The Angel's Heart - Chapter 2
FROM THE AUTHOR OF A DARK TEMPTATON. What does fate have instore for Maria?
They had finally arrived at the house. It had only been yesterday when she met Miguel and her thoughts were still with him, did he think about her? She wondered. But she quickly banished the idea of him and her. He was no more than a stranger, an outlaw, who high jacked her carriage.
But she thought about her father more and more, what type of man was he. Ever since that incident, she wondered about the possibilities.
Maria unpacked her personal things as her maid took clear of her clothing She placed her mother’s portrait on her bedside table. It had been about 11 years since the death of her mother. She had always thought her mother’s death was suspicious, but even so, it still felt as though there was an empty space that couldn’t be filled.
"Sandra," she called to the maid.
"Yes?" the maid came over and knelt to her side.
"Tell me, did you know my mother well?"
"Yes, Senorita, she was a good lady with a good heart,"
"How did she die?" Maria looked out the window, discussing her mother’s death was a topic which she was tender with.
The maid fumbled with her words. Maria’s intuition sparked, either the maid knew more than she was telling or she too didn’t like telling how her mistress died. But since she was a maid, Maria suspected there was more to the story.
"I… um… Well… Do you not remember senorita?"
"If I did I would not ask,"
"Well, your mother, she was on a trip to your grandmother’s and your father was in an important meeting. So your mother went alone, it however started to rain quite heavily. So… it wasn’t before long the wheels of the carriage got stuck and-"
"Maria! What are you doing? Get ready for the masked ball, I want you to make a good impression," her father said as he stormed into her room. He was already dressed with his fine red velvet suit and his sword sheathed to his side.
"Sandra, what are you doing this is no time to dally around, we have got lots of work to do! Get Maria dressed,"
Maria stood up and closed the door behind her father as he exited the room. The masked ball. That would be the perfect time to sneak into his study and see what he knew about the Angel’s Heart.
"Senorita, I must ask you to stand in the middle while I fit your gown." The maid said, interrupting her thoughts.
There was a knock at the door. "Senorita, there is a package for you," Maria opened the door and received a soft brown package.
"There was a package for you?" her father asked as he poked his head in her room.
"Yes," She opened it and inside the package was the most beautiful dress she had ever laid eyes on. It was cut below the neck with and the sleeves were no more than straps that looped down her shoulders. The dress was a bright red.
"Oh mi dios," her father exclaimed as he ran his fingers over the fine velvet. "But, who sent it?"
"I do not know, the card just says Wear this tonight, From M," Maria said, and instantly Miguel’s face flashed in her mind. "Should I wear it? I do not even know who sent it. This may be a bit….. Conspicuous."
"Yes, yes, yes, you must wear it, the person who sent it may be coming to the ball and could be a good suitor for you, it was about time you got married, and if the person who sent this could afford this type of material, must be rich," her father said gleefully, "Quickly put it on, the guests will be arriving soon," as he turned towards the door.
Maria looked at the dress and sighed. Maybe it was Miguel who sent it but. ‘No,’ she told herself, she must not believe in these fantasies. But she just couldn’t help but have a small light of hope in her heart.
Sometimes she felt as though she was no more than a puppet to her father. A doll, for display only. She wanted to explore the world, the travel, to be treated as equal to the men, to go on an adventure. But that was not likely. If she ever got married, she had no idea how her husband would treat her or how he would regard her for that matter. But still she had always hoped that her husband would at least learn to respect and care for her.
The maid helped her with the dress. Surprisingly it fitted just right a tiny bit loose, but if you pulled the back straps it fitted well.
"You look beautiful, Senorita," the maid said as she gestured to the mirror. Maria gasped, she really did look beautiful. She twirled around and the dress danced with her. The fabric felt light and cool, easy to move in. A dress she would be proud to own.
"Now, for the hair," the maid combed through the dark waterfall of hair gently and pulled it up into a tight bun only letting a few strands brush against her neck. Sandra handed Maria her mask, it was red velvet that would go along well with the dress.
