Chapter Nine

That night Emily dreamed of William. She had decided to use the maid section in the Mansion for the first time that day, since William had done her work till it was late. She woke up early and was ready for work early in the morning. The house was still quiet, meaning they were still asleep, so she decided to visit her friend Sarah. She went to Sarah's room and knocked. Sarah whined when she opened the door and saw it was Emily.

"Do you not know what time it is?" She grumbled as she let Emily in.

"I don't, but I do believe it is past sleeping hours. Emily replied, shoving herself into the old faded sofa close to the door of Sarah's room.

"Well, do well to hold your peace till I am fully awake," Sarah mumbled and threw herself back into bed.

Emily smiled as her friend's snoring filled the room. Sarah's friend had been exhausted since she was doing most of the general work while she was busy serving only Williams.

She decided to go through social media for a while. She ducked through her bag for a minute before she found her phone. She sighed, she was about to press the power button when a scream from the hallway startled her, making her drop the phone.

"I thought I told you to not say anything," Sarah asked Emily in irritation.

I didn't," Emily said defensively. "It was from the hallway. I think it is Kelvin."

Sarah glanced at her with disbelief as she put on her robe. "Let me peep," she whispered, and slowly opened her door.

Kelvin was standing in the middle of the hallway fuming. Just like Sarah, every other maid was peeping. What is happening?" Emily mouthed to Sarah.

"I do not know," Sarah mouthed back.

"I said who took my diamond necklace?" Kelvin's voice echoed again, and it sent chills down Sarah's spine.

"I think he should ask Victoria, since she is his personal maid, she is the only one who has access to his things," Sarah mumbled to Emily.

Emily's thoughts went blank, and when they came back they flooded her. "It couldn't be," she whispered, shivering.

Sarah turned to her concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked, leaving the door to hold her friend who had turned pale.

The sound of the open door drew attention.

"Emily," Sarah called, slapping her softly across her cheeks. "Are you okay?"

Emily stared at her friend, she had sat down behind. "I think Kelvin is going to blame me. What am I going to do?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Emmy; you couldn't have done anything that bad," Sarah assured her, but her broken voice didn't accomplish its purpose of comforting Emily.

The whole house was openly out of their rooms now except Mister Reeds who are still out of the country. Sarah and Emily quietly join the rest outside.

Kelvin scowled, pointing at Emily immediately as she walked out of Sarah's room.

"Oh, Kelvin must you always cause a scene?" Katie complained.

“Katie, will you shut it?" Kelvin growled, causing Katie to jerk.

"Honey Kelvin," Missus Reeds said delicately, wrapping her arms around Kelvin's shoulder. "You cannot lay accusations like that, do you have proof?"

"Of course I have proof," he snapped, and pulled her arms away from him.

Missus Reeds' phone rang, and she excused herself to pick up the call. When she came back to the hallway her expression was grieved, almost angry.

"That was your father," she said to Kelvin, her voice saddened. "He called to ask if I took money from his Bank account using his credit cards, which I didn't," she locked eyes with each of her children before letting her eyes fall on Jane.

"Grace," she called, not looking away from Emily.

"Yes, ma'am," Grace replied, taking a step forward.

"Go check in my room for Mister Reeds' credit cards. You must know where they are right?"

"Yes ma'am," Grace replied.

"Go get them for me," Missus Reeds ordered. She then turned away from Emily to look at Kelvin. "Kelvin dear, what made you think it was Emily who took your golden necklace?"

Kelvin groaned. "Because it got missing on the day she was alone in the house," Kelvin replied, eyeing Emily with disgust.

"The credit cards are not there," Grace reported, taking herself out of the room.

"Go check Emily's things," Missus Reed ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Grace replied and matched swiftly to Emily's assigned room. Every other maid followed, including Kelvin and Emily, who kept crying. She did not do anything and she wasn't a thief.

Grace dug into the only bag Emily had kept there for emergencies like when she ruined her clothes. Before Emily could catch up to Grace, Grace pulled out two credit cards from her bag. Emily wasn't sure how it happened, but her face went paler than it already was.

Grace marched out with the two credit cards and a golden necklace.

"Emily you are fired!" Missus Reeds barked immediately, and the cards touched her hand.

