CHAPTER EIGHT.

It is very early in the morning. As soon as Esther heard the early birds sing outside, she hauled herself out of bed and walked to the window to draw the curtain. The pinks and yellows of the sunrise shimmered splendidly bright in the sky.

 "How beautiful!" She muttered as her pretty round face crinkled up in a light smile. She inhaled and sighed deeply. It seemed to drain all her negativity from the previous day. What happened wouldn't be a deterrent to her purpose. As such, yesterday's ugly experiences were negligible to the bright future she envisaged. Even though the unpleasant occurrences had left her emotionally drained all through the night, she was glad that the same night had ushered in a whole new bright morning.

She stretched herself and changed into a cheap blue dress with a criss-cross pattern and frayed bottom and put on her blue old flip-flops. She tied her curled hair into two bunches one on each side with ribbons and dashed out of the room with new strength and enthusiasm ready to begin her duties.

Trotting across the living room, she stopped in the middle wandering her eyes around. The room was lit by the dim light from the security bulb outside the terrace. She switched on the light and the whole room shone, conveying a glimmer on the luxurious items there. There was much stuff to be done. 

Being a Monday, Jina would have to go to work in town. 

 "I think I should go to the kitchen first," she talked to herself and thereupon led the way to the kitchen. She decided to first prepare breakfast as she cleaned up the kitchen and did the necessary chores.

The noise of the utensils as they clinked against the sink awakened Richard.

"What's that noise?" he wondered. A look of annoyance crossed his face. He turned to his wife who was dead asleep. Carefully, he stretched his hand to tap on her. Perhaps she would go and check.

 "No, I daren't."  He quickly withdrew his hand.

"This is a wrong move. Jina must still be feeling bitter about last night." He lazily hauled himself out of bed and slipped on his dressing gown and headed downstairs.

"What do I do next? I hope I won't mess up. God bless me!" She made a sign of crucifix and brought the kettle to a boil and prepared tea, but realised that it needed an extra serving.

 Esther, having a poor background didn't know much about preparing delicious meals and a lot more rich dishes. It wouldn't be easy to perfect one since she was still raw.

She brought a tray of eggs from the kitchen unit and placed it on the worktop and gazed at it just like a fish out of water.

Briskly, she picks five eggs and places them on a platter. As soon as she held it with her hand, three of them slid off and spattered on the floor. 

She cringed at the sight of the sticky broken eggs on the floor. It was obvious Jina wouldn't hesitate to scold her if she found out. 

Esther bits her thumb as she shakes with nervousness.

Suddenly she distinctively hears the sound of footsteps advancing towards the kitchen. 

"This must be Auntie. It can't be someone else. She will get at it again and this time harder." She thought. 

Tears glistened in her eyes. The thought of it scourged her mind.

She frets about simmering with fear. She got a plate and covered the broken eggs on the floor. 

"Esther, you are a big fool. She will notice a plate lying down and won't hesitate to pull your ears until they are as long as the rabbit's." A voice told her and she quickly picked up the plate and put it in the sink. She was stuck.

"Hello, dear. Good morning!" Said Richard in a soft friendly voice.

"Go..od morning, S. Sir." She stammered and leaned against the worktop to lessen her trembling.

"You are Esther, aren't you?" he raised his eyebrows and his face creased in a smile.

"Yes, Sir." Esther nodded in affirmation and smiled to cover her nervousness.

"It is very early," he said and lowered his eyes on the floor. Esther's heart thumped fast. 

"I am sorry. I was trying to prepare breakfast and...and they…" she fumbled with words to explain to him what had happened.

"It's Ok, dear. I know it was an accident. Are you used to waking up this early?"

 He asked, trying to divert her to a different conversation, walking over to the draining board to pick a plate.

"No, but I must get used to it." She smiled and blushed.

Richard looks at her charitably and dabs her hair. 

"I think you should be easy on yourself. Don't worry about work. Your aunt and the girls can always come in to give a helping hand."

He stoops and gathers the smelly eggs on the platter and hands it to her.

"Dispose of it. I will  spruce up here."

"What?" She asked snappily.

"Why are you surprised?"

"But...Sir, I can do that." Said Esther feeling embarrassed.

"It's Ok, dear. I can do it." He says bestowing her a glance and then shifting it to the disgusting substance on the plate.

"Alright, Sir." She complied and proceeded. Richman's character mesmerised her. He was a loving and kind human, unlike his wife. The fair treatment he gave her greatly differed from Jina's snippy and snobbish character. Richard had treated her with a father's affection that left her baffled.

"So, what were you hoping to prepare for breakfast?" He asked as he rinsed his hands thoroughly.

"Fried eggs, but I don't know how…"She responded and bit her fingers.

"Alright then, I'll teach you, hmm!"

She nodded and smiled. Since she arrived in the mansion, she hadn't felt that she was loved and wanted until now. "He is a good man fated to a bad woman." She thought and pondered on the idea.

 Despite the flaws in his personality, Richard was patently a man of good nature and character.

"Come here, let's get to it."

 He says with enthusiasm and Esther draws closer with excitability and will to learn.