Two hours prior…
"I'm ready," Calista announced, after checking her outfit in the mirror. "Lola, what are you doing?" she asked her maid, who was currently fixing her hair.
Lola paused and looked at her lady with confusion spread across her face. "Aren't we going somewhere?"
Shaking her head, Calista sat on the chair and sighed. "I like your outfit but you're not coming with me today. The kids need you here, so you should stay with them until they get used to this new environment," she said, giving her maid an empathetic smile.
"And I need you to stay here to watch out. In case the duke returns before me, you have to stop him from entering this bedroom. Do you understand?"
Nodding, Lola forced a smile to agree with her lady. She was excited to show off how reliable she could be, but if Calista said no, she must obey.
"I understand, my lady. Please be careful," the maid said as she watched her master leave.
