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 and the little girl shrunk back. She looked to the maid who had brought her 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 n.o.blemen at their house and how frequent?" 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 allowed near." the girl answered.
"So, they are his guest? They are Walter"s guests?" Lana asked with shinning eyes.
"Yes, Miss. They be come for 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 every body, even master be listen to him words. The young master"s room is out of bounds. Mistress be clean it by herself or she be 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 big change, they be ask the young master first. Young master be the only that no bow to the lords when them be 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 you sister to him." Mr. Fionette instructed.
***
Walter sat with is family for dinner. The usual noise and talk was absent, his mother, who was the core of chatter, was silent. She kept glancing at Walter from time to time. Soon she could not take the silence any more and turned to Walter.
"So, what do you think of Lana, Walter?" she asked.
"What happened today must never happen again." Walter said.
"You don"t like her?" she asked.
"You are so quick to adapt to this life mother and I don"t oppose it. But, you must never forget, that only I know why and how we are here. Don"t do something that will make this entire new life disappear." he warned.
"Are you not allowed to seek marriage?" his mother frowned.
"Mother, he is still young." Amie frowned.
"So what? There are many younger than him, who have married." his mother answered.
"There are many things in play that you will not understand. I don"t have the time. If you think me concentrating on marriage than my job is the best thing, do it again and see how this ends." Walter threatened.
His mother"s frown deepened.
"Why?" she asked.
"You have always been smart mother, I thought you would be able to understand why" he said.
"I understand that your work is important, but it"s just marriage." his mother did not relent.
"Those that gave this to him, can take it away if his plans do not go well with theirs. It"s the life he has chosen for himself. I just hope this does not stop your sister from marrying too." his father said.
"Does it affect who your sister marries?" she asked.
"It affects who any one of you decides to bring into this family. You forget, Amie can no more marry some farm boy from a village, she has to marry well. If she marries someone who is basically an enemy or opposition to my work or my employer, you are sending Amie there to be maltreated. Have you forgotten so soon, mother? You, yourself were raised n.o.bility. You must only marry those who serve your interest. This is how the higher society works. Our entire lives now circles around my work. We must only do things that aid it." Walter said and his mother lowered her head.
He was right. Had she forgotten so soon? Walter must be the one to find a husband for his sister. One that will solidify their position. One that will be of help to them in the long run.
"I understand." she said.