"Lord Jasper!" A voice called out from behind them, causing
"Yes..."
Alisa's eyes widened when the man beneath her answered to the name.
Lord JASPER?!
She quickly got up off the man. This was the man whom Lady Leena was supposed to meet!
"Ow! Uff!" His hands curled in on his stomache as she unknowingly hit him in her haste to stand.
"Sorry! I'm sorry!" She cringed as she leaned back down to help him up, but still kept her distance when he waved her away.
She did so, feeling uncharacteristically guilty.
Lord Jasper eventually got his feet under him with a help from another young man who had called out earlier, coughing the pain away as he stood up again.
She kept looking at him as he got his bearings again, assessing for injuries. She did not want this to be escalated, at all. Also, in her mind of minds, she could admit that he sure was something to look at.
Dark auburn hair to the shoulders, a tall and lean physique and strong facial features...
If she didn't have any financial restrictions...Hmmm...
She shook her head. Now was not the time.
"I sincerely apologise." She looked at him, at his raised eyebrows, she tacked on, "My Lord Jasper."
He harrumphed as he dusted off his clothes, looking at her exasperatedly before he focused back on himself.
"Seriously, how far will you women go?" He let out a humourless snort as he spared her a last disgusting glance, turning away from her, the other young man at his heels. "Don't you people have any self-respect?" He only whispered the last part, but she heard.
Something went off in Alisa's brain.
"What did you just say?" She heard the words coming out of her mouth in a deathly calm voice before she had even processed thinking them.
Jasper stopped in his tracks a few feet away from her, and turning his head replied,"We should let this go, before it get embarrassing for you." After a throat clearing from the man at his side, he added, "My lady."
Okay, now Alisa was incensed. This stupid rat-faced-
She scoffed deprecatingly, "You think just because you're a lord, that people just fall at your feet?!"
He looked over his shoulder at her, turning around, "Well, you did."
She chuckled bitterly, her hand running through her hair, "You're so full of yourself, aren't you? It's so delusional that it's not even funny."
"It stopped being funny when it started interfering with my time." He walked a step towards her, towering with his height, "Women like you should watch your steps, lest they lead you to a life of shame." His dark eyes bore into hers, displaying his disgust.
He motioned to the other man, "Let us leave, Henry. It's better to stay far, far away from people like her."
That narcissistic jerk!
She fumed, her hands balling at her sides. She couldn't let him walk away after saying that.
"Well, I think the real shame is that someone like you, with no real charater or manners, or any real insight into his own behaviour whatsoever, will become the future Duke of the people." She closed the distance between them, walking forward, "Will be responsible, for the welfare of the people.
A damn shame."
She watched in satisfaction as the men looked at her stunned.
Alisa shoulder-checked the Lord as she stood open-mouthed in the middle of the room, stroming her way between the men and out of the doors.
Her anger didn't lessen the entire way to Lady Leena's room, and she was sure a few children and younger maids ducked out of her way when she walked up to the room with flaming eyes.
She paused outside the gates, taking a deep breath, and then another.
Her own feelings aside, it would be a disaster if Lady Leena found out about what had happened. The only real issue would be if either Jasper or Henry, whoever he was, decided to let her know.
Her mind reeled at the possibility, outlining the problems it would cause.
Humiliation, loss of job, and as it was a stupid backwards country, maybe more ostracisation. Or more.
Alisa huffed. She would have to deal with it either way.
She opened the door to Leena, who she had left ready for the special day. Atleast that was one of her tasks completed.
Alisa almost let out a sigh of relief at the thought, before she saw what lay before her.
Lady Leena had stepped out of her clothes. She was lounging around on the chaise, in her chemise as her blue dress from before lay on the floor.
Her fingers thumbed the through the different lip shades she had, their small containers scattered around her as she tried on shade after shade in front of the small mirror that rested against the pillow, smiling at her reflection. Her hair pins lay on the vanity.
Alisa's eyes twitched in annoyance.
Here she was, this fully grown woman who lay carelessly after undoing all the work Alisa had put into dressing her up.
She walked into the room fully. "My Lady." Her teeth gritted.
Lady Leena looked up from her hand mirror to the woman at the door.
"Alisa! You have come right on time! See, this colour perfectly resembles the mountain roses." touching her lips, she declared, "I will be wearing this. Now."
"But my Lady, Lord Jasper is already here..."
"Let him wait." Leena got up from the bed as she walked to the room that housed the current gowns she had commissioned. She had gotten rid of all her old ones, as they were too 'last season', and 'some she had even worn already.'
Alisa had secretly saved a few of them for herself. They would have ended up in trash anyway.
She slowly followed after Lady Leena, watching her as she selected the gown she would be wearing. Again. Alisa sighed, her hours of work gone down the drain.
However.
If this was the kind of person Lord Jasper would end up with...
...A smile spread across her lips, sadistic.
Serves him right.
Now, much more enthusiastic, she went back to the woman, intent on making Lady Leena irresistible to Jasper.
It would be her pleasure if the two ended up together. They would make a marvelous couple.
///////////
Alisa walked behind Lady Leena as she finally entered the room where the prospective couple would be meeting. As expected, it was the large tea room, that appropriately displayed the opulent wealth of the family.
Large arched ceiling, chandeliers, the carved armchairs...
Alisa had been in awe when she first saw this room. Even now, she could feel her gaze wanting to wander around, to take a look around at the beauty, the art...
But she kept herself focused on looking at Leena. She had to be perfect. It was not like Alisa had trained her in etiquette, only in the information, but she couldn't help it.
She saw Lady Leena smile briefly at the Lord, as he and Henry got up at her entrance, then drop into a fabulous curtsey, "Lord Jasper." She smiled politely at Henry and demurely make her way to the sit across from the guests, near her parents.
"Lady Leena." They returned her greeting, taking their seats after she had sat down.
Alisa had to admit, the Lady was a natural. She herself was taking notes.
She could feel a gaze burning into the side of her head.
She didn't have to look to know who it was. Lord Jasper. She purposefully did not rise to the bait, looking anywhere but at him.
"My Lord Jasper. We are pleased that you accepted our invite." Leena shyly ducked her head, tucking her hair
Lady Leena took note of his averted gaze, following it to her handmaid. Her eyes narrowed for a brief second before she reverted back to the sweet lady she was pretending to be.
Alisa's heart beat thunderously in fear as watched from the wall, where all the maids and servants were supposed to stay, still and quiet.
Her eyes trembled as she took in the quietly fuming Lady Leena and Lord Jasper, who had yet to look away from her.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨?!