He was walking outside in the sunny garden. An orange-yellow cat was lazily sleeping by a nicely cut bush and the furry ball registered his presence by only moving an ear.
Oliver searched his pockets for a cigarette, although he wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to light one here.
He didn’t see anyone around, so he decided it was safe enough and he could afford it.
Oliver was just taking a cigarette out when he heard someone come. And he always heard when someone was coming his way.
He turned and saw it was the girl he'd meet the other day- Della. She was carrying something in her hands, coming his way.
The girl glanced at the cigarette in his hand and Oliver said
"Sorry, I just..."
"Oh, no, please, don’t mind me. "
He put the roll back in his pocket, hoping he won’t crash it and he could save it for later.
The girl passed him one of the sweets she was holding and Oliver looked at her questioningly.
"Uhh...It's for you?" she said.
"For me?"
"Yes, I ..."
Oliver turned and smiled at her. The girl had the bad habit of not finishing her sentences.
"I came to thank you. "
"What for?"
"For...for the other day. Thank you for not telling the master that Jenny had asked me to cover for her. "
Oliver remembered what had happened in Callum’s study and thought Jenny likely had many things the others were keeping secret for her.
"That? He said, “No, I told you not worry about this. " Oliver looked back at Della’s outstretched hand. He took the small piece of what looked like something covered in sugar and tasted it.
Oliver didn't really like sweets but at the same time he didn't want to upset her by refusing it, so he took it, whatever it was he was offered.
"Thank you. "
She smiled and he took another bite from it.
"Oh, it's...it's different."
"Do you like it?"
She asked hopeful and Oliver nodded.
"Yes, very much. I haven’t tried those, thank you. "
He had no idea what “those” meant, or if it was good or bad. It was just foreign. Yet seeing her lighten at his words, he decided saying it was good was better than being honest.
"I'm glad you like it.The chef is...he’s very good, it was something he was making for the dinner tonight and I snatched a few biscuits."
She beamed and looked down, fixing her eyes on something in the green grass. Della looked nervous, although Oliver still wasn't exactly sure why.
Seeing her nervous made him feel uneasy too, so he opted for saying something safe like,
"It's a nice day."
She smiled surprised at the turn in the conversation and looked up at the sky.
"Yes, and the ...garden is very beautiful at that time of the year. I sometimes come here for a walk when I'm not with the Lady. I’m her first maid."
“You are, right. I remember Jenny told me. “
“She did?”
The girl asked and Oliver nodded.
"Yes. Do you spend a lot of time here, then?"
He guessed, although he doubted any other personal servant spent that little time with their master the way he did. Della said shortly
"Well, occasionally.”
“And when you don't cover for Jenny? "
"I don't have anything else much to do. "
He laughed.
"I can't say I spend much time with the Lord, either. "
"No, but..."
She frowned and fumbled with the sleeves of her uniform.
"But?"
"Lord Calum is probably not really used to it. To having a servant like you."
"How so ?"
"I ...I haven't been here for very long, but I know he doesn’t have personal servants. I don't know if he had a valet before. Which we all find a bit strange. "
"Strange? Why?"
She looked at him as if he'd said something really peculiar.
"Well, because...considering the status of the family, it would be unusual if he didn't have one. "
"Yes...yes, of course."
Oliver was beginning to think the reason behind it was because the Lord was often gone for days, anyway.
And if rumours about his mistresses and gambling problems were true, he doubted he’d really pay any attention or mind to personnel.
"Although...they all are very nice to us. “ Della said “Even Master Tennyson, but they all have their own valets."
"Nice? You mean the old Lord?"
"Him, yes. "
She said all serious.
"I haven't really spent much time with him but he seems quite...strict."
"He is, but...but he’s also treating us fairly. He gave me a chance when I first came here."
"He gave you a chance to work for the Lady?"
"Of course, it's a ...great honor for me."
She sounded honestly proud of it and happy, so Oliver felt obliged to confirm.
"Yes, me too."
