The House of Beardsley

Chapter Thirteen

"Young ladies, after dinner you are to meet the masters of Beardsley once more, to be properly introduced to Mister Eugene. I'm sure you know, even without my saying, to be on your best behavior if you want to go to Ravensborough's Monthly Market?"

Mister Kupka stared at us each in the eye as he laid out his unspoken threat.

"Yes," Rhiannon and I said.

"Of course, Mister Kupka," Beth said cheerfully, "now let's head to dinner!" Clo didn't reply, looking bored.

"I bet he's just like the other masters," she muttered. "Fake or condescending."

"Master Elias and Olive aren't condescending," I said.

"Yes, that's because they are still children." Clo sighed. "It saddens me to think of the day they might change. When that time comes, I wonder if I can take it."

"Don't you have siblings?" Beth asked. "Did you guys have a bad relationship after they grew up?"

Clo snorted. "I've never seen them grown up. My mom died after giving birth to my baby brother. My father couldn't take care of three children alone so I worked since I was young too, but at a factory before finally finding this job." I frowned.

"You—you don't see your siblings?"

I couldn't believe it. For someone who cared about her siblings and family so much, it seemed strange that she would work for them but accept not seeing them.

"There's no time to," Clo said. "Each second I work I can give them a second of education."

I stared at her, surprised. I had almost forgotten: in our orphanage we got basic lessons, and because I stayed there for all of my childhood, I had the time to learn the whole alphabet, write, and read. However, I didn't know whether or not the others had this luxury. I mean, I knew Rhiannon could read too, as I saw her read every morning, and for some reason Beth seemed strangely educated despite her act to seem foolish, but as for Clo, I didn't know whether she had an education or not.

I decided against talking about it, and the others, too. We filed into the servant's dining room in silence.

There, at the long table, the men were already seated. There the valets and the main cook lined the two sides of the table, while Mister Kupka took the seat of the head of the table, and then us maids the four seats on the end on the table. It was always Rhiannon on one side, Clo on the opposite end of the table, facing Mister Kupka, and then Beth and I on the other side facing Rhiannon.

"So, I've been meaning to ask," Matthew said, looking at us. "Who is the maid responsible for Master Eugene's room?"

Eyes turned to me, and I froze.

Does he know what happened, or is this a test?

"I am," I said cautiously. "Is something the matter?"

"Master Eugene eats breakfast upstairs," he says, his face showing no hostility, only an innocent smile, "and told me he saw you."

"You did not attempt to talk to him, did you, Shuyan?" Mister Kupka inquired, peering up me from his spectacles. "And tell me you did knock before entering his room."

"Fret not," Matthew answered for me, surprising me. "Master Eugene told me she knocked and she never talked to him besides replying to his greetings."

Huh?

Matthew turned to me and our eyes met. He gave a quick wink.

"Anyways, I've been taking care of Master Eugene ever since I came to this mansion thirty years ago as a footmen. He's like my own son, no one here has a kinder soul than him. So if you need any help, just come to me, Shuyan, was it?"