Chapter Four

                                    

                                          
We sat back round the dining table and in came Arthur with dessert. He placed down a sweet and sticky pie topped with cream and my eyes lit up. Diving in, it was as tasty as it looked and for a moment the whole room was silent. The silence was sharply interrupted with Harold yelling 
"Gorgeous pie this!". It wasn't directed at anyone in particular but Miss Caldwell replied 
"it's very nice, Harold"
"It's alright, I guess," said William, still displeased. I was starting to get an idea of the type of man he was, stuck up, rude and arrogant. As Arthur was back clearing the plates once again, Elizabeth pulled him to one side and said 
"Do thank Sarah and Deborah for me" in a happy but mellow tone.
"Yes Miss Elizabeth, of course" he replied smiling.
A bit later on He came back in again with his trolley this time with tea and coffee on board. Choosing to opt for a coffee I gulped it down, black, no sugar. Harold, on the other hand, opted for a tea, extra milky with five sugars. Before long Arthur came back to clear the cups, by this time he looked as worn out as a book whose spine was just a few page turns away from splitting. Before leaving the room, he said
"The cocktail party will be hosted at 7pm". I checked my watch and it was 6. Everyone around the table was just sort of looking at each other, too full to talk. I glanced over at Harold who was going at his maulers with a toothpick. The only one who didn't look so worse for wear was Elizabeth, she hadn't stuffed her face with every plate like the rest of us. 
"Me and Judith are going to get changed for the cocktail party. Feel free to do so yourselves... or not" Harold said before getting up and walking off towards the door. Everyone left, shimmied up and made their way to the stairs and to their rooms. I wasn't getting changed, I didn't even bring that many outfits. Instead, I took a walk through the conservatory and outside. Before doing so I popped back into the smoking room and picked up the half a cigar I stubbed earlier. While out I relit my cigar and enjoyed it under the moonlight with the cool breeze in my face. I heard voices round the corner of the building so I stuck my neck round to take a look.
It was Sarah and Deborah out the back smoking cigarettes. I decided to join them so I approached them.
"Hello ladies" I said confidently. "Your menu was inspiring, absolutely delicious!" I said further.
"Mr Roger... oh, urm, thank you" Sarah said giddy.
"Yes, that means a great deal to us!" said Deborah, smiling.
"I always appreciate hard work," I told them. 
"We've been working hard here for forty-four years" they said in unison. They both looked at each other and laughed.
"Come on, we better get back to cleaning these dishes" Deborah said to Sarah before walking back in. I sat down on a bench in the garden and waited for time to tick by with my cigar. 
Some time had passed and I checked my watch, it was 6:45. Only 15 minutes till the party started I started slowly making my way towards the doors. Before I got there, I spotted Elizabeth outside, she was in her 'cocktail dress' ready for the party but was on the phone again. She hadn't seen me so I got a little closer and had a listen in.
"Oh yes it's just as boring as you'd assume really"
"Yes, William is being his typical annoying self"
"I know, I know, it just gets to me, he really is the golden child. You know neither him nor my mother and father have even spoken to me yet"
"I know right, it is ridiculous. Mother and father are going on like they're too busy for me"