A MAZE OF GREED

"Where are you going Florence?" Claire asked for the fifth time.

Florence braided her hair neatly in the way she thought it looked good on her while facing the mirror.

"I have some important work to do."

"What important work?" Claire eyed her warily.

Why did she need to get dolled up for that?

Sighing in annoyance, Florence turned around to glare at Claire. "Do not you think that you ask so many questions?"

Claire ignored her comment, waiting for the answer to her question.

"I am going in 'the great manor'." Florence at last told.

Claire looked at her, surprised. "What? But... why?"

Florence had already told Claire about what shoes she saw on the man, who came to pack and move Ruth and Mrs Payne's belongings. Although Mrs Payne did not tell her the address, Florence suspected, that it had something to do with 'the graeat manor'.

The only way of finding it out was going there by herself.

"Claire, did not you ever wonder what kind of job Ruth is doing that made her possible to earn so much money?"

Claire had envied Ruth more than pondering over that thought. She only nodded her head.

"Do you remember fiancee of her friend Thea?"

"How can I forget that handsome piece of meat!" Claire's eyes immediately shone with the dreamy look. She could not ever forget Rees's handsome face and warrior physique. He was the epitome of masculinity in her eyes.

If only it was her instead of that bun-like-nosed Thea!

Florence rolled her eyes but continued nonetheless. "He works in 'the great manor'. And I think he helped Ruth in getting a job there. I am going there to confirm my speculation and see why that Rees is so favourable to her."

Jealousy dripped from Florence's voice as honey dripping from a beehive.

Claire's eyes sparkled in excitement. "Can I come with you? Please? Pleasee!!!"

Florence frowned. "No."

"But Florence, are not we partners? We both want to teach Ruth a lesson and show her place. If we work together then we can-"

"I said NO!" Florence said with finality, and picking up her bag, left her room.

While walking on the road that led to 'the great manor', she had many thoughts and probabilities running in her mind. She had visited her two most encounters with Ruth. One was when Florence went to Edwin, and the other one was when she insulted Ruth and her friends.

-"Have you lost all the self respect and morals over the years in your business?"-

Those words of Ruth still prickled her heart. How dare she say that to her?

-"People like me can never understand the importance of power because we hold morals above anything else. And I can never be able to walk in your shoes. Never!"-

Florence scoffed. Only the time would tell if she was wearing the same shoes as Florence's. She was sure that it had to be Rees who helped Ruth with the job and a new house. There was no way for that begger to gain so much in a short time when she was at her lowest.

Florence recalled how Claire narrated the incident when Mr Cooper threw Ruth out of his shop for ruining Mrs Linlithgow's dress.

Florence realised that she was already in front of the gate of 'the great manor'. She noticed that the guard whom she used to seduce to get entry inside, was replaced by the other one. He eyed her warily, a frown set on his forehead.

But he allowed her entry into 'the great manor'. Florence cursed at him under her breath and walked inside. While walking on the path that led to the garden, she paused for a minute to watch the sight of the huge superstructure in front of her.

The towers and the high walls called her name. She had always dreamed of calling this place hers, ruling the Vincardine from under its roof. Was not that the reason she was so obsessed with Edwin O'Dell?

Florence smiled inwardly, thinking she would not have hesitated to make even Augustus O'Dell happy to get her title of Lady O'Dell. But then again, a woman's need could not be satisfied only by money.

She craves for something else too- raw, masculine and mind-blowing. That only Edwin could offer her.

The thought of seeing him again after months stirred her heart in her chest in excitement.

Picking up her pace, she reached the main fountain in the middle of the garden. The visitors were not allowed to enter 'the great manor' through the main door. They opened it only on special occasions.

Florence was contemplating whom she should meet first. Ruth or Edwin?

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She turned around to see a maid.

"Miss, Lady Eloise is asking for you." The maid told.

Suprised Florence, tilted her head to see Eloise sitting in a chair leisurely and another maid drying her long wet hair from the shower.

Florence had not expected to meet that woman. She despised Edwin's cousins, for they were the major reason why he had many times cancelled their meetings. Florence was especially annoyed by Eloise as the encounters they ever had were not classified as pleasant.

Florence followed the maid wordlessly and stopped near where Eloise was.

"What are you doing here Florence? I have warned you before to stay away from brother Edwin. Is there anything you do not understand about it?" Eloise glared at her, not wasting time beating around the bush.

Florence clenched her jaw in anger. She could have initiated another ugly bickering with Eloise like before, but she did not want Edwin to know about it. Besides, that was not for what she came all the way here.

"I am not here to meet your cousin. I am here to meet my friend."

"Friend? Which friend of yours is here?" Eloise asked as if she was asking about an address of a ghost.

Florence maintained her calm and answered, "Ruth Moore. I am here to meet her."

She studied Eloise's changing expressions as soon as she mentioned Ruth's name. Eloise's frown deepened. She dismissed the two maids with the flick of her hand. Straightening up a little, she asked again for confirmation.

"Ruth Moore? Elsie's head maid?"

Oh... so she was Elsie's head maid?!

Florence was shocked to hear that. She thought Rees might have helped Ruth in getting a job as a cleaner or anything like that. But she had not expected her to get such a higher position.

To not let Eloise see through her lie, Florence nodded. "Yes."

"She is your friend?" Eloise asked in disgust that Florence did not understand if it was directed at her or Ruth or both.

"Yes. We were neighbours in the Eastern side." Florence confirmed.

Eloise's nostrils flared.

"That leech is your friend! No wonder she is just like you- selfish, ill-mannered, and in dire need to knowing her place that is at my shoes!" She spat.

'Well... well... well... what a surprise! One more person who little miss innocent managed to get on the bad side.' Florence was happy from inside but feigned confusion outwards.

"Why are you saying such things about her?"

"You do not know? You must be her mentor in teaching her how to sneak in the life of elites like a worm, then suck them out for your selfish reasons like a leech and then live all your life exploiting them like a parasite!"

Florence was too angry to control her language. She forgot that she was an O'Dell and should maintain some decency.

All that mattered for her was her hatred towards Ruth.

"You are wrong! My friend Ruth is nothing like that! Why are you saying such bad things about her?" Florence acted offended.

In the fit of anger, Eloise told everything from the start- how Ruth got such a higher position with the help of Rees to this day when she harmed Fannie.

Florence's eyes went growing bigger than before, with every incidence that Eloise told. She could not have guessed that so much had happened without her knowledge.

"If whatever you are telling is true then how come she is still working here? Is not she should be dismissed from the job?" Florence asked curiously.

Eloise narrowed her eyes at the other woman. "You do not believe me? Then go and see Fannie's state for yourself. And about not kicking that cockroach out... hmmm..." Eloise seemed thinking about something.

"I wonder why brother Edwin did not do just that?" Eloise said that to herself, but Florence's sharp ears caught on them.

"What? Lord Edwin?"

Eloise gave an annoyed look to her. "Yes. Ruth got recommendation of brother Edwin and thus he is responsible for punishing her mistakes. But he did not. He chose to forgive that woman insted of punishing her for insulting his cousin." Eloise was still not over that fact.

But she was also not over of the fear that was instigated in her by Ruth that day.

"Edwin O'Dell?" Florence clenched her hands into fists as anger bubbled in her at the possibility her head came up with.