“When I first came here, i didn’t have much experience, but the Lady said she liked me and the Master didn’t try to persuade her otherwise. Although I’m sure there were hundreds of other more suitable candidates. I was just lucky.“
Oliver nodded and she said “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. “
“We are just talking. Besides, everything you’re saying it’s true, many people would trade places with us in a heartbeat. “
Well, not with me, really, Oliver thought but decided to go with the flow.
“Are you getting used to everything?" she asked.
"It's a bit..."
"What?"
He searched for the words. "No, let's say I haven't gotten lost yet, so I think I am managing. And everyone has been quite helpful, so far."
"You can always count on us, or if there's anything I can do..."
"Thank you, Della. I most likely will."
Oliver returned the smile that had started spreading on her face.
****
It was way past nine and Oliver assumed today would be another day when he wasn't going to see Callum.
And he was getting restless.
At the same time, he couldn't exactly take a carriage and go out for longer or much further away from the Manor. He was supposed to stay here, in case his master finally decided he might need him.
The two hadn't even exchanged a word after what had happened in the dressing room a few days ago.
Not that Oliver spent any time in the Lord's company for them to exchange any words.
So he got dressed and went out in the yard. The weather was fairly nice and since there wasn't any sign of rain coming, he hoped he could stay outside for a bit longer.
Oliver saw a man around his age and a maybe eight-year-old boy in the back yard. And paused- it was the man Jenny had been in Calum’s study with.
The boy was holding a wooden sword, while the man was holding a knife.
He was explaining to the boy how to slash properly the straw figure they were now viciously stabbing.
Oliver approached and heard the boy say
"I will kill it with that final hit!"
The kid stabbed the wooden sword into the stuffed guy and the man laughed.
"Nay, not like that."
He attempted at the figure and Oliver stopped to watch them.
Whatever the man was trying to teach the boy, it wasn't it and he was doing an even poorer job with the knife.
The child noticed Oliver and dropped his hand. The man looked at it and frowned.
"What is it?" He then turned and saw Oliver, standing not far from them.
"Ah, hullo."
He smiled widely and Oliver greeted
"Hello, I was... I was just walking around and saw you were trying to kill the poor man here."
"We will!" the kid yelled, "He is the evil goblin!"
The man shushed him and said
"He's still excited. Those stories Adelia tells him get im, but I'm also trynna show him how to defend himself. “ The man wiped his hand in his shirt and outstretched it to Oliver “ Aye, I'm Percy, by the way. And that's little Jay."
"Nice to meet you, Percy. Hey little Jay. " The kid was still smiling brightly at him "I'm Oliver."
He shook Persy’s hand and quickly took the man in. From this close he saw the servant was close to his age, smaller in build and there was a smile that seemed to never leave the suntanned face.
Oliver thought him and Jenny strangely fit each other. She had the same light, happy demeanor and they both somehow made people around them less tense.
Oliver took his coat off and hung in on the nearest tree. He then returned back to them.
"Can I?" he asked as he approached the boy and outstretched his hand.
The kid dropped the wooden knife which in Oliver's big hand looked more like a knife and Oliver said
"Thank you. Now, maybe I could help with that at least. " He rolled his sleeves up and turned to Percy. Oliver gave an explanation to the puzzled look in the man's eyes,. "Attack me."
The boy was wide-eyed, clapping excitedly.
"Woah, a real fight!"
"It won't be a real one, unfortunately." Oliver tried to maintain the fairy-tale mood the boy was in and not to ruin entirely the expectations of a magical fight "But that's only because we don't have our armor. However, we can still show you a few tricks. If your teacher agrees, of course."
"But mine' s a real knife."
"Doesn't matter," Oliver said and stood against Percy "Attack me."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay. But I don't want to hurt you."
Oliver tried not to laugh out loud and said "Just be careful and you won't. Come on."
Percy lunged and Oliver moved to the side.
The man lost balance because he hadn't expected Oliver to dunk the hit so quickly and Oliver tipped his back with the tip of the wooden knife.
"When you rush towards someone so quickly, you can't react if he moves to the side.Besides it’s difficult in those boots."
Percy looked down at his feet.
"Right,"
"Also, never turn your back to your opponent. "
"Aye, right. Let's do it again. "
"Okay."
