Beauty and The Cursed

Tour

Tresa woke the next morning feeling more herself. She walked over to the window and looked out into the morning light. A fog blocked the sunlight from completely coming through. She knew that since she was feeling better the master of the mansion was going to want to talk with her.

There was a light knock on the bedroom door before it was pushed open and Rose stuck her head inside. "Good morning, my dear. I am glad to see you are up. I have Susan bringing you up a breakfast tray and I have brought you some clothes. I thought you might like to take a turn around the mansion today. The doctor said to stay inside for now." Tresa nodded towards the maid.

"Thank you Rose." Rose stepped through the doorway with a hand full of fabric. She set the clothes on a chair near the window and turned to Tresa. Tresa took a moment to realize she was going to help her dress. In Ireland, Tresa dressed herself. She never had anything more than a simple day dress over her shift and her apron on top.

Rose brought in a full dress, including a corset. Tresa stood near the full-length mirror and Rose helped her to dress. Rose's brows drew together as she tied the corset. Tresa was already skinny. The corset did not need to be tightened as much as other ladies. Tresa watched in the mirror. She hoped that she would be able to gain some of her figure back quickly.

Rose helped Tresa to pull the dress over her head and tie it up the back. Tresa turned in the mirror and admired the dress. It was no evening gown, but a simple pale yellow against her porcelain skin. The fabric was light and airy as she moved about freely as she walked.

There was a second knock on the door as Susan brought up her breakfast try. Tresa took a moment to figure out how to sit properly in the small chair with her larger dress. Susan gave her an encouraging smile as she put the tray down. "Will you please keep Tresa company as she eats, Susan? I need to go talk with Cookie." Susan nodded and Rose left the room. Susan stood on the other side of the room. Her hands were clasped together in front of her.

Tresa did not like the idea of someone waiting on her. "Would you possibly come sit with me? I am sorry, but I have never had a maid wait on me." Tresa said in a small voice. She did not want to offend the maid if this was completely inappropriate. Susan gave her an understanding smile and walked over to the small table. Susan pulled out the other chair and sat across from Tresa.

Tresa and Susan sat in awkward silence for a moment before Susan asked, "Why did you leave Ireland?" Tresa was not surprised by the question. She knew that someone would ask her sooner or later. Tresa decided to stick close to her story as much as possible. However, she should leave out the piece of finding a husband to help get her family out of Ireland.

"The famine. Tis running rapidly through my village." Susan slowly nodded. That would explain why the woman was so thin, Susan thought.

"Do you still have family in Ireland?" Susan asked another question.

"Yes. My mother and father are still in Ireland along with my younger brother." Tresa said with sadness lining her voice. Susan gave her a sympathizing look. Tresa did not want Susan's pity. She needed to remember why she stowed away on that and why she had left her family in the first place. "I will see them again." Tresa said with more confidence then she actually felt.

Susan only nodded in response. The two sat for a little while longer in silence as Tresa finished her breakfast. Tresa's stomach began to hurt so she knew it was time to call a quits.

"Thank you for the food, Susan. I cannot eat another bite though. Your cook is very skilled," Tresa said. Even though the few things that she could eat were more on the bland side. She needed to remember to take it slow and stretch her stomach out in the right way.

"I will let her know you enjoyed it." Susan said as she stood at the table and began to clean up the tray. Just then Rose came back into the room. It was as if the two women were completely in sync and did not want to leave Tresa alone for a minute.

"Thank you Susan. I will help Tresa around the house." Rose walked over and held out her arm.

"I think that I am okay to walk on my own for now, but thank you," Tresa said. She did not need to be treated as an invalid.

"Just let me know if you become tired and we can go back up to your room and rest. No sense in over doing it." Rose chided, but stood back and allowed Tresa to rise on her own.