"Not so fast, mother."

William, who was leaning in his doorway keenly watching the whole drama, interrupted. The melody and authority in his voice drew all the attention to him. "That is a very strong claim you are all putting out there, are you all sure about this?"

"Don't you dare interfere!"

William raised his left hand to shush Kelvin and, as expected, Kelvin kept quiet.

"I wasn't done talking," he said to Kelvin with a poisonous smile that showed his authority. “As I was saying," he looked away from Kelvin, his eyes went around the room, and he held Emily's eyes for a while before looking away.

"It is too early to decide in cases like this," he began. "You of all people should know this Kelvin since you studied law," he shot a look at Kelvin, who was already fuming. "So I suggest we shift this to later when we are in better shape to make the right decision.”

His confident smile was on his face as he finished his sentence.

After some seconds of silence, Kelvin grunted. "Fine, but I need her ready to leave by two pm!" He shouted and stomped into his room.

Emily wasn't sure if everyone agreed with William's suggestion because it was a good one or because of his brainwashed smile, but she was grateful, at least she had a few hours to mourn the place that had helped take care of her mother for a short time. She tried to stop the tears from flowing, but they seemed to have a mind of their own. Missus Reeds followed Kelvin to his room immediately after he left.

Katie met Emily's gaze and held it for a while, her eyes filled with compassion and trust for her before she backed into her room and closed the door. The other maid was whispering loudly as they made their way back to their room to get ready for the day. Grace had a slow hidden smirk as she also left. Williams was still in his doorway looking at Emily. Emily raised her head and stared back at him. She couldn't make out what he was feeling or thinking since his face held no emotion. He held her stare for a longer period before walking gracefully into his room.

Emily broke down the instant she was in Sarah's room. "What am I going to do?" She asked between sobs. "Why do I always attract bad things?"

"It's going to be okay," Sarah whispered while sitting on the floor with Emily. Sarah couldn't hold herself any longer. She also broke into tears for her friend.

Emily was starting to think William was responsible for the trial she was about to face. His carefree attitude made her hatred for him double. He acts as though he knew nothing had happened or that she was about to lose her job. He made her do all the work he normally made her do. For a fraction of a second, she had thought she saw compassion in his eyes when he stared at her in the hallway in the morning, but now she was sure it was a hallucination. Her tears had not given her control over her, so she was pouring while she cleaned the room. She added her tears as an ingredient to the coffee she brought for him twice.

"Emily! Would you stop sulking? You are messing everything up!" He did not yell, but his voice was frustrated. Even though Emily tried to get it together, Williams' criticism made her break and sob louder.

Williams' face flushed with panic. He looked at her for a second in horror, then stood and left the room for her.

It was noon, which meant there remained two hours for her to leave the building and go back to struggling to find funds for her mother’s health. Sarah told her when she went to get William his first cup of coffee the maid thought she was guilty. Victoria had told everyone that Emily was taking the necklace.

William had not returned to the room, so she used the moment she was supposed to clean the bathroom to mourn her life.

"Damn, I am going to miss Mark and Sarah and Missus Reeds and Mister Reeds and all the maids and Katie." She was still rumbling when William barged into the bathroom. At first, he felt like he would lose his mind, but he decided against it.

"What are you doing sitting on the floor?" He asked after letting out a heavy sigh.

Emily looked up at him and began aimlessly cleaning her eyes. "I am sorry Sir; I was just cleaning the bathroom, so you can use it."

William wasn't sure even Katie, who cried for everything, cried this much. "You know, with someone with the level of pride you have it is hard to believe you cry this much," he mumbled.

"I am sorry sir," she breathed, standing on her feet. I just need this job for my mother's sake, her health is falling, and I cannot find another job, at least not in this country and-

"Emily?"

"Yes sir?"

"Would you spare me the details? I need to take my bath and get out of this house. I have lots of things to do and listening to you vent is not part of them. Is that okay?"

Emily nodded and walked out still crying.

"You know what Emily?" William called after her.

"No sir," She called back.

Just go, and take some time to rest, so you won't be dead with too much crying before they even decide what to do with you.

"Thank you, sir," Emily replied between sobs and left the room.