Chapter 28: Chapter 28
Francesca didn't pay attention. She considered that Dr. Mason would most likely like to admire the magnificent view before starting his day.
They entered the tower, and Miss Emma gave Francesca a tour of the tower while at the same time she was explaining her duties, which were nothing more than the thorough cleaning of everything.
"Dr. Mason hates dust. He doesn't want to see a grain of dust anywhere. So every day you have to dust everything very well. "Furniture, paintings, bibelots, mirrors, everything must shine."
"Yes, Miss Emma," Francesca said obsequiously as they walked from drawing room to living room, showing her everything.
"And of course the floor must be washed daily. I will show you later where you will find everything you will need ".
"Of course, Miss Emma," she agreed, following her meekly.
Francesca was thinking about all of this, full of concern. Would she do all this on her own? She wouldn't manage to finish all this work in one day. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here to work with Stefan after all.
For Stefan, there was no difference. Wherever they find work, Stefan's duties would be the same. In addition, Stefan loved horses. Even if he had to take care of a thousand of them, he wouldn't have a problem at all.
But she had a problem. How would she manage to clean an entire tower every day all alone?
"Will I do all this work alone?" finally decided to ask Miss Emma.
The housekeeper looked at her sternly. "Did you start being lazy from the first day?"
"No, no, Miss Emma," Francesca responded. "I was just worried that I would probably not be able to clean an entire tower on my own every day."
"Anyway," Miss Emma continued in the same stern tone. "To reassure you, I will tell you no, you will not be alone. We have Mila too. A young orphan girl near your age. She is a good girl and hardworking. That's why we needed one more maid. Although Mila cleaned the tower every day, working from dawn to nightfall was unfair. Sometimes until late at night. You will share the cleanliness of the tower. The tower consists of two floors and a cellar. One week you will clean the first floor and Mila the second floor. And this will be done alternately week by week. The cellar is my duty. No one else goes down there except Dr. Mason and me.
Come, let me guide you to the second floor too.
Going up the wide stone-built staircase, Miss Emma complained about the years that had piled up on her back and felt their weight, especially when she had to go up the stairs.
She was over half a century old - exactly fifty-five years of life.
Maybe once there was a beautiful girl. Now her blue eyes were blurred, wrinkles had carved her face, and her facial features were spoiled. Her gray hair was gathered in a tight bun at the base of her neck.
When they reached the end of the stone-built staircase, Miss Emma stood for a while to take a breath while Francesca waited patiently for her.
The tour continued by passing through from all the rooms, the small living rooms in every empty corner of the tower, and the vast library that had a dual role. It was also Dr.'s Mason office.
The library shelves reached the ceiling, and all were full of books. A long ladder that reached the height of the last upper library's shelf was pulled to one end.
The imposing desk stood majestically on its engraved legs and was placed under the large window on the right side of the room.
Francesca swallowed hard and thought she probably preferred to clean the down floor. It seemed more manageable to her in cleaning. But as Miss Emma had planned, she would exchange floor with Mila every week.
Leaving the library, they bumped into Dr. Mason, and they stopped to greet him.
"Good morning Dr. Mason," Miss Emma told him, "as you can see, the couple we were waiting for has arrived."
"Good morning Miss Emma," he told her seriously. Dr. Mason had his hands behind his back.
His was made of striking good looks. His body was straight and splendid. Something intangible about this man aroused the sympathy of anyone he met in his way. "Yes, I see that they have come," he said and fixed his gaze on Francesca. "And on time. You did an excellent start. I guess you show the tower to Francesca, right?" he asked Miss Emma in a calm voice.
"Yes, Dr. Mason. You guessed it right. "We are almost done, and then we will start work immediately," she assured him.
Dr. Mason nodded. "Have you informed her about the habits of this tower?"
"Not yet. But it would be the next step after her tour of the tower and the allocation of duties." she replied.
"Very well. I will get some papers I need from my office and leave. I have a lot of dates today. I will come for lunch." said Dr. Mason and entered the library while Miss Emma and Francesca moved on to the next and last room.
Dr. Mason's room.
At the sight of it, Francesca's mouth and eyes widened. It was the first time she saw such an impressive luxury room in her life. Not even Lord Augustine's mansion had such a luxurious room.
A huge four-poster bed was elevated from the floor. It had to climb a step to reach the bed, made with olive green silk covers, and there were beautiful soft pillows. The green silk curtains of the bed were tied on the wooden posters of it.
A small living room in brown shades next to the large windows and thick carpets covered almost the entire room's floor. That surprised Francesca since it was still summer, but she didn't think about it more. It was the doctor's right to have what he wanted in his room.
There was a beautiful boudoir at one side with its velvet seat, and Francesca was jealous of the lady of the manor who used it.
It was a piece of furniture that every woman would love to have in her room, and Francesca at that moment swore to herself that one day she would obtain such a jewel in her room.
The tour ended, and the two women went downstairs, heading to the kitchen.
"Come, sit down so I can give you something to eat, hard work is waiting for you, and while you are eating I will tell you about the habits of the tower that Dr. Mason mentioned before." and saying this, she put in front of Francesca to drink a glass of milk, boiled eggs, and yesterday's bread.
Although Stefan and Francesca had eaten before leaving their house, Francesca never said no to a little more food.
So, as Francesca was eating her frugal breakfast, Miss Emma told her about the habits of the tower.
"The servants eat in the tower's kitchen. The cook prepares food for them too. Servants are not allowed to cook in their stone-built homes to avoid any accident firstly, and second so as not to waste valuable time that they could offer to the tower with their work.
You never enter a room to clean if the doctor is already there. You need to do something else until it gets out of there, and then you clean up.
You must be available for doctor's needs at any time of the day or night.
That rarely happens in exceptional cases, but I have to inform you. Also, the doctor's friends often visit him here in the tower, so the maids who take care of these people should be dressed in better clothes. - That is, you and Mila. And don't worry, I will give you the clothes you need in such cases. These are in short. Now, if I missed something, you will find out later."
Francesca nodded.
"Ah! I grew old and I am slipping. But let me not pester you with my worries."
Francesca swallowed her bite and asked Miss Emma.
"When does the lady of the manor come down for her breakfast? How should we take care of her?"
Miss Emma looked at her in astonishment. "But there is no lady of the manor."
Francesca opened her eyes wide. "Oh, forgive me! I didn't know! Has it been a long time since Dr. Mason lost her? "
"He never had one to lose her. Dr. Mason is not married, he never got married."
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