A MAZE OF GREED

"We are finally here, sweetheart!" Ruth told her cat.

This cat had become her true friend over these three weeks. She kept her and Mrs Payne entertained and followed Ruth wherever she went.

Thea was waiting for her friend outside the shop. She spotted her and her cat from the distance.

"Look, There is Thea!" Ruth said, waving her hand at her friend.

She walked to her, but her cat had something else on her mind. She smirked devilishly, and when was a couple of steps away from her, she jumped on Thea.

Thea shrieked in surprise but held the cat in her hand. She looked terrified by the cat's action, and she immediately gave her back to Ruth as if she had held something tormenting.

"Ruth! How many times I have told you to keep this animal away from me?" Thea scrunched up her nose when Ruth kissed her cat on the forehead.

Ruth laughed at her friend's expressions. "I do not understand what is your problem with my cat? You like cats in general but not my. Why is that?" She asked.

Her cat looked at Thea as if challenging her while Ruth kept pampering her.

Thea pressed her lips in a thin line, narrowing her eyes at the cat. "I do not have any problem with your cat. It just that she finds amusement in annoying me."

"Oh come on, Thea. She is just a cat, an animal. She is not a human to annoy you on purpose." Ruth rolled her eyes, and again pressed the cat to her chest, the gesture was approved by her cat with a smile.

"Anyways. What have you decided about what Rees suggested?" Thea asked hopefully.

They were ten minutes early anyway. So it was the best time to discuss this topic.

Ruth's smile vanished from her face, and she became serious.

"I do not know."

"Ruth! After we convinced you for hours and gave you two days to think you still have the same answer?!" Thea was so done with Ruth and her confused mind.

Ruth played with her cat's ears absentmindedly. "What you both are suggesting is tempting, I confess. But you know how much I hate that man. And still you want me to work for him?"

"Ruth, you will be working as Lady Elsie's maid and not Edwin O'Dell's. Look at the bright side, Ruth. Your status will be elevated in our society. Working for the O'Dells is a respectable thing.

You will get at least double and maybe even triple of what you earn in a month working here and overworking at home. You will get the security of the job. Your lifestyle will improve.

And there are more benefits than you think." Thea explained for the umpteenth time.

"And I will get a good suitor!" Ruth added monotonously.

"Yes! Wait what?"

Ruth sighed. "That was an addition to your list suggested by Mrs Payne."

'I bet you will get the perfect suitor than every woman in the world for you!' Thea wanted to add.

"Maybe you will!" she shrugged.

"Why do not you accept this offer then?" Ruth raised her brow at her friend.

"Ruth! How can you say that? I already have Rees-"

"I am talking about the job in 'the great manor' you fool!"

Thea made an O with her mouth in understanding. "If you accept this job then I will also start working there after marrying Rees." Thea pulled out the last card from her deck of cards.

Ruth stared at her for some time that raised Thea's hopes. But they soon crashed when she shook her head.

"No, Thea. I am not ready to accept anything that is related to that despicable man. Tell my decision to Rees. And now I do not want any more discusssion on this topic. Please!"

Ruth did not give Thea a further chance to say anything as she turned to get in the shop. Thea sighed dejectedly. She thought Ruth's opinion about Edwin might have changed after their heart to heart conversation on the day of Mr Payne's funeral.

But clearly, it was not the case, it seemed.

Before Ruth stepped inside the shop, her cat jumped out of her hands and landed swiftly on the ground.

"Sweety, where are you going?" Ruth asked.

"Maybe she is sane enough to not miss a chance to get a good suitor for herself!" Thea taunted as she walked past Ruth.

Ruth frowned but did not comment. She saw her cat walking away.

"Come back before the evening!" She called then went inside the shop.

Thea kept ignoring her the rest of the day, and Ruth knew the reason. But what could she do?

When Rees first put forth the offer of working in 'the great manor' as a maid for Lady Elsie- Edwin O'Dell's younger cousin out of the blue, Ruth became confused.

Why would the O'Dells accept someone inexperienced like her? They had a fleet of servants ready on their beck and call, then why they would accept some outsider like her?

And the prominent thought that lingered in her mind was- was Edwin O'Dell behind this idea?

After her first-ever civil conversation with him in the woods, she thought she was mistaken in learning him as a human. But her hopes died soon.

He must have pitied a helpless woman who had to take care of an elderly woman with no support from a man. How dare he think like that of her?

Was he trying to revenge the insults she had made him take? Sweet talking her when she was at her lowest, then offer a helping hand only to humiliate and avenge her?

How low he could stop?

The more Ruth thought about it, the more she hated that man. She now felt stupid for opening her heart in front of him. How could she be blinded in her pain to share her emotions with him?

How could she be so dumb to believe and trust his every word?

Ruth felt angry and stupid at the same time, cursed herself for her actions.

Her hands stopped working suddenly when she remembered the last five minutes of their conversation.

-"I think we should continue our conversation some other time."-

She was sure even though clouded by her emotions, she heard the disappointment clear in his voice, his cerulean blue eyes supported her belief.

'I do not want this conversation to end.', were the unspoken words, she had read on his face.

The way he searched through her eyes, trying to communicate with her soul, the way he tucked her hair behind her ear, the feeling she felt at the feather-touch of his fingertips, it all felt surreal now.

Ruth realised a shaking breath as if released from a spell.

"I hope you are well, Miss Moore."

Ruth was startled at that familiar voice.

"Ye-yes, Mr Cooper." She straightened up in her chair.

The old man with a wrinkled face stood right beside her workstation. He looked sternly at her from behind his glasses that rested on his nose.

"Then why I can not see that in your efforts?"

Ruth cringed inwardly at his hostile tone.

"I... I am sorry?" Her words came as a question in nervousness.

The frowns on Mr Cooper's face deepened even more hearing her answer.

"Miss Moore!"

Ruth immediately stood up like a guilty kid getting scolded by a teacher.

Thea glared at the selfish man. He should understand even though Ruth was recovering from the shock of Mr Payne's death, she still had many things served on her platter.

'Why can not this grumpy man be little considerate?' Thea thought.

"I have already warned you. Three mistakes, and I will throw you out of my shop. I have spent my whole life making my name as a brand in Vincardine. I do not pay you for losing yourself in daydreaming. You have already done two mistakes.

Now one more, and you will need to bid goodbye to this job!"

For some reason, Mr Cooper was especially in the worst mood that day. Ruth did the calculations in her head to see if the payday was nearing, but that was not the case.

"Mr Cooper-"

"Thea! If you try to cover up her mistakes again then you can also say goodbye to your job. Anyway you are going to quit after your wedding." He attacked Thea, but she stood unbothered, unlike Ruth.

Ruth bit the inside of her cheek to stop saying something wrong, or worst burst into tears.

This job was the only support she was clinging to. She could not afford to lose it.

"I apologise Mr Cooper. I will be more attentive from nowonwards." Ruth bowed her head.

"You should be, Miss Moore. One more mistake will cost you your job." Mr Cooper reminded her.

Ruth nodded her head. "It will not lead to that Mr Cooper. Please rest assured!"

Throwing a last glance at her way, the man returned back to his chair and got busied in work.

Ruth sat silently back in her chair. She felt all the eyes showing sympathy for her, but she avoided meeting them.

She resumed her work after passing a quick smile to Thea.

'I will not lose this job! Ruth, you need it!' She engraved those words in her mind and focused on her work.