Reaver's Servants
In-Laws and Other Inconveniences
The evening was setting in. The cold air from the mountains would be rolling in soon, and fall was already upon Millfields. The lights coming from Lakeview Manor could be seen from all over the region. Festive paper lamps blew gently in the wind as the sun set over Bower Lake. The leaves were turning a nice gold color and most were now nestled in neat piles by the stone wall separating the garden from the front of the house. Their final fate would be a bonfire scheduled for another night.
Though the wedding was still a two weeks away, Lakeview Manor was in full wedding mode. Decorators were running in and out of the manor while the servants were scrubbing the house from top to bottom. After the rehearsal dinner, a stag party the likes no one has or will ever again see was still being planned in the mind of the Best Man.
The groom, on the other hand, was drinking tea by the cup in the dining room. It was a strange mixture of tea that no one in the manor had ever heard of. It couldn't be bought in the market in town, so it had to be special ordered from some pretty odd looking individuals. The tea itself smelled like mint and to the more discerning noses, a hint of wolf's bane. Whatever was in it, Barry enjoyed drinking it and Reaver allowed for extra-long tea breaks during certain times of each month.
He couldn't quite believe it but in no time at all, he and Miss Sarah would be married. Barry was more ecstatic than his current mood portrayed. While he drank his tea with a sip every few seconds, everything else was going on around him. The servants hurried around cleaning, the decorators stopped every so often and asked where he wanted something, and in this small interval of time, Barry was completely calm. This day was turning into a really good day. His mother, who had decided to perch herself in one of the guest rooms until the wedding, was going to be in town all day running wedding related errands. As long as she wasn't in the manor telling embarrassing stories about his childhood, Barry didn't care where she was.
When he finished his tea and the decorators had left for the day, Barry got up and made his way to the kitchen downstairs. Before he even reached the kitchen, Miss Sarah ran up to him with a big smile. "Barry!" she shouted, giving him a big hug. Barry smiled and thought this day couldn't get any better. "We've all been so busy today I didn't get a chance to see you earlier. I have wonderful news!" she directed him to the kitchen, where she was in the middle of preparing dinner. On the counter next to the cutting board sat an opened letter. "This morning, Willa brought in the mail and she gave me this." Miss Sarah held up the piece of paper.
"What is it?" asked Barry, placing a fist on his hip.
"It's a letter from my brother, Geoffrey!" Miss Sarah shouted happily, hugging Barry again. "He's coming to Bowerstone soon on business and he's going to stay for the wedding! I already asked Mr. Reaver if he could visit tonight when he gets in and Mr. Reaver said yes. Then he scolded me about being more prompt when asking to have visitors over."
Barry nodded and started to take the letter from Miss Sarah until she pulled it away. "I suspect he'll be coming to the manor as soon as he's settled into the inn. I've spent all day making his favorite dinner. It's a stew recipe my grandmother always made for us when we were children and I'm making it just the way he likes it. Mr. Reaver will be home soon. He promised to keep a lookout for my brother while he was in town. Whether he kept that promise, I highly doubt, but I still have hope. I gave him a picture of my brother so he'll know who to look for. I didn't like the way Mr. Reaver was looking at the picture, though."
"What kind of look was it?" Barry asked.
"The kind of look a hungry wolf gets when it's spotted a big fat rabbit." Miss Sarah responded, turning her back to finish making dinner. "I still have to prepare for tomorrow night's dinner. It's our rehearsal dinner, so be sure to pick out a nice outfit!" Miss Sarah shouted as Barry left the kitchen.
With a soft chuckle, Barry left the kitchen and started making his way toward the stairs. Today was going pretty well. He couldn't think of anything that could ruin it. He knew the wedding was soon, but Barry still couldn't believe he was marrying Miss Sarah. While to most, Miss Sarah seemed pretty ordinary with her dull brown hair, her pretty standard out of uniform wardrobe and unassuming figure. But Barry always saw her differently. He saw a woman with chestnut hair that shined in the sun and a figure that made any dress look like a ball gown.
Barry sighed happily and watched his wife-to-be scurry about the kitchen. Nothing else mattered at this point. The chaos around him as decorators and servants ran around didn't seem to bother Barry at all. It was about that time the front door opened slowly. Barry checked the grandfather clock by the stairs and nodded. Reaver would be home by now and the servants started gathering into the foyer to greet their boss as they usually did.
Miss Sarah came out last and took Barry's arm. "I hope Mr. Reaver found my brother." She whispered softly.
"Your brother is coming to visit?" asked Willa, brushing off her apron.
"I don't think we've ever actually met your brother." Beryl commented right after Willa. "…or the rest of your family, for that matter."
Rosie sighed and folded her arms. "We finally get to meet this brother you're so fond of." She murmured.
Before Miss Sarah could answer, the door opened slowly and a gloved hand motioned for someone to come over. Gordon, who had been inside helping set the table, decided to see what the hand wanted. After Gordon left the house, the door shut. The servants looked at each other and then back at the door. They heard a few murmurs, some sighs, and then footsteps. Miss Sarah held Barry's arm tighter, not sure what to think. Rosie, standing somewhat off to the side, tilted her head and nodded as if she could hear the conversation outside.
Before too long, Gordon came back inside with a scared look on his face. He cleared his throat and walked to Miss Sarah. "Miss Sarah, before Mr. Hatch opens the door, I just want you to know that we all love and care about you and none of us knew about this." Gordon warned with his face as white as a fresh linen sheet.
Miss Sarah nodded, not sure what to think. Barry just shrugged and made his way to the front door. Gordon swallowed hard and nodded to Barry. Barry turned around before he saw Gordon whisper a soft prayer in the direction of the sky. Gordon wasn't normally a praying man. Barry slowly opened the door and Reaver walked in first. "Well, look who I found roaming around Millfields! I say, Miss Sarah, if you're going to have sudden guests please keep better track of them!" Their boss shouted as Barry opened the door wide.
After Reaver walked in, a nicely dressed man walked in after him. He looked to be about Reaver's height, if not just a hair shorter, with Miss Sarah's dull brown hair covered in a hat. If not for the soft stubble on his cheeks and chin and broader shoulders, this man would be the spitting image of Miss Sarah. This was obviously a relative. "Geoffrey! Big brother!" Miss Sarah shouted happily, running to hug the man.
Geoffrey smiled and hugged his sister back. "I heard a rumor that you were getting married." He laughed, releasing his sister from their embrace. "When I heard you left that circus, I was afraid you ran into trouble but I'm glad to see you're still in good hands." Geoffrey pointed to the other servants, having recognized them from numerous photographs Miss Sarah had sent him.
The others didn't know what to make of this man. Rosie, who seemed indifferent, didn't seem to understand why this man would cause Gordon to say those things. Willa and Beryl shoved their way forward and greeted Miss Sarah's brother with more grace and admiration than they had for their boss. "You must be Geoffrey, Miss Sarah talks about you a lot. I'm Willa." Willa, her cheeks blushing with the deepest red anyone had ever seen, shook Geoffrey's hand hard.
Beryl gently shoved Willa out of the way and took Geoffrey's hand. "I'm Beryl, and it's a pleasure to meet you." She giggled. Willa glared at Beryl and Beryl returned the glare through her glasses. Miss Sarah giggled and Geoffrey only chuckled.
