My angel

Chapter 4

"Yes. You are." The earl replies. I feel broken. Perhaps, i had been secretly hoping that my parents were alive, that someone missed me, and worried about me. Hearing this...it smashed that to bits. "You have no living relations, and your family's fortune was given to the banks."

I have nothing. I have no where to go. My family is dead, and i am the only one. "Christina-" "Please." I interrupt. "Call me Mary. I...i want to be called Mary." I whisper. "Mary, then. What shall you do?" He asks. "I...I don't know." I really don't. I don't have a home to go to. I can't do anything, since i am a girl.

"Will you allow me to work here?" I ask. It is likely my only option. "Now why would i do that? I don't take in every stray girl that crosses my path." He sits back in his chair, watching me. "P-Please. Don't throw me out on the street." I plead. "I would rather do that than have another bumbling idiot in my house."

"I-I won't mess up! If i do...then you can throw me out. I wont fight. All i ask is a roof over my head and food and water." He watches me, before sighing. "Fine. Do as you wish."

Sebastian speaks up from the doorway. "Mary? Could you help Bardroy in the kitchen." I nod, stand, and walk to the door. "And Mary?" I look at him. "Make sure he doesn't blow anything up." With that, he stepped aside to let me out.

Try not to blow anything up? What is that supposed to mean? Suddenly, a loud Boom shakes the house. What in God's name was that?! I run down the hall to the source of the explosion.

It appears to be, or it was, a kitchen. Now it is a room covered in black soot, with a single soul in the center. It seems to be a man with blond hair and wearing a chefs outfit and goggles. He glances at me.

"Um... 'oo are you?" He asks, his Australian accent prominent. "Im Mary. Erm...are you Bardroy? And what happened here?" I ask, slowly stepping into the soot covered room. "Yea, I'm Bardroy. Call me Bard. Im the cook, 'ere. And what 'appened 'ere...I used dynamite, 'opin i could cook the meal faster..." He says, and rubs the back of his neck.

"Dynamite doesn't cook, Bard..."

"Yea...It's just, If i didn't cook fast enough, i wouldn't eat..." He looks at the door, and pales slightly.

Sebastian stands at the door, looking around the room, annoyed. "Bardroy. How many times have i told you not to use dynamite to cook." Bard shrugs. "I dunno. I may 'ave lost count..." He says, embarrassed.

Sebastian rolls his eyes. "Clean it up." He orders. "Mary, could you help him?" He asks. "O-Of course." He nods then walks down the hall.

It doesn't take long before the kitchen is pristine. Mostly, it was soot covering the ground. We did have to take a broken counter out, but that wasn't too bad. "Thanks for the 'elp, Mary." Bard grins. I smile a little.

"It was no problem... Mr. Michaelis told me to help you cook, but i don't think we can cook in here..." Bard shrugs. "We 'ave another kitchen down the 'all. This is a regular thing 'ere."

He leads me to a secondary kitchen. It is smaller than the other, but it should be fine. "Alrighty then! Let's get to cooking!" Bard shouts and walks into the room. "What do you think we should cook?" He asks. "Oh. I don't know... How about some baked salmon?"

"Sounds delicious to me, but the Young master 'ates Salmon. I don't know why." Bard sighs. I tap my chin, thinking. "How about... French Onion soup, diced and baked ranch potatoes and Creme Brûlée?" Bard grins. "Sounds good!"

He pushes up his sleeves and picks up a large knife. "You cut the onions and i can get started on the dessert." He says and gives me the knife. I hate cutting onions, but i don't complain.

"Where are the Onions?" I ask. He points where it is but a movement of his chin. I open up the large pantry, and pick out two onions. I walk back to the sink, and start peeling them.

After i finish peeling, i set them down on the counter and chop them in half. The knife slices through them like butter. Master's knife couldn't cut wet paper... Then i set to boil a pot of water. I drop the onions inside.

I hear the sound of a rushing flames, and look at bard, who has the flamethrower set too high. "Wait!" I shout. He looks at me. "What?"

"That's too high a flame. You'll burn right through it..." He looks at the flamethrower. "Oh... Could you do it? I'll take care of the onions." He grins. "Are you just trying to put me with all the work?" I ask. "No." He chuckles, and walks past me, leaving the flamethrower on the counter.

I pick it up and walk to the Creme Brûlée. "Like this, bard. Lowest setting, then slowly go over it." I demonstrate, smiling a little as the top turns a golden brown. " 'owed you learn to cook?" He laughs. My small smile vanishes. He sees this. "You don't 'ave to tell me! I was just curious..."

"It's alright...i would rather not talk about my past..." He rubs the back of his neck. I guess its a nervous habit. "Yea. I know the feelin." He tosses some butter, salt, and pepper into the water as i deposit the dessert into the oven to keep it warm.

Soon, the soup is done. He takes a sip. "This is delicious! I never made anything this good! You, Mary, are a good cook." He praises. I blush. "I-It was nothing. Honestly." He pats my head, and i flinch. He quickly pulls his hand back. "Sorry..." He mumbles, and pulls out a cigaret. "It's alright...i have never known a kind touch... thats all." I whisper.

"Well then! Lets get the potatoes done." He smiles and pulls out a bag of potatoes. I have notice, this is a very happy house. The servants are very happy. Even if Mey-Rin did cry. Bard is just trying to get people to smile. Even Sebastian smiles, even if just a little. The only person i haven't seen any joy on is the Earl. I guess he is like me. Only letting on a ghost of a smile.

Bardroy cuts up the potatoes as i pull out some ranch. I put it into a bowl, and pull out another for bard. "Why are we puttin the potatoes into a bowl?" He asks. "Just trust me. This is the fun part, i guess." He shrugs and deposits the now cut potatoes into a bowl.

I quickly put the two bowls together and quickly shake them. Bard laughs. "That is easier. I was plannin on just putten them in the ranch and spinnin them around." We put the potatoes onto a sheet and put it in an unused oven.

He sits me down at the table, and takes a drag of his cigaret. "This is probably the quietest the manor 'as been in a long time." He says, and leans back. "So are you a new servant 'ere, Mary?" He asks. "I suppose..." I murmur. "Its....complicated. The Earl and i agreed that if i worked here and did not mess up too much, i could live here."

He takes another drag. "i would say you are. I mean... It makes sense, i guess..." I shrug, and glance at the doorway, where Sebastian stands. He gapes around the kitchen. "Mary, did you really get Bardroy not to blow up the kitchen?" He asks, dubiously. Bard nods. "I almost blew it up anyway. 'ad my flamethrower out, and almost burned the dessert if Mary 'ere 'andn't caught me."

Sebastian smiles at me, and i blush slightly. "Good job. Im sure Bardroy can handle the rest, so would you help Finnian in the garden?" There is another servant? "Of course..." He hears my hesitation. "Is something the matter?"

"Well...i have never been outside really. Only on a gravel path to a carriage." I mummer. He smiles knowingly. "Then im sure you and Finnian will get along fine." He points down the hall, and i scurry past him, then outside a glass doorway to see a beautiful garden.

I look around, and step into the sunlight. It warms my skin, and raises goosebumps. I step off the gravel path, and onto the lush green grass. I crouch down and touch it. The grass is rough, but it feels good. I stand and look around.

A cool breeze touches my arm and i smile widely. The first smile i have had in years...perhaps even ever. This is the outdoors? Its...beautiful! I walk to a tall tree and run my hand down the bark. It is even more rough than the grass. I whirl around as i hear someone ask "Who are you?"