章 24: Talk More, Talk Less, Moderation is Key (2)
"And I almost forget, y'know we used to have a lovely young man who was here with us for a little while. He was such a sweet boy, but oh humbug my memory!" She threw her hands. "What was his name? Castiallo, wasn't it? No, no, no, Ceaser? Caro? Cameroon? No, it was Calvin. Hmm, but that don't be sounding right…Carter or Charles? Wait. Maybe Christian." Pondering, she pressed her upper lip to her nose. "No. Not quite that either…perhaps it was---."
"---Castian."
She stopped; eyes wide. "Castian," she repeated, bobbing the thought around her head. "Yeah…yeah, yes!" A slow smile of realization came upon her. "Yes, that was it! Why, Mista Ezra how did yew know?"
"Oh, that's because I play a mean game of Guess a Fellow's Fair."
"Guess a Fellow's Fair?" Her ears perked up, her tongue slowing down. Miss Pedigree considered herself the type of woman to know when the mice were squeaking and when the walls were talking. There were few things, the chatty woman did not know and could not telltale about. "This is a game?"
"Yes, and fun one at that." He smiled. "Have you not played?"
"I've not."
"Oh, we ought to play once this tour is over," he sweetly said.
"Yes, that could be an idea! Why don't yew come on this way!" She beamed, dragging him along a little faster. "Now, what was I talking about before that? But before that, where are yew from again, Mista Ezra?" Her full-bodied voice rang through his ears.
"Me? Oh, I matter least. I'm more curious to know where are you from, Miss Pedigree?"
"I'm from Kaelix-Belmont." She was quick to reply. "Ye probably passed it on yew way, travelling to the manor. It's a nice place not too far, and did yew know I have a niece who looks just about yer age? She works here as well." She heartily patted his shoulder again, briefly gripping his arm's bicep in the process. "My niece's name is---oh, let me show yew this. Ye see that attic door over there?" She pointed towards a small square in the ceiling where a single string hung. "My sister has been having problems with her attic. Something about the rodents, y'know?"
"Rodents?" He couldn't utter another word before her tongue struck with lightning speed.
"Yea, the attic. Ah, but before that." She bounced between topics. "Can yew tell me Mista Ezra? Are all these crazy things about yew true? Like about all yer prowess."
"Prowess in what?"
"Yer prowess in---Miria!" She looked behind him where a maid sped forwards in their direction. "Miria!" Miss Pedigree waved her over.
The girl slowed down her speed, folded her hands, and gave a light bow to them both.
"Mista Ezra, this ere is Miria, the Young Missus handmaid."
"Lovely to meet you, Miria." He smiled, offering his hand.
She took his hand without eye contact, and shook it weakly.
"Miria does not speak, Mista Ezra," Miss Pedigree said to him, as if the girl weren't standing there. "Most of time she'll communicate through pen and gestures."
"Really?" He took a gander of her.
She stood a stiffly, and even though she was tall, she hunched and shriveled small.
"Yes, I know yew must be thinking it would crazy for a woman to be without speech, but the awful is proof before us. She does not speak," Miss Pedigree said frowning. "Yew could even try startling her, but she won't let any words won't come out, right Miria?"
Miria could only nod slowly.
"See? Crazy, isn't it Mista Ezra?"
He glanced at Miss Pedigree and back to the voiceless young woman. "Crazy? No." He shook his head. "What might be crazy is to suggest that even without roaring, a lion would not be a lion."
"A lion without a roar? Huh?" Miss Pedigree found herself stumped over the words and not the implications.
In Miss Pedigree's confusion, Miria pulled her eyes from the ground. For a brief moment, she shared eye contact with Ezra. But when he smiled, she looked away and made hurried movements to leave. She grabbed two fistfuls of her uniform dress, and pulled it up slightly for mobility.
"Oh, she's leaving us already, then see yew around, Miria!" Miss Pedigree waved her goodbye before turning her attention back to Ezra. "Miria's very responsible. Anything ya need help with, she won't ever fail yew. Y'know, she's about our Young Missus age. But life's been a bit rough on her." She stared down the empty halls. "Hm. Now, she did seem quite in a hurry. Could it have to do with Lily?"
"Y'know Lily is Miria's closet friend," she started, although he didn't ask. "Our sweet little doll Lilly, got fired a little while earlier. Something about the Young Miss breaking some glass and Lily happened to be involved now she's fired." She sighed. "Poor Lily needed this job, and this is probably gonna hit her hard. Man, they were two little peas in a pod. I remember when they both came here. Both of them worked so tirelessly and hard. It's a shame the Young Miss fired her. Expected. But still a shame. I thought Lily had great potential for another year."
She sighed again. "Now, yew didn't hear this from me, but…? The Young Miss is truly no proper young lady like she used to be." She scoldingly wagged her finger. "If my niece ever begins to show slight similarity to any of her behavior, I'd find my grave early!"
As if she were rattled by the thought, she shook her head. "Which that reminds me, I was gonna tell yew about my niece! Yew may have already seen her because she's a hard sight to miss! She's a pearl with a little twinkle in her eye like me, yea." She abashedly patted her chest. "And let me tell y---."
"---Miss Pedigree," he said, quickly butting in. "Pardon my manners, but I really don't wish to hear about any of this. Especially not about your niece."
"Excuse me?" She blinked a few times, stunned by the boldness.
"Yes," he said, in a matter of factly tone. "You may find this strange of me to say, but I don't think it's proper to speak of other women other than the one in front of me."
She was stunned again. So stunned the master key ring in her hand fell to the floor with a thud. "O-oh." She tried to find words.
He bent down and picked up the keys. "Your niece sounds like a wonderful young lady, but I'd rather hear about you, Wynona."
"Wynona?" She questioned.
"Ah, my apologies." He viewed her surprised reaction. "I don't wish to overstep my boundaries; do you mind if I call you by your first name?"
She flushed. "Mista Ezra," she said with a giggle. "No one has called me Wynona since I was a young bird." She smiled widely, placing a hand sheepishly on her cheek.
"What?" He offered the keys back to her. "That's a terrible thing when you have such a lovely name, Wynona."
"You really think so?" The smile overcame her face as she dazedly took the key ring.
"Of course, I do." He flashed her an even sweeter grin.
At the sight of his smile, she picked up pace, motioning him along with a grin. "W-well, please do follow me!"
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