I showered, shaved, got dressed, and headed down stairs. Winston had clearly done his business outside, and Nyx was busy eating. I fed Winston his oats, milk, a little peanut butter, and an egg. The peanut butter was because he was being a very good boy through the night, and that was the longer way of saying: he just down right deserved it. I put Winston back in my room, and gave him things to entertain himself with. “You know, we have a dog room right? Nyx and Winston can play while my mother and her dog get here.” I looked at him. “You sure do seem to have a room for everything.” He smiled. “Mhm!” I smiled, shook my head, and pulled Winston out of my room. “Come on Winston.” He followed me, and I followed Alester to the dog room. “You’re going to have to hang out with Jermey, Althea, and Penelope if you don’t mind. Finnagin is out in town getting a few things that mother express telegramed here.” I nodded my head. “I don’t mind, sir.” He nodded, and told me the general area they would be in. 

I found Althea first. “Hello love! I’ve heard a lot about you through Alester, and also Jeremy.” Her thick yorkshire accent was happy and bubbly. “Ah, well I hope it is all good things?” She smiled. “All good things. You look as if you wouldn’t hurt a fly!” I laughed. “I wouldn’t try to at least.” She giggled again, and Penelope soon came up behind her. She was a young girl, around sixteen. “Mum, can I go greet the Missus when she comes?” Althea nodded. “Yes love, go ahead. But, remember your manners. She’ll scold you harder than anything if you step out of place.” Penelope nodded her head, and dashed off. “Your daughter?” Althea nodded. “Yessir! She’s as sweet as sugar can allow her to be.” I smiled, nodding. “Well, then.” She said, and brushed the flour off her apron. I didn’t notice it until she did so. Jeremy cleared his throat a little. “Mn. Sorry ‘bout that.” He said, laughing a little as he rubbed the back of his neck. When he wasn’t all business, he was a shy guy. “You’re fine. I’ve got some tea that can help with that throat of yours if you want a sachet of it.” He smiled. “You’d give it to a mixed man like me?” I smiled as I looked up at him. “Mhm. I’m not scared of any segregation bullshit.” 

He laughed, his raspy voice seemed to echo a little in the small servant quarters living room where we were currently standing. “Well, this’s the first time someone other than Mr. Alester, Missus Althea and Penelope were nice to me. Well, that ain’t my folks.” I smiled at him, and outstretched my hand. “Well then, Mr. Jeremy, the name is Clemintine. And I don’t give two shits about your skin tone.” He laughed hard as he took my hand, shaking it greatly. “Oh, it’s good to have another one who thinks that this discrimination is utter bullshit!” He said, laughing. “Well, how I see it, it’s just people are fearful of all that’s different to them. Different colours, views, religions, sexes, and whatever makes people scared. As if we were diseases. Last time I checked, I wasn’t a mycobacterial creature that floated through the air.” Althea laughed, and so did Jeremy which made him cough a little. “Well, you’re not British are you?” I shook my head ‘no’. “I’m Filipino, and I can speak Mandarin, as well as the official language of Tagalog.” 

They both smiled. Althea spoke first. “I can speak the broader spectrum of Yorkshire. And also French.” I nodded my head, and Jeremy spoke after downing a glass of water. “I’m from Kenya, so we speak Swahili and English.” I nodded my head again, smiling. Soon, there was a heavy ring of the bell on the wall and Althea looked at the both of us. “Entry foyer. Go there, and stand in a line. Men on the right, and women on the left. Shortest to tallest. Go.” We all left, and took our places. There was a knock on the door, and Penelope took it. Alester was just coming down the stairs, and his mother came in. Penelope went right back to her spot and we all were standing as tall as we could. It was obvious I was shorter than Jeremy, who I assumed stood at 192.024 cm. I was only 155.448 cm, and shorter than Althea, but Penelope was a little taller than me, and she was a little shorter than her mother. 

“Hello there, son.” She said, and her little pekingese dog panted in her arms. “Hello, mother. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” he said, smiling. I could tell that it was strained a little. She nodded her head, her strawberry blond hair glistening in the light that was coming from the now closing door. “I see you have a new servant?” She said, tapping my arm. I didn’t react to it, which I heard her give off a small hum. “I’m pleased with his behaviour. What is your name?” She asked me. “My name is Clemin, ma’am.” She smiled. “Well, Clemin, where did you study at? I can tell you went to Etiquette school.” “I went to The British School of Excellence, ma’am.” She nodded her head. “Well, you were taught well if you went there. What is your nationality?” “Filipino, ma’am.” She nodded again, and soon walked to her son. He had darker hair than hers, but shared her grey eyes. “Well, you seem to have found a better servant.” Althea, Penelope, and Jeremy watched as I bawled my hand into a fist, and soon released it. They could tell I was a little angry at hearing that. “I heard that the Japs made good servants too. You should get some of them to do things.” Alester dismissed us, and once we were far enough away from ear or eye shot, I gave out a heavy groan. “Ugh, why do people think they have to do that?” Jeremy shook his head. “I dunno.” Althea and Penelope clearly didn’t know what to say about it. 

