Kailynn had learned to measure her days in small mercies.
A crust of bread left on the kitchen table. An hour when neither of the Tamien's called for her. The magic of the farmhouse at night when she could pull a stolen book from under her mattress and read by the dying light from the hall until her eyes gave out.
She had been doing this long enough that she almost didn't notice the hunger anymore. Almost. Her stomach had its own opinions about that, and it made them known loudly and without shame while she watched the pig eat.
That was the thing about the pig. It never missed a meal.
She wasn't angry about it — or if she was, the anger had gone so deep she couldn't find it anymore. This was just how things were. Servants woke early and ate late and were grateful for what they got. She had been told this so many times it had become something close to belief.
Except her best friend Annie got fed. The other girls got fed. And Kailynn had been two days without a meal and stood here, watching a pig eat. She was trying very hard not to think about what that said about her place in this house.
Dinner. She let herself hope. Just the one word. Just the once.
"KAILYNN!" Aunt Marissa's voice cut across the farmyard. "Come wash these dishes, now!"
With a sigh, she turned from the trough. Kailynn walked across the muddy farmyard, her boots squishing and squelching in the mud. Her left boot had a hole in it and it kept leaking muddy water into the boot. When she reached the doorway, she reached down and pulled off her boots and poured the water out of the left one.
Something moved in the distance. A black regal looking carriage with a black and red flag on it was in the distance and rattling its way down the muddy lane toward the big farmhouse. Kailynn dropped the boot.
"Aunt Marissa!" Kailynn called into the house, her voice echoing slightly down the halls. "A carriage is coming!"
Aunt Marissa appeared wiping her hands on a napkin with a servant girl in tow. Annie was Kailynn's best friend, or rather her only friend, they shared a room in the servants quarters in the attic. Aunt Marissa peered down the street and straightened suddenly, "Kailynn get the dishes done now! Then get out the good china tea set. Annie you help her and start the tea kettle right away. Go girls! Go!" Aunt Marissa then disappeared bellowing for Uncle Morgan to get dressed.
Annie nudged Kailynn, "Who do you think it is? Whoever it is, it definitely has Lady Marissa all fired up!" Annie grinned broadly. She called Uncle Morgan and Aunt Marissa "Lord" and "Lady" because they had a lot of land called an estate or some such thing. Kailynn just called them Aunt and Uncle, unless she was in front of company in which case she never said anything. The girls giggled and went into the kitchen to get their chores done.
A few minutes later Aunt Marissa had shooed them upstairs to the attic to change into their nicest serving clothes with orders to come right back to serve tea. Meanwhile Aunt Marissa and Uncle Morgan waited with some of the other adult servants for their guests to arrive.
After changing, they rushed back downstairs to take their positions in the tea room. Kailynn and Annie peered out the window so they could see as the carriage came rolling up to the front door. The carriage was pulled by two large black horses and driven by two stone faced men in military uniforms. It stopped in front of the house and one of the male servants stepped forward to open the door.
Out stepped a beautiful pale faced lady clothed in a black dress with a black umbrella. Kailynn had seen umbrella's like that before in her Aunt's closet. But, she called them parasols or some such thing. They looked like umbrellas to Kailynn. The beautiful lady looked over at the window and smiled at Kailynn and Annie. Then she stepped inside the house and Kailynn and Annie rushed to their tea serving positions.
"You must be tired from your trip," Aunt Marissa was saying as they came down the hall. "Can we offer you a room for the night?"
"Perhaps." The beautiful lady had a lovely lilting voice. "We will see what time it is after we conclude our business."
"Ahem." Uncle Morgan opened the door to the tea room where Kailynn and Annie waited. "And what business would that be Lady Beaufort?"
Lady Beaufort. That was her name. Kailynn thought that she had never heard such a pretty name.
"We will get to that, Lord Tamien," Lady Beaufort tilted her head while looking at Kailynn. "Your servant girl looks so very familiar."
Aunt Marissa chuckled uncomfortably, "The uniforms are the same as the ones from your summer estate Lady Beaufort."
"Ah, yes! That must be it." Lady Beaufort still studied Kailynn closely. "What is your name girl?"
"Kkkailynn, Lady. My name is Kailynn."
