Chapter 5
1114 Words
Arthur smiled. It seems her words drew back his thoughts to memory lane.
"I remember young Piers as a playful boy. He grew up here, in this very mansion. He would run through the passageways of the mansion and even around the grounds up to the edge of lake Washington. He absolutely loved fishing, his father used to take him fishing every Sunday and he loved eating his mother's pancakes. He would have it when he came back fishing with his dad. He used to be very lively with cheers and laughter with them all around but all that changed when he was 8 years old. One summer day when they went camping far from here, young Piers lost both his parents in a tragic event and that changed his life completely. He was traumatised and life didn't seem the same for him anymore after that. He stopped fishing, stopped running around the house and even stopped eating his favourite pancakes on Sunday. So to answer your question, yes he had a rough childhood", Arthur revealed.
"That's sad, I feel sorry for him", she said, saddened by what she heard. She had read an article about the tragic passing away of his parents when she was applying for the job but she hadn't heard the story the way Arthur told it.
"Do you view yourself as someone Mr. Piers trusts completely?", she asked. They had walked outside of the mansion to the backyard at this point and from where she stood she could see a yard Olympic size swimming pool in front of her, facing a large expanse of well kept vegetation and landscape facing the lake Washington. This was where the young Piers used to go fishing with his dad.
"Yes! I have earned his complete trust over the years and that is why he named me his butler just like his parents did before him. 55 years of working for his parents and then him counts for a lot. He definitely shares and tells me a lot of things", Arthur said.
She smiled at him, glad he knew so much about him. His knowledge about him will definitely come in handy at some point.
"Thank you for sharing this with me Arthur", she thanked him.
"You are welcome, Dr. Alex. What else can I do for you?", Arthur asked. As the house manager and butler it was his duty to assist her with anything she wanted.
"I'd like to meet the rest of the staff, can I? Afterwards we can continue on our tour of young Piers' favourite places in the house", she requested politely. She had experienced a wide range of emotions with Piers Anderson but now she was back to her former pleasant self.
"Sure Dr. Alex, I can arrange for them to see you individually. They are usually busy around this period of time", Arthur said, as he turned to lead her back inside the mansion.
"That would be nice, thank you", she said, as she went along with him.
They both went back to the living room where Alex resumed sitting on the white leather couch.
Arthur moved to get one of the staff as he promised but stopped as if he suddenly remembered something important.
"Please doctor, it's already past 12 noon. When will you get your things ready to move into the guest room upstairs?", he asked.
It was true, now she had gotten the job, part of the deal was for her to move into the mansion today.
"Well I knew I was going to get the job so I packed my things while coming here. They are in the trunk of my car", she said, confident in her abilities. She had never been wrong about anything in her life, neither had she failed at anything she really wanted before.
"I am impressed! I must confess I had my reservations about you initially but your motivation is exactly what Mr. Piers needs", Arthur said. She smiled at his words, exactly what she needed to hear.
"I'll get one of the staff to bring it in", he said.
"Thank you Arthur", she said, as she watched him leave the sitting room outside of the mansion to arrange for her lounges to be brought in.
She brought her iPhone 13 out from her purse as she went to her notes. She opened it and started a journal. She needed to take notes of all the details she had experienced in Piers Anderson's mansion.
"Day 1".
She typed on her touch screen keyboard and proceeded to document her experience with both Piers Anderson and Arthur so far. She finished typing just in time before Arthur returned back to the living room with another man. He was much younger than him but far older than her. She was 27 years old.
"Edwin meet Dr. Alex; the new resident Psychiatrist and Dr. Alex, this is the deputy groundskeeper", Arthur said, introducing them both.
"Nice to meet you Dr. Alex", Edwin said with a cheerful smile.
"Nice to meet you too Edwin", she said to him while still sitting down. He looked genuinely happy to meet her. The first person to welcome her without any hesitation in the house.
They both didn't exchange handshakes as both his hands were occupied with her lounges he was carrying for her to the guest room. He was a white male who looked in his late 30's, average height and with thinning grey hair. He was still wearing his gardener outfit as that was what he was out doing when Arthur went and fetched him.
"It's good Mr. Piers finally chose a lady doctor this time around, I never liked the male doctors, I believe he made the right choice", Edwin said, as he moved with her lounges towards the helical staircase leading up to the second floor of the mansion.
"He will definitely be useful in learning more about Piers Anderson", she thought within her, as he climbed the helical staircase with her lounges. She could tell he was someone that liked to express himself and she liked that.
"And how many male doctors have there been so far?", she inquired further of Edwin out of curiosity.
"Be careful now with the lounges, we don't want to damage any of the fine doctor's possessions!", Arthur exclaimed, cutting in.
She felt it was a subtle attempt from Arthur alerting Edwin from spilling the beans. It was a bit worrisome as she thought he was now open to her and they could be friends.
"Okay Mr. Arthur", Edwin said, getting his message, as he kept quiet for the rest of his ascent up the helical staircase.
- Writer
