She just stands there blinking at the butler in great confusion. The butler sighs.
"Must I do everything?" He says.
"I didn't mean to inconvenience you. I just don't remember what you said." Says Sophia.
"I shall walk you there this once." He says.
"Okay thank you. I will remember." Says Sophia.
She quickly follows the butler. The entire time he keeps his hands folded behind his back. Sophia knows it is the proper thing to do because she served an upper-class family before. She folds her hands in front of her body trying to keep to the proper etiquette even though her appearance is ghastly.
The butler stops outside Sophia's new bedroom.
"This is your room."
"Where is your room?" asks Sophia.
"I stay at the far end of the other hallway near the master." Says the butler.
"If I have more questions how will I find you?"
Sophia tries her hardest to keep the desperation out of her voice.
"Come up the stairs turn left then right down the hallway at the end last door on the left is my room next to the master's bedroom."
"I suppose I can remember that." Says Sophia.
"I am afraid you will not find me there. Most nights I am downstairs late making preparations for breakfast." He says.
"I understand. Do you wish for me to start tonight?"
"No. Tomorrow at six sharp I expect you present on the downstairs balcony. The master enjoys his breakfast there on Thursday mornings." He says.
"I don't know where that is." Says Sophia.
"One of the others will be your guide. Just be prepared." Says the butler.
He no longer makes any form of eye contact with Sophia before he leaves.
The butler was assertive and confident. He had probably been here for a long time so I can see why. Sophia goes into her room. It is decorated modestly, a bed, dresser and lamp nothing more. Even the curtains are a thick velvet, nothing too fancy. After all she was a servant so what more could she expect? Sophia notices a door on the right and a closet on the left. She chooses to open the door first and finds it belongs to a small washroom. At least now she wouldn't have to search the house in order to get a hot shower. She opens the closet half expecting to see nothing, on the contrary the closet is lined with an entire collection of maid clothing.
"This is ridiculous. Where they expecting me? How could they?" Sophia says aloud.
She enters the washroom and turns on the water.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The butler is serving the master tea at a small table in another part of the manor.
"How did the interview go?" He asks.
"Interesting."
"What was interesting about it?"
"I can tell there's something about her." says the butler
"Will she be a good addition to the staff?"
"I believe so—with better training."
"Then the task is yours as always." says the boy
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In the kitchen:
"Did you see the new girl?" asks Mey-Rin.
"Can't say I have." says Baldroy.
"I did. She looked very dirty." says Finnian.
"She might also be crazy." says Mey-Rin.
"Then she should fit right in." says Baldroy.
"Why do you say that?" asks Finnian.
"Sebastian already looks down on us. Why not her too?" he says.
Sebastian walks into the kitchen so quietly that no one would have known he was there if they hadn't been facing the entrance.
"Sebastian!" shouts Mey-Rin in fright.
"One of you will have to show the new maid the ins and outs of the house." he says.
He looks from Baldroy down to Mey-Rin.
"On second thought I shall handle it myself."
The three stand there in nervous silence.
"Your all dismissed for the night."
Baldroy and Finnian leave the kitchen fast, Mey-Rin lingers.
"Can I help you with anything Sebastian?" she asks.
"Why not go up and check on your new partner."
Sebastian refrained from chuckling.
"She's going to be a maid too?!"
"Yes Mey-Rin. Now run along."
Saddened that Sebastian had nothing more to say to her Mey-Rin headed upstairs. She must confess her love for Sebastian but how when he always saw her as nothing more than a child. It was hopeless.
Mey-Rin knocks on Sophia's door. There's a shuffling in the room before she opens the door. Mey-Rin's mouth drops. Sophia cleaned up good. Her dark brown hair was hanging at her shoulders framing her face perfectly. Her lips were plump, her eyes hazel, and breast huge. Mey-Rin was so blown away that she had to remove her glasses and step back.
"Are you okay?" asks Sophia.
"Y-yes. I'm fine!" Mey-Rin yells awkwardly.
Sophia kind of jerks her head back shocked by the volume of Mey-Rin's voice.
"Are you sure?" she asks.
"Yeah! I just came to help you out—only if you need it though."
Sophia smiles.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Mey-Rin and I have been working under Sebastian for a while...already."
"Okay." says Sophia
She is still smiling at Mey-Rin but examines her outfit with her eyes.
"Sebastian is really mean to everyone else but—he's nice to me." says Mey-Rin.
"That's...good." says Sophia.
"I just wanted to warn you that's all." says Mey-Rin.
"He's just being professional—I guess." says Sophia, she shrugs.
"Well he tells us all what to do and tomorrow you had better be up early cause you don't want to see him angry."
"I get up at four-am every morning so there shouldn't be a problem." says Sophia.
"I'll be at your door at four thirty so be sure its not."says Mey-Rin.
Sophia loses her smile.
"Anything else I should know?"
"Not for now."
"Good. Goodnight." says Sophia.
She shuts her door with a sour look on her face.
That got very weird. She kept telling me about Sebastian which almost made it an uncomfortable conversation. I mean what do I care how much Sebastian likes her. Maybe her attitude will be better tomorrow.