The Grand Mistress

The painting speaks of a memory of the untold past.

There at the canvass, a girl wearing a white ribbon was sitting on a tree house with a boy sitting by her side. The girl's eyes were following a free butterfly with a purest smile painted on her lips. The boy on the other hand was fixated on the girl, with the warmest smile and eyes that scattered nascent rays. His eyes gave Simione some sense of familiarity, a warm comfort, a color of home. She lingered in the feeling and soon without reason, a sudden tear crept through the girl's eyes. 

"Madam…"

The servant's voice pulled Simione back to reality. Couldn't explain her sudden tears that everyone surely noticed, she immediately stepped back and walked away without a word. Everyone who was left in the gallery followed their madam's silhouette wondering what suddenly made her emotional but none of them dared to follow and bother her.

"Clean this mess," Mr. Brown instructed and gave a big sigh of relief. The challenge he had that night wasn't really about the madam going berserk or the fact that all of the master's paintings were destroyed. It was the fact that the master fairly instructed them to keep Simione comfortable and to make sure her overall well being was okay. Right then, clearly their madam isn't.

Simione however was back in her room and just when she thought she had things under control, a tornado of complicated emotion splashed on her. She didn't know why but the painting she saw in the gallery took her heart by surprise and filled her with things that she tried so hard to keep hidden down the deepest part of her heart. 

Was her longing for Spin getting out of hand now? But could she blame herself if the answer is yes? Spin had always been her home and these days when things in her life surely don't guarantee any happiness and security, her longing for him only intensifies. Perhaps she had just been missing him a lot, she should be able to get by. 

Like she always does.

Without allowing herself to be drowned by her emotions, the girl climbed into the bed and slid herself into the soft covers of her bed. The night had gone cold and only with these covers she clung for some warmth. At that moment, it was the only comfort available to her. Soon, even with such a heavy heart, Simione fell fast asleep.

When morning came, the mansion had gone extremely lively. Simione didn't understand the sudden hype but when she got up from bed and looked through the window, she noticed a rally of trucks outside. 

What's with all this commotion?

Did her soon to be husband decide to come home after what she did last night?

heck!

The view of all the trucks outside suddenly gave her some chills as it looked like they were unloading some things. Things of her husband perhaps?

Goodness gracious!

What should she do then?

Holding a big breath and letting it go, Simione convinced herself that she was just overthinking on things. There's no way her groom would come to her that day. He had been so determined on keeping her away from his sight. Her millions of casualties last night should have agitated him so much to make him not want to see her.

With such, Simione confidently went out her room to see what was going on. She made full steady strides until she found herself near the fabricated stairs and was welcomed with people going in and out the mansion, carefully carrying big framed things inside the house. 

"Is that…paintings?" Simione's eyebrows creased at the sight.

"Yes madam," Mr. Brown appeared at her back, throwing her a sudden surprise.  "Apologies if I surprised you. Good morning"

"What's going on?" Simione immediately inquired.

"Nothing significant madam," Mr. Brown replied placidly. "The master just sent new painting for you,"

"For me..???" Simione raised another brow at it, especially that the subordinate's answer came quite a surprise for her. "Did you not tell him I ruined all his favorite paintings last night?"

"I sure did madam," Mr. Brown replied. "I told him that the you took special notice of the paintings and ruined them one by one,"

"Then why the heck is he sending more?" Simione was appalled. "Is he not afraid I would end up ruining the new ones?"

"Well…" Mr. Brown chose not to look at the girl this time and fixed his eyes to the men that were busy bringing in and out the paintings that his master had delivered to the mansion that morning. "He wasn't afraid madam, we was instead worried the paintings in the gallery might not be enough for you so he sent more for you to play with,"

"To play with?" Simione's mouth formed a big 'Ah' right after her question. "Is he serious?"

Suddenly a sudden headache rushed into her as the tables turned. Last night, she thought she was the one who was going to give her groom a headache yet, not even twenty four hours had passed, the man hit back at her tremendously.

"Is he aware of the millions worth of money he lost last night because of what I did?" the girl's voice went above all the commotion that heads had turned toward them in an instant. Mr. Brown however made a cue, reminding everyone to continue with all their errands and not be nosy about the conversation he had with their madam.

"He is very aware madam I promise you that," Mr. Brown answered politely and camly that only made Simione more upset. How can these men be so relaxed after what she did? Were they not concerned about the millions they are going to lose because of her? And heck what kind of person would allow another to waste his millions worth of collections?

"But the master is more concern of your well being and preferences than anything else," Mr. Brown added much to Simione's insult.. "So as long as you are happy with what you are doing….or what you are going to ruin inside this mansion…he sure will be okay with it and this explains why he sent new paintings early in the morning,"