A couple of days went by and no one mentioned any disturbance in the woman's bedchamber and I kept myself busy with any work given to me as to not interrupt the staff who did not interact with the new hired servants if they could help it.

Pictures of the master's ancestors and family decorated the walls of Stanley Hall, the most important hall in the house, which Mrs. Hall sent me to clean. There were weapons, medals, even uniforms worn by the Howard men found in glass and wooden cases along with the family trait: the proud exalted heads. Soon I found the family's crest and the Earl William Howard of Bridgeston, the master's father whom had the same high cheekbones, he stood alone in the painting wearing his British Army uniform but could not tell what rank he was due to military ignorance. It seemed the common assumption of the Howard men was their duty to their country and as I gawked curiously to find the master's rank amongst his valuables why did the master not have a painted of picture of his own among the family.

"Miss Stewart what are you doing?" The master's voice shattered my concentration in the silence of the hall.

"Oh master!" I jumped back taking my hand to the heart to settle it down, "forgive me."

"Well first you must say what I am to forgive you for?"

"It is nothing sir I will get back to work now." I got back to dusting the cases and he came to where I was and looked over the case as if to find out what were my thoughts.

"Ask your question Miss Stewart, if not to get an answer then because you are at my service."

"I... well."

"Yes?"

"I only wish to know what does that mean," I pointed to the family crest displaying an armor helmet on it. "I know it is not my place sir so I did not want to bother you."

"It is Latin, Sola Virtus Invicta, means virtue alone invincible, the Howard family crest, it is etched on my mind as a sermon, I heard it one too many times, anything else Miss Stewart?"

"Is this you sir?"

It was a picture of a young boy by the side of their father and mother. He looked at his mother and I read below it the master's name before his father passed away was quite a mouthful; Lord Sebastian Howard of Stanley Hall. Reading it in my mind I itched to call him by it to but it would not do, Mrs. Hall had made it clear he liked Mr. Howard, though why he would forgo the title was yet another mystery.

"You will not be outsmarted I see, finding me out like this, what gave it away?"

"The smile," I teased and went over to look at the army accolades from the family.

"What smile?"

"What about your father sir, William Howard, what rank did he hold in the British army?"

"Colonel, my father was a colonel, and it was Earl of Bridgeston. He would never let you get away with calling him anything else in this house," his face lifted to look at the portrait and with a sigh he dismissed it. There was a second of vulnerable sadness in his gaze and I forgot myself drawn in by worry for his melancholic spirits.

"My condolences Mr. Howard," without his asking I looked upon his architectural and colorless face keeping a steady look as if there had been a glimpse of humanity.

"It has been years, do not trouble yourself with pity, I assure you I require none" he turned his back and swiftly walked away from where I stood.

"Of course you do not," I lowly threw concerned words he would not hear yet he stopped.

"I..." The master began to talk and I immediately turned to hear what he would say next, as to puzzle me further he then decided not to continue his logic withdrawing from the hall.

I shook my head tightened my eyebrows at his retreating and inhumane nature. It was such a guessing game for I could never tell if the master liked me or saw me as nuisance, if I knew I might better adjust as to how far to take any conversation but it seemed like no matter what I did it displeased him.

As the day passed instead of Eugene and Ms. Johnson, I was ordered to serve the master's dinner at his bedchamber instead of the dining room, like it was when I first arrived in London. Right when I arrived at the hall of the master's bedchamber the room in front of his, L.H., had its door slightly opened and as I went to close it Mr. Eugene came out of the master's room.

"Miss Stewart!" Eugene shouted at me and rapidly got the knob of the door before I could touch it.

"Mr. Eugene!" I let his food, cup and the tray fall breaking most things.

"Oh look at what you've done girl!" Eugene complained and got down to clean it up but his hasty actions had been too exaggerated for a door.

"Forgive me Mr. Eugene I was only going to close the door," I said picking the pieces up from the floor and he shook his head and complained angrily about me.

"Do not go where you are not asked to! Do not touch anything in this house unless specifically told to do so! Why is it so hard for you lot to simply obey the rules? They are there for a reason," as we picked up the stuff the master came out of the bedchamber hearing the commotion outside.

"Why is my dinner on the floor?" The master asked and I did not look up at him, "Eugene?"

"It was Miss Stewart, she said she was about to go in the other bedchamber so when I stopped her it gave her a fright and she let everything fall." Mr. Eugene complained about my work and I could feel my cheeks burn of shame for I had already gone in the secret bedchamber and this was just the way to pay for it.

"Who left it unlocked?"

The master panicked and Mr. Eugene shook his head as if to say it was not him and the air almost left me as the master went near the door for if he went in there I'd have to confess what I'd done. Then he took a key from around his neck and locked the door which such force he took off downstairs as Mr. Eugene followed him and I was left behind with the rest of the mess. When I got to kitchen all the staff had been lined up even though half of them had gone off to sleep they stood their night robes and the master talked ardently with Mrs. Hall who held both her hands in front of her waiting for him to be done.

"Yes sir," she nodded and he went off stomping away and the servants relaxed.

"Oh dear, sorry Mrs. Hall," Ms. Johnson said hugging Mrs. Hall.

"It will be fine, all right everyone be off to sleep, we wake up early tomorrow and remember this night as to not anger the master," she said and the newly employed staff were all dismissed.

"Mrs. Hall," Bert looked at her with a question in mind and she shook her head so he went up back to his room as did Eugene and Ms. Johnson, leaving Mrs. Hall and I behind in the kitchen.

"The master will not want a replacement for his dinner," Mrs. Hall passed the orders.

"Right Mrs. Hall."

"And it seems you have been to the room in front of the master's bedchamber Miss Stewart," Mrs. Hall said with certainty and I stopped what I was doing to look at her.

"Mrs. Hall I..."

"I told him it was me who went in there."

"Why?"

"Are you that naïve Miss Stewart? He would have thrown you out the instant he found his new maid had been sticking her nose in the last place he'd ever let anyone in."

"Of course forgive me Mrs. Hall, I do not know what came over me."

"I forgive you but be very careful in what you are getting yourself into, this house holds too much history, one might say ignorance may be a mercy."

"I understand Mrs. Hall," I tried to give her a smile and she nodded to go to bed and I was alone in the kitchen dreading the lack of company after Mrs. Hall talking of the house as if it was living and breathing secrets. Trying to find my way to the room upstairs every small noise in Stanley Hall had my skin crawling of terror maybe the master was right, the country might drive me mad after all.

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No part, character, names, plot, setting, conflict or resolution, point of view, theme or symbolism of this story may be replicated.

Copyright: All Rights Reserved to A. Sena Gomes.