Laura gripped her hair, she could feel her lips quivering. "Where am I?" she asked herself. "Who are these people?" The people claimed her parents, maids, and fiancé muddled her more. She clenched her teeth, trying her best to breathe properly. The edifices of the mansion came to her mind. "The mansion, it looks like my grandmother's..." Slowly standing up, she gripped her skirt as she look around. Copious thoughts enter her mind. She knew she was not fallacious. Laura was confident that it is indeed her grandmother's.
The doors of her room opened, revealing two maids who later on introduced themselves as her maid. Two of them owns both hazel brown eyes but different hair color. Their names were Anida and Cleda. Laura didn't pay attention to them at all, she was too hectic thinking about how she got into a different season of the century. "Lady Rose?" Cleda called. Her voice is soft, something that surely will tranquil someone uneasy.
Anida smiled, she sauntered a foot close to where Laura was standing. "Lady Rose, your bathe is ready. Shall we head to the bathing room?" she courteously asked.
'Must be... my grandmother's ancestors. If they are, I need a mirror to look at myself. Germaine looked at me earlier with much entertainment in his eyes. Does he find me funny?'
Her nose scrunched at the thought. Anida and Cleda exchanged gazes. "Perhaps, Monsieur Germaine caught her attention" Cleda giggled. Anida covered her mouth upon laughing with Cleda.
Laura retorted hastily "Hey! No! That flirty bastard? There's no way I'm bewitched by his pale, flour-looking face!"
She crossed her arms as the two of her maids keep laughing at her response. It was apparent that they saw chemistry earlier. Laura stringently looked at them with her lips grouching and her eyebrows narrowing. "We apologize Lady Rose!"
"We just want to light the mood up because you're too occupied with thoughts!"
Laura rubbed her temples, "I just don't know where I am. I do not know you guys, those people who claim themselves as my parents and my soon-to-be husband who got canceled and... and... also that boastful bastard who carried me earlier!" she sat on the bed. Unfulfilled. "I need a mirror! Hand me a mirror!" she said. 'If I am in a different time of the century, I need to look at myself. I need to check if it's still my appearance or not'
Anida swiftly pulls the powder drawer, grabbing one of the mirrors molded in an oval with gold frames with rose chiseled in it along with some of its immaculate branches and leaves. Cleda opened the velvet draperies for Laura along with the windows to let the air in. She senses trouble in her lady's actions. As the morning air come into her room, Anida handed her the mirror. The wind brushed her opulent black hair, a pair of emerald-colored eyes staring back at her, different from her light brown ones. Her skin color's porcelain is far different from her original suntanned skin. The lady's face is dazzling, her skin is ecstatic and rosy. Gasping, her eyes enlarged when she sees what she looks like.
Anida and Cleda exchanged glances again, they noticed how nervous Laura's face is. They both flinched when she let go of the mirror, causing it to shatter. A whip of scare lashed her heart, and beads of tears started to stroll down her rosy cheeks. It follows from one to another, gushing like waterfalls. "My lady! Why are you bawling your eyes out this early? It will ruin the sunshine of your youth!" Cleda straightaway pulled a handkerchief out of her and was about to dry the tears off her cheeks when Laura jostled her hand, running out of the room. Seeking a place where she's able to think. An open door next to the stairs welcomed her misery. Laura locked the door, sobbing.
The thought of her adrift in time made it complicated. "Where am I?" she cried. "How did I get here?" she sobbed harder. Gripping tighter on the golden handles of the plated doorknobs, she pressed her lips together. Anida and Cleda started to knock, not to add tension to Laura's anxiety.
"Lady Rose?" Cleda asked. "Unlock the door, I beg of you... We'll be here to help. We might not do much but please. Will you allow us to aid you?" she supplicated without pressure.
Laura sat in front of the piano, there was something in it that somehow pacify her. She's still crying but not heavy anymore. "Shall we call on Lord Clark? Perhaps Lady Elene? I'm frightened our lady might do something with herself inside of the music room" Anida asked, her hands pressed hard against her bosom.
"Sometimes, people need space. We shall give her time to think, our lady's shocked from what happened" Cleda held Anida's hand. She nodded. They uncomplainingly waited outside the doors of the music room.
"Do you know what's going on to Lady Rose?" Anida asked. Fidgeting with her apron, she looked down before looking at Cleda. Her older sister. They were from the Fowey family, orphaned. Losing their parents at a formative age. Their uncle, Lord Landewednack who used to take care of them peddled them to Wilbur's family as slaves in exchange for money to pay off his debts due to massive drinking and excessive gambling.
Cleda clicked her tongue as she lightly tilt her head, guessing. "I cannot savvy but my heart tells me she's somehow agitated about something. It almost seems like a different person is in her body, she has never panicked before. She used to be well-reserved, and quiet. Lady Rose never pay attention to us, or anyone in this house"
Anida sighed.
Inside the room where Laura sat, she ran her fingers against the faultless piano. Her fingers approached its keyboard and started to play a beautiful melody. Anida and Cleda looked at the door when Laura started to play the piano. "Lady Rose doesn't know how to play piano because she hates it, how come is she playing now?" Anida gasped.
"Mozart?" Cleda dulcet.
Lord Clark's office is located below the music room. His mouth was agape when he heard the piano playing. "Who's playing my piano?" He sat up from his chair. Elene looked at the ceiling, she, too do not know who was playing it.
"I believe it is coming from the music room, my love..." Elene said. Clark exited the room with Elene, heading for the music room. When the maids heard the stairs thudding, Cleda rushed to open the doors with a spare key. She always carries keys with her, for a special reason Lord Clark entrusted them to her. Anida opened the door, she set aside and saw how magnificent Laura plays the piano.
