Frederick's steps slowed as he passed the library. The sound of laughter drew him in. He checked his timepiece and determined that he had a little time to spare.

Slowly he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Michael called from inside.

Frederick opened the door and stepped through.

The boy was sitting at the desk, a book lay open in front of him. Alice, who was leaning over the boy's shoulder, looked up and smiled at him. Why did she have to do that? Smile all the time?

Micheal looked up as well, "Hi-ya Fred. Miss Kinly an' I 're jest practicin' some sounds. This un' sounds like Master Prescott when he stubs 'is toe on un' of 'em canons. Ow! Owwww!" the boys mimicking set Alice to giggles. Michael didn't get far before laughter took over himself. Frederick couldn't help but smile, the boy was having so much fun with it all.

Alice met his gaze. And just smiled for a bit, then said, "He came up with the comparison. I swear had nothing to do with it."

"Did too!" Michael laughed, "You 'er, I mean were" he corrected himself, "the un' who said it was like stubbing a toe!"

"Alright, but you brought the Master into it."

"Don' let her fool ya, Fred," Michael said, "She laughed just as much as any soul did."

"I'm sure. After all, it doesn't take much to make Miss Kinly laugh."

Alice blushed.

Frederick immediately regretted his words. He should have simply raised a questioning brow.

"Anyway, it's apparent to me that you have work to do, I'll let you get to it." he turned for the door.

"Aww come on Fred ya -er- you, can stay can't you?" Micheal began to stand.

"I must resume my rounds." 

The boy lowered back into his seat, disappointed. 

"You'll stop by later?" he asked hopefully, then added "Perhaps?" for good measure.

Frederick thought on it, "Perhaps." was all he replied, and making a point not to look at Alice, left.

__________

Later, in his office, Frederick sat at his desk and stared blankly in front of him.

Now that Alice had fully taken over all the housekeeping duties he was finding more and more that he didn't have as much to do anymore. 

He hadn't gone back to the library, deciding it was best if he didn't. Although now, as his gaze blurred and then focused only to blur again, he was starting to wish he had.

He glanced toward the grandfather clock, not yet two o'clock. The Master hadn't wanted him till 4:00.

As if on cue, Prescott entered the room with a suddenness that gave Frederick barely enough time to look busy.

"Ah, there you are. Are you busy?" he asked.

"Nothing that can't wait. You looking for me, Sir?" Frederick stood and moved around the desk.

"As a matter of fact, I was," Prescott sat on the sofa, "I was just thinking of Friday when I plan to fire up the Napoleon at Reeds. I was wondering if  dear Miss Kinly would like to watch with Michael. Would you please make sure she's aware and welcome to join us on the balcony?"

There it was. Frederick bit his tongue to keep from groaning. "Yes Sir." he nodded.

"Excellent!" Prescott stood, leaving the room with more than enough jolly in his step.

When the door clicked shut, Frederick dragged a hand down his face, exhaled, and slumped back against his desk. Because that's what he needed, another excuse to be nice to "dear Miss Kinly". Another reason for her to smile at him, distract him.

That's not all she does. Frederick grudgingly accepted that last remark. It was true. When he wasn't thinking about what her smiles and fuller figure did to him, he could actually have a meaningful - even satisfying-  conversation with her. 

Shaking the thought out of sight, Frederick straightened and turned around. He picked up the first thing he laid his hands on -a stack of books- and decided to return them to the library.

He walked along the shelves, wishing he had shaken his head harder, as the image of her smile continued to follow him. At a loss Frederick started a prayer, surely the Lord would grant that peace of mind,

"Our Father, who art in heaven..." The memorized words continued to come smoothly even as his mind trailed off in a different prayer,

Lord, all I ask is that I can feel myself again. I'm tired of all these nerves and distractions. Please clear my head and allow me to see only the things that truly matter. Guide me. I'm.... desperate.

"...and deliver us from evil."  he pushed the last book into its place, "Amen."

He was about to turn away but something out of the ordinary caught his eye. On the shelf just beneath, lay a simple notepad with a rose-patterned cover that struck him as familiar. Well, whatever it was it didn't belong here.

Picking it up, Frederick moved back towards his desk and flipped it open,

Wash windows ✔️

Sweep floor ✔️

Dust bureau and shelves ✔️

Change sheets ✔️

Re-fill vase ✔️

Ohh, It was Alice's. That's where he'd seen it before. Was the woman really around every corner? He harrumphed and shut the cover. However, a nagging feeling followed him, again something didn't fit right.

Did it say to sweep and then dust? Frederick squinted trying to recreate the picture of the crossed-out words in his mind. No. Surely not. What would be the point of sweeping? All the dust would just fall over the floor, making it dirty again. She didn't sweep twice, did she?

Frederick flipped the notepad open again, and sure enough, it read, Sweep and then Dust. Perhaps the list was in no particular order.

Hmmm, Frederick would be sure to pay more attention to the floors from now on.

Looking back at the notepad in his hand, he couldn't help but wonder, what else was backward in here? And before he could stop the urge, he was flipping through the pages.

Beat rugs ✔️

Wash windows ✔️

Draw drapes ✔️

These among other tasks jumped out at him, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, that is until he caught his name written out.

He abruptly stopped and stared at the top of the list.

Empty bins ✔️

Whip down bureaus ✔️

Straighten shelves ✔️

Dust trinkets ✔️

Rearrange frames to every other color

These he read carefully, and then at the very bottom of the page,

"Beat Frederick at something." he read aloud under his breath.

A small smile found its way. The list was from the time in the staff lounge when he was doing an inventory of the third-floor candles.

The argument over the frames replayed before him.

"You win again, but I'll get you one of these days." she'd said.

Something about this pleased him and he smiled...

Then came to his senses.

Obviously, he couldn't allow her "win" over him. He had to remain in control. He had to hold things together. After what happened to his mother he was never going to allow anything to distract him from doing his job again. He would keep his mind sharp and make sure his thoughts were exactly where they needed to be at all times. 

Since his mother had passed, Frederick had gotten used to carrying everything and had gotten comfortable. Without him, the household might have very well fallen apart. He was constantly under pressure to keep together and couldn't afford to be distracted at every turn. Not when the well-being of the closest thing he had left of a family depended on him. 

Alice Kinly was out of his control and that was something Frederick could not abide. She tested and pushed him. She asked questions that threatened to open the locked cage door to his heart. And if she succeeded, all order, all control he had gained over the past two years would be lost. Leaving himself completely vulnerable, something he had promised himself he would never be again. Ever.

Tossing the notepad aside Frederick straightened his shoulders and tied his cuffs.

No, Alice Kinly needed to be kept at a distance. Currently, he had the upper hand and planned to keep it that way. He'd just have to continue fighting the fractious part of him that strived to be in her company.