of another door, and opening it, Igor murmured, “We’ve drawn your bath, signorina. Please take your time while I have one of the maids prepare your clothes for the night.”
Bath? Fawn cleared her throat. “The thing is, Igor, I’m not actually staying—-”
Igor’s expression turned grave. “Ah, so that how it is now, signorina.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I have been instructed to ensure you relax and have a bath before going to bed. As you know, the prince is quite strict, and I fear I shall lose my employment if he learns of my failure. But of course, because you are now the prince’s special lady, you probably no longer care—-”
“Stop trying to pull my leg.” When Igor’s grave expression didn’t change, she said uneasily, “Right?”
Igor sighed deeply. “If you care to risk my employment on a whim, signorina, then there is nothing I can do—-”
Guilt won over common sense, and Fawn’s shoulders slumped. “I get it, I get it. I’ll take a bath, okay?”
Igor was suddenly all smiles again. “Splendid, signorina.”
Fawn scowled. “Traitor.”
“My loyalty is to the master, and as I have told you once upon a time—-”
“Yes, yes, what the master wants, blah, blah, blah.” Fawn’s teeth gnashed as she realized how the prince had successfully outmaneuvered her through Igor. “You have an evil master.”
“If you think so, signorina, and yet – you are now his very special lady.”
Argh! “Stop calling me that!”
Igor’s eyes were brimming with amusement. “Signorina, you are blushing.”
“N-no, I’m not.” Fawn scowled as hard as she could, but Igor’s next words proved that it did no good.
“I shall tell the master you’re pleased at being called his very special lady—-”
“No!”
“Very, very pleased,” Igor interpreted her protest as such.
“Igor, you’re evil, too!” And before the prince’s right-hand man could torment her further, Fawn rushed inside the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
She was not pleased at being called the prince’s special lady.
She was not!
And yet her cheeks remained flushed as she stepped into the tub, which was filled with hot, rose-scented water.
Evil prince, evil right-hand man, this was definitely the house of evil!
Fawn took her time bathing and only stepped out of the tub when she was absolutely sure her cheeks were flushed from the steam and not from anything else. Coming out of the bathroom, Fawn was surprised to see Paula bent over the bed.
“Paula—-”
The brunette turned around, Fawn’s pajamas in her hands. “Hi, signorina.”
Fawn blinked. “What are you doing with those?”
“Readying it for you?”
“What?” She rushed to the other girl with a shake of her head. “You don’t have to do that—-” Fawn stopped dead at her friend’s suddenly grim look. “P-Paula?”
“I thought Igor was joking, but I guess not, signorina.”
“W-what are you talking about?”
“The prince specifically chose me to be your personal maid, signorina.”
“I don’t want that!”
Paula’s lips pursed in visible disappointment. “And here I thought you were still my friend, signorina.”
“You are,” she insisted.
“Are you speaking the truth, signorina?”
“Yes!”
“Then...why don’t you want me as your personal maid?” Paula took a step towards her. “Why don’t you want me to have this amazing promotion—-” Paula took another step forward, “—-which pays more for less work?”
When Paula closed the distance between them, Fawn did her best to resist the urge to lean back, asking weakly, “A-are you saying you w-want me to be my personal maid?”
Paula smiled sweetly at her.
“Oh. Umm. Okay?”
“Yay!” Paula pulled her up. “I knew it, you’re still my friend, signorina.” She gave Fawn a quick hug. “Now, I’ve readied your pajamas, and once you’re done, please go to the master’s room, he’s waiting for you there.”
Evil bullies. It was all Fawn could think as she watched Paula cheerfully attend to her task. That was the exact term for it, and this house was full of them.
Five minutes later, and Paula had successfully dragged Fawn into the prince’s room.
The prince, seated elegantly on the settee next to the window while sipping a glass of red wine, looked up as Fawn stumbled into his room.
“Thank you for doing such a great job, Paula,” said the house’s biggest and most evil bully. “As promised, you will get your bonus tomorrow.”
Hearing that, Fawn mouthed furiously at Paula, Traitor. First Igor, and now Paula. Was no one in this house on her side?
Paula blew her a kiss, mouthing, Money talks, signorina. Then she turned to the prince and bowed. “Thank you, sir.”
The door closed behind Paula, leaving Fawn alone with the prince.
She waited for the prince to speak, but he didn’t,