Sybil screamed as she dropped the basket of bread. Her hands were up to her chest as she stared down at a man lying on the side of the road.
"What is it, Sybil?" asked Countess Ella Hancock who stood behind her.
Sybil stepped aside so the Countess could see the man on the ground. The man got on one knee and brought out his cane to use as leverage and push himself up. The women both took a step back when they saw the shaggy man trying to balance himself.
"I'm sorry my Lady," said the man, who had a slight lisp as he spoke. "I didn't mean to startle you both."
"What were you doing on the ground?" asked Countess Ella.
The man had a slight smile on his face as he put a hand behind his head. "This is embarrassing. I seemed to have a moment of weakness and lost the energy to walk. I didn't believe there was anyone around so I took the opportunity to rest." He noticed the bread on the ground and tried to pick it up.
Sybil went forward and gathered the bread back into the basket.
"I'm sorry," said the man as he looked down at her.
"It's alright," said Sybil, standing up straight with her basket.
"May I ask, what happened to your leg?" asked Countess Ella.
The man put both hands on his cane to steady himself. "A parting gift from the Great War."
"You fought in the Great War?" said Sybil.
"I did. Terrible ordeal. I guess I should be happy to have come out of it alive. Many didn't."
"My husband also fought in the war," said Countess Ella. "He's told me many stories. Lost a lot of friends."
"We all did, my Lady," he said.
"Sybil, we should get going. Good luck on your travels, sir," she said with a nod of her head. She didn't wait for Sybil before turning around and walking away.
Sybil gave the man a look of pity but he only smiled at her. She pulled one loaf of bread and handed it to him. "Here you go."
The man was surprised as he took the bread. She smiled and began to walk away. He reached out to her. "Favor por favor," he said.
"Excuse me?" she said as she stopped to look back at him.
"Favor por favor," he repeated as he waved the bread at her. "A favour for a favour," he translated. "I'll pay you back for this one day. Thank you."
Sybil only gave him a smile before running off and catching up with her Countess.
***
It was the middle of the night when a knock on the door woke Sybil. She stayed in her bed stiff, not knowing what to do when she heard a familiar voice whisper her name. She got up, put a robe on, and went to open the door. It was James, the footman, who was standing at the other side. James was young, barely eighteen.
"I'm sorry for waking you so late, but I didn't know what to do," said James.
"What's wrong? Why are you even up this late?"
"I was out with the guys at the pub and we met this old war vet."
Sybil's mind quickly went to the man she saw earlier. "And?" she asked.
"Well, everyone else left, and me and the vet were the last ones out." He hesitated as he tried to come up with a way to tell the rest of the story. "I found out he had no place to stay and I offered he stay here."
"You did what?" said Sybil a little too loud.
"I know," said James in an apologetic manner.
"You offered a homeless man to stay at the Luffdon Abbey. You know you're not the head of the house."
"I know, I know. It's just, he fought in the Great War and now he's out in the cold with no roof over his head. It's not right."
Sybil couldn't hide her annoyance, but she could understand his point. "Okay, what is it you want me to do about it?"
"I'm sorry," said James as he held his head low. "It's just.... you're the kindest person I know and I have no idea what to do."
"James," said Sybil. "Please compose yourself and tell me what is it you want me to do."
"Do you know where I can hide him for the night so he doesn't stay outside in the cold?"
"Where is he?"
"I left him outside in the back. Everyone's sleeping."
Sybil hesitated as she thought about what she should do. She took a step out of her room and closed the door behind her. "You said he's in the back?"
"Yes."
"Alright, first thing I want you to do is go to your room and gather a pillow and blanket for the man." James nodded. "I'll meet the fellow outside. Anything I should know before I go?"
"He's a little drunk. The guys baited him to keep drinking. They were having some fun with him."
Sybil sighed. "Of course they did. Do you believe he could be dangerous."
"Not at all. He can barely stand on his own. He injured his leg during the war."
Sybil's mind went right back to the man she met earlier. It had to be him. "Go get the things. I'll meet you outside."
"Yes ma'am," he said as he hurried off.
Sybil went outside and found the man sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. He hadn't noticed her come out. She approached him slowly and could hear him snoring. She stood over him and recognised him as the man from earlier. He even had his old cane laying over his lap.
"Sir," she whispered. "Sir, please wake up."
His eyes opened and looked up. "Lady Sybil?"
