"Your chariot awaits".

Algernon held the limo open for Noel in that gracious gentlemanly way that quite was befitting for a Butler.

"So do you do night shifts now?"

Noel slid into the sleek leather seat in the back.

"As a Butler yes as a chauffeur only for you".

It was night at this point, well past 11:00.

"I'm sorry...that you have to do this... at this late hour.

I wasn't expecting you to pick me up.

I was expecting Fell to call me a cab or something.

i know it's late.

So I'm sorry to keep you up with all this driving".

"Oh yes indeed it is.

It's far too late for you to call a cab.

Just imagine the bill.

I shudder at the thought, your uncle would be furious."

"Over the bill no doubt".

"No the fact you took a cab.

Then he'd be furious with your aunt for calling one in the first place.

There's no need for you to be Sorry.

You mustn't be sorry.

None of this is your fault after all with your parents gone and your money gone with the wind.

I mean it's only you I'm chauffeuring around, it's not like I'm picking up some stranger.

Now if your aunt had asked me pick up any of her infernal cousins from Boston that would be another story.

She has more cousins than i have wrinkles.

It's ridiculous.

One time i had the privilege of escorting her mother to a Charity event.

It was the worst 15 minutes of my life.

Although i can't say it was the worst experience ever, since i also had the privilege of driving Stephen's Mother.

All i can say is at least Mrs. Lieberman was nice.

I can't say the same for Mrs. Knightdale.

Once i had to chauffeur his grandmother.

I thought i was driving a Hurst to a funeral.

I had a strange feeling that this funeral wasn't being held in her honor.

That woman had the sense of a humor like a brick wall.

I could have chauffeured Death himself and he would have been cheerier.

Anyways, is it true that you're actually homeless nowadays?"

"I was going to be.

Does Stephen know I'm coming?"

"No your aunt hasn't told him yet.

I think she wants to surprise him.

Boy will he be surprised when he gets back from California tomorrow.

I would recommend that you refrain from hopping out of any corners or closets.

Don't make any sudden movements, he's always been rather jumpy.

Plus I don't wish for him to bite you, he tends to bite when he's scared that or when he's in a stuck a corner.

Your aunt often throws him in a corner.

It's rather sad to watch.

Next time I'll get the camcorder".

"Doesn't he usually bite you when he's cornered in?

I'd rather have that on tape instead.

My aunt on the other hand all she has to do is crack her whip out a few times and he usually settles down".

"I think that's actually happened once or twice. Let's just say it was a costume party, private one.

Very private, very few were invited.

I just sort of slipped in and had a few drinks and slipped out.

Anyway It was fun while it lasted."

"Wow and i thought my Aunt was so reserved."

"My thoughts exactly.

She is such a well refined woman of world, far too modest and proper to be doing anything that spontaneous".

Noel had to laugh at this, not just at the thought of her Aunt Roleplaying around the house but because she knew her Aunt to be far from well refined and modest.

Feliciana was always wearing tight clothes that were slightly revealing.

"You know i rather missed you and our little talks."

Then her face darkened and her eyes grew somber and solemn.

"Whatever is the matter?"

Algee had asked this because he had heard her sigh and he'd seen her somber face in the rearview mirror.

"Oh i just realized that I literally have nothing.

It's not the money that bothers me, when it really comes down to it, i really didn't value any of those fancy material possessions, but now I've lost something that can never be replaced.

I've lost my family and family is irreplaceable and extremely invaluable.

It's a treasure that once it's buried you can never dig it up again.

My treasure has decayed and is now rotting away in the earth.

I don't mean to be depressing but reality just hit me, it's dug into my skin and it's just now sunk in."

"Yes reality bites doesn't it?

You know if you stop digging you might find a few gems that fell by the wayside on your journey to towards the hills.

There are many mountains in this life but you'll never have to scale these mountains alone.

In laymen terms you'll always have your Aunt and Uncle.

Their doors are always open and so are their arms, not to mention your Uncle's Wallet and your Aunt's checkbook.

Then of course there's me ,you know me, I'm definitely not going anywhere.

Then you have your Cousin Sabastian, he's still at home, he loves to heckle me during dinner.

It's a full time job, he's had to take it on, the poor boy, ever since you left. He doesn't have quite the stamina that you do not to mention the comedic timing.

He always asks about you.

He always asks if you're coming to visit, he'll look around the corner and then he'll stare at me, all accusing like I'm hiding you in a closet just waiting for you pop out.

He's a very strange young man".

"Is he still obsessed with Death?"

"He's studying to be a Mortician.

Your Uncle nearly had a coronary but he somehow survived.

Now he's on his way to becoming a funeral director.

Feliciana of course couldn't be prouder.

She once dated a mortician, she claimed he was greatest guy she ever dated.

So she has no objections, I take it?'

"What do you think about it?"

"Oh I'm all for it.

It gives me more ammunition at the dinner table".

"Oh you shouldn't tease him.

He may be strange but he's sensitive."

"Oh I don't waste my silver bullets on him.

I save those for when the rest of your Aunt's family come to visit.

I keep a roller and fly paper on hand whenever they come".

"I can understand the roller but What's the fly paper for?"

"The roller is for ring of hair in the bathtub, the fly paper is incase anybody needs their back waxed".

"Ugh... another one of the joys of being a butler".

"Oh no it's not a joy, it's a rapture".

It took nearly 4 hours for Algernon to drive back to the Hamptons.

It was rather strange since she only had to wait roughly an hour for him to arrive by limo to pick her up.

He claimed he had used a few back roads to get there and he seemed reluctant to reveal anymore information on the subject.

Noel had fallen asleep halfway through the journey.

It was then in the quiet refuge of the car, hearing the soft rumble of the road, that he noticed for the first time, that this wasn't a sweet little girl anymore.

She wasn't the same innocent child that came to visit nearly all year round.

She wasn't that gracious child that would beam excitedly whenever she was given a gift during Christmas time.

Her Uncle Stephen would always give her the strangest birthday presents and every time she acted like he'd given her a diamond.

This little girl had grown up and instead of enjoying her youth she was growing up to be a solemn and somber young woman.

He felt for her, in fact he was greatly saddened by all the tragedy that Noel had to deal with.

Master Sebastian at least had a inheritance to look forward to.

Noel was so afraid that when her uncle arrived to see her in his home that he wouldn't be pleased to see her.

She feared that he wouldn't want her there.

It just wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair for such a tragedy to befall Noel.

She was the most giving and loving human being and she didn't deserve all of this hardship and heartbreak.

Just as Algernon pulled up the neatly paved driveway that lead to the Knightdale Manor he looked over at Noel.

"Don't you worry we'll all look after you, me included.

This will be your new home and from now on in this will be your new Family."

He wasn't sure if she had heard him but momentarily she woke up, she smiled softly and he wondered if she'd been awake longer than she was letting on.