They tried a few more times, the boy was cheering the whole time and Oliver found he was actually explaining more to Percy than to the boy. They continued practicing and as it was nearing lunchtime, it was getting warmer. After a while Percy unbuttoned his shirt and said, wiping his forehead.
"You ain't bad. You actually move too fast for a man your size, "
"You learn fast too."
"You need a break, got warm?"
"No, not yet. You?”
“Nay. “
“Let's try again,then?"
"Aye, let's'. "
Percy took position and attacked. Oliver switched his wooden knife to his left hand and while Percy was distracted with the move, Oliver acted.
The man soon discovered Oliver was holding his knife too.
"Woah."
He said incredulously and looked at Oliver.
"How did ya do that?"
Percy was standing in the middle of the yard, empty-handed and close to being in a honest awe.
"Wow. I didna even see how you did it."
"Mhm."
"Damn, I mean, sorry."
"No, don't be. I'll show you. So let's try it slower..."
Oliver repeated the move once, and then again. The man was really quick to learn and soon he could par hits better.
He got braver and lunged, but Oliver stopped him easily.
"Don't clench the knife so hard." He said after he’s left Percy bewildered with another move.
"Uhh, am I?"
"You are."
"How do you know? "
Percy asked surprised and Oliver only said. "At the same time, try not to lose your grip. If your hand slips when you're stabbing someone, or something and your knife doesn't have a proper handle- like the one you're holding now, you'll run your palm directly over the blade."
Percy examined the handle and said, surprised again.
"You're right. I hadn't even noticed the handle."
Oliver smiled "I know."
The boy clapped his hands and said " I want to try too!"
"No, you stay there" Percy laughed and turned to Oliver, "You're the new valet, right?"
"I'm trying to be."
"Well, you ain't knife fighting like one."
"I don't know how a valet normally fights."
They both laughed at that and Percy said "Aye, me neither. But anyway. What was that thing with the switch, again?"
Oliver found himself really enjoying their improvised fight. He really had missed moving, even if it was far from what he was normally used to.
They resumed their stance when the boy fell silent, watching them expectantly.
But they’d just taken positions when Percy dropped his hand and Oliver turned to see Callum and another man walking, a few meters away from them.
His brother Liam, Oliver assumed.
The taller man paused but Callum continued walking, without even sparing them a glance. He was saying something, not registering the servant’s presence in any way.
Liam nodded a greeting in their direction and followed his brother.
"Aye," Percy said "I guess he ain't gonna need you soon. Show me how you did the last move."
"Okay, yes. So you go past me..."
Oliver explained and they spent almost the whole day outside, with him explaining different tricks.
No one interrupted them until it started to get chilly and they got tired and had to go in.
"And then the prince stabbed the big monster!" The child exclaimed, full of wonder and Jenny laughed."Percy, you are the monster my nephew's talking about? ""You ain't funny, Jenny. "Percy made a face at her and she pretended she didn’t see it and ignored him. Oliver hadn’t told anyone he’d seen them in the study, but he’d spent the day with Percy and the kid again, so he’d hinted they should probably be more careful. He’d saved the details around the fact he wasn’t the only one who had seen them that day.Obviously, the Lord didn’t care in any way for any of this, but Oliver suspected Thomas wouldn’t be so indifferent if he found out. And if the butler didn’t like something, that meant trouble for all of them.Oliver got up and said "Thank you for the dinner, Adelia. I'll be heading up. "
They played a few rounds during which Callum was winning to Zhi's increasing annoyance. Oliver's head was starting to spin, even though he hadn't drunk that much.Callum, on the other hand, seemed perfectly sober, even though he was much ahead with his brandy compared to the others. They were given new pairs of cards when Xiao grunted. ."Go to Hell, you Red devil." The man threw his cards and slammed a first on the table. "Enough."He got up abruptly and told Callum it's time to go."Wait for me with the girls, or wherever you see fit and I'll be back in an hour. "His master instructed. The four men got up, leaving all the money on the table and headed towards the back room.No one tried to take whatever they had left, and Oliver decided those people were more dangerous than they seemed and no one would risk taking anything from them.One of the girls climbed on top of the other, still on the floor and Oliver got up.
