Chapter 7 - First Tale VII

It did not take long to arrive to the manor by car, I could see most of the guards I asked to come here already waiting near the manor's main entrance. It is a shame that not all are here, so I will have to wait to start looking for whatever or whoever was calling. Although with all that secrecy I doubt someone would be awaiting for me. A strange thing I noticed was that the young guard I brought with me was pale, he also had trouble walking... I did not know he was actually sick when I decided to bring him with me. I wonder if it's something that happens often, the other guards are looking at him with pity... but I don't think he would get a guard job if he had this kind of health troubles. It looks like I was right, it does happen often, the other guards gave him some medicine and he started to look visibly better. I see, so he ran out of medicine, I can only blame myself for this one then, I was rather forceful so he probably did not have time to get more earlier. I will have to be a bit kinder next time.

It was not until half an hour later when they all finally arrived, they took their sweet time I must say.

I did not want to make a big deal out of it yet so I did not give a full explanation, besides... I also don't know what to wait for. So I just settled with telling them to look for 'something out of place', that earned a few grunts of dissagreement from a few guards, which only lasted until they saw me staring straight at their eyes. Luckily the people I had to fire are easy to spot... sadly I have not found their replacement yet.

We quickly split up. Initially I was only going to form a pair with the guards... eh... Anthony, I came here with, but I was a little worry of his health getting worse. It would be tragic if something happens in my watch, so I wanted to have him remain resting in the car while I took another guard with me. But for some reason he went a little pale again and insisted that he accompanied me. I did try to refuse since he was paler again but I could accept later due him telling me that a little air would making him feel better. That's why it ended up being , Anthony, a guard called Joe and me.

During our search we were carefully checking the zones of the gardens and their outskirts. Starting from the smallest to the biggest ones, we finally came across something worth mentioning after an hour. Although I said that, I believe this is what we, no... I was meant to find.

In front of me is a small paper bag, there is nothing in particular about it. Just a normal paper bag with my name on it. There is no much I can do now so I take the bag carefully but... nothing happened. I guess I was expecting too much.

I took a look at its contents... and I found two thing that make a pretty weird combination. A phone and a letter. This does not make much sense. I will take these with me for now, since someone took the bother to call me and letting me know about this stuff... I am not wrong to assume that they want me to take them.

As I think that, I hear a voice behind me.

"Mr. White, We could not find anything else"

It was the guard called Anthony that talked to me.

It seems about right, I doubt the caller would just disperse what he wanted me to find everywhere. The only reason I can think he would put it here, it's because there is hardly people watching the gardens the 24 hours, not many take walks around them either. The lack of human presence means no witness in many cases, into his case he was lucky and did not ran into anyone. Earlier I took the bother of asking the employees who manage this place but... sadly the saw nothing.

Almost forgetting to answer his earlier words I say.

"I think this is what I came to find, let us take one last look around and go back"

"Should we have the other continue with the search or... maybe we should call them back too?"

That is a good question, although unlikely there is always the tiny change they may find something.

But we can not have them wasting their time with a search that may or may not bring results. They may not be the most hard worker employees, but they have duties to do.

"It's better to call them back, one thing though, have them inform the gardeners to keep an eye open for anything they find out of place or suspicious"

"Right away"

Well, now. I am quite stumped. I don't think I will find any lead to culprit behind that call. In this whole property I know every security guard since they fall under my authority but... the voice in that call did not belong to them. I have my doubt about it being any of the guests that came recently, but for what reason I can not tell. Now, there is one more reasonable possibility, as the number of maid's is really tall in the manor, it is not like there are not any butlers. They just happened to be transfered to work directly under someone only. Taking all them to attend her 'needs' she has her room in a different building. That is also the reason why there is hardly any male servants in the manor. Because they work in that other building the butlers would hardly be spotted. Now then, I have not control or knowledge about the extend of employees she hired or the appearance not to mention the voice of them. That makes them another suspect... a rather larger number of them.

The person I find most difficult to deal without doubt, the last marriage partner of the late Mr. Kingwood.

*******************************************

Today was suppose to be my first day as security guard, the idea was that I need to gain some field experience to understand how things work around here. But I wonder why do I have to be a maid now.

While walking out my new boss office I start to recall what happened today until I recieved this task.

