CHAPTER 03

"Well I for one can't wait to meet your beautiful bride to be." Norman said.

"There is an engagement party tonight. Should I send her something? I have no idea about women." Nathon said putting down the chart he could not concentrate.

"Oh you know plenty of things about women Nathan, just not the high society ones. You prefer the ones on there knees between your legs." Norman laughed.

"Shut up Norman, don't you talk like that around Cassie she will lose her shit." Nathan warned him. Norman laughed.

"No worries I do know how to behave around the high society one. I'm going hunting, I will be back in a bit. Send her some flowers with a card saying you can't wait to see her tonight." Norman said then he went out the door of their office. Nathan rang for the butler. When he came in Nathan told him to get some flowers for Lady Cassie and have the card say, ' I look forward to seeing you at the party tonight '. The butler nodded and left. Nathon went back to his notes and his maps.

There was a knock-on Cassie chamber doors. Marcella went and answered it. A young page stood there with a vase of flowers.

"I have a delivery for Lady Cassie," the page said. Marcella took the flowers and thanked him giving him a penny. She gave the card to Cassie and put the flowers on the mantle.

Cassie read the card aloud.

         Looking forward to seeing

         you at the party tonight beautiful.

            Nathan

She passed the card to her mother who put it back with the flowers.

"Very interesting, he must have been watching when we arrived." Marcella said.

"Why do you think that mother?" Cassie asked drinking her tea.

"Because he called you beautiful," Marcella said.

"He is just trying to make a good impression,” Cassie said not reading anything into it like her mother was.

"Well I think it was sweet of him to send you flowers." Marcella said. Cassie could not help but laugh.

"Mother, I'm sure his mother made him do it." Cassie said.

"I don't think so his parents have not arrived yet. “Marcella told her.

"What his parents don't live here?" Cassie asked surprised.

"No they live about two hours away, I expect they will be here shortly though. Make sure that girl of yours has your dress for tonight pristine." Marcella said.

"Can I lay down now?" Cassie asked.

"Yes, I should go and see what your father is up to." Marcella said and left. Cassie was not really that tired, she just wanted her mother gone. Cassie put her head back on the chair and closed her eyes.

"My lady, the house master said he would speak with you in his office."  Susan said startling Cassie.

"I'm sorry my lady!" Susan apologized to Cassie.

"He will not come up here?" Cassie asked.

"No my lady he says he is to busy. If you follow me I will show you the way." Susan said.  Cassie followed Susan down the servant’s stairs and down a small hallway to an office. Susan went to leave but Cassie gently grabbed her hand.

"You will be coming in with me Susan," Cassie told her. We went into the office the house master lifted his head from papers he was looking at. Then stood up.

"Lady Cassie, please have a seat." He said.

"Thank you, I will make this very clear to you. I want the chambers next to mine cleaned out and made spotless. I want a new queen bed and new sheets and duvet for the bed. It is to be furnished with a sitting area by the hearth.  The windows cleaned and new drapes put up. A new carpet put down on the floor." Cassie told him.

"Yes my lady, we will have it finished in a week." He said.

"No you have two hours to get it done. Susan will now have the status of my lady in waiting. She will only do things I asked her to do. Tomorrow the dress maker will come and make her new uniforms. I will inspect the rest of the staff after the wedding. Orders form Susan are orders from me.

She better be treated with respect. Anyone found disrespecting my lady in waiting will be terminated immediately. If this is an example of how you have been treating your staff, Master Nathan is going to get an ear full." Cassie told him.

"Susan is your what?" He asked.

"As of this minute my lady in waiting, do you have a problem with that?" Cassie asked

"No my lady," the house master said.

"Good, two hour!" Cassie said and stood taking Susan by the hand and lead her out of the office.

"Lady Cassie are you sure about this?" Susan asked feeling uneasy.

"Very sure, now let's go to the kitchen and get fresh tea to take upstairs," Cassie said. Susan showed Cassie the way to the kitchen. When Susan walked into the kitchen with Cassie the whole kitchen went silent and looked at Cassie. After a couple of awkward moments, a large woman walked over to Susan and Cassie.

"Can I help you lady Cassie?" The woman asked.

"No thank you Susan and I are just grabbing tea to take upstairs." Cassie said. Everyone in the kitchen just stood still except Susan, she was busy getting everything for tea on a trolly. When she had everything for tea ready she looked at Cassie.

"Anything else, my lady?' Susan asked. Cassie scanned the tables to see what else she wanted. Then walked over to a table that had lots of fresh baked cookie she took a plate and put different cookies on it then sat the plate on the trolly.

"Thay should do us fine Susan. Thank you all," Cassie said as she pushed the trolly instead of Susan out of the kitchen. The staff still just standing there. The large woman yelled get back to work. The kitchen became a flurry of activity again. One of the cooks called over one of the serving girls.

"Is that the new lady of the house?' She asked her.

"The serving girl nodded her head."

" Oh boy, Master Nathan is not going to like this. Cassie and Susan had tea on the terrace of Cassie's chambers while Susan's room was being done. Cassie explained to Susan what her duties were as a lady in waiting. Wow Susan thought she just got the best job in the house. But then she got a worried look on her face.

"Child if anyone says anything to you, you better tell me. I have never seen such poor treatment of servants." Cassie said.

"The servants in you're parent house are different?" Susan asked.

"Very!" Cassie lied. They did not have servants in her parent’s house, but Cassie had read so many books about everything under the sun while being locked in the attic.

The house Master went right to see Master Nathan. He stood outside Nathan office door waiting to be told to enter.

"Come in," Nathan said irritated, trying to chart a location on the map. The house master enter the office and closed the door.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Master Nathan but I have come to report to you what lady Cassie has just come to see my about sir." He said.

He told Nathan everything Cassie had said and demanded. Nathan smiled for the first time in days. Nathan looked at the house master.

"Why are you here? Do not question her orders again or you will be looking for new employment." Nathan yelled at him.

"Yes master Nathan," the house master said and left to do Cassie bidding. It pleased Nathan that Cassie was putting some order to his house. His smile got bigger as he went back to his map.