Dear Louisa,

Chapter 3 - Masks

An explanation from Sonya and Margie of their shenanigans so far was all that Louisa needed.

"So, let me get this straight. You two stole some dresses from some room, wanted to join this party in the dresses, fabricate identities and it's all just because Margie was bored?" Louisa said.

They were still in the moonlit garden. The muffled chamber music played through the windows and the half opened door to the mansion's bustling bright interior. The floors filled with moonlight and shade. 

"Pretty much?" Margie pleaded

"Alright. So, I won't tell anyone. In the end you are just gonna go back to your maid jobs, right?" Louse said, looking back at them from the door. Giving them a look of anticipation.

Margie and Sonya looked at each other and gave a little nod, letting Louisa know that they will be gone at the end of the night. They make their way back into the central hall of the mansion and it was still as lively as before, laughs and giggles raced through the air. The lights were bright and the people were ecstatic. 

"I'm sorry, I actually had someone to talk to. I will be right back." Louisa said.

Sonya's eyes paced about the scene. Suddenly, she feels a tap to her shoulder. A lady in the olive green dress greeted her sights.

"Enjoying the evening, I see. New here, I assume? My name is Anna. Anna Tudor." She holds out a hand, to which Sonya returns a handshake.

"Your green dress is beautiful," Sonya said.

"Olive. Olive green." Anna Tudor corrected her, with an intense glare. She snaps out of it and composes herself. "Forgive me, I do get carried away by these trivial things. I take this very seriously."

"Almost too seriously." Margie commented.

Sonya elbows Margie, giving a glare that screamed 'shut up.'

"Anyways, I take it you have met Arthur and Tom?" Anna asked.

"Oh, they were such handsome lads!" Margie said.

"Well, I'll have to warn you. They do have quite a reputation of, well, leading new ladies on." Anna helps herself to a deep breath and takes Sonya's hand "I would know, I've had first-hand experience. I'd stop talking to them if I were you."

"Thank you, but we have no intention of even meeting them another day." Sonya said.

Anna smiles. "I'm glad we are on the same page. I'm sorry if don't have time to mingle and get to know you, ladies. Now if you excuse me, I have something to attend to."

Anna walks away in a most grandiose fashion. Margie laughs.

"What's so funny, Margie?" Sonya asked.

"What? She's obviously jealous, that's what!" Margie laughed bumping Sonya.

Louisa then appears and made her way towards them, saying, "Let me introduce you ladies to some other people in the party. Well, If you don't mind, of course."

Louisa leads them through the crowd as the pass by the musicians and some of the guests. Sonya suddenly thought of a though that she had in her mind for quite a while, 'Why, we don't even know why this party is held."

"Louisa wait, can we clear some things up?" Sonya said, stopping in her tracks.

"Alright, sure."

"What is this party about in the first place?"

"Oh, I forgot that the staff is usually left in the dark when it comes to these things." Louisa looks around and goes on to say, "Well, maybe we could talk somewhere less noisy." 

Louisa brought them to the dining room. Wooden walls and brown carpets brought a very homely atmosphere, something the Pears household appreciated very much. A view of the crowd was very much available, from a large arch.

"My great grandfather wanted some sort of tradition. We bring a bunch of guests in to stay for about a week or so and then food, courtship, sports, swimming. All the activities you can imagine at a rich man's vacation. That's it."

"You say 'that's it' like this is nothing!" Margie remarked dramatically. "Oh, how I wish we didn't have to go back to being maids tomorrow."

"Maids?" said a low voice behind them.

They all look back to find a young man in a vest and an apron holding a cup of tea on a cup plate. It was Terrence, with his darker complexion and his curly locks. His face always bore this expression of being stern and strong. He studied their faces for a bit and then suddenly, his roughness breaks into a loud hearty laugh.

Terrence said, "Ooh! I can't believe the things you decide to do Mar-"

"Lady Margaret." Margie said with a witty smirk planted on her face.

As Margie begins to recount the shenanigans to a hysterical Terrence, Sonya spots something behind the crowd outside the dining room. A figure in a black suit ran towards a door into some hallway. Sonya was struck with curiosity. Should she investigate? She thought it was stupid of her to even think about going there but she can't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"I think I need some time alone. Don't worry I'll be right back." Sonya told Louisa as she made her way to the hall.

Not too hurriedly, she walked as fast she could to the door. Opened it and made quite a loud creak, the man was several rooms away in the corridor. They were surrounded by paintings, vases and an ornate grandfather clock, it was full of windows on the left side of the hall. It seems like he noticed here but she couldn't make a single feature in the dimness and the distance. Sonya made her way to the man with a slow and soft stride.

"Are you alright? Did something happen?" Sonya said.

The corridors was filled with the echoing of her voice with muffled party behind her blocked by a door. Regret slowly crept into Sonya's mind. 'Why on Earth am I doing this?' she asked herself in her thoughts. His gaze was emotionless and his unclear face in the shadows was unsettling, she made her way to him. Now she was only a few meters away, he was wearing a white mask that covered his whole face.

Suddenly, she sees the shine of a knife. She quickly takes a vase and throws it at the man, screaming as loud as she could! In the end the man dodges and runs away into the rest of the halls. She stumbles over onto the ground, as she sees a surge of light come in from the door she came from.

Several people came in with an applause of nervous steps. One man came rushing towards, he was in a brown dress shirt with a round face and wide blue eyes.

"What happened?" He beckoned to some other men, among of which were Arthur and Tom.

"I, well, there was this man who was going to stab me and I had to scream and throw a vase at him and I-" Sonya stammered.

"Where did he go?"

Sonya points to the direction where the masked man ran. The other men quickly ran to where she pointed, the sharp stomps and kicks from their shoes echoed through the halls.

"Let's get out of this corridor." The man carries Sonya out of the dim hallway and out into the crowd of shocked faces and Margie running up to her from afar.