Carina was feeling a mess of emotions, most of them bad, but in the meantime had simply decided she would just take things one day at a time, handling things as they popped up.
In the long run she knew she wanted to get out of this house, but she had no idea where she would go, what she would do, how she would earn the money to pay for her own house in the future.
She sighed, leaning back against her chair in defeat.
Then, as if to remind her that she had more pressing matters to deal with, her maid burst into the room again.
Carina frowned as she watched her maid put the tray away and began to tidy up around the room. Shouldn't a maid be more respectful than this? Wasn't Carina technically her boss?
"Miss." The maid remarked, sniffing a bit disdainfully. "You should get dressed. It's not proper to lounge around in your night gown out of bed."
Carina arched an eyebrow at her tone of voice. "Is that an order?"
The maid stiffened at Carina's words, suddenly looking unsure of herself. "No... Miss, it was merely a suggestion."
Carina smiled, something polite but obviously fake. "What is your name?"
"I... It's Anne, Miss."
"Anne," Carina started, rising from her seat to look the maid properly in the eye, "you've worked for me for how long, now?"
Anne swallowed slowly. "Six years... since you were twelve."
"You must've had it hard, working by yourself for all those years. Wouldn't it be nice if you had some help around here?"
Anne widened her eyes, surprised by Carina's suggestion. "But you were only allowed one-"
Carina hardened her gaze, catching Anne by surprise and shutting her up mid sentence.
"I carry the Rayburn name, don't I? I am the Duke's only proper blood child, the rightful heir to the Rayburn fortune. Surely you're not saying that I, your employer, am not allowed another maid."
To Anne, it was as if Carina had suddenly become another person. In all the years she had worked for her, Anne had never once seen Carina act like this, she had never once heard Carina speak with such force and confidence in her words. She had always thought Carina was a meek, sad little girl, too absorbed with being upset at her own circumstances to care about anything else. The Carina that she was looking at now however, was nothing like that little girl. This Carina radiated a strength and conviction that scared Anne.
"Of- of course, you're right, Miss. I'm sorry for saying something unnecessary." Anne squeaked.
"Tomorrow, present me with three maids. I will choose one to work for me, so you must make sure they will be appropriate to serve me properly." Carina stated, before she waved a hand to dismiss Anne.
Anne nodded once before practically fleeing from the room.
As the doors shut behind her, Carina wondered how she should go about handling the rest of the mansion's residents.