Annette peeled her eyes open, allowing them to adjust to her surroundings. Letting out a yawn, she brushed strands of hair away from her face. Almost suddenly, she jolted upright as the memory of last night flooded her mind.
A frown formed as she stared down at the bed beneath her.
She remembered falling to the ground. How did she get onto the bed? Could it be that the lord had carried her here?
She had no recollection of what happened after she lost consciousness, nor why she had even fallen in the first place.
Annette pulled the covers away from her body, staring down at herself. She was still completely dressed. She would hate to think the lord was such a coward as to take advantage of her while she was unconscious.
She moved her legs, they appeared to be fine. There was no pain, no sign that anything had happened the previous night.
Letting out a sigh, she collapsed back onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling. She needed to come up with a plan as soon as possible. Time was running out, and with the Viscount's unstable nature, anything could easily change.
Just as she closed her eyes, a knock sounded at the door.
She rushed off the bed and went to the door, taking a deep breath before slowly opening it.
One maid stood in front of her, the smiling one from yesterday. Dear heavens, she could not remember her name.
"Good morning, my lady. The Viscount has asked me to prepare you for the day."
"Good morning," Annette said, stepping aside to allow the maid into the chamber. "There is truly no need to keep coming here. I can prepare myself just fine."
The maid turned to her. "I'm afraid I cannot do that. I follow the orders of the lord, and until he says otherwise, I shall be here every morning." She smiled.
"I understand," Annette replied, watching as the maid returned to her duties.
That was when a plan began to form in her mind. Perhaps she could befriend the maid, learn more about the lord and his household through her.
Annette moved closer, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. "Could you please tell me your name again? It seems to have slipped my mind. I do apologize for my poor memory." She chuckled lightly
The maid turned to her again. "Beatrice. My name is Beatrice."
"Oh, that's a wonderful name. May I call you Bea?"
Beatrice narrowed her eyes slightly. "If that is what you wish, my lady."
"Oh no, please—if you're uncomfortable with it, do tell me," Annette pleaded.
A short silence followed before Beatrice responded, "You may call me Bea."
Annette let out a relieved sigh. "Wonderful. Then I shall call you Bea, and you shall call me Annette."
The maid's eyes widened slightly. "I apologize, but I cannot call you by your name. The housekeeper would have my head."
"That's only if she knows," Annette smiled. "We shall keep it between us. I am only an ordinary girl, just like you. I'm no lady."
"If you are the guest of the lord, then you are no ordinary girl, Lady… Annette," Beatrice replied.
Annette did not wish to argue, so she changed the subject. "The other lady who accompanied you yesterday, where is she?"
"She traveled home. Her brother is to wed his childhood lover in two days," Beatrice answered.
"And the Viscount allowed her to leave her duties behind?" Annette asked.
Beatrice arched a brow. "Of course he did. Our lord is not some vile man. He is a good master."
Good? They must certainly have very different meanings of the word, Annette thought.
Perhaps, like the rest of the kingdom, they were unaware of the atrocities committed by this so-called good master.
"How did you come to meet the Viscount?" Beatrice asked. "You must be truly special to be his mistress."
"You call being used like a rag by a horrid man special?" Annette snapped.
"I do not see how you are being used like a rag," Beatrice replied calmly. "You are treated quite well."
Annette's jaw clenched. She was dangerously close to screaming at the naivety of the girl standing before her.
"How many of his mistresses have you attended to?" Annette questioned.
"None. The Viscount hasn't had a mistress in a very long time."
"You cannot be certain of that. Perhaps he keeps them hidden, away from you all."
The maid chuckled, shaking her head. "The Viscount is a man of dignity. He would have no reason to hide a mistress, not when his father has been pestering him to get married."
This was not the information Annette had planned on getting from the maid, but dear gods, it was something.
"You are very young. How can you be certain he didn't have one before you began working here?"
"My grandmother and mother also worked in this household for many, many years. If he had one, they would have known about it," Beatrice replied. She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Rumors even began to spread within the council that the lord was not interested in women." She laughed softly. "How preposterous that was." She wiped away nonexistent tears from her eyes.
"His family rushed an engagement between the lord and the daughter of a duke to silence the rumors," the maid added.
"And what of his bride-to-be? Where is she now?" Annette asked.
Beatrice shrugged. "I have no idea. All I know is that they cannot stand each other." She smiled at Annette. "That is why I say you must be special to share a bed with him and live in his house."
Annette returned the smile, though it was feigned. She could not help but wonder why the Viscount had chosen her to be his mistress. Was there something she was missing? Could it be that she was merely a pawn in his game, and she had already fallen into his trap?
Having no desire to continue this nerve-racking conversation, she began to undo the lace of her dress. "I would like to take a bath now," she said, before lowering herself into the already prepared tub.