"So, Geoffrey, how's your wife?" Miss Sarah asked, helping her brother in. Geoffrey chuckled, trying not to notice Willa and Beryl deflate from their momentary crush on him.
"She's back in Brightwall. She'll be here for the wedding, but she didn't want to come along now." Geoffrey cleared his throat and then looked at Gordon. "So, what's this I hear about my baby sister getting married in a few weeks? Where is this 'Mr. Hatch' that you've been going on about in her letters for over a year and a half?" he laughed.
Barry walked up to Geoffrey after a pause and held out his hand. "That would be me. I'm Barry Hatch, and I'm going be your brother-in-law. Sarah sings praises of you." Barry and Geoffrey shook hands and gave each other a big smile. Sarah was happy that the two were already getting along. The two men laughed and talked for a minute or so until someone clearing their throat broke up the celebration. Reaver, who had been standing off near the door for a minute or so, looked over at Gordon.
Gordon looked at his boss and only shrugged with a frightened look in his eyes. Reaver looked like he was just waiting to see the fireworks. Reaver stepped out of the way and motioned for the servants to line back up in their usual guest greeting line. "Now, Sarah, please don't be mad, but I brought some guests with me."
Miss Sarah blinked. "Guests? Like business partners? I guess we can find some extra chairs for them. We'll have to rearrange the seating charts but…"
Geoffrey grabbed his sister's hands and shook his head. "Forgive me, little sister…" he whispered. He nodded for Gordon to open the door. Gordon sighed, made one more final prayer to the sky, and opened the big doors wide. Reaver held himself straight up as two others walked in. Miss Sarah's big smile soon faded into a look of utter disbelief.
These two were obviously nobles, given their way of dress. Their clothes looked like they were made for warmer weather, considering that even in the fall Millfields was still warm. The man had Miss Sarah's brown hair that was greying and the lady had Miss Sarah's eyes though they looked overly made up with eyeliner and sleep deprived. The man wore a tall hat and the lady wore her already grey hair in a ridiculous up-do that looked like some type of bun.
Miss Sarah quivered in her spot. "M-mother? Father?" Miss Sarah chirped as she shook.
The couple stepped forward and looked around the manor. Their expressions didn't change. "I expected it to be bigger from what I had gathered." Miss Sarah's mother murmured. "Oh, well I supposed beggars can't be choosers." Miss Sarah's mother plopped her hands in front of her and walked up to her daughter. The servants noted that she didn't seem too thrilled to see her own daughter. "Hello, Sarah. It's good to finally hear from you after all these years."
Miss Sarah made a soft growling noise and clenched her fists. Barry put his hands on Miss Sarah's forearms and moved her closer to him. The others looked at each other and then at the couple. For as long as they had known her, Miss Sarah rarely talked about her parents. When she did, her voice took a foreboding tone. It was obvious that Miss Sarah didn't get along well with her parents. Though she often spoke of her brother with high regard, the subject of her parents was to be avoided. The servants knew that.
"It was finally nice to hear some good news about you. Your brother has kept us informed over the years of you. Imagine our shock when we heard you had joined a circus!" Miss Sarah's mother shouted as she and her husband walked toward the stairs. They turned around completely and then glared at their daughter. "Well, don't just stand there, child! Introduce us to your…friends!"
With a sigh, Miss Sarah walked over and held her hand up to her parents. "Everyone, this is my mother and father. I guess they'll be attending the wedding." She murmured.
Miss Sarah's parents looked at the servants with disdain. Miss Sarah's mother stuck her nose up at the smiling, waving servants. "I guess beggars can't be choosers when it comes to servants, hmm?" she mumbled, examining each servant.
Miss Sarah's mother stopped at Willa first. "I hear employing children is cheaper than employing adults." She muttered, moving towards Beryl as Willa fumed. Miss Sarah took one look at Beryl's glasses and made a disapproving hum. "My, this one's as blind as a post and just as scrawny! How do you get any work done when you can barely see?" Beryl shook softly in her spot, her glasses hiding her tears. When she came to Rosie, Miss Sarah's mother had no words. "I guess being tall and scary looking has its perks, right my dear?" she asked.
The girls quivered angrily in their spots. Gordon, who had already been insulted on the way to the manor earlier, stood with the girls.
"Imagine our shock when we heard you were getting married! Why, we never actually expected anyone to actually consider you, what with those meaty hips." Her mother continued. Miss Sarah gritted her teeth and walked back over to the others. Reaver put his gloved hand over his mouth so he couldn't laugh. "Well, who is this mystery man? Who took one look at you and decided that even wearing that atrocious uniform, that you'd be a perfect wife?"
While Rosie grabbed the back of Miss Sarah's apron to keep her from attacking her own mother, Barry straightened himself up and walked up to them with his hand held out. "Sir, Madam, my name is Barry Hatch and I'm your daughter's fiancé. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both." That last line was obviously a lie, but Barry still wanted to make a good impression in front of these people. These two were going to be his in-laws and as unpleasant as they were, Barry wanted them to at least see him in a good light.
Miss Sarah's mother looked Barry up and down and put her hands on her hips. Barry's stomach turned a bit, but he ignored it, along with the feeling of impending doom. Miss Sarah's mother shook her head with a soft "tsking" noise coming from her tongue and lips behind her teeth. "Oh, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…" she murmured under her breath. With Rosie holding onto the back of her apron and now with Willa and Beryl on each arm, Sarah's right eye twitched a bit. "I know your prospects are pretty low, what with you being a glorified maid and all, but he's so…stringy."
Miss Sarah's father, who didn't talk much, took a pipe out of his coat pocket and stuck it in his mouth. "Don't be so hard on the girl, dear. Sarah's a grown woman and can marry whoever she wants. Even if he looks like a stable boy, this is Sarah's decision. So, what do you do around here, Bernie?"
Barry retracted his hand and blinked softly. He cleared his throat and bowed softly. "It's Barry, Sir. I'm Master Reaver's attendant, as well as his personal assistant. I keep his schedule, I keep the house in order when he's not around, and I also work as his personal accountant, keeping his affairs and accounts in order."
Miss Sarah's father looked far from impressed. He only made soft humming noises. Geoffrey, on the other hand, nodded with an interested hum while scratching his chin. "Ahh, a jack of all trades, that's pretty impressive." He hummed softly. His father didn't seem to share his sentiments. Miss Sarah's father just sighed and looked at his wife. Geoffrey smiled at his sister, who looked like she wanted to cry. "Sister, I have yet to see the ring. You wrote three whole paragraphs in your last letter about the ring and you still haven't shown me what it looks like."
With a proud smile, Miss Sarah presented her hand, ring finger first, to her brother but not her parents. Her parents walked over and looked down at the ring. It was a lovely diamond, not too big or too small, that complimented Miss Sarah's hand well. Geoffrey admired the ring, smiling his approval. Miss Sarah's parents looked at each other and hummed what Miss Sarah thought was esteem and admiration. Miss Sarah felt she had finally trumped them. "Well, I didn't think your husband-to-be made enough to afford something so nice. It's acceptable, I suppose." Her mother mumbled, looking at her husband. Miss Sarah yanked her hand back and held it tightly.
