Lies We Tell

Lies We Tell Ourselves Chapter One Honour Elliot took a seat at the back of the hotel’s dining room, uninterested in the crystal chandelier that hung from the robins-egg blue ceiling, or the view of a lush and manicured lawn outside the tall windows. Tall ficus trees stood on either side of the door, but whether they were artificial or not mattered very little to her. She was here for one purpose. She didn’t have to wait long. A shadow fell across the table and she looked up to find an older woman standing in front of her.  “Miss Elliot, I presume?” Honour stood to greet her guest. “Beverly Vaughan?” “Aye.” The response came with a burr of Scottish brogue. Honour gestured to the well-cushioned seat across from her. “Have a seat, please. Can I order something for you?” “Tea, please.” The white-haired woman replied as she lowered herself slowly into the chair. Honour turned to look for one of the staff, made eye contact with a waiter standing nearby and saw him nod and step away. Only then did she re-seat herself. “I trust your trip was without incident?” “Lass, at my age, when all you have to do is sit back and let someone else do the driving, the trip is a good one.” Beverly spoke with a finality that needed no response. “Indeed.” Honour smiled and waited as the tea was served.  As the waiter turned away, Mrs. Vaughan straightened as she spoke up. “So, you understand that I dinna have the final say in this process, that I am pre-screening you for the position?” “I do.” Honour leaned back, set her right ankle on her left thigh and continued. “Feel free to ask any question you’d like, Mrs. Vaughan.” She hoped she came across as casual and unconcerned, but inside she wanted this posting so bad she could almost taste it. “As I mentioned on the phone last week, I represent the interests of Bree Donovan. Are you familiar with who she is?” Honour nodded.“Millionaire heiress and CEO of a conglomerate of bookstores. Victim of a brutal acid attack three years ago, rumored to be a recluse outside of her work.” Honour also knew that many in the bookselling industry either admired or hated Bree Donovan, but that was no secret. “What I find curious is why Miss Donovan needs an estate manager now. Word is that she doesn’t hire randomly.” Mrs. Vaughan met Honour’s gaze. “For many years, I’ve run Miss Donovan’s estates best I could and managed her staff, but as you can see, I’m not a young woman any longer. I’m slowing down and Miss Donovan’s empire is still growing. She needs someone with energy and enthusiasm. The estate is quite large; a collection of antique cars, a mansion and a staff of six. She not only needs an estate manager, but also a personal secretary who will also serve in an executive capacity as well.” Beverly raised an eyebrow before frowning slightly, “Miss Donovan has, how shall I put this… a prickly reputation.”  Honour chuckled at the understatement she recognized it for. “Mrs. Vaughan, I’ve looked into Miss Donovan’s reputation. I would hardly say it’s prickly. She’s reputed to be fierce in business, has a draconian temper and a sharp business mind.” “Aye. She is also extremely private.”  Honour could hear the undercurrent of sadness in the older woman’s reply.  “She does not go out galavanting about town, works terribly hard and those that work for her are held to a certain standard.” Beverly paused to sip her tea. “You must know I looked into your past employment, whatever made you attend butler academy?” Honour reached for her coffee cup and settled it on her knee in a loose grip before answering. “I was gifted with tuition. I was trained in personnel management, crisis management, etiquette, service, communication, as well as some cooking.” Beverly set her china teacup down gently. “That’s not a typical path, for a lass.” Honour merely shrugged one shoulder. “No, but dreams are not fulfilled by waiting for the Universe to grant our wishes. The only way I was going to get where I wanted was to work hard. So I do.” Honour took note of Beverly’s barely suppressed smile and took it as a positive sign. She tried not to let her enthusiasm get the best of her, focusing instead on what Mrs. Vaughan was saying.  “I’m not sure what your other postings entailed, but I can tell you what the expectations would be with us, if you’re interested?” Honour nodded. “Please.” “As I mentioned before, there is a staff of six, including myself. I am head housekeeper, there are two others who work under me. One of them is primarily responsible for Miss Donovan’s quarters and laundry.” Her tone was all business now. “There is a driver, a chef and a landscaper. When the chef has a day or two off, one of my girls likes to bring in a meal so Miss Donovan doesn’t have to cook. But you may be asked to fill in for the chef from time to time. Miss Donovan couldn’t cook to save her life if she wanted more than eggs and toast I’m afraid,” Beverly chuckled fondly and continued. “Assuming you took the position, we would all report to you, and you to Miss Donovan. You would serve as her personal secretary, answering correspondence, the telephone and managing her schedule. Naturally, you would be expected to protect her privacy as we all do. I’m sure she could give you a more complete picture of your role, should you be hired.” She raised a finger and leaned forward, peering intently through her gold-framed glasses. “Let me warn you though, we are all loyal to her. One of my girls nearly gelded a man simply because he made her a job offer intended to steal her from Miss Donovan’s employ! We run a tight ship and nothing less than the highest standard will be tolerated.” When the expression on Honour’s face didn’t change in the slightest, Beverly settled back. “Now, once you graduated from the butler academy what did you do?” Honour marveled at the transformation in the older woman. She wondered briefly if Beverly was aware that her entire demeanor changed when she spoke of her employer in a personal sense. “I studied at a private college in British Columbia. Bartending, sommelier certification and every other course I thought