A/N: This is my first ever story and I would gretly appreciate feedback please..... But please be gentle like I said this is my first ever Fic! Really nervous about posting this, this is the first time I have ever posted on a site! I will warn people in advance that the story will deal with Bangle and an attempted Rape... Just so you are all warned upfront! Hope you all enjoy it and like i said reviews would be greatly appreciated please!
Chapter 1: New beginnings
Elizabeth Summers stood at the end of the drive staring up at the large Hartley Manor. The house was the largest and by far the grandest she had ever seen, just from looking from the outside she knew it must have at least eighty rooms probably more. Staring at the house all she could think of was how she was bound to get lost in the manor. Her mother had always told her that she had a terrible sense of direction and that she would probably get lost just getting to the house today. Which of course she had but there was no way that Elizabeth was going to tell her mother that, she was here to prove her worth or at least that is what she kept telling herself.
Unsure of herself and of what to do, Elizabeth stood staring at the house for a few more minutes before picking up her carpet bag with her one change of dress, smoothed out her blond hair and started walking up the driveway to the main door. She was in awe of the fabulous gardens on both sides of her and the sweeping gravel drive.
Reaching the door she did the only think she could think of. Placing her bag down she took hold of the knocker and knocked on the large door three times and then stood there waiting. She only stood for a few minutes before the door opened revealing a man with perfectly parted brown hair and small oval glasses that were perfectly positioned on his face. He wore a black suit with a pair of crisp white gloves.
Slightly taken aback at first by the neatness of the man in front of her, Elizabeth took a few seconds to find her voice before she spoke.
“Oh you must be Master Liam, I’m ….”
“I’m Wesley Wydam-Pryce, Master Liam’s butler” a smile presented itself on the man's face; if someone wasn’t watching him carefully they may have mistaken it for a smirk.
“You must be Miss Summers, I am afraid you are rather late we were expecting you sooner.”
“Yeah sorry bout that I …”
“Servants do not use this entrance, they use the kitchen entrance round the side of the manor, nor do servants speak when they are not spoken to.”
Slightly affronted at being interrupted twice now Elizabeth chose her next words carefully.
“Excuse me for speaking but you were speaking to me, thereby I should be able speak back.”
Wesley gave Elizabeth a look showing her that she had overstepped the line.
“Careful who you use that tongue on miss. It will do you no good at all to speak out of place at this household.
I will repeat again a servant will not speak unless spoken to and therefore is told to speak. In this household miss you will learn very quickly to hold your tongue and keep opinions to yourself.”
Elizabeth stared dumb founded at the man before realising his earlier comment about where to enter the house and thereby realising that she did not know the way to the kitchen.
“May I speak?” with a slight nod of the head from Wesley she continued “excuse me but how do I get to the kitchen?”
“Follow the house round it is not difficult Miss Summers.”
With that he shut the door leaving her standing there, finally picking up her bag Elizabeth set off round the house. This was her fabulous life from now on she thought to herself sadly. She would become the faceless servant whom no one really cared about, the servant who had no real opinions, ambitions or dreams. Buffy Summers was definitely dead and buried it was time to be Elizabeth Summers all the way now. Quietly, deep in thought she followed the house round to her new life.
Elizabeth came to a smaller door and realised that this must be the kitchen; however when she couldn’t see a knocker she assumed that she should just enter. What if this wasn’t the kitchen? She really hated when she didn’t know what to do. Standing there for a few minutes daydreaming she was knocked out of her daydream by a slight timid tap on her shoulder. Turning around she saw a boy behind her who was slightly shorter than her. The boy had brown hair and a shirt that was slightly too big for him. He just stared at Elizabeth then started speaking in a quite voice.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m Elizabeth summers, I was sent round to the kitchen door but I’m not sure whether this door is the kitchen door or whether this is like a door to a stable or a barn.”
The boy stared sadly at her “is this another of those occasions when I’m not suppose to speak again, it is just you asked if you could help me and if I’m not suppose to speak how can I tell you I need help?”
“I’m Jonathon, this is the kitchen door. I’m guessing you’re the new servant Maggie’s expecting?”
“Yeah thanks, one more thing, do I knock?” Elizabeth stood there chewing her lip it’d been a while since she’d been this unsure.
“No just go on in they probably wouldn’t hear a knock anyway.”
Jonathon then turned and went the other way leaving Elizabeth alone again. Plucking up the courage she pushed open the door and walked in.
The room was warm yet large. In one corner sat a girl with dirty blond hair huddled over a bowl peeling potatoes, in the center of the room was a large table with lots of vegetables on it. The stove had a mass of pans on it all boiling away. The smell from the kitchen was delicious and it made Elizabeth’s stomach grumbled reminding her she hadn’t eaten in a while. The room was what her sister would describe as organised chaos, it was busy yet everything seemed to have its place; even the people, it was only Elizabeth that didn’t have her place.
A woman swept towards Elizabeth, she was wearing an apron and looked like a down to earth likeable woman in her fifties. This must be Maggie Walsh, cook and head servant of the house.
“You must be Elizabeth, your slightly later than expected, this is not a good sign for your first day, as it is I now have a big meal to prepare for as the house has guests over tonight so I can not spend long idly talking. If you would have been here on time you could have helped today as it is you will now have to spend your time in your room settling in and only come out today at the servants evening meal at nine. I think you now know that I am Miss Walsh. If you come to fall into my good graces you will come to know me as Maggie, if you don’t you will come to know by the name my underhand’s use and think that I don’t know about: the “evil bitch monster of death”. Make no mistake I run a hard ship and will take no slackers, no moaning and no excuses period. Work starts at 6 every morning so it is advised that you get up at 5am. Evening meals are eaten all together in here at 9. You will meet everyone then. You have a uniform waiting for you in your room the cost of the uniform will be taken out of your first wage. You will wear the uniform at all times except when going to the market. You will always look smart and presentable and your hair should always be tied back unlike now. Lose hair is a sign of messiness and is a reflection of a bad staff and I will have nothing to disgrace the name of this household. Do you understand everything that I have told you?”
Elizabeth nodded her head “have you got any questions?”
Elizabeth could see a red-headed girl about her age who now stood behind Maggie shaking her head, getting the meaning Elizabeth shook her head “no Miss Walsh I’m fine thank you.”
Turning around quickly Maggie looked at the girl who had not had chance to turn away. “Ah Willow, I assume since you are just standing there staring you have nothing better to do. You can show Miss Summers to her new room”
“Yes Maggie. Should I then show her round parts of the house so that she won’t get lost on her first day?"
“That would probably be a good idea but don’t let yourself be seen and stay silent”
“We will be but don’t worry they’re all in the library enjoying drinks at the moment”
With that the two girls left the kitchen up a small wooden winding staircase.
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