Ste had hardly been able to sleep a wink, the morning was finally here which meant today he could finally start work as footman at Finchley Hall.

His dad was still asleep, nursing a hangover. When Ste had got home, breaking the good news to his parents, the main response he got was whether he'd be able to send them some money each month out of his wages.

His mother was outside, hanging some washing out. She didn't even look up when she heard his shoes on the doorstep.

'Ya father's gonna miss ya help.'

'Didn't think ya'd miss me much.' Ste grunted. As much as he loved both of his parents and always tried to see the best in them, he couldn't help but eventually resent them. They couldn't even be happy for him that he was trying to better himself. He certainly wasn't going to stick around and end up in the sorry state that they were both representing.

'What ya gonna wear? Don't suppose anythin we can afford is gonna be good enough for em.' The bitterness that laced his mother's voice could not be missed.

Ste peered down at the suit that he was interviewed in, his mother's words suddenly making him feel even more anxious and inadequate.

'What I've got on, they've already seen me in this so…'

'Surprised ya got the job.'

'Thanks for the vote of confidence.'

She was still pegging the washing up, not making eye contact while she spoke.

'So ya just gonna leave me t' look after ya father?'

'So that's what all this is about?' Ste stepped closer as she shrugged.

'Me dad's never gonna change mam, whether I'm here or not.'

'I just don't know how ya can leave when he needs ya this much.' She had the decency then to turn around, so they could finish the conversation face to face.

'I'll send ya the money ya want.' Ste tentatively placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. 'Dare say he'll only spend it on the booze.'

She shrugged him off.

'Don't speak ill of ya father.'

'Ya can't blame me. All these years I've helped him run this place. Now I'm about to leave home and he can't even be bothered to be around for that.'

'He's a good man really.' Her voice had taken on a quieter tone.

'I know mam, but that don't mean I can stick around forever waitin for him to be that man that we all know is never gonna come back.'

She had tears in her eyes then, Ste suddenly felt bad, he never wants to see his mum cry.

'Come here.' He wraps his arms around her before she can protest. She tries to compose herself though, wiping her eyes, then wiping her hands on the apron around her middle.

'We'll be fine.' She offers him a brave smile. 'Now go on, ya don't wanna be late on ya first day. I'll tell ya dad ya said goodbye.'

This is his queue to bury the topic of conversation and leave. His parents have never been keen on showing emotion.

'I do love ya mam.' He kisses the top of her head and turns to leave. As he locates his bag of belongings at the bottom of the stairs, he knows that when he walks out of that door, he can't look back.

The winding drive to the property seems to go on forever as Ste walks towards his new home, battered leather suitcase in hand which holds all of one change of shoes and a couple of shirts and pairs of trousers. He knows he'll be given uniform to wear for most of the time anyway, Cheryl had told him, and if he's being truthful to himself, he's rather looking forward to buying some new clothing with the money he'll be earning, that's if he'll need anything else.

Suddenly there's the noise of hooves on gravel and Ste turns to find a dark figure on a white horse trotting up the drive behind him. The man in his jodhpurs and top hat slowly came in to view, and Ste realised that it was none other than Master Brady, the gentleman he would be serving during his time at Finchley Hall.

Ste had nodded out of politeness, and then stopped to allow the man to pass, but as Master Brady grew nearer, he slowed the horse until he could stop alongside Ste, looking down on him from the height of the horse.

'Steven Hay?' He reached up a gloved hand to adjust his hat.

'Yes that's me sir.' Ste nodded.

'Ye starting today?'

'Yes sir.'

'My sister told me she'd assigned ye to me.'

'I believe that is correct sir.' Ste was trying so hard to speak in the appropriate manner to his new boss.

Ste couldn't miss the way Brendan eyed him up and down then, a surveillance that made him blush profusely. Why it elicited that reaction he did not know, but it certainly made him feel rather uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other, trying to ignore the eyebrow raise from Brendan (he remembered his name from yesterday. Not that he'd ever be allowed to address him by his Christian name).

'Well I hope ye don't disappoint. Once ye settled in, I'll need a clean shirt so I can change out of my riding clothes.'

'Certainly sir.' Ste tried to sound confidant even though he was already sure he was punching well above his weight with this job. But he really didn't want to let Brendan and the rest of the family down.

Brendan nodded in approval, quickly nudging the horse to start off in to a gallop, leaving Ste in the distance.

Ste continued his walk whilst staring after the man he was now working for. He imagined the life of luxury he must lead, the parties he attended, food that was consumed, outfits that commanded attention. Pretty soon Ste would have a tiny look in to that life, the thought made his heart skip a beat, adrenaline pumping through his blood. Finally he was able to hold his head up high and march towards the front doors of the manor. It didn't even matter when Blake the Butler answered the door again and looked at him like mud on a shoe, because Ste was going to prove his worth. Lady Cheryl had given him a chance, and he certainly was not going to ruin that for anything or anyone.

Sorry this chapter is short but it seemed better to start a new chapter once Ste was in the house, and the change of storyline that may bring.

Hope this was a good filler and scene setter. I have lots of ideas on what's to come, and thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far, it's always appreciated.