"Young ladies, after dinner you are to meet the masters of Beardsley once more, to be properly introduced to Mister Eugene. I'm sure you know, even without my saying, to be on your best behavior if you want to go to Ravensborough's Monthly Market?"

Mister Kupka stared at us each in the eye as he laid out his unspoken threat.

"Yes," Rhiannon and I said.

"Of course, Mister Kupka," Beth said cheerfully, "now let's head to dinner!" Clo didn't reply, looking bored.

"I bet he's just like the other masters," she muttered. "Fake or condescending."

"Master Elias and Olive aren't condescending," I said.

"Yes, that's because they are still children." Clo sighed. "It saddens me to think of the day they might change. When that time comes, I wonder if I can take it."

"Don't you have siblings?" Beth asked. "Did you guys have a bad relationship after they grew up?"

Clo snorted. "I've never seen them grown up. My mom died after giving birth to my baby brother. My father couldn't take care of three children alone so I worked since I was young too, but at a factory before finally finding this job." I frowned.

"You—you don't see your siblings?"

I couldn't believe it. For someone who cared about her siblings and family so much, it seemed strange that she would work for them but accept not seeing them.

"There's no time to," Clo said. "Each second I work I can give them a second of education."

I stared at her, surprised. I had almost forgotten: in our orphanage we got basic lessons, and because I stayed there for all of my childhood, I had the time to learn the whole alphabet, write, and read. However, I didn't know whether or not the others had this luxury. I mean, I knew Rhiannon could read too, as I saw her read every morning, and for some reason Beth seemed strangely educated despite her act to seem foolish, but as for Clo, I didn't know whether she had an education or not.

I decided against talking about it, and the others, too. We filed into the servant's dining room in silence.

There, at the long table, the men were already seated. There the valets and the main cook lined the two sides of the table, while Mister Kupka took the seat of the head of the table, and then us maids the four seats on the end on the table. It was always Rhiannon on one side, Clo on the opposite end of the table, facing Mister Kupka, and then Beth and I on the other side facing Rhiannon.

"So, I've been meaning to ask," Matthew said, looking at us. "Who is the maid responsible for Master Eugene's room?"

Eyes turned to me, and I froze.

Does he know what happened, or is this a test?

"I am," I said cautiously. "Is something the matter?"

"Master Eugene eats breakfast upstairs," he says, his face showing no hostility, only an innocent smile, "and told me he saw you."

"You did not attempt to talk to him, did you, Shuyan?" Mister Kupka inquired, peering up me from his spectacles. "And tell me you did knock before entering his room."

"Fret not," Matthew answered for me, surprising me. "Master Eugene told me she knocked and she never talked to him besides replying to his greetings."

Huh?

Matthew turned to me and our eyes met. He gave a quick wink.

"Anyways, I've been taking care of Master Eugene ever since I came to this mansion thirty years ago as a footmen. He's like my own son, no one here has a kinder soul than him. So if you need any help, just come to me, Shuyan, was it?"

"Uh, yes, thank you." I gave a small, hesitant smile.

Matthew seemed like a nice man, and he seemed to like his master a lot—was that why he was covering up for me? Did Master Eugene tell him too?

As we ate, I pondered over it quietly.

Dinner ended quickly, and then Mister Kupka ushered me and the girls upstairs. We straightened our backs and brushed dust off our dresses. We clamored up the stairs tight-lipped and nervous—or at least I was.

I've only ever seen Master Eugene in his room, and in his nightwear, so it felt strange, as though I were meeting him for the first time.

When the door opened, we walked in, and there we saw the six masters once more, with one more—Master Eugene.

I recognized his hair—a brown a few shades lighter than Mister Silas and Master Tobias's, also wavier, but now combed and styled to one side, as though he were going to a formal event.

He sat in an armchair across from Mister Silas, and he turned to look at us when we entered. When our eyes met he gave me a warm smile, eyes relaxing, as though he had seen an old friend.

He was also dressed up like the other masters, in a white shirt with a stiff collar up to his neck and a lack cravat tucked inside a dark blue vest the color of the night sky. It suited him, and I was suddenly reminded of his status.

"Master Eugene," Mister Kupka began, "these are the new maids we've hired. Starting from my right, Miss Rhiannon Daughtery, Miss Clotilde Hutchinson, Miss Shuyan, and Miss Bethany Clock."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

Eugene turned his body fully to face us and was smiling broadly now. I've never seen any of the masters smile such a broad and genuine smile.

"I'm Eugene Beardsley. I have a weak body so I'm often in my room. The maid who comes to my room would know." He laughed a little. "I've seen you before but never been properly introduced, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shuyan."

The lies were his doing. I suppose I had no choice but to play along, under the watchful eyes of Mister Kupka, the other masters, and whatever spies there were.

I smiled.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Master Eugene."

"You don't have a surname," he ventured cautiously, despite knowing I hailed from an  orphanage. Maybe he had something in mind?

"I came from Saint Agatha's Orphanage." I looked at Mister Kupka to make sure he wasn't mad at me saying this much about me; he wasn't.   

"I'm an orphan too," Eugene said, surprising me. "I got into a carriage accident with my parents when I was a child. They didn't survive." A sad look went across his face.

"Eugene!" Tobias shouted, standing from his seat. We all turned to look at him.

For once, his face was no longer emotionless and cold—his eyes were dark with fury and the muscles in his jaw twitched.

"Sit down, Tobias." Silas shot him a look of disdain. "We have an audience. Control yourself."

"I'm sorry, I said too much," Eugene said, his tone apologetic and demure. "I think I'm a bit tired. I'll head upstairs."

"Eugene—" Tobias was saying, then Silas shouted,

"No, wait!"

It was as if time had slowed down. Eugene grabbed for his walking stick and stood up, his weight all on one arm, his knuckles turning white from the pressure, but then his legs buckled.

Tobias ran to his side from his seat across the room, his hair flying about, and Silas watched the scene unfold, his brows furrowed. It was an expression I wouldn't have associated with him: it looked so angry, looked so much like Tobias, and yet so much more intense.

Eugene was on the floor then, his body hitting the carpet with a sickening thud, save for his face, which he had barely saved if not for his elbows propping his up. He struggled to get up, and then Augustin and Valentin, who were in close proximity, reached out to help him up, each one taking one arm.

"Eugene," Tobias shouted again when he reached him, picking up his cane, "are you fine? What did you do?"

Elias watched with his eyes wide and Olive circled them in silent worry, like a puppy.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, my legs just—" his voice faded away. "It's been a long time since the accident but sometimes I still, you know."

"Holy," Clo was whispering next to me. "Did you see that?"

"It looks painful," Beth said in pity.

"Poor Master Eugene," Otis said.

Their eyes were focused on Eugene, but the whole time my eyes couldn't leave his angry face. He looked at Eugene with the ominous expression, and before the brothers brought him up, he stood up, finally, from his seat, and leaned forward towards him.

"I'll be going to your room tonight, Eugene," he said, voice low, but not low enough to be drowned out in the chaos.

"...you will be sorry. In my house, you do not do such things."

I looked at Eugene, expecting a fearful face, but he was only smiling as he replied.

"Yes, Silas. I'll be waiting."

Everyone dispersed, and I followed behind Clo and Beth as they chattered, questions racing through my mind.

There was no doubt. Two things had happened.

First, Eugene had orchestrated a fall in front of us, for some unknown reason.

Second, Silas had called the house of Beardsley "his house".

But why exactly did Eugene fall in front of everyone on purpose, and what did Silas mean?