Reaver finally cleared his throat. "Yes, yes, it is so nice to meet all of you. How about we adjourn to the study and talk, hmm? Miss Sarah, why not show off those lovely cooking skills for your dear parents and whip us up some tea and those delicious honey cookies you made the other night. Those were certainly divine!" said Reaver, pointing to the study. Reaver watched as Sarah's parents and brother slowly walked toward the study. "Oh, the rehearsal dinner will be a hoot!" Reaver grinned.
Barry sighed and looked at the other servants. Miss Sarah fumed and walked back to the kitchen. Before Barry could follow her to make her feel better, the kitchen doors slammed shut. Barry crossed his arms and shook his head. "I always thought she was exaggerating when she talked about her parents. Well, I've been wrong before and I was wrong again now." Barry felt his head throb softly and he rubbed it with his entire hand, mussing up his hair. "There is no way this night could get worse."
Just as he said that, the front doors swung open once again. Barry didn't even turn around when the sound of familiar boot heels clomped through the foyer. "I've returned, my dears! Barry-bear! Help me with my bags!" shouted Mrs. Hatch as the other servants turned to greet her. Barry didn't face his mother. He stayed in his spot trying to keep his eye from twitching. The others took the hint and helped Mrs. Hatch with her purchases.
"Mrs. Hatch, we have other guests here tonight." Willa said, picking up a green shopping bag. "Miss Sarah's family has come to town for the wedding!"
Predicting only disaster, Barry turned suddenly and ran to his mother as the servants took Mrs. Hatch's shopping bags upstairs. "Sarah's parents are here? Oh, well…" Mrs. Hatch placed her hand over her mouth, trying not to smudge her lipstick.
"Mother, Sarah is a bit sensitive about having her parents here. They…aren't the most polite people in the world, so please…" Barry didn't finish his sentence. Mrs. Hatch took off her gloves and handed them to her son, along with her coat and purse.
Mrs. Hatch walked up to the mirror hanging over the piano and fixed her hair a bit. "Now, Barry, I'm sure they're decent enough folk. I mean, if they can conceive a lovely person like Sarah, they can't be all bad, now can they? Besides, I think it's high time I meet the other side of the family." Mrs. Hatch straightened herself up and started for the study before her son could protest. Barry started to follow, but a sudden headache stopped him dead in his tracks. He ran upstairs just as Miss Sarah left the kitchen with tea and cookies on a silver tray.
Amidst the one-sided laughing and the crackle of the fire, Mrs. Hatch could feel the tension. Miss Sarah silently walked toward the foyer with a somber face. Mrs. Hatch stopped her for a moment. Miss Sarah hadn't even noticed Mrs. Hatch had returned. "Sarah dear, one does not enter a battle unless they are ready." She warned as she walked into the study.
"Mother Hatch, you've returned from your shopping trip!" Reaver shouted, standing up to give Mrs. Hatch a hug. "I hope everything went well, I can only assume wedding errands can be quite horrid which is why I'm making the servants do all the heavy lifting." Reaver laughed. "Mother Hatch, these are Miss Sarah's parents, along with her brother. They came for the rehearsal dinner." Reaver helped Mrs. Hatch to the chair he had Gordon bring in from another room. "Call it a hunch, but something tells me they won't be staying for the rehearsal dinner or the wedding, for the matter." He whispered.
Mrs. Hatch nodded and showed herself to the new guests. "So, you're Sarah's parents. I've heard…much about you." Mrs. Hatch started. "I'm Mrs. Bernadette Hatch, Barry's mother. Barry is lucky to have met a lovely girl like Sarah. Skilled cook, sweet to the core, and a good figure, too. I expect good things in the grandchildren department from that one." She laughed. Only she seemed to find it funny.
Miss Sarah's mother cleared her throat as Miss Sarah walked in with the refreshments. She softly put them on the table near the window and sighed looking outside. Geoffrey came up behind his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. "You owe me big time for this!" Miss Sarah whispered through her teeth. Geoffrey watched as his sister prepared the tea cups on the tray. "How did they find out I was getting married and more importantly, when did they start caring?"
Geoffrey shrugged. "They were visiting me when I got your letter saying you were getting hitched to that Mr. Hatch guy you talked about in all your letters. I guess Mother must have taken it off my table after I read it when she saw your signature. She was shocked that you didn't tell her."
"I'm shocked she can feel emotions." Miss Sarah growled. Reaver, who had pretty good hearing despite the noise, decided that eavesdropping on this conversation was much better than the boring back and forth going on between Miss Sarah's parents and Mrs. Hatch. "I thought running away and never writing them was a clue that I didn't want them here!"
Miss Sarah huffed and brought the prepared tray to the group. "Supper will be ready soon. I made beef stew. It's Geoffrey's favorite, in case you decided to ca-…" Geoffrey nudged his sister. Miss Sarah cleared her throat and placed the tray down on the side table next to Reaver's chair. "…in case you forgot. Excuse me…" Miss Sarah stomped off.
In the kitchen, the servants were getting everything ready. Rosie gathered up the plates and gave them to Willa and Beryl to set. Gordon had left the house to gather fresh cut flowers for the dining room table, and no one knew where Barry went off to. Miss Sarah stirred the stew and cursed into it. The others knew to avoid Miss Sarah, who seemed to be cursing more than a drunken sailor. When the dishes were set, it was Rosie that announced dinner.
Miss Sarah didn't leave the kitchen when the others came back for the finished stew. She fumed at the servant's table in the corner of the kitchen, her hands gripped around a cold tea cup. She heard soft talking coming from the upstairs, mostly from Reaver and Mrs. Hatch. She was hoping Barry would show up, but she sat alone in the kitchen. Her ears perked up when she heard Barry's voice come from upstairs. She heard him apologize for being late and she heard his chair scoot out. Miss Sarah softly wished him luck.
"I apologize for my lateness, Master. I wanted to find a cleaner set of clothes." said Barry, straightening his uniform coat. Reaver only nodded, waving for Beryl to pour him some more wine. Willa made a plate for Barry and set it in front of him before finally leaving the dining room with the others. They didn't completely leave. They stood at the doorway to Reaver's hallway, eavesdropping on the conversation. Their boss knew they were still there, but said nothing.
The dinner became oddly silent. Barry's headache was softer now, but he couldn't help but feel the disapproving eyes of his future in-laws staring him down. Miss Sarah's mother was the first to say something as she softly wiped her mouth with her napkin. "So, Benny…"
"It's Barry, Ma'am…" Barry murmured softly. Mrs. Hatch pursed her lips and sipped her wine, looking more offended than Barry felt.
"Right…" Miss Sarah's mother chuckled softly. "So, our Sarah seems quite fond of you. I must say, you aren't anything like I imagined you'd be. When Geoffrey mentioned she was marrying a man she worked with, I imagined another servant. I guess I feel slightly better knowing you're not just the gardener or a butler." That last statement made the other servants fume with anger from their eavesdropping spot. Barry cleared his throat and reached for his wine. "I suppose being a personal assistant is good, too."
