Manners. [[COMPLETE]]

Chapter Eight.

Reader's POV:

I excused myself from the conversation, and snuck into Mama's study. Simon and I looked through the letters to see who Vincent Whittaker was. We couldn't find anything.

"(Y/N), we can't find anything!" Simon exclaimed, and threw down the letter that he was holding.

I face-palmed. We didn't even think about looking at the address.

'Si, we didn't even think about looking at the address.' I signed, and he face-palmed.

'William Whittaker, 22 Fay Avenue, Alfaridge, 2838.' I signed the address.

"Who's that?" A voice from the doorway questioned.

All of the blood drained from my face. It was Norman Johnson.

"No one!" Simon hastily replied, and picked up all of the letters.

"I'll ask Angela then." Norman stated, but Simon grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him back into the study a little too forcefully.

"Don't. You. Dare." Simon growled. Norman's eyebrows shot up at the tone in Simon's voice.

I was surprised, too. I stepped forward, and put my hand on Simon's arm.

"Simon, let me talk to him. Alone." I signed, and Simon nodded, then glared at Norman.

Simon walked out of the study, and shut the door, for privacy.

'We don't know who William Whittaker is. That's what we're trying to find out. Mama didn't want us finding out who he was for some reason, so we have to do it secretly, now.' I explained, and Norman nodded.

"Okay. Can I help?" He asked, and I pondered it for a moment. Well, he already knows, so it won't hurt him.

'Yes, you can help.' I replied, and he gave a grin.

Simon came back into the room.

'Simon, Norman is going to help us with our research.' I signed, and he furiously shook his head.

"No. Absolutely not." He declared, and I pursed my lips.

'Why?' Came my reply.

"Because he'll probably tell Stephelia, or his little brother, and then your Mother will find out that we know who William Whittaker is!" He exclaimed.

I stepped forward, now directly in front of Simon.

'He won't. Trust him Simon, please!' I begged, and Simon rolled his eyes.

"Fine. But one slip up, and he's out." Simon stated, and Norman nodded.

"I won't let you down." Norman declared.

"I've heard Mr. Robinson talk about a man called William Whittaker before. I'll see if it's the same one." Norman added, and I gave his a grateful smile.

'Thank you.' I replied, and Simon stormed out of the study.

I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"What's his deal?" Norman questioned, jerking his thumb in the direction of the study door.

'I don't know.' I told him, and we continued to plan about how we could ask Mr. Robinson who William Whittaker is.

Simon's POV:

I stormed out of the study, and out of the McPhee household. I walked over to my house, walked inside, and sat down on a couch. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Stephelia's head popped out from the kitchen doorway.

"Hey Simon. Are you okay?" She asked.

I nodded, then she disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing in the kitchen anyway?" Came my reply.

I got up, and walked into the kitchen, where she was helping Cook prepare dinner. Stephelia had finished cutting up the vegetables.

""Is that all you need done, Cook Ally? I can do more if you want." Stephelia proposed. Cook shook her head.

"Nah, love. You're right to go, you didn't need to help me at all." Cook stated. Stephelia then took off her apron, and washed her hands. She wiped her hands on her skirt, then walked out of the house. I followed her, because she walked into (Y/N)'s house. Norman and (Y/N) were sitting on a couch, looking at old photo albums.

Stephelia asked if she could speak to (Y/N) alone. The pair walked upstairs, probably to (Y/N)'s room.

Reader's POV:

Stephelia and I walked into my room. She started speaking.

"(Y/N), I'm sorry for the way I acted towards you when I first came here. I would like to start over, if that's okay with you." She stated, and I smiled.

'Of course it's okay with me.' I replied, and Stephelia pulled my into a hug.

"Thank you (Y/N)!" She exclaimed, and I giggled.

'Call me (N/N).' I told her, then she let me go, and nodded.

"Okay, (N/N), but only if you call me Steph." She declared, and I nodded.

'Okay Steph.' I signed, then we walked back downstairs.

Simon's POV:

You told Norman and I that you and Stephelia were friends now. I looked at her. Something wasn't right with the way she was acting. I left your house again, and went to the garden. I sat down on the porch swing, and thought about how this whole thing could play out.

Stephelia's POV:

I sat down on the couch with you and Norman. Something was up with the way Simon was acting.

'Steph, do you know a person by the name of William Whittaker?' You questioned.

I've heard Mother and Father throw that name around in a few conversations before. "Yes, Mother and Father have talked about him before. Why?" Was my reply.

(Y/N) was still for a few moments, as if pondering something.

'We want to find out about him, because there are a lot of pictures of him with Mama.' She signed, and I nodded.

Norman tapped you on the shoulder.

"(N/N), won't Simon be mad about this?" He asked. You pursed your lips, and nodded. So Simon was in on this too.

We started looking at the letters, and I saw the address. My best friend Victoria lives not too far from there!

"(N/N), Norm, my best friend Victoria lives not too far from there. We should ask if we can go to her house for a weekend." I declared, and you nodded, then smiled.

'Thank you for helping us, Steph.' You said, and I returned the smile.

We packed the letters back away, and went over to my house, where the Johnsons, my parents, and Angela were. I asked my parents, that said yes, Norm asked his parents, they said yes, now we were waiting on Angela.

"Hmm ... yes." She stated, and we started packing, because we were to leave for Alfaridge the next morning.

I smirked, the plan was working.