Arabella made her way out of her room, the soft echo of her footsteps filling the quiet hallway. She had barely taken a few steps from her corridor when she found Esme standing there, almost as if she had been waiting specifically for this moment. Esme's lips curled in a wide, prideful grin the instant their eyes met, a grin so self satisfied it bordered on taunting.
Arabella, however, refused to give her that satisfaction. She shifted her gaze forward and continued walking as though Esme were little more than a passing shadow. But Esme stepped forward, lifting her hand to block the path with the casual arrogance of someone who believed she owned every corridor she walked in.
"You are not allowed to see the maid yet, milady," Esme announced, her voice dripping with a forced politeness that couldn't hide the venom underneath.