Lady Beaufort straightened up to her full height. "Is it indeed?" She cast a baleful look at the Lord and Lady Tamien. "Tell me Kailynn, do you know your parents names?"
"Yes Lady, Richard and Tessia Tamien."
A strange look flickered across the Lady Beaufort's face. "You are her..." she breathed out the words. She snapped her head over to look at the Tamien's again, she said, "Why is she dressed as a servant?"
Annie and Kailynn exchanged looks.
"Wwell you see," Aunt Marissa began.
"She is her father and mothers daughter and she is working off their debt." Uncle Morgan interrupted, his tone cold as ice. "What business is it of yours Lady Beaufort?"
"None, I suppose. I knew her father well." The Lady Beaufort turned a cold gaze onto Uncle Morgan. "No, that is not my business. What is my business is that I have been sent by my father Lord Byron the Minister of Tithes and Taxes."
"I know who your father is." Uncle Morgan growled. Aunt Marissa seemed to be going more pale by the second. "What does he send a woman here for?"
"His daughter," Lady Beaufort corrected sternly. "He sent me because I am his best auditor. Your taxes to the King have lessened every year for the past three years."
"I'll not be audited by a woman. I doubt you can read! Let alone count!" Uncle Morgan bit out shaking off the hand that Aunt Marissa laid on his arm. "What is Lord Byron thinking? Sending a woman here to audit me?!?"
"I'm not here to audit you Lord Tamien."
Uncle Morgan blinked. "Oh. Why are you here then?"
"My father didn't want the gossip to get ahold of his message. So he sent me."
"My apologies, Lady Beaufort. What is his message?"
"Your taxes to the King have lessened every year for the past three years. If they do again this year, he will be forced to send an auditor. He wished to warn you privately. My father considers you a friend apparently. I would be that auditor. He wanted me to experience your famous hospitality, no doubt to show me what respectable people the Lord and Lady Tamien are."
Aunt Marissa swayed like she was going to pass out right there in the tea room. Annie quickly pulled up a chair for her and Aunt Marissa sank into it. Kailynn handed her a hot cup of tea. Uncle Morgan looked like he had swallowed something bitter and it had just hit his stomach.
"I see." Uncle Morgan muttered. "Would you like a cup of tea?"
"I'm afraid I must be going." Lady Beaufort's tone was cool and detached.
"Oh please," Aunt Marissa breathed, still white as a ghost.
Lady Beaufort's gaze found Kailynn and softened. She leaned down. "Kailynn. Do you like it here with your Uncle and Aunt?"
Uncle Morgan cut a sharp warning look at Kailynn. Aunt Marissa gave her a pleading look. Kailynn considered not saying anything. But her stomach growled and with the way that the Lady Beaufort's visit was going, dinner wasn't likely.
"No Lady. Sometimes I don't get to eat."
Lady Beaufort shot a look at Aunt Marissa that made her hands shake and put down the tea. "When was the last time you ate?"
"Two days ago."
"Go get in my carriage." Lady Beaufort said gently. Straightening to her full height she looked at Uncle Morgan and Aunt Marissa. "I very much look forward to my next visit. I'm sure it will be very enjoyable."
Aunt Marissa trembled in her chair.
Lady Beaufort continued; "I think it best that I assume guardianship over Kailynn to see to her education. Perhaps the reduction in your costs will save you from an audit next year? Then of course my return would be unnecessary."
Uncle Morgan bristled. "So you mean to blackmail me? To what end? To have guardianship over that worthless wretch? Your father will hear about this!"
"Yes he will," Lady Beaufort said quietly. "I will see to it personally."
Uncle Morgan opened his mouth while turning red with rage, then he closed it. His face cleared and he smiled wickedly. "Of course, just a moment and I will give you her guardianship papers."
"Also the employment contract for this girl here," Lady Beaufort gestured at Annie. "We will require her services."
"Naturally." Uncle Morgan bowed and left the tea room.
Lady Beaufort, turned to the two girls. "Go straight to my carriage and get in. I will send for your things later."
Kailynn and Annie curtsied quickly and practically ran into the hall, almost colliding with Uncle Morgan. "See you soon Kailynn." His smile was sickly. Brushing past them, he took his papers into the tea room and shut the door behind him.