Love, Lies and a Heist from Cybird can be found on their Otome Novels App.
Sneaking into the ball had been the fun part. I had used the chance of too many faces and a copied invite from Luca’s table to get past the entrance, and now the evening had been mine. It was a glitzy party of glamour and shining as the many aristocrats used the opportunity to try and one-up each other, as I was twirled around the dance floor by yet another masked man. I asked for no names, merely his attention for the song so I wouldn’t be thrown into any other couples.
Then Luca had apparently lined me up, my hand barely leaving the other gentleman’s before it was encased in his familiar warmth. A traditional waltz started, and his hand was on my waist to keep me close before he was leading me in the dance.
“You are in so much trouble when we leave,” his voice was low in my ear, as several sets of eyes seemed to fall on us from the edges of the room. I recognised two of them as the heads of the Bradley and Cromwell family, but a few others I didn’t.
“You wouldn’t let me attend,” I pouted in response, making sure to keep my feet swift. “I told you I wanted to come, and you should know better than to expect me not to turn up. I’ve behaved myself perfectly thank you, and I’ve been on the dance floor all night with only occasional breaks for a drink of anything nonalcoholic. I’m not here to attract attention to myself,” I quietly snorted before I was suddenly twirled away and then locked back into Luca’s arms. A sign to the other males that I was now occupied for the evening it seemed as I would see the same eyes following us around the room. “I just wanted to dance,” I laughed as our bodies were lightly pressed together. “I was unnoticed until you appeared.”
“Actually the girl with the golden laugh was attracting all the gossip again,” Luca frowned as the music drew to an end, though his arm stayed around my waist as I found that I was being escorted off the dance floor. It was becoming clear that my night was at an end for now. “Especially since you’re wearing the golden dress,” he muttered as the man tried to ensure we wouldn’t be tracked.
“Luca!” I felt the man tense up, though he didn’t let me turn around as his bright facade was plastered on his face. “I thought we’d lost you,” the voice was something of a familiarity. “Oh? Who is this lovely lady?”
I used the surprise to turn around, a soft smile on my face as I had already made sure that my mask was firmly in place. My identity was never going to be amongst the nobility and higher classes, I just enjoyed the parties before giving a small courtesy to the two men.
“She’s just going home,” Luca interjected and turned me around again, a frown on his usually serene face, my laughter attracting all the attention.
He was huffing as we were exiting through the free-flowing crowd. My hand was enclosed in his before we reached the line of carriages waiting to take everyone away back to their manors. Luca was patting his waistcoat pockets down for some money before a hand on his shoulder made him tilt his head back.
“Allow me,” the green hair of Ryan Cromwell was impossible to miss, especially since he had taken note of my dress and used it to track us down. A carriage appeared from nowhere before another gentleman was guiding me towards it with his hand on my lower back.
“Thank you kindly,” I interrupted before Luca could come up with an excuse to refuse, and allowed myself to be assisted into the carriage by the blond haired male who was escorting Mr Cromwell. “Come on Luca,” I brightly smiled, “It would be rude to refuse such kindness.”
My giggle earned me a warning look before my friend, and his acquaintance clambered on in. My mask was still secure as we set off, I had no intention of telling them my address or name, I would merely get dropped off with Luca and then melt away into the background as I usually did.
“I don’t believe we’ve met before,” Ryan was trying all sorts of charm, lifting the back of my hand in greeting before Luca could intercept us.
“I would remember meeting the infamous Ryan Cromwell,” I coyly replied, before politely retrieving my hand back and settling it on my lap.
“Would you allow me to know a name to go with the beautiful laugh that has had me curious for the night?”
Luca was actively glaring at me now.
“Maybe next time we meet, then you could do me the favour of a dance Mr Cromwell, and then I would allow you the knowledge,” I smiled. “If you would just kindly stop by Luca’s apartment then I would be the most grateful.”
“Surely you don’t-” the blond spoke sharply, and was looking at Luca with hostile intent.
“Nothing of the sort. I simply live close to him, and I do not know either of you, merely safety precautions,” I corrected as the driver pulled to a stop at a gesture from Ryan. I made every effort to not fall flat on my face leaving the carriage, though it didn’t mean I wasn’t listening to Luca agree to come over the following evening to discuss some business with the Cromwells. I made certain that appearances were deceptive at times like this before the carriage left again.
“Gia,” Luca called out as I turned to cross the square. “Would you at least stay for tonight?” His voice was low, not wishing to paint the wrong picture.
“Only if you’ll get the dress cleaned for me and keep it in your place,” I replied after a heavy pause, needing to face reality on carting about a ballgown.
