The air had the saporous combination of cinnamon and something that was not right, albeit she inched toward the foyer of the grand edifice. Joseph placed a supportive hand to possibly stop her from entering the dangerous cave again. "Ruby, you don't have─"

Ruby barely made any effort to hear him when a roar of loud voices sent a tremor of surprise through her body.

"Elizabeth is here . . ."

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Oh, yes! Elizabeth is back!"

"Yahoo!"

The horde of maids' in clean black skirts and white shirts surrounded her like bees dancing around the pollens in spring. Squealing and looking heavenward, the happiest amongst whom was Lucy who tore away the mass and hugged her tightly. Ruby had built a sorority with her since the beginning.

"Where have you been dear Elizabeth? I didn't eat anything ever since," Lucy cried out in her arms.

Ruby patted her back, forcing an assuring smile on her saddened face. "I'm perfectly fine. Please go and eat something. Didn't I tell you health comes first?"

Lucy nodded slowly.

"Please come inside." The maids' on either side held Ruby's hands like a princess and lead her way ahead. Joseph followed, heaving.

"You know what I'll tell the head chef to prepare your favorite bacon cheeseburgers right away," said a different voice.

Ruby whipped her head sideways to find her, and before Ruby could deny the lamentable exorbitance of it, the maid had vanished already.

"Where can I find Mrs Warner?"

Suddenly Mary progressed to the center and the maids' backed away. Ruby gulped, given the kind of boiling-mad personality she had nobody would love to hang around with her.

"Your mother has been on her sleeping pills and needs some rest,"
her stern voice gave no clue to carry on the conversation. Was that over and out?

Joseph's phone started ringing. He pulled the device to his ear and his expression contracted. "I'll be there," was all he said and ended the call.

Against her wish, a lump formed in her throat. Was he going to leave her? It would have been better if he had been around while she declared her identity to Mrs Warner. But she believed she had endeavored to reveal it herself, so there was no use of Joseph anyway.

Joseph placed a hand on the small of her back and whispered, "Ruby, I'll have to go to the hospital. It's an emergency."

"Oh, an urgent call. I understand," she predicted and looked at his tie, unable to fight back her tears, a minuscule drop glided down her half-cheek.

Joseph squeezed her mouth in his hand as he smashed his lips against hers. Ruby didn't hold back and wrapped her hands loosely around his neck. The unknown liberty of raising the curtain on her identity opened her wings somewhere. Joseph loved the taste of her lips, he wanted to hang there a little longer.

A round of faint cachinnating caught Mary's ears. She angled her neck at them to leave. Immediately.

Ruby kissed him hard and Joseph pulled away. Without giving a rip, he kissed her forehead and stated, "I can drop you home since she's not up. I know you don't want to trade your time in here."

She huffed. "I'll wait for you here. Go now!"

The contacts of their hands broke away as he scooted backward. Joseph! Please come back soon, she thought. Ruby's eyes glistened with fear as they met Mary's bitter glare.

"I have something for you," Ruby said, narrowing her eyes. "Something unexpected."

***

"So, miss ─ what name did you say?"

"Ruby," she said loudly and then cringed. "Feel free to omit the honorifics."

Mary invited her inside the mausoleum for what she hoped would be the last time. Where there was no absolute light, she realized they were sitting in the room adjacent to Mrs Warner's office. The sunlight sailed past from the long oval-shaped windows once she swept the magenta drapes to the side. Ruby wondered why she didn't turn on the lights and made her sit like a prisoner in an unilluminated cell.

"I'm strictly in no favor of what you are going to do next. Katherine, wouldn't be able to survive the loss. Again."

For the first time, Mary seemed like she cared for both of them. In conclusion, she didn't want to see either of them getting hurt. Good to hear that, Ruby thought.

"I know damn so well. But, my heart doesn't allow me to do that. Now just come to think of it, this whole incident could have worked out for me to skip from this mansion and start anew in some different part of the world. This was my best chance to terminate my relations with this mansion and Mrs Warner all at once. But, look I'm here because I followed my heart."

Mary looked straightway and began marching behind Ruby. "I don't understand why you even came here in the first place. What were your intentions back then, and now?"

"Initially, I was driven by some crazy greed of leading a rich life. How does it feel to have everything literally, everything without begging, stealing, and praying for it? I was sick of my miserable life and was looking out for easy money. My face," she chuckled and continued, "Was my only advantage. And this just happened."

Mary exhaled and descended on the chair in front of her. "I like one thing about you."

"My eyes?" Ruby muttered in an unsure manner. She was trying to keep the conversation as light as possible.

"Your sincerity."

Ruby lowered her gaze and flushed with pride. "Thank you."

"Um . . . whatever your name is because you are an obedient girl, I want you to listen to this properly. Since Katherine believes that her daughter is back. Why don't you pretend as one and stay for some more time until she gets involved in her work and gradually forgets about you?"

Ruby listened without saying a single word.

"Sorry, Mary. I understand your concern for her and me. But, I can't."

"Is it because of Joseph?"

Ruby appreciated the quick answer mentally and mumbled, "Yes. I have a different life. My own life ─ Ruby's life."

Mary sipped on her white tea and was predisposed, "I'll leave everything to you. Do whatever your heart says. Hopefully, everyone gets on the win-win side."

***

Ruby sallied forth to the massive garden to get fresh air allegedly as it would help her to feel better. The sun was on top. The blowsy gardener with a round face ran toward her with an umbrella. "Lil' El, don't come in the direct sunlight. Take this."

Ruby noticed the white patches on his arms, his skin was shrunk as if he had been doing gardening for almost as long as she'd been alive. He was wearing a Panama hat. She smiled and asked, "How long have been taking care of the garden? It's just so beautiful."

"Oh, no. At this age, I hardly work. I'm the head of the maintenance team." He pointed a finger in the air; his smile showed his jagged teeth. "But today my dear camellias came from South Asia and I couldn't stop myself from plowing them in the soil."

Ruby smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you for this umbrella."

And in the interim, Tasher stumbled against a maid in the mansion, he asked, "Have you seen Ruby . . . sorry, I mean, El?"

She blinked and replied, "She's in the garden."

Word count - 1200

a/n;

1. Thoughts on Mary?

2. Thoughts on Thomas?