Chapter 11

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Alice took the silver frame from Frederick. It had been a few weeks since her fall. The stitches were now removed and the scar was healing nicely. And though people had stared a bit at church services, Alice found that she didn't mind.

Whenever she felt a bit of insecurity she just remembered that the ugly gash hadn't stopped the pristine Frederick Mansfeld from almost kissing her.

Alice's plus jumped as she handed the frame back to Frederick. Their fingers briefly touched, but it was enough. Alice couldn't rightly say when, but somewhere along the way she had acquired feelings for the quiet man beside her. Their almost-kiss brought that to her attention, though she suspected she had been falling for him since the first time she stepped across the front threshold.

He, however, hadn't seemed to notice. -Frederick handed her the next item-. In fact, if anything he was even more distant than before. He didn't come and see her anymore or talk to her unless completely necessary.

Perhaps it had something to do with his late wife. Maybe she died falling from something? Or suffering from a head injury, and that's why he was withdrawing from Alice. Because it was too painful a memory to be around. If that was the case, Alice was dumbstruck on how to get through it. However, there were sometimes..... Some strange, marvelous moments, she was sure she felt his eyes on her. Watching her from afar.

And then he'd used her name. He wouldn't have done that unless he had taken to thinking of her like that. Alice felt herself grin. Maybe he did notice her after all.

Best not to think about this now. She didn't want to scare him.

Alice refocused on the task at hand and while they went she began to talk.

"Michael asked me for reading lessons. Says he wants to learn to write 'real good' and he wants his script to be as neat as yours. I told him you'd have to teach him that. What do you think?"

He looked at her for a moment, his features calm again, "It'll be good for him."

"I know right! That is--I mean--I think so too." She stuttered. She was just so excited. In fact, if Michael was half as excited as she was he'd be reading frequent Shakespeare before a fortnight had passed.

"You know, I wanted to be a schoolteacher?" she said as they swapped trinkets, "When I was younger."

he raised a brow.

"Uh-huh. I guess I got so excited about every new thing that I learned, I just had to share it with everyone else. Well, then I realized that Housekeeping fit me much better. It is what I was raised in. My mother was a housekeeper and my Father worked in the kitchen. Together they taught me everything I know. So when the time came, I guess I opted for the obvious route and now I'm here." realizing she'd been babbling, Alice stole a glance at her companion.

He didn't seem to mind just went on listening. Come to think of it he always listened. He never became irritated or asked her to be quiet, he simply listened. Not only that but he appeared to be interested as well. As a warm feeling spread through her, Alice was sure she wouldn't take this for granted.

"And now I get a chance to do both," she stated cheerfully.

"How fortunate." was his genuine reply.

"What about you?" -they swapped again- "How did you learn the trade? Was your father a butler too?" Alice asked disregarding her idea of him being raised as an orphan.

He thought about his reply for a moment. A long moment, that had Alice wondering if she'd crossed some unspoken line. He kept opening and closing his mouth as if we were battling his answer. Alice was just about to tell him he didn't have to answer when he cleared his throat and said, "My father left us when I was nine,"

It was so unexpected that Alice just stared. Dumfounded, as her heart broke for him.

After a moment, he went on, "My mother had a job in domestic housework and as soon as I was big enough to pass in age, I started on here as well, working my way to Butler." he swallowed, You may recall Prescott understanding that I've worked here for five years." Frederick shifted slightly but didn't turn, "And I have worked here five years. As a butler." He paused, "All in all though It's been twelve."

Alice fought a gasp. That would've made him just older them Micheal.

Frederick turned to her then, "I'm glad for what you're doing for Michael. I had planned to, but never had the time or -you'll forgive me- the patience."

Not have the patience? Why, Frederick was the most patient person she knew.

"Thank you," he said as he took the trinket from her numb hands and put it in its place on the shelf.

"You're welcome." she managed.

He nodded. Then went back to the table. Alice hadn't realized that it was the last one, but the shelf was now shiny and full.

She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him, nor did she know what she would've done if her Father had one just up and left them. Suddenly Frederick's sense of responsibility made sense to her. It didn't make what happened to him and his mother any less sad. Alice wanted to cry for him. She didn't though, that would be silly.

Instead, she turned back to survey their work. Looking at the shelf, something caught her eye. Something wasn't right. Alice pulled out her To-Do pad and flipped through the pages.

Ah, here it is, "Rearrange frames to every other color"

"Frederick," she spoke as she turned to face him.

He had just sat down but looked up again, brow raised. How she loved that brow.

"I wanted to arrange the frames differently. To make them every other between the silvers and golds."

"What's wrong with the way they are now?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just thought they'd look better that way. A sort of pattern."

Frederick looked at the shelf with the gold to the left and silver on the right.

"Right now they're evenly categorized." he gestured to the candles, using them as an example. "If you moved them to every other you'd end up with gold on one end and a sliver on the other." he was already shaking his head, "Leave them as they are." then turned back to his work.

He was back to contradict her! Huzzah! Though it was a strange thing to be excited about, to her any conversing was better than none. Besides, it proved that he hadn't changed all that much..... and neither had she.

Alice set her notepad down and crossed her arms, "No one will notice the difference and besides, it'll be a nice change of scenery."

He set his pencil down. She had his attention again. "First of all, how can something go unnoticed and be a change of scenery?" he paused to let his comment sink in. Arrogant Man.

"Second of all," he continued, "if no one's really going to notice, then why change them in the first place?"

A light lit in his eyes and for a moment, Alice wondered if he knew it was there. However, she was a bit busy hiding the happiness she felt at getting her friend back. A happiness that was quickly drowning out any irritation she felt at his smugness.

"Alright, I'll notice," she said, even though she knew she had lost.

"Alice, if you wish to move the frames around you'll have to do it yourself. I'm not about to assist in something that might very well drive me crazy." he used her given name again but didn't seem to notice this time and she was in no hurry to remind him. Summing frustration she didn't feel. Alice stepped forward.

"Fine." she said, "You win again, but I'll get you one of these days." with that she turned and left the room snatching her notepad as she went. Once outside the room, she let her smile free. Then Alice had an idea, she flipped open her pad and added, "Beat Frederick at " she thought.... "something."


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