“She’s an aristocrat… we have to deal with it.” Penelope finally said. I sighed. “I know.. But, someone’s nationality doesn’t just automatically make them better.” They nodded. “It shouldn’t at least.” We were back in the servant’s quarters. “Oh! I was going to get you that tea. I’ll be right back.” They nodded, and I left to go upstairs. I went up there to see that his mother was in my room. I knocked on the door. “Ma’am? Can you please leave my room?” She turned around, and looked at me. “I usually stay in this room.” I frowned. “Ma’am, can you please leave my room?” She lifted one of my pictures off the desk. “I usually stay in this room, you belong in the servant’s quarters.” Alester was in the doorway. “Mother, I think you’ve spoken enough. Put that down on his desk how he had it.” She set it back where I had it, and looked at her son. “But I usually sleep in this room.” Her son frowned. “I put him here because he is my personal servant. You can sleep in the room on the other side of him.” She frowned, picked up her dog off of my bed, and went to the room where all her stuff was put. Jeremy was talking to a young boy when I got back into the living room of the servant’s quarters. 

“There you are, Clemintine. I was just telling Finnigan about you.” I nodded, and he turned around. “नमस्कार।.” He gave me a bow, and I looked very confused. “嗨，你好。” I said, trying to see if that is what he meant. We both stood there, confused. “I see you don’t speak hindi?” I shook my head ‘no’. “No, sorry.” He nodded, paused, then looked up at me again. “Wait, so you can speak English?” I nodded my head again. “Yes, I can speak English, Mandarin, and Tagalog. I was born here in England, but I originally would have come from the Philippines.” He nodded. “Mm. I come from India.” I nodded. “Pleasure to meet you then. I assume Finnigan isn’t your real name?” He nodded. My real name is Aarnav. But people deem it too hard to say. So, I say Finnigan.” I nodded. “I can call you whatever you would like me to call you.” He smiled. “You try to say and spell my name.” He cried out in glee, his slightly broken English didn’t bother him one bit. “Aarnav. It would be spelled… A-a-r-n-a-v.” He clapped his hands. He was a very young kid. “How old are you, Aarnav?” He came over to me, and whispered. “I’m 12. I told Mr. Alester that I was 16 like Pene.” I nodded. “Well, I promise you I won’t tell a soul!” He smiled again. “Now, Jeremy. Let’s get that sore throat resolved.” 

We went to the small kitchen, and I made a pot of tea. Pouring the tea into the cups, Finnigan pulled out the biscuits and other things for tea. “What tea is it Mr. Clemintine?” I smiled at him. “It’s Chamomile tea. There are other tea’s that help with sore throats, sicknesses, and even cure a few things.” He gave off a small gasp. “My mama has this, this, uh, dish- yeah, dish that she makes and it always helps us kids when we have tummy aches.” I smiled. “Well, I'll just have to ask your mother for the recipe so that I can make it for you.” He giggled in childish delight. “Thank you!” I nodded my head, and brought the tea tray over. He ran in front of me, and sat down next to Jeremy. I set the tray down, and handed out the tea. Starting with Jeremy, then the ladies, Finnigan, and then the last one for myself. We were enjoying the time together, and soon the bell for Alester’s room rang. I stood, and left. Once there, I knocked on the door. “Come in.” I came into the room, and saw him standing there by the window. 

“What would you do if your mother pressures you to do things that you don’t like?” He asked as he turned around. The light caught his hair and eyes which made them gleam, as well as the buttons on his button up. “Mm… well, I would just be honest and blunt with my mother. Even if she didn’t like hearing it, she would always listen. And for my father, we were always blunt with each other, listening to one another. Mainly, communication is key.” He nodded. “That's what my father said. My father is here if you want to meet him.” I smiled. “I will see him eventually.” He nodded. “That is true. Would you accompany me to dinner when it happens?” I nodded my head. “Yes sir. I can accompany you to dinner tonight.” He didn’t understand the formality until he saw the door open. “Father? Do you need something?” His father nodded a little. “Yes son. I see you have a friend here?” I turned around, gave a formal bow, and straightened myself up again. “Would you like me to go sir? So that you can talk to your father?” He nodded. “You can go, thank you for the advice Clemin.” I nodded my head. “Anytime sir.” giving my bow, I left them be. 

I almost ran into Penelope when I came back from Alester’s room. “Ah- Sorry, Penelope.” She laughed. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t be standing here like a clutz!” We both laughed and went back into the living room. Jeremy came up to me. “Thank’s a lot. It really helped.” I smiled, and patted his muscular forearm. “Mhm! Anytime.” he nodded his head. “Well, Althea, Penelope, and Finnigan have to go make dinner, while we have to set up the table.” I nodded. “Well, I can help with that!” He smiled. Once we got to the dining room, I pulled out the silver box, while he got all the china and crystal onto the table. I placed napkins and silverware at each placement. “How does that look?” Jeremy smiled. “Wonderful. I’m sure that the Missus will approve. The Mister, and Mister Gregerson will agree as well.” I nodded my head, and helped bring all the dishes out from the kitchen. “Thanks for the help.” Althea and Penelope said, which we both nodded to. Alester came in with his mother holding his arm and his father right behind him. “Oh, the table looks wonderful!” Mrs. Gregerson said as she took the pulled out seat for her. Alester nodded at us, and I soon took my place. Finnigan was at the other side of the door frame. He looked at me, pointed to his stomach and frowned. He was hungry.