"Of course, Master .," Karson says, with a quick bow. "My apologies."
He knocks at Lady Renaldt's door, and before the door closes you hear him saying something about transplanting the cottonwood trees.
From what you've seen, Karson does much of the heavy work around Gallatin, and you often see him busily working outdoors. Older contractors come and go, but Karson remains, living in a little cabin at the edge of the grounds. Of course, the cabin is out of bounds for students. Rumor has it that his uncle used to be the groundskeeper, but when he died, Karson took over; the exact timing changes depending on the storyteller
You were brought up with live-in staff, so it's much the same as your childhood. When you were small, all the servants seemed ancient, but some of them were probably younger than you are now.
The door closes with a click, and you hear no more.
The rest of the day passes as normal, ending in the banquet hall for dinner. Despite the decadence of the first night's food and drink, the everyday meals are less than appetizing. Meaty stews with stodgy dumplings are par for the course, along with limp cabbage and wilted carrots. Dessert is steamed syrup pudding that has had most of the flavor boiled out of it, with thin custard. It's not to your taste, because:
Most of the other students seem to be enjoying it well enough, though Gonzalez occasionally makes wistful comments about the dinners at Jeanneret International School. While the plates are being collected, Gonzalez catches your attention.
She jumps to her feet. "Come on out to the field," she says cheerfully, and you follow.
In the evening air, there's still a touch of late-summer warmth, but the autumnal bite is growing. Soon you'll need a coat to go out; now, it's pleasantly breezy. On your way, you spot Karson up a ladder with rolled-up sleeves, pruning one of the topiary swans. He tips his hat to you as you pass. Full of energy, Gonzalez bounds to the equipment cupboard and retrieves a couple of lacrosse sticks. She ties up her black hair in a messy knot, hands you a stick, and chivvies you towards the goal.
"Lady Renaldt said you should be more resilient," she says, "and I thought—how about goalkeeping practice?"
She tosses the ball in the air, testing its weight.