Chapter 9: Chapter 9 – Even the worst scum has his secrets

Although there was a general sense of dissatisfaction after visiting Patrick Seymour, it could not be said that this foray into enemy territory was a complete failure. For the protagonist, either out of commitment or personal interest, had assured them he would return their visit. He did not specify when, but that finding did not wane the Cornells' hopes for a wealthy husband.

As for Oscar, despite seeing the first step in his plan to become independent at his neighbor's expense, it still took him a couple of days to calm down.

Albert Northrop had not pursued him with a gun, nor had he knocked on his door, much less shown the remotest intention of contacting him or his employers. What could be deduced from this is that, one of two, either he had already forgotten the offense, or he did not consider it serious enough to be cruel. And, thinking that it was surely the latter, Oscar considered that the best thing would be to continue acting before him —if they crossed paths again— as he was doing. Being polite, but keeping his distance where possible. Without giving him any more reasons to hate him and, at the same time, without drawing his attention.

The next step should definitely be to make himself look capable to the Seymours. Maybe even ask the old Cornell to recommend him. That shouldn't be very difficult, right? After all, the master was eager to find an excuse to kick them all out.

"Do you think the Seymours would also accept another maid?" Mallory had asked when she learned of Oscar's intentions.

For now, he had only discussed this with his uncles and Mallory. With some because they were family and with the other because she, perceptive as she proved to be, he had no point in hiding it from her; sooner or later she would find out. And, given the case, it was always better if he admitted it himself. Still, it wasn't like this was a state secret and he didn't dislike the girl.

"I, if I were you, would try," recommended Oscar. “The other day I took the opportunity to ask the servants if they needed more help in the house and, although they admitted the man was not looking for anyone, they also told me not to lose hope. That there had been the case of unforeseen hiring”

“You think so? My grandmother says not to worry, I won´t leave Rose Cottage while she remains here. But I don't know, I might rather go look for another house to serve. Just in case”

“Your grandmother…?”

"Souards, the cook. Didn't she tell you about it before? Ah, never mind. The point is that she tempts me, but at the same time I am a little scared to venture to apply for a job at Lilac Hall. I mean, you've already seen the size of that site and the economic power of the owners. They sure have thirty servants already!”

"They have more than fifty, actually. Between butler, gardeners, maids, cooks ... They even got a chef! But that's what I was telling you, they have so many people that surely two days after the boss hires someone new, he already forgot. With so many people hanging around the house day and night...”

"I imagine the boss of one of those palaces waking up in the middle of the night, going to the bathroom, bumping into someone... And not knowing if that someone is an employee he hired three days ago or a thief!"

They both laughed at that scene, clearly plausible. And, while chatting about how different and strict their lives would become serving in a big house, they finished cleaning the little library they were in.

Every few months, Mr. Cornell would reorganize the shelves in his office, removing some volumes and replacing them with some of the ones that remained in the library. So it was customary that during one of the weekly library cleanings, he also took advantage of this exchange of books from one room to another.

With the floor already spotless and the shelves free of dust, they compiled the volumes the boss had requested. Mallory was the one who finished dragging her own first: she took a pile of books in her arms and headed for the office.

It took Oscar a couple more minutes to follow her, and when he did, he almost stumbled on a door that opened before him as he passed one of the corridors that led to the west wing of the mansion. Regaining his balance and making sure that the eight or nine books he was carrying did not land on the ground, he watched with growing anger as the governess passed him and disappeared around a corner without even looking at him.

What kind of education was that?! She almost broke his nose with a door and then left without apology! Was that what she taught the Cornells? No wonder they were dumber than a stone!

Oscar prepared to continue on his way to the study when an arm rested on his shoulder and the boss, in a friendly tone he had never heard him utter towards someone who was not close to him, said:

“Good that you're here, are you taking the books I asked for? Splendid!”

Was it his thing, or had he come out of the same room as Ms. Groves? He had already taken a couple of steps and turned his back on that door when the other approached him, so he couldn't be sure until two seconds later, when Edmund Cornell gave himself away:

"Do me a favor, okay?" Lowering his voice, he asked her. “Don't tell anyone what you have seen”

Oh, so those two were busy.

Oscar knew as soon as he heard Cornell say that. There would be no reason to hide the presence of the aforementioned and the governess, together in a lonely and secluded room, if those two did not have something indecent on their hands. He had barely contemplated them as they passed for a minute but, especially when it came to his pattern, he was still struggling to finish repositioning his disheveled clothes. How stupid was the guy, going out into the corridors looking like that and confessing in such an absurd way, without verifying that he had seen or heard anything! It almost looks like he's crying out to be hunted down on the spot.

"I won't say anything, don't worry" Oscar said obediently.

Perhaps he could take advantage of this information later…

"I knew you were a good boy." Mr. Cornell seemed to relax at this phrase and, smiling and free of all tension, stepped forward. “I'll retire in peace, then. You keep working hard, don't dwell on unnecessary things”

So unnecessary, huh?

As Oscar arrived at the office, he was helping Mallory place the new volumes on the shelves and bring the old ones back to the library, he hardly spoke. He was busy figuring out how to act before old Cornell panicked. After all, he had "caught" him with his lover! Although he did not hear or see anything, he himself had given it away. Oscar was sure the guy would be quiet for a couple of days, trying to gain his trust and then find an excuse to fire him.