I arrived a little late at my first day of work due a misunderstanding about the time I had to be there. Thankfully I had my belongings packed, I also was awake... so I only needed to get a ride that would take me there. I happened to find a taxi rather quickly, but it was hard to find the correct road. At one time we found an abandoned car in the road, I wanted to call the police to inform them but there was no signal so I had to postpone my idea. After a few wrong turns we finally got into the right road, I arrived later that I expected but I can not blame the driver, there were no signals on the road to point the right way.

What awaited me was a huge property, I was just a the gate to enter it but I could not see the building I was suppose to be working in from my location.

So far I had not many chances to come in contact with sights like this, after all I have been training in a facility since I was a child, as an orphan I did not have many choices so I could only do as I was told. I am not particularly happy or un-happy with my new work, apparently I was to be trained to become the the personal attendant of some young lady, since that moment the level of my training went up, but I also got a better treatment so I am more thankful than anything else. Although I had to train harder, I also recieved a room for myself only, I could also eat better food. Because of my past envoirement I severely lack experience in field and somehow... common sense, I know that I need to remain calm and collected for the most of time but... everything looks new for me that I can not help to keep looking everywhere. Might as well take this change to gather as much information from my surroundings under my curiosity... I have already started doing so I can keep it a little longer. It is not exactly planed but... since I can not control it, I can use it the best I can.

I had to pay the taxi from my own pocket money... my wallet cried at that time. Thankfully I did have enough money... another plus I got due my soon-to-be job, they send me and amount of money to use on my own for whatever I wanted, it was not too high but I could buy one thing or another that interested me after I saved the right amount... I have to say, internet is a wonderful place. I also had my troubles with the delivery of my package due the address but that is too long of a story for now.

Keeping my eyes open for all the new things I distracted myself from the looks of the guards at the entrance. I had to wait for a few minutes as I was told that a drive wouldcome to pick me up, that was a great new for me. I would love to walk my way to my work place but I am already running late.

As I was told the vehicle arrived a few minutes later and I did not wait for anything to ride it. The driver did not seem to mind my almost unnatural eagerness to leave and just drove away. I felt really uncomfortable with the looks they were sending my way.

Putting that behind after the car took its distance with the entrance, I started to focus my attention on the road. For a while there were only trees everywhere, but after a few turns there appeared lesser of them. I could finally take a look at the buildings that were far on the distance. A really beautiful manor was the first thing that caught my eyes, that seems to be the place where the head of the family would live.

I also see another building at one side side of the manor, I wonder if that is some sort of dorm for the employees, it is smaller and the construction does not seem to be as detailed. I believe that I will get an explanation later, so for now I can only make speculations about what I see. We took a different road from the one I think would take us to the manor, a shame... I think that there were some gardens around there, taking a look would've been nice. Really, I need to get my act together, I did not came here to sight see.

The road we took went a small bridge, it looks like it's being repaired because... although it is made of stones there is long wooden plank that is doing the job of covering the missing part. It is right in the middle, literally separating the bridge in two. It is quite irresponsable to only do that much. Maybe it happened not long ago and they had to do a quick fix... but I don't know. When we crossed I took a look from the car to the river and I could see they already had the plataforms to repair it in place... but there is no one. If they had time to set them, they could at least do a better job at covering it.

During this ride I was so distracted with the view that I did bother to talk to the driver. I feel a bit bad about it, we were going to be co-workers soon so I need to take into account my communication with other people carefully. It would be awfully bad to attract unwanted enmity due misunderstandings. It would make my days here harder.

Finally we arrive at the building where I will meet my new boss, well... the head of security boss. Technically my true boss will be the young lady.

This place reminds me of a box, were it not for the windows I could confuse it as such at the distance... a white box.

Putting those thoughts aside I took my first step into the my new work place. Not long after that I saw the reception, I guess I should go there to let them know.

I had to answer a couple of questions to make sure I was the person they were waiting for. Mostly my name and reason to come here. Although one of the receptionist also asked for my phone number, I decided to ignore the question after I saw the other one rise her eyebrow when he asked that.

I took a seat to wait for the person that would guide me to my superior office, I do wonder why they had to do so though. I can get there on my own.

