A few days later, Antoniette woke up early and was tossed into unexpected work as the servants ran back and forth doing various works that made her ask her friend once again. "Have you not found out what is going on yet? What is the event today?"
"Not yet, my friend. No one from the higher positions is saying anything about it and the servants don't know too." Louisa yawned tiredly and later grimaced as she cut the vegetables. "But I have experienced something like this before and I can tell you that those ladies are the ones behind it."
Antoniette scrunched her eyebrows in confusion when she heard her words. "What do you mean? Are they really that inconsiderate to make us work so harshly like this?"
"Of course they are." Louisa's voice was full of certainty yet she lowered her voice when she explained to her. "They must be throwing a tea party since the master isn't around. The old madam won't say anything about it while Master Finley enjoys it so they always get away with whatever they do most of the time."
"Surely, Master Aidan must have found out about this as he must surely have his people watching over the house." Antoniette furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She wondered how all the servants had never leaked such information like most people would have done in her hometown.
"There is a reason why no one crosses those ladies no matter how unjustly they have been treated, Antoniette." Louisa shook her head sadly as if she suddenly remembered an unpleasant memory. "The ones who tried to have either been sent to jail for some missing items or gone mysteriously missing after undergoing a ordeal worse than death in this place. They are the Knight ladies and no one stand in their path."
Antoniette opened her mouth to respond out of shock but she heard her aunt's voice calling her to take a tray of tea set to the patio where the tea party was being held. She quickly rushed to obey her aunt's orders and her eyes widened when she saw the event and how many people were present. From afar, she could see the older women gathering around the ladies's mother who raised her head in a haughty angle while eating a biscuit calmly.
While her thoughts wandered, she seemed not to pay attention to the road ahead of her and tripped on her long servant gown and let go of the tray. A few seconds later, a shrill cry could be heard across the place which drew the attention of other elites who had come to the party. A young lady gasped at her soiled blue gown and glared at the maid who was on the floor. "How dare you?! Look at what you have done to my dress, you lowlife!"
"I am very sorry, m'lady. Please forgive me." Antoniette said in a small voice as she struggled to stand up even though her legs were severally aching from the fall but then she gasped when she found her hair being pulled by an invisible force from behind her so she had no choice but to be dragged to the direction in which it pulled her, leaving one of the shoes she wore in a haste.
"You despicable servant!" The young lady whom she had offended pulled her hair even harshly as she screamed angrily. "Do you know what you have done?! Look at my dress! What can your apology do to rectify the shame and embarrassment you have caused me?!"
"Beatrice, what is the problem?" Evelyn managed to push herself through the commotion and appeared before her angry friend while casting a worried glance at the maid who was wincing loudly but soon her eyes landed on the dress and then she gasped. "What happened to your dress?!"
"This maid poured a kettle full of tea on my new dress when I was about to join you and your cousin, now she had ruined my dress!" Beatrice tightened her hold on Antoniette's hair and looked at Evelyn worriedly as she gestured to her appearance with the other hand. "Fortunately, Eloise was clever enough to separate our tea party from the gentlemen's own or else, what would I have to if Finley had witnessed this embarrassing incident?"
"Don't be angry, my friend." Although Evelyn attempted to comfort her friend, she made no move to rescue Antoniette from the young lady's ruthless grip. "Why don't you perhaps follow me to my room so you can change?"
"That will be better, Evelyn." Beatrice's fingers loosened for a brief moment until she remembered the maid and her expression became ugly again as she thought of how expensive the dress was. She maliciously told her friend.
"But you mustn't spare this maid, Evelyn. Such an audacious maid, who will attend your tea parties in the future if your servants behave this way?"
Evelyn became flustered when she heard her words and noticed that all the ladies were present so she found herself pressured to rectify the situation. She smiled nervously. "Don't worry, Beatrice. I will surely have this servant pun-"
"And who gave you the permission to order punishments to my servants as you please?" A low voice sounded from behind them, causing my ladies to gasp as a young man wearing a black suit and holding a briefcase walked to the front, his eyes landing on Antoniette and her her face full of pain.
"M-Mr....Aidan.." Beatrice was so stunned about his sudden appearance that she stared blankly at him while being struck by his appearance. She had only heard of Master Finley and fallen for him but now that she had seen the master of the house, she was enchanted by his beauty and her heart pounded loudly in her chest.
"Let go of her hair. Now." His voice hardened when he saw the situation and realized that one of the poor maid's foot was already looking red and swollen. He clenched his fists in order to control himself and immediately went to meet her when the lady let go of her. He cast a look at Evelyn who stood at the corner looking extremely frightened and said. "Drive all this people out of my house. You and Eloise will face the consequences for disobeying me."
Evelyn opened her mouth to defend herself but she was shocked by her older brother's actions along with the other ladies when they saw him drop his briefcase and pick up the maid in his arms, carrying her out of the room so gently. It was one of the most stupefying sights they had ever since in Eastleigh and it was once that would not be forgotten.