Escaping Her Curse—Completed

Chapter Two

She glanced as the prince waltzed into the room gracefully, taking in the gaudiness of the study. He looked bored and disgusted by it.

“Before you get the tea,” Oliver said in his light, tenor voice. “What are you doing with these?”

He strode forward and picked up the fallen books, offering them to her. He looked over and chuckled slightly.

“You can rise from your curtsy, dear maid. I promise that I’m not as vain as the rumors suggest. You do not need to stay in such posture while in my presence,” he added softly.

Jessie grimaced at the floor and rose to stand in front of him. She then gently took the proffered book and set it on the table next to her.

“Forgive m–me, Your Highness. It’s–it’s just his lordship’s accounting,” she stuttered.

Oliver hooked a finger under Jessie’s chin and studied her further. She refused to meet his eyes, however, and kept them downcast.

“And why would a maid be looking at his accounting books? Isn’t that a job more suited for his steward? How very bold of you to refrain from looking me directly in the eyes while I address you. Pray tell me, who are you?” Oliver asked, curiosity tinging his words.

“Your Highness,” Abe interjected. “She is just a lowly maid who happens to know numbers. Nothing more. I’m sure His Grace is just having her overlook the books as she usually does. I assure you, this is all sanctioned.”

“As she usually does?” the prince asked, caught off guard. “Why would Duke Francis have a lowly maid, as you put it, look at his accounting?”

Suddenly, the door burst open and in strode Duke Francis himself. His eyes bulged as he took in the scene laid out before him. His butler was sheepishly in the corner, while the crown prince was holding his maid with several of his books at their feet. Things did not look good at all.

“Y–your–your Highness!” he burst out. “You’ve arrived early! How wonderful it is that you’re here. Please let my maid go, so that she can bring us tea.”

Oliver turned his head to look at the duke. “Perhaps you’ll answer my question as to why this maid was looking over your books?”

Francis’ face paled. “We learnt of her gift with numbers, so she just checks over each report to catch any mistakes. That’s all.”

“Isn’t that why you have a steward?” Oliver countered.

“Surely more eyes are better than none?” Francis tried to say, but it came out as a question.

Meanwhile, Jessie had extracted herself from the prince’s grasp and ducked out of the room to get them some tea. Oliver’s eyes watched her disappear.

“Curious? Isn’t it?” he questioned to no one in particular.

After a few minutes, Jessie came back into the room with a tray of tea as well as two cakes. She quietly set it down on the table in between the two men as they participated in small talk. Just as she was about to leave the room once more, Oliver stood.

“Wait, maid. Jessie, was it? Tell me, what did you find in his accounting books?” Oliver asked.

Jessie’s fearful eyes turned to meet Francis’. She was silently asking him the question of whether she should lie or tell the truth. Francis gave her a look of resignation with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

“Your Majesty,” Jessie said softly, refusing to look Oliver in the eyes. “I, uh, found that Steward Whitman has been skimming money off the top of the duke’s estate.”

“Oh really?” Oliver said, turning toward Francis. “My, oh my. That’s quite something. Aren’t you lucky to have such a maid in your household?”

Francis cleared his throat. “Quiet.”

“What proof do you have?” Oliver asked Jessie.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jessie briefly met the prince’s eyes and then looked over at the books that had been neatly stacked back into the box they came from.

“May I?” she asked, her voice getting quieter each time she spoke.

Oliver gestured to the books, waiting expectantly.

Making her way over to the box of black, accounting books, Jessie pulled a few of them back out. Flipping through the pages, she found what she was looking for. She did the same to three other books. Then, she looked behind her and beckoned the prince to her side.

“Please, Your Highness, take a look at this. If your deductions prove differently, then I will gladly change my stance and beg the duke for his forgiveness,” Jessie said sweetly, knowing full well that there was nothing wrong with her evidence.

Oliver sauntered over and gazed over the books. Frowning, he then picked up one of them and then another. His frown deepened as he reached down into the box, pulled up a random book, flipped through it, and then he dropped all the books onto the table.

“Steward Whitman is a highly praised and recommended man. He comes from a good family. I, myself, almost hired him as my own steward. You, maid Jessie, have undoubtedly saved both the dukedom and this kingdom by rooting out this evil practice and unashamedly showing your findings. The duke is extremely lucky to have you, and I say that with the utmost sincerity,” Oliver replied gently.

Jessie allowed herself a small smile and savored his words.

“Were you not a maid…” he trailed off, stopping himself.

“I am pleased to serve the duke and his family, Your Highness.”

“Uh, yes, we’re very glad to have her with us,” the duke chimed in.

Oliver smiled graciously at Jessie, and then she was dismissed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she closed the study door behind her. Out of nowhere, Bee popped up.

“Was it him? Was it really the prince? The prince is here? Was he handsome? And nice? And his eyes? Are they really as blue as everyone says? Ugh! I’m so jealous!” she prattled.

Jessie only shook her head and gave Bee a grin. “Yes,” she started. “That was the prince. He is here, but I don’t know why. I wouldn’t call him ugly, but I don’t think it’s in my station to make comments on his appearance.”

“Oh! Come on!” Bee whined. “Give me something.”

Jessie got a faraway look in her eyes. “Alright then. His eyes are as deep and blue as the ocean after a storm has passed by. They can be harsh and cruel, but more often than not, they are warm and inviting. They are water when you’re parched. Or bread when you’re starving.”

Bee was taken aback. “Wow, Jessie. Isn’t saying that above your station?”

Seemingly jolted out of her reverie, Jessie shook her head. “Oh, yeah. I read that in one of the papers,” she tried to laugh off. “Anyway, we have chores to do before everyone else arrives!”

Jessie and Bee scurried down the hallway and disappeared into the house where the kitchen staff were preparing all of the food, the floors were still being scrubbed clean, and decorations were being put up. Flowers covered all the tables and windows, garlands were being hung up, and silverware was polished. The house was bustling with activity for the evening’s festivities.

The duchess was getting ready in her room with the help of her ladies-in-waiting. Her gown was purposely chosen to fit the theme of the ball. It was a dramatic dress. The bodice was tight and form-fitting, leaving nothing to the imagination with sleeves that dipped onto her shoulders. The gown was weaved in light and dark colored red, lace with precious stones scattered throughout. The skirt of the dress flowed from her waist and had a train that followed behind her footsteps. Their society would never have seen anything like it before. It was purposely made this way in order to take away the attention from the duke, so that he could slip out to do some business. The duke hated putting on these balls, but the price of being in high society was to throw these extravagant parties to distract everyone from their humdrum lives.

The nature of the duke’s business wasn’t particularly good. Another way for noble families to establish their wealth and power was to ensure they had magic users among them. Though magic in and of itself was outlawed for use, those with magic were sought after. After the Great War, magic was considered harmful. King Tyson the Great mandated that all magic users be accounted for and be owned by the powerful. Once a person is discovered to have magic, their whole world gets turned upside down because the person is no longer considered human, but rather, property. And because of this, a black market sprang up in order to help noble families rise through the ranks. They needed more magic users in order to keep up with the other duchy’s; however, there had not been any new magicians for sale as of late. Only the duke and duchess of the Laroche Duchy knew what Francis would be doing tonight, and both wanted it to stay that way.