A few minutes later I could see an old- a lady that took a look at me then went through a hallway, how strange I suddenly felt a chill when I was going to call her older. I had to wait some good time before that same lady came to look for me.

I was finally brought into my new superior office rather quickly after that. I could not help but to start observing this office. I was hoping to understand a little about the person who will give me orders from now on. But there was nothing worth mentioning, to be honest that was rather strange. Usually someone that spends a lot of time in one place has the tendencies to leave their own mark there... but there is nothing of that sort in here. I judged by his age that he would've been working in this office for a long time but I might've made a mistake. Of course there is always the change that he is just this kind of person.

I though he would be a responsible and serious person judging by his manner of speech and bearing... until he suddenly asked that I dress a maid. I felt inclined to go rampant for bit a teach him a lesson for his sexual harassment comment, but I thought that I need to give him time to explain himself. He could've have a slip of tongue.

Well, apparently he meant what he said.

Now, I am back where I started to remember, but it looks that there was no mistake in my memory... and now I am in front of the women's changing room.

While they brought my new uniform I had some time to hear about my soon-to-be work place. Important details about the building itself, like the layout. That is really helpful since it would take a while to explore everything on my own. I was also informed of places that I should not enter with a reason. Although I understand that the rooms of the main member of the family are out of reach to everyone but their trusted employees because of privacy and safety ... I also understand that the study of master of the manor would be off limits for the same reasons as before. But I am not sure about the few other places I was told. There are two libraries in the manor, and none of the two are to be accessed without permission, not mention one of them is even located in the basement. That makes all this rather uncanny. Well, I can only say that everyone has their quirks. Hopefully when I start working in earnest the young lady happens to be normal.

With those slight rude thoughts in my mind, the time when by and my uniform arrived.

My first thought was 'What the heck?'... the second one involved going up to beat up my 'superior'. Before I followed that wonderful idea, Miss Highlander who was previously explaining me the in and out of the manor, started speaking.

"I know that you my find doubtful the reason to your new is this... not to mention your new clothing can raise more questions"

"I do have my doubts, particularly... this clothing paired with what I am suppose to do. I can not help but question... why me"

"Haha, there is no such a deep reason, you are overthinking this"

"But..."

"First... one the reason you find it uncomfortable is that you think this is because you are new?"

"Yes... Am I wrong?"

"Not exactly, you have an impressive CV. But even with that I doubt you would react correctly in a stressful situation. You can not expect to get a high standing or a high difficulty job this soon"

"...I understand. But why this then? I am sorry, but I was taught a variety of things, and in one of them, they said quite a lot of bad things about people who would order 'this'"

With that I raise my new uniform. I know that I am suppose to be a maid, but the shortness of the skirt leaves a lot to the imagination.

As she heard my point, she avoided my eyes until she sighed and said.

"That is not something Mr. White decided. The 'master' of the manor did"

That sounds terribly awful, hopefully he is a decent man. I am suppose to support the young miss but... if the master has a dubious personality I am not sure what do.

"You don't need to worry. He will would not touch you"

That does not makes it sound better. She said he would not touch me so... What about the other maids?.

"The people currently hired are not doing it against their will so you don't need to worry about it"

Currently huh. I wonder if that was a slip of tongue or she wanted me to know.

"Besides, yesterday indeed arrived a young man out of nowhere at night. He also apparently entered the property through a hole in the fence from the west forest. So there are reasons for suspecting him. He did show a proof of his status as a guest when he arrived to the HQ though"

"That sounds awfully suspicious, What did he say about his reasons being there?"

"He said he was lost"

I would like to say he was dumb to go walking through an unknown forest but... I had the luck finding the right way after almost getting lost a couple of times. So I will refrain from making comments. Although... West... West... now that I think about it, the abandoned car I happened to find with the taxi driver earlier could've be related to him. I will have to confirm this later.

"Anyways, you just have to keep an eye on him from now. when he gets used to your presence he might let his guard down. Although all this will one be useful if he is actually planning something bad"

"Very well, I will do so..."

I have no choice. I am not too found of showing myself too much like this, but since there is a proper reason for it. I will do it.

Now then, I am quite curious about how such individual is in person. Getting lost in the woods... with such an image I can only think he will be a careless person.