Mayfield: A Saga

Martha tried to calm her trembling hands as she made her way back to the kitchen. She could not seem to understand what was happening to her. For the last 15 years she had served the Remmingtons dinner each and every night. But it had been only recently that she had noticed how the plates in her hand were not steady as she put one down in front of Albus Remmington. She recalls now, how everytime he enters the room, or everytime she hears his voice, it’s enough to make her blush from head to toe. And was it just her imagination or did his eyes linger a little longer on her just now? Mr. Remmington has always had a smile that could warm even the coldest of hearts, yes even Hesters, but a few minutes ago…was that smile telling her something more?

She laughed as this thought crossed her mind. What was she thinking?! It just wasn’t possible; she was not falling in love with Mr. Remmington and he most certainly did not love her. He was one of the wealthiest men in the town, and she was nothing more than his servant. “Ridiculous,” she said under her breath as she walked into the kitchen.

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Ellie had always prided herself in her uncanny ability to read the mind of others. She often knew what emotions were taking hold, and what reaction to expect. But for the first time in her life, this 6th sense failed her. She had no idea what Edward Remmington was thinking behind those beautiful light green eyes. But one thing she was sure of, he was regarding her with an intensity unlike any she’d ever felt. She’d tried to read the look in his eyes, but he seemed to have walls around his being that had taken years in the making.

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It had been so long since Ellie had been able to relax and enjoy some time in a clean bathtub with warm water and lavender-scented bubbles. She had a grand time choosing which of the many perfumed soaps she would use to wash away the dirt and grime from two weeks of living on the streets. She noticed the elaborate golden ‘R’ entwined with an equally elaborate ‘P’ on the labels of every soap bottle, and wondered what they stood for. For a moment she allowed her head to lay back and rest on the cool porcelain rim of the tub; closing her eyes and relaxing every muscle in her tired body.

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As Ellie followed Hester out of the parlor and up the wide staircase, she couldn’t help but ponder the meaning of the words she had just heard. “What did Hester mean when she asked Mr. Remmington if I was to be given Susanna’s room…and clothes?” Ellie thought to herself as she emerged from the top of the staircase. “Surely Mrs. Susanna needs her room and clothing, unless of course we are to share.” She followed Hester around the corner and came to a halt as Hester took a ring of keys from her pocket and unlocked the deep cherry wood door in front of them.

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The delicious smell of the cakes warming in the oven filled the kitchen. Martha Boggins, the Remmington’s cook, hummed to herself as she put the tea tray together for Mr. Remmington and his guest. She loved to cook; it was her passion in life. But what she loved even more than preparing the food was watching the delighted faces of the people who had just sampled her creations. When she was in the kitchen cooking, Martha was in an unbreakable good mood. She believed that there wasn’t anything that some good food couldn’t fix.

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