The winter? Of course…No wonder there was so much left behind! This must have been a noble’s summer estate! That entails that the true owners have been away at a winter home all this time. I pinched myself in the arm for being so clueless. Honestly, I should have thought of that possibility before making myself at home.
“Perhaps one of the servants came back for something,” a woman spoke this time. She sounded much older than the man, but it was hard to tell by only the sound. “They can be a clumsy bunch at times. It wouldn’t surprise me much if they forgot to lock the door behind them.” More footsteps echoed through the walls, and I realized there were definitely more than just two people on the property.
“Could be,” the man spoke again with a suspicious inflection to his voice. “Tell your staff to keep an eye out for anything awry in the meantime. If there’s a chance someone broke in, I want to know about it long before the master’s return.” The floor made a squeaking sound as he presumably spun around on a heel. I tightened my grasp on my skirt as more footsteps sounded, clearly passing in front of my hiding place.
“Well, you all heard the man!” the woman shouted, though her voice seemed to move from the entry way toward the kitchen. It was much clearer now that she was closer. “If you find something strange around here, be sure to point it out to Lawrence or me.” Her voice huffed with an authoritative presence, causing me to shrink back into the linens. I hadn’t even laid eyes on this woman, and she already scared me.
“Madam Gillian?” A soft female voice squeaked out of the fray of resonating movement, causing a pang of silence.
“Yes, what is it?” the woman responded impatiently.
“What about this?” The girl’s question spurred a hushed chatter amongst those in the kitchen. I couldn’t help but wonder what evidence she had found first.
“Ah, yes,” the woman’s reply held much more intrigue than before, and I felt my curiosity get the better of my nerves. Carefully, I leaned forward against the soft surfaces behind me and peered through the tiny keyhole under the door handle. It didn’t provide a vast range of visibility, but I could at least see across the hall into the kitchen. A young scullery maid was holding up my leftover breakfast for an unseen audience. I swallowed hard.
“It’s still warm, madam,” the girl announced nervously. I could just barely make out a worried expression on her distant face. Another body crossed in front of my view and snatched the bowl.
“So it is,” the snatcher stated, who must have been Madam Gillian. Her back was facing toward the hall, so I couldn’t quite see her face. Her build, on the other hand, was rather wide and stout. She clearly had an apron tied around her waist, so I presumed she must have headed the kitchen. “Lawrence! Come to the kitchen, please!” Her voice echoed across the room, loud enough for the entire estate to probably hear.
It seemed rather clear to me that the owners of the estate were not currently present—no servant would ever dare rattle the entire house with a yell if their masters were around. This must have been a skeleton staff sent to ready the house for their arrival. I allowed my muscles to relax at this news. It would be much easier to sneak out with only a small staff around. Plus, if I was spotted, the servants would be far less likely to recognize me than a noble would. This was going to be fine. I could still get out of this.
An even trot echoed off the floors as a tall man strode directly in front of my peep hole. I jumped back in surprise, but quickly relaxed after realizing they were targeting the kitchen. The man was wearing a full suit with polished shoes that perforated the air with a distinct,click. Based on his formal stance and authoritative presence, he had to have been the butler.
“Have a look here.” Madam Gillian passed him the warm bowl. She had turned toward him so I could see her face, but I could only see the back of Lawrence. If I were to guess, she would be in her late-fifties, but still looked agile enough to kick anyone into action if they needed it. The butler took the bowl and turned it thoughtfully in his hands. I wished that I could see his face so I could get a glimpse of his thoughts.
“My, my… that sure is peculiar.” He placed the bowl back onto the nearest surface, then turned his gaze toward the fire place. “It would seem we recently had a guest.” He disappeared from view as he walked toward the hearth. “One who enjoys porridge?”
“Seems that way,” the older woman snorted as she crossed her arms with a stern expression drawing across her face. “What would you like us to do about it? The master returns tomorrow, and we all know he doesn’t like any funny business.” A chorus of murmured agreement was audible through the group.
“As of now, we have no evidence of the actual culprit,” Lawrence declared. His powerful demeanor instantly hushed the rest of the chatter. “My guess is that the intruder ran out the back servant entrance as soon as they saw us coming. We shall perform a sweep of the house to be certain, but I do not fear that we are dealing with any more than a homeless peasant.” Sighs of relief sounded throughout the room as I internally cursed myself.
He was right! Why hadn’t I just run out the back entrance? If I hadn’t taken so long to put on my stockings, then maybe I would have had enough time to think through a better escape. I pinched my arm again, but instantly regretted it as my mouth threatened a painful squeak.
“How about we lock the entrances just to be safe?” Gillian’s tone displayed dissatisfaction with his simple resolution. “If the intruder is hiding out on the grounds right now, I don’t want to risk them running back inside when the rain starts. We should lock up the entrances and give each servant a key. That way, if the master tries to complain about the incident, you can at least say you did something about it.” The old woman huffed at her superior, but he didn’t seem offended by her abrasiveness.
“That is a viable plan, Gillian.” He crossed over the room again, flashing a short blur past my view. “I’ll go hunt down the extra keys; I’m sure they’re here somewhere. Until I find them, everyone should only enter and exit through the front door. I shall go inform the rest of the staff now…” His voice trailed off as his clicking heels grew fainter.
“Well, you heard him. Get to work, but don’t use any other entrances. Three of you come with me to check the upstairs for any disturbances, and the rest of you start cleaning the kitchen.” The madam skittered across my sightline multiple times before she finally exited the space entirely. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves.
Lock the doors? How am I supposed to escape?The servants entrances had all been locked when I tried them last night. Could I get out from the inside? I placed my hand over my heart, trying to steady its beats.
Pull yourself together, Aurelia. You did not come this far just to remain trapped in a closet. I slapped my cheeks lightly in an attempt to liven up my adrenaline. They would soon find the master bedroom disturbed, but perhaps that would draw enough attention for me to try the servants’ exit.
I waited restlessly in the small space for the prime opportunity. The kitchen staff seemed to be cleaning all the dust that had accumulated over the winter. They were sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing the dishes in perfect rhythm with each other. They must have been at it for at least an hour before anyone made mention of the master bedroom. A quick-stepped servant skittered into the kitchen, stepping into my view to announce their findings.
“The master’s suite was completely unturned!” the young woman proclaimed. “There were no remaining intruders, so no need to worry about that. However, whoever was here left quite a mess. We’ll need a few extra hands to help launder all the bedding before tomorrow.” A few scullery maids stepped forward to offer their assistance at her request.
I couldn’t help but feel a tad offended by her description of the room. Sure, I had slept in the bed, but I wasn’t an animal about it. A few upturned sheets shouldn’t be that disastrous.
Within moments three out of the five kitchen servants set off to the bedroom, leaving only two quiet dishwashers behind. I glanced out the keyhole and couldn’t locate the two anywhere in my line of view. Their movements could be heard closer toward the scrub basins, so they shouldn’t be able to see the kitchen’s side entrance from their position. I took a few more moments to listen for any other signs of occupants on the lower floor, but the rest seemed quiet.
Now’s my chance.
I shifted into an upright position, softly tapping my feet awake. The cramped space had been surprisingly comfortable with all the linens to recline against, so I wasn’t as stiff as I could have been. I reached for the doorknob, freezing momentarily.
Just find an exit and run.
chapter four