Ryan had decreed that I was to be parading as his sister during tea the previous evening, though it wouldn’t be known until the first ball when he would need me for distraction techniques. Who wouldn’t be busy admiring the newly debuted Cromwell sibling? Especially one that had been kept quiet for so long. He needed a reason to explain why he was going into the Bradley casino, a nagging younger sister who had only just returned to Laurelia was the perfect cover. It was nothing beyond a scouting mission, the less I knew, the better really. It was definitely best to keep quiet on being Ryan’s sister until the latest point possible, it would never do for an aristocrat seen to be serving other people. They were always the ones being served, of course.
The following morning was more than a little shocking. Alec Bradley was grumbling into a teacup and dressed as though he was going to work at the tea parlour. I managed to stun him into gaping at me like some attraction at a fair. Then, later on, I nearly dropped my tea tray in the tea parlour as Ewan Bradley appeared as a customer.
Alec was refusing to serve him and had shoved me in his direction before I got a chance to take a look at Ewan’s face. He was just as surprised to see me working in a tea parlour belonging to the Cromwell’s. Apparently, the Byron family had already been trying to tarnish my reputation with others to ensure I wouldn’t return.
“As much as I would love to hear the exact details, I have other customers to attend to,” I started, checking over my shoulder to look over the shop.
“I’ll have lunch with you then if that’s okay?” Ewan’s proposition took me by surprise, but I nodded and smiled at him before returning back to take care of the other customers.
It was the start of my daily routine. It didn’t vary a lot. Breakfast would be spent teasing Alec, who would usually just grunt at me while I was pouring his tea. I spent my time analysing his preferences to make the perfect cup, which irritated him greatly much to my delight. Then lunchtime would be spent with Ewan in the square, where I would catch up on the gossip and chaos I had left behind at the Byron household. Then Noel was starting to come into the parlour on a daily basis now. It began as an afternoon thing, he liked to flirt with anything that moved was the impression Alec gave me, but Noel was smart enough to ensure that it was always me who served him regardless of how busy or empty we were. Then he came in one time to ask me about lunch.
His face dropped when I mentioned Ewan, an expression that clouded over and I couldn’t read exactly what he was thinking before his usual charming persona came back in full force. He raised the back of my hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles, and giving me a smile that was fully capable of making me swoon.
“I will have to start arriving earlier and intercepting you then,” he promised before we continued our daily interactions.
“Mallory,” Harry was wearing a deep frown that was silently making me panic. I’d just come back from my lunch with Ewan, and he had walked me back as he always insisted. “I need to talk to you when things have calmed down.”
I nodded solemnly, wondering instantly what it could be about as I dove dutifully into my work. The pace never ceased throughout the afternoon, keeping my feet and body busy, though my mind was still lingering on Harry’s words. I always tried to be the best I could in my work, but something had obviously caused offence at some point. I kept on my best graces as I flitted about the shop until Noel grabbed my forearm while I was taking his order.
“Your smile doesn’t reach your eyes, are you okay?” Noel was strangely sincere, no ulterior motive as I felt his eyes studying me and peeling everything away.
“I’m just tired that’s all,” I brushed it off with a twist of my lips. “It’s a busy shift.”
Then we had the biggest surprise of all as the café began to quieten down finally and we started the cleanup duties between the three of us. Ryan strolled in after ignoring Alec and me calling out to say we were closed and laughed brightly before any of us looked at him.
“I need to borrow Mallory, I assumed you two could finish without her?” It wasn’t going to be anything that Harry refused. It came from Ryan as the gesture from the head of the family was given to me to go and collect my things.
It was still taking a lot of getting used to coming up the drive to the Cromwell family manor. I was used to grandeur, but nothing on this scale, and especially not being treated as an equal and not being required to use the servant’s entrance. My usual path to go and bathe was intercepted before I had much of a choice. A couple of maids had appeared and taken my things to my room before Ryan ushered me into the family parlour.
Tea was already laid out. This had been appropriately planned I could tell, especially with the quantity of food present, since it was renown that I would eat vast amounts after working and even more after a shift like today. I had heard the joke that I could eat a horse without any assistance, but then I did do a lot of running about in general.
I didn’t even think about what I was doing. I was preparing all the tea as I would have done at the Byron household, ensuring that the blend wasn’t over brewed and that Ryan had the exact level of milk that he liked in his tea. I had seen him enough times at breakfast to know where his level was.
“You have impeccable etiquette. I don’t think most socialites are as neat as you in anything,” Ryan broke the silence that had been settled in between us as I was pouring the tea.
“Thank you,” I quietly replied. It still made me feel uncomfortable to receive compliments, the way I had been brought up and taught at the previous manor was that no comment was the sign of a job well done. Otherwise, it was risking the displeasure of the house mistress.
“We’re going to the casino tomorrow night, so you’re not at the parlour tomorrow as we need to go dress shopping,” Ryan explained as he gestured towards my well-known weakness of scones with a jar of jam and clotted cream were present. “Harry will cover for you at the parlour.”
