In Victorian England slums, the oldest and quietest girl of four trying to keep a roof over her family's head accepts a job with an odd staff and mysterious employer. Until she finds out all the maids before her are dead and she must face a mystifyi...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Come in," Mr. Eugene said and I put down the tea in the room while the master was going through his books trying to pick one to read.
"Yes sir," I said pouring out the tea.
"This tea is cold! Take it back immediately," Mr. Eugene shouted at me.
"Uh ye, ye, yes sir" I stuttered.
"Give me the tea," the master asked and I took it up for him to taste it and when his mouth touched the liquid he finished it.
"Warm, not cold, still an unpleasant thing," the master put down the china cup.
"Away with it, I shall be eating in the dining room tonight," the master wore a thick burgundy winter robe tied around his waist.
"You shall what?" Mr. Eugene questioned him.
"Oh have you gone deaf in your old age Eugene?"
"Of course I have not we just had no idea, we have not prepared, we did not..."
"Enough Eugene, go tell Mrs. Hall that Miss Stewart shall be serving my dinner."
"The new maid but that is above her..."
"Station?" The master interrupted Eugene.
"I um her training sir," Mr. Eugene changed his words.
"Then train her, how hard can it be to put food in front of me and set up a place for one?"
"Sir..."
"Measure your next words carefully Eugene," the master warned Mr. Eugene who very displeased with the master's orders disdained me with his eyes while responding.
"Yes Mr. Howard."
"Great, you can both go, I have chosen a book," he opened it and sat down by the fireplace while Mr. Eugene and I both wondered why the master would have requested me to continue to serve him in a proper dining room setting.
The Howard household was a great displeasure, with the constant doubt cast over me by the staff. First there was Gertie who at every movement of mine compared how Becca did everything better than I could ever do. Then Mr. Eugene as much told me every day I was daft and now the master thought I was some girl who'd bring in lads for my amusement if left alone in his house. Maybe Daniel was right, I'd be better off looking for service elsewhere but the physical work was so very easy it was a shame to pass it up without giving time for things to settle, for them to change their minds about me at last.
Well there was Mrs. Hall, she treated me kindly, maybe because of her connection with my aunt or maybe she instinctively knew who I was, either way it was good enough. She had not been feeling well when she went to her room earlier and Mr. Eugene had taken care of the master already; then Gertie put three courses to be served and went to wash the pots and pans.
"I wonder what's got to him, dining in the dining room," Gertie asked my way never expecting me to say anything back as if I were a puppet. "He's probably forgotten what it looks like."
