Page 8 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
“Are the notes necessary, Arabella?” the housekeeper asked in amusement.
"Very, Mrs. Cooper," Arabella replied, making little blocks for a checking list. "I do not wish to leave anything out. I want to be the very best at what I do."
“You wish to be the very best at cleaning?” said Mrs. Cooper.
They descended the stairs, ending on the first floor. The housekeeper had taken her through all the rooms in the house, indicating which were hers to clean and who she would be partnering with to keep these areas clean.
“Yes, ma'am,” said Arabella. “I wish to make a note of how to clean, where to clean, how many times a week something should be cleaned, what time it should be cleaned, when I should avoid cleaning, who—”
"Yes, yes," Mrs. Cooper said, laughing. "I understand. I have never met another person who shows so much excitement about cleaning. Mind you, it's a good and honest job. There are rewards when done properly."
“The rewards are from doing the work well,” said Arabella. “That is what my mother and father always taught me. One should take pride and enjoy whatever they have decided to do, be it good or unpleasant. That way, even that which might have seemed unpleasant becomes good, and anything that was good but became unpleasant is readily accepted.”
“Your parents are wise people,” Mrs. Cooper said.
“They were,” Arabella told her. “They may not be here with me now, but their teachings live on in me.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Cooper, sympathy filling her eyes. “I'm sorry to hear that, dear. They would be glad to know they've raised a good daughter.”
Arabella smiled. “Thank you, ma'am.” She closed her journal. “Is there anything I can do for you today? I know I do not begin now, but I see no reason not to help a little before I return home.”
Arabella hadn't seen the duke yet, disappointing her. She had hoped to see him during the house tour, only to find he was doing his usual rounds on the estate. The duke seemed shy, so she wondered if he spoke to anyone during his rounds or if he silently went about his inspection. He had run away from her when she first met him the previous day but seemed friendly enough when the housekeeper introduced her to him.
Arabella had found it rather strange, but she had been glad for the second chance to meet him face-to-face. She couldn't understand why they called him the Beastly Duke when the scars had not disfigured his features so much that one couldn't tell one feature from the other.
Perhaps the skin around his eyes were a little stretched, and one side of his nose seemed slightly melted, but his lips remained intact. Even his thick, dark eyebrows had not been affected too much other than a few thin, white scars running across them.
Part of the duke's ear had seemed missing though, or rather, a little melted, but his dark hair had concealed it too quickly for her to take a better look. However, in all sincerity, he was handsome.
“Arabella?” she heard Mrs. Cooper say, drawing her out of her thoughts.
“Yes, ma'am?”
"I'm afraid daydreaming is frowned upon in this household," said the housekeeper. "Especially when you have chores. I shall not scold you for it today, but try not to do it once you begin working here."
Arabella blushed, feeling thoroughly chastised, although Mrs. Cooper had claimed she hadn't scolded her.
“My apologies, Mrs. Cooper,” she said. “I shouldn't have let my mind drift. It won't happen again.”
“I trust it won't,” the housekeeper replied, lightening her tone. “I have a task that you can do for me before you leave. If you do not mind.”
“Not at all, Mrs. Cooper,” Arabella eagerly told her. She opened her journal. “What would you like me to do?”
The housekeeper smiled. "Nothing that would require you to write notes," she said. "It's actually something His Grace does himself daily, but he hasn't returned from his rounds yet. I know he wouldn't want his dogs to miss their feeding time, so would you go to the kitchen and get their food? Ask one of the kitchen maids to show you where the dogs are. You just need to divide the food into their bowls."
“Certainly, Mrs. Cooper,” Arabella replied. “What kind of dogs are they?”
“Whippets,” the housekeeper informed her. “Ten in total.”
Arabella's eyes widened. “Ten? My, I wonder how His Grace handles so many.”
“The duke is a natural with animals,” said Mrs. Cooper. “He always has been. It's the dog's feeding time, so I'd appreciate it if you could feed them now.”
“Of course,” said Arabella, putting her journal into her book bag. “Let me go to the kitchen.”
She curtsied and hurried away, making a mental note to quickly grow accustomed to Mrs. Cooper's briskness. She was a kind and fair woman but firm about work and the standards she expected.
Euston Hall was rather big, so she took the wrong turn at first and had to ask another maid to direct her. She eventually made it to the kitchen, asking for the dog's food. It turned out to be a large bucket of mixed meat, organs, and vegetables. It occurred to her that the dogs seemed to eat better than many people.
