In all his 5 years of door answering, that had to be the most awkward front entry meeting of his time. Michael was supposed to lead her to the servant chambers through the back entrance. Not the blasted front door! The door no one ever used. Ever! Accepted the master, and occasionally his investor Mr. Burns, but neither ever knocked!

When the door knocker's vibration spread through the house, he was scared it might be someone important. The Master was in no manner to converse with anyone. He was working.

When Frederick first saw the little lady. His first thought was a relative he didn't remember, but if she had been she would have walked right in and made herself at home. When Miss Kinly hesitated, he thought maybe she was a curious neighbor. Which would be odd, seeing as there was no other homestead around for miles. Finally, he got her name and could breathe again.

Frederick rounded the corner, passed through the threshold to the kitchen, and found Mrs. Pench at the stove.

"Frederick," she turned to face him, "Who's at the front door?"

"The new Housekeeper."

The cook let out a sigh of relief much like the one he stuffed down moments ago.

"Where's Michael?" he asked.

"In the break room. Where's the new housekeep?"

"Front entry," he answered bluntly.

"What's she doing there?"

"Waiting for Michael."

"For what?"

Tired of all the questions Frederick acknowledged the cook with a stare conveying just how tedious he found this conversation, "To give a tour of the place."

"Why don't you give the tour?" She ignored his hints, "You know this house far better than the little pip dose, besides, Michael just got done with the stables and he's awfully tired."

Michael tired? Not likely. The boy could handle the little wisp of a woman in the entry. She has her whole career to learn about the house, right now all she needs to know is the basic layout, where the necessities are, and how the master likes his tea. He was going to say as much to the cook could however, never one to say more words than one must, Frederick simply raised a brow. "He's in the break room then."

Mrs. Pench sighed, this time it was not triggered by relief. "Have it your way." she nodded toward the open door to his left. Mrs. Pench knew Frederick long enough not to take offense from his tight-lipped communication, so he took no time apologizing. Instead, he turned and strode through the portal to the staff lounge.

There was Michael sitting at the oval table, smothering a slice of bread with butter, jam, and honey.

"Hi-ya' Fred." said the boy. He set the knife down and shoved nearly half of the slice into his gaping mouth, "Ya seen the new housekeeper lady yet?" he continued between swallows, "She's as small as a mouse. I'm 'most as tall an I ain't near thirteen yet."

Miss Kindly was a little thing, with a ton of blonde hair judging by the size of her chignon. Simple lips. Small nose. Big eyes, almost as full as her hair. Not as thin as the average woman but definitely not plump like Mrs. Pench. No, that didn't sound right either. Hmm... he wouldn't say stout.

In conclusion, Miss Kindly was neither thin nor plump, but right in the middle, an- Wait a minute, why was he putting so much thought into this, It didn't matter. What mattered was manners and he was losing a grip on his.

"Michael, be polite. Finish chewing and swallowing before you speak. Never make fun of a lady. And never leave her in the dust." Frederick scooted the chair at the head of the table. There that should do it.

Michael gulped. "I'm sorry Fred, I done forgot about manners again, didn't I."

Frederick didn't like being hard on the orphaned boy, but if Michael was going to stay here the least he could do was learn a little etiquette.

Michael could sense Frederick's disappointment. The boy straightened his shoulders, "Don't worry Fred, I'll get it. One o' these days, you'll see. I'll be just a'spacken as you."

"I've no doubt you will." Frederick allowed a slight smile. It had been six months since they came home from the Sunday service along with the poor street boy who saved master Prescott's life.

one more bite and Michael finished his bread, Frederick cleared his throat "Wash up, you can't keep her waiting." he moved over to canister the jam. Michael followed his example and did the same to the honey.

"Oh, am I gonna show her 'round an' stuff."

Frederick nodded.

Michael grinned, "I'll do a real good job. I promise I will."

Trusting the boy to wash without him, Frederick took the honey and jam back into Mrs. Pench's pantry, then checked his timepiece. Almost time for his rounds, might as well start early and let Master Prescott know that the Help has arrived 

__________

"This one's the Blue room." the boy she acquainted at the stables gently opened the door, as he had all the others.

Alice got a quick glance before he pulled it closed again. But not before she got a good glimpse of the dust atop of the bureau and dresser. It looked almost the same as the others, with all the same furnishings and style. Only the color scheme was different. It didn't take Alice long to notice that each room had a color theme this one was indeed, blue. From the curtain to the bedspread. From robins egg to navy. It was all blue.

They made their way down the hall to the next door. Alice pulled her To-Do pad out from her skirt pocket and began to jot down notes for the dusty furniture.

"What's that?" Michael peered curiously at her.

"This is my To-Do notepad. I writing little notes and lists in here so I can remember all I have to do."

"So ya' don' fergit!"

"Exactly."