might further my goal. From there, I gained an internship with an estate manager. I served under him until he retired.” “I understand your last posting was a long-term one?” “It was.” Honour nodded. “I was in the Myers employ for six years, until his passing just recently.” Beverly nodded as if none of this was news to her, and sipped from her tea. After a minute of silence, she reached into her purse and took out a photo, which she held for a moment. “I assume that in your research of Miss Donovan, you’ve not found a photo of her?” “That’s true.” “This is her. You can see her scars from the attack quite clearly.” Honour reached forward and took the offered photo. Bree Donovan had deep brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, and the dimpled and puckered skin of her right cheek was red and taut. Her eyes were focused on something below the camera as if she hadn’t wanted to make eye contact. “They look as though they must be painful.” Beverly leaned forward also, her eyes scanning Honour’s demeanor for some sign of aversion, or revulsion. “They do not bother you?” “Why would they?” Honour glanced up with her brow furrowed. “It’s unfortunate that she was attacked like that,” Honour studied the picture further. “She is an attractive woman.” “I wish I could convince her of that, Lass, but she denies it.” Mrs. Vaughan replied softly as she reached to reclaim the picture. “You can see why she is a recluse.”   Honour shook her head to contradict Beverly’s words.“Honestly, I don’t. She is an attractive woman reputed to have a sharp mind. It’s a shame she thinks she has to hide herself away. If she has trust issues as you’ve said, I can imagine she doesn’t open herself to new people well. Sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do is trust another person. Would you like more tea, Mrs. Vaughan?” “I would, thank you. If you get it, the position would be a live-in arrangement,” Beverly watched Honour pour. “There would be a non-disclosure contract, of course. The salary would be on par with the industry standard, with medical and dental benefits, as well as a car allowance that would allow you to ensure the smooth running of the household.” “May I ask something?” “Of course.” “Have you interviewed anyone else for the position?” Beverly made a small sound that Honour hoped was one of approval. “I have. They were well educated, eager, full of ambition I thought, but I felt they would not be a good fit within our household for one reason or another.” “Oh?” “One of them had, how shall I put this...issues with Miss Donovan’s lifestyle.” “They took exception to her work ethic?” Honour’s brow wrinkled as she picked up her coffee cup and drank deeply from it. “They took exception to the fact that Miss Donovan is a widow.” Honour canted her head questioningly. “Miss Donovan’s wife is interred in the family mausoleum on the estate.” Beverly clarified. “Ah.” Honour nodded and allowed a smile to show. “I can assure you that Miss Donovan’s lifestyle choices do not faze me in the slightest. Any inquiries into my past would reveal a similar preference.” “I am shocked at how many in this world seem to think that someone’s choice of companion defines who they are, in this day and age!” Beverly said with no small amount of fierceness. “It makes no difference who we choose to share a bedroom with, we are all still good people or not, deep inside!” Beverly’s voice shook, and she stopped to collect herself. “Forgive me, I get a wee bit carried away by other’s intolerance.” She took a deep breath and asked, “Any scandals or improper dalliances I should be aware of?” “No, Ma’am.” Honour shook her head. “My ex is quite willing to go on with her life, and mine is my own.” Beverly relaxed back into her chair and watched Honour carefully. “Do you drink, Miss Elliot?” “Whiskey, vodka, beer, lime water and of course, coffee. I’m not one for seeking out parties, if that’s what you’re wondering. I like to drink, run, swim, read and do the best job I can. I have neither the time nor the inclination to waste my free time.” Honour saluted the older woman with her cup and drained it. “May I ask you another question?” “Please.” “As I said, I enjoy running. It’s a good way to stay limber. Is there a place I could run outdoors? Paths perhaps?” “Aye. The road is a private one. There are no neighbours anywhere nearby. If you’d rather stay off the road, I’m sure you can find somewhere to run on a hundred acres.” “Is Miss Donovan athletic?” “Ach, no. I’ve not seen her take a long walk in…” Beverly’s features took on a wistful expression for a moment before she turned her attention back to Honour. She allowed a small smile before adding, “I rather think you would be a good fit for Miss Donovan, Miss Elliot.” They were both silent for a minute before Honour asked, “Mrs. Vaughan, what are the others like to work with?” “Well, as I’ve said, they are all loyal and protective of Miss Donovan…” “Protective?” “The woman has a sharp mind, you’re right about that, but she canna cook to save her life! So when Chef has a day off, one of us does what we can to ensure Miss Donovan doesn’t have to cook. The last time she got it into her head to cook a roast, she very nearly burned the kitchen down!” Beverly smiled fondly. “But you’ll keep that between you and I. They’re all hard workers, punctual and close-knit. You might say we’ve all become like family.” “Do you think they’ll find it hard to answer to anyone but you or Miss Donovan?” “No, I don’t believe they would.” *** An hour later, Honour let herself back into her hotel room and changed out of her pinstriped suit. It had been an interesting meeting. Mrs. Vaughan was clearly protective of her employer. But it was clear to anyone with eyes that Bree Donovan was much more to the old woman than just a boss. Honour found herself growing more curious as their meeting progressed, curious about Bree Donovan and the posting itself. Now all she could do was hope she had made a good impression on the executive housekeeper. She changed into workout clothes, sighed and made her way to the hotel gym.