It was comfortable between us at least. I had nothing to hide from Ryan, as I felt my body relax from the tense afternoon. He explained that he was after a painting that had originally belonged to his grandfather, and there were rumours that it was being housed in the casino belonging to Logan Bradley. But if he just turned up on his own, then he wouldn’t be able to verify anything. He would be sent back fairly swiftly, but turning up with an unknown woman on his arm who he claimed to be his sister returning from abroad would buy him time for certain. She was likely to be harassed by men who claimed to be gentlemen, which brought out a bitter laugh in time for Harry to arrive back from the parlour.
“Mallory?” Ryan’s head was tilted towards me, a deep frown of concern on his face.
“Apologies, but I’m beginning to think that the previous family I worked for had very different circumstances and ways of treating the staff,” I began. It wasn’t a pleasant story, but leaving hadn’t come to me out of the blue. Leonard hadn’t been the only issue pushing me. “The Byron family worked in ways that I assumed all other aristocratic families worked. They aren’t as influential with the Bradleys as others, but I was trained to be a Lady from the moment I was born. I was given the same education in etiquette as any of the legitimate children, but they always refused to say who was even suspected to be my father. The Head Butler was always very hands-on with any female, but then I was an exception constantly. Where he told and scolded others, he would merely correct my actions, and it ensured that I was always isolated among the maids and staff for getting special treatment. So my theory is that my mother was his favoured bed warmer, but I have no real proof aside from the way he treated me. I was also brought up mostly as the heir’s dance partner, I had to be able to perform in public perfectly. Which then also did allow for Leonard to showcase his abilities at the balls and things. It proved that he was worthy as husband material to the higher-ups, and maybe increase the standing of the family from the lower aristocratic tiers,” I paused, taking a mouthful of tea and hating that I was so predictable as my favourite blend was in the pot. “Since I was gifted the title of Governess as well, then I was to act less like the maids and more like the Ladies of the house. It was a few days after I had come of marriageable age that I was called into Lady Byron’s study. I was to assist Leonard in ‘controlling his urges’, and I accepted that with the look of the room weighing down on me. It became clear that I wasn’t expected to get married anytime soon, and especially not before the heir was engaged at the very least. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, I found out that night time anyway as Leonard didn’t even hesitate to come to my room. I was to teach him how to pleasure a woman apparently, the unspoken extra duties of Governess and why I was better kept than the maids,” my chuckle was dry as I paused for another mouthful of tea. I could feel the weight of the room on me.
“What pushed you to leave?” Harry couldn’t stop himself, disgusted with the way that some aristocrats behave.
“I had a third pregnancy scare. And I knew exactly what would happen if I was pregnant, I would be dismissed and turned out on the street without thought, regardless of what Leonard would whisper into my ear at night. His mother would simply never allow a Governess to be in such a state and unmarried. At best, I would be married to someone of their choice and stuck in it, but the general pattern when the maids were pregnant was to dismiss them without a second thought. References were never given either, so it would be impossible for them to work again in a decent house. They liked to punish the girls, they saw it as they paid their wages and thus owned them,” I frowned, staring into my cooling cup of tea. “I had also noticed that in the recent months, I had been brought along as Olivia’s Governess in some fine dresses when attending balls and the likes. I was being shown off as a breeding horse to try and ensure a relationship with a higher house. Ewan Bradley was one of those who knew me,” I locked eyes with Harry, who had a shocked expression. “He would usually be the only gentleman of the evening-”
Ryan’s scoffing noise broke my voice. His disdain at my words were apparent before I continued.
“His hands would stay in an appropriate place on me, where others would try to grope me or even force me to the corridors outside of the room for their fun, but Lady Byron was eager for me to pursue Ewan of course, so I was allowed to scold and dismiss the lower statused males,” I explained. “And Ewan became accustomed to my pleas. He was trying to get evidence of what the Byron family was doing to ensure that Logan would disgrace them, but we had to continue meeting up as we did for that. Then I was being pressured to sleep with Ewan and most importantly, ensure a pregnancy sooner rather than later to enhance the position of the family.”
“I see,” Ryan was looking thoughtful as Harry then collected all the tea together, clearing up in a hurry.
“Could you help please, Mallory?” Harry pointedly asked, his eyes flicking to the second tray with empty plates on. It was also going to give him a chance to talk to me privately about earlier I was hoping as I gathered everything together before balancing it on my hip to push through the door.
It was an awkward silence between us as we reached the kitchens. The staff were absent while we began to sort through the dirty dishes.
“I had seen you with Ewan on lunches,” Harry explained. “I wasn’t sure of your relationship with him, but you are going to be introduced as Ryan’s sister. A Cromwell cannot be associated with a Bradley,” he lowered his voice purposely. “It would create far too many problems for Mr Cromwell if someone has photos of you both.”
“I… hadn’t thought of that,” I admitted. “My apologies, I will cease.” I nodded in affirmation as Harry smiled fondly at me.
