August 1890:
I love the way that the sun bounces in the summertime, how the house seems so much more alive and dynamic. Even though the days are much longer, I can't be too mad about them, since they're always so pretty. Finally, I've received a postcard from Italy from my Father, he's in Venice and sends his love and prosperity. Summer nights are often sleepless and stuffy, but the servants decided to spend some of the evening outside over at the folly, where Jack told us horror stories. They began tame, but he told this story that really freaked Hetty and Sheila out.
"Have you ever heard of the Wolf Boy?" He began, an owl hooted as Hetty and Sheila wrapped their blanket around them, "They say an infant wandered into the woods and got lost inside. There, in the darkest part of the forest, he came across a pack of bloodthirsty wolves."
"Did they eat him?" Sheila asked.
"Some would say he had a worse fate. They chose to keep him, and raise him as one of their own," he continued, picking up the lantern placed next to him, "Over time, the boy learned how to move, howl, hunt, even think like a wolf, until he forgot he was ever human to begin with. Now, he roams the forest with his pack, his soulless eyes searching for their next kill."
Instantaneously, we heard the sound of a twig snap, we all rose in unison, turning towards the origin of the snap.
"I didn't imagine that." I said, my fingers curved over the crook of his arm, his energy echoing onto me. I took the lantern out of his cold hands, pointing it towards the source of the sound.
"Whoever's there, show yourself." Hetty said, stepping forward, waiting for a reply.
"It was probably a deer. Come on, let's call it a night." Jack said, taking the lantern back from me, I felt a light pressure on my lower back, t'was Jack, again. I walked forwards towards the house, listening to Hetty and Sheila ramble on about how there's someone watching us.
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The next morning, us girls were in the kitchen polishing, placing, and perfecting the family's extensive cutlery collection.
"A rabid boy who eats raw meat - please, say it's only a tale!" Lizzie cried, drifting across the kitchen in worry.
"Whatever it is, something's definitely out there." Hetty commented.
"Don't worry, you'll hear his tortured howls first and then you should run as fast as you can!" Agnes added, poking fun at Lizzie's genuine terror. The footsteps of Brody put an end to Agnes's fun.
"Lizzie, I need you to watch over Constance," she started, the master bedroom bell rang, "The nursery maid is out with Mrs Calendar and the baby."
"I'll go." I whispered to Agnes. She nodded and I made my way up to the master bedroom. To my surprise, it was Mrs Calendar.
"Yes, Phillipa. I just wanted to ask you if you could change the sheets in this room and mine."
"Of course, milady."
"Thanks ever so much, Phillipa." She left the room in search for the nursery maid and her son, they were going on an excursion today, whilst Mr Calendar held interviews for the position of a regular journalist for the Daily Herald - Agnes was letting the candidates in. I started work immediately, changing the cotton on both beds, didn't take me long at all. It was strange when I got to the kitchen and didn't see Agnes, as she was upstairs. It was just Sheila there today.
"Phillipa, can I ask you something?" she said, looking around to see if anyone else was coming.
"Yes, of course."
"Do you think it's strange how Brody treats Hetty? Always singling her out for praise and reward."
Sheila was onto something, I was thinking about how she was about to instate Hetty as second housemaid, "I do, yes." I replied.
"Something inside me says that we shouldn't trust her, but Hetty doesn't want to hear it."
"I don't blame her. Where is she, anyway?"
"Gideon says that they've 'found the wolf boy'. They're at the folly." she said, rolling her eyes in frustration, handling some fish.
"Right," I said with a giggle, "Well, I'll keep an extra eye out, then."
"Thanks, Phillipa." I left the kitchen to go to the laundry room to make a start on the sheets, when none other than Mrs Brody entered.
"Phillipa, can you go and collect Miss Constance and Lizzie for lunch, please. I believe they're outside."
"Yes, Mrs Brody." I left the building promptly in search for the two girls, they weren't on the front lawn, or the library lawn. I was about to check the walled garden, when I heard, from a distance, the sound of the young lady.
"Now, you lift your little finger like this..." I paced to the folly, arriving there just as Constance said that she was going to ask her father if they could "keep him and teach him how to be human again." She was talking about the supposed Wolf Boy, who was sitting rather humanly infront of her, with a tiny teacup in his anthropoid hands.
"No you mustn't..." Gideon said quickly, he was standing with Jack watching Miss Constance interact with the 'wolf boy', "People won't understand like you do. They'll put him in a zoo or a circus."
"I wouldn't let that happen to my Wolf Boy."
"Ah..."
"We'll keep him hidden until he can pass as human."
"What an excellent idea." Gideon said, looking over to Jack in worry. Constance stood up and walked over to the 'Wolf Boy'.
"I'll be back to teach you how to walk on two legs." she said, patting him on the head, walking away after. Lizzie looked apprehensive, and snatched away the tea set they were playing with.
"Lizzie, lunch is ready, so if you could take Miss Constance to the dining room, that'd be great." I told her. She looked up at me in seriousness and unease.
"I'm shocked that I'm alive to tell the tale." she said, following Constance.
"What just happened?" the wolf boy asked.
"You need to leave now, that's what." replied Jack.
"Who are you?" I questioned.
"This is Vince, friend from the foundling." Gideon stated, wary when he said 'friend'.
"He's run away from the army. Hetty's gone to fetch some supplies for him." Jack added.
"Well, whoever he his, friend or not, he shouldn't be here. As a member of Calendar Hall's staff, I'd be obliged to call for the constable."
"Please, Phillipa. Hetty'll be here in a minute. Once she's here, he'll be gone." assured Gideon.
"Christ's sakes." I said, "If you get caught, that's not my problem. You both should know better." I turned around and walked back to the house. On my departure, I heard them speaking.
"So, who's that?"
"She's the second housemaid."
"She stepping out with anyone then?"
"Don't push it."
I finally got back to the house and had a quick gossip with Sheila before I went to go and wash and dry the sheets. I eventually got back from the laundry yard, when Hetty came back, in fury.
"Phillipa! Did you tell Lizzie to tell Mr Calendar about Vince?" She started, in absolute rage.
"No, why would I do that?"
"You were the only other person that knew, and I don't think she would've had the capability to do it alone."
"Christ's sake. Do you seriously think I have time to be doing that? Unlike you, I take my job seriously. I stuck my neck out for you today, going against my role. Any regular person would be grateful for that."
She left the kitchen, but in less that a minute later, she returned.
"It was Brody." she said.
"I was right!" exclaimed Sheila.
"So, what are you going to do."
Hetty pondered for a moment, and her charm shone through once again, "Dust the picture frames."
"Very well." Her contagiously joyful smile meant you couldn't be mad at her forever. But I knew she wasn't going crack on with the dusting. I knew she was going to get to the bottom of this, that Feather!
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a/n:
pip and sheila are an underrated duo fr. thanks for reading!!