Forever Again Ch. 04

Rae smiled, "No delivery today Peter. I'm actually here for another reason. My pretty young friend here is in need of work and a place to live for a while. I thought that perhaps there might be something available for her here."

Vala blushed a little at Rae's description of her but even more so at the looks she was getting from a couple of the guards. One of them leaned over and whispered something to his companion and they both chuckled while looking at Vala and Rae. Vala raised her chin and tried her best to ignore the men.

"Ah. Well if it's work you be wanting you'd best see Miss Bernadette. I expect that she's in the kitchen." He gestured vaguely off to the left with the long pike.

"Yes, that's what I figured. Thank you, Peter." She looked to Vala, "Come on."

A hiss of something being dropped into hot oil brought Vala's attention back to the present and she looked to the older woman again, Miss Bernadette, as the guard had called her.

Rae said, "It's good to see you as well Bernadette. I don't make it up here nearly enough."

"No, you don't my child." She cocked her head slightly, "But we weren't expecting you for weeks." Bernadette said, letting the implied question hang.

"My friend here is in need of work and a place to live till springtime, maybe longer. The lumber camp is too rough a place for such a beautiful young woman so I thought you may be able to help her." Rae pulled Vala closer. "Vala, this is Miss Bernadette, she is the head of the servant staff here at the keep."

"A pleasure to meet you Miss Bernadette." Vala said with a small, clumsy curtsey.

Bernadette seemed to give Vala a brief but clearly expert visual appraisal before saying, "Yes, I'm sure we could find a spot for such a fine young woman. If Rae felt strongly enough about you to bring you all the way up here then I'm sure you'll do fine."

That afternoon Rae had finally departed for the lumber camp, leaving Vala alone in her new home. They had managed to find a few moments alone out of sight of all to share a long, deeply passionate kiss. "I'll be back in a month or so with one of my usual deliveries." She had said as they parted. "Don't forget about me."

Vala was surprised to see tears welling in the corners of Rae's eyes. With a forced a smile she said softly, "I won't. And... thank you, for everything."

* * *

The next few days flew past as Vala spent the majority of her time with Miss Bernadette learning all about the people, layout and running of the vast manor. The sheer size and complexity of the place astounded Vala at first. She was also surprised at the amount of people that were required to maintain everything. By the end of the first day she figured that there could easily be three or four dozen people living and working in the vast keep. By the second day she adjusted that number significantly upwards. There may have been close to a hundred of people living and working in the huge, sprawling complex, maybe even more.

At the end of the second day Miss Bernadette seemed to be very pleased with how quickly Vala was coming along. "My but you are a quick study. I dare say that you already know more about the workings of this place than most of these louts who have lived here their whole lives." She paused to think for a moment then said, "I should think a young woman with your obvious talents would be wasted cleaning floors and stirring soup pots all day. Come with me, I think there is a place that you will do quite well."

They set off though the vast stone corridors and up several of the back staircases that were for the servants to use. By her knowledge of the castle that she had gained over the last few days Vala realized that they were nearing the noble chambers on the upper levels. They exited into a corridor lined with rich tapestries and deep, luxurious carpets. Exquisite brass lamps hung on the walls and gave off a warm glow without the thick smoke that the torches of the lower levels produced. Bernadette set off down the corridor and came to a stop before a set of high, narrow doors that were held together with elaborate iron bands. She knocked on the door and waited.

After a minute the door opened silently and a young girl dressed in the uniform of a chambermaid peered out. "Yes? Oh, Miss Bernadette. You wish to see the Steward?"

"Yes, I need to speak with her if she is available."

The girl nodded. "I'll check. One moment." She retreated into the chamber closing the door behind her. After several minutes the door reopened and the girl said, "The Steward will see you now." She pulled the door back all the way and motioned them inside.

Vala tried to keep her eyes from wandering but the room she walked into took her breath away. The vast high ceiling chamber was opulently furnished with exotic tapestries and thick, luxurious carpets underfoot all done in beautiful deep blue and gold. Dozens of candles burned in elaborate candelabras giving the room a comfortable, warm glow. One wall was almost entirely taken up with a vast fireplace that was made of huge white stones and decorated in gold.

Miss Bernadette walked straight in through the room and into another smaller room that was dominated by a huge wooden desk. Behind the desk sat a woman with her head down as if she were reading one of the papers on before her. In her hand was a writing quill which she tapped rhythmically on the paper before her as if lost in thought.

Bernadette stopped before the desk and waited silently for the woman, Vala assumed it was the Steward, to acknowledge them. After several long moments the Steward scribbled something down onto the paper, placed the quill into an ink bottle, looked up and smiled.

"Bernadette, how nice to see you. You don't come up here nearly enough anymore." The Steward said in a voice that was rich and throaty. Vala thought the woman to probably be about fifty years old. She was beautiful with long, curly, chestnut colored hair, pale skin and hazel eyes. She wore an expensive looking, sapphire blue gown that came up high on her slender neck.

"I'm afraid my household duties keep me far too busy for social visits milady. Making sure that the Baroness's house is all in order takes every second of my day and then some." Bernadette said with a small curtsy.

The Steward smiled wanly, "Oh believe me I know. I spend most of my days here signing papers and such. If anyone ever thought about how much work was actually required to keep an estate like this going I'm convinced they would never build another." She chuckled then said, "So is this the girl you mentioned to me?"

"Yes milady." She motioned for Vala to come forward. "My Lady, this is Vala Strauss, a young girl who has just come to work for us and if I'm any judge of character, a very uncommon girl. She's smart as whip, a very quick study and a hard worker if I'm any judge."

"I happen to know you're a fine judge of character if there ever was one Bernadette." She eyed Vala for a moment. "Can you read child?" She finally asked.

"A little my Lady."

"And your numbers?"

Vala nodded, "Yes, I know my numbers." She paused then added, "Well, some."

The Steward looked at her for a long time. So long that Vala began to get uncomfortable and stole a sidelong glance at Bernadette but the older woman only waited patiently.

"I'll trust your judgment on this Bernadette, yes, I believe she'll do nicely." The Steward finally said with a firm nod. "Bernadette, you can find her some suitable new quarters around here I suppose. Ones that will reflect her new station." She again looked Vala up and down and wrinkled her nose a little in apparent distaste. She looked back to Bernadette with a raised eyebrow, "And some new clothes." She looked back to Vala and with a smile she said, "First thing tomorrow, I'll expect to see you here to begin your duties."

Vala looked at her for a moment before having to ask, "Um, what duties would that be my Lady?"

The Steward glanced at Bernadette. "You didn't tell her?"

Bernadette shrugged a little self consciously, "I did not wish to get her hopes up in case you rejected her."

"Ah, yes, probably wise." She turned back to Vala. "You shall to be my new assistant, my dear."

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