When the next day arrived, Duri made sure to complete his words with utmost care. Looking through every single detail until everything was perfect. Not wanting to be scolded for the lack of his work like lady Fleurance had threatened him, he walked up to Senior Quinn’s room at the time of noon.
Taking the blood tea along with him, he knocked on the door which was already open.
“Come in,” Senior Quinn beckoned him to step inside the room. Durik walked inside, pushing the trolley which had the kettle of milk, a kettle of blood and a bowl of sugar cubes in them. He began pouring the blood and milk together, stirring and mixing them right to ask,
“Will Mr. Quinn have sugar in his blood tea?” asked the butler in a polite hospitable tone.
“No,” came the curt answer. Senior Mr. Quinn raised his hand as if waiting for the butler to place the teacup in his hand.
Durik picked up the saucer and teacup, handing it to the pureblooded vampire who took the teacup in his hand, sipping the blood tea.
“You can leave,” the man said but the butler wanted to stay. He had things to discuss with him leaving the mansion and never ever return back to any pureblooded family house. That was right, he would never work for a pureblooded family. Senior Mr. Quinn raised his head, giving a look to the butler.
“Sir I have a request, may I?” he started.
“Speak,” came another curt reply from the old vampire. His eyes looking dull whilst he waited for the butler to speak but he didn’t wait for too long. Turning his head back to parchments and the quill that was on his desk, he took hold of them.
The butler licked his dried lips, swallowing the saliva down his throat, “I was going to say that, it has been a few weeks since I started to work here-”
“You’re looking for a vacation? Don’t you think it is too early, boy,” said the pureblooded vampire without glancing to look at him. His face was turned to the parchments where he was marking the lines while reading it.
“Ah, no, Sir. Not vacation,” Durik didn’t know why but he felt himself starting to sweat again. There was something about these Quinn’s that made a person nervous.
“What is it then? Speak quickly.”
“Yes, I was saying that it has been a few weeks since I started to work but-”
“But?” it would have been easier if the pureblooded vampire was not trying to scare him.
“But I think the weather is not working well with me. It is too cloudy here and there is no sunlight. It hasn’t been working well with my body,” Durik said trying to get to his point.
Senior Mr. Quinn, stopped marking and rested his wrist on the table, turning to the butler he asked, “What are you a sunflower that needs light?”
Sunflower? Durik blinked back at the man.
“You will function fine. Haven’t you been here in Bonelake before you even started to work here? You’re doing fine. You will also get used to it and come to live the land,” said Senior Mr. Quinn, turning back to his work leaving the butler unsure of what to say next.
How could Durik come to explain that there was a ghost in the mansion? There had been a ghost that had almost come to take his soul away with it, he was sure about it! Was it because he had gone in search of the lake of bones and had seen the unholy place which he was not supposed to look at?
Shaking his head, he tried to sort out his thoughts, “There are other butlers in line who the magistrate could offer to work here.”
“Don’t you like working here…” the pureblooded vampire asked, trailing his words.
“Durik, Sir.”
“Durik,” Mr. Quinn gave a nod to his head, “You took the step to turn yourself from a human to a half-vampire, I am sure you face some problems and are still coping with it but you are managing it well. To be able to adapt yourself is a great achievement that you should thrive for. I am sure,” he turned to look at Durik, moving his quill up and down, “Your sunflower self will adjust to the weather of Bonelake in no time, “If you have nothing else to speak, I am sure you can find your way out so that I can continue my work in peace. Right?”
“Yes, Sir,” Durik bowed his head and saw himself out. When he stepped out of the room, the butler’s shoulders slumped like a sunflower that had not seen the sun, wilting. Maybe, he was a sunflower, thought Durik to himself.
He was unable to get his point across. Forget about even proposing the idea, it seemed like he would never reach the point if he continued to ask Senior Quinn. Dragging his feet away from the room, he continued to do his work.
During the time of the evening, he heard the carriage come to stop at the front of the mansion. Dropping what he was doing at that time, he went to the main door to greet Master Damien and the lady with him, Lady Penelope. It was none of his business but he had heard from the maids who often whispered around saying how Lady Penelope was a slave before.
It had got him extremely curious but at the same time, he kept his curiosity to himself. He could tell by Master Damien’s actions on how fond he was of the lady.
“Good evening, Master Damien and Lady Penelope,” he bowed his head, offering to take his coat and helping Master Damien in taking out his overcoat. They often were out and not in the mansion which again made him wonder where they went. Given Master Damien was a councilman, he wondered if the lady accompanied him to the council duties.