Miss Sarah's father only nodded before sipping the stew from his spoon. "I suppose being a glorified secretary to Albion's most eccentric businessman is as good a job as any." He said, finally. "Our little Sarah has always been a bit of a black sheep. She liked to be difficult in matters of propriety. It's good to see she's a least domesticated."
Reaver, not above insulting people for any given reason (or none at all), couldn't believe his own ears. While Reaver was known to shout at the servants for their own small misgivings, he felt slightly alarmed that Miss Sarah's own parents had even less an opinion of her than he did. He cleared his throat and looked over at Barry, who was bending a stainless steel spoon with only his thumb. Not wanting Barry to bend his good silverware, Reaver decided to dispel the unpleasantness. "I can assure you both that Miss Sarah is the best cook I've ever had. Any recipe I throw at her, she picks it up within a minute! Why, that ravioli dish she makes every so often is the toast of all my dinner parties!"
"Oh, is she still making that?" Miss Sarah's mother sighed. "That old recipe has been in the family for years. I guess she's finally perfected it. It was always a little greasy when she made it. Well, she can cook, I suppose. If the whole 'personal assistant' thing doesn't work out for Barney, I guess she can always support them with her cook job."
Mrs. Hatch, who had been tearing her cloth napkin in her lap under the table, clenched her teeth. "It's Barry. My son's name is Barry. He's a damn good assistant. He's had a gift for accountancy ever since he was a boy, I'll tell you that much! Why, he helped me keep my finances straight after his father died and he's been keeping Reaver's schedule for years and he keeps this manor up and running! My Barry can keep a book like no other and he can do numbers with ease!"
Geoffrey, who had been silent this entire time, finally put down his glass of wine and glanced over at the entrance to the dining room. "Sarah! You've come to join us!" Geoffrey shouted happily. Miss Sarah still had that look on her face, like she had swallowed a sour grape. The servants watched from the doorway as Miss Sarah walked in with dessert. "Is that chocolate cake? You remembered that I adore chocolate cake!" Geoffrey saw a soft smile emerge from Miss Sarah's face.
"It seems she's taking a liking to it as well." Miss Sarah's mother whispered.
"What was that, Mother?" Miss Sarah growled, placing dessert down and brandishing a big knife. Reaver subconsciously scooted his chair back a bit. He was not a man to be frightened of things, but the look Miss Sarah had on her face while holding the knife intended for cutting the cake made him quite nervous. She gripped the knife tightly and tried to keep herself from doing anything she'd probably not regret.
"Oh, nothing of any importance, my dear." Her mother sighed. "I just think that with all the cake you'll be having at your wedding, you might want to skip this one slice." Her mother sipped her wine again and looked at her daughter. "Well, you're already here, start serving the cake to those of us not watching our figure."
Miss Sarah held the knife high. Reaver jolted his head toward the doorway, where he knew the others were watching, and made panicked gestures. Rosie ran from the doorway and grabbed Miss Sarah's wrist before anything could happen. "Miss Sarah, I'll serve dessert. You've done enough today. We'll clean up the kitchen, too." Rosie slowly took the knife from Miss Sarah and motioned her toward the servant's hallway. "You go get some rest."
Reaver's patience was starting to grow thin with these unwanted guests. He was the master of the house and the right to insult his help was his and his alone! Reaver felt this outrage could not go unpunished but decided dinner time was not the time. He looked over at Barry, who seemed to have trouble keeping his own cool.
In her room, Miss Sarah grumbled angrily. She didn't want her parents here, but there they were, sitting in the dining room. Miss Sarah rubbed her forearms and sat on her bed. All her life, she had been the envy of all the children because she had such rich parents. Her childhood wasn't anything special, but she saw more of the servants than she did of her parents. When she did see her parents, it was mostly for small intervals of time and usually didn't have anything encouraging to say.
Miss Sarah reached into her nightstand drawer and pulled out a fancy box. It was a green velvet box and it contained a red collar with silver studs on it. She smiled happily, holding the collar in her hand. She hadn't seen its intended recipient in some time, but with the full moon expected soon, Miss Sarah was happy. "I bet you'd gobble them up for me, wouldn't you?" she whispered to the collar, as if the beast it was meant for was standing near. Miss Sarah decided that she'd have to grin and bear it. If she knew her boss, by now her parents were starting to get on his last nerve as well. She placed the collar in her apron pocket and started to leave her room. She had a feeling tonight's events would end in gun fire.
In the dining room, Barry was feeling an urge he was having trouble controlling. He gritted his teeth at his future in-laws, thought he tried to remain polite. His mother wasn't fairing any better. "You know, if she just kept doing those pageants, she probably wouldn't have such meaty hips." Miss Sarah's mother murmured, finishing her slice of cake. "I tried to make her into a proper lady, but all she wanted to do was play in the mud with her brother. I was slightly relieved when she started showing a knack for cooking. Unfortunately, it took a while for her talents to grow in that field as well."
Mrs. Hatch smiled and sipped her wine as Miss Sarah reentered the dining room. "I like Sarah's figure. In the old days, we called hips like hers 'child-bearing hips' and it's been proven that women with wider hips have an easier time giving birth and have healthier children. I'd rather have healthy grandchildren than stringy ones with no meat to them."
Reaver motioned for Miss Sarah to sit, despite propriety meaning she was to serve. Reaver leaned over and grinned at Miss Sarah. "You're taking this well." He whispered. Miss Sarah nodded and stayed in her spot next to Barry. Reaver was enjoying being the spectator of this rather entertaining spectacle. He placed his chin on his hand and leaned forward. This was much better than those sensationalist rag magazines he sometimes confiscated from his factory workers (and in a few instances, from the servants). For once, Reaver wasn't the cause of chaos. He was rather enjoying it.
Barry, on the other hand, felt something inside trying to claw its way out. He felt his right eye twitch and the air in the dining room turned thick. Everyone felt it; master, servants, and guests alike could feel the atmosphere in the dining room become tense. Miss Sarah looked over at Barry and placed her hand on his softly under the table. Barry didn't react. He looked like he was fighting something, but he couldn't say what it was. Miss Sarah smiled at him softly, watching him as he attempted to drink the tea that was on the table for him. The cup shook.
"You're shaking like a cold house cat, Bentley." Miss Sarah's mother stated. "You're not much when it comes to muscle, I see. You have the look of someone who should be tending a stable, but none of the muscle that accompanies such a job. How can we expect you to keep a home with our daughter and any potential grandchildren if you can't even keep yourself from coming down with a cold in the middle of dinner? It's not proper, coming to dinner shivering like you just came in from the cold. Our Sarah will not be living in a drafty home, I can tell you that right now! What kind of man can't provide for his wife?"
Barry gripped his jacket sleeves. "It's Barry, Ma'am and…I…I think I need some fresh air." He murmured, trying his hardest to excuse himself from the dinner table.
Before Reaver could say anything, Barry got up and left the dining room in a rush, covering his mouth. "…and not to mention, he's rude!" Miss Sarah's father mumbled after a long pause. He looked at his wife, who nodded, and then looked at his daughter. Miss Sarah was standing up to chase after Barry, but her father held his hand up, motioning her to sit down. "Sarah, dear; please understand that your mother and I only want what is best for you. You're our only daughter and we wanted only the best for you and your brother. Your brother has made a good name for himself as the city clerk of Brightwall, but you just seemed to wander around. You ran away before we could arrange another marriage for you and you joined a circus! And now, you work as a cook and about to marry a glorified butler!"
