireplace.



"What'd you think of the new housemaid Ralf?" He asked looking at the fireless firepit, gliding his finger on the glass, cirlcing it.

"I don't quite yet know sir." He said turning the plate that had served the scoth glass to Studwick. "I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I find out." He said turning and walking out of the living room to return the plate back to the kitchen.

A few moments later he came back into the room. "What would you like to read today?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, pick something that sounds intriguing." Studwick said looking over to Ralf.

Ralf pointed his fingers at a few books until he found something. He grabbed it, and walked over to Studwick. "Here you are." Studwick grabbed the book and read the title. 'Emperors of Revolution'. Studwick nodded his head slightly in approval.

"Thank you Ralf. That'll be all for now." He said kicking his feet up onto the foot rest and taking another sip of scotch and setting it down on the end table beside him.

Ralf bowed slightly and walked out of the living room.

Hours passed. Studwick had gotten his meal, and Lisa dined with all the other servants in the basement. Their meal wasn't half as good as his was, but it was something. They each had a little piece of steak (cooked but cold) and a slice of bread. Lisa's slice was stale, but she didn't say anything. She wondered if the other servant's bread was stale, too.

She met a couple other maids in particular named Eleanor and Margaret. They were twins who have been working for the Studwick family for about five years. They looked to be a couple years older than Lisa. The impression Lisa got was that they were a comedy duo. Eleanor had accidentally dropped her fork and Margaret called it out as a 'mis-steak' while motioning to her plate. Lisa smiled while the other servants laughed. Later, Margaret was talking about a time she milked a moody cow and Eleanor asked 'why were you milking yourself?' which made the other servants roar with laughter.

It was nearing ten o'clock. Only a few other servants remained awake. Lisa quietly strolled throughout the manor, memorizing where all the rooms were. After all, Agnes did tell her to explore. The young woman had changed into a new dress as soon as she finished unpacking. She also took the time to brush through her hair and braid it again. Even if it wasn't guaranteed she'd see Studwick again that day, she didn't want to risk him seeing her looking disorganized when she had promised to not be.

She stepped on what must have been a sore spot since the floor made a loud creaking noise. She bit her lip, hoping it didn't wake anyone up.

Studwick was dozing off in his chair in front of the fire. The living room was his place he went to when he had some down time. Earlier that day he had worked hard so he could relax the rest of the day. He had went to the dining room when he had eaten his dinner.



It was just another night for him. He had a empty glass of scotch beside him. Studwick jumped awake after hearing a loud creak in the floor. He stood up, grabbing a knife that he had in his pocket. He always had one on him just in case. He knew he was rich and could always be a target to someone. Maybe it was his paranoia from the past.

“Who’s there?” He quickly asked before being able to focus his eyes, holding the knife in his hand. Studwick usually dismisses Ralf before he goes to bed. He figured since he works so hard to keep him happy, he’d let him off easy.

There was no way that Studwick could rely on Ralf for the possible intruder.

Lisa made a worried face, recognizing the voice. She lost track of what mistake number this was. Definitely not the first one. At least this one wasn't totally her fault. Solemnly, she followed where the voice came from and stepped into the dimly lit room. "It's just me, Sir," she spoke quietly and soothingly, not wanting to aggravate him or wake up anybody else. She saw he was holding up a knife, which made her heart race. However, she remained calm on the outside. Perhaps there was fear in her eyes, but with this amount of light and the distance between them he wouldn't be able to see it. She held up her empty hands to show that she hadn't taken anything, nor was she carrying a bag.

"Pardon me if that creak woke you, Sir. I was merely exploring the manner, trying to commit the location of every room to memory." She smiled a bit. "It really is a lovely house. Earlier I thought your study was breathtaking, but now I know that other rooms, such as the dining room, are so much more extravagant! Of course that doesn't alter how nice your study still is. I'm incredibly impressed with the..." Her voice trailed off. "...sorry, I'm starting to ramble." She stepped forward again so he could see her face more clearly.

Studwick had calmed down after she had introduced herself. “It’s fine.” He said putting the knife down. “It is a good house.” He stated looking around at the dark room lit by the dull fireplace light. “Now you see why I require your services here.” He gave a faint smile.

“Now go get onto bed, you’re going to have an early day tomorrow.” He said starting walking toward her, passing her and gently touching the back of her shoulder blade. “Agnes will show you everything that needs to be done tomorrow.” He said walking up the stairs by the living room.

Lisa was genuinely surprised when he didn't insult her. Rather, he gave a tiny smile and told her to go to bed. "Oh- yes, Sir. I suppose it is getting late." She watched him as he passed by, once again surprised when he gently touched her back. She thanked heavens it was dark so he couldn't see her faint blush. "Goodnight, Sir," she said with a curtsy once he had started going up the steps.

As soon as he was out of sight, she made her way to her own chambers in the attic and retired for the night.

---

Before the sun had even begun to rise, Lisa was up and running around her room, quickly getting ready for the day so she wouldn't be late. She had accidentally slept in later than she would have liked to. With the decreased time she had, she wouldn't be able to write a letter to her family or resew a torn hem on one of her dresses. Those would have to wait until she got of work for the day, and she had no clue when that would be. She slipped on the uniform, put her hair up in a neat bun, and quietly ran from her bedroom. Running down the steps, she was in such a frenzy she almost tripped multiple times. She ran into the servant's dining area in the basement, where Agnes was cleaning her dishes.

"Goodness child, you look like you just ran a mile. Hurry up and grab a bread roll. You may eat it as I explain today's duties to you," Agnes said, gesturing for Lisa to follow her. The young woman obeyed and grabbed a roll from a basket set out for the servants. There was also a small variety of fruit set out, but there was no time to eat any of that. Agnes grabbed a few things from a closet then led Lisa upstairs to the main corridor. "See this wooden floor? It was cleaned yesterday, but now it needs to be waxed." She handed Lisa a pair of gloves, container of wax, and a sponge. "You'll need to use some elbow grease to really make the floors shine. This should take the next few hours if you take your time and do it properly. Have you waxed a floor before?"

The new maid nodded and swallowed down the rest of her roll. She was still quite hungry, but the sun was starting to rise and it was her fault for running late so she stayed quiet. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Brilliant. Good luck, then. Once you are finished, come find me," Agnes instructed, turning and walking away to report to her own duties.

Lisa slipped on the gloves and got onto the ground. Suddenly, she looked at the supplies she had then looked back up. Agnes had told her she would need to use some elbow grease, but what was that? Where could she find it? She stood up and looked around, her expression confused.