"Are you alright?"
He looked around at his surroundings as if trying to figure out where he was. He returned his sights to Sybil. "Am I dreaming?"
"No you're not mister...." she realised she didn't know his name.
"Rodrigo," he said as he kept eye contact with her. "My name is Rodrigo."
"Can you stand Rodrigo?"
He brought his knees up to his chest and used his cane to push himself up. Sybil offered her hand and helped pull him up. "Thank you," he said as he looked around. "Where am I?"
"Luffdon Abbey."
"How did I get here?"
James rushed outside and went to Sybil and Rodrigo. He was holding a blanket and a pillow. "I've collected the things you told me to." He turned to Rodrigo. "How are you feeling sir?"
"A bit of a headache," answered Rodrigo as he tried to get a good look at James. "I know you?"
"Yes, we met at the pub. Apologies, I believe my friends had a little too much fun with you."
Rodrigo let out a gruff laugh. "I think I had a little too much fun." He turned to look at his surroundings. "What time is it anyways?"
"Late," answered Sybil. "Do you have a place to stay?"
Rodrigo took a step forward. "I'll find a spot. Don't worry about me. Thank you very much." He took a couple of steps away from Sybil and James.
Sybil saw James give her a sad look. She went forward and stood in front of Rodrigo. "Sir, we can find you a place to stay the night, if you need it."
"You're too kind," said Rodrigo.
"Don't think twice about it. It won't be the most comfortable place, but I suspect it'll be better than staying out in the cold." Sybil took the blanket and pillow from James. "Follow me."
Sybil led Rodrigo and James inside through the staff quarters, stopping at a room at the end of the hall.
"Whom does this room belong to?" asked James.
"No one," answered Sybil.
Rodrigo looked at James weirdly. "Why don't you know this?"
"He's new," answered Sybil as she opened the dusty room. "The room might not be in the best shape, but at least you'll have a bed."
"Again, I owe you one Lady Sybil," said Rodrigo.
"You two know each other?" asked James.
"We met earlier on the road," said Sybil.
"Yes, I seem to be having a run of bad luck," said Rodrigo. "The Lady here has shown me a kindness."
"You don't have to call me a Lady."
"Why not? You are a Lady."
"No I'm not. Lady is a title for the head of the house."
"The high society. I feel that's nonsense."
"Sir," said James. "May I ask, where are you from?"
"I was born in Spain, but for the past five years, I've been living in Berkshire." Rodrigo sat down on the bed and rubbed his bad leg.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did you suffer your injury?" asked James as he pointed at his leg.
"It happened two years ago," said Rodrigo. "Sad thing was it happened towards the end of the war."
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," said Sybil.
"No, it's okay. There was a man I became good friends with, or at least I thought I did. You see, during the beginning of my deployment, I was caught in the trenches with a no man's land between us and the enemy."
"No man's land?"
"It's exactly that, a piece of land unoccupied, with men fighting each other from both sides. But the day I was there, one of our men got caught in the middle of no man's land. He was pinned down and he surely was going to die."
"How did he get there?" asked James.
"Our troops tried to advance but it didn't go well. Most of them were killed, for the exception of this one man. He cried out for aid and I couldn't help myself. I went into no man's land and by some sort of luck of God, I was able to rescue him and come out unharmed."
"Remarkable," said Sybil.
Rodrigo smiled. "I thought so too. The fellow and I became good friends after that. We stuck together for most of the war."
"That's amazing," said James. "He owed you his life."
"You would believe so, but I guess he didn't feel the same way."
"What happened?"
"We were caught in a battle where we were forced to retreat. That was when I was shot in my leg," said Rodrigo, rubbing his leg. "I called out to my friend. He stopped long enough to look back at me, but instead of paying back the favour, he retreated."
"I'm sorry," said Sybil.
"Don't be. You didn't betray me."
"How did you survive?" asked James.
"Luck, I guess."
"Whatever happened to the man?"
"I have no idea. I never saw him again." Rodrigo had a sad look on his face as he had his sights to the floor.
"We should be heading to bed," said Sybil as she put a hand on James' arm. "Get some rest. I'll return in the morning and we can get you on your way."
"Thank you again," said Rodrigo with a sad looking smile.
"It's no problem," said Sybil as she led James out. She closed the door and turned to James. "You know what you have to do," she whispered. "No one can know he stayed here or we'll be fired."
"I understand," said James.