Froote did as he was told. He had asked the cook in the kitchen to make some snacks and tea quickly and brought them to the guest room as soon as it was done. He wanted to get back to his duties. There was much to be done. He would not rest easy until he saw all the work to it. He was the head butler after all.
But knowing the young miss, she won't be down until she was done with whatever she scribbled in that little notebook of hers. Her writing was unreadable. He had to remind her to get a typewriter for herself.
So, he decided to keep the young man company assuming his usual position at the door. The young man asked for Anais a couple of times in the beginning but Froote reassured him that she will come down when she was ready. Now, he just patiently waited.
Kurt patiently waited for Anais to come down. But as the time passed there was no sign of the eldest daughter coming down. The butler named looked hesitant repeatedly glancing up at the staircase. Even though he assured Kurt, he didn't look too sure about himself.
Kurt decided he could not blame anybody. He should have sent a word and scheduled a meeting before coming down here. But he was just passing by the house after buying some much-needed furniture for his household so he decided to stop by.
Now, he was not sure that was the right thing to do. He was already working his way to the fifth cup of tea. As he glanced at the grand clock on the wall, he realised he would be late for his meeting if he didn't ride that furniture to his house on time.
So, he called the butler and was ready to hand him Miss Anais's stolen purse and get on his way but he needed a minute in the toilet. So, he decided to ask the direction first. The butler showed him the way and won't budge from his duties when he requested that he goes back to his duties.
when he was returning to the guest room the lady in question started descending the stairs. He was transfixed at the dazzling beauty coming down. She seemed to have something on her mind as there was a furrow between her brows and she looked at her feet as she was walking down. Suddenly, she looked up at him and smiled at him a bit confused as if she did not expect him to be there. He composed himself.
"Oh, Hey"
"Miss Anais" He acknowledged her with a nod of his head.
"Yeah, that's my name" He almost cracked a smile at that.
"I was just getting on my way, miss Anais"
"Oh, why?" She quickly came down the stairs and peered up at him.
"Well, I-..." Before he could say anything, Anais took his arm and dragged him back into the guest room and closed the door tight shut.
"I'm really sorry, I had no idea that someone from the brotherhood would be here to see me. If I had known then I would have come down sooner"
"It's alright. I reckon you were busy" He shook his head dismissing her apology.
"So, what do I own your visit?"
"I was just passing by so I thought to stop here to return your stolen purse" He produced the ugly yellow purse in question which made her mouth twist with disgust.
"You don't seem real happy to find it" He raised an eyebrow in question even though he clearly left no arguments. Yet he held it out for her to take.
"Ah well, it's a tad hideous, that's all" She quickly took it out of his hand.
"It sure is but you might want to know that I could not recover any content." He said glancing at the grand clock on the wall.
"Don't fret. It was empty, to begin with" He met her eyes again and had to appreciate the beauty of it.
"Then I shall be on my way" He tried to compose himself again making a beeline for the exit before he embarrassed himself.
Anais was astounded to find one of the brothers in her household too to meet her. If you find anyone from the brotherhood on your doorstep, you knew you were in trouble. So, she quickly took his arm and dragged him back to the guest room away from prying eyes. Only God knew how the gossipers of the household latched onto the walls for gossip.
She was relieved to find out that it was not anything serious. He was just here to return her ugly yellow purse. Only then did she take a deep breath.
As she looked at the purse sitting on the table the brother had brought back, she realised her cousin must be a witch. Since she had gotten this purse as a gift for her 18th birthday, she never seemed to get rid of it.
Oh, she had tried many methods in an attempt to lose it but every time it found its way back. One time she forgot it at an old maid's house when she went to visit the sick woman in bed, another time she lost it at the orphanage, intentionally of course.
Out of desperation, she had buried it in the backyard garden but Froote had brought it back for her when he found it while digging up the soil to make room for new plants.
The old maid had sent a word for it and at the orphanage, a young honest boy brought it back for her. She never knew the world was so kind to vampires. Just her luck.
Now the brotherhood. She was still amazed that she got to meet one of the brothers though for a brief time only. He had to leave shortly after. Something about a meeting being held.
As she had sat in the guest room she had wondered why someone as busy as a member of the brotherhood would bother to return her stolen purse and to think that she made him wait for so long. How disgraceful!
So, she had to stop him when he went to unhinge the tight bolt and insisted that he visit her again to make up for keeping him waiting that long. It won't do her any good to get on a brother's bad side. He merely replied that he was going to have a busy week that day but she persisted. So, he promised to visit her next week. Though Anais very much doubted he meant it, Kurt had kept his promise. Only she didn't know the brother's name that day because she had forgotten to ask him...