You Belong To Me

Chapter Struthers

'Rich people know that they are somebody.
Even if they don't know exactly who that is.'
~Struthers the butler

Being a complete confidant to someone and working for them is a very artfully crafted relationship. It's origins, Theo believed, surely had to have come from an enemy. But the amount of time probably wore on them and eventually the tasks became bearable and even amusing. The time spent to cultivate a complete confidant just has to bring some level of friendship that makes being a valet nothing like being a enemy.

To work for a ranked household was a high honor. His father was a valet. His grandfather was a footman that had been promoted to valet. Theo had even been looked at for the butler position opening up when Struthers eventually retired.

But there were some parts of being everywhere and everyone he needed to be that he just couldn't stand. Various little problems appeared throughout the day, bits of gossip he was supposed to confirm and things from high places he needed to grab and Theo handled them wonderfully. Even the occasional trip to the market was tolerable, even entertaining.

And then there were the more annoying requests; the advances, the scrutiny. Those requests were what he could not abide. In his mind he called them 'the unmentionable things.' Unmentionable things could be anything from summoning the runaway girl or... or even barging into the room. Even as a child Tremaine had been the worst person to wake up. It was the first unmentionable thing Theo had learned to hate.

That day the cook had an unmentionable on her tongue when Theo emerged for three breakfast trays(that apparently only he could deliver) filled with goodness. Her lips were pursed and she did not take at all to his small joke about being hungry himself. Instead her face was shiny and her eyes were sharp while she watched her and the pastry chefs confections be covered and readied to leave the kitchen.

Cantelope, honeydew melon, strawberry and thin slices of kiwi with polished, carefully etched  silver boats and ramekins filled with sauces like freshly whipped cream and honey.

Delicate crepes filled with soft vanilla creme and a few with fruit. Others were lightly folded to be eaten with just sweetened butter if desired. Coffee cake with granola and almonds drizzled with almond butter sauce.

Crunchy green spinach, bacon, goat cheese, and mushroom estrada that looked fluffy and steaming accompanied by a bowl of artfully arranged eggs benedict with mint garnishes.

Pan fried ham still sizzling and a bowl of thick rich looking mutton as well as sausage links artfully arranged with small silver tongs for serving. Surrounding them on the shining dish were smalls triangles of a cut in half sandwich that had been dipped in pancake batter and deep fried with egg, some gouda cheese, and bacon inside.

Shrimp and grits topped with green onions and parsley. Steamed green mussels in herb and wine sauce on half shells.

A tea tray, Arabic coffee... a warm chocolate with a fluffy caramel creamer. And a side of Hazelnut because it was the woman's favorite... which was something the cook had learned one morning when the incessant girl would not leave the kitchen or stop talking. She''s sat in the kitchen all day and waited for Trekaine to return home...

While the items were carefully arranged on a lift designed to get things along the floors of this house the cook planted her hands on her hips. "You know," she announced in a matter of fact manner. "We haven't seen either of them in days."

The pastry chef shuffled behind a scullery maid carefully wiping a countertop. "Especially her. I haven't seen her in almost a week." There was a very suspiciously delicious looking basket of various sweets in the pastry chef's hands. The red plaid napkin hanging over the sides seemed to add to the appeal of the bronzed treats. Was that a whipped dipping butter tucked beside them?