Clark and Elene arrived at the scene, their breath hitched with such amazement. "How wonderful..." Elene's eyes turned watery.
Clark couldn't find the factual words to say to as why his daughter suddenly befriended the piano. Laura has her eyes closed, her fingertips feeling each keyboard dearly. He too was amazed. Anida and Cleda watched their lady play the piano until Laura stopped softly. By playing the piano, she has enough time to think. She no longer plans on escaping, she accepted the surprising event in her life. Yet, she's dubitable if it's a lesson or a memory to make. "Dearest!" Elene happily ran towards her 'daughter' and hugged her tightly. A sprinkle of warmth touched Laura's heart, she felt how much this woman love her. Mother's love, warmth. It made Laura tear up, hugging Elene back. Clark walked toward them, befuddled and flabbergasted at the same time. The anger of knowing his daughter who has no interest in music and reading except embroidery disappeared from his heart. It fascinated him now that his daughter plays piano.
Elene let go of the hug softly, her eyes tearful. A small smile curved at the corner of her lips. "Dearest, who taught you to play the piano?" They're all delighted.
"I learned it myself" Laura decided to roll with it. She doesn't have a choice but to pretend, she will think of it further before bed. She smartly grabs the music sheets, showing them to Elene. "This, this tune is composed by Mozart. His music is exceptionally pleasing. I apologize if I only play today" she faked.
Elene put a hand over her chest, smiling as she looked at Laura. Clark cleared his throat. Elene held his arm, she thought Clark was going to scold her daughter again. Anida and Cleda closed the door for the family's privacy. "Very well, I'm thrilled by how you exquisitely played the piano. It now has its purpose. I still forbid you to write. Ready yourself my child, the Monvere brothers are coming over for dinner. I'll take shall take my leave" he excused himself and exited the music room.
"Monvere brothers?" Laura said, confused. Deep down in her heart, she wants to know about these brothers. Dawn and Germaine were the only people she met earlier.
"Yes, we are to tête-à-tête about the withdrawal of your matrimony to Lord Dawn. If we're able to discourse it to the end. Well, I'm glad that you will have new suitors!" Elene squealed. Laura's heart jumped, startled when Elene squealed.
Is this how fast people change their minds?
She supposed. "How old am I?" Laura asked.
"Dear, my, my. You poor sweetheart, did you fall hard?" Elene checked on her.
"Yes, m-mother" she has trouble pronouncing the word because this mother in front of her treats her the opposite of how her mother treats her in the current year she lives.
"You are nineteen," Elene responded.
Laura gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. This woman? Nineteen? That explains why Germaine said those words. "Mother, thank you so much for checking in on me but I suppose I have to prepare quickly for dinner, I need to look presentable" Laura stood up. She tried her best to speak their language. Elene happily smiled, kissing her daughter's cheek before nodding. The mother of the household opened the doors of the room, nodding nicely to her daughter's maids. Gesturing her hand to the maids, Anida and Cleda entered the room.
Laura nodded to them with a smile, a soft one.
As she prepared to step into the bathroom, she halted. "May I go alone?" her cheeks blushing.
"Oh no, no. We must assist you while you bathe Lady Rose" Laura blushed more.
"W-what? B-but I can handle m-myself..." Laura tried her best to convince them. Cleda shook her head.
"We apologize, my lady, now onto the bathe. We will handle everything for you" Anida smiled.
"Naked? In front of you people? No!" Laura exclaimed. She covered her chest. A noblewoman back then has maids to take care of them like royalties. But in modern times, people are unfettered.
"Since when our lady is shy? Anida, strip" Cleda commanded.
"Yes. If you please Lady Rose" Anida's about to slip down her nightgown. Laura's cheek grew redder, she held Anida's hand but ended up surrendering.
"There we go," Cleda said with a light smile, her maids were hospitable. Laura watched them work with passion.
They truly love what they are doing.
She thought.
When Laura settled on the wooden tub, the bubbles soaked her soft skin. The lady's maids started to scrub her arms down to her hand. 'How lazy rich people are back then, why do they need someone to scrub their body in bathing when it's all easy?' she complained in her mind.
She watched how the maids do it. The tub was filled with fresh rose petals, fragrant smell of rose as well, and is bubbly. Anida started to shampoo her hair. As the bath goes, she noticed how everything is done manually. They do have faucets and a sink in the bathroom but it isn't as beautiful as it is in our time.
Amazed, she watched how the Cleda prepare a lotion from some sort of herbal plant. Anida rinsed her hair. A few talks were made during the bathing, and the air filled with Laura's questions where the maids respectfully answer each one.
"What day is it?" Laura asked.
"It's Tuesday the fourth Lady Rose," Anida said.
"Year? A month?" she added.
"It's 1789 Lady Rose, June" Anida continued to answer politely.
To that, Laura confirmed that she was not at her usual time. She came from the 21st century, the year 2040. Her body started to relax. Though she's amazed and worried, she never loses the motivation that someday...
She will be back in the year 2040.
As the maids dressed her, her plans started to contemplate smart plans that will help her survive. Laura gasped when Anida tautened the corset, averting her from breathing properly. "A-ahh!" she grunted.
"I know how hard it is to wear a corset but it's the latest trend Lady Rose" Cleda smiled. "Anida, the rest" she nodded and gestured her hand to her sister to finish dressing Laura. Cleda walked towards the powder section where different sorts of cosmetics were placed. Seated, she scrutinized the cosmetics on the powder table. In front of her is an angelic face of a woman, a symbol of innocence and virginity. A decorum, adroit. Cleda started to put makeup on her, Laura let them do the work until done.
Anida and Cleda excused themselves after. Laura flopped down from the bed, looking at the ceiling. "What more I can do? What else can I do?" she whispered before closing her eyes.