Geneva walked back from Brad’s room, dejected and in deep thought. This unusual crestfallen appearance did nothing to her usual sophisticated look and the fact that she commanded respect for just being there. She was the main mistress of the Thornston family. If anything, her sour mood made all others apprehensive instead. Her disposition made all the workers they met hurry past them; none wanted to be used as a scapegoat.
She paused some distance away from Brad’s room and turned her head back.
"Is something the matter?" Katie asked as she surveyed the lush green surroundings in the small inner courtyard and then the corridor itself, seeing nothing.
"Did you hear anything?"
"No, Geneva, I didn’t," Katie said with a blank look, listening intently.
She wondered if it was the birds chirping.
"Never mind then. I might be imagining things,"
The duo returned to the central part of the estate, unaware of what was happening to Brad behind closed doors.
"Don’t worry, Geneva, he will come around,"
"I hope so Katie.... I really do hope so."
Geneva walked up and took a seat just as she was presented with a dainty cup of tea. She relaxed and took a sip of it, leaning back in the chair.
Just then, loud footsteps could be heard, and Geneva frowned just as Suzie appeared. Geneva detested it when her short rests were disturbed!
"I’m sorry, ma’am...." Suzie apologized immediately as she read the mood in the room. She panted and tried to catch her breath.
"How many times have I told you to observe decorum in here, Suzie?" Katie asked sternly,
"I’m sorry," she said and bowed as if being reprimanded like a little child.
"What is it this time?" Geneva snapped,
"It had better be worth worsening my mood now!"
Suzie blushed and started twisting her fingers. The guilty look that had been on her face had totally disappeared as she recalled the reason she had rushed there.
"It’s about my mistress and master Ian..."
The mention of Master Ian piped Geneva’s attention, and her foul mood disappeared in a jiffy.
"I think they are ..." Suzie blushed deep into her hair roots and said the last part in the smallest voice possible so that none of the two heard her.
"What is wrong with you? Can’t you speak louder? Do you want Madam Geneva to bring her ear closer to you to listen?"
She closed her eyes, feeling her lips heavy, "I think that Master Ian and Miss Shelby are at it!"
"What are they at? Stop speaking around in circles an-"
Katie paused just as Geneva placed her hand on hers to stop her from speaking any more. The older woman studied Suzie, who looked like she wanted a hole to bury herself in because of her embarrassment and then what she had stated and pieced two and two together.
"Calm down and tell me more," Geneva stated calmly.
"I was doing my chores for the mor-"
"Skip that and tell me what I want to know!"
"Oh yes, ma’am, I could not find Miss Shelby, and I heard sounds like ... you know? Coming from Master Ian’s room. I mean female sounds, and it was Miss Shelby’s voice, so...." She let her voice hang.
"Is that so? There really is hope for my son, after all. If he does not come out, the girl goes to him. I like that."
Turning to her, Geneva added, "You will be rewarded for your meritorious observation."
Then she turned to Katie, "Give her a bonus for reporting this to me. This kind of behaviour should be encouraged a lot-"
Katie’s eyes widened, and she nodded. She swallowed all her reservations because she could see where that behaviour would lead. Workers listening in on doors to get the info they needed to get a bonus! She hoped that would not come to pass.
"I’m bored, Ingrid!" Gabriel whined in their room.
"Where is Sam?" He asked. Gabriel could sometimes not mention Samantha’s full name, so he occasionally resorted to calling her ’Sam’. No matter how much Samantha alienated her siblings, she always kept Gabriel entertained and made sure that he always wanted for nothing in their limited resources. But when Gabriel woke up that morning, Samantha was nowhere to be found. He could never get much from Ingrid, even though she tried.
"Sam-antha has to do so-mething. I to-ld yo-u that already, Gabriel. Play by yourself for now, and she will reward you when she comes back ... but don’t go telling anyone that Samantha is not here...."
"Okay!" His small, excited voice deflated. Just then, an idea formed, and he ran out before Ingrid could say anything.
Ingrid looked at his retreating back, knowing where he was probably going, and a pensive look crossed her.
In the receiving room,
Katie replied, "As you wish, ma’am." She glanced from the corner of her eyes to see Suzie’s bright and laughing eyes.
"It looks like there is much hope for my oldest. The shadow of that Aliya girl is finally leaving our estate. I never thought I would live to see this day!"
Geneva turned to address Katie when she saw a figure from the corner of her eye whipping past.
"I believe so, ma’am."
"Where is he going so fast at this time of the day?"
"Probably to see Miss Shelby. They usually spend the day together."
Geneva sat up straight as if she had been startled.
"Get that boy back here right now!"
"Do you want to delay the coming of my grandson to ten months instead of nine months from today? Get that brat back here right now!"
"What grandchild?" Suzie asked herself, perplexed. It took her a moment to realize what Geneva Thornston meant. She turned as fast as her legs could carry her after the little figure of Gabriel. She only had one thought in her mind,
’I cannot lose my bonus!’
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