All eyes (master and servants alike), were on Miss Sarah's parents. "Sarah, what your father is saying is that we can't, in good conscience, approve of your marriage to Bartleby…"
The final nail in the coffin came from her father. "In fact, you're mother and I discussed this before we arrived and we want you to come back with us when we leave. You deserve better than the life of a cook and you certainly are above the life of an accountant's wife. In fact, we have several nice young men lined up for you when we get back home."
The entire dining room was silent. Miss Sarah looked at her boss, who knew exactly what she wanted to do. He nodded his approval and leaned back in his chair. He often liked to watch fireworks and this was about to be better than any flashy light display. For good measure, Reaver poured himself some more wine. Miss Sarah's right eye started twitching. Geoffrey scooted his chair back, preparing for the worst.
"You…don't approve?!" Miss Sarah shouted, slamming her hands onto the table. "In case you haven't noticed, which is pretty likely, I stopped caring what you thought long ago! I don't need anyone's approval to marry someone, especially not yours! All my life, you've tried to control every aspect of my existence! You've chosen my clothes, my hobbies, my friends, and you even tried to marry me off to several men who only wanted your money! And when I finally take my life back, you have the audacity to come out of nowhere and expect me to listen to you?! I hate to break it to the both of you, as it is apparently not obvious enough, but I'm happy here! I'm happy here working for Mr. Reaver and I'm happy with the others! They are the only true friends I've ever had and I wouldn't trade any of them for anything! And another thing: if you don't like who I marry, then you don't have to come to my wedding! I didn't want you there in the first place! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find him!"
Miss Sarah stomped off without being excused. "And his name is Barry!" she shouted, leaving the dining room. The front doors slamming were the last thing anyone heard. Reaver, who looked like he was fighting back the urge to laugh, stood up and applauded softly. Mrs. Hatch let out the loudest laugh anyone had heard. The servants, from their eavesdropping spot, laughed too.
Miss Sarah fumed on the steps of the manor and tried to calm down. She stomped toward the middle of the yard and folded her arms. "The nerve of them." She muttered, pouting like a punished child. She looked around and took the collar out of her apron pocket again. She thought about many things; including a certain Balverine ripping her mother and father limb from limb. But she had to find Barry before the night got too cold. "I need to find Barry and apologize, since I know they won't. I hope Mr. Reaver's patience runs out soon. I never thought I'd ever hear myself say that. The sooner my parents leave, the faster a pleasant visit from my brother can begin." She murmured, running toward the gate. Miss Sarah stopped when she heard soft, yet deep breathing coming from the hill nearby. She placed the collar back in her apron pocket and made her way up the hill.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" she shouted, reaching the bridge to the clearing. "Are you hurt?" Miss Sarah ran into the clearing and saw a shadow hunched over a rock. She recognized the outline. "Barry? Is this where you ran off to?" she shouted, running toward him. She stopped when his deep breathing turned into a soft growl.
Barry grabbed his hair and turned to face Miss Sarah. "I didn't want you to find out this way." He shouted, his voice combining with a guttural growling. Barry stood up and looked up at the moon as it left its cloudy blanket, revealing its full beauty. "I never wanted you to find out at all! I'm sorry!" he shouted. Barry let out a guttural roar and howled as his teeth grew, his arms stretched, and his entire body became covered in red fur. Miss Sarah stepped back until she backed into a tree.
With a mighty roar that shook the manor's windows, Barry began what looked like a very painful transformation. His spine stretched, his fingers elongated with claw-like nails, and his face changing into a furry muzzle-less face, the man Miss Sarah knew was now a balverine. She screamed loudly and started to step out of the way. The balverine loomed over her and roared loudly. Miss Sarah, driven by instinct and instinct alone, started running toward Driftwood. The balverine gave chase.
Twigs snapping under her feet as she ran, the entire forest heard her screams. She heard the balverine's horrible growling and snarling as it ran after her. She didn't know why she was running, but instinct taught her that if an animal was running after you with claws and fangs out, one needed to run. Miss Sarah stayed on the path until she felt she lost the balverine. She looked around and knew she couldn't direct it toward Driftwood. Miss Sarah jumped into a bush and started running through the brush. She stopped at a big tree and watched the path. The balverine looked around and then darted in another direction.
Miss Sarah stayed behind the tree and put her hand over her heart. She honestly didn't expect that. "Alright, that was horrifying." She mumbled. "My fiancé is a balverine. Even odder, he's MY balverine." She continued, looking behind the tree again. She reached into her apron pocket and took out the collar. "Well, now I know what Mr. Reaver meant when he said I had Barry by a leash." Miss Sarah sat down and held the collar close. "So, this explains why he asks for extra days off during the full moon. I'm so stupid!" she shouted at the sky. "It should have been so obvious."
Holding the collar close, Miss Sarah felt like she was about to cry. Everything was coming together in her mind and she didn't know what to do. She pictured Barry and his smile, asking her not to be afraid, but she didn't know she if she could do that. Miss Sarah turned her head when she heard howling again. The balverine sounded disappointed. Miss Sarah tried to think. "He means me no harm that I know of. If he were just the balverine from before, it'd be different. But he's Barry."
Miss Sarah stood up, the collar still in her hand. She walked from her hiding spot under the tree and made her way to a nearby clearing. She held the collar to her heart and sighed softly. Her ring caught the moonlight and glistened enough to make her squint her eyes. She heard soft rustling in the surrounding area. He had found her, she knew it. Miss Sarah stayed put. She was about to face her balverine and her fiancé at the same time.
The balverine stepped into the clearing, its snout-less face in the air, sniffing until he found Miss Sarah. He lumbered over toward her and growled at her, like it was scolding her. Miss Sarah let the balverine sniff her and waited for it to stop. He growled at her again before walking around her, studying her. He sniffed her again and then stopped in front of her to face her. Even sitting, this balverine was much bigger than Miss Sarah. His big yellow eyes glowed with intensity, making Miss Sarah shake a bit. The balverine growled at Miss Sarah, showing his massive fangs.
Miss Sarah stood straight and whacked the balverine on his non-existent snout. "No!" she shouted. Miss Sarah put her hands on her hips and watched the balverine sniff and shake himself out of his shock. He growled louder and opened his mouth, revealing many sharp teeth. "No! Bad!" Miss Sarah shouted again, hitting him again. The balverine whined and snorted. "Bad! No teeth! Naughty balverine! That is a very bad doggy!" she shouted, wagging her finger at the monster. "Naughty, naughty no bite!"
The monster stood tall and roared intensely at Miss Sarah. Miss Sarah just stood there, her fists balled up. The balverine looked at Miss Sarah curiously and then sat down at her feet. "Good, that's a very good boy. Now, are you going to be good?" Miss Sarah asked. The balverine looked like it wanted to growl, but it did nothing. "Good." Miss Sarah crossed her arms and looked around. She saw a big rock and walked over to it, sitting down softly.
