Silence seemed to have taken control in the room as all eyes trained at the open door. Regia wondered what power the person must have and why whoever it was, was taking so long.
Just then, sounds of heels meeting the hard ground began to get closer, and a woman walked into the room.
Everyone in the room looked at her as though she was so important, even Madame Lettie.
The young women were itching to exchange curious looks but none had the courage to dare.
The visitor stood in the middle of the room, gently scanning the faces of all present. The woman, whoever she was seemed to a citizen of no mean status with the rapt audience she had just received.
She was dressed in a long red dress, that fitted snuggly on her body. It was a sleeveless dress, but she covered her shoulders with a white, shiny feathered scarf. Her neck was adorned with a simple, yet very expensive looking pearl necklace.
A haughty look emanated from her face as she finally settled her gaze on the ladies before her.
Madame Lettie, as though she had broken out of her trance, let out a crooked smile.
"Miss Natalya, you are welcome, as always, you see...",
" Uhmp",the woman uttered with a raised hand,"I don't have time for this, never have and never will",she said in a disgusted tone,before shifting her gaze to rake the young women before her. Her gaze seemed to be delayed as she combed the length of each women.
"They will do",she said,finality echoing in her voice before she turned and walked out of the room.
They all sat still looking at the woman walk away except Mara who walked out of the room. Madame Lettie's gaze then landed on the young women still sitting, looking at her.
" What are you doing sitting down, get up and get out of this place",she barked, transferring misplaced aggression on them.
They all scurried to her feet, not wanting to waste another second so not to warrant the woman to anger.
The two large men then stretched their hands outside the door and the women obeyed the voiceless command, not at all sure what they meant to do per time.
Immediately they stepped out of the room, Mara's stoic gaze caught their attention. When she was sure that they had noticed her, she turned and began walking away silently in her usual composure.
She didn't go through the kitchen like they thought she would, instead she took yet another path adjacent of them.
Regia shook her head,wondering just how big the building actually was. There was an open door ahead of them and Mara stopped right beside it, clearing enough space for them to pass.
The confused women paused, looking at their guide and asking with their eyes if they were to go through the door and Mara stated back at them, still not uttering a word. Her silence made Regia wonder if she was dumb.
A hand shoved each lady's back, pushing them forward. They needed no one to tell them to move it.
They walked out of the building into the already set night sky, and stood there awaiting further instructions or rough handling. When they shifted their gaze to their far right, they saw a coach,probably waiting for them.
The two men walked past them and headed towards it. They instantly followed suit, not wanting to be in a bad leg with the already angry looking men.
One of the men sat in the front of the coach and took the reins of the horses, while the other opened the door of the coach and got in, closing the door behind hm.They didn't seem to be those interested in any work of chilvary.
Evelyn who was the closest to the coach, opened the door for the other women to get in after which she got in as well.
The coach was big so the three musketeers didn't see any reason to split up just yet. They sat on a chair opposite to the large man. Evelyn blatantly ignored them and sat on the opposite chair where the man sat, but left a considerable distance between them,leaning her head against the coach's wall and closed her eyes.
A rough jolt informed the that the coach had began its journey. They got settled into their seat to avoid rough tossing as the man controlling the reins were not one to take their welfare into consideration.
The man in the coach spared them a glance, after which his gaze shifted back out the window, arms folded across his chest.
His presence prevented the girls from uttering a single word. They only looked silently out of the coach through the coach's net door.
The moon had already revealed its full presence. Its soft rays reminded Regia of home. She had been trying all her possible best not to think about home so she won't summon unnecessary emotions.
She was out here all on her own, no one else to lean on but herself and therefore couldn't afford wasting her time wallowing in self misery. It was a trait her mother had incessantly drummed into her ears and it was at at a time such as this that she realised its importance.
She let out a weak smile when she remembered her mother and the place she once called home. Her mind trailed to what her mother might be doing, or what she might have been doing if she was home.
She hoped that she had listened to her advice and stopped pushing Mr Alsop away, that they were all happy, even Histopher.
Home seemed like a place so far away now, the chances of ever seeing it or of ever finding one just as that she once had was nil.
A soft sigh parted her lips, as she did her best to forget. The coach also came to a stop almost at the same time. It seemed like wherever it was headed wasn't quite far, or was she in thought for long.
They man moved to make his way out of the coach and they all did the same, she first since she was closest to the door.
She stepped out and viewed the large building before her, her two alibis doing the same. It was huge and well decorated. Nayu was the first to break out of the daze and she tapped the girls when she saw Evelyn ahead of them.
They returned their gaze to the path they were headed and rushed to meet up with her.