maid chapter 27

The dim storeroom, devoid of windows, was thick with dust motes and the musty odor of mildew. Maids scurried between haphazardly stacked boxes, their lamps casting fleeting beams as they checked the contents, their search so far fruitless.

“Any luck?”

“No.”

The maid who answered yanked a dust sheet from a pile of forgotten belongings, sending up a cloud of dust that triggered a chorus of coughs.

Ellie gently opened the box in front of her. Inside, a jumble of shoes lay nestled, emanating a damp, musty smell. She quickly closed the lid. Why would anyone keep something like this?, she wondered.

The maids dispersed again, each resuming their search. Ellie bent down, rummaging through a lower box. Always treated as incompetent, she longed to prove herself, but the lack of clues was frustrating.

The dust tickled her nose. Ellie rubbed at it, but the urge to sneeze became overwhelming. Achoo! A nearby maid, as if waiting for the opportunity, snapped, “Ugh, disgusting… couldn’t you have held that in?”

“Sorry… sniff!” Ellie rubbed beneath her nose. How can anyone hold in a sneeze?, she thought, bristling at the unfairness, but she forced herself to remain submissive. An argument during her probationary period would surely lead to her dismissal.

A low voice spoke from behind her. “I think I found it.”

“Where? Where?” the maid who had just scolded Ellie asked, her voice now bright with excitement. Daniel stepped forward, placing himself between Ellie and the boxes. “That wooden crate in the back. Doesn’t it look like there’s a symbol on the side?”

“Oh… I see it! I see it!” Ellie stood on tiptoe, peering over Daniel’s shoulder. In a shadowed corner, a stack of neatly arranged crates stood. Just as Daniel had said, a faint symbol was visible on the side of a sealed crate.

Daniel approached the crates and blew on one. As the dust cleared, the symbol became clearer. He lifted the top crate, and the other maids swarmed around him.

As Daniel carried the crate out of the storeroom, Sarah approached. She immediately broke the seal and opened it.

“Good, you found it.”

Inside was a set of cutlery. High-quality pieces, their tips adorned with jewels, but poorly stored. Tarnished overall, the ornate handles were particularly affected.

The other crates, opened one after another, revealed similar contents. Unused silverware, still in its original packaging, yet lacking luster, looking as though they’d been unearthed from a tomb.

Disappointed with their condition, Sarah sighed. “Bring them to the dining room.”

“Yes.” Daniel lifted a crate without complaint, and Ellie quickly followed suit, the other maids each grabbing a crate as well. Though obedient, they weren’t happy. One maid muttered under her breath, “Why are we doing this?”

“Shh.” Her partner quickly placed a finger to her lips, glancing at Sarah. Once they were further away from the head maid, she whispered, “It can’t be helped. The cook already had it out with Mrs. Wise.”

“Why? It is kitchen work.”

“Well… they’re already short-staffed, so I guess he didn’t want more work.” She glanced at Ellie as she said this. Ellie, who had been eavesdropping, quickly looked away. I wasn’t going to tell anyone, she thought, irritated by their exclusionary behavior.

The maid hadn’t actually been worried about Ellie gossiping. In fact, Ellie Brewer was at the heart of the issue. The arrival of a new housemaid after so long had only fueled the cook’s anger.

Ellie was unaware of this, but she understood the underlying reason for the complaint. Caring for silverware was the kitchen’s responsibility, and managing valuables like silver was the butler’s domain.