Nora's eyes flicked with coldness, reflecting the treacherous light of the red water of the bathtub. But when Penny walked closer, frowning at Nora, her expressions changed at once. She was trembling with her face full of fear.
"An accident happened and the wine spilled all over me. I am here to take an urgent bath since there is no washroom attached to my room." Her voice was shaking full of fear, earning a curse from Penny who looked disinterested in the story and wanted Nora to disappear at once.
"Ha! So you want a room with an attached washroom now? Does your greed and shame ever end? How could you be so greedy all the time?"
"...." did she even hear me? Nora could not help but frown slightly looking at the foolish girl. She could not believe this foolish girl had made her submit in the past.
"Aunt asked me to clean myself here and return to attend the guests.'' She did not want to waste her time squabbling with a foolish girl, so she chose the weapons that could silence Penny at once. "And, I have to trouble you for a good dress too since I have nothing presentable in my wardrobe." she fidgeted with her hands. Now she could only twist this girl to get a decent dress.
All Nora's dresses were handdowned by penny. Most of them were faded or repaired with marks of stitching all over. It was Penny who lent her clothes everytime Nora needed to be present in front of others. It was rare since they never took her out with them until it was highly required.
Penny rolled her eyes.
"You are being more and more shameless with time. Now you do not even feel embarrassed for asking me for clothes." she shook her head if she could not bear the sight of Nora. "Hurry up and come out, you are already clean." she spat and glared at Nora.
Nora looked reluctant. But as if she remembered something, she nodded and came out at once.
"Oh yes, I have completely forgotten that my aunt had told me to return as soon as possible. My future husband is waiting for me." She looked dreamy. Her voice was full of hopes that made Penny's lips twitch.
They have not even met yet Nora believed that it was her future husband. Just how good this guest was? And why was her mother supporting Nora instead of her?
A hint of jealousy crossed her watery eyes.
"Stay here and I will bring the dress. Do not wet my room and dirty it." she spat and returned to her room. She brought a black dress that was worn a few times. It was mostly for funerals.
"Here, we will go in matching clothes." she smirked, the dress might not be old but it was plain. There was no way one would get attention in it.
As soon as Nora started changing, Penny's smirk started to falter. Though the dress was plain, the silk cloth hung on her hourglass figure and she looked alluring. She hated how Nora was able to maintain such a good figure.
She left the washroom and looked around. Something, anything to stop Nora from leaving the room. When her eyes fell on the lock. With her eyes filled with malice, she locked Nora inside the washroom without a hint of hesitation.
Her eyes fell on her reflection in the mirror and she smirked.
"There is no way that you can find a better man, Nora. you are going to rot in this house like a pest!" she spat with pure hatred as she touched her hair and then left the room giggling.
Inside the washroom, Nora stopped playing with the dress. Her eyes sharply falling on the lock and a dark green appearing on her face. She took off the clothes and entere the bathtub again. Reaching for more of the bubble soaps she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm bath.
—----
Bernard Withermore sat in the hall with a grim look on his face. He was a man of twenty five with handsome looks. Tall, fair face, wide shoulders and lean waist. He looked like the dream man of many young girls. Alas! He had already once and his wife had committed suicide because of his cheating habits and abusing tendencies.
There were rumors that he had brought many girls home and slept with them in their bedroom in front of his wife. And if she objected, he beat her in front of those women. Sometimes he had forced her to do threesomes. But the police never went against him. Since he was the son of a rich conglomerate and the girl did not hold much power.
And now he was looking for a second wife. When they came to know about it, Sophia did not hesitate to offer Nora in exchange for a promotion for her husband. The man was happy when he saw the picture of Nora. Sophia felt proud that she had taken the picture of her niece when she had come out of the bath.
She had only a towel wrapped around her thin wait and her skin was red from the warm bath. She looked more alluring and evoked the desire of a man. Benard was gracious enough to offer the position of director to her husband if he got married to that woman.
But now, he looked gloomy as he sat in their substandard house.
"I thought she would open the door or at least wait for me in the hall." his disapproval showed with his dim cold eyes. He did not touch the drinks the maid had brought but only looked at them with contempt.
David could not help but fidget and glare at his wife. It was his plan. Should she not be good at executing it?
But Sophia did not flinch or sweat, she smiled at the man at least.
"When I told my niece that you are coming. She was so excited that I could not move her from the dressing table. She wanted to look beautiful for you. But I will go and bring her now."