"It's an honour, my lady. I am an asset manager. My lady, if any time in future you need such, I am your man,"
"Asset manager? I've never heard of such,"
"It's a highly respectable profession, my lady. I, for example, would manage your possessions in your stead, so you do not need to bother about details and numbers,"
"I'll tell it to you straight, Mr Jodanham. I have no intention of letting anyone manage my assets. No one in this room at all. I'm going to assume you are not the only asset manager here,"
"Oh, of course not; but there are others from other professions,"
"What assets do a lady truly have that her drawers cannot manage? As respectable a profession, it seems; you all here are at the bottom of the career chain, if one is honest. But you are in luck Jodanham," Lucy said mildly, silencing the now sweating fat man. The way her eyes pierced his, it was as though she knew who he was. As though, his secrets were before her eyes.
"Though I have no need for these asset managers, I do need an obedient boy. One who would do as told. As for the money involved, I'm sure a man such as yourself, can always do with more money. If you are interested, then leave your address with my maid; the redhead wearing a pale pink bow on her weave. Good night," Lucy said and turned away.
Mr Jodanham stood frozen in place as he watched the lady stroll away. Only then did he notice he was sweating in the rather airy room. Only once in his life was he ever as scared as he was just then. Something about the way she looked at him, made him scared out of his mind.
He did not know if to run or do as she said. Though all she did was make an offer, he felt it more like a command, and he knew somewhere in his heart that he would be seeking death by disobeying her. As if led by the chin, he walked over to the maid and left his address. Though he felt a relief from the knowledge he had escaped a horrid experience, he felt as if he had just signed away his life on that address and only he could fathom why.
Lucy stood a while and watched as others conversed and made small talk before leaving for the night. Her maids followed her back to her chambers where they helped her change and settle in.
When the night sang of silence, Lucy decided to know for herself, every part of the school. She walked round in the dark with nothing but the lamps lit in the hallways to guide her way. As she walked, a lot went through her mind. She wondered why the headmistress gave her three maids when all others had one. Clearly, a school such as this had people of more importance and status than she, especially amongst ignorant women; unless the criteria for importance were different. If so, why was she awarded such confusion on her first day? She recalled who the ladies referred to as the headmistress; the stiff young woman in her early mids. She remembered how for a moment the woman's eyes had rested on her.
"Who goes there?" asked a male voice.
"I am known as Lady Wickshire," Lucy answered the voice in the dark.
"Forgive me, my lady," the voice replied and a young boy no younger than nineteen stepped into the light. Light possessed his sandy blonde hair, causing him to look much older than he should be.
"What are you called?" Lucy asked.
"Walter, my lady; Walter Krain"
"Are you alone, Walter?"
"Yes, my lady,"
Lucy suddenly had a thought. She assessed the young boy before her. She knew what she needed. Trusting anyone in this institution would be a stupid thing to do. She needed someone that could come and go as pleased. Someone no one knew about.
"Do you live here?"
"No, I live in the nearby village,"
"I would like you to deliver something for me, Walter. I will pay in gold,"
"My lady?"
"As long as you remain discreet as you do so, then you shall be rewarded. Can I trust you with this task?"
"Yes, my lady," Walter hurriedly answered after a moment of pause.
"Good," Lucy said, walking into the light for the first time and Walter stared into steeled eyes reflecting light. Her white nightgown and white hair made her out as ghostly.
"Heed my words, Walter Krain. When I ask of you a task, fail if you must, but do not be found failing. If you are found or tell of my acts to any but those instructed to you or even dismiss my instructions, I will gift you death to take home for all of yours same of blood to share. Instead, stay as you are and change to what you could be by my side, you will not be disappointed,"
Walter felt a chill down his spine as he took in the lady's words. He was a boy just nineteen years of age and before him, was a girl he was sure was just approaching her twelve-thirteen years. Yet, she held the ability to turn him stiff in fear.
"I will keep my word," Walter managed to say.
"Good. Can you find your way to the last window facing the west garden?" Lucy asked.
"Of course, my lady," Walter answered quickly.
"Be there in twenty minutes," she instructed and immediately retreated into the dark. Lucy found her way back to her room. She took a piece of parchment and carefully wrote down instructions. She retrieved the contact that Mr Jodanham had left with her maid and placed it on the two envelopes, each containing a letter. It did not take long before she heard a knock on her window. She got up to open it. She passed the letters as well as the contact address to Walter standing just outside her window.
"To that address; give the smaller letter first to no one but the name on that address. Only after he signs it, are you to give him the second. Do only as I have instructed. Retrieve the signed letter from him before you leave. Return this to me this time tomorrow and I will pay."
"Okay," Walter hastily answered from the other side of the window.
"That is all."
"I'll take my leave then."
He wasted no time, mounted his horse and rode out from the school. He had taken a good look at the address and it was far into town, in the opposite direction of his village. He knew this job would take him a while and somewhere in his mind, he worried what his father would say when he arrived home.
He shook the thought off his mind as he quickly nudged ahead his horse. After an hour-rushed ride in the biting cold, Walter felt eager to be done with his instructions. He had arrived at the said address, so he paused for a breath. He walked up the stone steps leading towards the large door. With two knocks, a lanky man answered.
"Yes?" Walter heard a shrill voice say.
"I have a package for Mr Jodanham," Walter answered.
"Hand it over," the lanky man said.
"You are not Mr Jodanham," Walter said as a fact. Though he had never met the man in question, he knew such a man would not open his own door.
"I will collect it for him. Don't waste my time, boy. Hand it over!" the man sounded irritated.
"My instructions were clear. Only Mr Jodanham may collect this and no one else. It is best you inform him of this. This is not a matter he can overlook," Walter said.
"I am not allowing you dirty thing in here," the man snorted.
"Then I suggest you start searching for another employer. I guarantee you will lose this one if you don't inform him," Walter warned. To this, the lanky man frowned but retreated inside for a while before returning.
"Come in," Walter followed the begrudged man inside. It took him a while to adjust to the light inside, but he eventually took in the empty space.
Though the house stood big and sturdy, it was devoid of much furniture. The lanky man led him upstairs to a large door. The lanky man knocked twice before opening the door for Walter to enter. Walter stepped into another empty room; except for the books and documents scattered around the room and the single shelf by the corner, a large desk sat before him. On the other side of the desk sat a chubby man with his nose in a book.
"Who are you and what do you want?" the man grumbled, completely annoyed about being disturbed.
"I have a package for you," Walter said dropping the first envelope on the desk. Mr Jodanham glanced briefly at the boy before opening the package. It was a letter. One look and he knew who it was from. He was clear about what she wanted from him. It was a contract; one that not only binds his present but his future as well. Until released from her service, he must do as told and with the utmost discretion. The room suddenly felt hot and stuffy as he stared at the paper before him.
"Sign it," Walter said before he could stop himself.
"What makes you think you can forget your place and start giving me advice?" Mr Jodanham said in anger.
"It wasn't an advise, it was an order," Walter said passively.
"What?" Mr Jodanham frowned.
"The letter, it's an order. When she gives you something to sign, it means you must. Why are you still thinking? It's dark and I have to be done with this," Walter said. He knew he had no place to tell the man what to do but, looking at him hesitate made Walter frown. He had met the lady, and he was sure of one thing; she was not giving the man before him an option, but an order. Mr Jodanham signed below and looked up to find Walter's stretched hand. He returned it to Walter and Walter handed him the second letter.
"I'll take my leave now," Walter turned and left Mr Jodanham staring at the door he just closed.