Although the prospect of not speaking startled her, she had nothing to laugh or sing about any way. So she nodded her agreement to him.
“Now go forth, Princess. Stay vigilant.” He touched his fingers to his lips, and held them in the air. “Until we meet again.”
All she could do was watch him sprint out of her sight, and into the forest. When he was gone, an ache filled her heart. She was now truly alone. Her resolve propelled her on, and she pushed the great iron gate before her open, and strode up to the imposing front door of the club.
The sun now peeked through the clouds above, and she saw that the outside of the club was quite clandestine. No one who happened to pass it would know any better than to think it an abandoned, once grand dwelling.
Inhaling a deep breath of confidence, she used her fist to knock three times. An animal howled in the distance, and she jumped with fear. Quickly, she knocked again, louder this time.
The door suddenly flew open, and before her stood Valentina. Bleary eyed, with long black hair mussed from bed, she simply stared. She was dressed in a gown of crimson silk, embroidered with gold trim; it swirled around her ankles with the light wind that blew.
Princess felt exposed and vulnerable. Did the evil witch recognize her?
“It’s early, I’m tired, what do you want?” she demanded, her green eyes smoldered.
So she didn’t recognize her, and that was a good thing. With no voice, how could she communicate the need for a job?
Princess pointed at her own chest. Her lips moved, but no sound passed.
“What is it, you cannot speak?”
She nodded.
“I’m not mind reader, girl…yet.” Valentina then laughed at her own little joke.
Princess again pointed to her own self, and then gestured around the exterior of the club.
“Ah…you’re looking for a job?”
Finally! She nodded emphatically.
Valentina scrutinized her close. “Well, you’re a bit scruffy, but I can always use more help in the kitchen, especially one who can’t talk back. Come along.”
Princess entered into a long, dark hallway, and Valentina bolted the door behind them. Nothing right away struck her of this being a club. Perhaps this was the servants’ entrance.
They passed a long row of closed doors. Princess knew her brothers were not being held at the club, but were sleeping at the shack she had come upon in the forest.
Valentina stopped abruptly outside a door, and knocked vigorously. There was a small commotion behind the door, before a girl of about Princess’s age poked out her blond head.
The girl’s eyes widened, and she straightened up, and ran a feeble hand through her hair. “Madam Valentina, is there something you need?”
“This is our new kitchen girl. I want you to bathe her thoroughly, feed her breakfast, and put her to bed. Give her Tinsel’s room.”
Valentina turned to Princess. “Feel privileged, Tinsel was once one of my favorite pets.” She then gritted her teeth and spewed out the words, “Until she crossed me.”
She then turned back her attention to the blond girl. “She’s about Tinsel’s size. Make sure she is properly outfitted, and put her to work in the kitchen tonight.”
“Yes, Madam, yes Madam,” the girl bowed.
When Valentina was out of sight, the girl took Princess’s hand, and led her down the hall. She opened a door to a comfort facility, with a porcelain claw foot tub. A light burned brightly in a sconce of the wall, illuminating the large room.
Princess watched as the girl, dressed in a long white nightgown, turned on a tap, and warm water freely flowed into the bath.
“I’m Noreen. What is your name?” she asked.
Princess pointed at her mouth, and shook her head.
“You can’t speak? Oh…I’m so sorry.”
She gave Noreen a little smile to let her know it was okay. She seemed like a good enough girl.
Noreen reached upon a shelf covered in tiny apothecary bottles, removed a crystal cork, and took a sniff. “Lilac, it’s so lovely,” she sighed, and carefully dispensed several drops of the potion into the tub water. As the water level rose, the air perfumed with the sweet aroma of freshly cut lilacs. In one way it reminded Princess of happy times with her family, before her father decided to take the trip away that changed their lives forever. But in another, stronger way, it reminded her of Erich, of the color of his skin.
When the bath was prepared, Noreen helped Princess out of her dress, and held her arm steady, while she stepped into the tub, and sank into warm, cloudy water. The soft water and its heat, relaxed each of her stressed muscles, one by one.
Noreen went about washing Princess’s hair, and rubbed down her body with a soft, wet cloth. Afterward, she wound a long piece of toweling material around Princess’s naked torso, and preceded to towel dry her hair.
Noreen left the room, and returned a few minutes later with a shapeless white nightgown, identical to the one she herself wore, and placed it over Princess’s head and shoulders.
“This was Tinsel’s nightgown. I suppose all of Tinsel’s clothes belong to you now.”
Noreen leaned close to her ear. “Tinsel got pregnant by some wealthy patron at the club. I never seen Madam Valentina so angry! Her face was so red! She turned Tinsel out into the night, with nothing more than the clothes on her back.”
To send away a pregnant girl was only more proof of Valentina’s cruelness. She couldn’t dwell on it though. She had her own secrets to hide.
They next arrived at a great kitchen. The smell of cinnamon, cloves, and sugar made her mouth water with anticipation. A long table with two long benches sat in the middle of the room. There were several stoves, and open cupboards filled with glassware, dishes, and cutlery. An old hunched woman stirred an open kettle with what
