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Chapter Two

Montgomery's  Mansion

'Hurry up, the princess will arrive anytime soon!'' Leonardo Montgomery yelled at the servants. The chief butler, Diego, who had been in the Montgomery' household for more than half a century, smiled and looked at his employer and friend, whom he fondly calls  'Papi '. He knew how much Papa loved his little princess. His world revolved around her.

'' Papi, relax, everything is taken care of. Even though we have not seen Miss Scarlet for five years, she couldn't have changed so much that she would start liking fanfare. That's just not our girl'. Hearing his friend’s voice, Leonardo relaxed and heaved a sigh. ''I just want to give her my best and try to show her how much I love her''. He sighed tiredly. ’'Papi, you should know that Miss Scarlet worships the ground you walk on’’, Diego comforted his friend. 'I know. I just worry about her'. 'Don't worry, everything will be alright'. Diego knew his friend was talking about more than just the homecoming reception. He was worried about how to break the news of the engagement between Scarlet and the Rossis’ heir, it had to be done to avoid unpleasant circumstances.

"Miss Scarlet has arrived. Everybody, quick, put everything in order!” Nana, the senior housekeeper, yelled from the kitchen.

Scarlet, on reaching the door of the mansion, saw a spectacle that dazzled the eyes. The whole Montegomery’s Mansion looked like a festival, with balloons and flowers in every shade of color. On sighting Scarlet, all the servants chorused, “Welcome, Miss Scarlet!” Scarlet was touched. She ran and hugged everyone. These people were not just servants; they were family. She has missed them so much.

Leonardo hugged Scarlet tightly. “Papa, Papa, I missed you so much."  Scarlet cried emotionally while hugging her father. Pulling away from her, Antonio held Scarlet at arm’s length. ”Let me see my little girl.  ‘Why are you looking so skinny? He exclaimed. “Have you not been eating?

at all?” He continued firing her with questions. Scarlet laughed in joy. This is what she has been missing. This doting father, whom she loved with all her heart, "I have been eating Papa, but no matter how much I eat, I don't seem to add any weight. What should I do? I must take after my mother." At the mention of her late mother, Leonardo Montegomery’s face turned sad. His loving Estelle, who had died while giving birth to Mario, their only son, when Scarlet was only five years old,.

“That must be very true." Leonardo replied with a small smile.

”Papa, you are hoarding the princess; can't the prince hug his only sister?” A voice interrupted the daughter-father duo interlude. Leonardo and Scarlet moved apart guiltily. “My God, Mario, how you have grown!” Scarlet exclaimed, hugging her not-so-little brother. “I have missed you. How are you?” She gushed. "Welcome, sis; I missed you too, but you are strangling me!” Mario protested. Scarlet let go of Mario's neck and chuck him playfully under his chin. You have become a man in just five years, Mario. What did Papa give you to eat?” Scarlet asked her brother playfully. “Si, I am now a man, so no more pulling of my hair.”. Mario laughed with glee.

“If you are through with your banter, let's move to the table; the food is getting cold, or do you want your Nana to get angry at us?” Leonardo queried behind the siblings, who were still engrossed in each other. Scarlet and Mario looked at each other, and the same understanding expression appeared on their faces.

“No!” they exclaimed in unison. They quickly linked their hands with their father and entered the mansion.

Dinner that night at Montgomery Mansion was a loud affair. The servants who had been redundant for some time were so happy to be able to display their skills.

Nana, Diego's wife and Scarlet’s nanny, who also served as the general housekeeper, was too glad to see her baby girl home and left no stone unturned to please and feed her darling girl, whom she had sorely missed.

How she survived five years without Scarlet was nothing short of a miracle, only Mario could console her when Scarlet stubbornly left. She turned all her motherly instincts to taking care of little Mario, who grew up too suddenly and didn't need her anymore.

"Scarlet will soon be back, Nana. You have to stay strong and wait for her to come home," her husband, Diego, kept telling her when she so yearned to see her baby girl and cried herself to sleep.

Now looking at her, all grown up at the dining table, gave her so much joy.

"Please join us, Nana. What are you doing standing there?” Scarlet, who was about to start eating, noticed Nana just standing and directing the servants serving them.

"No, Princess, eat your food. I just want to stand here and watch  you," Nana answered with a smile on her chubby face. “No, I insist, Nana. I won't be able to eat without you by my side. You know I have missed  you."

Scarlett insisted, putting down her cutlery and standing to go get Nana. "No, no, dear, I will sit. Don't stand up."  Nana moved to her husband's side and sat down, picking up her cutlery and the conversation on the table resumed as if it were never interrupted.

Leonardo watched all the banter at the table, and his heart became so full that his eyes turned golden and he glistened with unshed tears.

His children were all grown up, and Estelle missed everything, he wished she could see them.

Diego, sitting near his master, quickly caught up on his emotions and touched Leonardo's hand under the table, a  reassuring touch, telling him he wasn't alone.

Leonardo quickly collected his scattered emotions and smiled at his children. Glad that he could see this day even if Estelle couldn't.

They dined into the night, and everybody relaxed in the den, with Scarlett regaling everyone with tales of her sojourn in a foreign land. Even the servants gathered around to listen to Scarlet's antics. Oh, they have missed their beautiful princess with a heart of gold. The mansion has never been the same since she left. They were all glad that she was back, and with her return, light and laughter filled the gloomy mansion once more.

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