Chapter 7

Walking arm in arm into what Marek had called the great hall Heather gasped in amazement. The room was a vast ballroom, decorated in a Georgian style and lit by huge crystal chandeliers. On the floor of the ballroom stood about forty people. All but one of the people present curtsied as the couple entered the room.

Marek led Heather to the woman who stood at the front of the group.

“Heather I would like to introduce you to the housekeeper Ms Anderson, Ms Anderson this is my fiancée Heather.”

The woman nodded curtly and responded “Miss Heather.” in a crisp cold voice. Heather was taken aback for a moment until she saw the woman wink before turning back to the staff.

Ms Anderson proceeded to name each of the women present telling Heather their role from scullery maid to head cook and on to ladies maid. Each woman curtsied as her name was called out.

Having seen only Mary up until that point Heather had expected a bevy of busty young things, instead she found that the young Marek must have had wide tastes in women. Just about every body shape and skin tone you could think of was represented amongst these women in ages ranging from late teens to early forties. When she had finished Ms Anderson turned back to Heather and waited expectantly.

Heather cleared her throat nervously.

“Th, Thank you Ms Anderson.” she stuttered, “And thank you ladies, uh, although I’ll try to remember all of your names please forgive me if I have trouble for a day or two. Um, is there anything else Ms Anderson?”

For just a moment a warm smile passed across Ms Anderson’s face before she turned back to the assembled staff.

“That will be all for now ladies, you may return to your duties.” She told them.

“Ms Anderson could you join us in the Lounge for tea while you bring Heather up to date on the household?” Marek asked as the staff started to disperse.

“Certainly Sir.” Ms Anderson said and turning back to the staff clapped her hands loudly, the women all turned at the sound. “Cynthia, tea for three in the lounge please.”

A short girl with coffee colouring that Heather remembered as being introduced as Cynthia earlier curtsied “Yes Ms Anderson.” she said and hurried from the room.

Marek took Heather’s arm again and led her from the room, they were followed by the housekeeper.

The lounge was yet another surprise to Heather, it would have fitted well into any modern house. Two large sofas faced a modern large flat screen television with a coffee table in front of them. The decor was actually very similar to the living room of Marek’s flat.

Marek and Ms Anderson waited patiently while Heather poked around the room, she was surprised to even see today’s paper in a magazine rack along with several recent magazines.

A knock on the door caused Heather to pause in her examination, she naturally went to open the door when Ms Anderson held up her hand to stop her.

“Come!” The housekeeper snapped out.

Cynthia opened the door and pushed in a trolley containing a tea service along with a tiered stand of small cakes. The girl went to serve the tea when Ms Anderson stopped her.

“That’s alright Cynthia, we can serve ourselves, thank you.”

“Yes Miss.” Cynthia answered quietly and quickly left them alone.

As soon as the door shut Ms Anderson seemed to shrink two inches and a warm smiled crossed her face. Heather was shocked when the woman literally flowed into Marek’s arms kissing him thoroughly.

“Oh Marek, You’ve found a treasure.” Leaving him Ms Anderson enveloped Heather in a tight embrace and kissed her just as passionately.

“And you my dear were perfect with the staff, now when we are alone please call me Gloria, but please, please don’t forget it’s Ms Anderson in front of the staff.”

Heather blushed as Gloria took her hand and pushed her to one of the sofas. After pushing Heather into the seat Gloria sat close and draped one arm over Heather’s shoulder, her fingers lightly grazing the slope of Heather’s breast. Her other hand landed on Heather’s thigh and began tracing up and down the smooth silk of Heather’s dress.

Heather cast a nervous glance at Marek only to find him grinning at them both. Marek leant over the back of the sofa and kissed both women on the cheek.

“I need to go and see the outside staff for a while so why don’t you two get to know each other while I’m gone.” he said with a wicked grin.

As he straightened up Gloria turned Heather’s face towards her and leant in to kiss her. When he closed the door he noticed that Heather was kissing Gloria as enthusiastically as she was being kissed. When they parted Heather was breathless for a moment. Before things went any further she felt she had to explain something to Gloria.

“Gloria, do you, uh, do you realise what I am?” She asked worried that the woman would hate her when she knew that she was dead.

“A ghost,” Gloria toyed with Heather’s long brown hair, “yes, you were so lucky honey.”

“Lucky?” Heather queried.

“Yes lucky, the rest of us were just sort of adrift, we never managed to become ghosts. We, we have tried not to let Marek know what we are.”