The Good Man

Chapter 5 Sunday Puddle

Sunday started the same way Saturday did. The sun barely cracked for dawn, the maids started running, the pounding of rushing feet began a new day. Nimbly rose with the others, dressed in his Sunday finest, and used pins for cufflinks.

The house moved as smoothly as a river, and as quickly as that. No pause was made in the halls, every maid and servant and underling seemed to be on-step as if orchestrated by the morning conductors. The head servant and head maid, sir and madame respectively, were the guiding forces that ordered what was to be done and when to act. Everything had to go smoothly on the sabbath.

Nimbly was not a cork in the flow yet, and so he accidentally caused bumps wherever he went. He knocked elbows, walked too fast or too slow in different halls, and struggled to locate the childrens' bedrooms so that he could act as nanny. Some pitying lady, immune to the rush around her as she was either a noble's relative or guest, caught sight of him and gave him directions with grace.

"Chrysanthemum?" Nimbly knocked on a pink door on the third floor before letting himself in. The room was extremely modest for a noble's daughter, and even more bare than Nimbly's own daughter's room. Brown carpet and white walls, empty floors and no abundance of toys, these were things that made Nimbly frown since the signs of children were lacking.

"Mister!" Chris was already awake, running to the man from her cushion-seat window. She grabbed onto his leg with a hug and seemed pleased to see him.

"Hello there sweetheart-" Nimbly smiled at her and caught himself before he became any more unprofessional, wanting to treat her like his own kid. He was clearly missing his own girl being young, gently unlatching her from his leg and picking her up. "How about we get you dressed and we go get your little brother?"

Within the hour, the children were all dressed proper and ready for church. Nimbly held them up, carrying them easily to the garden, before setting them loose. "Now, I have to get your brother ready. Play tag, or with flowers, but be careful and watch one another."

"We will!" Chrysanthemum clasped her hands together and was eager to play.

"Try not to become too dirty." Nimbly warned her wisely, taking in the scenery that was still wet from a late-night rain. "Avoid puddles."

"We wiiiiiill!" Chrysanthemum groaned, turning to push Nimbly away. "Go get our brother!"

The valet laughed at her impatience and finally dared to leave them, hurrying in and upstairs to David's room. He let himself in and closed the door as maids with fresh towels rushed by, turning to find David awake and looking towards the window.

"Did the maids wake you?" Nimbly asked as he pulled the Sunday clothes from the closet, moving them to the bottom of David's bed.

"No, the rain last night did." David responded in a weak voice, tired, but not as pale as the first day Nimbly had seen him.

Nimbly went to work changing him, grateful to start up conversation. "Do you enjoy Sundays?"

"I definitely do not." David responded, voice purposely softer to mumble, "Two sodomites were publicly flogged last month in front of congregation, then put to death without a proper burial."

"I can only say I am sorry to hear that." Nimbly frowned, using his own Sunday cufflinks again on David's wrists. "One really must be careful in these times."

David nodded grimly, compelled to share more in a shaking voice. "I pretended to be asleep through the flogging so I would not cry. One day I could be...."

"You will not be flogged." Nimbly took the teenager's hands in his firmly and looked at his face. "I will keep you safe, as your mentor and protector. Nothing will happen to you if I have a say in it."