"We could start in the conservatory if you would like?" Rose asked Tresa. Tresa nodded in response. She would love to see some flowers. She heard in Ireland that Britain had some of the most beautiful. Rose began to walk down the long corridor to the winding staircase that led down to the first floor. Tresa walked behind her and looked around the house as they went. The floor and walls were either dark grays or dark reds. The Victorian home had a gothic feel to the place. It did nothing to help with Tresa's uneasiness she felt towards the master of it.

Rose opened a door at the back of the staircase and help it open for Tresa to pass through as well. The conservatory was more beautiful than Tresa could imagine. She was not quite sure what she had expected, seeing the rest of the house, but the flowers every color one could think of. Pinks, oranges, purples and white flowers sprang from every surface. The greenery filled the space around the flowers. The floor went straight and then cut off to make room for a large tree that sat in the center, just to connect again on the other side. There was also a bench placed off to the right in a little cove area surrounded by ivy vines.

"This place is magnificent," Tresa said out loud.

"The master loves his conservatory and his garden. Although the garden outside does not flourish as much as in here, we make do during the colder months," Rose explained. Tresa walked further into the room. She came to stand under the tall tree. The tree created a canopy overhead.

Just then, the door to the conservatory was thrown open. Edmond stormed in. "Rose, I need to know where my ledger is at. Did you clean off my side table?" Edmond stopped in his tracks when he noticed that Rose was not alone. He had hoped that he would not have to see Tresa the day of the full moon. He knew that his beast's side was more prominent and harder to hold at bay.

Tresa looked Edmond up and down. His was in his riding attire and had a large black trench coat on that hung all the way to his knees. His dark locks fell into his chocolate brown eyes. Tresa was unable to move in his presence.

"No sir. The last time I saw your ledger was on the edge of your desk in your study. Would you like me to find it?" Rose asked? Tresa noticed the nervousness in her voice.

"I will find it." Edmond said quickly and turned on his heel and left the study.

"I am sorry. He is on edge more when the full moon is near. He thinks I have not noticed. I may be older but I am not a nitwit." Rose voiced her irritation. She seemed to catch herself. She turned back to Tresa.

"How about we head to the library next?" Rose did not wait for an answer from Tresa, who was still looking at where Edmond had just left the room. His abruptness could be seen as rude. Rose said something about the full moon. Why would that factor into someone's mood? Tresa was puzzling over that question for the rest of the tour.

The library was large and held many books. Tresa loved to read, but the small book store in their village only had the same collection of books for years now. If Tresa was permitted she would love to spend some hours in the library. Learning what she could when the opportunity presented itself.

It was some time later when Rose had finally finished the tour. "How are you feeling, my dear?" She asked Tresa.

"I am a bit tired and hungry," Tresa admitted.

"Would you like to eat in the kitchen or have a tray?" Rose asked.

"I would like to eat in the kitchen. I am not quite ready to go back to the room yet." Tresa said a bit sheepishly. She felt as though she had spent enough time in that room. Even though the first half of it was unconscious.

"Understandable. Let us go see if Cookie has supper done yet. The master will not be joining us this evening. He will be dining out." Tresa was surprised to hear that. She would have sworn the man was a bit of a recluse. Tresa did not ask Rose the question. Instead, she followed her to the kitchen that was nestled in the rear of the house.

As Tresa walked through the door, delicious smells began to play with her senses. "What is that?" She could not help herself from asking. A short woman with red hair looked over and gave her a smile.

"I am glad to see you have woken and are up walking around. You gave us all a fright when you showed up." The small woman said. She walked over and held out a plate with pastries. Tresa took the smallest one as she knew she was not going to be able to finish it.

"Thank you," Tresa said quietly.

"Tresa, this is Cookie. She is our cook here at Walker Manor," Rose said as she walked around the large table that sat in the middle of the room.

"Tresa would like to eat in the kitchen, Cookie. If you are up for a bit of company," Rose said as she grabbed a few bowls from the shelves.

"More the merrier," Cookie said as she turned back to the stove top. Tresa sat down on one of the wooden chairs that was seated at the long wooden table and waited for supper to finish cooking.