The second Lily and I turned around, we saw that we’d been confronted by a beautiful, well-dressed woman whose expression was laced with haughty scrutiny. Behind her, was a small group of women that mirrored her same look. She arched a manicured brow and pursed her lips.
“A face I've never seen, a new maid? Wandering around like this, not knowing the rules," she said with a sneer. “You ought to know that the courtyard is not open to people like you.”
Lily stiffened beside me before squaring her shoulders back and meeting this random woman with a stern look of irritation.
"You are being rude, Monica. She is not a new maid—she is James’ lover," she told her.
The nerves in my stomach jolted as each one of them leered at me in distaste. I felt myself grow tense under the other woman’s ju
