It is a cold and dreary morning in the year 1730, and Marianne is shivering as she steps out of the bathtub. She wraps herself in a towel and went to her dressing room, where her madam Theresa is waiting for her.
"Take it easy Young master." says Theresa, as she begins to dry Marianne's hair with a towel. "What are your plans for today?"
Marianne smiles mischievously.
She stares at her clothes that's hanged on the wooden hanger and reminisces on her past life. It's been long she wears this kind of clothes.
She stares at the cup of hot tea on the stool and cannot help but salivates.
She almost forgets that Mother Theresa knows about her crossdressing.
As she has been in the Viscount's mansion for more than four decades, she must know everything about her. She is her mother's maid and her grandmother's maid. She should have retired when her mother gives birth to her, but because of her, she stays back.
"Shall we begin the dressing process?" Theresa asks her and she nods, sipping her tea.
"First, let's get you into your undergarments," says Theresa, as she brings out a clean shirt and a pair of linen drawers. She helps her dress herself, and then began to layer on her outer garments.
A white linen shirt, stockings, and breeches came next, followed by a waistcoat and a coat. Theresa adjusts the cuffs and collars, and then hands Marianne a cravat. "Would you like me to tie it for you, Master?" she asks.
"Does that matter? We are alone now." Marianne says with a smile.
"What?" Theresa asks confusedly as she wonders what she is talking about.
"The young master part." She reminds her.
The woman smiles and says nothing. In her mind, it's better to call her this and get used to it, than letting It slip in front of so many people. Madam Theresa helps her adjusts a gusset ties in the back of her waist.
Theresa set about tying the cravat in a simple yet elegant knot. "There you are, Master," she says, as she steps back to admire her work. "You look very dapper indeed."
Theresa then brings out a pair of polished shoes and helps her young master/miss put them on. Finally, she hands her a hat and a walking stick.
"Ready to face the day, Master?" she asks with a smile.
She checks out herself in the mirror and smiles at herself, seeing that she's okay.
Yes that's her aim.....to look like the handsome British lad of their century.
When Theresa is not watching, she winks at herself in the mirror.
She walks out of her room, with madam Theresa following her.
She enters the dining room, only to find her stepmother and stepsiblings already seated at the table. The viscountess, a stately woman in her forties, smiles politely as she takes her seat. The stepsiblings, a boy who barely looks up from their plates as they ate their breakfast and a girl who smiles at her.
"Good morning Mario." She greets her ad she simply nods her head.
The viscountess takes a sip of her tea and says, "Good morning, dear. I trust you slept well?" Her tone is cool and reserved, as though she were more a hostess than a mother.
If she knows not better, she might have thought that the woman is as pure and nice as she portays herself to be. She smiled at the pair; mother and daughter and gives them a fake smile to return their courtesy.
Beatrice is only a year older than she is, just fifteen, but she is venomous than a snake and dangerous than a snake.
As they begins to enjoy their breakfast, they hears the unmistakable sound of a lady shouting and screaming outside the mansion. The viscountess frowns, while Marianne's eyebrows shots up in surprise.
"What is happening?" Beatrice asks with her brow furrowed.
At first, they thinks it is just the usual city noise, but then they hears the loud shrill sound of the woman's voice, cursing and shouting. Marianne eyes widens in surprise as she realizes that the woman is shouting her name.
The viscountess's face turns pale, and she grips the tablecloth tightly.
As they stands frozen in shock, they hears a loud banging on the front door.
The guards seems to have stops her as the banging stops, few minutes later.
"What on earth is going on out there?" asks the viscountess, as she rises from her chair and walks to the window. Beatrice follows, peering over her shoulder as they both sees the young woman, wild-eyed and disheveled.
"It must be you. She must be here for you. Trouble always chases you around as always. Brainless young master." James, her stepbrother says arrogantly. He is just ten, but his arrogance is on another level.
She looks at him with a glare and stands up.
She opens the door and walks out and stares at the disheveled woman, weirdly.
The viscountess and her daughter sees her and also steps out, except James that is greedily focusing on his food.
Marianne remembers this same time in her past life. It's when a woman comes to announce to them that her young lady has committed suicide because she (Marianne) has peeked at her when she's bathing. She is so tongue tied in her previous life any couldn't defends herself. No one trusts her and she also cared not, as the only person she likes and cares about is the duke's son. Five years later do they know that everything is a set up.
"Where is he? That stupid Viscount's son that tarnished my lady's image. Where is the fool. He shall die today. Everyone in Southwark now knows that my lady's nakedness has been peeked at. What if everyone in London knows too. My lady has committed suicide because of him, where is he, the fool?" The woman's says as the guards stops her with all their mights.
She stares at the woman and smiles devilishly. She is going to start her mission from here. This woman might not know she has come to the wrong person. She must let them pay for their misdoings.
3...2...1...
Let the game begin...