A letter arrived one Sunday from a courier while they were studying, and it was from the agency. Bianca was filled with anticipation as her mistress read out the letter. As it read, 'They had found a serious appointment for Mrs. Dash.'
"Oh my, I can't recall when last I was given a serious offer." Bianca was happy for her and cheered in her happiness.
"And it's soon. Oh my." She exclaimed happily as she looked at the letter in her hands.
"When?" Bianca was eager as she was.
"Tomorrow, dear, tomorrow."
Bianca was surprised altogether by the endearing word from the woman, which was her first time getting it from her.
Mrs. Dash folded the letter and set it aside while smiling.
"What?" She asked after a few moments given that Bianca kept staring at her.
"Am I coming with you to this important assignment?"
The woman rolled her eyes. "Oh, dear, this is a serious appointment, not a child's play."
A sad look passed over Bianca's face as she swallowed and turned to face her book once more.
"Alright, alright, you can come with me."
"Really!" She brightened up instantly, looking up from her book.
The woman was tempted to roll her eyes again. "But you should know this is serious business, and you must abide by my instructions when we get there."
"I promise, I won't embarrass you." She raised her hands in promise.
The next day, they were headed to the new household. And Bianca had reasoned this family was an elite one given all she had told her day before.
She had told her before she left that evening to to dress well and comport herself when they got there. So, heeding this advice, she had picked the best gown she had, that morning. It was a gown her father had gifted her on her seventeenth birthday.
He had gone to the seamstress himself to make that particular dress. She had been overjoyed when he brought the dress. For the poor, owning a nice fancy gown was like a treasure. It was mainly old fabrics and often pre-worn dresses that they could afford. This one was precious to her.
"To dress to my best." She murmured as she stared at herself in the mirror while zipping it up. It was a simple maroon dress with simple white embroidery. She brushed out her tangled hair. She wouldn't lie; she was fairly proud of her long hair. It touched her bum, and she hummed as she admired it in the mirror. She packed it upwards and tied it with a ribbon, then covered it with a white bonnet with fancy red patterns that she had bought in the market, just like Mrs. Dash.
"Copycat." She chuckled as she twirled around in the mirror, quite proud of how she looked. After a while, her face turned sullen because she hated packing her hair. She preferred having it in its natural state, all tangled and curly, overflowing her back, not tied up. But she needed to look proper as an aspiring governess. She took her black umbrella and her mother's old brown purse and off she went.
Mrs. Dash ironed her dress today. She noticed once they met on the road near the inn house as they had discussed. She wore a black gown with white embroidery at the neck and chest, a black bonnet, and completed her look with a black bag. She was dressed too neatly today, which made Bianca a bit anxious about where they were going.
Together, they walked through the wood roads with their umbrellas, jumping over the dirty potholes of water that were staining their shoes, until they came out onto the main road that led to the town market. There, they stood and got a public carriage that was going into other towns. Shouting, "Disley! Browmere! Murkfort!"
"Which of them are we going to?" Bianca asked her.
"Disley."
She answered as she flung one down, and they climbed in.
The rain was drizzling, and it was cold. Bianca folded her umbrella by her side and watched the other passengers. She looked out of the window as they rode through the bumpy roads until they were out of Farshield and then entered Disley.
Grandiose was one word that came to Bianca's mind as they entered the town. Without being told, she understood why it was called the town of the elites. Surely, it was the most beautiful out of all in Pelinburst. The mansions were meticulously maintained and adorned with unique and luxurious structures. The streets were lined with perfectly manicured gardens, and the sidewalks made of smooth, pristine stone. Surely only the richest could afford a home in this exclusive town.
Some passengers began dropping on the way. Some were going further than them, some were dropped at Disley's main market and other places, then it got to their turn, and Mrs. Dash told the coachman they were stopping at the Estate, called the high-born fortress. Bianca noticed how all the eyes turned to them as if they were speaking a strange language or were ghosts. Mrs. Dash made no statement and paid the coachman as they got down.
The people in the carriage kept staring at them until they rode away.
"What was that about?"
She asked as they turned to the cobbled road first of all, and her mouth went open.
"Not everyone visits the estate; it's home to the one percent in Disley, the whole of Pelinburst even. That's why we look too impossible to be coming here."
Indeed they were.
They went down the clean road until they got to a huge black gate that covered the rest of the road. There they met two security guards in uniform with mustaches who asked them what they were doing there and if they had an appointment. Mrs. Dash brought out a card to show them, and then they nodded to open the gate that led down the other cobbled roads. In this part, they started seeing other fine houses and castles all around through the road. Bianca realized that indeed this was no place for the small people.
"I didn't know I would ever be invited to this kind of place for my services," Mrs. Dash said almost nervously.
As they walked, a fine red carriage rode past them, and they shifted on the road to let it pass. By the side, they saw a little bridge with a lake beneath it, and they followed that road. There were dead leaves from the numerous trees on the ground, and it led them through. They followed one carriage that went ahead of them and then came into view of a magnificent mansion right in front of them. The carriage rode past and turned to the left, passing the house.
Bianca and Mrs. Dash looked to the left and the right of the neighborhood in inspection and then faced the tall mansion atop the mountain.
"Oh lord have mercy," Mrs. Dash mouthed, then turned to her and began talking to her almost nervously.
"Now, you have to behave, Bianca. Comport yourself. Don't do or say anything unless I tell you so. Don't act rashly or knock down one of their vases or teacups!" She smiled awkwardly. Yeah, she could be clumsy sometimes.
"This kind of people I tell you is not the kind you would like to mess with." She continued, and Bianca nodded in accordance, looking at how the old rocky house towered high. It looked like a place a king could live in.
"A governess should be calm, patient, and listen keenly. I beg you, miss Wright, don't make me regret this."
"I won't, Madame. I won't."
With that said, they walked on towards the house until they got to the gate where two other guards stood. Giving them the card, the guards opened the gate for them. As they were led into the magnificent place, Bianca gulped. The mansion was a stunning and intimidating sight to behold with its towering columns, sweeping staircase, and numerous balconies overlooking the rolling hills.
Servants were all over the place, in the garden, and the whole compound.
When they got to the main stairs, a man, possibly the butler, dressed in all black with white gloves on his hands, came out to welcome them and then led them into the fine hall painted in historical frescoes on the ceiling. The ground tiles shimmered as beautifully as they were. It felt like she was in a fairy tale.
"This way." He led them to the waiting room with couches and paintings on the wall.
"I would bring the young master." The butler proclaimed and left them alone.
Then they waited as they sat down, looking around.
"Lord have mercy." Mrs. Dash exclaimed again.
"I can't believe this." Bianca muttered.
"Are you sure we can do this?" Bia was surprised at Mrs. Dash's statement.
"Of course we can, the agency chose you."
"Yes, I believe so." She said to herself in an attempt to calm herself.
The large door was made open and they stood instantly hearing the footsteps. Their heads turned to look and Bianca felt like she would faint. What was the ghost/strange man doing here? Her eyes went wide.