Chapter eight (8)

A girl was led into the sitting room which had descended into silence. Mrs Fionette called the girl forward as she took a seat for the first time since she had come home. The entire Fionette family stared at this little servant till the little girl shrunk back. She looked to the maid who had brought her for something that could be mistaken for comfort, but the maid had already left the room; her eyes only landed upon the closed door.

"You work at the Krain household, correct?" Mrs Fionette asked.

"Yes Ma," the girl answered.

"Tell me, have you ever seen nobles over there, do they know anyone in nobility, how is their relationship and how frequent do they come?" Mr Fionette asked.

"Yes Ser, I have. Lord Morge and Lord o' Merve be come a lot," the girl answered, to the excitement of Mr Fionette who sat up with a smile.

"Tell me, what do they come to do?" he asked.

"No one really know, Ser. When young master be working or be talking with his guests, no one be allow to near," the girl answered.

"So, they are his guest? They are Walter's guests?" Lana asked with shining eyes.

"Yes, Miss. They be come for the young master," the girl answered.

"Tell me about your young master, I will add more money to your reward," Mr Fionette asked.

"The young master be the true lord of the estate. No one be know why, but everybody, even the master be listen to him. The young master's room be out of bounds. Mistress clean it by herself or she always there when it be cleaned. No one ever go call the young master for breakfast or dinner, the mistress or young miss be do it themselves. Young master's study be forbidden. Even the master and others never been go in there. Lord Morge and Lord o' Merve be enter the study all the time. If the masters be make some big change, they ask the young master first. Young master be the only that no bow to the lords when them come," the girl recited mechanically to the curious crowd.

"He is the core of the family, that Walter. Gerald, you must find time to go over there and know him better," Mr Fionette said.

"Okay father," Gerald answered.

"When you become one of his good friends, you can find out if he is rich enough to have me send your sister to him," Mr Fionette instructed.