And of course, Oscar could not go and tell Mrs. Cornell her husband was cheating on him without having a single proof other than his word. No, wait. Even if he did have such evidence, what use would it be to showing it to Sarah Cornell? He might look good to her, yes, but little else. After all, the one who would decide his fate under Rose Cottage would be the one with the title to the property. Not the woman of such human garbage.

On the other hand, it would be so advantageous to blackmail the boss…! Ah, but not too much, just a little and at the right time, when he was in real trouble. He knew that blackmailing was a dangerous position. Even if the victim did not have too many lights, any sudden movement could cause everything to fall apart. It would be best to gather evidence before approaching the employer again. But which one could he get and how…?

"Oscar, you have to help me!"

When he finished with his task in the office he believed that he would already be free, although nothing could be further from the truth. At once he caught sight of Madeleine's annoying little voice, and before he had time to back off, she was dragging him into another room to talk alone about how to end her hardship.

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"I need you to help me get Patrick to notice me!"

"I thought that with your natural charm you could do it yourself."

“I thought so too!” She exclaimed, completely ignoring his sarcasm. “But he seems to be immune to those things. It appears he is a man of careful intellect who does not pay attention to the superficial.”

“That makes sense”

Oscar was more aware than anyone that the protagonist was a bad creature, one of those people who would sleep with anyone who paid them attention, even if they were in the middle of a serious relationship. But he didn't want to fight her to see how far she would go.

"I knew as soon as I saw that he didn't look at Beverley again, because she tried so hard to fix herself and it didn't work. Besides, poor she has never been very clever: it is normal that Patrick never noticed her again. I imagine that during the dance he was pressured to choose a partner to dance with and, perhaps because at that moment no one else was available, he chose her. But that didn't mean anything, at least I can stay calm about that”

"As you put it, it's fortunate that Mr. Seymour didn't meet Theresa. Can you imagine it? Meeting someone talented, intelligent and discreet… He would surely forget any other woman he had ever met before”

"That can't happen!" Madeleine gave him a withering look. “We have been lucky and those two have not met. Listen, in addition to finding a way for Patrick to notice me, we must also prevent him and Theresa from meeting at all costs”

"Do you really think your thirteen-year-old sister can steal him from you?" Laughed Oscar.

It was no longer just that the girl was too small to be in a relationship, it was that Theresa - given her character - had no interest in finding a partner. In fact, Oscar was one hundred percent sure that if someone were to come on to her, she would either ignore him or, if he was too persistent, she would send him flying.

But faced with the possibility that Patrick was interested in clever women, who could participate with him in some intellectual debate, Madeleine saw anyone who had more than two brain cells as a potential enemy.

"I don't want to believe it either, but the possibility exists! I'd be more relieved if she didn't go near him”

"I don't think you should do anything to comply with that. I doubt Theresa would approach the Seymours on her own free will”

"Oh yes, I never thought the day would come when I would praise that introverted personality of my sister! I hope she keeps it” Changing her tone, perhaps because what she was going to say next was a hundred times more important than everything before, he added. “Now about helping me with Patrick ...”

"I don't think I can," said Oscar curtly.

"But why not? Are you going to start playing tough again? Come on, it will be the last favor you do me! I will never ask you for anything again, I swear.”

“It's not that, just how does all this benefit me? These days I am so stressed with the job search... Because it is already a fact that your father will end up firing us, at least, in the middle of the service. And my uncles are sure to stay, but I'll have to go” Seeing that Madeleine was going to replicate something along the lines of: “I will advocate for you to stay”and not wanting to get stuck with such dire company, he continued to explain: “And I don't want to continue depending on my uncles or your family. I would like to find another job soon so that I can fend for myself, without being accountable to anyone. But the market is difficult…”

"That's not a problem, my father has connections in London. He can get you another job, even if it's not at his factory.”

"No, I don't want to depend on the employer's contacts."

It would have been a very bad idea, after the little scene she witnessed, to put his fate in the hands of the aforementioned.

"T-then I'll ask around town if anyone needs employees. I do not believe that you have already visited all the establishments! Next time I'll go with you and so we'll cover more ground, what do you think?”

"A young lady, going door to door, asking for a job in favor of her stable boy? That sounds terrible, your mother and Ms. Groves would be mad if they found out.”

"But that would surely convince employers that they are hiring someone smart and capable. I could even write you a letter of recommendation in case my father refuses to! In return, help me with this, okay? We can solve the two problems together.”

Oscar pretended to think so, although he was clear from the moment Madeleine made the next crazy request. Then, he said:

“I have a better idea. Why don't you give me some time to get a job at the Seymours'? That would be killing two birds with one stone. Think about it, with me infiltrated in that home, it would be easy for me to find out what Mr. Seymour is looking for in a wife and tell you.”

Madeleine's face lit up at the suggestion.

"I'll help you get it!"

"No need," Oscar said this hastily.

Knowing that any plan involving Madeleine was highly likely to fail, he had no intention of letting her participate unless there was no other choice.

"Give me a month at most. In a month I'll get out of here and settle in with your dear Patrick"

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