Miss Sarah pointed to the ground in front of her and the balverine obediently lumbered over. Miss Sarah suddenly became placid at the monster in front of her. "So, this is what you've been up to whenever there is a full moon, huh?" she asked, rubbing her right forearm. The balverine laid his head in her lap and whined. Miss Sarah started to pet him. "I guess I should have realized it sooner. I feel like such a doofus for not seeing the signs. Rosie told me you had something to tell me, but only would when you were ready. I guess I figured it out for myself."
The balverine sniffed Miss Sarah's right hand and tugged on the collar softly with its massive teeth. "No! Don't do that! This was expensive!" she shouted, pulling the collar away. Miss Sarah looked at the collar again and then at the ring on her finger. "My husband-to-be is a balverine." She whispered. Miss Sarah smiled softly and thought about it for a moment. Barry, despite the secret he kept, was still a good man and she still saw him whenever she looked at this monster.
Ever since her first encounter with the Red Balverine, she felt that this beast meant her no harm. While he was a balverine, something in him kept him from harming Miss Sarah. Miss Sarah had many pets in her childhood and often wondered if they felt the feelings humans felt. Miss Sarah squinted and pushed some of the red fur away on the balverine's shoulder. It was a gunshot wound from their last encounter toward the middle of the summer. She remembered the terror she felt when the monster stood over her friends and how reckless she was for standing up to the beast without knowing its true intentions. It had healed nicely, but she noticed the monster winced when she touched it.
It was then Miss Sarah realized how close she came to almost losing Barry. This was more than a pet. This was more than a monster. This was Barry. "It's okay, I understand." She whispered. "I understand. I won't hold this against you and it won't make me love you any less. I will still marry you but you have to be honest with me from now on." She didn't know if Barry could hear her, but the balverine nuzzled her softly.
Miss Sarah remembered talking to Mr. Finn before he left the first time they came head to head with the Red Balverine. She had asked about the chances of Barry becoming a balverine, but Mr. Finn waved her fears away, saying it was pretty rare, though not unheard of. Without knowing why, she asked that if it was the case, whether or not there was a cure. Mr. Finn shook his head remorsefully and told her if there was one, he didn't know of it.
Putting her hand on the balverine's cheek, Miss Sarah smiled softly. "Mr. Finn almost killed you last time. I bought this collar, so in case you ever came around again, people would know that you weren't some wild beast. They would know that you had someone who cared for you and didn't want to see you die." Miss Sarah held up the collar and opened its fasten with a soft click. "If it means I won't have you next to me for a few days every month, I understand. Know that I will miss you, and when your time as this monster is done, your side of the bed will still be there and so will I. I will never leave your side. I will be your wife and your keeper."
Holding up the collar, Miss Sarah started to cry. "I think deep down, I knew but didn't want to believe it. Please, accept this gift so no one will harm you when the beast blood takes over."
The Red Balverine stared at Miss Sarah for a bit. The look in his eyes was a somber one, letting Miss Sarah know he understood her. He lowered his neck and placed his head on her shoulder, though not all the way as not to crush her. Miss Sarah slowly and carefully snapped the collar onto the balverine and stepped back. The red leather shined in the moonlight. The hand that housed her ring stroked the collar softly and shined alongside it.
The balverine nuzzled her softly and motioned toward his back. Miss Sarah looked at him questionably as he lowered himself to the ground. "You want me to…ride on your back?" she asked, pointing to his back. The Red Balverine nodded and waited. Miss Sarah shrugged and climbed on the balverine. Like hiding a horse with no saddle, Miss Sarah held onto the collar like a rein and held on as the balverine started to gallop through the woods.
The balverine started to speed up a bit, but Miss Sarah held on tight. The balverine roared loudly as he galloped with Miss Sarah on his back. The entire forest heard him as he galloped faster. He stopped at the path and motioned to his rider, as if asking where she wanted to go. Miss Sarah looked around and noticed the path to the manor was clear. "I think I want to show 'Mommy and Daddy' my new pet." Miss Sarah grinned a very Reaver-esque grin and motioned for the balverine to continue.
Inside the manor, Reaver tapped his gloved fingers against his arms. His servants stood behind his chair, as if waiting for him to say the word so they could throw the unwanted guests out. Mrs. Hatch stayed close to Reaver as well, cracking her knuckles and thinking she could take Miss Sarah's mother in a fight, easily. Geoffrey kept his distance. He knew when trouble was about to happen. "When Sarah was a little girl, she used to bring home small animals and call them 'pets'." Miss Sarah's mother said, when little Reavie had made her presence known. Reavie had been sleeping in her basket in Reaver's office and only woke up when she heard Miss Sarah's outburst earlier in the evening.
Reavie purred softly and cuddled close to Reaver. Reavie was immediately smitten with Geoffrey, but hissed when his parents tried to pet her. Reaver believed animals could sense evil, which is why many animals avoided him. "She brought home a big frog one day and put it in our garden. It took the exterminator three hours to catch that thing. So, this cat-"
"She has a name and it's Reavie." Reaver interrupted, his arms still folded.
"I detest animals. We made sure the children didn't have any, as we think getting attached to any kind of animal is a waste of time and resources. Messy, worthless creatures." Miss Sarah's father said, before anyone else could say anything. "Your little 'Reavie', what pedigree is she?"
Reaver shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest." He murmured as Reavie jumped in his lap. "She's a cat. More importantly, she's MY cat. That should be enough information on how wonderful she is." Reaver cooed as he scratched Reavie's chin. "Yes, my dear, you're wonderful, just like me."
Miss Sarah's mother scoffed and stood up. "This has gone on long enough. Reaver, we don't appreciate that you treat your cat better than you treat our daughter and we don't like how you've allowed her farce of a romance to continue with that butler!"
Geoffrey stood up. "Please, ignore my mother and father. We're really grateful you've invited us into your home, Reaver."
"Don't lie for us, Geoffrey!" shouted his mother. "We know when we're not welcome, and of all the people in Albion, I figured you would see our point of view, Reaver. It seems we were wrong in that regard. So, let's get this over with. Reaver, the real reason we're here is to take our Sarah back. Now, we'll pay any price to release our daughter from your service. Name it and we'll pay it. We just want her out of here and back home where she belongs; away from this crazy manor and its insane inhabitants!"
Geoffrey sat down near the servants. He could tell this was the final straw his parents had plucked and felt the tension rise in the dining room. He could no longer stick up for his parents, as Geoffrey felt they had gone too far in someone else's home. Reaver gave Reavie to Rosie and stood up. The candles from dinner had almost gone out, making the shadows on his face creepier. Reaver slowly lifted his head and put his hand on his side. He laughed softly, turning into a hearty guffaw. His servants were scared.
Reaver's laugh echoed through the halls of his manor. Reaver, who always kept his Dragonstomper handy, pulled it out of its holster and glared at the couple. "Ha…ha…ha…get off my property…" he laughed, pointing his gun at the couple. Miss Sarah's parents looked stunned and confused. "You can insult my servants, complain about the food your daughter made, and my décor all you want, but when you insult me directly in my own home…well, you've very much crossed the line."
Reaver stood up and aimed his weapon. "You can leave or I can have my servants throw you out. Your choice, but I do know my servants are just itching you toss you out on your proper, though impeccably dressed, behinds." Reaver and the servants made it very clear, without words, that Miss Sarah's parents had overstayed their welcome. "I am only giving you this chance once. I suggest the next time you come to my home it had better be with an apology!"
