Une Nouvelle Ère [Book 2]

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Alexander Crawley never expected for his grandmother to be up so early.

Of course, he has seen his grandmother up and about every time he passes by the Dower House—but never in his life has he seen her up a few hours earlier than himself.

He was about to go on his usual bike ride when he heard noises in the library. Usually, it was the servants who are cleaning before his family all get up. But this time, his grandmother's nagging to the servants can be dominantly heard from the distance.

"Spratt, I told you to put the storybooks here! that place beside the women's books are for the poems and sonnets!"

Curious and confused, he entered the library, now seeing the Dowager Countess in her usual seat as she captained her lady's maid and butler, alongside Thomas and Albert, in organizing the books that have arrived from the Dower House.

"Good...morning." the young Viscount said cautiously as he steps in the room, where his presence almost immediately halted the chaos of whatever was going on.

"Oh Alex, my darling boy!" Violet then beamed at the sight of him—which he somehow finds unusual "Just in time for me to ask your help. Now, will would be so kind as to help Spratt move these books over there for the Barrow and Albert to package inside the boxes?"

"I–well...of course."

Now setting aside his bicycle for the day, Alex then rolled up his sleeves and starts moving and lifting the stacks of books from one side to another, as well as packaging and sealing the boxes and helping her in organizing the rest of the books scattered nearby her.

A few moments later, when Violet then checks on him again, she saw him sitting down beside her on the carpeted floor and busy in reading her old copy of Shakespeare's Sonnets. She smiled at sight, reminding her of his father when he was around the same age: quiet and content in wherever he was sitting on, as along as he had a book—especially a book of poetry, in hand with him.

"Are you almost done?" she then snaps him back to reality.

"This is the last set, Granny." the young man replied, immediately standing up and placing the book atop the said set "Sorry, I was a bit distracted."

"It's alright, dear boy" she said to him "You can have the book that you were reading, if you like."

"No, no. It's alright." he smiles and lifts up the set "I think the other children will love it more."

As she looks on at him and help with the last of the packaging, her son and daughter-in-law finally got down and arrived at the scene as well.

"Good morning, Mama." Robert then walked to her and kisses her cheek "You seem busy captaining at this early hour."

"Well, yes. I better finish mine first before all of you come in and do your own things." Violet said to him "After all, Alex worked more than me."

"Mama! Papa!" Alex then quickly stood up and went to hug both of his parents, to which they both chuckle softly and hug him in return.

"I'm glad your helping Granny with all of these!" Cora beamed proudly at him, fixing his already messy hair a bit "Although you still seem a bit sleepy, dearest."

Alex chuckles softly and nods "Well, I just woke an hour ago and we haven't eaten breakfast."

"Well, I suppose this is a sign for both of you to rest and have breakfast first." Robert said, then turning to the servants—who are still busy with the loads of books "All of you as well, have your breakfast and get some rest. We will all take of this once everyone else is up."