Although the master barely spent any time in his room I lit a fire in his room in case he decided to fall asleep in his own bed and not the sofa of the Tower where he painted day and night. Mrs. Hall went up to see the master many times afraid of he might become dehydrated again and she would return with a disapproving look on her face.

"He must come out some time surely, he must go out and ride, I just cannot bear to see him locked up there, he is obsessed." Mrs. Hall complained to Mr. Bert as I got back from the master's bedchamber.

"I assure you he will never do as you wish as long as you wish it so, leave him be and soon he will go out again for a ride," Mr. Bert calmed Mrs. Hall who sighed agreeing of the master's stubbornness.

"Yes I'm afraid so Mr. Bert, I should get back to the silver, none of the new staff should be trusted with this lot."

"Of course not," Mr. Bert nodded seeing Mrs. Hall was surrounded by the countless silver on the table.

"I can help if you would like Mrs. Hall, I learned it with my aunt," I offered since there wasn't much more to do, the house was sparkling from cleaning and to keep my mind off the nightmare of the previous night there was no time for idle hands.

It was the same woman in my nightmare, fair haired, veil over her head, dressed as a bride and then she jumped on me. With her long pointy nails she began to rip off my skin and the only thing I shouted was for Mr. Howard's help. But the master could not help me he had his back turned and when he saw her, he did not see me, instead he took the woman and walked off with her on a leash like a pet.

"Thank you dear, I will accept the help and a break for tea while you get on this, tea makes everything better." She nodded taking out her glasses for a moment, her eyes must have been tired from trying to make sure its reflection was its best. "Come to think of it I will send in Ms. Johnson for you teach her, it will do her good to stay away from Mr. Eugene for a while."

"I will try my best."

"Of course I do not doubt it and..." She paused wondering whether to say it though she would. "I'd might encourage you to learn how to be a lady's maid if we were not to lose you."

"Me?"

"Yes your dedication is quite unusual for so young a person Miss Stewart. You remind me of myself when I was your age and I trust you enough to not let a compliment make your head bigger," she patted me on the shoulder and I faintly smiled, a sincere compliment was rather refreshing when it came from someone you admired.

"I hope not and Mrs. Hall, have you worked a long time for the family?"

"Oh yes I am as ancient as these silver," she joked.

"You take care of everything so well," I posed it as a compliment but it became a question, "of the master so well."

"Ah... If not I then who? Is a more pleasing way to look at it, and like you heard I made a promise," Mrs. Hall was done with the conversation and out of respect I did not press on by nodding.

Mrs. Hall left and twiddling with my curiosity I picked up the newspaper she left behind to find any instructors for such jobs on the advertisements. I was getting far too involved here, it was not like it was with my aunt Mrs. Green, I kept to myself and they liked it better since I was the housekeeper's niece. The staff went out a lot, to church, to the circus, for a drink, to dance and well I kept to the house mostly since the girls were a bit rowdy and I was the youngest of them. Here not only the house but the people were bleaker yet I found myself involved with the master's things, with the staff's lives, with the history of Stanley Hall and it was clear what you seek you shall find and I needed to seek something else, something safe.

No luck though there were two advertisements in immediate need of a lady's maid and I knew there was a better pay for such a role. If I could not to be in Stanley Hall for much longer and was to continue in the service for the rest of it then why not aspire to a higher role while I was still young and able to learn? Then immediately my mind dismissed it, me, become a lady's maid, a maid to nobility? It was just not suitable for the likes of me and he was to blame for it, I'd never thought of it if before. Without proper guidelines of household and staff I felt as if I could do anything and it was not true, not for me, not for Alice Stewart.

"Miss Stewart?" Ms. Johnson had a seat.

"Good morning Ms. Johnson," I smiled and she kindly accepted every direction given to her, imitating me almost as a shadow would. We tackled all of it though it took us late into the afternoon and by the end of it Ms. Johnson was an expert.

The five coming days the workers of Stanley Hall nor I saw much of Mr. Howard, he remained in the tower room and Mr. Eugene or Mr. Bert attended to him. It drove me to anxiety to not know how Mr. Howard was but it was for the best so many times I thought of going to see him so we may talk about the book he had given me but recoiled.

On Sunday every one of us was expected to go to the local parish together, as the staff became sure of our stay they wanted to begin their immersion back into the town and Sundays with the locals was the place to start. It was a relief I would finally be able to visit the Lord's house while away from my own home and while I came down early waiting for everyone to be ready Mr. Bert came to where I sat having tea, to ask one last task.

"Miss Stewart could you take some fire logs to the tower, I wouldn't want to risk Mr. Howard being left in the cold while we go to God's house." Mr. Bert was ever so careful with his words it never seemed he asked me to do anything.

Up the stairs taking the logs rolled up by a towel the room was quite chilly; the fire had died out probably hours ago and Mr. Howard never rang for it. As for the master he was sleeping on the small sofa in the darkest corner of the room, he had never looked so approachable and tender than in his quiet sleep. I should not have looked but his shirt was opened upon his chest and his bare feet on top of the sofa's frame. There was painting which looked two thirds done and I made no noise when inserting more logs into the fire only to see he had thrown his cover on the floor.

I bent down to get the cover and he woke up, "Alice?"

"Yes Mr. Howard?"

"Why are you on the floor?"

"I thought you might need your cover sir," I remained looking at the floor in the position he caught me in.

"Continue then," he said though I was mortified to have been caught in the act of caring too diligently for my employer.

Mr. Howard contemplated my face as I got the cover from the carpeted floor and draped it over his body. The cover molded his tall and moderately slim frame and he didn't move an inch as I fixed the cover on top of his chest, "thank you Alice."

"Do you need anything sir?" I wanted him to say no and let me go off to church because my cheeks felt warm.

"Yes I would like to know where you are off to?"

"To church with the rest of the staff," I noticed his face had lost its color, his eyelids weighed on his eyes and his voice wasn't robust as per usual.

"Right church, I guess it's all too late to accompany you now and is your hand healed?"

"Yes sir."

"I want to make sure of it," he showed me the palm of his hand and I approached him to place my hand on top of his. "It is better; I hope it does not leave you with a scar for it would ruin any chances of you thinking I am a good employer."

To impede a fondness to grow for Mr. Howard I took my hand back, "no sir it was my fault, do not worry."

"It was not your fault Alice," he brushed his curly hair back from his morning face.

"Sir may I ask you something?"

"Alice careful you might change the weather with such a bold request."

"Sir are you well?"

"Do I not look well?" He scoffed at my question almost rolling his eyes.

"Forgive me I am only concerned you may not be getting enough fresh air."

"I will be fine Alice, off you go to church, God may forgive your sins but the staff won't if you make them late."

I did not wish to leave him in the unwell state of being but if I stayed others would talk and I would judge myself, "yes sir, have a good morning then."

In the local church we sat and listened to the readings, I did not take communion for lack of confession which Mrs. Hall made sure to make an appointment for every staff who had not done so.

"I am heading one town over to visit Gertie's mother with Ms. Johnson would you like to come with?" Mrs. Hall asked me since we had the Sunday off.

"Thank you but I thought I would walk around town for a bit and post another letter." Mother and Daniel had responded and I had written back a second time, it was good of Mr. Howard to let me send my letter on the account he had down at the post.

"As you will just do not walk back too late to be on the safe side Miss Stewart," she looked around.

"Yes Mrs. Hall," I nodded and went walking to find the post office to send the letter.

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No part, character, names, plot, setting, conflict or resolution, point of view, theme or symbolism of this story may be replicated.

Copyright: All Rights Reserved to A. Sena Gomes.