"We don't have to stand for this!" Miss Sarah's father shouted as he and his wife got up. "We did not come all this way to be insulted!"
"You sure came a long way to insult all of us!" Willa shouted, not asking her boss for permission to speak. "You two have done nothing but complain since you got here, despite being given the hospitality you don't deserve! You don't want to reconcile with Miss Sarah, you just wanted to cause trouble! Your entire visit here has been horrible and you're not welcome here!"
"Take the hint!" Beryl shouted when Willa was done. "Get lost! We don't want you here!"
"You've outstayed your welcome. I suggest you go before something bad happens." Rosie said, stoically. Her glance was intense.
"Miss Sarah was right about you two. You say you only have her best interests at heart, but all you're doing is thinking about yourselves! She finally found a place where people care for her and you want to take that away too!" Gordon balled up his fists and had to be kept from continuing.
Reavie hissed loudly as Mrs. Hatch stood. "I may not have had all the money in the world, but I let my Barry know each and every day how important he was to me. I never saw my son as a commodity to help my social standing like you saw poor Sarah and Geoffrey. I don't agree with being mad at one's parents, but it seems her bad memories of you outweigh any good ones. Has it ever occurred to either of you that you're losing out on the chance to see your daughter as an adult? Are you even shaken by the fact that she is so traumatized by the negligence that she doesn't want you apart of this beautiful experience she will be undertaking soon? Are you two so obsessed with class and propriety that you're willing to lose your daughter and not be with her on this important moment in her life? Are you risking never being able to see your future grandchildren? I've never met such selfish people in my entire life!"
Miss Sarah's parents looked at each other solemnly and said nothing. Geoffrey shook his head, letting Reaver and his servants know that he has given this speech before and it was just as useless. "Mother, Father, we're leaving. I'll escort you back to the train station tomorrow but I don't think it's a good idea for you two to stay for the wedding." Geoffrey bowed apologetically to his host and walked with his parents toward the front of the house.
The servants didn't bother to see them out. Reaver heard Geoffrey murmur to his parents that this was the reason his wife didn't want them around. He put his gun away when the front doors slammed. Reaver turned to his servants, who were expecting to be reprimanded for speaking out of turn. "That…was beautiful, my lovelies!" Reaver shouted with his arms in the air. Reavie mewed softly and hopped from Rosie back to Reaver. "Ahh, you were wonderful too, my dear. If there is one thing I can't stand, its ungrateful guests! They're lucky I didn't throw them in the alligator pit!" Reaver shouted, leaving the dining room for the study with Mrs. Hatch in tow.
The servants started cleaning up from dinner and then looked at each other. "We have an alligator pit?" Willa asked.
"Would it surprise you if we did?" Beryl answered. Willa shrugged and followed behind the others, taking the plates to the kitchen.
Outside the manor, Miss Sarah's parents huffed and complained, with Geoffrey slightly behind them. "The indignity of being thrown out into the cold like this! And from Reaver's house of all places! That place is a den of insanity and we get kicked out!"
Geoffrey stopped when he heard footsteps coming from the hill. His parents kept going, until they reached the path leading to the hill. They didn't notice that Geoffrey was no longer behind them. They looked up at their daughter coming down from the hill. "Leaving so soon?" she asked, her arms folded. "I am going to assume Mr. Reaver kicked you out. Well, I'm not surprised. I've never known Mr. Reaver to be very patient with his guests. Let me guess: you insulted him in some manner, yes?"
"Sarah, we will not be talked to like this! We are not children!" her father shouted.
"Funny, because you're both throwing tantrums like one and it's not befitting either of you at all. Well, this visit has been nice, but as I'm sure Mr. Reaver told you, you're not welcome here. If you want to come to my wedding, you'd better have sunnier attitudes." Miss Sarah stood her ground, letting them know she was not a little girl anymore.
"Sarah, listen to reason." Her mother moaned. "Come back with us, you don't belong here!"
Miss Sarah sighed. "I do belong here. It's you two that aren't welcome." The moon lit up the area, revealing the Red Balverine standing right behind Miss Sarah. "I don't believe you've met this pet before. Unlike that frog I brought home that you had killed, this one can defend himself. And by the way, he hasn't eaten tonight."
Without needing to say anything, the Red Balverine charged at Miss Sarah's parents, chasing them all the way through Millfields. The Red Balverine's roars echoed through the hills, followed by the screams of two terrified nobles running for their lives. Miss Sarah laughed as her brother joined her. "So, my future brother-in-law has a night job." Geoffrey stated, putting his arm around his sister. Before Miss Sarah could ask, Geoffrey chuckled. "Do you know how many balverine hunts I was forced to attend as a boy with our father? After a while, you just know to see the signs. It's alright; I won't hold it against him. He's a good man and I know he makes you happy. The bad part is that Father knows the signs, too. Of course, he might be too busy running to put two and two together."
Miss Sarah smiled at her brother with her arms still crossed. Geoffrey cleared his throat after another roar echoed from the distance. "I'm taking Mother and Father to the train station tomorrow. I told them they aren't welcome at the wedding unless they behave. I know you're not ready to forgive them and after this, I doubt you ever will be. Sometimes, my dear baby sister, a relationship can't be fixed. I put up with them, but you don't have to if you're not ready to. I'll bear the brunt of the burden for both of us, so don't worry. Just know that I love you and I'll be right there at your wedding, cheering you both on."
"Thank you, Geoffrey." Miss Sarah hugged her brother tightly.
Geoffrey hugged Miss Sarah back and started to leave. "Well, I'd better go find them before your fiancé tears them apart. If you need anything, I'll be staying at the Inn in town!" Geoffrey shouted as he walked toward the other bridge.
Miss Sarah waved back and folded her arms. She made her way back toward the manor, where the others were waiting for her. She smiled warmly to her friends and they walked with her into the manor. While she never intended to actually harm her parents, and the Red Balverine knew that, Miss Sarah was happy to finally have them out of her hair. She decided that, as an apology for making the entire manor deal with her parents, Miss Sarah was going to make her ravioli specialty the next night.
Turning to the gate after the others went inside, Miss Sarah sighed happily promising to wait up for Barry.
A Few Days Later
Barry often felt Reaver left mountains of paperwork for him to do on purpose. Barry also didn't know who he was fooling by thinking that, because he knew that's exactly what Reaver did. As the servants kept busy and Miss Sarah's brother talked business with Reaver in the study, Barry crunched numbers and kept the books in Reaver's office. His figures strewn about the desk, Barry tapped his pen against an account book and nodded as he continued the paperwork.
Though the door wasn't closed all the way, Barry was still surprised to see the door open. Miss Sarah held a tray with a tea set and invited herself in. "You've been in here since Mr. Reaver left this morning. He's already back and talking business with my brother in the study. I thought you could use a pick-me-up." She chirped, finding a clear spot to place the tray. Barry nodded and sat back. He was almost finished, but keeping Reaver's accounts in order was an exhausting job. "So, is Mr. Reaver still filthy rich?" Miss Sarah giggled, pouring Barry a cup of tea.
