Lucian's secretary, Emma, stood in the doorway of his office, Penelope lingering behind her. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Darkwood, I told her to wait outside, but..." Emma trailed off, her voice apologetic.
Lucian waved his hand dismissively, his eyes fixed on Penelope's determined expression. "It's fine, Emma. You can leave."
Emma nodded and backed out of the office, closing the doors behind her.
Penelope sauntered into the office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. "Hey, Lucian," she said, her voice bright and cheerful.
Lucian leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Penelope. What brings you here?"
Penelope walked over to his desk, her hips swaying in a deliberate motion. "I was thinking of inviting you to a party tonight," she said, her voice sweet as honey.
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "A party? How thrilling. Said no one ever."
Penelope laughed, a tinkling sound. "Oh, come on, Lucian. It'll be fun, I promise. And we can make it a night to remember."
Lucian snorted. "You know I'm not exactly the party type. I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than attend a stuffy social gathering."
Penelope pouted, her lips jutting out in a sulky expression. "But it'll be different, I promise. And besides, I'll be there, and I promise to make it worth your while."
Lucian's expression remained unimpressed, but a hint of curiosity crept into his eyes. "What's the party for?"
Penelope's smile returned, bright and cheerful. "It's just a little get-together at the Harrington's mansion. Everyone who's anyone will be there."
Lucian's eyebrow arched. "And I'm sure it'll be a blast."
Lucian leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Penelope's determined face. "Thanks for the invite, Penelope, but I'm not interested," he said, his voice flat and dismissive.
Penelope's face fell, but she quickly recovered, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Oh, come on, Lucian. It'll be fun, I promise. You can't stay cooped up in this office all the time," she said, her voice laced with a hint of persuasion.
Lucian raised an eyebrow, his expression unimpressed. "Look, Penelope, I don't do parties. And I definitely don't do them with people who can't take a hint," he said, his tone dry and sarcastic.
Penelope's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she tried to keep her cool. She walked closer to Lucian's desk, her hips swaying in a deliberate motion. "Suit yourself, Lucian. But you're missing out," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness.
Lucian snorted, rolling his eyes. "Doubt it," he muttered, his eyes returning to the papers on his desk.
Penelope's face reddened slightly, but she refused to give up. "You're always so serious and brooding, Lucian. A little socializing wouldn't hurt you," she said, trying to appeal to his better nature.
Lucian's expression remained unimpressed. "My social life is fine, Penelope. And I don't need your advice on how to live my life," he said, his voice firm and dismissive.
Penelope's smile faltered, and she realized she wasn't going to change Lucian's mind. She turned to leave, her heels clicking on the polished floor. "Fine, don't come then. See if I care," she said, her voice tinged with annoyance.
Lucian shrugged, already losing interest in the conversation. "I'm shaking in my boots," he muttered, his eyes fixed on the papers on his desk.
Penelope's eyes flashed with anger, but she bit back a retort. Instead, she turned and walked out of the office, the door closing behind her with a soft thud. Lucian didn't even look up, already engrossed in his work.
As the family dispersed, Eleanor continued with her duties, working alongside Nadia, the girl who had served breakfast with her. They moved efficiently through the house, their footsteps quiet on the soft carpet.
"So, what's the routine like here?" Eleanor asked Nadia, curiosity getting the better of her.
Nadia smiled, happy to share her knowledge. "Well, breakfast is always eaten together as a family. But for other meals, it's pretty flexible. You can eat with them or on your own, whatever you prefer."
Eleanor nodded, taking mental notes. "That makes sense. And are there any foods that...well, you know, that people can't eat or don't like?"
Nadia chuckled. "Actually, the family is pretty laid-back about food. Mr. Darkwood is a bit of a health nut, but other than that, everyone eats pretty much everything. Although, be warned, Mrs. Darkwood can be a bit particular about her tea."
Eleanor laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for showing me the ropes, Nadia. You're a lifesaver."
Nadia smiled. "No problem, happy to help. We're a pretty easy-going household, once you get to know us."
As they finished up their tasks, Eleanor couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about the family. She had caught glimpses of them at breakfast, and now she wondered what their individual personalities were like.
"What's Amber like?" Eleanor asked Nadia, curiosity getting the better of her.
Nadia grinned. "Amber's.....well she's ok but you should probably stay out of her way, being one of the highest in the hierarchy she doesn't really see eye to eye with us. And Mrs. Darkwood...well, she's a bit more reserved, but she's always kind to us staff."
Eleanor nodded, filing away the information. She was starting to get a sense of the household dynamics.
As they worked, Nadia chattered on about the household routines and quirks. "So, we're switching up the work schedule. You'll be working in different areas of the house each day. Like, you might be in the dining room today and the laundry room tomorrow."
Eleanor nodded, taking note of the new schedule. "Okay, got it."
Nadia grinned. "I'm excited! I love the rotation system. It's always something new and fun. Plus, I get to see all my favorite spots in the house."
Eleanor smiled slightly, amused by Nadia's enthusiasm. "That sounds cool, I guess."
Nadia bounced up and down, her ponytail bobbing behind her. "Yeah, it's super cool! You'll love it. I'm Nadia, by the way. I forgot to tell you my name earlier."
Eleanor chuckled. "I'm Eleanor. Nice to officially meet you, Nadia."
Nadia giggled. "Nice to meet you too, Eleanor! Let's get back to work before we get in trouble."
As they continued working, Eleanor found Nadia's bubbly personality entertaining, and the two of them chatted easily as they went about their tasks.