"I will need you to escort me to a place. We have to get a present for a lady." Callum was saying while putting his hat on.Oliver eyed him and the Lord said "A real one, not like the ones you met the other night."Oliver tried not to linger too much on the we part. He had thought way too much of him and Callum together anyway.The carriage took them to Savile road.Callum was greeting everyone on his way, smiling politely and Oliver had to admit- the man seemed to fit everywhere.Despite his scandalous behavior and cheating on cards, he looked like a real gentleman when he wanted to.The tailor took his measures and they arranged to meet later next week for final preparations. Normally, noblemen had the tail
Oliver hadn't seen Callum in the past few days as he and Liam had had to leave for Winchester to settle family matters.Oliver wasn't provided any further details and Callum had told him to use the time as he pleased. He wrote a letter to his sister and put it in an envelope. He was planning on giving it to his friend when they met the following week.It was past eight and the dinner was over, so Oliver was sitting in his usual company in the kitchen, the white Irish hound playing with something he'd found on the ground."This wretched ball coming has us all working our butts off." Jenny said and poured tea for each of them."And it takes ages to prepare everything, My God. ""I won't tolerate such language, even in the kitchens."Adelia scolded her.From the time Oliver had spent here, he'd gathered Adelia seemed harsh at first glance, but the woman was much softer on the inside once a man got to know her. Thomas was a different matter, though."Sorry, madam. Bu
"There's only one room left, upper floor.""Thank you," Callum said. "I think we will manage. Besides, we don't have much of a choice, as there isn't anything much nearby.""What do you mean only one room?" Oliver interrupted. The innkeeper looked at him as if he was mentally challenged."If there's really no other way..." Callum smiled and looked at Oliver. "I hope it's no trouble for you, too?""No." Oliver said shortly."I will need a name and the pay for the room.""Gregory." Oliver said "I will wait outside. ""Excuse my cousin," he heard Callum explaining to the man while he was fixing the paper works and Oliver almost pushed people out of his way.Oliver was smoking outside when Callum came to pick him up. He sat down next to him, and Oliver resisted the urge to get up."I know it's inconvenient, but I couldn't come up with anything else.""You don't need to apologize to your servant. ""I stil
Oliver was taking a walk outside, enjoying the sunny day before the soft cotton clouds had turned into something else.He tried to guess how many hours it would take before rain poured when he saw Cian running fast towards him.The dog jumped as soon as it was close to him.It was so tall its paws almost reached Oliver’s shoulders when it was standing up.Hadn’t Oliver been that big, the animal would’ve pushed him down to the ground.“Cian, what’s gotten to you?’The dog slipped its paws and ran away. It crossed a short distance and turned to see if Oliver was coming after him.“You want me to come?”The dog turned and began running again.Oliver thought it had found something, or a small animal had been caught in one of the traps that were set by the hunters in the nearby woods, which were also part of the estate.He was already leaving the garden
"I didn't expect to get a message from you so soon." John put his glass down on the table."And I thought you'd be happier to see me.""I don't know, Ollie. Meeting you usually means trouble.""Oh, come on. ""Well, that's why people stay away from you. "Oliver made a face even though he knew his friend had been joking."Sorry, that was a bad one. But you just bring bad luck, mate.""Since when?" Oliver asked and crossed his hands."Since that time they almost killed us in, where was it?...""Manchester?""No, Manchester was not that bad. ""Yes, true." Oliver said thoughtfully and John f
The light coming from the fireplace was throwing a shadow over his pale face and it made his hair look darker.It looked the same as when it was wet- like deep red velvet.The lord was sitting directly on the floor, still in his full suit.He was running his hands through Cian's thick fur and the white hound was resting peacefully next to its master.Callum looked up surprised upon hearing the door open."Oliver?""Uhh, I heard something, so I came to check if everything's all right.""Yes?""Are you all right?""Mhm, I... I stumbled.I wasn’t…drowning this time too."Oliver noticed the slur. Now that he looked closer, he could tell there was something slightly off w