"Perfect, you are ready now and perhaps you will meet someone unexpected."
A small bit of hope jumped in Maria’s heart.
"Perhaps," she whispered back.
*PLEASE WRITE A COMMENT
But she thought about her father more and more, what type of man was he. Ever since that incident, she wondered about the possibilities.
Maria unpacked her personal things as her maid took clear of her clothing She placed her mother’s portrait on her bedside table. It had been about 11 years since the death of her mother. She had always thought her mother’s death was suspicious, but even so, it still felt as though there was an empty space that couldn’t be filled.
"Sandra," she called to the maid.
"Yes?" the maid came over and knelt to her side.
"Tell me, did you know my mother well?"
"Yes, Senorita, she was a good lady with a good heart,"
"How did she die?" Maria looked out the window, discussing her mother’s death was a topic which she was tender with.
The maid fumbled with her words. Maria’s intuition sparked, either the maid knew more than she was telling or she too didn’t like telling how her mistress died. But since she was a maid, Maria suspected there was more to the story.
"I… um… Well… Do you not remember senorita?"
"If I did I would not ask,"
"Well, your mother, she was on a trip to your grandmother’s and your father was in an important meeting. So your mother went alone, it however started to rain quite heavily. So… it wasn’t before long the wheels of the carriage got stuck and-"
"Maria! What are you doing? Get ready for the masked ball, I want you to make a good impression," her father said as he stormed into her room. He was already dressed with his fine red velvet suit and his sword sheathed to his side.
"Sandra, what are you doing this is no time to dally around, we have got lots of work to do! Get Maria dressed,"
Maria stood up and closed the door behind her father as he exited the room. The masked ball. That would be the perfect time to sneak into his study and see what he knew about the Angel’s Heart.
"Senorita, I must ask you to stand in the middle while I fit your gown." The maid said, interrupting her thoughts.
There was a knock at the door. "Senorita, there is a package for you," Maria opened the door and received a soft brown package.
"There was a package for you?" her father asked as he poked his head in her room.
"Yes," She opened it and inside the package was the most beautiful dress she had ever laid eyes on. It was cut below the neck with and the sleeves were no more than straps that looped down her shoulders. The dress was a bright red.
"Oh mi dios," her father exclaimed as he ran his fingers over the fine velvet. "But, who sent it?"
"I do not know, the card just says Wear this tonight, From M," Maria said, and instantly Miguel’s face flashed in her mind. "Should I wear it? I do not even know who sent it. This may be a bit….. Conspicuous."
"Yes, yes, yes, you must wear it, the person who sent it may be coming to the ball and could be a good suitor for you, it was about time you got married, and if the person who sent this could afford this type of material, must be rich," her father said gleefully, "Quickly put it on, the guests will be arriving soon," as he turned towards the door.
Maria looked at the dress and sighed. Maybe it was Miguel who sent it but. ‘No,’ she told herself, she must not believe in these fantasies. But she just couldn’t help but have a small light of hope in her heart.
Sometimes she felt as though she was no more than a puppet to her father. A doll, for display only. She wanted to explore the world, the travel, to be treated as equal to the men, to go on an adventure. But that was not likely. If she ever got married, she had no idea how her husband would treat her or how he would regard her for that matter. But still she had always hoped that her husband would at least learn to respect and care for her.
The maid helped her with the dress. Surprisingly it fitted just right a tiny bit loose, but if you pulled the back straps it fitted well.
"You look beautiful, Senorita," the maid said as she gestured to the mirror. Maria gasped, she really did look beautiful. She twirled around and the dress danced with her. The fabric felt light and cool, easy to move in. A dress she would be proud to own.
"Now, for the hair," the maid combed through the dark waterfall of hair gently and pulled it up into a tight bun only letting a few strands brush against her neck. Sandra handed Maria her mask, it was red velvet that would go along well with the dress.
"Perfect, you are ready now and perhaps you will meet someone unexpected."
A small bit of hope jumped in Maria’s heart.
"Perhaps," she whispered back.
*PLEASE WRITE A COMMENT
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