Barry chuckled softly and leaned back further in the chair. "Master Reaver could literally burn down the manor and have it rebuilt in solid gold ten times and he'd still have more money than I'd be able to make in my lifetime." Barry graciously took the tea cup from Miss Sarah and took a soft sip.
Miss Sarah smiled and sat in the chair across from the desk. "Money has brought me nothing but misery. I don't care if they disinherit me, my parents can keep their money."
Sipping his tea, Barry only nodded. "Money is nice, but it doesn't make good people. I suppose working for Mr. Reaver for a while wouldn't be so bad." Barry stood up and walked over to the window. The wedding was only a few weeks away and everything was almost set up. "I know tradition says the bride's parents pay for the wedding, but I think that might not be the case. Mother insisted on paying, and honestly I don't care what she does with her money. I'm sorry you couldn't mend things with your parents, lovey."
Miss Sarah sighed and walked over to Barry. "Just have your mother send them her bill." She giggled, placing her hand on Barry's shoulder. She traced her hand along his shirt collar until her finger hit something under his jacket. She pulled the jacket aside a bit and saw the red collar. Miss Sarah blushed and looked away, but felt Barry bring her closer.
"I'm sorry I never told you. I never wanted you to find out. I promise I'll try to keep it under control." Barry murmured, holding his fiancé close. "I guess both parts of my belong to you now, lovey."
With a soft hum, Miss Sarah looked up at Barry. "I will always wait up for you." She chirped.
A soft knock came at the door, interrupting the moment. Geoffrey looked around the office and smiled at Barry. "So, this is how Reaver keeps tabs on his expenses. Good system." Geoffrey joked, sitting in a chair across from the desk. He picked up an account book out of nosiness and flipped through it. He looked impressed. "Sarah, my dear sister, can I speak to my brother-in-law-to-be privately for a moment?"
Confused, Miss Sarah only nodded and took the tea tray from the office, closing the door behind her. She passed by decorators going about and Mrs. Hatch shouting orders to some of them. Miss Sarah continued to the kitchen and decided to start on dinner. She noticed the somber look on her boss's face when she walked into the study to ask if he wanted any wine before dinner. Reaver didn't say anything as he waved Miss Sarah away.
The mood had been off since Reaver got home. Geoffrey had been over almost every day since the incident with his parents and today he seemed to be on a mission. Every day after he left, Reaver seemed to be in a sour mood. Today was no different. Though, tonight Reaver seemed like he had resigned on something important.
Reaver got up when he heard Barry and Geoffrey coming down the stairs. Barry went right for Miss Sarah, who was starting to make dinner. Barry took Miss Sarah in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Your brother has offered me a job in Brightwall." He said before Miss Sarah could ask. "He said he needs someone with accountancy training to take over for him as the town clerk when he resigns next spring. He wants to start me off as his assistant and then have me take over fully after a while."
Miss Sarah just blinked. "Are you going to take it?" she asked.
"I told him I'd talk it over with you first. After dinner, we'll talk about it." Barry still had a beaming smile and hugged Miss Sarah tightly.
Reaver didn't like this one bit, but Geoffrey made a pretty convincing argument. He didn't want to lose the best assistant he ever had, nor did he want to lose the best cook he ever had. But Geoffrey made a good argument. "Think about it, Reaver; a chance for both of them to make a life for themselves. Even you have to admit they've earned it."
Reaver waved his hand at Geoffrey. "Yes, yes, all that sap. Enough sap in this house lately to make pancakes. Speaking of food, where is my dinner?!" Reaver shouted across the foyer at Miss Sarah. Bowing apologetically, Miss Sarah ran back into the kitchen to finish dinner. Reaver shook his head and went up to the dining room with Geoffrey in tow. "All this wedding and marriage nonsense is not sitting well with me, Geoffrey. The sooner this wedding is over, the better we'll all be!" Reaver sat at the head of the table and sighed.
"Oh, now you have to admit, Mr. Hatch's work productivity has gone up since the engagement." Geoffrey stated.
Reaver nodded. "Yes, ever since he found a reason to keep living, Hatch's work has gotten better. I suppose some good will come out of this. But marriage is so…" Reaver looked like he was struggling to find the right word. "…it's so permanent unless you're a good shot with a rifle."
Geoffrey laughed and then realized Reaver wasn't joking. "Oh, marriage can be fun. Think of it as an investment: like any good investment, you only get out as much as you put in. My parents had the wrong idea and treated marriage like a business contract. In that regard, they are perfect for each other. Though I haven't seen them kiss since my sister was born. It's just nice to have someone to wake up next to and someone to look forward to everyday. I went against my parent's wishes when I married my wife, but I don't regret it. Seeing her lovely face every day is worth it. She keeps the house, cooks my meals, and not to mention she keeps me in line." Geoffrey chuckled and noticed Reaver didn't find it amusing. "Maybe it's not for everyone."
"It certainly isn't for me." Reaver murmured, as the servants started their evening rounds. "It's for people like Hatch and Miss Sarah. People who feel the need to procreate and keep this world filled with more complacent people. I just don't see the appeal in it. Of course, the business aspect certainly is appealing. With Miss Sarah possibly leaving, this manor will lack the 'lady-of-the-house' feel. There needs to be some kind of woman's touch around here."
Reaver sat back in his chair and watched the servants go about. When Rosie entered the dining room to set the table, Reaver stared at her. A devilish grin traced across his face. "Yes, that is exactly what my humble home needs." He murmured, after Rosie left his line of sight. "Lakeview Manor needs a certain someone to keep this rabble under control." Reaver watched Rosie walk back in with more dishes and set the table's last spots. Reaver was an opportunist, if anything. He knew when a good idea came his way and he knew how to snatch it up. He watched Rosie walk away and scratched his chin.
"More changes are coming…and I think it will prove how loyal my Circus Rejects really are to me…"
N'cha, my doves!
So, to start off I have good news and bad news: good news is I've pretty much got the rest of the story mapped out, so updates should come quicker. Bad news actually involved another fic of mine over in the Portal area. "One Big Aperture Family" is going on hiatus until further notice. I'll explain in my journal update on dA.
On a lighter note, the wedding is coming up soon! Oh, have I got lots in store for you guys! Including, but not limited to: a bachelor party the likes Albion has never seen with an unexpected (but still kind of expected) ending.
Stay tuned for the next chapter, in which the servants will ask some pretty tough questions and one servant will eat her own words.
Well, apologies for this taking so long, but you know how weird life can get. Family, work, the unending feeling of dread…*ahem* but enough negative. I have a few ideas for some fics I hope to post in the foreseeable future. I recently became addicted to a podcast called "Welcome to Night Vale" and well… *happy jumping* I might have a one shot planned for that soon!
And here comes the good part! Read, review, and be merry my doves! Keep the story going with some tasty, magical reviews (lol, just kidding. That's my tired mind talking). Also, keep a look out on my deviantArt page if you haven't already. I'll hopefully start posting "Reaver's Servants" there soon, once I finish editing the older chapters. I also post news and other weird musings there, too. And my lovely friend robowarrior01908 has been doing some lovely fan art of my characters. Go check those out and show her some love!
With that, I now go to sleep…read, review, and be merry!
Reaver and Barry Hatch belong to Lionhead.