Harp's Manor

INSTALLMENT XXX

September 29, 1928

Mr. Gardner was waiting for us when we entered the drawing room on Sunday. The invitation for a meeting there had gone out yesterday, and now we were discovering what it was for.

The butler was standing in front of one of the tables, with a large chart placed atop it. He nodded curtly to everyone who entered. I couldn't help but wonder what the chart was for. I tried at getting a glimpse of it, but saw nothing more than a multitude of rectangular boxes arrayed across the surface.

Once the last person arrived (coincidentally it happened to be Mrs. Maxwell, who was reluctant to come), Mr. Gardner addressed us all. "Mr. Harp has given me instruction to introduce you all to the new schedule that you have agreed to," he said evenly. "As a reminder, you will be working closely with one other member of the manor alternating every two weeks. The goal of this project is to produce the best and greatest amount of artwork possible in the shortest amount of time. The creators of the finest piece will be awarded two and a half million dollars each once the exhibition is underway."

"I thought the winner got five million!" Mr. Hobbes interjected with a certain amount of outrage.

"The winners get five million, evenly split," Mr. Gardner clarified. "Mr. Harp may not have been extremely clear. As two people will be making each piece of art, the prize will be evenly split between the two participants."

"That's still an incredible amount of money," Miss Pearce pointed out.

Mr. Gardner nodded. "Exactly. And your chances are much better than not, as you are not submitting one piece of art but one for every other member there is present. Now, there are seventeen of you here that are artists. Mrs. Maxwell, under Mr. Harp's orders, I have excluded you from this schedule."

"What? Then how am I- I mean-" She cleared her throat and smoothed out her skirt. "I understand."

"But seventeen is an odd number. Therefore, at Mr. Harp's request, Mrs. Maxwell will be participating until further notice."

"What? But you just said-"

"I have left a few open boxes," the butler added, a little more significantly. "In the event that somebody comes back. This is also under Mr. Harp's orders. Now, you may be wondering what I mean by boxes. Here-" he lifted the massive chart, entirely hiding his torso and head from view- "is the schedule for the next year."

It was a massive chart, with bolded boxes running along the top and left sides. If I squinted, I could faintly make out little letters on each of the axis rows. Were they initials?

Mr. Gardner set the paper back down. "This chart is intended to help everyone keep track of whom they have worked with and whom they have yet to. Now, keep in mind that every possible pairing appears twice on this chart, as all of your names are included on both sides. This means that it is important for you to make sure you cross out both of the boxes where your names intersect. Is that clear?"

"So we at least have the freedom to choose who we work with?" Mr. Stephenson said. "Thank God."

"Do not use the name of the Lord in vain," Mrs. Maxwell scolded.

"That is correct, Mr. Stephenson," Mr. Gardner said. "However, you must also remember that you will be working with everyone here once, which means that you will not always have the choice to work with someone you are positively affiliated with. Is that clear?"

"How many hours out of the week are we going to be having to work with this person?" Hansen asked, eyeing everyone distastefully.

"That is entirely up to you," Mr. Gardner responded. "However long it takes to finalize presentable artwork, I suppose."