Jinx

Constance had been sold for debt to Letitia's family at the young age of 5, not long after Letitia had lost her mother to the cruel cold embrace of death. Or perhaps in the correct form, fire.

The young girl who had recently lost her mother did nothing but cry and sleep. It was without saying that Letitia was closer to her mother than her father.

The day Constance was brought to their house was the day she stepped out of her room briefly for the first time after her Mother's death.

Her Father had tried to convince her so many times to come out of her room and take fresh air but she declined politely.

If her Father pestered her too much, she would resort to silence.

On the day she stepped out was the day Constance had been brought to their house. She was passing by their luxurious sitting room in her white grievance dress when she saw her father talking to a crying couple.

 From the little words her ears could catch, the couple had owed her father a huge sum of money and we're planning on giving their daughter as a maid in exchange for the money.

Knowing her father, she knew he wouldn't accept the girl instead of his money.

Letitia's ember eyes moved from the crying couple to the little girl with blonde hair that had been head bowed but with her shaking shoulders, it went without saying that she was in no better state than her parents.

She sighed internally before announcing her presence with a few words.

"I'll take her in as my personal maid." She voiced out making four heads turn to her.

One belonging to her father, two belonging to the debtors and finally the small red face belonging to the girl in question.

Before Arthur, Letitia father could ask if his daughter was sure of her decision, Letitia had turned on her heels disappearing into the kitchen.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?! You heard what she said. Go after her!" Arthur scolded and the child didn't waste one more second in scurrying after her new mistress who looked almost the same age as her if not younger than her.

Little did she know Letitia was a year older than her.

"Be grateful my daughter has taken a liking to your daughter. If not, you would have paid my money till the last bronze coin!" Arthur yelled suddenly before he stood up without waiting for a reply neither was be looking for one as he ran in the direction his daughter went.

He could only hope to talk to her now that she was out of her room. If it was not more than a few words.

Constance's parents were happy that at least they wouldn't have to run helter skelter in search for money in order to pay their creditor, Letitia's Father immediately.

They had borrowed the money for the main use of Constance's elder sister who was getting married to a wealthy man.

At least, that was their thoughts until she squandered the borrowed money and ran away never looking back once leaving her parents neck in deep in debt.

Her so called fiance was someone she was not in any way acquainted to and had only been promised 40 percent of the money if he came to act as her wealthy fiance who was head over heels in love with her.

Had it been Letitia didn't save Constance's life by accepting her as her personal maid, God knows where Constance would be presently. 

Perhaps slaving away in a foreign country or living as a prostitute in a brothel or she might even be good as dead!

Back to the present, 1700.

Constance pushed the memory to the back of her mind to focus on the pleading girl in front of her. This was truly the least she could do to repay her generosity of that day.

"Let's waste no more time then. You should get packing." She said finally and a pleasant smile bloomed on Letitia's face as she happily pulled Constance into a tight hug and the latter reciprocated it.

They broke from the hug and swung into action. Letitia packed her clothes into a bag while Constance stood guard in case Doris came strutting by the hallway of her room.

At least, the woman was kind enough to let her keep her room. Just... it had no bed anymore.

The bag was packed and Letitia was set. She didn't bother to change her clothes since she was going to wear a cape over it. Both mistress and maid walked to the back door.

"Will you be alright, My Lady?" Constance asked once Letitia had stepped out of the door.

"Of course, Stance. I would definitely make sure I'm alright. After all you've done, the least I could repay you with is making sure I'm okay."

"Please, don't say that,my Lady. If anything at all, I should be grateful for giving me this opportunity to help you!"

"How so?" 

Constance was about to talk when she heard Letitia Stepmother's voice.

"You should leave already." She hurried and Letitia nodded her head.

"Alright. Thank you, Stance." Letitia said and was about to walk away when Constance tugged at her cape.

"Where would you go, My Lady? Forgive me for asking but I can't help but be concerned." She spoke in a meek voice.

"It's fine, Stance. I was thinking of going to a long time debtor of mine. It's high time he paid his debt." She replied.

"Debtor? You mean Lord Farrel?"

"Bullseye. I'm pretty sure if I explain my situation to him, he most certainly can't turn me away."

"That, he can't do." Constance agreed.

"Alright, once everything has died down and it doesn't seem like that man is searching for me any longer, cause he will, send me a message, okay?"

"Of course, I will, my lady. Be safe."

"Thank you. See you soon then." 

With another light hug of gratitude, Letitia pulled away. With a sniff and a nod, she pulled the hood of her cape over her head to cover her face and eyes as she looked to the left and then right cautiously before she walked away.

Constance closed the door locking it as she ran back to the front yard where they were sitting earlier. She picked up the rake and continued sweeping the maple leaves that was still scattered on the floor.

While sweeping, she was silently praying for the safety of her mistress when she heard,

"Constance!" 

Her heart, whose rate had already increased, skipped a beat at the witch's voice before she turned and yelled back,

"Coming, my Lady!"

She dropped the rake and immediately ran into the manor easily spotting the older woman with a haughty look standing with her arms crossed in the middle of the kitchen as soon as she stepped inside.

"Where is that Jinx?" 

Though Constance didn't like what Letitia was called, she swallowed her hatred and the urge to carry the nearest pot of hot porridge and pour it on the older woman while she enjoyed watching her face burn, and replied bowing her head.

"She is in her room packing her clothes to follow her new owner, my lady." She lied smoothly that she held her breath wondering if she had stuttered or perhaps her voice had quivered while she was talking.

She really hoped it had not.

"She had better be. I guess she smart enough to know not to protest." Doris sneered and turned around before she paused turning around to face Constance again.

"Who is your lady?"

Constance looked up slightly to meet with the woman's glaring eyes as she fearfully looked back at her feet in fear of the woman's palm meeting with her cheek like two opposite sides of a magnet.

"I'm sorry ma'am."

Doris looked at the rigid standing Constance and snorted before turning around with her shoulders high and her chest pushed out as she strutted out of the kitchen.

Once she was out of earshot, Constance and the five other kitchen maids let out a relieved sigh as they stood up straight.

Constance knew her Lady's disappearance would be the topic of the house in a few minutes but what she didn't expect was the man that had bought her lady to be back earlier than the planned time!