"Boy, could I use one of 'em. I fergit things a'lot. Just ask Fred, he's always 'minding me." Michael's shoulders sagged, saddened by the disappointment of the man he obviously adored. He's mentioned the name about a thousand times since their first encounter.

Eager to lift the boy's spirits, Alice patted his arm, "I'll gladly lend you one of mine. I've got a couple of extras, not pads. I'll get it for you after we finish here. An-"

"Nah," he interrupted, "It's no good. I don' know my letters good 'nough ta be able ta keep one of 'em lists anyways." he wasn't quite as cheerful as before but his shoulders didn't sag half as much.

                                                                                   ___________

"How many rooms are there?" she asked, as they made their way back down the stairs. The tour coming to an end, "I know I should have been counting, I just got distracted with so much to see." 

Micheal smiled, "Fourteen guest rooms an' a master suite. Not countin' the servant's place."

"Wow."

"Yeah." His smile turned into a fond grin came over his face "Sometimes when the nights git real cold, Fred and I'll come up here an' sleep in our favorite ones. We figure it's okay 'cause nobody hardly ever uses 'em seein' how we're out in the boonies an' all."

"That we are." Alice chuckled. She liked Michael. He was almost more talkative than she was, "Who's Fred? Will I meet him?"

He looked at her. His face scrunched in confusion. Alice superseded a smile. Though the boy was nearly taller than her, he was still only a child.

"I thought ya' did?" He paused and thought for a minute, "Oh, I know. I call 'im Fred ya' prob'ly call 'im Frederick like Mrs. Pench and Master Prescott."

The butler.

"Ah, yes I did." images of the awkward encounter flashed through her mind. Eager to change the subject from the topic of the tall, fashioned butler, Alice was quick to ask, "Which room is your favorite?"

"Me? Oh, I like the Green one. It's the best color. Plus it has this loose floorboard, that ya' can hide special things an' stuff in, real sneaky like." he gave her a sly smile.

"Fred likes the purple one." her laughter from his smile subsided. Back to 'Fred' again. "I think it's kinda girly, but he likes it anyways. Mrs. Pench says it has ta do with his Mama. Maybe, It was her favorite color or somethin', I don' know. Which one would ya have?"

Michael might find the purple room girly, but to Alice, it was no less than regal. The navy purple drapes as well as the bedspread, with the lighter accents, gave it a royal feel. "Umm, I think I like the Blue one."

"Yeah? Blue yer favorite color?"

"Umm-hmm."

"Like yer eyes!" the boy hurried ahead of her a bit in order to study her face more fully.

"Oh no, my eyes are Hazel."

"They sure look Blue," he squinted and peered even more intensely at her.

"That's because I'm wearing a blue dress, it brings out the blue in my eyes, but I wish they were truly blue. That's the best color for eyes." Well besides Brown. Chocolate syrup Brown.

"Nah, Hazels the best, Fred thinks so too, 'cause it's all the colors mixed inta one. It's like you git the best of all 'em eye colors. Lucky."

Alice smiled at his uplifting words but also blushed at the unintended compliment. Frederick Mansfield hadn't said anything to her about her eyes, but knowing what he thought of them seemed to have the same impact on her as if he had. Which was ridiculous. She hadn't shared more than eight sentences with him.

Michael carried on with the tour. They ended up on the back balcony overlooking the acres that seemed to stretch for miles.

"An' that's it. 'Sides all the land 'course. I could take ya out tomorrow if ya like. Show all the important places. Places you'll need ta know. Like the gard'ins," He pointed far to the left. Alice leaned over the balcony rail. She spied the corner of a tall-growing hedge.

"The pond," this time he pointed right. "An' the Courtyard. Or the Captain's Deck as Master Prescott likes ta call it." Michael spread his arms wide in front of him, gesturing to the large area the layout before them. "Master Prescott's real big on remembering his Navy days."

"I heard he was a Navy Captain. Tell me, does he have good stories?" Alice asked as she leaned away for the rail. The balcony was decorated with huge army cannons. There were four of them all evenly spread out.

"The best! He likes ta reenact 'em too." Michael bobbed up and down.

"Oh really? How fun!"

"Yeah, the bombing an' canons get pretty loud, but it's real fun."

"I'll bet." this was exactly what Alice was hoping for, and the fact that Michael talked enthusiastically about it gave her hope that the staff were permitted to listen. How she would like to be allowed to sit in one of the comfortable armchairs in the parlor and get lost at sea with a real Navy Captain.

"Ya remember where yer room is?" Michael asked after a moment.

"Yes, I think so."

"I done put yer bags there already. So they're a'waiting for ya."

"Thank you."

"Mrs. Pench usually has our dinner ready by 5:30. So we'll al' be meeting in the kitchen then."

Alice nodded her understanding.

"Swell." Michael bounced off the railing and dashed into the house. Now what?.... She had no idea. Grabbing her trusty notepad Alice confidently headed back through the large door at a much more moderate pace than tall little Michael and decided now was as good a time as any to get to work.