19 — A Sudden Return Home

Lord and Lady Fisalis returned home the next day, positively delighted—or more honestly, deceived—by our performance, which was supported backstage by a complex web of lies.

My in-laws’ departure meant that Mr. Fisalis could return to the cottage, as well, which in turn meant that I could go back to my happy servant life! Pretty dresses are nice and all, but I still preferred my uniform! I’ll leave the dresses to sexy bombshells.

Nice dresses like those are wasted on me.

I saw my in-laws, who told me they’d eat lunch somewhere outside, off with a big smile on my face. As soon as their carriage disappeared, I ran back to my room.

Removing my makeup and changing my clothes was like a full battery recharge!

“Freeeeeedommmm!”

I know it was terrible manners, but I flopped onto my pillowy bed with an audible fwump. This big, gorgeous bed was all mine again after two whole days!

“Madam. No one is around to see you, but...” sighed Dahlia with a strained smile.

“I knowww, Dahlia. Just a little more, though,” I answered as I nuzzled my cheek into the freshly-changed, silky-to-the-touch sheets.

Ahh, being able to rub my face on the sheets like this with no makeup on is the best! I really put in a lot of effort to put on my fanciest... no, my most no-makeup makeup look in front of my in-laws.

I was pretty worried, though, that my skin wouldn’t be able to breathe under all of that.

Dahlia’s eyes softened in resignation at my request. “I suppose it would be alright if you took a short nap,” she said, covering me with a quilt.

“Mmhm, just a little nap...”

All I need is to shut my eyes and recharge a little. Then I can get back to playing servant... zzz.

Between my in-laws visiting and having to share a room with Mr. Fisalis, I was more worn out than I had realized. By the time I woke up, it was well past noon and into early evening. I was startled by how dim the room had become and sat up with a little shriek.

That wasn’t a nap, that was hibernation! I roasted myself.

Too bad Dahlia or Mimosa hadn’t woken me up! I didn’t get to eat lunch with everyone... Nooo!

Mimosa interrupted my pity-party with a knock on the door.

“Are you awake, Madam?”

“Yes. I slept like a log, though.”

“You must have been exhausted if you didn’t wake up,” she consoled me as a gentle smile appeared on her face.

Her smile, right then, made me feel a hundred percent better.

“I guess so. Looks like I’m better suited to running around cleaning and decorating with you all.”

“Oh, er. I’m not so...” Mimosa’s saintly healing smile turned a little forced.

Who could blame her, though? What I said wasn’t exactly becoming of my status!

A week later:

I had returned to happily passing my days playing servant when, suddenly, something extraordinary happened.

“Madam, Master has returned,” Mimosa informed me, like she always did.

I rose from the sofa to go downstairs. “Thank you. Let’s get going.”

That’s right. I’ve taught myself as of late to time my transformation into respectable clothes to just before Mr. Fisalis gets home.

I was bound to blow my cover eventually if I was changing in a hurry every day! It only took a second to apply a little bit of makeup, just enough to look nice but still light enough that my skin could breathe.

I pretended not to notice Mimosa’s disappointment at this.

Mr. Fisalis and Rohtas were talking like they usually were when I arrived at the entrance.

When he noticed me excitedly coming toward him, Mr. Fisalis smiled and said, “I’m home.”

He had that sparkling, fake smile that he always had whenever I saw him.

And even though I knew how fake it was, it was still a sight for sore eyes.

I accidentally stared too long, enthralled, before I greeted him with a “Welcome home, Mr. Fisalis” and an A-grade, albeit, not-quite-million-dollar smile of my own.

Although we made the usual perfunctory conversation afterward and then wrapped up our meeting, no one could have foreseen the words that spilled from Mr. Fisalis’ lips after that.

“I am glad to hear that everything has been going along just fine. Oh—will you tell me about your day over dinner?”

Excuse me? What was that? I must be hearing things.

“Pardon?”

“While we’re eating,” he pressed, in response to my clumsy answer.

I heard you loud and clear that time.

And yet, I couldn’t comprehend what he said—it was like my brain refused to process it.

I wasn’t the only one who was wondering how we landed in this predicament—even Rohtas, who was usually so cool, calm, and collected was agitated. He, too, appeared to be having a hard time coming to grips with this new information.

The confusion had spread even to Dahlia and Mimosa behind me.

The only one who didn’t sense the awkward feeling hanging in the air seemed to be Mr. Fisalis himself.

Unbelievable.

Today, Mr. Fisalis. Is going to eat dinner. In the house. With me.

It was like my brain had started to shake its head ‘no’ in denial.

Is he for real?

...nope, brain still isn’t settling down.

“You mean that you are going to have dinner here, Master?” Rohtas confirmed, the first to straighten out his thoughts.

“That is what I’ve been saying,” Mr. Fisalis scowled at Rohtas, irritated that no one understood him the first time.

You’re the one that pushed us into this pit of confusion in the first place, you know!

“As you wish, Master. Please wait in the salon until dinner is ready,” Rohtas politely acknowledged.

“Of course.” Mr. Fisalis nodded and headed toward the salon.

...okay, where should I go? No, wait—before that, we need an emergency meeting!

“I was totally lost in space for a minute there! Thanks for the quick fix, Rohtas!”

Once Mr. Fisalis was out of sight, Rohtas, Dahlia, Mimosa, and I spontaneously gathered in a circle to talk. We drew together and talked in hushed voices, since the entranceway was basically an echo chamber.

“Thank you kindly for your praise, but if I’m quite honest, my mind momentarily went blank as well,” Rohtas said with a wry smile.

“I seriously thought he was speaking in a foreign language! I didn’t understand a thing!” Dahlia said. Next to her, Mimosa nodded in agreement. Seems like I wasn’t the only one whose brain couldn’t compute what Mr. Fisalis had said.

But now wasn’t the time for us to be playing confessional booth.

“In the meantime, we can’t just stand around like this. Rohtas, go inform Cartham and have him start dinner.” Now that my brain was back online, I was able to determine what needed to be done.

“As you wish,” Rohtas bowed.

I acknowledged his courtesy and then turned to Dahlia.

“Dahlia, tell the personal maids who aren’t on break right now that they are to serve dinner.”

“Understood, Madam,” she confirmed with a nod.

“Mimosa, you and I will see to Mr. Fisalis.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And I... I’m having dinner with Mr. Fisalis whether I like it or not. Oh, I had better tell Cartham and the maids to make me only a half-size serving again. Alright, that’s it, everyone, break!”

“Yes, Madam,” they all replied.

And at that, Rohtas and Dahlia briskly disappeared toward the kitchen.

Mimosa and I, meanwhile, were off to the salon.

Ahh, and here I was thinking I was about to return to my quiet, everyday life!

In a curious turn of events, Mr. Fisalis is going to appear here, in this house, a second time!

That in and of itself should not compute.