"You have such beautiful hair, Madam," Susannah said as she ran the brush through it. Christine smiled. She really found this woman quite charming and was glad there was someone in the house that was so nice.
"Thank you, Susannah, I inherited it from my mother," she answered. As the woman continued to get her ready for the day Christine found her thoughts wandering. When she had woken up that morning Erik had already been gone. She had yet to see him and she had been up for several hours. When she had called Susannah into the room Christine had noticed the way the woman glanced at the bed, obviously looking for any sign of a consummation of the marriage. Christine had blushed and looked away from the servant.
Christine stood when instructed as Susannah put on her corset. She really hated the things and Susannah tightened it to painful tightness.
"I never found the use for such things," Susannah muttered as she tugged on the strings.
"Neither have I," Christine said with a small gasp.
"In all reality you do not need one. You are already slim of waist," Susannah complimented. When she had finished putting everything on Christine thanked the woman and was preparing to leave the room when there was a knock on the door. When she gave her assent the boy with the carrot colored hair came in with a bow.
"What is it, Douglas?" Susannah asked. The boy bowed again.
"Forgive the intrusion, Madam, but there are two gentlemen here to see you," he said. Christine frowned. Who in the world could that be? Who knew she was here other than her family. She thanked Douglas and glanced at Susannah, who was ringing her hands nervously.
"What is wrong?" Christine asked. The woman hesitated.
"The master...he does not like anyone calling when he is not home and he is rather protective of what is his. You are considered his now," she replied. Christine snorted.
"I am not a possession to be put on a shelf. I have guests and I will see to them. This is my home now, too, is it not?" she demanded. Susannah nodded and watched Christine leave the room. She sighed and began picking her mistress's clothing up and putting them in their rightful place.
The master was not going to be happy about having two gentlemen calling on his wife. She knew all to well what kind of temper the man had and she did not want to see it unleashed on so kind a woman. But what she had seen of Christine so far she did not seem like the type of woman who backed down easily and perhaps that was something Master Erik needed, someone to stand up to him.
For far to long he had been given anything he wanted. He had only to say the word and it was done. Susannah had worked for him for over five years and no one had ever dared go against anything he said ever. She remembered well the mistress he used to keep in the house. A stunningly beautiful woman by the name of Natasha. The woman, though beautiful, had a short temper that she unleashed at the servants whenever they failed to do something right. But the moment Erik was in the room she became a docile little bird, never raising her voice to him.
Christine was different from Natasha in more ways then one. Though both were beautiful Christine was far more intelligent then Natasha had ever been and Christine's manners far outweighed Natasha. And she had the backbone to stand up to Erik. Susannah admired that greatly and she knew it might be interesting to watch Erik's reaction to the little woman fighting back.
Douglas showed Christine to the study where she was surprised to see stood Anthony and Raoul. She gave a glad cry and flew into her brothers arms. Anthony hugged her to him fiercely and gave her a kiss on each cheek. He took her shoulders and held her away from him slightly, his eyes roaming over her. Christine smiled.
"Are you alright?" he demanded. She nodded and he seemed to relax visibly. She turned to the other man, Raoul, and gave him a hug.
"I am so glad to see you, Raoul! It has been ages since the last time I saw you!" she said. He smiled and Christine was once more faced with how handsome he was.
"Indeed. It came as quite a shock to find you married when I returned," he said. Christine blushed and looked away. She knew very well Raoul's feelings for her and she knew it must have hurt him deeply to have found out she had been married to another man.
"Yes, well...why don't you both have a seat?" she said, offering them each a chair. She called for a servant and asked him to bring them something to drink. When Christine was seated she turned to look at both men.
"I thought you were not coming for a few days at least!" she told her brother.
"I had to make sure you were alright," he said. She smiled. That was Anthony; he always looked out for her even when they were small children. It was one of the things she loved about him.
"Where is your husband? I would like to meet him," Raoul said. He was trying to be civil about the whole situation but Christine could see the deep hurt that was in his eyes.
"My husband left early this morning. I do not know where he is," she said. Douglas came in with two brandies for the men and some water for Christine.
"He has money," Raoul murmured, looking around them at the expensive furniture. Christine nodded.
"Anthony? How is Papa?" she whispered. She missed him terribly and wished he was there with them. Anthony sighed.
"He has not left his rooms much. He did not know we were coming or I am sure he would have wished to come," he said, wanting her to feel better. He knew that the strained relationship Christine now had with their father hurt her and he hated the old man because of it. She should not have to go through with this.