The third morning we woke up at Beardsley and heard the morning gongs, Rhiannon was already walking to Beth's bed, skirts swishing from how fast she walked, heels clicking against the hollow wooden floors. When she reached her, she grabbed the blanket that was over her, and tugged with such force that Beth flipped over with it and screeched like a banshee.
"Give me back my blanket!" she cried. If any of the servants were still asleep, they surely woke up now.
"Wake up!" Rhiannon shouted in equal fervor.
Me and Clo watched, intrigued, both huddled under our own covers and giggling. Rhiannon seemed more human nowadays, maybe because of her new morning chore. She was close to Beth, like rivaling siblings, of course with her as the older one and Beth the younger one, and me and Clo even felt comfortable enough to laugh whilst watching them.
"Today isn't that cold," I said after we all woke up and lined up to use the water in the basin. "I wonder when we can get a day off, I would like to walk around town sometime."
"Yes!" Beth turned to me abruptly, the cold water on her face splashing on me. She grinned. "Did you know Ravensborough is famous for their markets? Merchants from all over come because all the richest gather here!"
"You mean the House of Beardsley and House of Clarke?" Those were, as far as I was concerned, the only rich houses I knew of here.
I was interested in applying to the House of Clarke too, as it was much more beautiful, modern, and well, didn't have bad-rumors linked with it, but then again, they had dozens of applicants. They, surely, wouldn't choose an inexperienced orphan like me who was not even of English origin.
"I don't mind if you want to go, but are you really able to? You know you'll probably meet a lot of other Phillips, right?"
Clo stopped buttoning her blouse and turned to look at me, frowning. Her face was bare now, no trademark red lipstick nor rouge. She suddenly looked so much younger, and without her heeled boots, she was only slightly taller than me.
I played with my hands again, angsty at the thought.
I didn't like having abuse hurled at me either, but I also wanted to feel like an ordinary girl. To around the streets, buy scones and bon bons from food-stands, watch street-performers like clowns, and shop for German lace to sew on dresses.
"Why do you always treat her like a child?" Rhiannon asked. I never knew whether she spoke to make me more independent or just to vex Clo, because usually the end result was them fighting. "She's what, sixteen?"
"Eighteen," I interrupted. I left the orphanage at sixteen but worked for two years at the church and lived off their pity before applying to Beardsley.
"That's not the point—you won't know anyway, because you're fair and pretty." Clo rolled her eyes and set to brushing her hair. Rhiannon only raised an eyebrow.
"Don't assume I had an easy life just because I'm fair and pretty. I had to leave two houses before because the footmen and valets were bothering me."
"I've never seen someone brag about their beauty like that," Beth whispered in awe, but I could see it. Rhiannon probably adopted her prissy attitude to prevent anyone from getting too close to her, and it stuck with her, even now.
"Hmph," Clo said. "But if you're going, I'm going with you, Shuyan."
"That's not very helpful," Rhiannon said. "Both of you might be targeted. I'll come along."
"No one invited you—" Clo hissed, but then Beth cut in.
"Oh! Let's all go! I've always wanted to go and can get to know each other better, too!"
"Yes," I said quickly, before anyone argued. "Let's ask Mister Kupka at dinner-time today!"
"Uh-huh, and do our work perfectly so he can't complain!" Beth held my hands and cheered, and I cheered along meekly, much to the disdain of the other two.
***
After we went our separate ways I went to clean Master Tobias's room. His room, I noticed, was extremely different from Master Eugene's. Maybe it was because it was the first one I went to, I thought it was normal, but only now did I realize how dreary it was.
His curtains were a dark blue, with barely noticeable patterning, as was the canopy over his bed, while the drapery on his dresser and tables were a dark burgundy, and the Turkish carpets a mixture of brown and red. Not only did everything seem ten shades darker than the colors in Master Eugene's room, he had a cabinet with glass windows that I only noticed now, and it was full of trophies. Chess trophies, and each one was dated.
I wondered if they required dusting too, but then decided against touching the gold and silver until I had confirmation from Mister Kupka, and moved on to inspect the paintings in his room. They were paintings of bland mansions or stormy landscapes. There were no portraits or even pictures.
I wondered if Master Tobias was an unhappy person or it was normal for nobles to have such tastes.
"Excuse me."
I jumped at the voice and turned around.
There was Master Tobias, standing in the doorframe, a good three meters away from me, pulling back a bit like I was carrying some disease, and not meeting my eyes.
Did I make another mistake?
"I'm sorry—" I began, flustered, "I did not realize you were coming, sir."
I held my head down and trembled.
This was it. It had hardly been three days and I already broke the rule of avoiding the masters twice. I was going to get kicked out for sure now. I won't even get a reference. I won't ever find a job again. I'll probably starve on the streets. Will Saint Agatha Church take me in again? Maybe I should become a nun if there's no other choice—
"Excuse me," he repeated himself.
I jolted awake. "I'll leave immediately!" I hastily gathered the rumpled sheets into my arms and tried to walk past him, but he slammed the door close.
I recoiled back and stared at him in surprise, and he looked equally surprised. No—rather than surprised, he looked—well, alarmed.
"Why are you trying to leave?"
I just stared at him. "The—the rules of the House of Beardsley stated we must not talk to the masters."
"Oh. That." Master Tobias simply stared at me in silence. He was hard to read. If only he was a gentleman like Mister Silas, or smiled dashingly like Master Augustin, or even didn't meet your eye like Master Valentin. Or became adorable children who asked questions innocently like Master Elias and Master Olive. Master Eugene, well, was no better, with his talkativeness.
"I apologize for startling you."
"No, I'm sorry," I said instinctively. He raised an eyebrow. I cringed. Clo was right; I had to stop apologizing so much.
"No, it's my fault," Master Tobias continued. "I don't want someone to agree with me just because I'm their employer—that's Silas's thing, not mine." I looked at him in surprise. Was Mister Silas like that? "Anyways, I heard you are the maid in charge of Eugene's room and mine."
I nodded, trying to avoid talking as much as I could.
"I actually wanted to talk to you," he said. "I have three things to tell you and the last one is the most important so listen carefully." He paused, looking at me, as if he needed my answer for something.
"Yes, sir."
"The first thing is that I heard you talked to Eugene two days ago."
My mind went blank.
"I'm not mad," he said, before I could find an excuse. "Eugene told me about your—uh, accidental encounter. I simply want to tell you two things about him. First is the state of his legs. You must've noticed how he wasn't in the best state to walk, and also had trouble even with his cane."
I nodded again.
"I would prefer if you don't pry too much into the reason or talk to the other servants about it. It's somewhat of a taboo subject in our household. The second thing I want to talk to you about is that Master Eugene rarely eats breakfast downstairs with us, he always eats upstairs. When we decided to have maids, Silas insisted on him coming down, to, but I don't think it is necessary. Silas and I have reached an agreement that you shall clean his room whether or not he is in his room or not—as long as you don't talk to him. Can you do that?"
I nodded. I was really not speaking at this point. However, I couldn't help but open my lips.
"You said there were three things you wanted to talk to me about," I said slowly, "but you only said two. What's the last one?"
Suddenly, his face darkened.
"Come into my room tonight, at midnight. Keep it a secret from the others. Even Master Kupka."
With that, he opened the door and left, coattails swinging behind him.